Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Lapbook for Kindergarten
I could not find a lapbook with all the elements I wanted to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. I wanted to focus on Dr. King's hopes and dreams but also introduce the historic significance of those dreams. TS has friends of all colors so it was important for him to understand the history but also understand his reality is part of the dreams of Dr. King. To that end I wanted to focus on dreams and hopes.
TS "I have a dream…."
- That there will be eco friendly cars with roll cages.
- That there will be eco friendly computers.
- That everyone will learn to share.
- That there will be no poor people
Sources:
Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King , by Jean Marzollo
The Crayon Box that Talked by Shane Derolf
Robin Hill School – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Nick Jr. Celebrate Martin Luther King Day
Martin Luther King Day Lapbook
Digital Resources:
Happy Birthday (Tribute Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday)
As a mother of color I knew the day would come when we would have the discussion about race in America and this was the year. The questions started during the 2008 campaign and as we approach the historic events of Tuesday I wanted him to a sense of the big picture. Because of when and where we live he doesn't have the concept of what it all means. He can't really as a child, but I wanted him to begin that journey to understanding the African American experience in a positive light.
Having grown up in Mississippi in the 1970s I have always know about race, segregation and the history of hate. My earliest memories were playing on blankets at protest rallies and sit ins during the early 1970s. My grandmother was very active in the Civil Rights movement in Mississippi and we grandkids spent many a Saturday at NAACP functions. It wasn't until I was 13 that I realized Mr. Charles who visited our church was actually Charles Evers brother of slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers. I remember being sick ( 1976) with the mumps and having to sit in the waiting room of the local doctor's office with others of color while Caucasian patients walked right in off the street and got seen ahead of us.
The heart break of feeling that kind of hate makes you want to protect your child at all cost. But as Grandma use to say "You got air out that sore, get some sunlight on it so it can heal. If we don't talk about it, wrap it up and keep it ourselves it is just gonna fester and rot the whole body."
It is important to us that TS has pride in his heritage and knowledge that hate exists but not to become consumed with it.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Fine Motor Focus- 30 Days of Kindergarten Fine Motor Skills with Scissors
Here is the master list:
Shape a Do Dot Art and cut out the picture.
Cut your own snowflakes.
Cut out of old magazines, clip coupons, or pieces of scrap paper. Make a collage about yourself.
Tearing newspaper into strips and then crumpling them into balls. Use to stuff scarecrow art creation or other.
Take a paper plate draw a spiral and cut along lines for a neat window decoration.
Pick up items with tongs or tweezers-most picking up blocks, cotton balls, & small toys.
Play with squeeze toys or items such as water bottles, squeezing play-dough or water out of a sponge.
Make confetti!! Using single hole punches or hole punches that make different shapes (stars, hearts, etc.).
Cut different textures such as different grades of sandpaper, foil and/or rice paper. Make a chart from smooth to rough.
Tear pieces of paper to create a picture with torn paper.
Use clothespins to hang pictures. This works on the concept of squeezing and releasing.
Us Playdough garlic presses to make tool. This will help strengthen their hands for scissor use.
Try gluing pieces of thin cardboard to either side of a piece of construction paper, leaving about an inch or two of space down the middle. Then encourage the child to cut between the two pieces. The resulting pieces can be made into a craft activity--butterflies, airplanes, etc.
Snip smaller piece of paper.
Cut playdough
Rolling play dough into tiny balls (peas) using only the finger tips.
Using pegs or toothpicks to make designs in play dough.
Cutting play dough with a plastic knife or with a pizza wheel by holding the implement in a diagonal volar grasp.
Scrunching up 1 sheet of newspaper in one hand. This is a super strength builder.
Using small-sized screwdrivers like those found in an erector set.
Lacing and sewing activities such as stringing beads, Cheerios, macaroni, etc.
Using eye droppers to "pick up" colored water for color mixing or to make artistic designs on paper.
Rolling small balls out of tissue paper, then gluing the balls onto construction paper to form pictures or designs.
Turning over cards, coins, checkers, or buttons, without bringing them to the edge of the table.
Playing games with the "puppet fingers" -the thumb, index, and middle fingers. At circle time have each child's puppet fingers tell about what happened over the weekend, or use them in songs and finger plays.
Sources
Fine Motor Focus- Fun with Scissors Part 1
I am tweaking my Spring curriculum and I am narrowing my focus on some fine motor issues. I have known for some time that we need to work on scissors skills. I still remember his daycare teacher writing "TS is a gifted child who is verbally and linguistically gifted, but delayed in fine motor skill development."
During the fall I focused on overall fine motor skills because most boys seem to be a little slower in developing these skills and need extra encouragement. My thinking was a focus on fine motor work and the rest such as handwriting, cutting and shoe tying will come once those muscles are strengthened. I read somewhere that cutting "requires a lot of hand and eye coordination and by doing regular scissor-cutting activities, fine motor skills are improved and the small muscles are regularly exercised."
During December I noticed TS became frustrated with his scissor work, so now it's time focus in on that skill.
TS's scissor skills have improved over the last year. In the past he would get frustrated with cutting and just rip the paper. Now he really works at cutting out patterns for his lapbooks but they are not as smooth as he would like. I remind him that it is a process of practice but in true TS style he wants it "now".
So I worked with a friend who is an OT as well as internet searches to develop fun and gradually challenging cutting activities. The goal was to have at least 30 days of activities. At the end of the 30 days we will evaluate where we are and what should be our next steps.
Thirty Plus Days of Scissors Fun
The plan is to use what I have in house and not to purchase anything new.
Primary Tools for the Adventure
Fiskers Scissors
Do Dot Art
Craft Scissors
Special Scissors
Kid Tweezers
Playdough
Letter and Number Cutters
A special thanks to Angela at Homeschooling The Chaotic Family for her inspiration and direction fine motor activities for boys.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Fall FIAR Certificate
This certificate is proudly
presented to
The Student
For completing his
First Semester of Kindergarten with Five In A Row
While Learning Lapbooking
Monday, December 22, 2008
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Christmas Inspired Fine Motor Skills Crafts
Thanks to Jenny @ Little Acorn Treehouse, Laura @ My Montessori Journey and Carisa @ 1+1+1=1 with their wonderful holiday inspired plans we were able to keep some normalcy in our daily routine. Most of the plans I had for December FIAR were put on hold because we had issues with getting to the library due to family obligations.
Laura has great fine motor crafts which I tried to incorporate into our daily Advent type learning bags. (I found Laura from Angela @ Homeschooling the Chaotic Family.) Using information from Jenny and from a local homeschool mom of six I filled each bag with a daily lesson about something Christmas related as well as a craft. We then used Carisa's lapbook as a base for capture what we learned.
I tried to include at least two weekly fieldtrips but this became almost unmanageable because there was just so much to do in our area. I am sharing photos of some of our crafts. We have made so many crafts that we gave more than half to family and friends as gifts.
Also thank you all for you kind words of condolence. They really mean a lot. It was a very long and emotional weekend.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Grandma Got Her Wings Today
There’s a land that is fairer than day,
And by faith we can see it afar;
For the Father waits over the way
To prepare us a dwelling place there.
In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore;
In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore.
We Love You!
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Wordy Wednesday - Central Texas Snow/Ice December
During our calendar review yesterday TS predicted snow for today. I spent the better part of the morning explaining to TS that it never snows here for Christmas. He insisted that it had to snow sometime before the 25th in order to really be the Christmas season. It was 80 degrees yesterday so I was very confident in my prediction. We watched the forecast which indicated a cold front but no sleet or snow. "See no snow son."
After we put him to bed last night we heard an unfamiliar ping ping on the roof. Sleet! Seriously in Central Texas in December, unbelievable. Then flurries....
TS was thrilled when he awoke this morning. "Mom I was right. Mom I am a meteorologist! Can we make snow angels?" I have to explain why this won't work but I think my creditability is somewhat in question. :-)
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like I Have A Plan
Just had to share the photos of what we got accomplished today. I promise more details later.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Menu Planning December 8th
I am joining the good ladies over at "I'm An Organizing Junkie” for Menu Plan Monday this week. I am trying to get back to some sense of normalcy.
Monday-
breakfast: GF Waffles, cherries and turkey bacon and Simply Apple Juice
lunch: grilled chicken strips, grape tomatoes, baby carrots and water.
dinner: Super Easy Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce
With Gluten-Free Rice Noodles and Salad
Tuesday-
breakfast: GF Gorilla Munch, Clementine oranges and soy milk
lunch: Hormel’s Natural Turkey, baby carrots, tortilla chips or GF pretzels, organic Lemonade
dinner: Gluten Free Oven Fried Chicken, baked sweet potato and broccoli
Wednesday-
breakfast: GF Gorilla Munch, apples, turkey bacon and soymilk
lunch: Hormel’s Natural Turkey, baby carrots, tortilla chips or GF pretzels, organic Lemonade
dinner: Crockpot Guidemom Chicken and Salad
Thursday-
breakfast: GF Brown Rice cold cereal, grapes and milk
lunch: grilled chicken strips, Organic Applesauce and tator tots
dinner: Baked Skinless Drumsticks, Sweet Potatoes, Corn, Romaine Salad
Friday-
breakfast: boiled eggs, smoothies
lunch: leftovers
dinner: Slowcooker Chili with and GF corn bread
Saturday-
breakfast: Van’s GT Waffles, turkey bacon, Simply Apple Juice, Watermelon
lunch: Homemade Pizza
dinner: Turkey Meatballs, string beans, brown rice
Sunday-
breakfast: bananas smoothies, Gorilla Munch
lunch: Cuban chicken and salad
dinner: Steak, Corn, Brown Rice, Simply Apple Juice, Watermelon
Sunday, December 7, 2008
We Fall Down But We Get Up
I have been trying to write this post for a week, but the demands of life have been overwhelming lately. Simply stated we are coming into to a season of great change in our home. December is always busy here with wedding anniversary, two birthdays, the holidays and guest. This year we are being forged with new challenges. We have recently discovered terminal illness among our grandparents, job and business loss among our close friends, a racist encounter with a new homeschool group, friends with children in the hospital, my personal health issues and re-working our daily living to effectively deal with the economic crisis. We trust in God’s plan for our lives however difficult it is to live it lately.
Homeschooling has suffered as a result of these responsibilities of late. The last two weeks in November we did not had daily class or got our chores done daily. Speaking of chores I haven’t seen the chore chart in weeks, I am kinda a winging it. This is equals messy house and unorganized me. Our daily schedule is completely shot because due to the above challenges we are trying to break the habit of going to be late and rising late. We are working on it. I feel drained because in less than two weeks the house will fill up again and well meaning relatives will unwittingly undermine that work. TS needs routine and structure when the schedule is in flux his behavior is ……..let’s just say not the best.
I just need to vent but really wanted to remain positive here. But homeschooling is not all plans and execute; it is teaching how to live and learn no matter what happens in life.
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