Autumn 2010 OHC #5: Autumn Leaves

I have been a little behind on posting our Outdoor Hour Challenges each week. 

This is our Autumn Leaf study. 

Check out the host of the OHC at the Handbook of Nature Study blog and have fun!

 

There are wooded areas around our home so it was easy to find a variety of trees and leaves. 

Here are our Tree and Leaf comparison worksheets:

A7’s Tulip Poplar and the Oak Tree leaves (along with a few princess stickers).

M5’s Maple and Pin Oak leaves.  She also drew an acorn!

We made a Venn Diagram on our white board to compare and contrast the leaves but I did not get a picture of it.  The girls also made some leaf rubbings, raked the leaves and of course – jumped in them!

We use the book Handbook of Nature Study for our challenges.  The Nature Study details and worksheets are posted here on Barb’s blog – check it out!

Corn Husk Doll Kit

The girls and I had the opportunity to make a Corn Husk Doll from Corps of Rediscovery. 

Where do they get their name?

“The Corps of Discovery was the name President Thomas Jefferson gave to Lewis and Clark’s party as he commissioned them to find an east-west water passage to the Pacific Ocean over 200 years ago.  Their goal was to explore what lies around the next river bend, to seek out new life and new cultures, to boldly discover what had never been discovered before.”

Corps of Re-discovery is a family owned, homeschooling company.  “Working together as a family, they have found and created great project kits to enrich your studies of American Indians, Frontiersmen and Pioneer Americans so you, too can "re- discover" America. 

The Corn Husk Doll Kit:

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We enjoyed making the Corn Husk Doll.  It took about an hour to put together.  It is a project for parents to make with their child ages 6 and up.  The directions were a bit confusing for me to read at first because the ‘direction illustrations’ were on the other side of the page. But we figured it out!

Everything needed to make the doll is included in the kit for only $4.50.  If you would like the skirt fabric (which is provided) sewn on, you will need to have a needle and thread at home. 

We are studying Early American History in our home school, so this doll from the pioneer and colonists time period is a great hands-on project for children.  The girls learned that this was a common toy for the children during this time-period.

More details on the Corn Hust Doll Kit here.

Corps of Rediscovery has a lot of great kits for your children.  Check out the links below:

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1. American Indian
2. Pioneer and Colonial
3. Frontiersmen
4. Leather Working

I believe this company offers some unique products for your church, home school, and classroom at some EXCELLENT PRICES! 

See what other families have to say about Corps of Rediscovery at This Old Schoolhouse CREW.

 

Disclaimer:  This product was given to me for review purposes free of charge, not to be returned to the vendor. All opinions expressed in this review are mine.

Wordless Wednesday: Gilbert

Warning:  Do NOT allow him in your classroom.  The typical Maine Coon cat talks too much ~ more than most students.

View more Wordless Wednesdays’ here at Our Homeschool Reviews.

MFW Adventures: Wrap Up for Week 12

In My Father’s World Adventures, we are starting our beginning our walk across the country to each state.  Within each state, we will study the capital, features, landmarks, state bird and flower, state flag, the abbreviation, and find each on our map.  We are traveling the country in order of statehood, starting with the 13 colonies.

The girls are involved in a 50 state postcard swap with families all over the country.  So far, we have received the first 8 states postcards.  The postcard, flower, and state bird information is taped onto a card stock page and put in the history binder.

Below is the state page from MFW Adventures.  I found U.S. State Cards from the Target $1 section in August.  One card is taped in the corner of each state page.  It can be flipped-up to view what is below it.

The Sleeping Bear Press has the BEST STATE BOOK read-alouds. I can get them from our local library.  A few of this week’s favorites:

This is the link to all of the state books Discover America .

This is our wall map. I copied the state flags from the MFW student pack.  Each day the girls put them on the map (using poster putty and a toothpick).

Below is our “Order of Statehood Flags” lined up in our pocket chart.  I got them as a free printable from CurrClick.

We will also add cards on the presidents, landmarks and more through the year.  

The girls made a robin’s nest, liberty bell, and binoculars! We also made Peach Cobbler in our Adventures Co-op for the state of Georgia.

 

See what others are doing each week here at Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers Wrap-Up!  And at 2 Ladybugs and a Lizard.

Collectorz – Book Collector

Many of you who know me ~ know I LOVE books. 

I have have lots of FULL books shelves both in my upstairs and downstairs. I also have books in bins in the basement closets. 

HOW CAN I EVER KNOW WHAT BOOKS I OWN?  How do I keep them organized too?

Well, Collectorz Book Collector has made that easy for me.

How does Collectorz Book Collector work? 

1. Simply scan or type in your book’s ISBN number
2. Select the book from the search results
3. Add the book to your database (the program downloads a Cover photo, Title, Author, Publish date, Page Number – when available)

Catalog your personal collection of
CDs, DVDs, books, comics & video games.

The Book Collector standard version costs only $29.95 and the pro version is $49.95. The pro version offers more features for larger book collections. More details here.  You can manage your account from any PC or MAC online and on the road from any mobile device!

What does my book collection database look like?  Check out this sample.

Do you want to try it our for 30 days?  Click here.

Check out more details on their website at Collectorz.

See what other CREW members are saying about Collectorz here!   

 

 

Disclaimer:  This product was given to me for review purposes free of charge, not to be returned to the vendor. All opinions expressed in this review are mine.

Wordless Wednesday: Pumpkin Farm

Check our more Wordless Wednesdays’ at 2 Ladybugs and a Lizard and over here at Homeschool Reviews blog!

MFW Adventures: Wrap Up for Week 11

This weeks Adventures themes were: Jesus the Giver of Living Water, President Washington and Water.

Bible:  Do you remember how God gave his people manna (bread) in the desert?  They complained about it too, didn’t they?  Well, they did not learn their lesson the first time.  The people complained again and did not run to the Lord Giver of Life in prayer.  But God was still good to them.  He gave them WATER from a rock too!  Read more details in Exodus 17:1-6. 

John 7:37-39 tell us that more about Jesus as the Living Water… He is the giver of the Holy Spirit too!  You need to make a decision too.  A decision to not ask Christ in your life is a ‘decision’ to reject His free gift of salvation and the Holy Spirit.

Read-Aloud:   We completed our book Sarah Whitcher’s Story.  The story showed how Sarah’s Fathers’ dependence and trust in the Lord amidst the loss of his child. 

A7 is now going to do a book report on the story using an easy form from The Busy Teacher’s Cafe website – book report form. 

Thanks to my friend at Baby Gator University – check our her week 11 here.  More reading printables from the Busy Teacher’s Cafe listed here.

Music:   The highlight of the girls week was The Nutcracker Ballet read-aloud books and coloring pages from MFW Adventures.

Some of our favorites:   Degas and the Little Dancer , The Day Before Christmas and The Story of the Nutcracker Ballet by Hautzig.

 

History:   We read about George Washington as the first president.

Science 1:   I am reviewing a product from Pandia Press called R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey LIFE.  You can check it our here on the website.  It has been a great addition to our science.  The girls created their “My Body” notebooks this week. 

Our first lab - Skeletal System Lab #1: My Skeleton Holds Me Up!  We read some great books on the skeletal system and watched the Magic School Bus DVD on the human body.  The girls had to cut apart the bones from the lab worksheet, glue them in the right position (on black construction paper) and label several parts.  

We have 206 bones in our body with 34 in one arm and hand!

 Don’t forget to check out the R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey products here!

Science 2:   Water , water and more water fun using Usborne’s Science in the Kitchen !  We did the projects on pages 4 and 5.

Marble Test: Test the strength of a napkin or tissue on an empty jar and a marble on top.  The marble sunk with the tissue and napkin.  The marble rose up as the girls dropped water on the wash rag and marble.

 

Soaking Color: See what happens when water soaks through colors from markers using a coffee filter – the colors separate!

We studied the water cycle and how clean water is available when we turn on the sink or shower!

Some of our favorite Science read-alouds this week:  Do Fish Drink?  is packed full of wonderful questions and answers about water.  I highly recommend reading through it (you might learn something too).  That’s the joy of homeschooling… I’m learning too!

  

And of course, the Magic School Bus book and DVD is a great addition to any study.

Family Fun: The girls painted plaster pets. They finished just before the tornado sirens went off.  Then came the wind and rain storm! YEA

Are you using MFW First Grade?  If so, check out what Kattie from 2 Ladybugs and a Lizard here.

See how other’s wrapped up their week at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers here.