Students in grades K–3 can write and illustrate their own stories and win prizes in the PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest. To enter, submit stories to your local PBS station (contact them first to be sure they're participating). Winners are announced every spring. For deadlines, a writing guide, winning stories from past years, and more, log on to pbskids.org/writerscontest.

In the International Fund for Animal Welfare's Animal Action Art Contest, students ages 5–18 submit colorful, original animal illustrations. Twelve winners' artwork will be included in the 2012 Animal Action Education poster, distributed to classrooms nationwide. The deadline is January 31, 2012. For an entry form, a list of animals, and a downloadable 2011 poster, visit www.ifaw.org and type "2012 wall poster" in the search box.

The NEA Foundation offers Student Achievement Grants to public school teachers in grades PreK–12. Proposals for low-income or minority student honors programs are encouraged. Applications may be submitted at any time; upcoming deadlines are February 1 and June 1, 2012. Most grant funds must be used on materials or educational experiences for students. Get details and apply at www.neafoundation.org.

Siemens Science Day is a free website with science activities and videos for grades K–3 and 4–6 teachers, monthly activity themes, and a teacher support center. You'll also find details on how to enter the Ultimate Cool School Assembly sweepstakes—a random drawing through which two schools will win an interactive science assembly. The contest deadline is February 28, 2012. Check it out at www.siemensscienceday.com.

In the Kids' Science Challenge, students in grades 3–6 submit an idea or experiment in the following categories: Zero Waste, Animal Smarts, and Meals on Mars. One winner in each category will receive a free trip to work with scientists or engineers on real solutions. Other prizes include science kits, equipment, and toys. Apply by February 29, 2012, at www.kidssciencechallenge.com.

Create a school or community garden and teach your grades PreK–12 students about healthy eating and improving their neighborhoods with a grant from Mantis and the National Gardening Association. Twenty-five winning programs will receive a Mantis Award—a tiller/cultivator with a border/edger. The deadline is March 1, 2012. Apply at www.kidsgardening.org.

National Grammar Day, on March 4, 2012, is a day to speak and write well and help others do the same. The website contains grammar myths, funny typos, information about writing contests, links to other grammar sites, and much more. You'll find free classroom materials for students of all ages. It's all at nationalgrammarday.com.

Who Was...?
Enrich your biography unit with the books in this series and then enter this sweepstakes! You could win a dedication in the next Who Was...? book and $600 of nonfiction titles from Penguin Young Readers Group. With more than 40 titles, each Who Was...? book offers a detailed account of a famous figure's life and the historic period in which he or she lived. To enter, email schoolandlibrary@us.penguingroup.com to request a FREE poster and an entry form, or visit penguin.com/teachersandlibrarians for details. Contest ends April 30, 2012.

Create a caring school community and inspire kindness among your students with help from the Red Robin Foundation U-ACT Program. Monthly grants will be awarded to grades K–8 educators through April to implement ideas for kindness programs. At the end of the 2011–12 school year, one champion school will receive an additional $5,000 grant. Go to www.redrobinfoundation.org and click on "U-ACT" to apply or learn more.

The Endangered Species Day Youth Art Contest challenges K-12 students to illustrate endangered species in the United States. Winners are chosen from grades K–2, 3–5, 6–8, and 9–12. One national winner gets a trip to Washington, DC, and four grade-level winners receive plaques and gift certificates. The 2012 deadline is March 15; National Endangered Species Day is May 18, 2012. Check www.EndangeredSpeciesDay.org for details.

Teach your grades K–6 students how to care for pets responsibly with a Pets in the Classroom grant. Grants of $50, $100, and $150 are awarded for buying pets, pet environments, or pet food and supplies for existing classroom pets. There is no deadline; teachers may reapply every year. Visit www.petsintheclassroom.org for more information.

Do you know a full-time PreK–12 teacher or administrator age 40 or younger who demonstrates outstanding leadership? If so, nominate him or her for the Outstanding Young Educator Award. One winner in each category will receive a check for $10,000; several honorees will each receive a check for $500. The deadline is August 1, 2012. Apply online at oyea.ascd.org.

Seeds of Science/Roots of Reading is a research-based, field-tested curriculum with demonstrated effectiveness in increasing student achievement in both science and literacy. To join a community of educators who want to inspire students of all ages and abilities, log on to www.facebook.com/SeedsRoots or www.twitter.com/SeedsRoots.

Enhance your lessons with PBS LearningMedia, a new free digital video-streaming service. The multimedia portal features thousands of photos, maps, videos, and lesson plans in all subject areas for all grade levels, as well as tools that allow teachers and students to search, save, and share content. Register at www.pbslearningmedia.com.

Critical Thinking Training Module
Use the arts to stretch student thinking. Challenge students to generate original ideas. Connect what is known with newly discovered ideas.

Creativity Training Module
Use creative experiences to enrich student learning. Build students' creative confidence and keep their natural curiosity alive.

Communication Training Module
Use arts-infused experiences to improve students' communication. Help students convey messages, customize for audiences, compose visual communications, and check to see if their ideas were understood by others.

Collaboration Training Module
Discover how the arts build learning communities. Explore ways to work toward a common goal, compromise, contribute, and create a collaborative culture..

Arts-Infused Advocacy Training Module
Strengthen the voices of arts-infused education advocates. Turn beliefs into concise messages, gather compelling evidence, and collaborate with others to plan change.

Need materials to help you teach about global issues, such as hunger, poverty, environmental sustainability, and world trade? Heifer International offers a free standards-based curriculum materials for preschool through grade 6 and for middle school. Order or download resources at www.heifer.org/learning. While there, check out the engaging action ideasor apply for grant-funded professional development opportunities.

Farmers Insurance has a free online video library of documentaries for K–12 students. Subjects include democracy, history, the arts, ethnic studies, geography, literacy, fire safety, and more. View the videos online, then pick up your favorite DVDs, along with a workbook and lesson plans, at your local Farmers Insurance office. Go to www.gofarmersed.com to view videos and find a Farmers office near you.

Promote healthy eating, arts and crafts, animal welfare, and the environment through free field trips! All trips are educational, safe, and age appropriate and include fun hands-on activities. Many experiences are designed specifically with STEM in mind. Find field trips in your area at the Field Trip Factory at www.learning-trips.com or call (800) 987-6409.

Cyberchase is a new free website that builds on the PBS math series of the same name. It includes 94 full episodes and related video clips, over 50 interactive games, and dozens of hands-on activities, all for children of a wide age range but with a special focus on material for 9- and 10-year-olds. The goal? To foster enthusiasm for math and improve kids' problem-solving skills. Check it out at pbskids.org/cyberchase.