German: A Homeschool Foreign Language

German is another foreign language option for your homeschool. According to Wikipedia, it is the second most widely spoken language in North Dakota and South Dakota and is spoken by ~1.4 million people in the United States overall. It is a language worth learning to speak! This video gives a sampling of basic vocabulary and will hopefully help you decide if you are interested in learning to speak German.

Madarin: A Homeschool Foreign Language

Are you a homeschooler who wants to incorporate a foreign language into your curriculum? This video is an introduction to Mandarin Chinese and will hopefully give a taste of what the language is like.

I like how this particular video has a slow pace and gives many opportunities for you to practice the new vocabulary. The teacher speaks slowly and clearly as well. It is also helpful to see the pronunciation guide as you learn the vocabulary. Sadly this video is not as edgy as the Learning Japanese from Yoda video previously posted, but I still think that teens will like that the lesson is short and easy to follow.

A Foreign Language for Your Homeschool

This post is the first in a series on homeschool foreign language learning. This series is designed to introduce you and your children to some foreign language options and help you narrow down which  language you want to focus on before investing any time or money on a curriculum.

Have you thought about teaching your children a foreign language in your homeschool? Before you make a decision on what language your children should learn, give them a taste of several languages. Here is a first Japanese lesson for you (HT The Informed Parent). It is very entertaining.

I like how this particular lesson engages the viewer. I think it would be appealing to teens because of the camera work and the tidbits about Star Wars. Using videos made in a similar style would make foreign language learning more interesting for your children (and you, for that matter!).

I hope this taste of Japanese helps you and your children decide if it is a langauge you are interested in learning!

Read Across America in Your Homeschool with Dr. Seuss’s ABC

The youngest children in your homeschool can enjoy Read Across America Day, too, with Dr. Seuss’s ABC, a great alphabet book that my kids love! I found this video of the book. I love its simplicity! After enjoying this Seuss classic, you can make your own alphabet book, too.

Seuss on the Loose Cool Homeschool Rhyme Time

Dr. Seuss was the master of rhyme, and rhyming is a great literacy activity that builds phonemic awareness and can build vocabulary. You can have fun rhyming with your kids in your homeschool as you celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday on Read Across America Day – March 2!

~Read One Fish, Two Fish, Read Fish, Blue Fish. This book is full of short vignettes that rhyme. You can discuss which words rhyme in each vignette and compile a list.

~Play “Go Fish for a Rhyme”. Make a deck of cards with pairs of rhyming words. Play as you would normally play “Go Fish” except ask for a word that rhymes with one of your cards. For example, ask, “Do you have a word that rhymes with car?”

~Play “Toss-a-Rhyme”. Use a bean bag or a small soft ball for this kinesthetic activity. The first player holds the ball, says a word (such as cat), and tosses the ball to another player. The next player catches the ball and says a word that rhymes with the first player’s word (sat). Then the ball is tossed to another player for another rhyming word (fat). Other players can give hints if someone gets stuck. If no one can think of a rhyming word, then the player holding the ball chooses a new word.

~Make collages of words that rhyme. This is an especially great way to work with younger children who are not yet reading. Brainstorm words together first. For example, a collage might include pictures of the following: black, sack, tack, track, hack, jack, mac (truck), pack, rack, and stack.

~Play “Find the Rhyme”. This is another kinesthetic way to teach non-readers to rhyme. Fill a shoe box with small items, trinkets, or toys. Be sure to include rhyming pairs (sock-block, crow-bow, girl-curl, hat-cat). Pair up the items that rhyme.

~Write a short story or even a rap in Seuss’s style. Easy Fun School has a great example of how you can do this with your kids.

Enjoy some word play and rhyme away!

Photo courtesy of ffg

Homeschool in Green with Sam-I-Am

On March 2 celebrate Read Across America Day in the green with these homeschool ideas for Dr. Seuss’s famous Green Eggs and Ham. I have included a fun game to play with your kiddos!

~Read Green Eggs and Ham. As you read, talk about the words that rhyme. Also discuss how the character learns that you don’t know if you like something or not unless you try it!

~Cook green eggs and ham with your budding chefs. This post on Green Eggs and Ham on Blissfully Domestic has a recipe and a video for how to make green eggs and ham. Here are the pictures from our cooking experience.

~Play “I Like Green Eggs and Ham, Sam-I-Am” (an onset and rime game created by ME!). Here is how:

Supplies
17 dessert size paper plates     pencil     Green Eggs and Ham scissors     plastic storage bag green & orange crayons     paper clip

Prepare the Game Pieces

1. Create your green eggs (onset) and ham (rime) cards. Use the following words: see, tree, house, mouse, box, fox, train, rain, boat, & goat.

a. Cut out the center circle of 10 paper plates. Cut those circles in half. Discard the outer rings. You will use the circles to write onsets and rimes on.

b. On one half of the circles write the onsets: s, tr (x 2), h, m, b (x 2), f, r, & g. Draw green eggs on the other side of the cards.

c. On the other half of the circles write the rimes: ee, ouse, ox, ain, oat. Make two sets of these. On the back draw a picture of a ham.

2. Create your plate (player boards).

a.Draw a line down the center of four paper plates. On the left side of each plate draw green eggs and on the right side draw a ham.

3. Create your spinner.

a. Using the back of a paper plate divide the plate into fourths.

b. On one fourth draw a ham. On two sections draw eggs. On the last fourth write “Sam-I-Am”.

4. Create holding plates for the cards.

a. On one plate draw a picture of green eggs. The onset cards will be placed here during game play.

b. On another plate draw a picture of a ham. The rimes cards will be placed here during play.

5. Store your game pieces in a plastic storage bag. You might also include a copy of the game play instructions with the pieces.

*The object of the game is to fill your plate with an onset and a rime that make a word. Play ends when there are no more cards left. The player with the most words wins.*

Set Up

Place the green eggs cards and the ham cards on their respective plates. Each player gets a plate to fill. Place your paper clip on the center of the spinner and put a pencil tip through one end of it.

Play the Game

1. Player 1 spins the paper clip. Pick up the appropriate card. Play continues going clock wise.

a. If the player lands on the Sam-I-Am space, the player jumps up and down saying, “Do you like green eggs and ham?” The other players respond with, “Yes, I like green eggs and ham, Sam-I-Am.”

b. If a player spins a card type that is already filled on the plate, the player skips that turn and the next player goes.

c. Once a player has made a word, the player sets the two cards aside to be kept for the tally at the end.

d. If two cards do not make a word, the player returns the card just picked up. The next player takes a turn.

Have a great time with Dr. Seuss and “I Like Green Eggs and Ham, Sam-I-Am”!

Homeschool “Seuss-itivity” with The Sneetches

I hope that you are planning on “Seussing Up” your homeschool for Read Across America Day on March 2. The Sneetches can help you to do just that by opening a conversation about “Seuss-itivity” – tolerance. The Sneetches is one of my favorite Dr. Seuss books! I have included activities here that appeal to a wide variety of ages.

~Read the book together. Take this opportunity to teach your children about racism and tolerance. Try this Star Belly activity at Teaching Tolerance. The activity can be modified for your homeschool by planning to do it with another family.

~The setting of The Sneetches is a beach. Put that sand to good use and make sand paintings. Kaboose has a plan for this activity.You can learn about Navajos as well since sand painting is important to their culture.

~Be an inventor! Sylvester McMonkey McBean was an inventor. Unlike McBean’s inventions, you can invent something that is helpful instead of harmful. Teacher Vision has lots of great ideas.

~This is a great opportunity to study geometry specifically looking at stars. Crayola has a great geometry lesson plan involving making 3D stars.

~Teach phonograms to your younger children with this fun game that I found at Hot Chalk’s. The game is similar to BINGO.

I hope you can share this very special book and its important message with your children.

Photo courtesy of evaxebra

“Seuss Up” Your Homeschool with The Lorax

Continue to “Seuss Up” your homeschool with these ideas for The Lorax. I have included curriculum ideas appropriate for all ages here.

~Read The Lorax. Have your children create a diorama of what the land looked like before the Once-ler chopped down the Truffula trees and what it looked like afterward. Be sure to include Brown Bar-ba-loots, Swomee-Swans, and Humming-Fish in their habitats before and after the Once-ler came.

~Write a sequel to The Lorax. Tell what happens after the last Truffula seed is planted. Do all of the animals come back? Is the air and water clear now? Do new animals come? Make sure you reread The Lorax several times to help you when you plan your sequel.

~Study seeds by observing them sprout. The Watching Seeds Grow experiment will allow you to closely observe the seeds. Older kids might like to try an experiment about the affects of water quality on seed germination found at Salt Lake County Storm Water Quality Education Lesson and Activity Plans.

~Learn about how plants help our environment. Start a garden from seeds. Since it is still too cold to plant them outside in most areas, you can start growing your seeds inside your home. Make observations in a journal as they grow. Talk about how plants breathe. You can find a good summary of plant respiration at The Open Door Web Site. This science fair project idea is great for ‘tweens and teens.

~Learn to knit since the Once-ler and his family knitted the Thneeds in the book. There is a great tutorial at Crafttown including illustrations and definitions of vocabulary. This video from Expert Village shows you how to cast on.

You can also learn the knot stitch with this video.

I hope these ideas make learning fun!

Photo courtesy of Maine Coast Semester

Read Across America Day for ‘Tweens & Teens

Are you planning on celebrating Read Across America Day on March 2 with your ‘tween or teen in your homeschool? Even though this day celebrates Dr. Seuss’s birthday, older kids can get involved in the celebration through a study of Dr. Seuss’s life and work.

~Have your child read a biography about Theodore Seuss Geisel. There are many great biographies available now. Here is just a sampling:

Dr. Seuss (First Biographies)

Oh, the Places He Went: A Story About Dr. Seuss (Creative Minds Biography (Turtleback))

Dr. Seuss: American Icon

Dr. Seuss: Young Author and Artist (Childhood of Famous Americans)

~Listen to the NPR interview with Philip Nel, author of Dr. Seuss: American Icon. Take notes on the interview.

~Read a variety of Dr. Seuss books as part of your research. Note patterns that you find in the texts.You can even create a grid with certain traits that are common to Dr. Seuss books such as rhyming, a message, fantastical characters, etc.

~“Interview” Dr.Seuss after you have researched his life. Watch the interviews with Audrey Geisel on the Reading Rockets website. Now create your own interview with Dr. Seuss. Have one child portray Theodore Geisel and one act as the interviewer. Have the children write a script for the interview and rehearse. Now film the interview. Show your interview to an audience.

Enjoy learning about Theodore Seuss Geisel to celebrate reading!

Photo courtesy of Allan Ferguson

Homeschool Read Across America Day Party

March 2 is Dr. Seuss’s birthday, and it is the day that children and educators celebrate Read Across America Day. You can celebrate this special day in your homeschool. This is the first post in a series on planning appropriate Read Across America activities for your children.

On March 2 have a “Cat in the Hat” party.

~Invite friends to your party. Create your own invitations with red and white striped paper. Or send a free Read Across America e-card.

~Have each of your guests make a hat just like the Cat’s using red and white construction paper and a paper plate for the brim. You can also find directions to make a hat, as well as other ideas to use with The Cat in the Hat, at Hubbard’s Cupboard. Everyone has to wear the hat during the party!

~Read The Cat in the Hat. Try using Reader’s Theater by having the kids read the lines for each of the characters. You could also have the kids retell the story with puppets.

~Play “Concentration” as a rhyming game. Make a deck of cards with rhyming pairs from The Cat in the Hat book. Play with the cards by matching words that rhyme.

~Write a poem together. Brainstorm a list of rhyming words with the children. Write the words on index cards. Work together to create a poem with the words. You can move the cards around as you construct your poem.

~Play “Pin-the-Hat-on-the-Cat”. Create your own Cat poster by drawing a cat on a overhead slide. Project the picture on large poster paper. Move the projector closer or further away from the poster until the picture is the size that you want it. Then trace the image onto the poster. Create several red and white striped hats for the children to pin on the poster.

Start planning a fun day for your homeschool!

Photo courtesy of drewfer