Engineering for k-12? It’s not that wild an idea, especially with math and engineering magnet schools springing up around the country. Engineers are problem solvers who use math, science, and creativity to make things work better. These are skills we’ll all find useful in the 21st century. As it happens,… Continue reading
Christina Rossetti wrote, “Who has seen the wind? Neither you nor I,” but understanding the wind is essential to understanding weather. March is a traditional time to study about the wind. With young children, kites and other wind-powered toys are a great way to introduce the topic. Here are some links… Continue reading
Meet standards for art, social studies, and physical education all at the same time with a study of Irish dance. Irish step dancing has been practiced widely in Irish-American communities throughout the U.S. for many years, but it only came to the notice of the general public when Riverdance became… Continue reading
The Sneetches and Other Stories was published in 1961. It includes “The Sneetches” and three other stories. The story is simple, but the ideas are complex and far-reaching enough to make this a good Dr. Seuss choice for older readers. Now, the Star-Belly Sneetches had bellies with stars. The… Continue reading
Less than a century ago, children in the United States faced real threats from malaria, hookworm, polio, rickets, smallpox, and a host of other health issues that have been largely overcome. Studying these conditions can bring 21st century students a greater appreciation of the health practices we try to convince… Continue reading
Many schools now require a certain number of minutes of physical activity. If you’re walking or jogging inside the school, you could be taking a virtual trip. You’ll need a pedometer or a marked course so you can measure how far you travel. You’ll also need Google Earth on your… Continue reading
Josepha’s wearing her Google Earth placemark shirt to talk about a great way to use Google Earth for physical activity. Continue reading
Today is Thomas Edison 164th birthday, or would be if he were alive. It’s also National Inventors Day. This is a great day to invent something. Here’s a fun lesson with minimal preparation: Ask students to talk with their neighbors for three minutes about irritating things that come up… Continue reading
There are basic computer skills that every student needs to learn: opening, saving, and closing files; placing and sizing images; typing and choosing styles for text; editing text. Why not make a Valentine card and practice all those skills? Here’s an easy way to create your project using a… Continue reading
Presidents’ Day falls midway between the birthdays of Lincoln and Washington, but we like to take the day to study all the presidents of our nation. If you prefer to focus on Washington and Lincoln, these ideas will still work for your classroom. First, get clear on what exactly… Continue reading
