A chapter for each month of the year with a parent page and activities for art, literature, music, science, social studies, math/cooking, books, and physical education; also includes patterns.
BIG activities engage little learners with this complete curriculum for science, math, literacy and language. BIG is powerful. Children want to be BIG. They want to do BIG. They love enormous numbers like a hundred million billion and long words like "tyrannosaurus rex." They love to spread their arms wide and run as fast as they can. Thinking BIG, Learning BIG is filled with BIG activities to engage the imaginations of young children. Children learn best by seeing, feeling, and doing. Making things on a grand scale enhances their understanding. When children build a giant spider with eight legs and eight eyes, and a giant fly with six legs and two eyes and two wings, children can experience the difference between spiders and flies, that they are not just "bugs." BIG creations are more fun, more memorable, and therefore, more educational. The chapters are organized by topic, with activities that build science, math, literacy and language skills, which form a solid foundation for future learning. The information and activities align with the standards set by the National Academy of Sciences, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the International Reading Association, and the National Council of Teachers of English. The BIG Connections section presents ways to integrate the topic throughout the curriculum--in sensory experiences, art, music, dramatic play, and gross motor skills.
From the preface by Deborah Meier: "We have a long way to go to make John Holt's dream available to all children. But his books make it possible and easier for many of us to join him in the journey." In this enduring classic, rich with deep, original insight into the nature of early learning, John Holt was the first to make clear that, for small children, "learning is as natural as breathing." In his delightful book he observes how children actually learn to talk, to read, to count, and to reason, and how, as adults, we can best encourage these natural abilities in our children.
Teach toddlers safe ways to express big feelings Toddlers are still learning how to speak, socialize, and understand their emotions. It's common for them to react with their hands when they get frustrated—but hitting is never okay. What to Do When You Feel Like Hitting helps toddlers understand why hitting is not allowed and shows them how to react to their feelings with actions that are safe and kind. This illustrated entry into no hitting books for toddlers features: Alternatives to hitting—Kids will learn how to use "gentle hands" to squeeze a stuffed animal when they feel upset, scribble a picture to get out their frustration, and practice taking deep breaths to calm down. A light touch—The language is kid-friendly and positive, encouraging toddlers to understand and communicate their feelings, not just keep their hands to themselves. Engaging illustrations—Big, beautiful pictures help kids see the ideas in action and keep their attention on the page. Get the best in no hitting books for toddlers with a storybook that helps them learn empathy and compassion.
A #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! Featured in its own episode in the Netflix original show Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices! National Book Award winner Jacqueline Woodson and two-time Pura Belpré Illustrator Award winner Rafael López have teamed up to create a poignant, yet heartening book about finding courage to connect, even when you feel scared and alone. There will be times when you walk into a room and no one there is quite like you. There are many reasons to feel different. Maybe it's how you look or talk, or where you're from; maybe it's what you eat, or something just as random. It's not easy to take those first steps into a place where nobody really knows you yet, but somehow you do it. Jacqueline Woodson's lyrical text and Rafael López's dazzling art reminds us that we all feel like outsiders sometimes-and how brave it is that we go forth anyway. And that sometimes, when we reach out and begin to share our stories, others will be happy to meet us halfway. (This book is also available in Spanish, as El Día En Que Descubres Quién Eres!)
Play is serious business. Whether it's reenacting a favorite book (comprehension and close reading), negotiating the rules for a game (speaking and listening), or collaborating over building blocks (college and career readiness and STEM), Kristi Mraz, Alison Porcelli, and Cheryl Tyler see every day how play helps students reach standards and goals in ways that in-their-seat instruction alone can't do. And not just during playtimes. "We believe there is play in work and work in play," they write. "It helps to have practical ways to carry that mindset into all aspects of the curriculum." In Purposeful Play, they share ways to: optimize and balance different types of play to deepen regular classroom learning teach into play to foster social-emotional skills and a growth mindset bring the impact of play into all your lessons across the day. "We believe that play is one type of environment where children can be rigorous in their learning," Kristi, Alison, and Cheryl write. So they provide a host of lessons, suggestions for classroom setups, helpful tools and charts, curriculum connections, teaching points, and teaching language to help you foster mature play that makes every moment in your classroom instructional. Play doesn't only happen when work is over. Children show us time and time again that play is the way they work. In Purposeful Play, you'll find research-driven methods for making play an engine for rigorous learning in your classroom.