My daughter is not yet of school age, so when we read Nightly News with Safa, she can’t really relate to the good news Safa shares. So, we created our own little TV craft, filled with the things my daughter thinks of as good news. We just brainstormed all of the things that made her happy, and modified this adorable craft from hello, Wonderful. Check it out & try it with your little ones! What You’ll Need: An empty cardboard box, with a window. Two paper towel rolls Paint OR construction paper Rubber bands A long roll of paper (even parchment paper could work) The usuals: coloring tools, scissors & tape Step #1 – PrepareContinue reading
Category: Teaching Ideas & Inspiration
PolyGames – Polygon Card Games
How do I say this politely…. I suck at Math :D. I have all of my life. So, whenever it comes to teaching Math to my students, I try my best to think of ways to make it fun, creative and overall something to look forward to. I don’t want kids to feel the way I did whenever Math period approached. Let’s make our Math lessons something to cheer about, so that kids don’t get lost in the tough concepts. To start, check out my idea for polygon card games called PolyGames! Here’s a look: Here is a closer look at each game: Polygon War This is a twist on the original card gameContinue reading
Mother-Daughter Painting Activity
My daughter shows a fond interest in art. She loves all things painting, coloring, molding, etc. I really wanted to nurture that interest, and so we’ve started a new mother-daughter tradition: canvas painting. The idea is: we each get a canvas, or share one, and paint art that conveys a message or theme we’ve been talking about. We’ll display our art in my daughter’s room as a reminder of the experience we shared, and will switch up the wall displays with each new art adventure we take :). Here is our first set of canvases: The Theme/Message: We chose to have a star theme. “Reach for the stars” is the first quote that came to myContinue reading
NumberBot Craft
If you follow me on instagram, you know I love taking everyday waste items and turning them into something purposeful. That’s how this craft came about. I saw I had an empty pasta box and a bare paper towel roll. The shape of the box immediately made me think of some kind of robot, and numberbot was born! His food of choice? Numbers! When he’s full, take the numbers out and add them, sort them, create a pattern… whatever you want! Here are the steps to create your own numberbot. Step 1 – Materials You’ll need: an empty box with a see-through window a paper towel roll paint straws or pipe-cleaners glue/tape scissors Step 2: PrepareContinue reading
Valentine’s Day Activities – Centers Package
We could all use a little more love right now; that’s why I’m excited to share my newest TPT package with you! It’s a Valentine’s Day inspired center activities package! Don’t want to set up centers? No problem! Use each activity as a morning Valentine’s Day activities/warm-up or as lessons on their own. It contains 6 fun Valentine’s Day activities, with instructions. Here is a closer look at the package: Center Activity #1: Each center activity comes with an instructions page, so that students can have a reference point when working on their activity. This activity gets students creating mosaic art! They simply tear or cut construction or gift tissue paper, and label each pieceContinue reading
Advertising Unit & Poster Set
Teaching kids the ins and outs of advertising can be a lot of fun, especially since marketers can target kids so effectively. I’ve noticed that students love media literacy topics, especially the idea of creating their own ads. That’s why I’ve come up with the perfect advertising unit for your students. The unit package includes a great classroom poster to display on your bulletin boards. Poster Set After going through the posters and discussing ad techniques, it’s time to start the unit! Teaching Tips Attract In the first section, students are asked to plan an ad meant to attract customers. They start off with a graphic organizer to help effectively plan just how they will attract buyers. HereContinue reading
Fraction Activity – The Best Parts of Me
Whether you’re looking for a fun fractions activity or looking to build your students’ self-esteem, look no further :D. I’ve got a cross-curricular fractions activity that will get your students practicing both their math and writing skills. Oh, and it’s a super-hero themed activity to boot. The package includes an introductory brainstorming page. This is where students are meant to think about their greatest qualities, and list them: Next, students begin drawing out their superhero image, and label a fractioned circle: These superheroes would be great as a way to decorate a bulletin board. Either cut out the superhero figures, or clue the page onto a construction paper backing. The package also includes clipart images,Continue reading
Parts of a Letter – Poster & Worksheet Set
I love teaching kids about writing letters. It feels like a lost form of communication in our time, but it’s still an important and relevant writing genre. Students will need lots of examples to show them the various components of a letter. It also helps to have students do lots of practice and write to famous authors, public figures, family members or to each other. Here is my Parts of a Letter – Poster and Worksheet set, available on Teachers Pay Teachers: This is a great way to visibly show students each part of a letter. Each section is labelled and has a coordinating explanation card, which further details what each section is and providesContinue reading
Summer Research Projects for Kids
Summer vacation will undoubtedly be filled with many fun activities for kids to enjoy. This doesn’t mean we can find small ways of keeping up studious habits, while still enjoying the break. So, I’ve put together a list of summer research project for kids, that will get your kids excited about learning and also implementing their new found knowledge. Here we go: Planet Research Have your kids research various planets, our solar system or the stars. You could take them to a local science center or planetarium. They could also supplement their research online (and which kid doesn’t love a reason to use the internet :)). The best part: on a nice summer night, take theContinue reading
Using Summer Fun To Educate Kids
With summer in full swing, many parents fear that their kids will forget the valuable educational lessons they learned throughout the school year. But, this doesn’t have to be the case. There is a way to allow your kids to enjoy the full adventures of summer fun, while also sneaking in some valuable lessons. Here are some wonderful summer lessons for kids! Explore Different Creatures As the weather improves, children have the chance to see various creatures in their natural habitats. Celebrate this by learning about various creatures and how they live and eat. One great way to commemorate this is to build a bird feeder. Another idea is to take your children on a crittersContinue reading