Stirling Engine - Science

I'm very excited about this Sterling Engine kit from Thames and Kosmos.

•  It does something practical
•  It was easy to get working (though like all good experiments, it required tweaking)
• The price for the kit is excellent.

Sterling Engines are an old idea that is getting new life in our green technology world.  The value of this machine is obvious the minute you see it start churning away after a few minutes in the sunshine!

Gayla's Model Classroom

We're hosting a model classroom constructed by Gayla Peek.  She'll be using materials from CTP to show off the possibilities for teachers, offices and waiting rooms!  We'll be posting all the pictures on Pinterest, so check it out there!

now!Board Interactive Whiteboard

As much as I dislike electronics in the classroom (Einstein worked with chalk!), we do come across some nifty devices every now and then.  iPads for every child would accomplish something (if you want to know what, I suggest you listen to Bill Harley's story about Mrs Ammons and the last week of school)  This week we posted on the Golden Apple Online a new item called the now!Board Portable Interactive White Board.  It is what it says it is - a device that is portable and creates an interactive whiteboard anywhere.  Pretty cool, and a good way to save some money, since not every classroom is using a white board at the same time!  We will keep you posted on teacher reactions.  The important thing to us is that the price $499 is being guaranteed by Learning Resources, meaning we will have a competitive price for local schools who want to support a local business - and since teachers will get points for the purchase, you'll save money too!

Summer Reading For Kids

We have our Grade Level lists together early this year, so I can brag about them in May, instead of July like most years!  Our reading lists cover grades k through 6+, with an extra family reads included on the 6+ list.  There are lots of books we didn't have room for - I just finished Chomp by Carl Hiassen and it's on the list, but I didn't include his previous gems Hoot, Scat and Flush.  The list is broad at the bottom - pear shaped rather than an apple - because early readers are more sponges than critics.  Our Summer Workbooks also have lists, and they are up to date, because we try to keep our Summer Workbooks up to date!  A quick Google search let me find some good curated lists - I didn't like Oprah's format - designed to force you to look at lots of advertising - but her list is pretty good.  The bottom line is always read, read read!  I would also like to make a special plea for listen - audio books are a great way to subtract boredom from a road trip.  Sure you could let the kids zone out on their own screen toys, but you will miss the joy of sharing an experience together.  My # 1 recommendation for shared road trip book is Charlotte's Web - read by E.B. White.  Sublime.

Teacher Appreciation Week

It's teacher appreciation week - I'm posting on Facebook all week about my favorite teachers.  Charles Blow from the NYTimes made the suggestion and I think it's a great idea.

Here's a post about my Kindergarten teacher Mrs Macken

Summer Plans!

We've posted our Summer Reading Lists - along with our Summer Workbook comparison chart.  This chart compares our 3 Summer Workbooks -Daily Summer Activities, Summertime Learning and Summer Bridge.  We also have a Summer Class scheduled - two in fact!  Finally, we are creating Summer Bundles to make shopping easier for summer.  Now we just need a pitcher of lemonade and we are ready!

Summer Activities Open House

Summer workbooks have become a staple item for kids in our area.  The joy of a summer break is an almost inalienable right, but the academic down-time does have a price.  Busy parents aren't always able to create a summer curriculum from scratch, and opportunities for quality learning need to be researched.  A workbook like Summertime Learning or Daily Summer Activities can provide a great starting place.  This year we're hosting a series of open house events to show off our resources for summer - workbooks, games and more.  We will also be offering discounts, door prizes and benefit nights for local schools.  Our first open house is this Thursday, from 4-8 pm.  Join us and find out how to make summer learning fun!  We also have started our summer learning page - with a comparison of the 3 summer books.