This newest addition to the best-selling "GIANT Encyclopedia" series expands the scope of the series by offering complete lesson plans. Written and created by teachers, "The GIANT Encyclopedia of Lesson Plans" has more than 250 complete lesson plans, covering topics from colors and numbers to seasons and nursery rhymes. Each lesson plan is complete with learning objectives, a circle or group time activity, book suggestions, snack ideas, five learning center activities, assessment strategies, and related songs, poems, and fingerplays. With easy-to-use lesson plans for more than an entire school year, this book belongs on every teacher's bookshelf

We invited teachers from all over the country to share their experience and knowledge for the creation of this giant resource. Open to any page in this book and you will find an activity for circle or group time written by an experienced teacher--over 600 activities covering 48 themes. This book is jam-packed with ideas that were tested by teachers in the classroom.
These are ideas that work, and there are enough to keep children learning and happy for days, weeks and months. Many activities include suggestions for extending the circle time or group activity into other areas of the curriculum such as math, science, snack, language, or field trips. Books and songs related to the activity as well as original songs and poems are included.
"Consider this resource as a gift for a new teacher or for someone always looking for new proven ideas."--Reviews from Parent Council
"Teachers will find this an important reference as it charts practical circle time activities which have been tried and tested in the classroom: from dinosaur bone hunt to holiday celebrations, this is an excellent collection."--"Children's Bookwatch"
." . . open this book anywhere and find something fun to do. . . . Even teachers with years of experience should find great new suggestions here, while beginners will find it invaluable."--"Notes from the Window Sill"

How can you support children’s play, which is an essential part of development and learning? Play helps children learn to understand themselves and get along with others; explore their environment; investigate science, math, and literacy; learn about their communities; and much more. Use the articles in this collection that emphasize the importance of play—from infancy through the primary grades—to support and scaffold children’s play and connect play to learning. 

A comprehensive collection of the best art and craft activities for young children. The result of a nationwide competition, these art and craft activities are the best of the best. Just the thing to add pizzazz to your day

Activities include:

• Bath Sponge Painting
• Blast-off Helmets
• Bumby Snake
• Candy Jewelry
• Caterpillar Cookies
• Cereal Box Tote Bag
• Darling Daffodils
• Dinosaur Sock Puppets
• Dream Catcher
• Ecology Art Creations