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Navigating the Terrain of American Education Services
Navigating the Seas of Parenthood: Education and Love
Exploring the World of Online Education
the Chicago Board of Education’s Impact on Learning and Community
Unleashing the Power to Improve Student Discipline and Motivation
Exploring the Dynamic Landscape of General Education and Elective Classes
The Pinnacle of Innovation in The World’s Most Innovative Universities
Unlocking Potential: The Dynamic Interplay of Education and Training
Navigating Uncertainty: The Art and Science of Risk Assessment and Prevention
The Global Partnership for Education’s Transformative Odyssey
Latest Post
Navigating the Terrain of American Education Services Navigating the Seas of Parenthood: Education and Love Exploring the World of Online Education the Chicago Board of Education’s Impact on Learning and Community Unleashing the Power to Improve Student Discipline and Motivation Exploring the Dynamic Landscape of General Education and Elective Classes The Pinnacle of Innovation in The World’s Most Innovative Universities Unlocking Potential: The Dynamic Interplay of Education and Training Navigating Uncertainty: The Art and Science of Risk Assessment and Prevention The Global Partnership for Education’s Transformative Odyssey
Oct
2022
31

Zenkidu: A Simple Hand Sewing Project To Make With Your Kids

Looking for hand sewing projects to make a cute Zenkidu? We have the cutest one to try with your kids! It is so easy and this Zenkidu is adorable. Plus, this fun hand sewing project will teach kids important life skills as well!

Zenkidu pink and blue with googly eyes and black mouth- hand sewn- kids activities blog
This hand sewn zenkidu is so cute and easy to do.

Simple Hand Sewing Project To Do With Your Kids

Want to sew this simple hand sewing project with your kids? It’s easy. Learn how to thread a needle, sew a running stitch and you’re ready to go. Eight simple steps, and Zenkidu could be yours.

What Is A Zenkidu?

If you’re unfamiliar with what a zenkidu is, a zenkidu is simply a soft plushie. You’re essentially make soft, cuddly, fun plushies!

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Supplies Needed

How To Hand Sew A Colorful and Soft Zenkidu

Step 1

Take two 12″ squares of

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Oct
2022
29

2nd Grade November Morning Bins

Back again, this time with the 2nd Grade November Morning Bins! As the year progresses, I’ve made sure that your students will continue to have a good start to each day. These morning bins offer hands-on practice for previously introduced skills.

Is your morning routine a bit chaotic? Do you feel like you are wasting the first 10 minutes or so of the day? Do you panic when you realize that you forgot to print out some type of morning work for your students? You are not alone and we all hate it! Many teachers struggle with implementing productive morning routines, but I have a solution for you!

Simply put, our students come into the classroom with a lot of different needs. Some are not quite awake and need a little time to settle in before they start their day. Some students are super social and want to interact with

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Oct
2022
26

Celebrating National Happiness Happens Day – August 8, 2022

/ August 1, 2022

National Happiness Happens Day has occurred on August 8th every year since 1999 as an awareness day to promote and boost happiness in all forms. From cherishing the things we already have to the appreciation we give to others, this day is all about letting happiness flow in all directions by smiling more and encouraging positivity in our everyday lives.

National Happiness Happens Day serves as a reminder to not only share our happiness with others while giving others the chance to express theirs, it’s also about not letting bad days get in your way of being your best self. We at Unicorn Jazz love to celebrate National Happiness Happens Day as the core theme of this awareness day falls so in line with the moral tales found in our stories – spreading happiness in ourselves and to others while keeping a positive mindset, especially

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Oct
2022
25

The Perfect Child, by Lucinda Berry

You guys. This book. The Perfect Child, by Lucinda Berry messed me up. Let’s just get right into it.

6-year-old Janie (who looks more like she’s a toddler because of malnourishment) is found wandering alone & abandoned in a parking lot and covered in blood. She’s taken to the hospital for treatment and when it’s time for her to be discharged, she’s released into the foster care system. She’s adpoted by her attending surgeon, Christopher, and his wife Hannah and their idyllic life changes in a heartbeat. Janie isn’t the perfect child they’d always wanted and the nightmare begins.

Let me just say right off the bat that this book is beyond disturbing. It will NOT be a book for everyone. If you’re not a fan of the evil child trope, you won’t enjoy this one. And if you’re triggered by instances of child abuse and endangerment, just

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Oct
2022
23

A Planning Guide For Project-Based Learning In The Elementary Classroom –

PBL Spotlight: 5th Grade Restaurant Math Tipping Guide

by Drew Perkins, Director of TeachThought PD

Every year since their kindergarten years I have extended my offer to teachers of my daughters to help out in any way they might find useful. Some of them have taken me up on my offer and asked me to chaperone a field trip or help with some minor classroom activities on special occasions, and I was happy to help.

But I was ecstatic in 2017, when my oldest daughter’s 5th-grade teacher, Kristen Rowling (now Taylor) asked me to collaborate on some PBL planning and co-teaching. What we came up with together was a relatively short project that incorporated an authentic audience and a product that helped her contextualize a need to learn how to mathematically work with decimals and percentages in meaningful ways.

This project isn’t meant to serve as an exemplar–for that please

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Oct
2022
22

The 5-minute daily playtime ritual that can get your kids to listen better

The concept, developed by psychologist Sheila Eyberg in the 1970s, is simple. For at least 5 minutes a day, sit down with your child and join them in an activity. That includes drawing, playing with dolls, building blocks — anything that doesn’t have a right or wrong way to play (like video games), says child psychologist Kerrie Murphy. Don’t ask questions or give commands — this is your child’s time to be in charge.

Research has shown that this kind of playtime can be helpful in treating disruptive conduct in children. According to a 2017 review of literature, parent-child interaction therapy — which includes special time — has long been regarded as an “effective intervention for a myriad of emotional and behavioral difficulties” since it was developed in the 1970s. And it’s been shown to boost attention spans and social skills in children.

If you’re ready to try

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Oct
2022
21

The art of child led play experiences [Webinar]

In this webinar we were joined by Sally Haughey, founder and CEO of Fairy Dust Teaching! Sally joined us to discuss how to create meaningful child led play experiences in early learning classrooms, and shared the essential strategies that educators need to know for designing engaging play invitations. She walked us through how we can identify children’s intent in their play, and how to identify their big ideas so we can support them in their journey of play and exploration. Sally also shared her expert tips and guiding resources for designing authentic and engaging play experiences for children. Keep reading to access the webinar recording and slides!

?Our Special Guest:

Sally Haughey – Founder & CEO of Fairy Dust Teaching!

Sally Haughey is the CEO and Founder of Fairy Dust Teaching. Fairy Dust Teaching is built on the passion for the wonder and magic of early childhood. They believe

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Oct
2022
20

Easy & Fun Glowing in the Dark Cards Craft

Today we are making glow-in-the-dark cards using paint and cookie cutters as stencils. This is a simple art project for kids of all ages — even younger kids!

halloween activities - make glow in the dark cards - glow in the dark house shown on black paper
Craft these cute glow in the dark cards that are perfect for Halloween!

These cards were specifically made for Halloween, and made a great Halloween card or Halloween party invitation. But the simple painting technique could be used all year round to make spooky glowing in the dark art.

This article contains affiliate links.

Make Glow in the Dark Cards

Everything on the supplies list are things that you probably already have at home with the exception of the glow in the dark paint.  This simple DIY project can be a good excuse to buy glow in the dark paint that can be used for other kids art ideas in the future.

Supplies to Make Glow in the Dark Art

Glow in

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Oct
2022
16

American Sign language books for kids with Storybook Reading Time

/ August 9, 2022

Along with our English and Spanish storybooks, the Unicorn Jazz brand is adding yet another language to its magically adventurous series – American Sign Language!

Why Choose American Sign Language (ASL) as a Second Language?

A widely desirable option among monolingual households looking to add another language to their children’s reading experience, ASL is a beneficial learning tool for all babies, toddlers, and young ones born either with or without hearing impairments. While this fact may surprise many parents of children with fine hearing, learning ASL at a young age can actually help enhance communication skills during development through symbol recognition, visual cues, and effective gesturing. Most importantly, like all languages and forms of communication, ASL is easier for children to grasp and understand the earlier they start!

Story Time with Unicorn Jazz & Friends – in ASL!

It’s no secret among parents and educators that

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Oct
2022
15

September 2022 Reading Wrap-Up – Cara Carroll

Well September was a truly banner month for me in terms of book picks. So many great reads this month! I unintentionally picked quite a few debut novels which was a fun surprise. And while the month didn’t start off super promising, it definitely ended with a bang. Click on the links below for the standalone reviews of each title.

The book that was worth all the hype and then some this month is most definitely I’m Glad My Mom Died, by Jennette McCurdy. Raw and honest and so well written. I knew almost nothing about the author before downloading her memoir (other than that she was an actress on Nickelodeon’s iCarly) and I walked away unable to stop thinking about her. I highly recommend listening to the audiobook as she narrates her own story (and I always think memoirs are so much more powerful when

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