Owls’ reputation for wisdom makes them perfect for a classroom theme, and this is a good year for owls in the ready-made classroom decoratives. Carson-Dellosa has a cute Owl design: The coordinating Owl Job Assignment Pop-Its Bulletin Board has 37 little 3-D owls and a header asking “Whooo’s a… Continue reading
Here’s an idea for unique bulletin boards that might be new to you! Continue reading
In a Polka Dots vs. Stripes smackdown at Tumblr, polka dots won. There are lots of options this year if polka dots have won your heart. Start with TCR’s polka dot calender: Then check out the coordinating stuff: Polka Dots Hall Pass Polka Dot Monthly Headliners or Polka Dot… Continue reading
We think that one of the secrets to a happy, relaxed school year is starting out very organized. Then a certain amount of chaos can creep in without making you feel completely stressed out. Organize your goals Start with some goals, whether for yourself apart from school, yourself as… Continue reading
If you’re tired of cafeteria food, flying through the drive-through, and the temptations of lemon bars in the staff lunchroom, we have an alternative. Pack yourself a snazzy lunch. We like bento boxes, Japanese lunch boxes that keep food tightly packed and therefore not squashed. You can use leftovers or… Continue reading
Buying a gradebook is like buying underwear: you use it every day, few people will look at it but it can be important to those who do, there aren’t many big differences among the different kinds, and the little differences among them can make a big difference in how well… Continue reading
My writing classes always work with a group topic before moving on to their own personal research topics. Last year, we used climate change as our group research topic, but my summer writing class focused on happiness. I made a PowerPoint (you can download it at Happiness.org) and we… Continue reading
“Retrofuture” refers to earlier ideas about what our current time would be like. Now that we’ve hit the 21st century, we have lots to choose from — people making predictions in the 1900s often chose the 21st century to write or draw or make movies about. Have your students explore… Continue reading
Some of our favorite robot lesson plans… Robot Design You can certainly build working robots in your classroom, using Lego Mindstorm: LEGO 8547 Mindstorms NXT 2.0 Robotics Kit LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT One-Kit Wonders: Ten Inventions to Spark Your Imagination The LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 Discovery Book: A Beginner’s Guide… Continue reading
We’re curious about the Chromebook. Check out specs for a few: Samsung Series 5 3G Chromebook Acer AC700 Chromebook Samsung Series 5 Wi-Fi Chromebook Chromebooks are less expensive than many comparable devices, they have a full-day battery life, they’re easier to navigate, and they’re tops for the combination of… Continue reading
