Fall and Photosynthesis Unit

It's finally here!

The first week of fall!

I love fall immensely.

Well… almost immensely.

The arrival of fall means winter is right around the corner. I am not a fan of winter as it is cold and gray. I am not a fan of cold. And really gray isn’t my favorite either. But then after winter, comes spring! I adore spring. See, there is always something to look forward to.

Besides the yummy tastes and smells of fall, that are so awesome, God paints the trees in such amazing beauty. I love how the trees change colors right before our very eyes. It is like watching the greatest painter ever complete His masterpiece in its entire splendor. And we only have a brief moment to take all of that majestic glory in before it is gone for another year.

Do you see the phrase, "pleasing in appearance?"
God's creativity is beyond anything we can imagine and He creates nature for us to enjoy.

Fall also ushers in the natural time to study why and how leaves change color. This year I decided to also go deeper into the process of how plants create their own food, also known as that big giant word; photosynthesis.

Of course that means checking out as many books on the subject from the library and enjoying some educational videos online. We are also going to put together a lapbook and the older ones will most likely have some type of notebooking and research essay to write. And of course no science unit will be complete without at least one or several experiments or hands on activities.

Below is my list of resources I am going to use this week as we explore and learn. I am sure as we go through our study I will find some more great sites, however this is a starting point that will get us moving in the right direction.

Leaf Color Activity - What color will the leaves on the trees change? Answer this question with this fun activity that can be done with almost any age group to some degree. We have done this particular activity a few times and we will be doing it again this year. The kids love it. 


Photosynthesis Video - This quick animated video shows the process of photosynthesis.

NASA put out this very cool video that shows Photosynthesis from Outer Space.

Ellen Mchenry's Basement Workshop is a goldmine of botany and photosynthesis activities. There is also a lapbook with some very cool mini books. The lapbook elements will work great for notebooking also.


Science Made Simple has a quick and easy to read page about photosynthesis.

If you have Netflix, Magic School Bus Gets Planted (season 3 episode 11) is a fun episode about photosynthesis. There is a very cool activity on their site also that would really be fun. Gets Planted - A-maze-ing Plants

There are of course the fun art projects that include reading the book Leaf Man and making leaf men or other fun pictures, leaf rubbings, and even preserving leaves by ironing them between pieces of wax paper. Of course a nature walk or two are in order this week as well. What are you going to do to kick off fall.

Apple Unit Resources Updated

Did you know October is Apple Month? Every year I post links to some fun resources for an apple unit. Until this year, I have focused on the youngers but I have olders and it would be fun to still do some learning with apples that the olders will appreciate. So here is this year's list of ideas for any age you are teaching. The best thing about unit studies is that you can combine all the grade le els and teach everyone at the same time. 

Preschool/Kindergarten

DLTK Apple Activities -  This site was my go to for every one of my kids when they were in preschool. Fun activities and ideas for pretty much every occasion.

File Folder Fun - Here are some fun little apple themed folder games for preschoolers.

Bright Hub Education - Lesson plans for each day of the week set up for PreK or K depending on readiness.

Elementary

Justus Apple - This education kit is great. So many ideas, printables, lesson plans and more. 

US Apple -  This site is a great resource for studying apples.

Happy Homeschool - Fun Apple Unit Study. Lots of fun ideas for many ages.

Michigan Apples - This is a great resource for both Elementary and Middle School students. Very thorough and lots of plans

NY Apple Country - This resource has some great ideas for elementary students. There are ideas for every subject perfect for a unit study.

Middle School & High School

Michigan Apples - This is a great resource for both Elementary and Middle School students. Very thorough and lots of plans

Vermont Apples - Here is the history of the apple and if you look at the side links there is also a link for apples in mythology and other fun links.


Apple Browning Experiment - This experiment with acids and bases and how they effect the browning of apples.

Lapbooks Galore

Johnny Appleseed Lapbook

We love lapbooks and have done many. I have used elements from these to make our own lapbooks in the past.

Apple Arrow
Apple Pie Tree
Johnny Appleseed
Live and Learn Press

Then of course there is no end to the cooking unit you can do with apples. That is our favorite part of apple season. All the yummy apple treats we can make.

Christmas Planning 2012

Thanksgiving week is upon us already and that means I am seriously planning for Christmas. Each year, we spend the month of December studying all things Christmas. I make it a point to make sure that Jesus stays the center of everything we do while having all the fun we can have. We take a break from doing "normal school" and focus our attention on the eternal while throwing in some math and reading along the way. By this time in our school year the kids are ready for a break from the norm and I am ready to give them what they need. We spend the entire month doing crafts, baking, watching movies, snuggling with good books and making sure we rest.

I have been scouring cyberspace checking out all the fun ideas for nativity scenes, lapbooks, games, and of course Advent. Every year I do a post that links up to the great ideas that I find. Below are the links that I have found this year. Some links are from posts past but many of them are new. I have just covered the very tip of the iceberg of Christmas ideas here, but hopefully it gives you a good start. This is such a long post, I have broken it into several smaller sections to make is easier.

 Lapbooks & Unit Studies

Every year, we do a lapbook and or a unit study for Christmas. It is the perfect way to get our school in and do fun things at the same time. The kids love them and I always enjoy doing them with the kids.

Christ is Born Lapbook – This is a quick little lapbook that is perfect for 2-4 year olds. The pieces go in a little pocket so the kids can act out the story over and over again.

Twelve Days of Christmas - We had a lot of fun putting this lapbook together a few years back. While there is no real evidence that the twelve days of Christmas has anything to do with the Bible it was a great way to help the kids remember some basic info like the books of the Bible, Fruit of the Spirit, Apostles and more.

The Legend of the Candy Cane - We really enjoyed completing this lapbook last year. Studying candy for Christmas and yet keeping Christ as the center is a win, win.

The Nativity Lapbook – This lapbook is great for elementary ages. It covers the whole Nativity and includes some parts from the movie if you want to use them. I used elements from this lapbook a few years back when we did an all-inclusive CHRISTmas lapbook. 

Names of Jesus Unit Study – A unit study of the names of Jesus. I really like this idea. 

History of Christmas Carols – This is a unit study about the history of several Christmas carols and hymns. It looks fascinating and something those who enjoy music and studies like that (that would be me) would have fun doing. 

Jesse Tree Devotional - Ann Voskamp has this free Jesse Tree devotional on her site for this year. I have never done Jesse Tree with the kids but this really looks amazing. I have been thinking about doing Jesse Tree for a few years now but just haven’t gotten to it. 

 

Advent

Growing up I didn’t do Advent. I didn’t even know what Advent was until I was an adult. We have been celebrating Advent in some form for the past few years. Last year we lit candles for the first time. This year, we plan on doing it again. Lighting a candle is a way of being intentional in how you celebrate Christmas. And since we want Christmas to be much more than presents and stockings we have over the years made a point to read the Bible and talk about how Christ came and why Christ came and focus our hearts on the Savior.  I have found that Advent has been a great tool in helping us keep Christ in the center of Christmas which is what I want. Advent starts on December 2nd this year.

Inductive Advent Bible Study - We did this Bible Study last year and it was so awesome. All of the kids enjoyed some component of this study and all of us got something out of it. If you have older kids I highly recommend this study. There are some elements for the younger kids also so the whole family can do this study. It has been updated for this year. I am thinking about doing it again. I know that we will get something new out of it each time.

Advent Treasure Hunt - This idea looks like fun. Every day the kids have to find the day's activity that is hidden somewhere inside or outside the house. Just the idea of hiding our daily verse and activities gets me excited about doing this.

St Margaret Mary Advent Calendar – I don’t normally link to something I am not able to fully check out first but I am totally intrigued and curious about what will be under each day. It says no peeking so I guess we will just have to wait until it’s time.

Advent Story Printable Book – I have printed this out for all of my kids to do at some point. I really like it. While you are on that site, explore, she has several Christmas activities and teaching ideas oh, and color pages. 

Felt Advent Calendar - This is a tutorial on how to make your own felt advent calendar. There are a lot of steps but it is so totally cute. If I had time I would make this, maybe next year. Seriously this is so cute.

Advent Activities – This is perfect for the little ones. There are so many great little activities to do and they focus on Christ.

 

 

Nativity Scenes

Tradition in our house is to make a Nativity Scene for Christmas. In years past we have all made some part of it and then we put the whole thing together. Often it is like a giant mural on a wall.  Two different years, we actually left the scene up on the wall until Easter, partly because I just never took it down and partly because the kids were just so proud of it. Last year we did something totally different, each of the kids made their own Nativity scene. I found so many different printable and DIY Nativity Scenes we were not able to do them all last year. We haven’t decided what we will do this year.

Nativity Scene Board - I have used these for bulletin board figures, or you can even put them together in a manila file folder and use them like you would a folder game. (Top right picture below.)

Nativity Scene with Toilet Paper Rolls - This one was made by Miss K last year she really enjoyed it and it turned out so cute. (Bottom right picture below.)

Make Your Own Nativity Scene - Little Man made this one last year. It's small and compact, perfect if you don't have a lot of room to display it. (Bottom left picture below.)

Nativity Scene Display – Miss H made this one last year. The figures are cone shaped, the animals we had to brace a bit to keep them standing but it still turned out adorable. (Top left picture below.)

Paper Doll Nativity Scene - This one is cute and gives you the instructions to make a diorama like Nativity Scene. 

Birth of Jesus Nativity - This one has two versions, one with and one without the Wise Men. 

Nativity Craft - This is really cute with little terracotta pots. Perfect for those who want to do more than just cut, color and paste.

Paper Nativity – This one looks sweet and pretty simple.

Spool Doll Nativity – Oh my goodness is this cute. It is perfect for an older kid who has moved beyond just coloring some paper.

Nativity Scene from a 2x4 – Okay so this one is for an older for sure. I know that a younger could totally help with making it. I love this. It can be played with over and over and is so incredibly cute.

Nativity Scenes 2011

 

Games & Activities

What is the Christmas Season without games and activities? It’s part of what makes the month of December so fun. Here are some resources for you.

Christmas Bible Printables - This site has puzzles, mini books, verse cards and so much more. If you want simple activities for a 3-6 year old that are Christ centered this is where you go. 

Christmas Folder Games - There are so many Christmas themed folder games on this site. We love playing folder games and what a better way to keep the learning going but by a folder game that is in the shape of a candy cane or Christmas tree?

Nativity Pre K Pack – This is a free packet full of things for your preschooler. Patterns, matching, cutting practice, and prewriting practice.

Nativity Pack – Here is another Nativity pack for 3-5 year olds. This one is also totally adorable.

Advent Activities – She has such great ideas all year round.

Nativity Dominoes – These are so adorable.

Nativity Finger Puppets – These would be fun for a little one.

My hope and prayer is that this post inspires you to do some intentional parenting during the hectic Christmas season that is upon us and remember to focus on the eternal. What do you do to keep Jesus the center of Christmas? Let me know in the comments, I am always looking for new ideas.

I participated in 31 Days along with over 1,000 other bloggers
hosted by the Nesting Place.
What happens when life gets in the way of blogging?
Posts that were supposed to go up in October being posted in November. 
Or any homeschool post becomes a 31 Day post.

31 Days Apple Unit Resources

Did you know that October is National Apple Month? I like to try to do unit studies that go along with the seasons and holidays. It makes school a bit more fun and breaks up the normal day to day stuff with something new.





A few years ago the older kids did an Apple Lapbook and I felt it was time Little G made one. We are going to do a whole apple unit study. Today Little G got to go to the store and choose one of every type of apple available. Tomorrow we will cut each apple in half and make a graph of how many seeds are in each apple. After that, time to bake!

We checked out several books from the library about apples and will be reading them throughout the month. And there are so many great resources around the web that I will be utilizing also. Below are my favorites that I have found so far. 

US Apple is a great place to start. There is a fun little booklet to print out that the older kids did and really enjoyed.

DLTK is one of my favorite resources for early childhood education. The apple activities there are a fun addition to anything we will do this month.

Homeschool Share has a few lapbooks available.

Apple Arrow looks like one that would be great for someone older than Little G.
Apple Pie Tree looks like a really fun one, I found the book at the library and we will probably do at least some of these activities.
Johnny Appleseed is the lapbook the older kids did. We really enjoyed it. I will be pulling some of these mini books into the apple lapbook we end up doing this year.

Live and Learn Press has a free apple lapboook too. We used a few elements of this one before.

The First Grade Parade has some Apple Activity Freebes that I just found today. I so totally cannot wait to look through these more and see what I can use. They look great.

This post is part of my 31 Days of Homeschooling Adventures series, I'm linked up at the Nesting Place with over 1,000 other bloggers for 31 Days in October.

Christmas & Advent Planning

Did you realize, Advent starts in just one week and Christmas is in 5 short weeks! Are you ready? Do you know what you are going to do to prepare and celebrate? I'm getting there. I have so many things I want to do I probably should have started doing them yesterday. Not kidding. I know I can't fit them all in but there is always next year. A few years ago, I posted a bunch of Christmas Activities that I found around the web. Since some of those links I am sure are not working and there are so many new links out there, I decided to post an updated list for you to get ideas. Since I was scouring the web anyway, I thought it would be nice to share. 

You're welcome.

Advent Calendars, Activities, Lapbooks and Lessons

Online Advent Calendar - TeachingMOM put this calendar up in 2008. I have used it as a guide every year. I love how much stuff she has for each day. I start the activities on the first day of Advent and adjust the amount of activities each week to last until Christmas.  She also has an Advent Verses Chain you can print out and use. We have also done this yearly and discuss the verses throughout Advent season.

Advent Coloring Book - DLTK has a great Advent coloring book that all of my kids have done. This is a great book for preschoolers through 1st or 2nd grade. Even older kids who enjoy coloring can appreciate this book.

Advent Coloring Pages - Ministry to Children has a cute little Advent Coloring Book that looks like fun for the younger ones. It is simple and can be a great beginning for Bible lessons during the Advent season.

An Inductive Advent Study Guide - This is a really neat study guide that can really be used with any school aged child I think. An inductive study is a great way to really dig deep into the Word.

Printable Nativity Scenes

Every year we make our own Nativity. The kids paint pictures of all the people and animals and angles and we assemble it together up on the wall like a bulletin board. The kids love doing this every year and each year I try to use different print outs to keep it special. We also change up the painting method and sometimes add glitter glue, cotton balls, sponge paint some of the animals or whatever else we can think up to make each year a little different than the last. Here are some of the sites I have used in the past and links to stuff I am thinking about for this year. I want to make several and have them displayed all over the house this year.

Christmas Nativity Scene - DLTK has a great scene to print out that I have used parts or all of in years past. She also has these adorable Christmas Girl Angels and Christmas Boy Angels that seem to make it on the wall each year.

DIY Printable Nativity - Catholic Icing has one of the most adorable Nativity Scenes. I am sure this is one of the scenes we are going to make this year.

Make Your Own Nativity Scene - This is a really cute Nativity Scene that looks easy to put together.

Scrapbook Printable Nativity Scene - This is a great little Nativity Scene at ScrapbookScrapbook.

Paper Doll Nativity - This cute printable set is for paper-dolls. I love that it uses a box like a diorama and hay. So fun.

Printable Nativity Scenes - This one is unique as it has two scenes. One when Jesus is born with the shephards visiting and then a second with Jesus as a toddler and the magi visiting. This one is basically a print and assemble the last page of this has a bunch of facts about Jesus' birth and the Nativity and how tradition isn't always the way it was.

Nativity Scene Clipart - I have used this clip art to help make our scenes up on the wall before.

Lapbooks, Mini Books and Unit Studies

Christ Is Born Lapbook - This little lapbook is geared towards young ones. It is a cute little folder that you can put printed pieces in to make a little scene they can play with.

Nativity Lapbook - We used several elements of this lapbook a few years ago and really enjoyed it.

The 12 Days of Christmas Lapbook - We did this lapbook a few years ago and the kids loved it. It puts Biblical meanings (though they are not the official meanings) to each of the twelve days. It's an enjoyable lapbook geared more for elementary aged kids.

Legend of the Candy Cane Lapbook - Do you know the legend of the candy cane? It's pretty cool. I'm going to do this with the kids this year.

Other Activities and Printables

Christian Preschool Printables has so many fun things from games to mini books to crafts and everything in between.

Homeschooling 4 Free has so many links to so many great ideas. I thought I would add this link in for anyone who still needs some more ideas for home, or Sunday School.

File Folder Fun has a great collection of free folder games for Christmas. Just print, cut, glue and play. My kids love folder games and I have made more than I can count. I will be making a couple of these too.


I might have gone overboard but I think there is something here for everyone. With having every grade from kindergarten to junior high, I was trying to find something each of my kids would enjoy.

Mini Office Weblinks

These past few weeks I have been buried in text books, school supplies, teacher manuals and websites. I have spent most of my time planning and prepping and organizing for this school year. We officially ended last school year on the 8th of this month. I decided it was time for a break and I really needed some time to plan and regroup. Our official start date for this school year is the 29th of this month and I have a lot of things to get done in order to be ready.

Something I want to implement this year are mini offices. A mini office is basically a reference folder that is folded similar to a lapbook. They can cover any subject and can be as in depth as you need them to be. I am planning on making one for math, language, Bible, and a kindergarten one for Little G with the basics. The kids are really excited about these and I really hope this helps them remember concepts in a more concrete manner as they use them. As mine are far from finished, I have no pictures for you, yet. But I can tell you what I am putting in them and point you in the direction to make your own if you want to.

The math office is what I am working on right now. Here is a list of what I am putting in it at his point. I might add more as the kids learn new concepts like the Pythagorean Theorem and the Fibonacci Sequence.

• addition, subtraction, multiplication & division fact sheets
• coin values and how many to make a dollar
• pi
• Roman Numerals
• number line
• polygons and geometric solids
• types of angles
• greater than and less than
• measurements and their abbreviations
• place value
• perimeter, area, and volume

There are a lot of resources for mini offices out there. Here is a list of some of the better ones I found.
Busy Teachers Cafe - This site has several pictures and links to printables. I really like the language printables they have. Seriously check it out even if you don't do a mini office because the way they describe how to write a paragraph is very cool.

Meacham Mini Offices - This teacher has pictures and links to the printables she uses and also describes how she uses them in her classroom.

Teaching Heart - This site has so many different examples and links to the charts/printables they use for many different subjects and levels.

abcteach - Most of the printables on this site are for members but there are two for fractions and grammar that look really nice that are for free. Plus instructions on how to put a mini office together.

Mini Offices Squiddo Lens - Jimmie has a great lens on Squiddo with several links and pictures and a great description of what a mini office is. Seriously, check it out, you will not be disappointed.

Mini Office for Mom - Heart of the Matter online has a great post about mini offices and I love that Amy suggests making one for yourself. I might just do that, instead of the home binder that I never seem to use.

I hope that gets you pointed in the right direction if you want to use a mini office in your school day. Or even for homework if you don't homeschool This could be a great help for any child.

You Scream I Scream...

... We all scream for ice cream.
Did you know that July is National Ice Cream Month? Did you know that July 15th is national Ice Cream Day? Ronald Reagan signed the proclamation in 1984 and that just gives me one more reason why he is one of the greatest presidents in the history of the United States.

So... naturally this month we are doing a unit all about ice cream. I have found a treasure trove of resources for this and thought I would share the best of what I have found. There is something for everyone so if you are looking for something to do with the kids, here is a great start. Besides, it gives you an excuse to eat ice cream - you know because it's educational.


We All Scream For Ice cream LapBook - Homeschool Share has a unit study/lapbook that we are using as our foundation. There are several books she uses and my library only has one of them so I am going to improvise a bit.
 
I is for Ice Cream - First School has some fun activities for preschoolers.

Ice Cream Unit - DLTK is one of my favorite site for little and she has some fun preschool stuff for National Ice Cream Month.

Ice Cream Theme Printables - ABC Teach has several printables from templates to color pages to word-searches.

The Ice Cream Dream - Here is a pdf of printables that cover a little bit of everything.

Ice Cream Printing - Twisty Noodle has several ice cream theme tracing worksheets.

Ice Cream Math Challenge - Scholastic has a fun printable math problem. It's great for those learning money.

Ice Cream Addition - Here is a printable addition/coloring game.

Ice Cream Coloring Pages - More than just ice cream there are summer theme coloring pages here too. Actually this site is full of all sorts of coloring pages, its my go to for color pages.

Ice Cream Info - California Milk has some ice cream information.

More Ice Cream Info - This site has so much stuff on it, I haven't explored all of it yet.

Ice Cream in a Bag - If you haven't done this, you should. It is really fun to learn the basics of ice cream science. Here is another site that has some more science info about ice cream and rock salt.

Ice Cream Chemistry - I found this page with some more advanced questions for chemistry. It looks like a great spring board for older kids.

Ice Cream Soda Science - We did this activity when we were studying the three types of mater. We will probably do this again, you know for review. 

Ice Cream Art - This site has a great pop art activity.

The Ice Cream Stand - This looks like a fun activity to teach finance and business skills.

Ice Cream Time Line - A lot of history on this site. It touches on pretty much all the aspects of the history of how ice cream came about.

Icecream.com - Here are some fun ice cream facts.

Ben and Jerry's - I couldn't have an ice cream post without a link to them. Yummmmm

Dryer's Taste Tester - This is interesting about the guy who has one of the best jobs on the planet.


There are some fun online math games the kids can enjoy too.
Cone Crazy
Ice Cream Shop
Minko's Milkshake Shoppe

I know that there is so much here. I know we can't do it all but we will keep busy with all of what I have found.

Ladybugs Lots and Lots of Ladybugs

Little G asked to do a Ladybug Lapbook a couple of weeks ago. So I obliged by finding The Grouchy Ladybug Lapbook at Homeschool Share and checking out some ladybug books at the library. We only did 2 elements of the lapbook but that was all G wanted to do. However, this past weekend, we were so excited when we found ladybugs all over our grape vines. We got even more excited when we discovered that they were hatching and molting and going through all the metamorphic stages that a ladybug goes through from egg to adult.

I of course had my camera handy to capture this very cool homeschool moment when the words on the page become life and we get to witness what we have read. I love it when they get to learn "hands on" and really solidify that knowledge. The kids have been studying them the past few days really getting an understanding of everything.

At first ladybugs are so ugly and look like worms with legs almost. Really not pretty at all. Then they slowly change and shed their exoskeleton to where they have just a soft shell with no spots. Then after a few hours that shell hardens and their spots appear which makes them so pretty. Their metamorphosis reminds me of how we are in Christ. We are new creations that start out like the ugly larva and turn into a new creation like the beautiful adult ladybug. Something that really struck me is that when they first emerge and their shell is soft and just one color, they are pretty defenseless. It reminds me of how we are when we are young in Christ. We are vulnerable because we haven't grown strong in our faith yet. I love it when God shows me His great design in His creation.

Hi Mr. Ladybug, how about a closeup? Isn't he so cool? I love bugs... well... cute bugs anyway. And bugs that help my garden grow.

This post linked to Sweet Shot Tuesday.

St Patrick's Day Fun

Saint Patrick's Day was filled with tons of fun. We had Lucky Charms for breakfast (a special treat around here especially on a weekday). We spent the day learning about St Patrick and Ireland and making components for our lapbooks. One component was to take 1/2 cup of Lucky Charms, and graph how many of each marshmallow was in that half cup then compare their results with everyone else. We found that on average there are 20 marshmallows in each half cup, at least in the box we had. The kids had tons of fun. And we will be finishing what we ran out of time for this weekend.

We baked green velvet cupcakes and decorated them with Lucky Charms. So fun and such a yummy dessert.

We watched Veggie Tales Sumo of the Opera as is tradition so we could watch the St Patrick story. We love our Veggies.

I cooked a beer braised corned beef in my new pot. It turned out beautifully! I was so excited as that was my first time ever cooking corned beef. I found the recipe on Food Network's site. I don't know the exact link or I would take you to it. The kids loved it and I am sure I will make it again next year the exact same way.

I love making a big deal out of special days like St Patrick's Day just to help break up the monotony of the everyday and help the kids avoid burn out.

St Patrick's Day Plans

We love St Patrick's Day and it is just a week away. The kids started asking me what we were going to do this year and asked if we could do a lapbook. How could I say no? We love how we can incorporate so much learning into a lapbook and allow the creativity to flow at the same time. Well, I went to work coming up with ideas and thought I would share the wealth of resources I have found with you so you can enjoy the day learning.

If you think that St Patrick's Day is just about wearing green and eating green food, you are missing out. St Patrick was an amazing man who loved God with reckless abandon. Veggie Tales has a great little short about him on their DVD Sumo of the Opera, we watch it every year. I'm still formulating my plan for this year but here are some ideas I have found so far.

Christian Preschool Printables has some fun print outs for the littles including a Bible verse printable that would be great in a lapbook.

File Folder Fun has several folder games to print out. I think I am going to print out Shamrock Showdown for the kids to practice their place value together.

Bible Story Printables has a fun Shamrock craft that I think I want to do.

Homeschool Helper Online has a St Patrick's Day Lapbook with lesson plans ready to go. I am going to use some of these for the lapbook.

Homeschool Share has a Lapbook to go with Jan Brett's book St Patrick's Day in the Morning. There are some fun learning ideas here and if you want to read the book, a great resource for activities to go with the book.

CurrClick is offering a free study called of Shamrocks and Shillelaghs. It is full of information, Irish sayings and activities to go along with any unit study that has to do with Ireland.

WebLink Education has several links to all sorts of activities for Saint Patrick's Day.

DLTK has several coloring pages, crafts, worksheets and ideas.

I also found this Squidoo lens filled with so many lapbooking ideas I almost don't know where to start. Wow so many links.

Okay, so now I have more than enough resources at my fingertips. Remembering that less is more I am going to put together a lapbook/unit study that will work with the kids. Now, on to plan the menu for the day.

More Pumpkin Theme/Unit Links

A couple years ago the older kids did a pumpkin theme unit that included many of the links to printables, lapbooks, and various activities I posted for Weblink Wednesday (a linky that was hosted by Valerie Watne who has Weblink Education).

This year, I decided to do a preschool P is for Pumpkin unit/lapbook with Little G after she had such a great time during our field trip to the pumpkin patch. I am using some of the links and resources that I found before but I also found many new resources that I am sure she will enjoy.




Here are the resources I found.

Pumpkins Unit Study - Homeschool Helper Online has a unit study geared towards PreK - 1st. They list a bunch of ideas for activities you can do as well as some books to read.

Pumpkin Craft/Popsicle Stick Puzzle - Child Care Land has a fun puzzle idea, you have to scroll down towards the bottom of the page to find it. There are also a few other pumpkin ideas on this page.

Pumpkin Bulletin Board Project - If you are looking for a bulletin board idea, this one is pretty cool.

How a Pumpkin Grows - Kidzclub has a sequencing card printable that could also be used as a mini book.

My Pumpkin mini book - This is a little pdf for a mini pumpkin book. You describe your pumpkin and count the seeds.

Pumpkin Themed File Folder Games - File Folder Fun has a few different pre-made folder games. They also have blanks so that you can fill in with whatever material you need to cover.

My previous Pumpkin Theme Link post.

Olympic Study Links

I love the Olympics and so do the kids. Today is the Opening Ceremony and we are really excited about it.
This week we have spent most of our school time studying Canada. It has been a very fun study and we have learned so much. A few facts you may not know is that Lacrosse was invented in Canada, as was Ice Hockey (that one is a given). Ice hockey was invented in 1855 when some bored soldiers tied blades to their boots and hit an old lacrosse ball around with field hockey sticks, I find this so fascinating. Here is something you probably don't know, the all American sport of football was also invented in Canada. Who knew? And if that wasn't enough, basketball was created by a Canadian named James Naismith in 1891. Seriously, I had no idea that so many sports came from Canada. We read this and so much more in a book called Cultures of the World - Canada. During the next couple of weeks we are going to study the Olympics and all the fun that surrounds it. I thought I would share the very cool resources I have discovered online with you so that you can enjoy them with your kids or just do some research of your own.

Here is the official site of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. While exploring this site, I have found education materials, pictures, color pages of the mascots and so much more.

Here is the official site of the Olympic Movement.

The motto for the Olympics is "With Glowing Hearts" or “Des plus brillants exploits” in French. Here is an article about the motto.

The logo for the games is designed to look like an inukshuk which is a stone sculpture in Canada. Here is an article explaining the significance of the logo.

The medals for the games are really amazing. The are not flat like medals of previous games. Here is the direct link to pictures of the medals from the official site. You really should check these out.

The torch design reminds me of skis very sleek with smooth curves. Here is an article with great close ups of the torch. 

The torch relay began in Greece and then went straight to Canada, it is said to be the longest relay route that has stayed in one country. I think (but I could be wrong) that it is also the most north a torch has gone when it went through Alert, Nunavut. Here is a link to some pictures of the torch relay. These pictures are amazing. It shows how the flame was lit in Greece and follows it to Canada. There are more pictures on the official site also but I really like these pictures a lot.  

If you live in the USA, here is a useful link for the NBC Olympic Schedule along with athlete profiles.

Here is a site with videos that teach the science (read physics) behind the sports. It is called NBC Learn.

We are putting together a lapbook for the Olympics and I hope to be able to post pictures of it when we are done. I have been making all the mini books myself and catering it to the ages of the kids.

If you are interested in doing a lapbook, (and don't want to design your own) Currclick has a couple of lapbooks along some other Olympic curriculum for sale at some very reasonable prices. You can download them and instantly have what you need. 

Have fun enjoying the Olympic games.

National Apple Month

Last week the kids studied Johnny Appleseed. John Chapman (his real name) was born on September 26th. He was an interesting man to study and it was fun learning how he became a legend. We did a quick and simple lapbook, mostly just for fun. Did you know that October is National Apple Month? This month, we plan on making a few apple goodies in honor of that fact. Here are some pics of the lapbook and a few links to help you get started with an apple unit of your own. We mixed and matched from many of the sites to make something that works for us. I also made a few things on my own.

An Apple a Day Unit - This site has lots of ideas listed that you can incorporate into your school plans.

Johnny Appleseed Lapbook - Homeschool Share has a free Johnny Appleseed Lapbook

Live & Learn Press Apple Lapbook - This is another free lapbook that focuses on just apples from Live and Learn Press.

Apple Folder Games - File Folder fun has some folder games that are geared towards 2-5 year olds with an apple theme. Perfect for Tot School.

Preschool Apple Activiteis - Childcare Land has some apple activities to print and use (like folder games).

Apple Theme Activities - Busy Teachers' Cafe has an abundant amount of apple resources and ideas plus links to other great places. There is also a folder game if you scroll down dealing with contraction words. We printed this one out during the summer, the kids like it.

 

On the cooking front, this apple pie is absolutely on the list.  This applesauce looks super yummy and easy. And then there are these muffins that are filled with yumminess they will be made soon.

I hope this helps you get some great ideas for adding some apple themes to your school day this month.

Weblink Wednesday - Thanksgiving Lapbooks and Activities

I stumbled upon some cool Mayflower stuff looking for more ideas for our Thanksgiving unit and lapbook we are doing.

First, here are the resources I found for the lapbooks. I am pulling from different sites and using what will work for the kids grade levels. (4th, 3rd, and 1st)

I am using this Thanksgiving Lapbook page and the free lapbook from Lilliput Station to make our Thanksgiving Lapbook. I am also using some elements from Cranberry Thanksgiving Lapbook. (I was going to get the book from the library but it was checked out until December.)

Here are the Mayflower sites and activities.

Mayflower History is a treasure trove of Mayflower information.
Mayflower Math is a really neat activity where you use math to draw the Mayflower.
Mayflower Compact Lesson Plan has a copy of the words of the Mayflower compact and some ideas of how to use it in a lesson.
Scholastic's First Thanksgiving has some cool stuff to do.

Also, here are some fun Thanksgiving Crafts if you need some ideas. A freind of mine made the turkey nut holders with her kids and they had a lot of fun.

For more great weblinks, visit Homeschooling With Encouragement.

Weblink Wednesday - Human Body Unit Study

My online time lately has been spent preparing for a human body unit study for the munchkins. I thought I would share with you some of the better sites I have found.

• Homeschool Share Human Body Lapbook - This lapbook is geared more for kindergarten/1st grade.
• Human Body Lapbook by Jimmie - This lapbook is not a premade lapbook but more of a resource so you can prepare your own unit study to lapbook or notebook.
• Human Body Unit Study (pdf) - This is a unit study on the human body that has some great pictures.
• Do You Know Anatomy -  This is an interactive label me.
• A Look Inside the Human Body - Geared for 4th graders, this site has the basics of the body broken up into the different systems. 
  
• Brain Hat - This is a really cool idea for constructing a "hat" of the brain. It has the different parts of the brain labeled so when it is on, you can see exactly where they are located. Very hands on and very cool. I can't wait until we get to the brain section of the unit study so we can do this.
• My Body - This book is available through teacher created resources (You can purchase an actual book or purchase it as an e-book). I have this book and love it. This is to make a life size diagram of the body. Trace the outline of your little one's body on bulletin board paper or news print (you can get the ends of the rolls really cheap usually at your local paper). The kids can them put their body parts where they belong. Kids love doing this activity. It lets them get a realistic perspective on how their body is put together.

Head over to Homeschooling With Encouragement for more great homeschool weblinks.

An Olympic Lesson of Biblical Proportions

I have wanted to post all week but this week has been extremely adventurous with Baby G. (More on that later.) We finished our Olympic unit on Sunday when we watched the closing ceremony for the games. We let the kids stay up for the extinguishing of the flame. It was really a great show. I have always loved watching the Olympics and the sportsmanship among many of the athletes and watching the best in the world compete. Just to qualify to go to the Olympics is such a huge honor and I respect those athletes who trained day in and day out some since their childhood sacrificing playtime for practice to obtain their goal.

The kids studied 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 as their Bible memory verse.

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.”

Did you know that the Ancient Greeks had four sets of games each held every 4 years so that once a year games were held? The most popular was held in Olympia and that is where we get the Olympics. The second most popular were the Isthmian games held in Corinth. When Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he was using an example that they absolutely understood. The games were very much happening during the life of Paul. (We often compartmentalize our Biblical history with world history but they intertwine.) The prize for the Olympics was an olive branch wreath/crown. The prize in Corinth was a laurel branch wreath/crown. Therefore, the crown/wreath (depending on the translation) is very perishable.

We let the kids stay up to watch some of the track and field the night 2 runners were disqualified for running on the line of the other lane and one of the runners stepped in the other lane. The rules clearly state that each runner must stay in their own lane at all times. If they do not stay in their lane, they are disqualified. Even though they finished the race, they did not obtain the prize because they did not stay in their lane. Paul continues in that scripture in verses 26-27

“So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.
But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”

Paul was telling us to be careful and stay in our own lane. When the kids and I were talking about this, I had drawn a track on the white board with lanes. We discussed what could cause us in life to run on the line or in the other lane. We also talked about how our lane represents our path in life. For the kids this made the verse that they were memorizing was so much more real. I thank God that He knows the bigger picture and we were able to see a living example of the verse played out.

When I was talking with the kids, I was reminded of Matthew 7:21-23. Jesus said many will call Him Lord and he will say he never knew them.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’
And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ ”

I pray that my kids know Him as they run the race of life so that they may obtain the eternal prize. Out of everything we learned while doing this unit study this by far was the most important. If they remember anything at all, I want it to be this.

Here are some pics of their Lapbooks we did for our Olympic Unit.

Weblink Wednesday - Olympics Lesson Plans

The Olympics are just around the corner. I love the Olympics and try to watch as much of the games as I can.
The kids are going to do a unit study about the Olympics and I decided to share with you the resources I found.
Ancient History of the Olympics
Brief History of the Olympic Games
Summer Olympic Unit Study and Free Lapbook
Sports and Olympics Activities
The Olympic Games at Enchanted Learning - Some things are members only and others are not.
Olympics at ABC Teach

For more great homeschool links visit Homeschooling With Encouragement.