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Tina Robertson

Geronimo Stilton Back in Time Second Journey Through Time and Fun Mayan Mask

June 30, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

If your child is reading Geronimo Stilton Back in Time Second Journey Through Time, you’ll love this Mayan mask. Be sure to grab more Geronimo Stilton Books ideas and crafts on my page.

If you don’t know about him already, Geronimo Stilton is a globetrotting mouse who finds himself in all kinds of adventures.

Oftentimes these adventures take him time traveling.

In this second book in this series, he finds himself first in Ancient Rome, in the middle of the Mayan Empire, and finally in the Age of The Sun King visiting Louis XIV.

Geronimo Stilton Back in Time Second Journey Through Time and Fun Mayan Mask

Geronimo’s books love to share maps, landmarks, dress, customs, and legends of the period he visits.

These books make wonderful “textbooks” disguised as chapter books.

Assign the section for independent reading or read aloud and then add in a few fun activities to round it out.

I wanted to dive a little deeper into the second part of the book, the Mayan Empire, and create a craft that highlights some of their traditions.

Mayan masks were a big part of the ancient culture and were a perfect activity to highlight the culture, traditions, and art.

They were made from a variety of materials like gold, shells, stones, gems, and volcanic rock.

Masks were used for a variety of reasons including to adorn the faces of the dead, to be worn at important events, to be worn during battle, as well as hung up in houses.

5 Facts About Mayan Culture

First, look at some of these facts about the Mayan civilization.

  • The Mayans were a group of people who lived in the Yucatan Peninsula in what is today Mexico, Belize and Guatemala.
  • Many Mayans still live there today, they are still  living in the same areas where the Mayan civilization used to be. They follow the ancient Mayan traditions and beliefs, as well as speak the Mayan language.
  • New Archaeological ancient sites are still being discovered, Ek Balam was just found in the 1980’s.
  • The Mayans main crops were corn, beans, avocados, papayas, and cocoa, etc.
  • They made 7 big contributions to the modern world-The Mayan Calendar, astronomy, hydraulic buildings, filtration systems, rubber, chocolate, and medicine.
Geronimo Stilton Back in Time Second Journey Through Time and Fun Mayan Mask

Also, look at more activities about the Mayan civilization.

More Mayan Civilization Resources

  • Geronimo Stilton – Build a LEGO Temple of Kukulcan
  • Make Mayan paper clip jewelry.
  • Free South America Printable Lapbook and Fun Hands-on Unit Study Ideas
  • Pull out an atlas or map and have your child find Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala to learn where ancient Mayans lived.
  • Make a Kukulkan Mayan Paper Snake Craft
  • 9 Free South America Country Reports for Kids Notebooking Pages
  • Try recreating this Maya Chocolate Recipe for a tasty history lesson.

Geronimo Stilton Back in Time Second Journey Through Time and Fun Mayan Mask

Moreover, here are more Geronimo Stilton book activities.

Geronimo Stilton Book Activities

Next, look at these other crafts to go with the books.

  • The Race Against Time Geronimo Stilton Activity Craft Fun Dragon Eggs
  • Geronimo Stilton The Second Journey Through Time Sun King Fun Medallion
  • The Journey Through Time Book And Knights Armor Engraving Fun Kids Craft
  • Journey Through Time Geronimo Stilton Time Warp Fun Lost City of Atlantis
  • Race Against Time Build a Fun Greek Water Clock
  • Out Of Time Fun Sir Francis Drake Ship Craft
  • Stilton Journey Through Time Series Fifth Journey Fun Eiffel Tower
  • 10 Things to Learn From The Fun Geronimo Stilton Chapter Books
  • The Fourth Journey Through Time Fun Cleopatra Collar
  • Learn About Mozart The Eight Journey Through Time Geronimo Stilton Series
  • The Geronimo Stilton Book Fourth Journey Fun Egypt Game
  • Geronimo Stilton Journey Through Time Craft a Fun England Tower Guard
  • Mouse in Space Fun Puffy Moon Craft (Glow in the Dark)
  • Down and Out Down Under Make a Fun Edible Coral Reef
  • Field Trip to Niagara Falls Summary And Fun Corn Craft
  • The Journey Through Time #2: Back in Time Colosseum Craft
  • The Race Against Time Geronimo Stilton Activities: Fun Edible Spine
  • #2: Back in Time Mayan Craft
  • The Curse of The Cheese Pyramid Barbie Mummy
  • Who Is Geronimo Stilton Rodent Notebooking Page
Geronimo Stilton Back in Time Second Journey Through Time and Fun Mayan Mask

Finally, look how to make this fun Mayan mask.

Geronimo Stilton Back in Time – Mayan Mask

We wanted our mask to resemble a jaguar.

The Mayan warriors believed that wearing a jaguar helmet mask gave them the ability to face their enemies with courage and strength.

I like to use 12×12 cardstock, it makes a great size for a Mayan mask. You can find this in the scrapbook section at your local craft store.

You will need:

  • 12×12 Cardstock
  • Jumbo craft stick
  • Scissors
  • Markers

First, fold the cardstock in half and press in a good crease.

Geronimo Stilton Back in Time Second Journey Through Time and Fun Mayan Mask

Keeping cardstock folded, draw a half circle/oval to create a basic face shape.

Geronimo Stilton Back in Time Second Journey Through Time and Fun Mayan Mask

Cut out the half circle.

Geronimo Stilton Back in Time Second Journey Through Time and Fun Mayan Mask

On the center of one side draw an oval eye.

Geronimo Stilton Back in Time Second Journey Through Time and Fun Mayan Mask

We want to keep the mask as symmetrical as possible so to do that you need to fold the two sides in towards the crease.

Geronimo Stilton Back in Time Second Journey Through Time and Fun Mayan Mask

Close along the fold again and cut out the eye outline.

Geronimo Stilton Back in Time Second Journey Through Time and Fun Mayan Mask

Depending on where your eye was in the fold here is how your eyes should look.

Geronimo Stilton Back in Time Second Journey Through Time and Fun Mayan Mask

Open all the folds and then refold only at the center crease, cut a half oval shape for the mouth.

Geronimo Stilton Back in Time Second Journey Through Time and Fun Mayan Mask

Use scraps leftover from the cardstock and cut out ears as well as a nose shape.

Geronimo Stilton Back in Time Second Journey Through Time and Fun Mayan Mask

We cut our nose shape out 4 times and layered them together with glue like this to create a little depth to the mask.

Geronimo Stilton Back in Time Second Journey Through Time and Fun Mayan Mask

Glue the nose in place.

Geronimo Stilton Back in Time Second Journey Through Time and Fun Mayan Mask

After looking up some Mayan masks online for inspiration let your child use markers to design their own mask.

Geronimo Stilton Back in Time Second Journey Through Time and Fun Mayan Mask

Flip the mask over and glue the ears and teeth onto the back.

Cut teeth out of white cardstock and attach them to the back of the mouth opening.

Now, glue the popsicle stick into place as well to hold the mask up. Alternatively, you can glue string to the top to wear it.

Let the glue dry completely.

Geronimo Stilton Back in Time Second Journey Through Time and Fun Mayan Mask

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: book lists, books, crafts, Geronimo Stilton, hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, history, Maya, south america

Popsicle Stick Flashlight Activity and Facts About the Amazing Nikola Tesla

June 29, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have a popsicle stick flashlight activity and some fun facts about Nikola Tesla. Also, your kids will love this Electricity Hands-On Homeschool Science Activity.

Also, you’ll love learning about Nikola Tesla’s life and inventions.

Tesla harnessed the power of the alternating current but worked with Edison to further develop his work on the direct current (which is what our popsicle stick flashlight is).

As a matter of fact, due to their working together and disagreements, they had a rather large falling out. Tesla went on to do so much more work in the field of science and technology.

Popsicle Stick Flashlight Activity and Facts About the Amazing Nikola Tesla

Tesla went on to do so much more work in the field of science and technology.

Did you know that Tesla has 112 U.S. patents, 17 British and six Canadian patents?

Or that he was good friends with Mark Twain?

And that Nikola developed an idea that would later be used in smartphone technology?

The War of The Electrical Currents

Edison developed the (DC) direct current, which is the current that runs continually in a single direction, like in a battery or a fuel cell.

It was originally the U.S. standard, but it had limitations, as the direct current is not easily converted to higher or lower voltages.

Tesla, on the other hand, believed that alternating current (or AC) was the solution to this problem.

AC reverses direction a certain number of times per second, 60 in the U.S.

It can be converted to different voltages using a transformer giving it far wider applications.

Edison did not want to have his early work with DC tossed aside or lose the royalties from it and so he began to try and discredit Tesla’s alternating current.

Some say he even went as far as spreading falsehoods about Tesla and his work.

The popsicle flashlight, though it uses DC current, is a great way to demonstrate how simple electric current and switches work.

I don’t care that they stole my idea… I care that they don’t have any of their own.”
-Nikola Tesla
Popsicle Stick Flashlight Activity and Facts About the Amazing Nikola Tesla

Next, look at these facts about Nikola Tesla and his inventions.

5 Amazing Nikola Tesla Inventions

  1. AC Power (alternating current)- is an electric current that reverses its direction many times a second at regular intervals, typically used in power supplies. This power system provides electricity for homes and other buildings.
  2. Tesla Coil-The coil uses polyphase alternating currents — another of Tesla’s discoveries to allow a transmitter the ability to produce very high voltages. It’s still used today in radios, televisions, and wireless transmission.
  3. Radio-While Tesla invented everything we associate with the radio — antennas, tuners, etc., an inventor named Guglielmo Marconi got the credit for the invention.
  4. Hydroelectric Power-This is when the natural flow of water is used to generate electricity. Tesla and industrialist George Westinghouse developed the first hydroelectric power plant using the power of Niagara Falls.
  5. Induction Motor-With its rotating magnetic field that made unit drives for machines and AC power transmissions possible. They still power up simple household items such as vacuums, hairdryers, compressors, fans, toys, and power tools.
Popsicle Stick Flashlight Activity and Facts About the Amazing Nikola Tesla

Also, look at more hands-on ideas about electricity.

More Popsicle Sticks and Electricity Activities

Then look at some more hands-on activities.

  • Electricity STEM: Lighting Up a Shoebox Tiny House
  • 15 Star Wars STEM Activities Ideas | Fun Flashlight Science and DIY Lightsaber
  • FBI Unit Study and Lapbook: Experiment 3 (Building a Crystal Radio)
  • Electricity Hands-On Homeschool Science Activity
  • National STEM Day – Popsicle Sticks for Creative DIY STEM Projects

Next, there are two great books below.

Nikola Tesla

Books about Nikola Tesla.

Who Was Nikola Tesla?

When Nikola Tesla arrived in the United States in 1884, he didn't have much money, but he did have a letter of introduction to renowned inventor Thomas Edison. The working relationship between the two men was short lived, though, and the two scientist-inventors became harsh competitors. One of the most influential scientists of all time, Nikola Tesla is celebrated for his experiments in electricity, X-rays, remote controls, and wireless communications. His invention of the Tesla coil was instrumental in the development of radio technology.

Great Lives in Graphics: Nikola Tesla

Great Lives in Graphics; Nikola Tesla is a graphic retelling of Nikola’s story which gives children a colorful snapshot of his life and the world he grew up in, while educating them on everything from alternating current to the power of the imagination.

You may already know that Nikola Tesla was an electrical engineer, but did you know that he was born during a lightning storm? Or that he had a phobia of pearls?

Great Lives in Graphics reimagines the lives of extraordinary people in vivid technicolor, presenting 250+ fascinating facts in a new and exciting way. It takes the essential dates and achievements of each person’s life, mixes them with lesser-known facts and trivia, and uses infographics to show them in a fresh visual way that is genuinely engaging for children and young adults. The result is a colorful, fascinating and often surprising representation of that person’s life, work and legacy. Using timelines, maps, repeated motifs and many more beautiful and informative illustrations, readers learn not just about the main subject of the book but also about the cultural background of the time they lived i

Finally, look at how to make this fun popsicle stick flashlight.

How to Make A Popsicle Stick Flashlight

You will need:

  • Jumbo craft stick
  • Flat battery
  • Copper tape
  • Coin cell battery
  • LED Lights
  • Medium-sized binder Clip
Popsicle Stick Flashlight Activity and Facts About the Amazing Nikola Tesla

First, cut two pieces of copper tape a little shorter than your craft stick.

Popsicle Stick Flashlight Activity and Facts About the Amazing Nikola Tesla

Place one of your LED lights at the end of the stick with the metal prongs on either side.

Popsicle Stick Flashlight Activity and Facts About the Amazing Nikola Tesla

Peel off the backing a little at a time and tape over the prongs on the front and back, not quite touching the plastic tip. Run the tape all the way down.

Popsicle Stick Flashlight Activity and Facts About the Amazing Nikola Tesla

Place the binder clip on the end and make a mark on the tape where the black touches.

Popsicle Stick Flashlight Activity and Facts About the Amazing Nikola Tesla

Remove the binder clip and cut tape ¼” above it so that the plastic does not interfere with the connection at all.

Replace the binder clip and place the button battery writing side up where the metal of the binder clip touches the bottom half of the battery when opened.

Tape the battery in place only covering above where the clip hits, the metal of the binder clip will serve as your “switch”.

Popsicle Stick Flashlight Activity and Facts About the Amazing Nikola Tesla

When you are done, flip the switch so that it makes contact with the battery and your light should begin to glow.

Popsicle Stick Flashlight Activity and Facts About the Amazing Nikola Tesla

If your light doesn’t light up, check all your connections, be sure that the metal hits the copper tape, that the tape covers the LED prongs, and finally, be sure your battery is fresh.

Here is a labeled photo to show you what each of the components are to help your child understand the electrical path and process.

Popsicle Stick Flashlight Activity and Facts About the Amazing Nikola Tesla

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: electricity, hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, homeschoolscience, Nikola Tesla, physical science, science

Shark and Oceans for Kindergarten Fun Sight Word Activity

June 28, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

This adorable shark and oceans for kindergarten fun sight word activity is such a fun activity for practicing sight words, letters, or even numbers. Also, grab my other tips, ideas, and crafts for kindergarten on my page Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum and look for ideas on my page Oceans Unit Study and Lapbook.

Do you need a learning activity that feels more like play and less like school?

For example, how about one that is themed to go along with a study of oceans for kindergarten?

I’m sharing a list of other helpful resources to round out your day like videos and hands-on activities.

Shark and Oceans for Kindergarten Fun Sight Word Activity

Our shark is made from just one piece of foam board and a little paint.

It will give your child hours of learning that is fun and memorable.

Creating an activity that feels more like play is a great way to teach your child basic skills that they need to learn.

I created this activity to be used with sight word recognition but then realized that there were so many more possibilities with it.

You can have your child also feed the shark letters, numbers, and sums to orally given math problems, or have them choose the math problem that matches the number you give, and have them feed cards with rhyming words, and beginning letter sounds.

It can be a blank canvas for learning skills, anywhere your early learner is.

8 Awesome Shark and Oceans for Kindergarten Facts

  1. There are over 500 different species of sharks, and almost 150 of them are listed on the at-threat list.
  2. The largest sea mammal, the blue whale, is also known as the largest animal in the world.
  3. Sharks live in almost all ocean habitats from tropical coral reefs to the Arctic, and down in the deep parts of the seas.
  4. Sharks are apex predators, which means that they are at the very top of the food chain with very few to no predators.
  5. Most sharks are cold-blooded, but a few are warm-blooded, like the great white shark for instance.
  6. Here is a super gross fact about marine animals that kids will love. Lobsters pee out of their faces, and they pee on each other to communicate. (Their urine nozzles are located under their eyes).
  7. Octopuses have three hearts. Two of those hearts move blood beyond the animal’s gills, and the third heart keeps circulation moving for the organs.
  8. Dolphins can sleep with one eye open and with one-half of their brain in use.

Then, hands-on activities to teach kindergarten is the best way for children to learn.

Shark and Oceans for Kindergarten Fun Sight Word Activity

Look at some hands-on activities below to learn about sharks and oceans.

 More Activities For Shark & Oceans for Kindergarten

  • Make an ocean in a bottle for a sensory experience that is calming and encourages kids to observe and ask questions.
  • Hands-on Coral Reef Activities and Play Dough Invitation to Play
  • Frozen animal ocean rescue is perfect for cooling off on a hot summer day.
  • 10 Sea Shell Activities for Kids and Make Crystal Sea Shells
  • Little hands love exploring their senses, an ocean sensory bin allows them to study ocean animals up close.
  • Quick Unit Study & Easy Salt water Density Ocean Science Experiments For Kindergarten
  • Free Coral Reef Printable Lapbook and Fun Hands-on Unit Study Ideas
  • Beware of Ocean Pollution: Fun Science Activity for Kids
  • Get them up, stretch, release those feel-good endorphins, and stimulate the brain with Ocean Yoga.
  • How Do Sharks Float STEM Activity Free Shark Unit Study & Notebooking Pages
  • Learn How to Make an Easy Jellyfish Lights Craft
  • The Geronimo Stilton Series: Make a Fun Edible Coral Reef
  • Kids Hands-on Egg Carton Sea Turtle Life Cycle Activity

Include a great book as a resource for your child to look at that has great illustrations and information.

Shark and Oceans for Kindergarten Fun Sight Word Activity

I think Oceans Anatomy by Julia Rothman is a must-have addition to your science stack.

Shark and Oceans for Kindergarten Fun Sight Word Activity

Everything is included in this book, from ocean tides to shark sizes, and sea grass to small and large ocean creatures.

More Kindergarten Homeschool Resources

  • 12 Easy Pick Up And Go Homeschool Kindergarten History Curriculum
  • How To Determine The Best Beginner Reading Books For Kindergarten & Recommendations
  • Kindergarten Crafts for Winter An Easy and Fun Polar Bear Fork Painting
  • How to Make A Fun ABC Flip Book Fingerprint Activity for Kindergarten
  • Homeschool Kindergarten Life Science – Hands-on Fun Nature Tree Study
  • 40 Awesome Earth Science Movies for Kindergarten
  • Growing a Seed Activity For Kindergarten Science Kids Activity
  • Native American Activities For Kindergarten Create A Fun Cradleboard Craft
  • Rainforest Science Activities For Kindergarten Amazing and Fun Living Terrarium
  • Pond Life for Kindergarten Activity Build a Fun Beaver Dam
  • Easy and Fun Pine Cone Snowy Owl Winter Craft for Kindergarten
  • 4 Fun and Engaging Bat Activities for Kindergarten
  • Native American Crafts for Kindergarten How to Make a Kids Pinch Pot
  • 10 Best Homeschool Phonics Curriculum For Kindergarten
  • 15 Fun Resources For History for Kindergarten Homeschool
  • 19 Fun Hands-on Rainforest Activities for Kindergarten
  • Rainforest Crafts for Kindergarten: Make an Easy Paper Plate Monkey
  • How to Create the Best Homeschool Schedule for Kindergarten (free printable)
  • 60 Favorite Top Homeschooling Materials for Kindergarten
  • 10 Affordable and Complete Homeschool Kindergarten Curriculum
  • How to Effortlessly Blend Kindergarten Homeschool Subjects & Life
  • BEST Free Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum With A Gentle Approach (List)
  • Delightful Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum Which Promote a Love of Learning

Also, add some of these fun books and resources to learning about sharks and oceans.

Kindergarten Ocean Unit Study Resources

Add a fun ocean unit study resource for kindergarten to your study for the day.

Big Book of the Blue (The Big Book Series)

Following the wild success of The Big Book of Bugs and The Big Book of Beasts, The Big Book of the Blue is the third installment in Yuval Zommer’s beloved series. Alongside everything the young oceanographer needs to know, Zommer’s charming illustrations bring to life some of the slipperiest, scaliest, strangest, and most monstrous underwater animals.

Ocean Anatomy: The Curious Parts & Pieces of the World under the Sea

Julia Rothman’s best-selling illustrated Anatomy series takes a deep dive into the wonders of the sea with Ocean Anatomy. Follow Rothman’s inquisitive mind and perceptive eye along shorelines, across the open ocean, and below the waves for an artistic exploration of the watery universe. Through her drawings, discover how the world’s oceans formed, why the sea is salty, and the forces behind oceanic phenomena such as rogue waves. Colorful anatomical profiles of sea creatures from crustacean to cetacean, surveys of seafaring vessels and lighthouses, and the impact of plastic and warming water temperatures are just part of this compendium of curiosities that will entertain and educate readers of all ages. 

Nature Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of the Natural World

See the world in a whole new way! Acclaimed illustrator Julia Rothman combines art and science in this exciting and educational guide to the structure, function, and personality of the natural world. Explore the anatomy of a jellyfish, the inside of a volcano, monarch butterfly migration, how sunsets work, and much more. Rothman’s whimsical illustrations are paired with interactive activities that encourage curiosity and inspire you to look more closely at the world all around you.

100+ Pcs Beach Seashells Starfish, Various Sizes Ocean Seashells

Package includes about 100 or more pieces mixed beach sea shells. As shown in the picture, random matching includes seashells, starfish, tiny volutes varieties and sea snail, etc.

These seashell decors are exquisite and colorful, which are carefully handpicked and cleaned, generous size from 0.3" to 2.3", weigh about 250g, a wide variety of unique shells for crafts.

All-Natural Brown Play Sand for Mixing

This box has 2.5kg (5.5lb) of natural brown Kinetic Sand to mix, mold, squish, cut and more! Once you pick it up, you won’t be able to put it down! What will you create?

Shark Teeth in Bag Genuine Fossilized Specimens

Real Genuine Shark Teeth

Approximately 30 teeth per bag (plus fossils and bones!)

Great for classroom learning, Arts & Crafts and play "dig sites"

Animal Toy Figurine Models Including Sea Lion, Eagle Ray, Starfish, Turtle, Penguin, Octopus, Humpback Whale, Sperm Whale, Moray Eel, Hammerhead Shark, Tiger Shark, and Dolphin

SET OF 12 FAVORITE FIGURINES – This TOOB brings together 12 of your favorite ocean-dwelling friends, including a sea lion, eagle ray, starfish, turtle, penguin, octopus, humpback whale, sperm whale, moray eel, hammerhead shark, tiger shark, and dolphin!

Finally, look how to make this fun feed the shark activity to use for learning.

Shark & Oceans for Kindergarten Sight Word Activity – Feed The Shark

Supplies needed:

  • Foam board
  • Grey and black craft paint
  • pencil
  • Scissors or straight-edge razor
Shark and Oceans for Kindergarten Fun Sight Word Activity

Using a pencil, lightly trace a shark head shape using most of the board.

Shark and Oceans for Kindergarten Fun Sight Word Activity

Cut out one side and flip it to the other side of the board matching up the corner.

Next, trace it so that both sides match exactly and set these pieces aside. We’re going to use them later.

Shark and Oceans for Kindergarten Fun Sight Word Activity

Use sharp scissors or a straight-edge blade to cut around the top of the shark’s head.

Shark and Oceans for Kindergarten Fun Sight Word Activity

Then, draw an open mouth in the middle that is flatter across the bottom with an arch at the top.

Cut this out and set it to the side.

Shark and Oceans for Kindergarten Fun Sight Word Activity

Paint the border of your shark gray and paint a thin black border around the mouth. Allow the paint to dry completely.

Shark and Oceans for Kindergarten Fun Sight Word Activity

Too, while the paint is drying, take the excess piece from the mouth and cut a bunch of triangles for the shark’s teeth.

Shark and Oceans for Kindergarten Fun Sight Word Activity

Once the paint is dry, hot glue teeth on the back side of the shark’s mouth on top and bottom.

Shark and Oceans for Kindergarten Fun Sight Word Activity

Paint eyes on either side of the head.

Flip the board over and take the two scrap pieces you cut off in the second step, hot glue them on either side of the opening.

Be sure they are both lined up with the bottom as these will serve as your stand.

Shark and Oceans for Kindergarten Fun Sight Word Activity

Now, for the activity itself, you can either make cards with your sight words, letters, numbers, or whatever you want to work on, or use purchased flashcards.

Additionally, you can also use alphabet magnets, scrabble tiles, or whatever else you already have to work with.

Shark and Oceans for Kindergarten Fun Sight Word Activity

Moreover, spread a few out on the floor and call them out to your child, who then picks up the corresponding card and “feeds the shark”.

Easy, fun, and enjoyably repetitive, this activity will help sharpen skills and create a memorable learning experience.

Shark and Oceans for Kindergarten Fun Sight Word Activity

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschoolanguagearts, homeschoolscience, kindergarten, language arts, life science, ocean, shark, sight words

Free World War II Unit Study Ideas and Fun Lapbook

June 27, 2023 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have a free World War II unit study and lapbook. Grab more ideas on my lapbook ideas and on my best homeschool unit studies pages.

Two world powers, Germany and Japan had plunged into war in the 1930s.

They were known as the “Axis” powers and countries friendly to the United States were known as the “Allies.”

Free World War II Unit Study Ideas and Fun Lapbook

The United States had hoped to stay neutral.

However, on December 7, 1941, Japanese planes bombed the U.S. Naval Base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

America prepared for war.

World War II Time Line of Events Before & After War

Next, look at this timeline of events in history which lead up to the war and include the war.

Having a glimpse of dates can help your family decide what you want to study.

  • 1918 World War I ends and Germany surrenders.
  • 1921 Adolph Hitler becomes the leader of the National Socialist Party (Nazis) in Germany.
  • 1932 Franklin Roosevelt becomes President of the United States.
  • 1934 Adolph Hitler gains power as the Fuhrer of Germany.
  • 1937 Japan, Germany, and Italy sign Axis Power Treaty.
  • 1940 Winston Churchill becomes Prime Minister of Great Britain.
  • 1941 Japan attacks Pearl Harbor.
  • 1941 The United States and Britain declare war on Japan.
  • 1944 The Allies invade Normandy, France on June 6. This is called D-day.
  • 1945 The Allies liberate the concentration camps of Buchenwald and Bergen-Belsen concentration camps. President Roosevelt dies and Harry Truman becomes President. Mussolini is captured and hanged. Hitler commits suicide. The United States drops an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan on August 6 and on Nagasaki, Japan on August 9.

Then include some hands-on activities like these Ration Cakes or make a secret deck.

Free World War II Unit Study Ideas and Fun Lapbook

Next, look at some hands-on activities.

More World War II Unit Study Hands-on Activities

  • World War II Hands-On History – Make Ration Cakes
  • World War II Hands-On History – Make a Secret Message Deck
  • 8 World War II Historical Fiction Books for Middle School
  • World War II Free Resources For a Middle School Unit Study & Make Victory Garden Soup
  • World War II Homeschool History-Manhattan Project,Vocabulary & A. Frank
  • World War II Homeschool History: Minibooks Causes & Great Depression
  • World War II Homeschool History: Staged For War & Quick Facts Minibooks & Links
  • World War II Homeschool History Free Unit Study and Lapbook
  • How to Make an Easy Anderson Shelter World War II Activity Craft
  • World War II Homeschool History: Life During the War & Pearl Harbor Minibook
  • Free Navajo Code Talkers Worksheet and How to Make Dog Tags Activity

Then, look at some of these books and resources about World War 2 for your unit study.

15 Books and Resources for Studying About World War II

Add some of these books about World War II and the time in history when there has been no other war before or after that killed so many people.

Number the Stars: A Newbery Award Winner

Through the eyes of ten-year-old Annemarie, we watch as the Danish Resistance smuggles almost the entire Jewish population of Denmark, nearly seven thousand people, across the sea to Sweden. The heroism of an entire nation reminds us that there was pride and human decency in the world even during a time of terror and war.

Great World War II Projects: You Can Build Yourself

From spy maps and victory banners to spotter planes and ration cakes, Great World War II Projects You Can Build Yourself brings one of the most defining periods of American and world history to life through hands-on building projects and activities. Detailed step-by-step instructions for creating each project combine with historical facts and anecdotes, biographies, and trivia about the real-life models. Together they give kids a first-hand look at daily life at home and on the front lines during America's war years.

Snow Treasure

In the bleak winter of 1940, Nazi troops parachuted into Peter Lundstrom's tiny Norwegian village and held it captive. Nobody thought the Nazis could be defeated—until Uncle Victor told Peter how the children could fool the enemy. It was a dangerous plan. They had to slip past Nazi guards with nine million dollars in gold hidden on their sleds. It meant risking their country's treasure—and their lives. This classic story of how a group of children outwitted the Nazis and sent the treasure to America has captivated generations of readers.

The Tuskegee Airmen Story

A grandfather reminisces about his service as a Tuskegee Airman.

Voices of Pearl Harbor (Voices of History)

December 7, 1941-the day a sleeping giant awoke. Japan's surprise attack devastated the American Naval Fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and forced the Americans into WWII. These moving accounts of the lives affected by the assault capture the scope of the day's emotions and repercussions. Viewpoints of both historical and imagined characters include the mother of a Japanese pilot, officials from both countries, and the grandchild of a WWII veteran.Powerful illustrations accompany every tale.

The Book Thief

It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still. Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement. 

Who Was Anne Frank?

In her amazing diary, Anne Frank revealed the challenges and dreams common for any young girl. But Hitler brought her childhood to an end and forced her and her family into hiding. Who Was Anne Frank looks closely at Anne’s life before the secret annex, what life was like in hiding, and the legacy of her diary. Black-and-white illustrations including maps and diagrams provide historical and visual reference in an easy-to-read biography written in a way that is appropriate and accessible for younger readers.

The Chestry Oak

As he watches his homeland of Hungary being taken over and run by invaders from Nazi Germany, young Prince Michael of Chestry strives to retain his identity and integrity during one of the most dangerous seasons in human history.

Michael carries an acorn all the way from his castle home in Chestry Valley to the warm soil of
the Hudson Valley farm in the USA where he makes a new home after WWII.

Enemy Brothers

British airman Dym Ingleford is convinced that the young German prisoner, Max Eckermann, is his brother Anthony who was kidnapped years before. Raised in the Nazi ideology, Tony has by chance tumbled into British hands. Dym has brought him back, at least temporarily, to the family he neither remembers nor will acknowledge as his own. As Tony keeps attempting to escape, his stubborn anger is whittled away by the patient kindness he finds at the White Priory. Then, just as he is resigning himself to stay with this English family, a new chance suddenly opens for him to return home-to Germany!

Making Bombs for Hitler

Lida thought she was safe. Her neighbors wearing the yellow star were all taken away, but Lida is not Jewish. She will be fine, won't she?But she cannot escape the horrors of World War II.Lida's parents are ripped away from her and she is separated from her beloved sister, Larissa. The Nazis take Lida to a brutal work camp, where she and other Ukrainian children are forced into backbreaking labor. Starving and terrified, Lida bonds with her fellow prisoners, but none of them know if they'll live to see tomorrow

World War II for Kids: A History with 21 Activities

This book is packed with information that kids will find fascinating—excerpts from actual wartime letters written to and by American and German troops, personal anecdotes from people who lived
through the war in the United States, Germany, Britain, Russia, Hungary, and Japan, and gripping stories from Holocaust survivors—all adding a humanizing global perspective to the war.

Who Were the Navajo Code Talkers? (Who Was?)

Learn how this heroic group of American Indian men created a secret, unbreakable code and helped the US win major battles during World War II in this new addition to the #1 New York Times bestselling series.By the time the United States joined the Second World War in 1941, the fight against Nazi and Axis powers had already been under way for two years. In order to win the war and protect its soldiers, the US Marines recruited twenty-nine Navajo men to create a secret code that could be used to send military messages quickly and safely across battlefields. In this new book within the #1 New York Times bestelling series, author James Buckley Jr. explains how these brave and intelligent men developed their amazing code, recounts some of their riskiest missions, and discusses how the country treated them before, during, and after the war.

Tales of the Mighty Code Talkers

Written and illustrated by Native Americans from various tribal nations, these graphic novels detail the deep emotions of leaving one's homeland to fight in a war far away, the comfort and benefit in finding those who speak our native language, and the pride in knowing you served your country while honoring your people. A high percentage of Native Americans serve in the U.S. military and bring special talents that have aided their fighting units during wartime, including the famed code talkers of World War I.

World War II Inspiring Stories for Kids: A Collection of Unbelievable True Tales About Goodness, Friendship, Courage, and Rescue

Note: This book does not give any content about torture & distortion stories, kidnapping, burn, or any negative events that had a relationship with killing,

This book is a collection of stories based on real-life events during World War II. A selection of 10 inspiring stories, introduces us to unique characters with different characteristics.

Great Battles for Boys: WW2 Europe

Now you can, with these exciting tales of World War II written especially for reluctant readers.

In his highly acclaimed middle-school class “Great Battles for Boys," author Joe Giorello has ignited a love of military history in hundreds of boys. Now with this engaging non-fiction book written specifically for boys ages 8-14, your son can experience that same thrilling adventure in learning.

Moreover, look at more lapbook ideas.

More Lapbook Ideas

  • Carnivorous Plants Lapbook and Fun Homeschool Unit Study Ideas
  • Egg to Sea Turtle Lesson Plans & Lapbook
  • Free Coral Reef Printable Lapbook and Fun Hands-on Unit Study Ideas
  • Peregrine Falcon Lapbook And Fun Unit Study Ideas
  • Bird Unit Study and Lapbook And Fun Edible Bird Nests
  • North American Robin Bird Lapbook and Fun Homeschool Unit Study Ideas
  • Homeschool Unit Study Ideas | Lewis and Clark Exploration Lapbook
  • Amazing Daniel Boone Explorer Lapbook and Fun Hands-on Unit Study
  • Free Lapbook Maya and Fun Hands-on Meso-America Unit Study Ideas
  • US Westward Expansion Lapbook and Hands-on Unit Study Ideas
  • Beautiful And Colorful Amazonian Rainforest Animals Lapbook For Kids
  • 3 Free and Amazing Amazon Rainforest Lapbooks for Kids
  • South America Printable Lapbook and Fun Hands-on Unit Study Ideas
  • Texas Homeschool Lapbook and Fun Homeschool Unit Study Ideas
  • Pirate Unit Study Ideas and Free Pirates Lapbook
  •  Printable Strawberries Lapbook and Fun Homeschool Unit Study Ideas

Look below at the minibooks.

Free World War II Unit Study Ideas and Fun Lapbook

World War II Printable Minibooks

Also, look at these minibooks which come in the free World War II lapbook 13 page download.

  • Quick Facts at a Glance About World War II
  • Life During War
  • Staged for War
  • What is the Manhattan Project
  • The Great Depression
  • 5 Causes of World War II
  • Anne Frank
  • Attack, Attack, Attack – Pearl Harbor
  • To Victory Vocabulary pocket and words

How to Get the Free World War II Unit Lapbook

Now, how to grab the free lapbook. This is a subscriber freebie.

That means when you sign up to follow me, you get access to my subscribers library and this freebie.

However, not all my freebies are in the library (wink).

I like to keep up to date with what is valuable to you so I can give you more, some freebies you must sign up again on the form below even if you are already a follower.

And it’s the only way I have of freely delivering them to you. Just follow the steps below.

That means when you sign up to follow me, you get my emails in your inbox and you get this freebie.

1) Sign up on my list.
► 2) Download the freebie
 ►3) Last, look for all my emails in your inbox. Glad to have you following me!

2 CommentsFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, history, history resources, homeschoolhistory, lapbook, lapbooking, lapbookresources, lapbooks, world history, world war II

How to Rock Homeschool Creative Writing (when you don’t feel like THAT creative mom)

June 26, 2023 | 8 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today, I have tips for homeschool creative writing. Also, you’ll love the tips on my post Which One is Really the Best Homeschool Writing Curriculum (a comparison).

Have you ever fumbled your way through teaching a homeschool subject?

Then realize later that you gave your children an amazing start?

It’s not a teaching method I tout because blunders don’t always turn out so productive.

However, teaching is partly influenced by what we were taught growing up.

And homeschool creative writing was a painful process for me.

How to Rock Homeschool Creative Writing (when you don’t feel like THAT creative mom)

In middle school, I wasn’t given a specific and detailed explanation of what is creative writing.

For example, I was told to write creatively.

But as a child I thrived with details, planning and wanted specificity.

My teacher was naturally creative and it was almost a lethal combination for me.

My middle school teacher thought I couldn’t relax and let thoughts flow or so it seemed.

And I thought my teacher didn’t know how to teach because she was unclear in her assignment and didn’t mind the details or so I thought.

How to Rock Creative Writing When Homeschooling (and when you don't feel like THAT creative mom) @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Until I started homeschooling my own children, I didn’t really grasp what my teacher was excited about.

Hoping to bridge the difference between exceptional homeschool teachers who are naturally creative and those who can be when they clearly understand the assignment, look at three things I learned the hard way.

Freedom from the Homeschool Curriculum Box

Progress can be made only when both the homeschool teacher and student understand that creative writing is a natural inward expression of creativity unchained from rules.

That is powerful if you think about it.

It is about emotions, thoughts, and self-expression. It’s about you and who doesn’t like talking (or writing) about their self.

In explaining creative writing to my boys, I used the example of a group photo taken by one of their friends.

When my boys’ friends show them the photo, can you guess what my boys look at first? Yep. They look for themselves first in the picture.

We can’t help it, it’s natural. We want to see how we look.

What is Homeschool Creative Writing

Creative writing is like finding yourself in that photo.

Naturally creative teachers know that putting thoughts on paper is the outside of what is brimming on the inside of an individual.

Once explained to a child, he can bring comical thoughts, deep emotions and even fears to the surface for writing topics.

Digging up those thoughts in a child’s mind may require effort on the part of a teacher.

Key to unleashing creative topics for your child to write about is reading aloud to your child.  Not only will reading aloud foster their imagination, but it helps your child to find their inner voice for writing.

Though I didn’t fully understand all the benefits of reading aloud when I started homeschooling, I reaped the benefits of doing it each day.

When I turned my boys loose, my sons could write pages and pages of stories based on their wild imagination that was stimulated by excellent literature.

How to Rock Homeschool Creative Writing (when you don’t feel like THAT creative mom)

After they would write pages and pages, I failed again. I switched to teacher mode. Correcting grammar and errors is what I thought writing was all about.

That wasn’t working because I almost created a resistant writer with my first son because I had stifled his creativity.

I learned after a battle of wills to not be part of the problem. Be part of the solution.

Thinking that my oldest son had to make a point to the endless stories he was penning was the second mistake I made.

Being a product of my schooling, I had been taught to be clear, concise and brief in my speech and writing.

Those qualities are important as I learned, but not to the extent that they diminish my son’s love for words and expressing emotions through artfully contrived words.

Being part of the solution is to let your child write without fear of being overly corrected, mechanical or trying to make their writing fit your boxed curriculum.

More Homeschool Creative Writing Tips

  • Which One is Really the Best Homeschool Writing Curriculum (a comparison)
  • 5 Creative Ways to Boost Handwriting in Older Kids
  • Cursive Matters; Handwriting Style Doesn’t + Free Resources
  • Teaching Handwriting When Homeschooling the Early Years Part 3

From my childhood and experience teaching my first child who was similar to my learning style, I knew that if told him that creative writing was like painting with no rules, he would add his flair to his writing. And he did.

Also, I learned to not bring my teacher mode to the table and start correcting his paper or in other words smother an ember before it becomes a flame.

And I always added in a good dose of reading aloud each day to help all my boys find their style for writing.

Adding creative writing to your curriculum can be challenging but having confident writers years later has been worth every effort.

But I learned a few more things too. 

I learned to use my teaching strengths as a spring board to creative writing ideas.  And I learned how to help my kids create and brainstorm for writing topics.

8 Writing and Composition Resources For All Ages

Whether you’re teaching handwriting, composition, or creative writing solid tips come from having an abundance of composition and materials to choose from.

Aesop for Children: Story and D'Nealian Copybook Volume I (Aesop for Children Story and Copybook)

The Aesop for Children Story and D'Nealian Copywork Book, Volume I, includes seventy-three original unabridged fables illustrated by Milo Winter. Also included are copywork selections using the moral of each fable in D'Nealian style manuscript with adequate space for students to copy the included examples in their best handwriting. How to Teach Copywork:Copywork can seem simplistic. Give your child a sentence or two and have them copy it. It can also seem like busy work, but the benefits are great! Copywork is a simple introduction to handwriting, spelling, and composition. Have children copy only the best authors, with the best writing, and ideas to fill their growing minds. When to begin copywork:Once a child learns how to write their letters comfortably, they are ready to start simple copywork. Start with very short sentences and have them copy it, always in their best handwriting. 

Writing Strands: Beginning 1

Learn basic communication skills with this updated Writing Strands curriculum for a new generation!

This Beginning 1 course was created for students learning to write sentences and paragraphs on their own. The assignments gently guide students through their work each day, helping them master basic writing with unique exercises on dialogue, reporting, interviews, role playing, persuasion, story writing, and organizing and grouping ideas.

Writing with Ease: Level 1 Workbook (The Complete Writer)

In Writing with Ease, Susan Wise Bauer lays out an alternative plan for teaching writing, one that combines the best elements of old-fashioned writing instruction with innovative new educational methods. The Complete Writer workbooks (each sold separately) complement this plan with lessons, student worksheets, and teacher instructions for every day of writing instruction. Each covers one year of study. Used along with Writing with Ease, The Complete Writer, Level One (first in a four-volume set) complete the elementary-grade writing curriculum.

Jump In, 2nd Edition: Middle School Composition

ump In, 2nd Edition retains the step-by-step features of the first edition and its conversational style, along with some humor to ease the fright of writing! Students master the art of writing paragraphs, different types of paragraphs, topic sentences, and main ideas (thesis statements). They also practice writing nine types of essays and one research report. Proofreading lessons are included, along with suggested writing schedules and specific student checklists for each essay assignment.Let student-directed Jump In, 2nd Edition teach composition for you. A suggested writing schedule and checklist come with every essay assignment.Teachers will enjoy the new grading grids for each essay in the Teacher’s Guide, making grading much easier.Middle school. Two semesters. 98 daily lessons.

The Power in Your Hands: Writing Nonfiction in High School, 2nd Edition

Finally, your teens will write without dread! Have they almost given up on writing? Do they reach for the tissue box when you say, "Write an essay"? Do you worry they won't be ready for high school or college writing? Do they say they think of things to write but can't write them down? With THE POWER IN YOUR HANDS: WRITING NONFICTION IN HIGH SCHOOL, 2ND EDITION, they'll learn essay writing in a relaxed, nonthreatening atmosphere with a little humor thrown in. This 2ND EDITION includes proofreading marks and exercises, a new chapter on common grammar mistakes, and numbered lessons to easily keep track of daily lessons. This course teaches your teens what they need to know for high school and will be prepare them for college writing: persuasion, compare-and-contrast essays, literary analysis, a research paper with MLA documentation, and much more. In addition, students will learn how to write description and narration essays. Beginning writers will feel safe, and advanced writers will enjoy Digging Deeper lessons.

Photo Credit: www.writingrockstars.com

Writing Rockstars

Homeschooling Students Improve Writing Skills With Our Online Writing Program

The Art of Poetry

If you have ever felt mystified by, or unable to enjoy the significance of poetry, this book will lead you step by step to understanding and love of this branch of literature, guided by a gifted poet and teacher. The Art of Poetry is an excellent middle school or high school curriculum; it will teach the practice of reading a poem slowly and carefully, introduce students to the elements of poetry (such as imagery and metaphor) and the many forms that can make a poem, from sonnet to open verse. In the belief that practice is the best way to learn, this book is rich with explications, exercises, and activities. A biography of each poet is also included, and we are providing audio files of many of the poems.

Cover Story Set

Curriculum is a creative one-year writing curriculum for middle school students

Later I realized that I don’t have to give up details, planning or specificity when writing. I will share specific details in an upcoming post about how I used my strengths to make creative writing flourish.

What about you? Are you afraid to step out of the box and teach creative writing?

You can do it!

8 CommentsFiled Under: Middle School Homeschool, Teach Homeschool Language Arts Tagged With: composition, handwriting, homeschoolanguagearts, language arts, languagearts, teachingwriting, writing

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