It's Planning Time!

Suddenly it is almost August! Where has the summer gone? I hope you have taken time for yourself so that you are feeling less stressed and refreshed - ready for a new year!  August is the time of year when homeschool parents really begin to think about the new year ahead. It is time to research new ideas to use in your homeschool, and new ways of doing some of the necessary things. I also begin to get excited about beginning the new year  fresh with my children.

As it is a new year, make some resolutions. Every homeschool parent can improve and make learning better for their children. Try some new things in your reading and math programs, improve your science program or teach more PE to improve the fitness of your children. If your organizational skills (or your children's) can be improved, work on this. Every year you should think about improving in some way!

Over the next few weeks I will be giving you some ideas for organizing and planning your homeschool year.  I will provide linkys for sharing some of your great ideas as well. And the best news?  I will also be giving away some fabulous back to school organzing and homeschool supply prizes through blog post contests and twitter parties.   Additional Prizes and Sponsors will be added - so check back frequently!

Prizes and Sponsors

(updated 7/25/11)

Totally Together organizer by Stephanie O'Dea

Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See Book - Homeschool Parent

Coupon Binder - Fernley Family

Ultimate Back-to-School Combo - Mabel's Labels

$25 Gift Card to Target- Homeschool Parent

If you would like to share a blog post or sponsor this contest, please contact me at kellys3ps@sbcglobal.net for more information.

Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See Lesson Plan

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? is one of Luke's favorite books.  Here are some fun activities to do with your child when you read it with them.  As you read the book, invite your child to chime in while you read the predictable text. They will have fun predicting and naming each animal that comes next.

After you read the story ask them how they were able to predict (use the word predict - it's a great vocabulary word for them to master now) which animal would be next.

Ask them, what other clues could the author have used? What clues would they give to the reader if they were the author?

Reading

Practice retelling with these fun magnets.  Print out the templates here, then laminate and stick a magnet to the back.  Have your child retell the story on the refrigerator or a cookie tin tray.

Have your child practice reading color words with this fun activity.  Print out the heads and tails character cards here and the word cards here.



Practice reading with this fun emergent reader based on Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?

Here is a poem about other colored animals that would be fun to read with your child.  You could include it in a poetry folder if you keep one.

Spelling

Practice writing the color words in the story with this worksheet.

Handwriting

Your homeschooler can practice writing some of the words from the book with these handwriting worksheets:

Worksheet 1

Worksheet 2




Math

Practice number order with this Brown Bear, Brown Bear themed worksheet

Solve the word problem with this Brown Bear Addition worksheet

Writing

Have your child take pictures of things around them.  Print out the pictures and make their own book using their name.  For example: Luke's book might have a picture of a cup and it would say, "Luke, Luke what do you see?  I see a cup looking at me."

Stay tuned in the next few weeks for a special contest to win your own copy of this wonderful book!