5 Favorite Books from My Childhood

We've been de-cluttering our home for the last two 

years. I think I can claim that I'm a minimalist now!

It's a lot of work but it feels sooo good!

And you find things you haven't seen in years. 

My mother had kept my favorite childhood books

to pass onto my children, hoping they would enjoy

them as much as I did. 

I'm happy to report, they loved them too!

Gus was a Friendly Ghost - I loved how kind Gus 

was and how patient he was with that mouse!

We Were Tired of Living in a House - this was

such a wonderful adventure to me and gave me

a warm, cozy feeling when they ended up back

 home.  Ooops, maybe I should have labeled

that a "spoiler alert"! (:

The Monkey and the Crocodile - 

I was impressed at how clever the 

monkey was!

Down Down The Mountain -

such a sweet story and a great

lesson that generosity is somehow

always rewarded. 

The Strange Story of The Frog Who Became a Prince -

I'm not sure why I like this book so much, maybe the 

black & white sketch-like drawings or maybe it was just

a funny story.

I'll admit...when de-cluttering uncovered these books,

I read through each one...and enjoyed them all over 

again!  (:

Blessings!

Do you remember your
favorite childhood books?

Happy Constitution Day (U.S.) - Civics Education

Happy Constitution Day!

September 17 is recognized in the United States as Constitution Day and Citizenship Day. The purpose of Constitution Day and Citizenship Day is to commemorate the creation and signing of the supreme law of the land and to honor and celebrate the privileges and responsibilities of U.S. citizenship for both native-born and naturalized citizens. 

- Center for Civic Education

Visit the Constitution Day website to explore 

Lesson Plans for each grade level.

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Encourage your kids to Talk about their day!

"Tell me something awesome about today!"

That is a question I asked my kids 

at the end of every day when they

were young!

It opened the door to many wonderful

conversations and I was able to "see"

into the hearts of my precious little ones!

recycled cardboard box, Washi tape,
Echo Park papers (For the Record)
Joy's Life stamps (My Hero)

With school starting, this would be a great way to encourage your children to talk about their day with a positive attitude.

"Tell me something awesome about today."

Let them think for a minute, 'good thoughts,' then jot it down on an index card or let them write it out if they're old enough.  

(helping the teacher pass out papers, encouraging a friend, sitting beside a lonely child on the bus, etc.)

Date it (month, year) and file it under the number date (1-31). 

You'll be creating a beautiful memory file over the years!

Record a Day file box - divider cards

Using my paper scraps, I created divider cards with number stickers and my Joy's Life, My Hero stamp set; so many encouraging sentiments!

The file card box was made with a re-cycled beverage box!

How do you encourage a positive attitude 

in your children?

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Safety Education series - Poisoning

March 5, 2015

Safety education: Poisoning

National Poison Prevention week is March 15-21, 2015. 

Today we're going to learn some important poison prevention tips along with some life applications.

poisonhelp.hrsa.gov

HRSA has a wonderful site called Poison Help. 

*Visit Poison Help's, "What Can You Do?" section and read through the various pages on the left side bar. 

*Read over the articles together or have older students navigate through at their own pace, taking notes along the way. 

*On the Emergency Checklist page:

1. Within the first sentence of the article, we are given the 1-800- number to call. Have your students put this number in their mobile phones under "Poison Help" right now. Parents/teachers too! 

2. As we read over the article, I found the need to emphasize to the children the time stated to rinse the skin or eyes was longer than they thought.  15-20 minutes is a long time!!  

If you have time, let them "rinse" each other's hand 

under the water without looking at a clock and stop 

when they think 15 minutes have passed.

~ They thought 7 minutes was an eternity!

(quite an eye-opener!)

3. At the end of the article it asks us to be ready to talk to the expert on the phone. Use the questions to review important family information. 

Do your children know how old you/parents are?

Do they know if anyone in the family has special medical conditions?

Sometimes we assume the children pick up this information automatically, just by being a family member. An emergency is not the time to find out they didn't know! 

Could your child give adequate directions to your home?

If not, have them Google your address, print out the directions, and keep them near the phone.

*After reading through the section, "Poison Proof your Home" have students create their own checklist to refer to as they walk through their home or a family member's home.

*Finally, with all the information learned, have the students prepare a display or presentation to be given to fellow homeschoolers, family or friends for the upcoming National Poison Prevention week, March 15-21. Also, check with your local library or fire company to see if you can present your findings to a public group.

Thank you for joining us this week.

Additional note: Daylight Savings Time begins this Sunday, March 8, 2015 at 2:00 am. The clock is set to go forward 1 hour at that time. It's also a good time to change the batteries in your smoke detectors! 

If you are finding these classes
useful, please consider leaving a
comment. Thank you.

disclaimer: I am not a doctor or safety expert. This article is only intended 

to serve as an encouragement to discuss safety basics and give safety class 

ideas to homeschoolers. 
source

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Safety Education series - Electrical Safety

Feb. 19, 2015

Safety education: electrical safety

Learn how to stay safe around electricity!

Today were going to visit PPL Electric Utilities e-SMART kids site.

Their Kids site offers activity pages, games, info & checklists concerning safety, conservation and science.

While their GET SMART - electrical safety, allows you to print out a certificate to track your progress through safety related topics.

There is plenty to explore throughout the site either self-guided or as a family project for discussion, depending on the age of your students.

Mom notes:

Here are some additional ideas I've used over the years.

1. After reviewing the information, have the children put together a electrical safety display to present to family & friends.

2. Create a Electrical Safety Activity book to share with a younger child.

3. Write a safety essay for your local newspaper. (great practice, whether or not it is actually accepted for publication!)

 

Thanks so much for joining us!

Our next class will be March 5th.

If you are finding these classes
useful, please consider leaving a
comment. Thank you.

disclaimer: I am not a doctor or safety expert. 

This article is only intended to serve as an encouragement 

to discuss safety basics and give safety class ideas to homeschoolers. 

source

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Safety Education series - Safer Internet Day 2015

Feb. 5, 2015

Safety education: Internet safety

 Next week, February 10th, an international education and awareness-raising effort spanning more than 100 countries around the globe will take place; Safer Internet Day.

The day offers the opportunity to highlight positive uses of technology and to explore the role we all play in helping to create a better and safer online community.

Visit the site to get involved. 

saferinternetday.org.uk 

There is a USA site also, though the UK site is a bit more user friendly and offers easy links to some great resources. (lesson plans, videos, quizzes, articles, etc.) 

Safer Internet Day US

I hope you'll check out both sites and take the pledge to help.

After all, a better internet is #Up2Us!

Thanks for joining us today,

our next safety class will be 

in two weeks, Feb. 19th!

If you are finding these classes
useful, please consider leaving a
comment. Thank you.

disclaimer: I am not a doctor or safety expert. This article is only intended to serve as an encouragement to discuss safety basics and give safety class ideas to homeschoolers. 

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Safety Education series - Family Disaster plan part 4

Jan. 29, 2015

Safety education: family disaster plan part 4 (final)

family disaster plan part 1

family disaster plan part 2

family disaster plan part 3

Throughout the month of January we have been creating our family disaster plan. We've talked about possible disasters that could occur in our area, gathered important information, and discussed possible solutions to potential emergencies.  

By making ourselves more aware, we have lessened our confusion factor!

Today we are going to review.

The parent/teacher, looking back over the last three lessons, should ask questions to make sure your family remembers meeting places, phone numbers and safety rules discussed. 

Conduct drills,

Implement a schedule to test smoke detectors monthly and change the batteries two times each year,

Check manufacturer's instructions to understand how to test and charge your fire extinguishers,

Develop a way to keep track of your stored food & water to replace it every six months.

Discuss & answer any other concerns your family might have regarding possible disasters and evacuation procedures.

our family disaster plan

Resources:

NOAA - The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

American Red Cross

Mom note:

In addition to preparing your own family, please prayerfully consider helping other families during times of disaster. After learning how the local chapter of the American Red Cross & other disaster relief agencies quickly respond to individual disasters like house fires, the kids may want to have a fund drive to collect needed items to donate. Community outreach is always encouraged!

Thanks so much for joining our safety class.

See you next time.

If you are finding these classes
useful, please consider leaving a
comment. Thank you.

disclaimer: I am not a doctor or safety expert. This article is only intended to serve as an encouragement to discuss safety basics and give safety class ideas to homeschoolers. 

source

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Safety education series - Family disaster plan part 3

Jan. 22, 2015

Safety education: family disaster plan part 3

family disaster plan part 1

family disaster plan part 2

This week we will continue to create our plan.

Last week, the students created a list of emergency phone numbers. 

This week, let's make sure the children are comfortable using the phone & have the necessary info to relay emergency details.

Do they know their full names, how about Mommy & Daddy's names? 

Their home address?

Any special care instructions for the people in their home? (allergies, diabetes, etc)

*Teach your children how & when to call 911 or your local Emergency Medical Services.

If your children have cell phones & know quite well how to use them, make sure they have 911 listed at the top of their contacts and at least one ICE name listed. (ICE - In Case of Emergency) such as "ICE Mother"  or "ICE sister", etc.

If your younger children have not used the phone much, allow them to "practice" dialing 911 and role play caller/dispatcher asking & answering questions. Take turns.

The next step to completing our family disaster plan is to assembly a disaster supply kit with items you may need in case of an evacuation.

*Keep enough supplies in your home to meet your needs for at least three days.

Store these supplies in sturdy, easy to carry containers, such as backpacks or Duffle bag

If you joined us for our Winter Storm Emergency kit class, you'll have most of the items needed for your disaster kit. 

Here are NOAA's suggestions for a supply kit:

A 3-day supply of water (one gallon per person per day) and food that won't spoil,

one change of clothing and footwear per person,

one blanket or sleeping bag per person,

a first aid kit, including prescription medicines,

emergency tools, including a battery-powered NOAA Weather radio, 

a portable radio, flashlight and plenty of extra batteries,

an extra set of car keys and a credit card or cash,

important family documents in a waterproof bag,

special items for infant, elderly or disabled family members.

AM/FM NOAA Weather radio

We use a hand-crank AM/FM NOAA weather radio with built-in flashlight to save space!

our family disaster plan

We'll continue this class topic next week,

I hope you'll join us.

If you are finding these classes
useful, please consider leaving a
comment. Thank you.

disclaimer: I am not a doctor or safety expert. This article is only intended to serve as an encouragement to discuss safety basics and give safety class ideas to homeschoolers. 

source

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Safety Education series - Family Disaster Plan part 2

Jan 15, 2015

Safety education: family disaster plan part 2

family disaster plan part 1

This week we will continue to create our plan.

Simply being prepared for situations under our control may avert a number of disasters.

*Discuss which phone numbers you will need in the event of an emergency, then have your students create a list/index card to keep by the phone.

*Make sure you have properly working smoke detectors & fire extinguishers throughout your home. Take the time to check each unit now.

*Inspect your home for potential hazards, such as items that can move or heavy furniture/items that could fall. (Are tall bookcases securely anchored to the wall, are electronics or heavy art pieces kept overhead?) Also check for fire hazards around the home. (draperies, bedding to close to fire sources or piles of paper, etc)  If these hazards are found, discuss how to correct them.

*Have your family learn basic safety measures, such as CPR and first aid; how to use a fire extinguisher; and how & when to turn off water, gas, and electricity in your home.

Have students search online for local CPR classes if needed, review our Basic First Aid class. Contact your local fire department to see when they have public demonstrations on how to use a fire extinguisher or schedule a private lesson.

Each school age child should be aware that their home has a way to turn off water, gas & electricity and where it is located. Even if you feel your children are not mature enough to understand the operation of these utilities, they should be made aware that they exist. Advise them as you see fit.

our family disaster plan

We'll continue this class next week.

I hope you'll join us!

If you are finding these classes
useful, please consider leaving a
comment. Thank you.

disclaimer: I am not a doctor or safety expert. This article is only intended to serve as an encouragement to discuss safety basics and give safety class ideas to homeschoolers. 

source

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Playing with Color - Distressed Ink tags

Distress Ink background

I held a little art class the other week, I saw a fun technique on Pinterest and wanted to give it a try. It also gave me a chance to play a bit. My paper crafting has taken a backseat lately to remodeling more rooms in the house and creating new home decor to fill them. 

art class

We used Distressed Inks & water to transfer color onto our paper, allowed it to dry (by the woodstove) then sparingly smeared some Elmer's Glue in a few spots, allowed that to dry, then rubbed more ink over the entire piece of paper. The glue was to act as a "mask" not allowing the ink to saturate the areas it had covered. It didn't turn out quite the way we had hoped, but Distressed Inks create such a beautiful background, regardless, that we deemed the project a success...and had fun!

The colorful papers were then turned into tags.

I only had permission from one "student" to post their project. (:

student tag/bookmark

and here's mine, I embellished a wee bit more than the others.

Distressed Inks, stamping, punched stars and glitter; 

embellished tag

Oh my, I just noticed I watermarked these tags 2014, I guess it will take awhile to start typing 2015! Anyone else having that problem? (:

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Safety Education series - Family Disaster Plan part 1

Jan. 8, 2015

Safety Education: Family disaster plan part one

Every family should be prepared for any hazards that may affect their area,

and have a disaster plan in place. 

Where will your family be when a disaster strikes?

They could be away from the home, at work or in a car.

How will you find each other?

What would you do if basic services...water, gas, electricity...were cut off

for an extended period of time?

Discuss these possibilities now to avoid confusion later.

Have your students search online to find then contact your local National Weather 

Service office, emergency management office and American Red Cross chapter. Ask

them what type of disasters could occur in your area and how you should respond. 

(Many are more than happy to work with interested homeschoolers!)

Also, Learn your community's warning signals and evacuation plans.

Each family should have two meeting places predetermined. One outside your home

for an emergency, such as fire and a place away from your neighborhood in case you

can't return home. Choose an out-of-state friend as your family's check-in contact 

person for everyone to call if the family gets separated.

Discuss what you would do if advised to evacuate.

These are great table-talk topics to discuss at the dinner table!

your family's disaster plan

We'll continue this class next week, Jan 15, 2015.

I hope you'll join us again.

If you've found these weekly safety classes
helpful, please consider leaving a
comment. thank you.

disclaimer: I am not a doctor or safety expert. This article is only intended to serve as an encouragement to discuss safety basics and give safety class ideas to homeschoolers. 

source

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