we have guppies! (that are really hard to photograph because they won't stay still.)
this week... our classroom welcomed four female guppies - two orange tail and two green tail. i call them "fish chicks" as in, "good morning, fish chicks!" and "time to eat, fish chicks!"
the aquarium addition to our classroom serves many purposes. my kids are learning more about pet ownership, responsibility and proper care, creation, biology, and chemistry, and there are so many more learning opportunities! i was encouraged by this post at Hip Homeschool Moms. AND we have a sneaking suspicion that at least one of our fish chicks is pregnant. we are watching her very carefully and have been researching "pregnant guppies." could be some exciting stuff going on in there!
another recent update to our classroom is this Pop Art:
look at my silly little ones! they make me smile.
this Pop Art is homemade and was super easy peasy to make. after i decided on the pictures, i used Picnik to adjust the sizes and color to these funky bold hues and then printed them on plain white paper. (i would recommend using photo paper, though) using acrylic paints in coordinating colors, i painted the edges of 8x8 canvases i got on sale at the craft store. next, i used Mod Podge to adhere the photos cut to size to the canvas. when they were dry, i painted over the entire canvas with Mod Podge to give it a glossy coating. BigGirl helped me in every step. you can see the paint isn't perfect, and there are some wrinkles. isn't it great in our classroom?
highlights of our week... Bubba started going to preschool a few days a week at a local church. he absolutely loves it and i am so proud of him. the days he is at preschool gives BigGirl and i the chance to focus on her schoolwork without interruptions or distractions. she is ahead by about a week in her studies - she is doing great. we homeschooled at Starbucks twice this week and even at the park one day! BigGirl took a trial gymnastics class this week and had a blast. she has been interested in gymnastics for quite a while now, and i think we found a gym and class that is just right for her. it was another fantastic week. we love the freedoms and flexibilty of homeschooling. i am continually thankful that i can teach my children at home.
homeschooling tip to share... my friend Connie @SmockityFrocks tweeted this quote last week. it really spoke to me, and i think it is important for all homeschoolers to know:
"Homeschooling naturally is natural.
Don't work too hard on making it artificially schoolish."
i'm praying for... my children to be confident in who they are and Whose they are. with Bubba being away from me a few days each week, and BigGirl maturing in her independence, i'm praying with fervor that they know without a doubt that they are loved unconditionally. i like to write them little love notes to remind them...just a sweet little something to plant a love seed in their hearts.
these little love notes say "do you know how _____ you are?" and the blank is to write in an attribute for your child, such as special, loved, appreciated, silly, smart, or whatever. there is space at the bottom for a personal note or doodle, or maybe a lipstick'd kiss from Mommy :)
print these little love notes for your children (free printable PDF)
and that's what is going on around here lately! thanks for visiting and check out The Homeschool Chick where homeschooling moms gather for support and encouragement!
--------------------------------------------
