So, did you survive Halloween? I personally really enjoyed the fact that it was on a Friday this year. 🙂 Now that Halloween is over, I’ve started thinking ahead to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the holidays in general. It’s always such an exciting time of year for the kiddos! Unfortunately, I think it’s all too easy for kids to become too focused on the “gifts” part of the holidays. The media and advertising play a big role in this. BUT I do think we, as teachers and parents, can definitely do something about it! I think it’s important to teach kids about all the ways that people can give to one another. Giving doesn’t have to involve gifts – giving can include helping people in intangible ways, using kind words with others, etc. I recently finished a mini-unit that focuses on just that – teaching kids the many ways that people can give to each other. Read on for some ideas and books about teaching kids how to give, and for more details on the unit! The unit starts by having kids discuss their prior knowledge about giving (which likely includes giving gifts). You’ll make a class chart and/or give students a drawing/writing task to see what students believe about what it means to give (at the end of the unit you’ll give the same assignment to see how the kids have grown!). Then, you’ll use readalouds and writing activities to open kids’ eyes to all of the ways that people give to each other. You definitely won’t need all of these books for the unit, but here are some of the options that you can choose from: Books About Giving Tangible Items: The Mitten Tree (Candace Christiansen) My Most Favorite Thing (Nicola Moon) The Elves and the Shoemaker (Jim Lamarche) Books About Giving Help: Frog and Toad All Year – “The Surprise” (Arnold Lobel) The Berenstain Bears Lend a Helping Hand (Stan Berenstain) My Friend is Sad (An Elephant and Piggie Book) (Mo Willems) When You Are Happy (Eileen Spinelli) The Lion & the Mouse (Jerry Pinkney) A Sick Day for Amos McGee (Philip C. Stead) Books About Giving Kind Words: One (Kathryn Otoshi) Chrysanthemum (Kevin Henkes) Ish (Creatrilogy) (Peter Reynolds) Books About Helping the Community: Boxes for Katje (Candace Fleming) Uncle Willie and the Soup Kitchen (DyAnne Disalvo-Ryan) City Green (DyAnne Disalvo-Ryan) A Castle on Viola Street (DyAnne Disalvo-Ryan) In addition to the reading and writing activities, the kids will practice giving to their friends and families through a few different activities. They’ll make a “helping chain” with ideas about how they can help others: They’ll also make a coupon book for their families (with ways that they can help out around the house): After these and a few other activities, they will (with your guidance!) plan and implement a very simple community service project. By the end of the unit, the kids should have a more complex and complete understanding of what it means to give to others. The lessons are great for teaching around Thanksgiving, Christmas, winter holidays, Valentine’s Day – or any time at all! The unit also includes supplementary literacy materials like a poem, student reader, and reading passage. Click on the image below to find out more: Happy teaching!
This fun honeycomb candy is a tasty treat. Chef John's crunchy, crowd-pleasing recipe is easy to make using sugar, corn syrup, honey, and baking soda.
Lefse is a delicious Norwegian treat that is a tradition among many families. Your family can start this tradition today and make some of the best lefse you have ever had! Learn how to make a delicious lefse recipe using real potatoes.
These coffee bombonlinis are the perfect BOMB dessert you need to make this New Years' Eve. These are Italian doughnuts filled with a light and fluffy coffee whipped cream.
There are so many totally amazing and loads of the best hikes in Scotland; there's no denying it! Some of the best parts of Scotland are its beautiful, - 11 Very Best Hikes In Scotland - Travel, Travel Inspiration - Europe, Scotland, United Kingdom - Travel, Food and Home Inspiration Blog with door-to-door Travel Planner! - Travel Advice, Travel Inspiration, Home Inspiration, Food Inspiration, Recipes, Photography
See why charcuterie chalets, similar to gingerbread houses, are this year's biggest Christmas trend.
With these recipes for a vegan Christmas dinner, the festive Christmas menu becomes the highlight of the year! Perfect vegan dinner...
I have one more cookie recipe you, just in time for Christmas. These cookies are a traditional Greek cookie served at Christmas time. They are like a shortbread cookie with almonds and covered in a…
While it can be hard to put one’s finger on it, certain images have a way of making your skin crawl, causing some amount of confusion, or just having a downright weird aura, despite being a collection of pixels on a screen.
Crustless Custard Pie: Have you ever tried crustless pie or even heard of a crustless pie? I've only heard about this pie recently and was very intrigued so I had to give it a try! This custard pie has a unique flavor (next time I'll make it I'll add almond extract becaus…
This babka recipe is filled with a delicious layer of pecans, brown sugar, and cinnamon. It's the perfect Thanksgiving dessert that everyone will love!
Seeking gratitude activities and gratitude games for your family this Thanksgiving? Here are 10 great Thanksgiving gratitude activities to pick from!
While it can be hard to put one’s finger on it, certain images have a way of making your skin crawl, causing some amount of confusion, or just having a downright weird aura, despite being a collection of pixels on a screen.
This tangy, subtly cheesy mash with a crunchy topping has revolutionised my cooking life
Want to help your kids learn about gratitude? Play the gratitude game with them. It's a fun game that the whole family will enjoy!
We’re delighted to present the latest selection of cute yet witty comics by the Colombian artist, Andrés J. Colmenares. Some of you may recall the previous features of this artist on Bored Panda. However, today, we felt it was finally time to share more 'Wawawiwa Comics' with you. Why, you ask? Well, the weekend is almost here, so it’s a good time to tune into a positive mood, and with the strips from this artist, that's guaranteed. You’ll undoubtedly feel so much better right away.
Get a headstart on your Christmas Day feast with these easy recipes you can make hours, days and, in some cases, even weeks in advance.
This festive white chocolate cranberry tart is so incredibly smooth and creamy, you're gonna be in heaven. It's decadent filling is so delicious with no baking required.
This savoury pie is made with tofu and mushrooms for the best chewy, juicy, meaty texture. A fantastic centrepiece for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Make ahead. Gluten-free and oil-free options.
No matter if you're throwing a holiday party or just having a lazy night in, a Vegan Charcuterie Board (aka Vegan Snack Board) is an easy and fun appetizer or main course. Gather round and sample a variety of vegan goodies like veggies, dips, hummus, nuts, fruit, and more.
Ginger Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake is a classic English dessert! The chopped dates make it incredibly moist already, but then we go and dump buttery caramel sauce all over the top of it while it's warm. It's ridiculous and you will love it!
Want to know the secret to navigating that challenging transition between Halloween and Christmas!? One of our favorite ways to increase student engagement is with STEM, and one of our favorite STEM activities is building a turkey trap . Follow these step-by-step instructions to engage your stude
I Am Thankful for Worksheet Free Printable. I am grateful page printable for kids or adults. Great Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday activity.
Creamy cheesecake mousse with a deep caramel flavor, a touch of salt, and caramel corn crunch.
These no bake turtle brownies are rich, decadent, and so delicious! It's a soft and chewy brownie topped with caramel, crushed pecans, and mini chocolate chips.
The most important things to put in the homeless care packages and care kits for the displaced that you are putting together.
231 pie types and varieties. Learn how to prepare and cook them with the authentic recipes. Where to eat? Recommended traditional restaurants serving the best pies.
Pina Colada Baklava is a tropical twist on a popular Greek dessert. These crispy, sticky, and sweet bars are made of layers of pineapple, coconut, chopped almonds, and buttered phyllo dough. They are finished off with a generous glazing of coconut rum syrup.
Cinnamon Sugar Cookies Recipe – These soft sugar cookies are crispy on the edges and soft and chewy in the center! The best sugar cookie recipe for when fall comes around the corner (or anyti…
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Take the stress out of cooking this Christmas with these easy-yet-impressive festive recipes. With simple starters, no-fuss mains (like this no-baste glazed ham), sides and salads, cheat’s desserts, and seasonal sips, we have your Christmas menu all wrapped up!
There's something so rewarding about making bread from scratch. I took a little vacation from the blog and decided I needed to get back at. And with the holidays upon us, bread making definitely gets me in the spirit! So that brings us to Babka. So what is it? Babka is a traditiona
These beautiful tarts & pies are truly beautiful to look at, and would make a visually impressive dessert at your next dinner party.
