DIY Educational Games from Recycled Materials for Earth Day

Want to encourage cooperative learning among students? Want to develop hands-on games and teaching materials? Need fast, easy, cheap homeschool materials? Need active learning games to help students learn content? Want to use recycled materials to make teaching tools? Whew, that's a long order. But no worries--I've got you covered. Here are homemade game ideas using recycled materials--perfect for Earth Day! DIY Educational Games: Easy and Cheap to Make from Recycled Materials

Free Educational Board Games to Print

I've got a thing about making learning fun. My heart goes out to kids when homework is boring and worksheets rote and repetitive. It's become my magnum opus to find or make activities that students will learn from and enjoy. I guarantee, that when concepts are made interesting and lessons interactive and hands-on, teachers have fewer discipline problems. I began teaching in 1985 and homeschooling in 1995. We didn't have the wealth of materials available online. Oh ye of the internet generation, take advantage of those resources. Here are links for free printable games to teach just about any content imaginable, from alphabet to zoology! These games are suited to preschool, kindergarten, early elementary and special education. My CI students adored bingo, matching, and file folder games like these! Get double fun making craft-games. Print and let kids cut, color, paste and assemble. Two lessons in one! To get them, click  Free Printable Preschool Board Games, Learning Activities

Free Printable Robotics, Physics Activities

Robotics and technology are popular themes in elementary and middle school science classes. Some schools have a robotics lab where kids can create inventions. It's part of their enrichment classes. If your school doesn't have that or if you're homeschooling, here are free printable robotics games, simulations, experiments, inventions, lessons plans. Most activities show kids how to design inventions using only basic household materials.  Free Robotics Activities

Choosing Best Kids' Toys and Christmas Presents

One of my favorite parts of Christmas is buying gifts for kids. I love choosing toys, but I'm very picky. I demand that toy gifts I buy have some intrinsic educational value. And there are a lot of junk toys on the market. How do you wade through the chaff to find the best gifts for kids? Focus on interactive, active and hands-on. Avoid anything with a screen and battery! Here's the complete guide from a 25-year veteran teacher and 24-year mom of four.  Read more

Free Printable Native American Lesson Plans, Games

Here is lesson one in a unit on American natives. In this lesson, we will explore the culture of  the eastern woodland 'Indians' from the eastern seaboard region. We will look at cultural patterns, history, geography, peoples and tribal relations of this region. This unit is multisensory, cross-curricular and can be used and adapted with many ages and grades. This unit addresses history, geography, culture, core democratic values, math, art, literature, science, music, reading, writing and media skills. I've included web resources, books, music and materials you'll need. You'll find free printable native American activities, games, lesson plans.

Free Printable PBS Zoom Games, Activities, Science Recipes

Free Printable Science Activities and Recipes from PBS ZOOM The purpose of PBS's ZOOM television show was to make learning fun. ZOOM featured kid-friendly hands-on science projects using common household objects. Here are free printable activities from the ZOOM episodes. Great engineering games and science simulation activities. Many recipes for clay, paint, glue, foam and other neat wacky stuff. Click for fun...