Kadinsky Heart Tree

Kandinsky is perhaps most famous for his abstract circle paintings. I combined this idea with Valentine's Day. Using oil pastels which I absolutely love -these are the adult version of crayons; I just added rings of heart shapes (instead of circles). This is very calming activity for all ages. You end up with a nice vibrant piece of artwork. Kids will enjoy blending the colors together around the perimeter of the hearts.

Great Online Homeschool Website-Time4Learning

I am very impressed with Time4Learning online educational curriculum. You can find the site here:  Time4Learning

Time 4 Learning is a technology based program that teaches preschool through 8th grade using a combination of animated lessons, interactive activities and reinforcing worksheets.
It has made teaching and learning much more fun for my children. There are times when my 11 year old is giggling at the animated video clips while she is learning new concepts. The vocabulary videos are outstanding!
 I believe one of most difficult things in homeschooling is keeping organized as well as making sure we aren't missing anything. It really makes life easier while being very affordable. For a low monthly fee, you have access to Language Arts, Phonics, Grammar, Science, Social Studies and Math. (Science and Social Studies are available in 1st and 2nd grades respectively).Your child's progress is recorded immediately. As a parent you can view your child's progress in the reports section and observe the subject that may need a little more attention.
Another great aspect to this curriculum is the fact that kids can move at their own pace. Your child can move along to the next grade level as he/she advances.
My children really benefit from the various learning tools this curriculum provides.

I've been invited to try Time4Learning for one month in exchange for a candid review. My opinion will be entirely my own, so be sure to come back and read about my experience. Time4Learning is an online educational program that can be used in many ways including as a homeschooling curriculum or afterschool tutorial. Find out how to write your own curriculum review for Time4Learning.

Work From Home-Solavei

Hi all you stay at home moms! This is a great opportunity to work from home. All you need to do is the same thing you do everyday with posting on Facebook or Twitter.  A NEW social commerce business ready to launch in September 2012. If you like more information on how you can make your life better and help many others please send me a email at solaveidreams@nc.rr.com to get an invitation to become part of the pre-launch elite group called The Lane. You can view a the vision webinar and be inspired by the founders of this amazing company. Don’t miss out! No commitment required. No contracts!

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/solavei-introduces-the-first-social-commerce-network-for-mobile-services-distribution-2012-07-26

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Word Bubbles-High Frequency Words for First Grade

I had some large bubble wrap and wrote on the flat part of the bubbles some of my son's first grade high frequency words (sight words). He loves to pop those bubbles! His reward for correctly reading each word is to pop the bubble. :) Simple yet very effective!

I had some metallic permanent colored markers to make the display more colorful.

Color Matching with Art

I printed out these art cards through http:///www.montessoriforeveryone.com
and laminated them. I also used some paint samples that I've collected from various home stores. You can have a matching game with just the printed pictures or search for a particular color using the paint sample cards. You can then extend the activity to providing some art history. :)

Sensory Activity-Grinding Coffee Beans

My kids love the aroma of fresh whole coffee beans so I came up with idea of purchasing an old vintage coffee grinder for them to use. I really think the grinding is a great sensory activity providing some exercise for the upper body by using some good old "muscles" and coordination and the aroma of the beans provide a sense of comfort and a refreshing feeling. Holding the knob correctly helps with those fine motor skills.

Montessori Quote

“Little children, from the moment they are weaned, are making their way toward independence.”
- Maria Montessori