Archive | April 2017

Teacher Appreciation Perks

Apr30

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This week is Teacher Appreciation Week! I am glad to see that some places of business are honoring you and all the hard work you do. 🙂

Chick-fil-A:  Some stores are offering a  free sandwich on May 2nd.  Check with your local store before ordering.

Chipotle: Teachers, Faculty & Staff get BOGO BURRITOS, BOWLS SALADS OR TACOS with valid School ID on May 2nd from 3 pm to close.

Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Store: Sign up for a TEACHER REWARDS DISCOUNT CARD and save 15% on purchases, in store and online.

Loft: Teachers get 15% off regular priced items year round with their LOFTLOVESTEACHERS program.

McDonald’s: Check with your local store, many are offering free breakfast or lunch on set days during teacher appreciation week.  Dates and offer varies by location.

Michael’s: Teachers get 15% off your entire purchase in-store. See store associate for details.

Pizzeria Locale:  Teachers buy one get one free pizza on Monday, May 1 from 3:00pm to close. You just need to show your letter of excusal from the school.

 

3 Outdoor Science Activities

Apr24

Yay! It’s Spring and everything is busy! Birds, flowers, and especially children are expending their energy and enjoying the warmer temperatures. What is a homeschool mom to do in keeping studies going when it is so nice outside? What about taking your school outside? There are many wonderful ways you can incorporate school and the magnificent outdoors.

  • Find a tulip and study all of its parts. The tulip has large petals, pistil and stamen. If you can pick the flower and cut open the ovary your children can discover what is inside. Click on the labeling image and copy it to create your own worksheet.

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  • Look at the clouds! Grab an old blanket, take it outside and lie down so you can get a great view of the clouds. Spring has a wide variety of amazing cloud formations. If you happen to pick a day that has cumulous clouds (big, puffy), children love trying to find clouds that look like images of something. (ice cream, bunnies, etc.) You can also predict the weather because certain clouds (cumulous type) mean rain and others mean fair weather (cirrus).

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How about trying to identify the clouds? With the above picture, you can print out your own cloud identification viewfinder. All you need is the printout, a large popsicle stick, and some glue! CLICK HERE for the printout.

  • Collect worms!  Get a glass jar, add dirt and some worms and study how they react to different temperatures. You can put them in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes and then take them out to see what happens. Have your children predict what will happen and make a hypothesis. Notice that the worms are more sluggish and also where they have gone in the dirt. They will have migrated to further down in the soil. Why? Have your children try and explain why they have done this. If you are really interested in doing a more in depth study, here is a worm jar activity, worksheets, and more activities to do, just click on the image.

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  • Draw! Grab a clipboard, some paper, pencils, an eraser and head outdoors. For your little ones, drawing general pictures of what they see is terrific, but if you would like to do a nature study, have your older students draw with more detail. Start with a stationary object such as a dandelion (That’s one thing they are good for! lol), and have your student draw as much detail as possible. Bring a magnifying glass with you to see the anthers. If you have a flower identification book that would be perfect to take along. After your outdoor adventurer has finished, write the common name of the flower and its scientific name as well. Date it and keep it in a safe place so you can go out another day.

Enjoy your day!

~Lisa

The Value of Portfolio Reviews

Apr17

imagesRarely did I finish a school year when I thought I had done enough. There always seemed to be one area of math we could have studied more completely or a slew of experiments we didn’t quite get around to doing. I think each one of us feels the weightiness of responsibility of being the one who is providing the education our children are receiving.

I believe this is where having a portfolio review (written narrative) is so encouraging. Preparing work samples for an assessor to review causes you to review the year and see what you have accomplished. It provides perspective as you see what has been accomplished. You see the progress that has been made and can celebrate your child’s (and your) successes.

Here are just a few of the many benefits of having a portfolio review done for your student(s).

  • Children who are just beginning to read or need extra time to read. The test is timed and students need to read quickly in order to finish on time.
  • Your curriculum does not coincide with the what is being tested. You have the choice to determine what curriculum is taught and it may not be the same as what the students have been taught that year. For instance, you have decided to do ancient history while students at that particular grade are learning American history. There may be questions on the test that your child could not answer because they have not studied that.
  • If your child has test anxiety a portfolio review is a terrific option. No testing is given while doing a portfolio review.
  • A test is just a snapshot of a week in a child’s life. The test does not always give a true representation of your student’s ability. your son or daughter may not have slept well, could be distracted, or has not taken formal tests before. each of these factors and many more can determine the outcome of a test.
  • You would like guidance for the upcoming school year. Do you need someone who has taught students and has experience give you some ideas and suggestions for instructing your child? Do you have concerns about a certain subject area? That is where a licensed teacher doing a portfolio for your pupil can help.

Have a great week and if you are interested in having me do a portfolio review for your family, please contact me. I will be happy to serve you.

~Lisa 

Denim Bag Sewing Project

Apr10

Looking for a sewing project that your children can do? How about a carrying bag? Recently I got out my sewing machine and made a bag out of a pair of thrift store jeans that I got for a quarter. I kid you not! I don’t know about you, but I am drawn to purchasing bags in which I can carry my school books, library books and and supplies.

I wanted a bag that I could put on the floor and not worry about if the fabric would get dirty. Jeans are the perfect material to use since the material is already pre washed and can take some rough handling. Best of all, this is a project that beginning seamstresses can make!

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Instructions for Denim Bag (The picture above is not the bag I made, but it was so cute I had to feature it!)

Materials Needed: 

1 pair of jeans (the larger the jeans, the bigger the bag)

scissors

sewing machine and thread of any color

Instructions:

  1. Cut the pair of jeans straight across at the beginning of the legs- under the zipper. Save the legs (you’ll need them later). Cut at least half an inch below the bottoms of the back pockets and below the zipper, for seam allowance. Jeans may be cut a little wider in back than in front, so line up the waistlines in the front and back before trimming.
  2. Turn the jeans inside out. Sew across the bottom to shut the leg openings. Also sew up the sides of the divider panel to secure it. Offset thick seams in the center, so they’re not right on top of each other. Sew a 5/8 inch seam allowance from the edge of the fabric.
  3. Cut a strip at least 2 inches wide and add extra for a seam allowance down the length of one of the legs to make the strap. The outside of the leg is usually a little bit straighter. Before cutting, hold the purse up to you and determine how long you will need the strip to be for your strap. Cut the strip that length plus an additional 1inch to allow seam allowances to attach to your bag.
  4. Turn the strip inside-out, so that you are seeing the wrong side of the fabric. Sew it closed along one side, trying to keep the seam as straight as possible.
  5. Turn the strip right side out and sew the handle to the inside of your bag near the hips of the jeans.  Reinforce the stitches since this is what will take the weight of what you carry inside your bag.
  6. Accessorize bag if you like. I added a velcro strip inside to keep the bag closed.

* I had a bit of help with directions from wikihow

There are so many different types of purses you can make that I wanted to refer you to a website that has 25 different types of purses and bags, practically one for each day of the month! To see all of the wonderful designs CLICK HERE or on the picture.

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Happy Sewing!  ~Lisa

 

April Copywork

Apr6

April is here and I have a complied a collection of a few poems for your student to copy for handwriting, copywork and/or dictation. I chose a poem by Robert Louis Stevenson who was an Scottish author most known for his books of Treasure Island, The Black Arrow, and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

While I have read Treasure Island, I also read the book of poetry called A Child’s Garden of Verses (first published in 1885) that I thoroughly enjoyed as a child. It’s interesting that books stay with you for years. So, please be encouraged if you are having your children read poetry and you wonder if it is worth it when you hear protests. I am proof to have your child read and study poetry. 🙂 Happy April!

Here is the document to print:  April Copywork

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