2024 Solar Eclipse

Monday the 8th of April was a special day, particularly if you have space enthusiasts in your classroom. Eclipses are among the most stunning sights known to humans, and this spectacle lasted up to 4 minutes and 28 seconds. It was almost twice as long as the last one in the US in 2017. It was also darker and our Sun was put on a more stunning display. 

This total solar eclipse crossed North America. It traveled over northern Mexico, then into Texas and Midwest and East Coast. It passed southeast Canada before it proceeded out to sea. Total solar eclipses occur every year or two but there will not be another again in North America until 2033.  

During a total solar eclipse, the Moon  lines up perfectly between the Earth and the Sun, completely obscuring the Sun. You see the Moon gradually slide in front of the Sun. The Sun looks like a thin crescent and then finally the Sun is completely blotted by the Moon. Scientists can see part of the Sun’s corona during a total eclipse. The Sun’s outer atmosphere is too faint to see unless the light of the Sun is blocked.  The total eclipse ends with the events occurring in reverse order. 

Whether or not you can view a solar eclipse depends on where you are in the world and how the Earth,  Moon and Sun align. The path of totally is the only area where a full eclipse can be viewed. If you are outside this area you will see a partial or even no eclipse at all. If you are fortunate to be able to visit the path of totality you will see the Moon gradually moving in front of the Sun. 



Only look at the sun when your eyes are protected. Use a special-purpose solar filter such as eclipse glasses or hand-held solar viewers to look at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed Sun. It is not safe to look directly at the Sun with handmade devices or very dark sunglasses. During totality, you can put away the eclipse viewers and look at the eclipse directly. But, as soon as the totality ends, use the eclipse viewers again. Read safety recommendations before you view a solar eclipse. 



Use the How to Draw the Space resource to make some stunning art of this remarkable phenomenon.



Your students do not want to miss the spectacular Total Eclipse! So I hope you planned something special for Monday the 8th of April! 

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April 2024 Products

At the beginning of April, exciting things happen! So make sure you are prepared with resources about our Sun and Moon. On the 8th of April total solar eclipse can be observed in large parts of the US. And a partial eclipse can be seen in most States in America. 

A total eclipse is a stunning event where suddenly, it will be as dark as night—or at least twilight. For a short moment, we can experience the role our Sun plays for life on our planet. Also, we can learn interesting facts about our Moon  - it is the Moon that turns out the light! 

After all that excitement in the sky, your students will enjoy learning about something they may be more familiar with. The names of farm animals are often part of the first words that young children learn but there are many interesting facts that your students can learn about cows, pigs, horses, goats and chickens. National Farm Animal Day is celebrated on the 10th of April and it is a great chance to discover interesting things about these unique and important creatures. 

After exploring Farm Animals, your students can turn their attention to the Plant world. International Plant Appreciation Day is celebrated on April 13, a perfect way to read and write about the benefits of plants. As the weather gets warmer, many gardeners will be busy sowing seeds. 

You can begin gardening activities inside, such as planting beans on paper towels so your students can watch them grow. A great activity for National Gardening Day - the 14th of April is to learn to draw wheelbarrows, pots, watering cans and flowers.

Continue the drawing activities with art projects to celebrate Word Art Day on the 15th of April. The resource SmART ART is filled with art activities that are sure to engage your students in the enjoyment of art. Art activities nurture creativity and innovation. Take time to let your students notice beautiful things in their environment and use this as inspiration for their creations. 

The end of April is perfect for projects related to our environment. Earth Day is celebrated on the 22 and Arbor Day on the 26th.  Earth Day is a large event that is celebrated around the World. The theme this year is Planet vs Plastic. The aim is to spread awareness of the health risks linked to plastics, ways to reduce the use of plastics and ways to design and build a plastic-free planet. Caring for our Earth starts with awe and wonder for our beautiful home and the Earth Day Fact booklet is perfect for learning about ways to care for our Earth.

The first Arbor Day In America was celebrated in 1872. It is estimated that nearly a million trees were planted on this day in Nebraska. The dates for the celebrating trees may vary in different states to coincide with the local area’s planting time, so check the date when your state observes Arbor Day. Trees are vital for our health and the health of our planet.  Your students will read and discover more great things about trees while using the Tree Fact booklet. 

I hope you have a Busy but Wonderful Time in your April Classroom!  

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Using Math Journals and other hands-on activities

Learning through play, movement and using your hands is fun. Also, this type of exploration helps students, particularly younger students, to learn better. From learning the alphabet to math to science, hands-on activities are effective and engaging. 

 



Hands-on activities to teach basic math skills are often used in the classroom, for example, dominoes, linking cubes and counters. Making number art is a perfect hands-on activity. Math has itself been described by math lovers as an art motivated by beauty. Coloring, gluing and cutting numbers and examples of numbers is a great way to ensure not only beautiful results but also number awareness. 



Themed math learning material can help you ensure that your students and young learners are focused. Math is often seen as only a subject filled with numbers. Yet, math is a universal language you can find math in the most unexpected situations. The sharing of a pizza can be transformed into an engaging geometry lesson!

By using math journaling rather than relying on worksheets, your students will be provided with opportunities to connect math learning to communication and discussions as well. A math journal is a great chance to showcase the thinking behind their solution rather than simply providing an answer.

Working on prompts in a math journal goes beyond basic facts or using simple procedures. A deeper understanding is required to complete the task using for example drawings or writing to explain the thinking. Math journaling and hands-on activities also help to link math to language. 

Math prompts can be used with students of all ages. Starting with simple prompts gives you valuable insight into your students' understanding and thinking about math. Providing students with a chance to regularly use math journaling, means that their responses will be more detailed, which will help you get an even deeper insight into where each student is in their learning process. Like all educational material, the prompts must have interesting questions and prompts. Providing your students with room to explore and draw their solutions is vital. Fun and engaging images will make it more fun to get started with the journaling.  

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2024 March Products

It’s March! Make your planning easy by looking at special things to recognize and celebrate. Using special days for developing ideas to begin a day is a remarkably easy way to keep the students engaged. 

Pig’s Day may sound like a new idea but the idea to devote a day to these charming farm animals started in 1972. Two sisters, Ellen Stanley and Mary Lynne Rave, thought that pigs should be recognized as one of the “most intellectual and domesticated animals”.  Today, fun events like pig parades and pig-themed crafts activities are part of the celebrations on the 1st of March. Pigs have lived on farms and zoos for many years and they have been kept as pets. Pigs are popular themes in books, movies, stuffed animals and piggy banks. . . Your students will love learning more using my Fact Booklet about pigs. 

Celebrate dentists on March 6th.  National Dentist Day is a great opportunity to talk about the important work that dentists are carrying out to prevent, diagnose, and treat oral diseases.  Dental health is an important way to keep our bodies in great shape. My fact booklet is filled with engaging crafts and ideas to make sure that your students will enjoy learning and reading about our teeth.  Towards the end of the month, there is National Doctors Day, March 30th. The celebrations started in 1933 to honor Dr Crawford W. Long, the first doctor who used ether as an anesthetic. Fact Booklets about Dentists or Doctors are great for projects. Designing a dentist or doctor's office is a wonderful way to implement hands-on learning. 

Learning about different cultures is a vital part of education and it will help your students not only understand the reasons behind the celebrations but also help to show them that you are supportive. The way Muslims observe Ramadan may vary but it often includes a period of fasting and praying. Books about Ramadan can be used as a starting point for engaging conversations. Learning about the meaning behind different words is also a great help if you are using a Fact Booklet about Ramadan in your classroom. The start and end dates vary annually and this year it runs from March 11 to April 10.

One of the most famous scientists, Albert Einstein, was born on the 14th of March. Scientists Day is celebrated on Einstein’s birthday. This day is important since it honors the hard work of scientists. Many of their discoveries have been crucial in helping to make our lives easier.  Learning about how they help save lives, cure diseases and learn about planets far away from ours. 



Easter is celebrated by thousands of Christians around the world. The date varies each year, and in 2024, the celebrations begin on Friday the 29 March - Good Friday. Today, many people celebrate Easter by giving and receiving chocolate Easter eggs and sometimes going on an Easter egg hunt. Activities involving eggs are perfect towards the end of March. Using How to Draw Easter is an easy way to ensure that your students can make stunning Easter decorations and Easter cards. 



I hope March in your classroom is full of engaging learning, fun and festivity!

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National Organ Donor Day

National Organ Donor Day is observed every year on the 14th of February. Valentine’s Day may have a very special meaning to you if you need an organ transplant to survive. This important day focuses on organs, tissues, marrow, platelets and blood. The day is supported by the U.S Department of Health and Human Services as well as numerous nonprofit health groups.  

Organ donation means to donate an organ to a person who needs a transplant. This special day was chosen for people to show their compassion and love for people waiting for organ transplants. By signing up for an organ donation you express your love for humanity. You can save several people's lives or heal lives with your eye and tissue donation. 

You can donate your organs or tissue after you die. The waiting list in the United States for an organ such as a liver, from a deceased person is long.  In some cases, a live donor is necessary to save a person’s life. The success rate for the transplant may be higher and also there is a shorter waiting time when a live donor is an option. 

Live liver donations are possible since our livers have a remarkable ability to regenerate. This means that if you donate part of your liver, the rest grows back to most of its original size within weeks. Our liver is unique and it is one of the few organs that can regenerate. 

There are several misconceptions when it comes to organ donations. For example, certain illnesses or physical defects will prevent you from being a donor. This is with few exceptions false.

Liver failure can be caused by a number of conditions such as liver cancer, hepatitis and cirrhosis. Norm T. is a relative  who needs a liver transplant. Her only option to survive from a disease is to find a living liver donor. A portion of a liver from a matching donor can replace her diseased liver. Livers, as mentioned above, have an ability to regrow to their normal size. This means that both the donor and Norma would regrow their liver to their normal size. 

Norma has shown a remarkable brave spirit in her long journey to fight her disease. We are hopeful that a suitable match will be found so that she can return to her normal life. 

If you are interested in becoming living donors to help save Norma’s life, please visit UTCLivingDonor.com. 

Becoming a donor is the ultimate act of love for fellow humans in need. Please share this post to enhance the chances of finding a living liver donor for our relative.