Create a "tie-dye" craft. Do the first part indoors: Grab some coffee filters and have the kids color them with markers (not washable ones), and lay them on a cookie sheet. Then put them outside in the rain and watch the colors run. Bring them inside, and after they dry, the kids can make flowers: Pinch each filter in the middle and twist, then wrap a green pipe cleaner around to make a stem.
Take your kids on a "rescue the worms" walk. (You don't have to touch 'em!) Stroll around the neighborhood and let your kids pick them up off the sidewalk and toss them back into the grass. When you're home, go to Yucky.discovery.com and search for cool info on earthworms.
Do a rainy-day Monet. Head outside with some sidewalk chalk. When it's wet, it works almost like paint!
Have a splash. Take a bunch of bath toys outdoors -- boats, buckets, cups -- and play in a puddle, or find a "stream" at the edge of the street (if you live on a safe one) and race a boat against a lightweight ball.
Make a rain catcher. If you just want to stay inside, have your child decorate a two-liter soda bottle, and measure and mark half-inches with a Sharpie. Then you cut off the top and put it outside a window where you can see it from inside. Set some fun goals: "When it gets to half an inch, we'll play a board game. When it gets to an inch, we'll make cookies..." etc.!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
Ice Cream Day
Who says it has to be summertime to enjoy ice cream? Not your kids, that's for sure! Everyone loves ice cream, and what better way to beat the cold weather blues than with some cold treats?
Gather your kids around, get out the ingredients and have some fun. Don't forget to pull out all your favorite toppings. You can use anything from sprinkles to crushed candy bars to cookies.
Fresh fruit is an excellent topper for a fresh bowl of homemade vanilla ice cream. Try bananas or strawberries sliced and thrown on top. Or add them to the blender with a splash of milk for a fabulous shake.
Anything is possible. Have fun with it! Let the kids help pick the toppings and make it a fun day for everyone!
Ingredients:
* 1 cup sugar
* 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 1/2 cups milk
* 3 eggs
* 2 cups heavy or whipping cream
* 5 teaspooons vanilla extract
Directions:
In heavy, 3-quart saucepan with spoon, combine sugar, flour, and salt. In medium bowl with hand beater or wire wisk, beat eggs and milk and eggs together until well blended; stir into sugar mixture until smooth. Cook for about 15 minutes over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the spoon, being sure that the custard does not boil or it will curdle; allow to cool (at room temperature).
Stir in 2 cups heavy or whipping cream and 5 teaspoons vanilla extract.
Freeze until desired consistency is reached.
Gather your kids around, get out the ingredients and have some fun. Don't forget to pull out all your favorite toppings. You can use anything from sprinkles to crushed candy bars to cookies.
Fresh fruit is an excellent topper for a fresh bowl of homemade vanilla ice cream. Try bananas or strawberries sliced and thrown on top. Or add them to the blender with a splash of milk for a fabulous shake.
Anything is possible. Have fun with it! Let the kids help pick the toppings and make it a fun day for everyone!
Ingredients:
* 1 cup sugar
* 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 1/2 cups milk
* 3 eggs
* 2 cups heavy or whipping cream
* 5 teaspooons vanilla extract
Directions:
In heavy, 3-quart saucepan with spoon, combine sugar, flour, and salt. In medium bowl with hand beater or wire wisk, beat eggs and milk and eggs together until well blended; stir into sugar mixture until smooth. Cook for about 15 minutes over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the spoon, being sure that the custard does not boil or it will curdle; allow to cool (at room temperature).
Stir in 2 cups heavy or whipping cream and 5 teaspoons vanilla extract.
Freeze until desired consistency is reached.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Macaroni Day
BUTTERFLY ART
What You Need:
* card-stock paper
* smallest shell noodles
* curly noodles
* medium shell noodles
* bow-tie pasta
* glue
What You Do:
The children will learn about butterflies with this lesson.
The smallest noodle is the egg of the caterpillar.
The curly noodle is the caterpillar.
The medium shell noodle is the cocoon and the bow-tie pasta is the butterfly.
What You Need:
* card-stock paper
* smallest shell noodles
* curly noodles
* medium shell noodles
* bow-tie pasta
* glue
What You Do:
The children will learn about butterflies with this lesson.
The smallest noodle is the egg of the caterpillar.
The curly noodle is the caterpillar.
The medium shell noodle is the cocoon and the bow-tie pasta is the butterfly.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Carribbean Day
Drums are an important part of life and ceremony in many cultures. Here is a simple method for you and your students to create a fun sounding drum as you celebrate the cultures of the world.
What You Need:
* An empty coffee can with a plastic lid (small, large, whatever you have).
* Construction paper, glue & scissors.
* Paint or markers.
* Paintbrushes & water.
* Dowels or sticks from trees in the park.
* String, leather, feathers, beads ... any bits of scrap material you might have.
What You Do:
1. You have two options here. Either paint the coffee can with paint or cover the can with construction paper. Leave the plastic lid on the coffee can ... this will be your drum head.
2. If you cover the coffee can with construction paper, you can paint or draw designs and creatures on the coffee can. Have a look at pictures of different kinds of drums and the images found on them. (Try covering the can with aluminum foil for a neat effect.)
3. After the paint is dry, you can glue all sorts of wonderful things to your drum.
4. Using wooden dowels or simply wooden sticks, drum away on your new coffee can drum.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Holidays of June
- Barefoot Day /Say Something Nice Day
- Running Day
- Donut Day
- Trails Day
- Drive-in Movie Day /Headache Week /Superman Week
- World Ocean Day
- Iced Tea Day
- Corn-on-the-cob Day
- Raggedy Ann & Andy Day
- Ride the Wind Day / Carpenter Ant’s Week
- Army Day /Flag Day
- Citizenship Day
- Nature Photography Day /Fudge Day /
- Root Beer Day
- Juneteenth/Juggling Day
- Father’s Day/Eagle Day / Watermelon Seed Spitting Week
- Skateboarder’s Day/Summer Solstice/Handshake Day/
- Celebrate the Senses Day / Fairy Day/ Bomb Pop Day/
- Take your Dog to Work Day
- Marriage Day /Fish are Friends not Food
- Take our Child to Work Day
- Sun Cancer Awareness Month
- Great Outdoors Month
- Dairy Month
- Safety Month
- Skyscraper Month
- Kids in Sports Month
Monday, May 31, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Measurement Day
When teaching measurement to young children provide lots of opportunities for the students to order objects by size. Use everyday activities and real objects to help children understand measurement concepts.
The terms non-standard and standard are often used when describing prescribed learning outcomes for measurement.
Measuring with non-standard units means measuring things with blocks, pencils, hands, feet, etc. As long as the items used to measure with are all the same size, e.g. identical blocks or brand new pencils, they are suitable to use.
The terms non-standard and standard are often used when describing prescribed learning outcomes for measurement.
Measuring with non-standard units means measuring things with blocks, pencils, hands, feet, etc. As long as the items used to measure with are all the same size, e.g. identical blocks or brand new pencils, they are suitable to use.
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