Naturally Educational » Archive for August 2011
Check it Out: Quoted in Parents Magazine
Parents are often concerned about “brain boosters” and “school preparedness”. Part of my mission is to alleviate some of the pressure and stress we place on ourselves and encourage everyone to pursue the educational opportunities in our everyday enjoyment of life with our children. I welcome the opportunity to share my educational philosophy and some of the latest studies that show that reading aloud, play, outdoor exploration, and creative expression, along with plenty of love and … Read entire article »
Filed under: 1-2 (Toddlers), 3-5 (Preschool), Me, School Preparedness
Dinosaur Pasta Skeleton
We’ve been learning about dinosaurs and have enjoyed our visits to the American Museum of Natural History. The kids tried their hands at assembling a dinosaur skeleton made of macaroni. Materials: printout of the outline of a Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton clear plastic glue macaroni crayons, color pencils, and/or markers Directions: 1. Tape clear plastic over the printout of the skeleton. 2. Glue macaroni along the outlines. 3. Remove the plastic and allow to dry while you draw a prehistoric scene on the paper. 4. We … Read entire article »
Filed under: 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 6-8 (Early Elementary), Featured, Science
Over 12 Picture Books About Dinosaurs
There are a lot of picture books featuring dinosaurs but only a handful that use an entertaining story to share facts about dinosaurs. Most of the books I found are either illustrated non-fiction or stories that just happen to involve dinosaurs without sharing much factual information. Here are some of my favorites. I’m Bad and I’m Big!, by Kate McMullan: Even the youngest dino-fans will enjoy these two tales. McMullan captures the voice of these two … Read entire article »
Filed under: 0-3 (Babies and Toddlers), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergartners), 6-8 (Early Elementary), Featured, Science
Websites For Teaching Children About Hurricanes
I’m waiting until the storm passes to discuss Hurricane Irene in more depth with my children–my daughter was obsessing about tornadoes months ago and I wanted her to get some sleep tonight! If we still have power, I plan on using some of these websites to help my children learn a little about hurricanes: Weather Wiz Kids: Hurricanes: Excellent graphics showing storm surges, how hurricanes form, and more. Experiments, including showing how cahnges in temperature create … Read entire article »
Filed under: 5-6 (Kindergarten), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 9-11 (Elementary), Featured, Science, Weather
4 Picture Books About Hurricanes #Irene
Here are some Picture Books About Hurricanes for kids. I didn’t have the foresight to check these out of the library this week before Irene shut everything down. So, the descriptions are from the publisher. I will update this post once we’ve had a chance to read these Hurricane books for kids. Hurricane by David Wiesner: The morning after a hurricane, two brothers find an uprooted tree which becomes a magical place, transporting them on adventures … Read entire article »
Filed under: 5-6 (Kindergartners), 6-8 (Early Elementary), Featured, Science, Weather
Dinosaur Fossil Imprints in Salt Dough
We have a lot of plastic dinosaur figurines from our visits to the American Museum of Natural History and we enjoy trying to classify them. For our most recent project, we turned them into dinosaur fossil ornaments. Materials: 1 cup flour 1/2 cup salt 1 tsp instant coffee 1/2 cup water plastic dinosaur figurines a little oil (any kind) ribbon (for hanging the ornament) Directions 1. In a large mixing bowl, pour in all of the dry ingredients. (We used 2 tablespoons of coffee and I … Read entire article »
Filed under: 1-2 (Toddler), 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 9-11 (Elementary), Featured, Science, Touch
Help Earn 2,500 Books for a First Book Donation
We volunteer and donate as much as we are able and literacy charities are very important to me as a mother and an educator. The evidence is clear: simply owning books helps a child identify as a reader and increases literacy rates. And the return on gains in literacy rates is huge. One organization that is putting books in the hands of low-income, at-risk children is First Book. “To date, First Book has distributed more than … Read entire article »
Filed under: Volunteering
Water Fun Round-Up: Ocean and Sea Creature Activities and Crafts
Splashing, swimming, and sailing, in sinks, water tables, pools, lakes, and oceans…studying sea creatures, washing, measuring, and floating…there is so much fun to be had with water! For the Water Fun linky of the Smart Summer Challenge*, participants really “dove right in”! (*rim shot* Thank you! I’m here all week!) Mathematics Beach Party – Naturally Educational A House for Hermit Crab Craft – Naturally Educational Ocean in a Bag – Pink and Green Mama Juice Carton (or Milk Jug) Boats … Read entire article »
Filed under: Ecology, Featured, Science, Smart Summer Challenge
Stegosaurus Craft
We’ve been on a dinosaur kick for the last half year over here and I thought it would be fun to make a few dinosaur crafts. Materials paper plate paints googly eyes construction paper glue (I recommend a glue stick for this one; we like Elmer’s disappearing purple) chenille stems and a hole punch OR clothespins Directions 1. Paint the convex side of the plate and allow to dry. My daughter always asks if she has to “use realistic colors”. We talked about how we … Read entire article »
Filed under: 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 6-8 (Early Elementary), Featured, Science
How Can Fiction Inspire Middle Grade Readers? Join Author John Bemis for a Live Chat
When I taught history in the classroom, I found that a handful of students came with a deep background level of knowledge of certain eras. Usually, they gained this information from reading historical fiction. The fiction narrative captivated them while the history lent meaning and realism to the text. I was very excited recently when I heard from Random House about the books by John Bemis. Bemis blends historical fiction with the stuff of legend to … Read entire article »
Filed under: 9-11 (Elementary), 9-12 (Middle Grades), History and Culture, Literacy
Connect and Discuss
About the Author
Candace Lindemann is a published children’s writer and educational consultant. She holds a B.A. from Yale University and an M.Ed. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Working with school districts around the country and some of the most well-known companies in the education industry, Candace creates custom strategies, textbooks, and lesson plans. Her articles have appeared in print and online.
While Candace’s degrees prepared her for a career in education, she’s found that the best preparation for parenting is on the job training.
Contact Candace via e-mail, read her full biography, or connect with her using the social media icons below.
Awards and Features
As Seen In…
Find Me Writing At…
Take the Smart Summer Challenge!
