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Giant Panda Lapbook

August 29, 2016 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

We had so much fun learning about the animals of the African Savannah with a lapbook that we decided to learn about a new animal this week: the Giant Panda! And we used another awesome lapbook from Knowledge Box Central to do it!

Giant pandas are probably one of my personal favorite animals. They are the epitome of squishy! If I could, I would pick one up and squeeze it for the rest of my life.

But it turns out that there’s a lot more to pandas than cuteness. Check out some of the amazing panda facts we learned using our Giant Panda lapbook!

Learning about Giant Pandas with Lapbooks

For more on how to use lapbooks for other lessons in your homeschool, see our reviews of other great lapbooks from Knowledge Box Central, including a Cooking lapbook, a Math Mini Office, and a Hurricane lapbook!

Disclosure: I received this product in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own and I was not required to post a positive review.

Giant Panda Lapbook for Homeschoolers

Giant Panda Lapbook

As I’ve mentioned before, Knowledge Box Central is a superb lapbook manufacturer. I never have any trouble assembling the lapbooks or teaching the unit because all the minibooks and instructions are in the downloadable file. Super simple!

Giant Panda Bears Lapbook

I was even able to use the cover page of the lapbook file as the lapbook cover!

Here’s the supply list I used to make this lapbook:

  • Colored file folders
  • Hot glue gun with glue sticks (for gluing the folders together)
  • Colored paper
  • Stapler with staples
  • Metal brad fasteners
  • Tacky glue (for gluing the minibooks into the folders)

Giant Panda Lapbook Layout

So fun!

Giant Panda Lapbook Minibooks

There are minibooks about the geographic range of the Giant Panda, how pandas are affected by poaching, the unique structure of panda hand bones, and the general characteristics of this species.

Inside the Giant Panda Lapbook

Plus, a tabbed book about how pandas interact with humans, the environmental impact of pandas, conservation efforts, and a panda word search!

Giant Panda Lapbook Crossword Puzzle

There’s even a fold-out crossword puzzle!

Exploring the Giant Panda Lapbook

My second grader couldn’t wait to get started! I actually had to tell him, “Wait, don’t do that one yet! We have to talk about it first!”

Studying the Range of the Giant Panda

We started by examining the geographic range of the giant panda, which I’m sorry to say is not very wide. Pandas are only found in parts of three Chinese districts these days.

Learning about Where Giant Pandas Live

The minibook even shows how drastically the range of the giant panda has been reduced over the years. The culprit? Bamboo deforestation. As the available amount of bamboo dwindles, pandas have to climb higher and higher to find it, which takes a toll on the population.

And then there’s poaching, which causes more of a direct impact on panda survival. Sad.

Learning about the Makeup of Giant Pandas

We learned something really neat. The Chinese name for the giant panda literally means “Bear cat”. Know why? Pandas’ eyes are shaped like cat eyes, with a slit down the center! We spent some time drawing anatomically correct panda eyes.

Drawing with Panda Coloring Pages

Naturally, there was some time spent coloring the panda coloring pages.

Completing the Panda Word Search

And doing the word search!

Learning with a Giant Panda Lapbook

My second grader really enjoyed this lesson and there were so many minibooks we didn’t even start! We’ll be learning about the giant panda with this lapbook for some time to come!

Check out this lapbook, plus plenty others, by visiting Knowledge Box Central today! There are a LOT of lapbooks to choose from and many are just $5!

Giant Panda Resources

Add these fun and educational resources to your study of Giant Pandas!

  • Giant Pandas by Gail Gibbons – A lovely picture book about this amazing species
  • Melissa & Doug Peek-A-Boo Panda – This sweet wooden toy is perfect for babies and toddlers
  • National Geographic Reader Level 2: Pandas – A good book about pandas for kids who are able to read on their own

Knowledge Box Central

Want to see more Knowledge Box Central lapbooks in action? Check out these posts!

Creatures of the African Savannah Lapbook Review

Learning to Bake with a Cooking Lapbook

Making a Hurricane Lapbook

Build your own unit studies using lapbooks and more with the tips on my Unit Studies Pinterest board!


Filed Under: Lapbooking, Unit Studies Tagged With: giant panda, giant panda lapbook, giant pandas, homeschool lapbooks, homeschooling, knowledge box central, knowledge box central lapbooks, lapbooking, lapbooks, science, unit studies

Animals of the African Savannah Lapbook

August 18, 2016 by Selena Robinson 1 Comment

My soon-to-be third grader is an absolute fanatic about animals. He loves learning about them, talking about them, reading about them, and watching videos about them.

A lot of his interest in the animal kingdom has come from his diligent watching of Wild Kratts, but there are very few animals I can mention that he doesn’t know at least something about. (Educational TV, FTW!)

So, this year when I had a chance to renew my relationship with the lapbook company, Knowledge Box Central, I jumped at the chance to try the Creatures of the African Savannah lapbook with him. I just knew he’d love it. And he did!

See how we’re learning about the animals of the African Savannah with a lapbook!

Disclosure: I received this product in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own and I was not required to post a positive review.

Studying Animals of the African Savannah with Lapbooks

We’ve gotten to try other lapbooks from Knowledge Box Central in the past, including the Cooking Lapbook, the Hurricane Lapbook, and the Math Mini Office Lapbook. Visit our previous posts to take a look at them all in action!

Creatures of the African Savannah Lapbook Review

Creatures of the African Savannah Lapbook

I love to lapbook with our kids, but when I was first starting out, the directions seemed a bit…overwhelming. I didn’t know how to get started, where to find good resources to supplement my unit, or how to get my kids interested in completing the minibooks.

So I love Knowledge Box Central! Their lapbooks come with clear instructions and diagrams that show how to assemble each minibook and where to place it in the completed lapbook. Plus, there is a printable lesson plan at the back that walks you through the information kids can learn and place in each minibook.

African Savannah Lapbook Cover

The lapbook instructions offer a supply list that describes the kinds of materials you’ll need to complete the project. Here are the supplies I used:

  • Colored file folders
  • Hot glue gun with glue sticks (for gluing the folders together)
  • Colored paper
  • Stapler with staples
  • Metal brad fasteners
  • Tacky glue (for gluing the minibooks into the folders)

African Savannah Lapbook at a Glance

Voila! Look at that beauty!

Whenever I open a lapbook, I get excited. It just looks like there’s so much to do! And since Knowledge Box Central makes it easy to know where to place each minibook, the finished product is always gorgeous.

African Savannah Lapbook Layout

Inside the first lapbook are minibooks about lots of African animals, including leopards, zebras, and wildebeests.

Animals of the African Savannah Lapbook Layout

Plus, kids can learn about the differences between herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores – all of which live on the savannah.

African Savannah Lapbook Layout Ideas

More animal minibooks are located in the second folder!

Animals of the African Savannah Lapbook Layout Ideas

My third grader wanted to learn more about the animals he wasn’t too familiar with, so we focused on jackals.

Exploring African Animals with Lapbooks

When he opened it, he just started to smile. He went through the lapbook, opening each minibook to see how it worked.

To start, we reviewed the differences between herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores.  Since he’s an avid Wild Kratts watcher, he already knew this and proceeded to teach me about it. 🙂 But the information is also located inside the lapbook lesson plan in case you need it.

Studying Carnivores with Lapbooks

As he explained the differences for each one, he filled in his lapbook. Here he’s working on the Carnivores minibook.

Studying Giraffes with a Lapbook

After we read about jackals, he wanted to talk about giraffes. We’ve seen them at the zoo, but he didn’t know that they have an 18-inch long tongue! When we read that from the lapbook lesson plan, he just had to write it down in the Giraffe minibook.

Studying Jackals with a Lapbook

“Can I color the jackal on the cover please, Mom?”

Sure. Why not? 🙂

Using Lapbooks to Study African Animals

We had a blast with this lapbook from Knowledge Box Central! And we still have a lot left to learn with it! You could easily make this a three-week unit.

Animals of the African Savannah Resources

Once you grab your lapbook from Knowledge Box Central, round out your study of the Animals of the African Savannah with these resources!

  • Wild Kratts Season 3 – This season has the episode “Cheetah Racer”, which is based on the African savannah.
  • African Animal Alphabet (National Geographic Little Kids) – A hardcover book for small children, featuring pictures of African animals for each letter of the alphabet.
  • Ravensburg African Animals 3000-Piece Puzzle – This fun puzzle is a way to get the whole family involved in the unit!
  • Here is the African Savanna (Web of Life) – A beautiful picture book that highlights how the various African savannah animal species are connected.

Knowledge Box Central

See other gorgeous lapbooks from Knowledge Box Central on display in these posts!

Learning to Bake with a Cooking Lapbook

Teaching Math with Math Mini Office Lapbooks

Making a Hurricane Lapbook

For more tips on how to create your own unit studies, including lapbooking, follow my Unit Studies board on Pinterest!

How to Study African Animals with a Lapbook


Filed Under: Homeschooling, Lapbooking Tagged With: animals, animals lapbook, animals of the african savannah lapbook, lapbook, lapbooking, science, science lapbook

Simple Early Solar System Unit for Kids

July 8, 2016 by Selena Robinson 6 Comments

Learning about the Solar System for Kids
Free Printable Flashcards: Solar System - Look! We're Learning!

When I was a kid, I wanted to be an astronaut. Like pretty much every kid in the 80s.

We’re from Florida originally and I really, really, really wanted to go to space camp.

But, alas, it never happened. I did ride one of those anti-gravity swings at Church Street Station in Orlando, though. Not quite the same somehow.

Outer space is still a fun early learning theme for kids, so I thought I’d put together a few resources for learning the solar system.

There are videos, books, and activities below that make learning about the solar system even more fun!

Simple Solar System Craft for Kids

You can use some or all of these solar system unit resources to introduce your students to our neighbor planets.

If you like this unit, take a look at our Spanish and English Solar System Learning Cards too!

Learn about outer space with this fun solar system unit for early grades!

Learning the Solar System for Kids

Watch the following YouTube video and discuss the following questions with your class:

(Note: The last two minutes of this video includes a hypothesis that states the solar system will cease to exist in 500 million years, which might frighten some students. Giving you a heads-up in case you want to skip it. None of the questions below are about that part of the video.)

  1. How old do scientists think the solar system is? Answer: 4.5 billion years old
  2. How often does the solar system circle the galactic center? Answer: Once every 250 million years
  3. Name the four terrestrial planets in our solar system: Answer: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
  4. Name the four gas giants in our solar system: Answer: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
  5. Why does Mercury experience large temperature fluctuations? Answer: Because a Mercury year is shorter than a Mercury day.
  6. How hot does temperature get on Venus? Answer: Up to 497 degrees Celsius
  7. Why is Earth able to sustain life? Answer: Because temperatures are moderate enough to retain a water supply.
  8. Name the largest mountain on Mars: Answer: Olympus Mons (It’s also the largest mountain on any planet in the solar system.)
  9. What two gases comprise most of Jupiter? Answer: Hydrogen and Helium
  10. How many moons does Saturn have? Answer: 62
  11. What makes Uranus unique? Answer: Its axis of rotation is tilted sideways.
  12. How long is a Neptune year? Answer: 164 Earth years
  13. How much of the solar system’s mass is made up by the sun? Answer: 99.86%
  14. Where is Pluto located? Answer: In the Kuiper Belt at the edge of the solar system

Solar System Outer Space Binoculars Craft

Make a simple solar system craft with this outer space binoculars activity!

Little learners can use them to “stargaze” on their own!

Supplies: (Affiliate links are listed below. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

  • Two empty toilet paper rolls
  • Colored tissue paper
  • Child-safe scissors
  • Glue stick
  • Elastic cord
  • Stretch rubber necklaces
  • Outer space-themed stickers
  • Glue circles
Making a Solar System Binoculars Craft

Wrap the tissue paper around each toilet paper roll. Use scissors to cut off the excess.

Paper Binoculars Solar System Craft

Stick glue circles onto the side of one of the toilet rolls. Press the other roll onto it to stick them together.

Let students decorate the tubes with the outer space stickers.

Easy Solar System Binoculars Craft

Cut the elastic cord and thread it inside both of the paper rolls.

Tie the ends of the cord around the rubber necklace to make a lanyard.

All done!

Solar System Flashcards for Kids

Teach your students about each member of the solar system, including the sun, moon, and stars, with these printable solar system flashcards!

Solar System Flashcards for Early Learners

These cards feature colorful illustrations and vocabulary words for early learners to memorize the planets in our solar system.

A full blackline version is included too.

How to Use Solar System Flashcards with Kids

Best of all – you can get these solar system printables for free!

Click the image or the link below to have these solar system flashcards sent directly to your inbox! You’ll also get our weekly newsletter – coming this Sunday!

Click here to get your printable resource

>>> Solar System Flashcards <<<

25 Books about the Solar System:

There are so many great picture books about the solar system for kids to read. Many of them have beautiful illustrations and, sometimes, even pictures from space.

Solar System Books for Kids to Read

I’ve put together a list of 25 selections that are excellent for early grades.

Take a look at the collection below!

25 Awesome Books about the Solar System

Solar System Crafts and Activities for Kids:

Try some of these hands-on ways to learn about the solar system for kids!

  • Solar System Edible Playdough – Look! We’re Learning!
  • 10 Fun Children’s Books about Space – Crafty Mama in ME
  • Children’s Astronaut Books – The Jenny Evolution
  • Solar System Coloring Pages – Look! We’re Learning!
  • Melted Bead Planet Mobile – Schooling a Monkey
  • Stargazing Apps for Kids – iGameMom
  • Coffee Filter Solar Eclipse Craft – Look! We’re Learning!
  • Space sensory salt tray activities – The Usual Mayhem
  • How to Spot Meteors When Camping – FrogMom

I hope you love using this simple solar system unit with your students! If you have any suggestions, feel free to let me know in the comments!

Filed Under: Science, Unit Studies Tagged With: homeschool science, homeschool unit studies, science, solar system, solar system for kids, solar system unit study, unit studies, unit study

3 Tips for Exploring a Nature Trail with Kids

May 6, 2016 by Selena Robinson 1 Comment

As a bookworm, I haven’t been much of an outdoor mom. But my kids absolutely love the outdoors! So I’ve been making an effort to get them outside more often.

Which means I was psyched to join the A-Z of Outdoor Activities series! And for today’s entry (Letter E), I’m sharing 3 Tips for Exploring a Nature Trail with Kids! If you’re ready to hit the trail with your littles, see how we made it fun!

Tips for Exploring a Nature Trail with Kids

3 Tips for Exploring a Nature Trail with Kids

Let them set the pace.

Nothing makes a child hate something more than being made to do it on a timetable. I know, I’ve tried and failed at that with my kids.

When you get outside, everyone should be able to relax and feel at ease. And that means letting the kids set the tempo.

Visiting a Nature Trail with Kids

On our trail hike, the kids started off slowly…

Walking Along a Nature Trail with Kids

…and then picked it up quickly afterward. I just told them to stay within eyesight, which they did (for the most part).

Stop and examine nature.

The whole point of a nature trail is to see nature, right? So, be sure to look out for interesting sights as you go. Don’t just focus on finishing the trail.

Exploring Nature with Kids

We came across this rotten tree trunk, which had become home to a spider web and lots of creepy crawlies. It was gross, but also kind of neat?

Exploring Old Trees with Kids

But it was mostly gross. 🙂

Have a goal in mind.

If your kids tend to lose interest in things quickly, you can keep them going along the trail by setting an endpoint as a goal to reach.

My kids needed the extra incentive of seeing something special at the end of the trail, so we chose a route that ended in a small waterfall. All the way down the trail, they kept saying that they were excited to see the falls.

Hiking a Waterfall with Kids

And when we got there, they wanted to stay and just watch it for a while.

Exploring a Stream with Kids

Seeing how the water “fell” and then formed a stream was pretty neat for them too.

Enjoying a Nature Trail with Kids

They’ve talked about this experience almost non-stop since we left. And we’ve already made plans to visit the trail again! This was definitely a win for our family.

Exploring a Nature Trail with Kids

Want more ideas for having outdoor fun with your kids? Check out my Outdoor Play Ideas board on Pinterest!

This post is part of the A-Z of Outdoor Activities series from Crafty Kids at Home! Follow along to see all of the awesome outdoor activities shared this month!

A-Z of Outdoor Activities Series


Filed Under: Outdoor Play, Science Tagged With: natural science, nature, nature for kids, nature study, outdoor fun, outdoor fun for kids, science

10 Kids’ Picture Books about Bugs

April 19, 2016 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Bugs are super popular with kids, especially during the warm months when we start to see more ants, bees, and other creepy critters around more often. Personally, I’m not a fan. But my boys (in particular) think they’re super cool!

So, I’ve worked up the nerve to start putting together a bug unit study. And part of that unit is reading some great picture books about bugs!

Here are ten kids’ books about bugs that are awesome for showing kids different kinds of insects and helping them learn about how they live and co-exist along with us.

Picture Books about Bugs

10 Kids’ Picture Books about Bugs

  1. Bugs: A Stunning, Pop-Up Look at Insects, Spiders, and Other Creepy-Crawlies by George McGavin
  2. Bugs A to Z by Caroline Lawton
  3. Ultimate Bugopedia: The Most Complete Bug Reference Ever by Darlyne Murawski
  4. Bugs Galore by Peter Stein
  5. Big Book of Bugs by DK Publishing
  6. On Beyond Bugs: All About Insects (Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library) by Tish Rabe
  7. Everything Bug: What Kids Really Want to Know about Bugs by Cherie Winner
  8. Caterpillars, Bugs, and Butterflies: Take-Along Guide
  9. Because a Little Bug Went Ka-Choo by Rosetta Stone
  10. The Bugliest Bug by Carol Diggory Shields

10 Picture Books about Bugs

If you try one of these, let me know which one is your favorite! And if I missed a great bug book, tell me your pick in the comments!

For more buggy fun, check out these posts!

Free Bug Printables Pack

These fun insect activities for kids are perfect for learning about our creepy-crawly animal friends!

Activities for the Grouchy Ladybug

And get more ideas for science learning from my It’s Science board on Pinterest!


Filed Under: Book Lists, Science Tagged With: book lists, books about bugs, books for kids, bugs, children's books, learning about bugs, reading, science, science for kids

Hands-On Learning about Taste Buds

February 11, 2016 by Selena Robinson 9 Comments

Studying the human body is always a fun unit with kids. And one of the basic concepts is the five senses, right? But it turns out that every time I cover this unit, I learn something new. This time it was about how our taste buds work.

Now I’m probably exposing myself as an ignoramus, but I really never thought much about taste buds. Not what they did, not what specific tastes they detect, and certainly not where they were located. But I know a lot more about them now and so do my kids!

Check out our hands-on learning about taste buds, including a fun paper craft that you can recreate with your little ones!

Hands-On Learning about Taste Buds

Learning about Taste Buds

What really got me started on this activity was reading the Sesame Street book My First Book About the Five Senses with the kids.

Learning about Taste Buds Book

This is going to be really pathetic, but I didn’t know that there are different taste buds on different parts of our tongues!

Learning about Taste Buds for 1st Graders

See? The taste buds at the back of the tongue are for bitter tastes, while sour and salty taste buds are located on the left and right sides. The tip of the tongue is where the sweet taste buds are located. Neat!

Learning about Taste Buds on the Tongue

So I created a similar “tongue” on pink construction paper with taste bud “zones”.

Learning about Taste Buds Paper Activity

Pretty close, right?

Learning about Taste Buds Activity

After we read the book, I handed Roo the paper tongue and some torn pages from a magazine so he could find pictures of food and glue them in the correct taste bud “zones”.

Learning about Taste Buds Activity Prep

Any time there’s a chance to use scissors, he’s raring to go.

Learning about Taste Buds Scissor Activity

See that image of coffee on the table? Roo didn’t know where to put that picture on the paper tongue. After all, he’d never tasted coffee.

Learning about Taste Buds Cut and Paste Activity

Time to do a taste test and find out!

Learning about Taste Buds Taste Test

He was super excited to taste a grown-up drink. But afterward, he came to the instant conclusion that…

Learning about Taste Buds Tasting Activity

Black coffee definitely belongs in the “bitter” zone.

Learning about Taste Buds Taste Test Activity

So, he finished finding pictures and gluing them in the right places.

Learning about Taste Buds Cutting Activity

And while he worked, I read about taste buds with Piglet. As you can see, she had a pretty good time.

Learning about Taste Buds with Toddlers

And Roo is all done! Coffee and onion are in the “bitter” section, pickles and grapefruit are in the “sour” section, salted nuts and chips are in the “salty” section, and a brownie and a clementine make up the “sweet” zone.

Hands On Learning about Taste Buds Activity

A tad bigger than the tongues in our mouths, but you get the idea.

Learning about Taste Buds Paper Tongue Craft

We really enjoyed this project and Roo was so proud of his work that he ran out into the living room to show the rest of the family.

Learning about Taste Buds

For more hands-on science fun, follow my It’s Science board on Pinterest!

And don’t miss the other fun human body learning activities this week from the Early Elementary Blogging Team!

STEM Respiratory System Investigation Asthma versus Healthy from Life Over C’s

What’s Inside Your Blood – An Edible Model from Preschool Powol Packets

Human Body Printables for Kids from Living Life and Learning

Telling the Time – Body Clock from Rainy Day Mum

Human Body Games for Kidsfrom The Natural Homeschool

5 Senses Unit from 123 Homeschool 4 Me

Bones from Sugar Aunts

Human Body Math from Planet Smarty Pants

Parts of the Eye Painting from Still Playing School


Filed Under: Crafts, Science Tagged With: 1st grade, crafts, first grade, hands-on science, human body, science

Simple Heat Conduction Experiment with Air is Not Oxygen!

February 11, 2016 by Selena Robinson 1 Comment

How many of you parents are extremely comfortable with teaching science? And I mean extremely comfortable.

If you’re not, you’re not alone! I’m not much of a science buff myself. I got good grades in it as a kid, but I haven’t really ever been interested in it. (Except for astronomy. Astronomy is awesome.)

So when it comes to teaching science, I find it hard to get a good grasp of the concepts so I can teach them to my kids. And that’s why I was thrilled to get a chance to review a great science book and try some of the activities, including a simple heat conduction experiment!

Read on to see why I loved this book and to see one of the included hands-on activities!

Disclosure: I received this product in exchange for this post and I was compensated for my time. All opinions are my own and I was not required to post a positive review.

Simple Heat Conduction Experiment

Science Concepts for the Non-Scientific Parent

As I mentioned earlier, I’m not super comfortable with science. And what’s worse – I’ve forgotten most of what I did learn in school. Fortunately, I’ve recently gotten a copy of the book Air Is Not Oxygen: Essential Science You Should Have Learned … But Probably Didn’t! and I have to say: It. Is. Incredible.

It’s a thorough overview of several scientific concepts, including light, heat, animal behaviors, and more. So it’s a good introduction or re-introduction to the same things you and I learned in school.

I had so many “Ohhhhh!” moments reading this book. For example, when Dr. Morelan talks about heat, he explains that you can generate heat through physical or chemical reactions. And for a physical reaction example, he tells you to rub your hands together (warming them) and then wave them in the air (cooling them).

Now did you ever think of that as friction or an example of how heat is generated? I didn’t!

And the book is written in a witty, conversational manner that just makes sense. I actually found my husband reading it later. That’s how good it is.

Simple Heat Conduction Experiment

After I read the section about how heat is generated with the kids, we tried one of the experiments in the book to observe heat conduction in action.

What is heat conduction? It’s how heat travels from one object to another. For example, when you touch something made of metal, it feels cold, right? Know why?

Because the metal is sucking the heat out of your body! For real! Just another thing I learned from Air is Not Oxygen. (Seriously, buy it now. You’ll be glad you did.)

It turns out that metal is an excellent heat conductor. And to test that statement, the book recommends experimenting by comparing to two other materials to see which one conducts heat the best. We took butter and spread it onto a plastic spoon, a metal spoon, and a pencil.

Heat Conduction Experiment Supplies

Then we stood all three up in a glass and added hot water.

Conducting Heat Conduction Experiment

Like so.

Heat Conduction Experiment Setup

And slowly but surely, the butter on the metal spoon began to soften.

Heat Conduction Experiment Stage 1

We watched with bated breath…

Observing Heat Conduction Experiment

Until it finally melted!

Heat Conduction Experiment Comparison

The butter on the pencil softened, but the butter on the plastic stayed fairly firm.

Heat Conduction Experiment Stage 2

Yep. There’s no doubt that metal is the best conductor of the three. Science works!

Heat Conduction Experiment Stage 3

This whole experiment took about half an hour. And most of that was spent in the observation phase. It was a really simple science experiment and a great way to “see” science in action.

And I finally understand what heat conduction is!

Heat Conduction Science Experiment

To brush up on science concepts and give your kids a chance to try a fun and simple heat conduction experiment, get your copy of Air is Not Oxygen from Amazon!

For more science fun, check out my It’s Science board on Pinterest!

And you can get even more ideas for teaching all kinds of homeschooling subjects, including science, in the book “The Big Book of Homeschool Ideas” from iHomeschool Network!

The Big Book of Homeschool Ideas by iHomeschool Network

Filed Under: Curriculum Reviews, Science Tagged With: book reviews, science, science experiments, simple science experiments

5 Fun Ways to Learn at the Zoo

October 20, 2015 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

What child doesn’t love visiting the zoo? Naturally, zoos are popular for homeschooling field trips, but you can also make them into genuine opportunities to learn. Read on to find out 5 fun ways to learn at the zoo!

It’s Tuesday, so it’s also time for the Laugh and Learn linky! Check out our favorite posts from last week and read even more great homeschooling and parenting posts today!

5 Fun Ways to Learn at the Zoo

5 Fun Ways to Learn at the Zoo

We love the zoo in our family. In fact, we were just there last week for a homeschool class. My boys learned about black and white animals (lemurs, pandas, etc.) and my oldest daughter learned about the strongest animals on Earth. Trivia: Did you know that, when you measure according to the ability to pull its own weight, the Rhinoceros Beetle is stronger than a lion? Neat!

Homeschooling classes are just one way to learn at the zoo. Today I’m sharing five more over at Thinking Outside the Sandbox!

5 Fun Ways to Learn at the Zoo – Thinking Outside the Sandbox

Onward to the linky!

Come join us every Tuesday for the #LaughLearnLinkUp and share your #Parenting or #Homeschool #Tips!

Welcome to our 55th week of Laugh and Learn – Homeschool and Parenting Linkup!

Laugh and Learn – Homeschool and Parenting Linkup will be open by 6 am every Tuesday morning.

Each and every week, all of the hosts pick one favorite post to be featured on the next week’s linkup. All of your links will be shared on five blogs.

We are also sharing the top posts on Pinterest: #LaughLearnLinkup {Featured Favorites}. It’s added exposure for your awesome content!
Reminder: Please share this linkup! You can help us build a great homeschool and parenting group.
[bctt tweet=”Share your favorite #parenting or #homeschooling post with #LaughLearnLinkup. #ihsnet #ibabloggers”]

Your Fabulous Hosts 😉

Tina
Me and SawyerLos Gringos Locos
Tina lives abroad in Latin America with her husband and four children. Currently in Mexico, Tina is active in homeschool, travel, and her Bible ministry. She blogs about all of their adventures, and more at Los Gringos Locos.
Find Tina at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
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Selena
Selena - head shot Look We're Learning

Selena is a writer and a homeschooling mom to four kids, including three with ADHD/SPD. Selena and her husband, Jay, are committed to teaching their children at home and loving every minute of it! You can read about the family’s homeschooling experiences at Look! We’re Learning, written by Selena!
Find Selena at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
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Sarah
sarah-dedicated-homeschooler Dedicated Homeschooler
Sarah lives in Kentucky, USA, where she and her husband homeschool three children. Sarah writes for and about, families with special needs. She hopes to provide support and encouragement to all special needs parents in the homeschool community. Visit Sarah at Dedicated Homeschooler.
Find Sarah at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
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Haley
Haleys Vintage Finds & DealsHaley's Vintage Finds & Deals
Haley hopes to encourage stay at home moms. She wants to help them learn how to make an extra income, to stretch a budget, to make crafts, and other useful information. Haley always has updates on the kids, and their funny antics. Visit Haley at Haley’s Vintage Finds & Deals.
Find Haley at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Pinterest
Instagram
Twitter
Google+
YouTube
Lindsey
Lindsey is a passionate writer eager to touch the hearts and minds of homeschoolers and parents abroad. As a devoted mother to two, happy homeschooler, and scatterbrained housewife, she's on a mission to find love and joy in "the simple life" and invites you to join her! Lindsey is a passionate writer eager to touch the hearts and minds of homeschoolers and parents abroad. As a devoted mother to two, happy homeschooler, and scatterbrained housewife, she's on a mission to find love and joy in "the simple life" and invites you to join her!
Lindsey is a passionate writer eager to touch the hearts and minds of homeschoolers and parents abroad. As a devoted mother to two, happy homeschooler, and scatterbrained housewife, she’s on a mission to find love and joy in “the simple life” and invites you to join her! Visit Lindsey at Nitty Gritty Homeschooling. Find Lindsey at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Google+
Instagram
Pinterest
Twitter
YouTube


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Laugh Learn Linkup

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Laugh Learn Linkup


The Winners for the Week of October 20th:

Featured on #LaughLearnLinkup


Tina’s pick for this week…

Solar System Unit Study and FREE Printable K-3 Activity Pack
Note from Tina:
I am going to save this for our boys. Outer space is always cool!
[bctt tweet=”Outer space is always a cool homeschool study unit! By @momteaches2 #LaughLearnLinkup”]


Selena’s pick for this week…

Finding Balance in the Homeschool
[bctt tweet=”Finding balance while homeschooling by @classichomesch #LaughLearnLinkup”]


Sarah’s pick for this week…

Lego Math Race with FREE Printable
Note from Sarah:
I’m really not crazy about math, and two of my kids hate it. But when you add Legos…even I want to do math.. Thanks for this great little game.
[bctt tweet=”Have fun with Lego Math Race by @alldayeverydaym #LaughLearnLinkup”]


Haley’s pick for this week…

Teddy Bear Printable Kindergarten Worksheet Set
Note from Haley:
My kids would love these!
[bctt tweet=”Teddy Bear Kindergarten Worksheets by @learning_2walk #LaughLearnLinkup”]


Lindsey’s pick for this week…

Fall into Art
Note from Lindsey:
These works of art are amazing!
[bctt tweet=”Fall Into Art by @AmyOes #LaughLearnLinkup”]


Thanks to everyone who submitted a post. Please check out the post above by clicking on the image. If you enjoyed these picks as much as we did, please share them also!

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Follow Tina Ernspiker’s board #LaughLearnLinkup {Featured Favorites} on Pinterest.


Come join us every Tuesday for the #LaughLearnLinkUp and share your #Parenting or #Homeschool #Tips!

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An InLinkz Link-up


Filed Under: Field Trips, Homeschooling, Laugh and Learn Linky Tagged With: field trips, laugh and learn linky, science

Amazing Hurricane Books for Kids

August 18, 2015 by Selena Robinson 2 Comments

10 Kids' Books about Hurricanes

It’s hurricane season! And we’ve been talking about hurricanes, tropical storms, and tropical depressions with the kids lately. We even got to review a Hurricane Lapbook a few weeks back.

As part of our hurricane studies, I put together a list of kids’ books about hurricanes that are awesome for introducing this topic to children and explaining it in an interesting way.

Check out our picks below! And if you want even more ways to learn about hurricanes, don’t miss our hurricane unit study!

Learn about extreme summer weather with these amazing hurricane books for kids!

Amazing Kids’ Books about Hurricanes

1. Eye of the Storm: A Book about Hurricanes by Rick Thomas

2. Hurricane by David Wiesner

3. Hurricanes by Seymour Simon

4. Hooper Finds a Family: A Hurricane Katrina Dog’s Survival Tale by Jane Paley

5. Tornadoes and Hurricanes! by Cy Armour

6. Hurricane! by Celia Godkin

7. Where Albatross Soar: A Beachside Story of Waves and Storms by Bryan Knowles

8. Read about Hurricanes by Sally Morgan

9. Hurricanes! (First Graphics Wild Earth) by Marcie Aboff

10. The Superstorm: Hurricane Sandy by Josh Gregory

Hurricane Books for Kids

11. Hurricanes: Earth’s Mightiest Storms by Patricia Lauber

12. Zane and the Hurricane: A Story of Katrina by Rodman Philbrick

13. Hurricanes by Gail Gibbons

14. Hurricanes Vs. Tornadoes Vs. Typhoons: Wind Systems of the World by Baby Professor

15. Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans by Don Brown

16. Hurricanes! (Hello Reader) by Lorraine J. Hopping

17. Hurricane Watch! (Let’s Read and Find Out Science 2) by Melissa Stewart

18. Storms by Seymour Simon

19. I Wonder Why Hurricanes Have Eyes (and other questions about natural disasters)

20. Hurricanes (Wild Weather) by Jim Mezzanotte

Amazing Hurricane Books for Kids to Read

Do you have any go-to books about hurricanes that you’ve read with your kids? Share your picks in the comments!

For more hurricane learning ideas, you might also like:

Making a Hurricane Lapbook

Learn about extreme weather in this hurricane unit study for kids!

For more tips to make your kids into readers, check out my Reading for Kids board on Pinterest!

This post is part of The Massive Guide to Homeschool Reading Lists by iHomeschool Network! Click over to read tons of awesome booklists shared by my fellow homeschooling bloggers!

ReadingLists

Fun Science Experiements Every Month

Filed Under: Book Lists, Reading, Science Tagged With: booklists, hurricane books for kids, hurricanes, kids books, science

10 Simple Science Printables for Kids

August 1, 2015 by Selena Robinson 15 Comments

We’re going to be focusing more on science during the upcoming school year than we have in the past. Science is NOT one of my favorite subjects to teach. I was a humanities major. 😉

But, thanks to some of the great resources available from Enchanted Homeschooling Mom, I’m finding it easier than ever to plan my science lessons this year! Here are 10 of the simple science printables for kids you can find at Enchanted Homeschooling Mom, including a complete weather science curriculum!

10 Simple Science Printables for Kids

10 Simple Science Printables for Kids

1. Dinosaur Science Writing Prompts – Enchanted Homeschooling Mom

2. Printable Cloud Wheel – Enchanted Homeschooling Mom

3. Shark Coloring Pack – Enchanted Homeschooling Mom

4. All About Butterflies Pack – Enchanted Homeschooling Mom

5. Penguin Friends Pack – Enchanted Homeschooling Mom

6. Dolphin Anatomy Lesson Game – Enchanted Homeschooling Mom

7. Plant Journal – Enchanted Homeschooling Mom

8. Duck Mini-Unit – Enchanted Homeschooling Mom

9. Scientific Words Journal – Enchanted Homeschooling Mom

10. Weather Detective Science Curriculum – Enchanted Homeschooling Mom

And these are just a few of the printable resources available from Enchanted Homeschooling Mom! If you’d like to get access to all of these printables, plus tons more, you can join the EHM Members Only site for a one-time fee of just $15! Click the image below to learn more!

EHM Members Only Website

On a personal note: I want to say that Jill was the first professional blogger to take me under her wing. She gave me tips, support, and encouragement when I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. 🙂 It’s a privilege to be able to support her this time around.

This post is part of the Blog Hop for Enchanted Homeschooling Mom – a project to support Jill of EHM during her difficult time! Be sure to stop by to see my fellow bloggers and their roundups of fabulous resources from Enchanted Homeschooling Mom!

Not Back-to-School Picnic Ideas – Stir the Wonder

10 Fun Gross Motor Ideas – 3 Dinosaurs

Sensory Bins – Brain Power Boy

Space Activities – Preschool Powol Packets

Storybook Activities – Growing Book by Book

Spring Crafts for Preschool – Kidz Activities

Around the USA – Trillium Montessori

Disney Themed Crafts – Life with Moore Babies

10 Free Coloring Packs – Sunny Day Family

Disney Printables – In The Playroom

10 Simple Science Printables for Kids – Look! We’re Learning!

Pray Species – Fall Crafts and Activities

Superhero Activity Sheets – Crafts on Sea

Kids Activities to Prepare for a Disney World Trip – Mess for Less

Enchanted Preschool Printables – Itsy Bitsy Fun

Living Montessori Now – Living Montessori Now

Sensory Bins Based on Children’s Books – Mom Inspired Life

Science Ideas to Start the School Year – Capri + 3

Blog Hop for Enchanted Homeschooling Mom

Filed Under: 2015-16 Curriculum, Homeschool Curriculum, Homeschooling, Homeschooling Printables, Science Tagged With: homeschooling, homeschooling printables, science, science printables

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