Whew! Had to take a few weeks off from FSF's there! But, we're back on track with them now, and had a great time yesterday!
This week's FSF had a Nature theme. We have a large backyard and as we are headed into the Winter season, we spent this week's FSF getting the yard ready to welcome our resident wildlife. And a little nature indoors project, as well.
Nature Project 1 - Wooden Bird Feeders - I purchased 2 wooden bird feeder kits from the local Dollar General store for a few dollars each. They came with everything but paint. The kids put them together with only a little help from dear old Mama. I had a few cans of outdoor paint left in the garage, so I got them out and we have two of the best-looking red, white and black bird feeders ever created!! LOL Mr. T's has a squirrel cut out on top, and Miss K's has a maple leaf cut out on top. She accidently nailed the leaf cut out on upside down, but has decided it makes it "unique." Let's hope the birds find them appealing! We'll hang one from a shepherd's hook and the other will hang from a branch of our maple.
Nature Project 2 - Soda Bottle Bird Feeder - I also bought a $3 kit from Rainbow Resource. (I needed just a little something to get the shipping down another bracket. You know what I mean, right?) We had to bum a 2 litre bottle from our neighbor because we don't drink soda pop. After acquiring our neighbor's empty Mt. Dew bottle, I follwed the directions with the kit and in a few minutes, we had another feeder to hang from our other shepherd's hook! Filling it will require taking it down every time, so I didn't want it in the tree.
Nature Project 3 - Table Bird Feeder - Not every little birdie likes to perch to eat, so we took some lumber scraps (specifically a 3 ft. X 3 ft. piece of 3/4 inch plywood, some 3 ft. lengths of 1 X 2's, and some 2 foot lengths of 2 X 4's) and built a table feeder. I nailed the 2 X 4's to the four corner of the plywood scrap and then nailed the 1 X 2's to the edgs of the plywood top to make a "lip" so the seed won't end up onthe ground. I had to trim the 1 X 2's a bit to make them fit, but otherwise, it was a fairly easy project. Now, I KNOW it should be sealed or painted or whatever to protect it, but I haven't got anything, so it'll probably only last this winter season and then we'll have to make another next year. Maybe we can get some stain or something on it before the really bad weather hits.....
Nature Project 4 - Squirrel Feeder - If you can't beat 'em, feed 'em!! LOL So, to assist the four legged creatures in staving off hunger this winter, we made a squirrel feeder. I took two pieces of 1 X 6 and nailed them together to make an "L". I drilled two small holes in the upright part of the "L" shape because I want to hang this on our chain-link fence. Then, I took a plastic milk jug and cut out two of the circles in the sides. (If your milk jugs don't have cirlces on their sides, just cut two circles out.) I used Liquid Nail and attached the jug's bottom to the board. I filled it with unshelled peanuts and hung it on the chain link fence with a zip tie threaded through the holes. It's so much fun to watch the squirrels do their tight rope act along the top of the fence to the feeder!
Nature Project 5 - I bought 4 herb lants at the produce market this week - an oregano, a sweet basil, a dill and a parsley. We repotted them into identical-sized square pots and then took some of our leftover 1 X 2's and created a stand to hold the pots. I cut four lengths of 3 ft. 1 X 2. I nailed 4 lengths the size I needed to hold my square pots to one end of the 3ft lengths to form a square with 3 ft. long legs. Then, about 1 1/2 ft. from the floor, I nailed another 4 lengths to the 1 X 2 "legs." This formed the center of my stand. I took four more lengths of 1 X 2 and cut them 2 ft. long. Using 8 smaller lengths, I created 2 more squares with 2 legs. I nailed the two corners of the squares to the 3 ft. long legs of the center portion. This gave me the two outer pot holders. The kids wanted to paint it, but since the family room is almost all natural wood furniture, I convinced them that staining it would be better......We did paint the names of the herbs on the respective holder squares, so I do hope the oregano is happy where it is, because he can't be moved now, can he?? LOL
Well, that's it for this week's FSF. If you don't have access to the Great Outdoors, or if it's the wrong season for bird feeding in your corner of the world, pot some herbs, plant some flowers, buy a potted fern. Grow a windowsill garden. Learn to keep a bonsai tree. Line a picture window with miniature roses or cacti. There are so many ways to add some nature to your life, to your world!
Make some green fun!
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Friday, October 2, 2009
To all my loyal Fun Schoolers, I apologize for not posting last week. A personal injury prevented me from doing Fun School Friday last week, and from posting anything here......Enjoy this week's offerings!
Language Challenge: Write Your Own (Fill-in-the-blanks) Story
Once There Was a (1)_________ (2)_________
Once there was a (1)_______
(2)__________who had lost (3)____ (4)______________
(5)______looked (6)_______ a (7) ____________
(8)___________but (3)____ (4)____________ wasn't there.
(5)______looked (6)_______ a (7) ____________
(8)___________but (3)____ (4)____________ wasn't there.
(5)______looked (6)_______ a (7) ____________
(8)___________but (3)____ (4)____________ wasn't there.
Finally (3)____ looked (6)_______ a (7) ____________
(8)___________. "I've found it! I've found my (4)___________!" said (9) _____________.
"And after all that looking I'm so hungry I could eat a (7)_____________
(8)______________!" And (5) ______ did.
(1) first half of a compound word
(2) second half of the compound word
(3) his, her or its
(4) noun - what the compound word has lost
(5) he, she or it
(6) a preposition--on, in, under, behind, etc.
(7) first half of a compound word
(8) second half of the compound word
(9) name of your main character, who was your first compound word
You can either do these by making your list of words first, and then filling in the blanks, a la MadLibs, or you can look over the story blanks first and then use the word list as a guide for filling it in. Either way is sure to get some hilarious results. And they may even learn some new compund words while they're at it!
Science/Engineering Challenge: Make a Box
Materials: plenty of tape, rulers, scissors, pencils, one sheet of construction paper or cardstock per child, other paper, objects and tools as needed.
Instructions:
Step 1 - Using the one sheet of paper/cardstock, you must make a box. You can make it any way you like, using any of the tools provided. It should be an "open" box, with a bottom and four sides, but no top. After you've created your box, go on to Step 2.
Step 2 - Now that you've made your box, find some way to turn it into one of the following: a house, a wagon, a basket, a vehicle. You can use other paper, objects and tools as needed to transfor your box.
Math and Art Challenge: Mystic Roses - when you fit any polygon into a circle so that its "points" touch the edge of the circle and then connect each point to every other point, you've created a mystic rose. When you use colored pencils, pens or markers for your connecting lines, you've created beautiful math!
Materials: white paper or cardstock, ruler, compass or round bowl for making circles, colored pencils, pens or markers.
Instructions: Draw a large circle on your paper. Mark off equal intervals around the outside edge of the circle. (NOTE: Using 5 points creates a pentagram, the star within the circle. Since this symbol carries negative connotations for many, I'd suggest starting with at least 6 or 7 points.) Using your ruler, connect each point on the circumference with each and every other point. To see an interactive example, check out this cool widget. We discovered that even numbers of points are easier to do, as you can fold the paper into equal sections and mark the dots on the "points" created by the folding. But, for the math minded out there, a protractor could come in handy, if you wish. The more points you use, the prettier the rose. The more colors you use, the more artsy the math becomes!
Active Challenge: Sound It Out - This is just a fun, active-but-safe-for-indoors activity that your kids will love, and is sure to create a lot of giggles - maybe even some belly laughs! It's a great way to burn off some excess energy, stimulate little (and not so little brains) and create some memorable moments.
Materials: slips of paper with sounds and/or sound makers written on them - blender, hip hop beat, banjo/guitar, rooster, sheep, cow, dog, cat, marching band, opera singer, elephant, monkey, violin, police siren, helicopter, etc. and a bowl, basket or hat to keep them in. Sound makers should have a unique sound and action. BIRD, for example, might be too difficult for the other players to guess correctly, while OWL would be better. You'll see why below.
How to play: First player draws a slip of paper and reads what is on it. Player has to act out that sound maker/sound, WITHOUT sound effects. Other players must guess what sound/sound maker it is by providing the sound. First person to guess the sound and make it correctly takes the next turn. You can keep points, as in charades, or you can just play for the fun of it!
Make some fun!
Language Challenge: Write Your Own (Fill-in-the-blanks) Story
Once There Was a (1)_________ (2)_________
Once there was a (1)_______
(2)__________who had lost (3)____ (4)______________
(5)______looked (6)_______ a (7) ____________
(8)___________but (3)____ (4)____________ wasn't there.
(5)______looked (6)_______ a (7) ____________
(8)___________but (3)____ (4)____________ wasn't there.
(5)______looked (6)_______ a (7) ____________
(8)___________but (3)____ (4)____________ wasn't there.
Finally (3)____ looked (6)_______ a (7) ____________
(8)___________. "I've found it! I've found my (4)___________!" said (9) _____________.
"And after all that looking I'm so hungry I could eat a (7)_____________
(8)______________!" And (5) ______ did.
(1) first half of a compound word
(2) second half of the compound word
(3) his, her or its
(4) noun - what the compound word has lost
(5) he, she or it
(6) a preposition--on, in, under, behind, etc.
(7) first half of a compound word
(8) second half of the compound word
(9) name of your main character, who was your first compound word
You can either do these by making your list of words first, and then filling in the blanks, a la MadLibs, or you can look over the story blanks first and then use the word list as a guide for filling it in. Either way is sure to get some hilarious results. And they may even learn some new compund words while they're at it!
Science/Engineering Challenge: Make a Box
Materials: plenty of tape, rulers, scissors, pencils, one sheet of construction paper or cardstock per child, other paper, objects and tools as needed.
Instructions:
Step 1 - Using the one sheet of paper/cardstock, you must make a box. You can make it any way you like, using any of the tools provided. It should be an "open" box, with a bottom and four sides, but no top. After you've created your box, go on to Step 2.
Step 2 - Now that you've made your box, find some way to turn it into one of the following: a house, a wagon, a basket, a vehicle. You can use other paper, objects and tools as needed to transfor your box.
Math and Art Challenge: Mystic Roses - when you fit any polygon into a circle so that its "points" touch the edge of the circle and then connect each point to every other point, you've created a mystic rose. When you use colored pencils, pens or markers for your connecting lines, you've created beautiful math!
Materials: white paper or cardstock, ruler, compass or round bowl for making circles, colored pencils, pens or markers.
Instructions: Draw a large circle on your paper. Mark off equal intervals around the outside edge of the circle. (NOTE: Using 5 points creates a pentagram, the star within the circle. Since this symbol carries negative connotations for many, I'd suggest starting with at least 6 or 7 points.) Using your ruler, connect each point on the circumference with each and every other point. To see an interactive example, check out this cool widget. We discovered that even numbers of points are easier to do, as you can fold the paper into equal sections and mark the dots on the "points" created by the folding. But, for the math minded out there, a protractor could come in handy, if you wish. The more points you use, the prettier the rose. The more colors you use, the more artsy the math becomes!
Active Challenge: Sound It Out - This is just a fun, active-but-safe-for-indoors activity that your kids will love, and is sure to create a lot of giggles - maybe even some belly laughs! It's a great way to burn off some excess energy, stimulate little (and not so little brains) and create some memorable moments.
Materials: slips of paper with sounds and/or sound makers written on them - blender, hip hop beat, banjo/guitar, rooster, sheep, cow, dog, cat, marching band, opera singer, elephant, monkey, violin, police siren, helicopter, etc. and a bowl, basket or hat to keep them in. Sound makers should have a unique sound and action. BIRD, for example, might be too difficult for the other players to guess correctly, while OWL would be better. You'll see why below.
How to play: First player draws a slip of paper and reads what is on it. Player has to act out that sound maker/sound, WITHOUT sound effects. Other players must guess what sound/sound maker it is by providing the sound. First person to guess the sound and make it correctly takes the next turn. You can keep points, as in charades, or you can just play for the fun of it!
Make some fun!
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