Some of us have a favorite theme we use every year — maybe we have some fresh new ideas for yours. Some of us are ready for something new — maybe you’ll find it on this list. Each of these themes has ideas for bulletin boards, room decoration, literature,… Continue reading
Indonesian shadow puppets are intricately cut and beautifully painted — and then hidden behind a screen. Used to perform traditional folktales or stories from Hindu epics, these puppets are one of the most characteristic art forms of Indonesia. The concept is simple: put a solid shape behind a transparent… Continue reading
Pandas make a great classroom theme. They connect naturally with studies of biology, environmental science, art, and punctuation — and hey, they’re cute! It’s also very easy to find ready-made panda gear to decorate your classroom — at this time of year, that’s a big plus. Panda Pals from Edupress… Continue reading
Science heroes can come from any place or time, but since I’m posting this during Asian and Pacific American History Month, I’d like to start with China. One year, I taught English to a group of Chinese physics students. They taught me that science heroes were lauded in their… Continue reading
Japan’s lucky cats, or Maneki Neko, have become a popular good luck charm or symbol. The original story tells of a white cat at the Gotoku-ji temple. The temple was poor, and the monks living there struggled with cold and hunger, yet they shared their food with the cat.… Continue reading
The Lambikin is a folk tale from India. It is not very well known in the United States, so it would be a good one to use when you have a class that is tired of all the folktales they already know. In the story, the Lambikin is going to his… Continue reading
It would be nice if Asian Pacific Heritage Month were no longer needed. It would be nice if our history lessons made it clear that the United States has had Asian American presence and contributions for just about as long as we’ve been the United States. It would be… Continue reading
Folk and fairy tales are suggested in our state frameworks for students from kindergarten through middle school. They are a good example of a literary form, great for studying story elements, and always bring up interesting character points. One fairy tale that’s well suited to multiple grade levels is Jack and… Continue reading
Coming up to Mother’s Day, we need a celebration. Why not a tea party? We’ll teach kids to make a cup of tea for their moms for Mother’s Day, and incidentally consider solubility. If you work with older students, consider looking into the Smart Tea project. At its simplest, this asks students… Continue reading
The pine is our state tree, and it might be yours, too, since it’s quite a popular state tree. If not, you can still enjoy these links and ideas for a study of pine trees. Many include trees in general. “If Trees Could Talk” is an interesting lesson plan… Continue reading
