“Stone Soup” is a fun story to read and to act out, and it presents a classic message. In the story, three soldiers traveling through a town ask for food, but in vain. The villagers feel too poor to share, and they decide together to hide their food and refuse… Continue reading
Cowboy science connections for your cowboy classroom include weather and technology. Online resources and lesson plans. Continue reading
When you’re using a cowboy classroom theme or studying the Wild West, don’t forget the women. The photo here is of “Spirit of the Prairie,” a statue in Colby, Kansas, sculpted in 1985 by Charlie Norton. Women of the Wild West didn’t go on cattle drives and they took… Continue reading
We visited the stockyards in Ft. Worth. Or rather, we visited the Stockyards National Historic District. The Stockyards still have rodeos and cattle drives, so this is one of the few places everyone can get a sense of what cowboy living was like. More than six million cattle were driven… Continue reading
Background information Objectives: Students will recognize that changes in an object can change the pitch it makes. Students will identify Cherokee water drums as an example of this phenomenon. Materials: identical water glasses; at least three Mavalus tape Measuring Cup water Craft Sticks Procedures: Explain that the Cherokee put… Continue reading
A cowboy classroom or Western theme classroom is a perennial favorite. Depending on the items you choose, you can adapt this theme to all grade levels and subject areas. Read on for decorations and resources (and a video that made us laugh out loud). Start with bandanas and denim. Any… Continue reading
The story of Paul Bunyan is an American folktale. It may be more proper to say that the stories of Paul Bunyan are American folktales, because there are quite a few of them, sometimes gathered together into a single long story, but sometimes not. Paul Bunyan is a folk hero among… Continue reading
Hawaii has a rich musical tradition quite different from that of the mainland. The Hawaiian Hula Archives include clips of “mele” or chants, as well as songs and lyrics and lots of background information. Explore some Hawaiian instruments, and play along with the music clips to practice rhythm skills.… Continue reading
We went to visit the Arkansas Air & Military Museum, a specialized museum in Fayetteville, Arkansas. There’s a hangar full of planes and buildings containing military vehicles, engines, and historical displays. Just looking at the planes was the best part for most of us. There were planes and helicopters from… Continue reading
Brazil is the home of the Amazon rainforest, perhaps the most biodiverse land habitat in the world. Learn about Brazil. Begin by creating a mind map about Brazil. Start with what students already know and add to it as you study. Online resources Explore the Amazon with Google… Continue reading
