Free Printable Lesson Plans

Free Printable Preschool Valentine's Day Lesson Plans

2012-02-09T19:40:00.000-05:00

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, my email box is full of nifty craft, treat and card ideas to celebrate. Alas, many are also costly. As a penny-pinching teacher and homeschool mom of four, I don't spend big. Here are free printable preschool valentine crafts, lesson plans, learning activities and games, for my fellow fru-gals and guys. Recently, I came across a blog managed by two moms called Over the Big Moon. The gals have created a 31-page printable packet of Valentine's Day activities for children. The kit is perfect for little ones ages 30 months to six. The activities are mostly for pre-readers and emergent readers. All the activities have a valentine flavor. Read more...

Free Printable Rainbow Magic Fairy Crafts

2012-01-30T23:00:00.002-05:00

"Rainbow Magic" is a series of books from the UK, about fairies, created by a collection of authors writing under the pseudonym "Daisy Meadows." Rainbow Magic is illustrated by Georgie Ripper. There are several dozens stories. Here are free printable fairy crafts from Rainbow Magic. The series began with the Rainbow Fairies, seven sisters each named after a color of the rainbow: Ruby, Amber, Saffron, Fern, Sky, Izzie and Heather. Two girls, Rachel and Kirsty discover the rainbow fairies and their magical kingdom. The series has blossomed to include fairies for practically every theme: princess, jewel fairies, pet keepers, weather, fun day, sporty, Christmas, flowers, music, magic animals, dance, party, ocean, green, twilight and several other fairy groups.
for links, click Free Printable Rainbow Magic Fairy Crafts - Yahoo! Voices - voices.yahoo.com

Free Printable Chinese New Year, Dragon Lessons

2012-01-23T18:58:00.001-05:00

Chinese New Year for School and Families Chinese New Year begins today. The Chinese zodiac is distinguished by 12 animals. 2012 is the Year of the Dragon. Here are activities and ideas for parents to explore Chinese tradition. List includes ceremonial foods, recipes, CNY activities, free printable dragon coloring pages and crafts, lantern festival crafts and Asian literature connections for grades K-8. Read more...

Free Printable File Folder Games

2012-01-17T21:09:00.001-05:00

Free Printable File Folder Games File folder games are one of the most popular types of educational games. Games are made using manila tag-board file folders; the game board is printed on the inside of the folder. If the game requires it, you can make make a spinner directly on the folder to replace dice and keep pieces to a minimum. Draw a circle and divide it like a pie. Write numbers or directions ("skip a space","advance two spaces" etc.) in the segments. Punch a hole in the center of the spinner and place paper clip on a brad (paper fastener) and push the brad through the hole. The paper clip becomes the spinner.

Store any cards or game pieces in a zippered plastic bag, pocket or envelope attached to the inside of the folder. Store the file folder games upright in any filing cabinet or drawer. File folder games can be created to teach any subject or content area in school. File folder games are perfect for homeschool families, day care, tutoring and preschool centers also. File folder games work especially well with special needs students.

You can purchase books of reproducible file folder games to make your own games, or, if you are a penny pincher like me, you can use free printable file folder games from the Internet. I've found several websites with a plethora of free printable file folders games based on all sorts of content and subject matter. You may need to download the game to open it. From there you will print the game sheets from PDF or in a separate window. You will need to have Adobe Acrobat reader installed on your computer as well. Read on for printables.

Free Printable Martin Luther King Jr. Day Activities and Lessons

2012-01-15T20:22:00.001-05:00

Websites with Free Printables and Resources for Martin Luther King Jr. Day Martin Luther King Jr. the civil rights activist and minister who was martyred in the 1960's birthday is coming up on January 16, 2012. The United States remembers and celebrates his life and work on January 21. This day is a civil holiday, but many schools remain open. Perhaps you are not all that familiar with Martin Luther King Jr? Or maybe you are like me and were teaching before this day was a holiday. Here are several websites to explore for free printable MLK Jr. Day resources and materials for your home-school, classroom, religious or community group. Read on...

Free Printable Martin Luther King Jr. Lesson Plans and Activities

2012-01-09T23:27:00.001-05:00

Free Printable Martin Luther King Jr. Lesson Plans and Activities Martin Luther King Jr. Day is celebrated on the third Monday in January. For 2012, it's Monday, Jan. 16. The great civil rights leader was born on January 15, 1929. MLK (as he is often referred to) was shot by an assassin's bullet on April 4, 1968. Here are free printable lesson plans to help you explore this legendary hero. Use these lessons in classroom, homeschool, scout troops and social groups. As the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Martin Luther King Jr. is featured on this website with a comprehensive bibliography of resources. I recommend that teachers use this website as a reference for instruction about MLK. Read more...

Free Printable Chinese New Year Coloring Pages, Crafts and Activities

2012-01-02T23:03:00.001-05:00

Free Printable Chinese New Year Coloring Pages, Crafts and Activities I confess that as a child and into adulthood I've always delighted in Chinese culture. As a teacher I like to immerse my students in foreign cultures, customs and peoples. Chinese New Year begins Jan. 23, 2012. Here are free printable crafts, coloring and activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year with students, family, homeschool and scouts. These websites have Chinese zodiac crafts, animal crafts, party decorations, Chinese New Year greeting cards and coloring crafts galore. Read more...

Free Printable Winter Season Lessons, Activities

2011-12-22T21:48:00.001-05:00

Free Printable Winter Season Lessons, Activities The winter season is a popular theme in preschool and early elementary. In science, the winter season makes an ideal focus for chemistry, physics, earth and life science topics. In social studies, students might explore winter-specific holidays and religious celebrations, like Yule, Saturnalia and the December solstice. Concepts are adaptable across different curricula: writing, math, reading, literature, art and crafts. Here are free printable winter season activities. Most are interactive, hands-on project-type activities. Read more...

Free Printable Our Lady of Guadalupe and Mexico Lessons, Activities

2011-12-13T16:40:00.001-05:00

Our Lady of Guadalupe Activities for Parents and Children - Yahoo! News: Dec. 12 marks the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the Catholic Church. It dates to 1531 when Catholics believe the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to an Aztec peasant at a hill called Tepeyac in Mexico City. Here are activities to help parents teach children about this holiday and its part in Mexican heritage. Use these for lesson plans for a theme on Mexico and their traditions, culture and history. Read more...

Free Printable Christmas Holiday Party Planner: St. Nicholas Day Activities

2011-11-28T00:41:00.001-05:00

Printable Christmas Holiday Party Planner: St. Nicholas Day Activities Christmas traditions around the world differ from country to country. Every country has special cultural recipes, activities and festivals. St. Nicholas Day is celebrated on December 6; here's a party activity guide for a St. Nicholas Day celebration. Nicholas was a 4th century bishop in Asia Minor. Legends and stories of Nicholas's generosity and compassion were widely circulated. Nicholas is the prototype for our modern Santa Claus (Santa='saint' and 'Claus' is variation of Nicholas). Nicholas is the patron saint of Russia, Holland and Greece. Here are activities to enjoy for your St. Nicholas Day festival. Read on

Free Printable Coat of Arms and Heraldry Designs

2011-11-15T10:23:00.001-05:00

Free Printable Coat of Arms and Heraldry Designs Heraldry refers to the crest or emblem associated with royal and noble families. These ancient symbols, also called "coat of arms" were used as ornamentation and communication, on battlements, flags, armor and weapons. Here are free printable coat of arms design and coloring pages. Perfect for medieval history, world history and family genealogy lessons plans. These activities make great social studies projects for elementary and middle school, too. Read more...

Free Printable Veteran's Day Activities

2011-11-07T20:16:00.001-05:00

Free Printable Veteran's Day Activities November 11: Veteran's Day, or Armistice Day, celebrates the end of WWI in Europe. Armistice means "the laying down of arms in battle." Generally, a peace treaty or some kind of non-aggression pact is signed. After WWI, the Treaty of Versailles was signed. Explore the history and significance of Veteran's Day with free printable activities. Veteran's Day is so much more than just a bank holiday or a day that we don't get mail. Veteran's Day remembers and celebrates the lives and efforts of soldiers, sailors and airmen the world over and especially those who gave the last full measure. It has been said of World War One that it very nearly obliterated an entire generation. Here are some free printable activities and resources to help you explore World War One and Veteran's Day in the classroom or at home. Read more...

Free Printable Day of the Dead Coloring and Craft Activities

2011-11-02T18:39:00.001-04:00

Free Printable Day of the Dead Coloring and Craft Activities Latino communities are celebrating "Dia de los Muertos," or "Day of the Dead." This holiday is the Hispanic version of the Catholic Christian All Souls Day. Families remember their deceased relatives. Parents should explain to children that although Day of the Dead festivities include skulls and skeletons; they are not meant to scare. The holiday is a joyous time that celebrates family and ancestors. Here are free printable activities to share with children and help them explore Day of the Dead. Read more...

Free Lessons About Earthquakes, Earth Science, Emergency Preparedness

2011-10-26T09:21:00.001-04:00

Free Lessons About Earthquakes, Earth Science, Emergency Preparedness Emergency workers continue to find and rescue more people trapped in the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit Turkey recently. The death toll has risen to 270 and rescue workers race to free those trapped in the rubble from 80-plus multistory buildings that collapsed in Ecris, Turkey. What causes earthquakes? How can families stay safe? Here are resources to help children learn more about earth science, plate tectonics, the Ring of Fire, geology and emergency preparedness. Read more...

Free Printable "Day of the Dead" Crafts, Lessons and Activities

2011-10-25T20:54:00.001-04:00

Free Printable "Day of the Dead" Crafts, Lessons and Activities El Dia de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, commemorates the lives of beloved dead. The Day of the Dead coincides with the Catholic All Saints Day and All Souls Day, November 1 and 2. Need free printable activities? You've come to the right place.

Traditionally commemorative altars are brought to the cemetery so that the family may visit with the dearly departed. The human skull is an integral symbol in El Dia de los Muertos. Candies are made in the shape of skulls and people may paint their faces to represent a skull. Some of the United States Halloween traditions have developed from the Day of the Dead celebrations. The Day of the Dead is a religious holiday, culminating the Catholic traditions of All Saints and All Souls Day with earlier Aztec, Mixtec, Olmec and Toltec pre-Columbian traditions. Here are free printable lesson plans, crafts and activities. Read on...

Free Printable Jewish Sukkot Lesson Plans

2011-10-18T16:51:00.001-04:00

Jewish Sukkot Resources for Parents, Home-Schoolers, Educators Jewish families are celebrating the Sukkot holiday. This "festival of tabernacles" goes until sundown Wednesday. It is an eight-day holiday, that runs from Tishrei 15-21 in the Jewish calendar (for 2011, that's Oct. 12-19 in the western calendar). In Jewish tradition, children are involved in religious activities. Here are resources for parents, home-school families and educators to explore Sukkot with children. These materials help children understand the traditional significance behind the building of the Sukkah and the four species mitzvah: Lulav (date palm) Etrog (lemon), Hadass (myrtle) and Aravah (willow). There are free printable coloring pages, Parsha activities, crafts, games, puzzles, word searches, animated cartoons, literature connections, social studies (including world religions, culture, history) lesson plans and more. Read on...

Free Printable Columbus Day Activities

2011-10-08T18:55:00.003-04:00

Free Printable Columbus Day Activities Students can explore the history, science, math and culture surrounding Columbus's voyage with these free printable lesson plans. These lesson work for special needs students, general education students and are ideal for homeschool students. I've weeded out links that require user ID or password. Read more...

Free Printable Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur Activities

2011-09-29T14:29:00.001-04:00

Free Printable Yom Kippur Activities Yom Kippur, October 8, 2011 (begins at sundown on Oct. 7) the Jewish Day of Atonement, takes place in the month of Tishrei on the Hebrew calendar, ten days after Rosh HaShanah (Sept. 28-30, 2011) the Jewish New Year. Yom Kippur is followed by Sukkot, in 2011, October 15. Here are free printable activities to explore Yom Kippur. Not being Jewish myself, I will not attempt to explain Yom Kippur, beyond saying that it is a high holy day in the Jewish calendar. I don't want to explain the celebration improperly. If you explore these links and activities, you will come to a fuller understanding of the Yom Kippur holiday. Read more...

Free Printable Apple Themed Lesson Plans

2011-09-18T00:26:00.001-04:00

Free Printable Apple Themed Lesson Plans Autumn in Michigan means apples. Apples are a common theme for preschool and elementary school students. Teachers and homeschoolers, are you teaching a unit on apples? Have I got a great sweet treat for you: 166 pages of free printable lesson plans. Apple math, history, science, social studies, writing, vocab and more. Read on...

Free Printable 9/11 Lesson Plans, Memorial Activities for Kids

2011-09-11T14:44:00.001-04:00

9/11 Lesson Plans, Memorial Activities for Kids How can we teach children about September 11, 2001? How do you explain the World Trade Center, Flight 93 and Pentagon attacks? How do you discuss war and terrorism with kids? How do you commemorate what they never experienced? Here are free lesson plans for all ages and grades, to help. Read more...

Free Printable Weather Activities and Coloring Pages

2011-09-06T14:33:00.001-04:00

Free Printable Weather Activities and Coloring Pages I'm a veteran teacher and homeschooler. I have found that children learn best when they are actively engaged. Planning a unit on weather, science or safety? Here are free printable coloring pages and activity booklets from the National Weather Service. Natural disasters, earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, winds, wildfires, storm surges, hurricanes, tropical storms, blizzards, there are lessons for all of these. Read more...

Free Printable Labor Day Coloring Pages

2011-09-03T13:31:00.001-04:00

Free Printable Labor Day Coloring Pages Labor Day, celebrated the first Monday is September, in the US remembers the contributions of organized labor, unions and workers. Here are free printable occupations, careers and worker coloring pages for Labor Day. Labor Day is also the last picnic holiday before school starts, so if you are organizing a Labor Day BBQ, picnic, or party, you will want these free printable coloring pages for the children at your party. Teachers, start your school year off right with a social studies unit that explores community helpers, workers, occupations and careers. These coloring pages make excellent activities for that a unit on Labor Day. Read more...

Free Printable Weather Activities and Coloring Pages

2011-07-27T16:44:00.002-04:00

Free Printable Weather Activities and Coloring Pages Speaking as a veteran teacher and homeschooler, I have found that children learn best when they are actively engaged. Planning a unit on weather, science or safety? Here are free printable coloring pages and activity booklets from the National Weather Service. Read more

Free Printable Rango Coloring Pages and Desert Craft Activities

2011-07-19T22:34:00.001-04:00

Free Printable Rango Coloring Pages and Desert Habitat Lesson Plans, Dioramas and Craft Activities Rango is the pseudonym of Lars, a pet chameleon who gets lost in the Mojave Desert. From timid critter to terror of the west, Rango finds himself drawn into the problems of a thirsty townsfolk of Dirt. If you like Rango, here are free printable crafts and coloring pages. Included are links for free printable desert-themed lesson plans, habitat dioramas and animal study activities. What a great bunch of lessons for day camps, educational day care and back-to-school lessons. Read more...

Free Printable Patriotic Projects and Activities for Memorial Day

2011-05-25T13:55:00.002-04:00

Free Printable Patriotic Projects and Activities for Memorial Day I've published several articles featuring free printable activities for different holidays, including the patriotic holidays. Since publishing these articles, I've found more free printable patriotic crafts, activities and projects. These free printable activities might easily be used as lesson plans for school or homeschool. A hands-on activity livens up any lesson in school. Use these crafts and activities for American history, Government, Civics, Social Studies, Geography and other similar classes. Read more...