Children's author Samantha Berger just came out with a new "Crankenstein" book for February, A Crankenstein Valentine. See what happens to an ordinary kid on the yuckiest, most lovey-dovey day of the year... Valentine's Day! Cheesy cards, smelly flowers, and heart-shaped everything? It's enough to turn any kid into a Valentine monster! Yuck!!! Until... Crankenstein meets someone just like … [Read more...]
Valentine Science: Secret Messages
Yesterday, I started sharing some of my favorite holiday science ideas for Valentine's Day. If you missed the first one, you can see it HERE. Today's investigation is simple and fun, especially if your students have never done a crayon-resist project. The children love it because they get to send sweet secret messages to their friends and, even better, they get to use paint to reveal the hidden … [Read more...]
Valentine Science: Ice Cream Floats
It's no secret I love science and holiday science is extra special. I'm not sure how far ahead you plan your lessons. If you're like me, it's not consistent. I'd love to have several weeks planned out at a time, but (honestly) it rarely happens. Still, I'm already thinking about Valentine's Day... maybe you are, too. So this week, I'm sharing some of my favorite Valentine science investigations. … [Read more...]
What Do You Do with an Idea?
I know it's Wednesday and I missed Book Talk Tuesday, but sometimes you just have to jump when the inspiration strikes. And I've been struck. I have a LOT of books. It's what I collect. See? And this isn't even the half of it. There are dozens tucked away in baskets, bins, and drawers. As a matter of fact, as I type this, I'm reminded of a civics project my daughter is doing in high … [Read more...]
When Scientists Read & Write
Every year, I end up with a class full of students who LOVE science. (I'm guessing you do, too.) Of course, experiments are their favorite... being curious, gathering materials, getting messy, seeing what happens... it's the best. Because science is grounded in what's "real," most of my children also like to read nonfiction. I don't know what your science materials look like, but … [Read more...]
The Great Fuzz Frenzy
The Great Fuzz Frenzy is one my favorite picture books, especially for the first week back to school. A friend introduced the book to me years ago. She taught 3rd grade and I taught 1st, but all the children loved it, regardless of their age. It's a lively read-aloud and a great conversation starter for topics like: selfishness teamwork and forgiveness ...just to name a few. I think … [Read more...]