Two For Tuesday

Yeah, I still have links to share.  :)

The first one is about creating a summer bucket list.  I'm so busy these days with work that I want to make sure I carve out time over the summer to really BE with the boys while they are out of school.  My "real job" schedule allows me three half days a week and my other job is at my own schedule (nice right??  Someone not so long ago told me I was lucky.  I told them I am not lucky, I don't believe in the concept of luck actually.  THIS is the life I've created for myself.  BOOM.)  Anywayyyyyyy, I'm working on compiling a list.  Because I'm a list maker.

Here is your link to my Summer Fun board over on Pinterest.  It's just a jumping off place.  For me personally, reading other people's lists gets my own thoughts going.  I'll (hopefully) at some point in the next week-ish post my own list for us for you to puruse.  We've done a lot of the things on the board I shared, but just by re-visiting it today I saw three things that I want to add that I saw and know we either haven't done or would like to do again.

The second one is about limiting screen time.  This is a HUGE problem for us.  There are multiple old blog posts about it here on my blog, so it's been a problem time and time again.  With summer approaching, I was looking for a way to limit how much time the boys are in front of a screen.  My girls remind me all the time that they had to EARN screen time and they are salty AF about the fact that their brothers do not.  Well, boys, summer is about to be a rude awakening because yesterday while cleaning out my closet I found STONES.  Yes, stones.  This is the system I used with their sisters.  Each stone allowed for a certain amount of screen time.  You started off with a small amount, but you could earn more.  You could also lose them for bad behavior.  For us, it's going to look like this.  You can start your day with three stones.  Thirty minutes.  If you'd like more, you will have to complete things from a list.  The things on the list will be reading, writing, playing outside (although, we tend to do that anyway,) chores, helping me or Two with something.  They will also be weighted.  Three HATES to read, so if he will read for the 20 minutes that school recommends he can earn an entire half hour of screens.  Judge me if you want, but I'm doing what I need to do here.  Four loves to do all the things on the list so he should be watching Gotham ALL SUMMER LONG.  Here is your link to some tips you can look at and see if something seems like it would work in your household.

Two for Tuesday: 4th of July

Shaving Cream Stars

Declaring Independence (writing activity)

Two for Tuesday: Rainforests

Layers of the Rainforest

Layers of the Rainforest Venn Diagram

Layers of Life

Rainforest-Teacher Resources

Flashback Friday

Two For Tuesday 

Geology/Rock Collecting and Dinosaurs!

Two for Tuesday: Our Summer Plans

The Homeschool Belle: Free Science Plans Using Magic School Bus 

Seriously, how much WIN is in this??  We are doing what promises to be an AMAZING science Co-Op next year (and I'm sure it's going to be totally amazing because two of the smartest, creative, most organized women I've ever met are organizing it) but to get through the summer....we will be doing this.  We will not be doing one unit per week, probably 2 a week to make it fit into summer.  And likely not in "order," because week 1 is about Ants and I own THIS, but don't have the ants for it so we will start in week 2 and come back to week 1 when our live ants arrive.  BUT-I know the boys are going to LOVE it.  They are both HUGE into science experiments, and c'mon who DOESNT love MSB.

A comment was posted on the blog listing the season and episode number for those who are going to watch them via Netflix (like us,) so here is that info:

Gets Ants in its Pants: S1-E12
Hops Home: S1-E5
Gets Swamped: S4-E4
In the City: S4-E12
In the Rainforest: S3-E12
Takes a Dive: S4-E11
All Dried Up: S1-E7
Cold Feet: S2-E12
Going Batty: S2-E9
Spins a Web: S3-E2
Gets Ready, Set Dough: S1-E9
Meets Molly Cule: S3-E2
In the Artic: S3-E1
Bright Idea: S3-E5
In the Haunted House: S1-E8
Makes a Stink: S4-E10
Gets Eaten: S1-E4
For Lunch: S1-E2
Inside Ralphie: S1-E3
Flexes Its Muscles: S2-E2
Goes Cellular: S4-E5
Works Out: S3-E9
Lost in Space: S1-E1
Out of this World: S2-E11
Sees Stars: S4:E7
Gains Weight: S4-E8
Under Construction: S3-E3
Getting Energized: S2-E10
Gets Charged S4-E9
Goes on Air: S4-E3
Cracks a Yolk: S4-E1
Rocks and Rolls: S3-E13
Meets the Rot Squad: S1-E6
Gets Planted: S3-E11


(A note about the InsectLore link above--we've used LOTS of their products.  We've had the butterflies, ladybugs, and praying mantis habitat previously with One and Two.  I've always been very happy with their products.  We've never done the ants, so One and Two will probably geek out with us on this as well.)

My second summer goal is Spelling.  We don't currently do spelling, but I know we need to start.  I've always been a naturally good speller, so it slips my mind a lot.  Having a child who is really struggling with reading/spelling keeps bringing it back to my attention, so I'm going to attempt to put it into place over the summer while our schedule is much slower.  Here are some links that spell out (HA!) how I intend to work this.

Sunny Days In Second Grade-- each boy will get a composition book to use for all the things.  Day 1 they write the list of words.  And do one of the "tic-tac-toe" items you'll find here:  Tic-Tac-Toe Spelling Homework Freebie, Day 2 and 3 they will do a tic-tac-toe item as well, and Day 4 we will do a pre-test which if they ace, we will call the test and be done!

Two for Tuesday

Math Aids allows you to make custom math worksheets for the skills you are working on!  I kind of love this site right now.

Learning Language Arts Through Literature has been one of my favorite curriculum since One was around the age Four is now.  Wild.  I just pulled down our second grade level book (the red book) and have been using it with Three for a couple months.  I had forgotten how much I love it.  I'm so happy I saved them (I have them through 6th grade.)  The website allows you to print out a sample lesson to work through.  And I will say that there is some Bible in there (we recently did a lesson about David and Goliath) and I know that can upset some very secular folks.  Full disclosure and all that.

Two for Tuesday

Printable Maps this week in co-op we are going to be talking about the 7 continents, so I printed maps of each of the continents and I will laminate them and let the kids try to put together Pangea.

Later on in this unit we will be discussing specific countries, and I think this will be a fun game to play:  The Continent Game  I'm currently trying to figure out a way to possibly adapt it to just the names of the continents....

And then I found this:  Continent Hop  My co-leader is bringing a globe, and I think we can adapt this game using the globe.  FUN!

Two for Tuesday

Worth More Than Gold a writing craftivity with a St. Pat's Day theme!  Free from TPT.

Leprechauns Love to Race (place value game)  Also free from TPT.

Two for Tuesday

This week we are talking about animals that hibernate, and I'm throwing in a lesson about migration.  We will be doing this activity at co-op this week for the kindergartners.   I think it will go well with what they've been covering (animal adaptations) AND with what we've been covering at home (carnivore/omnivore/herbivore...and the food chain.)

I'm either leading or co-leading every co-op for Three or Four from now until the end of the year, so I did some other planning as well.  February I'm leading the K co-op, but most of the subjects are easily adapatable to older/wider age ranges.

President's Day the age range on this pack is K-3rd.  I'll be using a couple of the sheets for co-op and most of the others at home on our own.

You'll notice that both of today's links are TeachersPayTeachers links.  I really can't say enough good things about this website.  I LOVE it.  There are a ton of great FREE things (like the links I've shared today) but there are also LOADS of great packs for just a few bucks.  I've bought several things from there, and I've loved all of them.  So, while you're checking out these things...look around.  Search any subject you are studying.  Narrow it by grade.  It's amazing!

Two for Tuesday

www.education.com is a site I just recently have been exploring.  As a "basic" member you can print off 10 free worksheets a month, not a bad deal.

For science this month we are focusing on winter/snow/ice/glaciers, here is some info:

http://water.usgs.gov/edu/watercycleice.html

Two for Tuesday: Science!

Three and Four are currently VERY into science, and ask for experiments all the time.

We have candy canes that our Elf brought us, and I'm going to use them to do these:

Easy Christmas Science Experiment

Dancing Candy Canes

Sideways Saturday!

(This post is going to be a Two for Tuesday, Skinny Housewife, and Flashback Friday all rolled into one....Sideways Saturday Fo'Sho!)

Phew!  The weeks are just flying by.   Not to sound TOO cliche, but how is 2014 almost over??

We are doing well with schooling, I'm pleased with where the boys are.  One and I recently drew up a contract to help her get herself back on track (she asked for my help) and that's been going pretty beautifully.  Although, truthfully, we are just wrapping week 1 of using this new contract, so it's still in the 'honeymoon phase.'  However, after only one week, I can see a difference in her PHYSICAL behavior and she seems genuinely happier on the whole (She is dealing with depression, and I put in place some things that I was hopeful with help as she and I are both a little leery of medications.)

This month we've been learning about Christmas Around the World (different holiday traditions) as well as other holidays celebrated at this time of year.  In Kindergarten Co-Op this week, we covered Hanukkah (we did the menorah hand-print craft only I had the kids trace and cut their hands out of paper, and glue on paper flames because I didn't want to do paint!) and Kwanzaa (I was inspired by this, and each child made a chain with 3 red, 1 black, 3 green links, and we discussed the different principles celebrated during Kwanzaa as we went.)  For Early-Elem Co-Op, we are each working at home on a project board covering a different country and how they celebrate "Winter Holidays" and will all be making a food item from our country for a big Christmas Around the World party this coming week.  Our country is France, because my great-grandparents were french immigrants and I'm trying to hold on to our french heritage.

My job is going great, I teach 3 mornings a week and my ladies have asked for one more class.  I have to pitch the idea to my boss, so we'll see!  However, I injured my leg sometime before Thanksgiving, and am currently wearing a knee brace to assure that I don't bend it wrong (because it hurts like a BITCH when I do!) and I'm taking ibuprofen around the clock to get rid of the inflammation.  I've been braced for 3 days, and it really is helping a bunch.  I have 4 more classes to teach and then I'm on a 2 week holiday break.  I won't be running or dancing during that time, and am hopeful that by the time my schedule goes back to normal my knee will no longer be an issue.  I AM worried about gaining weight during this time though as all my normal cardio is what keeps my weight in check.  Seated cardio is way harder than you'd think.  I have a very hard time getting my heart rate up while NOT moving my legs.  However, I keep reminding myself that it could be SO MUCH WORSE, and I'll take this minor injury over something more major.

Two for Tuesday: It's Christmas Time!

Christmas Around the World

Mrs. Nelson's Class

This month for Kindergarten Co-Op we are covering holiday traditions from around the world.  For our holiday party, the older co-op kids (early elementary) will be presenting a poster board on a country of their choosing and both groups will be bringing in foods from a selected country.  I'm sort of crazy excited.

Here are some links to use to get your own studies going.  Explore!

Two for Tuesday

Color By Number Thanksgiving Turkey

Thanksgiving:  Roll, Add, and Color

Thanksgiving ABC Order

Doubles Facts

Water Cycle


So, it's more than two.  Here's some of the stuff  I'm printing out for our upcoming week.  All FREE from teacherspayteachers.com  If you haven't checked out this site, I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend it.  Not everything is free, but I've used lots of free stuff and a handful of paid items from there and loved everything.

Two for Tuesday

Habitats Unit on Pinterest  a bunch of links to different habitat resources

Shoebox Habitat Activity

Two for Tuesday

The 5 W's and the H.

In kindergarten co-op, we are covering the 5 senses, so I'm picking up some of that here at home too:

Completely Kindergarten: Fantastic Five Senses Unit

Two for Tuesday

Today, instead of links, you're getting two random useless facts about me, my family, and my life.

1.  Today is our first official day of the new school year. I didn't get out of bed until 8, and no-one had the boys clean up their toys last night (even though I spent two hours organizing their room yesterday) so my house is a wreck from jump. 

2.  I need to get my shit together here. Quickly. 

The end.

SIIIIIIIKE...I came back to edit and give you all a link ('cause I'm awesome like that.)

2nd Grade Vocabulary List

Two for Thursday

Oh, yeah, I'm switching it up.  Not only is Wednesday the new Monday, but I'm sharing links with you on a Thursday.  Normally, on Thursday I share a life hack (allowing you to channel your inner Lazy Housewife) or a fitness tip (Skinny Housewife.)  But, not today.  Today I'm on my computer prepping for our science lesson and so I'm going to share with you some links that I'm currently using.  Just take a deep breath, and roll with it baby.

Liquids, Solids and Gases

Observable Properties of Matter

Go Learn!

Two for Tuesday

Color by Number: Parts of Speech

Printable Mad Libs

Two for Tuesday

Creating an "I'm Done" jar, similar to the "I'm Bored" jar.....I may title mine "Keep me busy!" as we will use it in all these scenarios.

Opinion Writing Worksheets as we are talking about the difference between fact and opinion, these are nice!