Ahh, Google. What a time-sucker that can become. Most of my on-line time these last few days have been spent tracking down ideas an free lesson plans for some upcoming studies. But, although I have followed many interesting, albeit deadends for my purposes, I have found some serious peices of gold out there.
USGS Educational Page
What a gold mine of unit studies and lesson plans. So much for the study of geography and earth science. Most of it a free download. I picked up one for future use on mining minerals as a follow-up to our recent trip. Activities include mining for chocolate chips in cookies, taking a core sample from a cupcake and using an orange to describe the mysterious plate tetonics. There are also links to use other free internet resources for videos and pictures.
NASA Education Site
Here is another place I have recently spent hours exploring. The lesson plans and variety are not as great as USGS, but I downloaded and printed last night images of the solar system, each individual taken by the reasearch satellites that have been sent out. These have already been hung on our wall to begin our space exploration/astronomy unit.
I have also been looking, but haven't found an appropriate tidal marsh/east coast ocean study yet. Found some neat sites, but nothing for the kiddie crowd. That is okay as the girls will be spending much time down there this summer doing hands-on things, so a complete lesson plan is not necessary, I just wanted to find some materials to supplement.
As another bonus surprise this week - free foreign language CDs. We went to Chicky-legg (as K calls it) for dinner Tuesday before MB's long gymnastics practice. The kids meal prize: German foreign language CDs. How cool was that? This month they are giving these out an also French, Japanese, and Spanish. They do come with a phrase booklet and have about 20 lessons. We have had to listen to it in the car since, except when we *have* to listen to MB's addition facts CD - which has resurfaced as a favorite. I keep waiting for little EM to start spouting off "1+0=1, 1+1=2,..."
Speaking of gymnastics above, this week marks the week that MB begins her new grueling (for me especially) gymnastics classes. Twice a week for two hours each. After spending nearly a year trying to decide whether or not I wanted to go the team route with her, and having her recruited by three different gyms I decided to give it a shot for the next few months. She has pretty much exceeded the "lets play and just have fun" aspect of recreational gymnastics. She loved watching the college teams compete when I took her for that - so we are going to try it out. I was pleased after Tuesday night. MB jumped right into what these girls had been working on for the year and really worked at it. For the first time ever I heard the words "my muscles hurt." Before anyone jumps on me for being a sadist and wanting my child to hurt - this is the good hurt that comes from giving your body a workout and stretching yourself and your preconceived ideas of what you can do. For my child that things come fairly easily to, and one who suffers from complacency, often, I believe this is going to be really good for her.
The school stuff this week has pretty much been what the girls have pulled out of the games/home ed supplies boxes that have been trying to unpack. MB and I have played numerous games of Pictionary Jr. with MB wanting to only read the cards herself and draw for me. K found the plastic humans body model that we never got around to completely finishing and has been trying to put it together and play name the body parts. Who knew she was paying attention during those lessons? MB has totally gotten into the "Cam Jansen" earlier readers (red-haired girl who solves mysteries with her photographic memory) and has been reading to me from them. We have started a new read-aloud "The Sisters Grimm: The Fairy Tale Detectives."
Today we are to go to the airport for our science club, if the rain holds off. So I need to go figure what lunch is going to be.
Peace,
Amy
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