Monster Manners

Activities

National American Indian Heritage Month

National American Indian Heritage Month

Although the first "American Indian Day" was declared by the State of New York in 1916, a month long recognition of Native Americans was not achieved until 1990. In that year, President George Bush declared the first National American Indian Heritage Month on August 3. His action was based on legislation presented by Senator Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii) and Congressional Delegate Eni Faleomavaega (D-American Samoa). In each of the four previous years, Congress had enacted legislation designating "American Indian Heritage Week." This consecutive legislation allowed for the establishment of a month-long observance.

Native American Folk Tales

Crafts

How to make a Dream Catcher

Shields

Children learned about the shields Native American warriors carry into battle. A shield is an honored object. The animals and designs represent spirit protectors the warrior believed would watch over him.

Coloring Pages

Totems

My Yearly Plans

Some of our yearly plans...

Age 2

Age 3 Spanish Yearly Plan 

Age 3 Yearly Plan Book organized by month

Animal Kingdom

The Animal Kingdom Song 

By, Stephanie Lacayo

In the animal kingdom 

there are vertebrate and invertebrate

invertebrates just dabble 

while vertebrates have backbones

some swim and others fly

some crawl while others hide

this is the animal kingdom 

and there is all kinds of stuff inside.

Invertebrate are many

Lapbook Templates

Tourette Associations Around the World

HOMESCHOOLING PORTAFOLIO

A homeschooling portafolio is necessary

Things you must have in a H.S. Poratafolio:

- Cove Page

- Letter of Intent

- School Calendar

- Attendance Form
- I like to record how much time my son spends on each subject. Why? Because there are days where we won't cover a subject, or others where we get excited and do two hours project or a field trip.

I like to organize and plan each subject separately (teacher habits), this is helpful because with good planning comes an easy ride. True, it takes a while to do, but think of the benefit you will map the road you will travel, allowing you and opportunity to reorganize, extend, plan and create better connections between topics.
Some teachers only follow the structure of the book. Others, change it up each year.
For example, in science.

Plants, Living and Non-Living Things, Mammals, Vertebrates and Invertebrates.

-or-

Living and Non-Living Things, Plants, The Animal Kingdom, Vertebrates and Invertebrates

As a teacher you realize that sometimes by changing the order of things students can "get it" easier.

- Course of Study:  A list of all the subjects your child will be learning through the year.

For each subject I:

- Yearly Plan: Topics to be covered throughout the year and the objective for each one.

- As you write each one, you can write ideas for possible activities for a specific topic. (You don't have to it just helps, stimulate the teaching mind)

- Name the text and educational resources your will be using.

- Reading Log Checklist (additional stories or information about the topic your child reads. 

Once I ave completed a plan for each subject, I begin planning my WEEKLY PLANS, you can do this on the computer, a teacher planning book, or print and make your own.

Templates

DAILY LANGUAGE PRACTICE

Every day I provide my son with a couple 2-4 sentences and I ask him to correct them.
You can do this in your homeschooling notebook, with chalk on the floor, or on a board.

Here are a few examples,

Amy haz many stickers. (has)
She keps them in a big book. (keeps)
The stickers ar very pretty. (are)

Max the chalk uses. (uses the chalk.)
He a dog draws. (draws a dog.)
The dog is beig. (big)

jake has a new book. (Jake)
It IS about birds (is, .)

WHAT IS A SENTENCE?

A sentence is a group of words that tells acomplete thought. It begins with a capital letter and ends with a punctuation mark (.?!).

I like to use Vachel Lindsay "The Little Turtle" poem.

THE LITTLE TURTLE by Vachel Lindsay
There was a little turtle.
He lived in a box.
He swam in a puddle.
He climed on the rocks.

He snapped at a mosquito.
He snapped at a flea,
He snapped at a minnow.
And he snapped at me.

He caught the mosquito,
He caught the flea,
He caught the minnow.
But he didn't catch me.

ACTIVITIES
WORD-ORDER FUN
Materials: sentence strips, constuction paper, or flash cards.
1. Write the words of "THE LITTLE TURTLE" or any other poem, one word per piece.
2. Provide your child with words.
3.Ask child to reconstruct the poem by putting the words in order. Then have him/her read poem aloud.

A Homeschooling Classroom

Learning the alphabet

Simple and fun activities using Letter templates and imagination!

Check DLTK's Alphabuddies Activities

( Click on the DLTK image)

Reading programs 101

I know there are all sorts of book for kindergarten reading. I've used several of them. I know people are in LOVE with STORY TOWN, personally I think it's good, yet I do not find it appropriate for ESL children. Second, and this may seem weird, I'm against high frequency words there is nothing I dislike more than asking a child to memorize a word. So, what do I like?

Reading from Mcmillan

BIG BLUE BEES

Found a picture online it reminded me of a song I wrote for Munchkin when were learning the letters.

Enjoy!

BIG BLUE BEES 

Big blue bees

 buzzing around 

ba, ba, ba 

they sing out load

ba, ba, ba

sing the bees

Big blue bumblebees! (stretch it with a funny voice)

Teaching children with Tourette´s

Irene has 6 videos, watch the 1st and follow to the others.

Tourette Syndrome in the Classroom, School and Community

Videos on T.S.

Tourette's Taking it to the teachers

Now I must face the challenge of explaining it to the teachers. I've been researching and I'm planning to make a flyer or something. What I did find was this really good activity I think I'll begin the teacher's meeting by asking them to do it.

Here is the link

And out of the blue

Wednesday, May 1, 2013 I received the diagnosis my 7 year old has Tourette. A bucket of cold water but some how it brought peace. Now, I know what we are dealing with. After a couple of hours online and a few calls I got the 101 on T.S. now three question rise.

-How long before things get bad? As of now his tics are:, blinking, robotic fingers and coughing. So, I am wondering if there is any way of leaving it there, like stopping its progression.

- I am comforted by the idea he will outgrow it in his late teens. Now I'm just wondering when that will be and if he will. I know, I must take it a day at a time.

-I would like to know the difference between my son and the T.S. When is it him, when is it the T.S? I am aware the line will be foggy at times. I just need some sort of distinction.

THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD

Vocabulary words:inquiry, observe, tool, conclusion, data, hypothesis
Objectives: to analyze the scientific method
BIG QUESTIONS?
What is inquiry?
What science tools do we use?
How do scientist work?


Scientist are those who study the world around them. They do this by inquiring. INQUIRY means asking questions and looking for answers. Scientist inquier about everything, from the plants to the moon. You are a scientist too?
The first thing a scientist does is ask a question. Scientist observe by using their senses. Sometimes scientist can use what they observe to predict what will happen. Then, they try to discover the answer. Scientist will do this as they classify, compare and contrast. Scientist will also use many different tools. A tool is something that is used to do work. Some tools scientist use are: thermometer, a meterstick, safety goggles, ruler, a pan balance and a measuring cup. As scientist try to find the answer they record the steps they take to answer questions. Scientist reach a conclusion. A conclusion is what you decide after you think about all that you have learned. Once scientist find the answer they share what they learn.