Unit Studies: Fun, Active, and Creative Learning Join our group to share your ideas for making learning fun, active and creative for all.
Reading each of the lenses in this group will help each of us discover new ideas and inspire new lenses. Please read and rate several lenses each week. I intend to feature all of the lenses in our group. If you do not see one here, let me know so I can add it.Hands-on Learning
Join our group to share your ideas for making learning fun, active and creative
Check out our lenses for games, books, bulletin board ideas, ways to present projects, ways to integrate math into social studies projects, songs to teach the periodic table, links to other sites, ideas you never thought of before. Add your lens and share your ideas.As Jill Hauser says in Kindergarten Success:
Children construct their own sense of their world through play, exploration, and experimentation. In the process, new knowledge is applied and integrated to deepen learning.
Through the process of communication, children organize their ideas and solidify their understanding.
The more connected the learning, the more meaningful it is to the child and the better it is understood.
Look here for ways to apply new learning across the curriculum in the classroom or throughout the day at home.
We look for ideas that will challenge children to think critically and creatively.
Promoting deeper understanding rather than rote memorization gives kids the capability to apply new skills and strategies.
This is not only for kindergarteners, it is true for all of us.
Every Day brings new ideas
These are the newest lenses added to Unit Studies: Fun,Active, and Creative Learning
Unit Studies are ways to integrate all areas of the curriculum into one theme. Making that theme active, hands-on and creative makes it fun.
Bird Rescue, Mark Twain Audio Books, Charles Dickens Audio Books, Christian Childrens Books, William Shakespeare Audio Books
Who is Leading the Pack?
These are the Lensmasters that have added the Newest Lenses
Unit Studies
Study Driven: A Framework for Planning Units of Study in the Writing Workshop by Katie Wood Ray
<p>No matter what grade you teach, w more...0 points
First Grade Writers: Units of Study to Help Children Plan, Organize, and Structure Their Ideas by Stephanie Parsons
<p><i>What readers wil more...0 points
Creative Resources for the Early Childhood Classroom by Judy Herr
Creative Resource for the Early Childhood Classroo more...0 points
Lenses for Learning
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Creatures of the Woodlands
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It is Springtime! The little Woodland Creatures are building nests, peaking their heads out of their dens and preparing to bring new life to the forest. The Thornton Burgess Books, such as Old Mother Westwind, are just full of charming woodland creatu...
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Take Home Literacy Bags
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TAKE HOME LITERACY BAGS are a fun way to help children share what they are learning with their families. Children take these literacy bags home, read the stories, do the activities with their families and then write about their experiences in the jou...
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Bluebirds: Classroom Meadow Theme
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Summer nears and the bluebirds start nesting along the fenceline. The children are fascinated with the way they fly back and forth to build their nests. They become the focus of our next Unit Study, Bluebirds of the Meadow. As your little bluebirds...
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Games: A Fun Way to Learn
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What do kids do best? Play of course. Why not encourage this natural tendency by providing your children with great entertaining games that just happen to be educational as well. Educational Games such as Mancala and Set teach math concep...
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American Black Bear (Ursus americanus)
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This page contains facts about the American black bear, including physical traits, behavior, diet, reproduction, communication, tracks, and signs. You'll also find lots of pictures of bears!
Books with Teaching Ideas
Which ones are your favorites?
Mathematics Their Way, Blackline Masters by Mary Baratta-Lorton
Playful, enjoyable activities develop insight and more...3 points
Count on Math: Activities for Small Hands and Lively Minds by Pamela Schiller
3 - 7 years. Loaded with over 450 activities that more...3 points
More Lenses for Learning
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Lemmings: Arctic Classroom Theme
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When the winds start to howl and the snow begins to blow you can capture your student's attention with this innovative Arctic Unit Study focusing on lemmings. Your little lemmings will be excited to learn with a theme that includes little furry crea...
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Science for Preschoolers
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There are so many things that we can do with preschoolers to help develop their scientific thinking skills. Let's get them thinking scientifically at an early age because there is so much to explore.
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Beginning to Read
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Mrs. Wishy Washy and The Big Bad Pig are inviting you all beginning readers to join them in the adventure of learning to read. Learn how to make Word Walls, Literacy Bags, activities for Center Time and lots, lots, more. You will find suggested begi...
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River Otters: Playful Friends of our society!
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Learn about River Otters through games and hands-on learning centers. Decorate you classroom with a Woodlands Riverbank Theme. Learn the habits of River Otters, the food they eat and how they raise their young. You will find suggestions for both fic...
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Frog Unit Study: Hopping to Learn
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The spring continues to warm the earth and frogs are laying eggs in the vernal pools. As the tadpoles begin to hatch, what will they be learning? Pull up a lily pad and listen to the story of Grandfather Frog, hop around the hundreds board, and leav...
There are many ways to teach.
More Lenses for Learning
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Teaching from the Heart
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This lens will tell you about some famous and not so famous teachers, methods of teaching and ways to engage children in learning. Think about the great teachers you have known who truly care about children. They inspire children to do their best an...
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The Redwall Series!
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Brian Jacques definitely started an exciting series when he published his first book, "Redwall". The book was a great tale of a horde of rats attacking a large abbey for animals, and a young mouse's rise to Warrior of Redwall Abbey (see bel...
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Making delicious treats for all birds
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A fun, easy activity anyone can do from all ages. Make a delicious bird treat by using pine cones, peanut butter and birdseed. These delicious bird treats are ideal for getting children involved in bird watching.
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Fun Math Games
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My kids on the whole are a pretty happy bunch and they've always got on well with every subject at school...apart from math. My son never had a problem with it, but both my girls have struggled with math all through school. Every time a new topi...
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Hands-on Math
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Children learn and truly understand mathematical concepts best when engaged in hands-on activities and games. By manipulating everyday objects, playing games and finding out ways of solving everyday problems children gain a true understanding of the...
Even More Lenses for Learning
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Common Rodents: Rats and Mice
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After reading this sentence, close your eyes and think of the word "rodent", then think of the first rodent that comes to mind. It's a mouse or rat, right? Of course it is! Rats and mice are perhaps the most common rodents other than lemmi...
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The Nocturna Series
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The Nocturna Series is an exciting book series about the adventures of a young hammouse (hamster+mouse=hammouse) who stands for naught but justice and safety. She confronts dangers, perils, and loss of friends, on her epic battle against raging enemi...
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Princess Tutu
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Princess Tutu is based on a story within a story. It begins by telling the story of a storyteller who died, leaving his tale of a battle between a prince and an evil raven unfinished. Frustrated at their battle being left unfinished, the prince...
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How To Get Your Kids into Birding
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Want to get your kids outside, away from TV and video games? Get them interested in birding. Here you find my recommendations for field guides, fun books, and basic equipment. It doesn't cost much and can turn into a lifelong hobby.
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Baby Animal Pictures
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This page is about baby animals and pictures of them. Living in the woods, as I do, gives me a special appreciation for nature, animals, and especially baby animals. I love to see the little ones with their mamma. I've included on...
Yet Even More Lenses for Learning
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What happened to RECESS?
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Do you remember the games you played during recess as a child? Think about all the physical activity that involved and what you learned from those recess games. Did you know that more and more recess is being replaced by testing and homework? While...
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Doin' the Bone Dance and Other Creative Ways to Learn Bone Anatomy
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Teaching children about bone anatomy can be made a bit easier and a lot more fun for the children by using some songs, dances and available innovative educational tools. The idea for this lens came after watching a recent episode of Hannah Montana the...
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Bird Rescue
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My passion for birds has been a life long love affair. I will be sharing this passion with you. You will especially learn from this website how to care for baby birds, both wild life birds and pet babybirds (sometimes rejected by parents). The keynot...
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Dia de los Muertos - Day of the Dead
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Although occurring around the same time of the year as Halloween, Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead, celebrated in many Latin American countries, is a very different holiday, with a very different focus. This festival to celebrate the...
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Whitefoot the Wood Mouse: A Mouse Unit Study
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Whitefoot the Wood Mouse welcomes everyone to his nest where learning never ends. He has dozens of mouse related activities to teach young children across the curriculum. Whitefoot welcomes homeschoolers, teachers, parents and children to turn into...
We can all learn from eachother.
Yet Even More Lenses for Learning
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Astronomy Activities: It's a Starry Starry Classroom
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From Astronomy to Art this lens will give you dozens of ideas, resources, hints and tricks to create starry-themed activities for both homeschool families and classrooms. Learn about Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Starry Night painting technique. Lis...
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What Do You Know About Penguins?
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With the DVD release of Happy Feet, and Surfs Up penguins are cool again. I wanted to take this opportunity to share some information about penguins with you. They are very interesting creatures, and we should all learn a little more about them. Ther...
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Pete Seeger - The Power of Song
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Pete Seeger has sung for peace and justice for generations. Now there is a documentary of Pete Seeger's life entitled Pete Seeger - The Power of Song being shown on PBS and a Film festivals from Olklahoma to Vermont. But don't stop there. The lesso...
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It's Raining! It's Pouring!
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Water, rain, puddles, wetness... This lens will give you dozens of ideas, resources, hints and tricks to create water-themed rainy activities for both homeschool families and classrooms. There are endless possibilities to spark the interest of your...
The Newest Lenses for Learning
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Sundials: How to Make a Sundial, How they Work and Some Sundial History
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Many people think of sundials as nothing more than historical curiosities. How wrong can you be? Sundials are fantastic things to have in your garden, incredibly beautiful focal points just like any urn or garden sculpture. But sundials are so much m...
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Garner Rix and the Royalton Raid
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Garner Rix was just 12 when he moved with his father, pregnant mother, two sisters and three brothers from a farm in Connecticut to a log cabin on the banks of the White River, a place that would one day be called Royalton, Vermont. He helped h...
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Astronomy Activities: It's a Starry Starry Classroom
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From Astronomy to Art this lens will give you dozens of ideas, resources, hints and tricks to create starry-themed activities for both homeschool families and classrooms. Learn about Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Starry Night painting technique. Lis...
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Peace Ornaments - Ornaments to Remember - For Any Time
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A special selection of Ornaments Ornaments to inspire peace and remember loved ones who have died year 'round. Some of the Ornaments are designed for high quality porcelain and available through Cafe Press stores; others have been carefully selected f...
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Tiger Island: The Awesome Pawsome
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Tiger Island Zoo is raising tigers in order to save the gene pool of these endangered big cats. Sign a Petition to Save Tigers and learn tiger facts. And the Awesome Pawsome are born! Taj, Sultan, Rama and Sita come into the world, and Taj is th...
The Newest Lenses for Fun,Active, and Creative Learning
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Crafty Kids
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My fondest memories of elementary school are making the crafts and art projects, I still have some of those projects today..they are yellow and crumbling to pieces but I have them and I am not letting them go! Being that I am computer illiterate...
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Dr. Seuss
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There are probably few children and grown-ups who haven't read at least one of the imaginative works of Theodor Geisel. The children's books of Dr. Seuss, such as the Cat in the Hat, Horton Hears a Who and Green Eggs and Ham have become classics for...
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Baby Birds
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Here you'll find pictures of baby birds and birds at the nest. It's a rare treat to see birds feeding their young at the nest and some photographers have captured this moment. I love birds and hope to share some of those special moments with you. T...
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How to Teach a Child or Teen to Knit
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Now that the weather is getting cooler, I am going to try again to teach my daughters the art of knitting. For me it is a relaxing past-time, something that I can do while I am sitting, so I don't have idle hands. I learned to knit from my mother, w...
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The Circle Journal
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This style of journaling ought to be considered a circle of life diary. It is a way to celebrate your accomplishments, share new things you have learned, connect with someone you may not see all the time. By your words alone you'll certainly help som...
The Very, Very Newest Featured Lenses
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Love Actually
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Love Actually is a romantic comedy film that looks at love in all it's various guises. With comedy, tragedy, love and hope it helps to counteract the feeling of hopelessness caused by 911 and the Wars being waged around the world. It is one of the b...
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Purple Gallinules of the Everglades
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Gallinules are spectacular creatures. The can be found walking on water lilies in the canals throughout the Everglades. One day we took a trip to the Everglades and saw a Purple Gallinule for the first time. It's vibrant colors are unbelievable. We...
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Alligator Pie, Alligator Pie...
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Alligator Pie is a great poem for introducing the alligator theme. Use it in a reading chart and then go on to learn about the alligators. Alligators bring us eye to eye with the watery, muddy world of the swamp. Write a poem or explore an alligato...
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Flip the Pancake and Sing about Waffles
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You can make the best waffles and pancakes with the cast iron griddles and pure Vermont Maple Syrup. To get you in the mood you gotta check out the video "Do you like pancakes?" My daughter drew the cats that keep popping up around the Waffles. So...
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Flip Video Camcorder to Inspire Creativity and Capture Family Fun
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Oprah's not the only one Flipping for this new easy to use Video Camcorder. Buyers have made the Flip Video Ultra Camcorder the Number 1 Flash Memory Camcorder on Amazon. For anyone who has had the chance to use a Flip Camcorder it is easy to see wh...
Great New Lenses keep joining us ever day
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Activity Preschool Education
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Helping preschoolers prepare for school and life is both exciting and challenging. We are all about helping you help your little ones learn and develop! Learn more about activity preschool education here
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The Very Best Music for Children
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A love of music is one of the greatest gifts you can give your children.
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History is a Story: Teaching History the Interesting Way
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Welcome to Chapter 4 of Noori's Library: History is a Story, dedicated to sharing the best historical fiction and non-fiction for kids from preschool to high school and beyond.
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Motivating Reluctant Readers
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In a time when children are becoming increasingly savy about how they spend their time it can be really hard to get children to pick up a book. The long term implications of this are not to be underestimated, reading is a life long skill that we use...
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Adjectives: A Unit Study for Valentine's Day
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Fill the day with arts, crafts, science experiments and ways to say I Love You. Pour out your feelings of love throughout the day. But it's not Valentine's Day you say? No Problem, these activities adapt to any other day or holiday. You will find b...
Lenses that Inspire learning
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Hey Kids, Go Play With Your Kool-Aid!!
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Awesome, non-edible Kool-Aid recipes that will entertain your kids for hours. All moms and dads dread these words... "I'm bored". It drives me crazy when my kids complain about being bored when I know they've got a room full of toys and books but I...
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Recycle Your Digital Camera…to a Child
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This photograph was taken by a 7 yr. old recording her world. You are encouraging creativity and memories. I wish I had some pictures of my favorite toys, don't you?
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Elementary Science Fair Projects
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Doing Elementary Science Fair Projects has never been this easy. You do not have to spend days and months on it. Even if you do not have a lot of time you can share in the fun. Elementary Science Fair Projects can easily be done in 24 hours and mostl...
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Bacteria 101- Protect yourself from MRSA, Salmonella, E.coli, flesh eating disease, more!
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For the past 5 years, I have worked as a microbiologist in a local hospital. I decided to write this lens to possibly offer a little clarity to someone looking for answers to some common questions about bacteria and infection. Questions like: What is...
Hands-On Ideas are just a Click away
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Russ Puppets
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Russ Berrie has always made top-of-the-line toys, their plush animals are wonderful and life-like - Russ Puppets are also great! Very cute and cuddly puppets, some of which have warmed the hearts of children for many many years. The collection below...
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Read Aloud Books For Families
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Welcome! I hope you will enjoy reading this lens about the fun (and importance) of reading aloud with your family. I'll discuss why reading together is so great for families, what kinds of books make good read-aloud material, what ages to...
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St. Patrick's Day Coloring Fun
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St. Patrick's Day coloring fun - pictures to color in, posters to colour, Ireland flags and St. Patrick's Day coloring cards - even pages you can color with your computer for St. Patrick's Day! In this St. Patrick's Day coloring lens you'll find lin...
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Learning To Read Books
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It is never too early to begin teaching your child to read, or at least laying the foundation for early literacy skills, and it can definitely be left too late! If you are not sure then think about this. Statistically, more American children suffer...
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Learning The Alphabet Letters
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One of the first steps in becoming a successful reader is learning the alphabet letters. The alphabetic principle teaches that spoken language is represented by written words that are made up of varying combinations of letters, and that these letters...
Lenses that keep the ideas flowing
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Do You Know a Fancy Nancy?
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Do you have a Fancy Nancy in your house? A Fancy Nancy likes sparkles and glitter, lace and tulle. No amount of jewelry is too much. Tutus, boas, and satin are the latest fashion and she will wear them anywhere. Fancy Nancy is not just for little gi...
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Preschool Activities Queen Lensography
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I have been studying, researching and writing about preschool education topics ever since my son graduated from baby to toddler. This lens is simply a showcase of my many preschool-related lenses. Learn more about preschool activities here
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Reading Strategies
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Developing tracking skills is key to your child's literacy development. Tracking in reading is the ability to follow a line of type across a page from left to right and from the top of the page to the bottom. Most educators agree that effective trac...
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Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?
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How do you feel about Gray Wolves? What do you know about wolves in general? Do wolves really dress in Grandma's clothes and eat little girls? Learn about the anatomy of these fascinating canines, where they live, their distinctive features and how...
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Celebrating Pi Day 3.14
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Mmmm. Pi Day! The nerdy holiday celebrated by math geeks worldwide. This is the day we gather around to celebrate that amazing little (long) number, pi. Pi, approximately 3.14159, is the mysterious mathematical constant (number) that represents the...
Lensmasters that Teach Us Something New Everyday
Lenses where the learning never ends
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Earth Day Trivia Questions And Answers
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Find more free trivia questions and answers here 1. When was the first Earth Day celebrated? A. March 21, 1970 B. April 22, 1970 C. May 21, 1970 D. June 22, 1970 A. March 21, 1970 QQ: First celebrated in the U.S. on this date, it has been celebrate...
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Is your child having trouble reading?
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Helping your child to overcome reading trouble early is very important. As children get older they become increasingly frustrated and their overall academic performance is compromised. The good news is that children can improve their reading skills....
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Bible Crafts For Kids
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I have been participating in a community project today and to my surprise I learned something very valuable. Bible crafts for kids do not have to be very complicated or "new." A simple craft, a collage like we did today, can really be fun and get eve...
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Riverdance: Traditional Step Dancing
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Riverdance intrigues me. The rapid leg movements of the traditional Irish Step Dancing are a form of dance that I had never known or experienced until I saw Riverdance. How can they move their feet so rapidly without moving the rest of their bodies?...
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Woodchucks: How much learning could a Woodchuck teach if a Woodchuck could teach school?
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Woodchucks chuck wood and Groundhogs determine the coming of spring. They eat your garden, dig holes under the porch but look adorable when they are first born and start to venture out of their dens. Watching the woodchuck babies venturing out from...
Kid Friendly Ideas abound in these Unit Studies
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Animals that Lay Eggs
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Everyone knows that chickens lay eggs. Most people know that all other birds do as well but have you ever thought about all the other animals that lay eggs? This unit explores eggs and egg layers. You will find dozens of ideas for teaching about Ovi...
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Rudolf Steiner the founder of Anthroposophy
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(1861-1925) Founder of Waldorf education, alternative farming methods (bio-dynamic farming), alternative health practices and dietary advice - Rudolf Steiner was way ahead of his time. Rudolf Steiner was quite a learned man. He was an expert on Goet...
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Hamtaro
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Hamtaro is an adventurous and curious hamster who belongs to a girl named Laura (named Amy in the original books), and who secretly leads a society of hamsters called the Ham-hams. While he rescues hamsters in trouble and goes on huge adventures, he...
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The Three Bears
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There are the three bears that Goldilocks encountered but in Alaska there are also three types of real bears. (Ok, Four if you count the Kodiak but it fits the tale better to combine the Kodiak with the Brown or Grizzly Bears.) The three best known...
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Word Walls and Pointers
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Word walls are a collection of words for beginning readers to use to promote learning in reading and writing. WordWalls are most effective when the children help to generate them. This lens will point out various types of WordWalls used in classroom...
Check out these Kid-Friendly Winning Lenses
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Animal Tracks Unit Study
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When you study nature it is often hard to get close to the animals you are studying but often they leave their tracks. Learning to recognize the tracks of the animals that live near you will let your know which ones are visiting you. Animal tracks a...
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Stone Soup
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A weary, poor traveller arrived in a small village. He had no food or money and had not eaten in days. The one thing he did have was a cooking pot that he used on those rare occasions when he had something to cook. He built a small cooking fire, pla...
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We're All Winners
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“We’re All Winners” is an educational fitness activity designed to let young children have fun, learn a bit about being safe in the sun and then participate in a non-racing, solo running activity. The main goal of the event is to cr...
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EZ Doodle
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EZ Doodle was designed for young children and the young at heart, a simplified way to expand their horizon and allow their hidden artist to emerge. A wonderful way for children to spend those rainy days and let their imaginations grow. I have develop...
Lenses that Spark the Imagination
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Examples Of Science Fair Projects
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Getting good examples of science fair projects are not always that easy. It feels as if it has all been done before. Or maybe you have left it too late and now you are desperately searching for a good idea. This is what this lens is about. I'm taking...
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Art Projects for Toddlers
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My daughter goes to nursery school. I love the art projects they make in class so I decided to share them to inspire others. If you are looking for toddler artwork ideas or just ideas to keep your child entertained, take a look at these easy, fun to...
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By adding your lens you not only let everyone else know about it but it can also increase the number of web pages linking back to your lens which will increase lens rank.
Want to increase lens rank even more? Grab this plexo and add it to your page. Whenever anyone adds to a plexo it increases the links.
http://squidoo.com/bacteria
A basic overview of bacteria, good and bad. Includ more...3 points
Purple Gallinules of the Everglades
Gallinules are spectacular creatures. The can be f more...3 points
Fancy Nancy
Do you have a Fancy Nancy in your house? A Fancy N more...1 point
How do you keep your children actively learning?
Share your ideas for fun, active hands-on learning!
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SherryHolderHunt
Hi everyone, what a marvelous place to learn so many things! It will take a little time but I plan to drop by and check out all of them. See you soon. Posted June 07, 2008 |
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thebrandes
Has anyone used the website handsofachild.com? I get lapbooks from them sometimes. Great with unit studies! Posted March 04, 2008 |
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Evelyn_Saenz
Hi Tonya, Posted February 18, 2008 |
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tonyab
Hello Evelyn, Thanks for paying me a visit. I added my Russ Puppets lens. I love this group - it's great! :) Posted February 18, 2008 |
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Shellonline
Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this wonderful group. It looks like a great place to be! Posted January 03, 2008 |
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Evelyn_Saenz
Welcome All New Lensmasters. Posted December 20, 2007 |
