We have created two math activities to celebrate leap day, although this activity can be used any day of the year! The primary Counting On worksheet contains problems that are similar to what can be found in our first grade Standards-Based Simple Solutions and Summer Solutions books. To complete the problems, students start with the […]
Here is a multi-layered Black History Month project that you can do with your upper elementary/middle school students. Pick the layer you’re comfortable with — or have time for — and go to town. LAYER 1 introduces students to this cream-of-the-crop website, The Undefeated 44, that has portraits and short biographical pieces of prominent African Americans. […]
It’s February, when teachers everywhere turn to thoughts of… presidents. I, being no different, made sure to attend the updated and recently reopened Hall of Presidents attraction during my recent trip to Disney World. The video portion of the presentation appears on a panoramic screen. It tells how the Founding Fathers had a new idea […]
Galileo Happy 454th Birthday! I had such fun writing the Ben Franklin birthday blog, I thought I’d write about another scientist. I stumbled upon Galileo’s name in a novel I was reading, Rules of Civility by Amor Towles, in which two characters briefly discuss one of Galileo’s discoveries. “What I recall about this Galileo […]
It happens every four years. The magic and thrill of the Winter Olympics is why I can put my life on hold for two weeks to watch athletes with amazing skills and compelling backstories compete at the top of their sport! The Olympics have always had a hold over my heart. Most students will be […]
Light the Olympic Fire With the Winter Olympics soon approaching, opportunities to incorporate Olympic themes into the classroom are timely and endless. Sadly, it’s becoming a fact of life that in the teaching world we don’t have much time for “fun stuff” anymore. Activities that are fun must also be valuable, educational, and efficient. Here […]
Not every part of the country gets to celebrate snow with sledding, snowman building, and other outdoor activities, but everyone can catch the winter spirit with stories, lessons, and crafts. The possibilities are endless. Here, if you will, is the tip of the, uh-hem, iceberg. SNOW GLOBE CRAFT You may not know just how affordable […]
According to US Census records, Sarah E. Goode was born in Ohio. However, other details of her early life are hazy, and reports are conflicting. One thing is for sure: Goode made history in 1885 by being the first (or possibly second) African-American woman to receive a patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark […]
Look here; look there; find Dr. Seuss fun everywhere! Get excited everyone! Dr. Seuss’ Birthday and Read Across America Day are celebrated on March 2nd! Dr. Seuss’ catchy rhymes and fun illustrations never go out of style—they continue to amuse children and adults, year after year. To delight your students this year, the Simple Solutions […]
Presidential While a child may know all about George Washington’s incident with a cherry tree, students often struggle to put historical events into the context of their world. To these children, George Washington is a distant figure who wore a powdered wig and lived in a house without electricity. But children do understand the context […]
