Gazpacho for Nacho by Tracey Kyle with illustrations by Carolina Farias is a charming book filled with teachable moments. The name of this tiny muchacho was Nacho and all he would eat was a soup called gazpacho. This pretty well sums up the story: Nacho won’t eat anything else.… Continue reading
The science of heating and cooling is perfect for hands-on experiences and thought experiments. Add polar bears for maximum fun! Continue reading
Fractals are fun — and they team up perfectly with a study of snow. To do this activity with your students, you first need to explain what a fractal is: A fractal is a a curve or geometric figure, each part of which has the same statistical character as… Continue reading
Have you ever put a full bottle of your favorite beverage into the freezer just to cool it off — and then forgotten it there? If so, you’ve probably ended up with a broken bottle, and maybe a mess. It’s all about the hydrogen bonds. Your elementary students aren’t… Continue reading
With Thanksgiving around the corner, it can be hard to keep your students’ attention. Kids are excited about visiting relatives, eating turkey, and having a long weekend with their families. Thanksgiving themed activities are a great way to keep up with the holiday excitement and still keep students’ attention on… Continue reading
Sequoyah, a Cherokee silversmith who was also known as George Gist (or perhaps Guist or Guess), developed the Cherokee syllabary and has become a hero not only to the Cherokee, but for all Americans. His image is on one of the doors of the Library of Congress, in the… Continue reading
Cherokee is one of the few Native American languages with its own writing system. Perhaps in part because of this, Cherokee is also one of the few Native American languages which has a growing — not a shrinking — number of speakers. Studying about the Cherokee writing system can not… Continue reading
November is Native American Heritage Month, and it is also the month when most schools in the U.S. study Thanksgiving, often including Native Americans in the study. Get a broad view of Native Americans with a Who-What-Where-Why-When study. Who Who are or were the Native Americans in your area? Often,… Continue reading
World War I can be confusing to modern students. Here are some lesson plans that help make sense of the events and the experience. Virtual Field Trip FreshPlans enjoyed a visit to the World War I memorial in Kansas City. Visit the online exhibit of the National World War I… Continue reading
Tigers as a classroom theme can lead you to a number of interesting topics in science, social studies, and literature. Continue reading
