Reindeer Facts

Help your child to learn more about reindeers with this fun project!

Supplies:

Brown construction paper
stapler
white paper (construction or lined)
crayon or markers

Directions:

1. Have your child trace his/her hands on brown construction paper for the antlers.

2. Fold one piece of brown construction paper and several pieces of white paper to make a triangle ( you may need to cut the paper into a square first). Staple the pieces together with the antlers on top.

3. Have your child draw the eyes and nose on the reindeer with crayons markers.

4. Have your child write the following facts about reindeers on the pages inside their book.

• Both male and female reindeer have antlers.
• Reindeer live where it is cold and snowy.
• Reindeer use their hooves to find food beneath the snow.
• Reindeer travel in large herds.

The Night Before Christmas

Introduce your child to the poular holiday poem The Night Before Christmas with this fun interactive presentation.

What Sense Are They Using?

I just learned about something interesting... You can see what sense a person is using when they are thinking about someting by watching the direction their eyes move! Try it out by asking someone to recall a pleasant memory then look at their eyes!Here is what their eye movements might tell you:

• 
  If they are remembering a scene, they are probably looking up to their left & if they are imagining a scene then they are probably looking up to the right.
• 
  If they are looking up, they might be remembering a smell.
• 
  If they are looking ahead into the middle distance, they are probably using more than one of the systems.
• 
  If they are looking to the right, they may be imagining sounds, & to the left they might be remembering sounds.
• 
  If they are looking down to the right they are feeling something through the body about the scene, & down to the left, they might be remembering an associated emotion.
• s
  And lastly. if they are looking down, they may be remembering a taste.

Starfall

Starfall is an inexpensive way to inspire a love of reading and writing. Primarily designed for first grade, Starfall is also useful for pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and second grade.

Multiplication Madness---Great website!

Let's face it, kids love computers, this is a fun way for them to master one of the most important building blocks for learning mathematics.

Ask your children to complete the 'Review', 'Study', 'Drills' or 'Test' steps for one or more multiplication tables.

After completing a test, your children can click 'Report Card' for a record of their achievement, which they can print for your review.

Visit Multiplicaton Madness today!

Real Life Math Fun

Real-life applications of mathematics while having fun? Is it possible? Yes! Created by teachers for teachers, the Math Academy tools and activities included in these booklets were designed to create hands-on activities and a fun learning environment for the teaching of mathematics to students.

The Math Academy, Are You Game? – Explorations in Probability program includes hands-on activities for grades 3-6. To view or download a copy of this exciting new program click here.

The Math Academy, Can You See It in Nature? - Explorations in Patterns and Functions program includes hands-on activities for grades 3-8.
To view or download a copy of this exciting new program click here.

The Math Academy, Play Ball! - Explorations in Data Analysis & Statistics program includes hands-on activities for grades 3-8.
To view or download a copy of this exciting new program click here.

The Math Academy, Dining Out! - Explorations in Fractions, Decimals & Percents program includes hands-on activities for grades 3-8. To view or download a copy of this exciting new program click here.

The Math Academy, Let’s Go to the Mall! - Explorations in Combinatorics program includes hands-on activities for grades 3-8.
To view or download a copy of this exciting new program click here.

String File Folder Game

Folder contains strings of different lengths and colors and the following instructions:

Ask the child,

a. Which string is longest?

b. Which string is shortest?

c. Put the string on the floor in a line

i. Walk forward on the line

ii. Walk backward on the line

iii. Jump over the line

d. Put the string on the floor in a circle

i. Hop around outside the circle

ii. Walk on tiptoes around the circle

iii. Walk on heels around the circle

iv. Jump inside and outside the circle

EyeWitness to History

This is a great site for your older kids (or mom's who want to brush up on their history knowledge). Your ringside seat to history - from the Ancient World to the present. History through the eyes of those who lived it, featuring events from the Ancient World to today.

Make A Compass Rose

Compass Rose

A compass rose is a design on a map that shows directions.

What You Need:
Paper
Pencil
Crayons or markers

What You Do:

Draw a compass rose beginning with a large circle. Add a small circle in the middle of the large circle.

Draw a four point star within the large circle.

Fill in the directions using standard abbreviations at each point including: N = North, S = South, W = West and E= East.

Add another four point star across the first four point star.

Fill in the remaining directions using standard abbreviations at each point including: NE = Northeast, NW = Northwest, SE = Southeast and SW = Southwest.

5 Little Pumpkins

Your little guys will love this fun mini-book!

Page 1 and 2 (color) (B&W)
Page 3 and 4 (color) (B&W)
Page 5 and 6 (color) (B&W)
Page 7 and 8 (color) (B&W)
COVER (color) (B&W)

Roman Numerals

Is your child learning about Roman Numerals? These posters will make it super fun! Print them out to hang up on the wall or place them in a sheet protector in a binder.

Numbers 1 to 10
Tens, Hundreds, Thousands, etc.

Teaching About Place Values

Looking for a way to teach your child about place values? Print out and hang up these posters for your little learners. (You can also put them in sheet protectors in a binder)

Ones

Thousands

Millions

Billions

Trillions

Quadrillions

Use this worksheet to practice their skills!

Learning About The Constitution

Read about the Constitution:

K-3

4-7

8-12

Make a Lapbook:

What is the Constitution Activity Sheet - Write about the purpose of the constitution and when it was written.

Amendments - Answer some questions about amendments.

Bill of Rights - Write each one of the first ten amendments.

Preamble - Copy work - Copy the Preamble to the Constitution.

Framers - Answer some questions about the Framers of the Constitution.

Delegates - Write the names of some of the delegates.

The Virginia Plan - Answer some questions about the Virginia Plan.

Separation of Powers - Define separation of powers.

Checks and Balances - List checks for each branch of government.

Executive Branch - Answer questions about the President and Vice-President.

Legislative Branch - Answer questions about Senators and Representatives.

Judicial Branch - Answer questions about the judicial branch of government.

Impeachment - Define impeachment.

Path of a Bill - Draw a flow chart showing how a bill becomes a law.

Jumpstart 2nd Grade Worksheets

Jumpstart Grade 2 Jumbo Workbook from Scholastic

• Write the beginning consonants

• Finish the picture names

• Finish words with long A

• Put together words in word families

• Write words in the same family

• Circle words that start with blends

• Complete each word with a digraph

• Circle words with silent consonants

• Write words with -er

• Choose the adjective to complete the sentence

• Complete each sentence with a verb

• Make plural words

• Build contractions

• Pick the correct suffix

• Choose adjectives and adverbs to complete the sentence

Jumpstart 1st Grade Worksheets

Jumpstart Grade 1 Jumbo Workbook

• Write the missing consonants

• Fill in the missing vowels

• Complete the sentences

• Write the beginning sounds

• Write the ending sounds

• Figure out the long vowels

• Connect the rhyming pairs

• Write the beginning blends

• Find the ending blends

• Finish the words

• Build new words

• Match the pronouns

• Connect verbs with matching pictures

• Find the adjectives

• Draw lines between words that sound alike

US Map Practice

Test your geography skills...Can you label the states before time runs out? http://www.pibmug.com/files/map_test.swf Can you drag and drop each state into its proper location on the map? Place the State

Math Facts Practice

Looking for a way for your kids to practice their math facts? Here are some sites to help!

Timed Tests (Printable)

Print these sheets out and give your child 5 minutes to complete as many as they can. Once they have mastered the set, they are ready to move on.

Addition

Subtraction

Multiplication

Division

Timed Tests (On-line)

Your child can take these tests on-line independently.

Addition

Subtraction

Multiplication

Division

Construct a Word

Learning to read is a big job, kind of like building a house. Children need certain skills to form the foundation. This activity is a fun way to practice several of them. Children select single letters and endings to form words (like b and -ed for bed). The online tool knows how many words can be formed with each ending, so children are challenged to keep going until they get them all. As they build words, children are exposed to rhyming sounds and can learn about the different sounds letters and blends make. These skills are essential, not only for reading but also for writing and spelling.

Here’s What to Do:

In this online activity, children first select one of nine word endings. They then begin making words by choosing beginnings, including single letters of the alphabet and letter blends like cl-. When children form a word, they get the satisfaction of seeing it deposited into the word bank. Cha-ching! When they’re done, be sure to have them click on the Word Bank so they can print out their list.

More Ideas to Try:

• When traveling on vacation or a field trip, play “Rhyme Time.” Take turns selecting something you see along the way and see how many rhyming words you can think of. What starts with cow could become how, now, and bow. Wow!

• Use the word bank list to create a book. Children can do it the old-fashioned way and simply draw a picture to go with each word. Or they can go high-tech, find images on the Internet, and create a digital book using PowerPoint.

• Set a word goal. How many words can children place in their own personal word banks? Could they reach 25, 50, or 100? When they reach their goal, be sure to celebrate in some word-worthy way, such as a trip to the library or bookstore.

Alphabetical Order

Is your child learning how to put words in abc order? Have them practice their skills with this fun game.

Dolch Sight Words

What are Dolch sight words? The Dolch Word List is a list of frequently used words compiled by Edward William Dolch, PhD. The list was originally published in his book “Problems in Reading”, The Garrard Press, 1948. Dolch compiled the list based on children’s books of his era. The list contains 220 “service words” that have to be easily recognized in order to achieve reading fluency. The compilation excludes nouns, which comprise a separate 95-word list.
Many of the 220 Dolch words can’t be “sounded out” and have to be learned by sight. Hence the alternative term “Sight Words”.

From 50-75% of all words used in school books, library books, newspapers, and magazines are in the Dolch Basic Sight Vocabulary of 220 words (preschool- 3rd grade). There is no way that some of these words can be sounded out.

I found some powerpoints to practice these words with your kiddos here:

Download first_50_words_powerpoint.ppt
Download second_50_words_powerpoint.ppt
Download third_50_words_powerpoint.ppt
Download fourth_50_words_powerpoint.ppt

Here is a list of other websites that have the Dolch word lists available for printout and use:

http://www.janbrett.com (The prettiest and most colorful)
http://www.fcboe.org/schoolhp/shes/sight_words.htm
http://www.kidzone.ws/dolch/kindergarten.htm (Kindergarten sight words list)
http://www.kidzone.ws/dolch/grade1.htm (1st grade sight words list)
http://www.kidzone.ws/dolch/grade2.htm (2nd grade sight words list)
http://www.kidzone.ws/dolch/grade3.htm (3rd grade words list)
http://www.learningbooks.net/xDolchSpanish.html (words in Spanish & English)
http://www.theschoolbell.com/Links/Dolch/Contents.html. (This site contains a wealth of information. It has a complete lesson plan that can be used, along with all the materials necessary. I highly recommend this.)
Check it out!

What Reading Level?

Not sure what reading level a book is at? Use this website to finding the reading level of books in your local library (or personal book shelf!):
Leveled Book Lists

Spelling Lists Grades 1-5

Sitton Spelling Word Lists and Unit Activities by Grade Level:
1st Grade
2nd Grade
3rd Grade
4th Grade
5th Grade

Spelling City

Check out the Spelling City website! You can type in your child's spelling words, and games, quizzes and tutorials (where words are read aloud) to students are created. Great site!

Pumpkin Seed Multiplication

Use pumpkin seeds for a great "hands-on" way to teach multiplication with this fun activity.

Academic Skill Builders Games

Looking for a fun way for your child to learn their math facts? It doesn't have to be a struggle with the fun games at this site. There are one player and multi-player games including: meteor mutiplication, drag race division, and jet ski addition. There are also some language art games such as: Capital penguin and coconut vowels. My kiddos loved the site, and I thought I'd share my find!