Japan has an unusual artistic tradition: gyotaku, fish printing. The image above is “Pisces Indecision,” a print by Canadian artist Jeanette Jobson, who extends the technique beyond its traditional boundaries. Traditional Japanese fish art is an exciting art project with cross-curricular opportunities. We tried it out at the Nelson-Atkins Museum… Continue reading
I love octopi. I worked at Scripps Institution of Oceanography when I was a student at UCSD and learned to make friends with them. They’re fascinating. They’ll spout water to welcome you once they get to know you, and they will wrap their tentacles right around your wrist while… Continue reading
There are lots of ready-made frog bulletin board sets for a frog theme kindergarten or preschool classroom. You can use the Weather Frog to study seasons, graph the weather, liven up your morning calendar time, and clarify for the kids what clothes are best for what weather. Just put the… Continue reading
The Aquarium at the Boardwalk, in Branson, Missouri, is a fun, highly interactive experience for kids. We visited with a first grader and a second grader. Even before you enter, you will be entranced by the giant mosaic octopus forming the entrance. This is a work of art, so take… Continue reading
A circus theme is perfect for summer, and festive for back to school, too. While this theme is most obviously suited to preschool and early elementary classrooms, older classes could look at Picasso’s circus paintings, learn some circus skills, or do research on the history of the circus. It’s easy… Continue reading
Even if it’s not an Olympics year, the Olympics can be a great classroom theme. Olympics theme bulletin boards can always say, “Go for the Gold!” Use international flag borders for showing off work and grab the opportunity to learn some geography. Visit the Olympics website. It stays updated… Continue reading
