Free educational Thanksgiving holiday crafts, games, activities

Do you love the holidays but hate to spend money on all that goes with them? Then you will want free printable Thanksgiving, Halloween and Christmas activities. Get decorations, crafts, coloring pages and party games. Kids will love making greeting cards from holiday printables. Get Halloween and Christmas printables too. Pumpkin carving patterns, snowflake templates and more.  Oh and don't miss free printable Hanukkah, Diwali, Kwanzaa and Winter Solstice activities too. Free Thanksgiving holiday crafts, games, greeting cards, coloring pages, printables

Teach reading with storytelling: How to read aloud to kids so they love books

 To read aloud to kids, your own or others, is the single most rewarding adult and child activity. Storytelling may never be a recognized talent. There's no "read aloud" Olympic event--but there should be. Storytelling takes skill; there's a way to read to kids so they will listen. Here's how to read to kids so they learn to love books and beg for more! You can even use these storytelling techniques to teach reading and build good reading habits.  Teach reading with storytelling: How to read aloud to kids so they love books | Examiner.com

Free printable Brown Bear Brown Bear activities for Children's Book Week

"Brown Bear, Brown Bear, what do you see?" Thus begins a charming, eponymous children's literature classic by author Bill Martin. Via illustrator Eric Carle's pictures, preschoolers learn about colors, animals. patterns, math and also friendship. Here are free printable games, coloring pages, crafts, worksheets and learning activities from the children's literature classic, along with the companion Martin/Carle book "Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?" Use these activities to celebrate Children's Book Week 2015--May 4-10.  Free printable Brown Bear Brown Bear activities for Children's Book Week | Examiner.com

Multicultural teen fiction: Middle school books, literature around the world | Examiner.com

Homeschool parents and middle school teachers, want to take a free world tour? March is National Reading Month, so why not read around the world of middle school books. Here is a list of multicultural teen fiction and children's literature around the world, from 20 countries and seven continents. These stories best reflect the flavor of each culture--its people, traditions, religion, region, customs, celebrations and values. These children's literature around the world books include teen fiction, historical fiction, poetry, fairy tales, folklore and mythology. Teachers, be sure to note on a map, the places you visit in this literature unit. Multicultural middle school books are coded for age and grade appropriate level--

Multicultural teen fiction: Middle school books, literature around the world | Examiner.com

Free printable Alice in Wonderland Through the Looking Glass Disney crafts

 In 2010, director Tim Burton created his vision of Disney "Alice in Wonderland" and on Memorial Day, 2016 Tim Burton gives audiences Alice in Wonderland 2 "Through the Looking Glass"--oh frabjuous day! If you can't wait for curiouser and curiouser delights with Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter, Anne Hathoway as the White Queen and Helena Bonham-Carter as the Red Queen, then hold onto your Mad Hatter! Sasha Baron Cohen, Timothy Spall, Rhys Ifans, Andrew Scott (Sherlock) join the Through the Looking Glass cast and Matt Lucas returns as the dynamic duo Tweedledum and Tweedledee. Happily Tim Burton use Alan Rickman (may he rest in peace) as the Blue Caterpillar again in Through the Looking Glass.  Free printable Alice in Wonderland Through the Looking Glass Disney crafts | Examiner.com

Free printable Coraline coloring pages: Neil Gaiman Coraline book activities | Examiner.com

The Neil Gaiman novel "Coraline" may be technically children's literature, but it hits the sweet spot for older readers who love dark, outre fiction. The Tim Burton movie version of Coraline perfectly animates this cartoon horror story. Here are free printable Coraline coloring pages. Some characters in the movie Coraline do not have counterparts in the Coraline book. The enigmatic child Wydie is not part of the original Neil Gaiman story. But Wydie fits perfectly and helps give a clearer perspective on the Other Mother and her sewing supplies of terror.  Free printable Coraline coloring pages: Neil Gaiman Coraline book activities | Examiner.com

Free printable Catholic St. Valentine lesson plans, Valentine's Day worksheets

 The story of St. Valentine has nothing to do with flowers and candy or Valentine's Day as we celebrate it on Feb. 14. Except in one way (we'll get to that). It has nothing in common with romance as we know it. But Valentine's story is spiritually romantic. Valentinius was a Roman Christian priest. In those days, this was not popular. In fact, it was downright illegal.  Free printable Catholic St. Valentine lesson plans, Valentine's Day worksheets | Examiner.com

Black History Month movies: African Americans in Jim Crow segregation

 The U.S. Census Bureau put out a list of statistics on African Americans for Black History Month in February reported PR Newswire Jan. 21. Stats are helpful understanding history. But they don't tell the whole story. We need literature and films to guide. Here are book-based movies for Black History Month. This list covers early 20th century black America was ruled by Jim Crow. Slavery might have been outlawed but discrimination and persecution flourished, even in the "free, enlightened" north.  Black History Month movies: African Americans in Jim Crow segregation | Examiner.com

Free printable Chinese New Year, Spring Festival, Lantern Festival lesson plans | Examiner.com

China's lunar calendar system is centuries older than the Gregorian calendar. The Chinese New Year begins in on February 8, 2016. The beginning date for Chinese New Year varies from late January to mid February on the western calendar. 2016 celebrates Chinese New Year of the Monkey (or KangXi). Each of the 12 years in the Chinese zodiac is represented by a different animal and the calendar repeats every 12 years. It was Chinese New Year of the Monkey in 2004 and will be again in 2028. CNY kicks off the Spring Festival in China and ends with the Lantern Festival, a quaint, charming holiday.  Free printable Chinese New Year, Spring Festival, Lantern Festival lesson plans | Examiner.com

Chinese New Year of the Monkey books for kids, children's literature from China

 Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival celebrates the culture of the Orient. It begins Feb. 9 in 2016 and culminates with a Lantern Festival. What better way to explore Chinese culture in your classroom than with literature? Here is a list of children's books for pre-K to second graders from China. Some books are specifically Chinese stories and others are Japanese Buddhist stories. Chinese New Year encompasses traditional animals of the zodiac so many kids' books in this list are animal-themed. It's CNY Year of the Monkey in 2016. Chinese New Year of the Goat books for kids, children's literature from China | Examiner.com