The Vikings affected the whole of Europe during much of the Middle Ages, based in Scandinavia but extending their reach into England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Russia, Eastern Europe, and even into North America and the Arab world. The Vikings are often overlooked in our classrooms, or… Continue reading
You can’t go wrong with the classics. If that’s not enough of a reason to consider apples for a classroom theme, here are a few more reasons: There is nothing so easy to find as apple decorations. Choose apples and you can get your room put together fast. There are stickers,… Continue reading
Not everyone approves of using pirates in the classroom, but you can’t deny that many students find them appealing and even exciting. There was a time when the line between pirate and explorer was fairly fine (Sir Francis Drake springs to mind), and there certainly is a long literary tradition… Continue reading
While we were in Rome with Google Earth, we saw a pizzeria on every corner. Why not choose pizza as a classroom theme? It’s fun for everyone! Pizza is perfect for studying fractions. Our friend Debby Picou showed us how to make a fractions center with pizza slice cutouts.… Continue reading
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 enough to… Continue reading
We visited the Museum of Native American History (MONAH) in Bentonville, Arkansas. We expected to see a large collection of local arrowheads, and we did, but there is lots more than that to see at MONAH! When you first enter, you will be greeted with a mammoth skeleton and mammoth… Continue reading
Coyote Rescues Hawk is a traditional Chumash story, retold by Alan Salazar, who is a Chumash tribal elder and storyteller. This book is illustrated by Mona Lewis, who uses natural colors in her illustrations. In the story, a hawk, Khwitš, paddled off with a couple of other bird friends in… Continue reading
We visited the Channel Islands Maritime Museum, where we learned a lot of interesting things. The Channel Islands are off the coast of California. The first inhabitants were the Chumash, who lived there until the 1800s. Europeans began to arrive in the 1600s. Today, the Channel Islands are a national… Continue reading
Earth Day is celebrated annually on April 22nd and has become an international event to promote environmental protection and awareness. The event began in the United States but quickly spread to countries around the world. Earth Day is now celebrated in over 190 countries worldwide, making it the largest environmental… Continue reading
Bridges are important parts of human communities around the world. They make a good study for all grade levels. Exploring Bridges Grade Level: Elementary (3rd to 5th grade) Subject: Science Objectives: Students will understand the basic principles of bridges and their importance in transportation and engineering. Students will explore… Continue reading
