Learn about Sumatra, part of Indonesia and home to one of the oldest rain forests on earth. Sumatra has so many fascinating plants and animals that it would be an excellent subject for a class Big Book on flora and fauna. Study together about the basics of the Sumatran… Continue reading
Customs related to love, courtship, weddings, and marriage vary significantly from one culture to another and throughout history. Consider this theme as a way to approach standards in social studies. Young children enjoy dramatic play involving weddings. Add a [amazon_textlink asin=’B007EA4CH6′ text=’bride costume’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’us-1′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’aaf41ebb-4ee6-11e8-b8da-17e608dcc280′] to your dramatic play… 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
For the celebration of Asian American Heritage Month, you might like to learn how to use chopsticks. Continue reading
John Chapman, who became known as “Johnny Appleseed,” was born on September 26th, 1774. He left home at eighteen and traveled around the Midwest planting nurseries and doing good deeds. There are a number of good picture books for this American legend, including versions by favorites Steven Kellogg and Carol… Continue reading
A study of heroes gives opportunities for working on research skills, reading, writing, critical thinking, and more. You can work within the content areas of social studies, science, literature, math, and even physical education. It suits Veteran’s Day, heritage months, the birthdays of famous people, and character education themes. Begin… Continue reading
Dr. Martin Luther King had a dream for the children of our nation. Here are some ideas for studying this 20thcentury hero in our 21st century classrooms. Online Research All our students need to learn how to do online research effectively. Make it easier for younger students by starting… Continue reading
Christmas is celebrated in many parts of the world, and the traditions for celebrating it vary from one country and region to another. This makes it a great way to study geography, and we also have ideas for art, math, English, and science under specific countries. Basic plans: Map it! Travel… Continue reading
Here are some of our favorite ideas for Christmas Around the World lessons for England. The Jolly Christmas Postman is the holiday version of Janet and Allan Ahlberg’s famous The Jolly Postman. As in the first book, we follow the postman as he delivers the mail on his bicycle. And… Continue reading
Is Christmas actually celebrated at the North Pole? We think so. Examining this question lets you look at both actual and fictional geography. The North Pole is not on land, actually, but on ice in international waters. The countries nearby include Canada, the United States (Alaska, specifically), Russia, Greenland, Iceland,… Continue reading
