http://denver.yourhub.comThe latest story posts in The Denver Newspaper Agency YourHub.comen-usnews@yourhub.com(c) 2009, YourHub.com5Children have special views of vacation, little memories tickling the corners of their minds. They need a place to let these thoughts develop, a place for memories and dreams. Keeping a vacation journal is an unquestionably effective method for children to expressing thoughts, be creative, ventin...http://denver.yourhub.com/Arvada/Stories/Archive/Education/Elementary/Story~596655.aspx3/27/2009 12:36:32 AMRhonda Cratty This spring the world of nature beckons you and your family! There are so many fun things you can do to experience and learn about nature. Spring is one of the best times for your family to have great fun exploring the outdoors in a meaningful way. Gardens of all kinds can be planted inside while...http://denver.yourhub.com/Arvada/Stories/Archive/Education/Elementary/Story~596658.aspx3/27/2009 12:39:27 AMRhonda Cratty Vacations are the perfect time to link memories with books! I believe if we really want America to continue to prosper, if we want to "pay it forward." We each should encourage one child a day to enjoy that lost art, Reading. If it is true, (according to ReadFaster.com.) that twenty-one million...http://denver.yourhub.com/Denver/Stories/Archive/Education/Elementary/Story~596924.aspx3/27/2009 2:00:29 PMRhonda Cratty Practicing Fun Math During Your Vacation You can find endless fun opportunities during your family vacation to practice math! Without paper and pencil! The following is a list to provide you with many math ideas to keep up math skills. Cooking! Your kitchens are filled with real-life math st...http://denver.yourhub.com/Arvada/Stories/Archive/Education/Elementary/Story~597153.aspx3/28/2009 1:30:18 PMRhonda Cratty 10 City Secrets and Fun Things to do with your Children on Vacation! 1. Family Vacation Math Fun-You can find endless fun opportunities during your family vacation to practice math! Without paper and pencil! The following is a list to provide you with many math ideas to keep up math skills. K...http://denver.yourhub.com/Arvada/Stories/Archive/Education/Elementary/Story~597466.aspx3/30/2009 9:12:02 AMRhonda Cratty As a teacher I have observed parents "redshirting" their children: The practice of holding young children back from kindergarten in order to increase their odds of success in school. Also, placing their children in school as early as possible. I have read what economists have thought, the affect ...http://denver.yourhub.com/Arvada/Stories/Archive/Education/Elementary/Story~597470.aspx3/30/2009 9:15:49 AMRhonda Cratty The earlier that parent involvement begins in a child's educational process, the more powerful the effects. Mr. Obama (Now, President Obama.)campaigned on a "comprehensive platform for early childhood." Twice in presidential debates, he described early childhood education among his highest prio...http://denver.yourhub.com/Arvada/Stories/Archive/Education/Elementary/Story~597474.aspx3/30/2009 9:21:40 AMRhonda Cratty Parents Can Encourage Their Children to Become Self-motivated Creating Life-long Learners! We hear pros and cons about public school, private school, charter schools, home school and vouchers. What we, as parents, need to teach our children is to be intrinsically motivated; geography or the en...http://denver.yourhub.com/Denver/Stories/Archive/Education/Elementary/Story~599669.aspx4/4/2009 4:22:50 PMRhonda Cratty Making cards is a wonderful way for your children to be creative and practice their writing, what a lovely spring gift for family and friends. In fact, card making is all the rage with children they get a sense of pride when they create a card as a gift, and the cards are created with love. T...http://denver.yourhub.com/Arvada/Stories/Archive/Education/Elementary/Story~600365.aspx4/7/2009 7:16:34 AMRhonda Cratty Children and gardens as you would expect grow together whether your child plans a special garden in your yard, or a garden in recycled pots. There are many ways to encourage children to garden and enjoy gardening by planting fun flowers even in a recession. Children like to select their own flowe...http://denver.yourhub.com/Arvada/Stories/Archive/Education/Elementary/Story~601820.aspx4/9/2009 8:03:51 PMRhonda Cratty Dear Dad in Baghdad, love Daughter and Friends, I know how children become writers, simply by writing. They need many authentic writing experiences to understand that their writing is important. Writing is not as parent friendly as reading. We all love to read cozy goodnight stories to our ch...http://denver.yourhub.com/Arvada/Stories/Archive/Education/Elementary/Story~602211.aspx4/11/2009 12:14:52 AMRhonda Cratty Tucked in Arvada is Lollicup a refreshing Best of the City family friendly Tea Zone. Colorado weather can be described as moody but inside the Lollicup you will find sunshine flowers all year long. Walls are decorated with local art, comfy seats and even a small meeting room. Lollicup is ...http://denver.yourhub.com/Arvada/Stories/Business-News/Story~602501.aspx4/12/2009 9:32:57 PMRhonda Cratty Mysteries: Start collecting now for May 22, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Birthday We all love a good mystery story, and they can help motivate your child in the wonderful world of book collecting. Ask parents, grandparents, neighbors or friends if they have an old trunk, large briefcase or pi...http://denver.yourhub.com/Arvada/Stories/Archive/Education/Elementary/Story~603642.aspx4/14/2009 8:25:44 PMRhonda Cratty Opening their Hearts and School to All We are constantly inundated with our country's economic downturn woes. We hear how it is impacting almost every facet of life in every corner of the country. We are told that life has changed for many. In my little corner of the world, an elementary sch...http://denver.yourhub.com/Arvada/Stories/Archive/Education/Elementary/Story~605193.aspx4/17/2009 11:30:10 PMRhonda Cratty ...Today I went on a field trip with my class that showed my students natural disasters from earthquakes to volcanoes. We walked around Egyptian Mummies and Dinosaurs. We tromped through a mine and studied gems and minerals. We tracked through North American Indian Cultures then explored Space. W...http://denver.yourhub.com/Arvada/Stories/Archive/Education/Elementary/Story~606453.aspx4/21/2009 7:58:20 PMRhonda Cratty Spring is the perfect time to read on the porch with our children! Spring is finally taking a firm hold in Colorado. Lighter, warmer afternoons provide plenty of time to read on the porch with our children. Porch reading is a perfect time to work on the thinking skills behind using context...http://denver.yourhub.com/Arvada/Stories/Archive/Education/Elementary/Story~606940.aspx4/22/2009 9:46:20 PMRhonda Cratty Stimulate Your Child's Mind with Game Night While games are fun for children, they also can help children develop valuable skills including imagination, creativity, problem solving and confidence. From a very early age, children use play to develop motor skills, recognize shapes and colors, and...http://denver.yourhub.com/Arvada/Stories/Archive/Education/Elementary/Story~608058.aspx4/26/2009 12:14:45 AMRhonda Cratty We hear of families cutting back during our recession. Families do not need to cut back when it comes to science...just step out to your backyard and spend as little or as much as you want investigating seeds, plants, animals, or insects. You will need to help children become conscious of the vul...http://denver.yourhub.com/Arvada/Stories/Archive/Education/Elementary/Story~608631.aspx4/27/2009 9:47:53 PMRhonda Cratty May, the ninth month of school, our ninth month of taking time to stop and think about the process of reading. Of different strategies we can use daily to build intellectual competency so that our children may face the literacy demands of the adult world in the 21st century. One way to give our c...http://denver.yourhub.com/Arvada/Stories/Archive/Education/Elementary/Story~609646.aspx4/29/2009 9:45:56 PMRhonda Cratty Cozy down and share memories and books with your special child. If 80 percent of reading comprehension depends upon prior knowledge, and if we can only take from a book what we bring to the book. Then our children need lots of prior knowledge experiences before they become expert readers. For...http://denver.yourhub.com/Arvada/Stories/Archive/Education/Elementary/Story~610681.aspx5/3/2009 6:55:05 AMRhonda Cratty There are few things you could give your children this summer that would have a greater value than the love of reading. I would like to share a literacy practice that will enable your children to not only acquire a fun reading strategy, but also writing strategy, to help them achieve success ...http://denver.yourhub.com/Arvada/Stories/Archive/Education/Elementary/Story~611249.aspx5/4/2009 8:29:49 PMRhonda Cratty One of the Denver areas best children authors, Linda Ashman, recently visited our school. Ms. Ashman graciously shared her books and wisdom about writing with our students; with a gentle voice, smile and unending patience she answered questions as she gave everyone a desire to write. Linda As...http://denver.yourhub.com/Arvada/Stories/Archive/Education/Elementary/Story~613530.aspx5/9/2009 5:47:01 PMRhonda Cratty Usually I am promoting books for elementary school children. In this article I have a selection of books that are for adults, young adults and your more mature teen reader; books about movies or movie tie-in editions. Can you imagine the impact you could have on your child's reading if just ...http://denver.yourhub.com/Arvada/Stories/Archive/Education/Elementary/Story~614255.aspx5/11/2009 7:20:05 PMRhonda Cratty The Importance of Summer Friendships As I watch my students these last days of school I have pride, hopes and wishes. I am very proud of what they have accomplished. That everyday not only have they showed up but worked, the eagerness in which they learned. My hope is their learning does not s...http://denver.yourhub.com/Arvada/Stories/Archive/Education/Elementary/Story~616268.aspx5/16/2009 8:56:15 PMRhonda Cratty Dear Dad in Baghdad, Thank you love Daughter and Friends Oh boy, every one of my students is a writer! You have written to many people this year and they answer you because you write so well. Your writing is important. Today you found out how powerful your writing is when your friend's dad se...http://denver.yourhub.com/Arvada/Stories/Archive/Education/Elementary/Story~619867.aspx5/26/2009 10:49:04 PMRhonda Cratty This Summer You Can Teach Your Old Dog (or new puppy) New Tricks! With mom or dad's help, you can train your dog or puppy this summer. You will learn valuable relationship skills. Humane dog training means training should be fun for you and your dog. You need to be kind and clearly ask wha...http://denver.yourhub.com/Arvada/Stories/Archive/Education/Elementary/Story~625111.aspx6/10/2009 12:50:07 AMRhonda Cratty Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge a Family Sanctuary Nestled 13miles northwest of downtown Denver and 10miles east of the Rocky Mountain foothills, located in Arvada, Colorado, is Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge. Open from dawn to dusk; Two Ponds is a free place for families to take time a...http://denver.yourhub.com/Arvada/Stories/Archive/Education/Elementary/Story~626335.aspx6/13/2009 2:45:45 PMRhonda Cratty Dillon Farmers' Market July 1934 a group of farmers pulled their trucks onto an empty lot the corner of Third and Fairfax in Los Angeles. They displayed their produce on the tailgates. Customers quickly arrived strolling among the trucks purchasing fruit, vegetables and flowers. June 12, 20...http://denver.yourhub.com/Arvada/Stories/Archive/Education/Elementary/Story~627138.aspx6/16/2009 11:39:08 AMRhonda Cratty The perfect Father's Day is a day we reflect upon the important role the men in our family play and give them thanks. Father's Day is a holiday to honor and commemorate fathers; celebrated on a variety of dates worldwide and typically involves gift-giving, special dinners or family oriented a...http://denver.yourhub.com/Arvada/Stories/Archive/Education/Elementary/Story~628579.aspx6/19/2009 9:08:14 PMRhonda Cratty If you have been waiting for the first day of summer to break out the lemonade and novels wait no more. June 21, is the first day of summer (or Summer Solstice) for those of us living in the Northern Hemisphere, when is determined by when the Earth's North Pole axis is tilted, directly toward the...http://denver.yourhub.com/Arvada/Stories/Archive/Education/Elementary/Story~628735.aspx6/21/2009 7:04:13 PMRhonda Cratty