Fun winter activities Learning through play is a powerful way to teach your students. Gamifying your curriculum will help your students experience your content and will help them understand the phenomena in a deeper way and winter is a great time to begin this process. In this episode, we’ll talk about 6 fun winter activities […]
Podcast
Science
Next Generation Science Standards Explained with Beth Christiansen [Ep. 31]Next Generation Science Standards I am so excited to be able to offer you a guest interview all about the Next Generation Science Standards! Beth Christiansen has been in the NGSS world for the last several years and has been trained to help teachers hone their science teaching craft. She has a passion for helping […]
ELA
Picture Books
10 Books on Hibernation and Other Forms of Dormancy for Elementary Teachers and Homeschool Groups [Ep. 30]Books on hibernation and other forms of dormancy Animal dormancy is an interesting phenomena that will engage your students. Hibernation, torpor, brumation, and diapause are all ways that animals can sleep through the winter; a concept that can be a bit challenging for early childhood learners to grasp. Make this abstract concept more tangible by […]
Weather can be an abstract concept, especially for our early childhood learners. Picture books are an amazing way to learn about the world and can be an invaluable tool for introducing children to scientific skills and concepts. This list of children’s story books about weather includes 12 titles that can help with your weather studies, […]
Podcast
Science
Hibernation in Animals: 6 Dormancy Activities for Elementary Teachers and Homeschool Groups [Ep. 29]Hibernation in animals and other dormancy Hibernation in animals is a much talked about topic in elementary science, but it’s often misunderstood. Hibernation is usually used as a blanket term for any animal that sleeps through the winter. However, dormancy is the more accurate blanket term for sleeping animals and there are multiple forms that […]
Outdoor Education
Podcast
Outdoor Learning Equipment for Schools and Homeschool Groups [Ep. 28]Outdoor learning equipment for schools Outdoor learning equipment for schools and homeschool groups come in all different shapes, sizes, and prices. But as a teacher, you are already paying for way too many things to make your indoor classroom run, you shouldn’t have to add more of a financial burden onto your shoulders to be […]
Outdoor Education
Podcast
The Great Backyard Bird Count: How to Put Together a Bird Feeding Station with Martha Holzheuer [Ep. 27]Prepping for the Great Backyard Bird Count I am so excited to be able to offer you a guest interview all about setting up a bird feeding station for the Great Backyard Bird Count! Martha Holzheuer is the owner of Nature Niche and has had an amazing career with a focus on native plants as […]
Outdoor Education
Podcast
Celebrating the Winter Solstice with an Outdoor Party for Your Elementary Students [Ep. 26]Celebrating the Winter Solstice Winter break is coming and so is your classroom party! Instead of taking elements from Christmas or Hanukkah for your winter party this year, consider celebrating the winter solstice instead. The winter solstice is a natural phenomenon that everyone on Earth experiences at some point in the year making it an […]
Outdoor Education
Picture Books
4 Turkey Day Activities and Books for Energetic Elementary Students [Ep. 25]Turkey day activities and books The week leading up to Thanksgiving comes with a lot of energy from your students. They are excited about the idea of having extra time off, eating all the pie, and sleeping in. If you’re feeling overwhelmed finding fun ways to keep your students engaged, make sure to listen to […]
Moon phase activities The days are growing shorter and the nights are growing longer so now is a great time to investigate the moon and its phases. And guess what?! Although it sounds like a limited subject, it can actually apply to physics, life science, Earth science, and space science! In this episode, I introduce […]