Author Archives: Betty Jo

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About Betty Jo

I'm Betty Jo, a wife to my knight in (not so) shinning armor for nearly 22 years. We have 5 kids and another one that currently lives with us. We have been Christian home educators for 18 years with 8 more (at least) to go.

August Special Days Activity Companion – Resource Page

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Below is the beginning of a collection of links for additional resources that can be used with the August Special Days Activity Companion.  The activities will also be coming soon to Funschooling.

HUGE list of Special Days in August 

  • Spiderman Day

Funschooling: Spiderman – Biographical information about the Amazing Spiderman, plus coloring pages, puzzles and videos. Links and videos offered.

  • Engineer Pierre Charles L’Enfant born 1754

Smithsonian.com: A Brief History of Pierre L’Enfant and Washington, D.C.

  • Watermelon Day

Funschooling:

Watermelon Day – Watermelon resources include: Research questions, information about watermelons and Watermelon Day, recipes, health information, activity suggestions, and crafts.

  • Musician Louis Armstrong

Still Learning Something New:  Louis Armstrong  –  Learn about and listen to the music of Louis Armstrong

  • Astronaut Neil Armstrong

Funschooling: Neil Armstrong – Learn about Neil Armstrong via links, videos and fun activities. &

Phases of the Moon – Moon Resources Include: Moon cycles, names, tides, videos and more.

Still Learning Something New: Considering The Moon – Links to moon related resources.

  • Fresh Breath Day

Oh Lardy: Homemade Peppermint Spray

Thank Your Body: DIY Breath Mints

Everyday Roots: Homemade Cinnamon Mouthwash for Bad Breath

  • Lighthouse Day

Funschooling: Lighthouses

  • Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor’s Porch Night

FoodFacts: Zucchini – What Is Zucchini Good For?

Funschooling: Three Sisters – Squash/Pumpkin

  • Book Lover’s Day

Funschooling: Read online or listen to classic literature.

  • Snoopy’s Birthday

Still Learning Something New: Peanuts

  • Play in the Sand Day

Funschooling: Play In The Sand – Fun activities you can do with sand. Links and videos.

  • World Elephant Day

Still Learning Something New: Elephants – Links to information about African and Asian elephants, myths and folklore, jokes and more.

  • Annie Oakley

Funschooling: Annie Oakley – Learn about the life and accomplishments of Annie Oakley. Links and videos.

Still Learning Something New: Annie Oakley – Links to biographical information, quotes, videos and more.

  • Wiffle Ball

Wikipedia: Wiffle Ball – Information about the history of the game.

  • Chocolate Chip Day

Funschooling: Chocolate – Learn about the history of chocolate, recipe for an old fashioned chocolate egg cream, chocolate puzzles and links to other chocolate related resources, including chocolate chips.

  • Tell A Joke Day

Reader’s Digest: Jokes – 1000’s of clean, funny jokes, one-liners and riddles.

  • Black Cat Appreciation Day

Funschooling : Black Cats –Find why black cats are considered good luck to some and bad luck to others and do a balancing activity.

  • Virginia Dare

Still Learning Something New: Roanoke Colony

  • Root Beer Float Day

Funschooling: Root Beer Float

  • Radio Day

History.com: Guglielmo Marconi – Biographical information about the man who broadcast the first transatlantic radio signal. Article format.

  • Hawaii Statehood

Funschooling: Hawaii: Information about Hawaii. Links and videos about the history, culture and attractions. &

Ukulele: Links to the most popular songs, tuner, and info. Videos include: The history of the ukulele, how to make one, and play one.

  • Eat A Peach Day

MedicalNewsToday: Peaches: Health Benefits, Facts, Research – Article about the benefits of peaches.

  • Ride the Wind Day

Funschooling: Play With The Wind – Activities you can do with wind power and information about National Ride The Wind Day.

  • Pluto Demoted

NASA: What is Pluto? – Article explains what Pluto is, what it’s like, and how it is being explored today.

  • Joshua Lionel Cowen

Funschooling: Joshua Lionel Cowen – Learn about the American inventor who co-founded Lionel Corp and the Lionel Train.

Still Learning Something New: Lionel Trains – Biographical information about Cowen, links to train related activities, and videos about Lionel’s Train Factory.

  • Mother Teresa

Still Learning Something New: Mother Teresa – Kid friendly biographical information, timeline info, quotes and more.

  • Dream Day

Still Learning Something New: Teaching Resources for Martin Luther King Day – Resources include: Background information about the holiday, a quiz, historic site info, civil rights timeline, and more.

  • According to Hoyle Day

Wikipedia: Edmond Hoyle – Short biography about the man who wrote the rules down for many of the well known card games we play today.

  • Frankenstein Day

Funschooling: Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein – Biographical information about Mary Shelley, and links to her literary works, including her most well known novel, Frankenstein.

  • Kinetoscope

Funschooling: Kinetoscope – Kinetoscope resources include, links to informative sites and videos.

 

 

 

 

 

A Special Days Project!

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In accordance with my philosophy of “Learning Something New”, I’m excited to tell you about a project I’ve been working on!  My friend, Fran, from Funschooling, has invited me to co-author an e-book with her!  It’s going to be an activity companion to go along with the Special Days lists that I compile each month.   I’ve never co-authored before and have absolutely no experience with writing an e-book, but she’s a wonderful teacher and guide so I’m learning!

As we work on our book, I’ll be posting various resources here that the book will link to.  So, when I share something that seems to not fit with the current date, you’ll know why.

We plan on having the August Special Days Activity Companion e-book available in June!  I’ll be sure to let you know about it as soon as we publish it!  And, hopefully we’ll be publishing activity guides for the other months as well.

betty jo

Lionel Trains – Special Day August 25

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COMICAD lionel trains catalog

According to Special Days in August the 25th is the birthday of Joshua Lionel Cowen, one of the best known toy train manufacturers of all time.  A couple of years ago, we made Cowen and toy trains a Special Day study. Below are the web links we followed as we learned.

Biography of Inventor Joshua Lionel Cowen  http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventors/cowen.htm#ON%20THE%20WEB:

Vintage films on Youtube

Inside Lionel’s Train Factory  Part 1

Inside Lionel’s Train Factory Part 2

Showroom Layouts, Part 1  –

Showroom Layouts,  Part 2  –

Play Interactive Train Games  http://www.trainarcade.com/

Read Train Stories, Play Train Games and Watch Train Videos  http://trc.trains.com/Trains%204%20Kids.aspx

Classic railroad songs playlist from the Smithsonian  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUSRfoOcUe4bjeu8QIfbrejTyT0hYVncE

And we couldn’t build an electric train, but had fun making a toy train out of recyclables!  This ended up as a bank.  Perhaps Z will start saving for a Lionel of his own?

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Do you keep a timeline for your studies?  This “Timeline Add-on : Toys” is currently on sale for only $ 0.22!  http://www.currclick.com/product/36820/Timeline-AddOns-Toys?term=toys+timeline&test_epoch=0&it=1

This was one of several history studies that the kids deemed “Not Boring”!

betty jo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May Resources

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May is the end of the school year for many families, but it’s not the end of learning!  Here’s some wonderful resources for learning through the month of May.

BIG list of May holidays, theme, historic events, famous birthdays, and more                                        Click here for Special Days in May!

My “go-to” list of educational calendars and resources for every month https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2016/07/31/learning-resources-for-special-days/

Resources for Specific May Themes –

Presidents With May Birthdays –

  • Harry Truman born May 8, 1884
  •  John F. Kennedy born May 29, 1917

Learning Resources for Presidents https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2014/02/14/resources-for-presidents-day/

May Statehood Anniversaries –

  • Minnesota – May 11, 1858
  • South Carolina – May 23,1788
  • Rhode Island – May 29, 1790
  • Wisconsin – May 29, 1848

Special Days and Geography –  How to and resource list  https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2017/07/29/special-days-and-geography/

Resources for May “Daily Specials” –  (The following list is not yet complete. I’ll be updating the daily specials with resources as we go through the month, so check back.  And, if you have special day resource favorites, be sure to let me know and I’ll edit them in.)

May 1  –  Save the Rhino Day  –  Lapbook Printables  http://www.homeschoolshare.com/rhinos.php

May 2  –  Play Your Ukulele Day  –    http://www.franw.com/2017/04/ukulele.html

May 3  – 1st Comic Book published 1934 –  Resources and Activities http://www.franw.com/2015/04/create-comic.html

May 4  –  Intergalactic Star Wars Day (May the Fourth Be With You)  –  K-8 Unit Study and Printables    http://www.yearroundhomeschooling.com/free-star-wars-printables/

May 4 – Orange Juice Day – Orange Resources and Activities http://www.franw.com/2015/01/orange-resources.html

May 5  –  Cartoonist Day  –  Charles Shultz and Peanuts  are our favorites!  –  Learning Resources and Activities    https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2014/10/02/peanuts/

May 5 – Cinco de Mayo – Resource List      http://www.blessedbeyondadoubt.com/a-fun-list-of-cince-de-mayo-ideas-and-resources/

May 6  –  English Channel Tunnel opened 1994  –  Fun Facts  http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/wonder/structure/channel.html

May 7  –  Composer Johannes Brahms born 1833  –  Biography, Quiz, and Music  https://www.classicsforkids.com/pastshows.asp?id=191

May 7  –  Composer Tchaikovsky born 1840  –  Biography, Quiz, and Music  https://www.classicsforkids.com/pastshows.asp?id=17

May 8 – World Red Cross Day –   Stories of those helped by the Red Cross  http://www.redcross.org/stories/

May 11  –  Artist Salvador Dali born 1909  –  Lesson Plans, Resources, Project Ideas  http://elementaryartfun.blogspot.com/2011/03/salvador-dali-elephants-and.html

May 12 – Florence Nightingale born 1820     http://gardenofpraise.com/ibdnight.htm

May 13 – 1st Settlers arrived at Jamestown 1607 – Interactive John Smith and Jamestown Game  http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/games/interactiveadventures/john-smith/

May 18 – Museum Day – 50 Famous Art Museums Around The World http://tammieadventuresinhomeschooling.blogspot.com/2015/03/50-famous-art-museums-around-world.html

May 22  –  Artist Mary Cassatt born 1844  –  Artist study, projects, and printables  https://homehearts.com/2014/05/22/mary-cassatt-a-unit-study/

May 23  –  Crohn’s and Colitis day  –  Article with audio  for kids  http://kidshealth.org/en/kids/ibd.html?ref=search#kha_11

May 23 – World Turtle Day – Learning Resources https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2013/05/23/world-turtle-day/

May 24  –  Brooklyn Bridge opened 1883  –  Multi Level, and Cross Curricular Bridges Study  https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2016/05/27/bridges/

May 30  –  Lincoln Memorial dedicated 1922  –  Historic Footage  video  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3l7wvOxuME

Remember to check back throughout the month for new daily resources that will be added as they become available!

Happy May Learning!

betty jo