Fighting Pollution From Outer Space - Free Parent/Educator Printables and Lesson Plans

Fighting Pollution From Outer Space

I'm going to present the information I have researched in fairly simple and child-friendly terms, since my aim will be to provide teacher/parent resources at the bottom of this lens page for parents or educators who would perhaps like to share the information with their students/children.

You will have seen by the title that this lens is about pollution - and trying to combat the problem -> from outer space!

Not all types of pollution are easily seen. For example invisible plumes of gas may drift over our towns and cities; they can cause asthma and a variety of other chest and respiratory problems.

Pollution can kill trees.

Pollution can kill animals.

Pollution can damage the air that we breathe.

Pollution can damage the very earth on which we live, the very earth that without which, we will not be able to survive..

loads of free printables on this page!

Unleash The Genius In Your Child

Unleash The Genius In Your Child

Teach your child the importance of setting goals and developing a plan to meet that goal and complete that task. Small projects are the best to start off with in the beginning. Ensure that it's an appropriate task for your child, and not too complex. Don't only give praise at the end of the project, but praise their accomplishments during the project as well.

Butterflies and Moths, Thematic Unit Study

Butterflies and Moths, Thematic Unit Study

Some of the best ways for our children to learn is by play and interaction. Teaching them about insects - butterflies and moths - is a fun and exciting way for you to encompass a variety of subjects into your theme. There are loads of free printables, activities and crafts on this page :)

Busy Bees Thematic Unity and Activities

Busy Bees Thematic Unity and Activities: "Busy Bees Thematic Unity and Activities"

While I have written extensively previously about bees, the work was aimed at early learners to much older learners. The unit is written in US English and is A4 size.

Please adjust your printer settings.

I decided to focus this product on little learners, and have included:
Coloring
Basic writing exercises
Mazes
Basic Counting Exercises
Word Wall cards
Calendar Pieces
Days of the Week
Alphabet Flash Cards
Sight Words
Vocabulary Exercises
Wordsearches and more…

For older students I have included one or two more advanced cryptic puzzles, all bee-related, to test critical thinking skills. An advanced crossword puzzle has been included for these children.For moms, dads and the rest of the family, enjoy cooking, baking, crafts and singing along with action poems, accompanied by a few very comprehensive lesson plans. Also included is a list of further resources for educators.
This will be a good time to introduce your child to the “ee” word family also :)

Bees and Wasps Thematic Unit Study

Bees and Wasps Thematic Unit Study

Bees and wasps thematic unit study, free homeschool printables

The Law of Attraction and Goal Setting for Kids

The Law of Attraction and Goal Setting for Kids
It doesn't matter what you do; when you spend time with your child alone, you are not distracted with chores and responsibilities, and neither is he. You have time to focus your attention on relationship building in so many ways. Can you imagine how great it will feel years from now when that 'book' or movie is trotted out to show yet again?

To Download your FREE PDF eBooks "Raising Happy Kids" and "An Attitude on Attitude" and other great printables -> http://www.squidoo.com/law-of-attraction-for-kids

Crickets and Their Cousins, a Unit Study

Crickets and Their Cousins, a Unit Study
An entire page created to teaching your child about this insect, its relatives, conservation etc... Crafts, songs and poems and other free resources enhance the thematic unit study.

Crickets, Unit Study and Activity Book

Crickets, Unit Study and Activity Book: "Crickets, Unit Study and Activity Book"

Not all the tiny creatures you see creeping and crawling and flying are truly bugs. When somebody says, "Ooh, look at the bug!" he might be pointing at a beetle with six legs, or a spider with eight legs, or a centipede with many legs. Or he might be pointing at a stink bug, which belongs to the only family scientists call bugs. But in this book we call them all bugs to make it easier.


This book is on the singing bug called the cricket, and also talks about the cricket's cousins, the grasshopper, cicada and katydid.

This activity unit is suitable for early and more advanced learners, and for a theme within your homeschool classroom.

Autism Explained, Free Parenting Resources

Autism Explained

Autism Explained.

Being able to work effectively with different professionals, exchanging ideas concerns and openly communicating about what's working and what's not, are all important elements in their child's educational success.

Remember that, as a parent, you know your child best and have the greatest investment in him or her. You need to diplomatically but strongly advocate for your child.

* Develop relationships with the teachers who work with your child.
* Get information, and know your options.
* Remember that the people you are working with also care for your child.
* You need to be credible and informed to have people listen to and respect what you say. Be sure to learn what your rights are.
* Be aware that parents have a lot of power. Don't wait for two months to check in for results. If something is not resolved quickly, work on it. Teachers don't always have as much leverage as you think. You may be able to help your child's teacher resolve something much faster. Work as a team.
* Remember that working with the school can a very emotional, personal process, because this is your child. It's very easy to feel defensive. Try to describe your needs in behavioral terms, not emotional terms.
* Keep things in perspective: Ask yourself, "Is what my child is doing typical for his age group, or does his behavior have to do with his disability?" Encourage those who work with your child to do so, too.
* Know that everything you do is not written in stone. You can change things. Just because you decided something at the end of June doesn't mean you have to do it for the next year. You can change it at the end of October if it's not working. You can call the committee back and ask to reevaluate the situation. .
* Remember to think of your child first. The disability is just part of who your child is. Remind people of your child's strengths. Encourage teachers to praise him or her.
* Ask the teacher to have your child be in the helper position at times, not always the one being helped.
* Encourage a work ethic at home. Put value on those traits that promote success in school: responsibility, consequences for behavior, organization, and punctuality. Jobs at home translate into expectations. A sense of cooperation and self-worth follow.
* If you are not sure about how to talk with teachers, connect with other parents. It's like an adult buddy system. Talk to other parents about what they are doing. You can get a parent advocate to work with you someone who's gone through what you're going through.
* Communication the most important thing to do is to establish open communication. Try to be non-threatening. You can make friends and get what you need.
* Look at yourself closely to identify habits or attitudes that interfere with effective communication or your being taken seriously.
* Be sure to communicate any concerns or ideas right away, over the phone or with a note, while the discussion can be relatively casual. By communicating early, you can avoid becoming angry and frustrated; by intervening early, you can avoid a situation growing into a bigger problem or crisis.
* One very effective way to keep communication open is to use log books. The teachers (and others who are working with your child) write in these each day and send them back home with the child. The parent reads what the teacher writes and responds and sends the book back with the child. These are especially effective with non-verbal children. It keeps the communication open between parent and teacher. Plus, sometimes writing to a teacher makes it easier to communicate an idea in the way that you want to express it.
* Inform teachers immediately of any unusual circumstances occurring at home. A stressed child cannot attend to task, often exhibits disruptive behavior, or may simply space out. Teachers may misread the signs. Examples range from divorce to a sick grandmother to a new baby. Each student has a very different response to these life changes.
* Creative Problem Solving
* In order to get your point across or convince people to try something they might not be inclined to do, be positive and enthusiastic. Be very upfront and give them factual information about your child's needs to alleviate their fears. Explain the reasons you want something done, then suggest ways to do it.
* Keep experimenting. You never know what will work.
* Ask that your child participate in everything, even at a modified level of activity.
* Convince people to try new activities or approaches before disqualifying them, even if it's for a trial time of one month.
* If you feel that decisions are being made without you, call and ask to be included in discussions. You can suggest a "pre" IEP meeting to talk about some of your ideas and what your goals and the goals of your child are. This is especially helpful for meetings that involve therapists and/or both special and general education staff. By talking before the meeting with the specific people who are responsible for your areas of concern, you can structure the formal meeting so it goes smoothly and so the entire group can sign off with only one meeting.
* Make a list of things you want to say before you go to a meeting and take it with you.
* When you meet, give yourself plenty of time to discuss important issues.
* Bring someone with you to the meeting for moral support your spouse, a friend, a
sibling.
* Good Parent-Teacher Relations
* Write letters or make calls to say thank you when things are going well. It's always a good idea to let educators know about successes, especially those that occur outside of school. For really successful occurrences, send a copy of your letter to the principal or supervisor, so he or she, too, will know what a great job your child's teacher is doing.
* Even if you don't agree with the methods that are being used, if your child is improving, recognize it.
* Maintain a "we" attitude. Ask how "we" can work together to solve a given problem.
* Write articles to the local paper about one of your child's success stories. It's good for the school, the teacher, and your child.
* If you're part of a parent group, consider inviting teachers and/or administrators to a meeting every now and again. They are probably curious about what parent groups talk about and would appreciate being included in discussions. Their perspectives are often very enlightening, and they may have concerns that never occurred to the parents. Remember, inclusion isn't only for kids.
* Work on creating a good relationship with all the people who work with your child. Be open to sharing information about your child.
* Be willing to take part. Volunteer to help out with things. Be as involved as possible.
* Remember people at the end of each year. Little notes or gifts of thanks will be very appreciated by those who receive them.
* Support the people who work with your child even when things aren't going as well. Encourage them to keep trying, that tomorrow will be better, and how you appreciate their efforts on your child's behalf.

Credit Source http://www.autism-pdd.net/autism-tips.html

Developing and Assessing Motor Skills in Children

Developing and Assessing Motor Skills in Children

Developing and Assessing Motor Skills in Children.

The basis for a lifetime of physical activity begins in childhood. Engaging in a physically active lifestyle early in life increases the chance that infants and young children will develop and grow normally. Age-specific physical activity is important for healthy brain development and healthy bodies. Early motor skills form the foundation for early learning and language development. Physical education forms the basis for later sport, dance, exercise and physical activities.

Learning to care for one's health begins early and continues throughout life. Parents and caregivers encourage healthy practices in daily routines by: teaching safety and protecting children from injury, providing nourishing foods, and facilitating ways for infants and children to be active and stay fit.

Early guidance can help a child develop and grow normally, and have the energy to engage in learning activities. Teaching children healthy habits such as healthy food choices, hand washing, oral health practices and recognition and avoidance of safety hazards sets the foundation for a continued active and healthy lifestyle.

We know from research that the physical activity of infants and young children support brain development and the child's ability to become a successful learner. To meet children's energy needs, children's diets should contain a wide variety of healthy foods, and their activities should likewise be varied and numerous.

Children use their bodies to explore their physical world. Early motor skills form the foundation for early learning and language development. "All children birth to age five should engage in daily physical activity that promotes health related fitness and movement skills" (National Association for Sport and Physical Education).

Children are enthusiastic about moving their bodies in different ways. They are eager to demonstrate their strength, balance, muscles and coordination skills. Young children's future health and well-being are directly related to their early physical development. Physical activity, healthy diets, good health practices and prevention of illness and injury are essential for healthy and successful children.

Aardvark or Antbear Unit Study

Aardvark or Antbear Unit Study

We are fortunate in Africa to be home to many different species of wildlife. Many of our species are listed as "endangered" or "threatened".

One species that is not threatened is the rather curious looking aardvark.

The Aardvark (Orycteropus afer) ("Digging foot"), sometimes called "antbear" is a medium-sized mammal native to Africa. This page provides information and resources to help you create or enhance a study of African animals or an African animal in particular.

Information sourced from St Aiden's Homeschool and Wikipedia

Squirrel Thematic Unit Study

In compiling unit studies, the intention is not only to introduce little folk to these courageous (and oh! so very cute) creatures, but to educate future generations about conservation and how, if every one person did just one thing to help, it would go a very long way to conserving the natural habitat and indeed preserving the species.


Squirrel Thematic Unit Study

Teaching Your Child to Write, free Journals for Kids

Teaching Your Child to Write, free Journals for Kids

I am mindful of the fact that children have the natural ability to learn, a curiosity and inquisitiveness to learn and explore, and hence my use of the word "teaching..." is used within the context of guiding and assisting a natural-born learner.

Basketball Thematic Unit & Study - St Aiden's Homeschool | CurrClick

Basketball Thematic Unit & Study - St Aiden's Homeschool | CurrClick

Send summer fun into extra innings with these basketball activities for kids. But for you, the parent, a little about the history. Of course you will explain, describe and debate with your children in a manner which is appropriate to their age.

This thematic unit is suitable for early and more advanced learners, and for a theme within your homeschool classroom. Use the activities to enhance inter alia alphabet and number skills, motor skills, reading, writing and word recognition.

Included in this unit are:

Alphabet Flash Cards

Number Cards

Concentration Cards

Calendar Pieces

Tic-Tac-Toe

Basketball Activities, including making a player bio, trading cards and more.

Basketball Addition

Basketball Vocabulary

Alphabet flash cards

Baseball games.

Resource Guide for Teachers and Parents

Songs

Basketball Sticker fun!

Acrostic Poem

Skip Counting

What's the Definition?

How many? Counting activity

Coloring Pages, and more.

Slamdunk! Basketball Thematic Unit Study

Slamdunk! Basketball Thematic Unit Study

Basketball is excellent exercise and good fun. Teaching your child how to play basketball will give you an opportunity to interact with them, get a good cardio workout, and help them develop large motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

Frank McCourt, Favourite Author of Irish Fact

Frank McCourt, Favourite Author of Irish Fact

Francis "Frank" McCourt (August 19, 1930 - July 19, 2009) was an Irish-American teacher and Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, best known as the author of Angela's Ashes, a memoir of the misery and squalor of his childhood. His brother is author and actor Malachy McCourt.

He received the Pulitzer Prize (1997) and National Book Critics Circle Award (1996) for his memoir Angela's Ashes (1996), which details his childhood as a poor Irish Catholic in Limerick. He is also the author of 'Tis (1999), which continues the narrative of his life, picking up from the end of the previous book and focusing on life as a new immigrant in America. Teacher Man (2005), detailed the challenges of being a young, uncertain teacher who must impart knowledge to his students. His works are often part of the syllabus in high schools. In 2002 he was awarded an honorary degree from the University of Western Ontario.

Baseball Thematic Unit & Study

Baseball Thematic Unit & Study: "Baseball Thematic Unit & Study"

Send summer fun into extra innings with these baseball activities for kids. But for you, the parent, a little about the history. Of course you will explain, describe and debate with your children in a manner which is appropriate to their age.

This thematic unit is suitable for early and more advanced learners, and for a theme within your homeschool classroom. Use the activities to enhance inter alia alphabet and number skills, motor skills, reading, writing and word recognition

Where in the World Does it Come From?

Where in the World Does it Come From?: "Where in the World Does it Come From?"

A fun and often quirky look at different aspects of different cultures and customs from around the world.

Included are games, food, Trivia, national dress, languages, greetings and more. Worksheets included will require the student to undertake a certain amount of research. Some useful links have been provided.

Parent tips and easy recipes for kids are included in the "Food Around The World" section.

Strange laws provide a giggle and your little learner will be kept busy designing his or her own traditional costume.

MY NEW BOOK YAY!!!

Baseball Thematic Unit For Little People

Baseball Thematic Unit For Little People

Study cultural norms and society's values through the lens of baseball, the all-American recreational activity. Engage students with primary source songs, and more... This page offers free resources, downloads and printables, as well as pointers to some exceptional external links that will help you plan your lessons, for very young learns to those a little older.