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Graphic organizers are visual and graphic displays that organize ideas and demonstrate relationships between different information and concepts. They are designed to improve learning outcomes for students, review information, and are especially helpful to students who struggle with arranging information. There are many different forms of graphic organizers, each with its own unique way of organizing and displaying specific bits of information. The following examples are a sampling of different types that teachers utilize to help students better organize their thoughts, develop reading strategies, and become stronger writers....

What Is Autism? Autism is a lifelong developmental condition that affects how people with the disorder behave and interact with the world. An autistic person will often experience social, behavioral, and communication challenges. Autism is an umbrella term sometimes used to refer to other developmental disabilities, which is why the condition is also known as autism spectrum disorders(ASD). According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), boys are four times more likely to be diagnosed with autism than girls....

The media plays a big part in a teen’s body image. Advertising in teen magazines and on teen television typically glamorizes thing models who do not resemble the average person. In fact, today’s women models generally weigh 23% less than the average woman. The average young person in the United States sees approximately 13,000 to 30,000 advertisements each year on television alone and possibly hundreds more a day via magazines, billboards, and the internet....

There is currently no borderline personality disorder (BPD) medication specifically approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, some drugs have been found to be effective in some cases of BPD. BPD is sometimes treated with medications for anxiety or depression, for instance, which may reduce some symptoms. Medications may also be used to treat psychological conditions that frequently co-occur with this condition, such as major depressive disorder. Medications are often used in conjunction with psychotherapy and other treatments rather than being a stand-alone option....

While vaccine hesitancy has decreased, Delta variants still pose a significant threat. A study published in the British Journal of Health Psychology found that awareness of COVID-19 vaccine efficacy could convert doubters. Key Takeaways Providing information about the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines resulted in higher interest in COVID-19 vaccination.By comparing the efficacy rates of COVID-19 vaccines to flu shots, COVID-19 vaccine hesitation was further addressed.Provision of information on the lower effectiveness of the flu vaccine did not reduce intentions to get the annual flu shot....

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a form of mental illness in which the person is obsessed and/or preoccupied with an imagined defect or some tiny aspect that they see as a flaw in their appearance. In order to be diagnosed with body dysmorphic disorder, preoccupation with the imagined defect in appearance must cause the person significant distress and/or impair their ability to get along with others or perform their duties at work....

“Fortunately / Unfortunately” is a game used in drama workshops, improv classes, and it also makes a great ice-breaker for group activities. Here’s a way to use it with kids. Fortunately / Unfortunately and Writing Skills In order to become a skilled writer, your child must first learn to tell a story. Storytelling isn’t an easy skill to learn: it requires learning the different parts of a story, how to move a plot along, and also how to use your voice to make that story exciting and engaging to the audience....

Diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease can involve several tests and scans. There is no simple or reliable way to diagnose this condition. Your healthcare provider will probably review your symptoms and medical history and then conduct a physical and neurological exam. They may also perform a series of tests to help determine whether you have symptoms like confusion, memory loss, or difficulty with reasoning or concentration. In fact, Alzheimer’s disease can be definitively diagnosed only after death by performing an autopsy and studying the brain’s tissues microscopically....

Clinical trials are nothing new, nor are clinical trials in children. But, with the recent approval and initial distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, and further trials now approved for children aged 12 to 17 years, many parents are wondering how clinical trials work, if their children should be involved, and what a timeline might look like for having their kids vaccinated. Key Takeaways Clinical trials are proven safe in adults or animals before kids will be included....

Stress can significantly impact your ability to maintain a healthy weight. It can also prevent you from losing weight. Whether it’s the result of high levels of the stress hormone cortisol, unhealthy stress-induced behaviors, or a combination of the two, the link between stress and weight gain is glaring. Self-care strategies like mindfulness, journaling, and exercise can help you fight stress and the unwanted effect it can have on your eating habits....

Those first mornings of the school year can be tough. But if you don’t get an efficient school morning routine in place as the kids go back to school, it may not get better later in the school year. Plan and streamline your school morning routine, and you will get everyone back to school with less stress. Wake Up Early On the first days back to school, start your morning 15 to 20 minutes earlier than you think you need to....

Follow Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts Every Friday on The Verywell Mind Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Amy Morin, LCSW, shares the “Friday Fix”—a short episode featuring a quick, actionable tip or exercise to help you manage a specific mental health issue or concern. Friday Fix: Episode 177 Hope keeps us going through tough times. But we’ve all had times when we’ve felt utterly hopeless. It’s so hard to push through when you don’t have any hope that things will get better....

When you first make a new friend, you probably aren’t thinking about the possibility that the friendship could end. However, it is inevitable that eventually some of your friends will no longer be in your life. People grow apart for various reasons and not every friendship is lifelong. At the same time, most people aren’t sure how to break up with a friend. Unlike romantic relationships, in which there are clear precedents about how to break up with someone and clear labels to refer to whether you are in or out of a relationship, the same is not true for friendships....

For the majority of kids in America, the coronavirus pandemic has brought their school years to an abrupt halt. Initially, the disruption may have seemed like it would be a fairly temporary situation. But now that a few weeks have long passed, it has become clear that school is going to be out for a while—and in many cases, probably through the end of the school year. Key Takeaways The pandemic has created a need for social distancing, leading many schools and activities to shut their doors....

It can be hard to admit that your teen needs help. But there are certain problems that you may not be able to solve as a parent. Some issues require professional counseling and intervention. Teens may need professional counseling for behavior problems, emotional problems, mental health issues, substance abuse problems, stress, relationship difficulties, and traumatic experiences. The longer you wait to seek help, the worse your teen’s problems may become. It’s important to seek help as soon as you can....

Having privilege means that you possess an unearned advantage in society through some aspect of your identity, in comparison to folx who lack that attribute. These dynamics tend to reflect larger power differentials in society as folx who are members of a dominant group possess privilege over those whose identity marginalizes them by comparison. While it can be uncomfortable to recognize that you have unearned advantages over other folx through no fault of theirs, working through your discomfort can allow you to utilize your privilege in a way that promotes more equitable outcomes for others in society....

Nothing can make a parent feel more helpless than when their child has a nightmare or even worse, a night terror. Unfortunately, nightmares and night terrors can be common for preschool-aged children due to a growing awareness of the world around them and an over-active imagination. But there are things you can do to soothe your child after a nightmare and possibly even prevent them. As for night terrors, they cannot be prevented, but you can help keep your child safe when they happen....

Problems with sex and sexual satisfaction can cause relationship and marital distress. Even though it is a common problem, talking about sex with your partner can be daunting. Sharing issues with strangers online might even feel easier for you than discussing them directly with your partner, which might explain why sex is so commonly discussed in online relationship forums. These conversations can produce significant anxiety, which can cause you to avoid them altogether....

If you have ever felt the mad rush after procrastinating everything you should have been doing over the course of a week, you know why productivity is important. On the contrary, if you have ever felt the positive burst of emotion that comes with being on top of your chores, work tasks, and hobbies, you have experienced the benefits of productivity. Helping kids develop their work ethic may sound like an impossible task, but teaching kids productivity is both doable and important....

Just when we thought we’d come to terms with the Delta variant of COVID-19, along comes Omicron. And the timing couldn’t be worse. If you were looking forward to a holiday season with fewer restrictions than last year, COVID-19-induced anxiety may be rearing its ugly head. We’re all wondering what this means for our lives and our families (and our mental health) as we move into 2022. Key Takeaways Omicron, a new COVID-19 variant, has been detected in more than 60 countries....