Folk and fairy tales are in our state’s standards up to 7th grade, and Rapunzel is an ideal fairy tale for use with older students. Preschool teacher Margaret Elkins says she uses it with the younger ones, too, by focusing on the theme of love. The husband loved his wife… Continue reading
Ogres, giants, and trolls have some things in common. All of them are human-like, big, and usually scary creatures from fairy tales and folktales. All of them are known for eating people, especially children. But they are not the same. The word “ogre” was first published in Charles Perrault’s Puss… Continue reading
Hansel and Gretel is a good, horrible fairy tale for when you want a creepy story. The University of Pittsburgh collection contains the basic Grimm’s version. The story is certainly among the most familiar of fairy tales. A poor woodcutter and his wife, faced with starvation, abandon their two children… Continue reading
Back when we were homeschooling, a nice old gentleman asked my kids if they knew the capitals of all the states. They did not. That has never been on my list of truly important things to know. If you want your kids to know it, though, I can tell you… Continue reading
John Chapman, who became known as “Johnny Appleseed,” was born on September 26th, 1774. He left home at eighteen and traveled around the Midwest planting nurseries and doing good deeds. There are a number of good picture books for this American legend, including versions by favorites Steven Kellogg and Carol… Continue reading
Geography lessons come to life when you narrow your focus to a single country. Let’s use Italy as an example. One great way to organize a country study is with the Five Themes of Geography — and when you’ve applied them to one country, your students will understand the five… Continue reading
Sir Isaac Newton was a remarkable man. His Laws of Motion are the basis of modern physics, but he did a lot more than that in his lifetime. He was born in England on January 4, 1643. When he was 12, he went away to school, as English boys often… Continue reading
A patriotic theme is always in style. It’s also a fun way to introduce American History lessons, and a cheerful theme at any time. Read on for ideas for ways to use patriotic songs in art and English lessons. There are plenty of ready-made decoratives (more at the bottom of… Continue reading
The World Cup for this year begins today — and it can be a great source of summer learning! Math and geography are the stars of a World Cup study. Learning goals: Locate World Cup countries on a map and identify their flags. Learn basic World Cup vocabulary, soccer rules,… Continue reading
Here’s Lefty, one of the lucky sheep living at the Ozark Folk Center State Park. Lefty, like all sheep, grows wool. Sheep have been raised for wool, as well as for milk and meat, for centuries. In fact, sheep are among the earliest domestic animals. Studying about sheep can include… Continue reading
