What do snakes do in winter? They sleep. When the ground begins to warm up, snakes begin to move, making snakes an important sign of spring. For a seasonal study, or any time, try some science-based lessons on snakes. This study really lends itself to the use of video, and… Continue reading
President Kennedy said that physical fitness is not only important for physical health, but that it is also “the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.” Still, we know that many of our students (and maybe even some of us) aren’t making the lifestyle choices that lead to optimum health… Continue reading
Civilization: The Board Game is a complex strategy game chronicling the rise (and fall) of civilizations. At home or with friends, you’ll find that hours pass swiftly as great cities are built and destroyed, new technologies are discovered and shared, and alliances develop and change. In the classroom, you… Continue reading
Infographics are trendy, and they’re also an efficient and appealing way of sharing information. Next time you study graphs and charts, include infographics as well. Read infographics Begin with my collection of animal infographics at Pinterest, or your own classroom collection. Go through them and discuss what information each… Continue reading
Your class can make custom interactive maps at Google Maps for any lesson. Have students find and mark battle sites for a history lesson, make an annotated map of your town, or identify locations in a book. Once you’ve made the map, you can save it and add to it… Continue reading
The Hoboken Chicken Emergency by Daniel and Jill Pinkwater is a fun Thanksgiving book that your students might have seen as a TV special. It makes a terrific read aloud for elementary through middle school, with grades 3-4 as the epicenter, if you will, of enjoyment. Arthur Bobowicz is… Continue reading
We’ve illustrated key concepts about classification with a nice assortment of noodles. Continue reading
Use your noodle! Pasta is a fun way to study geography, math, and history. We have ideas and activities for all grades! Pasta is a food made from flour, water, and often eggs and flavorings. It can be cooked and eaten immediately, or dried for long storage. It is boiled,… Continue reading
Get medieval for inspiring lessons on social studies, science, and art. The Middle Ages lasted from the sack of Rome in 400 AD to the beginning of the Renaissance in the 15th century, so there’s plenty to work with. Let us share our favorite lesson plans for working on… Continue reading
Do your students think that Ancient Egypt happened and then Ancient Greece happened and then Ancient Rome happened — and so on? We love teaching history and geography in units, but we don’t like the way students learn to think of civilizations and time periods as completely distinct from one… Continue reading
