My Book-Mrs. Paddington and the Silver Mousetraps
Anti-Bullying Resources
Bell Ringers!
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Mrs. Portulaca Purpilopilis
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Facts to Wow your Friends!
Teaching Ideas!
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7/2020:Mrs. Paddington and the Silver Mousetraps won a 1st place Purple Dragonfly Book Award in the Picture Books 6 & Older category. Thank you, Story Monsters!
3/24/20:Excited to have my latest children's book, Mrs. Paddington and the Silver Mousetraps, chosen as a 2019 Story Monster Approved winner!
DECEMBER FREEBIES!
2. Snow Factoids: Snow Fun Facts
3. Happy New Year! New Year's Customs from Around the World, Freebie
4. Rockefeller Center Tree: Rockefeller Center Tree Freebie
5. Learn about Charles Dickens: Charles Dickens, Freebie
6.Fake News:Fake News Activity
DECEMBER Highlights!
2. Charles Dickens :With this being the time of year for the story, A Christmas Carol, it's a great opportunity to learn about its author,Charles Dickens. One of the most famous writers of all times,Dickens also wrote Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities, David Copperfield and more. My webquest includes 8 fun/informative questions to learn about Dickens. Additional activities/links,too: Charles Dickens, A Webquest I also have a Ms. Bie Ogrefee Reader’s Theater Script on Charles Dickens: There are 11 questioners in the play as well as a Did You Know? section of fun facts, comprehension questions and a teacher page with extension activities, additional links and the key.Charles Dickens, A Reader's Theater Script
3. Which president didn't allow a Christmas tree because he was an environmentalist? Which president organized a snowball fight in the White House for kids(using cotton balls). Which president hired a camel to entertain kids at Christmas time? Learn 12 informative facts about the Holidays at the White House with this possible Interactive Notebook Activity:Holiday Traditions at the White House
4. Learn about the History of New Year's with this fun/informative web quest. There are nine questions, lots of interesting customs of how people celebrate New Year's around the world, comprehension questions, extension activities and the key. Included are also other holiday New Year's celebrations including Diwali, Chinese New Year, Songkran and Rosh Hashanah. The resources also mentions how April Fool's Day originated over when to celebrate New Year's Day!New Year's Eve Traditions from Around the World,Webquest
5. History of Candy:The first in my series, Everything Has a History. Why not show your students that even candy has a history with this fun/informative web quest! Learn facts including marshmallows date back to 2000 BC and King Tut's Tomb contained licorice. I also have included several additional resources and extension activities. Great for a Friday, a day before a vacation activity or just when you'd like to share with kids that...everything has a history!https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Candy-History-of-Candy-Webquest-516787
5.History of Candy! Show kids that everything has a history!History of Candy, a Webquest
6. The Wright Brothers first flight was December 17th. Did you know that people actually thought that the airplane would have not real purpose? Less than 10 people showed up for the Wright Brothers attempt to make history on that December 17, 1903, morning. This informative web quest will help students learn about the Wright Brothers and their first flight. Extension activities as well as additional links for information are also provided as is the key.Additionally, I have a Reader's Theater Script on Female Pilots during WW2, Amelia Earhart, Bessie Coleman and the Tuskegee Airmen.
7. Teaching American History and want to introduce your students to First Ladies of the United States? Try this fun and information play based on the Mark Goodson Production To Tell the Truth Game Show on Mary Todd Lincoln. Students will have fun acting out their parts and learning some interesting facts about First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln whose birthday was December 13th. Discussion questions, comprehension questions and activities are also included:Mary Todd Lincoln, A Reader's Theater Script
8. If you live where there is snow, you have probably built a snowman. The snowman has been around for quite a while. In fact, the earliest drawing of a snowman was found in a book dating back to 1380! The book, "Book of Hours" was found in a library in the country of the Netherlands. Read about a famous sculptor hired to make a snowman, a snowman which helps predicts the weather in Switzerland and two more stories about snowmen! Four short reading passages that have to do with snowmen with questions and extension activities:Famous Snowmen in History, Reading Passage
9. Rosa Parks Day is December 1st. Check out this Ms. Bie Ografee Reader's Theater Script on Rosa Parks! Rosa, called the "Mother of the Civil Rights Movement", helped to change the way things were on a bus ride home from work. The fun/informative play uses the format of Rosa Parks being a guest on a talk show and the studio audience asks questions about her life and contributions. Great for Black History Month in February or Women's History Month in March. Comprehension questions/extension activities,key. Rosa Parks, A Reader's Theater Script
10. The Middle East is in the news. You may find this webquest on contributions and geography of this region of interest. Middle East, A Webquest
11. FAKE NEWS. FAKE NEWS: The term FAKE News seems to be used a lot these days! A recent survey found that many young people(and adults for that matter) can't seem to determine which is a real news story from a fake news story. We need to develop digital critical literacy with our students. This Interactive Notebook activity also has extension activities: Fake News! Teaching Digital Literacy!
12. Reading on George Washington and the Camel that Came to Christmas! George Washington and the Camel that Came for Christmas!(Reading, mini EBook)
1. World Capitals: World Capitals, Test Your Knowledge
2. US Landmarks: U.S. Landmarks, Test Your Knowledge
3. Maps and Geography: Maps and Geography, Test Your Knowledge
4. Women Trailblazers: Women Trailblazers, Test Your Knowledge
Bundle on Countries of the WorldAll sold individually, too.
MATH and STEM Biographies:
1. Hypathia: Hypathia, Woman Mathematician
2. Ada Lovelace: Ada Lovelace, Woman Mathematician
4. Katherine Johnson: Katherine Johnson, STEM Biography
4. Marie Curie: Marie Curie, Stem Bio
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Use my THINGY letters to have kids write spelling words, vocabulary words or as an art activity! Have students try and guess what some of the THINGY Letters are.(also have Black/White option):ClipArt: Alphabet Thingy Letters!
Check out my series of Children's Books from Aadarsh Publishing!
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Stop Bullying!
To any young people visiting my website. Please,if you are being bullied, seek help...SPEAK TO AN ADULT today!And, if you SEE something that looks like bullying-SAY something to an adult!
Check out my Pinterest page to see all my resources in one easy place!Click here to learn more:Gail's Social Studies Emporium(and More)
IN THE NEWS:11/20/2025:
Say goodbye to the penny! The last minted penny has been retired after a 230 year history. Presently, a penny costs about 3.69 cents to create so it just wasn't worth it to continue to make pennies. But, don't worry, the penny will be around for some time as it is estimated there are between 100-300 billion of the coins currently in circulation. Prices will most likely be rounded up making the "change" more expensive for the consumer.
Photograph from Texas A and MScientists found a cobweb in a sulfur cave found on the border of Albania and Greece. Not just any spider web, it may be the world's largest ever found. It stretches more than 1077 sq. ft., about the length of almost six average cars. Originally found in 2022, scientists have been studying the mega web, home to two species of spider, the barn funnel and sheet web spider.
Photograph from USA Today.
The tallest church in the world is found in Barcelona, Spain. It is the Sagrada Familia. After 143, it is STILL not completed but construction workers just added the cross to the top of the center tower. The highest point of the Sagrada Familia stands 534.48 ft. The previous record height was the Ulm Minster, in Germany, which stands 530 ft. tall. The church as originally designed by architect Antoni Gaudi.
Photograph from BBCPaleontologist made an amazing discovery in Wyoming. They found a pari of mummies. Not the human type wrapped up in linen but those naturally created of two duck-billed dinosaurs. Thought to have died millions of years ago, in a muddy area, their bodies were quickly covered up by more mud. The clay helped create a mold around the dinosaurs known as Edmontosaurus annectens as the dinosaurs decayed. What remains are remarkable details of skin, feet (actually they are hooves) and spikes on their tail. The youngest of the pair, thought to be 2 years old, was nicknamed Ed Jr. with the older dinosaur, thought to be 5-8 years old, was named Ed Sr.
Photograph from BBC
Photograph from goodnewsnetwork.The world's record for the most drones used in a display took place this week in China's "firework capital" of Liuyang, in the Hunan province. A total of 15,947 drones and 7,496 fireworks were used to create an amazing light show of color and amazing imagery including a tree with branches with feathers falling from its top, the Great Wall of China, a little girl holding a flower and butterflies, during the twenty minute show.
Photograph from AvinteractivePAST NEWS STORIES
TAKE A PEEK at THESE ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES:
Mrs. Waffenschmidt
About Gail:
I retired from teaching after 33 1/2 years in the classroom. Of that time, I taught Grade 6 Social Studies teacher for 31 1/2 years.I earned my BA in early secondary education with a concentration in social studies from SUNY Oneonta, New York, and my MST in social studies education from Binghamton University in New York. In 1988, I was awarded the Outstanding Elementary Social Studies Classroom Teacher of the Year Award from the New York State Council for the Social Studies. Additionally, in 1988, I was also awarded the Outstanding Elementary Social Studies Teacher of the Year Award by the National Council for the Social Studies. I am the author of 8 books for teachers and over 35 books for children(Purple Turtle Series by Aadarsh Publishing and Odd History Series by Red Chair Press).
My work has appeared in most children's publications including:
Highlights for Children,News-O-Matic,Appleseed,,Scholastic's Super Science,,Scholastic's Science World,Jack and Jill,National Geographic World, Ranger Rick, Cobblestone, Faces, Muse Magazine,Contact Kids, US Kids,Action Magazine(Scholastic),Girls' Life,Boys' Life,American Girl, Instructor,Creative Classroom,Middle Years,Time for Kids,Scholastic News,Scholastic News Zone, Time for Kids , Ask Magazine, Dig,Calliope, Cobblestone, FACES, Studies Weekly, Glo Adventurer, and more.
Mail Gail:
Gail Hennessey