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Blogroll
Make an Interactive Calendar for only $1
I’m so impressed with how this blogger created an interactive calendar by adapting a $1 Target pocket chart. Click the link or picture below for her detailed tutorial. I can see this same system being adapted as a chore chart or even a way to track what school subjects have been completed each day.
Image credit http://a-heart4home.blogspot.com
They also offer some really neat printables on their website (including the calendar cards above). Check them out HERE.
Free Science Lessons
Awhile back, I had my kids participate in a free science class by Aurora Lipper and they loved it. I got an email from her today, where she’s offering her Supercharged Science Lessons for free for a limited time. These are super fun lessons, with hands on experiments and great videos to watch. You’ll definitely want to take advantage of this freebie.
I’m not sure how long these will be available, so don’t dally!
Bean Bank Behavior
Have you ever noticed that minor behavioral infractions such as children interrupting you while on the phone, not shutting the front door or saying an unkind word, often go without consequence? Conversely, how many times do minor, positive behaviors go unrewarded? Incorporating a Bean Bank is a great way to not let those small positive and negatives go unnoticed.
For our “bank” we used a glass mason jar so that the contents can be easily seen. Our “beans”, or currency, are small, glass beads that we purchased at the dollar store. Each time my son (I only use this with one of my children) does something I want to encourage more of, like getting his teeth brushed and to bed in a timely manner, I tell him to go add a bean to his bank. This of course works in the opposite way as well, with the child removing a bean out for doing something negative. One motivator is to have a reward when they reach a designated number of beans in the bank. However, if there aren’t any beans in the bank to make a withdrawal, then they go into “debt”. This debt can be paid off by doing some extra chores or even grounding from a privilege. This system may not work for everyone but it can be a great motivator for children who respond well to instant feedback.
The Bean Bank works for me. To see more Works for Me Wednesday tips visit We Are That Family!
Free Homeschool Magazine
Have you ever wondered what The Old Schoolhouse Magazine is like? If so, they’re giving their summer issue (digital version) away for free this month. Check it out HERE. I’ve already found several great resources.
Pipe Cleaner Geometry
This is a fun little idea to pull out when you have a few extra moments here and there. All you need are some index cards (or use the backs of old business cards) and a few pipe cleaners. You can play with younger or older kids, depending on the terms you include.
To play, just write a different geography term on each index card, then let your students draw a card and create the shape using pipe cleaners. Here are some terms you might use:
- triangle
- rectangle
- circle
- oval
- octagon
- pentagon
- right triangle
- hexagon
- square
- trapezoid
- equilateral triangle
- scalene triangle
- obtuse triangle
- quadrilateral
- parallelogram
- rhombus
- heptagon
- nonagon
- decagon
- convex shape
If you’re not sure of some of the above shapes, yourself (I wasn’t!), you can brush up HERE.
Fun math games work for me! To see more Works for Me Wednesday tips visit We Are That Family.