Andrea Knight

Teacher · Learner · Author

Women’s History Month

I love Women's History Month. It's a time of year when we collectively seek out stories of determined, courageous women ... women who looked obstacles right in the face and said, "Pardon me while I go around you." It's so common for curriculum calendars to suggest, or mandate, certain topics for certain times of the year. I remember when I was a new teacher and my mentor said something like, … [Read more...]

Sweet on Scarecrows

  I don't know what it is about scarecrows, but I sort of have a fondness for them. Maybe it's because they're supposed to be scary, but they just aren't. And a scarecrow that's surprisingly not scary is a nice kind of irony.    These are some of my favorite picture books about scarecrows. All three are great examples of how authors are intentional with word choice and how the detailed … [Read more...]

Go on a Leaf Hunt! An Autumn Teambuilding Activity

I taught in Florida for 20 years, a place where books about seasons can leave you with a little feeling of FOMO. The leaves in Florida only come in two colors. Light green. And dark green.Oh, and dead brown ... so three. Unless they've been on some grand vacation, kids from the tropics don't really have a mental framework for things like red and orange leaves. I once had an ambitious … [Read more...]

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...]