Groundhog Day occurs each year on February 2nd! If you’ve never seen it, I highly recommend a viewing of Groundhog Day with Bill Murray. At times confused, depressed, philosophical and joyful, Bill Murray portrays a man stuck forever in the same day with hilarious excellence. While Groundhog Day isn’t a national holiday, I make this [...]

As your kids start to reach the ages of three and four, their minds are being constantly stimulated by everything around them.  They’ve developed some coordination and motor skills that they are starting to experiment with more.  You should encourage activities that sell themselves. Encourage Them To Draw You Pictures By now, you’ve probably figured [...]

Getting your homework done doesn’t have to be as difficult as finding the cure for cancer. Most students struggle because they procrastinate their homework until the last minute. I guarantee you that most professors don’t appreciate reading through a hundred essays that were thrown together at the last minute. Scheduling out your time is an [...]

Whether you are a primary school teacher, a parent, grandparent or indeed a librarian, you are probably always on the lookout for new books that will inspire, excite and intrigue your little ones. I’m the same and devour every single mention of new books so I can add them to the collection in my classroom. [...]

It’s that time of year! The end of January in our school district marks the beginning of the official testing window. Whether we like it or not, our kids will spend valuable hours navigating through state-mandated standardized reading and math tests here in Oregon. While the purpose of assessment in the classroom is to figure [...]

Good eating habits don’t just miraculously develop in a child’s life, they have to be shown the way by demonstration and repetition. As with most habits, it is very important that the proper eating guidelines are taught as early as possible, so that there is more chance they will be followed as the years go [...]

Are you looking for a last-minute way to celebrate Chinese New Year in your classroom? Check out these Chinese New Year reading and writing activities that include printable zodiac symbols, as well as these simple Chinese New Year crafts to help your students celebrate this cultural holiday!

For 2012, Chinese New Year is celebrated on Monday, January 23rd. The significance of this holiday and simple activities to help your kids learn about Chinese New Year can be found here, but fun, educational, and simple craft ideas are included below. Chinese Yo Yo This is one of the easiest crafts to make in [...]

Chinese New Year is a great excuse to practice important skills while celebrating an important part of Chinese culture. When is Chinese New Year? Chinese New Year is based on the Chinese Lunar Calendar, which is 2,640 years older than our calendar, and can begin on any date between Janaury 21st and February 18th each [...]

It doesn’t matter if you’re in elementary school or college, it’s important to know how to write an essay. As a fourth-grade teacher with state writing tests looming each spring, I have taught kids the general and finer points of constructing a basic essay. This guest post reveals helpful tips for kids of all ages [...]