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Shark Week Kids Craft: Duct Tape Paper Cup Shark
We’re kicking off shark week around here with a fun shark craft for kids. Sharks are the largest fish and are at the top of the oceanic food chain. These prehistoric predators have fascinated and frightened humans throughout the centuries. Sharks are largely misunderstood and misrepresented in the media. Only four species of shark regularly attack humans. Compared with other animal attacks or water-related accidents, shark attacks are a very small risk. We put together a paper … Read entire article »
Filed under: 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 9-11 (Elementary), 9-11 (Elementary), Ecology, Featured, Science
Grow A Seed
My kids and I love looking through and doing my old lessons which I had used when I taught. Here is one of my favorite lessons, both in school and out. I actually had more fun with it at home since there were no time constraints. The purpose of this lesson is to demonstrate the stages of plants life cycle and to explain where our food comes from. (when I taught I did this along with … Read entire article »
Filed under: 5-6 (Kindergarten), 6-8 (Early Elementary), Ecology, Fall, Featured, Home Arts, Science, Subject Matter
To the Victor Goes the Olive Wreath
One of the joys of having children is that I get to learn along with them! I had always thought that Olympic champions received laurel wreaths. Not so! The victors of the Apollo’s Pan-Hellenic Pythian Games at Delphi received the laurel but Olympians earned olive wreaths for their efforts. This makes sense given the importance of the olive to the Ancient Greeks. The olive tree was a gift from Athena to her city of Athens. Olive … Read entire article »
Filed under: 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 9-11 (Elementary), 9-11 (Elementary), Featured, History and Culture
Olympic Rings Flag Stamp Craft for Kids
One of the enduring symbols of the Modern Olympics is the five interlocking rings. I showed my children the flag and my daughter guessed that the rings represented countries. I asked her if she could name more than five countries. Once she did, I told her she was close but since there are more than five countries, it had to be something else. What could it be? She responded “maybe continents?” We named the continents and … Read entire article »
Filed under: Featured, History and Culture
Olympic Torch Craft for the Openning Ceremony
We’re in full Olympics-mode here. My kids first learned about the Olympics through D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths and were thrilled to find out that there is a modern Olympic Games! Plus there will be mommy crafts! AND they get to stay up and watch part of the opening ceremonies! We made a torch craft to get ready. My son actually got to carry the torch at his Gymnastics Expo, which was just about the cutest … 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, History and Culture
Pizza Math Part 1: Fractions for Kids
We are making mini pizzas (pizzetas) and dividing them up into fractions. First, we practiced with paper plates! To sweeten the mathematics lesson about fractions, we included M&Ms…a rare treat for the kids. My son (almost 4) participated a little but this is more an activities for kindergarten or early elementary. Materials: 3 Paper Plates 3 color markers or crayons 1 black marker or pen straight edge scissors sticky notes or index cards or paper 24 small treats (goldfish crackers, candies, etc.), all … Read entire article »
Filed under: 5-6 (Kindergarten), 6-8 (Early Elementary), Featured, Home Arts, Mathematics, Taste
Pasta Pasta- homemade pasta making
I absolutely love when I find the opportunity to turn a chore or fun activity into a science lesson. I was making some homemade pasta at a cooking class when I the light bulb in my head went off. This is the perfect lesson for the kids! We had a cooking class, math lesson and science lesson rolled into one. My two older children ages 3 and 6 eagerly went to work on this cooking … Read entire article »
Filed under: 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 9-11 (Elementary), Featured, Home Arts, Mathematics, Science, Taste, Touch
Handprint Bald Eagle for the Fourth of July
We’re gearing up for our Fourth of July celebrations and talking about the symbols surrounding Independence Day. My daughter made a patriotic handprint bald eagle to watch over the festivities. We found a great book at our local library, Red, White, Blue, and Uncle Who?: The Stories Behind Some of America’s Patriotic Symbols, that explains many of the symbols we associate with our nation. The kids are enjoying the brief, illustrated, mostly age-appropriate information. They learned … Read entire article »
Filed under: Ecology, Featured, History and Culture
Patriotic Ice Pops
Nothing quite cools during hot summer days like an ice pop. We love our Tovolo Star Ice Pop Molds and wanted to try to make red, white, and blue patriotic Popsicles. The challenge is a natural, non-toxic blue food dye and, after much experimenting, came up with this recipe: Ingredients one ripe banana 6-8 large strawberries a quarter cup of blueberries (optional) chilled lemonade 4 oz cup of banana or vanilla yogurt honey or sugar (just for the blue layer) red cabbage Directions: 1. Red … Read entire article »
Fireworks!
Each year we try to paint fireworks with a different technique and this is my favorite effect, yet. Materials: wax paper black or dark blue paper red, white, and blue paint glitter Directions: 1. Cut circles of various sizes from the wax paper. Fold the circles in half, then fold in half again, and fold once more. Snip the tip in a V-shape and make cuts at the outer edge. You can also cut triangles along the side. This is just like … Read entire article »
Filed under: 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 6-8 (Early Elementary), Featured, History and Culture, Summer
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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 or on Google.
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