So every year that I taught 3rd and 4th grades, The BFG made an appearance as a read-aloud. It was a must in my classroom. It's not only a book that I thoroughly enjoy (every time I pick it up), but it's mesmerizing for the kids. As a result, I've made multiple lesson plans over the years to go with the novel. But here are my top 4 recommendations for bringing a Big Friendly Giant into your classroom.

To get ready for our Cross Curriculum Road Trip, we did a fantastic art project: we made a collage that tied in history and science facts. The little one got to rip paper, glue, and color. She also cut out fact cards that we glued around the buffalo — each with a fun fact about the buffaloes or how they were used by the American Indians.

To get ready for our Cross Curriculum Road Trip, we did an incredibly fun art project: we built landscapes using candy and snacks! It was a fantastic way to introduce science concepts using things around the house. You even get to snack along the way!

Recently my family took a road trip through Western North Dakota. Since I was working on a cross curriculum planning aid, I decided to put it to work and make my own cross curriculum lessons that contain 2 art projects and math and reading worksheets. All together the lessons cover science, math, reading, history, and art.

So here it is: cross curriculum — often called a thematic unit. If you’re not a teacher, don’t be scared. It’s a simple concept for organizing lessons and finding inspiration. Just take your theme and relate each of your activities/lessons back to it.

Whether we are teachers or parents or both, we all want to find that breakthrough — the one that sticks with the kids. The best way to do that is to get the kids excited.