Month: January 2016

Classroom Organizaion, Reading, Teaching Ideas & Inspiration

Top 5 Classroom Reading Displays

If it’s not already clear, let me just say, I love reading in the classroom!  Kids with an array of interests can get lost in the right book, find inspiration in the right read-aloud and connect with their peers through a harrowing tale.  Join me in bringing a spotlight to our reading programs, whether at home or at school, by highlighting their appeal using creative displays. Here are my picks for some of the best reading classroom displays! 1. Author Studies It’s great for students to learn about and appreciate a variety of authors.  It’s provides wonderful inspiration for their own writing.  What’s more, kids can find common themes or connections between an author’s different texts.Continue reading

Science, Seasons, Teaching Ideas & Inspiration

Winter Inspired Science Lessons

Finally, this winter is starting to look like something I knew growing up!  This is my third post about winter inspired lesson ideas, but this one is all about science.  Here are some winter inspired science lessons to try our in your home or school.     Animal Habitats & Hibernation Winter animals can be so fascinating, especially because many children aren’t commonly exposed to them. Discussing winter animals is a great way to expand children’s horizon, while also following your Science curriculum.  Here are some ideas to try out:   The Scientific Process There are so many wonderful scientific elements available to discuss in winter, and this gives us a great opportunity for students toContinue reading

My Writing

3 Reasons To Pursue Our Goals

There have been so many times when I’ve been struck by a profound idea; the kind of idea I felt would make a difference in my life, my family life or my community. Then, as always (and almost as if on cue) I would convince myself that it was too far-fetched, I wasn’t capable or I was just too busy to take on a project.  But, something changed in me last year when I decided to finally take up a dream of mine and write a children’s book called Nightly News with Safa. Since the age of 16 I knew I wanted to be a teacher, and I spent a lot of my time preparing for that choice.  IContinue reading

Art, Seasons, Teaching Ideas & Inspiration

Winter Art Activities

Finally, snow!  Last week (depending on where you live) we finally experienced some snowfall. Granted, it was probably very annoying for all the adults out there…but, it was exciting for kids!   So, I’ve been inspired to continue with my winter lesson series, and do a post all about winter art activities! Catching Snowflakes This is a great activity for kids to experiment with creating different patterns.  They have the added perk of creating another dimension with a snowflake to be glued on.  This activity would be a nice opportunity to use pastels, or even colored chalk, to give students practice with using different art tools. Snow Globes Isn’t there something about snow globes that isContinue reading