Why can’t we have everything we want? It’s a simple question, and probably one you’ve heard from your own students. Why can’t they buy both snacks? Why can’t recess last all afternoon? Behind those everyday frustrations lies scarcity, or the fact that there are always more wants and needs than there are resources to meet … Read more
A sudden clap of thunder, rain hammering the windows, a gust of wind that makes the whole building creak. This kind of spectacle, equal parts thrilling and unsettling, captures students’ attention instantly. Teachers can leverage that fascination as an opening to explain what’s happening and why, using age-appropriate content that celebrates curiosity without increasing concern. … Read more
| By Gale Staff | Most students already have a favorite song. They might not know what genre it falls into—or even who the artist is, especially in lower elementary—but they know how it makes them feel. Elementary educators can help young learners build on that connection during International Music Day on October 1, prompting … Read more
Each year on November 1, churches around the world observe All Saints’ Day—a feast honoring a vast and varied group of people whom the Catholic Church recognizes for leading lives of extraordinary faith and virtue. The observance grew out of early Christian practices of honoring martyrs who died for their religious beliefs, later expanding to … Read more
| By Gale Staff | Recent survey data reveals that nearly 72% of graduates feel unprepared for life after high school. Challenges range from a lack of career exploration to inadequate real-world experience, leading students to struggle with planning their futures, from choosing a college major to starting a career.1 The disconnect between academic achievement … Read more
For thousands of years, the turning of the seasons has prompted communities around the world to ponder their mortality. In ancient Ireland, Celts lit towering bonfires for Samhain, believing the flames would guide ancestral spirits home and keep harmful ones away. In China and parts of East Asia, the Hungry Ghost Festival calls for burning … Read more
| J. Robert Parks | Through the benefit of hindsight, historic events can look much different for generations far removed from the time in which those events occurred. Teachers can readily give examples of that for every era. The Compromise of 1850 is a particularly notable instance in U.S. history, however. Although the legislation was … Read more
October’s second Monday marks the shared observance of Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day, providing elementary students an opportunity to examine both the spirit of exploration and the cultures that long predated it. Teaching these histories side by side gives students an early framework for understanding how the same moment in time can mean different … Read more
| By Chilton Staff | “A lot of my family worked on cars and seeing them do that—it is something I just grew to love. I feel like it’s not work anymore and it’s not school, it’s just something that I love to do.” —Samuel Villaseñor, Cuyamaca College1 Many students are drawn to working in … Read more
World Animal Day on October 4 offers an irresistible excuse to fill your classroom with the sounds, sights, and science of the animal kingdom. But with an estimated 8.7 million species across land and sea, narrowing down which ones to feature—and doing so in a way that’s developmentally appropriate and pedagogically meaningful—can be a challenge. … Read more