Survival Science Unit Part 2

This is part two in a series Survival Science
Day 7  Students choose a partner to work with on a Survivor experience.  Students discuss and compare their survival lists and combine lists and create a final list of fifty items that they will take to the island. They may choose six luxury items for this list, three for each student.
Day [...]

Science Survivor Style for the Classroom

This is part one of a two part series on Science Survivor Style
As a teacher it’s important to find projects and units of study that keep students interested and motivated. One unit of study I used with Science students in sixth grade was a Survivor Unit. This unit can easily be adapted to upper level students.
Day 1-3. [...]

Environmental Education, Recycling and Trash Pickup

As concerns mount regarding the state of our gulf coast and the oil spill, it’s a perfect opportunity to increase our children’s environmental awareness and educate them further about  the ways our planet is being damaged. There are many great programs for recycling but there are many people who don’t participate.  A great student project to demonstrate the importance of [...]

Celebrating Cultural Diversity

Living and working overseas taught me the importance and joy of celebrating the cultural diversity of my students. Celebrating cultural events raises awareness among students and staff. Exploring the varied ethnic cultural diversity of students through cultural celebrations gives children a taste of ethnic customs,  food, dance, language and dress. It’s an  exciting way to involve everyone in a no [...]

Tie Dye Tee Shirt: Class Project

Making memories is what the end of the school year is all about. As a teacher I always tried to plan something the kids would love. One event that works well is to have an outdoor activity day combined with dying tie dye tee shirts.  I’ve participated in such an event and I’ve planned a follow up event. It’s fun [...]

Homemade Ice Cream in a Bag Project

This is a fun project to do with students or with the children in your family on a vacation day.  I used this as a Science activity with my seventh grade students in Hawaii. The instructions and ingredients are simple enough that this ice cream project can also be used with younger age children. My students did this particular  ice cream activity outside [...]

Web Roundup: Down Days, Progress Reports and More

January is prime month for quality instruction. Yet it is also the time many of us have a hard time gearing up after the holidays. To help out, I’ve rounded up what I feel are the top tips from around the web as we launch into 2010.

Classroom Holiday Calendar on the Cheap

As December approaches, many teachers are looking for ways to celebrate the Christmas holiday that keep both classroom discipline and budget in check.

Spelling Activities: 27 Ways to Practice in Style

Spelling lists are a necessary part of our weekly routine. We all want our students to do well, but still need to spend time creating exciting lessons for the rest of the curriculum. So how do we keep the spelling activities familiar enough to allow for self direction, yet fresh enough that the students won’t [...]

Bulletin Boards: 12 Ideas for Older Classrooms

Educators of older students ask me all the time for ideas that are low on “cutesy” and high on sophistication. This request holds true for bulletin boards and classroom décor as much as curriculum and lesson structure. Want some ideas on how to pull this off? Read on.

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