January Features from Internet 4 Classrooms

January Blog | App of The Month | What's Happening |
New- Online Practice | New- Printables | New- Answer Keys |
Teacher Resources | Parent Resources | Technology Tips |
Other Areas of Interest | Common Core |
SAT and ACT Test Preparation

January brings National Staying Healthy Month, MLK Day, National Puzzle Day, and much more.

January Blog: Celebrating Benjamin Franklin's 320th Birthday

Celebrating Benjamin Franklin's 320th Birthday

This month's blog is Celebrating Benjamin Franklin's 320th Birthday .

As we kick off 2026, January 17th marks the 320th anniversary of Benjamin Franklin's birth in 1706. This Founding Father, inventor, diplomat, and polymath extraordinaire continues to inspire with his wit, wisdom, and groundbreaking contributions to science and society. While Philadelphia often hosts in-person bashes, the internet offers a treasure trove of resources to celebrate from anywhere. Whether you're a history buff, educator, or just curious, online platforms provide virtual tours, interactive activities, and digital archives to honor "Old Ben." Dive into these web-based gems to make his birthday a day of enlightenment and fun.

Guest Blogger Bill Franklin, the CEO of Internet4Classrooms, is our guest blogger this month. He has been on the faculty at The George Washington University, has years of platform instructional experience, was a career Army Special Operations officer and also has decades of experience as a youth sports coach.

App of the Month

Every month we are going to feature a different, and hopefully FREE, iPad/iPod/iPhone/Android educational application. Visit our ever-changing app page.

The App of the Month for January is Connects: Arts+Culture by Bloomberg Consulting LLC ( iOS and Android ).

With the free Bloomberg Connects app, explore interactive guides to over 1000 museums, galleries, sculpture parks, gardens, and cultural spaces from the palm of your hand. From behind-the-scenes guides to artist and expert-curated video and audio content, Bloomberg Connects makes it easy to discover arts and culture anytime, anywhere.

• Plan and Discover: Map out your visit with our planning tools in advance, then use the lookup numbers onsite for quick information about an unexpected find.
  
  
• On-Demand Content: Use the app onsite or on its own to bring exhibitions and collections to life with exclusive multimedia content created by our museum collaborators.
  

Free to download and free to use, the app was created by Bloomberg Philanthropies to help make the art and offerings of cultural organizations more accessible—not just to those visiting in person but to people around the world.

Use the app to discover museums and cultural spaces worldwide including — The Andy Warhol Museum, La Biennale di Venezia, Brooklyn Museum, Central Park Conservancy, The Dalí, Denver Art Museum, The Frick Collection, Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, Guggenheim Museum, Hammer Museum, ICA/Boston, Maison Européenne De La Photographie (MEP), The Met, MoMA, Mori Art Museum, MFA Boston, National Portrait Gallery (London), New York Botanical Garden, Noguchi Museum, The Phillips Collection, Royal Scottish Academy, Serpentine, Storm King Art Center, Whitney Museum of American Art, Yorkshire Sculpture Park and more.

Bloomberg Connects benefits our partners – over 1000 museums, galleries, gardens, and cultural spaces, with more joining every month – by providing a pre-built, easy-to-use app interface that can be customized to their content and mission.

For more arts and culture inspo, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Threads (@bloombergconnects).

Have feedback? Let us know: feedback@bloombergconnects.org

Connects: Arts+Culture is available for Apple and Android devices.

Compatibility: Requires iOS 15.0 or later on Apple iPhone and Android version 10 and up on your Android device.

WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS MONTH?

Here are some of the January events that you can celebrate or make note of this month:

1. National Staying Healthy Month
   
   We're in the midst of cold and flu season - keep your students and yourself healthy! Here are some great tips for you to share to your classroom! Make sure to emphasize the importance of washing your hands and covering your mouth when you sneeze or cough!


2. Betsy Ross (1/1/1752)
   
   Did you know that Betsy Ross sewed the first flag of the United States? I4C has printables and other resources to help students learn about the evolution of flag of the United States of America.










3. Louis Braille (1/4/1809)
   
   Did you know that Louis Braille was blinded in a childhood accident and created the braille system when he was fifteen? I4C has resources for the visually impaired, including Braille and audio resources. Be sure to check out I4C's other Assistive Technology resources.


4. Benjamin Franklin's Birthday (1/17/1706)
   
   Did you know that Ben Franklin invented the first American instrument, the glass armonica? Find out about other things that Franklin invented and contributed to from the Franklin Institute. Check out this great book recommendation for 6th grade about Ben Franklin. Lasalle University has a great Ben Franklin lesson plan for middle schoolers and Scholastic has a ton of Ben Franklin themed resources and lesson plans for all grade levels.


5. Martin Luther King Jr. Day (1/19)
   
   Honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in your classroom today! Learn about his life and his accomplishments, read and watch his 'I Have a Dream' speech, and learn about the Civil Rights Movement on our Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. resource page







6. National Handwriting Day (1/23)
   
   I4C has tons of handwriting resources for you to use in your classroom! We have a page for kindergartners with tons of handwriting worksheets. Help your students with uppercase and lowercase letters. We also have resources for your students to practice manuscript and cursive and handwriting help for students with ADHD.


7. Jackson Pollock's Birthday (1/28/1912)
   
   Celebrate Jackson Pollock's birthday in your classroom today! Watch a short video about Pollock and read his biography. I4C also has art resources and lesson plans you can use in your classroom.


8. National Puzzle Day (1/29)
   
   Work puzzles in your lesson plans today! I4C has word search and crossword puzzle makers and tons of brain teasers!




9. FDR's Birthday (1/30/1882)
   
   Happy Birthday to President Franklin D. Roosevelt! Did you know he was the only president elected to four terms in office? Find teacher resources like curriculum guides and an interactive timeline from the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum and read and listen to some of his speeches and Fireside Chat radio addresses.

New- ONLINE PRACTICE AT I4C

Internet4Classrooms now offers Online Practice and Interactives, covering Kindergarten to Eighth Grade Common Core Mathematics. Look for a rapidly growing variety of thousands of practice quizzes tied to the Common Core State Standards, School Subjects, Activities, and Holidays.

Check out our Online Practice Quizzes. More grades and subjects coming soon.

New Online Practice Quizzes Made Available in January

We have released many new online quizzes during the last months supporting the Common Core Standards.

Try them out, and then use them with your students as:

• Bell Ringers,
• In Class Assignments,
• Homework or
• Extra Credit.

Here is a list of the newest quizzes by grade.

New- COMMON CORE MATHEMATICS PRINTABLES AT I4C

Internet4Classrooms offers Printables, covering Kindergarten to Sixth Grade Mathematics. Look for a rapidly growing variety of thousands of practice worksheets tied to the Common Core State Standards, School Subjects, Activities, and Holidays.

Check out our Common Core Printables. More grades and subjects coming soon.

New Printables Worksheets Made Available in January

We have released thousands of new printables worksheets during the last months supporting the Common Core Standards.

Try them out, and then use them with your students as:

• Bell Ringers,
• In Class Assignments,
• Homework or
• Extra Credit.

Here is a list of the newest worksheet sets by grade.

New- Answer Keys




New Worksheet Answer Keys Made Available in January

We have released thousands of new answer keys for our printables worksheets during the last months supporting the Common Core Standards.

Remember that you can sign up for answer key access here: https://i4c.xyz/n89msyv.

Here is a list of the newest answer key sets by grade.





TEACHER RESOURCES



1. Many historical events happened this month which you can cover in your classroom. Check outI4C's History page for lesson plans, videos, activities, and other resources to supplement your lessons!


2. In need of project ideas for the second half of the school year? We have them: subject areas, inventors, biographies, middle/high school level projects, and countries and continents.


3. Keep your students and yourself healthy this cold and flu season! Here are some great tips to share with your students and their parents.


4. National Handwriting Day - I4C has tons of handwriting resources for you to use in your classroom! We have a page for kindergartners with tons of handwriting worksheets, help for uppercase and lowercase letters, resources for your students to practice manuscript and cursive, and handwriting help for students with ADHD.


5. Looking for lesson plans to bring in the new year? We have a whole page dedicated to lesson plans by grades and subjects.


6. Are you using our Site Map? Don't forget it's an easy and quick way to search alphabetically by topic.


7. Be sure to check out I4C's collection of free educational iPhone and iPad apps.


8. Remember to visit our Teacher Tools section. This home page contains all the topics you need to use during the school year.


9. Go to our grade level help for lesson plans, activities, instructionals, and tools organized by grade and subject.



PARENT RESOURCES




1. Keep your children and yourself healthy this cold and flu season! Here are some great tips .


2. Work puzzles in to your day! I4C has word search and crossword puzzle makers and tons of brain teasers!


3. Want to reinforce a concept with your child? Check out our Grade Level Skill Help page for tons of resources in math and language arts covering a variety of topics.


4. Be sure to check out I4C's collection of free educational iPhone and iPad apps for you and your child.


5. You can always visit our Parent Resources page to get grade level practice sites, find online sources, and information pertaining to homework, special needs, reading help, and more.


6. Don't forget our Technology Tutorial section in case you need refresher courses in your computer skills.





TECHNOLOGY TIPS



1. AI in Schools: 10 Ways to Engage Parents:
   AI in schools is growing fast. Here are 10 strategies districts can use to educate and engage parents in this rapidly changing landscape.
   
   Learn more in the resource found: HERE


2. Can’t-Miss Education Conferences in 2026:
   There are dozens of education conferences around the world. These events offer opportunities to connect with educators, innovators, and thought leaders shaping the future of education. Whether you’re looking to deepen your knowledge in edtech, personalized learning, or school leadership, there’s something for everyone. This resource is Getting Smart's curated list of can’t-miss education conferences for 2026.
   
   You can find out more: HERE.


3. 48 Predictions About EdTech, Innovation, and–yes–AI in 2026:
   As K-12 schools prepare for 2026, edtech and innovation are no longer driven by novelty–it’s driven by necessity. District leaders are navigating tighter budgets, shifting enrollment, rising cybersecurity threats, and an urgent demand for more personalized, future-ready learning.
   
   Learn more by visiting: HERE.






We also have other basic instruction in Microsoft Office, including Word 2007, Excel 2007, Powerpoint 2007.





OTHER AREAS OF INTEREST



1. Resources for Educators - In this section you can find classroom resources for Exceptional Children, Smartboards, Character Education, Web 2.0 Resources and other topics.
2. Resources for Parents - Parents can find resources
   on assisting their children with homework, time management, Internet Safety, subject area resources, grade level resources and more.




Common Core State Standards at I4C




Our Common Core State Standards are full of resources for every individual standard. Students can take control of their own learning by clicking on the page with the standard number, and choosing their own resource to practice that skill.




Check out our Common Core Math High School Algebra Standards, Common Core Math Standards, and Common Core ELA Standards.




SAT and ACT Test Preparation

Free Online Practice Resources for ACT Tests and SAT Tests. I4C now offers free SAT and ACT vocabulary and math quizzes. Join our SAT and ACT Test Preparation program and log in as much as you'd like. Students can take practice tests on 5000 vocabulary words or over 1000 math problems. Parents and Mentors can log in to monitor your scores - including seeing which vocabulary words that were missed. Interactive quizzes allow the test taker to retake and study as much as they want.




Sign Up Here for ACT Test & SAT Test Preparation.