Portfolios Provide Opportunity for Year-end Review As school draws to a close for many families, it is time to give those student portfolios (formal or not) a good spring cleaning! Reviewing the collection of work samples allows you to reminisce on your year of teaching, learning, and student accomplishments. After walking down memory lane, it […]

Helpful Hints for Science Experiment Success Most children love the hands-on aspect of planning a science experiment.  In order to create a successful science experiment that produces valid results, it is important to follow a process known as the scientific method. Step 1:  Identify a problem or question To determine a focus for an experiment, […]

  You’ve probably heard the saying that math is everywhere. Depending on your attitude towards math this could be the best news you’ve heard all day or you may be groaning right now. Regardless of your feelings about math, we have a few tips. Use the following to help you keep on the right track. […]

We had the chance to take our Calvert Group to the Zoo last week. Plans were made, lunches packed, website visited in advance to plan our zoo assault. The morning dawned cool and cloudy, and there was only a 40% chance of rain. We always look forward to our field trip adventures – and it […]

Interesting statements. I deserve a lot of things!  I have a friend who tells her children, she deserves “one carat diamond earrings and a vacation in Bermuda”. We don’t always get what we deserve, do we? My children deserve a fantastic education. What my children do NOT deserve is a teacher who is over-worked and […]

As summer winds down, take a break from the heat and spend some time at your local library or bookstore.  We’ve supplied book recommendations, and each list, organized according to grade level, contains suggestions for wonderful, recently released children’s books.  Below you will find some suggestions of fun activities to help your students grow as […]

What is Service Learning? Service learning and community service are often thought of as two interchangeable experiences, evoking images of students picking up trash along the roadside, volunteering at a soup kitchen, or collecting items for a canned food drive. All of these community service activities are of great benefit, teach valuable lessons, and people […]

This spring is a great time to get the whole family moving by incorporating physical activities into your lifestyle. Read our ideas on how to exercise both body and mind! According to http://kidshealth.org/,10% of 2 to 5 year olds and more than 15% of children between the ages of 6 and 19 are overweight. Studies […]

Benjamin Franklin coined the famous phrase, “A penny saved is a penny earned.” That sentiment may have been true two hundred years ago, but these days a penny saved can be two pennies earned with interest! As today’s child becomes increasingly exposed to “must have” products marketed through television commercials and on the Internet, it […]

I had the occasion to speak at a homeschooler’s gathering a couple of weekends ago, and had a conversation with a mom about “practical homeschooling”. When I offered her my example, she suggested I share it with you. This is something my family has come to call Math Field Trip 101, and these are exercises […]