Clevershoppers.com Blog

Learn the Life Cyle with Real Chicks… Well, Almost Real

Christen Pellum — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 16:59:38 +0000

Well I’m no scientist or doctor or biologist… but I have been asked, way too many times when teaching the life cycle unit, this question, “Which Came First… The Chicken or the Egg?” If I wasn’t able to refer to Genesis 1:24, I definitely wouldn’t know the answer… but Learning Resources created an amazing tool to allow our younger students to really see what a 21-day cycle inside the egg would look like.

Chick Life Cycle Exploration Set by Learning Resources

This Chick Life Cycle Exploration Set by Learning Resources offers each egg as a cross-section so the students can visually see each stage as the chick develops. With this set you can easily develop a unit integrating many subject areas:

Science: Students discover 21-days of development inside the egg. They are able to observe the development and compare to other creatures. They can also make an educated hypothesis for the following day based on what they have seen so far.

Language: With a list of scientific vocabulary included, students are able to study and correlate the words with what they are seeing and learning in the daily cycle.

Writing: Allow the students to write a creative piece as if they were growing in the mind of the chick. This will give you the opportunity as a teacher to teach them about imaginative thinking and writing.

Reading: Read a unit of books based on chickens! Here are some suggestions:

Chickerella by Mary Jane and Herm Auch
The Red Hen by Rebecca Emberly and Ed Emberly
Farm by Elisha Cooper

Field Trip: Who doesn’t love a good outing! Besides all the preparation, its always a blast and a great learning experience for your students. After the 21 days are all completed, I would encourage you and your class to go to a farm or local zoo. It’ll give them a chance to see the whole unit through and of course… have another perspective on life development!

Fun in the Sun Creative Embellish Your Story Ideas

Christen Pellum — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 19:56:29 +0000

You love watching your kids have fun in the summer time. How about preserving those adorable pictures with a new clever idea using Carol Roeda’s Embellish Your Story.

There is nothing like the experiences you and your kids have in the summer months. The long days are filled with giggles, ice cream, water, sun and picnics together. Each summer your babies get a bit older and they enjoy different things. Preserve the memories you have created in the hot, summer sun with these creative ideas!

Share your summer story with a few of your favorite pictures, some great embellishments and accents, and one of the decorative bases. You’ll never forget the memories you created with your story being shared in such a creative way!

Embellish Your Story Summer Fun Ice Cream Idea

To create this clever Fun in the Sun Embellish Your Story idea you will need the following items:

Embellish Your Story Summer Fun Picnic Idea

To create this clever Summer Fun Picnic in the Sun Embellish Your Story idea you will need the following items:

Enjoy the Memories of Your Precious Baby with these Embellish Your Story Ideas

Christen Pellum — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 20:02:14 +0000

You’ll never forget when the journey started and you realized you were going to bring a little bundle of joy into this world. The excitement was overwhelming as you shared the joy with family and friends.

Now your sweet child is here and growing so fast! You never realized you could love someone so much. You take pictures of every move they make and laugh at every coo and giggle. It’s such a joy to spend each moment growing and learning with your adorable baby.

Instead of storing those photos in an album that will get tucked away somewhere, share the story of your child from the very beginning with these adorable Embellish Your Story Ideas from Carol Roeda. Grab the photos of your favorite smiles and cute poses and embellish away!

Embellish Your Story Baby Idea

To Create this Baby Embellish Your Story Idea:

Embellish Your Story Baby Idea

To Create this Baby Embellish Your Story Idea:

Teaching Students to Add and Subtract Just Got Easier with Educational Insights Number Bean Bags

Christen Pellum — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 18:30:43 +0000

If you have ever taught a kindergarten class, then you know it’s impossible to get your students to sit and do a boring worksheet about adding and subtracting. When I was student teaching, I was working with a little boy who was absolutely certain that 2+3= Whaaaa? Or at least it sounded that way because that’s the only answer I would ever receive. So, I got him up out of his chair, grabbed some army men, and started adding them together. It was suddenly much easier to add using something he adored.

So today I bring you these: Educational Insights Number Bean Bags.

These clever little beauties in a bag are an excellent resource for getting your confused five year old into adding, subtracting, or simply identifying numbers. As a teacher myself, I’ve used them for a number of activities including Musical Numbers and Add-A-Bag. The games are a fun way to incorporate vital learning skills with educational knowledge!

If you are interested in the games mentioned above, simply reply to this blog and we’ll get back to you on how to play the games!

Celebrate Your Fourth of July Fun with this Creative Embellish Your Story Idea

Christen Pellum — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 14:09:51 +0000

Summer is here and in full swing! You spend long hours at the pool, play with your kids outside until dark, and have barbecues on the weekends. There is nothing like the fun that you and your family have all summer long.

The greatest holiday of the summer is fast approaching… 4th of July! Great memories are always created on this special day. Time with family and friends extend from morning until night with grilling, picnics, games and last but not least, fireworks!

Savor the memories you and your loved ones create this year with this fun and colorful July 4th Embellish Your Story idea. Capture the kids enjoying each other, your friends laughing together, and the great meal you all shared. Carol Roeda created wonderful embellishments, accents, and bases to add to the story that only you can tell.

Summer Fun on 4th of July

To create this Embellish Your Story Fourth of July Idea:

Clever 4th of July Idea

To create this Embellish Your Story Fourth of July Frame:

My Hero on 4th of July

To create this Embellish Your Story Patriotic Idea: