Whole Child Development
Young children seem to be almost as intrigued by building and creating as they are by demolishing and dissecting. That’s just part of why a tools and construction theme is so great for young kids! And while they’re having a blast, they’re also learning some great concepts. Here are just a few: [Read more…]
It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of Dr. Seuss. Not only is his writing creative, humorous, poetic, and lovably quirky, but as an educator I’ve found it to be the perfect vehicle for promoting phonological awareness, a critical skill for building readers. With his birthday looming just around the corner (March 2), this is a popular time of year for all things Seuss!
I’ve got dinosaurs on the brain again, so I thought I’d repost this dinosaur unit from July of 2009. What are some of your favorite dinosaur activities?
While this time of year is a great opportunity for studying a Food Unit (or jumping right into Winter Weather if you’re getting the kind of storms we’ve been having) it’s also an ideal time to explore transportation. With the holidays coming, many children will either be travelling themselves, or waiting for family members to arrive. It’s a perfect opportunity to make connections between what they’re learning and exploring and what they’re experiencing in their lives.
Even though our air conditioner is still running, I know fall has nearly arrived. I really think it is my favorite season (in spite of the fact that two of my pregnancies began in the fall and I still associate that first brisk day with a hint of nauseousness).
Last year I wrote about mapping out your year with an enduring idea and unit themes. This year, I thought I’d help you out (and myself) by creating a Thematic Brainstorm Form to help you with the steps in the planning process. This isn’t your lesson plan, this is merely to get the ideas going. [Read more…]
It’s hard to believe, but another school year is on its way! Whether you’re teaching a class or your own little ones, as you sit down to map out your year, what are some of the topics and themes you look forward to exploring? I’d love to hear about your ideas, and would appreciate the opportunity to bring more activities here that you could use!
It’s hard to believe, but another school year is on its way! Whether you’re teaching a class or your own little ones, as you sit down to map out your year, what are some of the topics and themes you look forward to exploring? I’d love to hear about your ideas, and would appreciate the opportunity to bring more activities here that you could use!
Bugs are just plain fascinating for kids! Send your little ones out on a search for ladybugs, rolly-pollies, or ants and they will scour the yard for hours, well, tens of minutes. But in the land of the little ones, that’s a very long time!
In spite of the fact that Winter keeps shoving her snowy foot in the door around here, it is actually spring- even if only according to the calendar. If I had to pick just one theme to study with children in the spring time, I think it would be seeds, plants, flowers, and gardens. (OK, that didn’t really sound like just one theme, but they’re all interconnected, so I’ll let it go.)
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