Metamorphosis for April
Butterflies are blossoming for the month of poetry! These lovely creatures began with a lesson on the life cycle of this intricate insect and the book, A Blue Butterfly: A Claude Monet Story by Bijou Le Tord. From there, with…
It’s Spring in Monet’s Garden
Claude Monet, leader of the Impressionist movement, was a masterful gardener. Yes, that's right, gardener. I've been to Monet's garden in France. This artist's garden bursts to life in spring. Spectacular is a small word to describe the grounds. You…
Sneak Peak: Welcome Hatchlings!
We are so pleased to announce the arrival of our Hatchling Discovery Guides! This integrated, multi-sensory approach encourages Kindergarten through 2nd Grade learners to discover the complex connections between reading and writing the fun way. Our Hatchling unit is designed to…
Zinnia’s Flower Garden
Zinnia’s Flower Garden by Monica Wellington leads off week two in our Earlybird Spring Stories Thematic Unit. This is a great week to plant some flower seeds for your summer garden. There are excellent instructions at the back of the book…
Smell the Roses
Don't forget to stop and smell the roses? …oh, wait! What I meant to say is, "Don't forget to stop and observe the seashells!" And when you do, ask yourself, "What do I see?" Notice the organic shape. Look for…
Fibonacci on the Produce Aisle
Math is everywhere. Absolutely everywhere! When I saw this vegetable ate the market, I stopped to ogle. It was fun to learn that it is sometimes called Romanesco cauliflower, sometimes Romansch broccoli. Either way, I was not thinking of the…
Happy Birthday Ben?
NOT really…! Ben’s family birth certificate says that he was born on January 6, 1706, but when the Colonies switched to a different calendar to keep pace with the seasons, his new birthday became January 17! Founding Father. One of five men…
Knit / Purl through a Great Story
It all begins with the sheep. Our Earlybird Winter Discovery Guide’s fourth book, A New coat for Anna by Harriet Ziefert is a sweet story that helps readers learn just where a wool coat actually comes from. A very fun project…
Wintry Lexicon, After Jasper Johns
Where I live there are NEVER snow days (sad face). But there is ALWAYS white paint! For this icy, project I decided to introduce the art of Jasper Johns to inspire my apprentice artists. I'm hoping to inspire yours too.…
Mitten of a Tale
Our Earlybird Winter Literature and Writing Discovery Guide's third book, The Mitten by Alvin Tresselt is re-telling of a folk tale about all kinds of animals trying to fit in a lost mitten! Hilarious! We love the theme that common…