Monday, January 30, 2012

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How to Make a Bird-feeder From Water-bottles! (tutorial/instructions)




We've noticed a lot of birds out during the last few mornings, and decided to make a little bird-feeder from water-bottles for them!  It's a very easy and fun project, though it does require some supervision.  Depending on your children's ages and attention spans, you may even want to pre-cut the bottles for them. 

For you visually-oriented people, here's a diagram of the entire process:



If you want a step-by-step, here you go:

1.  Prepare the bottles.  Cut the flat bottom off of Bottle 1 and save it for a lid.  Cut the pointed top off of Bottle 2 and recycle it (or throw it away...sigh).  From Bottle 2, cut two holes near the bottom for a stick to go through (see diagram) and two holes to use as doors (about an inch above the stick holes--see diagram).

2.  Thread a long piece of yarn through the doors to use as a hanger.  Make sure it is not in the way of step 3.



3.  Squish and slide Bottle 1 (Tip A first) into Bottle 2 until Tip A is below the bottom of the doors.

4.  Fit a stick through the holes for the birds to sit on.


5.  (Everyone's favorite part!) Pour birdseed into your new bird-feeder!  Squish the lid on and find a cool spot to hang your new bird-feeder!  It may take a day or two for the birds to find your feeder, but they will come!  Try to learn the names of all the birds who come to visit!

 

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Saturday, January 28, 2012

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Sharing Saturday: Groundhog Day

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Today is Saturday, and I'm so excited to share a few activities I've come across during the last week for Groundhog Day!  Groundhog Day is February 2nd--tradition says that if the large woodchuck sees his shadow, we still have six more weeks of winter!  For more details check out The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club Groundhog Day website!  Then see what these fun families are trying:

*** Jill at Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons shared the fun dessert idea pictured above--you can just see Phil popping out to check on his shadow!  The details and instructions are at http://kitchenfunwithmy3sons.blogspot.com/2012/01/groundhog-day-desserts.html.


*** Marcia's Links shared a fun poem that goes to the tune of I'm a Little Teapot!  You can find Here's a Little Groundhog at http://www.marcias-lesson-links.com/Heres%20A%20Little%20Groundhog.pdf.

*** Jill at Enchanted Homeschooling Mom shared an entire Groundhog Day unit!  Pictured to the right, it includes geography, math, and more!  It has materials for a variety of ages--check it out at http://enchantedhomeschoolingmom.blogspot.com/2012/01/groundhog-day-printable-activity-unit.html.  She also has several other printable Groundhog Day activities and resources--look for her Groundhog Day link in the right sidebar for more! 

If you were featured, feel free to grab a button from the right sidebar!

For us, any excuse to have a party is a great one!  We like to play shadow games and learn about groundhogs on February 2nd.

What about you?  Do you celebrate Groundhog Day?  If so, what do you do?

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Thursday, January 26, 2012

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Peanut Butter Play Dough OR Peanut Butter Cookies


Play dough your preschooler can make and share with your toddler?  Oh, yes! 

This fun recipe can be used as just a recipe for cookies.  Or, you can let your kids play with it--once it is mixed together, it molds wonderfully!  Or, you can divide the dough, make cookies with half, and play with the other half.  It's up to you!



The recipe is simple:

Yum

** 1 cup creamy peanut butter

** 2 cups powdered sugar

** 6 Tablespoons (1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons) soft butter


The steps are fun:

1.  Stir all three ingredients together, then knead them into a ball.

2.  For cookies, pull off a child-sized handful of dough and knead it into a ball.  Let it harden on a sheet of wax paper (a plate or cookie sheet also works fine).  If you like, you can dip the top in dipping chocolate or press a chocolate chip into the cookie!


3.  For play dough, hand it to your child and let her play!  Even better, grab a handful and play with her!  You can store the dough in a sealed container in your refrigerator for up to a week.

Note:  Yes, it is entirely edible!

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Saturday, January 21, 2012

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Sharing Saturday: Chinese New Year

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Today's Sharing Saturday is all about China and the Chinese New Year!  The Chinese New Year/Spring Festival usually begins on the second full moon after the winter solstice (January 23rd, this year) and ends 15 days later with the Lantern Festival.  Schools close and work is cancelled for the first week and festive, red decorations celebrate good luck and happiness for the new year!  Wonderful parades, firecrackers, and family parties are everywhere!  How can you celebrate with your family?  Here's a few ideas!

Sierra at H is for Homeschooling is sharing an awesome preschool/kindergarten Chinese New Year Printable!  These adorable pictures include coloring, color recognition, numbers, pre-writing practice, games, size ordering, and more!  Check it out at http://his4homeschooling.blogspot.com/2012/01/free-chinese-new-year-dragon-printables.html

When I lived in China, I totally fell in love with the Plum Blossom paintings.  They represent strength, hope, beauty and virtue.  The beautiful blossoms appear when the trees are surrounded by snow and winter, and remind anyone who sees them that Spring really is coming!  Traditionally, they are painted with a dry brush, but you and your family will love the way Jill at Meet the Dubiens has turned this symbol into a fun tissue-paper craft at http://www.meetthedubiens.com/2010/04/craft-cherry-blossom-branch.html!   

Introduce Chinese characters to your kids!  Kate at My Oatmeal Kisses shares stories, crafts, activities, and other ideas for her China Theme this week.  Chinese characters are especially fun for young children to learn about because each character represents a word or idea, unlike English where each letter helps build the word.  Check it out at  http://www.myoatmealkisses.com/2011/08/chinese-characters.html!
 
We are starting the Year of the Dragon!  Miya Maeda at Jellyfish Jelly shares this awesome Dragon Puppet Craft...as well instructions for an awesome looking red Chinese lantern!  Check them out at http://www.jellyfishjelly.com/?p=2615!

The dragon is passionate, proud, fiery, smart, strong, artistic, generous, and loyal...even if he might be a little tactless and brash.



It's no secret that kids love to make things!  Melismama at The Joys of Home Educating has been sharing crafts and activities all week that she and her family have been using to celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year.  At http://www.thejoysofhomeeducating.com/2012/01/diy-chinese-new-year-crafts-tutorial.html she shows how to make firecrackers, felt fortune cookies (complete with a treat inside!), and paper lanterns! 


Wow!  It's a little more than normal, but Chinese New Year is so much fun!!  Are you celebrating?  If so, I'd love to know how!  I hope these give you some great ideas!  If I featured you, feel free to grab an "I Was Featured!" button from the sidebar!

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Thursday, January 19, 2012

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Snowman File Folder Game and Writing Practice (free printable)

It's winter and everybody loves snowmen!  Today, I have a fun pattern-based Snowman File Folder Game with a writing practice page for you...and, it's a free printable!  To make the file folder game, cut out the hats and laminate them.  Cut out the snowmen and tape them to the inside of a file folder.  Let your child match the hats to the scarves with the same pattern!  This can be an individual activity, but we did it as a group--those poor snowmen were so cold without their hats and everybody wanted to help!  Re-create the patterns with colored blocks or crayons!  We also followed up with some other icy activities!  If your child is learning to write, he may enjoy the tracing/writing page that is attached as well.

Click here to download the Snowman File Folder Game and Writing Practice Page!

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Monday, January 16, 2012

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Teach Me Tuesday (1-17-12)

UPDATE: (2016)  This post is now 4 years old!  There are some brilliant ideas in the linky, so I am keeping the post live, but I also want to share links to some of my favorite posts from the last few years.  Thanks so much for stopping by!!  ~Carla



      
 



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Teach Me Tuesday is here!  This is our first link party hosted exclusively from Preschool Powol Packets for all things related to teaching, homeschool, and education!

Teach Me Tuesday at Preschool Powol Packets
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Before we get started, let's take a look at the link most clicked on from last week's party:



Melismama at The Joys of Home Educating shared lots of curriculum ideas for snow, geography, time, and art in this awesome, most clicked-on post!  If you missed it, be sure to check it out!

Now, onto this week's Teach Me Tuesday linky party!

The guidelines are simple:

1- Link to your post, not your whole blog.
2- Your post must be family-friendly.
3- Your post must somehow relate to education (this includes crafts, games, experiments, printables, recipes, essays, and anything else related to education!).
4- After you link up, visit some of the other links and let them know what you think!  Everybody likes to get feedback and know their post is appreciated!
5- This is optional, but I'd sure be grateful if you spread the word by posting the Teach Me Tuesday button (above) on your blog or post!  The party only gets better with more bloggers!
**Please use the new button--it looks the same, but the old button links to the wrong blog!  This new one will bring your readers here to join the party!**

That's it!  I can't wait to get to know you and see what you're up to!  Also, you're always welcome to follow me on GFC, Facebook, or subscribe to my monthly newsletter (links are in the sidebar)!








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Science Experiment: Elephant Toothpaste

Update: "Elephant toothpaste" is a science experiment that I used to do with my high school students.  It is a strong multi-sensory demonstration that goes great with a lot of chemistry concepts.

It is also very popular with preschoolers and homeschoolers! 

The internet loves it too! It has now been read by more than 3.9 million people! This was the post that started the trend on science activity sites across the internet and "irl!"  Thank you for being here...I hope you enjoy it as well!  💕 



This exciting science experiment works great in a discussion on reactions, as a demonstration, or as an actual experiment. We've also done seasonal twists with "elephant toothpaste" like making it in a pumpkin and using it for "reindeer toothpaste!"

To use it as a science project, perform it once with your child, then ask your child what might happen if you changed the amounts or left out an ingredient. 

Any time you experiment or demonstrate with liquids, heat, or glass you should use protective eye gear -- kids LOVE wearing science goggles!

And like everything else on this site, make sure you safely supervise your children.



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Let your kids direct the experiment!  Also, the foam created is safe to touch.  It is simply water, oxygen gas, and soap, so if your child has no soap allergies, she can experience and experiment with the texture, temperature, and feel of the foam! If your child does have soap allergies or sensitive skin (or if you're just concerned), I'd encourage you to use gloves--you can still enjoy touching it with gloves on!


Elephant Toothpaste:



1.  Set a water bottle or soda pop bottle in the middle of a pan to catch the toothpaste.

2. Mix these in a separate container and swirl together for a minute.  The yeast will catalyze (or speed up) the reaction.  Woo hoo!

** 2 Tablespoons warm water
** 1 teaspoon yeast

3.  Mix these in your soda pop bottle: 

** 1/2 cup 6% hydrogen peroxide.  It is important to use at least 6%.  You can use 8% or more (available on Amazon), or you can use Salon Care Professional Stabilized Formula.  20 Volume Clear Developer from Sally Beauty Supply works fine too. 3% from the grocery store will NOT work as well.  :)
** 4-5 drops food coloring
** squirt of dish soap




4.  Pour the yeast mixture into the soda pop bottle...and be amazed!


If you're working with older kids, you may be interested in how "elephant toothpaste" works:

The reaction is summarized by this formula: 
2 H2O2  -->  2 H2O + 02.

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) naturally breaks down into water and oxygen.  It is stored in opaque containers to help slow down this process.  Catalase (an enzyme in all living things, including yeast) speeds up the reaction.  Dish soap catches the oxygen and makes bigger bubbles and the food coloring makes it look cool.  The foam and bottle feel warm because the reaction is exothermic--it releases energy as heat.

UPDATE: At the request of many of you, I am providing these amazon affiliate links for 6% hydrogen peroxide for your convenience.  You will not pay any more for them, but we will receive a small commission for referring you.  I recommend buying a larger container because your kids will want to repeat the activity many times!






And, of course, here are some other supplies for this experiment:



UPDATE: As discussed in the comments, it is called "elephant toothpaste" because it is so foamy it looks as if an elephant could brush with it. Elephants do not actually brush with it. Do NOT actually put it in your mouth, your children's mouths, or any animals' mouths.

What else can you do with this experiment?

1- Discuss decomposition reactions (with older kids)! Look at the formula for the reaction and track where the atoms move from the reactants to the products side. See how the hydrogen peroxide "decomposes" during the reaction!

2- Learn more about enzymes! Here is a great introduction to enzymes and catalase, the enzyme in yeast that speeds up this reaction!

3- Check out this "extreme" version that Imagination Station did! They used a different catalyst on a much larger scale!

More favorites at Preschool Powol Packets:


   




Are you looking for more experiments, activities, art, and STEM projects for older kids? Then check out my site Teaching Without Chairs!




Would you like more science project ideas for kids? Check out my Kid's Science board on Pinterest. It's full of science experiment fun:
  Follow Carla in's board Kid's Science on Pinterest.




Happy Educating,
Carla




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