Have you ever wished for a star of your very own? The young boy in How to Catch a Star wishes he had a star all his own and sets out to catch one. The story, by Oliver Jeffers, is super cute and can inspire lots of learning opportunities such as a science-related study of…
Polar bear, polar bear, what do you see? I see teaching resources that feature me! I have polar bears on the brain today. It’s not Hug a Polar Bear Day or any such thing. Maybe it’s the fuzzy white sweater I’m wearing? That could definitely be it! Did you know polar bears are the largest…
You’ve heard of Puxatawny Phil, the groundhog that supposedly forecasts the coming of spring. But have you heard of the woolly worm, or woolly bear, as it is sometimes called? Last week two colleagues of mine discovered some woolly worms hanging around outside our office. Just so you know, woolly worms aren’t actually worms at…
When I was little and staying at my grandparents house, a bat got into my bedroom. Grandpa tried to catch it with his fishing net, but ended up knocking it onto the bed and thus onto me. As you can imagine, I wasn’t a fan of bats for awhile after that. But now I’m rather…
Next Wednesday, October 17, 2018, is National Fossil Day. Now I’m talkin’ about the remains or impressions of prehistoric organisms, not cantankerous old fossils. I’m sure today’s youth view me as an old fossil, however, hopefully not a cantankerous one! In celebration of National Fossil Day, I’m hooking you up with some nifty resources. Fortunately,…
Today, July 20, is National Moon Day. Just to be perfectly clear, I’m talking about the earth’s natural satellite. One of my kooky colleagues gave me a funny look when I declared it was National Moon Day. I have a sneaky suspicion we had different “moons” in mind! National Moon Day commemorates the day in…
I’m wearing closed-toe shoes today. Yes, it’s 90+ degrees outside, but I’m not taking any chances. You may think I’m overreacting or that I suffer from ophidiophobia, the abnormal fear of snakes. You’re probably right on both accounts. You see today, July 16, is World Snake Day. I suspect that snakes are unaware that they…
For those of you who don’t know, The Mailbox® is located in North Carolina. Being that it’s July, it’s very hot here. And I’m one of those people who really only enjoys the heat when lounging on the beach. I am currently not at the beach. However, some good can come from that evil daystar…
Sharks are fascinating…and a little freaky, which is why these toothy fish are such a hit with students. Check out these terrific shark-themed activities that are perfect for summertime! Do you teach little ones? Start out your shark study with a round of the classic song, Baby Shark! Here is a mellow version and here…
Did you know that about 25 million cloud-to-ground lightning strikes occur each year in the United States? Yipes! Lightning is one of the nation’s deadliest weather phenomena. A bolt of lightning can reach 50,000°F. That’s hotter than the sun! Here’s another scary fact. Most lightning victims are not struck during the worst of a thunderstorm…