Monthly Archives: March 2014

Spring Cleaning

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spring-cleaning-road-signHooray!  It’s finally spring.  Now if our weather would just act like it!   So while we’re waiting for spring to actually make it’s appearance outside our door, we can get on that “Spring Cleaning” thing.  Our house NEEDS it.  Even though we “tidy” several times a day, it’s not deep, serious cleaning.  The windows, walls, corners, and baseboards have been sadly neglected for several months.

Spring WC Cartoon_full

I’ve found a couple of links to follow as guides as we work in some extra projects throughout the next week (or however long it takes).

Printable room by room cleaning check list  (there’s some items here that I had not thought of)  http://richlyrooted.com/2014/03/deep-spring-cleaning-game-plan-with-printable-checklist.html

Some times it’s best to separate during clean up instead of all of us working in the same room.  These task cards will work well for when we aren’t working well together.  These also will work well all through the year when we only have a few minutes “heads up” that company is coming.  Everyone draw a card and ready set go!   http://www.upsidedownhomeschooling.com/cleanup-blitz-cards-a-free-parenting-and-housekeeping-tool/

Over the past several months we’ve been making our own cleaning products.  I’ve counted this in with lessons in economics, chemistry, environmental science, home ec., and lifeskills.  If my kids were a little younger, math and reading comp would be lessons covered too.  This link takes you to  67 recipes!   http://www.keeperofthehome.org/2013/06/homemade-all-natural-cleaning-recipes.html.

And here’s a little more  to go with this spring cleaning theme.  “Why We Spring Clean” from a scientific view point, and some history and geography as the possible origins of spring cleaning are examined.   http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/spring-clean-in-spring.htm

We won’t be forgetting the music!  Cleaning is much more fun when there’s music!

Top 10 pop songs for spring!  http://top40.about.com/od/top10lists/tp/springpopsongs.htm

A few others with “Spring” in the lyrics.  http://www.songfacts.com/category-songs_with_seasons_in_the_title.php

betty jo

Learning Resources for St. Patrick’s Day

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For the past few years, we have spent a couple of weeks every March studying all things Irish and St. Patrick. Here are the wonderful links we have learned from.

Ireland and Irish Poetry with Notebooking, Copywork, and Activity Resources  https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2013/03/14/absolutely-no-pinching/

More St. Patrick’s Day Resources and Activities with Music, Dancing, and Language  https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2013/03/15/irish-prayers-and-irish-jigs/

Tour Ireland Virtually https://www.theirishroadtrip.com/virtual-tours-ireland/

St. Patrick, History, and Celebration Articles http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/subjects/stpatricksday.htm

This year we’re taking a different approach for St. Patrick’s Day learning.  Below are the links that I’ve found for us.

Science and nutrition resources for learning about cabbage from my friend Fran  http://www.franw.com/2012/03/cabbage.html

And, Fran has Shamrocks, too!                                       http://www.franw.com/2018/02/shamrocks.html

2 St. Patrick’s Day Math Lessons  –                                                 https://www.yummymath.com/2017/saint-patricks-day-march-17th/

Rainbow experiments                                                           http://www.weatherwizkids.com/experiments-rainbow.htm

3 Part Video Series, “The Irish in America”  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0sZ_j6WcyI

Famous Irish American Songs  http://www.irishamericanjourney.com/2011/10/irish-american-songs.html

Leprechaun Facts   http://www.livescience.com/37626-leprechauns.html

St. Patrick’s Day themed interactive games  http://www.primarygames.com/holidays/st.patricksday/games.php

We haven’t made a batch of play dough in years.  I wish we had a little one around, the St. Patrick themed mats look like they would be fun for a younger child.   http://www.blessedbeyondadoubt.com/free-st-patricks-day-play-dough-mats/

E showed me this photo from a Pinterest board.  We’ll make a few of these “Pot- O-Gold at the End of the Rainbow” jars as prizes for a follow the clues treasure hunt.  It looks like gold wrapped candy in the bottom followed with layers of M&Ms or Skittles and topped with mimi marshmellows.  Cute!

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Wishing you Irish blessings!

betty jo

Brain Awareness Week

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Brain Awareness WeekIt’s  Brain Awareness Week!  This week is dedicated to brain research.  Our homeschooling science lessons will also be dedicated to brain research.  Below are some of the links we’ll be following during the week.

What our Brains Do Information and Diagrams  http://askabiologist.asu.edu/what-your-brain-doing

Brain Anatomy Vocabulary/Glossary   http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/anatomy/brain/glossary/

Label Diagram Printables  https://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/anatomy/brain/Classroom.shtml

Best Brain Foods  https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-brain-foods

Brain Training Interactives   https://www.mindgames.com/

Brain Hat Printable to Cut and Assemble  PDF   http://www.ellenjmchenry.com/homeschool-freedownloads/lifesciences-games/documents/BrainHatColor.pdf

Compare and Contrast Mammal Brains  http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/moreb.html

Brain Experiments and Activities  http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/experi.html

Video of a Human Brain Dissection (not for the squeamish)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMqWRlxo1oQ

Bible verses about the mind https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/The-Mind

I’m feeling smarter already!

betty jo

Art Day – Sistine Chapel Style

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According to the “Special Days in March” list, the 6th is artist, Michelangelo’s birthday. We did a wonderful study on him last year and ended up with the most interesting and fun art project.

Betty Jo's avatarStill Learning Something New

As part of our “cathedral” section of our current middle ages unit studies, we researched Michelangelo and his masterpiece ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.  To get a feel of what laying on your back and painting was like, we taped some paper to our dry erase board and and set it across a couple of chairs, then took turns laying under it to paint Bible story scenes.  Even the homeschool graduate wanted in on this project.  I love it when our assignments capture the interest of the older kids.

This is A21.

Tayart 1

Z7                                             and                        B14

art2art 3

A22                                               and                         E17

art 4art 5 

J9                                                      and the finished Bible Story Paintings.

art 6art 7

And here are the links we used for our study and notebooking:

http://artsmarts4kids.blogspot.com/2007/09/artist-profile-michelangelo.html

http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/subjects/michelangelo.htm

http://www.homeschoolshare.com/michelangelos_surprise.php

http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/m/michelan/index.html

For other art related posts click here https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2013/04/12/leonardo-da-vinci/ and https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2013/04/06/raphael/

betty jo

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