Do you ever feel like you're stuck in the same place? If you've ever plugged away at a difficult book or worked on a big project for a long time, you might have felt like you were spinning your wheels, not getting anywhere.

It's easy to get discouraged from time to time when you can't see your own progress. That's why it can be a good idea to create a visual representation of your progress. You can track your own progress by creating a chart or graph.

Colorful charts and graphs can be motivating, because they show in a very visual way how well you're really moving along! You can create a graph using Microsoft Excel, or you can use a great tool created just for kids by the U.S. Department of Education.

Don't be intimidated by words that sound very technical when it comes to creating a graph or chart. The chart maker will ask for data, but the data you will use is simply the number of pages (Y axis) or the days of the week (X axis). It's all pretty simple, really. Give it a try!

When we hear the phrase "E for effort" it's usually related to a lack of success. You get an E for effort if you try and fail at something, right? Actually, there's something you should know about the "E" factor. It can also stand for Extra and Edge.

Confused? It's simple, really. Most teachers will notice when a student is really trying. The student who shows up for class every day, remembers homework every day, and raises his hand every time he has a question--that student will have a little extra going for him when it comes to borderline grades.

I don't know a single teacher who doesn't appreciate genuine effort in a student. And the student who doesn't really put any effort into attendance, punctuality, time management, assignments or test answers? That student won't receive any extra consideration when it comes to grade calculations.

Need to memorize a long list of people, places, or things? This fun activity is much like the Method of Loci mnemonic, but it's also a game. This activity will show you just how easy it can be to memorize a list.

First, write up a random list of ten objects for each person in your group. A sample list would look like this:

• pickle
• frog
• window
• scarecrow
• sea monster
• chicken dinner
• wallet
• carpet
• toilet paper
• banana

As you can see, you can have fun simply creating the lists! Once you have a list for every student, you'll give each person five minutes to memorize the list by making up a story. Read more...

A Venn diagram is a great tool for brainstorming and creating a comparison between two or more objects, events, or people. You can start with a Venn diagram as a first step to creating an outline for a compare and contrast essay.

Simply draw two (or three) large circles and give each circle a title, reflecting each person or object you are comparing.

Inside the intersection of the two circles (overlapping area) write all the traits that the objects have in common. You will refer to these traits when you compare similar characteristics.

In the areas outside the overlapping section you will write all of the traits that are specific to that particular object or person.