Brooke's Baptism

We have had an eventful month! Brooke's baptism was last week. Our friends Joan-Marie and Mike Coward from San Diego, CA are Brooke's Godparents and we enjoyed a wonderful weekend of visiting, good food, and our kids playing together.  Brooke looked like an angel in her gown. We are so blessed.

Brooke and her Godparents, Mike and JM

Saying goodbye

Grandpa Frank 1929-2010

This past week we said goodbye to Grandpa Frank who passed away on October 24th at home in Belle Rive, IL.  I was so thankful that when Brian and the kids and I went home to IL this past summer, we got to visit with Frank and Kay. He got to see all the kids, including meeting new Baby Brooke.  I will miss Frank exponentially, he was a part of my life my entire life. Until we meet again...

Our new homeschool Science project

Baby chicks. Don't you just love getting stuff in the mail?

 We decided to do baby chicks as part of our homeschool science and ordered them from http://www.mypetchicken.com/  

We ordered 2 salmon faverolles (French hens) and the other 5 were a "mystery rare breed assortment" of females, so we are getting to use our scientific investigative skills to identify their characteristics and start working from a "list of suspects" so to speak, as to what kind of chickens they are through deductive reasoning. (I was thrilled to see that one is a Polish (the kind with the wacky head feathers). This is a Polish on the cover of this awesome coffee table book

This is already been a really fun experience for us and they have only been here 2 days.  The http://www.mypetchicken/ website, unlike most hatcheries, allows you to order as little as 3-5 chickens of various breeds; unlike others whose minimum is 25 chicks of the same kind.  We are excited to do this project as a family. It is great for science and for teaching and practicing responsibility. The benefits later include having our own eggs and being able to show them at the fair if we choose.

From the bookshelf...Seasons challenged...

One thing I find tricky to teach the kids is the change of seasons.  Here in Arizona, we don't have the typical tell-tale signs of fall that everyone else experiences in September like changes in weather or leaves changing color.  We do get these wonderful signs eventually, but not when the season starts. 

Last year I found these books and love them. They are a great way to teach all the different things that come with seasons. For example, the fall book talks about cooler weather, leaves changing colors, birds migrating, etc).  They also offer great ideas for activities at the end of each book. These are available through amazon and can also be found at the Barnes and Noble bookstores.

Quick Quick Quick

I love getting new ideas for my homeschool, but hate having to sort through long posts. Sound like you?  Want a quick fix on good tips here at Wonderland homeschool? Scroll down  to  the list of tags/labels on the right hand side and click on TIP. This will take you to each blog where at the end I have added a QUICK, functional tip just waiting for you to apply to your homeschool.

Look closely...

Look closely....do you see them peering on the window sill?  The little homemade spiders my boys made ?It can be a challenge to find craft projects a child with special needs can do. These fit the bill perfectly as they are inexpensive to make, have a super short materials list and even a little guy with fine motor issues can do most of this craft themself.  These are super cute and best of all for busy homeschool moms...super easy. Kids love crafts, kids love Halloween. Here's the how to:

how to make flower pot spider

materials: 2 in clay flower pot, black pom pom, black pipecleaner, black paint, beady eyes

directions:  paint flower pot black (you can also buy these already black for a time saver). I found these at Michaels but you can also get them at Joann's or any crafty store.  let dry. glue eyes on pom pom. glue pom pom on for head. cut pipecleaner for legs into 4 inch strips. let your little guys bend them into wiggly legs (one strip will make two legs once folded. glue to inside of pot.  sit this spooky spider on your windowsill.

how to make egg carton spider:

how to make egg carton spider (on right). 
materials: egg carton, black pipecleaner, black paint or marker, beady eyes, circle paper punch

help child cut a piece of the egg carton off. they will either paint this black wth a marker or paint. let dry. hole punch 2 holes on each side. run3 in pieces of black pipe cleaner through each hole. bend legs as they want. glue eyes on front. done!

Remember, let your little homeschoolers do as much as they can themselves. Dont worry about crooked legs, uneven legs, or anything else. they will look super cute on your windowsill no matter how they turn out...just look how cute my boys' turned out.

TIP:  crafts like this are great. they require little prep time, very few inexpensive materials, work for both boys and girls and all age groups can enjoy this one. Also,  working with pipe cleaner--bending it and pushing it-- is a great fine motor activity.  These are spooktacular!

From the bookshelf: October

Here are a few of the great books we are reading this month!

I recommend the ABC's of Halloween for preschoolers, but if you have preschool aged boys you may like Z is for Zombie better. as the item choices for the letters are more "ghoulish"!
We are also learning about fall, pumpkins and the origins of Halloween, making these other titles (below) also great choices.

TIP:  We read a few read alouds every day from our stack of books that go with our month's themes. The boys, who have special needs, especially seem to retain information better when it is presented via read alouds that are read more than once throughout the month and the girls always love story time so it is a win-win.
The Story of Halloween

Mission POSSIBLE

October--a good solid month into homeschooling for the new year. This is the time of year where household tasks begin to pile up, as does the laundry, and we all wonder if we are doing enough and doing it correctly. How are you holding up?

Your mission, if you choose to accept it is this: take control of your child's education and curriculum, be responsible for the subject matter they are taught (or not taught), know they are being taught in the way that benefits their learning style the best,  rest easy knowing your child is not in a classroom being taught to the "least commmon denominator", be "in the know" when it comes to their friends and social circles, have a religious component (if you so choose) to what you teach your children, have access to more time of the little years than most parents can ever dream...

Your mission, if you choose to accept it.....be a homeschooler.