So, when is it reasonable to use the words lanterns and rats in the same sentence? When you’re talkin’ about Chinese New Year 2020, that’s when! This year Chinese New Year begins January 25th. The holiday is based on the Lunar calendar, which means the dates change from year to year. On a Lunar calendar,…
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is just a few days away. So just for fun, I’ve prepared a little quiz in honor of Dr. King. Which statement below is false? He was born Martin Luther King, Jr. Martin had a younger brother and an older sister. At the age of ten, Martin sang with his…
Hip, hip hooray! It’s Flag Day. Did you know our current flag was designed by a 17-year-old high school student? I sure didn’t. And to beat all, this kid didn’t simply draw his design, he sewed an actual flag! The student was Robert G. Heft. In 1958 Robert and his classmates were asked by their…
• never wore a powdered white wig? • wore what would today be considered a size 13 shoe? • stood at six feet two inches tall? • ran unopposed for the first President of the United States? • was 57 years old when he took office? • didn’t have a middle name? • was the…
I have a friend who encouraged her children’s map-reading skills in an interesting way: If they could direct the parents to a desirable location, they would get to go. It makes sense really. Do you want to go to the movies, the toy store, or the museum? Well, then tell me how to get there….
I know, I know, I know. A quilt activity and display isn’t anything new. And yet I can’t resist sharing this free activity I found at TheMailbox.com. The idea can easily be adapted for use in any grade level. It’s quick and easy for teachers, and it encourages students to embrace themselves and others just…
Have you ever wondered why we celebrate Thanksgiving Day on a Thursday? If you follow the turkey trail, it appears that the midweek celebration dates back to the early history of the Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay colonies, when post-harvest holidays were celebrated on the weekday regularly set aside as Lecture Day. Yet Thanksgivings past haven’t…
Yes, I just used the word poop. There I used it again. I believe the Common Core State Standards would define this use of language as informal. And I am an informal type of gal. With today being Veterans Day, I wanted to share some interesting facts about poppies. Up until last night, I only…
Next Monday, October 12th, is Columbus Day. When I was a kid, Christopher Columbus was a hero—at least in my mind. Parts of the poem “In 1492” remain ingrained in my brain: In fourteen hundred and ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue. He had three ships and left from Spain. He sailed through sunshine, wind,…
Next Wednesday, April 22, is Earth Day—a day on which people around the world renew their commitment to our Earth’s environment. What began in the United States 45 years ago as a day of environmental teaching and awareness is now celebrated in classrooms around the globe. Very nifty, indeed! If you haven’t yet selected your…