You Don't Have to Reinvent the Wheel

A current teacher in one of my grad classes told us the other night that if she could give us any advice it would be to not reinvent the wheel.  With internet access at our fingertips, there is no reason for us to have to ponder (for long hours) on how we can teach a certain concept.  With websites like Teachers Pay Teachers and others similar to it, there is a plethora of great ideas to find and use in your classroom.

In that same class I mentioned earlier, we had to construct a Problem Investigation and solve it with our group members.  A couple of the groups came up with their own problems, however the remaining groups turned to the MythBusters site.  There are a ton of great ideas on the site for projects you can do with your kiddos, either to scaffold on to what you are learning, or just for educational fun!  I'm sure you all have heard of MythBusters, but I thought I would remind you of how great a resource it could be for your classroom!

Farm Animals

So, as I was looking through some pictures from this past summer & I came across these beauties:

This got me thinking about how I would love to incorporate nearby farms in my kiddos learning.  These cows are two of the many that reside at the MTSU Dairy Farm and probably some that contribute to that yummy chocolate milk they serve on campus.  I think it would be a great idea (if time and resources allow) to take your kiddos on an adventure to a local farm so they could meet some different farm animals that you may be learning about in your study of animals (or the life cycle).  You could also learn about fruits and vegetables (like I mentioned in a previous post) if the farm you visit has gardens.

  You could take it one step further and have them look up specific animals and get more information and either present on their specific animal or have them do a project (also could be great for group work).  Another option would be (for English Language Arts) to "write through a mask".  Have your kiddos pick an animal, and after researching about them, have them write a piece about the daily routine for their certain animal through the animal's perspective.

Tons of great ideas can stem from this trip to the farm.  I hope you can enjoy something similar to this in your classrooms!

Science Annotated Bibliography

Hi Y'all!

As we all know, "sharing is caring", so I wanted to share a list of science books that would be great literary devices for the classroom!  I know I previously shared my Integrated Curriculum Annotated Bibliography with you all, but I also had to construct a 25-book annotated bibliography for my science class, and since they are all great resources I thought it would be rude of me not to share!

So, here it is!  Enjoy!

Current Issues: "Thirst for Water Moves and Shakes California"

I was skimming through Facebook a while back and came across this article on the Student Science website about how the lack of water in California is causing tiny earthquakes and the mountains/land to shift. I thought it was an interesting read.  You can read the article here!

This would be a great article and current issue to tie into many different lessons in science.  It relates to all five elementary state standard topics: Embedded Inquiry, Embedded Technology and Engineering, Life Science, Physical Science and Earth and Space Science.

I think it is a great idea to tie current issues into learning, especially when the students can relate to what they are learning.  If the students have a personal connection, the information is more likely to be retained.  So, use both local and national topics and issues to help make personal connections for your students!

Integrated Curriculum Annotated Bibliography

We had to do an annotated bibliography for my Integrated Curriculum class and I figured I would share the books and information I collected so that you could possibly use them in your (current or future) classroom.  Not only does the bibliography give information about the books, but it also has aligned state standards with each book as well!

Click here to see the annotated bibliography! Enjoy!

It's Fall Y'all!

This is definitely my favorite time of year! Cooler weather, football & foliage!  What's not to love?  While I was driving one day and admiring the turning of the trees, I thought it would be interesting to study (and maybe do a time lapse video/project with your students) of the whole process.  Also, for younger students you could tie in a literary connection with the book Why Do Leaves Change Color? by Betsy Maestro.  For older students, you could have them do more of the research behind why the leaves change color on their own, and as a class you could document the color changing process.  I literally cannot say enough about how much I love to just drive and look at all the trees and their different vibrant colors.  When my husband and I visit our Nany in the Smoky Mountains during this time of year I HAVE to take several hikes or drives through Cades Cove and through the scenic routes just so I can see all of God's beauty unfold before me.  This time of year (especially the transitioning of the leaves) symbolizes so much more than just the changing of the seasons... it symbolizes changes in life, and it really makes you think about all aspects of life.

Cooking is Science!

I was reading one of my classmates blogs and she posted about cooking being a science, and I honestly had not thought about that up until this point.  My husband and I LOVE to cook and try new things, so I definitely would love to take that aspect of my life into the classroom.  As soon as I read the post on my classmates' blog I immediately thought of the reaction that yeast causes when mixed with warm water.  There are so many different reactions that take place in the kitchen, so there are many options to explore with your kiddos.