Zonderkidz is partnering with me for a giveaway. Do you know Christian recording artist Michael W. Smith and Veggie Tales co-creator Mike Nawrocki? These two have teamed up to write a new picture book series called Nurturing Steps™ for ages 0 - 4 published by Zonderkidz. The goal of the books and accompanying music is to enliven a young child’s journey with hope and faith through song and … [Read more...]
Graduation and the Digital Literacy Gap
Disclosure: This post is written and sponsored by The Boys and Girls Club of America GRADUATION & THE DIGITAL LITERACY GAP Not everyone who graduates will have the digital skills to succeed Students are well into the new school year – but how many of them will actually finish it? Here’s the good news – in 2016, the most recent year that statistics are available, the national high school … [Read more...]
New Thomas & Friends Videos Teach Preschoolers Important Concepts
Disclosure: This is a post sponsored by Mattel. Use the new Thomas & Friends videos to teach preschoolers about Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in order to make the world a better place by becoming global citizens. This means teaching young children about caring for others and the world. More precisely, it is 17 learning objectives related to health, education, environment, poverty, and … [Read more...]
Free Resources to Teach Fire Prevention (Including a Free App)
This is a post sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association and SparkySchoolhouse.org. Fire Prevention Week, October 7 - 13, 2018, is the perfect time to teach kids about fire prevention. Use the free parent and educator resources from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) for preschool and elementary school (ages 4 - 10.) You'll find free apps printables, activities for kids, … [Read more...]
New Mayan Mythology Adventure Chapter Book Giveaway
Disclosure: Disney Book Group is partnering with me for a giveaway! Do you know about Mayan mythology? You will after reading The Storm Runner by J.C. Cervantes published by Rick Riordan Presents, an imprint of Disney Book Group. Learn more about this new fictional book infused with Mayan mythology at ReadRiordan.com. Then, buy The Storm Runner on Amazon AND/OR enter to win a copy (and $100 Visa … [Read more...]
Bridging the Digital Divide
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by The Boys and Girls Club of America. BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE Creating an Even Playing Field in an Era of Digital Education As students start heading back to classrooms across the country, instead of pencils and paper, many children rely on laptops and the internet to do their work. According to a recent study, 96.5% of students need internet access to … [Read more...]
Interactive Notetaking 101: Benefits, How-To, and Materials
Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by FIVE STAR® School Supplies. All thoughts and opinions are my own. While many students may prefer technology, the research shows that handwritten notetaking is better for synthesis and retention. Which is why I LOVE interactive notetaking for this reason and the depth of learning it encourages. Learn more about this educational methodology (for all … [Read more...]
Back to School and Up to Speed
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by The Boys and Girls Clubs of America. STEMming the tide of summer learning loss Kids are heading back to class for the new school year, but will your child be up to speed with his or her peers? Or, will the summer “brain drain” have taken its toll? Just how bad is the summer slide? On average, students lose the equivalent of one month’s worth of … [Read more...]
Free Legends of Learning Online Science Games for Elementary & Middle School Classrooms
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Legends of Learning. All opinions are my own. Free Legends of Learning Online Science Games for Elementary & Middle School Classrooms Science elementary and middle school teachers, you can use the science-based Legends of Learning website to help your students learn and review science concepts. In fact, you can assign a playlist of games to individual … [Read more...]
BGCA & Samsung’s 5 Weeks of Summer of #STEM Challenge
Disclosure: The Boys and Girls Club of America and Samsung sponsored this post. All opinions are my own. Don't miss this free 5-week STEM curriculum for you to do with kids at home from The Boys and Girls Club of America and Samsung. BGCA and Samsung value summer learning and STEM activities. They're offering this to families to help grow children's interest in STEM fields. The Boys and Girls … [Read more...]
Read With Me Kids App Lets Parents Personalize a Printed Book
written by Christa Jimenez of Pura Vida Moms Disclosure: I had the opportunity to test the app Read With Me Kids in partnership with Imagination Soup and sponsored by Read With Me Kids. As usual, all opinions are my own. I'm always looking for ways to encourage my kids to read-- we have an independent reader and an emerging reader-- and this personalized book app from Read With Me Kids is … [Read more...]
BLOOM! Lesson Plans & Activities for Middle School Students About Plants
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by BLOOM! to spread the word about its Educational Resource Toolkit. All opinions and stories are my own. Want to get your middle school students inspired about the world of plants? BLOOM! Educational Resource Toolkit in partnership with Scholastic makes it easy. Teachers and homeschoolers, now you can download free lesson plans, worksheets, a student magazine, … [Read more...]