April is National Frog Month. I’m not ribbiting you—it’s true! Check out these lesser-known frog facts and then leap into learning with a sampling of free frog-related activities found at themailbox.com. Last, but certainly not least, tell us if you’ll be investigating frogs this April! Five Frog Facts Each frog species has a unique croak….
For years and years teachers have been asking The Mailbox to deliver teaching ideas every month of the year. And guess what? We are now doing just that! All Gold subscribers receive a fun- and skill-filled digital delivery of grade-appropriate teaching ideas each and every month of the entire year—that’s twelve digital deliveries in all….
Year after year I greet students and families as they come to meet me and see the classroom at Open House. The first question I hear students ask their parents is, “Are my friends in this class?” This is a valid question, after all, school can be difficult! We all want friends nearby to love…
Here’s hoping your Fourth of July report card includes four Fs: family, friends, food, and fun. Oops, better add in some fireworks too. Wow, five Fs! I imagine these are your first Fs ever! 🙂 I wouldn’t normally be blogging on my day off, and yet here I am tapping away at my keyboard. It’s…
“To the man who only has a hammer, everything he encounters begins to look like a nail.” ― Abraham Harold Maslow You may be familiar with Mr. Maslow. He has a Hierarchy of Needs named for him. However, this is not what I’m concerned with today. You have tests to administer and a curriculum to…
For an upcoming issue of The Mailbox magazine Preschool edition, I’m writing a feature on one of those classroom management issues that every teacher of young grades encounters: how do you get youngsters to raise their hands instead of just blurting out their thoughts, answers to questions, or random information that happens to be on…
2013. Just when it was getting interesting—with a surprise Beyonce album, an actual bipartisan budget deal in Washington, DC, and a Boston Red Sox World Series celebration duck boat parade—it’s time to turn the calendar over to 2014.* Here’s a look back at some of the highlights from The Mailbox in 2013. The Mailbox turned…
During my morning commute, I flip between two different radio stations—back and forth and back and forth—looking for appealing music. About two weeks ago, one of “my stations” went to all Christmas music. I did a lot of grumbling and ranting and muttering about how we have to jump into every holiday way too early….
So I need some activities on Simple Machines. And here’s the kicker- the activities need to be appropriate for preschoolers. I know, I know. Couldn’t I ask you for something easier – like a unicorn that blows rainbow bubbles or a cheesecake that doesn’t have any calories? No. It has to be Simple Machines for…
Lately, I have been demonstrating creative activities for YouTube videos from The Mailbox. (They haven’t been posted quite yet, but they will be soon!) I found that sharing these fun activities takes me right back to the classroom. I almost feel like there should be a bunch of wiggly students gathered around me. (In reality,…