Short Lessons and Activities for the Start of Spring
The snow in our yard is at least two feet deep right now. This was concerning to my youngest daughter who asked me on the way to school, “can we have spring if it’s still snowy?” My answer, of course, was that spring will still start even if our yard is buried in snow. That […]
All About Maple Syrup
The change to Daylight Saving Time coincides with the saving grace of the end of winter, the start maple syrup season! The days are getting a little longer and the sun is a little higher in the sky during the day. That increased daylight and warmth the sap in maple trees is starting to run. Some […]
Get Ready for Groundhog Day With These Short Lessons
Tomorrow is Groundhog Day! Those of you who teach pre-K or early elementary grades you may have some students who are as excited about it as my pre-K and Kindergarten daughters are. If that’s the case, you may be interested in watching the following videos that provide brief explanations of the origins of Groundhog Day. […]
Spring is Here! Kind of…for Some of Us
Today is the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere. And even there is still plenty of winter-like days to come, here in Maine we’re starting to have longer days, see and hear more birds around our house, and there’s plenty of mud being tracked into the house by my kids and dogs. Those […]
Four Short Lessons About the Arrival of Spring
The snow is melting, the sun is shining a bit longer, and we’re starting to see and hear more birds around our house. Those are all sure signs that spring is on the horizon here in Maine. On that note, here are some short lessons about the arrival of spring. Why do birds sing? And […]
Sweet Lessons on the Making of Maple Syrup
This week we had a couple of relatively warm days here in Maine. In fact it was so warm (40F) that I rode my bike outside on Thursday. It was on that ride that I noticed sap buckets and hoses on some maple trees. That reminded me of some videos about making maple syrup that […]
Lessons About the Making of Maple Syrup
Today is Maple Syrup Sunday here in Maine. This is always a welcome sign of spring. The method of collecting sap from maple trees has changed a bit over the years, but the concept of boiling sap to make syrup remains unchanged. In the following videos you’ll see the traditional collection method and the modern […]
Short Lessons for the Arrival of Spring
The first chickadees and ducks of the spring have started to arrive in my neighborhood. Aside from the calendar, hearing the birds reminds us all that spring is almost here. If you’re tired of winter and looking for some spring-themed lesson ideas, take a look at the following resources. Last year The New York Times published an animated […]
The Science of Spring!
Here in Maine it finally has felt like spring for the entire week. We’ve had hot and sunny days as well as warm and rainy days. In other words, lawns are starting to look green. This is a great time to share a new SciShow Kids video that covers a handful of topics related to […]
Animated Map of First Foliage Appearances
Last Friday I was in Greenwich, Connecticut to give a presentation. Greenwich is roughly 300 miles south of my home in Maine. Greenwich was in full spring bloom with green grass and foliage starting to bud on the trees. Meanwhile back home in Maine my yard was covered in snow. In making that drive I […]
Spring?! – Three Short Lessons About Seasons
It might not feel like it to many of us, but tomorrow is the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere. If you’re looking for some quick video lessons about the seasons, take a look at the following three options. Time has just released a new video that features images and text about the […]
The Role of Bird Migration in the Ecosystem
When I let my dogs out this morning I heard some birds chirping that I hadn’t heard in a few months. That’s a sure sign that spring can’t be too far away. The sounds of the birds this morning reminded me of a TED-Ed lesson that was published a few years ago. Bird Migration, A […]
What is Groundhog Day?
Today is Groundhog Day. Today is the day that, according to legend, a groundhog will predict how much longer winter will last in the northern hemisphere. Your students might be wondering where this tradition originated. The following two videos provide brief explanations of Groundhog Day’s origins. This video from Storm Shield explains a bit of […]
An Interactive Mural of Birds
This afternoon while walking my dog, Max, I saw the first ducks of spring paddling around a small opening in the ice on a local pond. This reminded me of a neat resource from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. The Wall of Birds is an interactive mural of bird drawings. Clicking on a drawing will […]
A Couple of Short Lessons About Changing Seasons
Today is the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Although the five foot tall snowbanks around my house make that hard to believe. Why do we have seasons? What causes the changes in weather patterns throughout the seasons? The answers to those questions and more are found in the following SciShow Kids video […]