Get ready for some amazing March Madness reading ideas! March Madness isn't just reserved for basketball fans; it's the perfect time to add some excitement into your upper elementary classroom with a literary twist! This season, let's score big on reading fun and engagement with our March Madness Reading Activities for 4th grade. We've curated a slam-dunk list of 25 March Madness reading ideas that will turn your classroom into a literary arena, where books compete for the top spot, characters take center stage, and creativity soars.
Looking for awesome Bug Activities for preschool? This awesome set is a mix of cute preschool bug crafts and educational activities for your math and literacy centers. They are hands on, and there is some fun science mixed in as well.
Free March 2025 calendar templates are available in printable and fillable PDF formats. Featuring blank and aesthetic designs with holidays.
Celebrate National Bubble Week in March with these FUN activities to play and learn with crafts, math activity, science, and literacy ideas.
Looking for fun Dinosaur Preschool Theme Activities? You will love this set of Preschool Dinosaur Centers and No-Prep Worksheets.
This adorable Ice Cream Theme is packed full of hands on fun. Children will get to learn math, literacy, colors, patterns, counting and more.
Looking for fun Preschool Zoo Theme Activities for kids? Check out these 16 Hands-On Preschool Zoo inspired Learning Activities and Crafts for Preschool or Kindergarten.
**Consider yourself pretty special that you're allowed to view this SECRET AGENT BIRTHDAY OPERATION. You see, only SECRET AGENTS were invited to my 11 year old's SPY THEMED PARTY. (Cue the James Bond theme song...) Invitations were sent to the special SECRET AGENTS. They read as follows: YOUR SECRET MISSION, IF YOU CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT, IS TO HELP CELEBRATE THE 11TH BIRTHDAY OF AGENT JACOB ALL SECRET AGENTS MUST REPORT TO THE SPY TRAINING CENTER (aka-jacob's home) SPY TRAINING WILL INCLUDE: MESSAGE DECODING BOMB DISABLING TARGET PRACTICE SEARCH OPTICS SPECIAL OPERATIONS PLEASE NOTIFY THE SPY AGENCY (aka-jacob's parents) WITH YOUR INTENTIONS. THE TRAINING CENTER WAS SET UP... APPROPRIATE SPY COLORS WERE DECIDED ON... RED AND BLACK. WAITING AT EACH PLACE SETTING WAS: *BLACK T-SHIRT (every spy must wear black.) *MAGNIFYING GLASSES like these: *NOTEBOOKS(mini spiral) *DARK SHADES THE PLAY ROOM WAS SET UP WITH LOTS OF PRACTICE TARGETS. WE HUNG BALLOONS FROM THE CEILING. A LAMINATE BOARD WAS PROPPED UP. VINYL CIRCLES WERE STUCK ON THE BOARD FOR TARGETS. BOMB CAKE WAS ASSEMBLED. (It almost killed me, but that's what bombs do, right?) I used a sports ball cake pan and covered the entire thing with marshmallow fondant. The knob on top is fondant and the fuse is black licorice. THE SNACKS WERE ARRANGED. (The Birthday party was in the afternoon, so no meal was needed. Gotta love that!) SNACKS INCLUDED: CHEETOS aka- LASER HOT BULLETS GRAPES aka- EXPLOSIVES SLIM JIM SAUSAGE STICKS aka- DYNAMITE STICKS FORTUNE COOKIES aka- UNDERCOVER SECRET MESSAGES (I hid clues in the fortune cookies and sealed the packages back up with my iron...crazy, I know...but it worked!) DRINKS- CAPRI SUN aka- PACKETS OF ADRENALINE AND OF COURSE THE BOMB CAKE! JUNIOR MINT CANDIES WERE USED ON THE PLATTER. THE AGENDA WAS MADE AND THE AGENTS ARRIVED! FIRST: DRESS CODE AND PHOTO OPS. (I set up a black photo booth to capture their spy poses.) NEXT: DECIPHERING CODES MY SON IS REALLY INTO CODE MAKING. HE MADE ALL KINDS OF CODES FOR HIS FRIENDS TO FIGURE OUT. SOME OF THE CODES WERE A BIT TRICKY, SO MY SON HAD TO EXPLAIN HIMSELF...BUT EVENTUALLY ALL WERE CRACKED. NEXT: LASER BEAM TRAINING RED CREPE PAPER TAPED BETWEEN CABINETS= LASER BEAMS! EACH TIME THEY WENT THROUGH THE BEAMS, WE ADDED MORE LASERS. WE WERE SHOCKED THAT THESE 'AGENTS' LOVED THIS SIMPLE ACTIVITY! THEY WANTED TO DO THIS OVER AND OVER. NEXT: BOMB DISABLING WE HID A SECRET CLUE IN ONE OF THE BALLOONS. THE AGENT'S JOB WAS TO 'DISABLE' (POP) ALL THE 'BOMBS' (BALLOONS)AND FIND THE CLUE. (I had the grandparents help throw the bombs on the kids.) I should mention that all the clues were typed in 2pt. font which had to be read by their magnifying glasses. (You've got to challenge these kids every now and then, right?) THIS WAS THE CLUE INSIDE THE BOMB: CLUE #1: YOU MUST WORK AS A TEAM TO LOCATE THE MISSING AMMUNITION. AGENT BLAKE MUST RETRIEVE AND READ THE FIRST CLUE LOCATED INSIDE HIS GOODIE BAG. (I wanted them to work as a team, yet make sure everyone got a chance to read the clues.) INSIDE THE GOODIE BAG: CLUE #2: BRRR! CHICKEN. AGENT DILLON MUST READ THE NEXT CLUE. INSIDE THE FREEZER: CLUE #3: ACE, JACK, QUEEN, KING AGENT AKSHAY MUST READ THE NEXT CLUE. INSIDE THE DECK OF CARDS LOCATED IN THE GAME BIN: CLUE #4: 88 KEYS AGENT DYLAN MUST READ THE NEXT CLUE. INSIDE THE PIANO: CLUE #5: GREEN EGGS AND HAM AGENT JACOB MUST READ THE NEXT CLUE. INSIDE THE GREEN EGGS AND HAM BOOK LOCATED ON THE BOOKSHELF: CLUE #6: FINAL LOCATION GREASY FLAMES (It took a bit of time, but they figured out that the ammunition was inside the bar-b-que on the back deck.) NEXT: TARGET PRACTICE (This post contains affiliate links to help you locate products.) We purchased little NERF guns like these Nerf N-Strike Jolt Blaster (blue) for each agent. My son told me that spies must have smaller weapons that can be easily concealed. (This didn't bother me one bit.) ONE BY ONE THE AGENTS TOOK TURNS SHOOTING AT THE TARGETS. SOME MOVES REQUIRED ROLLING ON THE FLOOR AND SHOOTING, OTHER MOVES REQUIRED SHOOTING FROM BEHIND A CORNER. NEXT: SPECIAL OPERATION AFTER A BIT OF PRACTICE, WE TOOK A BREAK FOR GIFTS, SNACKS AND CAKE. AS THE AGENTS WERE EATING THEIR CAKE, THEY NOTICED A CLUE. (While they weren't watching I scooped up their guns and hid them. Then, when I served the cake, I cleverly hid a secret clue under their food. Moms can be pretty sneaky.) NEXT: LOCATE WEAPONS CLUE #1 YOU MUST REMAIN CALM. TRY TO FIND YOUR MISSING WEAPON WITHOUT SAYING A WORD. BREAK OPEN YOUR FORTUNE AND READ YOUR CLUE SILENTLY. DO NOT LET ANYONE KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING. (I slipped a clue inside the fortune cookies. Using tweezers, I was able to remove most of the original fortunes. Remember, every clue was printed in size 2 font.) I wanted to give the agents a chance to solve a case on their own. It was so much fun watching which agents could follow directions! CLUE #2: YOU MUST LOCATE YOUR WEAPON BEFORE SOMEONE ELSE DOES. LOOK UNDER YOUR CHAIR. CLUE #3: DO NOT LET OTHERS SEE YOU AS YOU SNEAK TO THE BATHROOM. LOOK UNDER THE TISSUES FOR YOUR NEXT CLUE. CLUE #4: QUICKLY GO TO THE ROOM WITH THE FIREPLACE. DROP AND GIVE ME: 5 PUSH UPS 5 JUMPING JACKS 5 SIT UPS THEN, READ THE CLUE LOCATED INSIDE THE LOWER CABINET DOOR. CLUE#5: YOU'RE ALMOST THERE! GO TO THE WASHING MACHINE AND FIND YOUR WEAPON. GOOD WORK, AGENT! After all the agents finally had a chance to locate their weapon and finish their snacks, we moved to the garage and the... MINEFIELD TRAINING This is a simple game that requires thinking and memory skills. A grid is made on the floor using sheets of paper and duct tape. We made our grid 5 sheets wide by 5 sheets tall= 25 sheets total. The 'designer' of the game makes a plan of where the secret mines will be. Writing them out on paper is very helpful. The 'designer' decides the route the agent must take to get across the minefield. It's the agent's job to figure out the safe route. One by one an agent steps on a square of paper. The 'designer' lets them know if they're safe or if they've stepped on a mine. If they're safe, they may move to another sheet of paper. If they've stepped on a mine 'BOOM!', they're out and must go to the back of the line. The next agent must try to remember where it is safe to step. Agents may only step forward or sideways. They must try to get all the way across the minefield without stepping on a mine. (The agents were pretty sharp and we played this game at least 5 times!) NEXT: FREE SHOOTING LARGE CARDBOARD APPLIANCE BOXES WERE PLACED ALL OVER OUR GARAGE. THE LIGHTS IN THE GARAGE WERE TURNED OUT. THE AGENTS MADE TEAMS AND THE SHOOTING BEGAN. (Yes, I'm aware that this only sounds fun to 11 year old boys.) (Actually, 11 year old boys AND 40 year old boys. AH-Awesome Husband joined in.) 30 MINUTES LATER... DEPARTURE! PARENTS ARRIVED TO PICK UP SOME VERY SWEATY AGENTS! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KID...I MEAN AGENT. This post contains affiliate links to help you locate products. To see my son's NERF Party from last year, click here. Linking up to: FrugalGirls, LoveofFamily&Home, HouseOfHepworths,Tatertots&Jello, 52Mantels, ReasonstoSkiptheHousework, UndertheTableDreaming, CraftOManiac, MadeByYouMonday, CherishedHandmadeTreasures,
35+ Pre-K and Preschool monthly themes to make learning fun. Engaging themes with hands-on activities your preschool or pre-k kids will love!
Tracing Lines - Worksheets For Little People As your little one learns how to write, tracing lines is a great activity! And there are benefits to it too! Line tracing is one of those activities that develop your child's control of the small muscles in his/ her hands (fine motor skills). Tracing will teach your child to make the precise movements that are necessary for forming letters. Tracing improves hand/eye coordination. Line Tracing By Age Line tracing is predominantly for little ones as they learn how to write. It's therefore perfect for toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergartners. Your child's age and
Of all the art and science projects that I have done, lemon and watercolor science has been my #1 fave for YEARS! Let's get started.
Pre-K & Preschool theme ideas for learning about pets Find more Pet Activities for Pre-K Books Click here for a complete list of books about Pets!
Looking for fun Fairy Tale Activities for kids? Check out these 16 Hands-On Learning Activities and Centers for Preschool or Kindergarten.
Looking for fun space theme preschool Activities for kids? Check out these 16 Hands-On space Learning Activities and Crafts for Preschool or Kindergarten.
Looking for awesome Bug Activities for preschool? This awesome set is a mix of cute preschool bug crafts and educational activities for your math and literacy centers. They are hands on, and there is some fun science mixed in as well.
Cute free dinosaur printables for your upcoming dinosaur theme. These dinosaur preschool worksheets include lots of activities for kids.
Pre-K & Preschool theme ideas for learning about animals that live in the rainforest. Find more Wild Animal Activities for Pre-K Books Check here for
In 2014 The LEGO Movie became a box office hit as families everywhere clamored to go see the film that ended up grossing over $469.1 million around the world. The sequel, The LEGO Movie 2: The Secoβ¦
Are you looking for my original Color Me Readers? While those books can be used appropriately to teach concepts of print, in the original blog posts I demonstrated their use with three-cueing. I did this
Welcome to Day 2 of Speech-A-Palooza! I hope you enjoyed Whitney's post yesterday! Today's post is from Jen Alcorn, author of Crazy Speech World. Themes are something new I am trying this year, too. I had always done the traditional holiday themes, but I am now trying out a new theme every other week. This post will be helpful for any of you that use themes in your therapy sessions... or are thinking about doing it! One of the most popular questions I get is about using themes for therapy. Mostly, how do I plan my themes? I'm sure other people have different methods, but here is how I do it... My therapy themes are simple and straightforward. Over the summer, I sit down with my calendar and map it out. It takes an hour or two, but it ends up making therapy planning incredibly easier. Why? Because you are able to narrow your focus. When I tackled this project the first time, it was a little overwhelming. But the more you do it, the more comfortable you become with the process and it ended up being pretty easy for me this past summer. Something you may find helpful is from Perkilou Products...it is a four week calendar for every month of the year. It gave me ideas when I was first starting to create my own. My own version is a little different. I center my planning around holidays and seasons, some of which I use for two weeks. You can download my version HERE. I also created a blank version, which you can grab HERE. After this part comes the fun stuff...finding materials! Blogs. I think these are the best places to get inspired and find activities. Pinterest. I have seen tons of Pin Boards dedicated to specific holidays, seasons, or themes. You can even search by theme using the search box. Books. Look through your own or go visit the library! You can find a book on any topic, try to find various levels, as well as fiction and non-fiction. Go through your STUFF! Pull your files out and go through your cabinets. I bet you have tons of your own materials that you can use :) I have started organizing my themes by binders to keep up with it all. I bought tons of page protectors to keep all my original worksheets and materials in, and all of my activities for that theme go in the binder. I also make a list of all the manipulatives that I have that go with the theme...like I have jack-o-latern baskets I can use for Halloween or the Popcorn containers with the carnival theme. I just don't want to forget what I have! We always have so much STUFF! I still use my trusty bag of favorites...CandyLand, Apples to Apples, Chipper Chat etc. to fill in the gaps. Not everything I do is related to the theme, but I love having the organization of using themes in therapy. I really believe that it has positively impacted my therapy and I would encourage any SLP to do it!
Do you teach a preschool farm theme? Grab these awesome preschool farm activities and worksheets for your classroom and centers.
Looking for fun Weather Activities for Preschool? This set is packed with weather charts, activities, and weather worksheets you'll love.
Do you teach a preschool farm theme? Grab these awesome preschool farm activities and worksheets for your classroom and centers.
Looking for fun Dinosaur Preschool Theme Activities? You will love this set of Preschool Dinosaur Centers and No-Prep Worksheets.
A suncatcher craft is just so cheerful. Add them to the windows to add color and cheer to any room. Here are some fantastic Suncatcher crafts for
The 89th Academy Awards ceremony, will honor the best films of 2017 and will take place on February 26, 2017. Here are some fun crafts, recipes and game ideas to keep the family entertained for hours. Crafts Walk of Fame DIY Red Carpet Photoshoot Games Oscar Bingo Printable Oscars Ballot Goodies Microphone Cake Pops Tuxedo Hotdogs Tuxedo Crackers and Cheese Fun Mocktails Caramel Corn
Need a little beginning of the week inspiration today? It's a mix of shamrocks and basketball in my speech room this week. I wanted to show you two more basketball ideas! A free app plus
These insect theme printables are all fun and engaging activities for your math and literacy centers this spring. There are 11 insect math activities, 8 insect literacy activities, an insect craft, visual discrimination puzzles and a caterpillar building cards. As you can tell, it is jam-packed with lots of learning!
Hollywood party ideas and games for your teen theme party. Tons of DIY games,creative ideas for decorations, and more!
? Celebrate Australia Day for kids on January 26th with these FREE Australia Day Coloring Pages. These coloring sheets are fun for all ages.
These all about me activities for preschoolers are engaging, hands-on centers to work on essential literacy skills in the classroom!
Looking for awesome Bug Activities for preschool? This awesome set is a mix of cute preschool bug crafts and educational activities for your math and literacy centers. They are hands on, and there is some fun science mixed in as well.
Do you teach a Community Helpers Preschool or Kindergarten Unit? You will LOVE this fun set of pretend play learning centers and no prep worksheets.
Posts on www.ratherrudecards.co.uk contain affiliate links. For full disclosure, click HERE Some adorable leaving to go travelling gift ideas include... Bon Voyage boarding pass style card ππ» Moonstone for safe travels bracelet gift ππ» Adorable personalised keyring they can take with them ππ» From the best leaving party ideas and leaving do ideas, to creative DIY leaving home party ideas and travel theme party ideas, decor and activities, here are all kinds of goodbye and good luck party ideas for every kind of recipient, whether they are going travelling, embarking on a gap year, going away to college, or even moving to the next town, state or county! We hope you love these ideas and they inspire you when bidding bon voyage to your recipient embarking on their next adventure! These themed party ideas will be perfect for every going away party or leaving do. 1. A jumbo glitter cake topper ππ» There is no better way to dress up your leaving party cake and make a big statement! 2. Travel themed party table confetti ππ» This amazing travel themed party table confetti is so cool and the perfect way to implement your theme! 3. Pin the destination party game Place a pin on the destination party game! This is a cool variation on the traditional 'pin the tail on the donkey' party game, but matches the theme perfectly. Draw or create a worldwide map, then blindfold each guest and ask them to place a pin or mini flag on the place your recipient will be moving or travelling to. The guest who manages to get their pin the closest to the actual location wins! 4. Rustic 'bon voyage' bunting banner ππ» This is such a perfect banner for the occasion and introduces a cute rustic feel to your decor! 5. Travel map paper bunting decor ππ» These are so perfect for a travel or adventure themed party to send off your recipient well! Map orb bunting party decor ππ» 6. Make a globe cupcake pullapart Make a globe shaped cupcake pullapart by arranging undecorated cupcakes in a circle or globe formation, then icing them all as one, using blue and green coloured frosting to make it look as realistic as possible. This will make such an amazing party table centerpiece for the occasion and be insanely popular with guests of all ages! 7. Set up a luggage suitcase theme pinata ππ» Not only an amazing decor centerpiece for guests to admire, this also serves as an amazing bon voyage party activity idea for guests of all ages! You could also fill it with jokes and memories (or even silly string) as well as sweets, to delight guests of all ages! 8. Arrange party treats in mini suitcases On the party table to delight guests! This is the perfect creative way to implement your theme - try thrifting some cheap small second hand ones that you can decorate for your party table. 9. A 'later traitor' sash for your recipient ππ» This will be sure to make them laugh! 'I'm a traitor' leaving badge ππ» 10. Boarding pass style invites or invitations ππ» These are so striking and cute, perfect for the occasion and so affordable too! Adventure begins leaving party invitation ππ» Bon Voyage party invitation ππ» Farewell party personalised invitation ππ» 11. DIY some travel themed cupcake toppers ππ» You can make these by printing some old map sheets, cutting out heart shapes and tacking them to mini skewers or cocktail sticks to pop in your cakes. No worries if you don't have any time or materials to hand, they are also super affordable to buy on Etsy (see link above) and look amazing as part of your travel themed party spread! 12. A travel themed treasure hunt With clues designed to look like boarding passes or travel tickets, to match your theme perfectly! 13. Fold napkins in to the shape of paper planes This is such a cool and cute party touch that guests will love! They could even take them as souvenirs afterwards. You could also make and use paper planes as party decor to enthrall guests! 14. Make globe inspired decorated cake pops Decorate cake pops with blue and green icing or frosting to emulate mini globes! 15. Make a 'baggage claim' party favour stall setup Serve party favours in mini paper boxes folded to look like mini suitcases! This is such a cute idea and adheres to the theme perfectly. 16. Tailor your party food spread to the country cuisine your recipient is visiting Why not create an amazing Italian inspired party food spread or Finnish themed party food spread for guests to enjoy, depending on the location your recipient is visiting, filled with cultural delicacies to celebrate their adventure. 17. Serve some fortune cookies These will suit your theme perfectly and will be perfect for guests to take home as party favours! 18. Play a blind food tasting game A food tasting game! This is where someone is blindfolded and has to guess what food it is they are eating - you could also incorporate some unusual varieties and foods no one has tried, for example, from a different culture, or try some unusual food combinations! The results are bound to be hilarious and this game is so much fun. 19. Attach paper luggage tags to balloon strings And write cute messages or memories on them, such a cute party decor idea that guests will love! 20. Paint a second hand globe You could paint it white, then supply a selection of markers, so that guests can write their own good luck messages on there! You could even opt for black chalk paint and supply a selection of white markers for guests to use to write messages and advice on. This is such a cute leaving party idea that everyone will love! 21. Set up a home baked feast For your recipient to enjoy before they set off on their new adventure! This will always be popular with all guests of all ages and will save money too! 22. Make some 'the world is your oyster' macarons These match the theme perfectly and look so striking on your party table. 23. Ask guests to wear a t shirt with a letter on To spell out 'good luck' and your recipient's name! Once everyone stands in the correct formation, it will spell out the message to your recipient! This would make for some amazing photo opportunities and is the perfect way to get everyone involved and surprise your recipient. If you liked these ideas definitely also check out these Best 21st Birthday Party ideas for Guys!
We spent the last two weeks learning about animal classification. This all came about last year when we were doing our rain forest animal reports. Many of
A Kindergarten blog about effective teaching and making learning fun.
A printable Jar template pattern is a handy tool for various DIY projects..
Michaelangelo is an incredible artist that children study at school or as part of a homeschool curriculum. We spent all our art lessons in the month of March this year...
