School Days – Peachtree Publishing Company Inc.

Bees in the Schoolyard: Guest Post from the Beekeepers of the Fernbank Science Center

Peachtree Publishers — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 16:00:00 +0000

With the launch event of Lester Laminack’s The King of Bees last month, we had the amazing opportunity to interact with the Fernbank Science Center‘s beekeepers. After asking them all our questions and learning so much about the bee population and how people can support bees in the classroom, we wanted to share everything we had discovered. Kyla Van Deusen, instructional specialist and Fernbank Science Center beekeeper, offered to delve into the world of bees and provide her insights into how schools can support the bee population.

Apis mellifera, the European honeybee, was introduced to the Americas in the 17^thcentury by European colonists. Honeybees contribute 15 billion dollars annually to the US economy, mainly through their pollination services, which is critical to fruit and vegetable production. The sharp decline in their population in recent years inspired a federal Pollinator Health Task Force in 2014 that sounded the alarm across the country on the plight of honeybees and other pollinating insects.

Now recognized as a national issue with major economic implications in the agriculture sector, children and teachers have been inspired to do their part to support pollinator health in the schoolyard setting. From planting pollinator gardens to maintaining their own beehives, schools can contribute to both honeybees and native pollinator health in meaningful ways that also teach core content across curricular disciplines.

Plant a garden

Schools have a long, rich history of using gardens as outdoor classrooms. In the garden, students learn life cycles, soil science, water cycling, seasons, habitats, teamwork, nutrition, history, and more. Pollinator gardens can be easy to maintain and provide opportunity not only to learn, but also improve habitat for pollinators. It is important to remember that native bees provide pollination services, sometimes better than the European honeybee. Designing a garden to support needs of native bee species makes for a great hands-on learning experience. The following resources can help schools design and implement a pollinator garden.

Ecoregional planting guides from Pollinator Partnership: Select the best plants for your region. Many states have native plant societies that can help locate plant material. Remember that garden centers often sell plants treated with neonicotinoid pesticides, which are suspected to be poisonous to bees, so make sure to source neonic-free plants. Not all neonic-treated plants are labelled as such.
Pollinator garden planning lesson plan from KidsGardening.org

Start a beehive

Although bee-friendly gardening is the easiest and most sustainable way to support bee populations in the schoolyard, caring for bees can be an incredible experience for students, especially if supported by the skills and wisdom of local beekeepers. However, with the amount of stressors impacting the European honeybee population at this moment in time—increased disease, residential and agricultural pesticides, and habitat destruction—even the most experienced beekeepers are struggling to maintain their hives. In spite of these challenges, schoolyard beekeeping is increasing in popularity and there are several resources available to help schools get started. Remember to check with your school liability officer to ensure that beehives remain in compliance with liability code. Also keep in mind that both Beepods and observation hives tend to be short lived due to the high stress placed on bees in these environments and the tendency to swarm more frequently.

Honeybee resources

Beehives for Schools from BeePods
Observation Hives for Schools from the Bee Cause

Native pollinator resources

Nests for Native Bees from Xerxes Society

Citizen science

Citizen science projects allow citizens to add data to national and international research projects and access data for class projects. The following citizen science project provides meaningful ways for students to participate in tracking pollinator health beyond the school grounds.

Compilation of pollinator citizen science projects from Xerxes Society

Curriculum Connections

With Next Generation Science Standards driving science education to a more inquiry-driven approach, gardening and beekeeping make great projects that align with evolving science standards.

Information for Schools from the Xerxes Society
Honeybee curriculum from the Bee Cause
Project Hero Pollination Quest from Captain Planet Foundation
Bee Books for Children from the Honeybee Conservancy

Creating bee-friendly schools

Complex environmental problems like pollinator population decline can feel overwhelming to the point of apathy, but by learning about the problem and implementing local solutions, students can lead the way toward a better outcome both for the bees and their own education. Teachers can support their students’ successful bee projects through connecting to local partners. Look for beekeeping clubs, native plant societies, school garden support organizations, and passionate parents in your community who want to help your students help the bees. All the work will pay off when you see your students light up as they discover how they can have a positive impact on their world.

Start your bee education with the amazing fiction story The King of Bees, coming April 1st! Find it at your local library, indie bookstore, or Barnes & Noble.

Saying Good-bye with Mrs. McBee

Peachtree Publishers — Thu, 27 Apr 2017 16:00:00 +0000

Gretchen Brandenburg McLellan, author of Mrs. McBee Leaves Room 3, knows the bittersweet of saying good-bye to a lot of people and places, which was part of her inspiration for writing Mrs. McBee Leaves Room 3. In the book, the students of Room 3 find out Mrs. McBee will not be returning to the school for the next year. As each student helps their teacher prepare the classroom for next year’s students, the children each find their own way of saying good-bye by celebrating their beloved teacher and remembering the wonderful memories they have together of that year.

Along with her debut picture book that encourages readers to acknowledge and celebrate transitions like the end of school, McLellan prepared an activity guide for anyone who is preparing to say good-bye. With the end of the school year looming, and Teacher Appreciation Day just around the corner, these activities can help make saying good-bye to your favorite teacher more sweet than bitter.

Make a Memory Box with everyone who helped make a certain place special. Each person can contribute their favorite memory, and then the best of a classroom or building or house is preserved in the box.

Pictures are one of the best and easiest ways to preserve good memories. By creating a place or people-specific book, the story or narrative of time spent together will be easy to see and easy to enjoy all over again.

Every person has their own way of helping to say goodbye! Make everyone an “expert” certificate to designate jobs and responsibilities in cleaning and preparing to leave a classroom or building.

Get the full activity guide on Pinterest or download it here! Get to know the author and creator of the activity guide and Mrs. McBee Leaves Room 3 in this Q&A.

You can find Mrs. McBee Leaves Room 3 at your local library, indie bookstore, or Barnes & Noble.

Free Book Friday: Mrs. McBee Leaves Room 3

Peachtree Publishers — Fri, 10 Mar 2017 18:00:00 +0000

Friday = Free books! This Free Book Friday we are giving away Mrs. McBee Leaves Room 3 written by Gretchen Brandenburg McLellan and illustrated by Grace Zong.

This amusing and touching story brings readers into Mrs. McBee’s classroom where preparations are beginning for the end of the school year. Everyone has a special way of saying good-bye, highlighting the importance of celebrating transitions.

Enter for your chance to win a copy in our GoodReads giveaway! The giveaway starts today and ends this time next week!

Read more about Mrs. McBee Leaves Room 3 on our New Book Wednesday here.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Mrs. McBee Leaves Room 3

by Gretchen Brandenburg McLellan

Giveaway ends March 18, 2017.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

New Book Wednesday: Mrs. McBee Leaves Room 3

Peachtree Publishers — Wed, 08 Mar 2017 18:00:00 +0000

Mrs. McBee Leaves Room 3
by Gretchen Brandenburg McLellan

Some children (and teachers) celebrate the end of the school year with lots of fanfare, but in Room 3, the experience is bittersweet. Gretchen Brandenburg McLellan’s debut picture book, Mrs. McBee Leaves Room 3, shows readers that everyone has a special way of saying good-bye.

It’s the end of the school year at Mayflower Elementary, and the students aren’t the only ones leaving Room 3—Mrs. McBee will not be returning to school after summer break. In addition to cleaning up the classroom for the end of the year, Jamaika, William, and the other students of Room 3 want to find a special way to celebrate their beloved teacher. But how will they arrive at an agreement when they all have different ideas?

Children are continuously experiencing transitions—whether it’s new grades, new teachers, or just new everyday experiences. With a distinct cast of lively and diverse characters, brought to life by Grace Zong’s charming illustrations, Gretchen Brandenburg McLellan’s amusing and touching story highlights the mixed emotions surrounding those transitions, and the importance of recognizing, observing, and celebrating them.

“A thoroughly satisfying solution to the issue of saying goodbye.”—Kirkus Reviews

“An earnest, unflashy story that has all the earmarks for becoming a staple for schools and students facing similar transitions.” —Publishers Weekly

So be a class act and pick up your own copy of Mrs. McBee Leaves Room 3 on April 1st at your local library, indie bookstore, or Barnes & Noble!

Football Facts Even a Bookworm Can Appreciate

Peachtree Publishers — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 14:01:00 +0000

Well, folks, it’s officially summer. You know what that means, right? Football season is right around the corner!

We’re actually pretty big fans at Peachtree, and not just because we’re southern. Fred Bowen, coach and Washington Post sports columnist, is coming out with a brand new football title this August!

Double Reverse is an action-packed middle grade chapter book chronicling one team’s inspiring journey in conquering expectations and seeing themselves, not for how they look, but for what they can achieve.

Now, we know that the stereotypical bibliophile isn’t a huge football fan, but until reading becomes America’s favorite pastime, we thought we’d put together some fun facts about the sport to help you at those inevitable football watch parties.

Professional football was first played on November 12, 1892 between Allegheny Athletic Association and Pittsburgh Athletic Club ending in a 6-6 tie! Look! We even found the “birth certificate” of pro-football!

The payment of player W. Heffelfinger made it official!
Football came about from a combination of soccer and rugby.
The first college game was played on November 6, 1869 between Rutgers and Princeton, but the sport didn’t become popular until the 1880s.
Before college games, competitions between Athletic Clubs were fierce and exciting!
The oldest man to ever play the game professionally was George Blanda, aged 48, who played for the Oakland Raiders in 1927. He is also the person who has played the most seasons (26).
Here’s a link to a very extensive time-line of the game including when touchdowns were altered from five points to six (1912) and the first televised game (1939). Pretty Nifty!
The longest field goal was 64 yards made from Matt Prater of the Denver Broncos on December 8, 2013! (You’ll meet an unexpected kicker in Double Reverse!)
There’s an awesome online exhibit called Football and America which details stories of professional football players who served in various wars and the sacrifices they made. Perfect fodder for Fourth of July picnicking conversation!
The title of “The Greatest Game Ever Played” is attributed to the 1958 Championship game between the Baltimore Colts and the New York Giants. This game led to football becoming America’s favorite sport to watch in the 1960s! Read the full story here.
The highest scoring game is between the Redskins and New York Giants with the final score of 72-41 with the Redskins taking the win! It was on November 27, 1966.
Fran Tarkenton was inducted into the Hall of Fame on August 2, 1986. This player is a huge inspiration for this Bowen novel, so take a look at his impressive history! He retired as the all-time leader in attempts (6,467), completions (3,686), passing yardage (47,003), and touchdown passes (342). Read more here!

If you’re itching for more awesome facts about America’s favorite past-time, these all came from Pro Football Hall of Fame’s official site.

Visit Fred Bowen at fredbowen.com and sportsstoryseries.com. And look for Double Reverse in your local library or bookstore!

Gordon vs. the Writing Assignment

Peachtree Publishers — Mon, 31 Mar 2014 16:00:00 +0000

As part of his Grand Prize, Gordon’s story is being published today on the blog! We’re all quite impressed with his imagination and how much fun he had with his story; we think you will be too 🙂 Enjoy!

Gordon vs. the Writing Assignment

Gordon was just sitting down at his desk at school when his teacher asked him to write a story for her. He said, “Oh, I don’t have anything to write. This is going to be so hard. I’ll just sit here and try to think of something.” He puts his head on his desk. All of a sudden the bell rings. He jumps on his bike and rides it toward home and then things start to get weird. Rocks start shooting out of trees. He sees fireworks blasting (p.s. it is not the Fourth of July). He goes straight home.

Weird things are happening there too! His Mom has elephants on her head. His Dad is throwing the chair, his sister is throwing sandwiches at him, and a giant chicken is attacking him. They finally let him sit down and read a book. Then things start getting weird again. The characters from Gordon’s books start to jump out at him. Some of his books have dragons in them and instead of shooting fire they shoot spikes. He runs for his life. He gets on his bike and drives off but as he drives away the bike changes into a rocket ship and by the time he stops it he is at Mars.

An Alien starts to chase him. He gets into a space suit he found on a hook next to the door and goes out the back door. The Alien starts chasing him again. The Alien chases him for an hour and then the Alien is out of breath. It walks to its home and Gordon walks back to the rocket ship and flies home. When he lands he sees there is a tiny bomb in this rocket ship. He has one second and then he suddenly wakes up.

He is at school where he can write his story very quickly.

He has a story to write! Hurray!

The End

Gordon, the winner of Mrs. Burke’s You vs. Who? contest, is in second grade.

You vs. Who? Contest & Giveaway

Peachtree Publishers — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 16:03:00 +0000

Greetings, denizens of the blogiverse!

Since the title of Teacher of the Year was bestowed upon me, I’ve received a number of inquiries on an array of subjects.

What is my first name? What activities are best for fourth graders? Did I suffer any lasting effects from the flying sneaker incident? How is my snap so impressively loud?

I’ve been asked to answer a few of those questions here today.

The snap, I’m afraid, is one of the most fiercely guarded secrets of the Empire—Mrs. Burke’s Empire, that is. The technique was passed down in a sacred trust from my mother, and I couldn’t possibly divulge it here.

Actually, I suppose I could, but my hood of ninjas would instantaneously escort every person reading this post to a remote island surrounded by man-eating octopi. I doubt the secret of the snap would do you much good in such an exile.

Activities, however, I am happy to share!

1. Plays:

Each year, the citizens of Mrs. Burke’s Empire perform a play. I’m not given to bragging, but this year’s—The Sorcerer’s Castle—might be this director’s masterpiece. I’ve found that my students learn quite a bit about themselves when they’re forced to play someone else.

2. Writing:

I suggest having your students write about their own experiences.

Here’s a prompt that works well with my own students: You vs. Who?

Students must write a story about a time they faced some sort of obstacle. Stories can be silly or serious; true or fictional; about school, home, or extra-curriculars! Give it a title like Suzie Rice vs. The Vacuum of Suction Destruction or Mrs. Burke vs. The Slippery Ramen Noodle.

3. Contests:

When all other hope is lost and mutiny seems inescapable, make it a contest. In fact, let’s do just that!

Have your child, student, or library patrons answer the You vs. Who? prompt.

You (the teacher, librarian, parent, etc.) must send the stories to the folks at Peachtree Publishers via e-mail or snail mail before the deadline. (See details below.)

Win a glorious prize and bring honor to your own empire!

CONTEST DETAILS

PRIZE: Peachtree Publishers is giving away ten (10) Charlie Bumpers prize packs!

Nine winners will receive one (1) hardcover copy of Charlie Bumpers vs. The Teacher of the Year, and one (1) galley of Charlie Bumpers vs. The Really Nice Gnome (April 2014!).

One Grand Prize winner will receive one (1) hardcover copy of Charlie Bumpers vs. The Teacher of the Year, one (1) hardcover copy of Charlie Bumpers vs. The Really Nice Gnome, and one (1) Audio Book CD of Charlie Bumpers vs. The Teacher of the Year (performed by author and Grammy Award-winning recording artist, Bill Harley!).

To enter: Students must write a story about a time they faced some sort of obstacle like Charlie does. Adult must send the stories in to Peachtree Publishers via e-mail or snail mail. Stories can be silly or serious; true or fictional; about school, home, or extra-curriculars!

E-mail Address:

publicity(at)peachtree(dash)online(dot)com

Snail Mail Address:

Peachtree Publishers

Publicity Dept.

1700 Chattahoochee Ave.

Atlanta, GA 30318

DEADLINE: Contest ends March 26, 2014, at 11:59 pm EST

OPEN TO: US Addresses Only

Mrs. Burke is Coming…

Peachtree Publishers — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 20:52:00 +0000

You lucky, lucky ducks. Do we have a treat for you!

Word on the Peachtree street (Ha. If you’ve ever been to Atlanta, you know that there are approximately 52,648 variations of “Peachtree Street” here. Seriously. Google it.) is that Mrs. Burke—yes the Mrs. Burke of Charlie Bumpers fame—will be stopping by the blog this Friday!

You never know what the Teacher of the Year might say or do, but I hear she might have a giveaway up her sleeve…

See you Friday!

Back to School with Charlie Bumpers

Peachtree Publishers — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 14:35:00 +0000

Though it still feels like summer in Atlanta, fall is around the corner and school will soon start again! Families around town are stocking up on supplies and students are waiting excitedly at the mailbox for their teacher letters, crossing their fingers and hoping to get the easy teacher, the nice teacher, the cool teacher. Maybe some more excitedly than others.

Guys, Charlie feels your pain. Not only is he starting fourth grade this year but he’s got THE MEANEST teacher in the whole school. Want some tips on how to cope? Some stories to get you through the day from a kid who gets it? Follow along on his blog and see what he’s up to! http://charliebumpers.wordpress.com/

For more books to get you in the ‘Back to School’ spirit, check out:

Happy Reading and have a great year!

Happy 100th Day of School!

Peachtree Publishers — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 20:55:00 +0000

For many of you out there, today marks the 100th day of school! You’re over the halfway mark! Well done!

Celebrate with a reading of Jake’s 100th Day of School!

What will Jake do when he forgets to bring the special collection he’s going to share at the celebration of the 100th day of school?

I remember scrambling all over the house for the perfect thing to bring when I was a kid ― no easy task, especially at 7:40 a.m., which was historically when I’d remember that it was the 100th day of school. (Cereal has many uses.) So, good luck out there! I hope you didn’t forget like Jake and I did!

Want to win your own copy of Jake’s 100th Day of School? Leave a comment with your email address and answer: What did you bring to school for the 100th day? I’ll pick a winner on Friday!

Happy Reading Everyone! And Happy 100th Day of School!

*U.S. residents only, please
**Giveaway closes at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 1