Easy Stop Motion Animation for Kids

Stop motion animation is a filming technique that breathes life into inanimate objects making them appear independently mobile. If you’ve ever watched the behind the scenes of Wallace and Gromet and other claymation films, then you have a good idea of how much work is involved. Unless, of course, you’re making easy stop motion animation …

3 Engaging Lesson Plan Tips

The transition from creative, tactile learning to regimented rote memorization is one reason why kids are not only becoming bored in school but start to have behavior issues. That’s why it’s essential to have an engaging lesson plan in place.

Plant DNA Extraction Lab

Who likes to mash fruit? I do! Who likes to mix chemicals? I do! Who is fascinated by genetics? I am! Who likes to mash fruit into mixed chemicals to see the fruit’s DNA? … Wait, I can do that?  Lab Extraction The DNA Lab Extraction Activity kit from Home Science Tools sounds more complicated than …

Go-Go Dominoes!

There’s something about cascading dominoes that tugs on the company of nostalgia. My brothers and I never used dominoes as the rules originally intended. We would spend plenty of time lining up the smooth, ivory-colored rectangles into curvy patterns, then pretend as though we were announcers to introduce, “the most amazing domino display everrrr!“ Then, we’d knock those …

“Who Did It?” A Forensics Science Fair Project

This isn’t your typical whodunit game. A mix of middle and high school kids formed two groups to create a forensics science fair project based on the Forensics Chemistry of Hair Analysis Kit from Home Science Tools. This kit not only has everything provided (except for the microscope, but you can find one here), but …

DIY Solar System Map

Seriously, who doesn’t love Astronomy? I’ve never met a kid who wasn’t fascinated with planets, stars, and the idea of outer space. The Solar System Map lesson has always been a huge hit in my classrooms, especially when we’re studying Cosmology – the first Great Lesson in a Montessori lower elementary classroom. This map is …

Shut the Box – The Funnest Addition Fluency Game You’ll Ever Play

Tens of thousands of kids struggle with math. They may experience the same math-driven saga of confusion, frustration, and helplessness, which is then followed by low self-esteem and self-criticism. This is heartbreaking to witness, especially when they try to hide the fact they still use their fingers to count. That’s why they need to play …

How Waldorfish Helped Me To Be A Better Human

I watched as the watercolor paper swayed back and forth, deeper into the shallow, water-filled bin. The water looked clear, cool, and so refreshing. The paper resisted at first, but then I could almost feel as much as see the tiny fibers of the paper begin to absorb the even-more-minuscule water molecules.  Shimmery, aquatic rainbows …

Croaky! A Frog Dissection for Kids

The last days of school brought our restlessness to science by considering what make animals tick… internally and anatomically speaking. This post shows our adventures with a frog dissection for kids. Home Science Tools has an awesome Intermediate Dissection Kit that gives several easily dissectible animals to complement lessons on vertebrates and invertebrates, anatomy and physiology, or just …

Eww, Bacteria! A Classroom Bacteria Lesson

It never fails. Science can be really, super gross and an eye-opener. And boy, is it oh… SO… fascinating. Take our classroom bacteria lesson for example. I love doing this with kids of all levels because the reactions are totally classic, especially when looking at the bacteria colonies under the microscope: “EWW GROSS!” (Wait for …

How to Draw a Jellyfish

In Parts of a Jellyfish – Nomenclature Cards, we learned about the anatomy of a jellyfish with the intention of gaining more respect for this beautiful, free-flowing (but sometimes painful) creature. We used The Montessori Company’s beautifully illustrated cards, which can be found HERE. Jellyfish have also been depicted in tons of different kinds of …

Affirmations for Kids and Teens

I never understood how much fear, anxiety, and low self-esteem pervades our youth until I started teaching. Although I had my own confidence issues growing up (who doesn’t?), I didn’t realize how global it is until years later. I started using affirmation cards when I began my yoga journey in 2002. When I became a teacher, …

Hammer Time – The Child-Sized Toolbelt

A child’s play is a child’s work. Arts and crafts, building with blocks, playing with dolls, constructing a fort or den may all seem to be just for play, but they are, in fact, forming a sense of responsibility, creativity, and analysis into the child’s world… three of the many necessary skills they’ll need to possess …

Rainbow Ice – A Science Experiment

Have you ever made rainbow ice? This rainbow ice experiment is a fun way to not only bust boredom, but teach very basic chemistry concepts, like how: sodium (Na) from salt (NaCl) reacts to ice by heating it up and causing it to slowly melt salt diffuses in water (more quickly if the water is …

The Finger Labyrinth – Make a Rubbing

In this new labyrinth post, you’ll learn how to make artwork from your tabletop finger labyrinth by doing a rubbing with crayon or soft pastel chalk. I love this sort of lesson since it seems that art and mindfulness go hand in hand. When I’ve observed people of all ages do this particular project, I …

Tinker Crate – Fiber Optic Stars

  Our new Tinker Crate came in recently, and we were excited to find that it was an astronomy theme – Fiber Optic Stars! This was way cool, and two sixth graders had a really great time collaborating and cooperatively putting this thing together. Because it was astronomy, I had a great time cheering them …

Chemistry: Energy Shell Peace Flags – II

This is the ultimate follow-up to the previous Chemistry/Art/Peace lesson called Chemistry: Energy Shell Peace Flags. Before you can attempt the rest of this lesson, you’ll need to see how this is done… click here. Recently, some middle school students got in on the process of making these and chose which elemental groups they wanted …

Tinker Crate – Biomechanical Hand!

Our first monthly Tinker Crate subscription adventure brought us a Biomechanical Hand!
Two middle school students had fun putting this together. Here’s their progress in pictures.

(Thank you for the support: Please note that most links on my blog are affiliate links at no extra cost to you. I do get a minuscule percentage if you purchase the items after clicking on the links.)

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Owl Pellet Dissection II: Making A Skeleton Model

In Owl Pellet Dissection, I showed you how to dissect an owl pellet, sort the bones using a guide, and identify the skeleton using a dichotomous key. So, remember that story about boiling a fish head for my Ichthyology lab final, then having to reconstruct the entire skull using a guide from my textbook? Yea, …

Teach Basic Division – Using Horses and Apples

After seeing how to teach basic division using frogs and lily pads by setting them in the same sequence as the division problem (I recommend viewing this tutorial first), your child will soon be able to move on to a slightly more abstract version. If the child has a complete understanding of division vocabulary (dividend, …

Flower Suncatchers

Creating flower suncatchers is a fun way to get kids’ hands on the different parts of a plant, especially the flowers. It’s also a great way to celebrate the spring equinox or summer solstice. After learning about the anatomy of a flower in Parts of a Flower I, II, and III the vocabulary is tossed …

Make a Control of Error for Kid Puzzles

When I’m showing parents and students how to use kid puzzles creatively, I tell them to dissect these words: control… of… error. An error is basically a mistake. Control, in this case, is to exercise a command or to have power to direct. Now manipulate and squish it all together… To have command or power …

Parts of a Flower II

In this next post, you will see how to use a felt flower puzzle you can easily make by cutting different colors of felt into the parts of a flower that correspond to the nomenclature cards we used in Parts of a Flower I. Objective: to learn the anatomy of a flower. Deeper Objective: to …

Stop, Drop, Breathe: 3 Calming Breathing Exercises for Stress

Stress and anxiety have ways of creeping in without your permission. One thing or a series of events can set off inner turbulence, resulting in a racing mind, shallow breathing, snappy comments, and regrettable reactions. Science has proven that calming breathing exercises are one of the most effective ways of reducing stress and anxiety. A remarkable …

Travel Games for Kids

Preparation is key, especially when there are kids in the mix. If you are going on a trip and bringing your little boogers along, these are some GREAT travel games for kids that I highly recommend. Packing up these bad boys in a travel bag will leave you feeling like the Super Parent that you …

Messages from the Fairies

The enchanting art of Brian Froud is a mystically fascinating way to interpret messages from Faerieland. Froud’s imaginative and detailed artwork makes for a beautiful set of oracle cards for folks who love listening to messages from the fairies and losing oneself in fantastical artwork. I could sit for hours soaking up the detail on …

Relaxing Chamomile Hair Rinse

King Arthur’s beautiful Queen Guinevere was rumored to have a secret remedy for stress. Her handmaidens would draw her a warm bath and sprinkle dainty little daisy-like flowers into the water where they would float like botanical bubbles. The lovely, mild scent would fill the room and infuse the water with magic. As Guinevere lay …

Gnome Division

Once upon a time there was a small village of gnomes who loved eating mushroom soup for breakfast. Winter was coming, so harvesting their prized, red and white mushrooms was necessary for their survival. The gnomes, donned in their purple and light blue capes and pointy hats, thrived on playing games to prepare themselves for …

Jack-O-Lantern Cheese Snack

I love figuring out easy, creative ways to shake things up a bit when making snacks for the kiddos. This one is so easy it’s pathetic… and scary… ahh!! Jack-O-Lantern cheese snack!! Ruuuuun! Just kidding… EAT.

Monster Burgers! Ahhh!

Who doesn’t love to eat monsters?? Especially around Halloween when you may find them lurking around your kitchen.  These monster burgers were so very simple, and even though the kids might not be interested in eating the eyeballs the rest of the burgers are a total treat! Even better, they’re miniature so they fit in …