Field Guides from Silver Dolphin Books

Last year I stumbled upon a series of field guides by Silver Dolphin Books at my local Sams Club. They have turned out to be one of the best series I've bought for my kids. I haven't actually gotten ALL the books yet, but the ones we have include:

• The Field Guide to Ocean Animals by Phyllis Perry

• The Field Guide to Polar Animals by Nancy Honovich

• The Field Guide to Rain Forest Animals by Nancy Honovich

• The Field Guide to Dinosaurs by Nancy Honovich


The dinosaur puzzles show the dinosaur on one side and the skeleton on the other!

 My son LOVES these books. Each one is a grand adventure that not only teaches your child about the different species, but also comes with small 3D puzzles and a diorama for them to assemble. Each book is presented as a real field journal written by a scientist. At the beginning is a letter to the reader from the scientist describing their "expedition." The readers can then follow along with the expedition tracking the route on a map and learning about the different species.

I really love how these books engage my kids and teach not only biology, but geography, too. You can find the entire series in my online shop.

Con mucho cariño...

Imagine a Better World, Imagina un mundo mejor

There's little else that makes me happier than finding a fabulous new resource for my children...and yours. I must profusely thank a MommyMaestra reader for contacting me and sharing this particular one with me.

Brickhouse Education is a (new?) publishing company whose goal is to "provide you with high-quality books while covering all benchmarks/standards and helping you save." Their books are designed to teach several subjects at once, to help teachers cover more with less. And if you visit their website, you'll see that they are working towards providing a free downloadable lesson plan with each book. And all teachers and librarians receive 30% off list prices.But the best part? EVERY TITLE IS AVAILABLE IN SPANISH.

Okay, so you might say this is slightly exciting but... how good are the translations?

I'll admit that I haven't read all their books. But from what I can tell many of the books are written by Yanitzia Canetti, of whom I just think the world. She is a superb author and translator who, like all true translators, is remarkably good at conveying the meaning and emotion behind the story. She's not a chop-chop-choppy, word-for-word translator.

(UPDATE: I just discovered that Canetti is actually the President of Cambridge BrickHouse. That only impresses me even more.)

My introduction to the Brickhouse Education titles, was through Imagina un mundo mejor. This beautiful book is perfect for Earth Day and National Poetry month and Día de los niños, Día de los libros all together.

This book is filled with inspirational poetry and whimsical illustrations that open our eyes to the beauty of our surrounding world...

The book was written to teach Reading, Math, Science, and Social Studies. It touches on key concepts like rhyming words, animal habitats and behaviors, responsibility and generosity, life cycles, and descriptive language and imagery. It is also designed to build self-esteem, help children identify problems and solutions, and express emotions.

I can't tell you how much I love the poems in this book. I can't even pick out only one to share with you, they are that good. So here is just one, that I love...

 El árbol del abuelo

Abuelo sembró un árbol

que tiene ramas frondosas.

En él viven gusanitos

y hormiguitas laboriosas.

Vive un búho, tres gorriones,

y un montón de mariposas,

las abejas de un panal

y cuatro ardillas graciosas.

En invierno hiberna un oso.

En primavera, ¡qué flores!

En verano, nos da frutos,

Y en otoño, ¡qué colores!

Cuánta, cuánta, cuánta vida

tiene el árbol del abuelo.

¡Cuánta cuánta maravilla

nace de la tierra al cielo!

Some of the poems are longer than others. But they are all beautifully written and would be perfect for memorization.

And for those of you who prefer your books in English - the English version of this title, Imagine a Better World, is equally delightful! But you don't have to take my word for it. Just visit their website where you can preview each of the books they offer.

I cannot say enough about this company. Just looking through their catalog, I am drooling at all the excellent series and individual titles that cover such a great number of subjects!

Homeschooling mamis! THIS is a gold mine for you!

Parents, this is a must-have book for your family home library.

Bilingual education teachers: You cannot go wrong, I think, with this company.

So what are you waiting for? Go and check out their website at BrickhouseEducation.com.

Con mucho cariño...


Disclosure: I contacted Brickhouse Education to ask for a copy of this book, which they kindly agreed to send me for review. All the blubbering and glowing opinions found above are purely my own.

Free Education Guides for Disney's "Chimpanzee"

In case you didn't know, I'm a former zoo keeper.

And I spent part of my time in the zoo field working great apes. It was a remarkable experience. They captured my heart in a way that no other animals ever have. It is impossible to gaze into their eyes and watch their daily lives and not feel the connection. They demand you give everything you've got to make their lives as good as can be in captivity.

So naturally, I'm pretty excited about the upcoming Disney film, Chimpanzee. It is the fourth film released by Disneynature, the first new Disney-branded film label from The Walt Disney Studios in more than 60 years. My family and I have seen the first three films, all of which have been released the last few years on Earth Day. You may remember me gushing about African Cats, which came out last year. (The other two films, Earth and Oceans, were equally phenomenal.)

So I am beyond delighted to be able to offer you, once again, some high quality education downloads to supplement the movie.

Teachers and parents who homeschool, this Educator's Guide is for you. Written for students in 2nd through 6th grade, it is 135 pages of lesson plans and activities that correlate to National Science, Social Studies, Music, and Arts Standards, as well as Common Core English/Language Arts and Math Standards.

I plan to use this Educator's Guide like I did last year: As a summer unit study. I so appreciate how the guide is arranged with support lessons that are geared for specific grades. The guide covers things like chimp biology, habitat, behaviors, food chains & webs, adaptations & tool use, communication, social heirarchy, and much more.

DOWNLOAD EDUCATOR'S GUIDE HERE

I'm also please to be able to share with you these Activity Pages which are suitable for both younger children and older ones. These pages include things like mazes, fact cards, a Venn diagram, dot-to-dots, a Spot the Difference, etc. I think these are great for an afternoon activity, or even as something to keep the kids busy in the car.

DOWNLOAD ACTIVITY PAGES HERE

I hope that each of you gets an opportunity to celebrate Earth Day by seeing what promises to be a fabulous movie. And if you see it during the opening week, Disney will donate a portion to the Jane Goodall Institute.

NOTE: I have not seen this movie. Knowing chimps as I do, I might recommend that you preview the movie first and not take very young children to see it. Chimps can be a little...intense. Loud. And you don't want to scare your kids!

Here's a sneak peek to help you #MeetOscar...



And don't forget that you can still download the activity guides from last year's film African Cats.

Disclosure: Disney has given me permission to share these educational materials and movie trailer with you. I have not been compensated for sharing this information. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Finding the Treasure Outside

© Vladislav Gajic - Fotolia.com

My kids have a rock collection. And a feather collection. And a pine cone collection. Right now my house is littered with rocks, beautiful flowers, and small stones. Every day I throw sticks outside after finding them under the kitchen table, on the stairs, or under the living room chair. Whenever I do laundry, I have to check pockets for tiny nature treasures, discovered during an afternoon Green Hour(s).

Most children don't need to be told how to play outside. But sometimes they need a little help getting started. Here are my children's favorite outdoor activities:

CHALK IT UP

Drawing with chalk on a side walk or porch is one of the most treasured American childhood pleasures. Children can develop their creativity and the motor skills with just a few swipes of color. Their artwork can be simple or complex. If you get the squeaky "I don't know what to draw!" line, some of these chalk "prompts" might be to draw...

- Your favorite story book character
- What you want to be when you grow up
- An adventure at sea
- A scene related to an upcoming holiday (St. Patrick's day, Easter, Earth Day, etc.)
- If you could have any pet in the world, what would it be?
- A habitat you've studied in science; Be sure to include the animals!

CLIMB IT

We are blessed to have a lot of trees in our yard. And my kids have spent endless hours sitting high in the branches, looking out on our yard and dreaming wonderful day dreams. Things to keep in mind: Don't let you kids climb in slick shoes; Let them climb trees with sturdy branches - keep dead branches trimmed off as they easily break; And keep the area below the tree free from debris (bikes, big rocks, metal toys, etc.) so that short falls don't lead to major injuries!

BURY IT

Kids have a fascination with digging and discovering "treasures." My kids can spend hours playing in a sand pit. Bulldozers, cars, buckets, shovels, cups, and small figures are some of their favorite tools to use in the sand.

NET IT

Who knew there were so many things you can catch with a butterfly net? In addition to the obvious butterflies, there's also beetles, spiders, daddy long legs, dandelion seeds, bubbles, leaves, and even birds. The ground rules in my house: No stinging insects and you must release the living organism back in the same place you found it after you finish examining it.

PLANT IT

There is nothing quite so fascinating as growing something and watching the beginning of life. Right now is the perfect time to be starting seeds. Your kids can do this inside and then transfer the seedlings outside after the danger of frost has passed, or they can simply plant the seeds straight in the ground. Right now we have tomatoes, peppers, moonflowers, and an assortment of other flowering plants growing in tiny little pots on our porches and kitchen.

COLLECT IT

One of the things my kids enjoy best is the nature table that we set up each spring in our living room. It gets cluttered from time to time with all the objects they find outside. But we try to go through and take out all but the most beautiful or strange items on a regular basis. My daughter, especially, loves organizing all the items and sorting them based on texture, color, or materials.

I'm always looking for more ideas, so tell me: What types of outdoor activities do your kids like best?

Un abrazo...

Encourage Your Kids to "Be Out There"



"American childhood has moved indoors during the last two decades,

taking a mental and physical toll on today’s kids."

~ The National Wildlife Federation

One of the best ways to keep kids healthy and active physically, mentally, and emotionally is to give them access to the outdoor world. Playing outside has a profound effect on a child's motor coordination, imagination, ability to concentrate, observation skills... the list goes on and on. Studies even show that time spent outdoors can improve academic performance.

That's why I am a strong believer in the National Wildlife Federation's campaign, Be Out There, whose goal is to connect children to the natural world. It provides encouragement and tools for parents and educators to get their kids/students outside on a regular basis. Their site is full of information on the many benefits that come with allowing children the opportunity to explore nature. Parents can even download their new Parent's Guide to learn how to overcome five of the top obstacles to outdoor play. 

At the end of this week, we'll be celebrating Earth Hour. But the National Wildlife Federation recommends that parents give their children a GREEN HOUR every day. Quite simply, a "Green Hour" is defined as 50 minutes of time of unstructured play and interaction with the natural world. You can find dozens of Green Hour outdoor activities on their website. And educators can also find tools for using the outdoors to supplement their lessons.

My kids spend a lot of time outside. If we're not gardening or playing around our home, we're at our local park, exploring the woods, or other activities. I have more rocks inside my home that my kids have collected, than I do outside of it. To them, the outdoors is an adventure waiting to happen, a treasure waiting to be found.

The National Wildlife Federation is also a major supporter of the No Child Left Inside Act, which will help states provide teacher training and expand high-quality environmental education programs, engaging kids in the great outdoors and fostering a lifelong appreciation of our natural world. You can show your support, too, by sending a message to your local elected officials.

Tomorrow, I'll be sharing some of the activities my own kids enjoy doing outside. I hope you'll share your own tips for keeping your kids active and busy outdoors.

Con mucho cariño....

-------
Disclosure: I want to make it clear right here, that I am not affiliated with National Wildlife Federation in any way. I discovered the Be Out There website by chance and immediately loved it.

The 2012 World Water Day

This Thursday, on March 22nd, the world will be celebrating World Water Day. Each year we take time to focus on the importance of freshwater and promote the responsible management of our freshwater resources. This year's campaign theme is "Water & Food Security."

With 7 BILLION people to feed on this planet, the shortage of freshwater is a world-wide problem. So many people don't know the importance of maintaining freshwater resources. Many don't even know how valuable water is or how we use it for more than just drinking. Take a look at this graphic displaying how much water is need to produce various products that we consume:

Did you know it takes 7000 liters of water to produce ONE steak? ¡Guaca! Or even that it takes 170 liters of water to produce ONE glass of orange juice??

Using our earth's resources wisely is a lesson we all need to teach our children. One of the ways we can do this is with the education materials available on the WWD website. Scroll down and download the games, posters, or other materials they offer for free.

Other excellent materials include these, which I shared last year for World Water Day. Especially take a look at these neat interactive sites on the water cycle: Scholastic's Study Jams and Aprende y diviértete con el agua. 

And check out these water-themed books while you're at it!

English:

• One Well: The Story of Water on Earth (CitizenKid) by Rochelle Strauss

• Water, Water Everywhere: A Book About the Water Cycle (Discovery Readers) by Melvin Berger and Gilda Berger

• Why Should I Save Water? (Why Should I? Books) by Jen Green and Kyouko Kitazawa

• Watch over Our Water (Cloverleaf Books - Planet Protectors) by Lisa Bullard

Spanish:

• Soy el Agua (Hello Reader) by Jean Marzollo and Judith Moffatt

• El Ciclo del Agua (Cambios Que Suceden en la Naturaleza) (Spanish Edition) by Bobbie Kalman

• Océanos y mares (Masas de Agua) and Lagos y estanques (Masas de Agua) by Cassie Mayer

• El Agua/Water: Arriba, Abajo Y En Todos Lados/ Up, Down, and All Around (Ciencia Asombrosa) (Ciencia Asombrosa (Amazing Science)) by Natalie M. Rosinsky (Also available in English)


Con mucho cariño...

A Geography Curriculum for K - 2nd

Today's review is on the geography materials that I put together to form a geography curriculum for my kids. I have been extremely pleased with these books and activities, and wanted to share them with those of you who are looking to supplement your child's lessons.

Today, a lot of schools don't even teach geography anymore, which I find disturbing. In fact, last year the National Assessment of Educational Progress reported that only 25% of U.S. students passed their geography test. When looking at the questions on the test I was pained to see how many children were unable to answer them correctly. In particular, I was upset to read that the ability to read a map is becoming a "lost art" due to the rise of technology. (Don't get me wrong, I think technology definitely has a place in society and the classroom, but I object to it being used without first teaching people how to decipher the answer without it.)

Seeing as how we want to raise children who can live in a global society, I think teaching geography should be mandatory. In my opinion, geography and culture go hand in hand. So I have put together my own geography curriculum using several materials that both my kids and I really love.

I use Beginning Geography Grades K-2 by Evan Moor Publishing as my core. This book is based on National Geography Standards and comes with 93 reproducible pages. This fabulous and covers the basics of geography. It is divided into four sections:

Map Skills - This section teaches kids how to read a map by covering things like the cardinal directions, what is a compass rose, map symbols, a map key, distance, borders, and map grids.

Landforms and Bodies of Water - Covers exactly what it says: hills & mountains, islands & volcanoes, deserts & plains, canyons & valleys, oceans, lakes & rivers.

Continents and Oceans - This section covers the seven continents and the four oceans. In addition, students learn about a globe and hemispheres.

Around the World with Animals - Introduces children to animals found around the world and the various regions where they live.

In addition, this book comes with two full-color maps. I love this book and am strongly considering ordering the Geography Centers to supplement it.

Here are a few more shots of the inside of the book:

Maps & Globes by Jack Knowlton is another good book. This is more of a history of geography for children. The illustrations are engaging, and the book introduces interesting facts like the first maps, (stick) charts, the first world maps, Magellan, and other historical bits. The second half of the books discusses the properties of maps such as the equator, lines of latitude and longitude, elevation, types of maps, and more. I think this book is adorable, and it inspired my son to create his own maps.

My World & Globe by Ira Wolfman is an introductory guide to geography. Inside you'll find information on maps, climate, animal, trade, language, etc. This book was supposed to come with stickers, but I bought a used version with no such thing, which is too bad, because there's some super cute ones. If you can find one with the stickers - grab it!

A World of Wonders, Geographic Travels in Verse and Rhyme by J. Patrick Lewis is a collection of clever and amusing poems filled with facts about our world. From Ferdinand Magellan's story to Angel Falls, these poems take children on a ride around the world. This book is mostly a supplement that I use to intersperse poems here and there. As part of their lessons each year, I have them memorize various poems. I like the ones in here because some are shorter, some are longer, but they all are fun.

In addition to these books, I have a globe that I use, and several maps and atlases that I keep handy. And of course, I am ALWAYS on the look out for other books and materials to use with my children. Geography is a fascinating subject. And there are more and more books now available to help children explore their world.

Aventura en la selva tropical

Whenever I travel, one of the first places I like to hit up are the bookstores. You NEVER know what treasures you'll find. Today was a jackpot day.

Waiting for me on the shelf was a small pile of Aventura en la selva tropical, an educational activity book completely in Spanish. Young readers pretend to join an international team of scientists to explore and protect our planet's tropical forests. Along the way they face many challenges and mysteries, which they must solve in order to decifer the secret code to open the box. Inside they will find a game board, playing chips, 4 tropical animal miniature figures, 24 animal stickers and a travel journal filled with field notes.

I cannot find it available online anywhere here in the States, but you can look at this site for more pictures and additional information.

If you’d like to purchase this activity book, it is available for $20.00 (includes shipping) on a first-come, first-served basis. I only have a few of them. Contact me here.  SOLD OUT!

Engineering Summer Day Camp for Girls in 6th & 7th Grades

The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) at The University of Texas at Austin is now accepting applications for its summer program for middle school girls: Careers in Engineering for Women (CEW). This non-residential day program is designed to introduce students to engineering. The long-term goal of CEW is to increase the representation of women in the field of engineering. During this
unique, interactive, and fun week long experience, CEW participants will put their math and science skills to practical use.

CEW is a non-residential summer day camp for girls currently in 6th or 7th grade. Although housing will not be provided, but there are many hotels around the campus. This weeklong session will be held June 11-15, 2012. Forty exceptional middle school students will be accepted to attend.

During CEW, participants will explore different aspects of engineering through hands-on activities and challenges. The girls will work in teams to design, construct, and implement solutions to exciting engineering problems. Students will also interact with industry personnel, Cockrell School of Engineering faculty, and energetic UT Austin engineering students.

The CEW application along with a brochure is available online at:

http://www.engr.utexas.edu/swe/cew.html

Applications must be postmarked by February 15, 2012

Make Your Own Chocolate Kit {GIVEAWAY}

My kids and I have had the absolute best time studying about chocolate. It was hard for me to remember not to get too detailed for my kids, who are only 5 and 7 years old. But I was really pleased with the mini-unit study that I created for them.

In our exploration of the world of chocolate, we started off with the book, Smart About Chocolate: A Sweet History by Sandra Markle. This book is written for children and was perfect for my two. It covers everything from the characteristics of the cacao beans (bitterness, color, etc.) to its historical roots in Central America with engaging stories about the Maya and Aztecs. I loved how the books shared brief stories about Montezuma (Did you know he drank more than 50 cups of chocolate a day?!?), Prince Philip of Spain, and Milton Hershey.The book also discusses when - and how - milk chocolate was formed.

Smart About Chocolate also includes a fun recipe, surprising facts, a book list, and even an experiment for little scientists. The illustrations are funny and engaging and had my kids giggling from the very beginning. I totally recommend this book.

After reading this short book, we spent some time online at the Field Museum's website going through the interactives. I also used some of the activity/coloring pages on chocolate from this website (they're in English).

But the best part of our study was making chocolate ourselves. While researching my lesson online, I found a Make Your Own Chocolate Kit from Glee Gum. I purchased it from Amazon. The kit comes with the ingredients shown in the picture above. This includes organic cocoa butter, cocoa powder, confectioner's sugar, starter crystals, a temperature indicator, two cacao beans, and paper candy liners. 

The instructions were easy to follow - but you have to follow them exactly! Making chocolate is not a simple process. While we were waiting for the chocolate to cool, we nibbled on the beans and immediately spit them out complaining about the taste. I thought this was a simple, but effective way of showing how important the process is of adding the other ingredients to combat the bitterness of the bean.

They also allow time in the process for adding extra ingredients such as marshmallows, nuts, etc. We chose to add peanut butter to 1/3 of our candies. And afterwards we had a "taste test." The girls loved the peanut butter chocolate combo, while my son preferred the straight chocolate.

Not only was the kit fun and educational, it's also all-natural and eco-friendly. Although the kit comes with the story of chocolate, you can also find an educator's guide and sample lesson plan on their site.

We really had the best time doing this!

If you'd like to find a store in your area that sells this, or any of the Glee Gum kits, check their online store locator.

THE GIVEAWAY

After we had so much fun with this project, I wanted to share. So I contacted Glee Gum and asked if they'd be willing to offer a kit or two as a giveaway. They graciously agreed and are offering one Make Your Own Chocolate Kit to a MommyMaestra reader.

To enter, simply leave a comment below.

The deadline to enter is 11:59 EST, Wednesday, November 30th. The winner will be chosen using Random.org. and contacted via email - so be sure to leave a valid email address in your comment!

And to increase your chances of winning, you can:

1.) Blog about this giveaway and include the link to your post in the comments below.

2.) Follow me on Twitter and tweet the following: Win a Make Your Own Chocolate Kit from MommyMaestra! http://bit.ly/tyWqyj @LatinMami #chocolate #homeschool #giveaway

Don't forget to let me know by posting a separate comment for each entry!

By entering this giveaway, you agree to the Official Sweepstakes Rules. No purchase required. Void where prohibited.

¡Buena suerte!

Disclosure: This giveaway is offered in collaboration with Glee Gum. I have not been compensated in any way for offering this giveaway, and it results from my contacting them and asking for a contribution to our Chocolate series.

Teacher Resource for Chocolate: The Field Museum

By far, one of my favorite resources for studying chocolate is the Field Museum website. Their current exhibit, Chocolate Around the World, will be on display through January 8th, 2012. If you happen to live in Chicago, you should definitely try to swing by there, or plan a trip for your class. They still have several weekend activities planned between now and the end of the year. In fact, this Friday and Saturday (Nov 25th & 26th), artist Rebecca Moy will be painting an original chocolate masterpiece. The following weekend on Dec 3rd, Rhonda Morkes will be creating chocolate gingerbread houses, and during the last week of December, Pastry Chef Omar Martinez, from Food for Thought, will be creating a miniature version of the Field Museum - out of chocolate!

But aside from these fun events, the museum's website is full of information. The Educators' Resources area offers six lessons on the relationship between chocolate and the environment, and another six lessons between chocolate and culture for teachers to download. You can also find Fascinating Facts, Chocolate Quotations, Recipes, and Book and Movie Lists, to name a few. In the All About Chocolate section is another page with activities Just for Kids.

In addition, the site offers three interactives. Manufacturing Chocolate takes the visitor through the process of making chocolate from growing the trees to pouring them into molds. My kids love this interactive because it lets them cut the beans with a machete, pack them into bags, start the various machines and much more.

The Chocolate Challenge takes you on a journey around the world - but only by answering questions about chocolate can you advance on your journey! Again, more fun for the kids, but mine were a little too young. Best suited for children ages 9 (10?) and up.

Cacao Farm helps you discover the connections between cacao and its environment by using your virtual binoculars or microscope to study the differences between cacao farms and rain forests.

So if you're looking for a fun - but educational - distraction for the kids this holiday weekend, this website is a great place to start!

Con mucho cariño...

A Study of Hurricanes

It has been a long week.

The arrival of Irene on Saturday the 27th, brought with her wind and rain that seemed to go on forever. Although she was only a Category 1 by the time she made landfall, the storm was so SLOW to pass through North Carolina, that the damage was made that much worse.

Although our small place survived with only one tree down in the pasture and a bit of a leaky roof, many of my friends and neighbors did not fare so well. I could not get over the number of BIG trees that toppled around town in the late afternoon. Most of them finally succumbing to the winds after the ground could no longer hold them because it was completely sodden. Someone said we had 18 hours of torrential rain. I'm not sure, but I do know that it seemed endless.

We actually spent the day holed up in the center at the park where my husband works. I did not want to be left alone with the kids, and he had to go in to work to keep an eye on all the animals. So after a sleepless night (for me), off we all went. I spent the day watching all the trees in and around the park bending and shaking as the North wind blew them with a powerful blast. I had prepared an emergency kit and had stocked my car ahead of time with pillows and sleeping bags, movies and food, books and games. So my kids were quite happy throughout the day and were unaffected by the weather raging outside.

When we arrived home that night, it was to a dark and quiet house. And it was the same every night after that until we finally regained power on Thursday afternoon. The first few days were spend helping clean up the park, and then I decided that enough time had been wasted and so I proceeded to check out every book in the library on hurricanes. After all, if life gives you lemons, then the only thing to do is to make limonada!

We were fascinated to learn how hurricanes form, where they are found, the three parts of a hurricane (can you name all three?), and finally, how one dies. Studying explained so much - especially as to why Vermont suffered so badly. Here are some of the things that we discovered:

Hurricanes always form in tropic waters. These warmer waters provide the energy for the storms as the water evaporates more easily. A hurricane is "born" when air is heated by warm ocean waters and creates two or more thunderstorms over the ocean that come together and begin to rotate.

They can have three names: in the Atlantic they are called "hurricanes," in the Indian Ocean they are called "Cyclones," and in the Northern Pacific Ocean, they are called "Typhoons."

North of the equator, hurricanes always spin counterclockwise, but south of the equator, they all spin clockwise! This is due to the Coriolis effect.

The three parts of a hurricane are: the eye, the eye wall, and the spiral rainbands.

Take a look at this small printable book on hurricanes from Enchanted Learning.

We also talked about how meteorologists name hurricanes, alternating boy and girl names.

And, of course, we talked about how a hurricane dies. These powerful storms are hungry, and in order to continue to grow, they must be continually fed by the warm waters below. When it moves over land and loses its source of moisture, the hurricane falls apart dumping incredible amounts of water - which is why Vermont was so badly affected even though they have no coast!

Take a look at these awesome books on hurricanes:

Hurricane Book & CD (Read Along Book & CD) by David Wiesner

Eye of the Storm: A Book About Hurricanes (Amazing Science: Weather) by Thomas, Rick, Shea and Denise

Kingfisher Knowledge: Hurricanes, Tsunamis, and Other Natural Disasters by Andrew Langley

El Autobus Magico Dentro De Un Huracan  by Joanna Cole

Thank you all for your prayers and kind words this past week. They have meant so much to me.

Un abrazo a todos,

~Monica

It's Back to School!

It's done! Despite my original intentions of starting school on August 29th, I finally caved to my children's pleas and agreed to start this week. It's just too disgustingly hot here to do anything anyways. And it occurred to me that maybe if we go ahead and start now, that will give us some playtime when things start to cool down in the fall.

I had decided to start yesterday, but my kids came down with some strange, painful blisters between her toes over the weekend. My husband was convinced that it was the chickenpox (Noooo!), though I thought maybe they had been stung by some blister beetles. A trip to the doctor's office yesterday (and 25 bucks later), my husband's fears were relieved, and I was declared the winner expert on all things health related.

SO finally, today was our official first day of class. The first day of school is sort of special around here. We start by taking pictures (to go in our yearbook at the end of the school year!), and then I pass out un regalito to celebrate the beginning of a new grade and a new year of learning. More about this tomorrow.

To kick things off, we spent time putting together our first weather station. We used a Green Science kit from 4M, which I bought at Michaels on Friday (Yay, tax-free weekend!). I thought this would be a great complement to our lessons, as my kindergartner (son) will be learning about weather during the coming months. And it was the perfect group activity: My daughter read the directions, while I helped my son put it together. (Forgot to take a picture and now it's too dark! I'll put it up tomorrow.)

The rest of the day was spent learning the routine. I had a chance to see right away what was going to work and what wasn't now that I am teaching two children instead of just one. I was so relieved that it is not as difficult as I was worried it might be. In fact, I think once we get past this first week, it will go much more quickly and smoothly, since both children will know what is expected of them and will be able to work independently for small periods of time while I am working with one or the other. I found the small puzzles I bought in the dollar section at Target to be really helpful in keeping my son busy while I worked with my daughter.

What about you? Has your family started school yet? Are you looking forward to it?

Mariachi Music: An Interspecies Phenomenon

Apparently, it's true: Everyone does love Mariachi music!

And now, I have seen everything...



Thanks to Barb at Handbook of Nature Study for sharing this video last week!

Con mucho cariño...

Spanish Resources for First - Third Grade

A few weeks ago, an anonymous reader wrote in and generously shared the following resources with me. These are all Spanish resources for various grade levels that she has used with her own kids. This collection is the result, I can tell you, of a LOT of time, energy, and research. I am so happy to be able to share them with all of you. So bookmark this page and enjoy!


A great resource for 3rd graders from the Secretary of Education from Nuevo Leon, Mexico. It is a 14 page review of reading comprehension and math. I think there are also editions for 4th, 5th, and 6th grade.

• http://www.scribd.com/doc/36578/Cuaderno-de-Practicas-Escolares-de-Tercer-Grado


Reading comprehension for 2nd-3rd grade:

• http://www.reglasdeortografia.com/testcomprension1ciclo02.html

• http://www.aplicaciones.info/lectura/lecpeq35.htm

• http://www.lacasainfantil.com/materiales-y-recursos/por-que-las-abejas-producen-miel-actividad-para-ninos


Reading comprehension for 1st grade

• http://www.aplicaciones.info/lectura/lecpei09.htm

• http://www.aplicaciones.info/lectura/lecpei03.htm

• http://www.aplicaciones.info/lectura/lecpei01.htm

• http://www.aplicaciones.info/lectura/lecpei04.htm

• http://www.lacasainfantil.com/materiales-y-recursos/fichas-de-lectura-para-ninos

https://picasaweb.google.com/GUASIGUASIN1/RECURSOSLITERARIOSPOEMAS#5355772907729282706


Great writing, thinking, describing exercises that are in really easy to print out pdfs for 1st-2nd grade:

• http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/vinculo/pdf/primer/f93.pdf

• http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/vinculo/pdf/primer/f90.pdf

• http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/vinculo/pdf/primer/f94.pdf

• http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/vinculo/pdf/segundo/s35.pdf

• http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/vinculo/pdf/segundo/s53.pdf

• http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/vinculo/pdf/segundo/s75.pdf

• http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/vinculo/pdf/primer/f50.pdf

• http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/vinculo/pdf/primer/f88.pdf

• http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/vinculo/pdf/primer/f87.pdf

• http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/vinculo/pdf/primer/f89.pdf

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_TJ8od57mycs/TS9q3CdF25I/AAAAAAAACEA/NAQhl5GSWXM/control%20de%20lengua_Página_34.jpg?imgmax=640

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_TJ8od57mycs/TS9q3CdF25I/AAAAAAAACEA/NAQhl5GSWXM/control%20de%20lengua_P%C3%A1gina_34.jpg?imgmax=640

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_C6z3kpb4SwQ/SrgLvSBxC8I/AAAAAAAAL2c/Oa2PLMNnxk4/animales1.JPG?imgmax=640

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_LckiCfSXCNY/SdLAgxGdN9I/AAAAAAAAFSM/6Rmr2tJdCvw/varios.jpg?imgmax=640

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_TJ8od57mycs/TS9qpiCvfAI/AAAAAAAACDM/FbL3dBgJILg/control%20de%20lengua_Página_20.jpg?imgmax=640

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_TJ8od57mycs/TS9qpiCvfAI/AAAAAAAACDM/FbL3dBgJILg/control%20de%20lengua_P%C3%A1gina_20.jpg?imgmax=640

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_C6z3kpb4SwQ/SrgLuw6_HcI/AAAAAAAAL2M/zFb8diLBmjo/alimentos.JPG?imgmax=640


Many color full page pictures of animals with accompanying description. Great for color printout 3rd grade:

https://picasaweb.google.com/GUASIGUASIN1/LIBRODELOSANIMALES#


Math addition exercise with accompanying picture to color in for 1st-2nd grade:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_7EtdcXu0XMg/TOJIJugmM7I/AAAAAAAAGqY/M_Omx0CV7Ss/010401%20Sumas%20sin%20llevar%203%20d%C3%ADgitos%20colorear.jpg?imgmax=640

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_7EtdcXu0XMg/TOJHsJUjSNI/AAAAAAAAGpU/JtgQ25PkH0Q/010102%20Sumas%20sin%20llevar%201%20d%C3%ADgito%20Oculto%20H.jpg?imgmax=640


Con mucho cariño...

Lighthouses of North America {GIVEAWAY}

This is Day 2 of our anniversary bash! And this might be one of my favorite giveaways yet. I love books that are a complete package of information and activities. They can substitute for a great unit study. And this book is a homeschooler's dream!

Many of you spend a portion of your summer vacation at the beach. Maybe you live near one, or maybe you just like to travel to one during these hot, sunny months. Or maybe you live too far away from the beach, but you like to recreate the scene in your backyard with a pail and shovel and some decorative shells. Regardless of whether or not you plan on vacationing this summer at la playa, Lighthouses of North America! Exploring Their History, Lore & Science is the perfect resource for studying something fun and unusual.

Inside the pages of this book your children will study geography, literature, history and science. They can explore how sound and light travel with simple experiments, find the center of gravity, compare sand and soil, observe lighthouse color patters and flashing light codes, write a captain's log entry, and SO MUCH MORE! You will read stories of heroism, legends and lore, and even poetry from famous poets like Longfellow to aspiring young 14 year olds.

I am fascinated by this book and eager to use it this summer as a fun activity that gives us a break from school work while still allowing my kids to learn. You could supplement the book if you wanted to, but you don't really even have to because it is ALL RIGHT THERE between the covers. There are a lot of beautiful new and old photographs in the book, but the illustrations are also appealing to adults and children.

One lucky reader will win a copy of this awesome book.

To enter, simply leave a comment below.

The deadline to enter is 11:59 EST, Sunday, June5th. The winner will be chosen using Random.org. and contacted via email - so be sure to leave a valid email address in your comment!

And to increase your chances of winning, you can:

1.) Blog about this giveaway and include the link to your post,

2.) Tweet the following: Enter to win a summer treat for your children ages 7 - 14 http://bit.ly/iz9jl6 #giveaway

3.) Follow me on Facebook,

4.) Fill out the MommyMaestra survey.

Don't forget to let me know by posting a separate comment for each entry!

¡Buena suerte!

Comments are now closed.

Dosel en Las Nubes Now Available

Last January, I shared with you a new website for those of you who might be studying rain forests. At the time, they were still working on a Spanish version of the site.

I'm pleased to say that Dosel en las nubes is now active. Though they are still working on translating some of the lesson plans, most of the other sections of the site are now available in Spanish.

This really is such a fabulous resource for families! The amount of information is incredible. They cover everything from the ecology of the rain forest to the many animals that call it home - like the Resplendent Quetzal shown here. You and your children can spend hours looking through this site, watching the short, informative videos, or reading about the native wildlife.

Con mucho cariño...

The World Science Festival Is Coming to New York

The 4th Annual World Science Festival will take place in New York City June 1-5, 2011. The world’s leading scientific minds will be joined by renowned artists and influential thinkers for a celebration of science through discourse and debate, dance and theater, film, music and the visual arts.

There are so many fabulous and intriguing sessions! 50 events will take place during the five-day festival, including several youth and family events.  I would love to go to the Women in Science - especially to hear Jean Berko Gleason speak. She is one of the world's leading experts on children's language. And I'd also love to attend one of the BIORHYTHM: Music and the Body events.

If you live in the area and can only attend one event, then I would suggest taking your children to the 2011 Youth & Family Street Fair on Sunday, June 5th, from 10 am - 6 pm, in Washington Square Park.

If any of you go, I hope you will share your thoughts with us!

Con mucho cariño...

Free Education Guides for African Cats

Warning: Lots of gushing ahead.

Yesterday, our family finally went to see African Cats. Now, you know I am a former zoo keeper, right? And my husband is still in the field. So we are pretty critical when it comes to animal movies. Neither one of us is an easy audience when it comes to nature films. But I have to say, that this movie was beautiful. I couldn't get over the footage. Almost each frame could have been frozen and sold as a portrait of nature.

The film is narrated by Samuel L. Jackson, and he does an incredible job. I was worried that the story line would be too anthropomorphic (too "humanlike"), and it does, in fact, revolve around two families - a lone cheetah mother with 5 cubs and a pride of lions. But the story line does exactly what I imagine Disney wants: It provides a way for regular people, far removed from the wild African savanna, to emotionally connect with nature. My children were completely engrossed by the movie (okay, so was I). And yes, we cried, and worried, and breathed sighs of relief at various points in the movie.

It is rated "G" and I think that this is pretty much accurate, for although the film shows scenes of the cheetah and lionesses hunting, there is no gore, and I don't really remember any shots of the cats actually killing their prey. And while the movie is suspenseful, there are not really any scary scenes - but the lions' growling does get a bit LOUD at times. My son covered his ears, but didn't shut his eyes. Wow. Now that's power.

Now, on to the good part. Disney, in its wisdom, has put together quite a few printables to supplement this film. You can see one over on Spanglish Baby. But here, I want to share with you a couple of resources for teachers and homeschoolers (parents can download them, too!).

The Activity Guide is an eight-page document with several activities and notes for educators. I printed these up today and used them with both of my children (one is in PreK, and the other in 1st grade). They really enjoyed the activities and I was surprised at how much they had learned from the movie. My daughter has been studying habitats in science, so this fit in perfectly! This guide introduces the topics:

• Where do lions and cheetahs live and who are their neighbors?

• How are living things connected on the African savanna?
• What adaptations help lions and cheetahs survive on the savanna?
• How do lions and cheetahs spend their day?
• What tools and technology do researchers use to study African cats in the wild?
• What can you do to help protect African cats?
 

DOWNLOAD THE ACTIVITY GUIDE HERE

 

The Educator's Guide is a more comprehensive download with over 120 pages of lesson plans and activities. I have downloaded it and am looking forward to using it in a mini-unit study this summer. It meets many of the National Science Education Standards. It is primarily geared for students in grades 2 - 6, and includes a lot of detailed information about the African continent with a special emphasis on the savanna eco-system. It then goes on to focus on the big cat species of Africa. It is awesome.

DOWNLOAD THE EDUCATOR'S GUIDE HERE

You can also find these files and much, much more over on the Disney site for this movie.


Enjoy!

Con mucho cariño...

Disclosure: Although Disney has allowed me to share these activity guides with you, I was not compensated for writing this post. All the praise is purely my own!