Creative Teaching

Let’s Make 2010 The Best Year Ever!

Jo — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 01:35:47 +0000

I am sorry for the long lag since my last blog. I have been quite ill, but am feeling much better now. I hope your last year was great and the new year brings everyone tons and tons of blessings.

I will continue sharing educational ideas on this blog. I will also share craft ideas on my new blog, Jo’s Memories.

Celebrate Pi Day (March 14, 2009) Pi Day is celebrated around the world on March 14th...

St. Patrick’s Day (March 17th, 2009)

Jo — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 22:49:06 +0000

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

We love to make leprechaun catchers and wear green accessories on St. Patrick’s Day.

We will also be making a clover-shaped St. Patrick’s Day book. (Photos of book to come!)

The following questions will be completed before writing the story:

Who was St. Patrick? sunniebunniez
Where was St. Patrick born? earthcam
When do we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? kaboose
Why do we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? funmunch
How do people celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? wikihow

Other great sites:

Celebrate Pi Day (March 14, 2009) Pi Day is celebrated around the world on March 14th...

Celebrate Pi Day (March 14, 2009)

Jo — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 14:32:54 +0000

Pi Day is celebrated around the world on March 14th at 1:59:26 p.m.

Pi ,the Greek letter (), is the symbol for the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. Pi = 3.1415926535… The first 3 digits, give us the month and date for this celebration, and the following 3 digits give us the time of day to celebrate. So let the Pi festivities begin!

I am going to celebrate Pi day with my ten-year-old son because I think it is a fun way to remember what Pi is. It’s not a number that the average “Jo” (that is quite literally me) talks about daily, so this day is a great reminder that Pi is important and needs to be remembered.

I’m sure that the math enthusiasts in our great world are taking Pi to a much higher level (and to more decimal places…) and thank God for them. For others like me, I simply hope that this blog helps you smile and remember Pi.

The following Web sites will give you much more information.

Teach pi

The official site for Pi day

Exploratorium 21st Anniversary of Pi Day

St. Patrick’s Day (March 17th, 2009) Happy St. Patrick’s Day! We love to make leprechaun catchers...

Black History Timeline and Famous People

Jo — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 06:51:56 +0000

February is Black History Month, so my 10-year-old son is going to make an African-American book.

Below are the people we are going to study:

Sarah Boone (inventor of the ironing board; received a patent in 1892) - About.com: Sarah Boone
George Washington Carver (plant scientist who made great contributions to the field of agriculture chemistry) – Wikipedia: George Washington Carver
Dr. Charles R. Drew (physician) – phillyBurbs: Charles Drew
Shirley Chisholm (Congresswoman) Wikipedia: Shirley Chisholm
Medgar Evers (civil rights leader) – Wikipedia: Medgar Evers
Fanny Lou Hamer (civil rights leader) – Wikipedia: Fannie Lou Hamer
Matthew Alexander Henson (explorer) – Enchanted Learning: Matthew Alexander Henson
John W. Hunter (inventor of the portable weighing scale) – Evia L. Davis: African American Awareness for Young Children – John W. Hunter
Dr. Mae Jemison (first African-American woman in space) - Wikipedia: Mae Jemison
Henry Lincoln Johnson (distinguished soldier) – Wikipedia: Henry Lincoln Johnson
Dr. Maulana Karenga (founder of Kwanzaa in 1966) – Wikipedia: Maulana Karenga
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (civil rights leader) - Wikipedia: Martin Luther King, Jr.
Abraham Lincoln (16th President of the United States) – Wikipedia: Abraham Lincoln
Elijah McCoy (inventor) – Wikipedia: Elijah McCoy
Thurgood Marshall (Supreme Court justice) - Wikipedia: Thurgood Marshall
Jan E. Matzeliger (Inventor of the shoe-lasting machine) - Inventors Assistance League: Jan Ernst Matzeliger
Garrett Morgan (inventor; his inventions included the automatic stop sign and breathing masks used by firefighters) - Wikipedia: Garrett A. Morgan
Lyda D. Newman (inventor the modern day hairbrush; received a patent on Nov. 15, 1898) – About.com: Lyda Newman
President Barack Obama (44th President of the United States) – Wikipedia: Barack Obama
Jesse Owens (athlete) – Wikipedia: Jesse Owens
Rosa Parks (mother of the Civil Rights movement) – Wikipedia: Rosa Parks
Jackie Robinson (athlete; in 1947, became the first African American to play for a Major League Baseball team) – Wikipedia: Jackie Robinson
George T. Sampson (inventor of the clothes dryer) – Evia L. Davis: African American Awareness for Young Children – George T. Sampson
James Monroe Trotter – Wikipedia: James Monroe Trotter
Sojourner Truth – Biography Resource Center – Sojourner Truth
Harriet Tubman (abolitionist) – Wikipedia: Harriet Tubman
Mme. C. J. Walker (businesswoman; invented a hair softener and straightening comb; became the first African-American female millionaire) – Wikipedia: Madam C.J. Walker
Booker T. Washington (educator) - Wikipedia: Booker T. Washington
Ida B. Wells – Wikipedia: Ida B. Wells
Dr. Daniel Hale Williams (physician; first to perform open-heart surgery) – Wikipedia: Daniel Hale Williams
Joseph Winters (inventor of the fire escape ladder; received a patent on May 7th, 1898) - Wikipedia: Joseph Winters

Groups:

This is the timeline that we are using for our African-American unit:

1492: Christopher Columbus arrives in the Americas – Wikipedia: Christopher Columbus
1517: Spaniards bring first African slaves to West Indies sugar cane plantations - Slavery in America: Sugar and Slavery – Molasses to Rum to Slaves
1619: First African slaves arrive in , a mid-Atlantic English colony – World Book: The Slave Trade in Colonial America (scroll halfway down)
1778: Writers of the U.S. Articles of Confederation compromise on slavery – Online Library of Liberty: Articles of Confederation 1778 (click “Hide TOC”)
1793: Congress passes a law that makes it illegal to help escaping slaves – The FreeDictionary: Fugitive Slave Laws
1808: Slave trade becomes illegal – Wikipedia: Atlantic Slave Trade
1820: Missouri Compromise divides states into free and slave – Wikipedia: Missouri Compromise
1838: Underground Railroad is formally established - National Geographic Online: The Underground Railroad
1850: Fugitive Slave Law says that all persons must help catch escaped slaves – Wikipedia: Fugitive Slave Law of 1850
1852: Uncle Tom’s Cabin tells about the evils of slavery – Wikipedia: Uncle Tom’s Cabin
1857: Supreme Court rules that slaves are property, not people - Prentice-Hall: A Slave Sues for Freedom in 1857
1863: Emancipation Proclamation frees southern slaves - Wikipedia: Emancipation Proclamation
1866: Amendment 13 frees all slaves – Wikipedia: Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
Amendment 14 makes all slaves citizens – US Constitution Online: Amendment 14
1867: Amendment 15 gives ex-slaves the right to vote – Wikipedia: Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
1877: “Jim Crow” laws begin the segregation of black Americans from white - Wikipedia: Jim Crow laws
1896: Supreme Court “separate but equal” ruling declares segregation to be legal – Wikipedia: Separate but equal
1909: NAACP forms to protect black Americans from prejudice and violence – DealofDay.com: February 12, 1909, Founding of the NAACP
1915: Great Migration begins. Millions of black Americans leave the South and move north and west – University of Washington: The Great Migration – Number of Migrants
1920s: Harlem Renaissance takes place. Black arts and literature eloquently and proudly describe black life – Wikipedia: Harlem Renaissance
1929: Great Depression begins – Wikipedia: Great Depression
1941: Defense plants desegregate – Our Documents: Executive Order 9981 – Desegregation of the Armed Forces (1948)
1947: Jackie Robinson breaks the “color barrier” - Wikipedia: Jackie Robinson
1948: Armed forces desegregate – Truman Library & Museum: Desegregation of the Armed Forces
1954: Supreme Court rules that segregation is unconstitutional - Wikipedia: Brown v. Board of Education
1955: Rosa Parks begins Civil Rights movement – Wikipedia: Rosa Parks
1963: Martin Luther King, Jr. leads 200,000 Americans in protest march to Washington DC – MLK Online: I Have a Dream – Address at March on Washington (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream speech,” both audio and written)
1964: Congress passes Civil Rights Act - Wikipedia: Civil Rights Act of 1964
1965: Voting Act passed - Wikipedia: Voting Rights Act of 1965
1970s: African Americans work to turn the promise of the law into reality.
2009: Barack Obama becomes America’s first African-American president. NOTE TO PARENTS: There is a commercial before this video (the one I watched was from Victoria’s Secret. You may want to screen the commercial, but it is a great video!) – CNN Election Center 2008: Obama – ‘This is your victory’

African-American Web sites for kids:

Celebrate Pi Day (March 14, 2009) Pi Day is celebrated around the world on March 14th...
St. Patrick’s Day (March 17th, 2009) Happy St. Patrick’s Day! We love to make leprechaun catchers...

Valentine’s Day Crafts, Writing, and Recipes!

Jo — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 17:34:17 +0000

I love Valentine’s Day! So let’s have fun with love, and all the flowery calorie-filled fun of it all.

Craft Ideas for Children:

DLTK’s Valentine’s Day Activities for Kids
Kaboose: Valentine’s Day Crafts
NY Education Examiner: How to make Valentine’s crafts for kids – Video on how to make a “warm fuzzy” for Valentine’s Day (scroll down until you are 1/2 way down the page for this activity)
Mycraftbook: Valentine’s Day Crafts for Kids – Lots of Valentine’s crafts for kids!
Family Fun: Valentine’s Day | Parties, Crafts & Recipes – Ideas for crafts, recipes, and parties!
Danielle’s Place: Valentine’s Day Crafts for Kids
KinderArt: Valentine’s Day Crafts, Lessons and Activities
Enchanted Learning: Activities, Crafts and Cards for Valentine’s Day
AmazingMoms.com: Valentine’s Day Crafts for Kids
AllCrafts: Valentine’s Craft Projects
AHC Arts & Crafts: Valentine’s Day Arts and Crafts Ideas for Children
All Free Crafts.com: Valentine’s Day Crafts Ideas
thebestkidsbooksite.com: Valentine’s Day Boxes, Crafts, Books, & Activities for Kids
FreeKidsCrafts.com: Valentines Day Crafts
FreeKidCrafts.com: Valentine’s Day Craft Ideas
suite101.com: Valentine’s Day Crafts for Kids
Apples4theteacher.com: Fun Valentine’s Day Activities and Games for Kids
Better Homes and Gardens: Sweet Valentine’s Day Crafts for Kids

Writing Ideas:

What does “broken heart” mean to you?
Who is Cupid?
Why and when did Valentine’s Day begin?
How can you be a good friend?
What are some things that a good friend does to you?
What do you want for Valentine’s Day?
What was your favorite Valentine’s gift?
Make a Valentine card for someone you love.
Make a “Reasons Why I Love You!” gift. Cut each reason out and place in an envelope or small decorated bag.
Make a Valentine’s treasure hunt. Place clues on paper hearts or little notes.

Valentine’s Day Recipes:

Let’s Make 2010 The Best Year Ever! I am sorry for the long lag since my last...
St. Patrick’s Day (March 17th, 2009) Happy St. Patrick’s Day! We love to make leprechaun catchers...

Happy Groundhog Day!

Jo — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 21:18:36 +0000

What did Punxsutawney Phil see in 2009? Check out the Web site below to find out! Also, teachers, you will find lesson plan ideas and much more!

Groundhog.org – the Official Site of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club

Let’s Make 2010 The Best Year Ever! I am sorry for the long lag since my last...
Celebrate Pi Day (March 14, 2009) Pi Day is celebrated around the world on March 14th...

Circle Shape Book (and More Geometry Sites!)

Jo — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 08:06:22 +0000

I made this simple book to help my child learn geometry and circles:

To make the book:

Cut out a large circle and poke a hole through the center. (I used my Cricut Expression machine to cut the circle.)
Draw a diameter, a radius, and a chord on the circle.
Cut out three arrows and poke a hole through the center of the rectangle of each arrow.
Label one arrow “diameter”, another “radius”, and the last “chord”.
Place a brad through the center of the circle and arrows.
Ask children to point each arrow to the correct term on the circle.

More super geometry Web sites!

Gamequarium: Math > Geometry

MathsIsFun: Geometry

Celebrate Pi Day (March 14, 2009) Pi Day is celebrated around the world on March 14th...

Write a Letter to President Obama

Jo — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 07:32:14 +0000

My son is going to write a letter to President Obama using a formal letter format (ReadWriteThink: Letter Generator).

He will begin his letter introducing himself (and his age) and continue the letter by writing about one issue that is important to him. The letter will be written in cursive handwriting (very neatly) and will be edited by me before it is mailed.

We may never hear back from the White House, but wouldn’t it be thrilling for a child to receive some kind of response?

Mailing Address:

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Email Address:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

Phone Numbers:

Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461

TTY/TDD:

Comments: 202-456-6213
Visitors Office: 202-456-2121

St. Patrick’s Day (March 17th, 2009) Happy St. Patrick’s Day! We love to make leprechaun catchers...

Geometry Games, Glossaries, and Facts!

Jo — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 06:20:23 +0000

My son is starting a new geometry unit. I want to share with you the best Web sites I have found for kids.

On the next geometry blog, I will share photos of handmade geometry books I am in the process of making, such as a circle book and a spinner book to teach other geometry facts.

Great geometry Web sites for teaching kids:

Diana Dell: Geometry Vocabulary – This is lesson one of my very favorite geometry site! Children can hear it, see it, and play geometry games!!
Diana Dell: Geometry Unit – A complete Geometry Unit!! (This a continuation of the first Web site!) You can’t go wrong with this site if you are teaching children geometry!!!!! Love it, love it, love it!
kidsnewsroom.org: Geometry – The examples “move” and teach children in a cool, fun, and easy way.
Jefferson County Schools (TN): Online Basic Skill Games – Geometry – Fun geometry games (teaches kids in a fun, fun way!!!!)
Kids Konnect: Geometry – This site gives you many other geometry sites for kids. It is a resource I will use!
Mrs. Glosser’s Math Goodies: Geometry and the Circle – Circle info
Coolmath4kids.com: – Geometry and Math Art
ThinkQuest: Interactive Mathematics Online: Geometry Glossary – Glossary of geometry terms
AAA Math at 321know.com: Types of Polygons based on Number of Sides – Learn, play, practice, and explore geometry facts
ThinkQuest: Geometry – Definitions and symbols
Learner.org: Geometry Definitions
Math League Press: Geometry – Great geometry reference

Celebrate Pi Day (March 14, 2009) Pi Day is celebrated around the world on March 14th...
Let’s Make 2010 The Best Year Ever! I am sorry for the long lag since my last...
St. Patrick’s Day (March 17th, 2009) Happy St. Patrick’s Day! We love to make leprechaun catchers...

Winter Writing Ideas

Jo — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 17:00:28 +0000

My winter vacation was exciting! I….
A big brown bear was sleeping in….
I threw the biggest snowball ever and it landed on….
I looked out the window and saw a penguin squatting on….
My granny sent me the funniest mittens. They….
Here is my recipe for the grossest soup ever. First,….
I pressed my tongue against a freezing _____ and it got stuck just as….
My little brother tried to make ice cream from snow, but he made a huge mistake and….
On New Year’s Eve my family and I….
I love Valentine’s Day because….
On cold winter days I love to….
Martin Luther King, Jr. was a hero because….
The groundhog forgot to wake up on Groundhog Day and….
Jack Frost became a bully and decided that winter would never go away. The only one who could stop him was….
When I was snowed in at a toy store for a week, I….
Write a winter poem. See “Types of Poems“.

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