Calendar Work and Professor Noggins

 The lovely creator made a fun May calendar activity. She actually has wonderful activities each month of the year, however May will be our first. Please join us by downloading this free four page activity: https://www.treevalleyacademy.com/may-calendar-worksheet/ The pictures may look similar however the activities written on them are different. These snapshots are not duplicates:

These are Barron's calendar worksheets since May I could not get to a printer so I recopied them. I have shared his completed and in progress months:                                            MAY

                                                           JUNE

                                                       JULY

AUGUST

Another great find we came across is Professor Noggins games.  The superhero Lotus from ArtHistoryKids mentioned them in a blog posting from 2016 and we have to thank this truly wonderful content creater for her shared wisdom, she sugests many ways on how to incorporate them into your homeschooling day such as, "It's so easy to use Professor Noggins as your basis for a Unit Study. They pair up perfectly with books for Mini Unit Studies or more in-depth Unit Studies. You can choose one particular set of cards, and then go searching through your home library for books on that subject. Sometimes you may need to pop by the Library and check out a few books too. Then you can just go from there adding any other additional resources like movies, youtube videos, games, hands-on projects, Art, crafts, or visiting somewhere local such as a Park, Museum or Science Center." Source: http://www.epic-childhood.com/2020/01/why-all-homeschoolers-should-own.html 

Revisiting Mona Lisa

In a post last year we discovered a Mona Lisa Art activity and since then we have found a few resources for anyone interested in this painting. 

We have acquired the best art cards, which contain the Mona Lisa painting we explored today, purchable from artist Sara Courtauld on Amazon or Usborne. Barron is sharing our card and card set with you: 

We also watched a neat video about the Mona Lisa painting by the Dr. Binocs Show which revealed the reason why this painting is so famous, it was stolen on the following date:

by a man named Vincenzo Peruggia (Barron pronounces this amazingly):

and was missing for 2 years! Some even believed it was the famous painter Pablo Picasso who stole it! 

               "Good artists copy, great artists steal." - Pablo Picasso

Fitness Renewal

Barron has connected with his joy of movement again. He is boxing, love the Everlast products for beginner boxers. These are some of our family moments: 

Update Barron got some pretty amazing beginners styrofoam nunchucks on May 4th and these are some fun moments: 

Barron played some homemade bowling: 

Barron, Garnet, and me each got a steps tracker and we gifted Grandma and Ray Two, Barron already used his: 

Welcome April Moon Card and our Spring Reading Challenge

 The April Moon card from our shop can be purchased at: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/ofbeeandbearshop

Today we refreshed our minds on the various climates such as tropical, polar, and temperate. Barron grasped the different concepts quickly. When we think of polar climate we think of the North Pole and Antartica. When we think of the tropical climate we begin to think of Costa Rica, Jamacia, Columbia, and Paragray. When we think of Temperate climates we think of Canada and USA as well as the UK and Europe.  Burger King and Animal Plant have the best King JR toys for boys these past two months. They are so educational, resourceful, designed great I am truly an appreciative fan of these creations/collaborations. 

I came across this notion in a hotel room while Barron was an infant. https://www.momendeavors.com/diy-parent-child-communication-journal-prompts/ a Family safe place

https://promptlyjournals.com/blogs/workshops/journaling-for-parents-children Bailey Carver

Today Barron purchased a really unique game on his PS5 which is called "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader" we have decided this is an excellent educaional tool for us because as he interacts with the questions we can then pause the game and research the topics/questions posed to us. Perhaps this is a great way to renew an interest in learning and continue upon our journey in homeschooling. 

We decided we should complete a Spring reading challenge all done electronically since Dad has been travelling many times to the library for us, and we remember how adventerous that can be, so we came across a rather lovely author at Imagination Soup who has created a neat challenge downloadable for free at: https://imaginationsoup.net/reading-challenges-kids/ The author of this didn't create it to be entirely electronical accomplishmemt however we modified it for our needs and it was enjoyable.

We also found a cute little activity about creating a book trailer following these suggestions: https://imaginationsoup.net/how-to-make-your-own-book-trailer-kids/

and some great writing opportunities in the form of contests shared at: https://imaginationsoup.net/writing-contests-kids-ways-get-published/

Earth Hour

 Earth hour is coming on Saturday March 25, 2023 and we have some excellent sources to share beginning with this neat etsy quote by Anne Frank from this sweet shop: https://www.etsy.com/dk-en/listing/1356932052/anne-frank-improve-the-world-quote

Micheal Jackson's song Save the Earth performed by the immensley talented tribe at Shadow Theatre Verba : https://youtu.be/mbaCX6nS2dA reminds us of compassion for the earth and a very modern song we often listen to is

Lil Dicky - Earth song which you can enjoy at: https://youtu.be/pvuN_WvF1to  

This year we were lucky to find a wonderful book from the Mississauga Public Library called Earth Hour a Lights-Out Event for Our Planet by Nanette Heffernan and illustrated by Bao Luu which can be listened to:  https://youtu.be/pvuN_WvF1to and make a pledge at the author's main page: https://nanetteheffernan.com/secondary-page-books/

Hope these resources help you celebrate and appreciate. 

                                        Heal the World We Need It! 

Moon Phases

 Barron has enjoyed the study of the moon for quite sometime. When we moved from Peterborough the moon wasn't so easy to find in the city however there were those nights where it felt like it was shinning just for us, offering us a remembered happiness. Since living in Mississauga we have had a very small window that allows us to imagine more what kind of moon each evening shares with us then to actually view its whimsy. Today we found a great resource on Twinkl regarding the use of oreo cookies and the various moon phases and we created this: 

A good reminder why cookies are a sometimes treat, photo number one shows the cookie grease after one or two nights of sitting upon paper. 

On Etsy we also found a wonderful little wall art poster for a reasonable price $1.42CDN from: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1060666235/its-just-a-phase-moon-poster-wall-art

Thinking of the moon we would like to share a beloved song called Runnin Out of Moonlight by Randy Houser enjoyed at: https://youtu.be/py5VdvxO9cE and lyrics below:

Runnin' Outta Moonlight by Randy Houser

Don't you worry 'bout gettin' fixed up

When you wake up, you're pretty enough

Look out your window at the cloud of dust

That's my headlights, that's my truck

Come on baby, don't you keep me waiting

I gotta go, I got a reservation

Tailgate for two underneath the stars

Kiss on your lips when you're in my arms

Whoa, Girl, Every now and then you get a night like this

Whoa, this is one that we don't wanna miss, no

Come on baby, let me take you on a night ride

Windows down, sittin' on my side

Ticktock now were knockin' on midnight

Me and you, girl, runnin' outta moonlight

I wanna hold you till the break of dawn

Hear the crickets sing a riverside love song

Hey baby, all we got is all night

Come on now, we're runnin' outta moonlight

Girl, I bet you thought I lost my mind

Outta the blue pullin' into your drive

Wonder why I got you way out here

Have you ever seen a sky this clear?

Whoa, girl, you never look better than you do right now

Whoa, oh, heaven let your light shine down

Come on baby, let me take you on a night ride

Windows down, sittin' on my side

Ticktock, now we're knockin' on midnight

Me and you, girl, runnin' outta moonlight

I wanna hold you till the break of dawn

Hear the crickets sing a riverside love song

Hey baby, all we got is all night

Come on now were runnin' outta moonlight

Whoa, girl, every now and then, you get a night like this

Whoa, this is one that we don't wanna miss, no

Come on baby, let me take you on a night ride

Windows down, sittin' on my side

Ticktock, now we're knockin' on midnight

Me and you, girl, runnin' outta moonlight

I wanna hold you 'til the break of dawn

Hear the crickets sing a riverside love song

Hey baby, all we got is all night

Come on now, we're runnin' outta moonlight

Hey baby, don't it feel so right?

Come on now, we're runnin' outta moonlight

All I wanna do is hold you tight

Come on, come on, come on, we're runnin' outta moonlight

Whoa, yeah were runnin' outta moonlight, whoa

                           May the moon be close enough to feel its magic!

Dad Invests in Our Homeschooling

   I am always trying to find ways to invest in our son, rather that be through developing his natural skills such as creating wonderful art masterpieces or through his gaming passion or simply through his natural abilities such as dancing. It had been a struggle when I was separated from his father. Single parents endure many unspoken hardships. I remember many times there would be a sale and I simply never had enough. Since reuniting with him (not intimately, as a kind friend) he gifted our homeschooling with a membership to Twinkl, ABC Mouse, and Adventures Academy. It is nice that he values our son's education. If you are in doubt to subscribe, they are all recommended,unique, and appreciated. 

Many times funds have escaped us and we have to struggle however I hope to ease some of the troubles that come hopefully through these suggestions there will be help.

For free colouring sheets this place is wonderfully unique and offers a variety from tables to animals:  https://www.supercoloring.com/

When you cannot get to a printer simply download the copy of the image use some computer paper and trace the image, that is what I often do and it helps you develop a new skill. This is an example of ones that I have downloaded and traced. 

Repurpose everything! Before throwing out cardboard boxes orange bags save them and reuse them later. We made signs to cheer our football team, flip flops to remember how didn't have proper footwear to do her hard work.

        

            The Journey isn't always easy however sometimes there is an ease on the path we explore even if for a short time.