Too often our English books present poetry lessons with doggerel intended only for the classroom. Fingerplays are fun and we want our students to write their own poetry, but there’s no reason not to introduce the works of great poets to kids. These are the works that will stay in… Continue reading
Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Suess, a perennial favorite, was written on a bet with Bennet Cerf that Suess couldn’t write a book with only 50 words. Obviously, he could. For small children, learning the 50 words in Green Eggs and Ham is a worthwhile accomplishment. Here are the… Continue reading
FreshPlans had the opportunity to interview inventor Douglas Hutchings, who was recently on the cover of Inventor’s Digest. Dr. Hutchings has been responsible for two inventions: a new kind of solar panel which makes solar energy much more affordable, and a website that helps people find special deals in… Continue reading
The Soldier’s Tale by Igor Stravinsky tells in music, narration, and dance the Russian folktale of a soldier on leave who trades his violin — and his soul — for wealth in the form of a book that foretells changes in the stock market. The soldier agrees to go… Continue reading
At this writing, there are two entrepreneurship contests going on. Use them to focus your entrepreneurship lesson plans, or recreate them just for your class or school. Interview an entrepreneur The first is the Hot Shot Entrepreneurs Video Contest for students.This contest clebrates Entrepreneurship week (February 18-25 in 2012),… Continue reading
Florence Kelley worked for laws to improve working conditions in the United States and for civil rights. She was important in the fight to get children out of factories and into schools, and the fight for safe working conditions for factory workers. Kelley was a fighter. She was one… Continue reading
A study of Ancient Greece stirs the imaginations of students, and provides essential background for understanding U.S. history and government. There are lots of excellent books for this study: Ancient Greece (DK Eyewitness Books) is, like all DK books, richly illustrated and filled with information. Some people find DK books… 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
Get some math on your classroom tree! Continue reading
Whether you’re kept inside by winter storms, need something for fast finishers, or are just in the mood for some fun, these resources will give you fun stuff for Christmas and Chanukah. Just a note: we’ve noticed that a search for “free printables” turns up some shady sites that… Continue reading
