Better Late Than Never....

Yesterday was "one of those days," so this week's FSF is a Fun School Saturday, instead. LOL

Art Challenge: Shape Shifters - Use the shapes in the Shape Shifters .pdf file to create templates for the children out of cardstock or cardboard. (You can make yours bigger. Mine were half a sheet of stock each. I made them smaller just to fit them all onto one nice neat template for ya'll.) Choose 5 of the following to have the children create drawings - dog, cat, boat, car, bug, monkey, elephant, robot, clown, fish, bird, spaceship. They must use one shape for each drawing and only use each of the five shapes to create one drawing. They should start by tracing the shape, and then they can add any other lines, features, etc. they desire to create their shifted shape creation. To make it even more fun, assign numbers to the shapes and have the artist roll a die to decide which shape to use and then write the drawing titles onto slips of paper that must be drawn out. The combinations of shapes and drawing titles create some very interesting artwork, without the old whine "I don't know what to draw!!"

Math Challenge: Teach your children to play "15." You can create number cards (1 - 9) or simply use the Ace through 9 of any deck of playing cards (Uno cards are a good alternative, too.) Place the nine cards face up in a 3 X 3 array on the table. Two players take turns drawing cards from the array. The first person to create the sum 15 using three of their cards wins that round. For example: Player 1 draws the 8. Player 2 draws the 4. Player 1 then draws the 2. Player 2 takes the 5. Player 1 draws the 6. Player 2 draws the 3. Player 1 draws the 1 for the win of 8 + 6 + 1 = 15. Youngest player gets to draw first in the the first round. Loser gets to draw first on the next round. In the event of a "draw" - a game where all nine cards are drawn without a 15, whichever player did not go first, draws first next round. (This game really reinforces both adding skills and strategical, logical thinking. But, don't tell the kids - they'll think they are just playing a fun game....BWHAHAHAHA!!)

Language Challenge: As well as a language challenge, this is also a great thinking challenge. Apples -  Have children come up with answers to the following. Trick is, they can only use an answer ONCE to complete the sentences.

1.) As ___________ as an apple.
2.) As ___________ as an apple.
3.) As ___________ as an apple.
4.) As ___________ as an apple.
5.) As ___________ as an apple.
6.) A ____________ is not as ____________ as an apple.
7.) A ____________ is not as ____________ as an apple.
8.) A ____________ is not as ____________ as an apple.
9.) A ____________ is not as ____________ as an apple.
10.) A ___________ is not as ____________ as an apple.
11) A ____________ is as ____________ as an apple.
12.) Nothing in the world is as __________ as an apple.

We took these and wrote them out on cardstock apple shapes and created "apple poems" out of them. (You might want to use this as a journal entry or a word game in the car. We substituted other Fall words, too, like leaf, pumpkin, scarecrow, and squirrel.)

Social Studies/Culture Challenge: Celebrate Michaelmas in some way. September 29th is the Feast of St. Michael. He is the patron saint of police officers and soldiers. You don't have to be Catholic or Orthodox or even Christian to enjoy Michaelmas (pronouced MICKLE-mas.) There are many different ways to honor St. Michael or to just have a fun Fall celebration.

1.) Take a visit to your local police station. Take along some homemade treats or cards expressing your appreciation of all the officers do for your community. Or simply create your cards and post them in the mail.

2.) Find a way to help a soldier or his family. (St. Michael is also a helper to those in peril on the sea, so sailors and marines count, too.)
Adopt a Soldier or Any Soldier are both sites that can help you "adopt" a soldier by matching you with a serviceman or woman . You can share emails, send cards, letters, and care packages, too. Take this opportunity to teach your children about the USO and see if there is anything you can do to help them help our service personnel. Above all, pray for the safe return of all our men and women in uniform.

3.) St. Michael is often shown holding a sword and wearing armor. Create swords and shields from cardboard. Research heraldry or your family's coat of arms. Create your own individual coats of arms or recreate your family crest as an art project. In Germany and other parts of Erupoe, St. Michael is often depicted fighting a devil or dragon. Create "knight" masks or helmets and devil or dragon masks and recreate St. Micheal's victory over Satan. Use your shield and sword.

4.) Take this opportunity to create some "angelic" art. Study Raphael's cherubs or Michaelangelo's masterpieces. Make angels out of wire, clay or felt. Draw or trace angels on waxed paper with permanent marker. Color with crayons. When complete, rub the finished artwork with a cotton ball dipped in cooking oil. The oil will make the paper translucent and your angel will glow when taped to a sunny window. (We super-glued ours in cheap dollar store frames with the backing cardboards removed for a more permanent hanging.) There are numerous patterns and ideas to choose from. Perhaps your Michaelmas angels will find their way onto your Christmas tree or in a box as a present for a loved one.

5.) Make some tradtional Michealmas foods. Blackberries, blackberry tarts and pies are common in England. Bannock or scones are popular in Ireland. Apples are regularly on many Michaelmas menus, especially baked filled with brown sugar, cinnamon and nuts or raisins. Here's a blackberry bannock recipe you might like to try:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting (I like to use 1/2 white and 1/2 wheat)

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
5 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter, chilled (YES the real stuff)
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 cup blackberries
1 teaspoon water

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Lightly sprinkle a 14-x-16-inch baking sheet with flour and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the flour, pecans, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of sugar.

3. Cut the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or fork until it has the consistency of small crumbs.

4. In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk and one egg. Add to the flour mixture and stir until just moistened. The dough will be quite wet and sticky; work it as little as possible.

5. Divide the dough in half and shape one piece into a 9-inch circle on the prepared baking sheet. Spread the blackberries evenly over the circle and sprinkle with 1-2 tablespoons of sugar. On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, form a 9-inch circle with the remaining dough and gently slide it on top of the berries. With the backside of a knife, score the top in 8 wedges.

6. Beat the remaining egg with the water and lightly brush the egg wash over the top of the bannock. Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of sugar.

7. Bake until the bannock is golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. When cool, cut into wedges and serve.

Make some fun!!

Fall is Here at Fun School Friday!

Fall has definitely made her early appearance here down in the Valley. If that is not the case in your little neck of the woods, feel free to adapt these ideas to whatever season has taken up residence where you live.

Art Challenge: Stained Glass Candle Holders

Materials:
Clear Votive candle cups
Tissue paper in fall colors (NOT metallic tissue)
School glue or PVC glue (Elmer's works well)
Wide tipped artist brushes
Votive or tea light candles

Directions: Tear the tissue paper into small pieces (not confetti, mind you.) Dip the brush into the glue and "paint" the tissue paper bits onto the outside of your votive cup. Cover the outside surface, overlapping the pieces of tissue paper to create interesting color effects. Allow the glue to dry. Insert candle and light it. The candlelight should create a "stained glass" effect when shining through your colored votive cup. (NOTE: NEVER EVER EVER leave your children alone with an open flame!!) You can use these in your window at night, or as a decoration for a table for dinner, or during prayer/devotional time.

Language Challenge: Read, and perhaps memorize or dramatize, some great seasonal poetry. Suggestions:
Robert Frost' s "After Apple Picking," "Gathering Leaves" or "Nothing Gold Can Stay"
John Keats's "Ode to Autumn"
Emily Dickinson's "Autumn"
Emily Brady's "Leaves"
John Updike's "September"

Nature Challenge: Get ready for autumn's natural bounty with an Autumn Watch Guide from Nature Detectives. (For those of you who don't get much Autumn, of for whom this time of year may be Spring, a quick search of the site may help you find nature activities more appropriate to your location and climate.)

Cooking Challenge: Get the whole family involved in making a big pot of your favorite chili, soup or stew. How about baking an apple pie? Or making apple butter or applesauce in the crock pot? If you haven't got any favorite fall-ish recipes, here's one of our family favorites:

Crock pot Cider

1 gallon apple cider or natural apple juice
1 quart cranberry juice
several pieces of cinnamon stick
whole cloves

Place everything in your crock pot. Cook on low until heated through. If needed, stir a little honey, maple syrup or brown sugar in your cider to sweeten it.

Musical Challenge: Listen to Vivaldi's "Autumn" from the Four Seasons. Or, if you prefer, Scott Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag." Classics for Kids has the music plus an activity sheet and info on Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag" for those of you who HAVE to make it schoolish.

Fun School Friday #3 (on a Tuesday)

Took last week off for Labor Day Holiday.....

Math Challenge: PENTOMINOES!! (I love these!! ) This is a printable .pdf file with a set of pentominoes, and page after page of puzzles and challenges to use with your set.

Language Challenge: Write I Am poems:
I Am

I am (two special characteristics)
I wonder (something you are actually curious about)
I hear (an imaginary sound)
I see (an imaginary sight)
I want (an actual desire)
I am (the first line of the poem restated)

I pretend (something you actually pretend to do)
I feel (a feeling about something imaginary)
I touch (an imaginary touch)
I worry (something that really bothers you)
I cry (something that makes you very sad)
I am (the first line of the poem repeated)

I understand (something you know is true)
I say (something you believe in)
I dream (something you actually dream about)
I try (something you really make an effort about)
I hope (something you actually hope for)
I am (the first line of the poem repeated)

Art Challenge: Copy your I Am poems onto poster board. Decorate the posters with photos, magazine cut-outs, drawings, stickers, etc. that either illustrate the poem, or that show more of who you are.

Nature Challenge: Blindfold Explorations. Bring a blindfold, or have child keep eyes shut tightly. Find a sunny woodland glade with interesting places and plants to explore. Lead your child to each spot, carefully taking them around any obstacles or holes. Ask them to touch, listen or smell, depending on what’s there to explore. See if they can tell when they move from the sunny spots to the shade, or from grass to soil.