Here is a handy list of links to download FREE printable activities and ideas to engage children with informational picture books such as Step by Step, Fraction Action, Amazing Plant Powers, and Seeing SYMMETRY by Loreen Leedy…
Read MoreFree activity guide for Loreen Leedy books
What happens when a web site is out of date? Google sends you ominous emails saying your site is not "mobile friendly," which is clearly a bad thing (...cue the scary music.) The tricky part was that each one of my 40+ books had a separate page with a good amount of relevant information and I couldn’t figure out how to easily transfer all these pages to the new site. This stalled all progress for awhile until I decided to downsize the new site, leave out the older book pages, and create an archive instead…
Read More50+ ways to use comic templates in the classroom
Kids of all ages love cartoon characters and comics, so why not take advantage of that positive connection? Comic strips are sequential in nature and generally use both words and images to convey their message. Templates are a good option because having the panels already on the page provides some helpful structure and takes away the fear of the dreaded "blank page”…
Read MoreWhy printouts are wonky (and how to fix it)
It's so annoying to print out a PDF and what you see onscreen is NOT what gets printed on the page. To achieve WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) may seem an impossible task with many desktop printers or maybe it's just my HP Officejet. But with just a tweak or two plus some test prints, there is hope…
Read MoreGrowth Mindset Rebus Puzzles
Many teachers, school counselors, and parents are using growth mindset concepts to help children learn more effectively. As students find out how their own brains work, they learn methods to “train their brain” such as choosing a different strategy, extra practice, making a plan, and thinking outside the box.
One growth mindset principle is that struggle is the start of making new pathways in…
Read More21+ Activity Ideas for Nonfiction Children’s Books
Parents, teachers, librarians, and children’s book authors have the same goal, to inspire kids to become good readers for academic and career success as well as lifelong enjoyment. It's vital for students to master informational texts according to the education learning goals set forth in…
Read MorePlant Adaptation Book and Activities
Amazing Plant Powers has been out for awhile but I just got around to making these FREE printable activity pages...oops! This picture book is full of information about plant adaptations and has received nice reviews such as "A great supplement to plant units, and a welcome introduction to informational texts,” from a review by School Library Journal...
Read MoreAnimal Tracks Snacks!
To celebrate my upcoming book Step by Step, I’ve been brainstorming ideas for using it in the classroom, such as in this previous post. Recently, while browsing through Instagram, some creative posts under hashtags such as #funfoodforkids and #healthykidsfood inspired me into a flurry of scribbling. Wouldn’t it be fun to munch on some pepperoni paw prints or deer footprints in cream cheese “snow”...
Read MoreMaking Animal Tracks Step by Step
If you're planning baby animal, nature, or habitat themes for primary kids in your classroom or library, my new nonfiction picture book Step by Step will come in handy. The book starts with pages full of muddy paw prints and the question, "Who walks in the mud?” When young readers turn the page they'll find the answer...
Read MoreEaster egg math activity with symmetry
The Easter bunny wants a selfie too, and one with symmetry is extra special, don't you agree? Any image with line symmetry can be used; the idea is for Kindergarten to Grade 4 students to make every shape on one half the same color as the corresponding shape on the other half. For example, if one cheek is pink, they will color the other cheek pink also. Here are a few symmetry words and concepts this activity will review:...
Read MoreFrom print to digital with a picture book
Some years ago I wrote and illustrated a nonfiction picture book about the life cycle story of sea turtles that was published by Doubleday. Tracks in the Sand had a starred review, multiple printings, and was named an Outstanding Science Trade Book by the National Science Teachers Association. But like most books, it eventually went out of print and could only be found in libraries or perhaps a used book store.
The funny thing is, the sea turtle life cycle has not changed in millions of years...
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