Mondays can be hard sometimes. This last weekend we had a packed schedule which was filled with a family party and sleepovers. Everyone was certainly lagging come Monday. The last thing we wanted to do was sit down and do school work. At times like these I pull up my YouTube blog and click on a educational movie.
Right now we are studying the era and history of slavery. I went ahead and pulled up Uncle Toms Cabin on the YouTube search, made sure everyone was cozy, hit play, and let YouTube teach History for the next 2 hours. I poured myself a cup of coffee and enjoyed a bit of me time.
I've listed a few videos by subject below. You'll have to make sure that they are age appropriate. I'll be sure to update frequently. (Please let me know if you have any additional videos to add)
History
Uncle Toms Cabin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8LiI4Nz6pQ
The Civil War
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY9zHNOjGrs
American Revolution
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISQhKxdBnpE
The American Mexican War
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKNZfBOVgJA
The Dust Bowl
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYOmjQO_UMw
Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mWu2UsFN-M
The Diary of Anne Frank
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-i3rMT9p2k
Hidden in Silence - Upper Grades - About the holocaust
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIFI_MneBQg
Science
Newton's 3 laws
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMoui2qqkGE
Recommended Reading (In this case watching)
Island of the Blue Dolphins
http://www.bmetv.net/video/2855/island-of-the-blue-dolphins-complete-movie
The Story of Helen Keller
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3kqkHT3HzM
Bridge to Terabithia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHv-PVLPWkE
Where the Red Fern Grows
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbPDCCcorIo
The Last Trapper
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUTkZ63dHiY
The Old Man and The Sea - animated
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5ih1IRIRxI
or
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1EbNvHDxbA
240 Vocabulary Words Kids Need to Know....
Description on back of workbook:
Build word power with these 24 ready-to-reproduce, 3 page lessons. Each lesson includes research-based activities that build on students prior knowledge and gives them multiple encounters with the new words so they really remember them. Lesson topics include prefixes, suffixes, Latin and Greek roots, homophones, antonyms, synonyms, and lots more. Watch reading skills and test scores soar!
Art Project - Footprints in the Sand
Capture that barefoot-on-the-beach feeling -- and a record of your feet -- with this simple plaster-casting project.
This is a fun art project that I found in Family Fun Magazine. We plastered our feet, Starfish, Seagull Feet and shells. The children first had fun mixing and creating the Plaster of Paris concoction. Making the feet in the sand took a few tries but mounding the sand in a pile first works out nicely. These will look great on the Christmas tree this year!
http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/home-garden-projects/outdoor-projects/beach-crafts/footprints-in-the-sand-665677/
This is a fun art project that I found in Family Fun Magazine. We plastered our feet, Starfish, Seagull Feet and shells. The children first had fun mixing and creating the Plaster of Paris concoction. Making the feet in the sand took a few tries but mounding the sand in a pile first works out nicely. These will look great on the Christmas tree this year!
Family Fun's Description/Instructions:
Total Time Needed: 1 Hour
- Materials
- Plaster of Paris
- Small bucket
- Freshwater
- 4-inch lengths of string, optional
- Choose a site to cast your molds -- the moist, hard-packed sand near the water's edge works best.
- Firmly press both feet into the sand. The prints should be about 1/2 inch to 2 inches deep. (If your child can't press down that hard, he can use his finger to dig down into the print, following its shape.)
- Mix up the plaster, according to the directions on the package, so that it has a thick, creamy consistency. Pour the wet plaster gently into the footprints.
- To make hangers, tie a knot about a half inch in from each end of the pieces of string. As the plaster begins to harden, push the knotted ends into the plaster and let dry.
- After 20 to 25 minutes, gently dig the footprints out of the molds and brush away any excess sand. Set sole-side up in the sun for about an hour to let harden.
http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/home-garden-projects/outdoor-projects/beach-crafts/footprints-in-the-sand-665677/
Biology for Kids
One thing I have found with homeschooling is that sticking to a strict study schedule is not the way to go. As long as the children are learning any schedule flies in our school. For instance, today the kids found a scorpion under a board and voila it's Biology time. We found a empty jar and with the help of dad the scorpion was scooped up along with some sand and small rocks for his habitat. The magnifying glass came out and observation time began. Shortly after Dad and his students went off looking for critters to feed Mr. Scorpion. A cricket and a pincher bug later it was lunch time and what a show we were given. The children squealed with delight as the scorpion first grasped the pincher bug with his claws and then proceeded to bring his stinger up and over his back violently invenomating his prey. We watched for about an hour as the scorpion sucked the pincher bugs body fluids dry. We explained to the children that this how insects obtain their moisture from the desert. Then we did some research on the Internet. How's that for Biology class!
Quick video....(click on the bottom right hand corner arrows to see video in full screen)
So what are you waiting for. Send the children into the backyard and have them start hunting for insects. Spiders, ants, sow bugs, snails, and butterflies - all insects can become a biology project. A great tip is to lay down a board and wait 24 hours. You'll be surprised what you'll find the next day. Another great tip, break out an inexpensive digital camera. Let the children document the activity (Journalism - See video above)
Backyard safari makes some excellent visual exploration and collecting tools as shown below. We have them all and they are a joy to use.
Quick video....(click on the bottom right hand corner arrows to see video in full screen)
So what are you waiting for. Send the children into the backyard and have them start hunting for insects. Spiders, ants, sow bugs, snails, and butterflies - all insects can become a biology project. A great tip is to lay down a board and wait 24 hours. You'll be surprised what you'll find the next day. Another great tip, break out an inexpensive digital camera. Let the children document the activity (Journalism - See video above)
Backyard safari makes some excellent visual exploration and collecting tools as shown below. We have them all and they are a joy to use.
My Best Homeschooling Advice - Rewards, Rewards, Rewards
Parents always ask me for homeschooling advice and I tell them that having a hidden stash of rewards is a must.
The trick is to place the reward on the kitchen table first thing in the morning. It can be as simple as candy, an art project or an educational toy such as the straws and connectors shown below. Children look forward to completing their daily curriculum and they get through it quickly and without any fuss.
I highly recommend these straws and connectors in your stash of rewards. I was amazed at how long it held my kids concentration. They quietly built their contraptions alone and then worked together. We've built boats, rockets, race cars, castles etc. The list goes on and on. The straws are flexible, bendable and most importantly buildable! This is a great learning toy and it builds dexterity and fine motor skills.
The trick is to place the reward on the kitchen table first thing in the morning. It can be as simple as candy, an art project or an educational toy such as the straws and connectors shown below. Children look forward to completing their daily curriculum and they get through it quickly and without any fuss.
I highly recommend these straws and connectors in your stash of rewards. I was amazed at how long it held my kids concentration. They quietly built their contraptions alone and then worked together. We've built boats, rockets, race cars, castles etc. The list goes on and on. The straws are flexible, bendable and most importantly buildable! This is a great learning toy and it builds dexterity and fine motor skills.
Physics and Engineering Contraptions - Learning that's right on track
Product Description
Young thinkers can build unbelievable ball track structures with this simple stacking plank system. Create ramps, funnels, chutes and crazy contraptions like the "Black Hole" and "Bounce Plate." Then find out if the ball rolls as expected. Fostering unlimited creativity and experimentation, KEVA planks build an early understanding of proportion and balance, while teaching basic principles of physics and engineering. No glue, no connectors-just loads of constructive fun! Includes 200 identical wooden planks, 2 specially designed lightweight balls for maximum action and an 18-page idea book with project photos and quick-start instructions. Contraptions planks are made from pine. Ages 7 and up.
We absolutely love this contraption! This is a must have! You won't be disappointed!
Yeast Balloon and The Exploding Sandwich Bag
These Science projects are compliments of Science Bob. Click on each picture as many times as you need to enlarge the text.
Word Building Dominoes
Flashcards can get boring...Try these! Not only will your child learn rootwords, prefixes, and suffixes but afterward he can create a domino maze as a reward for learning. This set comes with handy storage bucket and over 200+ color coded dominoes. A must have for your Phonics learners.
Orb Factory Sticky Mosaic Art
The best thing about homeschooling is that on mornings that you are just not up for Math or Language Arts, there is always a fun project to fall back on. That is if you prepare in advance for these days. Trust me you will have them, so prepare! One of my favorite is Orb Factory Mosiacs. Children decorate-by-number (Math) with this simple and easy to use sticky mosaic kit (Art). We ordered the Pirate and Jungle kits. The Pirates mosaic had very colorful gems and the children sat still and concentrated on finishing their project. The children were pleased with their 3d final products and I thoroughly enjoyed my cup of coffee and had plenty of time to prepare for our next assignment. :)
Wind Power Kit - Today's Science Activity
We gave this kit 5 stars!!
This is an amazing Wind Power Kit that allows you to build wind-powered generators to energize your electric vehicles. The box says 8+ however my 7 year old, with the help of his 9 year old brother, enjoyed it very much. You can build 8 different models including a Wind Mill with long and short blades, a glider, jet car, race car, sail car, and a tricycle. The instructions are easy to follow and the parts are easy to assemble. The manual has a very educational section explaining wind and the history of wind power. This is a great plus for homeschooling families!
Thames and Kosmos makes many different kits (a few are shown below). I would suggest investing in more than one kit, which will allow you to interchange the parts, maximizing your creations
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)