Last year I did a post listing Valentine activities for classrooms. Lots of them are good for families, too, so be sure to take a look. But here are 5 more heart-centered activities for the month that will help you create, investigate, and have fun–plus one more I just couldn’t resist. Most of these would … Continue reading
Today, guest blogger Melanie returns with a post for those of you who teach English, love Jane Austen, are interested in video blogs or just want to see an amazingly creative riff on classic literature. Here’s Melanie. Even if you don’t teach Pride and Prejudice in class, this web series presents a special opportunity for … Continue reading
I really miss the cartoon Calvin and Hobbes. I loved opening the paper each morning (yes, that dates me) and catching a magical glimpse into the mind of a creative—if occasionally gruesome—child. I think I miss him most in the winter, when I recall Calvin’s memorable snow creatures. In case you don’t remember, here are … Continue reading
One of the best known poems in the English Language begins, “Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house….” It is also one of the pieces of literature most imitated, parodied, and adapted. At my house we have Cajun Night Before Christmas that includes a pole-driving Santa in a skiff pulled by alligators … Continue reading
Imagine the look on a parent’s face to any child’s declaration that begins, “I know, I know. You’re really mad. But I can explain. See I was reading about Galileo…” and ends with, “so even though the car has a concrete block sticking out of the roof, technically, it’s not my fault.” This is the … Continue reading
Class blogs can be a fabulous way to motivate students to write and to provide families with insight into your class. Sites like Edublogs and Kidblog make it easy to get started. But if students are to blog safely, it is important to have clear and effective blogging guidelines. Luckily, such things are not hard … Continue reading
It is almost Halloween, which means in the U.S., it is time for SPOOKY STORIES. Spooky stories are fun, and a fine opportunity to practice skills of description, elaboration, and plot development in a novel way. It is also, particularly for older students, a chance to help them distinguish between artfully created suspense and gory … Continue reading
This post is about short stories. Really short. Only some of them in language arts. Ernest Hemingway once wrote a short story using only 6 words. “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” It is said that the story was the result of a bet with friends—who paid up. Hemingway thought it was one of his … Continue reading
For the last few weeks I’ve been writing about teaching for creativity and the Common Core State Standards. The Common Core State Standards Initiative outlines core math and language arts content to be addressed at each grade level. In my first Common Core post, I clarified that the Common Core State Standards are not intended … Continue reading
The Common Core State Standards Initiative outlines core math and language arts content to be addressed at each grade level. That is, the Core Standards carefully delineate WHAT is to be taught at each grade level, at least in those subject areas. But is does not address the ways that content is to be taught. … Continue reading
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