Tina Robertson

The Geronimo Stilton Series: Make a Fun Edible Coral Reef

September 10, 2022 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today, for book Number 29 Down and Out Down Under of the Geronimo Stilton series, we’re making an edible coral reef. The Geronimo Stilton books are for ages 7 to 10 years old and are full of mouse fun and adventure.

In the Geronimo Stilton series book Down and Out Down Under, Geronimo is off to learn on adventure to Australia.

The Geronimo Stilton Series: Make a Fun Edible Coral Reef

And when you think of Australia you may immediately picture cute koalas and terrifying crocodiles but another famous and very important part of Australia is The Great Barrier Reef.

The idea for creating this fun hands-on coral reef is from our latest read which is Down and Out Down Under (Geronimo Stilton #29).

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World and is teeming with incredible life, color, and beauty.

The story covers a lot of topics of interest in Australia.

This fun book mentions land animals, Uluru, Aborigines, topography, and the Great Barrier Reef .

Great Barrier Reef Resources

Today’s hands-on activity is fun, colorful, and a great way to teach all ages about the life that is in the Great Barrier Reef.

If you want to make an impact, hands-on activities are always the best way to fully immerse your kids into your topic.

This hands-on fun activity also appeals to all 5 senses and will make certain that your kids do not forget while they learned anytime soon.

Besides Down and Out Down Under (Geronimo Stilton #29) here are a few beautifully illustrated spines you may want to add to your library.

They are great basics that give great bites of information about the ocean, reefs, ocean animals and plants, and more.

Ocean Anatomy . I am such a big fan of the illustrations in these books but also how much information is contained in each topic. This one covers everything from why the ocean is blue and salty to tides, animal life, and even a section on The Great Barrier Reef specifically!

I am such a big fan of the illustrations in these books but also how much information is contained in each topic.

This one covers everything from why the ocean is blue and salty to tides, animal life, and even a section on The Great Barrier Reef specifically

Facts About the Great Barrier Reef

:Next, here are a few facts to share about the The Great Barrier Reef.

The Great Barrier Reef, located off of the eastern coast of Australia, is the longest coral reef in the world.
It is home to 1500 species of tropical fish and 400 finds of hard and soft coral
The reef serves as a protective habitat for many other forms of marine life.
One of the threats to reefs is coral bleaching.
Crown-of-thorns starfish is one of the predators to the reef which feeds on the soft coral polyps.
A coral reef is a fragile ecosystem which requires very specific conditions. The water must be warm (between 69-84 F) and relatively shallow (to depths of 60-100 ft).
Coral reefs exist in shallow waters because they depend on photosynthesis for food production. Photosynthesis is the chemical process by which plants capture sunlight and convert it, along with water and carbon dioxide into energy.

While your child designs their own little slice of sea life you can talk about the various life that lives here, what is being done to preserve it and where its located.

Next, look at how to make this fun hands-on edible coral reef.

How to Make an Edible Reef

Here is a list of some things we used. Your list can vary depending on what you use for plants and animals

One half sheet cake or a boxed cake mix
Vanilla wafers
Assorted candy – airheads, licorice whips, swedish fish, cookies, sprinkles and white chocolate pretzels
Icing in various colors or food coloring for your own icing

Bake your cake according to package directions and allow to cool completely.

Flip pan to carefully remove cake and cut ⅓ of the cake off.

Flip over the two pieces and stack the smaller one on top of the other.

And because reefs have overhangs and caves, you can make some nooks and caves by digging out some of the cake.

Add a little food coloring to the frosting and stir. Use any shade you like to create your base.

Carefully ice all over the cake making different blobs and creating different textures creating the base mound of your coral.

You want it to look like big rocks.

Cut up airheads, licorice ropes and other candies to create colorful coral and push in all over the cake.

Broken white chocolate pretzels make nice coral.

Use the heat from your hands to soften Airheads or other taffy and make some fan coral for your reef.

Also, you could create a makeshift piping bag by putting warm wax into a sandwich bag, cut off a small corner and squeeze to make coral shapes onto wax paper.

Allow to cool and harden then remove carefully from waxed paper.

Finally, add in some fun sea creatures and you can add some fun decorations.

These are from obviously these are not edible.

Be sure to wash them well before using to disinfect them and keep your cake safe.

And you’ll love these other Geronimo Stilton.

Other Geronimo Stilton Resources:

Too, you’ll love the ocean and coral reef resources I have here.

Ocean and Coral Reef Resources

Rainforest Crafts for Kindergarten: Make an Easy Paper Plate Monkey

September 9, 2022 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Rainforest crafts for kindergarten encourages creativity, fosters imagination, and strengthens fine motor skills. Crafts are part of kindergarten homeschool curriculum.

And learning about the rainforest with a unit study approach is one of the best ways to teach kindergarten aged children.

Rainforest crafts for kindergarteners introduces young children to one of the most important ecosystems in the world.

Rainforest Crafts for Kindergarten: Make an Easy Paper Plate Monkey

And a fun paper plate monkey craft encourages young children to understand the diversity of the rainforest.

Not only can you help your child understand the difference between plants and animals, but your child can use their sense of hearing.

Howler Monkey Facts

First, help your child know how the animals of the rainforest depend on the trees (canopy) and even the understory (layer of vegetation under the canopy) to survive.

The understory is where tree trunks, vines, and bushes grow. Animals who live here in this section can climb very well.

But the emergent layer or the layer above the canopy is bright and sunny and animals with good balance like howler monkeys live here.

Then, look at a few facts about the howler monkeys.

Howler monkeys are one of the loudest animals in the rainforest.
Their howls sound like a strong wind blowing through a tunnel. Have you child stand up and see how loud he or she can howl. Watch the video above and listen to the male howler monkey.
Monkeys live in the trees and eat only vegetation like fruit and flowers.

However, more than just the howler monkey makes its home in the Amazon Rainforest.

What Monkeys Live in the Amazon Rainforest

Squirrel monkeys also live there and are very intelligent animals.

Squirrel Monkey Facts

Look at a few fun facts about squirrel monkeys to share with your child.

They are not the same color all over which makes it harder for predators to see.
Long tails are used for balance.
Also, they have hands with thumbs and can grip branches and food.
Squirrel Monkeys live in large groups like 100 in a group and this way they can warn each other of predators.

However, besides the howler monkey and squirrel monkey there are many species which live in the rainforest.

Some other monkeys are

Pygmy marmoset
Gray woolly
Emperor tamarin
Peruvian spider
Dusky titi

Your child will love the book Fourteen Monkeys: A Rain Forest Rhyme.

In this book there is not only rhyming language to share with your child but it about the Manú National Park in Peru where an amazing fourteen different species of monkeys live together.

Add in some sweet lovable friends, and you can study the rainforest a couple of days or even extend it to a week.

Make a Rainforest Paper Plate Monkey

Next encourage your child to make this easy rainforest paper plate monkey.

We simply followed the instructions at the adorable paper plate monkey at Easy Peasy and Fun.

Look at this list of things we used.

two paper plates
beige paper
glue
scissors
pencil
black marker

This was such a fun and easy rainforest activity. We traced Mr. MunchKing’s hands on light brown paper.

Then we pained the paper plates.

And cut out the legs, arms and face on lighter paper we already had.

Following the instructions for the craft on Easy Peasy and Fun we outlined a face.

We cut out the ears and tails separately and glued on.

Mr. Munchking loved his craft.

More Rainforest Crafts

If you’re looking for more rainforest crafts for kindergarten, you’ll love my huge Amazon Rainforest Unit Study and Lapbooks.

Also look at:

Look at these other posts for Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum

How to Make a Kids Fun Stained Glass Fall Leaves Craft

September 8, 2022 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Your kids will love this fun stained glass fall leaves craft. Too, you can add this activity to my huge fall unit study.

Whether you live in a place where the trees fall leaves will soon be exploding with color or not this is a great time of year to learn about leaves.

Kids want to know why and how they change color and why other areas don’t have as much color.

How to Make a Kids Fun Stained Glass Fall Leaves Craft

Some of us stay green year round but we can still appreciate the red, gold, and brown spectacular through pictures or even vacations where we venture north to see it.

Fall is still a great time to study leaves and trees.

Dollar Tree Stained Glass Materials

You can turn a simple leaf appreciation into a mini unit study with this stained leaf fall craft and a few fun hands-on ideas.

I have loads of ideas for you to get started with a unit study.

As always, I like to start a unit study by gathering up some books on the topic at hand, from our own collection, the library, or of course Amazon.

And one of the best parts besides learning about leaves is that the craft materials are all at Dollar Tree for just a few bucks.

Then look at some fun ideas for studying about leaves.

Hands-on Leaf Activities

Go on a leaf hunt and find as many leaves as you can, use books or the Leaf Snap App to help identify them.
Go on a nature walk around the neighborhood, your property, local, or state park to look for as many species as you can find.
For older children you can have them memorize Robert Frost’s Nothing Gold Can Stay or use it for copywork.
Make leaf rubbings by putting fall leaves under paper and rubbing across it with the side of a crayon.
Make a list of trees and have your child sort them by the two main types- Deciduous and Coniferous.
Label the parts of a leaf.
Leaf Man

And older children can draw and label a leaf cell.

This fall craft is great for preschool through high school.

Kids Stained Glass Fall Leaves Craft

You will get a wide variety of looks from the different skill sets but they all come out looking so pretty and you will cherish their craft.

Look at this list of supplies. You will need:

A glass vase, bowl, mug, or candle holder.
Fall colored craft paints
Black craft paint
White school glue
Paintbrushes
Small containers for each paint color
Battery operated tea lights

Put about a teaspoon of glue and half that of all the chosen colors into each of your containers.

Stir in just a few drops of water to thin it.

You don’t want it watery just a little thinner to make it spread more easily.

Clean the glass container well with glass cleaner to remove any dirt or oils from your hands, be sure to dry it completely.

Paint splotches of color all over the glass until its completely filled. You don’t want any empty spaces.

If you want to make it look like leaves go ahead, but it is not necessary.

Just do them different shapes and sizes for variety.

We will sharpen up those edges later.

Once the entire surface is painted in color allow it to dry completely.

It really only needs about an hour.

Here is a look at mine completely dry and if you add less paint to the first step you will get an even more translucent look.

Then, you will need a half empty bottle of glue. Dump some out into something with a lid if you need to.

Add some black craft paint into the bottle and shake until combined and it is a nice black color.

This next part is really fun and makes the design come together.

Open the lid of the glue only halfway so that you get a finer stream of glue.

Have your child trace the blobs of paint outlining everything to clean up the edges and create the leaded look of stained glass.

Other Fall Unit Study Resources

Next, add details like the veins, the stem, and the midrib (the line up the middle).

Let this part dry completely.

Insert a tealight and its ready to glow!

You can enjoy this fall craft on it’s own or make it part of a mini unit study. Let me know if you did and share your creation with me.

Kids Fun Hands-on Apple Unit Make Dried Apple Slices

September 7, 2022 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Nothing speaks fall or September more than a fun hands-on apple unit and making dried apples. Add this hands-on activity to my fall unit apple study.

Incorporating cooking into your homeschool is an easy and fun way to include many subjects naturally into the day.

There is so much learning to be had in even the most simple of recipe.

Kids Fun Hands-on Apple Unit Make Dried Apple Slices

For fall I thought I would share a delicious dried apple ring recipe.

What is so great about teaching kids to cook? First, they learn to read and follow directions.

Also, they get a lesson in fractions.

Cooking is a Life Skill

Too, cooking boosts a child’s confidence and encourages picky eaters to try something new.

Besides, learning how to cook teaches a child about nutrition.

And introduces science through the various reactions that cooking produces and can strengthen family bonds, teaches responsibility and builds attention skills.

Cooking can be done with everyone from toddlers to high schoolers making it a great family or co-op activity.

So aside from those benefits this recipe opens the door to an opportunity to talk and learn about apples.

It makes a great hands-on start up to a mini apple unit.

Add in some great books, a little apple math, and a few other activities and you have yourself a great mini unit study.

Apple Study Resources

Julia Rothmans anatomy books are great for creating your own unit study.

And both of these books, Food Anatomy and Farm Anatomy, have a great little section on apples.

I highly recommend you add them to your library.

Not only are they pretty reference books but great snippets of information.

Who Was books also make a great addition for reading aloud or independent reading.

Who Was Johnny Appleseed is perfect for this study.

Unit Study Ideas for Apples

Then, here more ideas for a unit study besides the ones on my apple unit study page.

Art Apple Idea.

For art create a picture of a cross section of an apple with watercolor or chalk.

Have your child label the parts of the apple. Toddlers and preschoolers can use half an apple to stamp with paint.

Math Apple Idea.

Use fresh apples to weigh, measure, test density, cut them up and work on fractions, compare apple prices in the grocery flier.

Science Apple Idea.

Make a volcano in a cored out apple with baking soda and vinegar.

Test the ability of various liquids to keep apples from turning brown and test your five senses by using them to sample apples.

Geography/History Apple Idea.

Learn about Johnny Appleseed, research where the most apples are grown and mark it on a print out map.

How to Make Easy Dried Apple Slices

Next, let’s make this fun hands-on activity.

If you want to use your dried apple slices for a craft like potpourri, a dried apple garland or wreath instead of eating, simply leave the sugar out of the mixture.

Once dried you can add fragrance or essential oils to them to make the scent stronger.

Choose your favorite variety but some of the best apples for baking are :

Gala
Honeycrisp
Pink Lady
Fuji
Red or Green Delicious

You will need:

4 medium-large apples
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons lemon juice ( about 1 lemons worth)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 225℉. First decide if you want your peel on.

If not go ahead and peel your apples. We left ours on for all the additional nutrients.

Slice your apples very thinly.

You can do this with a knife or a mandolin which is a wonderful kitchen gadget to have for slicing fruits and veggies thin and uniform.

The easiest and safest way for kids to core apples is by slicing them then laying them out on a cutting board and using a lid from a water or soda bottle to cut out the center.

Stir together cinnamon, sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice.

Place your apple slices in a gallon ziplock bag and pour the mixture over the top.

Shake the bag and move the apples around gently until they are completely coated in the mixture.

Place apples in a single layer on baking sheets, 4 apples should take up about 2 large baking sheets, maybe 3.

Bake for 2 to 2 ½ hours until the edges curl up and they are lightly browned. You want pretty much all the moisture out of them.

Store in an airtight container. They are good for up to a week on the counter.

Other Fall Unit Study Resources

Day 13: Streamlined Record Keeping And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

September 6, 2022 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Day 13 streamline record keeping is about homeschool record keeping for Day 13 of the free 31 Day Free Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers.

I confess that when I first started homeschooling, record keeping was one fact weighing heavy on my mind.

It even affected my view of homeschooling not for the long term. I admit it.

I was sure that when the time came that I would send my son to high school because I felt he would be missing out on something. (By the way, my first son graduated 2013 and the other ones never ever went to high school. Too much goodness at home.)

Day 13: Streamlined Record Keeping And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

Little did I appreciate then that my son’s high school years would be filled with unique, precious, memorable, practical and rigorous skills that I could offer him as I continued homeschooling.

Record keeping would be a cinch. But, I will save my rant on that until Day 25: Homeschooling Happily Through High School.

Streamlined Record Keeping

Then to complicate my stress level about record keeping in my humble beginnings I lived in fear or at least had some anxiety about the homeschool laws changing so drastically that I would be called on to produce documents for my children at a moment’s notice.

Somewhere lurked the homeschool police that only lived in my community.

As my confession continues, I touched on Day 7:Tied Up With Testing of negative effects of schooling when you school by the “what if” mentality.

All I managed to do was have sleepless nights and worry got me nowhere.

I feel better now that I confessed.

Although it would be nice to be worry-free, the truth of it is that it is hard to homeschool completely stress free.

Any challenge brings responsibility, but it also brings life time benefits that have been worth every bit of self-imposed distress.

It really is a wonder that I even managed to have enough energy to focus on teaching my sons.

So I hope that I can ease your fears and lighten your load by explaining how to approach this subject.

5 Reasons to Homeschool Record Keep

Dividing this up into topics, you can determine where along the record keeping path you are at right now.

5 Reasons to Record Keep When Homeschooling @ Tina Dynamic Homeschool plus

What to Keep?

As you can see from the above reasons to record keep, it can really be divided into two categories.

Unofficial documents or those that are for your eyes only and official documents that are mostly needed for high school and college.

Relax if you have younger children because you have plenty of time to mull over a method that will work for you.

My method changed drastically when I worried about this in Kindergarten and then when my son actually got to high school. You will be a pro by then.

Unofficial Record Keeping.

Keep their “first” writing assignments.
Keep awards earned.
Keep crafts.
Keep first drawings.
Keep first hands-on designs and projects.
Keep standardized tests you administer.

Keep things you decide YOU can’t part with.

{I have tried not to shed a tear as I have been writing this series, but long tears stream when I see their work in preschool and I end up keeping most of it.)

Official Record Keeping.

Whether you have to report to an agency or not, you want their grades in high school documented.

Keep field trip logs.
Keep awards earned.
Keep up with community volunteer service.
Keep up with trips abroad for older students.
Keep work records.
Keep attendance records.
Keep standardized tests.
Keep a diary or journal.

Where am I suppose to keep all of this?

One thing we all have in common is that most of us clamor for more book shelves and room for our lifestyle that is quickly growing with books and supplies.

However, where and how to store and keep records and deciding what to keep and not keep is very different for each homeschooler.

Look at these solutions below.

Can you take a picture or scan items, then toss it?

Thumb drives, free online storage and external drives are very cost effective. Cloud storage has virtually exploded over the last five years. A portable drive is something I’ve always use and love.

A virtual online year book can store memories.

Folders, expandable pocket folders color coordinated for each child, and color coordinated notebooks for each child works too. I used the system for a while and even notebooks.

Streamlined Record Keeping - 31 Days of New Bee Homeschooler Blog Boot Camp

BUT, after 5, 6 and more years down the road, it can get more challenging.

For many years, I have used press board report covers by Wilson Jones side bound, pressboard because I could extend the brads as I added in work and the covers were moisture resistant as I put away each year in the attic.

This is the kind of folder where the top and back cover are two separate pieces. I have one color for each child and labeled by grade. Too, I wanted something where the pages could hang out or extend because a lot of work in younger grades is on bigger paper.

Because this is stored away in totes in the attic, it is okay if the pages stick out because the binders are stored upright.

Using thick notebooks is good too for long term storage if it will be kept in a cool area and you can add pockets for storing small crafts that you can’t part with when they were preschoolers. I have separate pockets for storing things like that.

Another thought is to coil bind some of your papers.

Your office supply guy make not like seeing you come, but then again you are storing memories. I actually have some of my boy’s math papers coil bound because they are mostly the same size.

Hidden Storage Places in Your Home

Hidden storage spaces like attics, the top part of a closet, underneath the stairs and underneath the bed provide excellent places to store long term.

Source: Home DIT (Please Pin from Original Sources)

Padded storage trunks or chest that doubles as a night stand or table is also a wonderful niche for storing long term items. Company that sits in your living room will never know that under that beautiful table is a hidden treasure of several years of work.

If you keep more than you need for the first few years, it is okay.

Security counts when you are new to homeschooling and you are the only one to determine at night if you sleep sound because you kept a field trip log.

You can come back later and declutter because then you will see that your children are making progress.

Streamlined record keeping is a must in homeschool, but it can be personal, unique and distinct to your needs. Even in high school, you can accomplish stream line record keeping.

Embrace record keeping.

Too, I’m going to switch gears here on you.

Who is Tina Robertson

But before you can appreciate how I can help you here are are a few things about me. Sure, this free new homeschooler boot camp is all about you.

However, you need to know that I’m not new to the homeschool world.

It has been several years since I wrote this series and I want to update you on my successes. And I’ve helped HUNDREDS get on the road to homeschooling.

Too, I have 3 homeschooled grads. So I’m well past having my oldest kid being 10 years old.

But the best part is that what I have for you works.

Also, look at a few other things about me.

I am the author of the book Homeschooling 31 Day Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers: When You Don’t Know Where to Begin

And I have a detailed self-paced online homeschool Kickstarter course. It is a detailed comprehensive course for first time homeschoolers.

That is enough about me.

This new homeschoolers free boot camp is about you. I’ve not only been helping new homeschoolers in person, but here at my site for years.

I cherish keeping my children’s hard work and seeing my earlier mistakes.

Start slowly by adjusting your thinking to realize that you have the flexibility and freedom to make and adjust any “official” records that you may need. Control does allay fears. You are the teacher now.

Have you determined what you will keep and have a starting out niche to keep it in?

Tina Robertson

The Geronimo Stilton Series: Make a Fun Edible Coral Reef

Great Barrier Reef Resources

Facts About the Great Barrier Reef

How to Make an Edible Reef

Other Geronimo Stilton Resources:

Ocean and Coral Reef Resources

Rainforest Crafts for Kindergarten: Make an Easy Paper Plate Monkey

Howler Monkey Facts

What Monkeys Live in the Amazon Rainforest

Make a Rainforest Paper Plate Monkey

More Rainforest Crafts

Look at these other posts for Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum

How to Make a Kids Fun Stained Glass Fall Leaves Craft

Dollar Tree Stained Glass Materials

Hands-on Leaf Activities

Kids Stained Glass Fall Leaves Craft

Other Fall Unit Study Resources

Kids Fun Hands-on Apple Unit Make Dried Apple Slices

Cooking is a Life Skill

Apple Study Resources