Summer Photography Series Week 1

5 Minutes for Mom is hosting a Summer Photography Series to help other bloggers learn more about how to take great photos. I signed up for the weekly email alerts so that I can follow along. You can read more about it here.

The focus this week is on getting to know your camera and utilizing settings other than Auto. For me, this is actually in perfect timing with the "Know Your Camera" class I am taking through Love That Shot. I have been shooting in Aperture Priority mode on my Nikon D5000 with a new 55-300mm lens and playing around with the depth of field to get some shots with that lovely bokeh in the background. (If you aren't sure what bokeh is, here's the definition from wikipedia: "In photography, bokeh is the blur or the aesthetic quality of the blur, in out-of-focus areas of an image, or "the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light.")

Since I've taken about a bazillion photos of my kids and the flowers in my yard, a trip to a park on the river provided some new inspiration.

These were taken with an aperture of 5.6.

This was pure luck. I was trying to get a pic of all 4 kiddos together and happened to spot this moth on a nearby flower.

It was fun chasing this little squirrel about trying to get close enough for a good shot without spooking him off. I'm glad I got one with him looking at the camera.

This one was taken from farther away with a longer focal length so there isn't any bokeh. I thought she was lovely though and I love the greenery in contrast to the bronze figure.


Looking forward to checking out the posts of other participants. Come join the fun!

-Melissa

Letters From the White House writing contest

I thought I'd share this timely writing contest info for kids from preschool on up:

Coinciding with the inauguration of the new U.S. President, Reading Rockets and AdLit.org kick off a national creative writing contest, "Letters from the White House," which invites youngsters from preschool through high school to imagine life in the Executive Mansion.

The "Letters from the White House" contest encourages students to write letters and journal entries that explore the history of America and tap into their own creativity when they imagine and write about.

A grand prize winner from five different competition levels will have their letter or journal entries published on Reading Rockets.org and AdLit.org; receive a copy of "Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out," from Candlewick Press; win a stationery set and journal from Peaceable Kingdom Press; and a $100 gift certificate from Better World Books.

The contest will launch on Jan. 20, Inauguration Day, with entries due on Feb. 16, Presidents Day. Five finalists will be chosen in each competition level and a grand prize winner will be named in each level on April 30, the 100th day of the new presidential term.

For official contest rules, selection criteria and contest resources, click here.

The above information was obtained by me from PBS.org

Brain Pop Election Lesson Winners

Election Education News:
If you use Brain Pop, good on ya. If you don't you should seriously check it out. We love it here at our house. And, you can register for free for the BrainPop Educators newsletter. They recently announced the winners of the Election Lessons contest, and wouldn't ya know it, a homeschooler won the Brain Pop Jr. first prize! Whooohoo! Be sure to check out all the winners and the free access to their election lesson plans and learning resources. Cool beans.

Election 2008 - Get out the Vote!

I know the polls will be crazy tomorrow, and it is supposed to rain here all day...not my idea of a good time. But, because it is so important and such a privelidge, I will be dragging myself out of bed at 5:25 AM to schlep to the polling place where I am registered and claim my soggy cold spot in line. The good news though, is that Starbucks is offering a FREE tall coffee to all those who vote. So get out there, have your say, and then have your FREE cuppa joe.

P.S. If all that hole punching (or touch-screening) makes you hungry, stop by Krispy Kreme for a FREE donut, or Ben and Jerry's for some FREE scoops. Yum-O! For a list of all freebies, click here.
Hmmm, all the more reason to covet that "I voted" sticker and display it proudly.

More Election Lessons

I've recently come across even more election resources that I've found very useful. Since I've gotten a positive response to all the links I have previously posted on the subject, I thought it was worth while to add these to the list. If you are looking for lesson plans or educational resources regarding the Election (which is now only 15 days away!) then you've come to the right spot.

A fun way to get younger kids involved is through stories and videos. Reading Duck for President is a great way to start a discussion about the election process and what Presidents, Vice Presidents and Governor's do. This website has a free teaching guide for download via pdf.
Schoolhouse Rock is a fun way to introduce kids to lots of topics and a Special Election Edition DVD comes with a US map to track electoral votes and a couple activities. But, be warned, most reviews suggest just buying the 30th Anniversary Edition as it's a better value and includes nearly all of the Election Edition on it. If your kids like Schoolhouse Rock, why not get the entire set so they won't miss out on the catchy "Conjunction Junction" tune. (I could sing that one all day :D)

And check out these great coloring pages from ABC Teach, as well as election printables.

Cablevision's Power to Learn has some interesting resources including Campaign Ads from 1954-2004 with lesson plans for middle and high school.

Take Your Kids 2 Vote offers a great list of resource links and a pledge you can sign to take your kids with you when you vote. Experience is the best teacher, right?

For grades 6-8 and 9-12 the New York Times site has an extensive list of lesson plans and unit studies. And On The Issues has plenty of background info on the candidates and key issues.

Other sites of interest:
Montessori Lessons
Oklahoma Homeschool 12
week Lesson Plan with loads of resources
Hot Chalk's Lessons
Vote Smart
And a nice lesson plan index...an easy one stop shop.
10/30...adding this from PBS, in depth bios of candidates and interviews.

Whew...I think I'm done now. Can we move on to Thanksgiving already?!

Polls Open for Homeschoolers to Vote

This just in from CurrClick:
Greetings CurrClick Customers. Your kids are invited to vote in their very own Presidential Election at CurrClick.com! Educate them about the election process and make a statement about the powerful voice that is the homeschool community!
THE POLLS ARE OPEN NOW
and will remain open until November 4th. Visit CurrClick.com today to cast your vote. Participation is completely free and will include information about each of the candidates, real time results, quotes from each of the candidates about their position on homeschooling, an "I Voted" coloring page and printable sticker and an optional exit poll. Results of the exit poll will be posted on November 4th. http://www.currclick.com
Results of the election will be sent out to news organizations across the country. Don’t miss this opportunity to make your voice heard.

Plus, dozens of instantly downloadable election unit studies, lapbooks and workbooks from top publishers ON SALE for up to 35% OFF. Sale begins October 1st.

Election 2008 Lessons for Kids

Have you discussed the election with your kids? This year's race is turning out to be a very interesting one, and provides a wonderful opportunity to explore government and politics with our kids. Mine are a little young to understand the intricacies of modern day politics, but we are discussing the structure of our government and the process of electing officials, as well as some of the key issues and how they effect individuals.


Here are some great resources to get our youngsters involved:
Time for Kids- Meet the candidates, see where they stand on issues, play games, and more.
Scholastic- Play President, submit a question to candidates, create a campaign poster and find lesson plans
BrainPop- cool video shorts on government and history, kid-friendly and fun
Weekly Reader- explore the issues and test your vocabulary with the Election Word Wheel
PBS -curriculum Guide and resources

And for tweens and teens (grown ups too :D):
A fun quiz to help you decide where you stand on key issues.
Candidate biographies
Electoral College Map
How the Electoral College Works
Curriculum Guide and Resources
Fact Check Ed
PBS- curriculum and resources
And Lydia over at Little Blue School has a fabulous Election Unit Study (thanks Shez for the head's up).

Free Election Lapbooking Kit (please consider making a small donation if you use these resources)