non-fiction

10 tips for read-aloud learning

March 6, 2012

Hip, hip HOORAY! This week has a little gem of a day hiding inside — World Read Aloud Day! March 7th is World Read Aloud Day, and I stand firmly behind the idea that every child, every person should be able to read.  And who wouldn’t, right? And I’m a huge fan of reading aloud–with [...]

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holiday time fun-fact lunchbox notes

December 13, 2011

As I said yesterday, my kids have taken to the Christmas around the World, and I am so totally over the moon about it. They’re batty over a non-fiction text! They want to read it! They talk about it–even when I’m not there! I’d be crazy if I didn’t try to do some sort of [...]

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learning during read-alouds: non-fiction that WORKS

December 12, 2011

The first few times Owen had media at school this year, he came home with the most random books. His first book was an Arthur book that we already have here at home.  Then he came home with a non-fiction book about Chihuahuas. The next week, he picked yet another book that we have here [...]

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breakfast time reading: cereal boxes and more

July 21, 2011

It all started with Gorilla Munch, and it ended with a ton of reading about adopting gorillas, thanks to a box of cereal and three curious kids. Sure, we’re doing a lot of book reading this summer–in between swim and dive practices, trips to museums and splash parks, and just hanging out, doing nothing summertime-style. [...]

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how to teach kids to search the web: read, research, evaluate

July 20, 2011

We see the same beautiful apple tree every time we walk to or from the pool. And we often talk about how beautiful the tree is and how much we love it. We wonder if we can eat the apples and what they taste like.  Are they apples? Crabapples? Are they sweet? Are they safe [...]

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cars 2: what you should do before you see the movie

June 29, 2011

Ka-CHOW! Have plans to see Cars 2 anytime this summer? Want to know how you can throw in a little bit of learning–and I mean a little bit–before you hit the theater to watch a bunch of crazy cars onscreen? We’ve been chompin at the bit since January to see Cars 2, and today was [...]

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using the weather forecast for sneaky math learning

June 12, 2011

We are huge weather fans over here. Looking at the day’s forecast has become a regular part of our morning ever since the kids were really little. Though our family may be a growing minority of people who are still getting it delivered on a daily basis, I love getting the paper, not only because [...]

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making connections with nonfiction texts (and our new turtle friend)

April 28, 2011

Between the insane weather we’ve been experiencing over here (tornadoes! wind gusts! rain, rain, and more rain–and then the next second–sun!?), we’ve had some really cool outside learning going on lately.  And it’s been the kind of really awesome natural, in-the-moment kind of discovery that couldn’t unfold the way it does even with the best [...]

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new for us friday: fun fact lunchbox notes! (& link-up!)

March 18, 2011

Try something–a recipe, a product, food, anything–new this week? Link up here! This New For Us Friday we’re sharing a new-f0r-us lunchbox note–fun fact lunchbox notes! LOVE these!! A few weeks ago, Maddy, Owen, and Cora were totally into an article in the Kids Post about ear wax.  Yes, ear wax.  At breakfast.  And the [...]

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talking to kids about the earthquake and tsunami in japan

March 15, 2011

Because we read the newspaper each day at breakfast, and because Maddy and Owen are becoming much more literate as their reading skills grow, we’ve had to handle last week’s events in Japan a little differently than we did the earthquake in Haiti last year. I, at one time, could easily skim over headlines, but [...]

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non-fiction reading and real-life learning with fish

August 4, 2010

We’re pet sitting for the next few days, and Maddy, Owen and Cora are loving it. Nothing cuddly or furry, but these little guys are certainly entertaining if you ask my three kiddos. We’re fish-sitting, actually, for what may be close to 20 fish. Two separate ponds with a waterfall and lily pads. And a [...]

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