Tag: educators

New Picture Book Included in National Ag Curriculum

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Lack of Rural Teaching Resources

Parents, homeschoolers, and preschool teachers often struggle to find picture books about rural agricultural areas where their students live. Because of this, educators must change what is available or go without. This causes extra work and leaves children missing out on important information about their home.

Efforts are being made to ensure citizens are agriculturally literate. This is necessary to have a society that values agriculture, makes informed decisions about the food they eat, and advocates for agriculture among other initiatives.

Picking up apples from Apples for Cider

More Resources About Agriculture Needed

Parents and teachers want books for kids living in non-urban areas. They seek books related to local happenings. These educators want resources that speak specifically to the farming happening around their community. For example, kids living in rural areas see apple farming happening all around them. Their parents and teachers want picture books that cover life about orchards.

A New Picture Book with an Ag Theme

picture books about rural agricultural areas

To tackle this issue, my picture book, Apples for Cider, is an agricultural resource for parents and teachers. It helps them bring their rural agriculture community into their homes. They can also integrate it into their classrooms. Apples… is one of many needed picture books about rural agricultural areas. Plus, the book is now part of the National Agriculture in the Classroom Curriculum Matrix. The Apples for Cider picture book is now a Companion Resource attached to three Matrix apple lessons:

Additionally…

The Apples for Cider Parent/Teacher Reading Guide will also be available for download. The Guide is another way to help educators when using a picture book to extend learning. The Reading Guide includes various prompts for discussion and activities including a:

  • Social-emotional learning activity
  • Collage-making activity
  • Apple cider guide and
  • Pastiche discussion and activity
Get a free Apples for Cider Reading Guide here

Find Out More!

What has been your experience with finding picture books with agricultural themes? tell us in Comments below

How the Social Styles List Can Transform Your Classroom

Published on by awsstudiosartLeave a comment

Free Resource for Effective Classroom Management

Without a doubt, high school classrooms today are more diverse than ever—culturally, emotionally, and socially. As educators, you likely face students with varying communication preferences, personalities and “social styles”, making it challenging to foster meaningful relationships and manage your classroom effectively. Importantly, one-size-fits-all approaches to classroom management don’t work anymore. When you’re striving to build an inclusive and supportive learning environment, you need better tools.

An illustration of a classroom of students that look different from each other. A group of diverse students are working together on a project, symbolizing collaboration, innovation, creativity, teamwork, and education.

This is where my free Social Styles List comes in. In particular, it’s designed to help you easily identify and understand your students’ communication type. These are “styles” present in most classroom settings. Understanding the styles helps you create better connections. and guide classroom interactions in a way that feels authentic and supportive for each student.

Why Knowing Your Students’ Social Styles Matters

Image shows animal illustrations from Carson and Sands Medicine Cards.
From Medicine Cards by David Carson and Jamie Sams

Understanding social styles can be a game-changer in your approach to classroom management. Students often express themselves in ways that reflect their social and emotional tendencies. By recognizing these tendencies, you can:

  • Create more effective lesson plans tailored to different communication styles
  • Mediate conflicts before they escalate by addressing the root of the issue
  • Build stronger relationships with students by connecting in ways that resonate with them
  • Foster a positive, collaborative classroom culture where students feel seen and understood

Furthermore, how do you know what social style each student leans toward? That’s where my Social Styles List can help!

What You’ll Get with the Free Social Styles List

The Social Styles List provides a simple breakdown of the four main social styles: Analytical, Driver, Amiable, and Expressive. Each style comes with a description of common traits, behaviors, and interaction preferences.

Imaage shows a picture from the aws Studios.art mental health skills building "Circle of Community" resource.

This List is a sneak peek into my comprehensive Circle of Community which is an activity to help you implement these strategies and build stronger student relationships.

How This Resource Solves Common High School Classroom Issues

Current high school teachers are facing challenges like low student engagement, increased social anxiety, and classroom conflict stemming from differing communication styles. In addition, many students are struggling to express themselves. This is further underscored by disruptions caused by the pandemic.

Image shows the opt-in form to sign up to get a free copy of the Social Styles list.

The Social Styles List offers a solution by helping you:

  • Identify students’ communication preferences so you can tailor your approach
  • Understand what drives different social behaviors in the classroom
  • Minimize miscommunication that leads to conflicts or disengagement
  • Cultivate a classroom environment where each student feels valued and understood

Take the First Step Toward Better Classroom Management

Ready to get started? Download the Social Styles List for free and begin using it in your classroom today! It’s a practical tool you can start using right away to improve your relationships with students and help them connect with each other.

Also, if you love this List, you’ll find more resources in my Circle of Community activity. In addition, it is also available as part of my Classroom Management / Relationship Building Bundle. These resources provide deeper insights and actionable strategies to strengthen your classroom community.

Getyour free Social Styles List today!

This resource can help you build stronger connections with your students. This creates a classroom environment that promotes learning, growth, and mutual respect.

Have you used Social Styles in your classroom?

How did it go?

Let us know in the Comments section below.

Reduce Your Anxiety and Boost Your Mental Health: New SEL Resources

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NOW OPEN! The aws Studios Store!

Parents, grandparents, teachers and educators!

You can count on the effectiveness of the SEL resources in the aws Studios Store! As a mental health educator and curriculum developer, hundreds of students, young and old tested and approved my activities and curricula.

Furthermore, I am excited to provide you with my most popular SEL resources and curricula.

Check out my new store here!

SEL resources currently on the shelves at the aws Studios Store:

“Circle of Community™” is a fun team-building activity that can be used with any group or team, in the classroom or in the home! “Circle…” shows teams/groups how to work together, keeping conflict to a minimum giving groups/teams a better chance of reaching their goals or going for a win.

Picture shows cover of one of the SEL resources at the aws Studios.art Teachers Pay Teachers Store
Another picture from an aws Studios.art SEL resource in the TPT store

“Reframe It™” is a fun game that builds empathy and an understanding of child and parent behavior or why kids and parents do what they do!

The engaging and interactive game offers players a chance to think about ways to modify their reactions to problematic or challenging behaviors and offers ideas on how to alter the environment for more positive behaviors.

Particularly, this game is for parents, Parenting Educators and their parent groups. In addition, it plays well with pre-teens and teens.

“DIY Hardcover Picture Book”:

A one-pager on how to craft your own hardcover picture book. Great for art class! Plus, it’s a FREE download.

Picture from an aws Studios.art picture book used for an SEL resource art project

To purchase the resources at the aws Studios Store, you will need to make a FREE Teachers Pay Teachers account. Anyone with a FREE Teachers Pay Teachers account can purchase materials at the aws Studios Store!

Like the aws Studios Store, give me a Rating or Review or Ask Me a Question! Check it out here!