Get Outta The House!

Opportunity Roundup

01/07/2020 Ann Hennessey Opportunity Roundup Agriculture, Field Trips, People with Disabilities, Science, Student Activities

Last New Year’s Day a mentor of mine, my first high school principal, sent me a meme that said, “365 new days, 365 new chances.” I still like it, a year and a week later. Here are some of the 365 new opportunities that are passing across my desk and computer screen. The California Fertilizer […]

Crocker Caters to Toddler Artists

01/02/2020 Ann Hennessey Get Outta The House! Art, Crocker Art, Crocker Art Spots, Jingle Bell Run, Kid Art, Kid-Friendly, Library, Museum, Tot Land

A couple of weeks ago my family stopped by the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento to grab a bite to eat after completing the Arthritis Foundation’s Jingle Bell Run. While I warmed my hands on a cup of herbal tea, my husband took my mom on a quick art tour, returning to tell me the […]

Opportunity Roundup

12/04/2019 Ann Hennessey Opportunity Roundup Agriculture, Free, Grant, Photography, Sacramento, Science, Wellness

Family obligations that include caring for elderly relatives have left me with little time to blog lately, but my mailboxes have continued to fill with opportunities for outdoor and alternative education. Hopefully, many families with young children were able to spend some time outdoors this past Thanksgiving season. REI, the outdoor gear store, closes its […]

Getting Kids Moving in Class

10/17/2019 Ann Hennessey Get Outta The House! Classroom Fun, Classroom Ideas, Health, Student Engagement

I supervised testing this week in an AP Bio classroom and saw this basketball hoop over the trash can. What a unique way to get students moving in a classroom and improve hand-eye coordination.

In my lifetime I will…

09/16/2019 Ann Hennessey Get Outta The House! Inspiration, Sacramento County Office of Education, School

The Sacramento County Office of Education transformed one wall of its lobby into this chalkboard. Drawing space is available below the chalk tray as well, all the way to the floor, for smaller visitors.

Victory Gardens: Teaching History Outside

07/16/2019 Ann Hennessey Get Outta The House! Field Trips, Garden, History, Outdoor Education, Red Cross Cookbook, Victory Garden, WWI Exhibit

Years ago, when my school gardeners needed a theme, my mom introduced me to “victory gardens,” community or family gardens grown during WWI and WWII to increase food production. Much of the commercially processed food needed to be shipped overseas to military personnel fighting those wars and to European civilians going hungry. People here at […]

Summer Reading Lists for Teachers on Vacation

07/10/2019 Ann Hennessey Get Outta The House! Books, Fun for Teachers, Reading Intervention, Summer Reading, Summer Vacation

By now most teachers are in the midst of their summer vacations, getting doctor’s appointments done, taking family vacations, and catching up on their summer reading. Over the past few months, I have attended several professional development workshops, participated in a writing conference, and volunteered at a Scholastic Books warehouse sale, collecting book recommendations along […]

Nevada School Décor Hails in Testing Season

05/01/2019 Ann Hennessey Get Outta The House! Spring Break, Student Art, Testing

With the end of Spring Break comes Testing Season in the K-12 world. This usually coincides with sunnier days and antsy students looking forward to summer vacations. High stakes testing and kids suffering from spring fever can be a lethal mix. This Spring Break I got to tour Numa Elementary, a grade 4-5 school in […]

Strawberries Make a Sweet Pi Day

03/11/2019 Ann Hennessey Get Outta The House! California Strawberry Commission, Math, Pi Day, Strawberries

Thursday, March 14, is worldwide Pi Day. Get it? 3.14? Those are the first three digits of pi, the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. Math people celebrate by eating actual pie on that day. The California Strawberry Commission, based in Watsonville, offers resources for teachers who want to eat strawberry pie and […]

Plan to Visit Glacier NP Sooner Rather Than Later

02/20/2019 Ann Hennessey Get Outta The House! Climate Change, Climate Science, Glacier National Park, Glaciers

Last summer some Montana news reports predicted Glacier National Park’s dwindling glacier supply could disappear as early as next year. The U.S. Geological Survey’s Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center (NOROCK) places the 26 remaining glaciers’ demise somewhere between the years 2030 and 2080, or within most of our children or grandchildren’s lifetime. The article, “Retreat […]