Showing posts with label curriculum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label curriculum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label curriculum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label curriculum. Show all posts

Educational Videos for Kids YouTube

Watch YouTube for School!


We like technology. Whenever possible, we use it to educate. One of our favorite sources for educational videos is YouTube! We also use Nextflix to find movies and documentaries, but YouTube has great educational videos for kids that are designed for classroom and homeschool use. We often share lesson plans with links to our favorite educational videos. So, here are the videos we make sure to include in our weekly curriculum. Enjoy!


This post contains affiliate links for your convenience*


Educational Videos for Kids YouTube
Our favorite Educational Videos for Kids YouTube.

We stumbled through a lot of poorly animated and lame educational videos before finding a set group of YouTubers to subcribe to. The one that sold us on YouTube educational videos for kids was the SciShow.




Subscribe Here: SciShow YouTube

Hank Green is the creator of the SciShow. They talk fast, but it is entertaining. Some say the SciShow isn't designed for kids. You'll all learn something new, that's for sure. I suggest it for tweens, teens, and adults. If you're concerned, have younger kids watch SciShow Kids.





While we were watching the SciShow, we noticed another guy who sounded and looked familiar. It is John Green, wondering where you've seen him? He's a famous author! Find more about him here: John Green.

John Green wrote The Fault in our Stars* and Paper Towns*, both of which were made into movies.

Note: John Green was born in Indiana. At the time of this post, he had moved back to the Indy area. (We're in Indiana too.)

Why is that important? Hank and John created Crash Course! These are our very favorite educational videos on YouTube.

You can watch a Crash Course in U.S. History or a Crash Course in Word History or Crash Course in almost anything. They are a very entertaining way to learn about history... quickly. Subscribe Here: Crash Course YouTube for the series of all Crash Course videos.

Here is episode one, but you don't have to watch them in order.




You can  watch a Crash Course in just about anything. Here is a Crash Course in Physics. They also have psychology courses.





For younger kids, we really like Songs of Animaniacs.

We are also big fans of Khan Academy on YouTube, but if you use it to homeschool, you'll want to go to their website. You can keep track of what you've learned and what grade level you've completed. Pretty cool. Khan Academy Lessons.

Nova is awesome for older kids, but on YouTube, you'll have to pay for it. You can find older episodes on some YouTuber's channels. Best bet, search for it on Netflix.

Here's another YouTuber, that is always creating new educational videos:





If you are like us and don't get cable, you might not be able to tune into your local PBS station. Never fear, PBS YouTube is here!

If you subscribe to Education TV channel, you'll find many of the Magic Shool Bus videos on YouTube!





ADS DISCLOSURE: We've partnered with some wonderful advertisers who may sponsor blog posts or send us samples to test. Some companies pay us to review their products. *We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Tapinfluence, Google Adsense, SoFab, and Izea ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)


Benjamin Harrison Activities

Fun Facts and Activities about Benjamin Harrison

When was Benjamin Harrison President? Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States. He was the last President to serve as a Civil War General. His history (his story) is lesser known than that of other Presidents, but it is very interesting. These Benjamin Harrison activities and lessons will help you learn all about the grandson of President William Henry Harrison. Enjoy!


Benjamin Harrison Activities
Benjamin Harrison Activities. 



First, the facts!

  • Harrison was President from 1889-1893.
  • He was born in North Bend, Ohio in 1833.
  • Republican
  • He lived in Indianapolis for many years.
  • Married twice, his second wife was the niece of his first wife.
  • He died of Pneumonia on March 13, 1901.
  • James Whitcomb Riley delivered his eulogy. 
*Facts found on Benjamin Harrison website.

Watch a video about Benjamin Harrison on the History Channel.


Picture of President Benjamin Harrison.


Immerse yourself in history when you take a tour of the Benjamin Harrison home in Indianapolis. We visited on President's Day and had the privilege of "meeting" President Harrison. They offer school tours and homeschool days. They are open every day except Sunday from 10:30-3:30. The parking and restroom facilities are conveniently located near the Welcome Center. Tours start in the Welcome Center.


President Harrison Home Field Trip
President Harrison Home Field Trip.

Visit the President Harrison Welcome Center for a School Tour.
Visit the President Harrison Welcome Center for a School Tour.

Brig. General Benjamin Harrison.

Carriage House Welcome Center at Benjamin Harrison Home.
Carriage House Welcome Center at Benjamin Harrison Home.

Field Trip Ideas: President Benjamin Harrison Home Tour.

Lessons and Activities:

Win the Whitehouse Presidential Election Game

Benjamin Harrison Word Search Activity

Looking for a civics lesson? iCivics is an amazing site founded by Sandra Day O'Conner that is chock full of history and social studies lessons. Sign up for FREE to play fun online social studies games.

More President Lesson Activities.

Below, check out the scenes from President Harrison's Indiana home.


Presidential Quilt on Benjamin Harrison's Bed.
Presidential Quilt on Benjamin Harrison's Bed.

Benjamin Harrison and daughter.
Benjamin Harrison and daughter.

Sleigh in front lawn of Harrison Home.
Sleigh in front lawn of Harrison Home.

Piano in Benjamin Harrison's Parlor.
Piano in Benjamin Harrison's Parlor.

Benjamin Harrison's Parlor.
Benjamin Harrison's Parlor.

Kitchen with Icebox in Harrison Home.
Kitchen with Icebox in Harrison Home.

Dining Room of Harrison Home.
Dining Room of Harrison Home.
Kitchen in Harrison Home: Reliant Windsor Stove.
Kitchen in Harrison Home: Reliant Windsor Stove.


Harrison and Lincoln China in Harrison Home.
Harrison and Lincoln China in Harrison Home. Lincoln China is purple on second shelf, Harrison China on top shelf designed by Mrs. Harrison.

Silk and Satin Quilt in Benjamin Harrison Home. 1892
Silk and Satin Quilt in Benjamin Harrison Home.

Abraham Lincoln for President Political Banner.
Abraham Lincoln for President Political Banner.

Benjamin Harrison's Carriage House.
Benjamin Harrison's Carriage House.

Benjamin Harrison for President Banner.

Political Campaign Balloon.

Benjamin Harrison Activities
President Benjamin Harrison Activities.


Recommended:

Books about Benjamin Harrison

Visit the Levi Coffin House in Indiana, learn about the Underground Railroad.

Abraham Lincoln Activities

Ways to Celebrate President's Day

Homeschool Nature Study Ornithology

Homeschool Nature Study: The Science of Ornithology

My kids have been taking a Homeschool Ornithology Class. They love it! The instructors have great ideas for a Nature Study on Birds. So, in today's Free Online Homeschool Lesson, I wanted to share some of the fabulous things they've done to learn about birds! Make sure you click on all the links for fun, educational videos, games, and free printables.

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.


If you are in Indiana, discover the world of birds at the Eagle Creek Ornithology Center. Meet a Raptor every Wednesday and Friday at 4:00 pm and enjoy special bird programs Saturdays at 2:00 p.m.

These lessons are meant to be done over the course of week. If you choose to do a science block, you can complete the projects in one day.


Ornithology Indiana Birds homeschool nature study lesson


Homeschool Nature Study: Ornithology

Define Ornithology: The study of birds, including their behavior, natural history, physiology, ecology, and identification. Can you answer these bird vocabulary questions.

Grab your Journal. Run to a window or go outside on a hike. List 10 birds in your yard or neighborhood. Describe the birds. This free printable is perfect for your bird journal.

For example: 
Small, Red bird with orange beak. Tufted head. 
Seen year round = Cardinal.

If you don't know what type of bird it is, make sure you have a detailed description for your search. If you have access to a camera, snap a photo. If not, draw a simple sketch. It doesn't have to be a work of art. Just good enough to help you remember details about the birds camouflage, beak, size, habit, etc.

Do you know what makes a bird a bird? Is a Platypus a bird? Is a bee a bird? Is an airplane a bird? Is a penguin a bird? Think about why or why not? Then, watch this video.





The Cat in the Hat also knows a lot about that.
Learn to draw: Trace a Bird Printable
(Recommended for ages 2-5 yrs. or everyone who is young at heart.)

Learn about different types of birds. When you click the link, you will see a series of bird videos that include:

Puffins, Eagles, Falcons, Snowy Owls, Snowy Egrets, Condors, Emperor Penguins, and more.

After watching the videos on all of the birds, list the raptors in your journal. What is a raptor? Visit Wordsmyth to find out.

Classify your birds with these Printable Flashcards.

Language Arts Component

Compare and Contrast. Write a paper with 5 paragraphs.
Remember to include a introductory paragraph (tell me what you are going to tell me), 3 detailed paragraphs in the middle (tell me), and a summary paragraph (tell me again).

Topic: Why isn't a Platypus a bird? Why is a Penguin a bird?

In the three middle paragraphs, give supporting details on each animal. You can write more than 3 supporting paragraphs if you need to, but don't forget your summary. Write this in a Google Doc. My kids send these docs to me. 


Arts and Crafts Component

Build a Popsicle Stick Bird Feeder. This is a fun construction project. Use wood glue. School glue may break down when used outdoors.

How to make a Popsicle stick bird feeder.
Popsicle stick bird feeder.

How to Make a Bird Feeder from Popsicle Sticks

First, lay the ten sticks flat, placing glue on the connecting sides.
Then, stack the sticks in a perfect square in layers with glue on the connecting ends. Eight makes the perfect height. Next, cut four pieces of yarn about 2' long. String a piece of yarn under the second stick at each corner as shown. Pull all pieces of yarn evenly and tie a knot in the top. Let dry for 24 hours. After your feeder is dry, paste in some peanut butter and sprinkle in bird seed.

You might also like:

How to Make Origami Birds


Science Lab Component

Try this Fun Science Experiment: How does a bird eat? How does the beak's shape factor in to the equation? Try this fun science experiment.

Graphic Organizer for Science Experiment

You will need the following utensils and supplies:
Eye dropper
Salad Thongs
Nutcracker
Large Serving Spoon
Tweezers

Bag Popcorn (Bugs)
Glass of Water (Nectar)
Raisins and Small Log with holes (Bugs in a Log) You can substitute a cardboard tube for this if necessary.

Click on the link above for the printable companion worksheet.

Start with a Bag of popcorn. Experiment with each utensil. Your goal is to get the popcorn into your mouth or the mouth of your partner using each utensil. Which works best. What type of bird might eat something like popcorn? What does each utensil represent? In other words, imagine a bird with a similar beak. Next, have your science partner toss you some popcorn and try to catch it with each utensil.

Place the raisins in the cardboard tube or log. Use the utensils to remove the raisins. Which works best? Remember, you are a bird. You cannot use your hands. Make a note of your findings on the graphic organizer.

Finally, try to "drink" water from the glass with each of the utensils. Which one allows you easiest access to the drink? Which one takes the longest? Would you get frustrated if you were really thirsty and had to drink water with a nutcracker?


Label the parts of a bird
.


Just for Fun

Flight School Game

Birds of a feather flock together? What does this mean? Where does the phrase originate? _____________________________


Recommended Reading:


United States Capitals Lesson

Leonardo da Vinci Design Wooden Ornithopter Model Kit




Homeschool Country Study Fun Lesson on Afghanistan

Homeschool Country Study Lesson on Afghanistan

Today, Alaina from, The Cooks Next Door is guest posting. Homeschooled herself, she now homeschools her own children. Alaina is living proof homeschooling works! She is a Dental Hygienist by trade, and her brother is studying Architecture. So, sit back, relax, and learn about Afghanistan in this country study lesson for homeschoolers. Enjoy!


Homeschool activities and crafts on Afghanistan
Afghanistan Homeschool Craft Time.
One of our favorite homeschool activities is to study different countries and cultures! I like that it develops an interest in the world, gives an appreciation of other cultures, and includes many subjects. 

We studied the country of Afghanistan and made flags out of construction paper (you can find images of the flag online), listened to music (youtube), identified and colored Afghanistan on maps, made a traditional dish (see below), read books (check your library) and wrote the capital and country


There are many free activities and coloring pages available online that make preparing for nearly any country study easy! I found several free geography printables here. We spent time talking about the political and religious climate of the country as well as the culture and traditions.

How to make an Afghanistan flag for homeschool lesson study plan
Afghanistan Flag Making.


I like that these homeschool activities include art, home economics, music, writing, cultural studies, and geography. We will often assemble a simple book with pictures, copy work, flag and anything related to the country we are studying – it’s nothing fancy but it helps the kids remember our work and they are so proud of it! Country studies are definitely a highlight for us!

Here is the delicious recipe we made. The kids were able to help with supervision, and I find that it makes them so much more inclined to try new things. We loved it on naan or pita bread - kind of  like a pizza! It made the perfect lunch and ending to our country study.


Afghanistan Dish - Sabse Borani Recipe for homeschool lesson study
Recipe for Afghanistan Dish: Sabse Borani.

Sabse Borani Recipe

4 cups fresh spinach leaves, chopped
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 cup lightly drained plain yogurt (drain about 1 hr – easiest method is to place the yogurt in a coffee filter and let stand)


Place damp spinach in a skillet and cook until wilted (can cover). Drain and squeeze to remove excess water. Heat oil in a large skillet, sauté onion at low heat until golden, add garlic and sauté briefly, then add spinach, and cook for a minute or two more. Let cool. In a bowl, smooth yogurt and add spinach mixture. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.




Recommended:

Rosetta Stone Persian Farsi Level 1-3 *

Lesson on China

Nasreen's Secret School: A True Story from Afghanistan*

Listen to the Wind: The Story of Dr. Greg and Three Cups of Tea*
















ADS DISCLOSURE: We've partnered with some wonderful advertisers who may sponsor blog posts or send us samples to test. Some companies pay us to review their products.

*We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Tapinfluence, Google Adsense, SoFab, and Izea ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)


Jake's Journey in Art: Homeschool Printmaking Lesson with Foam Trays and Pencils

Homeschool Art Lesson in Printmaking

Jake's journey in art focuses on REUSE. Make your own prints with foam trays in this fun Printmaking lesson. This homeschool art lesson requires only a few supplies making it perfect for homeschool. Enjoy!


Reuse Foam Trays for Printmaking
Animal Prints with Foam Trays Piggy Art.

What fun! This is an incredibly easy way to teach the art of printmaking to young children. The assignment required choosing an animal to draw and first drawing it on paper by looking at the image upside down. If you draw an image upside down, you tend to focus less on the end product and more on each individual line. 

The idea is to make drawing perfectly less overwhelming, when turned right side up, it magically becomes a great drawing!


Homeschool Art Project How to make your own Prints with foam veggie trays
Printmaking Lesson: Messy Craft with Paint and Prints.

Hmm... Great theory. Jake drew his pig by copying the image with the right-side up, then he proceeded to complain profusely about how everyone's drawings were better than his. It took a great deal of coaxing to get him to draw the picture upside down. He felt it was a waste of time and "stupid". 

The battle ensued, he tried it, and the results were similar. That's good news and good news, I think. The good news is he tried it, saw it worked, and wasn't stupid, and the good news is he draws pretty good either way.

You will need: 
Foam Trays, Pencil, White Paper, and Acrylic Paint.

First, draw a picture of an animal on a piece of paper. Remember, if you are looking at an image, turn it upside down and draw it upside down first. Now, turn your image around, and check out your handi-work. This is practice.

The next step is to "draw" the image onto a foam tray. Make sure to press down hard to make a deep indentation into the foam. Now, cut the edges off your foam tray so it is a flat surface. It needs to be completely flat to make the print.


Lightly paint your foam image. You can use one color or several. Make a practice print on paper to remove some of the excess paint.

Then, carefully place your foam tray paint side down onto a clean sheet of paper. Press firmly, but do not move the tray or the image will smear. With a finger or hand on each end of the tray, carefully lift it from the paper to reveal your beautiful print. Wipe the tray clean, and experiment with new colors. 


Once they started making prints they didn't want to stop!

Tip:  The best prints are the ones made as the paint is starting to wear off the tray. This is a great way to make holiday or birthday cards. You can also cut them out and frame them as Christmas gifts.


Recommended Reading:


Kids Creative Chaos Cooks: Kitchen Kids Series: Holiday Recipes*








ADS DISCLOSURE: We've partnered with some wonderful advertisers who may sponsor blog posts or send us samples to test. Some companies pay us to review their products.

*We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Tapinfluence, Google Adsense, SoFab, and Izea ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)


Classroom Snowman Craft for Door: Pin it Online Scavenger Hunt

Classroom Snowman Ideas for Preschool and Elementary


Updated with Styrofoam Cup Snowman Tutorial and more Snowmen from our Pinterest friends who tired it! So, you want to make a plastic cup snowman for your classroom door or bulletin board. It's so cool, but how do you do it? Check out this Styrofoam cup SNOWMAN entered in a teacher's door decorating contest. 


This post contains affiliate links.

Did you know you can pin posts from your blog or pictures of your classroom door on our Pinterest board for teachers. We also have a Pinterest board just for Snowmen Stuff, just send a message in Pinterest with a request to join.


Scroll down the page for our favorite classroom snowman decoration ideas and the how to make the door snowman from plastic cups. Enjoy!






Preschool Classroom door snowman from Styrofoam cups
Snowman Uploaded by Tiffany Cone Webb 
Click the pic to follow her on Pinterest.

Styrofoam Cup Snowman: This Classroom Door snowman was designed for a door decorating contest. Yes, he won! But, the question is...


How do you make a snowman for a classroom door from Styrofoam cups


The serious answer is very, very carefully with lots of patience. Plastic Cups are easier to staple than Styrofoam cups. They also have more give when assembling the snowman. Try using sticky Velcro strips to attach your snowman creation to the door, wall, or classroom bulletin board.



This one was created by Destinie S. and uploaded to Pinterest.
Click Plastic Cup Snowman with lights to see the video with flashing lights. Great job!

Good news! We found a video that shows how to make balls from plastic cups. In the video, you'll see that they make two halves and attach them to form a ball. So, you'll only need to make one half and then attach it to the wall. However, if you make the entire ball , you can make a stand alone cup snowman decoration. Check out this cute one, made to look like Olaf from Frozen!


How to Make a Plastic Cup Snowman Decoration for Door
Plastic Cup Snowman made to look like Olaf! We found this one at diycuteness blog.


Get LEGO OLAF on Amazon.


diycuteness also shared this plastic cup snowman for the classroom door.



How to Make a Snowman from Plastic or Styrofoam Cups:





Watch the video above to learn how to make a classroom door snowman from plastic cups. In the video, it shows how to make balls to make light decorations for parties. You can adapt this method to create the snowballs to build your snowman on a door.


Get short Styrofoam cups like the plastic cups in the picture.


FYI: We tried making the Styrofoam cup snowman several times. We finally made something resembling a circle, but never felt it was a good enough snowball to share. However, we tried it with tiny medicine cups which were difficult to staple. And then, we tried using glue to attach Styrofoam cups together. The method in the video with regular size plastic cups stapled together seems to work, but the circles are difficult to get perfectly round. 

Good luck, you're going to need it!


pre school snowmen snowman for classroom
The original source seems to be a teacher's album 

  • We found some great Snowman crafts at OrientalTrading and fun, free snowman worksheets at TeacherSherpa.com. Check out our post and follow along on Instagram to keep up with all of our crafty classroom activities! 




Winter Bulletin Board: Snowmen, Penguins, and Snowflakes on Amazon.








Recommended Reading:






Get Snowmen At Christmas Book

Plastic Cup Halloween Lights




Edible Art: Sensory Play Paint with Spaghetti with Toddlers and Preschoolers

From our Sensory Play Messy Class for Preschoolers and Toddlers: Worm Painting with Spaghetti and Edible Paint Art

Sensory Play is a great way to help preschoolers learn. It also helps with disorders of the Autism spectrum when the child is allowed to explore the subject matter on their own without being pushed. This activity is messy, squishy, fun, and even edible! Enjoy!


Sensory Spaghetti game for kids and preschoolers.
Getting Started with Cooked Spaghetti
Spaghetti Painting or Worm painting
Inspired Modern Art. Worm Painting?


Sensory Play Edible Art Painting with Spaghetti for Preschool and Toddlers

Spaghetti Painting for Edible Art and Sensory Play.
Spaghetti Painting for Edible Art and Sensory Play feels like worms.

How to Make Spaghetti for Sensory Paint Play

  • Cook up a batch of Spaghetti
  • Strain it and pat it dry
  • Mix some Edible Paint (Vanilla Pudding Paint with Gel food coloring works best with the Noodles but you can also try kool-aid paint and  milk paint for other projects.)
  • Prepare to get Messy!
  • Swirl the Spaghetti in the paint, then onto your paper.
Since most in the class are toddlers, I paraphrase the words to get thru it quickly, paying a lot of attention to the photos and asking, "What is that?".  We paired this with the Children's Book, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs



Next, I gave each child a spaghetti noodle to study. Then, we stood up pretending we were squigly spaghetti noodles. Oops, spaghetti can't stand up, so we fell to the floor and squirmed like worms. We finished up with a game of Duck, Duck, Goose but why not try Worm, Worm, Catepillar?

Painting was a huge success. The sticky spaghetti is so fun, enjoy!

Recommended Reading:

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Worm Birthday Party Favors

Healthy Spaghetti Recipe

Worm Birthday Party Activity