I can’t tell you when I last watched Beetlejuice the movie that starred Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder. I don’t think we’ve ever watched it as a family. #ParentingFail In fact, there’s not much I remember about the movie except for Beetlejuice’s black and white striped suit so I’m excited Beetlejuice is coming to Washington,…
Education
5 Easy Ways to Help Teachers at the End of the Year
The start of May makes it feel like the end of the school year is finally in sight but for teachers, it’s one of the longest months and busiest times of the year. The weather is warmer and kids have gotten way too comfortable in their learning routines. Plus standardized testing throws off every school’s…
Free Finance and Entrepreneur Classes for Kids on Outschool
If you’re familiar with Outschool, you know they’re known for being an innovative online education platform that supplements learning with thousands of fun and unique, interest-based classes for kids around the world. In honor of April being Financial Literacy Month, Outschool is hosting free finance and entrepreneur classes for kids ages 9-18 through their Money Maker Edventure…
Talking About Underage Drinking Prevention with Kids of All Ages
Since parents are the #1 influence on their kids’ decisions to drink- or not to drink- alcohol, we can’t afford to ignore this topic in our homes. There’s no bad time to talk about underage drinking prevention to keep our kids safe. Parents are the leading influence regarding decisions about underage drinking, but they and…
6 Ways Celebrate National Mar10 Day on March 10th
Mario, the iconic Nintendo character, has his own day and it’s today! When March 10 is written as Mar10, it looks like Mario’s name. The clever way the abbreviation spells the character’s name has become National Mar10 Day. Whether or not you knew about today’s connection to Mario, it’s a perfect excuse to celebrate National Mar10…
4 Ways to Teach Kids About Women in History
It’s always important to encourage the study of women in history but especially in March. March is Women’s History Month and the 8th is International Women’s Day so there’s no time like the present to teach kids about women in history. 4 Ways to Teach Kids About Women in History There are many ways to…
The New York Times STEM Writing Contest for Teens
The New York Times readers know their Science, Health and Technology sections explore scientific topics that are written in a way everyone can understand. Now The New York Times Learning Network wants to know what questions middle and high schoolers have about how the world works as part of The NY Times STEM Writing Contest. About…
Celebrating Chinese New Year: Teaching Kids About Lunar New Year & Family Traditions
Earlier this week as I was thinking about a special meal to prepare to celebrate the start of Chinese New Year tomorrow, my mind wandered back to my childhood and the traditions I grew up with. With the start of each new year, I used to wonder if I had done a good job of…
How to Teach Kids About Martin Luther King, Jr. and Civil Rights
Years ago when I was in college, a friend and I drove from our New England schools to California. Along the way we stopped in Memphis- home of amazing barbecue, a rich musical heritage, Graceland, the Peabody Ducks, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and the Lorraine Motel. The Lorraine Motel may not have been mentioned in…
Free Coding Activities for Kids for Computer Science Ed Week
As a middle school computer science teacher, I tell my 8th graders learning how to code helps them prepare for a world of work that doesn’t exist yet. Some students had experience using free coding activities for kids before stepping into my classroom while others were brand new to programming. Throughout the year, I loved…
