September is Curiosity Month! I have a suspicion that you’re a curious person. Why? Because you’re a teacher and you love learning. And all teachers want to encourage curiosity in their students. It certainly worked with me. Curiosity leads me down the Internet rabbit hole frequently. That’s how I came upon the knowledge that a…
Happy Labor Day, teacher friends! This day is set aside to celebrate workers and their contributions to the United States. Since all careers rely on teachers and their knowledge, you’re one of the most important workers around! I think you should treat yourself today, even if the treat is just a glass of wine and…
Tomorrow is the first day of September. How did this happen!? Time is certainly a strange thing in the world we inhabit right now. I feel like spring lasted for two years, but summer has gone by in a blink. Even so, I’m ready to embrace September—and embracing September means embracing all things apple related!…
Lane Smith, the award winning illustrator, turns 61 on Tuesday, August 25. What a perfect time to use the activities below that go with one of his most popular book collaborations, The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs. If your students think they know the story The Three Little Pigs, they just might change their…
It’s back-to-school time and things are pretty confusing and uncertain right now. We can use all the help we can get! So I’ve hunted down this selection of handy activities and opportunities. Take a look! Check out these terrific free ideas and printables from the American Egg Board. They have activities for preschool through high school…
I’m currently working on a task at The Mailbox® that involves spreadsheets listing all our activities. I can’t begin to describe the size of these spreadsheets. They’re big enough that my eyes are starting to blur. But my heart is happy seeing how many wonderful activities we have available to help you in the classroom!…
The September issues of The Mailbox® magazine are online—and they’re full of goodies just perfect for the beginning of the school year, including activities and printables appropriate for both social distancing and virtual learning. I took a look through the issues and thought I would show some highlights from different grade levels. (This is only…
When we go back to school this fall, having students get acquainted with each other is going to look a little different. How do you get acquainted six feet apart with masks on…or on a computer screen? Check out these different options for getting to know your new class! Students name favorite foods, animals, and…
A new school year means a new journey—and this one might end up being a wild and bumpy ride. No matter how bizarre back-to-school ends up being, you’ll want your students to have that familiar feeling that they’re starting an adventure with you and fellow classmates. To help create that feeling, have your students make…
No doubt the “plans” for the 2020-21 school year involve some sort of social distancing. And I can’t help but visualize what gross-motor development in early childhood would look like under these conditions. We all know that littles don’t have a firm grasp of where their body is in the space around them. Watching them…