Everyone works

ENOUGH!! Seriously, I have had ENOUGH!!! I really think that it is time for spring to get here already!!! I have had more than enough of all this white stuff taking up space and stealing my time away!!! These are the days when I REALLY miss CJ and long for the time that we could just sit back, cuddle up and wait for him to pull in with the plow.

But that era is gone now, with him on the road and me working. For those of you who don't know, I work outside the home part time and although it is only part time I work in a healthcare profession and am an "essential worker". This means that even if they call off all events in the county and the plow truck drivers are sleeping in some parking lot somewhere unknown to the rest of us, I still have to make it to my clients' homes. So this morning when I awoke at 6:05 to 6+ inches of snow, I called in to work and said I would be running a bit behind. I then had my breakfast and at 6:20 went into KMs room to ask her to come out and help by shoveling while I ran the snow thrower. To my amazement she was out of her bedroom and getting ready to come out before I had gotten all my snow gear on. I was OH SO THANKFUL! I had hesitated in asking her because she is NOT a morning person, but I am so glad that I had enough faith in her to ask. It took us less than an hour to get half the driveway and my car cleaned up enough so that I could hit the road. Luckily I only had one client that I was required to see this morning and when I got back to the house 4 hours later the driveway looked as if we hadn't even touched it!!!

I made some lunch before I once again asked KM to bundle up and grab a shovel. She said "OK". No whining, no complaints, no dilly dallying. She just got her stuff on and headed out with me. She did everything I asked and kept going the entire 2 hours we were out there. I can't even remotely express the appreciation, joy and pride that I felt every time I glanced at her, working diligently along with me. This is part of being a family. Everyone works, so that everything can get done and no one has to do it all by themselves.  

Let the games BEGIN!!! - World Ed Games 2013

You can still register to get in on the fun -- World Literacy Day, World Maths Day, and World Science Day

FREE 39 Clues Virtual Field Trip - March 5th

Here is another great FREE resource from Scholastic! 

On March 5th at 1 pm (EST), New York Times Bestselling author David Baldacci will take students on a virtual field trip to the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History to explore some of history's great mysteries. With David Baldacci as their guide, students will meet renowned museum curators, go behind the scenes, and investigate some of the most fascinating moments in American history.

To sign up to start a The 39 Clues Reading Club click HERE
For the downloadable pre-webcast materials click HERE 
This is a direct link to the webcast sign up - 39 Clues Virtual Field Trip

One more week to Practice!!! World Education Games

World Literacy Day - 5 March 2013  NEW! 

World Maths Day - 6 March 2013


World Science Day - 7 March 2013


KM has been getting ready for these events!! 

Be sure to register early to get in as much practice as you can!!!

She's BACK!!!! - The NEW Unplugged Mom

I am so very happy that the "new UnpluggedMom" is on the air!!!

I didn't realize how much I missed hearing Laurette and Desiree's podcasts until this afternoon when I listened to Episode 1: Parenting Under The Influence

Not Too Late - Iditarod starts this weekend!

I am reposting these resources since the event starts this weekend and it is NOT too late to get in on the adventure!

The Iditarod Dog Sled Race offers a unique learning experience for your family. The Iditarod is a tool of instruction that leads students to academic success and educators to enhanced STEM instruction. 

Although the race doesn't start until the first Saturday in March you should check out this great article - Educators, Prepare for the Race Now - for some super tips and tricks to incorporate this into your education plans.

Then view these presentations and links to learn about the exciting opportunities for learners around the world!

• Iditarod Education Department Presentation (Overview of Department Activities)
• PowerPoint Presentation on Math and Science (Using Iditarod as a tool in math, science, and other classes of instruction.) 
• I Kid A Rod PowerPoint:  Get a glimpse of an example of an I Kid A Rod held at an elementary school in Alaska.
• Zuma's Paws Iditarod K9 Journalists
• View and/or print this brochure and learn more about the Iditarod Education Department.
• Iditarod Student Page
• Iditarod’s Education Department:  An Overview in 21 slides, presented at ITC Board Meeting, June 2009: Iditarod Education Department Summary
• An Overview of Iditarod Education Department Activities:  Iditarod in the Classroom (PowerPoint presentation)

Scholastic also has a pretty detailed lesson plan outlined HERE

Balto - an animated film about the roots of the Iditarod Race and Iditarod: The Toughest Race on Earth are also great "ice breakers"

What's going on around here...

Well, well, well...it has been a busy month - WHERE DID FEBRUARY GO??

We survived Nemo and the four day power outage it brought with it by camping out in the living room ~~~

There were some moments when I seriously didn't think we were going to make it with our sanity in tact...

There was lots of playing with the critters in the house and this was our version of Bernard in the Box...

We also have been spending a good amount of time getting my great niece and nephew settled into their new apartment - with their mommy & daddy of course...

All and all we are trucking along ~~~ although CJ is of course the only one actually "trucking" and has been doing quite a number of really long hauls. He has been going out to No. Dakota and Missouri to name a few and this has left me and KM to deal with the majority of the snow --- which we are QUITE sick of at this point!

On the home ed front KM is finishing up Applying Algebra, Physics and the GED Writing Book. She has also decided to take a break from her cosmetology studies for awhile so that she can focus - I mean HARD CORE FOCUS - on essay writing for the GED. The writing book I just mentioned  focuses specifically on the multiple choice section of the test - editing, grammar, mechanics and spelling - but we have the GED Essay book which will take her through the step by step process to cover exactly what GED testers are looking for. This is of course one of those UUUUGGGHHHH areas with us - see the multitude of posts on our frustrations with writing HERE. The essay for this test is judged differently - far simpler really - than any other type of standardized test though. You are given a topic to respond to and they are looking for a clear, concise answer. There is no "right" or "wrong" as they are opinion questions that the student needs to back up with experiences and observations. This is where KM lacks confidence and this is why we really need to just work on this until she builds her confidence. It is more about getting past her own blocks than building her skills in the area.

Flocabulary - The Date

Another great Flocabulary freebie just in time for Valentine's Day - this song includes sixth grade vocabulary words that students are likely to encounter on state tests. It teaches the following words: abundant, beacon, clarity, consent, convenient, cultivate, deteriorate, evolve, exclude, idiom, legislation, reluctant, subordinate, trait and verdict. In this song, find out what happens when Joe scores a date with the most popular girl at school. It doesn’t exactly go as planned!

Flocabulary - The Date
Lesson Plan 
Exercises
Test and Answer Key
'via Blog this'

Iditarod - A Unique STEM Learning Experience

The Iditarod Dog Sled Race offers a unique learning experience for your family. The Iditarod is a tool of instruction that leads students to academic success and educators to enhanced STEM instruction. 

Although the race doesn't start until the first Saturday in March you should check out this great article - Educators, Prepare for the Race Now - for some super tips and tricks to incorporate this into your education plans.

Then view these presentations and links to learn about the exciting opportunities for learners around the world!

• Iditarod Education Department Presentation (Overview of Department Activities)
• PowerPoint Presentation on Math and Science (Using Iditarod as a tool in math, science, and other classes of instruction.) 
• I Kid A Rod PowerPoint:  Get a glimpse of an example of an I Kid A Rod held at an elementary school in Alaska.
• Zuma's Paws Iditarod K9 Journalists
• View and/or print this brochure and learn more about the Iditarod Education Department.
• Iditarod Student Page
• Iditarod’s Education Department:  An Overview in 21 slides, presented at ITC Board Meeting, June 2009: Iditarod Education Department Summary
• An Overview of Iditarod Education Department Activities:  Iditarod in the Classroom (PowerPoint presentation)

Scholastic also has a pretty detailed lesson plan outlined HERE

Balto - an animated film about the roots of the Iditarod Race and Iditarod: The Toughest Race on Earth are also great "ice breakers"

Vocabulary Building

I posted before about these great lists of 100 words middle schoolers should know and 100 words high schoolers should know and now we are working to ensure KM has all of these down pat. One of the things that we will be using is Quizlet flashcards -

The New York Times - The Learning Network

I just came across this and it seems as though it could be a very useful tool! Check it out -

A weekly collection of lesson plans and Student Opinion questions from The Learning Network, a free blog that uses Times content to create daily cross-curricular materials that teach skills, invite inquiry and engage students with current events.

To sign up visit - The Learning Network: "

World Education Games - Training Begins TODAY!!!

World Literacy Day - 5 March 2013  NEW! 

World Maths Day - 6 March 2013


World Science Day - 7 March 2013


KM has always had a great time participating in these events!! 

Be sure to register early to get in as much practice as you can!!!

Chaos Abound - What's been going on around here!

The last few weeks have been quite hectic around here. I have been working between 25 & 38 hours a week outside of our home, whilst CJ has been making much longer trips west and KM has had to take on a lot more responsibility around the house. Although we knew that there would need to be some sacrifices and a tremendous amount of adjustments, we were all willing to do so.

My work schedule is very chaotic and constantly changing, so I am having a bit of trouble finding a good balance at the moment. I am fully committed and unwavering in my efforts to keep KM on a routine and am strict in keeping her regularly scheduled activities - even if that means I have to ask for help in doing so.

Luckily with the chaos, comes flexibility. I am not away from home for 8-10 hours at a time, most days it is only 4-5 at a time. Some days I am gone from 7:30a-11:30a and then 5:30p-9:30p, others I am only gone 10a-1p. This has led to KM taking on a wide variety of chores around the house and they vary from day to day. She has been doing exceptionally well at completing her lessons and all the tasks I leave.

As I mentioned I have been very strict in keeping KM's activities and any other commitments that I make to her. This is not an area that I am willing to be flexible in so she is continuing her bowling, chess club, and youth activities. In addition we have added in a day when her and a few friends go to the library to work on their lessons together and have lunch at a nearby restaurant. I am very fortunate to have some great friends who are assisting me in getting her to and from these consistently.

There are constantly ideas floating around that you can home educate if you have a parent at home full-time, but we are proving - along with MANY others - that this not the truth. It takes some ingenuity, creative scheduling and a whole LOT of cooperation, but it CAN be done!

Three Free Tools for Creating Stopmotion and Timelapse Videos

I stumbled across this and had to share - Free Technology for Teachers: Three Free Tools for Creating Stopmotion and Timelapse Videos:

Creating stopmotion and timelapse videos can be a good way for students to tell a story that they have developed. Stopmtion and timelapse videos can also be helpful when teachers are trying to help students see how a lengthy process like osmosis works. While good stopmotion and timelapse videos can take a long time to create, there are some tools that can make the process a little easier. Here are three stopmtion video creation tools that are worth trying.
JellyCam is a free program for creating stopmotion movies. Using JellyCam you can create stop motion movies using images from your computer or images that you capture via your webcam. Once you've selected images you can quickly arrange them into a sequence. After the sequence is set you can specify how many images you want per frame. A soundtrack can be uploaded to your video. JellyCam uses the Adobe Air platform. If you don't have Adobe Air Runtime it takes just a couple of minutes to install.
Stop Frame Animator from Culture Street is a neat tool for creating animated stop motion movies. Creating your animated stop motion video is a simple drag and drop process on Stop Frame Animator. To get started creating your stop motion video select a background scene then drag your characters into place. While you have nine background scenes to choose from, the only characters you can use are wooden manikins. You can position the manikins' arms and legs in every scene. After choosing your scene and characters you can add some other props like chairs and beach balls. And if you want you can add sound effects and music to your video by selecting them from the Stop Frame Animator gallery.
OSnap is an iPad app (available in a free version and in a paid version) that you can use to create stop motion and time lapse videos. The app is quite easy to use. To create a video with the OSnap app you simply need to start a project and take a series of still pictures using your iPad’s camera. Then adjust the number of frame per second to edit your video. If you want to, you can add a sound track to your video by selecting audio files that are stored on your iPad. You can go back and edit your videos by removing images and from the project at any time. Completed projects can be stored on your iPad, uploaded to YouTube, or shared via email.

'via Blog this'

Recap Lesson of Pres. Obama's 2nd Inauguration

Utilizing one of the Flocabulary Daily lessons - State of the Union and Inauguration Lesson -  that I shared HERE, we discussed President Obama's second inauguration speech this morning and created a word cloud of the transcript using Wordle.

Link to the official video of the inaugural speech and the transcript.

KM was quite mesmerized by the president - she usually becomes bored and lost during speeches, but she hung on his every word. I guessed the biggest word would be citizens and she guessed people - her guess was quite a bit larger than mine. This was a really interesting quick project that we both enjoyed!

~~~Tip~~~ when we did the cloud the first time, we got a giant APPLAUD through the middle of the cloud because it was in the transcript 24 times! if you make your own use your find tool to remove all the noted "applause" points to get an accurate cloud.