Bears are one of the classic themes for back to school, especially with young students. There are lots of ready-made decoratives for this theme: The Weather Bear Bulletin Board Set is a must for classrooms that do calendar time. Mr. and Mrs. Weather Bear is an alternative with both… Continue reading
“East of the Sun and West of the Moon” is a Norwegian tale, though some say it has Celtic roots. The two cultures are not so far apart geographically and not without trade, so both claims may be correct. This is a less familiar fairy tale, which makes it a… Continue reading
For Halloween, for a new way to get reluctant readers to enjoy the classics, or just for fun, try some vampire lessons. English Start with vampire literature: Vunce Upon a Time is a heartwarming story from the illustrator of Olive, the Other Reindeer. Vampires Don’t Wear Polka Dots is part… Continue reading
Google Earth is a wonderful free tool for the classroom. Use it for studying your community. Click on the link to download it. A couple of years ago I asked Josepha how she used Google Earth and she said that she looked at stuff and said, “Ooooh!” This is… Continue reading
Do you have public art in your town? We live in towns with plenty of public art, and you may, too. Here are some forms of neighborhood art: statues fountains murals art installations If you can’t think of any examples like this from your town, look a little further… Continue reading
You need classroom helpers. Even more, your students need the opportunity to have jobs. It increases their sense of ownership, gives practice with responsibility, and can even reduce your workload. It can also smooth the running of the classroom. Harry Wong’s The First Days of School: How to Be an… Continue reading
Community helpers and careers plans go together. For younger students, you may focus more on the community helpers aspect, recognizing the grownups in their neighborhoods, while older students may focus more on the jobs they might choose to hold when they grow up. We think it’s a continuum, with an… Continue reading
When we study about communities, there are three things we can mean by the word “community.” Usually we study all of them. A community is a place. Learn to read the name of the town where you live, find it on the map, and identify your own neighborhoods, the location of… Continue reading
Is Peggy Rathmann’s Good Night, Gorilla really a classic? I think so. For little children, this nearly wordless book provides just the right amount of plot and character. There’s wit and suspense. If you’re three, it’s absolutely gripping. The story is simple. The gorilla steals the zookeeper’s keys as the… Continue reading
Crocodiles and alligators are fascinating creatures. Online resources: Nile Crocodile Make a crocodile or alligator moving figure with paper fasteners. I like to put these on two craft sticks, one for the jaw and one for the tail, and wiggle them around as puppets during story time. (Use the same… Continue reading
