Little Caesars: Kids Games & Activities Fun and games Hands On Crafts for Kids: Pizza Game Instructions for a great pizza game Wikipedia: Pizza What is pizza? Wikipedia: Anchovy What is an anchovy? Cocco’s Pizza: Cocco’s Pizza Game Matching game Passariello’s Pizzeria: Pizza Pac Man Chevron: Pizza Pong PrimaryGames: Pizza Fractions Fraction game FamilyFun.com: Pizza Cake Recipe Fun pizza recipe Yahoo! Kids: Perfect Pizza Game Michigan Kids!: Pizza History What’s Cooking America: History & Legends of Pizza Related posts:2009-01-12 Happy Homeschooling for the New Year! We had a fun break, but now it’s time to...Columbus Day Unit Outline (October 13) I’m having my son write a book on Christopher Columbus...Thanksgiving Crafts and Fun Ideas Here some Web sites with Thanksgiving crafts, coloring pages, games...Happy Labor Day! Hope everyone is enjoying their Labor Day!  Here are a...A Goofy Dinner (ages 5-10) Here’s what you’ll need: Paper Pencil Crayons, markers, or colored...Feed the Frog (Teaching Sight Words) I made a "Feed the Frog" game to teach children...2008-10-23 (Thursday) Daily Warm-up: BrainPOP This is my son’s favorite "movie" Web...My Favorite "Math Games" Sites In the last few days a number of people have...Apple Theme Unit Here are a few ideas for an apple theme unit....Pilgrims, The Mayflower, and the First Thanksgiving These are great Web sites about Pilgrims, the Mayflower, and...

Just a note to my blogger buddies. My son and I are taking a homeschool break until Jan. 1st, 2009. We have worked very hard and are enjoying a well-deserved break. I will be blogging a little about my favorite Christmas sites and some other ideas I come across. Happy Holidays! Jo Related posts:A New Year and New Techniques We are starting our new homeschool year on Jan. 12,...How We Love You (from A-Z) Sorry I haven’t posted a new blog for so long,...Fun Christmas Web Sites My son asked me to find some Christmas Web sites...Homeschooling 24/7 Every parent who has ever "homeschooled", or whatever you want...Welcome! Welcome to our site! We will be posting lesson plans,...Pilgrims, The Mayflower, and the First Thanksgiving These are great Web sites about Pilgrims, the Mayflower, and...Memorable Hand-Made Christmas Gifts WARNING: If you are related to me, do NOT read...Thanksgiving Crafts and Fun Ideas Here some Web sites with Thanksgiving crafts, coloring pages, games...The Little Red Telephone This idea was given to me years ago by a...Creative Ways to Carve and Paint Pumpkins I am blogging about this topic because I want our...

WARNING: If you are related to me, do NOT read THIS blog!! :) I am posting this blog early because when you hand-make Christmas gifts, it takes extra time. I am already starting to make my gifts, because I want each one to be unique and special. This idea is great for close family members and friends. Here is what I do: I buy a photo album for each person (on sale, if possible). The first page says, "Merry Christmas from (the names of our immediate family members)". I make this page extra special with fancy letters, ribbons, and such. Each immediate family member writes a letter to the gift recipient. We include a variety of poems for the gift recipient. We write about special memories and decorate the pages with stickers and craft embellishments. I include what the person’s name means and other ideas that are unique to the person, like their astrological sign. I make a unique bookmark to put in the album. I also include a hand-made ornament. In the end, the gift recipient ends up with an album all about them. I include photos, clip art, and other personal information like the names of their pets. I try to buy everything on sale and save scraps of everything: ribbon, paper, etc. The following are some resources that our family will use to make the gifts: Christmas Printable Book (Grades 3-8) (TeacherVision.com) Snowman Mobile (TeacherVision.com) Brown Paper Christmas Stockings (Enchanted Learning) Kaboose: Christmas Cards Merry-Christmas.com: Kid’s Zone Activity Village: Christmas for Kids! DLTK’s Holiday Activities for Kids: Christmas Activities kiddyhouse.com: Christmas Activities for Kids and Teachers Related posts:Fun Christmas Web Sites My son asked me to find some Christmas Web sites...How We Love You (from A-Z) Sorry I haven’t posted a new blog for so long,...I See Mommy Looking at Me! (ages 4-8) Here’s what you’ll need: Pencil or some other kind of...Silly Alliterations (ages 5-10) Here’s what you’ll need: Paper Pencil Here’s what you do:...Monthly Memory Book (ages 5-adult) This makes a great Christmas gift! Here’s what you’ll need:...Turkey Time! A couple of years ago, we invited some friends and...Letters to Santa (ages 3-10) Here’s what you’ll need: Paper Pencil Stamp Envelope Here’s what...Miscellaneous Story Starters Here are some ideas for helping children write stories: The...Autumn Theme Outline September 23 is the first day of autumn! Here is...Christmas ...

My son asked me to find some Christmas Web sites that were just for fun. Here are a few that I found that my son loved: BillyBear4Kids.com: Merry Christmas for Kids, Family and Teachers! Northpole.com Celebrating Christmas: Printable Kids’ Christmas Wish List Saskatchewan Schools (Canada): Christmas Links All Things Christmas: Christmas Games No related posts.

I was trying to figure out what kinds of poems to write for personal Christmas gifts, so I compiled a list of different kinds of poems. I am going to use this blog entry throughout the year as my son writes more poetry. Hope these sites help you as they have helped me! Types of Poetry This site gives you poems in ABC order with definitions and examples for each kind of poem! Mrs. Mitchell’s Virtual School: Different Types of Poems for Kids Poetry for kids with great definitions and super examples! Poem of Quotes.com: 51 Types of Poetry In ABC order with definitions Shadow Poetry: Types of Poetry More poems in ABC order and examples Buzzle.com: Types of Poetry Poems in ABC order with definitions ReadWriteThink: Student Materials - Diamante Poems I LOVE this site!! It walks you through how to write a diamante poem in a fun way! Three great sites that show examples of concrete, or shape, poems: Oregon State University: Court (Smith)’s Concrete Creation Literacy Rules!: Concrete Poems ReadWriteThink: Student Materials - Shape Poems This Web site walks you through how to write a shape poem! Types of Poetry: Ballad Poems Defines ballad poems Giggle Poetry: How to Write a Limerick Shows you how to write funny limerick poems ReadWriteThink: Student Materials - Acrostic Poems Walks you through how to write an acrostic poem Hyperborea: Free-Verse Poems Examples of free-verse poems No related posts.

As part of my homeschooling—and gift-giving—I am going to teach my son that there are different types of writing. We have different types of writing for different reasons. Some are informal—such as friendly letters and silly poems—and some are formal—such as letters from attorneys and nonfiction reports for school. Anyway, I wanted a list of the different types of writing at my fingertips. I will use this blog entry many times over the years to make sure I am not teaching the same type of writing over and over. Again, I hope these sites help you and yours in your writing adventures! Kids Konnect: Write Away "Write Away" is one of the best "how to write for kids" that I have seen! A must have! Kamehameha (Hawaii) Schools Distance Learning: Writing Resources - Types of Writing Good site for the basic kinds of writing. Write on Reader: Forms of Writing I like this site! Lots of info. University of Maryland University College: Types of Writing Assignments Gives ideas on assignments for different types of writing. English Works! (Gallaudet University): Guide to Different Kinds of Essays Related posts:Writing Ideas for Kites Make a kite book with your child. It can be...

Sorry I haven’t posted a new blog for so long, but I’ve been busy with the holidays, especially this year—I hand-made gifts for close family members and friends. It was a lot of work, but a success! I made a photo album for each person and wrote why we loved that person, using the alphabet as a guide. Here are examples of the ideas I used: An angel’s heart is filled with love and so is yours. Bolder Boulder (my uncle has run this race 23 years in a row!) Christmas tree (decorated with things that the person loves) Dog lover (with photo of beloved pet) Enjoys baking gingerbread people Fishing with _________. Great Grandpa! Have a twinkle, jingle, ringy-ding Christmas It’s a dog’s life! Jerry (a poem for Jerry) Kind Loved Merry Christmas Note (I wrote a personal note to this person about a very special memory I had with the person) Oh, how we love you (with pictures of the person) Poem written especially for the person Quite the storyteller (with a special story told by the person) Really fun uncle! Santa loves golfers, too! (for my father-in-law who is an avid golfer) The Finish Line ( a pretend magazine cover for my running-lover uncle) U color our lives! Vacation fun! (with photos of the person and our family on a vacation) Will loves you! Xtra Special Person (I glued a heart-shaped mirror on this page.) Yes, you are beautiful! (for the girls) Zzz… (I had some great pictures of napping family members. This was a fun page to make!) No related posts.

We are starting our new homeschool year on Jan. 12, 2009. Things will be different and hopefully much better for people who follow this site. Instead of having a "Lesson Plans" section, I am going to blog on each homeschool day about what worked, didn’t work, etc. I will go into more details about how I reteach skills that my son stumbles on and different tricks that I "pull out of my sleeve" from time to time. I am looking forward to a super New Year! No related posts.

Every parent who has ever "homeschooled", or whatever you want to call it, knows that you want your children to learn even when they don’t think they are learning or being taught. Over our break from homeschooling, I know that my husband and I have taught our child without him knowing that he was being taught. For example, this year our young boy received generous gift cards and cash from loving grandpas and uncles. My son loved this, but a few of the items he bought did not work well and had to be returned. The problem was, he usually bought other things along with the broken toy and had to figure out the tax rate to make sure he was getting the full refund he was entitled to. So, out came the paper and pencil, the multiplying and figuring out where decimals went, to find out the right amount for the returned purchase. At first, he had "forgotten" how to multiply decimals. Tears came to my eyes, because he knew how to do this well just a month ago. After a few minutes of review, though, he was off and running with his decimals and multiplication and figured out the amount he needed to get back. In a nutshell, loving parents want to teach their children about life 24/7. but we need to remember the importance of reteaching. Children forget things on school breaks, just as we forget a few things about work when we take real vacations. Happy homeschooling, parents, whether or not you homeschool full-time, or whose children go to schools outside the home. Parents, after all, are the #1 teachers for their children, no matter how you look at it. May God guide all of us parents wishing to do the best for our precious children. No related posts.

We had a fun break, but now it’s time to get back to work! I have developed a new code system for myself to help keep track of the learning styles that I am using with my child. A-Auditory (hearing) K-(Kinesthetic) (touching and doing) V-(Visual) (seeing) This is how we’ll be spending our first day back: WARM-UP: A/V BrainPOP: American Indians Revolutionary War Decimals The Brain The Nervous System Leap Pad: Review capitals and states Nervous system SILENT READING: V Child’s choice (My child is into the Hardy Boys series right now!) GUIDED READING: V/A/K The Time Machine (Chapter 7) by H. G. Wells Kids Online: Time Machine Game WRITING: V Reread story child was working on before the break Read "revising tips" Revise story MATH: V/A Decimal patterns that last forever Coolmath.com: Repeating Decimals Gamequarium: Math Games-Decimal Games PE: V/A/K Wii Sports and Wii Fit: Child’s choice including a wide variety of sports and games (at least 30 minutes) SCIENCE: V Exploring the Brain and Nervous System Label parts of the brain Word bank: cerebrum, spinal cord, cerebellum, brain stem, Central Peripheral, medulla, spinal nerves, spinal chord, Nervous System HISTORY: V James Cook (Continue working on Explorers Book) Creek Indians (Continue working on American Indians Book) Answer questions about the Revolutionary War timeline. (review) GEOGRAPHY: V Google Earth Review map skills with globe and map Answer a few basic map and globe questions Read about the Polar Regions Answer comprehension questions TEST PREP: V ITBS practice test for 5th grade by Bright Education Services and Testing, p. 14-15 RETEACH ANY PROBLEM AREAS: V/A/T Tools I use when I reteach: Patience Change the learning style I was using to a new one Write-and-wipe boards (One for me and one for my child) Different colored write-and-wipe markers Connect new information with something my child knows well No related posts.

Wow!!! You have got to check out these sites if you teach writing!! I love love love these sites!!!! ABC’s of the Writing Process Learning Transitions Writing Terrific Paragraphs Five Paragraph Essay Learn to Evaluate and Edit Outline of the Basic Writing Process Step by Step - the Writing Process No related posts.

This week we are going to focus on the following themes: Martin Luther King, Jr. Make a child-made shape book about Martin Luther King, Jr., answering the following questions: Who? What? Where? Why? When? Web sites he will use: Kaboose: Martin Luther King Day 2009 The King Center Wikipedia: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Infoplease: Martin Luther King, Jr. KidsHealth: How the Body Works Picadome Elementary (KY): Human Body Maps and Globes Google Earth KidsGeo.com: Geography For Kids, The Study of Our Earth EarthSky: A Clear Voice for Science No related posts.

My winter vacation was exciting! I…. A big brown bear was sleeping in…. I threw the biggest snowball ever and it landed on…. I looked out the window and saw a penguin squatting on…. My granny sent me the funniest mittens. They…. Here is my recipe for the grossest soup ever. First,…. I pressed my tongue against a freezing _____ and it got stuck just as…. My little brother tried to make ice cream from snow, but he made a huge mistake and…. On New Year’s Eve my family and I…. I love Valentine’s Day because…. On cold winter days I love to…. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a hero because…. The groundhog forgot to wake up on Groundhog Day and…. Jack Frost became a bully and decided that winter would never go away. The only one who could stop him was…. When I was snowed in at a toy store for a week, I…. Write a winter poem.  See "Types of Poems". Related posts:Writing Ideas for Kites Make a kite book with your child. It can be... March 2011: Ideas for Every Day of the Month! March 2011 These calendars are designed to give you tons...

I want to share with you the best Web sites I have found for kids. On the next geometry blog, I will share photos of handmade geometry books I am in the process of making, such as a circle book and a spinner book to teach other geometry facts. Great geometry Web sites for teaching kids: Diana Dell: Geometry Vocabulary - This is lesson one of my very favorite geometry site! Children can hear it, see it, and play geometry games!! Diana Dell: Geometry Unit - A complete Geometry Unit!! (This a continuation of the first Web site!) You can’t go wrong with this site if you are teaching children geometry!!!!! Love it, love it, love it! kidsnewsroom.org: Geometry - The examples "move" and teach children in a cool, fun, and easy way. Jefferson County Schools (TN): Online Basic Skill Games - Geometry - Fun geometry games (teaches kids in a fun, fun way!!!!) Kids Konnect: Geometry - This site gives you many other geometry sites for kids. It is a resource I will use! Mrs. Glosser’s Math Goodies: Geometry and the Circle - Circle info Coolmath4kids.com: - Geometry and Math Art ThinkQuest: Interactive Mathematics Online: Geometry Glossary - Glossary of geometry terms AAA Math at 321know.com: Types of Polygons based on Number of Sides - Learn, play, practice, and explore geometry facts ThinkQuest: Geometry - Definitions and symbols Learner.org: Geometry Definitions Math League Press: Geometry - Great geometry reference Related posts:March 2011: Ideas for Every Day of the Month! March 2011 These calendars are designed to give you tons...

My son is going to write a letter to President Obama using a formal letter format (ReadWriteThink: Letter Generator). He will begin his letter introducing himself (and his age) and continue the letter by writing about one issue that is important to him. The letter will be written in cursive handwriting (very neatly) and will be edited by me before it is mailed. We may never hear back from the White House, but wouldn’t it be thrilling for a child to receive some kind of response? Mailing Address: The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500 Email Address: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ Phone Numbers: Comments: 202-456-1111 Switchboard: 202-456-1414 FAX: 202-456-2461 TTY/TDD: Comments: 202-456-6213 Visitors Office: 202-456-2121 No related posts.

I made this simple book to help my child learn geometry and circles: To make the book: Cut out a large circle and poke a hole through the center. (I used my Cricut Expression machine to cut the circle.) Draw a diameter, a radius, and a chord on the circle. Cut out three arrows and poke a hole through the center of the rectangle of each arrow. Label one arrow "diameter", another "radius", and the last "chord". Place a brad through the center of the circle and arrows. Ask children to point each arrow to the correct term on the circle. More super geometry Web sites! Gamequarium: Math > Geometry MathsIsFun: Geometry No related posts.

What did Punxsutawney Phil see in 2009? Check out the Web site below to find out! Also, teachers, you will find lesson plan ideas and much more! Groundhog.org - the Official Site of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club No related posts.

I love Valentine’s Day! So let’s have fun with love, and all the flowery calorie-filled fun of it all. Craft Ideas for Children: DLTK’s Valentine’s Day Activities for Kids Kaboose: Valentine’s Day Crafts NY Education Examiner: How to make Valentine’s crafts for kids - Video on how to make a "warm fuzzy" for Valentine’s Day (scroll down until you are 1/2 way down the page for this activity) Mycraftbook: Valentine’s Day Crafts for Kids - Lots of Valentine’s crafts for kids! Family Fun: Valentine’s Day | Parties, Crafts & Recipes - Ideas for crafts, recipes, and parties! Danielle’s Place: Valentine’s Day Crafts for Kids KinderArt: Valentine’s Day Crafts, Lessons and Activities Enchanted Learning: Activities, Crafts and Cards for Valentine’s Day AmazingMoms.com: Valentine’s Day Crafts for Kids AllCrafts: Valentine’s Craft Projects AHC Arts & Crafts: Valentine’s Day Arts and Crafts Ideas for Children All Free Crafts.com: Valentine’s Day Crafts Ideas thebestkidsbooksite.com: Valentine’s Day Boxes, Crafts, Books, & Activities for Kids FreeKidsCrafts.com: Valentines Day Crafts FreeKidCrafts.com: Valentine’s Day Craft Ideas suite101.com: Valentine’s Day Crafts for Kids Apples4theteacher.com: Fun Valentine’s Day Activities and Games for Kids Better Homes and Gardens: Sweet Valentine’s Day Crafts for Kids Writing Ideas: What does "broken heart" mean to you? Who is Cupid? Why and when did Valentine’s Day begin? How can you be a good friend? What are some things that a good friend does to you? What do you want for Valentine’s Day? What was your favorite Valentine’s gift? Make a Valentine card for someone you love. Make a "Reasons Why I Love You!" gift. Cut each reason out and place in an envelope or small decorated bag. Make a Valentine’s treasure hunt. Place clues on paper hearts or little notes. Valentine’s Day Recipes: About.com: Creative Valentine Treats All Recipes: Valentine’s Day Recipes - Holidays and Events Food Network: Valentine’s Day Recipes Recipezaar: Valentine’s Day Recipes Old Recipe Book.com: Valentine’s Day Recipes Smarter Babies & Kids Blog: Valentine’s Day Recipes for Kids Family Fun: Valentine’s Day Recipes No related posts.

February is Black History Month, so my 10-year-old son is going to make an African-American book. Below are the people we are going to study: Sarah Boone (inventor of the ironing board; received a patent in 1892) - About.com: Sarah Boone George Washington Carver (plant scientist who made great contributions to the field of agriculture chemistry) - Wikipedia: George Washington Carver Dr. Charles R. Drew (physician) - phillyBurbs: Charles Drew Shirley Chisholm (Congresswoman) Wikipedia: Shirley Chisholm Medgar Evers (civil rights leader) - Wikipedia: Medgar Evers Fanny Lou Hamer (civil rights leader) - Wikipedia: Fannie Lou Hamer Matthew Alexander Henson (explorer) - Enchanted Learning: Matthew Alexander Henson John W. Hunter (inventor of the portable weighing scale) - Evia L. Davis: African American Awareness for Young Children - John W. Hunter Dr. Mae Jemison (first African-American woman in space) - Wikipedia: Mae Jemison Henry Lincoln Johnson (distinguished soldier) - Wikipedia: Henry Lincoln Johnson Dr. Maulana Karenga (founder of Kwanzaa in 1966) - Wikipedia: Maulana Karenga Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (civil rights leader) - Wikipedia: Martin Luther King, Jr. Abraham Lincoln (16th President of the United States) - Wikipedia: Abraham Lincoln Elijah McCoy (inventor) - Wikipedia: Elijah McCoy Thurgood Marshall (Supreme Court justice) - Wikipedia: Thurgood Marshall Jan E. Matzeliger (Inventor of the shoe-lasting machine) - Inventors Assistance League: Jan Ernst Matzeliger Garrett Morgan (inventor; his inventions included the automatic stop sign and breathing masks used by firefighters) - Wikipedia: Garrett A. Morgan Lyda D. Newman (inventor the modern day hairbrush; received a patent on Nov. 15, 1898) - About.com: Lyda Newman President Barack Obama (44th President of the United States) - Wikipedia: Barack Obama Jesse Owens (athlete) - Wikipedia: Jesse Owens Rosa Parks (mother of the Civil Rights movement) - Wikipedia: Rosa Parks Jackie Robinson (athlete; in 1947, became the first African American to play for a Major League Baseball team) - Wikipedia: Jackie Robinson George T. Sampson (inventor of the clothes dryer) - Evia L. Davis: African American Awareness for Young Children - George T. Sampson James Monroe Trotter - Wikipedia: James Monroe Trotter Sojourner Truth - Biography Resource Center - Sojourner Truth Harriet Tubman (abolitionist) - Wikipedia: Harriet Tubman Mme. C. J. Walker (businesswoman; invented a hair softener and straightening comb; became the first African-American female millionaire) - Wikipedia: Madam C.J. Walker Booker T. Washington (educator) - Wikipedia: Booker T. Washington Ida B. Wells - Wikipedia: Ida B. Wells Dr. Daniel Hale Williams (physician; first to perform open-heart surgery) - Wikipedia: Daniel Hale Williams Joseph Winters (inventor of the fire escape ladder; received a patent on May 7th, 1898) - Wikipedia: Joseph Winters Groups: Wikipedia: Little Rock Nine Wikipedia: Freedom Riders This is the timeline that we are using for our African-American unit: 1492: Christopher Columbus arrives in the Americas - Wikipedia: Christopher Columbus 1517: Spaniards bring first African slaves to West Indies sugar cane plantations -  Slavery in America: Sugar and Slavery - Molasses to Rum to Slaves 1619: First African slaves arrive in , a mid-Atlantic English colony - World Book: The Slave Trade in Colonial America (scroll halfway down) 1778: Writers of the U.S. Articles of Confederation compromise on slavery - Online Library of Liberty: Articles of Confederation 1778 (click "Hide TOC") 1793: Congress passes a law that makes it illegal to help escaping slaves - The FreeDictionary: Fugitive Slave Laws 1808: Slave trade becomes illegal - Wikipedia: Atlantic Slave Trade 1820: Missouri Compromise divides states into free and slave - Wikipedia: Missouri Compromise 1838: Underground Railroad is formally established - National Geographic Online: The Underground Railroad 1850: Fugitive Slave Law says that all persons must help catch escaped slaves - Wikipedia: Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 1852: Uncle Tom’s Cabin tells about the evils of slavery - Wikipedia: Uncle Tom’s Cabin 1857: Supreme Court rules that slaves are property, not people - Prentice-Hall: A Slave Sues for Freedom in 1857 1863: Emancipation Proclamation frees southern slaves - Wikipedia: Emancipation Proclamation 1866: Amendment 13 frees all slaves - Wikipedia: Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution Amendment 14 makes all slaves citizens - US Constitution Online: Amendment 14 1867: Amendment 15 gives ex-slaves the right to vote - Wikipedia: Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution 1877: "Jim Crow" laws begin the segregation of black Americans from white - Wikipedia: Jim Crow laws 1896: Supreme Court "separate but equal" ruling declares segregation to be legal - Wikipedia: Separate but equal 1909: NAACP forms to protect black Americans from prejudice and violence - DealofDay.com: February 12, 1909, Founding of the NAACP 1915: Great Migration begins. Millions of black Americans leave the South and move north and west - University of Washington: The Great Migration - Number of Migrants 1920s: Harlem Renaissance takes place. Black arts and literature eloquently and proudly describe black life - Wikipedia: Harlem Renaissance 1929: Great Depression begins - Wikipedia: Great Depression 1941: Defense plants desegregate - Our Documents: Executive Order 9981 - Desegregation of the Armed Forces (1948) 1947: Jackie Robinson breaks the "color barrier" - Wikipedia: Jackie Robinson 1948: Armed forces desegregate - Truman Library & Museum: Desegregation of the Armed Forces 1954: Supreme Court rules that segregation is unconstitutional - Wikipedia: Brown v. Board of Education 1955: Rosa Parks begins Civil Rights movement - Wikipedia: Rosa Parks 1963: Martin Luther King, Jr. leads 200,000 Americans in protest march to Washington DC - MLK Online: I Have a Dream - Address at March on Washington (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s "I have a dream speech," both audio and written) 1964: Congress passes Civil Rights Act - Wikipedia: Civil Rights Act of 1964 1965: Voting Act passed - Wikipedia: Voting Rights Act of 1965 1970s: African Americans work to turn the promise of the law into reality. 2009: Barack Obama becomes America’s first African-American president. NOTE TO PARENTS: There is a commercial before this video (the one I watched was from Victoria’s Secret. You may want to screen the commercial, but it is a great video!) - CNN Election Center 2008: Obama - ‘This is your victory’ African-American Web sites for kids: Kaboose: Black History for Kids - Educational Activities, Games, Coloring Pages, Trivia KET’s Underground Railroad: Kentucky Historical Timeline PBS Kids: African-American World for Kids - Find the Face Walter L Sargent, University of Minnesota: The Sixties - Civil Rights, The Great Society, Vietnam No related posts.

Pi Day is celebrated around the world on March 14th at 1:59:26 p.m. Pi ,the Greek letter (), is the symbol for the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. Pi = 3.1415926535… The first 3 digits, give us the month and date for this celebration, and the following 3 digits give us the time of day to celebrate. So let the Pi festivities begin! I am going to celebrate Pi day with my ten-year-old son because I think it is a fun way to remember what Pi is. It’s not a number that the average "Jo" (that is quite literally me) talks about daily, so this day is a great reminder that Pi is important and needs to be remembered. I’m sure that the math enthusiasts in our great world are taking Pi to a much higher level (and to more decimal places…) and thank God for them. For others like me, I simply hope that this blog helps you smile and remember Pi. The following Web sites will give you much more information. Teach pi The official site for Pi day Exploratorium 21st Anniversary of Pi Day No related posts.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! We love to make leprechaun catchers and wear green accessories on St. Patrick’s Day. We will also be making a clover-shaped St. Patrick’s Day book. (Photos of book to come!) The following questions will be completed before writing the story: Who was St. Patrick? sunniebunniez Where was St. Patrick born? earthcam When do we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?  kaboose Why do we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?  funmunch How do people celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? wikihow Other great sites: DLTK St. Patrick’s Day Activities Kiddy House St. Patrick’s Day Resources Kids Turn Central No related posts.

I have a new blog, Jo’s Memories, for sharing craft ideas. I am using this blog to share scrap booking ideas, as well as other craft ideas. No related posts.

Below is a video I made to teach children about short vowels. I have used this story hundreds of times and it has worked every time! Best wishes! Click here to view the embedded video. No related posts.

This Summer I Want to: Need a way to keep your child happy, productive, and NOT BORED? 1.  Cut out 28 white sun-shaped pages and 2 orange sun-shaped pages. (I use my cricut expressions machine for the cutting, but the pages can be hand-cut.) 2.  Make a cover for the book such as the one below: 3.  Place one letter per page. I like to use tactile letters. If your child is learning his letters, try the examples below. 4. For each letter ask your child to think of something he wants to do using one letter.  For younger children, assist them with the writing. 4.  If you wish, take pictures of your child doing the an activity in his book.  Glue the photo on the corresponding page and write the date next to the photo. Related posts:Writing for Kids 1st through 8th grade writing styles kidskonnect How to write... Teach Reading and Science in a Pumpkin Book (cover) Things to ask children during the first reading: What...