Many teachers have to touch on the topic of recycling sometime throughout the year (most talk about it on Earth Day). A fellow teacher requested that I make some word strips of the 3 R’s of Recycling for her to use in their Earth Day discussion and then to put on their science bulletin board. I’d recommend laminating them if you’ll be using them multiple years. Here they are (formatted to fit on a regular letter-size sheet of paper):
Here are some of the best 4th of July crafts and activities for children I’ve seen on the internet. Click the image to go to the original website. Happy Fourth!
From the Life of Jennifer Dawn
Fun pin wheel
More great ideas from BHG
Great list of ideas!
Lots of good links on The Crafty Crow
Here’s another great resource: 27 Blogs Featuring Easy 4th of July Crafts You Can Do with Your Kids
Great Quotes about Freedom to Discuss with Kids
Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it. ~Thomas Paine
He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from opposition; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach himself. ~Thomas Paine
This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave. ~Elmer Davis
Where liberty dwells, there is my country. ~Benjamin Franklin
All we have of freedom, all we use or know – This our fathers bought for us long and long ago. ~Rudyard Kipling, The Old Issue, 1899
Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it. ~George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman, “Maxims: Liberty and Equality,” 1905
I’ve recently been browsing for activities to do in the summer with kids. And I’ve found TONS of good lists. Here they are:
25 Activities to Keep Kids’ Brains Active in Summer by Education World
At Home Learning Activities for School-Age Children by Bright Horizons
Summer Learning by Family Education
20 Fun and Educational Summer Activities for Kids by Rusty & Rosy Reading
Say No to Summer Brain Drain: 20 Educational Activities for Kids by Green Eggs &
20 Creative Summer Crafts and Activities for Kids by Babble (Courtesy of Disney)
14 Cheap Summer Activities for Kids by Frugal Dad
101 Fun Things to Do in the Summer by Parenting Magazine
40 Free (Or Nearly Free) Summer Activities for Kids by Centsible Life
30 Summer Activities for Kids by Lil’ Luna
Many parents want a summer work packet for their student(s) so they don’t forget everything they learned the previous year. There’s validity in this (as any teacher can tell you!). Here are some packets for you to browse and find the one that fits your student(s) best:
This is hands down the cutest Father’s Day card… and it’s so easy, you’ll flip. In this tutorial, I used regular construction paper (9″ x 12″), but if you prefer more space to write inside the card, use the double size 11″ X 17″ paper. You need 1 piece for the shirt (green paper in the photos) and some small scraps for a tie and pocket (yellow and brown in the photos). You’ll also need scissors and glue (Elmer’s bottled glue or glue stick). I’ve seen really cute ones with decorated ties or ties cut out of fabric also. But whatever you do, make sure Dad knows you love him. That’s the point of Father’s Day after all. So without further ado, here’s the tutorial:
Fold your construction paper in half (“hamburger style” as kids always say). Then make 2 cuts in it about 1.5 or 2 inches below the fold. Don’t cut all the way across; leave the middle 1/3 of the width of the paper untouched.
Fold the newly created tabs diagonally towards the bottom (open edged of paper). They should meet or overlap a little bit. If it looks like a mens’ shirt collar, you’re on the right track. Then decorate it! Add a tie, pocket, buttons, pens, pen protector… whatever describes your card recipient.
After the glue dries, gently open the card from the bottom and write your message. Be gentle with the collar area, since it’s the most fragile part of the card.
Here are some ideas for a more educational twist on this craft:
Free worksheet for kids about the history of Father’s day. A special thank you to all those loving fathers out there! Click here for the free printable PDF: Father’s Day
Summer! The time everyone dreams about all year long. It’s the time for swimming, ice cream cones and forgetting everything you learned in school the year before. Wait!? What!? That’s not how summer should be! Summer should be a time when kids (and adults) continue to learn and explore the world around them. If that’s too tall an order, at least read. That’s bare minimum.
Every summer there are a number of programs with rewards systems set up to help keep kids reading and learning. Two notable summer reading programs are the Scholastic Summer Challenge and Barnes and Noble Summer Reading. Many local libraries have something every summer too.
Here’s my printable summer reading chart to help kids set and track summer reading goals. I chose to track Monday through Saturday. Older kids should read for longer periods of time than younger kids. Ask your child’s teacher what a reasonable daily goal is for your child.
To motivate your child, have them choose an activity to do the following week if they meet their reading goal. The top line is for your child’s name. Use stickers, smiley faces or anything else to mark down each day they accomplish their reading. Happy summer!
Kids are so focused on summer at this point in the school year, so why not harness that energy and use it to work on grammar? When kids finish this side of the free grammar worksheet, they can flip it over and write about their summer plans. Fast finisher activity? Check!
Here’s the last batch (6) of Squarehead grammar worksheets in a Google Doc.
Squarehead Teachers 