Dark Testament -- Powerful Blackout Poems in Response to George Floyd's Murder -- Black History Month

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I am sure you remember the George Floyd murder. It was May 2020. We were in the middle of the worldwide pandemic and yet we watched as a white police officer had his knee on George Floyd's neck for nine minutes. We hear George Floyd utter he cannot breathe. The country broke out into chaos full of horror, anger and more. There were peaceful marches as well as riots. The event brought racism into the forefront of the United States news and mind. It forced white people to think about how Black people are treated and to realize how many innocent Black people (often men) are murdered because of the color of their skin. 

Fractal Tree -- Geometry Class Project

 

One of my goals this year is to bring fractals into my teaching, especially in geometry class. Today I am going to share the fractal tree. It can easily be done on a computer but is also great for practicing measuring with a ruler and protractor. Now a fractal tree is probably one of the most basic fractals and well-known or at least its cousin, the fern is certainly seen as a fractal. 

Border Crossings -- a Different Look at Border Issues

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The borders of the United States are a controversial topic lately. Whether you are in favor of a wall or not, there are many things to consider. Today I am sharing a new picture book (released today) that shares a point of view that I know I personally have never considered. It is a point of view that we all need to consider. It is the point of view of the animals in the area and who migrate between the countries. The book is Border Crossings by Sneed B. Collard III and illustrated by Howard Gray. It is recommended for ages 6 to 9. 

Geometric Origami Project -- Origami Bunny Balloon Tutorial with Geometry Terms

 

In geometry class we have been talking about the special segments in triangles. It is the perfect time to introduce my origami project. To start I shared a tutorial with them making an origami bunny balloon. I use terms from our lessons like median, midsegment, angle bisector and more throughout the tutorial. The kids make one with me in class. Then I give them my assignment. The kids enjoyed spending the class trying different origami projects. You can watch my tutorial here. I love that I am making an origami bunny balloon when lunar new year is going on and it is the year of the rabbit in Chinese Horoscope. 

Yoshi Sea Turtle Genius -- Book Review & Craft Round-Up

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Do you have an animal lover in your house? Or perhaps you are doing a unit on sea turtles? I have a book for you. The book is Yoshi Sea Turtle Genius by Lynne Cox and illustrated by Richard Jones. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8. At the end of my post there is also a turtle craft round-up to go with this book!