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Tina Robertson

Plains Indians Free Writing Prompts. For Elementary, Middle and High School Homeschooled Kids

October 15, 2015 | 8 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Plains Indians Free Writing Prompts.

You know my passion for unit studies and some things like writing, I just taught on the spot and took topics from books or things we were learning about. Isn’t that the best way to teach writing anyway? Also, look at my page homeschool middle school and how to homeschool high school page for more fun tips

Then, writing has a meaningful purpose to either a budding writer or an advanced writer.

So I have started working my way through creating writing prompts and topics for you on each of my unit studies here on my site.

You can look over and grab the first set of ideas for my Ancient Civilization unit study here on 20 Ideas For Bringing Writing Alive Through Unit Studies.

Today, I have created writing prompts from my Plains Indians Unit Study and Lapbook page.

Also, I divided them out by grade level, not that I so believe in grade level, but because I know that like my kids, your kids too are at different levels for their writing ability.

Plains Indians free writing prompts for elementary, middle school and high school homeschooled kids @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

This will give you choices for a range of difficulties. Too, I have topics that are both factual and creative depending on what skills you are looking to strengthen in your child’s writing.

Middle to High School Plains Indian Writing Prompts and Topics

(Remember, for some of these topics, you will need to look at my Plains Indians Unit Study and Lapbook Page.)

■When Ten Bears he said he was born on the prairie, do you think he was talking only about his birth?

■How would you feel if you were forbidden to speak in your native language?

■If you were a pioneer traveling West, what Native American tribe would you want to encounter and why?

■Use pictographs and write (draw) a Native American tale.

■Choose one of the tribes from the Plains and write about their life, the food they ate and why buffalo were so important to them. Look here at ledger drawings to understand how they felt about their life on The Plains.

■What are the elements of a myth? Read a myth that the Plain Indians believed in and write about why they believed in it.

■Sign language was invented out of necessity. Was sign language for the Plains Indians for the deaf? Write (and illustrate) about some of the sign language the Indians used.

■Indians used many different kind of wild plants for food. Acorns (shelled and ground into meal) and Sotol and Lechuguilla are plants of the agave family. The bulbs of these plants were cooked and eaten. Write about some of the food that the Plains Indians ate and how they made it. (Include a recipe too.)

■What are two ways that the flat area of the plains affected the Native Americans?

■What are 4 major contributions by the Plains Indians?

■(On my Plains Indian page). After reading the short story about the captivity of Lorinda Bewly with the Whitman group traveling to Oregon, write a brief essay about the meeting of two different cultures? Or were they that different after all? What do you think and why?

■What are two major differences between the Plains Indians and other Native Americans of that time?

■How are Plains Indians making contributions today?

■What was the view of woman during the times of the Plains Indians and compare that to how people feel today?

■Describe the social structure of the Plains Indians.

■In your opinion, did the early American settlers try to help or hinder the progress of Native Americans?

■Describe the art, beading and leather working of the Plains Indians.

■Do you think the Indians should have been paid for their land? Why or why not?

Elementary

■Why was a dog and horse important to the Plains Indians?

■What did the Plains Indians live in? Describe how they decorated their tipis and draw your own design.

■What was winter like on the Plains compared to other Native Americans living at that time?

■What is pemmican and why was it important to the Plains Indians?

■Explain the many uses of the buffalo.

■Do you think the Plains Indians had pets? If so, what kind? How would you take care of a pet when living on the wide open plains?

■What do you think life would have been like in a tipi?

■Describe the life of a hunter and why hunting was important to the Plains Indians

■Why was corn important to the Plains Indians? Look here at my Fall Unit Study page to read about corn.

■Do you think the kids of the Plains Indians did school? How did they learn?

Hope you enjoyed these brainstorming ideas as well as some of the topics we wrote about. I have more free writing prompts coming on my other unit studies soon.

You may also love these other resources:

  • 3 Ways to Choose the BEST Writing Curriculum (for a Growing Homeschool Family)
  • The Trail of Tears 1820 – 1845 Unit Study & Lapbook
  • 3 Unexpected Benefits of Homeschool Narration
  • Free Middle and High School Homeschool Language Arts

Hugs and love ya,

8 CommentsFiled Under: History Resources, Middle School Homeschool, My Unit Studies {Free Printables & Hands-on Ideas} Tagged With: history, homeschoolhistory, Plains Indians, unit studies, writing prompts

Homeschool Unit Study Human Body. Hands-on Activity 4. Making Blood + What Are the Components of Blood Minibook

October 14, 2015 | 7 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

No unit study about the homeschool unit study human body is done right without making some blood and learning about the valuable components of it. Also, I have this Human Body Crafts page for more fun ideas.

The human body lapbook was free for a limited time.

Homeschool Unit Study Human Body. Hands-on Making Blood +  What Are the Components of Blood

What is Blood Made of?

Besides, that is the best way to learn about the four basic components of blood.

At the bottom, I shared the video that helped us to kick off this activity and also helped us to pick out the ingredients.

What is blood hands on activity and  blood components minibook for a human body homeschool unit study @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Look at the ingredients we used, again, which we had on hand at the house.

■plastic bottle
■marshmallows (we only the big ones, so we cut up a few of the big ones)
■mini box of chocolate cereal that the boys didn’t like
■raisins
■corn syrup and water
■yellow and red die
■salt

How to Make Blood 1@ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus
How to Make Blood 2 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

So after we gathered all of our supplies and a funnel and bowl or two, we started.

First Tiny poured the corn syrup in and mixed with a bit of water (not too much).

Mostly we used the corn syrup because I wanted it to look more like blood plasma in the beginning.

How to Make Blood 3 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus
How To Make Blood 4 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Homeschool Unit Study Human Body.

So he added yellow dye and some salt to represent the plasma.

We added salt to help him remember that though plasma is mostly made up of water, it also contains proteins, sugar and hormones. So adding the salt was just to help him remember some of the make up of plasma.

How to Make Blood 5 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus
How to Make Blood 6 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Next, we took our chocolate cereal and mixed in some red dye and coated it pretty good.

I liked the fact that the “red blood cells” started to give it color because they make up about 40 to 45% of the color.

Since red blood cells are round and look a little bit like a doughnut, without the hole in the middle, this round cereal was a pretty good imitation.

He started to add in the red dyed cereal to represent the red blood cells (or erythrocytes).

How to Make Blood 7 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus
How To Make Blood 8 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Next came a bite or two of marshmallows or rather he added in some of the white marshmallows to represent the white blood cells (or leukocytes), but not too many of them.

Since I had raisins, we added a few of them to represent blood platelets (or thrombocytes).

How to Make Blood 9 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus
How To Make Blood 10 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

We ended up with something nice and gross that he liked, but it sure helped him to remember the 4 basic components of blood.

Homeschool Unit Study Human Body. Hands-on Making Blood +  What Are the Components of Blood

Also, here are some free resources about blood:

  • Middle School Lesson Plan. 3 page .pdf How does the Cardiovascular system work? Actually lessons for K to 6th.
  • Another hands-on activity. Blood Cell basics for younger grades.
  • How Much Blood Do You Have? 20 page .pdf for middle and high school
  • Cool wheel template 7 page .pdf template wheel for middle and high school teaching blood type.
  • What is Blood? You Tube Really helpful to us when deciding how to color our blood, meaning we started with yellow first.
How to Make Blood 11 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus
What Are the Components of Blood

More Human Body Crafts

  • Simple and Easy Circulatory System Hands-on Activity for Kids
  • How to Turn a Pizza Into a Fun Edible Human Cell Model
  • How To Make A Fun Bones Of The Hand Labeled X-Ray Craft
  • 7 Human Skull Facts and Cool Human Skull Anatomy Activity
  • How to Make a Fun Hands-on Playdough Brain Activity
  • Major Organs of The Human Body Labeled Fun Felt Anatomy Activity
  • Fun Resources and Books About The Human Body For Preschoolers
  • 8 Eye Facts & Human Body Activities Middle School & Fun Eye Model
  • 12 Human Body Games For Middle School & High School
  • Craft a Fun Hand Straw Model to Explore Human Anatomy Muscles & Tendons
  • How to Make a Human DIY Heart Model Easy Craft for Kids
  • 8 Facts About the Respiratory System & Fun Lung Craft for Kids
  • 7 Human Body Facts and Kids Human Body T-Shirt Project
  • Fun Edible Spine
  • Making Blood + What Are the Components of Blood
  • DIY Heart Pump
  • Kids Stethoscope Activity
  • Build An Edible DNA Model
  • Edible Skin
  • Rigid versus Flexible Bone Activity.
  • Pregnancy Belly Female Study of Human Anatomy Kids Fun Craft
Homeschool Unit Study Human Body. Hands-on Making Blood +  What Are the Components of Blood

  • Dynamic and Fun Human Body Lapbook for Multiple Ages

    Dynamic and Fun Human Body Lapbook for Multiple Ages

    $5.00
    Add to cart

Grab all of hands-on activities below.

What is blood hands on activity and free blood components minibook for a human body homeschool unit study @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus featured
Making Blood + Free What Are the Components of Blood Minibook
Homeschool Unit Study Human Body. Hands-on Activity 5. Edible Skin + Skin and Major Body Systems Minibook @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus Featured
https://www.tinasdynamichomeschoolplus.com/homeschool-unit-study-human-body-5/
Mega List Free Resources for Human Body Homeschool Unit Study @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus featured
https://www.tinasdynamichomeschoolplus.com/human-body-homeschool-unit-study/
Body Part Labeling and Human Skeleton Quiz Free Minibooks - Free Human Body Unit Study @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus FEATURED
https://www.tinasdynamichomeschoolplus.com/body-part-labeling-and-skeleton-quiz-free-minibooks/
Human Body Unit Study. Rigid versus Flexible Bones Hands-on Activity @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus featured
https://www.tinasdynamichomeschoolplus.com/homeschool-unit-study-human-body-3/
Human body unit study DIY Heart Pump @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus featured
https://www.tinasdynamichomeschoolplus.com/homeschool-unit-study-human-body-2/
20 Human Body Books for Middle and High School Homeschooled Kids @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus featured
https://www.tinasdynamichomeschoolplus.com/human-body-books-for-middle-and-high-school-homeschooled-kids/
Human body unit study DIY Stethoscope. Hands-on Learning @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus featured
https://www.tinasdynamichomeschoolplus.com/homeschool-unit-study-human-body/
Free Human Body Lapbook and Unit Study @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus featured
https://www.tinasdynamichomeschoolplus.com/free-human-body-lapbook-and-unit-study/

Hope you like this as much as we enjoyed learning about it today.
Hugs and love ya,

7 CommentsFiled Under: Hands-On Activities, Lapbook, Science, Science Based Tagged With: hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschoolscience, human body, jp, life science, science

What Does It Mean To Be Family Focused Instead of Curriculum Driven When Homeschooling?

October 13, 2015 | 11 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

What it means to be family focused instead of curriculum driven when homeschoolling @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

I failed too. When I struggled with homeschooling it was because I hyper focused on breezing through the curriculum instead of focusing on my family.

Family Focused Instead of Curriculum Driven

I just knew that if I finished a lesson, a book or an assignment, then my children were “properly taught.”

When I completed a curriculum, I felt we were making progress and learning.

That is a false sense of accomplishment.

Public school is curriculum focused. What makes homeschoolers different?

Let me make clear that I am not advocating unfinished lesson plans or half-hearted days of teaching.

What I am advocating is that at times during our journey it can take one or two days to get a point.

At one point in my journey,  it took one of my sons a year and half to learn one level of math.

Am I to feel that if my child completed 5 lessons in one day or one book in two years that I wasted ANY of my time?

Family focused goals don’t keep pace to the time table in a curriculum.

Switching from a Public School Mindset to Family Focused Goals. Big Difference.

You probably have heard before that curriculum is a tool. It’s true. But what does it mean exactly?

■ Well a tool can serve a very useful purpose.

A paintbrush, a pen, a drill, a saw, a hoe, a shovel, a hammer have all been used to create the most exquisite pieces of art like the Mona Lisa, beautiful poetry or the most breathtaking pieces of landscape or architecture.

■ What was more important, the tool or the skilled craftsman?

It was the attitude, patience, devotion and skill of the craftsman to shape the masterpiece, not the tool.

When we realize that curriculum doesn’t teach anything, but our attitude and time spent with children in productive learning does, then we are TRUE TEACHERS.

We are then not curriculum driven but family driven.

We are goal oriented, not lesson oriented.

Curriculum is a must-have tool and we have to have it.

For example, if three teacher’s manuals make you feel more equipped to teach and you glean from each one what you need, then GET ALL THREE. Don’t worry about what anybody else thinks.

However, don’t purchase them because you are afraid.

You have been equipped with what you need to do this assigned work.

Focus on improving yourself as a teacher, your skill, your devotion and then you will have a true masterpiece – YOUR CHILDREN!

Hugs from me to you today,

Also read:

6 Things I Won’t Regret After Homeschooling 16+ Years
Second Chance Homeschooling – We Can Have Do-Overs

11 CommentsFiled Under: Choose Curriculum

Ikat Weaving and Makana Shawl in Gualaceo Ecuador

October 11, 2015 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Ikat weaving and makana shawl in Gualaceo Ecuador was one fun adventure. Also, look at my page Free South America Printable Lapbook and Fun Hands-on Unit Study Ideas.

I couldn’t have planned a more perfect way to spend the day.

For a year now, I have been wanting to go to the La Casa de la Makana to see the ikat weaving and makana or shawls in Gualaceo Ecuador.

Ikat Weaving and Makana Shawl in Gualaceo Ecuador

We headed to Gualaceo, which is about a 40 minute drive from where we live.

Ikat Weaving and Makana Shawl in Gualaceo Ecuador

We finally got to go with some other gringos and homeschoolers we have become friends with while we have lived here in Cuenca, Ecuador.

Ikat Weaving and Makana Shawl in Gualaceo Ecuador

Ikat – Tying and Dying – Natural and Ancient Arts

What is so amazing about this cultural experience is that the ikat pattern is not only an ancient pattern and art passed down from previous generations, but this family is one of only about a handful of families that practice this ancient hand work.

Ikat Weaving and Makana Shawl in Gualaceo Ecuador
Ikat Weaving and Makana Shawl in Gualaceo Ecuador

The word ikat actually means “to tie”.

The shawls, which normally have a fringed edge has been the typical dress along with the Panama hat for the people in this region for probably close to a hundred years, but it is a dying art because a lot of the locals are getting “modernized”.

Ikat Weaving and Makana Shawl in Gualaceo Ecuador

This family though is preserving the tradition.

Ikat Weaving and Makana Shawl in Gualaceo Ecuador
Ikat Weaving and Makana Shawl in Gualaceo Ecuador

Too, this family, like a lot of families in this area who have their own businesses, both live and work in the same dwelling.

(You can see the tyed yarn in this picture before it’s dyed naturally and weaved.)

Like most homes here, this home has an outside space for working and normally an inside space or separate space for cooking and for sleeping.

Ikat Weaving and Makana Shawl in Gualaceo Ecuador
Ikat Weaving and Makana Shawl in Gualaceo Ecuador

We loved the decorations and old exterior and charm this place had.

Ikat Weaving and Makana Shawl in Gualaceo Ecuador

But first, I have to tell you about this very unique craft.

Like I mentioned, this family has been making shawls and using the ikat pattern for about 5 generations.

It has been a skilled passed down to each generation.

Also, look at some of these books for kids.

Books for Kids About South America

13 Resources for a Study of South America

Add some of these fun books and resources to your study of South America.

South America (Rookie Read-About Geography: Continents)

An incredible variety of climates and biomes span the territory of South America. As a result, the continent contains some of the greatest biodiversity on Earth.

Rookie Read-About: Continents series gives the youngest reader (Ages 3-6) an introduction to the components that make each continent distinctive and exceptional. Readers will get to know each continents' geography, history, and wildlife. In this book readers learn about the continent of South America, including the geography, native animals, people and more.

Ancient Civilizations: Aztecs, Maya, Incas!: With 25 Social Studies Projects for Kids (Explore Your World)

A full-color, compelling book for ages 7 to 10 offers a deep dive into the three sophisticated ancient civilizations of Mesoamerica―the Aztecs, Maya, and Incas― through hands-on STEAM projects, essential questions, and loads of fascinating facts!

Why were there more than 3,000 steps built at Machu Picchu? Why did the Aztecs roam Mexico for nearly 200 years before finding a place to settle? How did the Maya study the movements of the stars and the planets? Ancient Civilizations: Aztecs, Maya, Incas! With 25 Social Studies Projects for Kids takes kids ages 7 to 10 on a guided tour to experience the history, culture, economics, and daily life of the Aztecs, Maya, and Incas.

Biblioburro: A True Story from Colombia

A man, his burros, and his books bring joy to children in remote Colombian villages in this inspiring book based on a true story by celebrated picture book creator Jeanette Winter.Luis loves to read, but soon his house in Colombia is so full of books there’s barely room for the family. What to do? Then he comes up with the perfect solution—a traveling library! He buys two donkeys—Alfa and Beto—and travels with them throughout the land, bringing books and reading to the children in faraway villages.

Secret of the Andes (Puffin Newberry Library)

An Incan boy who tends llamas in a hidden valley in Peru learns the traditions and secrets of his ancestors. 

My Mama's Little Ranch on the Pampas

In the sequel to On the Pampas, the author recalls her first year on the small Argentinian ranch purchased and managed by her mother, in an account that includes a visual dictionary of the Spanish words and geographical terms used in the text.

Tales from Silver Lands

Atmospheric woodcuts illustrate this Newbery Award–winning collection of 19 South American folktales. Charles J. Finger heard the tales firsthand from native storytellers, whose fables of talking animals, witches, giants, and ordinary people in supernatural settings provide remarkable insights into regional values and culture. The first of the stories, "A Tale of Three Tails," tells of an age when the rat had a tail like a horse, the rabbit had a tail like a cat, and the deer's tail was plumed like the tail of a dog. "The Magic Dog" recounts an act of kindness to a stray animal that helps overcome a witch's curse. In "The Calabash Man," the creatures of the jungle assist a suitor in winning his bride, and in "El Enano," a greedy troll's insatiable appetite leads to his downfall. Packed with adventure and full of surprises, these and other stories emphasize the importance of hard work, courage, and loyalty.

Turn Right at Machu Picchu: Rediscovering the Lost City One Step at a Time

In 1911, Hiram Bingham III climbed into the Andes Mountains of Peru and “discovered” Machu Picchu. While history has recast Bingham as a villain who stole both priceless artifacts and credit for finding the great archeological site, Mark Adams set out to retrace the explorer’s perilous path in search of the truth—except he’d written about adventure far more than he’d actually lived it. In fact, he’d never even slept in a tent.

Journey to the River Sea

With the memorable characters and plot twists she brings to her best-selling fantasies, acclaimed author Eva Ibbotson has written a hair-raising novel, set in turn-of-the-last-century Brazil.Accompanied by Miss Minton, a fierce-looking, no-nonsense governess, Maia, a young orphan, sets off for the wilderness of the Amazon, expecting curtains of orchids, brightly colored macaws, and a loving family. But what she finds is an evil-tempered aunt and uncle and their spoiled daughters. It is only when she is swept up in a mystery involving a young Indian boy, a homesick child actor, and a missing inheritance that Maia lands in the middle of the Amazon adventure she's dreamed of. Readers of every generation will treasure Ibbotson's lush historical adventure that harkens back to the beloved classics of Frances Hodgson Burnett and Louisa May Alco

This Place Is Wet

Can you imagine living in a place where there is so much water some houses need to be built on stilts to protect them when the river rises? Or where it is so wet that some plants can grow on the sides of trees with their roots gathering water from the air? In This Place Is Wet, you'll find out all sorts of things about what it's like to live in the rain forest of Brazil. Try to imagine living there!

Bolivar: American Liberator

It is astonishing that Simón Bolívar, the great Liberator of South America, is not better known in the United States. He freed six countries from Spanish rule, traveled more than 75,000 miles on horseback to do so, and became the greatest figure in Latin American history. His life is epic, heroic, straight out of Hollywood: he fought battle after battle in punishing terrain, forged uncertain coalitions of competing forces and races, lost his beautiful wife soon after they married and never remarried (although he did have a succession of mistresses, including one who held up the revolution and another who saved his life), and he died relatively young, uncertain whether his
achievements would endure.

Ada's Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay

Ada Ríos grew up in Cateura, a small town in Paraguay built on a landfill. She dreamed of playing the violin, but with little money for anything but the bare essentials, it was never an option...until a music teacher named Favio Chávez arrived. He wanted to give the children of Cateura something special, so he made them instruments out of materials found in the trash

Mayans Aztecs Incas Coloring Book: Coloring Pages of Ancient Mexico Civilizations for Adults and Teens

Mayans Aztecs Incas Coloring Book – Fun And Education For Adults and TeensMake the perfect gift for anyone who loves coloring! Enjoy this Mayans Aztecs Incas Coloring Book for Adults and Teens. Click the cover to reveal what’s inside!About this book:

  • 40 original pages drawings of Symbols, Warriors, Masks and Mandalas.

The Inca Empire (A True Book: Ancient Civilizations) (A True Book (Relaunch))

Explore the Inca empire, including how the Incas survived in the mountains, how the empire was built, and why it disappeared.

A True Book: Ancient Civilizations series allows readers to experience what makes each ancient civilization distinctive and exceptional as well look at its influence on the some of the practices of the modern world. This series includes an age appropriate (grades 3-5) introduction to curriculum-relevant subjects and a robust resource section that encourages independent study.

Do you know the beautiful and ancient pattern of ikat?

Look at these patterns to give you an idea of why I was so stoked to learn about this beautiful craftsmanship up close and personal. (Can I have one of each please?)

Ikat Weaving and Makana Shawl in Gualaceo Ecuador
Ikat Weaving and Makana Shawl in Gualaceo Ecuador

                                                                        

Ikat Weaving and Makana Shawl in Gualaceo Ecuador

More Activities About South America

  • Ikat Weaving and Makana Shawl in Gualaceo Ecuador
  • Finding a Home in Cuenca, Ecuador
  • Everyday Life in Cuenca, Ecuador
  • 5 Things I Love About Cuenca Ecuador
  • Effigies, Celebrations and Customs of Cuenca, Ecuador

Here the mother is using a warping machine to wrap the yarn. This determines the size of the shawl.

Ikat Weaving and Makana Shawl in Gualaceo Ecuador

But what is really AWESOME, is the natural method of making dye, which is still practiced today.

Each barrel makes color and from that color they make several more colors.

You can see the color that is being made inside by the barrel by the color scarf on the outside.

Orange, light walnut (guess what nut that is in that barrel soaking with water) and indigo are some of the colors being made here.

South America Family Crafts

To make these natural dyes they used walnuts, worms, rocks, plants and cochineal.

Some of the natural dyes take days to make and still others months.

Cochineal is a bug that lives in the cactus here in South America and from that bug it makes the color carmine (reddish).

But look at this video as our guide adds lime to make one color (like an brown-ish orange-ish) and then baking soda for yet another color (purple).

Also, in this video you can see at the end of the video when she grabs the long ropes of thread that actually comes before the dying process.

Ikat Weaving and Makana Shawl in Gualaceo Ecuador
Ikat Weaving and Makana Shawl in Gualaceo Ecuador

So after warping and dying, next comes the weaving.

The focus here  is to be sure the pattern stays the same and stays in sequence.

Can you see why this ancient art is being lost? It takes time and skill to make just one well-made shawl.

Ikat Weaving and Makana Shawl in Gualaceo Ecuador

The family also had a showroom upstairs. Of course I can’t wait to go upstairs to drool over all their handicrafts.

They provide the patterned material to make shoes to the local shoe maker. So you can have this beautiful pattern on a great looking set of high heels.

Ikat Weaving and Makana Shawl in Gualaceo Ecuador

Look at some of their finished products.

Of course the price here is HALF of what it is in Cuenca or other stores.

The shawls, purses, and shoes are about $25.00 to $30.00. Of course they first said $35.00, but I always ask for a “descuenta” (discount) but that is the norm here.

People expect you to negotiate.

Ikat Weaving and Makana Shawl in Gualaceo Ecuador

But one thing that hangs in their showroom that they are EXTREMELY proud of and that is not for sell is the 150 year old hand embroidered piece made the family great grandmother.

Ikat Master Weavers

They have it hanging up in their showroom to show off not only their proud heritage but the intricate quality.

It has humming birds on it and the seal of the Republic of Ecuador.

Ikat Weaving and Makana Shawl in Gualaceo Ecuador
Ikat Weaving and Makana Shawl in Gualaceo Ecuador

Too, I had to show you a close up of this one loom that is 150 years (on the left) and that is still used by this family.

Ikat Weaving and Makana Shawl in Gualaceo Ecuador

Of course, I couldn’t leave without buying an item or two.

I just drooled when I saw this wool and ikat blue bag and had to have it.

I think I will go back and grab a few more shawls and maybe even a pair of heels.

Ikat Weaving and Makana Shawl in Gualaceo Ecuador

Then, of course the day is not complete with a great fabulous meals at one of the local and CLEAN restaurants.

I went upstairs to snatch a picture real quick before we devoured our delicious meal.

Hope you learned something about the cultural of Ecuador that we are just soaking up while we are here!

I think I could decorate my whole house in the ikat pattern because I have fallen madly in love with it.

Ikat weaving and Makana shawl in Gualaceo Ecuador. The ancient art of tying and natural dying material to create the ikat pattern@ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

2 CommentsFiled Under: Geography Based, Living Abroad, Science Based

Pinterest Secret – The 3Cs of a Smart Pin. From a Homeschool Mom Who Grew Her Followers to 35K Without Complicated Algorithms.

October 10, 2015 | 19 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Social media tops the list of things that can engulf a blogger’s time.

However, social media is also inextricably linked to a blog’s success. If you want your blog to succeed, then Pinterest demands your attention.

Pinterest is my number one referrer to my website and it always commands my time each day.

Pinterest Secret - The 3Cs of a Smart Pin from a homeschool mom who grew her followers to 35K without complicated algorithms. You can too @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

And because I don’t have time to be analyzing algorithms constantly, sharing my pinterest secret of growing my Pinterest following to almost 34K followers, I hope will speed up your pinterst learning curve.

No-Fail Pinterest Tips

The first key tip growing your audience regularly is to be consistent. Wait. Don’t get discourage though if you think you have to squeeze one more thing into your day.

Consistent on Pinterest means a completely different thing than it does for blogging.

For example, you need to ask these questions:

■When are the majority of my followers pinning?
■Where are the majority of my followers located?

For example, I know that a majority of my followers are from the U.S. and a good amount of them are in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles is two hours behind me.

And knowing that one of the prime times for followers on my blog are between the hours of 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., I know that I can start pinning from about 9:00 my time onward.

This is information I found out from my analytics after I made my blog a business account. Look at my tips on my article, 11 Amazing Tips to Grow Pinterest That You Need to Know Now.

That is just one way I have of gauging the amount of time I need to be on Pinterest.

Of course, if you are using schedulers like Buffer or TailWind, you can schedule those pins.

In addition, because I know I want to grow my followers from other places, I choose other times of the day that I think my followers would be on.

Knowing that a good amount of my followers are homeschool moms like me, I know that sharing a few pins before I start school always garners new followers for me each day.

So that is an are of the day I am expanding on.

As you can see, consistency gets very doable once you have a handle on when a majority of your followers are pinning.

That is a good starting point.

The Three Cs To a Smart Pin

The second tip is for your pins to be creative.

And no, I am not an artist or professional graphic designer. I just learned a few things the hard way about what makes a pin captivating.

Bright, clean and big photos work best.

But, also you can use:

■free dingbats
■free fonts
■free clip art
■and color to make your pins live.

Look at this pin that has received thousands of pin and where I have tastefully combined all the above elements.

Pin 1 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

I  started off with my bright photo, added fonts with color and added free dingbat (fish).

Now, it’s not necessary to add all of these elements and you want to be sure to not overcrowd a pin and take away from the photo.

However, because this pin was about sea levels, labeling with text added to the appeal of this pin.

This last tip took longer to learn, but it’s just as important. Sharing constructive and helpful tips on your pins is another must do.

Ban These Saying From Your Pins

I am still going back to some of my earlier pins and correct things I did like this on my pins:

:), yum, okey dokey, yes, give me some, ok, must have and awesome.

None of those things are constructive, descriptive for your followers or worst yet they can’t be found when followers search potential pins.

When describing your pins, give your followers helpful and pertinent information and a reason why they should pin your image.

The area where you describe your pins is like a second chance for your pin. Your image and text on your image is your first chance to make a good first impression and your description is your second chance.

This is not where you want to put some cool saying or smiley face, but a place to put key words that will propel your follower to not only follow you, but repin.

Be helpful and give your followers tips in the description.

Consistency, creativity and constructive pins are three small but very powerful tips on growing your audience quicker.

Have you implemented these tips yet?

Hugs and love ya,

Tina Signature 2015c

Follow Me on Pinterest
Visit Tinas Dynamic Homeschool Plus’s profile on Pinterest.

Also grab iBlog Pro for taking your blog to the next level and read more about my Pinterest tips.

19 CommentsFiled Under: Pinterest

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