Books · 03-29-2015
The Day the Crayons Quit, by Drew Daywalt and illustrator Oliver Jeffers, gets an A+ for creativity and humor. The hilarious book is about disgruntled crayons who have plenty of reasons to quit coloring. Red crayon needs a rest, Blue needs a break, and Purple demands precision. It’s up to Duncan to find a creative way to solve all their problems. He wants all his crayons to be happy! The Day the Crayons Quit is a wonderful selection for promoting higher-level thinking and fun. The following...
Music · 03-21-2015
The song, “Over in the Meadow” is a traditional sing-a-long song that allows young children to sing, count, rhyme, and make animal sounds. The song’s rhythmic pattern also encourages musical experimentation. A group of third graders revised this happy song by rewriting the lyrics. We also spent time discussing why the rhyme pattern appeals to young children. The excited third graders decided rewriting the lyrics was a great opportunity to introduce preschoolers to a few new animals They...
Activities · 03-13-2015
Creating an animated short film is a process that requires patience, imagination and problem solving. Most of all, it involves lots of creative fun. I had plenty of fun making “Creativity in Motion” with OSnap, which is an easy to use app that features time-lapse and stop motion photography. Using an iPad and lots of buttons, I was able to create my first animated film! What I liked about the process was figuring out the layout of the buttons for each shot. Pre-planning problem solving...
Music · 03-06-2015
There's nothing like playing music to make me feel alive. According to music professor Dr. Anita Collins, "When you listen to music, multiple areas of your brain become engaged and active. But when you actually play an instrument, that activity becomes more like a full-body brain workout." Studying music develops skills in listening, reading, self-expression, and creativity. You can celebrate that creativity in March during Music in Our Schools Month. Embrace the benefits of music by engaging...
