Monday, April 30, 2007

Louisiana Purchase Lesson Plan


Homeschool Teacher - Lesson Plan & Newsletter
April 30, 2007

History
On this day, in 1803, The Louisiana Purchase was completed.

Geography
Learn about directions:
http://www.louisiana101.com/ideas_doyle_directions.html (click on Louisiana directions worksheet)

Making state maps of various kinds is an excellent way to learn about land forms, locations, and state resources. A "land form" map shows the shape and height of the land. It shows mountains, plateaus, hills, plains, rivers, etc.
http://www.50states.com/maps/louisiana.htm
Create your own landform map of the state's geographical features.
1. Determine the state's features by looking up a state map in an atlas, an encyclopedia, or a geography book.
2. Make a landform key at the bottom of your blank map form. Include symbols for each of the different landform types in your state.
3. Color in the areas in your state to match the key. Your key should be color-coded. Make the highest land form the darkest color and the lowest land form the lightest color. You can use colored pencils, crayons, markers, etc.
4. Label the large rivers and mountain ranges with their names.
You could also make a relief map of the state. A relief map is a 3D version of a landform map. You could use paper mache or salt dough to make your own relief map.

Language Arts
Unlike most states, Louisiana does not have counties. Instead, they have parishes. Pick a Parrish to learn about and use this worksheet to make a fun “fact box” http://www.louisiana101.com/ideas_english_info-box.html

OR

Make a Louisiana Facts Book with the following information:
Facts-At-A-Glance
Use any or all of the following sub-topics to gather information on the state. This can even be used as your "State Facts" sheet mentioned in "Infodesk" section above.
1. State Name:
2. State Nickname:
3. Population:
4. Rank in population:
5. Total Area:
6. Rank in size:
7. Location:
8. Climate:
9. Topography:
10. Capital City:
11. Industry:
12. Manufactured Goods:
13. Agricultural Crops:
14. Livestock:
15. Fishing:
16. Mining:
17. State Motto:
18. State Flower:
19. State Bird:
20. State Tree:
21. State Song:
22. Date State Entered Union:
23. Tourist Attractions:
24. Historical Facts:
25. Largest Cities
§ By area
§ By population
26. State Preserve:
27. State Seashore:
28. State Monuments:
29. State Parkway:
30. State Wonders
§ Waterfalls
§ Deserts
§ Rivers
§ Volcanoes
31. Average January Temperature:
32. Average July Temperature:
33. Endangered Species:
34. National Parks:
35. National Historical Parks:
36. National Memorials:
37. National Historical Sites:
38. Famous People:
39. Amazing Facts:
40. U.S. Representatives:
41. U.S. Senators:
42. Electoral Votes:
43. Governor:
44. Annual Events:
45. Name and address of state's tourist information center:


Don’t Forget the Math Challenge!
http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/2007/04/math-challenge-april-30.html

For more Free Homeschool Lesson Plans

http://homeschoolingk.blogspot.com/ (k-3)

http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/( 4-8)

Bonus Math Challenge



In 1803, The United States paid France $15 million for the Louisiana Territory which covered 828,000 square miles of land and would double the size of the United States. How much did each square mile cost the United States?

Send answers to kellys3ps@sbcglobal.net
Parents may help, but try to let your child figure it out on their own.

Weekly winner wins a Smencil. Monthly winner wins a $20 Barnes and Noble gift certificate!
Good Luck!
Kelly

Math Challenge April 30



To enter a Louisiana state park, you will need to pay $2 per vehicle up to four people and 50 cents for each additional person. The Malloys have a family of seven and decided to go camping at one of these parks. How much would it cost them to enter the park?

Send answers to kellys3ps@sbcglobal.net
Parents may help, but try to let your child figure it out on their own.

Weekly winner wins a Smencil. Monthly winner wins a $20 Barnes and Noble gift certificate!
Good Luck!
Kelly

Sunday, April 29, 2007

This Week's Winner! April 28, 2007



Congratulations to aksmartstuff! If you think your child is the winner, please email me at kellys3ps@sbcglobal.net with a mailing address to send your smencil!

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Arbor Day Lesson Plan



Homeschool Teacher - Lesson Plan & Newsletter
April 27, 2007

History
Today is Arbor Day. Read more about it here:
http://www.arborday.org/arborday/history.cfm


Journal
Why are trees important?
Write about what happens when you find a mysterious seed
http://bogglesworldesl.com/files4/the_seed.doc

Language Arts
Learn about alliterations here:
http://www.abcteach.com/trees/alliteratons.htm
Spelling
Unscramble the words
http://www.abcteach.com/teddybear/unscramble.htm

Reading

Learn about the parts of a tree
http://www.abcteach.com/trees/treeparts.htm

Geography
Learn about tree planting areas
http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/03/lp309-05.shtml

Math
Measure a tree
http://www.eduref.org/Virtual/Lessons/Mathematics/Measurement/MEA0011.html

Don’t Forget the Math Challenge!
http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/2007/04/math-challenge-april-27.html
For more Free Homeschool Lesson Plans

http://homeschoolingk.blogspot.com/ (k-3)

http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/( 4-8)

Math Challenge April 27



Karianne found twenty-four apple trees. Each tree had twelve apples on them. How many apples did she find?

Send answers to kellys3ps@sbcglobal.net
Parents may help, but try to let your child figure it out on their own.

Weekly winner wins a Smencil. Monthly winner wins a $20 Barnes and Noble gift certificate!
Good Luck!
Kelly

Friendship Lesson Plan



Homeschool Teacher - Lesson Plan & Newsletter
April 26, 2007

History
Today is Hug a Friend Day.

Journal
Have you ever had a day that you wish someone would give you a note? How about a day that you've given someone a compliment and it made you feel really great? Or did you ever see someone you'd like to cheer? Write a note or make a poster for a friend to let them know how great you think they are!
Spelling/Vocabulary
Define each word, and then write each word three times. (Scroll down to the spelling/vocabulary section)
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Academy/5146/fship.html
Language Arts
How many words can you find in the word Friendship?
Don’t Forget the Math Challenge!

http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/2007/04/math-challenge-april-26.html

For more Free Homeschool Lesson Plans

http://homeschoolingk.blogspot.com/ (k-3)

http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/( 4-8)

Math Challenge April 26



Max has 312 marbles to share with his two friends. If they divide them evenly, how many marbles will each boy get?

Send answers to kellys3ps@sbcglobal.net
Parents may help, but try to let your child figure it out on their own.

Weekly winner wins a Smencil. Monthly winner wins a $20 Barnes and Noble gift certificate!
Good Luck!
Kelly

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Poetry Lesson Plan



Homeschool Teacher - Lesson Plan & Newsletter
April 25, 2007

History
April is poetry month!

Journal
Write a month metaphor poem about April using the lesson below:
http://www.msrogers.com/English2/poetry/30_days_of_poetryday_17.htm

Language Arts
Learn about different forms of poetry:
http://falcon.jmu.edu/%7Eramseyil/poeform.htm
Here are some more poems for you!
http://falcon.jmu.edu/%7Eramseyil/poemiddle.htm
Don’t Forget the Math Challenge!

http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/2007/04/math-challenge-april-25.html

For more Free Homeschool Lesson Plans

http://homeschoolingk.blogspot.com/ (k-3)

http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/( 4-8)

Math Challenge April 25



The Spider and the Fly

'Come right into my parlor,' said
The spider to the fly,
'And answer one small question, please,
Unless you want to say, “good-bye.”
I've eaten scores of flies, of course,
But tell me if you dare:
How many did I eat last week if I ate 24 per day?

Send answers to kellys3ps@sbcglobal.net
Parents may help, but try to let your child figure it out on their own.

Weekly winner wins a Smencil. Monthly winner wins a $20 Barnes and Noble gift certificate!
Good Luck!
Kelly

Pigs in a Blanket Lesson Plan


Homeschool Teacher - Lesson Plan & Newsletter
April 24, 2007

History
Today is “Pigs-in-a-blanket day”.

Make your own pigs in a blanket with this yummy recipe: http://www.kraftfoods.com/main.aspx?s=recipe&m=recipe/knet_recipe_display&wf=9&recipe_id=53568

Journal
Write a story about pigs in a blanket.
English
Pigs in a Blanket is a funny sounding food that has nothing to do with pigs or blankets. Make a list of other funny sayings or foods.
Math
Try this fun pig math stumper
http://math.about.com/od/weeklyproblem/ss/9Pigs_2.htm

Science

Virtual Pig Dissection
http://www.whitman.edu/biology/vpd/


Don’t Forget the Math Challenge!

http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/2007/04/math-challenge-april-24.html

For more Free Homeschool Lesson Plans

http://homeschoolingk.blogspot.com/ (k-3)

http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/( 4-8)

Monday, April 23, 2007

Math Challenge April 24



What is the record time for eating 30 hot dogs?

Clue: The record holder ate 1 hot dog every 2 2/15 seconds, for a total of 30 hot dogs.

Send answers to kellys3ps@sbcglobal.net
Parents may help, but try to let your child figure it out on their own.

Weekly winner wins a Smencil. Monthly winner wins a $20 Barnes and Noble gift certificate!
Good Luck!
Kelly

Hank Aaron Lesson Plan


Homeschool Teacher - Lesson Plan & Newsletter
April 23, 2007

History
Today is “Home Run Day” in honor of baseball hero, Hank Aaron, hitting his first home run in 1954.


Journal
“Home Run Day” was made to honor Hank Aaron. If someone was to create a day to honor you, what would that day be called and what event of yours would it honor?

English
Baseball Research
http://activities.macmillanmh.com/reading/treasures/stories/worksheets/4102060.html

Poetry
Casey at the Bat http://www.favoritepoem.org/poems/thayer/index.html
Every day Edit
How did Hank Aaron earn his Nick name. He earn the name "Hammerin' Hank" by hittin an amazing 755 homeruns. Aaron was born in mobile, Alabama, on February 5, 1934. He would go on to play for baseball teams in Milwaukee and Atlanta. He was a grate batter and a strong team player. He held records for most games played most at-bats, most total bases and most runs batted in he also play in 24 all-star games!
Answer: http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/edit/edit0204.shtml


Fun Games

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/kids/games.jsp


Don’t Forget the Math Challenge!
http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/2007/04/math-challenge-april-23.html


For more Free Homeschool Lesson Plans

http://homeschoolingk.blogspot.com/ (k-3)
l
http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/( 4-8)

Sunday, April 22, 2007

Math Challenge April 23



Hank Aaron, who had the most home runs, hit 755 home runs. If Willie Mays hit 95 fewer than Hank Aaron, how many home runs did Willie Mays hit?

Send answers to kellys3ps@sbcglobal.net
Parents may help, but try to let your child figure it out on their own.

Weekly winner wins a Smencil. Monthly winner wins a $20 Barnes and Noble gift certificate!
Good Luck!
Kelly

Three Bears Bonus Challenge



Once upon a time there were three bears. The Papa bear was the oldest. He was 39 years old. Then there was Mama bear. She was 36 years old. The third bear was their son Benjamin. He was 5 years old.
Every day Papa bear would leave for work at 7:00 in the morning and he would get home at 5:00 in the afternoon. He always kissed Mama and Benjamin before he left.
While Papa was gone, Mama and Benjamin were very busy. Benjamin and Mama worked on math problems from 7:00 to 7:45 each morning. Then they went to the grocery store and bought porridge for $1.73. They gave the cashier $2.00.
After they arrived home at 8:35, Mama set the timer for a 15 minute clean-up. After they “blessed” their home, they continued with their school work.
Benjamin helped mama cook dinner. The recipe needed 1 cup of milk, ½ a cup of sugar and 2 cups of flour.
The bears had a busy day, but lived happily ever after!

From Karianne:
How long is Daddy home each day if he is working from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM?

AND for an extra 5 points

From Karianne’s Mom:
What percentage of the day is Daddy at home compared to at work?

Send answers to kellys3ps@sbcglobal.net
Parents may help, but try to let your child figure it out on their own.

Weekly winner wins a Smencil. Monthly winner wins a $20 Barnes and Noble gift certificate!
Good Luck!
Kelly

This Week's Winner April 21



Congratulations to Austin G.! If you think your child is the winner, please email me at kellys3ps@sbcglobal.net with a mailing address to send your smencil!

Friday, April 20, 2007

Earth Day Lesson Plan



Homeschool Teacher - Lesson Plan & Newsletter
April 20, 2007

History
This Sunday, April 22 is Earth Day. Read more about it here:
http://momof6malloyboys.blogspot.com/2007/04/earth-day.html

And here:
http://www.helium.com/tm/245031/family-friendly-there-things

Discussion Questions:
1. List 3 things you can do to protect the earth.

Journal
Write about Earth Day. Why do you think it is important to have
an Earth Day? Write about what things you think should be done
to help the earth.


Reading
Reading comprehension:
http://www.abcteach.com/free/r/rc_earthday_elem.pdf

Science
Learn about the Greenhouse effect:
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/ScienceSSMars5RealGreenhouseEffect56.htm


Don’t Forget the Math Challenge!
http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/2007/04/math-challenge-april-20.html

A bonus question is listed here:
http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/2007/04/math-challenge-bonus.html

For more Free Homeschool Lesson Plans

http://homeschoolingk.blogspot.com/ (k-3)

http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/( 4-8)

Math Challenge April 20



Rainforests cover only a small part of the Earth but they are home to more than half the world's plants and animals. It is estimated that rainforests are being cut down at the rate of 100 trees per minute. At this rate, how many are cut down every 24 hours?

Send answers to kellys3ps@sbcglobal.net
Parents may help, but try to let your child figure it out on their own.

Weekly winner wins a Smencil. Monthly winner wins a $20 Barnes and Noble gift certificate!
Good Luck!
Kelly

Math Challenge Bonus



For Earth Day Julia and Anna collected cans to recycle. They collected a total of sixty-three cans. Anna collected six fewer than double the number of cans collected by Julia. How many cans did Julia collect?

Send answers to kellys3ps@sbcglobal.net
Parents may help, but try to let your child figure it out on their own.

Weekly winner wins a Smencil. Monthly winner wins a $20 Barnes and Noble gift certificate!
Good Luck!
Kelly

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Revolutionary War Lesson Plan



Homeschool Teacher - Lesson Plan & Newsletter
April 19, 2007

History

The Revolutionary War started on this day in 1775.
Language Arts
Word Search http://library.thinkquest.org/10966/ws2.shtml
Reading
Read this article and answer the questions:
http://www.abcteach.com/free/1__bunkerhillbravery.pdf

Journal
Write about the Bill of Rights http://www.abcteach.com/constitution/billrights2.htm

Science
WRITE A SECRET LETTER
During the Revolutionary War, British and colonial soldiers frequently intercepted enemy mail, so the combatants used various ways of disguising messages that traveled across enemy lines. Investigate some of those methods at http://www.si.umich.edu/spies/index-gallery.html . Then write your own secret messages with invisible ink. Here's how:
• Mix 4 teaspoons of water with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.
• Stir until smooth.
• Heat and stir over a hotplate for several minutes.
• Dip a toothpick into the mixture and write a message on a piece of paper.
• Let the paper dry.
• Dip a sponge into a solution of 1 teaspoon of iodine and 10 teaspoons of water.
• Carefully wipe the paper with the sponge. The message should turn purple.

Don’t Forget the Math Challenge!
http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/2007/04/math-challenge-april-19.html

For more Free Homeschool Lesson Plans

http://homeschoolingk.blogspot.com/ (k-3)

http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/( 4-8)

Math Challenge April 19



On April 19, 1775, the first battle of the American Revolution was fought. This unusual battle was fought in a space that was 16 miles long but only 200 to 300 yards wide! Assuming the width was 300 yards wide, what was the area of the space the battle was fought in?

Send answers to kellys3ps@sbcglobal.net
Parents may help, but try to let your child figure it out on their own.

Weekly winner wins a Smencil. Monthly winner wins a $20 Barnes and Noble gift certificate!
Good Luck!
Kelly

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Paul Revere Lesson Plan



Homeschool Teacher - Lesson Plan & Newsletter
April 18, 2007

History
Paul Revere took his famous ride on this day in 1775. Learn more about it with this multimedia presentation:
http://www.earlyamerica.com/paul_revere.htm

Reading
Read the poem “Paul Revere’s ride”:
http://poetry.eserver.org/paul-revere.html

Read this passage and answer the following questions:
http://www.americanrevolution.org/revere.html

1.Who is Paul Revere?
2.Who are other key figures connected to this event?
3.What did they do?
4.What did they accomplish?
5.When did this occur?
6.Where?

Vocabulary
Word search
http://school.discovery.com/puzzles/rdcurry/html/P60939ACHYAP.html

Journal
Write a bio-sketch of Paul Revere:
http://www.cobblestonepub.com/resources/app0110t_2.html?x=15.3150196075440398251001128451340

Geography
Paul Revere’ America
http://www.cvesd.k12.ca.us/finney/paulvm/h3_map/Mapping%20Pages/map01.html





Don’t Forget the Math Challenge!
http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/2007/04/math-challenge-april-18.html

For more Free Homeschool Lesson Plans

http://homeschoolingk.blogspot.com/ (k-3)

http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/( 4-8)

Math Challenge April 18



John Hancock, Sam Adams, Paul Revere, and William Dawes had a chest full of papers that had information about the Sons of Liberty. They hid half of the papers at an inn at Lexington and they divided the rest of the papers equally between themselves. Paul Revere had 22 papers. How many papers were in the chest to begin with?
Send answers to kellys3ps@sbcglobal.net
Parents may help, but try to let your child figure it out on their own.

Weekly winner wins a Smencil. Monthly winner wins a $20 Barnes and Noble gift certificate!
Good Luck!
Kelly

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Wildlife Lesson Plan



Homeschool Teacher - Lesson Plan & Newsletter
April 17, 2007

History
This week is National Wildlife week!
Journal
Have you ever had an experience with wilderness or wild animals? Was it a positive or negative one? Did a close encounter with a particular animal change your previous ideas about that animal? (For example, did you see a great blue heron in the wild, and find that it was much more beautiful than in photographs? Or did you see a bear, and find it to be smaller and less intimidating than you had expected?)

Have you ever experienced wildlife in a zoo setting? If so, what were you able to learn about the natural history, preferred habitat, and threatened or endangered status of that animal?

Language Arts
Wildlife Word Search
http://ceps.georgiasouthern.edu/wildlife/forms/wordsearch_6_12.pdf

Reading
http://www.marylandzoo.org/images/edzoocation/pdf/fish-popsicle-questions.pdf


Science
Try these science experiments:
http://www.scoutingweb.com/scoutingweb/Documents/Watching%20Wildlife%20Try-it%20Worksheets.pdf
Math
http://www.omahazoo.com/education/sheets/general_zoo/4th-6th/MATH_TO_GET.pdf

Don’t Forget the Math Challenge!
http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/2007/04/math-challenge-april-17.html

For more Free Homeschool Lesson Plans

http://homeschoolingk.blogspot.com/ (k-3)

http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/( 4-8)

Monday, April 16, 2007

Math Challenge April 17



The komodo dragon measures 2.8 meters. What is the approximate length of the komodo dragon in centimeters?

Send answers to kellys3ps@sbcglobal.net
Parents may help, but try to let your child figure it out on their own.

Weekly winner wins a Smencil. Monthly winner wins a $20 Barnes and Noble gift certificate!
Good Luck!
Kelly

Wright Brothers Lesson Plan



Homeschool Teacher - Lesson Plan & Newsletter
April 16, 2007

History
On this day in 1867, aviator Wilbur Wright was born. Read more about him here:
http://www.helium.com/tm/278210/almost-since-beginning-dreamed
Discussion Questions:
1. What year did the first plane fly?
2. How long did the first plane stay in the air?
3. Where is the first plane now?
4. How did Wilbur Wright die?

Wright Brother’s scavenger hunt. Find the answers to the questions on this worksheet:
http://www.gardenofpraise.com/testb16.htm

Journal
Look at the picture here: https://www.ncartmuseum.org/Flight/flight_plans/portfolio.html#ristelhueber

Write a story about the person in the aircraft and the adventure he or she is having. Where is he or she going? What is he or she seeing? What will happen next?


Vocabulary
Wright Brothers word search:
http://www.gardenofpraise.com/puzzlb16.htm


Reading
Read about the First Flight:
http://sln.fi.edu/flights/first/intro.html


Science
Flight Science experiment:
http://juniorengineering.usu.edu/lessons/wrightflight/flight.php
Math
Flying with Fractions worksheet (p.6 of PDF)
https://www.thinktv.org/education/ntti/ntti/lesson02/flyingf.pdf

Don’t Forget the Math Challenge!
http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/2007/04/math-challenge-april-16.html

For more Free Homeschool Lesson Plans

http://homeschoolingk.blogspot.com/ (k-3)

http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/( 4-8)

Sunday, April 15, 2007

Math Challenge April 16




How many people can the largest plane carry?

Hint: A full plane has a crew of 20 people, 140 passengers with window seats and 406 passengers who did not get window seats.

Send answers to kellys3ps@sbcglobal.net
Parents may help, but try to let your child figure it out on their own.

Weekly winner wins a Smencil. Monthly winner wins a $20 Barnes and Noble gift certificate!
Good Luck!
Kelly

This week's winner! April 14 2007



Congratulations to aksmartstuff! If you think your child is the winner, please email me at kellys3ps@sbcglobal.net with a mailing address to send your smencil!

Friday, April 13, 2007

Thomas Jefferson Lesson Plan



Homeschool Teacher - Lesson Plan & Newsletter
April 13, 2007

History
On this day in 1743, our third president, Thomas Jefferson was born. Read more about him here: http://www.helium.com/tm/273006/thomas-jefferson-americas-third

Discussion Questions:
1. How many acres of land did Thomas Jefferson inherit?
2. Which President was he?
3. True or False? Thomas Jefferson was a formal president.
4. Which University did Thomas Jefferson found?

Take this Thomas Jefferson Scavenger hunt:
http://www.kathimitchell.com/tjwork.html


Journal
A biography is a non-fiction story of a person’s life, written by someone else. Write a mini-biography of Thomas Jefferson. Choose three of the topics below to write about:

Family History
Education
Contributions
Obstacles Overcome
Personality Traits
Jobs
Travels

Geography
One of Thomas Jefferson’s greatest achievements was the Louisiana Purchase. Read about it here:
http://www.eiu.edu/~wow/tjloupur.html

Use this map http://www.nickelbuffalo.com/guide/usmap.html
To mark the Louisiana Purchase territory based on this map: http://www.eiu.edu/~wow/tjloumap.html

Don’t Forget the Math Challenge!
http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/2007/04/math-challenge-april-13.html

For more Free Homeschool Lesson Plans

http://homeschoolingk.blogspot.com/ (k-3)

http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/( 4-8)

Math Challenge April 13



Taylor is saving his nickels. How many nickels will he have if he has $10 in nickels?

Send answers to kellys3ps@sbcglobal.net
Parents may help, but try to let your child figure it out on their own.

Weekly winner wins a Smencil. Monthly winner wins a $20 Barnes and Noble gift certificate!
Good Luck!
Kelly

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Space Lesson Plan



Homeschool Teacher - Lesson Plan & Newsletter
April 12, 2007

History
On this day in 1981, The Space Shuttle Columbia was first launched.

Journal
Pretend you are an astronaut, write a story about your journey into space.
Reading
Learn more about space exploration here:
http://www.lakemunmor-p.schools.nsw.edu.au/onlineworksheets/stage%203/space.htm(Level 2 version)
Vocabulary
http://www.kidsastronomy.com/worksheet/vocab/decode_n-s.htmScience
4th-5th
http://www.learningpage.com/free_pages/pdfs/grade_3/g3sci07/g3sci07_01.pdf
Don’t Forget the Math Challenge!
http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/2007/04/math-challenge-april-12.html
For more Free Homeschool Lesson Plans

http://homeschoolingk.blogspot.com/ (k-3)

http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/( 4-8)

Math Challenge April 12



Shannon Lucid spent more days in outer space than any other astronaut. How many days did she spend in space:

Hint: Lucid spent a total of 5,352 hours in space.

Send answers to kellys3ps@sbcglobal.net
Parents may help, but try to let your child figure it out on their own.

Weekly winner wins a Smencil. Monthly winner wins a $20 Barnes and Noble gift certificate!
Good Luck!
Kelly

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Civil Rights Lesson Plan



Homeschool Teacher - Lesson Plan & Newsletter
April 11, 2007

History
On this day in 1968, President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act.
Journal
"I have a dream.." was a famous speech by Martin Luther King. He had a dream that his children could work in harmony with all Americans regardless of the color of their skin.
You can listen to the speech here (after an AARP commercial)
http://www.history.com/media.do?action=clip&id=mlk_i_have_a_dream
Write about a dream that you have for yourself, your family, your community, or the world.

Vocabulary
Define the following words:
Civil rights
Discrimination
Hate crime
Martyr
Segregation
Orator
Reading
Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the biggest supporters of the Civil Rights movement. Read his famous speech and answer the questions below:
http://www.usconstitution.net/dream.html

1. Who has made the speech?
2. Who is the orator’s intended audience?
3. What aspect(s) of the Civil Rights Movement does the speech address?
4. What does the speaker encourage the audience to do and/or consider?
5. Is the speaker pro Civil Rights? Anti Civil Rights?

Time line

Use the information here to make a timeline:
http://www.historyonthenet.com/Slave_Trade/civilrights.htm

Don’t Forget the Math Challenge!
http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/2007/04/math-challenge-april-11.html



For more Free Homeschool Lesson Plans

http://homeschoolingk.blogspot.com/ (k-3)

http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/( 4-8)

Math Challenge April 11



Rosa Parks, was a seamstress who helped bring attention to the civil rights movement when she refused to give up her bus seat to a white man. She was jailed on Dec. 1, 1955, for violating Alabama’s bus segregation law, which sparked a 381-day bus boycott by the African American Community of Montgomery. The bus boycott cost the bus company hundreds of thousands of dollars and nearly shut the company down.

How much did a gallon of gas cost?

Alex just bought 10 gallons of gas for $17.50. The price per gallon that Alex paid was $1.44 more than a gallon of gas cost in 1955.

How much did a gallon of gas cost?


Send answers to kellys3ps@sbcglobal.net
Parents may help, but try to let your child figure it out on their own.

Weekly winner wins a Smencil. Monthly winner wins a $20 Barnes and Noble gift certificate!
Good Luck!
Kelly

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Sibling Lesson Plan



Homeschool Teacher - Lesson Plan & Newsletter
April 10, 2007
History

Today is national sibling day.


Journal
Use this worksheet to write a journal entry about siblings! http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/journal/sibrivalry_journal.html

You are home babysitting your little brother. When you go out to get the paper, the door shuts and locks. Your baby brother is alone inside. Tell what you do.

Language Arts
Sibling word search
http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/family/sibrivalry/print_wordsearch.html

Poem
http://www.cobblestonepub.com/pdfs/SDR0603t_3.pdf


Don’t Forget the Math Challenge!

http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/2007/04/math-challenge-april-10.html

For more Free Homeschool Lesson Plans

http://homeschoolingk.blogspot.com/ (k-3)

http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/( 4-8)

Math Challenge April 10



Jenny bought 7 t-shirts, one for each of her seven brothers, for $9.95 each. The cashier charged her an additional $13.07 in sales tax. She left the store with a measly $7.28. How much money did Jenny start with?

Send answers to kellys3ps@sbcglobal.net
Parents may help, but try to let your child figure it out on their own.

Weekly winner wins a Smencil. Monthly winner wins a $20 Barnes and Noble gift certificate!
Good Luck!
Kelly

Monday, April 9, 2007

Civil War Lesson Plan




Homeschool Teacher - Lesson Plan & Newsletter
April 9, 2007
History

On this day in 1865, Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant. Shortly after, the Civil War came to an end. Read more about it here: http://www.helium.com/tm/263111/civil-describe-conflict-history

Discussion Questions:

1. When did the Civil War take place?

2. What was the economy of the North built on?

3. What was the economy of the South built on?


KWL
Use the following KWL chart write down what you already know about the Civil War, and then some things that you would like to learn about the war.
http://myworksheets.com/soc_studies/civil/kwl/

Timeline
Find five pictures from this website http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/cwphtml/cwphome.html to print out and use on a time-line.

Glue your printed photographs to a large piece of poster board and answer the following three questions underneath each picture.

1. What is the name and date of the event?
2. What do you see in the picture?
3. What do you think happened right after this picture was taken?


Journal
Imagine that you have been transported through time to the Civil War era. Write a story telling about the adventures you have there. First think about the geographical setting of your story -- did you land in the North or the South? Whom did you meet there? What happened next? How does it feel to be in the middle of a civil war?

Vocabulary

abolitionist
Definition: Person who worked to end slavery during the 18th and 19th centuries
Context: Abolitionist John Brown had a bold plan to strike against slavery.
Confederate states
Definition: Southern states that that seceded from the U.S. to form their own nation, the Confederate States of America
Context: Lincoln's push to end slavery angered the Confederate states.
Dred Scott Decision
Definition: Supreme Court decision that stated Congress had no power to ban slavery anywhere, including the territories
Context: While the fighting went on in Kansas, the Supreme Court issued the controversial Dred Scott Decision, named after a slave.
Emancipation Proclamation
Definition: An edict issued by President Lincoln on January 1, 1863, making slavery illegal in the Confederate states
Context: The Emancipation Proclamation made slavery illegal in the 11 rebelling Southern states, but it left slavery in place in the states that had stayed loyal to the Union.
Fugitive Slave Act
Definition: A law passed by Congress in 1850 that required the return of runaway slaves
Context: Northerners protested the Fugitive Slave Act.
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Definition: A law passed in 1854 that allowed the majority of settlers in each territory to decide whether or not they would allow slavery in the area
Context: Illinois Senator Stephen Douglas proposed the Kansas-Nebraska Act.
popular sovereignty
Definition: The pre-Civil War doctrine asserting that settlers within each territory should decide whether or not to allow slavery
Context: The Kansas-Nebraska Act proposed the idea of popular sovereignty.
secede
Definition: To withdraw from the nation
Context: In late 1860 and early 1861, seven Southern states seceded from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America.
Union states
Definition: Northern states that remained loyal to the federal government during the Civil War
Context: President Abraham Lincoln asked Union states to send troops to put down the rebellion in the Confederate states.
Geography
Prior to the Civil War, our country was separated into two distinct areas, the north and the south. Here is a map that shows those divisions:

http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/civilwar/map.htm

Create your own similar map using the data shown on the map above. Make sure to include a map key that demonstrates what the different colors stand for.

http://abcteach.com/Maps/usa.htm

Math
What did the civil war cost in lives?
http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/TM/WS_civilwar.shtml


Don’t Forget the Math Challenge!
http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/2007/04/math-challenge-april-9.html

For more Free Homeschool Lesson Plans

http://homeschoolingk.blogspot.com/ (k-3)

http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/( 4-8)

Math Challenge April 9



During the Civil War, the north had 20 million people, while the South had 9 million. What percentage of people lived in the South?

Send answers to kellys3ps@sbcglobal.net
Parents may help, but try to let your child figure it out on their own.

Weekly winner wins a Smencil. Monthly winner wins a $20 Barnes and Noble gift certificate!
Good Luck!
Kelly

Saturday, April 7, 2007

This week's winner! April 7



Congratulations to Austin G.! If you think your child is the winner, please email me at kellys3ps@sbcglobal.net with a mailing address to send your smencil!

Friday, April 6, 2007

Easter Lesson Plan



Homeschool Teacher - Lesson Plan & Newsletter
April 5, 2007

History
Sunday is Easter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reading
Learn the process of getting eggs from hen to home here:
http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/2007/04/hen-to-home.html

Then show the process with this worksheet: http://www.aeb.org/Teacher/hentohome/activity_8.htm

Vocabulary
Easter Crossword:
http://www.dltk-holidays.com/t.asp?b=m&t=http://www.dltk-holidays.com/easter/images/b-crossword-withwords.gif

Science
Food Safety:
http://www.aeb.org/Teacher/hentohome/lesson_2.htm

Experiment
http://www.aeb.org/Teacher/hentohome/lesson_4.htm

Math
Kitchen Calculations
http://www.aeb.org/Teacher/hentohome/activity_6.htm

Don’t Forget the Math Challenge!
http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/2007/04/math-challenge-april-6.html

For more Free Homeschool Lesson Plans

http://homeschoolingk.blogspot.com/ (k-3)

http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/( 4-8)

Hen to Home



Before the egg on your plate ever left the supermarket, it went on an incredible journey. It was:

Laid – In a controlled environment, a hen was fed a healthful diet of specially mixed grain and then laid the egg.

Collected – At a modern egg farm, the egg dropped automatically from the hen’s cage to a conveyor belt below or was mechanically collected from a special nest.

Washed – The collected egg was washed and sanitized.

Oiled – The washed and sanitized egg was lightly coated with a harmless, invisible oil to seal the shell pores, slow down aging and prevent bacteria from entering the shell pores.

Candled – After oiling, the egg passed over an intense light and was rotated mechanically so its contents could be examined without cracking its shell. A candler checked the condition of its shell, albumen and yolk. If it didn’t meet grade requirements for AA, A or B, it was removed.

Graded – Once it passed the candling tests, the egg was graded AA, A or B.

Sized – The graded egg was weighed to determine its size so it could join other eggs of a similar weight to make up a specific minimum weight per dozen.

Packed – To minimize breakage and maintain freshness, the egg was packed in a specially designed carton marked with its grade and size.

Cooled – After packing, the egg was placed in a cooling room with a temperature of 45° F to lower the egg’s temperature and maintain its quality.

Shipped – The cooled egg was shipped in a refrigerated truck and delivered to a store. Like most eggs, it reached the supermarket a few days after it was laid.

Sold – To maintain its freshness, the store kept the egg in a refrigerated display case where it was picked up and purchased by a customer.

Stored – The customer quickly brought the egg home from the store and kept it in its original carton on a refrigerator shelf. Within 4 to 5 weeks of the pack date or 3 to 4 weeks of buying the egg, the customer cooked it and enjoyed the meal!

Bonus Challenge



Clemmie wanted to see if there was a difference in the size of large and extra large eggs, so she measured the circumference of one large egg and one extra large egg. The circumference of the large egg is one hundred seventy-eight and ninety-eight hundredths millimeters and the circumference of the extra large egg is three hundred fifty-four and eighty-two hundredths millimeters. The diameter of the larger egg is how much larger than the diameter of the smaller egg? (pi=3.14)

Send answers to kellys3ps@sbcglobal.net
Parents may help, but try to let your child figure it out on their own.

Weekly winner wins a Smencil. Monthly winner wins a $20 Barnes and Noble gift certificate!
Good Luck!
Kelly

Math Challenge April 6



Jayden and Avery decorated one hundred ten eggs for the Easter egg hunt. They put stickers on 10% of the eggs, wrote "Happy Easter" on 15% of the eggs, and decorated the rest of the eggs with red, blue, green, yellow, and purple dyes. How many eggs had stickers on them?

Send answers to kellys3ps@sbcglobal.net
Parents may help, but try to let your child figure it out on their own.

Weekly winner wins a Smencil. Monthly winner wins a $20 Barnes and Noble gift certificate!
Good Luck!
Kelly

Thursday, April 5, 2007

Road Map Lesson Plan



Homeschool Teacher - Lesson Plan & Newsletter
April 5, 2007

History
April 5th is national Read a Road Map Day.

Geography
Try this challenging geography game:
http://www.eduplace.com/geonet/

Another one:
http://www.funbrain.com/where/

How do mapmakers make their maps?
http://pr.tennessee.edu/ut2kids/maps/map.html

Discussion Questions:

Fill in the blanks:

1. Because the Earth is round and paper is flat, it is hard to draw a map without __________the shape of the Earth.

2. _________-- show cultural features like the outlines of countries, states, and cities.

3. __________-- show natural features, such as mountains, rivers, lakes, and oceans.

Science


Weather maps http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/weathermaps/

Math
The Mathematics behind Maps
http://www.c3.lanl.gov/mega-math/workbk/map/mpprstory.html

Don’t Forget the Math Challenge!
http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/2007/04/math-challenge-april-5.html

For more Free Homeschool Lesson Plans

http://homeschoolingk.blogspot.com/ (k-3)

http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/( 4-8)

Math Challenge April 5



An odometer measures how many miles a car has traveled. The odometer on Jeff’s car isn’t working properly. Every time the odometer measures 1 mile, Jeff has really only traveled 0.8 of a mile. The odometer now reads an even 100 miles.

How many miles has Jeff really traveled?

Send answers to kellys3ps@sbcglobal.net
Parents may help, but try to let your child figure it out on their own.

Weekly winner wins a Smencil. Monthly winner wins a $20 Barnes and Noble gift certificate!
Good Luck!
Kelly

Wednesday, April 4, 2007

US Flag Lesson Plan



Homeschool Teacher - Lesson Plan & Newsletter
April 4, 2007

History
On this day in 1818, the US flag was approved.

Vocabulary

Star Spangled Banner Vocabulary http://www.lessonplanspage.com/LAMusicMusicalVocabularyLinks210.htm


Sign Language
Learn how to sign the pledge of allegiance:
http://www.legion.org/documents/pdf/signingpledge.pdf

Reading

What does the pledge of allegiance mean? http://www.legion.org/?section=our_flag&subsection=flag_history&content=flag_pledge


Don’t Forget the Math Challenge!
http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/2007/04/american-flag-lesson-plan.html


For more Free Homeschool Lesson Plans

http://homeschoolingk.blogspot.com/ (k-3)

http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/( 4-8)

Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Math Challenge April 4



Of the 13 strips on the American flag, seven of the stripes are red and six of
the stripes are white. If the standard size of the flag is 52 inches wide, what
is the width of each stripe?

Send answers to kellys3ps@sbcglobal.net
Parents may help, but try to let your child figure it out on their own.

Weekly winner wins a Smencil. Monthly winner wins a $20 Barnes and Noble gift certificate!
Good Luck!
Kelly

Pony Express Lesson Plan



Homeschool Teacher - Lesson Plan & Newsletter
April 3, 2007

History
On this day in 1860, the pony express was started. Learn more about it here:

http://www.helium.com/tm/250331/discovery-california-increasing-political

Discussion Questions:

1. What year was gold discovered in California?

2. Why was the pony express developed?

3. How old was the youngest pony express rider?

Journal
1. Design a Pony Express recruiting flyer.
2. Write an exciting story about one of your journeys as a Pony Express rider. Make it full of detail and adventure.
Language Arts

Edit the Passage Below:
Before the days of planes trains and trucks, mail traveled by horse back. "Pony Express" riders galloped from station to station. A rider, who was usually a teenage boy change horses several times before passing on mail to the next rider. Using this "express mail," it took 10 days for a letter to travel from missouri to california? The Pony Express gone out of business when people was able to send messages a cross the country by telegraph.
Correct answer: http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/edit/edit1319.shtml

Is your horse hoarse? Learn more about homonyms here: http://www.rhlschool.com/eng3n15.htm


Geography
Use the information here: http://www.xphomestation.com/xpdrive-ca-mo.html

to draw the pony express route on this map of the US:
http://www.eduplace.com/ss/maps/pdf/us_nl.pdf

Science

Study the anatomy of a horse here: http://www.classbrain.com/artmovies/uploads/horse_anatomy.pdf

Then take this quiz:
http://www.classbrain.com/artmovies/uploads/horse_anatomy_quiz.pdf

Don’t Forget the Math Challenge!
http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/2007/04/math-challenge-april-3.html

For more Free Homeschool Lesson Plans

http://homeschoolingk.blogspot.com/ (k-3)

http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/( 4-8)

Monday, April 2, 2007

Math Challenge April 3



The first westbound trip was made in 9 days and 23 hours, if the rail was 1,966 miles long, on average, how many miles were traveled each day?

Send answers to kellys3ps@sbcglobal.net
Parents may help, but try to let your child figure it out on their own.

Weekly winner wins a Smencil. Monthly winner wins a $20 Barnes and Noble gift certificate!
Good Luck!
Kelly

Hans Christian Anderson Lesson Plan



Homeschool Teacher - Lesson Plan & Newsletter
April 2, 2007

History
On this day in 1805, writer, Hans Christian Anderson was born. Learn more about him here:
http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/2007/04/hans-christian-anderson.html

Discussion Questions:

1. Where was Hans Christian Anderson born?

2. How old was he when he left home?
3. When was his first children’s book published?

4. What is the Hans Christian Anderson Award given for?

Journal

A simile compares things using the words like or as.

Think of the fairy tales you have read and compare characters, actions, or moods.
For example: The princess was as pretty as a flower in Spring.
Grandma's nose was long like a wolf.
He felt as helpless as a little baby as he stood in front of the dragon.
Think about the Fairy Tales you have read and write three similes. Use one of these sentences to write your own Fairy Tale.

Reading
Here is a link to the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen. There are 127 stories, so there is quite a bit of reading here.
http://www.aesopfables.com/aesophca.html

Language Arts

Learn about alliterations here: http://www.abcteach.com/FairyTales/alliterations.htm

Geography
Use the internet to answer the question: Where are castles located throughout the world?


Science
Grow your own beanstalk!
http://www.abcteach.com/FairyTales/beans.htm


Art
Make a Coat of Arms
Decorate a poster board shield to make your own family coat of arms.


Don’t Forget the Math Challenge!
http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/2007/04/math-challenge-april-2.html
For more Free Homeschool Lesson Plans

http://homeschoolingk.blogspot.com/ (k-3)

http://homeschoolingthemiddleyears.blogspot.com/( 4-8)