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Sunday, March 21, 2010

Molly & Mcgee - Red Barn Owl

Watch Molly and her hatching eggs:


Homeschool families across the globe have opened their hearts and homes to a wonderful pair of Barn Owls named Molly & McGee of San Marcos, CA. This has been such a wonderful learning experience, books alone could never replace the opportunity to watch nature live and in color!


As of Sunday March, 21, one of Molly's eggs has hatched and the first little owlets name is "Max". We should see more eggs hatching in the days to come.


Carlos & Donna own the owl box located in their backyard in San Marcos, CA and is 15 feet off the ground. Molly appears to be a first time mom. The owl is about 14 inches tall. She laid her first egg on February 13th, 2010. We are expecting owlets around mid to late March. Incubation is 30 to 34 days. owlets  will hatch in order laid. Not all at one time like chickens.


The male has a white chest and face. He usually shows up after dark but  has spent an entire day with the female. We have named the female Molly and the male McGee. The Barn Owl is widespread but usually a scarce species. They are strictly nocturnal and rarely observed in flight during daylight hours.


The owl house is located on a 15 foot pole and there is a tree just outside the opening. The box has been up for two years and it took two years before the owls showed up. No other birds have tried to nest in the box. We have a very eco-friendly backyard; we live on an acre lot with lots of trees and plants for wildlife. We have had kestrels, bluebirds, hummingbirds, phoebes, wild ducks, killdeer and mockingbirds all nest and raise their young in our habitat. We do not have any cats or dogs to disturb the wildlife. This is our first owl to nest here.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Easter & Passover Resources



Easter Preparations

FlyLady
Meaningful Easter Preparations

Crafts, Lessons, Printables and more.
Easter Bible Study
Easter Sunday Lessons and Teacher Resources - Many Lesson Plans to choose from. 
Sunday school / homeschool lessons - Printables, worksheets and crafts.
Debbie's Unit Factory Easter Links - Quality elementary level theme units for teachers and homeschoolers
KiddyHouse - Easter Lessons Plans and ideas for teachers
Kids Turn Central.com - Easter - Easter Hunts & Games 
Billy Bear 4 Kids - Easter - games, puzzles, crafts and more.
Primary Games Easter
A Kids heart - Easter - Celebrate Easter with online games and activities.
Kaboose.com - Easter - Easter Crafts, Recipes, Egg Hunt, Cards, Coloring Pages, Party Ideas, Clip Art, Games, Religious Crafts, Fun.
Resurrection Eggs - What a terrific way to share the Easter story of egg carton Jesus's resurrection with your children.
Easter Lessons and Activities Index

RECIPES 



Easter Story Cookies - To be made the night before Easter


Passover Links
If you have been considering adding a Passover Seder to your curriculum but not certain where to start, check out a few of these resources.





Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Happy St. Patrick's Day



Well now St. Patrick's Day wouldn't exist if not for the man himself! But how much do we know about him? Did you know that he spent six years of slavery in Ireland until he escaped and undertook religious training abroad? Saint Patrick described himself as a "most humble-minded man, pouring forth a continuous paean of thanks to his Maker for having chosen him as the instrument whereby multitudes who had worshipped idols and unclean things had become the people of God."

Why Saint Patrick's Day?

Saint Patrick's Day has come to be associated with everything Irish: anything green and gold, shamrocks and luck. Most importantly, to those who celebrate its intended meaning, St. Patrick's Day is a traditional day for spiritual renewal and offering prayers for missionaries worldwide.



Irish Blessing

May you always have...
Walls for the winds
A roof for the rain
Tea beside the fire
Laughter to cheer you
Those you love near you
And all your heart might desire.






Things associated with Saint Patrick's Day

The color green - because it is the color of spring, Ireland, and the shamrock.
Leprechaun - Irish fairy. The name leprechaun is derived from the old Irish word luchorpan which means "little body."

A leprechaun is a fairy taking the appearance of a miniature old man. Leprechauns are solitary creatures and spend their time making shoes and brogues. If you hear the sound of his hammer when he is at work you know you have found him. If caught, he can be forced to reveal the whereabouts of his treasure, but the captor must keep their eyes on him every second. If the captor's eyes leave the leprechaun, just for a moment, he will vanish.
The Blarney Stone is a stone set in the wall of the Blarney Castle tower in the Irish village of Blarney. Kissing the stone is supposed to bring the kisser the gift of persuasive eloquence (blarney).

The origins of the Blarney Stone's magical properties aren't clear, but one legend says that an old woman cast a spell on the stone to reward a king who had saved her from drowning. Kissing the stone while under the spell gave the king the ability to speak sweetly and convincingly.
Shamrock, a member of the clover family, was used by Patrick to explain the mystery of the Trinity, the three leaves of the shamrock representing the Trinity (the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit). According to Irish legend, Ireland's patron saint chose the shamrock as a symbol of the Trinity of the Christian church. To this day the shamrock remains the national emblem of Ireland and is worn proudly by Irish people the world over on St. Patrick's Day (March 17).

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

2010 Winter Olympics

The arrival of the Winter Olympic Games are always an exciting time throughout the world. From the Opening Ceremony to the drama, triumph, and defeat of the games themselves, there is never a dull moment.

The 2010 Winter Olympics are in Vancouver, Canada and lastfrom February12-28, 2010. Celebrate the world's largest sporting event by creating Olympic-themed kids' crafts, units, and participating in kid-friendly activities and games.


Here is the official site for the 2010 Vancouver Winter
Olympics
, which will be held from February 12-28, 2010.

It's easy to incorporate a lesson or subject each day or throughout the week with some Olympic themed lessons. Below you will find links to many sites offering activities, lessons and units. Enjoy the winter games and have a great homeschooling experience all winter long!

Activities:

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Valentine's Day Resources, Links, Unit Studies & More!


We have added some of our favorite links to the Homeschool Toolbar, just look for the little hearts on your toolbar. Mouse over the hearts for a drop down to fall with links for crafts, lessons, unit studies, recipes and more! Below you will find more helpful resources and links for all of your Valentines needs!

Valentine's Day
 Unit + CraftsValentine's Day Unit + Crafts
From Brandenburg Studies
$7.95
$5.00

Here's a Valentine's Day Unit that is simply a "breath-of-fresh-air"!
Written from a Christ-Perspective, your student will learn of the rich Christian Heritage of this day; look at the symbols of Valentine's Day; and learn of the 3 types of Love in the Bible.
Included are worksheets to go with the daily lessons; loads of card-making ideas & crafts; games; recipes; and other Valentine's Day crafts for the whole family!
Make this Valentine's Day a "Christ-Centered" day to remember!



Valentine's Day 
Unit Study
Valentine's Day Unit Study
From Homeschool Learning Network
$3.50 

Valentine's Day is a colorful holiday filled with traditions and little known historical facts. Join HLN as we explore the history, games and crafts and traditions of this popular winter holiday!
Lesson Plans Included:


  • Sweetie Math (Gr. 3-8)


  • Red, White and Pink (Gr. 3-8)


  • Let's Write Valentines! (Gr. K-5)


  • Valentine Geography (Gr. K-5)


  • Very Crafty Valentines (Gr. K-12)


  • Hearts (Gr. 3-8)


  • Valentine Games (Gr. K-12)


  • Symbols (Gr. 3-8)
Brought to you from the Home School Learning Network - an award-winning publisher of education content and unit studies on the web!
Each unit contains explanatory content, online resource links, book suggestions, 6-8 lesson plans and 2-10 worksheets. Days and days of learning and exploration within each unit!


Be My ValentineBe My Valentine Hands of a Child
$13.99

Won’t you be my Valentine?   Early childhood level students will love this Be My ValentineProject Pack designed just for them!  This five-day lesson takes students on a journey of hearts, counting, colors, feelings, and making Valentines!  This 54-page Project Pack has 3 different activities each day for a total of five days worth of fun, hands-on learning!



More Valentine's Day Links: Crafts, Recipes, Lessons plans, Unit studies and more...


Here are some really cute ideas for Valentines to make with the children from Martha Stewart


A Valentine's 
Day Class Party
$5.00
Friday, February 12th at 12 noon Central Time
Enjoy Valentine's Day stories and poems, play fun games,
 and make and share your own Valentine with the LIVE class!

A project pack will be sent out a couple of weeks before class so that you can choose your own projects to do and share with the class. We will have a lot of fun celebrating a holiday together that is all about friendship and caring for one another. The only thing you will have to do yourself is make your own cookies or treats to eat while we have our class party that day!!
We will play games and read stories together and have all kinds of Valentine's Day fun with other friends who homeschool just like you! How fun is that?!! All ages who are interested are invited to join in on the fun (even moms and dads). Join me for the fun and let's see what we can learn that day about the meaning of friendship and caring.

About the Teacher

Loretta Rhodes is a homeschool mom of 4, ranging in age from 2-16. She has a Bachelor of Science in Education from Athens University, Athens, AL and has been teaching for 20 years, both public and private classes. Loretta writes and/or compiles most of her own curriculum. She loves teaching. Her classes are interactive, meaning that she loves to do Q&A discussions with the students, group work, and interesting projects. "I love to have the children get involved in learning, so that learning becomes an awesome experience for them." You can contact her at lessonsworthlearning@yahoo.com or her family email, rhodeslovejesus@dtccom.net  with any questions. She would love to hear from you!
All Lessons Worth Learning classes are taught from a Christian worldview perspective.

Friday, January 1, 2010

4GB Digital MP3 Player Giveaway




The winner of the MP3 player is....

Elizabeth!!



We are sorry for the delay, we had two winners before Elizabeth that we were not able to contact, please remember to leave contact info so that we can contact you if you win!!!




To kick off the New Year and say Thank You to all of the Homeschool Toolbar users, The Homeschool Toolbar is giving away a NEW 4GB Digital MP3 Player! If you do not yet have the Homeschool Toolbar or if you would like to learn more, please visit http://www.homeschoolbar.com.


GPX 4GB Digital Audio MP3 Player with Stereo Earbuds

Retail Value: $66.00

Favorite tunes play on with this 4GB digital audio
MP3 player. At home or on the go, just plug and play to hear songs
through the stereo earbuds. The headphones give easy access to volume
control and preset equalizer settings let the sounds come through loud
and clear--all the time. From GPX.


  • Includes 4GB digital audio MP3 player, stereo earbuds, and cable
  • Holds approximately 1,000 songs; 2,400 photos; or 12 hours of video
  • Plays MP3, WMA file formats
  • Supports USB 2.0 high speed
  • Headphone jack volume control
  • Five preset equalizer settings
  • SD/MMC memory expansion
  • Backlit LCD display with artist and track information
  • Artist and track information
  • Requires 1 AAA battery, not included
  • Measures 2"L x 2-3/4"W
  • 90-day Limited Manufacturer's Warranty


The Ultimate Toolbar for Homeschool Moms

To enter this Giveaway simply leave us a comment on this post.

You can do any of the following for multiple entries for a better chance at winning... (you will be entered for each "share" that you make. Please let us know how many actions /entries you have in your comment.

  • Blog about this giveaway.
  • Follow this Blog 
  • Share on Facebook via the Toolbar Facebook page HERE.
  • Tweet about this giveaway HERE
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