I blogged about my unabashed love for The Week in Rap back in 2009 on my school library blog ....I went on and on about how AWEsome it was bringing current events & news written for
students in an immediately engaging and Oh so Hip Hop way! Now, Flocabulary just gets even better! But it will cost you -though not too much...and it's totally worth it! Now, before you ask...NO! Neither Flocabulary (nor BrainPop) have asked me to write this or paid me for posting (AS IF!) I can't be bought! I only blog about sites, software, and products I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! 
Of course, the peeps at Flocabulary are going to keep the super popular and lauded Week In Rap -- With ARCHIVES ....AND Special Features! But this young, talented company, have also added SO many other subject categories of sweet rhymes & songs that immediately engage learning & inspire substantive conversations!
What's for FREE? LOTS! According to VP of Sales Vlad Gutkovich, Flocabulary "will always have free videos, but they will cycle around our content, featuring different songs or videos each month, as it stands now. There will always be a Week in Rap episode featured as one of these free songs/units, but it may on occasion be a "special" episode, e.g. "Summer Recap" or "Year in Rap" in December." Teachers: Sign up now for a FREE 14 day trial! BUT wait...there's more! Since you read this blog - dear Vlad has given us a special PROMO CODE: Put in TDL30 and you'll get a double Trial of 30 days!!! Thanks Vlad! Oh and check out the Shakespeare! Say, WHAT!?
Yo Juliet, You Whack. Don't drink that poison, it ain't no snack! (Sorry, couldn't help myself!)
Let Your BrainPop Over Animation & Learning
BrainPop is another one of those incredibly rich, engaging, sites that kids will flock to - learn and not even realize that they're learning.
A. Lot. And kids LOVE them! We've used their learning "games" in our after-school program for years! And yes, they have TONS of FREE stuff! A multitude of subject areas are covered from Arts & Music, Engineering, Social Studies, Science!, English, MATH, to Health!
And now...they've added a new category...wait for it...ESL!!!
Yo Yo MA!
Confession: I'm an unabashed Yo Yo Ma Fan! See? (he's hanging out on one of my bookcases!) and wouldn't you know it but they even have a animated short on famous historical figures including one amazing cellist, Yo Yo Ma! in the FREE STUFF area! They also include comprehension Quizzes (Graded, Review, & Printable!) activities, graphic organizers, vocabulary, and really a cool Q & A! 
It's so amazingly multidimensional and rich! Speaking of rich- my school isn't! That's why I really wish my PTA or school could someday find the money for a school wide subscription along with home access. But really, if one can't pony up the cash for the subscription, there are amazing and effective resources to be found in the FREE section! Check it out!
So, two great resources, both with FREE materials, that create instant engagement and meaningful student learnig.....and both bring it....with COOLNESS!
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