A sound wave with a high frequency vibrates more rapidly than a sound wave at low frequency. And typically, a vibrating string produces very little sound unless the string instrument has a sounding board. Pau (Pablo) Casals could make a cello weep, dance, and the strains of his music could alter your day. He was …
Today, if we met Harry Houdini, we would think he was one scary man. Not because he would scare the bejeezus out of us with a loud noise or using some monstrous mask. No, we would be afraid that he had failed or worse, died. Harry Houdini did death-defying tricks at the end of his …
If you are in school, needing to take an exam for a grade analysis, or just trying to move to a new level of education for your job, ideas for assessing what you know follows. Every time you complete a written paper, ace a test, or prepare a speech you are paving the way toward …
What exercise tightens muscles, firms your frame, and creates balance—both physical and mental—while using warrior moves and simple choreography to begin? Of course, it is the ancient disciple of Tai Chi Chang, Qigong, and other martial arts (pronounced tie-Chee). Chinese masters and the Westerners who practiced under them helped to spread Tai Chi to people …
I had the opportunity to review two recently published bear theme books. Both are fiction, but have information that educate as well. I thought the stories were entertaining and easy to add activities that will send each story across the curriculum. The Best Kind of Bear by Greg Gormley A young bear named Bear met …
Bear Theme Books and Activities to Entertain and Educate Young Children Read More »
You may have heard the expression, “Tempest in a teacup." The literal way of thinking about this idiom is when an ordinary event is given much more significance, and in other cultures and lands, there are various ways of expressing this idea such as, what the French might say, “Une tempete dans un verre d’eau" …
There is a cat with many names. Depending on where you live, it may be referred to as a: cougar, mountain lion, panther, catamount, puma (Puma concolor), or more than 30 other names from 11 subspecies in North America. And although some people may not see one of these wild cats during their entire lifetime, …
Puma, Cougar, Mountain Lion: Nature Encroaching Into New Areas Read More »
Did you ever hear that expression, “Put your ear to the ground"? Can you hear the earth’s heartbeat? Yes, you may be a child (or still with a child’s heart). And you may be small, but the future of our world is in the children’s hands. So now, to the children: even though you may …
Between the times your child is born and as he grows, there is a great deal that you can do to ensure optimum music development. Early music experiences can a raise a child’s musical aptitude and help develop language skills and independence in very young children. Spend quality time with music, singing, listening, making instruments …
Music Development: Making Music Through the Ages With Kids Read More »
Most kids love to engage in extracurricular activities, such as sports, music lessons, dance, scouts, to name a few. But, could your child be involved too much and monopolizing his or her time? How much time is left for schoolwork? How much time is left for family? Where is the line between taking advantage of …
Extracurricular Activities: How Much is Too Much? Read More »
It’s fun receiving holiday cards in the mail to keep in touch with family and friends. But why throw these beautiful pieces of art away at the end of the season. A good “green" tip is to keep them from year to year and repurpose the cards with fun crafts that the children can make. …
5 Crafts Made With Christmas Cards: Creative Time With Recycled Materials Read More »
From the time your child is a baby, he or she is learning about science. From exploring and observing how bath toys sink and float to experiencing weather changes on a walk outdoors, science is everywhere. They may not understand the concepts yet, but scientific learning is taking place As children grow they are naturally …
How a STEM/STEAM Education Encourages a Love of Science Read More »
I recently had the opportunity to review a new book, Playing with Collage by Jeannie Baker (Candlewick Studio, October 2019). This book is the perfect resource to collage making and teaches the various techniques and the variety of materials you can use for this art. The word “collage" originates from the French word “colle" that …
Collage Making: Learning About This Art Technique Read More »
As we near Halloween, playing games in the classroom is not only fun but also helps to foster important skills, both educational and social. Here are a few activities to engage your students during this fun holiday. Halloween Team Spirit This Halloween game is perfect as an icebreaker and a way for the children to …
Spook-tacular Halloween Games for Parties With Children Read More »
Do you have problems with your toddler sharing at play dates? Are you dealing with territorial battles? Problems with sharing are part of normal development in toddlers, but parents can foster sharing skills in young children with a few learning opportunities and offering praise along the way. Since toddlers naturally want to mimic adults, begin …
Toddler Sharing: Is Your Child in the MINE Stage? Read More »
“No peace in the world without peace in the nation, No peace in the nation without peace in the town, No peace in the town without peace in the home/school, No peace in the home without peace in the heart." Quote by – Tao Te Ching The International Day of Peace (Peace Day) is …
International Peace Day: Activities for the Elementary Classroom Read More »
Under the Influence: Art Itself Do you know art? Have you been to a museum or a gallery where you can see legendary works of art? How did you feel when you saw your first famous painting? Art makes of itself an emotional experience and we may feel sadness, surprise, curiosity, or even have feelings …
Do you remember the movie, “Alexander and the Terrible No-Good, Very Bad Day"? It was a horrible day and everything that could go wrong, went wrong. I realize that teachers have an occasional off day, but when those terrible days stack up, this leads to problems. Teacher burnout can be a real danger. Do you …
It’s a jungle out there. Entomology professor Julie Peterson says there’s an estimated 10 quintillion insects on earth’s globe. If you have not heard of that number before, let’s just say that insects have the largest biomass of earth-bound animals, and probably represent 80 percent of the classes on the planet. And there are still …
Appreciate literature in your classroom. It is one of the best ways to motivate your students to take an interest in written as well as a spoken language. Why not integrate learning across the curriculum with good books? Don’t fall short on ideas for the upcoming school year. Turn to your children’s literature library and …
Hands-on Learning With Books: Activities for the Early Childhood Class Read More »
