Grab a Good Book {at your local library, of course}

I'm often telling my kids to sit down and read a book. Thankfully I set a good example, and almost always have a book I'm reading, but how often have you heard the excuse from your child (or student) that books just aren't any fun, or that they don't enjoy reading?  I suggest showing them this vintage library poster that explains the benefits of reading in a fun way.

Taken from Flavorwire

Olympic Teaching Ideas

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Instead of the boring (and let's face it, predictable) “What I did this summer” assignment that teachers inevitably ask their students to write, why not asking students to write about the 2012 Olympics instead? 

Writing starters may include:

·      Who is your favorite Olympian and why?

·      What is your favorite Olympic sport?

Writing starters for older students may include:

·      Background history on the location of the 2012 Olympic games (What makes London so significant).

·      Research the origins of the Olympic games.

                                                                                                       

But don’t think that the Olympics only lend themselves to writing scenarios. Oh no, just think of how the math teacher can discuss ratios and odds when analyzing wins and losses. And keeping track of the number of overall wins is the perfect way to introduce (and reinforce) charts and graphs.

'Reading Rainbow' Reinvented

One of my fondest television memories involved two men- Mr. Rogers and LeVar Burton— of 'Reading Rainbow' fame.  Both aired on PBS for the duration of my young childhood, and both instilled in me a great love of books. I have such fond memories of Mr. LevVar Burton that I became a follower of his on Twitter (no, I'm not a stalker), and was thrilled to recently see that he has reinvented Reading Rainbow for this generation of youngsters, in the form of an iTunes app.


Although the regular Reading Rainbow show went off the air in 2009 due to lack of funding and contract negotiations, the basis for the app is related to the original concept. Sure, teaching children TO read is important, but it is equally as important to teach them WHY to read. The app picks up where the television show left off, helping children become interested in books and reading, while reaching their preference of the tech-savvy generation, on a tablet.

Science Resource for Kids: a Christian Perspective

As a Christian, I find it difficult to find websites and resources that don't mention the phrase "millions of years ago" when referring to animals and plant life. While I try to tune this stuff out when I watch a documentary or read a book, I realize that my children are much more impressionable, and let's just say it, naive, about what is and isn't true.


That's why I'm so happy to endorse the Answers In Genesis website geared towards kid— Kids Answers— which gives information with a Christian worldview. For example, check out this poster pdf on their website:

 

It clearly gives scientific facts, while integrating the goodness of God into the picture. OUTSTANDING!  Check out Kids Answers website for fun printables, video clips (such as the animal of the week), posters, magazines, activities and more!

Print-a-palooza with Dr. Seuss Printables

I receive the periodic email blast from Education.com and generally I look over the info, and then skip over it, but this past week's email held particular interest to me. Through the inevitable surfing that ensued on their website, I ran across a great 20 page printable Dr. Seuss workbook than I just had to share because it was SOOOOO cute.


While my children are (sadly) too old to completely enjoy this printable, it's sure to be a hit with kids ages 3-5 (or so). And includes fun drawings from the popular books, fill-in-the blank sections, matching, rhyming (of course) and comparing skills that your child just needs to know to succeed in the classroom.  So go on, follow the link to the Dr. Seuss Activity Book, and get your Seuss on!