Inside: Discover 6 authentic ways you can use your classroom science center to help children think and act like scientists. Finding Time for Science With all the curriculum kindergarten teachers are required to teach, it can be a struggle to find large chunks of time to devote to science instruction. A classroom science center can […]
5 Must-Have Materials for Your Kindergarten Block Center
Inside: Discover 5 must-have materials for your kindergarten block center to optimize social play, learning, and engagement. What’s Inside the Block Center? The hands-down favorite choice time center in my kindergarten classroom is the block area. Every single year. At this center, kids love the freedom to choose materials and decide how to use them. They […]
Why I Use Choice Time Centers in my Kindergarten Classroom
Inside: Discover the 6 big benefits of using choice time centers in a kindergarten classroom. It’s Not Just Because Kids Love Them I got this sweet note on the last day of kindergarten. There’s no question that my kiddos love choice time centers, or Discovery Centers, as we call them. They tell me all the […]
Are Trees Alive?: A Mini Inquiry
Inside: Learn about our tree inquiry journey that began with the question, “Are Trees Alive?” Download the free printable tree inquiry forms at the end of this post. How Our Tree Inquiry Began In celebration of Arbor Day, I pulled out Are Trees Alive? by Debbie Miller. to read to the children about trees. We […]
Planting Bean Seeds to Welcome Spring
Inside: Mark the beginning of the new season, by planting bean seeds and discover books and explorations you can do around this experience. Hello Spring! Spring began this week (yippee!) and my favorite way to welcome the season is by planting bean seeds. They are always a huge hit! It’s still winter weather outside our […]
Using Animal Webcams for Animal Research in Kindergarten
Inside: Discover the many benefits of using animal webcams for animal research in a preschool, kindergarten or first grade classroom. 5 Benefits to Using an Animal Webcam for Animal Research While bringing real animals into the classroom can bring about wonder, curiosity and natural learning, it isn’t always possible for teachers to do. Lucky for […]
Keeping it Real: Animals in the Classroom
Inside: Discover several ways to make animals in the classroom a real possibility for your students. Recognizing a Need for Real Animals in the Classroom Several years ago I led a College for Kids class for preschoolers called Creepy Crawlies. Each child came with a grownup to listen to stories, play games, and make crafts […]
Our Mystery Bulb: A Plant Inquiry
Inside: Children will enjoy guessing what the mystery bulb will grow into during this wintertime plant inquiry. Holiday Gift Bulbs Give your children the gift of something green and growing this holiday season by bringing a mystery bulb into your classroom. You can usually find these in most stores during early winter. You can […]
