Free Printable Cinco de Mayo Lesson Plans, Mexican History Worksheets

Want to know more about Cinco de Mayo? It's not just about tacos and pinatas. It's not the Mexican Independence Day (Sept. 16). Cinco de Mayo celebrates an epic battle between a tiny, outnumbered Mexican army and a superior French war machine. It's adventure, edge of your seat action, a story of courageous, clever heroes and swashbuckling deeds of daring-do! If you love military strategy, sieges, and battle drama, read more. Forget the fantasy and anime--read a real thriller! Click here to do so Free Printable Cinco de Mayo Lesson Plans on Mexican History

Adventure Mystery Book Series for Boys--The Three Investigators

Do you have trouble getting your son to read? Boys are more often reluctant readers than girls. I'm a teacher and it's not gender-biased to say that. So how to get them to develop a love of reading? Find books they like. Might I suggest, for tween boys mystery, action, adventure, horror, historical fiction, sci-fi, tech, graphic novels, how-to? Just make sure it isn't boring.

And get them hooked on a series. That will keep them coming back for more. Our family favorite is one I read as a kid in the early 1970s--The Three Investigators. Three boys, Pete, Jupe and Bob solve mysteries as a home business. Jupe's uncle owns a salvage yard (HOW cool is that?) In exchange for work, they get junk (a boy's dream come true!). Their office-workshop is a salvaged trailer buried under yard scrap (does it get any better?) Yep it does. It's equipped with dark room, laboratory, private phone, intercom, periscope, microfiche and other spy-fi 60s gadgets. It's only accessible by secret passages and code words. Now do I have your attention, gentlemen? Oh you want to know where to lay your hands on these tales? Read on!  Adventure Mystery Book Series for Tween Boys--The Three Investigators

Creating Friend Maps to Learn Geography, Social Studies

When I was a little girl, my parents took me to visit big churches. The minister would ask if there were visitors and how far they'd come. It's one of the ways I developed my passion for world travel. Since I started writing online, I've done kind of the same thing. Writers come from around the globe. So I keep a mental map of places my friends hail from. You know, like those maps where you stick a pin in your location? You might attach a string to show how far you traveled to get there.  This is a great geography and social studies activity. My Bubblews World Friend Map, Where Should I Put Your Pin?

Best books, authors to ignite a passion for reading in tween boys - Yahoo! Shine

As a teacher and homeschool parent, reading for research and pleasure is elemental. Each person in my family, male and female is a passionate bibliophile. I'm surprised when parents say that their kids, especially the boys, don't like to read. I suggest that this is less a distaste for reading and more that they haven't found books that engage them. To remedy that, I've created a list of favorite books and authors, in several genres, geared to boys ages 10-14. Most of these books have some mature content and that's one reason boys love them so much. They feel respected and not talked down to. I recommend reading these stories with kids.  Literature for preteen boys

Free Printable Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs Activities

Before there was a movie "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs", there was a book; not a lot like the film, but also cute, nevertheless. I read it to my students when I taught Montessori in the 1980s. I shared with my kids now-grown kids when I homeschooled them. Here are free printable coloring pages from book and movie. read on

Free Printable Mouse Guard Activities--Fantasy RPG Graphic Novels

Free Printable Mouse Guard Graphic Novel Activities  Mouse Guard is David Peterson's RPG (role-play game) graphic novel anime type series, based on the heroic deeds and epics battles of brave mice and their friends. Here are details about the author plus free printable lesson plans. Read More

Michigan Pirate Festival in Grand Haven

Ahoy Mates! Beware 'o pirates, but not just in the Caribbean. The 'Brethren of the Great Lakes' sail into Grand Haven for the annual Michigan Pirate Festival in mid August. Join Captain Rosabella, Jackie Sparrow and
Hookah Joe for pirate fun. Joining the aforementioned pirates are Captain Tom Parrothead, Sgt. Tom Osterberg and others cutlass carrying vagabonds. The Brethren of the Great Lakes and Michigan Pirate Festival home base will be Grand Haven's Loutit Library downtown for a week of activities, games, pirate stories, crafts beginning August. Read more...

Harry Potter: Similar Books, Fantasy Genre

Grieving Over End of Harry Potter Series? Take Comfort in These Great Reads You think now, that you'll never love another as you did Harry Potter. But take some solace in the arms of these great works of fantasy literature. Older books to discover. New books to explore! View more »