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Welcome to our Ad-Free Education Blog for Tutors, Teachers and Parents

Weekly posts on educational topics, how-to-teach tips, parenting advice, kids health and more. Subscribe to the newsletter (on the left or below on mobile) for education blog updates by School is Easy Tutoring.

How depression affects teens’ learning

Susan Cumberland Published: April 3, 2015 Last Updated Date: January 14, 2025

How depression affects teens’ learning

Depression is an epidemic sweeping the nation, and has been on the rise particularly among teens. According to multiple sources, the average age of onset of depression is constantly dropping, and someone who has a sibling or parent dealing with depression is up to three times as likely to develop it themselves. Keep reading to find out how depression affects teens’ learning, and how to help them deal with it.

Realize how depression affects teens’ learning

It is important not to overlook depression in teens, especially because it can really affect teens’ learning. Kidshealth.org has a great article that shows how learning can be affected by depression. Depression can make it hard to concentrate and focus. This means teens may have a hard time paying attention in a class, in a tutoring session or completing homework. Teens with depression may not even realize they are depressed. This can cause them to think that they are a failure, a bad student, or a slacker. It can also cause them to have low motivation, which can lead to them skipping class, especially if they start thinking, “what’s the point?” Finally, depression can even cause memory problems, which affects test performance.

How you can tell if depression is affecting your teen’s learning

There are many symptoms of depression, including emotional symptoms like feelings of worthlessness, physical symptoms like low energy, behavioural symptoms like change in appetite, and cognitive symptoms like difficulty focussing. However, it is best for your child to visit the doctor to properly diagnose what is going on. There is even a blood test that has recently been in the news that is able to detect depression. If your teen is diagnosed with depression, your healthcare professional should be able to recommend different resources for treatment. Your teen can also turn to online sources such as studentsagainstdepression.org or those listed at foundrybc.ca.

Depression is on the rise among teens, and it can definitely affect their learning. But luckily there are plenty of resources to help you and your teen deal with this issue. It is important to realize that it is not just something a teen will snap out of, but needs to be dealt with properly. If your teen is struggling with depression, consult your doctor so that they can get the help they need and can get the most out of their tutoring sessions.

Focused art lesson: making lanterns as an educational craft

Susan Cumberland Published: March 20, 2015 Last Updated Date: June 28, 2024

An important skill for a teacher to have is to be able to teach kids how to see the bigger picture of a lesson and make connections between academic subjects. One way to do this is through integrated studies, which according to edutopia.org, means you combine subjects by doing projects to get a broader understanding that goes beyond one simple topic. The benefits of integrated teaching are quite vast, and include cooperation, and an increased ability to think critically and creatively. In this lesson idea, we will show you how to combine English, Social Studies, and Art to teach your students about making lanterns as an educational craft.

Making lanterns as an educational craft

History of making lanterns

You can take the history portion of this lesson in a lot of different ways. You can focus on one culture, one period of time, or even one specific type of lantern. One example of this could be the history of lanterns in China. In this lesson, you could focus on the yearly Lantern Festival. This famous Chinese event began over 2,000 years ago and features lighting lanterns, guessing lantern riddles, folk dances, and eating a sticky rice dumpling called Yuanxiao. Do some research on the history of lanterns for the culture or time period of your choice, and have fun telling stories about lanterns to your students!

The art of making lanterns as an educational craft

A lesson like this is a great way to make some art with your students. After learning about the history behind lanterns, have your students make some! Depending on how you tailored your history lesson or what supplies you have, you can make different types of lanterns. First of all, you could make glass lanterns. To make these, just decorate a mason jar and put a tealight inside. To make a handle, just twist a piece of wire around the jar and hook another piece of wire on two sides of it.

The simplest option is probably to make paper lanterns. To do this, you only need two sheets of coloured paper, scissors, and a stapler. Have your students follow these steps from innerchild.com. Then, hang them from the ceiling of your classroom or tutoring room to brighten up the room!

If you have a little more time for this craft, you can make fun lanterns using yarn or twine. This one is a little more complicated, so you will want to closely follow the directions of wednesdaycustomdesigns.com if you are using yarn, and mrkate.com if you want to use twine.

If you and your students are feeling fairly adventurous, you can even try making flying paper lanterns. This one requires a lot of planning, preparing, and time consuming steps, so make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into before you do this one. Read the instructions by Angie Diersman here.

Apply an English lesson to making lanterns as an educational craft

You can incorporate English studies into both the beginning and end of this lesson. At the beginning, you can have your students read a short story about lanterns, like one about the Chinese Lantern Festival. After the lesson, have your students write about their experience of making the lanterns, and what they learned from it. Or, have them write a small speech to present their lantern and what it represents.

Now that you have this idea for an integrated lesson, try making lanterns as an educational craft with your students! Or, apply these skills to create a fun lesson combining different subjects. Have fun doing integrated lessons with your students!

5 educational jar crafts

Susan Cumberland Published: March 6, 2015 Last Updated Date: June 28, 2024

Art is a great way for your children to express their creativity and have fun. However, you can also take the opportunity to turn a fun craft into an educational lesson. In this focused art lesson, we will be using jars, since they are usually easy to find around the house. Here are five fun educational jar crafts to get your kids’ creative juices flowing!

Educational jar crafts

1) Make pencil holders out of jars

Teach your kids organizational skills by making pencil holders or other organizers with jars. To make a fun pencil holder jar craft, first paint the jar on the inside or outside. Then, use chalkboard paint to make a label on the glass. To personalize it, your kids can write their name on their pencil holder with chalk! This tutorial at thecountrychiccottage.net explains how to do this in detail, with pictures to follow along.

2) Bookend jar craft

This is another great organizational tool you can make out of jars. Simply have your kids decorate a mason jar however they desire, then fill them partway with rice or sand to weigh them down. As you are making this craft, you can teach your kids about important organizational skills they should have.

3) Educational snow globe

It doesn’t have to be winter to make a fun snow globe! Your child will love this simple educational jar craft. To make this, have your child take a figurine, small plastic toy, or whatever small item they desire and glue it to the lid of a jar. Then, put some water in the jar and add some glitter. Finally, glue the lid shut so that water won’t seep out. For more detailed instructions of this bottle craft, check out Kami Bigler’s article on babycenter.

This jar craft can easily be turned into either a Language Arts or Social Studies lesson. Reflect on the previous holiday or break by having your students pick one specific memory and putting in a souvenir that represents it. After they make their snow globe, have them do a little write-up explaining the significance of the scene. Or, have them choose an event from what they are learning in social studies, and create a scene from that using small plastic toys or decorations from the dollar store. This is a great creative way to represent their learning.

4) Herb jars

If you are looking for a fun science lesson, you may want to consider making herb jars or jar planters with your kids. You can follow the steps in this video by Budgetsavvydiva on youtube. If your kids are learning about the life cycle of plants, start with seeds so they can see the full cycle as they grow, through the transparent glass. If they are learning about photosynthesis, maybe buy an herb or flower to plant in the jar so they can directly see the work of photosynthesis as they water it and keep it in the sun.

5) Candle holder educational jar craft

To make a unique candle holder, glue flat-backed marbles to the outside of a jar. Or, paint glitter on the inside of the jar. This will make everything sparkle when a candle is lit inside! With this craft, you can teach your kids about the science of fire, how it produces energy and what causes it. To find information on this topic, visit an article on this topic at sciencelearn.org or check out some books from your local library.

Hopefully these educational jar crafts inspire you and your children to find a fun and creative way to express their learning. Have fun with these artistic lessons!

Focused learning: 4 tips for kids giving speeches

Susan Cumberland Published: February 20, 2015 Last Updated Date: June 28, 2024

Tips for kids giving speeches

Many students of all ages encounter situations in school where they have to practice giving speeches or presentations. Public speaking is a very important skill to learn, since good communication skills are essential in nearly all jobs today. Being able to communicate an idea or opinion clearly and efficiently is not an easy thing to do, especially for kids who are still learning basic reading and writing skills. Here are some tips for you to help your kids and students give an effective, attention-grabbing speech.

Get some inspiration before giving a speech

Before your child starts writing their speech, encourage them to get inspired to write it. The process can be much more enjoyable if they have a vision for how they want the end product to be. One way to find inspiration might be to see examples of what a good speech is. Some great sources for examples of good speeches are TED Talks, specifically ones by kids who have been trained in the art of giving speeches. On the TED Blog, an article was posted with 9 great talks from kids. This is a great starting point for when your kid is in need of some inspiration for a speech or presentation.

Tell a story while public speaking

Nick Morgan wrote a piece for Forbes.com, where he stresses the importance of emotion in a speech. He claims that the best speeches are emotional, causing them to affect the audience more. One great way to do this is by telling a story. Around 65% of TED Talks are stories, and these are seen as some of the most brilliant speeches of this day and age. So, once your child has chosen a topic encourage them to think of an experience or story that is personal to them that they can incorporate into their speech.

Stick to the rule of three’s while giving speeches

Encourage your child to try and choose 3 to 5 points and stick to them. Too many points can confuse their audience and the main point may not be as clear. By narrowing down the different parts of their speech, your child will be able to communicate their topic much more clearly and efficiently.

Practice, Practice, Practice

A lot of giving a good speech is the delivery. An article by Carmine Gallo, author of Talk like Ted, mentions that Dr. Jill Bolte-Taylor practiced her speech more than 200 times before she presented it. It has now been viewed over 15 million times. This just goes to show that no matter how experienced you are at public speaking, you can never practice enough!

Once your child picks a topic and does some research, have them follow these 4 tips. Then they will be a pro at giving speeches, ready to present in front of their class in no time!

Kid’s health: why kids need sleep and how to help them get more of it

Susan Cumberland Published: February 13, 2015 Last Updated Date: June 28, 2024

why kids need sleep

We know that kids need sleep, and that those who go to sleep earlier tend to get better grades. We also know that kids who sleep later have trouble concentrating in early morning classes. But what actually happens in your child’s body when they get enough sleep versus when they don’t?

Why kids need sleep

The following points come from a SciShow video on sleep, and a TED Talk by Russell Foster:

  • Leftover adenosine, which is produced when your body burns energy, makes you sleepy. When you sleep, adenosine levels drop, which is what makes you feel rested.
  • Sleep helps brain function, specifically with memory. The best way to be ready for a test is to be well rested: your brain will remember things quicker and easier!
  • Sleep conserves energy.
  • Sleep causes restoration to occur in your brain. According to brain plasticity theory, our mind actually reorganizes while we sleep.

What happens when your child doesn’t sleep?

  • Sleep deprivation increases risks of heart disease, obesity, and diabetes.
  • As outlined in the same SciShow video above, just one night without sleep causes the amygdala, which tells the brain to be prepared for danger, to go into overdrive.
  • The prefrontal cortex, which deals with logical reasoning, gets shut down with sleep deprivation. Definitely a concern if your child has a test the next day!
  • Memory and speech control suffer.
  • Kids need sleep otherwise their immune system can be affected.
  • As explained by AsapSCIENCE, brain function can be recovered by a few nights of good sleep after 1 or 2 nights of bad sleep. However, the longer you go without good sleeps at night, the longer it takes to recover brain function, and there is even the possibility of permanent damage.

Quick tips on how to help your child sleep more

The harmful effects of lack of sleep are certainly scary, and it is clear that they will affect your child’s learning at school and during tutoring sessions. So, here are some ways to make sure your child or teenager gets enough sleep every night:

  • Educate your kids on why sleep is so important so they are motivated to get more sleep.
  • Make sure they have a set sleep schedule, and a bedtime!
  • Try to get them to finish their homework by one hour before their bedtime.
  • Avoid bright lights and electronics close to bedtime.

If your child has trouble sleeping at night and none of these methods work, sleep aids could be an option. However, there are many unpleasant side effects, so it is best to consult your doctor to figure out what best suits your child’s needs. Sweet dreams!

Focused learning: the history of tea and the science behind it

Susan Cumberland Published: February 6, 2015 Last Updated Date: June 28, 2024

The history of tea and the science behind it

Tea is something that has been around for centuries, and has many cultural ties. However, it also has quite a bit of science behind it and can be a great focused lesson for your kids! So, set up a little tea party with your kids, and turn in into a science and history lesson with these fun facts!

The history of tea

According to legend, tea was created in 2737 BC in China when a Chinese emperor drank boiled water that some leaves had blown into. It eventually became the national drink of china, and was also introduced to Japan. This led to the creation of tea ceremonies, and this part of the history of tea is still a big part of Asian culture.

Tea in different cultures

The tea spot has a detailed page that will help you and your children understand the history of tea. Tea is not only prominent in Chinese and Japanese cultures, but plays a part in cultures all over the world. The UK was introduced to tea by China, and they developed a part of the day specifically dedicated to drinking black tea: afternoon tea. The British in turn introduced India to tea, where they began to enjoy Chai, which is black tea full of spices, milk, and sugar. Russia also brought tea from China, and drink mostly black tea, sweetened with sugar, fruits, or jam.

Moving on from the history of tea: the science behind its different types

There are many different types of tea that you and your children may have heard of, but what makes them different besides their names? Chinalife tea house has a good video on this, but we will summarize here:

The main thing that differs between teas is how much oxidation they have been exposed to. White tea is the least processed- it is simply laid out in the sun to dry and is only oxidized 5-10%. Meanwhile, green tea is slightly more processed, but not oxidized at all. It is laid out in the sun to dry, then pan-baked to deactivate the enzyme in the leaf. Oolong tea is slightly oxidized, as the leaf is bruised a little before it is fried to stop the oxidization. Black tea (or red tea in China) is fully oxidized, since the leaf is rolled and bruised to make a stronger tea. Finally, there are scented teas, which take one of the main types of tea and infuse it with the scent of a flower, like Jasmine.

Now that you know the differences of these main kinds of teas, get your hands on some of each type and see if your kids can tell the differences! Have them make observations on the different flavours, aromas, and colours of the teas.

How to make tea like a science pro

British scientists did an experiment to find out how to make the perfect cup of black tea, and found that the ideal brew time was two minutes. Then, adding 10 ml of milk and waiting six minutes before drinking it will bring it to the perfect temperature for sipping and enjoying the flavour. Teasource.com gives ideal brewing temperatures for other types of tea. For white teas, they suggest brewing when the water has a “very light steam,” while oolong tea should be steaming rapidly with little bubbles, and green tea should have a gentle steam with no bubbles.

These are just guidelines though, to make sure your tea doesn’t become bitter. Run your own experiment with your kids to figure out the best way to brew whatever tea you have on hand! See if you can use thermometers to gauge the temperatures you like best, and whether they change the flavour at all.

There is such a rich history of tea and a fascinating science behind it; this is just the beginning. However, this is also a good start and a simple, fun lesson for your kids. Enjoy your tea time!

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