Stitching Picasso
Stitchery builds cognitive plasticity. Embroidery is a practice that will empower students to be aware of fine motor potential, overcome the short attention span, and to have a growth mindset. The nervous system controls all of the body functions. But…
Imagine a Big Idea: A State Quilt
The big idea was to study our state in detail for one full school year, learning its basic geography and all the state symbols. There was no pattern. We just designed it the way we wanted it as we journeyed…
Moving BEYOND the Topic Sentence
Squirrels are everywhere. That’s for sure! Most young writers have had a squirrel encounter or two. Tapping into a rich storehouse of knowledge is a great place to learn to craft a HOOK—not a topic sentence, a HOOK! The best…
Meet Kimberly
Me? What if I told you that the day my grandmother gave me a dinky white portable typewriter I made each of my family members mailboxes for The Friday Night Flash out of a Captain Crunch cereal box? What…
On Looking Closely…
The habit of observing is habit worth developing—a habit of being. Observation of simple objects is the best way to begin your Observation Journal—think shell, spoon, marshmallow, apple. Begin this activity in kindergarten and continue through 12th grade! Create an…
Crafting a Wonder-FULL Sentence is Courageous
Staring down the blank page is a courageous endeavor. Where to begin? We say: Begin with a BOOK! BIG ideas are sparked by knowledge + curiosity. “All you need to do is write one TRUE sentence,” so said great American…
Flourishing an Idea: Before & After
Aesthetics is a set of principles that inform the outcome of a work of art. Aesthetics taps into that part of our being that connects with beauty. After reading The Mozart Season, students knew right away the section of the…
Let’s Talk Books
Nothing fosters the higher-order Critical Creative Thinking that allows students to form ideas and opinions about real life, more than hashing through a story in a discussion circle. What begins as an imagining in the mind of the writer is…
Coming this APRIL: The Wonderful World of Phonics
Do your students shut down at the mention of reading? Do they cringe when you gently hand them a freshly sharpened pencil, suggesting it’s time to write an idea? Some students need a little extra support to unlock the code…
Leonardo Coming Soon!
Look Imagine Create “All our knowledge has its origins in our perceptions.” ~Leonardo da Vinci…