Wolfe Stew

(Updated 5/13/2022) Happy Monday to You, Leaders! I hope your weekend was restful and you’re stepping with energy into another week.    Last week, we shared some ways to bring fall leaves into learning .  Then, on Sunday our church delivered a message rooted in trees. I never interpret the interconnectivity of random events randomly. I choose to see them as God's design.  But I don't want to stop there. I want to give God the recognition for the connection. In response, I'm sharing the connection with you today because the main point of the message was that we are stronger in community .  That is how God intended us to live.   The prop from nature that the pastor used to demonstrate God's desire for our interconnectivity was redwood roots.    When one redwood tree is sick, all the other trees stop growing and send their nutrients through the root system to the sick tree to help it heal.    Moreover, if the tree is to die, many new tr...

(Updated 5/12/2022) Confession time, Leaders.  I finally gave in.  I brewed my first pot of pumpkin spice coffee today, my home has fall scented plug-ins both upstairs and down, and my sister brought me my first pumpkin latte.  Fall is in my heart (even if it is not officially fall outside) and, oh, how it fills my spirit with joy! Quick Links for You: Fall Learning Activities Silas' Story Silas' First Mission: Books for his Bag Fall Learning Activities If you are looking for fall themed activities, be sure to check out the " Going on a Leaf Hunt ," and " Fall Leaf Decorations that Teach! " posts.  "Going on a Leaf Hunt!" suits primarily primary learners, while "Fall Leaf Decorations that Teach!" adapts to most age groups. Meet Silas Last Friday, we introduced the first character in our STEAM Team: Silas.  If you have not met Silas yet, go meet him .  You'll need to know his story before you progress further.  Mission 1:...

Welcome Fellow Cooks to the Academic Kitchen! Fall is nearly upon us!   We want to help you prepare for it by dishing up seasonal cuisine to delight your taste buds and soothe your cravings.  And what better way to do it than to spruce up your classroom with some fall leaf decorations? But these aren't just any fall leaf decorations. No. These decorations require learning!  Fall Leaf Decorative Teaching Menu: Capitalization Rules Displayed on Leaves (The original idea with our added model.) More Decorative Teaching Ideas for Elementary and Middle School Fall Leaf Decoration Display Suggestions   The Wolfe Stew  Printout ( Complimentary. All these ideas and more in a convenient printout .) Capitalization Rule Fall Leaf Display  Today, we’re sharing (and adding our own flavoring to) an idea from Mary McMillan in her book, Classroom Starters for Any Occasion. McMillan suggests making a leaf necklace to review capitalization rules.   After mak...

(Updated 5/5/2022) Listen Leaders, I don't know about you, but I (the Mrs.) am a lover of all things fall.  The crisp morning air.  Corn mazes.  Pumpkin patches.  Pumpkin everything (Yes, I am one of those people).  Soups and *ahem*  stews.  The smell and look as the leaves change color and begin to fall.  So, knowing it is right around the corner has me more than a little excited.  And then, it will be  the perfect time to "[Go] on a Leaf Hunt." If you have not read the book  We're Going on a Leaf Hunt  (links to Goodreads ) by Steve Metzger and you lead littles in grades K-3, now is a suitable time to read (or reread) it.  Read on for short descriptions suitable for leaders and littles. The Book Menu for Leaders We're Going on a Leaf Hunt In this piggyback book to "We're Going on a Bear Hunt," Metzger takes us on a fall adventure.  March in rhythm as the story weaves us over, through, around, and acros...

(Updated 9/9/2022.) Good Afternoon Friends, Welcome back to Wolfe Stew! We are glad you are here! Come on in. Get comfortable. Put your feet up and take a moment to stew on this... 72% of employees say the most helpful part of their career is receiving corrective feedback. In fact, more employees prefer corrective feedback to praise ( Zenger & Folkman, 2014 ). We all want to be better at what we do; it is part of human nature. If we are going to do something, we want to do it well. You, Leaders of Littles, serve a key role. You are the first "employer" your little has. They want to do well, but they need your guidance on how to do it. Feedback is your opportunity to guide them. As leaders, we all know how important feedback is, but sometimes it is pushed to the side. We have meetings to attend, lessons to plan, materials to organize, emails to return, papers to copy, and on and on and on... We want to encourage you to take a moment and give feedback a mor...

(Updated 9/8/2022) Good Afternoon, Leaders, The weekend is nearly upon us.  A three-day weekend.  A weekend that many of you will use to get ready for the next week.  I hope that you do take some time for yourself this weekend, though.  Savor the flavor of your favorite dish.  You deserve it! Before our weekend begins, we have an appetizer to tempt your palate.  Meet The STEAM Team !  A cast of characters that embodies STEAM roles.  As the series unfolds, you'll first meet each character individually, then see them team together to solve larger problems. Today, you meet Silas, the scientist.  Read to see what he does as he is plunged into a world where all the rules have changed.  Enter his world.  How could you help?  What role would you play? We hope this story opens a discussion about STEAM roles and the importance they play in our society. To introduce your cadets to Silas, we've prepared for you before, during, an...

(Updated 8/12/2022) Hello Leaders, We are glad you are here!  We want to celebrate with you!  Why?  Because it is the first!  The first post.  The first day of the rest of your life.  The first "An Idea for Every Day" calendar.  We hope it gives you a reason to celebrate! What Is "An Idea for Every Day?" A calendar that we hope brings you inspiration is what you'll find here.  With the help of  nationaldaycalendar.com , we cooked up ways for you to celebrate each day with your littles.  You'll find science, literacy, math, music, art, community building, and social studies options on this menu.  Finally, we offer link pairings for some select options. How Can I Use It? Print the calendar. Put it near where you plan. Consider some of the ideas on the calendar as you plan. Enjoy each day celebrating with the littles. Share your favorite celebration with us, so we can celebrate with you! Click here for Sept...