Moms Inspire Learning

Jan Brett's Picture Books Make Perfect Winter Gifts

I can't believe I've been blogging for almost 2 years now, and I have yet to mention a Jan Brett picture book! Maybe it was just that I assumed everyone already knew about them. You probably do, but I just couldn't help mentioning them just before Christmas.

Whether you celebrate the holiday or not, she has so many winter-related themes to many of her books. So, just about any child would get a kick out of them this time of year. Everyone might not have snow, but everyone can still dream about it, can't they?

Putting the Listening Back into Literacy: Tell Me a Story

I've mentioned before that history was my least favorite subject throughout my years in public school. Later on, after I had my children and started graduate school for teaching, I suddenly became fascinated by the subject.

When I started researching the many types of children's books and online resources relating to social studies, it became one of my favorite subjects to write lesson plans and units for. Since I felt strongly that geography and diversity were important topics that were (and still are) not being addressed enough, I decided to try to infuse them into every lesson plan and unit I wrote.

Learning from Cinderella, Part 3

Are you having fun comparing the different versions of Cinderella yet?

Here are 3 more unique interpretations, but I'll just leave the details to your imagination:

The Egyptian Cinderella, by Shirley Climo, is a story of fact, fable, and rose-red slippers...

Princess Furball, retold by Charlotte Huck, is a tale involving 3 dresses, one clever princess, and...soup?

Naya, The Inuit Cinderella, was written by Brittany Marceau-Chenkie, who was in 5th grade when she wrote it! Maybe it's time for your child to write and illustrate her or his own Cinderella story too...

  

What's your favorite version so far? Please feel free to add to this list...

In case you missed the first two posts in this series, you can find them here.

 

Learning from Cinderella

Are you worried that your daughter seems to be obsessed with Barbie dolls and Disney princesses? Do you let her play with any doll she wants, whenever she wants? OR, are you one of the moms who goes to great lengths to keep anything that even resembles a Barbie from her?

I know both types of moms. And, I can understand both sides. Personally, I did let my daughter play with many different types of dolls, and then....she grew out of them, on her own. I don't see any lasting effects in her case, and I think I know why.

Fairy Tale Comparisons: The Culture of Little Red Riding Hood

As we progress from coins to culture, we're also going to take a look at some fairy tales over the next few weeks. There's so much that can be learned about different cultures from comparing the many versions of Little Red Riding Hood, for instance. 

Fairy tales can be scary for young children, though. That's why I love Petite Rouge: A Cajun Riding Hood, by Mike Artell. It's a very different, mild, and funny version of this classic tale. Not only does it make a fantastic read aloud (just listen to the Just One More Book podcast about it), but you'll also learn a little bit about what it means to be "Cajun" along the way... 

Sometimes To Move Ahead, You Have to Look Back

When I think about the whole "green" movement, I think about one person:  Al Gore. Even though many people have been trying to spread the many messages that go along with "going green" for many years, it was Al Gore who made this mission a universal one. He lit the fire, and to me, he is a legend.

There are many definitions of the word legend. A legend could be a person, like Al Gore, who has made an indelible mark on history, and has inspired so many people. When I think about the word legend, though, I mostly think about a story that was passed down from earlier times. I find it fascinating to think about stories that have lived on, even though they never were written down in any book.