Mrs. Smucker's Room

The Math Manipulatives Hiding in a Junk Drawer When parents ask how to get the benefits of manipulatives like base 10 blocks in distance learning, teachers can share strategies for using common household items.

Let the children speak. Let them think. Let them wonder.⁣
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Sometimes you might have to be a bit silent. Don’t ask too many questions. But, don’t ignore. ⁣
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It’s a balance and you will know what feels right when you feel the wonder take over!

If you're a Harry Potter fan, here's a new, free book to read during Covid-19.

J.K. Rowling Introduces The Ickabog - J.K. Rowling About The Ickabog The idea for The Ickabog came to me while I was still writing Harry Potter. I wrote most of a first draft in fits and starts between Potter books, intending to publish it after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. However, after the last Potter book I wanted to take a break […]

Way to turn something that can feel scary and uncomfortable into something fun and silly. Want to make an activity about it? Write the story that goes with your favorite cover.

Sesame Street Will Explain COVID-19 To Your Kids In A Town Hall Meeting This Saturday Kids have a lot of questions right now. Why can't they see their friends? How is this virus different than the cold? Why is school out? Well, Sesame Street, once again, has our backs. They've

Official school activities are important, but there are plenty of everyday activities that count as learning too! 16 Everyday Activities That Count as Learning ---> https://bit.ly/34SbJIb

Reading is FUN! Don't believe me? Use voices, movement, and rhythm like Wes.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=hqIbEHNqbPs

FOX IN SOX | Dr. Seuss Raps over Dr. Dre Beats Wes Tank raps Dr. Seuss' classic children's book "Fox in Sox" over Dr. Dre's legendary hip hop beats for "What's the Difference" and "Let Me Ride". All words...

Like animals? The Birmingham Zoo is hosting a Virtual Camp Mon, Wed, and Fri at 11:00 with lots of great animal information and activities.

https://www.birminghamzoo.com/virtualzoocamp/?fbclid=IwAR1OAqtLRoYoedr3N6D5ojc61ZAiuEk0GmXV28K-5odwjszf7R0fT31Sb2k

Ready for some fun? Ask your kid(s) these 16 questions!

1. If you won a million dollars, what would you buy?

2. How long does it take to get to the U.K.?

3. What does mommy always say to you?

4. What job would you like to do when you grow up?

5. What is the capital of America?

6. Where do babies come from?

7. At what age do you become an adult?

8. If you could change one rule your family has what would it be?

9. If you could be a superhero, what superpower would you have?

10. What would you do to save the world?

11. If you could eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?

12. How much does it cost to buy a house?

13. Why do you think we should be nice to one another?

14. What does love mean?

15. What are you scared of?

16. What is SO important to you?

Looking for some less structured or scheduled ways to learn at home? Here are some good options.

Why Learning at Home Should Be More Self-Directed—and Less Structured On March 18, 2020, Simone Kern tweeted that simply “recreating schools at home” passes up a golden opportunity to engage kids in authentic, self-directed learning.

Check out these online science demonstrations!

Don't forget to visit our page at 10am tomorrow (4/2) for Story Time and a demonstration on the Adaptations of Bird Beaks!

Here are some more no-prep activities to keep everyone in your house moving.

Here's another great movement break idea from one of my favorite teacher friends! If you get stuck inside while it rains today, try some Disney Zumba!

10 Disney Zumba Videos To Work Up A Magical Sweat | Inside the Magic If you love Disney music, and occasionally a Disney dance party, then this is the Disney Zumba playlist for you! Dance your Main Street Heart out.

Here's a long list of authors reading their books online. They are great for story time, writing inspiration, or to turn into skits and games.

The Big List of Children's Authors Doing Online Read Alouds & Activities Get reading and writing!

You don't need to be a grown up to change the world.

To all the parents and families out there, you are not alone. Your students' teachers miss them, think about them daily, and are working hard to keep connections and learning going for the rest of the year.

This. 🧡

Looking for indoor recess ideas or need a movement break? GoNoodle videos were always my students' favorite ways to wiggle and move!

GoNoodle | Get Moving GoNoodle videos get kids moving to be their strongest, bravest, silliest, smartest, bestest selves. Over 14 million kids each month are dancing, stretching, ...

Need to escape the house? Here are virtual field trips that help! I recommend picking one a day. They make for great writing prompts and family discussions.

Virtual Field Trips | Freedom Homeschooling Through virtual field trips, your children can visit other states, countries across the globe, and even other planets. Here's a list of virtual field trips.

There is a LOT of truth to this! While I encourage you to read and keep up with your academics, it's important to remember that stressed adults cannot teach stressed students. Relationships and feelings have to come before academic engagement and success.

Here as some home-learning suggestions from a good friend of mine...

This is a great way to move your body and energize your brain! I recommend a movement break at least every 30 minutes when learning.

This would be great to share with parents! Think of the sight words they could practice, spelling, vocabulary, etc!

Looking for some fun science experiences using things you already have at home? Here are a couple of ideas to get your started.

Don't forget to talk to your kids about science safety - especially protecting their skin and eyes when doing experiments.

63 Easy Science Experiments for Kids Using Household Stuff Execute mind-blowing science experiments with stuff you have around the house.

Hi! I have been thinking about all of my former students, and my friends' kids at home, a LOT this past week! I know there are a lot of changes happening right now, and my teacher-self can't stand not helping the kids through this transition. So welcome to my classroom! I'll host online video chats to stay connected, share at-home learning activities, and create videos helping students with their homework.