Milton Avery was a brilliant, American abstract expressionist artist. Inspired by Matisse and pre-cubism Picasso, Avery captured Americana in simple, yet elegant imagery. Check out Milton's work and you'll be an insta-fan.
Unlock success for ADHD students in written expression. Expert strategies for handwriting, spelling, and working memory support.
Click to enlarge Today, 23rd October is Mole Day - which might put you in mind of small, furry, burrowing animals. However, they don’t even seem to have a commemorative day of any kind; we’re actually talking about the mole in chemistry...
Facebook Twitter Pinterest 6.6k I was never much of a fan of history back in my own school days. As a matter of fact, I’m not sure ANY world history was taught to me in my whole kindergarten through twelfth-grade experience! Some Canadian history (yawn!) was covered of course, but the Roman Empire? The War […]
If you are anything like me, the first 10 days are a struggle. You have so many new ideas for the new year, so many things you want to implement, and you feel pressure to start on the very first day. Here’s my number one tip: DON’T. Just don’t. In special education, and more specifically […]
These last day of homeschool traditions are a great way to celebrate the end of a great school year. Kids love them and they are easy
Follow along with us as we share our letter of the week activities for 3-year-olds!
This is my FAVORITE activity to do on the first day of school! It's been a hit with my class for over a decade and I encourage you to try it with yours this year. Included: Activity directions for classroom Playdough recipe 3 Designs of printable labels, compatible with Avery address labels (2"x4") Magic Playdough Poem
Students love to be funny - and sometimes this means cruel, hurtful jokes. This "Just Kidding" lesson plan helps children understand hurtful vs. fun
A blog with classroom tips and ideas, teacher mentoring, educational resources, and classroom practices for elementary and middle grades.
This crushing cans science experiment is an exciting way to demonstrate the power of air pressure. Make soda cans instantly collapse.
Hey there, PiBoIdMo-ers. Hope you’re all well nourished and ready to roar through these final days! This post is about two things: perseverance and truth. The way I see it, there really aren’t many…
Last year I set a goal to have Brooklyn be able to get her Good Canine Citizen award. Well if you spend more than two minutes around my dog you will instantly know we didn't reach our goal. She is a catalyst of bad behavior. So this year my goal has been for her to walk in Nashville's Christmas Parade with other Nashville Pitties. I always do a lesson on goal setting, but what good is a goal if you aren't organized enough to ensure the steps are in place to meet it? My goal for Brooklyn was a lofty one, in fact it was too big. So we are reorganizing to reduce the stress of dog and mother. This reorganization made and the stress I put on myself to accomplish made me think about how I could change my lesson on organization. After a lot of brainstorming and about 5 drafts here is my new lesson for 4th Grade on responsibility and organization: Lesson 1: We started with a scavenger hunt. I gave teams either an organized back pack or a messy back pack and a list of items. I started the timer and they were off. Most of the teams with organized back packs finished the scavenger hunt within 2-3 minutes and the teams with messy backpacks anywhere from 4-8 minutes. They really got into this, especially because I hid stinky socks, cereal, stuffed animals, and toys in the messy backpacks. Next we discussed that if you were organized that would save you about 2 minutes per day, just enough time to recheck your work, 14 mintues in a week, enough time to read a chapter or two in your new favorite book, and about 56 minutes a month, enough time to watch an entire episode of their favorite Disney show. We ended with a pre-test of work habits so they could identify what they specifically need to improve on. Lessons 2/3: We talked about responsibility and what it means. We watched the video "I Can Do It! Taking Responsibility" which shows the students different scenarios and allows us time to stop and discuss each one. Next we charted what kinds of responsibilities they had in 4th grade. We then role played different responsibilities (the examples are from AIM Education) and in teams practiced what we would do. For example: A new movie you and your best friend are dying to see has just opened up, and your friends wants the two of you to see it this Saturday. The trouble is, your science project is due on Monday, and you and your project partner agreed you would spend Saturday gathering plants in the park. What should you do? At the end of each skit we talked about the different feelings that come with responsibility: stress, disappointment, frustration, etc. That lead us to the postcard activity. I laid several postcards around the room each with a different picture on it. I asked the students to (in silence) find a card that represented how they feel about starting fourth grade and the new responsibilities they are taking on. When everyone had a card we broke into small groups and shared the card we choose and why. Next I asked everyone to set 3 goals for themselves: 1) Something they could accomplish this week. 2) Something they could accomplish in the next 2 months. (I like to remind them of their work habits pre test here) 3) Something they wanted to accomplish by the end of this school year. We then shared our goals with our small group and then with the entire class. I collected the cards and will give them to our students in two months with a personal check in note written on each. **In the past I have done this icebreaker with my faculty and with 6th grade. They filled out the card like an actual postcard and I mailed it to their homes half way through the year. Lesson 4: We continue our talk of responsibility and stress. First in groups they draw what it feels like to be stressed. Then each group shares and we look for similarities that we all have. Next we watch the Brain Pop on stress and at the end they go back to their drawings and surround themselves with things they can do to help alleviate their stress. To finish our series we take the same work habits post test and see if we have improved! Since I only see this grade once a month this 4 part series starts in Sept and ends at Christmas break. Before I know it the sleigh bells are ringing!
Create a homeschool schedule that works for your family and create space for more enjoyment throughout your homeschool days.
Little Alma is curious to know the story of her long name — Alma Sofia Esperanza José Pura Candela, to be exact! Her father sits her down to tell her the long, rich history behind each and every part of that long name of hers. She learns about the smart, strong-minded women that
Water can float in midair! Try this simple science experiment to see how air pressure works to create magical floating water.
Summer Spaghetti Salad is a simple twist on the classic pasta salad. Made with just a few simple ingredients, this will become your new go to summer side dish!
If you (or your preschooler) has ever asked the question, "what is blood made of?", you must check out this fun activity to learn about the parts of blood.
A fun activity printable that encourages your child to explore the outdoors with this fall senses scavenger hunt printable.
Simple kitchen science experiment how to make a cloud in a jar. This is a great experiment to try with the preschool age group.
Our Country Counting Chart is an 8x10 heirloom quality, giclee print. It is printed on 100% cotton rag paper with a creamy white finish. It features watercolor painting of a mallard duck, rainboots, mushrooms, dandelions, sheep, strawberries, bees, wildflowers, acorns and bluebells.
What does MOM need to know before Kindertgarten? This post is going to answer the top 5 things you need to settle in your heart before the big day!
