Blog

  • Fun with Patterns

      Target Age Range: PK-6th Skills Covered: finishing patterns, growing patterns, symmetry, naming patterns, area, perimeter, charting, relationships between patterns, number patterns, problem solving PK-2 Activities Top Photo: Begin a simple pattern (using any manipulative you like) and ask your child to continue the pattern. To help young children begin to understand what a pattern…

  • Living Math Series

    Beginning next week… October 15-26… a series full of practical ideas for incorporating more living math into your school days! Join me here daily!  Better yet, add my feed to your feed reader so you’re sure not to miss a post!

  • Cove Springs Nature Walk

    While we love simple nature walks around our home, we also love taking the time once a month (sometimes more often) to go somewhere interesting for nature study.  This post highlights our autumn walk through the wetland trails of Cove Springs in Frankfort, KY.  What a beautiful afternoon! We were blessed to have my parents…

  • Science Notebooking with Microscopes

    (This post contains affiliate links.) Notebooking with kindergarteners??  Isn’t that asking too much? No way…especially when it comes from authentic, meaningful experiences! We own a modest microscope and some simple prepared slides that made for a wonderful science notebooking lesson last week.  Just having these things sitting out was enough to spark an interest that…

  • Preschool Leaf Study

    It’s autumn and time to have a little leaf fun with your preschoolers and kindergarteners! The Colors of Autumn in Play Dough After observing the changing colored leaves on trees, let your little ones create their own autumn trees from play dough or clay.  You might even use some autumn scented play dough. Perimeter with…

  • Early Fall Nature Studies

    Early Fall Nature Studies are FUN! Early autumn is such a wonderful time of the year for nature studies!  The crispness in the air keeps walks comfortable, while the scenery abounds with exciting treasures to find. Believe it or not, the photos in all of the collages were taken during only one short woodland walk! …

  • KY Field Trip Frenzy

    We have an unwritten tradition of starting our school year off with a field trip or two.  Sometimes the field trips are more like vacations – like when we went to Virginia.  Other times, it’s an overnight stay somewhere or a few simple day trips.  This year, we had so much fun kicking off the…

  • August Nature Study

      (This post contains links to my business website, Shining Dawn Books.) August Nature Study Anytime is the perfect time for nature study, but late summer is especially wonderful! All the photos above were taken during nature walks over the last two weeks.  So, just what topics do I recommend studying right about now? Animal…

  • Nature Walk Clipboards

    While school supply shopping at Walmart the other day, I ran across some clipboard storage boxes in several fun colors.  I remembered Maureen from Spell Out Loud mentioning using these nature walk clipboards with her family, so I put three in my cart.  Wow – they have been a wonderful addition to our nature walks!…