Science Notebooks

First Team Education is offering a workshop on the basics of science notebooks. If you check the science standards, you will see that writing, discussing, organizing, reading are all mentioned over and over. Using science notebooks in your classroom is a perfect way to help meet those needs in science. If you are interested in knowing more, contact us and I will send you the flyer telling you more.

Is it spring yet?

Haven't posted anything since October and here it is March! Time flies when you're having fun! January saw the start of the science caravans. Joe worked those with Science Companion as well as showing some of our supplemental science materials. We offer leveled books, trade books, and a great video line called Visual Learning. Let us know if you are interested in any of those for your science curriculum.
The Continental Press ISTEP+ materials are a huge hit in Indiana! If you haven't seen them please contact us for a free sample. Continental also has a new line that focuses on the Common Core Standards and we would be happy to send you a sample of that also.
I know it has been a long, snowy winter and many of you have missed too many days of school and are going to have to make them up. But just think, spring break will be here soon and you can take a much needed break and be ready to finish the school year with a few extra days tagged on!

What a week!

First Team Education was everywhere last week. Monday you might have seen Joe working the NCA conference at the Hyatt downtown Indianapolis, or Brenda at the IMLEA at Franklin Middle School. On Tuesday Joe again went to NCA while Brenda drove to Valpo to set up for the Lester Laminack workshop on Wednesday. Brenda had more fun than Joe because she, Lester, and Connie Farrell went out to dinner on Tuesday evening. Always a fun time with those two! Brenda sold books at the workshop on Wednesday and then drove home while Joe attended the state department meeting on the adoption process for Science and then set up for IASCD at the Sheraton at Keystone. Joe worked that meeting on Thursday while Brenda stayed in the office and prepared for the set up on Thursday evening for ITW. After setting up, they had dinner with Dr. Kevin Sue Bailey from the Southern Indiana Writing Project. They always like to add some fun to their work day. Friday was the Indiana Teacher's of Writing conference, which both Brenda and Joe attended. Guess what happened Friday night? A big glass of wine and early to bed!

Barry Lane!

What a great weekend we just had! We were invited to attend the Northwest Indiana Writing Project 15th Anniversary Bash featuring the author Barry Lane. The event took place at the Blue Chip Casino in Michigan City. Friday night included cocktails, dinner and a cabaret featuring, who else?, Barry! Afterwards many of us went into the casino and danced and some of us gambled, not very successfully I might add. Then on Saturday Barry held a day long workshop on writing. We sold his books and we always enjoy listening to him speak. This is what makes our career so rewarding! Hanging out with educators that really step up to the plate and constantly are improving themselves with professional development. If you want to know more about Barry Lane go to his website discoverwriting.com or contact us if you would be interested in having him visit your district.

Heinemann Raintree - Red Brick Learning update

I wanted to give you an update on two of our companies; Heinemann Raintree and Red Brick Learning. The owner of RBL, Capstone, recently purchased HeinemannRaintree and although the company word always is that they would remain two separate companies, they have now gone together. Surprise! (ha) The new company name is Heinemann Raintree Classroom including Red Brick Learning. What this means for customers is that you can now purchase materials from both companies under one Purchase Order. Also if you belong to either rewards program, you now belong to both and can earn points faster. There will be new catalogs arriving in your buildings soon. You will receive one for science and social studies and another for reading/language arts. If you have any questions please give us a call.

It's that time of the year when reps for publishing companies attend sales meetings, so we are off to Charlotte, North Carolina for an ETA meeting and next week we go to Chicago for Heinemann/Raintree-Red Brick Learning. We already had a meeting for Science Companion and luckily the other companies we represent are not holding meetings!
We have been trying to stop by as many of the science pilot trainings as we can. We want the pilot teachers to be aware that we are the local reps for Science Companion and will be here for them as they run their pilots. We are really excited about this opportunity and think that Science Companion is a great program!

Penny Kittle and Brenda at the Indiana University Southeast Writing Project conference.