Education

Find the best books and resources for elementary school-aged kids to learn more about the human body, cells, and genetics.

Homeschoolers rate better on standardized tests than public school students. Homeschool kids outperform other students in spelling bees and other academic contests.

For teachers, parents, and librarians, a thorough list of books for children ages 3-8 which exemplify everyday diversity. These books feature diverse characters in everyday contemporary life.

As our education system grows more bureaucratic, elementary school teachers are under enormous pressure to assess students and meet Common Core standards. In the process, though, they can neglect the whole child (body, mind, and spirit) and that's when parents need to advocate for their kids.

The transition from elementary school to middle school can be overwhelming for many students. Here are specific organization strategies to help middle school students be successful.

Same-sex or single-gender education has advantages and disadvantages, so why aren't more schools implementing this way of teaching? I discuss the advantages and disadvantages.

This slime changes color with the temperature, due to heat-sensitive pigment embedded in the recipe.

This article describes four e-media services tailored to kids that you can access from home through your library. These resources are great for parents whose children are out of school but want books and movies that are educational as well as entertaining.

Contains printable templates of roosters made from circles, hearts, and triangles for teachers who work with farm themes and young children. The templates are available in English and Spanish.

Make homeschooling more fun with this interactive activity for learning about the solar system. Kids will decorate cupcakes to resemble the planets and the sun, discovering facts about each planet along the way.

Beginning home-schooling is a huge decision and can engender terror in the hearts of parents brave enough to undertake such a commitment. Fear not, it's not so scary after all. First comes 'deschooling'...

Teaching preschool at home can be a fun learning adventure for you and your child. Learn about some simple preschool activities you can do at home with your preschooler to help your child be ready for Kindergarten.

An article on the benefits of including children with special needs in mainstream schools, and things to consider when doing so.

Some common misconceptions and myths about homeschooling from the socialization myth to the idea that we are all religious.

Explore lesson plans and resources for Francess Hodgson Burnett's A Little Princess.

Erupting volcanoes and bubbling test tubes are fun to watch and more fun to make.  Creating strange mad scientist concoctions is simpler than you may think using stuff already in the kitchen.

Tips to running a toddler classroom while keeping structure and order in a room full of one year olds.

Complete, detailed instructions, links, and videos for easy and practical science fair project for 5th to 8th grade students.

Music education is highly important for young children, increasing math skills, fine motor coordination, and helping children learn the benefits of perseverance and delayed gratification. Think your child is ready for music lessons? Consider the age of the child, developmental readiness, and time commitment before staring formal instrument lessons!

Some practical tips for organizing a children's story time program including finding a host organization, planning a calendar, and other common-sense logistical considerations.

This article includes a roundup of sites that have free, high-quality children’s books that are easy to access right from the web.

Most people homeschool for religious reasons, concerns about school safety and education quality, or because they want to be their child's teacher. Here's a look at 13 reasons for homeschooling.

Are we sufficiently preparing the next generation for the future? An examination of the realities our kids face following graduation.

This fun lesson will help children identify basic rhythmic patterns or note values by associating them with different kinds of pie.

Many preschools have at least one circle time as part of their daily routine. Research, though, shows kids learn a lot more with small group activities, kinesthetic learning, and hands-on exploration. Why then are circle times getting longer and being overused?

Public charter schools can be an excellent school choice for many, but there are pros and cons just like with any other school. Find out how charters differ from traditional public schools.

When choosing a preschool, some parents get impressed by ones that offer academics: a second language, STEM lessons, and handwriting workbooks. However, a long-time teacher says developmentally appropriate practices and free play are what matter most when cultivating independent life-long learners.

The problem of bullying in schools is widespread in many countries. Students who experience bullying fear going to school. One way to help them is to build their self-esteem and assertiveness skills.

Calendar, craft projects, teacher-directed lessons, worksheets, and letter of the week are part of the daily routine at preschool. Yet, are they supported by research? A former teacher explains why they're not only a waste of time but can squelch a child's innate curiosity and love of learning.

Obsession or ally? How Lego contributes to a homeschool education by developing problem-solving and fine motor skills.

Teaching kids about the stock market can be enjoyable and relevant when you follow kid-friendly companies that sell well-known consumer goods and products during a stock market simulation experiment.

Enhance your child's science education with an engaging, fun lapbook of plant and animal cells.

How do you explain space to kids? Here are some facts about space for kids, and fun activities for the whole family!

Want a fun and easy way to teach children the scientific process? Use these mini display boards to teach children this important process early.

According to a longtime teacher, parents make a mistake when letting down their guard after choosing a preschool. She explains why they should keep a watchful eye to make sure quality remains high. Because their profit margins are slight, owners always look to keep costs low and this can harm kids.

Parents in the US are enthralled with academic preschools, buying into the belief that earlier is better. However, research shows that play is how kids learn best. It enhances their imaginations, promotes exploration, increases vocabulary, and builds social skills.

Compete instructions on how to do a science fair project and set up a board. Includes pictures, examples, resources and step-by step original projects.

Are you driving your child's preschool teacher crazy? You probably are if you send your kid to class in fancy duds, expect special treatment for your precious tyke, fret about her being bullied, and pick her up late with no apology or explanation. Find out if you're the pain at preschool!

If you're ready to get your kids all excited about literature, gear up, hit play, and let these 20 children's audiobooks sweep them away.

Our country's obsession with an "earlier is better" philosophy is cruel to children in kindergarten. A teacher points out how homogeneous reading groups, too many standards and assessments, and the elimination of imaginative play are evidence of this.

Christian craft projects for kids: ideas for Sunday school, vacation Bible school, CCD classes and home school.

Today, kindergarten teachers worry about their students' fine motor skills. Because they’re playing less and staring at screens more, many kids lack dexterity and struggle with using pencils and scissors. Parents can prevent this, though, with a simple fix from their own childhoods: play-dough!

A longtime educator explains why Zoo-phonics is ideal for parents who want to teach their children how to read. It combines movement, music, and games that promote phonological awareness, the foundation of early reading. It lets kids be kids as they act silly, wriggle, and use their imaginations.

Get some honest and candid insight from a real parent. Connections Academy is an online public school serving grades K–12. This guide will help you determine if this school is the right fit for your family.

Explore science and engineering activities geared for third-grade students using inexpensive and accessible materials. Lava lamps, helicopters, and marble mazes allow young scientists to explore!

Numbers, shapes, and other mathematical concepts pop up in many of our daily activities. Share these opportunities with your children as a foundation for later learning.

School doesn't have to be a boring place! Learn how to enjoy school more, along with some tips of how to earn good grades, join a sport, or join a club.

Full instructions for winning middle school science fair project using robot made from NXT Lego Mindstorms.

Going against decades of research in early childhood education, preschools today have become more academic than ever. Youngsters are now guinea pigs in an experiment that may prove highly detrimental to their futures and society's as a whole.

What do you get when you cross a pregnant calico cat with a lonely, chained-up hound dog? An unforgettable tale of misfortune and love in the best and worst of times.

Questionnaire to help parents determine if home schooling is right for their children and their family.

This article is about why I chose to homeschool my daughter instead of giving her a traditional education in a brick and mortar school setting.

In this article, I discuss over a dozen different board games that are ideal for the elementary school classroom. I include variations and resources for many of these games.

These are a couple of fun and beautiful projects to make with elementary-aged kids at home in the style of Claude Monet.

Parents can get enticed by STEM activities, foreign language instruction and music lessons, thinking they will give their child a leg up. What really matters most, though, is a preschool program with a strong philosophy that emphasizes a learn-by-doing approach: playing, socializing, and exploring.

How to teach children/preschoolers/toddlers about zoo animals before and while attending zoos and aquariums.

For history to be fun, children must relate to it. Sometimes that means talking about poop.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration of how to make tornado experiments. Create a tornado in a bottle, a jar, do a speed test, and even do an experiment to see how they form.

These online tools and poetry collections provide guideposts and inspire children to write and read poems in a broad range of styles.

As a teacher and mother of an autistic son, I'm outraged when school officials deceive parents with the inclusion lie. Students with special needs require special help and full inclusion is not enough. While it saves money in the short-term, it has a long-range negative impact for kids and society.

The Montessori method of education speaks to the curiosity within each child and allows each child to blossom. Learn simple ways of creating a Montessori home environment that will enable your child to soar to great heights.

Homeschoolers often, and I mean very often, hear the question "But what about socialization?" Here's why this question is completely cringe-worthy. Please stop asking us that!

Want a science fair project using your pet? Full instructions for a quick and easy science experiment for elementary students.

Round up the kids and try these fun projects to add a little springtime to your home.

There are pros and cons for uniform school dress codes. Should public schools have dress codes and uniforms? Do they really make a difference?

Is your child gifted or just bright for their age? Is there even a difference? This guide goes over signs of giftedness vs. signs of slightly higher intelligence in small children.

This article features activities in a lesson to help students with vision loss and others manage and organize money.

Helpful book recommendations can make great gifts for teenage boys. Action books and suspenseful reading keep middle school boys engaged.

Full inclusion gives students with minor learning disabilities a chance to receive the same education as their non-disabled peers. However, the system has its flaws despite good intentions.

Choosing a preschool can be overwhelming. A long-time early childhood educator urges parents to pick one with a strong philosophy that attracts like-minded moms and dads. She recommends Montessori, Waldorf, and play-based cooperatives.

Leading a prayer walk for your school? I give tips, ideas, Bible verses, and step-by-step instructions to help you.

Easy and fun snow and ice science experiments for kids. Includes making frost, snow, icicles, dry ice, exploding ice, and more cool experiments.

Recess was once an accepted part of a child's school day. With increasing pressures for academic success, many schools are cutting or eliminating play time in favor of rigorous academic pursuits. Many schools are built without playgrounds in cities like Chicago and Atlanta. Research shows recess actually boosts test scores and increases a child's attention span: some parent led initiatives are striving to bring recess back to American schools.

If we want preschoolers to express themselves through art and feel empowered while doing so, we're going about it all wrong. Open-ended art activities (painting, drawing, and sculpting) have been replaced by teacher-directed craft projects, much to the detriment of young children's imaginations.

The Waldorf method of education is gaining in popularity, but the tuition is expensive. Learn simple, easy ways to provide the benefits of this method to your child at home.

It's a tragedy that the focus of preschool has become increasingly narrow with many parents now seeing it as merely a time to prepare kids for kindergarten. This short-sighted stance results in youngsters who are less creative, less curious, and less communicative.

If you hear something often enough, you're bound to believe it. Busy moms and dads, juggling family and career, are highly susceptible to hearing and believing incorrect information about parenting young children. Now it's time to set the record straight on important issues affecting their kids.

A teacher explains how hands-on learning at preschool makes children curious, passionate, and self-motivated. They see themselves as the source of knowledge, not their teachers. Sadly, though, hands-on learning is being diminished as politicians demand that kids get prepped for kindergarten.

History and Time Travel collide in this fantastic book by Alison Uttely. Penelope steps into the past and encounters Mary Queen of Scots and the Babington Plot! Pure magic!

Do you feel guilty for not paying for your child's education? Don't. Paying for college is hard in this economy. Kids learn responsibility for their actions and have ownership in their education when they have to pay for their own college tuition.

Looking for a great science fair project? Love to chew gum? Here you'll find complete instructions for gum science fair projects, with photos and videos. Sample project too!

Homework is counterproductive. It causes family stress and fails to help the child learn, teaching only resentment. This article explores why.

Learn the most efficient and effective way to homeschool using checklists.

A children’s librarian provides thorough reviews of the best narrative nonfiction books for children in grades K–3. She points out special aspects of the books that would be of interest to teachers and parents.

Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader is a T.V. show quiz game that can be integrated into your lesson plan at school or even played at home? Children of elementary and even middle school ages can learn a lot of general knowledge topics, helping them turn into well-rounded, educated world citizens.

Children become fluent in reading with practice, and the free, engaging reading games and videos on these websites will hold their attention and keep them motivated. These websites offer a great way to keep kids learning outside of school.

You may remember the perceptual-motor program at elementary school: walking on the balance beam, crawling through wooden shapes, and skipping around traffic cones. It combined physical and mental tasks designed to enhance balance, coordination, and gross motor skills. It's time to bring it back!

Early childhood education in the US is in a harrowing state as many preschools now do what's contrary to the latest findings in brain research. Even though studies consistently show that exploring and playing build literacy skills, they're getting minimized in favor of teacher-directed lessons.

Book ideas, sample questions, and a step-by-step guide on how to start a book club for your child.

Easy 7th or 8th Grade girls flexibility Science Fair Experiment with full instructions and research links.

This article covers five significant reasons for the importance of preschool education written by an experienced early childhood educator. The preschool aged child is eager and ready to learn.

When choosing a preschool, some parents get seduced by the very things that they should avoid: an academic focus, computer learning, and paper-pencil work. Find out why these and others are indicative of a subpar preschool that ignores developmentally appropriate practices.

Simple steps for easy early elementary school Science Fair Project. Teach your child or a group of children how to do a Science Project.

A fun science experiment. Grow your own salt crystal garden. It's easy, and uses items you have around the house.

It is vital for parents and guardians of special needs children to understand the importance of the individual education program IEP). An IEP ensures your special needs child will get an appropriate education in the public school system.

Need to do well on that AP literature exam in the Spring to get college credit? Check out these tips, tools and products to get the grade you want.

Alphabet recognition is an important prerequisite to reading and writing. Here are some fun ways to work on learning the alphabet, such as alphabet puzzles, books, iPad/iPhone games, and Android alphabet games.

This article will provide parents of some of the youngest gifted learners with a way to begin teaching American history.

This article is about how to make history fun for young children and engage both their minds and bodies in learning about the past.

You can stimulate language skills, imagination, and creativity through simple activities with preschool age children. Learn more about how to do it here.