Integrating Holidays: Labor Day

We all associate Labor Day with the ending of summer. The end of BBQ's, picnics, warm weather, and freedom from school. For many Americans, it marks the start of football season. How are parents, can we really explain to our children why we celebrate Labor Day?

Many teachers tie this to their community unit to get small children to understand workers and how they help the community. This can be extended at home so that children undersand that all the things workers do, sometimes they just need a day of rest and to be honored.





For the older children, there are books that can tie the day to a definition.




Plan on being in the car for a while? Here are some short stories you can print for the car ride camping or to grandma's house:
Short Stories: Apples for the teacher

Also, to give some hands on time to connect the stories, students can make a collage of workers on paper. Enchanted learning has a great craft for that.

However you celebrate this long weekend, make sure your child understands why they are having it. Give the name meaning and enjoy your day off. Thank you for all of your hard work!

Integrating Holidays: Father's Day

Why do dads get a day in June?
*Dads get the warm weather, so they can golf.
*Dads get there to be no school, so mom can watch the kids all day-so he can golf.
*Dads get a day on Sunday, so he can watch sports.
These answers are from a student when asked why Father's Day was in June.

Students often get to make all kinds of crafts for moms on their day, but school is usually out when it comes to dads. Here are a few ideas so fathers can get the homemade crafts with love.

I always love to go to enchanted learning to see what ideas they have. Such easy, practical crafts.

Michael's had great site this month for crafts: Crafts for dads

Barnes and Noble has a great section for gift ideas.

A few good reads:








My ultimate favorite gift I had the kids make for their dad was a book. I ordered them from Bare Books. We started the books on the first of June, 2006. I placed a picture of each child and they could decorate the cover. On the back we created an "about the author page."
We then did the steps for writing, prewriting, outlining, drafting, editing, writing, and publishing.
They wrote on the bottom of the page and drew their illustations on the top.
When they first started this project, they were 5 years old. This year, there are 8 more pages left in the book that they will complete. For 5 years, the kids have been adding to the bare book, and now it is a chapter book.
Dad loves it. I love it. It is great to see how the kids have grown.


Whatever you decided to do for dad, I am sure he will have a wonderful day just being remembered.

Integrating Holidays: Memorial Day

The last Monday of May is a time when the grills might be fired for the first time. This marks the beginning of Summer and the end of school. However, the last Monday of May is Memorial Day. It was previously known as Decoration Day, but still recognizes the American solders that have died while in military service.

Since children will be outside this weekend, have some outside activities to play.
1. Collect large rocks with washable paint (red, white, and blue) and let the kids paint them. Place them around a gravesite of a soldier.
2. Enchanted learning has a great idea that will help decorate your BBQ area.
Visit: Enchanted Learning


Vocabulary words you can help the kiddos understand are:
veteran, honor, memorial, cemetary, May, sacrifice

Discuss them and help them understand the words in a sentence. These books will also help them learn.

Integrating Holidays: Mother's Day

Hallmark is going to make a lot of money this week. Why shouldn't they!? Dads, we are going to honor our favorite ladies: mom. Here are some books you can read to the kids to get them excited, ready, and wanting to make lists for what to do for mom.






Of course afterwards, to encourage writing, have them write out a list of things they can do for mom. For the younger kiddos, have them draw pictures while you write what it represents. You can pick the top items. Making and writing a mother's day card is also something you can do. Enchanted Learning has wonderful card making ideas!
Finally, dad, I bet if you took the kids out for an afternoon at the movies or bowling alley and left mom at home, she would not feel left out. You might even drop her off at a friend's house, so she doesn't end up cleaning!