Classroom subject areas
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
“What comes next?” is a deceptively simple question. Identifying a series and predicting what comes next is a critical thinking skill that lets us test comprehension of a wide range of math concepts — and one which we use as adults in reading, planning, and decision making as well. Use… 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
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
Squirrels are a wild animal urban kids may know as well as rural ones. Get ready for Squirrel Appreciation Day on January 21st with some literacy lesson plans. Read some books: The Busy Little Squirrel by Nancy Tafuri Squirrel’s New Year’s Resolution Nuts to You! by Lois Ehlert Gray Squirrel… 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
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
