Archive for October, 2009:
What’s Inside?
During our Madeline study, we started a huge human body project using My Body by Teacher Created Resources. This is a super easy way to teach your student about what’s under the skin he’s in.
You trace your student’s body on a large piece paper and cut it out. Then you print a copy of the guide book, grab some colored pencils & scissors, and you’ll be all set.
We read about various body parts (information provided in the My Body book) and added 1-2 pieces of the body per day; it took us about ten school days from start to finish.
Even Simon got in on the fun.
the brain is hiding under the face
lungs and heart
liver, spleen, kidneys, gall bladder, stomach, small intestine, & large intestine (there is an appendix, but you can’t really see it)
Move the liver to make way for the pancreas!
bladder
muscles & bones
Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live. ~Jim Rohn
Fall Fun Days
Regular school takes a back seat this week to make room for fall fun!
I stole our first few fall fun ideas from Nature Detectives.
Make Like a Squirrel & Gather Nuts
We found an oak tree and the boys grabbed up dozens of acorns. I told them to hide them like squirrels do. We then went on a walk through the park. Once we were far away from the hiding place, I asked the boys if they could find the acorns. They did!
Leaf Crowns
While on our stroll through the wooded park, the boys collected leaves. I made bands for each of them out of white poster board before we left home, and I took my stapler on our journey. As they found leaves they loved, I stapled them to their bands. By the time we returned home, each boy had a nice crown of leaves.
Fall Funny Faces
I found this idea last year. We had so much fun that we decided it should be a repeat. I guess it’s a tradition in the making!
We took a bag with us to the park and we collected all sorts of fall nature: berries, pine needles, pine cones, leaves, bark, stones, nuts, etc. When we returned home, we drew some circles with chalk on the sidewalk and made our faces.
Salt Dough Leaf Prints
This idea came from That Artist Woman; please visit her blog for complete instructions. We made the dough & prints on one day. We painted, washed, and sealed them the next.
A few tips from me to you for this project- don’t buy cheapy cheap thin leaves like I did (.30 a bunch at Family Dollar); they don’t work super well. I painted some of the outlines of the leaves for Elijah so he wouldn’t be so frustrated (because they were so hard to see). Don’t use matte finish Modge Podge. Don’t be afraid to let your preschooler do the brown wash or the Modge Podge part; they can’t mess up!
Simon helped me mix up the salt dough.
kneading and rolling
making the prints
painting with fall colors and a brown wash
Simon painted his ALL orange. Once we got the brown wash on it, it looked fine (the veins popped out). I hope to add some magnets to the backs and let them don the front of the fridge.
Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
It’s not really fall unless the oven is baking a treat, is it?
We made the dough on one day. We made the frosting, baked them, and decorated them the next day.
Over the Top!
I don’t usually take the time to accept the blog awards; my blogging is so sporadic and inconsistent that I’m usually on sabbatical when I receive one.
But, I received this one TWICE, so I’m posting it. I actually like the little list that goes with it (odd for me)!
1. Where is your cell phone? clueless
24. Your mood? content
29. Your favorite color? many
Now, I am to pass the award on to some over-the-top bloggers who should copy the list (answering each question with one word) and pass the fun on to even more over-the-top bloggers.
1. Jocelyn @ No Textbooks Required
I always leave her blog inspired; it’s freeing to remember that learning happens in so many different ways; she also takes fantastic pictures!
2. Jodi @ My Two Small Boys
Jodi is my real life friend. I love looking through all her lapbook pictures! She recently posted a really fun outdoor activity that I have on my to-do list.
3. Michele @ My Blessings from Above
Michele will help you save money and share her adventures with her two boys who are adopted from Korea. You should definitely check her blog out!
4. Leslie @ Joyful Mother of Six Children
I have laughed and cried with Leslie over the course of reading her blog as she has been met with challenge after challenge. This woman loves her family and loves the Lord; she is one of my heroes.
5. The Activity Mom
She has been a reader of my blog, so I followed some comments over to her blog and I found new ideas to use with Simon. If you have a preschooler, go check her out!
6. Candace @ His Mercy is New
She encourages me as she shares her life in a very real way. She also posts gobs of homeschooling plans that I love to devour late at night with a big cup of tea.
Also, I want to give a big thanks to Heather and Tristan who gave me the Over the Top award; check out their blogs as well.
Not to turn this post in to a commercial, but while you are checking out some of these new-to-you blogs, don’t forget to find your favorite blogs and nominate them for the Homeschool Blog Awards! I’m sure my bloggy friends mentioned in this post about wouldn’t mind a nomination or two!
Let Them Read
I’ve read blog posts, message board posts, and had real-life conversations with homeschooling moms about making sure kids are reading at their level. All these moms have great intentions — they want to challenge their children and keep them on track.
It makes sense in theory. We wouldn’t want our kids to read something that’s too easy, would we? Wouldn’t that be back peddling?
Well, let me ask you:
Would you like to only be allowed or encouraged to read things that were at your reading level (or higher)? Would you like every text you try throughout the day to be challenging? How much would you enjoy reading if you lived with stipulations?
Here’s my simple advice:
Just let them read.
Just let them read good books and old favorites and new favorites. Let them read silly and classic and don’t forget to read together.
The go-up-a-level thing will happen naturally; just let them read.
P is for Pig
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Please read the information about Read to Me & ABC here
Read to Me
Our book of the week was If You Give a Pig a Pancake by Laura Numeroff.
Alphabet Art- Purple Polkadotted P
Supplies
P Pattern (I used the large capital P)
purple paint
q-tip
Let your student polk-a-dot the p using the q-tip and the purple paint.
Lessons & Lapbook
I used some of the lessons from the Pig Unit at HSS and the printables from the Alphabet Notebook. This is lapbook a la lite! We went easy on the lapbook this week and heavy on the literature and hands-on projects.
Simon polk-a-dotted the inside of his lapbook with his Do-A-Dot markers.
Piggy Rhymes Book
"This Little Piggy" cards & pocket
P is for… Book
Let’s Make a Memory ~ Painting with Popsicles!
For this project you need popsicle molds, tempera paint, and a poster board.
First, figure out how much liquid each mold holds. Then fill each one with a half-paint, half-water mixture. I’m sure your tot will be ready to help you make a mess mix the solution. Once your molds are full, stick them in the freezer. You may want to prep your preschooler ahead of time that it takes a LONG time for the paint popsicles to freeze.
Two things to remember before pulling the pops out of the freezer:
1. It takes about 10-15 min. for the popsicles to thaw enough to slide out of the molds. You might want to do this when your preschooler is not looking so you won’t have 10-15 min. of this…"Can I paint now, momma? Can I paint now, momma? Can I paint now, momma?" :)
2. Remind your kiddo that these are not for eating; they are for painting! :)
Simon’s finished portrait.
Let’s Make Another Memory ~ Prickly Play-doh Porcupines
This was super simple. I gave Simon some play-doh and toothpicks. I helped him shape a body while he worked on a head and legs. Then I let him add the spines…and more spines…and even more spines. Be prepared for your preschooler to ask to make another prickly play-doh porcupine…and another…and another.
Let’s Make (yet) Another Memory ~ Piggy Pancakes
These were EASY. You could probably make them much cuter, but I wanted something simple. I just mixed up my regular batter and poured regular round pancakes on the griddle; then I used the squeeze bottle to add on triangle shaped ears. I made some smaller round pancakes for snouts. Right before serving, we added chocolate chips for eyes and nostrils (you know you want to eat chocolate nostrils…yummy, yummy…lol).
You don’t have to make piggy pancakes. You have SO many options for P: pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin bars, pumpkin pie, popcorn, pizza….and the list goes on.
Book Basket
The Three Little Pigs (various versions)
The Good Little Bad Little Pig by Margaret Wise Brown
How to be a Pig by Ima Swine
The Little Pig by Judy Dunn
If You Give a Pig a Party by Laura Numeroff
Pajama Time by Sandra Boynton
The Poky LIttle Puppy by Janette Sebring Lowrey
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
Shopping List
~purple paint
~q-tips
~toothpicks (porcupine project)
~play-doh (porcupine project)
~tempera paints (popsicle project)
~popsicle molds
~grocery items to make your favorite P foods (popcorn, pumpkin pie, pig pancakes, etc.)
Madeline ~ FIAR Style
We’ve used Five in a Row from the beginning of our homeschooling journey. We started with Before Five in a Row when Elijah was 2 (almost 3). We’ve been through most of Volumes I-III and part of Volume IV. This is our fifth year with our FIAR based homeschooling co-op, and we are back in Volume I. Here is a week with FIAR from my family to yours! :)
All of the minit books listed are from HSS.
Monday at Co-op
Started off strong at co-op; we split our larger group into two small groups for the activities today and it really seemed to cut down on the chaos.
First, the kids learned about the Eiffel tower and worked in teams to create vanilla cream wafter replicas.
We also met Marcus, a volunteer EMT and ambulance driver. He gave us the full scoop on being an EMT and showed them the equipment it takes to do the job. They also got a tour of the ambulance; all the kids were very curious and listened intently to Marcus the entire time.
The Rest of the Week
~read Madeline again each day (except Friday)
Social Studies
~read Madeline Says Merci and discussed manners; completed go-along minit books
~read Children Just Like Me (pg. 32, Rachel from France)
~fixed French Toast (with French bread) & listened to Teach Me French
~completed France component for lapbook
~made Eiffel Tower from Legos
Language Arts
~discussed the literary elements lesson & completed the Rhyme Time minit book
Applied Math
~discussed symmetry & looked through illustrations; completed symmetry minit books
Science
~started human body project; added brain, heart, kidneys, bladder, spleen, pancreas, gallbladder, and bones (this project is on-going!
~started reading Usborne’s First Encyclopedia of the Human Body (this will also be on-going)
~watched The Magic School Bus Human Body DVD
~discussed body systems from Giant Science Resource Book
~Elijah read lots of go-along books:
What Makes You Ill? (Usborne)
Your Body (Usborne Beginners)
Your Insides by Joanna Cole
You Can’t See Your Bones with Your Binoculars
You Can’t Taste a Pickle with Your Ear
Art
~drew a picture of Madeline
~completed architecture lesson and the Tour de France minit book
~discussed illustrations and art lesson about color
~colored Eiffel towers (one monochromatic and one full color palette)
Completed Madeline Lapbook
Front Cover
Inside View
Inside Rhyme Time
Inside Body Systems (many print-outs from Evan-Moor’s Giant Science Resource Book).
We had a few minit books that went with Madeline Says Merci.
Tour de France accordion book (shows all the famous places shown throughout Madeline)
This lapbook is one file folder glued inside another.
The inside file folder
Inside "Is it Monochromatic?"
These were symmetry cards; we chose not to cut them out and just tri-folded instead.
Cover of France book
Inside France book
Inside Eiffel Tower Creations…
W is for Water & Wash
Please read the information about Read to Me & ABC here
Read to Me
Our main book was Mrs. Wishy Washy’s Farm by Joy Cowley;we spent two weeks on this unit because there were too many fun things for just one week!
Alphabet Art- Watermelon W
Supplies
W Pattern (I used the large capital W)
pink paint
watermelon stickers printed on a full label sheet
Paint the W pink. Set aside to dry. Add stickers.
This was not my original plan. The original plan was to paint the W pink and add watermelon seeds (cute!), but I forgot to save the seeds from the watermelon we had, so I had to figure out something else.
Lessons & Lapbook
I used some of the lessons and lapbook from Homeschool Share and a printable from the Alphabet Notebook. This lapbook took two file folders; I hole punched both and glued them back to back.
Two different things to finger paint; Simon was so happy!
Back pocket used to hold all sorts of goodies– the animals for hiding, a Mrs. Wishy Washy magnet page, and the w words for "Wonderful World"
Let’s Make a Memory ~ Wishy Washy!
This is your child’s chance to pretend to be just like Mrs. Wishy Washy!
I super highly recommend that you use a vinyl tablecloth for this. I didn’t think about grabbing mine out of our camping gear, and I wish I would’ve!
You just mix up some chocolate pudding with your preschooler, get out some plastic animals, and let your kiddo go for it; he will probably know exactly what to do without any instruction. Simon was quite content and really rolled the animals around in the mud.
You know what comes after the mud, right?
That’s right–
wishy washy…splishy sploshy :)
Book Basket
Mrs. Wishy Washy
Mr. Wishy Washy
Mrs. Wishy Washy’s Farm
Wishy Washy Day
Mrs. Wishy Washy Makes a Splash
Shopping List
~pink paint
~watermelon (don’t forget to save the seeds for a cute alphabet art W!)
~chocolate pudding mix & milk
~brown finger paint
~blue finger paint
~you might want to invest in a vinyl tablecloth; it will come in handy for all kinds of painting and craft projects in the future
~velcro dots for the matching games in the lapbook folder
China Unit & Notebook
We started our study with The Story About Ping. We added in a Learn About China Kit, a co-op field trip to P.F. Chang’s, and bits & pieces from the Ancient Civilizations History Pocket. We ended up with a boy who couldn’t wait to learn about China each day!
Book List
The Story About Ping
Tikki Tikki Tembo (go along for the classic story & fiction story lessons in FIAR)
The Five Chinese Brothers by Claire Huchet Bishop (go along for the classic story & fiction story lessons in FIAR)
Children Just Like Me (used with geography lesson for FIAR)
Good Times Travel Agency Adventures in Ancient China by Linda Bailey
Usborne Beginners China (has internet links)
The Great Wall of China by Leonard Everett Fisher
The Magic Boat by Demi
A Grain of Rice by Helena Pittman
Little Pear & Little Pear and His Friends by Eleanor Frances Lattimore
Ling and the Magic Paintbrush by Demi
The Empty Pot by Demi
Other Resources
Teach me Chinese (book and CD)
Chinese New Year Celebration printables by Scholastic
Great Wall of China Informational Sheet from Learning Page
Ping Resources at HSS
Dragon Puppet (I can’t find the link for the one we made…sorry)
Ancient Civilizations History Pockets
China Learning Kit (which made this study real and relevant)
How to get a Geography Fair going…
In the Beginning
First, you need to find a group of homeschooling moms to pitch your idea to. It’s not hard to sell this idea; it’s a win-win situation!
Benefits
1. You (yes, the entire family) will learn about another place and culture.
2. Your student will interact with people of all ages– answering questions, sharing interesting information, and even learning from some of the people attending from the fair.
3. Family and friends will see that your student really DOES school and that there are other crazy homeschooling families out there, too (and they also really do school!).
4. People attending the Geography Fair will learn about many different countries.
5. Your student will also learn about (and become interested in) many cultures & countries as he visits the displays of other homeschoolers.
6. With your guidance, your student will learn the basics of research and planning as you work together to make this project a reality.
Once I had my homeschool co-op on board, we determined a date. We thought the fall would work best due to the bad winter weather and the busy spring season. I emailed everyone some basic ideas/guidelines. You can print a copy if you want.
Geography Fair Guidelines
A Geography Fair provides a creative approach to learning Geography. The concept is simple — each student researches a country or region and reports to the group using displays, posters, reports (oral and/or written), games, etc.
Choose a country. Submit the choice for approval. Once you have approval, start researching the country you’ve selected.
1. Location
Show the location of the country using maps (you can photocopy pictures or draw your own map…you could even make a salt dough map if you want a 3-D design). List the country’s physical characteristics including climate and landforms. Pictures (mountains, rivers, etc.) are appropriate here. Show the country’s flag (sew one if you are ambitious) and other national symbols.
2. Population
Show the total population and also interesting facts like population of ethnic or religious groups. This is a good place for charts and graphs.
3. Culture
Explain cultural characteristics of the country such as language, food, religion, entertainment, clothing, games, popular sports, holidays, etc. If possible, you could add some real clothes or real food samples to your display. You could teach the people who visit your display a simple game. You could set up a CD player and headphones with some traditional music to listen to…really, the options are limitless!
Culture is usually the best part of learning about another country. Have fun with this one! Even your littlest learners can be involved. Younger students may want to focus solely on culture since some of the other options (history, population, etc.) may be irrelevant.
4. History
Tell when and how the country became a country. List significant
events in the country’s history. You may want to make a timeline for this part of your display.
5. Economy
What kind of work is common? What are the main products produced? What products are exported? What products are imported? How do people live? Where do they live? What are the cities like? What are the rural areas like? How have geographical features affected the economy?
6. Other
Find other interesting facts about the country. In what ways is this country unique? In what ways is it like other countries? What plants and animals are unique to the country? Compare and contrast the country to the United States (or your country).
As you research, you will need to decide how to present the information. Use many different avenues! A few options include:
1. Prepare written report(s)
2. Create a table-top display with small items from the country
3. Design a poster
4. Tri-fold board display
5. Make a Lapbook
6. Write a song or make a skit to perform as people walk by your table
7. Create a game (matching game, puzzle game, etc.) for your display
8. Make a pamphlet (tour guide) or a small scrapbook with pictures from your “visit” to the country
A Few More Things
~Encourage the families to start working about 6-8 weeks ahead of time. Doing the project bit by bit will keep the child from burning out. Elijah did one project per week. The week before the fair, we spent a lot of time just working on the fair, but I am so glad we didn’t wait until the last week to do everything.
~Remind people that this isn’t a competition. Students should do their best with what they have. Some countries are easier than others. Some families have more people working on the project than others. Just have fun and enjoy the learning!
~Mail and e-mail the invitations 2-3 weeks before the event. Here is a sample invitation from our fair. Students may want to call family and friends about 1 week before the fair to ask if they are coming.
~We decided the fair would last two hours. Most of our family and friends came the first hour. We let the students leave their posts after one hour to complete a Country Hunt (scavenger hunt form). We also had the scavenger hunt out for the adults at the welcome area. I can’t believe how many adults chose to fill out the form! Next time I will have prizes to hand out to anyone who finishes the country hunt.
~In order to create the Country Hunt, I had moms send me fun facts (about one week before the fair). I used three facts from each country. Questions were like these– Where in the would would you find a tap-tap?, What country produces the most maple syrup in the world?
~You don’t need a ton of people to pull this off. We only had eight displays at our fair, and it was great. I would say the ideal number would be between 10-15, but you could definitely go larger. If the fair is larger than 15 displays, I would not do a Country Hunt.
~If you can, set up the night before the fair. It takes some of the stress off; it also might give the moms a chance to look at the other displays! :)
I hope this is helpful. If you have any questions, I will be happy to answer.
First Annual Geography Fair
I mentioned in a previous post that our homeschooling co-op decided to try a geography fair for the first time this year. I know it stretched some of us in ways we didn’t really want to go, but everyone is already talking about "next year"– some of the kids have already claimed their countries!
It was a lot of work, but it was a lot of fun, too. We had about 70 people total that gathered together to take a short world tour.
Brazil
At this display you would find a piranha scale, a Brazilian tambourine, a lapbook about the Amazon rain forest, stories set in the rain forest, and Brigadeiro (chocolate candy!) to sample. You’d also get to listen to some Brazilian music.
Ukraine
Here you would find a real pysanky egg, information about why sunflowers are important to the Ukraine, Ukrainian apple cake, folk tales, information about customs & traditions, a lapbook, and Mackenzie might even teach you rubberbands (a game played by Ukrainian girls — similar to jump rope).
Iraq
At this display you would find information about why Iraq is so important in history, you would learn about their dietary customs, you could smell some cardamom or grab some cardamom cookies, play a face matching game, and you could even try on a turban (or a hijab). You’d also find out whose dad is serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Ireland
Over at the Ireland display, you’d learn a lot about St. Patrick (an entire lapbook full!), you’d get to look through lots of pictures of Ireland, you’d taste a butter tart treat, touch and Irish linen, get to watch a slide show, learn about the origins of Halloween (and carving turnips!), and get to see the flag that Alex sewed.
Burkino Faso
Here everything is brightly colored with fabulous prints. The girls showed us how the people of Burkino Faso carry babies on their backs. There were lots of artifacts to look at and touch as well as a slide show, information on money & food, and a big pot of stew (and peanuts) to eat.
Holland
This display had two sets of wooden shoes (one for the kids to try on & another filled with straw and carrots for Sinterklaus), lots of great books set in Holland, a model of the boy who held back the sea, tulip treats, windmill cookies, a lapbook of Holland, a scrapbook of Gabe’s "trip" to Holland, and a Lego model of a windmill. You’d also play some Dutch Nine Pin.
Haiti
At Autumn’s display of Haiti, you could shake the maracas, read Haitian proverbs, learn what a tap-tap is, see various beaded jewelry, touch a wood carved map, and look at an authentic Haitian tea set.
Canada
(a picture of Elijah’s board…in progress)
Okay, we all know this is my son’s display so it’s going to get a few more pictures than the others.
At Elijah’s display you could match the money, put together color puzzles (French/English), see some shells from Nova Scotia, behold his Lego creations (including the CN tower!), watch Lacrosse and Ice Hockey clips, learn that Canada is the leading maple syrup producer in the world, try some Jones’ Soda, eat some Sour Patch Kids candy & salt water taffy, read through a Guess Who? animal book, learn about Boxing Day, and compare the United States’ culture with Canada’s.
If you’re interested in doing a country fair of your own, I have some sample things I could share–an instructional guide for moms, an invitation, and a country hunt form (we had the kids fill these out the night of the fair). Just post a comment, and I will try to write up another post with the samples. :)
