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2nd Grade Reading Passage: Viking Morning
Read along as Astrid, a young Viking girl, goes about her day. Discover what life in her village may have been like for young Vikings, and what chores they may have had. Are any of their chores similar...
View ArticleNational Young Readers Week: A Reminder for Parents about Reading
National Young Readers week is Nov. 9-15, which makes it a good time to revisit all things related to reading and children. As a longtime educator, I feel one of the more important things for parents...
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Kindergarten Reading Passage: Jessica the Jillaroo
Meet Jessica, a young girl who lives on a ranch, often called a ‘jillaroo’, in Australia’s Outback. Follow Jessica as she goes about her daily chores. Learn about the animals that she interacts with...
View ArticleSome Writing Inspiration for Girl Scouts
When I arrived at the meeting, the Girl Scout troop leader took me aside. “I have to tell you, my daughter doesn’t like writing at all,” she admitted. “I’m hoping having you here will inspire her.” I...
View Article1st Grade Reading Activity: Adding S
Adding the letter ‘S’ to the end of the word often makes them plural. If a word is plural that means there is more than one. Click on the speaker on each page to hear an explanation for each screen....
View Article1st Grade Reading Activity: Homophones
Some times words can sound the same but have very different meanings from one another. These words are called homophones. In the activity below there are several examples of words that sound the same...
View ArticleKindergarten Reading Activity: Traffic Words
Safety first! In this activity we’ll review some traffic words. The next time you’re out for a walk see if your student can spot each of the terms below. While on the walk take a picture of each and...
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5 Holiday Pies in Literature
Presents! Parades! Preparation! There is so much craziness that accompanies the holiday season and it’s time to slow down and smell the pie. That’s right, pie—the holiday staple that’s easy to be...
View Article6 Places to Find Free Audio Books for Kids
In the last few years, audio books have exploded in popularity amongst adult readers. They’re especially popular with people who have little time to sit down and read, allowing busy book lovers to...
View Article1st Grade Reading Activity: Alphabetizing Words
Have your student practice alphabetizing in this activity. First review examples of how to put words in alphabetical order, including words whose first and second letter are the same. After you’ve...
View Article10 Resources for Understanding, Identifying, and Teaching Dyslexic Students
All students face challenges at school, but dyslexic students have greater difficulty than others. Their disability makes it a challenge to read. They transpose letters, have difficulty concentrating...
View Article6 Unexpected Reasons Your Child Should Have a Pet
I remember having a variety of pets as a child—specifically, gerbils, cats and one dog. In retrospect, having the gerbils and a cat in the same house was a mistake (it didn’t end well for the gerbil)....
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Best Ideas for Getting a Better Education from 2014
From eating healthy foods that fire up the brain and organized work stations to very good reasons to fit more art and reading into your family time, 2014 was filled with great ideas for how you can...
View ArticleOvercoming Obstacles: What Oprah Winfrey Learned From Her Childhood of Abuse
This is one in a series of profiles on famous people who overcame incredible obstacles, failed many times or defied grim odds in order to succeed. She was born to a single teenage mother on welfare in...
View Article1st Grade Reading Activity: Basketball Spelling Game
Shoot for a high score in this basketball-themed spelling game. Review the list of words and choose one or all three lists of words to practice. Start the game and listen to each word carefully, then...
View ArticleKindergarten Reading Activity: Practice Prepositions
Under, over, next to, near, far. All of these are ways to describe orientation, and they are also words called prepositions. Follow the instructions as you are tasked with placing an object in a...
View Article5 Inspirational Books to Encourage Young Readers
Walt Disney once said, “If you can dream it, you can do it.” Inspirational books for elementary students can foster those dreams by inspiring young readers to see opportunity, express themselves, set...
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Kids’ Opinions on Student Engagement
What engages students? We’ve been tackling that question for years, sharing anecdotes based on our own perceptions and experiences. The truth is, education has changed, and it’s difficult to accurately...
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20 Books to Motivate Career-Minded Students
If your child is particularly interested in a specific subject, it is important to encourage their passion. There are ways you can help your student learn more about the career or subject that...
View Article5 More Reasons Your Child Should be Learning a Musical Instrument
There are some obvious benefits to learning a musical instrument. It’s enjoyable, can impress others, and some talented people can even make a career out of it. But for young children, learning a...
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