Holiday and Seasonal

Archived posts from this Category

Spooooky Days

Posted by Hope Spencer on 06 Oct 2009 | Posted in: Grade 1, Holiday and Seasonal, Kindergarten, Preschool, Teachers and Teaching, The Mailbox

I always look forward to fall; don't you? It's the relaxing time right before the busy holiday season kicks in. The weather is cooler but not too cool. The excitement of a new school year is still in the air. And, of course, Halloween is on its way! When I was a child, I spent the whole month of October planning my costume for the big day. I would change my mind three times a week until it was finally time to get dressed. What fun!

Your Favorite Month

Posted by Kim Murphy on 02 Oct 2009 | Posted in: Holiday and Seasonal, Meet the Mailbox®

Happy October! This is officially my favorite month of the year. I love the fall colors! I love the cooler weather! I love Halloween! Here at The Education Center, we have quite the Halloween celebration, including a costume contest, cubicle trick-or-treating, and a pumpkin decorating contest.

Loving Summer

Posted by Diane Badden on 27 Jul 2009 | Posted in: Holiday and Seasonal, Inspiration and Motivation, Life After School

It’s hard to believe that an entire month of the summer season has come and gone. Each year I make a mental list of the projects I hope to accomplish during summer. This year’s list includes painting the living room, purging both the attic and my closet, giving my car a thorough cleaning, and tackling the tool shed once and for all. I’m quite certain there were additional items on the list, but that’s an important benefit of a mental list for summer—it’s flexible!

Happy Summer Birthday!

Posted by Hope Spencer on 10 Jul 2009 | Posted in: Classroom Routines, Holiday and Seasonal

My birthday is coming up soon! I have to say, having a summer birthday never really bothered me. I had friends who felt a bit cheated about not being able to celebrate their birthdays at school, but I guess I didn't notice it. I always had a good time having a birthday party with my grandparents or with other relatives we were visiting during the summer. My little sister's birthday was in the summer too, three weeks before mine, so I guess that helped me love a summer birthday.

Summer Is Here!

Posted by Hope Spencer on 26 Jun 2009 | Posted in: Classroom Routines, Grade 1, Holiday and Seasonal, Kindergarten, Planning and Curriculum, Preschool, The Mailbox

Some of my favorite days with students were spent in the summer school classroom. In our situation, the atmosphere was a bit more laid-back. The children and I could get to know each other and, best all, we could take advantage of fun summer themes! I’ve gathered some of my favorite theme-related activities from current issues of The Mailbox® magazine to share with you. Enjoy!

Let’s Talk Spring!

Posted by Diane Badden on 24 Mar 2009 | Posted in: Holiday and Seasonal, Inspiration and Motivation, Student Activities, Teachers and Teaching

I love Spring! The blue sky, the warmth of the sun, and the newness of the season simply boosts my spirits. For me, Spring has always been a feel-good time of year. As a teacher, I had favorite things that I looked forward to in Spring; and no, spring vacation was not one them. (Ok, that was a lie. I just wanted to see how carefully you were reading!)

St. Patrick’s Day Plans?

Posted by Sharon M. Tresino on 16 Mar 2009 | Posted in: Holiday and Seasonal, Student Activities

With the last name of Murphy, I’m accustomed to thinking of St. Patrick’s Day as if it’s a national holiday. I grew up believing that it’s not enough to wear a wee bit of green on the 17th—it’s best to dress in green from head to toe. But this year as I celebrate, I feel [...]

Make It Memorable (and Edible?)

Posted by Amy on 13 Feb 2009 | Posted in: Holiday and Seasonal, Intermediate, The Mailbox

In my experience, if you want students to really get excited about a subject or skill, use food whenever possible (being sensitive to any allergies of course). Even frozen peas and toothpicks got my kids way into building angles and 3-D shapes.

Sweet Valentine’s Day Ideas

Posted by Jen Bragg on 09 Feb 2009 | Posted in: Holiday and Seasonal, Student Activities

It's hard to believe that it's February already and Valentine's Day is just around the corner! Some people I know think this is simply a greeting card holiday, but I think it's a nice opportunity for students to share with others how much they care. My second graders were always eager to make and distribute valentines, so each year I found ways to carve out time for students to do just that.

Sweet Snow Days

Posted by Amy on 04 Feb 2009 | Posted in: Holiday and Seasonal, Inspiration and Motivation, Life After School

Ah, the unexpected day off! These are the days that students live for. As a teacher I secretly loved snow days too. Even though it surely meant reworking the weekly lesson plans and returning to over-excited students, I enjoyed having that one treasured day to do whatever I wanted.

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