Janet Balletta, AWA

  Mujeres del pasado Agentes del presente written by  Maritza M. Mejia is a book about the women of the bible. This Spanish version is available now at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GL3SCLDT.  The book includes a reflection section after each chapter to journal. It makes an excellent read for Lent or anytime of the year.   Enjoy exploring the women of bible. More information can be found at https://www.luzdelmes.com/blog/ 

  The Legend of the Colombian Mermaid is the perfect book to teach children about Lent, Holy Week, and Easter. How do you keep this Christian tradition alive in your family? In my family, we observe Lent by focusing on our spiritual life, drawing closer to God, and celebrating his resurrection power on Easter. If you are looking for a book to explain these concepts to young children, you just found it. This hundred year old bilingual legend with themes of obedience, family values, and cultural traditions fosters a love for Holy Week and Easter for children. Visit my learning activities page for projects to go along with the book at Janetballetta.com.  Happy Easter y Feliz Pascuas from my family to yours! 

  Mermaids on a Mission to Save the Oceans  is a great book to read with your children to celebrate World Water Day on March 22nd. Travel around the seven continents and meet the  mermaids with super powers who are on a special mission to save the ocean habitats. These mermaid sisters will teach your children the importance of keeping the ocean habitats healthy for the animals, people, and environment. This book has a strong message on water pollution, conversation, and recycling.  More importantly, it raises awareness on environmental stewardship and preservation of Earth's natural resources on a global level.  Ocean in a Bottle  is a fun activity for World Water Day the children will love!   S upplies: 1. empty 16 oz. water bottle 2. blue food coloring 3. small ocean animals 4. small sea shells 5. glitter 6. Elmer's glue Directions:  1. Put the animals, shells, and glitter into the empty bottle. 2. Fill up the bottle with water & add a ...

  Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten Season for Catholics. Lent is the forty days leading up to Easter when we practice almsgiving, fasting, and prayer. It begins with receiving ashes in the sign of a cross on our foreheads, symbolizing that we are dust and to dust we will return. The tradition of using ashes to show repentance for sins is biblical. Lent is a time to draw closer to God for transformation, restoration, and renewal. It’s more than abstaining from meat on Fridays; it’s an opportunity to practice self-denial on a deeper level. Ultimately, Lent is a time to reflect on repentance, increase our faith, and grow spiritually. The number forty represents a period of testing, trial, and preparation before a major change or renewal. It requires fasting and prayer, as we can see in the following six (6) bible stories. In Genesis, we have a fine example in the story of Noah’s Ark. In this narrative, we see God sending rain for forty days and forty nights. This exam...

Celebrate Black History Month  with three great reads for grades K-2. These books are perfect to teach history, fables, and arts and crafts. I am Harriet Tub man by Brad Meltzer is a must read . It is the story of the young Harriet who plays a key role in the abolition slavery. Her courage to lead slaves up north from the south through the underground railroad helped many slaves reach freedom. The pictures are beautiful and words easy to read for young children. L ittle Red and the Crocodile by Suzan Johnson is a gem. It is the story of Little Red who v isit s her aunt in the Louisiana Swamps. Little Red must contend with a hun gry crocodile instead of a big bad wolf. Luckily, Randy the Forest Ranger saves the day for Little Red and her aunt. A heart warming story with adorable pictures and for the little ones. Tar Beach by Faith Rin g gold is a classic. It is the story of young Cassie who dreams of freedom from the roof top of her Harlem apartment in New York City. O...

  Florida celebrates Literacy Week from January 26 to 30th. This event raises awareness of the importance of making reading a daily routine for students and families. T he theme for this year is Read, white, and blue to honor America's  250th Anniversary of signing the Declaration of Independence. It's a great time to dive into history to learn about two important presidents, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. In grades K-2 read, I am George Washington  and I am Abraham Lincoln by Brad Meltzer. Here  are five (5) Fun Facts for each president.  Another exciting activity is to have the kids  dress-up as George Washington and Abraham Lincoln or they can show their spirit by wearing  red, white, and blue.  George Washington Fun Facts: Born on February 22 in Virginia Chopped down a cherry and told the truth Fearless Army General for the U.S. in three (3) wars Picture on the quarter and dollar bill First person to sign the U.S. Constitution Abraham...