Inauguration Day is right around the corner, but many kids don't fully understand what happens on that day. It's typical for us to plan election activities for our students. However, we don't always give the inauguration the same amount of attention. This time around, I'm going to see this process all the way to the finish line. First though, we couldn't find a simple book about Inauguration … [Read more...]
Maps and Globes Activities for Kids
Press pause on your social studies plans and check out our favorite maps and globes activities for first graders. We get it... a lot of districts are squeezing out science and social studies to make more time for ELA work. But the content area standards still exist. And those topics are exactly the ones that light up most kids, so... If we use resources that are literacy rich, so many … [Read more...]
Election Day Activities for Kids
Election Day is coming up. Everybody is talking about the issues and kids want to participate in some way. But many don't fully understand and they wonder, "What is voting all about?" This topic is on our social studies radar, so finding Election Day activities has made its way to the top of our teacher to-do list. One of the best (and easiest) ways to create a basic awareness can be found in … [Read more...]
Female Inventors Who Changed Our Lives
Three cheers for female inventors! Although they haven't always received the recognition they deserve, female inventors have had a significant impact on our lives. Many of their inventions are still part of our world today. I mean, come on. Can we hear it for Ruth Wakefield and the deliciousness she brought to our lives with the chocolate chip cookie? Thank you Ruth. From Josephine … [Read more...]
Teaching Basic Economics in First Grade
When I first learned I would be teaching basic economics to a room full of six-year-olds, I raised an eyebrow. These seemed like concepts only college kids studied before they embarked on careers in finance and marketing. "My kids are first graders," I said. "They're still arguing over who gets to use the swings during recess today." Turns out, they weren't really arguing. They were actually … [Read more...]