'Stone Soup Lesson Plans for Thanksgiving

When I was in kindergarten we did a Thanksgiving activity that has stuck with me all my life. We made Friendship Soup, also called 'Stone Soup' (taken from the old legend retold by Marcia Brown). Perfect for school, scouts, home school and church groups, making Friendship Soup or Stone Soup shows what wonderful things can happen when people share.  Friendship Soup and Stone Soup Classroom Lesson Plan Activities for Thanksgiving

Free Printable Books Kids Can Make and Read

I am all about hands-on lessons for kids. Children learn better when they do. So why not have them make mini books and read them? Here are free printable story books kids can cut and assemble, then color. They can use to learn vital reading skills. This site has free printable books on all kinds of subjects: ABC, numbers, shapes, animals, holidays, seasons, safety and more. Free Printable Books for Children to Make and Read 

Free Catholic Saints, Bible Character Coloring Pages for All Saints Day

Here's a treat that's better than Halloween candy. Hallowe'en as it's correctly spelled is the short version of All Hallows Eve. It's followed by and anticipates the Catholic Christian All Saints Day. What's the treat? Free printable saints and Bible character coloring pages. Saints are organized in order of the Catholic liturgical and saints feast day calendar. The artist makes these printables available free of charge to homeschoolers, families, individuals, religious groups, churches and schools.Free Printable Catholic Saints Coloring Pages for All Saints Day

Catholic Saints Coloring Pages, Bible Character Crafts

 I've just found a blog that features a whole collection of free printable Catholic saints organized in order of the Catholic liturgical and saints feast day calendar. Print these free coloring pages for All Saints Day. There are Bible characters, too. This blog features beautiful hand drawn images. Waltzing Matilda has over 65 free printable saints coloring pages, all lovingly designed by the author of this blog. She makes these printables available free of charge to all homeschoolers, families, individuals, religious groups, churches and schools. I'm delighted to share links for these free printable saints coloring pages. Free Printable Catholic Saints Coloring Pages for All Saints Day 

Homemade Reading Games, Interactive Book Crafts, Childrens' Literature Activities

Teachers, can you use cheap, homemade language arts lesson plans? Homeschoolers, looking for interactive reading games? Here are hands-on reading activities for preschool to high school. Use cheap, recycled materials. Lessons are based on HOTS (Higher-Order Thinking Skills): analysis, application, synthesis and evaluation.   Hands-On Homemade Reading Crafts, Book Activities, Literature Games

Chris VanAllsburg's Polar Express Connections

I have a lot of hobbies and interests. One is incunabula, particularly the collecting of children's literature. I'm not au currant in modern adult fiction, but juvenilia I speak fluently.

A favorite is Chris VanAllsburg--of Jumanji, The Polar Express (book, then movie) fame. When I was in college and a new teacher, VanAllsburg was writing and illustrating some of his best works. My personal favorite is a little-remembered volume of odd M.C. Escher-ish
pictures with intriguing captions "The Mysteries of Harris Burdick." I used that extensively in creative writing with my Montessori students in the 80s. Read more  Chris VanAllsburg is from My Hometown

Paranormal Prose Flash Fiction Slam for Halloween

Host a flash fiction slam for Halloween and you're students will love you forever! It's easy. Just give them paper, pencil and some quiet time to write. Don't get too fussy about subject--let them explore paranormal, haunted, ghosts, zombies, witches. It doesn't mean you approve. But kids love ghost stuff. Trying to quell will only make them run to it. So let them express that inner EA Poe. Encourage them to read aloud. Serve snacks and flavored coffee afterwards (very adult). No contests or prizes--just a good old slam. Paranormal Prose Flash Fiction Slam for Halloween

Preschool Disney Story Party, Rainy Day Reading Fun

The older kids are back to school and now you have bored, lonely preschoolers. Why not take an afternoon break and throw and impromtu book party? Engage little ones with cheap, literature-based games, crafts, food! Use Disney stories for a fall fun. Printables included. Preschool Disney Story Party, with Fun Snacks

Technology-Free Family--Why We Raised Kids With Books and Nixed Television

I chuckle remembering my husband's and my early parenting selves--so radical it hurt. In the ultra-conventional 80s, nonconformity did not enjoy the vogue it does now. We were hipsters when that word still meant jeans!
One big concern was the effect of TV on kids. I had steeped myself in organic childhood teaching, following Dr. Maria Montessori and reading books like Marie Winn's "The Plug-in Drug." Even when we were dating, we agreed that nature was nurture. I give us credit looking back. We'd seen nothing yet of internet, video games, Blu-Ray, cellphones and cyber culture. VCRs were pretty young. We worried about cable television and vowed never to have a TV set in our home. We'd grow our kids on books we said. Technology-Free Family--Why We Raised Kids Without Television

Detroit Residents Protest Disposal of Black History Collection

In what amounts to little less than a book burning, a large collection of black history media was destroyed in Highland Park, Michigan. City Emergency Manager Donald Weatherspoon said workers were clearing the school library's second floor to make room for offices, and they threw the collection out by mistake. The collection included an irreplaceable archive of African American history materials, many vintage. I'd be curious to know what students thought about destroying library books. Doesn't set a very good example, when we expect children to take care of reading materials. Highland Park, MI, Residents Protest Disposal of Black History Collection