25 A+ Quotes for Back-to-School

In a few short weeks, teachers will be heading back to school to prepare their classrooms for the upcoming school year. Are you one of them? Listed below are 25 motivational and inspirational quotes that would be terrific for bulletin board displays, murals, banners, etc. There are lots of good quotes in this post, so let's dive right in!

Native American - Indigenous Immune Boosting Pine and Cedar Tea

Winter is here... and so is cough and cold season! As teachers, we are exposed to all of the germs our students bring into the classroom. What is a teacher to do? 

In today's guest post, Stevie Rae is sharing her recipe for a traditional, immune-boosting tea that many Indigenous people drink during this time of year. This tea is loaded with vitamins and other nutrients that can help ward off and/or lessen the severity of some illnesses. The ingredients for this tea can be purchased online or at local health food stores. If you are confident in your foraging skills, you may be able to find some of these ingredients in your own backyard. Keep reading to learn more!

Legal Disclaimer: This recipe is for informational or educational purposes only, and does not substitute professional medical advice or consultations with healthcare professionals. Do not drink this tea if you have known allergies to any of the ingredients. Consult your healthcare professional if you are on prescription medications that may interact with any of these ingredients. Disclosure: Affiliate links to Amazon are included in this post.

Simple Activities for Toddlers: A Practical Play-At-Home Handbook for Parents by Lisa Forsythe

Back in March, I wrote a blog post about Crackle and Pop! Bible Science Experiments by Hanna Holwerda. Crackle and Pop! is a fun collection of STEM and science activities that parents and teachers could use with their students. In today's guest post, author Lisa Forsythe tells us about her new book Simple Activities for Toddlers. Simple Activities for Toddlers is another fun collection of activities parents and teachers need to know about. It is packed full of crafts, games, STEM activities, and other fun ideas. Keep reading to learn about Simple Activities for Toddlers and how it can be a tremendous resource for parents... and teachers... of our littlest learners!

This is a guest post written by Lisa Forsythe, author of Simple Activities for Toddlers. To learn more about guest posts, please visit the Authors, Publishers, and Sponsors page. Disclosure: Affiliate links to Amazon are included in this post.

15 Reasons Why Children Need Recess

In February 2014, The Learning Network conducted an interesting survey about recess in schools. They asked children in middle school and high school... 13 years old and older... to read an article called The Students Who Lose Recess Are the Ones Who Need It the Most by Jessica Lahley. After reading the article, the children were asked to respond to some questions and give their opinions.  These are their responses in their own words.  Read on to see what these children had to say!

Disclosure: Affiliate links to Amazon are included in this post.

Working with Worry by Melissa L. Kilbride and Samantha C. Sweeney

I usually write about children's books and activities on this blog, but every once in a while I find a resource that parents should know about.  I recently learned about Working with Worry: A Workbook for Parents on How to Support Anxious Children by Melissa L. Kilbride and Samantha C. Sweeney and wanted to share it with you.  Working with Worry is a tremendous workbook written for parents whose school-age children... preschool to high school... are grappling with anxiety and worry.  It's packed full of resources, activities, and strategies that can be implemented easily.  Keep reading to learn more about Working with Worry to see it's something you'd like to read!

Disclosure: Affiliate links to Amazon are included in this post.

Crackle and Pop! Bible Science Experiments by Hanna Holwerda

In January 2021, Hanna Holwerda released Crackle and Pop! Bible Science Experiments for parents, teachers, and children who want to integrate science instruction with the stories in the Bible. There are 100+ STEM experiments and science activities in the book that can be completed at home or at school, and many of them use materials that you may already have.  You can also get many of these items inexpensively at a dollar store.  Keep reading to learn more about Crackle and Pop!

If you are looking for the Sink or Float STEM experiment + free printable, they have been moved to a blog post of their own.  You can find them at Sink or Float with Oil and Water.

Disclosure: Affiliate links to Amazon are included in this post.

Unboxing a Barefoot Books Subscription Box

As a teacher and children's book blogger, I'm always on the lookout for new and interesting products that classroom teachers and homeschooling parents could use while teaching.  I recently received a promotional subscription box from Barefoot Books to take a look at and see if it's something my readers could use.  After opening the box and investigating its contents, I can honestly say that YES this subscription box is something my readers can use while teaching.  It'd be perfect for teaching geography and other social studies skills.  So... what's in the box?  Keep reading and find out!  

(This is an unpaid review of a Barefoot Books subscription box.  I was given a promotional subscription box in exchange for my HONEST review.)

Helping Your Left-Handed Students

Today is August 13th... did you know it is also International Lefthanders Day?  An estimated seven to ten percent of the world's population is left-handed and International Lefthanders Day brings attention to the advantages and disadvantages of being left-handed in a predominately right-handed world.  Chances are you have a student or two in your class who is left-handed.  Here are three simple strategies you can use in the classroom to support his/her writing efforts

Disclosure: Affiliate links to Amazon are included in this post.

What is STEM Education?

STEM education is becoming increasingly popular in our school systems.  Students often take STEM classes and participate in STEM activities at school.  What is STEM and why is it so important?  Read on to find out!

Creative Ways to Practice Spelling

Are you tired of the same old, same old when it comes to spelling practice? Are you tired of having your students write their spelling words five times each or having them write their spelling words in sentences? If so, keep reading. In this post, I present to you four strategies that have helped my students with spelling over the years. I didn't invent these strategies... these strategies have been around for years. But these are the strategies my students have enjoyed the most and have gotten the most benefit from. I hope they'll help your students too. Enjoy!

This is an updated version of a blog post I wrote in 2015.  Disclosure: Affiliate links to Amazon are included in this post.