Hi friends! I hope you are staying safe and well at home. I am an introvert at heart, but I also don't like being told what to do.  I get depressed when I feel trapped at home. It's a constant struggle between needing space and wanting to go out and explore the world, ha ha! And that is a normal daily struggle, so this social distancing thing is really messing with my sanity! But, like most of you, I'm just trying to make the best of it. One day at a time, right?

I thought I'd pop in and share a few more resources that may be useful if you are tired of hearing, "I'm bored!" for the eight millionth time. 

Wild + Free is offering a Homebound Activity Kit for young learners. They have a wide array of content bundles to buy and download - everything from gardening and homesteading to outdoor adventures, art, music and more. If you click the link to the Homebound kit ($29 for the full set), there are 4 FREE activities to download and try.

Big Life Journal has put together a free downloadable Stay at Home Care Package with Indoor Games and Activities. Check out their website for additional activities and a podcast for kids.

Many artists are jumping online and offering free courses and downloads, which is fantastic. Be sure to check out your local small businesses to see what they are offering. It's a great way to give back to your community and help support entrepreneurs. For example, a local Virginia Beach muralist is offering free coloring pages at OnieTonie.com, and AR Workshops in our area have created Take and Make craft kits for curbside pick up - great for all ages!

If you are looking for something a little more active, Wonder and Wildness has a great tutorial for learning how to juggle.

Further, if you find yourself cooking at home more than usual, or just in need of some new recipe ideas, my long time pal, Gina at Kleinworth and Co, has an amazing blog full of delicious recipes in easy to find categories. You are sure to find some inspiration! While you're there, you might also check out her printables, like these cute spring coloring bookmarks, or these cursive writing pages. 

For many more ideas, check out my previous post of educational activities for home learning here. 

Hang in there friends! We'll get through this together!

By the way, none of these are affiliate links or ads (not that there is anything wrong with that). But I am currently just sharing a few favorite resources.  :)

Back in the Blogging Saddle

Hey friends! I know it has been a while since I've posted here. Life got very busy and I had trouble keeping up with everything. Things have certainly changed in recent weeks. I've gone from working full time and shuffling kids from activity to activity, to hardly working at all and being house bound. It all seems a bit like a sci-fi movie in the making.

I know many of us are worried, anxious, frustrated and fearful about what the next few weeks and months may bring. The constant flow of bad news and cautionary tales on social media and newscasts feels a bit overwhelming. But I have also seen an amazing outpouring of kindness, helpfulness, and generosity. One thing I know is true, now is the time for lifting each other up and offering support where we can.

Feeling helpless is awful and leads to despair, but feeling helpful is empowering and leads to hope. For this reason, it is more important than ever to find ways to help each other, and to build new pathways to a positive future, even if we aren't yet sure what that looks like.

While I am new to a life of social distancing and/or quarantine, I am not new to homeschooling (12 years now) or photography (8 years as a pro).  One of the things I found most overwhelming when I started each of those journeys was the sheer volume of information to sift through. Yes, there are tons of free and inexpensive resources available online, but many are worthless or simply lead down a rabbit hole of opt-ins, emails, and webinars with mere crumbs of useful info. With all my new found free time, I've decided to share some helpful resources that bypass the marketing mumbo-jumbo and take you straight to the good stuff. My hope is that it lightens your burden just a bit, if you are finding yourself suddenly "home schooling." I also plan to host a photography challenge for anyone looking for an outlet for creativity.

While these posts may not change the world or solve all of our problems, I hope that they will at least brighten your day and make your life a wee bit easier in these challenging times. I promise not to bombard you with endless links, and to share only information and resources that I have explored myself and found helpful.

A few quick educational links to get started:
Early ed through elementary - ReadingEggs is offering a free account for 30 days which includes language and math skills. No credit card required.

Elementary through middle school - BrainPop is offering free access for 30 days. You do need to sign up with your email account. No credit card required. They have tons of kid-sized videos and related games & quizzes organized by subject. We've used it for years and love it.

Photography & science related - today Nikon is hosting a full day of wildlife and conservation presentations by professional photographers.

Stay tuned for posts with more resources coming soon! Thank you for visiting and stay well friends!

On a personal note: sharing a recent image I took while testing out the Nikon Z6 Camera for a week.

Reflections. Not a great photo at first glance, but so much of me is in this frame - homeschool books on the desk, my kids’ art work on the fridge, a Dane staring back at me, the swing set my kids used to play on daily but have now abandoned, a sassy teenager at my shoulder, my wedding ring, the bracelet my grandmother gave me, my camera...all little reflections of a life lived, and the soul that brought them together. 

WW - The Coronation

4th of July Educational Links and Activities

Whether you are a homeschooler looking for 4th of July lesson plan activities, a hostess looking for recipes and holiday activities for the kids, or a parent looking for ways to prevent summer brain drain, you are sure to find some helpful links here. This list is from the homschool group list, Lesson Theme of the Week and you can subscribe here: lessonthemeoftheweek@yahoogroups.com.

GENERAL INFORMATION

A Capital Fourth, A History of the Fourth
http://www.pbs.org/capitolfourth/history.html#

Betsy Ross
http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/index.html#Betsy Ross

Fourth of July Celebrations Data Base
http://www1.american.edu/heintze/fourth.htm

Happy 4th of July! Celebrate America's Birthday
http://www.just4kidsmagazine.com/beacon4god/july4.html#

Liberty - The American Revolution
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/#

NARA History of the Declaration of Independence
http://www.archives.gov/nae/index.html

The 4th of July - Patriotic Fantasy
http://wilstar.com/holidays/july4.htm#

The Presidents on the 4th of July
http://www1.american.edu/heintze/FourthPres.htm

Why do we celebrate the 4th of July
http://holidays.kaboose.com/july4-why.html

Lesson Plans

4th of July Lesson Plans
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/4thOfJuly.htm

An American Revolution Newscast
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/SSCIAmericanRevolutionNewscast57.htm#

ESL 4th of July Lesson
http://www.elcivics.com/esl_fourth_of_july.html

Hooray for Independence
http://www.crayola.com/lesson-plans/detail/hooray-for-independence!-lesson-plan/

Independence Day
http://score.rims.k12.ca.us/activity/indepday/

Independence Day Lesson Plan
http://www.instructorweb.com/lesson/independenceday.asp

Teaching with Historic Places -- Independence Day Lesson Plans
http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/jul00.htm#

The American Flag
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/SSArtTheAmericanFlagAndItsSymbolsK2.htm#

The Fourth of July - A day to Remember
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson069.shtml

CRAFTS

American Flag Candle TP Roll Craft
http://www.dltk-kids.com/usa/musacandle.html#

Celebration Seltzer Rockets
http://crafts.kaboose.com/seltzer-rockets.html

Decorate Your Bike
http://crafts.kaboose.com/bike-decorations.html

Forth of July Coasters for Kids
http://www.dltk-kids.com/usa/musacoaster.html#

Forth of July Party Pot
http://www.dltk-kids.com/usa/mpot.htm#

Independence Day Shaker
http://www.familycorner.com/family/kids/crafts/july_4_shaker.shtml#

Make Your Own flag
http://crafts.kaboose.com/kids-flag.html?trnstl=1

Patriotic Pebble Craft
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/rocks/patrioticpebble/#

Patriotic Perler Projects
http://www.dltk-kids.com/usa/perlers.htm#

Patriotic Pinwheels
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/pinwheel/#

Suncatchers - U.S. Flag
http://crafts.kaboose.com/suncatchers-american-flag.html

USA Doorknob Hanger
http://www.dltk-kids.com/usa/musadoorknob.htm#

U.S. Mobile for Kids
http://www.dltk-kids.com/usa/musamobile.html#

COOKING

4th of July Snacks
http://www.perpetualpreschool.com/holiday_themes/fourth_of_july_snacks.html#

July 4th Star Cake
http://www.thepartyworks.com/july-star-cake-a-1160....html?tPath=190

Celebration POPcles
http://recipes.kaboose.com/celebration-popsicles.html

Patriotic Jigglers
http://recipes.kaboose.com/fourth-of-july-jigglers.html

Stars and Stripes Cake
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/stars-and-stripes-cake/7052e392-a539-4eb4-8bf9-473d9a8eed4f?mscsprof...=

Uncle Sam Cookies
http://www.thepartyworks.com/uncle-cookie-a-1166.html?tPath=190

MULTIMEDIA

Action America - Happy New Year
http://www.actionamerica.org/fun/fireworks.shtml#

Lady Liberty Fireworks
http://www.fireworkspop.com/liberty.htm

Liberty
http://www.jacquielawson.com/viewcard.asp?code=ET24212074#Liberty

MUSIC

4th of July Songs
http://www.perpetualpreschool.com/holiday_themes/fourth_of_july_songs.html#

The American Way
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/MusicOSongForFlagDay4thJulyP2.htm#

The Star Spangled Banner - Words and Music
http://www.weekiwis.com/ssbanner.html#

ONLINE ACTIVITIES

Create Your own Fireworks
http://www.pbs.org/capitolfourth/fireworks.html#

Symbols of America
http://www.kidport.com/GradeK/SocialStudies/AmericanSymbols.htm#

Teddy Bear Sparkles
http://akidsheart.com/holidays/july4/tedsprk.htm#

The 13 Colonies - Hangman game
http://akidsheart.com/holidays/july4/hm13col.htm#

American Revolution - Hangman Game
http://akidsheart.com/holidays/july4/hmamrev.htm#

The National Archives Experience: Sign the Declaration of Independence
http://www.archives.gov/nae/index.html

U.S. Capital - Jigsaw Puzzle
http://www.primarygames.com/puzzles/jigsaw/US_Capitol/start.htm#

U.S, Flag - Jigsaw Puzzle
http://www.primarygames.com/puzzles/jigsaw/US_flag/start.htm#

U.S. Symbols Match Game
http://www.primarygames.com/holidays/july4/games/match_up/start.htm#

PRINT OUTS

4th of July Wordsearches
http://homeschooling.about.com/od/holidays/ss/julyprint.htm#

Bingo Game - Unite Flag
http://www.billybear4kids.com/BINGO/Games/Unite-Flag.htm#

4th of July Coloring
http://holidays.kaboose.com/july4-color.html

Fourth of July Printable Worksheets
http://www.theteacherscorner.net/printable-worksheets/seasonal/fourth-of-july/index.php

John's Word Search Puzzle - 4th of July
http://www.thepotters.com/puzzles/july4.html#

July 4th Activity Book
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/books/julyfourth/#

July 4th Paper Doll
http://www.billybear4kids.com/paperdoll/July4th.html#

Math Activity Worksheets
http://www.kidzone.ws/math/usa/index.htm#

The States That Made It Happen Crossword
http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/games/13states.html#

I hope you enjoy these activities and have a safe and fun-filled holiday weekend!

We The People 9.17 Constitution Contest for All Ages

Constituting America's mission is to reach, educate and inform America's youth and her citizens about the importance of the U.S. Constitution and the foundation it sets forth regarding our freedoms and rights. 


To view last years winner, sign up, or find more info, visit Constituting America .

Summer Reading Programs For Kids

Looking for a way to keep your kids engaged in reading this summer?

There is no shortage of incentive programs to choose from. Check out this varied list:

- This one's new to me: Be sure to check out the Mensa Foundation's
Excellence in Reading Award Program at
http://mensaforkids.com/school_template.cfm?showPage=school_readeraward.cfm

- Half Price Books' program runs June 1st through July 31. If kids read 15
minutes a day, they can earn a $5 gift card. For more information, check
out http://www.hpb.com/community/fyb/. You can get the reading log at:
http://www.hpb.com/community/fyb/pdfs/FYBReadingLog.pdf

- PBS Kids Summer Reading Challenge: PBS/iVillage has a program that could
keep you busy all summer long. There are several aspects to it, and you can
find out more at http://www.pbs.org/parents/read/. Each week there will be
a special theme, and you can read more about that at:
http://www.pbs.org/parents/read/pdfs/themeweekschedule.pdf

- Borders has what they call the "Double Dog Dare Challenge." Kids who read
10 books and track them can get a free book. For more info, check out:
http://www.borders.com/online/store/MediaView_doubledogdare

- Chuck E. Cheese has a number of awards that they will grant 10 free tokens
for, including reading (and no nose picking!). You can find them at:
http://www.chuckecheese.com/promotions/rewards-calendars.php

- Barnes & Noble will give kids a free book for every 8 books they read.
They also have some parent information. Find out more at:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/summerreading/index.asp

- Scholastic Book also has a summer program in which kids read and log in to
win prizes. Details are available at: http://www.scholastic.com/summer/

- Book It! will give your child a "prize package" for reading. There are
some fun things in it - check out their Web site for more info:
http://www.bookitprogram.com/summerbreak/docs/entryform.pdf. Be sure to
check out the Pizza Hut school year Book It! program as well:
http://www.bookitprogram.com/

- If you are on the east coast, TD Bank has a summer reading program:
http://www.tdbank.com/summerreading/. Commerce Bank will deposit $10 in
young savers' accounts when they read ten books.

- If you are in an area with H-E-B Grocery Store, they have a program as
well. The instructions can be found at:
http://www.hebuddy.com/content/pdf/summerreadingclub.pdf

- Even Pottery Barn has a summer reading program (who knew?!), along
with other kids' events. Check it out at:
http://www.potterybarnkids.com/customer-service/store-events.html

- Old Spaghetti Factory offers a free kids meal to every child who reads
five books. Information at: http://www.osf.com/kids/rewards-of-reading.html

- Sylvan Learning Centers has a free reading incentive program for kids
through grade 8 that runs all the time. You can register and find more
information at: http://www.bookadventure.com/

- Kids 8 & up can be "reading warriors" with this special program built
around Erin Hunter's Warrior series of books. Information:
http://www.readingwarriors.com/rwshell.html

If you're feeling a little less cerebral or need some air conditioning, this
Web site lists places with free summer movies:
http://freebies.about.com/od/familyactivities/tp/free-summer-movies.htm

There are so many great programs from which to choose!  There is bound to be at least one that sparks an interest in every young reader. And there are no rules that say you can't participate in more than one ;) Feel free to share this post. If you participate in any of these programs I'd love to hear your thoughts on your experience.

Happy Summer. Happy reading!

Memorial Day Fun and Education

It's almost here! The big summer kick off and a fun-filled three day weekend built for relaxing with family and friends. Here's a list of links to explore that will keep you busy with preparations all week long. From history, crafts, cooking, lesson plans, puzzles, quizzes and more, it's all covered here. This list of links was complied by a local homeschool group and it was just too good not to share :) Enjoy!

General Info:
History of Memorial Day
http://www.history.com/topics/memorial-day-history
Memorial Day: A Time of Reflection
http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/holidays/memorialday1.htm
Memorial Day History
http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html
Origins of Memorial Day - Kids for Our Troops
http://www.kidsforourtroops.org/originsofmemorialday.htm
The National Memorial Day Concert
http://www.pbs.org/memorialdayconcerthttp://www.pbs.org/memorialdayconcert/

Lesson Plans:
Celebrating Memorial Day - What is Memorial Day?
http://www.easyfunschool.com/article2169.html
Creating a Memorial Day Poster Poem
http://www.eduplace.com/activity/memorial.html
Graphing Our History of Sacrifice
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/03/lp313-04.shtml
How to Plan a Memorial Day Flag Lesson Plan
http://www.ehow.com/how_2188597_plan-memorial-day-flag-lesson.html
Learning Through Listening | Memorial Day Lesson Plans
http://www.learningthroughlistening.org/Classroom-Teaching-Tools/Lesson-Plans/Memorial-Day-Lesson-Plans/426/
Memorial Day:
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/memorial-day/teacher-resources/6644.html
Memorial Day is observed in the United States today
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/calendar-activities/memorial-observed-united-states-30557.html
Memorial Day Lesson for ESL Students:
http://www.elcivics.com/memorial_day_lesson_1.html
Memorial Day Shoebox Parade
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/03/lp313-01.http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/03/lp313-01.shtml
Memorial Day Theme for Preschool
http://www.brighthub.com/education/early-childhood/articles/66163.http://www.brighthub.com/education/early-childhood/articles/66163.aspx
Memorial Service Lesson Plans
http://www.500festival.com/events/MemorialServiceLessonPlans.asp
Memorial Day Sunday School Lesson & Craft (Memorial Stones)
http://ministry-to-children.com/memorial-day-lesson-craft/
Remember Our Veterans Lesson Plan
http://www.crayola.com/lesson-plans/detail/remember-our-veterans-lesson-plan/
Remembering the Heros of Memorial Day Lesson Plan
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1630491/remembering_the_heros_of_memorial_day.html

Remembering Those Who Gave Their Lives:
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson313.shtml
Teaching the Meaning of Memorial Day
http://www.suite101.com/content/teaching-the-meaning-of-memorial-day-a221293
The Memory Shall Be Ours: Celebrating Memorial Day
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson119.shtml
Unknown Soldier Diorama Lesson Plan
http://www.crayola.com/lesson-plans/detail/unknown-soldier-diorama-lesson-plan/
Veterans in My Family
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/SSMDVeteransInMyFamily-VetMemDayIdeaP12.htm
American Wars Fact Sheet
http://www1.va.gov/opa/publications/factsheets/fs_americas_wars.pdf

Crafts:
Craft Stick Flag
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/july4/craftstickflaghttp://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/july4/craftstickflag/
Crayola® Holiday Crafts - Memorial Day
http://www.crayola.com/crafts/memorial-day-crafts/
Memorial Day Poppies
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/ArtMemorialDayPoppies24.htm
Patriotic Ribbon Dance-Along
http://crafts.kaboose.com/patrioticribbondancealong.html
Patriotic Wind Sock Craft
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/windsock/
Patriotic Wreath
http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/memorial-day-creative-arts-preschool-lesson-plan-patriotic-wreath-activity
American Flag Fan
http://crafts.kaboose.com/american-flag-fan.html

Red, White & Blue Spinners:
http://www.makingfriends.com/spinners.htm
Sequin Flag Magnet
http://www.makingfriends.com/flag_sequin.htm

Recipes and Cooking:
Flag Cake Recipe for Memorial Day
http://kidscooking.about.com/b/2011/05/17/flag-cake-recipe-for-memorial-day.htm
How to Make Memorial Day Cupcakes
http://www.ehow.com/how_2046868_make-memorial-day-cupcakes.html
Memorial Day Desserts
http://kidscooking.about.com/od/memorialdayrecipes/tp/memorial_day_desserts.htm

Multimedia Resources:
"Memorial Day Flash Movie -- 2001" by Jackson Tuggle
http://www.usmemorialday.org/images/movies/memflash01.html
Memorial Day - Free Presentations in PowerPoint Format
http://holidays.pppst.com/memorialday.html
Memorial Day Images
http://www.usmemorialday.org/images.html

Virtual Field Trips:
Arlington National Cemetery
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/
Memorial Day Museum
http://www.waterloony.com/MdayMus.html

Online Activities:
A Time to Remember: Memorial Day Quiz
http://www.funtrivia.com/trivia-quiz/ForChildren/A-Time-to-Remember-Memorial-Day-309728.html

American Flag Concentration Puzzle:
http://www.surfnetkids.com/games/flag-c.htm
English Study Quiz - Memorial Day (Grammar Quiz)
http://www.manythings.org/voa/010525bam.htm
ESL Quiz - Memorial Day Quiz
http://a4esl.org/q/h/9901/cr-memorialday.html
Memorial Day Maze- Easy
http://www.alphabet-soup.net/mem/memorialmaze.html
Memorial Day Maze - Medium
http://www.alphabet-soup.net/mem/memorialmaze2.html
Memorial Day Maze - Tough
http://www.alphabet-soup.net/mem/memorialmaze3.html
Memorial Day Word Search
http://www.alphabet-soup.net/mem/memorialseek.html

Printouts:
Internet Scavenger Hunt: Honoring Our Veterans PDF File
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/hunt/hunt011.shtml
Memorial Day Coloring Pages
http://www.apples4theteacher.com/coloring-pages/memorial-day/
Memorial Day Printables
http://homeschooling.about.com/od/holidays/ss/memorialprint.htm
Memorial Day : Spelling Words Worksheets Builder
http://www.softschools.com/language_arts/words/worksheets/spelling_word_list420.html

Memorial Day Vocabulary Quiz Worksheet:
http://www.teach-nology.com/worksheets/misc/memorialday/quiz/index.html
Memorial Day Word Jumble Puzzle PDF File
http://www.classbrain.com/artholiday/uploads/memorial_wj_a-m.pdf
Memorial Day Word Search Puzzle PDF File
http://www.classbrain.com/artholiday/uploads/memorial_day_ws.pdf
Memorial Day Worksheets for Kids
http://www.allkidsnetwork.com/worksheets/memorial-day/

Whether you are traveling, camping, hitting the beach or planning on staying in your own backyard, I hope you have a fun and memorable Memorial Day weekend! Cheers ;)

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

The holiday of Cinco de Mayo, The 5th of May, commemorates the victory of the Mexican militia over the French army at The Battle of Puebla in 1862.  It is not, as many people think, Mexico's Independence Day, which is actually September 16. Help kids learn more about Cinco de Mayo through this Social Studies link.

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo and make today a day of Mexican history and cultural exploration. If you are looking for lesson plan ideas, kinderart has some great crafts for younger kids including how to make a poncho. Get the kids in the kitchen with these cooking ideas. And, if you just can't get enough Mexican food (like me),  here's more info on Mexican food and links to recipes. Also, try these craft ideas and songs to add to the festivities. Find even more links here. Enjoy. Ole!

Free Public Garden Admission on May 6th

Celebrate spring with FREE admission on National Public Garden Day, May 6, 2011. Sponsored by Better Homes and Gardens.  Many of the countries' biggest and most beautiful gardens are participating in this event. You may print as many vouchers as you need for your party! This would make a great field trip or just a fun family day out. Can you say "picnic"?  Or, as my littles call it, "picpic" ;)

To grab this freebie visit Better Homes and Gardens, select your local area from the pull down menu and print your vouchers. Must be redeemed on May 6, 2011.

Here are a few pics from our last trip to the botanical gardens. It was lots of fun, but gosh, I had forgotten how long it has been. We had only 3 kids then and I had long hair and fewer wrinkles ;) Guess we now have a great excuse to go back!

Easter Learning Fun!

Lots of eggscellent ideas for learning about Easter, eggs, and spring chickens ;)

Check out a 4H Virtual Farm Egg Hatch
Find crafts, coloring pages and acrostic printables here.
Find out more about the history of Easter here.
Find some fun egg decorating ideas here.
Find a $1 Eggs Unit Study here, and an Easter Activity Booklet for $2.99 here.
Plus, kid-friendly Easter recipes here.
Or, make a bunny cake like we did!

So, what are you waiting for? Hop to it and join the fun. Easter is on it's way!

April is National Poetry Month

This is National Poetry Month! Why not celebrate by sharing a poem a day with your kids. Don't miss these tips for reading and analyzing poetry with kids. Plus, find poetry prompts here for K-3 and here for 4-12. And kids and grown ups alike should check out the Favorite Poem Project where you'll find videos of famous folks sharing their favorite poems.

A favorite book of ours is The Random House Book of Poetry for Children selected by Jack Prelutsky. It offers so many fun and engaging poems for kids with great illustrations too.  It's a great book to have on your children's bookshelf, or you could check your local library for a copy. Here's one I like from the book:

Spring

I'm shouting

I'm singing

I'm swinging through trees

I'm winging Sky-high

With the buzzing black bees.

I'm the sun

I'm the moon

I'm the dew on the rose.

I'm a rabbit

Whose habit

Is twitching his nose.

I'm lively

I'm lovely

I'm kicking up my heels.

I'm crying "Come dance"

to the freshwater eels.

I'm racing through meadows

Without any coat

I'm a gamboling lamb

I'm a light leaping goat

I'm a bud

I'm a bloom

I'm a dove on the wing.

I'm running on rooftops

And welcoming spring!

-Karla Kuskin

What's your favorite poem? Please share :)

Read Across America Day

It's that time of year again, time to gear up for NEA's Read Across America Day. On March 2, PBS KIDS is honoring the birthday of Theodor Seuss Geisel, more widely known as Dr. Seuss, with a two-hour marathon of THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT! PBS KIDS will celebrate Dr. Seuss' 107th birthday by rhyming along with the playful Cat during two brand new episodes, "Incredible Journey/Bamboozled," where the Cat introduces Nick and Sally to two incredible creatures, Salmon Sam and Zhu Zhu the panda, and "Teeny Weeny Adventure/I See Seeds," in which the Cat takes Nick and Sally on two "tiny" adventures.

Also joining in the celebration of Dr. Seuss is Reading Rockets, a national multimedia project that offers research-based and best-practice information on teaching kids to read and helping those who struggle. On the Reading Rockets: Read Across America pages you will find a video interview with Mrs. Seuss, classroom strategies to incorporate Dr. Seuss books into literacy-building activities, and a Lorax-themed family literacy bag encouraging hands-on fun and learning.

Also check out the video-enhanced activities for teachers on the PBS Teachers website and find activities by topic for even more fun!

Or, visit Seussville for printable activities, to learn about the author, and find lesson plans as well as the downloadable 2011 NEA's Read Across America activity booklet.

So which is your favorite Dr. Seuss book? I love Fox in Socks and Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now!  No wait, Horton Hears A Who. That's a fabulous tale. Or, I know, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. It's just isn't Christmas without that story. But I also love Hooray for Diffendoofer Day. With so many great classics, it's really hard to choose a favorite don't you think?  Go on, grab a book and get your Seuss on!

FREE Early Reading Program from Funnix.com Through Jan Only

During the month of January, the Funnix Reading Program will be FREE--no strings, no hidden costs. The Funnix sequence teaches 2 years worth of reading skills and is regularly priced at $249.

The program is designed by the world's most successful creator of instructional materials, Siegfried (Zig) Engelmann, a maverick professor of Education who has authored many books, including Give Your Child a Superior Mind, and highly successful reading programs like Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons.

Engelmann says of Funnix,"Teaching the lessons requires a lot less effort, and the lessons are more entertaining. Also, the program consists of 220 daily lessons, so it takes kids farther than most beginning-reading programs-- from being non readers to reading on the third-grade level."

The free version of Funnix is electronic. You download the entire package of 220 lessons and other material onto your computer, and you have everything you need to teach the program. The steps of what you do and how you do it are spelled out in Teacher’s Guide, which you review before presenting the program. Workbook and textbook activities accompany the lessons. You print these.

When you teach Funnix, you and you child sit next to each other and watch the computer screen. A narrator presents a series fast-paced exercises in each 30-minute lesson. The narrator asks questions, and your child responds--out loud. Your job is to reinforce correct responses and correct any mistakes by following simple rules for "navigating" through the material.

Click here to learn more. Hurry this offer ends soon!

Top Educational Websites for 2011

Homeschool.com has come out with their annual list of the top 100 educational websites. The full list is categorized by subject and you'll want to bookmark it as a great reference tool. I've linked the top five sites here, but check out the full list. There are some great tools for fun and learning with your kids!

The Top Five Sites for 2011

1. www.exploratorium.edu
2. www.pbs.org
3. www.brainpop.com
4. www.sheppardsoftware.com
5. www.donnayoung.org

For the full list click here.

Currclick's Secret Sale

Have you heard? There's a secret sale going on at Currclick. I use their products often in our homeschooling and always love the freebies, who doesn't?! Right now they are having a secret sale. Here are the details:

Check out the Winter Whisper Freebies!

Winter Whisper Sale Right now at CurrClick, in this non-public location of our website, our Winter Whisper Sale and Giveaway is going on. 10 brand new freebies are being given away, 10 of our best selling publishers have discounted all their resources by 50% AND NOBODY knows about it but you. It's NOT on our homepage, it's NOT on our Facebook page, it's not anywhere but here.

It's hard to keep a secret though, right? And we're not going to make you. In fact, feel free to run off at the mouth as much as you would like. You can tell your Facebook and Twitter followers, your co-op, your neighbor, your newsgroups, even your strange Great Uncle. The only thing we ask you NOT to do is post the details on our Facebook page.

And what are the details?

1. The secret phrase is: "Shhhhhh CurrClick has a secret..." It will be fun to post this phrase in as many places possible. We want people to wonder what is going on!
2. The URL for the sale is: http//:www.currclick.com/cclick_wintersale.php. Feel free to give the secret URL and details to whomever you like. Encourage them to start whispering too. You can give them the secret phrase, the URL and all the details so they can help pass along the word to all their co-ops, friends, family and all their weird Great Uncles too.
3. CurrClick's Winter Whisper Sale ends January 19th.

People say that word of mouth is powerful in the homeschool community. Let's find out!

Shhhh... well, not really!