Sunday, December 25, 2022

Music Knowledge, Becoming a Typing Dojo and some Math Activities

We found a lovely article regarding five pieces of music every child should be familiar with from:  https://www.squiltmusic.com/blogs/news/5-pieces-children-know-from-the-classical-era?afmc=4t&utm_campaign=4t&utm_source=leaddyno&utm_medium=affiliate The author recommends: 

  • Surprise Symphony by Franz Joseph Haydn
  • Flute & Harp Concerto in C Major by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
  • Minuet by Luigi Boccherini
  • Ave Maria by Franz Schuberti
  • Fifth Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven.

We also found two free homeschooling programs that are very generous, truly showing the Christmas spirit for a complete calendar, thank you kind educators and bless you for your direction:
https://allinonehomeschool.com/math-facts-practice/ and https://www.amblesideonline.org/ao-y1-bks

We browsed for apps and a beautiful free app appeared on our screen from the Google Play Shop called Magnetic Poetry and Barron created a poem: 
It reads  name over honey tremendous people   he used a neat way of expressing certain words by having them stand alone on the page to emphasize meaning - he is quite a genius.  My poetic creation was: 
It reads  would you always keep delight between our today together because our dance spirit will love this winter new year my love star.

We also created a few snapshots with a free sticker app: 
Got our window unstuck and fed some lovely pigeons who found our treats quite scrumptious: 


Barron participated in a debate with me. It was neat and something to try again. We referenced this stellar video as we debated which animation youtubers were truly the most creative: https://youtu.be/1TSkkxu8on0 I never realized all the skills one can learn from debate. We summed up this video to encourage you to try this activity with your learner in the following video screenshots: 




We found a free program that helps kids learn to type called Typing Dojo. Barron has been doing lessons since late September: https://www.typedojo.com/typing-lesson/ 


We found a neat math webpage and Barron was doing impressively well regarding his addition review at: https://hebrews110.github.io/MarineMath/?factscategory=5&operation=add   

We also found a remarkable couple named Lee and David who make you believe in the passion of learning in Uganda, also makes you want to join them in their generous giving journey: https://allinonehomeschool.com/page/2/ Kindly scroll to this posting area in the screenshot, it makes you humble and thankful for what you have instead of what you do not have:

Basically this couple reminds us of how homeschooling is different for various people in various locations, however the determination to educate and learn is the same, " Homeschooling looks different in different places. This picture is from Uganda. My husband has a friend, who is a refugee there himself, though in college. The kids in the refugee camp have had limited access to education, especially since COVID requirements shut down all meetings, including schools. He wanted to do something for them and started talking with my husband about homeschooling and it developed into a plan. He started a non-profit and got together some laptops and teachers. The teachers take the laptops to homes two hours at a time. They get in three homes before the battery dies. There is limited electricity in the camp, but the teachers charge the laptops overnight. The only focus is literacy and computer literacy. Many of these kids have never touched a computer before. The university student, our friend, is taking our EP coding course and has plans to teach the kids coding to try and work towards getting them into jobs. There are way more kids wanting to take part than can at this point, so I am sure this idea of his will keep growing." I was unable to figure out how to help this however this couple and the passionate students in Ugandawill remain in my thoughts as we homeschool.

                     Webale, nyo! - Thank you very much!

Friday, December 23, 2022

Merry Christmas and Barron is my Forever Magi

   Perhaps the nicest moment is spending time with someone you love maybe crafting is a way to make that happen. There is a wonderful Australian company that offers many free ebooks with wonderful craft ideas that you can download for free. The 2022 Christmas craft book is located: https://www.cleverpatch.com.au/article/447/christmas-ebook-2022?c=cleverpatch-christmas-ebook-2022&page=1   for other occasions enjoy a variety of selections: https://www.cleverpatch.com.au/ebooks Although we did not do any crafts from this source we did repurposed a christmas box light with a battery operated tea light a few days earlier:

We also did a sweet Nutcracker art project from the wonderful team at Deep Space Sparkle: https://www.deepspacesparkle.com/nutcracker-art-project/

Merry Christmas sheet we purchased this year for 2.00USD can be yours too at: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Nativity-Coloring-Pages-Christmas-Around-the-World-Coloring-Craft-7520125



For those new to the Biblical part of Christmas the three wise men or Magi followed the North Star for 12 days to the manger of Baby Jesus in Bethlehem. Once there they gave baby Jesus three gifts of "gold, frankincense and myrrh. Gold was an acknowledgement of Jesus' kingship, while frankincense represented his future role as priest. Myrrh, a burial ointment, foreshadowed Jesus' death on the cross and thus his role as redeemer." Source:
 https://classroom.synonym.com/what-are-the-three-gifts-given-to-baby-jesus-12082377.html

This is the 2022 Christmas stamp from Canada Post: 

Barron created a nice fork art of a manger and baby inspired from: https://ourcrazyadventuresinautismland.com/fork-painting-manger-set/  

We also completed our Christmas countdown calendar that we invented ourself: 

There is a nice resource available for 7.10CDN: https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/1099136144/mistletoe-investigation-set-homeschool?click_key=2d3df67006a09614dcc809a16357255c196bcecd%3A1099136144&click_sum=64998807&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=mistletoe+investigation&ref=search_grid-676140-1-1 that would compliment any homeschool studies for this time of the year.

We learnt about the gift of the Magi which is a story written in 1905 by O. Henry also known as William Sydney Porter. The story is set on Christmas eve and discusses a husband and wife who sacrafice their most adored possessions for Jim it is his pocket watch he sells to buy tortiose shelled hair clips/combs for his wife and for Della it is her hair she cuts and sells to replace the leather strap for Jim's pocket watch with a platinum chain. They realize the love they have for each other is the best gift of Christmas.
You can view a brief story at: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_fdCwvgkhN8

We had a lovely dance for snow moment inspired by Willow since our snow has melted. We listened to online Costa Rico app 106.3 Pura Vida.

We also decorated a virtual gingerbread man and gingerbread house with some free apps: 




We then found a neat webpage and did some festive activities from: https://www.whychristmas.com/fun/make-a-magi. Barron and I were unfamiliar with the name/concept until we researched it, however he made it rather accurate, you can also find activities on the page for the screenshots we have shared. Our Santa letter fun was found at: https://www.emailsanta.com/letsanta_reg.asp













There is a sweet free 7 page create yourself a Nativity scene for instant download: https://www.whychristmas.com/fun/nativity-coloring and this is a great find of a Nativity Scene for free as well: https://www.fiddlestickseducation.com/make-a-scene.html

The following is a neat activity, a Christmas writing prompt, that we did from https://writingwithsharonwatson.com/christmas-prompts/ which asks, "What is this doing on the tree? Stars. Bulbs. Lights. Garland. You expect these on a Christmas tree, but while looking at holiday decorations in stores, have you ever seen a Christmas pickle? You know, that green glass ornament that looks like a knobby pickle. Many legends surround this strange decoration, but, basically if you find the pickle hiding on the tree, you get an extra present. Now it's your turn: Devise a new Christmas tree ornamed.  Make up a story of where it came from.Will the person who finds it receive something special?" 

Barron spoke the following answers: I would have a chessboard ornament. When you put a chess board ornament upon your tree you are magically taken to a time and place where playing together is appreciated. It reminds you that you have to spend time together and play board games. The person who finds this receives a board game for a Christmas gift. 

These are some sweet Christmas reads that we wanted to share: 


































Also this is really a nice creation: https://myprintablehome.com/printable-santa-nice-list-certificate/ a free certificate checked twice by Santa. 
Naturally Barron is on the nice list as he is a blessing and a saviour of mine all throughout the year!

Reading Challenge Complete