Homeschool Theme of the Week: Penguins & Polar Bears!

For the past couple of weeks, we have been covering the topic of penguins and polar bears.  Here are a few of the activities and crafts we worked on - enjoy!  :)

Miss A made a penguin from a cardboard container in the kitchen.  I poked a hole in it for the mouth, and she fed it fish based on the numbers from her addition facts.  

For this activity, Miss A colored two penguin pictures I had printed out.  I left one untouched and covered one with a layer of vaseline in order to illustrate how a penguin's feathers work to keep it from getting terribly wet and cold.  Miss A had fun discovering what happened when water was poured on each.

Uh-oh!  Penelope Penguin found herself encased in a block of ice recently!  Miss A had a great time figuring out the best way to free her.  This was a great problem-solving exercise, and I was pleased with Miss A's suggestions (which we tried).  The one that worked best was to use the hose to pour water on it and watch as the ice quickly melted, and Penelope was free at last!

For anyone with a Cinderella loving daughter - this is a fun version of that much loved classic!  We used a giant Venn diagram to compare the Disney version of Cinderella with Cinderella Penguin.

LOVED this cute idea and had to include it in our week!  Here is where you can print out your own copy of Penguin Pie!

We helped penguins populate an iceberg today - well, not real ones.  But as you can see - still pretty adorable! 

To populate your own iceberg...

1.  Draw an iceberg on a piece of paper. 

2.  Roll a couple of dice, add the numbers together and add that many fingerprint "penguins" to the iceberg.  (for younger kids, just roll the dice and add that many penguins to the iceberg.)

3.  Keep going until you have filled it up!

4.  Add the fun details (eyes, tummies, etc.)! 

Using equal parts of shaving cream and white glue, I mixed the two together to make a puffy paint.  My daughter used the mixture to paint a polar bear picture I had printed out from a place online.  (Just another great idea found on Pinterest!)

This was an estimation activity:  guess how many cotton balls it will take to cover a polar bear picture and then glue them on, keeping track so you can check your answer against your original guess!  :)

ICE PLAY!  Simply freeze water in different sized containers to make icebergs and set them afloat in a tub of water.  Add miniature plastic animals and PLAY!  Found this idea on Pinterest which led me here.

I purchased a baby polar bear figurine from our  local Michael's store and a Toob of ocean animals which contained a penguin.  I have posted links below to some other great Toobs for those who might be interested in obtaining more penguins or an entire bunch of arctic animals.  

Note:  You may want to point out to your kids beforehand (if you plan on giving them penguins AND polar bears to play with at the same time) that polar bears and penguins don't actually live in the same place.  This would be a great time for a mini geography lesson - pull out a map or a globe and show them where these creatures live!  :)

I have posted links below to a few of the books that we used this past week.  If some contain too much information for your child's age level, just pick out the parts you want them to learn about and read those!  :)

Linking up to:
www.kitchenfunwithmy3sons.blogspot.com
www.whipperberry.com
www.tatertotsandjello.com
www.singingthreelittlebirds.blogspot.com
www.makingtheworldcuter.com
www.diyhshp.blogspot.com
www.delicateconstruction.blogspot.com
www.abcand123learning.com
www.cleanandscentsible.blogspot.com
www.gingersnapcrafts.com
www.polkadotsonparade.blogspot.com
www.bearrabbitbear.com
www.momontimeout.com
www.enchantedhomeschoolingmom.blogspot.com
www.amommysadventure.com

Homeschool Theme of the Week: Birthday!

With birthdays on the brain - how could we not have a week dedicated to such a fun theme. One of the activities we worked on throughout the week was "My Birthday Thumbprint" book. The basic idea was to have one thumbprint become the focal point of each page which showcased something you might find at a birthday.

To make this, you place one thumbprint on a paper that will be at the end of your book, then punch circles on the other pages where your thumbprint will show through.  Enjoy the end results below plus a couple of extra activity ideas and pictures!

(I apologize for the unadorned cover page - my daughter had not started coloring it when I took these pictures!)

Side note: I wish I could make this book available for free download but have no idea how to do so. Sorry!



This is a very easy and fun graph to make for your birthday theme. Just draw or type up the names or first initial of each month, then graph birthdays using a candle for each person in the family.

I often try to post words related to our topic in a pocket chart for the week, but this time I decided to do something a little different.  I saw the idea somewhere of painting by dipping paper towel rolls (or tp rolls) in paint and setting them on paper (thus making colorful circles).  I thought it might be fun to use this technique to make birthday balloons and then brainstorm a birthday related word to write inside of each balloon.  So that is what we did!  :)

A fun snack and creative art opportunity would be to give each of your children an english muffin and tell them it is a birthday cake that they must frost and decorate.  Give him/her items such as peanut butter, jam, nutella, cream cheese, raisins, string cheese circles, chopped fruits and veggies, etc. to "decorate" it.  Don't forget to add a candle and REAL sprinkles!  Here is a link to a similar snack activity I did with my child several weeks ago (only in this case it was a "wedding" cake):
http://thenatureofgrace.blogspot.com/2011/07/decorate-your-own-wedding-cake-aka.html

MORE birthday theme related ideas:

*Read birthday related books.

*Insert a birthday related word inside a balloon and blow up the balloon.  Do this for several words and fill up the classroom.  Take turns popping the balloons and reading the words - place in a pocket chart or tape to an area of the room.

*Paint a birthday picture using REAL balloons.  Just dip small balloons in paint and dab on a picture to make circles.

*Paint using different birthday candles.  Use candles with different textures on them (spiral, dots, stripes, etc.).  Dip these in paint and roll on paper.

*Use real candles (not lit) on a paper cake to make up math story problems and math sentences.

*Make a paper birthday cake and cut into slices to practice fractions or story problems.

*Place a sparkly birthday hat in a literacy corner and call it the "thinking cap" of the week.  Child may wear the hat while writing a story, brainstorming, etc.

Enjoy!
Michelle

Linking up to:
www.abcand123learning.com
www.somewhatsimple.com
www.houseofhepworths.com
www.frugaliciousme.com
www.bearrabbitbear.blogspot.com

Week's Theme: My Body (Body Mapping Activity)

This past week we followed up our "Nutrition" theme with a "My Body" theme.  Body mapping was our main activity for the week.  Each day we would discuss part of the body and its function and then add it to our life-size body drawing (see pics below).
I saw this idea on another blog and loved it!  Hers was more in depth, but for our own introduction to basic body parts, I was pleased with what we did.  We may do this again next year but add even more body mapping of organs, systems, etc.  Here is where we found this wonderful idea and some fun pictures of their own body maps in progress: http://pinkandgreenmama.blogspot.com/2011/06/smart-summer-challenge-week-1-life.html utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+blogspot/HmTrN+(Pink+and+Green+Mama)

Here is my daughter's body map:
Day 1:  We drew around her body to make a life size outline.  We then labeled basic parts of the body and also discussed "skin".

Day 2:  We discussed our skeletons and how they keep us from flopping to the ground.  :)  We then looked at a basic skeleton map on the computer and made some bones from masking tape and added those to our figure (we had to use the tan color masking tape because we couldn't find any white at the store, but if you can find white somewhere - that would make it doubly wonderful!).  Sorry the "bones" in the photograph below are a bit difficult to see.  Keep in mind that we did not go into great detail regarding the correct size, number of bones, etc.  Just trying to get across the basic idea of our skeletons and bone placement.

Day 3:  We talked about three major organs of the body and their basic functions: the brain, the heart, and the lungs.  My daughter colored some pictures I had drawn of the organs, and we cut them out and added those to the figure.  We also went back later on and covered the lungs and heart with more masking tape "bones".  The heart should actually be a little more centered I think - but oh well - maybe next year...

Day 4:  We discussed muscles and the important roll they play as part of our body.  We used red crepe paper to make the muscles on one side of the body (again, not perfect size, placement, etc. - but just trying to get across the basic idea of muscle all over the body), leaving the other side without so the skeleton portion was still visible.

When we had finished her body map, we proudly displayed this in the house!  :)

Linking to:
www.craftyconfessions.com
www.gigglesglitzandglam.blogspot.com
www.lilluna.com

Theme: Food Groups and Nutrition! :)

This past week our theme was "Food Groups and Nutrition". We enjoyed learning about why we should eat good food, which foods are better for us (and that we should eat more of), and which foods belongs in which food groups. 

This picture above is showing one of the activities that went along with our theme.  We made a double-sided puzzle together.  I purchased some blank puzzles on Amazon (there is a link below if you are interested) and my daughter drew a picture of herself on one side enjoying healthy foods (that is her sitting in her chair eating healthy food - you can see the kinds of food on her plate floating around the edges of the puzzle).   And in case you are wondering at the sad little figure in the corner - that is one of our family members who apparently bumped his nose.  

On the back of the puzzle, I wrote a message we came up with together - a very basic reminder of why we eat good food.  BTW - I painted the back of the puzzle white.

This was a great activity because it was fun and inexpensive to make (the puzzles come in a pack of 12 for only about $7).  AND we now have plenty of blank puzzles we can use for other extension activities in the future!  :)

Some of the other Food/Nutrition activities we did this week:

*brainstormed and wrote down examples of food in different food groups.

*discussed why the main/larger food groups are so important for keeping us healthy and tried to list at least one specific example of the way each group helps achieve this (ex: protein helps build muscles so we can move and do different things).

*looked at the basic "plate" portions recommended - the plate idea which replaced the food pyramid.

*Cut and pasted pictures of healthy foods from different food groups onto a paper plate - creating a balanced meal.

*Made a large circle on the floor (representing a plate) and used play food to make a healthy meal inside of it.

*Went grocery shopping together and let her pick out foods from each group to make a meal for us at the end of the week!  :)

* Here are some links to some games you can play online regarding food groups/nutrition:
 http://www.nutritionexplorations.org/kids.php http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/nutritionforkids/games/foodgroupsgame.html



Linking up to:
www.sugarbeecrafts.com
www.gigglesglitzandglam.blogspot.com
www.abcand123learning.com
www.whipperberry.com

Wooden Spoon Puppets (Family Theme)

Our theme for this week is: FAMILY! :) One of the activities we have been doing almost every day is to make a new family member puppet to add to our puppet theater center.   These are some we have already finished so far...

These are so easy, inexpensive (I think a bag of different sized wooden spoons is about $0.88 at Walmart which is where we purchased ours), and fun! My daughter LOVES them and even though they were made for playing with in the puppet center, they have already taken "field trips" into our home and gone on a walk with us. :)  In fact, I believe they are sleeping on our couch tonight on top of some beds she made for them out of mega blocks.  :)

For those interested in the "family" theme, I have posted some other activities/ideas we completed this week (or will be doing tomorrow) below the puppet instructions.  Enjoy!

Wooden Spoon Puppets:

Materials needed: wooden spoons, google eyes (optional), yarn for hair (optional), material for "clothes" (optional), popsicle/craft sticks, yarn or string, markers, glue and glue gun.

Puppet making process:

1. Hot glue a craft stick into place for the arms of the puppet. I tied mine with yarn as well to make sure it would not be coming off despite the rigors of child "love".  (See picture below.)

2. Let your child glue the google eyes onto the "face" and use markers to decorate the other parts of the face.

3. Let your child (or you could do it yourself with a hot glue gun) glue pieces of yarn to the head for hair.

4. While these are drying, let your child cut out some rectangular pieces of cloth for the puppet's clothing. Cut a slit in the middle of the cloth rectangle for a head opening (make sure it is large enough for the spoon head to fit through).

5. Dress your puppet in his/her stylish new clothes and PLAY!!!! :)

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES/IDEAS FOR "FAMILY" THEME:

1. Read books about family.

2. Discuss families, people in our families, how families help each other, adoption and birth into families, etc.

3. Make a word web showing what we discussed (link all ideas to the word "family" at the center).

4. Learn and sing a song asking members of the family how we can help them. Here are the words (sing to the tune of "Oh My Darling Clementine"):
How can I help?
How can I help?
How can I help, Mommy dear?
How can I help?
How can I help?
How can I help, Mommy dear?
Other verses: just switch out "Mommy dear" for other members of the family.

5. Make lists of how different people in our family help us and others.

6.  Decorate thank you notes and then put all family member names into an envelope.  Without peeking, each person picks out a name and writes a thank you note to that person, telling them how grateful they are for them and for how they contribute to the family.  Hide the notes in places where each family member is sure to find them during the day and enjoy the happy looks when the thank you notes are read.  :)

Linking to:
http://www.itsahodgepodgelife.blogspot.com/
http://www.sumossweetstuff.blogspot.com/
http://www.delicateconstruction.blogspot.com/
www.abcand123learning.com

HOMESCHOOL - Alphabet Book

Around the beginning of this year, we began making an alphabet book in school. Each page (front and back) is dedicated to a letter, and every activity or idea on the page relates to that letter. This is a great activity for a hands-on approach to learning the alphabet and the sounds each letter makes. First,the child learns while making the page AND THEN has something tangible which can be brought out for a fun review later on!
Some of the items were activities or ideas I came up with, others were a blessing of inspiration from other sites. One of the main sites I used for finding little books, poems, activities for each letter is this one:
www.homeschoolshare.com (Under "lapbooking" and then under "Alphabet Lap-n-Note".)
To make a book - just three hole punch pieces of cardstock and draw a letter on each.  Insert these into a three ring binder (you can find these at Walmart or office stores or see the links below) and you have your very own Alphabet book - then comes the fun part of filling it!  :)
If you have a child entering Pre-K or Kinder this coming school year - this might also be a fun activity to complete with them over the summer!! :)

HOMESCHOOL - Alphabet Snack

This week we are finishing up an alphabet book we began around the beginning of this school year.  It is a pretty neat book and I hope to post one or two pictures of it later this week.  Thus, to go along with that "theme", I made my daughter an alphabet snack/lunch!  Here are the details:
ABC apple - apple with the appropriate parts carved out.
Letters around plate edges - melted chocolate piped out of a decorating bag.
Muffin cup #1 - graham cracker letters (carved these carefully with a knife - not too hard actually).
Muffin cup#2 - yogurt with remaining chocolate letters on top.
Muffin cup #3 - peanut butter for dipping.
Exclamation mark garnishes - fruit roll-ups.

For more inspiration, check out the muffin tin mom website or Jill Dubian's blog www.meetthedubiens.com.  (I believe I have these links posted under Homeschool - helpful links and sites).