Videos, Lessons, and Printables for Black History Month
Now, more than ever, the importance of Black History Month should be celebrated. Learn the origin of dedicating the month of February to Black History and the history behind the month long holiday. These Black History Month videos for kids and African American resources that help celebrate the black lives matter movement are the perfect classroom curriculum.
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Homeschooler Homework Ideas for Black History Month
What time is it? It's time to learn about black history! These black history homeschool homework ideas will prepare your homeschooler for an oral report on their favorite person in black history. We've organized the famous black Americans by school subject so that you can choose one that fits your interest. With so many famous African American achievers, there's no sense in studying a subject you find boring!
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When is Veterans Day? In the United States, we celebrate Veterans Day (also known as Armistice Day) on November 11. You probably know a war veteran: a school teacher, a principal, a grandparent, a cousin, or a member of your church. Just ask! Often, when we think of Veterans, we think of historical wars and senior citizens, but there are many young war veterans these days. We hope you'll try some of these Veterans Day lesson ideas and then go out into your community and thank a war veteran.
Scroll down for Veterans Day Videos for Middle School and a fun song for preschoolers!
What can you do to teach about and help celebrate Veterans Day? Educate and engage with a history lesson or simply thank a Veteran. You can do both, when you combine a Veterans Day history lesson with a letter writing campaign. We found some awesome, editable letter to soldiers and thank you card templates for elementary at TeacherSherpa.com.
Hop over to TeacherSherpa to find printable Veterans Day games and activities to add to your lesson plans.
Hey kids, did you know War Veterans are men and women who served in any branch of the military including the National Guard? You may know a veteran who served in one of these wars:
World War 1
World War 2
Vietnam
Korean
Iraq
Afghanistan
Called Armistice Day in 1919 to commemorate the end of World War I, it was renamed Veterans Day in 1954 to include American veterans of all wars. On November 11, we honor the wartime service of men and women in all branches of the armed forces.
This cute song from Kiboomers is fun for preschoolers.
Fun Fact:
Veterans Day is not Veteran's Day because it is not a day owned by Veterans. If it were a day owned by all Vets, it would be called Veterans' Day. Veterans Day is a day to celebrate Veterans. Yep, I've been messing that up for years, and I know the rule. Childrens' not Children's - Child's not Childs' - Kids' not Kid's.
In fact, this blog was originally titled 'A Kid's Creative Chaos' then I dropped the 'A' and kept the logo, 'Kid's Creative Chaos.' It took me years to realize my error. Humiliating. In my head, it was still one kid's creative chaos (my son's.) Now, I just incorrectly call it 'Kids Creative Chaos' because it looks better. Sigh. The more you know, the more you realize you don't know. Recommended:
Chapter Three Young Adult Fiction Novel Moon Magic
Are you reading the YA Fiction Novel, Moon Magic? If not, start here: Moon Magic starts here. This is Chapter Three of Moon Magic online. In Chapter Two, Aurora attended a football game. It wasn't a pleasant experience. That weird guy followed her to the band room. She thinks he's a weirdo, but there is something about him that she finds intriguing. What is it? Find out inChapter Three of Moon Magic. Enjoy!
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YA Fiction Novel Online: Moon Magic Series Chapter 2
Have you been reading the Young Adult Fiction Novel, Moon Magic? If not, start here: Moon Magic starts here. If so, this is the third post in the series or Chapter Two- if you missed the last post start with Chapter One. Last chapter, Aurora had some trouble in English class. She decided to sit down for solidarity. Has she gotten any braver? Find out in Chapter Two of Moon Magic. Enjoy!
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YA Fiction Novel Online: Moon Magic Series Post Chapter One
Did you catch the opening post with the prologue and first few pages of the Young Adult Fiction Novel, Moon Magic? If not, start here: Moon Magic starts here. If you read it- then you are ready to start with the second post in the series. This YA Novel is complete except for edits. I'm posting here for your feedback and constructive criticism. Remember, it is copyrighted material. Last week, Aurora wanted to go run and hide in the bathtub. Let's see if things have improved in Chapter One of Moon Magic. Enjoy!
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Update: The final YA Supernatural Fiction publication is now available on Amazon with a change of title.
Free Online Books for Teens and Tweens: Moon Magic It Begins Here
Teens and Tweens? I'm sharing my young adult novel online for free. If you like magic and suspense this YA Fiction Novel is for you. Each week, chapter by chapter, you'll live Aurora's story as she uncovers the secrets of her birth father, becomes comfortable in her own skin, and gets into a little mayhem along the way.
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Scroll down for the intro and prologue or click here for Chapter One.
Learn about Mars with Online Lessons and Worksheets
Mars. The planet all ages love. Is there the possibility of life on Mars? Will you have the opportunity to live on mars? In this Mars Planet Study, we've compiled a series of online lessons and activities for kids from preschool to high school. Enjoy!
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French Lessons and Worksheets for Homeschool or Classroom
If you homeschool like we do, you're probably teaching several grade levels at once. For this France Country Study Lesson, we've found worksheets and activities that work for toddlers to tweens to teens. Scroll down for Videos on the French Revolution, French Word Search Printables, Famous Artists, Art Projects, and Games they play in France. School teachers, you'll find fun classroom activities and worksheets that work in a classroom setting too. Enjoy!
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For Elementary and Middle School, Make a Passport like this one from De Su Mama.
Printable Passport Activity from De Su Mama.
Make an Eiffel Tower with bits of colored straws like this one from Cutting Tiny Bites. While this craft activity is fun for elementary, it also aides preschoolers in fine motor skills.
Hopscotch: This game is played outdoors on a flat, paved surface, but you can paint an old sheet or use cardboard squares to play indoors. You can also purchase a hopscotch board for indoor or outdoor play. Each player needs a small item to toss onto the hopscotch squares. Rocks or quarters work well. Not sure how to play? Get the rules to hopscotch. Petanque: How to Play Petanque
La Semaineor "The Week" is played with 1 or more children with chalk and a pebble (pennies work too). Use the chalk to draw seven squares in a row. Label each square with a day of the week. Now, a player throws their pebble into the Monday box. If they miss, it is the next player's turn. If they hit it, they must jump on one foot to get to the stone, pick it up while still standing on one foot, and then jump back to the start. Players repeat for each day of the week (seven times). Repeat the task every time a mistake is made. For example, they trip or hop on two feet. Game is won when one player covers all squares and makes it safely back start. French Cricket You will need aCricket bat or tennis racket and ball. Players stand in a circle. The first player stands with their feet together, defending the 'stumps,' which in French Cricket are the batman's legs below the knees. Now, the players in the circle take turns to bowl at the 'stumps' and the batsman must hit the ball away from them. The bowler gets clever to distract the batsman.
If the batman's legs are hit, he's out. He's also out if he moves his feet at any time from the original position. If the bowler, or any of the fielders around the circle, catch the ball before it hits the ground, the batsman is also out. Everyone takes a turn until the batsman is out. The bowler who 'stumps' the batsman takes his place.
Elementary and Middle School Activities for President's Day
The Inauguration is over, now it's time to plan for President's Day. President's Day doesn't have to be boring! You can perform a fun classroom skit, visit a local President's home or birthplace, watch a video about presidents, and even make a cute presidential paper bag puppet and have a puppet show. No matter the age of your students, we've got some fun activities for you to do to celebrate President's Day. Enjoy!
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When is Black History Month? February is Black History Month. Chances are, you're looking for famous African Americans for classroom projects. Whether you need names of famous black people for biography or history lessons, you'll find well-known and lesser known people, lesson plans, worksheets, and free classroom printables for Black History Month. Enjoy!
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Photo above by The Visibility Project,
Claudette Colvin [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.
When is Columbus Day? Columbus Day is always celebrated on the second Monday in October. In 2022, Columbus Day is Monday, October 10. In 2023, Columbus Day is October 9. Learn more about it with these Columbus Day online lessons and activities. Enjoy!
Free Homeschool Lesson Plans and Curriculum Resources We've Tried
Disclaimer: This is my homeschooling journey story. To avoid my open letter to future homeschoolers and the homeschool haters, just scroll down to the bottom for the free homeschool lesson plans and curriculum resources. This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. Enjoy!
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!
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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.
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.
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.
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!
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! :)
If you are looking for a unique field trip experience, you will want to take a trip to Battleground, Indiana's Wolf Park. You'll learn about and see live Wolves. It is a fun and educational Indiana Field Trip. Enjoy!
Have you ever been fascinated by the distant howl of a wolf? Would you like to see one up close? Have you wanted to belt out your best wolf howl? These are all possible at Wolf Park in Battleground, IN. Wolf Park is dedicated to behavioral research, education and conservation to improve the public’s understanding of wolves.
Battleground Indiana Wolf Park Field Trip: Things to do in Indiana.
We visited Wolf Park for their Howl Night Program. From our spot on the bleachers, we learned about the beautiful animals, their history, and most importantly how to imitate their howls. Six of the current pack were spotted and seemed very curious about all of us.
Wolf from Battleground Wolf Park.
As the evening wore on and darkness descended, we began to feel like we were in their world, like we were the ones in an enclosure, not the other way around. After the lecture and howling lesson, we went down to the fence for a closer look at the wolves. It truly gave us a sense of their size and “fluffiness” as my daughter put it.
Wolf exhibit.
When the show was over, we were free to take a short hike around the grounds to visit the bison, foxes, and coyotes. A visit to their gift shop and educational center is also a must visit.
The park offers special programs for Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts along with special Holiday events, such as, their Pumpkin Party held every October, Turkey Toss in November, and visits with Santa in December. There are also photo seminars and educational seminars offered. For more information go to wolfpark.org.
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! :)
History Online for Homeschool and Classroom Curriculum
Looking for a History Learning Site? These online history lessons include videos, printable worksheets, and free online educational games. When planning your classroom or homeschool curriculum, check here for all of your lesson plan needs. We're always adding new online lessons for students so check back often. Enjoy!
Online History Lessons:Curriculm, Printables, and Videos.
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!
Wondering when is Jackie Robinson Day? Jackie Robinson Day is April 15. Who is Jackie Robinson? He is one of the most famous baseball players in history. Do you know why? Yes? No? Maybe? Either way, you'll learn about Jackie Robinson with these online activities and videos on Jackie Robinson for kids. This is a great post for students to learn facts about Jackie Robinson. Enjoy!
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Books, Videos, and Lessons: Jackie Robinson for Kids.
To learn the bio of Jackie Robinson, students can watch these videos about Jackie Robinson:
Watch this Video of Jackie Robinson from Brainpop.com. They also have a good video on Civil Rights. If you don't have a Brainpop account, you should! However, you can do a search for a password that you can use to watch the videos. You won't be able to keep track of all your hard work without an account. So, if you can't do that, here is a another video about Jackie Robinson from History.com.
Be sure to do the FYI and take the quiz on Brainpop. You'll also find lesson plans for teachers there.
Keep scrolling for games and activities about Jackie Robinson.
No matter your age or grade level, you will enjoy this book, I am Jackie Robinson* by Brad Meltzer. It is a fun biography written from the point of view of Jackie Robinson as a child. Packed full of Jackie Robinson facts, this book is the perfect companion book to a lesson on Jackie Robinson.
Do you know the original lyrics to Take Me Out to the Ball Game? Listen here:
And, here's the version you've probably heard:
That's a lot of baseball history, let's move on to other lessons. Language Arts Component:
Since we're talking famous baseball, you'll want to read the most famous baseball poem of all time, Casey at Bat. Even better, listen to James Earl Jones recite the poem, Casey at Bat:
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! :)
Fun Rosa Parks Bus Companion Story with Activities
Who was Rosa Parks? What did she do? In honor of Black History Month, here's a fun lesson with activities about Rosa Parks. We've included a book that works for all ages, I am Rosa Parks, and fun ideas for the classroom or for a family fun night.Enjoy!
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! :)
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.
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.
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.
Visit the President Harrison Welcome Center for a School Tour.
Brig. General Benjamin Harrison.
Carriage House Welcome Center at Benjamin Harrison Home.
Field Trip Ideas: President Benjamin Harrison Home Tour.
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.
These Lunch Box Ideas for Tweens are Fun and Creative Do you miss sending cute notes or packing fun school lunches for your toddler? Now t...
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