The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) is hosting a wonderful exhibit of Star Wars costumes. For anyone who has enjoyed the movies, the chance to see the original costumes is a treat. Unlike theater costumes, which often look best from a distance, movie costumes need to show well in close ups, so the details are … Continue reading
If you are looking for a practical resource for adding some “sparks” of creativity to your curriculum planning, ASCD has a resource that may help. Patti Drapeau’s Sparking Student Creativity is subtitled “Practical Ways to Promote Innovative Thinking and Problem Solving,” and it delivers on that promise. The book is organized around four “roads,” one … Continue reading
Time speeds up in the summer. I’m sure of it. It seems I just finished teaching my early summer classes and declared my short sabbatical from blogging and “Whoosh,” school is beginning again. I’ve lived virtually my entire life on the academic calendar, where each September brings the chance for a new start. And each … Continue reading
Recently I had the chance to snuggle down with some of my favorite young people to watch the movie Big Hero 6. I’ll admit I did not have high expectations, given that the hero of the movie bears a striking resemblance to Ghostbusters’ Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. But Big Hero 6 was not just delightful … Continue reading
I’ll admit it—Jimmy Fallon is bad for my sleep cycle. My late-night theatrical husband returns home right about Fallon-time and the temptation to watch just for a while….well, let’s just say I sometimes succumb. Recently, while watching Fallon’s “Wheel of Musical Impressions” with Adam Levine, I realized I was seeing a unique—and very funny—use of … Continue reading
Summer is the time for road trips. And kids. As any parent knows, the two do not always happily coexist. But if you have an iphone or an ipod touch, do I have an app for you! I recently learned of an app called Creative Genius on the Go, designed to support creative thinking through … Continue reading
One of my favorite events of the year is the annual Art Fairs (actually 4-fairs-in-one) that take over downtown Ann Arbor during the third week of July. It is invariably hot, sticky, crowded, and glorious. There is art you would expect (paintings, sculpture, glass, fiber) and much you might not—bowling ball jewelry, sculptures made of … Continue reading
Aren’t bookstores just the best places? There’s a new adventure (and a new lesson) everywhere you look. I tend to plan a lot of lessons using children’s books, largely picture books. This is because I believe in an important principle: Picture books are not just for children. Good picture books share important ideas in succinct … Continue reading
I just couldn’t resist. I’m not sure why all the schools I’ve ever worked in so totally embraced Valentine’s Day, but they have. (I suspect it may be because I’ve always worked in areas with cold winters and by February we’re all pretty stir crazy, but be that as it may….) Here is an assortment … Continue reading
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