Virtual Tour of a Pumpkin Farm

Just in time for Halloween, you can take a virtual tour of a pumpkin farm here.

Your child can see how the land was prepared, seeded, maintained, and how the pumpkins grew and were harvested.

When you get to the site, you will see a picture of a field and the farm equipment that is used to prepare it for planting. There is simple text below the picture that describes what you are viewing. Just click the "next" arrows to follow the entire tour.

For a free emergent reader about how pumpkins grow, click here.

Earn Free Books For Homeschooling

Homeschooling requires books, but books can cost a lot of money! One thing that I have been doing is to buy books using Amazon gift cards I earn from Swagbucks. It is super easy, you just search through their site like you normally would, but you earn Swagbucks when you search. These Swagbucks can be redeemed for Amazon gift cards and many other great prizes.


How can I maximize my Swag Bucks earnings?

■Search! The best way to maximize your earnings while searching is to search every where you go on the internet even if you know the website address. The more searches that you do, more Swag Bucks you earn. Note: You will not earn Swag Bucks for every search.
■Download one of the Swag Bucks browser plugins to earn for the searches you normally do so you won’t forget to search through Swag Bucks!
■Follow SwagBucks on Twitter for updates on new Swag Codes.
■Stay up to date with the Swag Bucks Blog for information on Swagstakes, updates and new Swag Codes.
■Trade in your old cell phones and video games and consoles.
■Shop. Do all your online shopping through Swag Bucks.
■You can submit a poll to Swag Bucks. If they use it, you earn 10 Swag Bucks.
■If you’ve redeemed your Swag Bucks on a prize, send in a video or photo.
■Refer your friends! Don’t keep it all to yourself.

To earn Swagbucks for yourself, simply click the button below to join.

Bonus: As a bonus, Swag Bucks is currently offering a special code that will give new members 50 Swag Bucks when they sign up using code SWAGNATION5. The code is case sensitive and will need to be entered in the Swag Code box at the bottom of the registration page. The code will be active starting on Sunday May 2nd at Midnight PST and expire Friday May 7th at noon PST.

Planet Protector's Club

Are your kiddos looking for ways to go green? Have them join the Planet Protector's Club.

Your Planet Protectors Club kit includes:
An official membership certificate
An official Planet Protectors Club badge
Activity booklets for grades K-3 and 4-5 A board game about recycling-->
Great adventures on the Web

The offer is good for both homeschoolers and classrooms.

Free Sheet Music

If you or your child has a passion for playing music, Mutopia is a great resource for you. Their site contains over 1600 pieces ranging from contemporary and classical are available for you to download, print or perform for free!

Where the Wild Things Are

Fire Truck by Ivan Ulz

Great read for fire prevention week

Educating Esme Book Review

Have you ever wondered what really happens within the hallowed halls of public school? Do you want to know what teachers struggle with, what keeps them going, and what they learn each day as they teach? Educating Esmé takes you inside the world of public education as you have never seen it before.

We've all had teachers we've loved and teachers we've hated. My list of teachers I've loved includes 1) Mrs. Cavasano (third grade): who led us through daily calisthenics to keep our brains sharp 2) Mr. Connolly (Chemistry): Who taught us that you could make peanut brittle scientifically. And, of course, the bad apples 1) Mr. Case (Algebra): who told the girls to practice our waitressing skills whenever we missed a math problem. We can all make these lists, and I'm willing to bet that when Esme Raji Codell's students come up with teacher lists of their own, she will be one of their favorites.

Although Esme’s first year of teaching included a class of children who came from broken homes, and students who stabbed a substitute with a pencil, it was the administration that gave her the most grief as they questioned her methods (asking the children to call her by her first name and with the title of Madame rather than Mrs. – because she was nobody’s mistress). Despite all of the hardships, Esme persevered imaginatively teaching her class to Cha Cha as they learned multiplication, made a time machine to travel in while they read, and even allowed a problem student to walk a mile in her shoes as the teacher for a day.

This is a great book for parents, for teachers, and for anyone concerned about today's education system.

I was asked to do this review as part of a blog tour. Coinciding with this tour, a drawing will be held of the names of people who comment on the blog posts to receive one of the following books:

Educating Esme: Diary of a Teacher’s First Year

The Children in Room E4: American Education on Trial

Work Hard. Be Nice. How Two Inspired Teachers Created the Most Promising Schools in America

In Code: A Mathematical Journey

To enter, comment below with the name of your favorite teacher, and how they inspired you.