Andrea Knight

Teacher · Learner · Author

Earth Day Activities for Kids

I've been looking for new Earth Day activities this year. It's not that I don't like what we're already doing, but I'm just feeling a little bored... like when you finally get tired of that couch you thought you'd love forever. It's time for a change. Younger me probably would've spent hours coming up with my own ideas. Now me is tired. And I was pretty sure someone else would have just the … [Read more...]

Summer Worksheets for First Graders

Breaks from school are so nice (and so necessary), but long ones can have a negative impact on a student's achievement. Year after year, we often have parents asking for summer worksheets, so I'm not sure why it took me so long to jump on board and make some. I think summer break should be a time for kids to let loose and embrace all the freedoms that go along with being a kid. And because I … [Read more...]

Animal Habitats – Fun Activities for Kids

Animal habitats are so diverse. When I think about all the different spaces where plants and animals thrive, I'm truly in awe. Animals, and their ability to adapt within changing ecosystems, are full of surprises. Any unit around animals is never a hard sell for children. From cute and cuddly to fast and fierce, kids love them. So learning about where and how they live in nature is an easy … [Read more...]

MLK Day Activities for Kids

Every January, I'm on the lookout for new MLK Day activities. This can be a challenge when you teach the littles. His work, and the events leading up to the civil rights movement, are really big ideas for first graders. One of the best ways to support kids with this topic is through rich, thoughtful discussions and I usually turn to picture books to help me get started. One of our favorites is My … [Read more...]

5 Reasons Joke Books Belong in a Classroom

There weren't a lot of joke books available to me when I was kid. However, I'll never forget a small roll of jokes I got from a cereal box when I was nine. After brushing off all the Crunch Berries, I unrolled the long piece of paper to find about a dozen jokes written just for kids. I practiced the jokes over and over until I could deliver them perfectly for any guest my parents would allow me to … [Read more...]

How to Make Butter in a Jar

If you've ever wondered how to make butter, you're in the right spot. And if you haven't done it before, you won't believe how easy it is. Even with kids! ...which is the true test of how simple something really is. Making homemade butter became one of our classroom Thanksgiving traditions years ago. It's inexpensive to make, takes less than twenty minutes, and has a wow factor we never get … [Read more...]