Search
Recommended Products
Related Links


 

 

Informative Articles

Leadership Development - Leadership Styles and Training
What makes a good leader? Leadership development Ever since we started Impact Factory, lo these many years ago, we have struggled with the whole notion of leadership development or leadership training. Indeed, we have resisted writing...

Mounting Responsibilities Have Some Homeowners Afraid to Leave the House
It's true, people need to escape the burdens of daily life for a while--from things like mowing the lawn, pulling weeds, painting, gardening, remodeling, home repairs, pet care, checking the mail,and paying their bills. Even a break from nosy...

New York Code Orange Jaisini new art series
New York Code Orange Jaisini new art series The creativity of Jaisini is not designed to be preaching or too critical. Paul Jaisini reached his level of mastership to know exactly that life is worth living to look in the future having no...

Unique Tin Can Candle Holders
Ah yes the good old Tin Can. The tin can has been around for years, providing many different projects to be made from tin cans. They are one of the most versatile mediums for crafts, besides wood and foam. Best part about them, they are cheap....

Where do you start when building a snake cage?
When I was making my first cage my wife Cheryl came out into the shed and asked me what I was doing. I mumbled something about "building snake cage" whilst ernestly trying to figure out some small detail or putting in an annoying screw (I'm not sure...

 
Google
Spring Cleaning Teaching Tip

Okay! It's Spring! Time for cleaning! Along with painting the house, planting new flowers, and/or cleaning out the garage; get children involved in cleaning their rooms, closets, classrooms, or anything else that is pertinent to your situation. Here are some suggestions to try diminishing the groans and complaints that are sure to follow:

1. Suggest a Spring Cleanup Day and ask where the classroom, house, or room needs to be cleaned the most. Write a list of these targeted areas, likely to be project areas, book or game shelves, sink areas, etc. Tell individual or groups of children that they are now responsible for keeping one of the areas clean. In order to help remind them, they will have an art project and make Litter Critters!

2. On both sides of brown-paper lunch bags, have children draw crazy critters. They may color or paint the features. If painted, let the bag dry.

3. In the meantime, rip newspapers into small pieces. Have children fill their dried bags until they are rounded and close the open end with a rubber band or string.

4. Create hair from crepe paper or yarn and glue on buttons, fabric scraps, ribbons, and so forth to 'dress' the critters.

5. Design feet and cut out two per critter from


construction paper. Glue them to the bottoms of the bags so the litter critters will be able to stand up.

6. How about making signs to go with the critters? Use slogans such as "Beware of the Litter Critter!" or "Every litter bit hurts." Tape or glue them to craft or popsicle sticks or put them through a pencil point.

7. If your project is ongoing, graph how well it is proceeding by putting on a smiley or sad face, daily; you can either draw or use stickers. This will keep track of how clean or messy the designated area is. Perhaps the individual or group that cleans his/their area first can receive a reward.

8. Follow up by asking which areas in your school or community could use a good cleaning. Could you start, or get involved in, a School or Neighborhood Cleanup Day? This idea would certainly complement a unit on environment or pollution.

I hope these ideas are useful and ignite your own creativity!

About the Author

Freda J. Glatt, MS, retired from teaching after a 34-year career in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. Her focus, now, is to reach out and help others reinforce reading comprehension and develop a love for reading. Visit her site at http://www.sandralreading.com. Reading is FUNdamental!