Froglet Update - Legs have sprung

Plan ahead for - Free Fun Fridays - All summer long

Free Fun Fridays | Highland Street Foundation:



'via Blog this'

Backyard Science

Baking soda rockets and microscopes -----

Sketching at the park -------

Pooh sticks and snake identifications--------

What could be better on an incredible spring day!!!

Froglet update

So we have determined that the problem with our littlest froglet - Ozzi - is that it's organs are not centered within the body. In the picture below you can see the red mass of organs is shifted to the left side of it's body.

I am not really sure what the outcome will be, but we are keeping a close eye on this little one.

You Tube Monday - Horrible Histories - Animated Series

After last weeks post, I got lots of questions about the animated version, but all I could find online was this intro and one clip. You can however purchase the DVD set on Amazon  and not only is it worth the money, you can usually resell it and get your money back when you are done.

Random update - Froglets!

We haven't updated in a while as they really haven't had much of a change other than there size lately. The largest is now about 3 inches and little one is only 1.5 inches, so there is quite a size difference. Since we will have to eventually create a terrarium for the critters we decided to upgrade to a 10 gallon tank today, but only put about 3.5 gallons of water in it. This gives them plenty of space to swim around and grow but will not become overwhelming to change the water. It should also be ample space so that the littlest will not get eaten or taken over by the larger. 

Kids Safety on Facebook is No Minor Issue [Infographic] | The Wired Homeschool

Kids Safety on Facebook is No Minor Issue [Infographic] | The Wired Homeschool:

FREE Bowling All Summer Long

With these two great offers you are sure to find a bowling center in your area!!! 

Select bowling centers and schools around the country are participating in the first ever Kids Bowl Freeprogram. This program is designed by bowling centers to give back to the community and provide a safe, secure, and fun way for kids to spend time this summer.

Children whose age does not exceed a limit by a participating bowling center are eligible to register for 2 free games a day, all summer long, courtesy of the participating bowling centers along with the schools and organizations.

At AMF, kids 15 and under can bowl for free all summer. Simply register and you'll get a weekly voucher for two free games per child per day through September 3. Shoe rental is not included.

Free Bowling for Kids | AMF Bowling Centers Summer Unplugged

Both of these programs also have offsprings for summer passes where adults can pay a nominal fee in order to have the same two free games every day all summer long - bowling shoe rental is NOT included. 

You Tube Monday - HORRIBLE HISTORIES - The 4 Georges: 'Born 2 Rule'

We have loved all the horrible history books and KM really enjoyed the cartoon version, but we were floored to find this BBC skit version. I don't like that it is all out of order and random, but when you are looking for a specif topic these are great little tidbits.

Free Comic Book Day

What is Free Comic Book Day? 

Free Comic Book Day is a single day - the first Saturday in May each year - when participating comic book shops across North America and around the world give away comic books absolutely FREE* to anyone who comes into their stores. *Check with your local shop for their participation and rules.

Random Update - Colors, Chess and Experiments

You Tube Monday - Coraline: Knitting Little Itty Bitty Outfits

This is CRAZY!!! I had never really thought about it, but am glad this was sent along to me, so I thought I would share with you!

Living Their Lives - Home Educating Teens

There are very few home educating parents who do not cringe when they think about the “high school” years. Many become so intimidated that they spend tons of money on accredited programs, pay “homeschool gurus” to tell them they are doing the right thing and very often still end up enrolling their children in school so that they can get a “diploma.” It can be a very daunting and intimidating situation when you think about the fact that these four years can make or break your child’s ENTIRE FUTURE!!! So why do we think that way? Why do we allow the tape to continue it’s repeated taunt – “THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY”!!??!!??

As always there are many options available from traditional college prep to trade studies to GED prep and no matter which path your child has decided to turn down, school does not have to be one of them. So many young adults get to college or “out into the real world” and suddenly realize that they have no idea what they want to do, how they want to spend their lives and often even what they like. After being intellectually spoon-fed for 12-15 years should anyone really be surprised that they don’t know how to make a decision?

The teen years don’t have to be riddled with academics, extra-curricular activities, and SAT prep. It is the absolute perfect time to allow the child to decide on what path they want to take and how they want to get there. Teens should be permitted and encouraged to try new things, volunteer at places they find interesting, get a part-time job and start living their life. It is ideal timing because they can do so without fear of failure as they are still living at home and don’t have to be 100% responsible.

When planning ahead it is best to leave as many options open for your child, so I am in no way advocating a completely hands-off approach, but rather the same sort of eclectic, child-led learning that I always advocate for. Allow the child to have as much input as possible and be willing to discard things that don’t work – even if that means giving up an instrument, quitting a job, or dropping a class. The best strategy is to continue with a well-rounded education, utilizing real-life opportunities just as much as curriculum and courses. It can be just as easy, often easier even, to translate teen activities into educationese as it is for your children and not only an you create a transcript if necessary, but your child will be building their resume. 

Here are some books that you and your teens may find helpful while navigating this new and sometimes petrifying terrain - 

• The Teenagers Guide to Opting Out (Not Dropping Out) of School
• The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get a Real Life and Education
• Thomas Jefferson Education for Teens (The Leadership Education Library)
• Homeschooling: The Teen Years: Your Complete Guide to Successfully Homeschooling the 13- to 18- Year-Old 
• Home Learning Year by Year: How to Design a Homeschool Curriculum from Preschool Through High School
• Kaplan GED: Complete Self-Study Guide for the GED Tests
• Homeschoolers’ College Admissions Handbook: Preparing Your 12- to 18-Year-Old for a Smooth Transition
• College Without High School: A Teenager’s Guide to Skipping High School and Going to College
• Setting the Records Straight: How to Craft Homeschool Transcripts and Course Descriptions for College Admission and Scholarships

Also be sure to check out the Unplugged Mom’s Educational Resources Section for some great free learning initiatives.

~~~~This post can also be found on Unplugged Mom.

Family Math Nights

Math nights can be a great fun way to interactive and apply math concepts to help solidify usage. We have done them at home, done them at the library, had co-op nights around them and the families have always had a fantastic time! This site - Math Night - was featured in the Clickschooling Newsletter this week and reminded me that we haven't had one in a really long time!
Some of my favorite modules are -

   

and some of my favorite resources include - 

From a reader -  

Kate Nonesuch said...

You may be interested in my free family math resource, funded by the Office of Literacy and Essential Skills, HRSDC.
Family Math Fun!
A manual for educators and parents who want to promote math thinking in kids of all ages.
• Things to do in the kitchen and on a walk, rhymes, games, and things to make, all to promote math thinking and learning.
• Math for the whole person: spirit, heart, body and mind are all connected in the activities in this book. When these are in balance, math becomes part of our whole lives, not a beast or a barrier.
• Patterns, recipes, and hand-outs all included (109 pages). •

Download it free at http://www.nald.ca/library/learning/familymath/cover.htm

You Tube Monday - Chimpanzee - DisneyNature

Chimpanzee opened everywhere on Friday so be sure to head to a theater near you to see this incredible film and help to support the efforts to save these magnificent creatures!!!



The incredible 130+ page educators guide can also be downloaded for free by visiting - HERE!