Category Archives: Extra Curricular

The Great American Backyard Campout

June 22 is the Great American Backyard Campout! This event is organized by the National Wildlife Federation. Thousands of families across America will be camping out and connecting with nature and each other.

I really have no desire what so ever to sleep on the ground. But, we will set up our tent so Z , J, and their friends can play in it. And if they can talk B into staying out with them, then they can spend the night backyard camping. However, I am in favor of campfire roasted hot dogs and s’mores and have volunteered to help with the campfire cooking.

As a homeschooling mom, I tend to make every thing a learning opportunity. I found these links to follow as we learn “camping”.

Tips, songs, recipes, campfire stories, and more at the Great American Backyard Campout site http://www.nwf.org/Great-American-Backyard-Campout/Get-Ready.aspx

Free camping activity pack from the coolest nature resource website http://www.naturedetectives.org.uk/packs/camping_pack.htm

Last summer, the week before the Great American Backyard Campout, we made this camping lapbook from http://www.homeschoolshare.com/camping_lapbook.php It was neat looking back over it. It is also a great reminder of what Z and J are going to be needing for their backyard campout this year.

betty jo

Our Ocean Wall

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After a week of a blank chalkboard wall, tic-tac-toe, and random graffiti, we finally decided it was time for a new mural. I had thought a camping scene was a good idea for summer, but it was voted down. J and Z had been learning about coral reefs and ocean life in their summer school science lessons, so they wanted an under water scene.

I knew this was going to be a big project so we enlisted some friends to help. This is K, a friend from our homeschool support group. She did an awesome job on the plants, coral, purple fish, and pink dolphin.

I attempted a scuba diver. I truly appreciate working with chalk. It is so forgiving. A mistake is easily wiped off or blended in.

Z stayed busy on the floor with rocks, more plants, more fish and a very cute crab.

We added a shark for a bit of danger.

J wore his arm out coloring water. He colored some on the jelly fish, too.

A sea turtle, and clown fish were added.

Now presenting our completed Ocean Wall! It turned out to be one of our favorite murals yet.

For more about our chalk board wall click here https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/one-of-our-favorite-things-the-wall/ , here https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2013/03/01/oops-i-forgot/, here https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2013/03/21/the-old-has-gone/ , and here https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2013/04/19/942/

For another post about our coral reef study click here https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2013/06/11/reef/

betty jo

Diggin’ the Library

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Our library’s summer reading program started this week. The reading challenge this year is read twelve books and when completed the kids get a book bag/back pack! This is a big deal for us. We have been getting new library bags this way for many summers. Z is confident that he’ll be first to complete the challenge in our house. The kids names will be entered in a drawings for e-readers and such, too.

I took Z and J to the library the library to get their challenge forms, check out some books and to see the first of five wonderful weekly children’s programs, Animal Tales! This is an “edZOOcational” live animal show. Today, we got a close up look at some very unusual creatures, Paraguayan Screaming Hairy Armadillo, Harris Hawk, Woma Python, and Egyptian Fruit Bat.

Z was called on to assist with the African Spurred Tortoise from by enticing it with a tomato to come out of his shell and crawl.

Z got to pet the Woma Python!J’s favorite place away from home is the library, and one of his least favorite places to be is anywhere where he has to sit still, be in a group, pay attention to someone, or listen to spontaneous sounds like laughing, clapping, or animals. I tried to be hopeful but prepared for a meltdown. I have learned that I can expect the unexpected with J. I had help come with us. A23 (the girl who adopted our family and who I love like a daughter) had a day off and agreed to come with us. She would have stayed with Z had it been necessary for me to leave with J. I explained to J that whether or not he got to bring home DVD’s and Wii games depended on how he acted during the animal show.

J did not sit with the children, but laid in the floor in front of A and me in the adult section. I thought he was “zoning out”, but then I caught him looking at the animals each time the handler introduced a new one. I was proud of him. I know it’s not normal behavior to go to a program and lay in the floor, but he was calm and quiet which is a BIG improvement. I didn’t notice any looks of disgust or sympathy from the other moms or librarians and I heard no comments about him either. Very unusual, but very nice. J was happy when the animal show was over and he was able to pick out some DVDs to bring home.

If your local library doesn’t have a summer reading program, you can do it yourself with help from PBS and Education.com http://www.education.com/summer-reading/?cid=20.311 or here for some cute printables http://creativemamma.com/free-printable-summer-reading-kit-for-kids/

For more about Animal Tales (they travel all over performing for schools, churches, and libraries) http://www.animaledzoocation.com/programs/

For another post about J https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2013/04/02/autism-i-am-aware/

betty jo

Attentiveness

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This past school year I added some character development studies to our homeschooling lessons. These studies have proved to be a great opportunity for our family. Homelife Ministries has wonderful family character quality guides. E and B found much to notebook and journal about and as a family, we found much to discuss, memorize, and put into practice. J, Z, and I made several lapbooks of the same studies from Homeschool Share. The Homeschool Helper Online has some good ideas for character studies, too. (Links are at the end)

I was able to include the subjects of Bible, History, Science, Music and Language Arts into each study making for simplified days with lots of time to pursue elective interests. These charactier development lessons were a welcome break in between topics in our usual history studies. We completed six such studies this past year. We will be adding more next school year.

“Pay attention! ” “Watch what you’re doing.” “Listen.” These are things parents say to their children on a regular basis. I know I say these often during our homeschooling days, whether it is during math, cooking, art, or whatever. If I would listen, I would hear the Father saying those same words to me just as often. Attentiveness seems to be an across the board kind of character trait that both my children and myself need to further develop. Attentiveness was good place to start with our new studies. Though all of our character development lessons were good, this one was my favorite. This one is also the most reviewed one.

This is J’s and Z’s attentiveness lapbook. I covered the back with clear contact paper so they can do the wordsearch puzzle with washable markers again and again.

Below are the free resources I used for this and our other character development studies. These are the links I’ll be going to again as we continue our lessons when our homeschooling starts back full time in the fall.

Hymns, Scriptures, application, examples, and science connections for copywork, notebooking, journaling, and discussion from http://www.characterjournal.com/ (scroll down a little bit then select the character quality from the list on the right sidebar)

Lapbooking and notebooking materials http://www.homeschoolshare.com/character_lapbook.php

A few more ideas from http://www.homeschoolhelperonline.com/character_studies.shtml

For other posts about character development https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2013/03/08/keeping-the-code/ and https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2013/03/10/calling-for-reinforcements/ and https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2013/05/10/but-he-has-a-good-heart/ and https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2013/06/10/1654/

betty jo