A Western theme makes for a fun classroom at any grade level. I’m adding some state history to the cowgirl and cowboy classroom theme ideas, and you might be able to do the same, depending which state you teach in. There are few ready-made decoratives for this theme at the… Continue reading
Music is a uniquely human experience, and the music of different cultures provides a special way to get to know that culture. Grade Level: Middle School (6th-8th) Duration: 50 minutes Objective: Students will gain an understanding and appreciation of Spanish music. Students will be able to identify and describe different… Continue reading
Here is a simulation game for learning about trade. It was designed with the Osage and their trade partners in mind, but you can adapt the cards to suit your local populations — or the Vikings and the Ostragoths, for that matter. Copy the trade cards below onto cardstock several times, enlarging… Continue reading
Bring Hispanic Heritage Month to your cowboy classroom by learning about the connection between cowboys and the Hispanic Heritage of the United States. In the picture above, the Territories of New Mexico, Arizona, and Oklahoma are waiting for Columbia, the spirit of the United States, to sew their stars… Continue reading
“This is Matilda, and this is Matilda’s dad,” begins this fun book by Lizzy Stewart. Matilda and her dad set out to look for treasure one day. It’s an adventure, for sure. Matilda gets frustrated by her dad’s fun-loving but disorganized approach to the treasure hunt…even though he points out… Continue reading
Mermaids have captured our imaginations, and they make a fresh classroom theme. Start your bulletin board with an ocean backdrop. Add a scaly border. Mermaid tails are an alternative. Mermaid cutouts set the theme. We like to add iridescent bubbles. Carson Dellossa’s “Dive into Learning” set brings in divers… Continue reading
Little Red Riding Hood is one of the best known of the Perrault and Grimms fairy tales. In it, a little girl carries a basket of sustaining food and drink to her sick grandmother. She has been warned by her mother not to stray from the path, but she is… Continue reading
When Josepha and Rebecca went to the Maker Faire in Paris, they were surprised to discover that one of the exhibitors specialized in making sewing machines available to the children of Paris. “Don’t they have them at home?” Rebecca asked. No, actually. Their grandmothers own sewing machines, but the… Continue reading
Talk to a parent who uses a child leash and you’ll hear that they’re determined to keep their kids safe. You’ll hear about their fear that their son or daughter might run off or step into a busy street. Just a few seconds of inattention, they say, can lead to… Continue reading
France is the home of many of our favorite Christmas carols and probably of the whole idea of Christmas carols, so a study of Christmas in France is nice for music class. The season for celebration lasts from the feast of St. Nicholas on December 6th to the Feast of… Continue reading
