Christmas Break Reading Ideas

Yes! We are on Christmas Break!!

However, I thought I'd take a quick minute to make a few reading suggestions. If you are like me, you are just about ready to dive into some reading.

My two favorite books on understanding how we learn are:

A Mind at a Time by Mel Levine

• This book helps us recognize our children's strengths and teach in a way that will enhance their ability to learn.

Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves

• Social scientist have spent years studying the importance of emotional intelligence and not just IQ. This book teaches us how to improve 1) Self-Awareness, 2) Self-Management, 3) Social Awareness, and 4) Relationship Management. Each of these four attributes are critical to success and improving our quality of life.

If you are just looking for some easy reading the next two are great novels:

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

• Full of family secrets and untold journeys this multigenerational book uncovers the mystery of one women's past and brings forth another woman's future. 

Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

• When a woman starts to remodel a French apartment she is compelled to uncover the story of the Jewish family that lived there during the 1942 roundups and deportations. This journey of discovery helps her find strength within herself and the will to make a better future.

Whether you read, nap or play.... Have a wonderful break!!

Our Homeschool Christmas Party

Today is our homeschool christmas party and there is excitement in the air!

Jaden came running into my room this morning and asking for his apron said, "Mom, where is my cooking dress?". I got it tied around him and he went to town mopping the floors, cleaning the windows  and wiping down the bathrooms. (Bear in mind that I had to follow him with a towel to dry up all the cleaner drippings.)

We have candy canes of all colors, bowls of gumdrops and lots of other goodies.

What are we doing?

We are decorating cupcakes, playing the candy cane spoons game and having a gift exchange cake-walk.

If you want to feel the Christmas spirit, just plan a little party for the children. Wow! Are they excited?!

Thunder Cake Lesson

Teach Reading, Writing, Math and Science all in one activity!

For this lesson you will need:
"Thunder Cake" by Patricia Polacco
Ingredients and utensils to make the cake (recipe to follow)
Balance scale and gram squares or weights
Beaker
Journal
Index cards
Calculator

Reading- You can read it to the children or have them round-robin read it together.

Math- Convert the measurements of dry ingredients into grams. Convert the liquids into milliliters. Journal your numbers and later add them together for a huge total number.

Writing- Write each ingredient and it's needed measurement on an index card.

Science- Discuss the different types of measurements being used and why (liquid versus solid). Using a balance scale and a beaker measure all your ingredients for the cake. Categorize your index cards and label them different colors according to liquids and solids.

Writing Again!- Journal the activity - What is your favorite cake? How many total grams and milliliters did you use to make the cake? What did you like about the book?

The cake should have strawberries on it, but I don't like chocolate and strawberries so the children put them on their slices.

Thunder Cake 
1 cup shortening 
1 3/4 cup sugar 
1 teaspoon vanilla 
3 eggs, separated ( blend yolks in. Beat whites until they are stiff, then fold in.) 
1 cup cold water 
1/3 cup pureed tomatoes 
21/2 cups cake flour 
1/2 cup dry cocoa 
11/2 teaspoons baking soda 
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Beat egg whites. Set aside. Cream shortening, sugar, vanilla and eggs. Add water and tomatoes. Mix dry ingredients into creamy mixture. Fold in the egg whites until well mixed. Bake in two greased and floured 8 1/2 inch round pans at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Frost with chocolate butter frosting while still warm.

Top with strawberries.


My Conversions for Science Baking

2 sticks of butter

629 grams sugar

3 eggs, separated (blend yolks in, beat whites until stiff, fold in)

5 ml vanilla 5 ML

236 ml cold water

79 ml pureed tomatoes

315 grams cake flour (flour has 7 tbsp cornstarch)

32 grams cocoa

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

*This post was taken from my other blog and the conversions we used were added.

Class Party Ideas

For all you room mom’s, teachers, or homeschooling mamas here are some fun Christmas party ideas.

Santa Face with Cotton Beard

You will need: Coloring page, crayons, cotton, glue

Instructions: Color the page and then glue cotton on the beard

Coloring page: http://www.coloring-page.net/pages/santa3.html

Stocking Guess Game

You will need: stocking, holiday objects

Instructions: Place an object in the stocking. Pass it around and see if they can identify what it is.

Unwrap the Gift Game

You will need: a gift wrapped many times, music

Instructions: Pass the gift around to the music. When the music stops the person holding the gift unwraps one layer of paper. The person to unwrap the last layer gets to keep the prize or has to do a trick (sing a song, dance, whatever).

*you can do this various times or have a little prize for everyone else.

Name that Christmas Carol

You will need: Christmas music

Instructions: Play a song for ten seconds and see if anyone can guess it. Repeat in ten second increments until it can be guessed.

Candy Cane Spoons

You will need: a deck of go fish cards, candy canes

Instructions: Sit children in a circle and give them each a card. Place candy canes in the middle of the circle - one less than the number of players. Pass the cards around the circle one at a time. The first person to make a match grabs a candy cane (at which point everyone else can grab one too). The person without a candy cane sits out the next round.

*you may need to switch up the rules with younger children because they get pretty heart broken sometimes.

Fun School Party Treats

Here are a few fun ideas I found for treats you can make the kids or have them make.

Reindeer Cupcakes
I like these because they are easy to build and the children can decorate them themselves.
Check out Homeschooling Ohio for the instructions:
http://homeschoolingohio.wordpress.com/2008/12/16/reindeer-cupcakes/

Marshmallow Snowmen
These are a fun take-home treat.
Check out the Speckled Egg for instructions.

http://speckled-egg.blogspot.com/2008/12/marshmallow-snowmen-tutorial.html

Donut Snowmen

I thought these were pretty funny.

Check out Creative Gift and Party Activities:

http://creativeholidaygiftideas.blogspot.com/2007/11/snowmen-donuts.html

My children's favorite treat is just cookies and hot chocolate with a blueberry candy cane to stir and flavor the hot chocolate. Easy, I know!!

I loved all these ideas. Have fun with them and enjoy the holiday cheer at school!

Happy Holidays!!

Bullying. Do something about it!!

*This post has been transfered from my other blog (sorry if you've already read it).

I am addressing bullying because it is an ever present issue in our society and warrants our attention. Bullying happens in many different areas of our lives, so home schooling is not a sure fire protection from it. Parents, teachers and all of us involved with children need to better educate ourselves on this matter.

A young girl recently showed me a picture of a student at her school. The picture had been snapped on a cell phone and then texted to her and many others at the school. Sadly, all who laughed at and shared that photo were unknowingly involved in cyberbullying. This "mass bullying" has led to severe depression and even suicide in many of our nations schools.

What is bullying?

"Bullying among children is aggressive behavior that is intentional and that involves an imbalance of power".

Bullying takes on many forms such as: physical bullying, verbal bullying, nonverbal bullying or emotional bullying. Also, in our world of texting, cyberbullying which happens by phone or email, is an ever-growing form of bullying.

What are some signs of bullying?

There are many signs and often we just have to trust our instincts as parents in recognizing and dealing with our child either bullying or being bullied. Here is a list compiled from a few websites:

• be frightened of walking to and from school
• change their usual route
• not want you to go on the school bus
• have few or no friends
• begin to bully other children, siblings
• sad, moody, teary or depressed
• be unwilling to go to school (or be 'school phobic')
• feel ill in the morning
• continual headaches, stomachaches or other ailments
• begin doing poorly in their school work
• come home regularly with clothes or books destroyed
• come home starving
• become withdrawn, start stammering, lack confidence
• become distressed and anxious, stop eating
• attempt or threaten suicide
• cry themselves to sleep, have nightmares
• have their possessions go missing
• ask for money or start stealing
• refuse to talk about what's wrong
• have unexplained bruises, cuts, scratches
• become aggressive and unreasonable
• give improbable excuses for any of the above
• suffers from low self-esteem

Talking to your child

If you suspect bullying you need to talk to your child. Ask questions such as:

• Who do you play with? 
• Who do you sit with at lunch or on the bus? 
• Do you have a special friend? Is there anyone you don't really like? Why? 
• Do they ever tease you or pick on you?

What to do if your child is being bullied

Help your child avoid interaction of any sort with the bully. Interaction with a bully only leads to more insecurity and fear. The following steps are provided by kidshealth.org:

• Don't give the bully a chance. As much as you can, avoid the bully.
• Stand tall and be brave. Sometimes just acting brave is enough to stop a bully.
• Feel good about you. Nobody's perfect, but what can you do to look and feel your best?
• Get a buddy (and be a buddy). Two is better than one if you're trying to avoid being bullied.
• Ignore the bully. Pretend you don't hear them and walk away quickly to a place of safety. Bullies want a big reaction to their teasing and meanness.
• Stand up for yourself. Pretend to feel really brave and confident. Tell the bully "No! Stop it!" in a loud voice. Then walk away, or run if you have to.
• Don't bully back. Don't hit, kick, or push back to deal with someone bullying you or your friends. It's best to stay with others, stay safe, and get help from an adult.
• Don't show your feelings. Try distracting yourself (counting backwards from 100, spelling the word 'turtle' backwards, etc.) to keep your mind occupied until you are out of the situation and somewhere safe where you can show your feelings.
• Tell an adult. If you are being bullied, it's very important to tell an adult. Find someone you trust and go and tell them what is happening to you.

* Information found on various websites including:
http://www.kidscape.org.uk
www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov
http://kidshealth.org/kid/feeling/emotion/bullies.html

The book that changed the course of my future...

You may wonder why I am an educator.

Here's my story:

Years ago in college a psychology professor had me read a book called One Child by Torey Hayden. At the time I was torn between majoring in education or photography. The young girl in this book, with her severe emotional issues, made me realize that more than anything I wanted to understand the psychology of children and make a difference in their lives (deep. I know!).

Picture from Amazon

I made a decision. I would major in Human Development and Counseling. I loved learning about the way children grow and learn. But still, I was not making a difference in a child's life. I later went on to get a Masters of Education.

Am I making a difference now?
I don't know. But every hug and every smile makes me feel like I am.
The greatest reward is seeing the joy on a child's face when they do something for the first time.

And so here I am:
a mother
a homeschooler
a volunteer
a friend
an educator!

A Fun Blog on Education

My other blog was getting so many hits on educational topics that I decided it was time to start my own fun and casual blog about schooling.

Yes! There will be some serious talk at times. But I so like to keep it fun!

No! I am not the world's best voice on all of these topics- and I know it!

I do, however, have many years of experience... so, let's talk.

I love comments and want to know what you think about these topics too. Seriously, we are all parents, teachers, role-models or grandparents to someone in school.

I LOVE children and their education MATTERS!!
Together we can make a difference in their lives.