President Kennedy said that physical fitness is not only important for physical health, but that it is also “the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.” Still, we know that many of our students (and maybe even some of us) aren’t making the lifestyle choices that lead to optimum health… Continue reading
Civilization: The Board Game is a complex strategy game chronicling the rise (and fall) of civilizations. At home or with friends, you’ll find that hours pass swiftly as great cities are built and destroyed, new technologies are discovered and shared, and alliances develop and change. In the classroom, you… Continue reading
Infographics are trendy, and they’re also an efficient and appealing way of sharing information. Next time you study graphs and charts, include infographics as well. Read infographics Begin with my collection of animal infographics at Pinterest, or your own classroom collection. Go through them and discuss what information each… Continue reading
Connecting math with Christmas is easy, because Christmas is part of real life, and real life involves math. One starting point is this quick Christmas Ornament Craft. This idea lets you combine measurement and counting with holiday decorating. Here are some faves from around the web: The Christmas… Continue reading
Whether you’re kept inside by winter storms, need something for fast finishers, or are just in the mood for some fun, these resources will give you fun stuff for Christmas and Chanukah. Just a note: we’ve noticed that a search for “free printables” turns up some shady sites that… Continue reading
Christmas in Ghana is a religious holiday, and also a joyful harvest celebration, since it happens when the cocoa harvest comes in. People go to visit their friends and the week before Christmas is filled with revelry. On Christmas Eve, kids have a nativity play while drummers and singers… Continue reading
Sweden is a Scandinavian country, the source of over one million immigrants to the United States in the 19th century. Learn about Christmas in Sweden with the customs of St. Lucia’s day, Swedish inspired ornaments, and some graphing. St. Lucia’s Day, December 13th, is the beginning of Christmas in… Continue reading
Switzerland has four national languages: French, spoken in the West; German, spoken in the largest part of the country; Italian, spoken in the South; and Romansh, which is not an official language as the other three are, but which is spoken in some places in the East of the country.… Continue reading
Chanukah Fever by Mama Doni is a fun and sassy collection of holiday songs for kids. Most of the teachers we know use “The Dreidel Song” every year if they talk about Chanukah in the classroom, but Mama Doni brings us everything from talking blues to disco. There are some… Continue reading
