Andrea Knight

Teacher · Learner · Author

Pumpkin Math and Science Activities for Kids

October is the perfect month for pumpkin math and science! And How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin? by Margaret McNamara is the best book for setting that stage. You'd think it's a book about math (and mostly, it is). But it's also about inquiry, teamwork, and learning that the size of something small doesn't always reflect the enormity of what's inside. Yep ... pumpkins AND people.🧡 It tells the … [Read more...]

Room on the Broom (On Netflix)

NETFLIX has brought another one of my favorite children's books to life ... and it's perfect for your October lesson plans. (Rated G / 25 minutes) Read the story by Julia Donaldson, watch the show, and then incorporate literacy standards by discussing: • problem / solution  • cause / effect • character traits / relationships • setting • mood • theme, plot, or main … [Read more...]

What Is Labor Day? Nonfiction Books for Kids

What is Labor Day? Most kids don't know. Depending on where they live, they might think it's the last day the community pool is open for "the season." Some families will have the day off. Some will go to the beach one more time. And some might be doing their last bit of shopping before school starts. But Labor Day has an important back story many children haven't heard. For our youngest readers … [Read more...]

Halloween Snack Mix!

This October, grab a few fun ingredients and let your kids make their own Halloween Snack Mix.  I like to put out several choices and invite the children to build theirs the way they'd like... this way, they can leave out anything they don't really care for. Here's what we do: I teach primary children (which means I have "primary" parents), so I steer clear of things that are too … [Read more...]

Mother’s Day Gifts from Kids

Mother's Day gifts from kids are so special, especially when they're made by hand. With Mother's Day right around the corner, it's time to start thinking about gifts our students can make. I've done my fair share of flowers made from tiny hand prints. And of course we always make cards that feature pictures of our moms... which, by the way, never really reflect how they actually look. My own … [Read more...]