Crackle and Pop! Bible Science Experiments by Hanna Holwerda + STEM Activity

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! and to check out some photos from one of the experiments I tried!

10+ Steps to Reading Success by KP Carter and Dr. Kimberly Biddle

This is a sponsored post from KP Carter and Dr. Kimberley Biddle.  This post contains information about an upcoming literacy workshop for parents of young children.  Parents are children’s first teachers. This year parents are really teaching, or homeschooling, or substantially supplementing or monitoring their child’s education.  Ms. KP Carter and Dr. Kimberly Biddle will be conducting a workshop for parents on March 7, 2021 at 3pm PST. The cost is $40.00. To register for the conference go to this website www.kpcarterwrites.com. Registration ends on March 3, 2021.

Saving Planet Earthly by ClimateScience

Climate change is a hot topic to talk about right now... a topic that is also controversial.  Some people believe in climate change and the science behind it, whereas others deny its existence and declare it a hoax.  Of course, there are plenty of people in the middle who have heard about climate change but don't really understand what it is.  So... what is climate change?  What are the causes of it?  Is climate change something cyclical, something brought about by humans, or a combination of both?  If climate change is for real... is there anything that can be done about it?  To help answer these and other questions children may have, three authors from ClimateScience wrote the book Saving Planet Earthly.  Saving Planet Earthly is a lighthearted children's book that takes a serious look at climate change and what we can do about it.  Read on to learn more about this book and how it can be used in the classroom.

My Heart Beats for You, Valentine!

I'm a little Valentine

all red and white.

With ribbons and lace,

I'm a beautiful sight!

I can say I love you

on Valentine's Day.

Just put me in an envelope

and give me away!

(children's fingerplay and poem, author unknown)

Happy Valentine's Day, friends!  Here is a quick blog post about the history of Valentine's Day.  I've also included a fun valentine for you!  💓💓💓💓💓

(This is an updated version of a blog post I wrote in 2015.)

The Cat That Changed America by Tony Lee Moral

P22 is a mountain lion that has captured the hearts and imaginations of the people living in the Los Angeles, California area.  Mountain lions are solitary creatures that normally live in mountains, forests, and deserts.  However, P22 became famous when he was discovered living in a park... in downtown Los Angeles!  Who is P22?  How did he wind up in downtown Los Angeles?  How did he change America?  Tony Lee Moral answers these questions in his book The Cat That Changed America.  Keep reading to learn more about The Cat That Changed America, P22, and some fun facts about mountain lions.

Crazy Cats from Outer Space by Matt Bell

A couple of months ago, I wrote about Matt Bell's books The Rounders and the Tallers and The Jellies and the Crunchers.  Both of these books were about two groups of people who could not get along and sometimes treated each other poorly.  In The Rounders and the Tallers, one group of people went as far as to discriminate against the other by banning them from stores, beaches, etc.  Matt Bell's newest book Crazy Cats from Outer Space is similar to those first two in that it also about two groups who can't get along.  But... as the title suggests... these aren't two groups of people... they are two groups of CATS!  Keep reading to learn more about Crazy Cats from Outer Space and how you can use it to teach about tall tales.

The Saint Nicholas Day Snow by Charlotte Riggle

December is here and children all over the world are getting excited about their favorite holidays!  Christmas will take place on the 25th... Boxing Day will take place on the 26th... Kwanzaa will begin on the 26th and will last until January 1st... and... Hanukkah (2020 only) will begin on the 10th and will last until the 18th.  Most people will be familiar with these holidays... even if it's only because they recognize their names.  But... there is another holiday in December that takes place on the 6th...  It's Saint Nicholas Day!  Have you ever heard of Saint Nicholas Day?  Who is Saint Nicholas?  (Hint... he's NOT Santa Claus...)  What did Saint Nicholas do to deserve his own special day?  What are some of the traditions associated with Saint Nicholas Day?  The Saint Nicholas Day Snow by Charlotte Riggle is a children's story that will teach you everything you need to know about Saint Nicholas and his holiday.  Keep reading to learn more about The Saint Nicholas Day Snow and how you can use it during your language arts instruction.

Red Bird Sings: The Story of Zitkala-Ša by Gina Capaldi and Q.L. Pearce

I enjoy reading biographies, especially when they are about important figures from history who may or may not be well known.  I recently found the biography Red Bird Sings: The Story of Zitkala-Ša, Native American Author, Musician, and Activist... Red Bird Sings for short... by Gina Capaldi and Q.L. Pearce.   Red Bird Sings is a sophisticated picture book packed full of detailed information and some primary sources about the life and accomplishments of Zitkala-Ša, a Native American woman who sought equality and justice for others.  Red Bird Sings would be a good book for upper elementary students.  Read on to learn more about Zitkala-Ša, her interesting life, and how she used her voice to help others.

Draw Me Close to You by Kossim Osseni

When students experience traumatic events in their lives, school counselors are the experts in the building who step in, work with the students, and develop strategies to help them cope.  In essence, they are first responders in the schools when it comes to students' mental health.  I usually write about children's books that teachers and homeschooling parents can use while they are teaching, however, I recently learned about a book school and guidance counselors need to keep in their libraries.  Draw Me Close to You by Kossim Osseni (affiliate link to Amazon) is about a little boy Tunde who loses his mother to a "dreadful disease" and takes comfort and solace in drawing, much to his father's dismay.  His father doesn't want Tunde to draw.  He wants Tunde to do more productive things with his time.  It isn't until something tragic happens that makes him realize how important it is to let Tunde draw and find joy again.  Keep reading to learn more about Draw Me Close to You and about ways school counselors and teachers can help students who are grieving.

I Move A Lot and That's Okay by Shermaine Perry-Knights

Have you ever heard the phrase "military brat?"  When you hear those words you may feel unsettled because the word "brat" normally refers to a spoiled or annoying child.  In actuality though, it's a widely used term that connotates admiration and respect within the military community... a military brat is the son or daughter of (either acting or retired) personnel in the armed services.  Researchers estimate that roughly 2 million children and teenagers in the United States have one or both parents deployed at least once.  These children have to move/relocate on an average of 10 times more often than their peers. Moving that often may seem daunting to most people, but for children growing up in the military, they learn to embrace change, diversity, equity, and inclusion.  Many of them learn more than one language and develop a sense of worldliness.  

I Move a Lot and That's Okay by Shermaine Perry-Knights is a realistic fiction story that is based on her personal experiences as a "proud military brat."  She writes about what it's like to move from one place to another, the feelings of excitement and nervousness children sometimes feel when they have to move, and how families take care of each other throughout the process.  It's a story that will give you an insight into the lives these children lead and how they learn to be more resilient, flexible, and well-rounded as they grow up.  Keep reading to learn more about I Move a Lot and That's Okay and how you can integrate it into your language arts lessons.

Ritu Weds Chandni by Ameya Narvankar

In just a few short weeks (December 1, 2020), Ameya Narvankar will be releasing his debut children's book Ritu Weds Chandni. Ritu Weds Chandni is a beautiful... yet controversial... story about a young girl who stands up for the people she loves. Who is she standing up for? Who is she standing up to? What is she standing up for? Keep reading for the answers to these questions and to learn how to integrate Ritu Weds Chandni into your lessons!

Ida’s Witness by Karl Beckstrand

Karl Beckstrand is a prolific author of children's books.  He has written 23 children's books and is always working on more.  Six of those books have been written in English and Spanish.  In previous posts, I've written about several of Karl Beckstrand's books:

  

🍎 Grow! How We Get Food from Our Garden,

🍎 Great Cape o' Colors, and

🍎 It Came from Under the Highchair.

Grow! taught us about the fruit, vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers we can get from our gardens.  Great Cape taught us about color words in English and Spanish.  Highchair was a funny story about a food monster who lurks around the house.  In this post, we are going to take a look at Ida's Witness... a beautiful story about Karl Beckstrand's great-grandmother (affiliate link to Amazon).  Keep reading to learn about Ida, the amazing woman she was, and to find out how you can use Ida's Witness in your classroom.

Kelly Stays Home: The Science of Coronavirus by Lauren Block and Adam Block

The United States had its first reported case of coronavirus back in January 2020 and life has changed dramatically since then.  We've needed to change the way we do everything... where we can go... who we can see... what we wear on our faces... how far apart we can stand from other people... etc.  It's a lot to take in and the reasons why we have to do these things don't always make sense to children.  As teachers, we know children will come to us to ask their questions, and sometimes their questions are hard to answer.  Lauren Block MD-MPH and Adam E. Block Ph.D. wrote Kelly Stays Home: The Science of Coronavirus (affiliate link to Amazon) to help children find the answers to their questions and to give them the explanations they need.  Keep reading to learn more about their book and how we can use Kelly Stays Home in our classrooms.  

10+ Children's Books About Mindfulness

Last month, I wrote several posts about recognizing signs of anxiety in children and how mindfulness techniques can help alleviate some of the anxiety children feel.   Mindfulness is about staying in the present moment... not worrying about what already happened and not anxious about what might happen in the future... just staying here in the now.  Listed below are 11 books about mindfulness that were written for children.  They teach children about recognizing their feelings, how to manage those feelings, and how they can practice staying present in the moment.

(affiliate links and book descriptions from Amazon included)

The Rounders and the Tallers and The Jellies and the Crunchers by Matt Bell

Children's author Matt Bell has had a successful year.  He just had his first two books published!  Hooray!  His two books... The Rounders and the Tallers and The Jellies and the Crunchers (affiliate links to Amazon)... are about discrimination, segregation, diversity, accepting differences, and coming together to solve problems.  In each book, there are two groups of people who are at odds with one another and don't get along.  These people argue and treat each other poorly until something happens to bring them together to solve their problems.  Keep reading to learn more about The Rounders and Tallers and The Jellies and the Crunchers and to discover a language arts mini-unit plan you can use with your students!

10 Children's Books about Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died last night, and many Americans...including myself...are feeling heartbroken.  Justice Ginsburg was a strong, powerful woman on the Supreme Court of the United States and a champion of the people.  Throughout her life, she was a strong advocate for the civil rights of women, people of color, the LGBT community, and people with disabilities.  Keep reading to learn more about Justice Greenburg and to discover 10 children's books about her.

(Affiliate links and descriptions from Amazon included)

11 Children's Books about the Chinese Moon Festival

xī wàng míng yuè néng bǎ wǒ mén dě zhù fú hé huān lè dōu dài gěi nǐ.

希 望 明 月 能 把 我 们 的 祝 福 和 欢 乐 都 带 给 你。

May the full moon bring blessings and happiness from our home to yours!

It is almost time for the Chinese Moon Festival, also known as the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival.  This festival is always celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month when there is a full moon.  On this special day, people gather with friends and family, give thanks for bountiful harvests, and say prayers for a good future.  It's also a time filled with colorful lanterns, music, games, and... of course... mooncakes!  Read on to discover 10 children's books about this joyous occasion.

(contains affiliate links and book descriptions from Amazon)

10 Children's Books About Rosh Hashanah

Shanah Tovah!  It is almost time for Rosh Hashanah... the Jewish New Year!  Rosh Hashanah will begin this year on September 18th (on the eve of Tishrei 1) and will last until September 20 (after nightfall on Tishrei 2).  It is a time of celebration and introspection for the Jewish people.  Listed below are 10 fiction and non-fiction books about Rosh Hashanah that your students may enjoy.

(contains affiliate links and book descriptions from Amazon)

10 Children's Books About the Coronavirus (COVID-19)

The beginning of the school year is here and, for the first time in recent history, students and teachers are going back to school in the midst of a global pandemic.  No one really knows what to expect this school year and everyone feels anxiety on some level.  Listed below are 10 children's books about the coronavirus (COVID-19) and some of the issues children have to deal with.  

(contains affiliate links and book descriptions from Amazon)

When the Chickens Went on Strike: A Rosh Hashanah Tale by Erica Silverman

Rosh Hashanah... the Jewish New year... will begin on September 18th of this year and will last until September 20th.  During Rosh Hashanah people will sound the shofar each morning, light candles in the evenings, enjoy festive meals with friends and family and attend services at a synagogue.  Some people will also participate in the Jewish ritual of atonement called kapores (also known as kapparot or kaporos) during this time.  Kapores is a ritual in which a chicken or money is waved over a person's head and the chicken is then slaughtered in accordance with halachic rules and donated to charity.  Kapores is a controversial practice and people often choose to wave money instead of a chicken.  Some choose not to do either.  Erica Silverman tells the story of kapores from an interesting perspective... from the perspective of the chickens!  The story is called When the Chickens Went on Strike: A Rosh Hashanah Tale (affiliate link to Amazon) and was first published in 2003.