15 Resources for Dr. Seuss Lesson Plans Elementary School and Homeschool

Lesson Plans for Elementary and Homeschool Dr. Seuss Curriculum

Celebrate Dr. Seuss' Birthday with Dr. Seuss Lesson Plans for Elementary and Homeschool. We've scoured the web, especially our favorite blogs and websites, for companion activities for. Dr. Seuss books. When is Dr. Seuss birthday? March 2. Enjoy!

This post contains affiliate links. Click and make a purchase and we get a commission.

Teacher Resources: Lesson Plans for Elementary and Homeschool Dr. Seuss Curriculum.

Dr Seuss Day Activities Teacher Resources

• Make a fake cake to celebrate Dr. Seuss's Birthday.
• In depth exploration of Dr. Seuss books for homeschool.
• Companion activities for Dr. Seuss books.
• Free printables for Dr. Seuss birthday.
• Daisy Head Mayzie Activities.
• Sue Snue Activities.
• Sneetches racism activity.
• Oh the Places You'll Go lesson plans.
• And to Think that I saw it on Mulberry Street lesson plans.
• Mulberry Street Coloring Page.
• Horton Hears a Who lessons.
• Free Weather Worksheets and Oobleck Printable Activities for Bartholomew and the Oobleck.
• Scientific exploration with Oobleck recipe with cornstarch.
• The Political Dr. Seuss from Independent Lens.
• Wondering when Read Across America is? Dr. Seuss' birthday, of course! March 2. Read Across America activities.

Recommended Reading:

Bartholomew and the Oobleck: (Caldecott Honor Book) (Classic Seuss)


And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street


Oh, The Places You'll Go!

When is Roald Dahl Day: Activities

When is Roald Dahl Day?

It's Roald Dahl Day! Sept. 13, 2015. How will you celebrate? This year, we did several activities including, a "The Witches" party. We've included a list of our favorite Roald Dahl books which are perfect for Elementary Students. Scroll down to see how you can win a free copy of your favorite Roald Dahl book and a fun printable crossword puzzle. Enjoy!

Have a "The Witches" Party to Celebrate Roald Dahl Day or Halloween!

We found The Witches movie on Amazon. The movie has some scary moments, but we won't give those away. Depending on the child, the whole concept of the story could be traumatic. The Witches are everywhere wearing human masks! How can you tell a witch? She'll have purple, glowing eyes, among other things!

The Witches is an award-winning story by Roald Dahl about a boy, his grandmother, and a hotel full of witches. 

"This is not a fairy tale. This is about real witches."  

Books by Roald Dahl include The Witches and James and the Giant Peach.

After we watched the movie, we visited the Roald Dahl website and chose some fun ideas for lessons. We made posters that explain how to spot a witch. Beware! They are everywhere.

We have a fun idea to make human masks!

• Copy a photo of someone in the classroom or house, paste it to tag board, and then decorate it with markers or colored pencils. When done, cut out, poke holes in the ears, tie an elastic string through each hole, and wear it!

• To make it more fun, also make a witch mask and wear it underneath your human mask. Tee Hee! Now, that's fun!

You'll want to make some spooky treats and creepy snacks for your party. We found these cute witch broom donuts at Giggles Galore.

Witch Broomstick Donuts! Find the How to at Giggles Galore.

We don't want to give the story away. You'll have to read it and watch the movie to understand why we made a mouse craft. We have lots of recyclables around the house, so we turned a styrofoam cup and a plastic grocery bag into a cute little mouse.

Make a mouse craft with recyclables.

To make the little mouse, paint a styrofoam cup your favorite color. Poke a pipecleaner in the bottom, curl it around a pencil to make a curly tail. Roll up a grocery bag, place it inside the cup, and then tape on foamy or construction paper eyes, nose, and ears. Eek! That was easy. Preschoolers will enjoy making this simple mouse craft.

Then, each kid chose a Roald Dahl book to read. We chose The BFE and Monster....

Roald Dahl Reading List

Charity
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Danny, the Champion of the World
Enormous Crocodile
Esio Trot
Fantastic Mr Fox
George's Marvellous Medicine
James and the Giant Peach
Matilda
Museum
Revolting Rhymes
Short stories
The BFG
The Twits
The Witches

Hop over and like and comment on our Facebook Page post about Roald Dahl, and you can win a "The Witches" Prize pack and a Roald Dahl book. Contest ends Sept. 20, 2015.

Recommended:

Halloween Crafts on Pinterest

Room on the Broom*

Family Road Trip Tips

Top Tips to Prepare for a Family Road Trip

Ready for a mini-vacation? There's no better and more flexible way to see the wonders cross country than by taking a good old-fashioned road trip. Of course long car journeys with kids can be challenging,but they don’t need to be!Here are the top ways to beat backseat boredom and prepare yourself and your children for a stress-free family road trip.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Make Plans in Advance

Start your family road trip preparation off right by making your vacation plans well in advance. This includes things like planning your route, downloading maps for the area you’re visiting, and booking your accommodations. This will help to make your trip as organized and as hassle-free as possible. If you need to rent a car for your road trip, be sure to look around for the best deal and book well in advance to get the best rates. Click here to find some great deals on car rentals.

Ensure Safety and Comfort

No one wants to have an uncomfortable, cranky kid on a long car ride. When kids sit in a car for hours, it’s important that they are comfortable, safe, and also have good head support. Make sure that kids are safely buckled in a car seat, booster seat or seat belt for the duration of the trip. To make the journey more comfortable for your kids, bring along a neck pillow and their favorite blanket or stuffed toy.

Plan Lots of Stops

Before hitting the road, be sure to map out your journey. Plug your destination into your smartphone’s map or a mapping website to get a realistic idea of how long your road trip will take. This will also allow you to plan some fun stops along the way. Make sure that you schedule a stop every few hours so the kids can get some fresh air and you can stretch your legs. Bring along a Frisbee or ball, in case you can’t find a playground or other entertainment, at least, you'll be able to toss them around in a parking lot.

Bring Plenty of Snacks

Keep your kids happy when traveling by providing lots of snacks. Things like whole grain crackers, sliced fruit, individually wrapped cheeses, and cereal bars all make excellent road trip snacks. Pack these in separate containers and give them out throughout the trip to keep the kids busy. Packing some snacks for the trip will also save you money as you won’t be at the mercy of whatever roadside food stops have available.

With kids snacking onboard, spills and crumbs are unavoidable. The dirt and grime may damage your car’s original upholstery. This ruins your vehicle’s overall aesthetic and lowers your car’s resale value. A great solution is to install a custom-fit car seat cover to protect your leather seats from stains, fading, and scratches.

Arrange In-Car Entertainment

Make sure you arrange some entertainment to keep kids occupied on long trips. You can download audio-books and films to watch on an iPad, pack chalkboards and activity books, or plan road trip games to keep kids entertained on the journey. According to Tripsavvy, there are several mobile games and apps that provide hours of entertainment on the road. Check out Road Trip Travel Games on the Google Play store for plenty of classic road trip family activities.

Family road trips don’t have to be stressful. In fact, with a little preparation and planning, your next journey could even end up being the best part of your vacation! Follow these tips to have a fun and stress-free family road trip.

Do you have family road trip tips? In the comments,tell us what has worked for you.

Recommended:

Get Road Trip Activity Books and Games

Indiana Area One Tank Trips

More Tips for Traveling with Kids

Indiana Field Trip Ideas

It's Just Me Practicing the Secret - More Musings

More Musings on Life and the Secret

New year, new me.

My entire life I wanted to be a creative writer.

I wrote many stories for school publications.  I wrote my own extended family newsletter. I wrote skits for my cousins to perform at holidays. I wrote speeches...

As an adult I submitted a few manuscripts for children's books through the snail mail.
The waiting is not my cup of tea.  Did they even get my query?

In 2008, I became a serious aspiring author.

I submitted ideas for non-fiction articles to magazines, ideas for craft books, children's picture books, and even greeting cards.  At least I meant to...  it got dicey trying to remember who I sent what and how long I needed to wait before sending the same idea elsewhere.

Then I wrote a novel.  Is it complete?  Well, it has an ending.  It also has an alternate ending.  I edited it and edited it.  It is such an accurate depiction of historical fiction that it could pass for non-fiction.  So much attention to detail, so many important facts- it's beautiful!

So I emailed it to anyone and everyone in the publishing world.  I actually received several personalized messages in return. (At least  I like to think I did.)

Anywho...

"I love your writing style."
"You have great potential.  Can you write something else?  Here's what I'm looking for..."

Many generic, very nice responses (I won't bore you with the details) were sent to my inbox.

Here are my two favorite responses:

"Sorry, not for us."

And...

Well, I can't go into it here but it is a detailed review with 'In Track Changes' written by an editor/publisher of romance novels.  It is a sweet romance so I sent it off  as a young adult novel.

That was April 2010.

I got busy trying to keep my head above water, keep the lights on, start a new business that didn't work out, and ultimately became a glorified babysitter.  Of course, I thought about my novel all the time.

What I really needed was cash- fast.

While I was waiting to hear back from the editor I contacted an acquaintance in the publishing business.  He is a local historian and the head honcho at a publisher of historical fiction and non-fiction. He was excited to read my book.  He had encouraged me during my life tangent when I decided get my Masters/PHD.

I had not informed the editor that it would be a multiple submission so I had to wait.  As I waited doubt grew inside me. If I intended to market the book as young adult fiction it would need some more editing.

I was sick of it.  I didn't want to edit it one more time!  Besides, it was perfect anyway.

Well, of course, it wasn't perfect.  The editor suggested many cuts.  Basically she wanted to cut out my heart and soul.  Most of the beautiful back-story and every last one of those run-on sentences.  What?

I responded back to her briefly.  I asked if I should just scrap it and start from scratch with another story like a few literary agents suggested.  Feeding on my doubts she said, "Well, parts of it may be difficult to reconcile with the readers. Of course it's up to you but I will be waiting to see your changes."

If you are an aspiring novelist or a published author you know this is huge.

I did not know this was huge.  In my spare time I started writing a young adult novel with a fantasy twist.  I'm still writing it.  It's good.  Tweens and teens will like it if I ever finish it.  It's what the literary agents asked of me.

Recently, I went back and re-read those in track changes - eight months later.  I didn't agree with everything but I started editing anyway.

From an actor's point of view I needed that back-story to tell me how to feel.  I told the reader how to feel. Suddenly I had an amazing a-ha moment.  I had been writing for me.  I was telling - not showing.  Many sentences, though beautifully crafted, were written in an effort to increase word count so I could submit as a novel vs. novella.  Nobody cares about the detailed politics of Andrew Jackson (except maybe me) not even Mr. Historian (he already knows).

I agreed with all of  the 'in track changes'.  I have edited three chapters and discovered that I shamed myself.  It's not terrible but it's clearly not good either.  To think that I had actual interest is AMAZING.

It may be too late for the editor-lady but I am going to resubmit with the requested changes.  It will be sent as a multiple submission to Mr. Historian too.  Is it a sweet romance or educational historical fiction? I can't wait to find out.

In 2011 I am a novelist.

Writing Tips:
1. Write everyday.
2. Edit a zillion times.
3. Patience is a virtue.  Hide it under the bed for six months and then take another look before you submit.

Join my journey http://www.loralangston.com/

Books, Videos, and Lessons: Jackie Robinson for Kids

Bio of Jackie Robinson and Online Activities

Wondering when is Jackie Robinson Day? Jackie Robinson Day is April 15. Who is Jackie Robinson? He is one of the most famous baseball players in history. Do you know why? Yes? No? Maybe? Either way, you'll learn about Jackie Robinson with these online activities and videos on Jackie Robinson for kids. This is a great post for students to learn facts about Jackie Robinson. Enjoy!

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.*

Books, Videos, and Lessons: Jackie Robinson for Kids.

To learn the bio of Jackie Robinson, students can watch these videos about Jackie Robinson:

Watch this Video of Jackie Robinson from Brainpop.com. They also have a good video on Civil Rights. If you don't have a Brainpop account, you should! However, you can do a search for a password that you can use to watch the videos. You won't be able to keep track of all your hard work without an account. So, if you can't do that, here is a another video about Jackie Robinson from History.com.

Be sure to do the FYI and take the quiz on Brainpop. You'll also find lesson plans for teachers there. 

Keep scrolling for games and activities about Jackie Robinson.

No matter your age or grade level, you will enjoy this book, I am Jackie Robinson* by Brad Meltzer. It is a fun biography written from the point of view of Jackie Robinson as a child. Packed full of Jackie Robinson facts, this book is the perfect companion book to a lesson on Jackie Robinson.

Bio of Jackie Robinson and Online Activities.

Test your baseball game I.Q. - who is on first?

How good are you at batting? Try it out with this online baseball game from ESPN.

Learn how to play Baseball with this fun online game.

Play some free online baseball games for kids.

Jackie Robinson PDF book.

Downloadable Jackie Robinson worksheet from Education.com.

Free Baseball Worksheets from EnchantedLearning.com.

Can you answer these Jackie Robinson quiz questions?

Do you know the original lyrics to Take Me Out to the Ball Game? Listen here:

And, here's the version you've probably heard:




That's a lot of baseball history, let's move on to other lessons.


Language Arts Component:  
Since we're talking famous baseball, you'll want to read the most famous baseball poem of all time, Casey at Bat. Even better, listen to James Earl Jones recite the poem, Casey at Bat:





Watch the Disney clip:

Math Component:
Learn to simplify fractions with Baseball Math.
Subtraction with regrouping baseball math game.
Multiplication practice with baseball.

Art Component:

Here's a fun baseball diamond and Jackie Robinson paper craft from Crayola.com.

Science Component:
Bat Science Fair Experiment
Watch a video about the experiment here:
Baseball Experiment PBS
What Balls Can you Throw the Farthest Experiment
What happens when you refrigerate your baseball?


Recommended:

Get I am Jackie Robinson*

Albert Einstein Video and Lesson for Kids

Alma Thomas Art Project

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France Country Study with Worksheets

French Lessons and Worksheets for Homeschool or Classroom

If you homeschool like we do, you're probably teaching several grade levels at once. For this France Country Study Lesson, we've found worksheets and activities that work for toddlers to tweens to teens. Scroll down for Videos on the French Revolution, French Word Search Printables, Famous Artists, Art Projects, and Games they play in France. School teachers, you'll find fun classroom activities and worksheets that work in a classroom setting too. Enjoy!

This post contains Amazon and other affiliate links for your convenience.

France Country Study with Worksheets.

Quick Facts about the Country of France.

Learn to speak French for Free with the Duo Lingo App or these French Language lessons.

This French Flag bookmark craft project from, Start at 5, works for preschoolers to high school.

For Elementary and Middle School, Make a Passport like this one from De Su Mama.

Printable Passport Activity from De Su Mama.

Make an Eiffel Tower with bits of colored straws like this one from Cutting Tiny Bites. While this craft activity is fun for elementary, it also aides preschoolers in fine motor skills.

Eiffel Tower Kids' Activity.

French History Lesson

The French Revolution











The French Revolution on BrainPop. (Must have password.)

Online Educational Game: French Revolution Time Zone X Game

French Revolution Worksheet for Middle School and High School.

Choose a Famous French Scientist and write a Biography.

Games from France

Hopscotch: This game is played outdoors on a flat, paved surface, but you can paint an old sheet or use cardboard squares to play indoors. You can also purchase a hopscotch board for indoor or outdoor play. Each player needs a small item to toss onto the hopscotch squares. Rocks or quarters work well. Not sure how to play? Get the rules to hopscotch.


Petanque: How to Play Petanque





La Semaine or "The Week"  is  played with 1 or more children with chalk and a pebble (pennies work too). Use the chalk to  draw seven squares in a row. Label each square with a day of the week.

Now, a player throws their pebble into the Monday box. If they miss, it is the next player's turn. If they hit it, they must jump on one foot to get to the stone, pick it up while still standing on one foot, and then jump back to the start.

Players repeat for each day of the week (seven times). Repeat the task every time a mistake is made. For example, they trip or hop on two feet. Game is won when one player covers all squares and makes it safely back start.

French Cricket You will need a Cricket bat or tennis racket and ball. Players stand in a circle. The first player stands with their feet together, defending the 'stumps,' which in French Cricket are the batman's legs below the knees. Now, the players in the circle take turns to bowl at the 'stumps' and the batsman must hit the ball away from them. The bowler gets clever to distract the batsman.


If the batman's legs are hit, he's out. He's also out if he moves his feet at any time from the original position. If the bowler, or any of the fielders around the circle, catch the ball before it hits the ground, the batsman is also out. Everyone takes a turn until the batsman is out. The bowler who 'stumps' the batsman takes his place.  

Worksheets

Make your own French Word Search

Muguet du 1er Mai Elementary Coloring Worksheet (First of May)

Printable Language Arts French Quotes Project for Middle School and High School



Famous French Artists










Paint like Matisse with this Still Life Art Lesson for Kids.

After you've learned all about France, get a taste of their culture and celebrate by making French Recipes. Enjoy these French cooking lessons and recipes for kids.



Recommended:

French Word Search Books

French Games for the Classroom

Build a Lego Eiffel Tower

Books about France

Country Study Afghanistan

Country Study China

French Cook books for Kids

How to Enter Indiana State Fair: County 4 H Fair

What to Know for 4 H Club 

How do I enter the Indiana State Fair? Want to know, we've got answers and all details of what to expect during your first year of 4 H. Enjoy!

Self Help Book for Life: Ordering Your Private World Review

Into Self Help Books?

Handlebar Marketing gave me a copy of this book for review; all opinions are my own.

Are you living in chaos? Do you perpetuate chaos? This blog is titled, Kids Creative Chaos, but several years ago, I was able to squash most of the chaos. I learned to say 'No' and not to overextend myself. I forgave myself for not attending every event or argument that crossed my path.

Amazon Affiliate: I get a small commission if you make a purchase from a link.

Some people need routines to organize the chaos. For me, the routines bred the chaos. Now, I take one day at a time and try to live every day to its fullest potential. Of course, on some days, life's fullest potential is just relaxing and watching a movie on Amazon- not something I felt comfortable doing in the past. How could I sit idle when so much needed done? If you are looking for a self help book for life, Ordering Your Private World is the perfect choice. Enjoy!

 

The first thing you need to know about Ordering Your Private World by Gordon MacDonald, is that it is a Christian book written by a pastor. It references scripture. For some that will be a win, but for others it may be a turn off - don't let it be. MacDonald's personal journey may be different from your own, but it is worth the read. Written in a conversational style, this self help book on life is a quick and easy read.

Book Blurb: One of the great battlegrounds is within the private world of the individual. The values of our Western culture would have us believe the busy, publicly active person in ministry is also the most spiritual. Tempted to give imbalanced attention to the public world at the expense of the private, we become involved in more programs, more meetings. Our massive responsibilities at home, work, and church have resulted in many good people on the verge of collapse.

In this updated classic, Ordering Your Private World, Gordon MacDonald equips a new generation to live life from the inside out, cultivating the inner victory necessary for public effectiveness.

The author shares his personal journey of a Pastor spread too thin. He shares a turning point that gave him insight and helped him realize the time had come to organize and take control of his own life. With a study guide to help you on your own organizational journey, in no time, you'll be on your way to a life led by your own spirituality focusing on what's really important and matters most to you.


Keep in touch, follow us on Instagram.



Recommended:

Get my book, Circle Time Handbook (Games and Activities for all ages.)

Homeschooling During the Coronavirus?

School Closure Home Learning

Have you unexpectedly been tossed into the throes of homeschooling since the Corona virus pandemic? If you've suddenly had to to become the school teacher, cafeteria lady, and janitor during these school closures, you're well aware that home learning is more difficult than it looks. So, how do you do homeschooling during the coronavirus pandemic? As seasoned homeschoolers, we're here to help. Below is a list of our favorite homeschool resources and some articles specifically addressing these troubled times and how to help your kids cope. What a life lesson this is, right?

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

For more on our personal journey scroll to the end.

Worried how school closure and remote learning will affect your child? Love them, support them, build them up, and they'll be fine. Think homeschoolers are weird? Maybe, depends on your perspective, but we're more normal than you think. We only had 7 months of brick and mortar school, but our previously homeschooled kids made the best of their first year of brick and mortar school. They miss school so much. When this is all over your kids will look forward to going to school too! I've added a photo album for our long time readers and fans. Enjoy!

I love this post! We have a similar experience.
Keep scrolling to see our homeschoolers' success in public school!

Tips for Home Learning and Coping during School Closures and Covid19 

• How to Homeschool Your Kids After a School Closure

• Help Children Cope with Changes due to Covid19

• Learning at Home During the Coronavirus Pandemic

• How to Make your Home into a Workable School

• Independent Learning Strategies During the Coronavirus Outbreak

• How to Talk to your Kids about Covid19

• More resources for parents, students, and teachers

These are scary times, so here's a Coronavirus meme to lighten the mood.

Educational Resources for Homeschooling during the Coronavirus

• Many of our older homeschool resources that target elementary students are listed in the homeschool tab on this site: Homeschool Learning Lessons for Elementary Age You can also do a search on our site for specific types of lessons like, grammar, math, and science.

• BrainPop has the most fun videos; I love them as much as my kids do. BrainPopJr. is great for the younger set. They are a paid service, but offer a free movie of the week and other free lessons.

• Life of Fred is our favorite home learning curriculum. We checked the books out at the library, that's probably not an option during these coronavirus times. You can get the Life of Fred books online at Amazon and on the Life of Fred website (Get the dolls!)

• Mobymax has free options for remote learning and homeschoolers. The great thing about this website is they find and fix learning gaps. Kids can take assessments to see where they fall and then do educational activities based on their grade level in different subjects. It's a great way to see if your child has been falling through the cracks in public school.

• TeachersPayTeachers and TeacherSherpa both offer great resources free and paid. The lesson plans are created by teachers for teachers, but homeschoolers and remote learners are welcome to download them too! Check out our store on TPT, it has some fun educational skits to do with the kids, we even have a play about the Easter Bunny!

Here's a FREE SCIENCE LESSON RESOURCE on COVID19

• Khan Academy is not for the faint of heart. If you're all in to the homeschooling thing, give it a try. We used it for several years. It's a free learning resource originally targeted toward middle schoolers and high schoolers, but now offers lessons for elementary too. It feels a lot more like "real school" than some of the other online options and keeps track of your progress and grade level.

• Why not give this difficult time a fun spin? Our Summer Camp Handbook is edutainment at its best! Enjoy science experiments, PE Activities, and more disguised as fun! 

• We also love CrashCourse with John and Hank Green. (Yes, that John Green!) You'll even find some of their lessons on Khan Academy. These are super fun, especially for older students.

Best Homeschool Blogs

Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers

Hip Homeschool Moms

The Relaxed Homeschooler

Life of a Homeschool Mom

I Can Teach My Child

The Educator's Spin on it

Raising Lifelong Learners

First day of public school 2019.

We hope these resources help ease your mind and put you on the right track for remote home learning during the Coronavirus pandemic situation. Remember, homeschooling isn't easy and not all parents nor all kids are cut out for it. 

Bowling allows for socialization and physical activity. During the quarantine,
bowl with your game console or set up milk jugs to knock down with a basketball.

Do the best you can. Don't overdo it! If you take it too seriously, your kids won't enjoy it and neither will you. Make learning fun, make it light, and focus on those skills that are best learned at home: writing letters, sending emails, tying shoes, telling time, how to follow a recipe, chores (consider doing laundry a PE activity,) working on cars, putting together puzzles, dice games, Minecraft Uno or any Uno game, and anything that brings your family closer together.

Dress up day.

Note: This past year, my kids decided to go back to public school. My 15 year-old was placed as a high learning junior taking all senior and college level courses, my 13 year-old is a well-rounded, straight A, school loving eighth grader. 

In previous years, we spent a maximum of 2 hours a day on book learning. The rest  of our day was focused on healthy outdoor activities, field trips to museums, special events at the library, and a local homeschool group for "socialization." Turns out, it was more than enough. 

Take it easy, don't stress out, and remember that YOU CAN DO IT!

Made the grade, first semester honor roll.

Never played football in his life. Made the team!

Loving the school band.

My son was looking forward to performing in the high school play, finishing building a home for Habitat for Humanity, trying out different sports and clubs, and now, that will have to wait until next year. My daughter was on an academic team, loving art club, playing in the school band, and appreciating school for its many wonderful opportunities. I took great pride and joy watching them try new things. My heart aches for their loss and for the loss of those long time public school seniors who are missing out on their last school dance, possibly graduation, and all the joys of being a high school senior. If nothing else, this experience will teach us not to take life for granted. 

Never forget, no matter how stressful it gets, getting to stay home with your kids is a gift.

Good Luck, go hug your kids!