Looking for a quick and fun way for kids to keep track of their independent reading? Try this free reading log. There is space for the title, a star rating, and three describing words. Download yours here.
Archives for June 2012
Those long, hot days of summer are loads of fun, but they can also be a brain drain for your kids. It has been well established that kids lose some of the skills they acquired during the school year over summer, mostly because they aren’t using them. So, if you want to help slow what has been called the “summer slide,” then you want to
Minds in Bloom is so very pleased to welcome Heidi Raki, of Raki’s Rad Resources, who will share some terrific ideas for using hands-on projects to promote critical and creative thinking. All too often, math and science concepts are taught from a book. Students read some words, look at some pictures, try some equations, and are expected to think about the problem at hand in critical and creative ways. However, many
I know what you are thinking. Sticky hands, really? Seriously? Yes, it’s true! Those sticky hands on a rubbery string that kids adore can be a valuable learning tool. Here is how: In a small group, give each child a sticky hand. Lay some laminated task cards on the floor or on a table face down. Ideally, these should be ones that can be answered
I saw this idea on Classroom DIY and thought it was so clever that I wanted to pass it along. When a kid puts a card in at the top, it flips over inside and comes out the bottom upside-down, revealing the answer. So, if you wanted to use this with task cards at a center, you could just write the answer on the back.
I LOVE sidewalk chalk! It’s big, it’s colorful, it’s cheap, and if it comes in a bucket, it’s portable, too. There is sooooo much you can do with sidewalk chalk besides drawing pictures (though that is certainly an excellent use for it). Here are some ideas: Play Games: Hopscotch of course, but any game you can play with paper and pencil you can also play