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south america

A Child’s Life in the Andes & Psssst. It’s a Giveaway!

May 19, 2015 | 33 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

A Child's Life In the Andes Ebook Review @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus


I was given a free copy of A Child’s Life in the Andes and I was paid for my time. Compensated for my time does not mean paid off.  ALL opinions are my own and for sure I will always tell you what is on my mind. Your experience may vary. When I do accept a review it’s because I am excited to tell you about it. Read my full disclosure here.


The Giveaway is now closed.

Learning about the Quechua language and culture has been one fascinating aspect about us living here in South America.

So when I was asked to use the ebook,  A Child’s Life in the Andes by Daria Marmaluk-Hajioannous (yes she is Quechua), I was delighted to use a resource that could capture some of the things we have been experiencing while living here.

Music of the Andes for Kids

Quechua is the language of the Andes. Though I knew Spanish was a dominating language here, I had no idea that the ancient language of Quechua was alive and thriving.

The Quechua language had its start in the Andes Mountain in Cuzco, Peru, which was the ancient Inca empire.

The empire was huge and ruled over many parts of present day countries like Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and here in Ecuador.

When we moved here, I didn’t realize that many of the parades that I saw and foods we have tried have Quechua origins.

Tickled to be able to find a resource that had some quick tips about South America along with some fun hands-on history and geography, I was eager to get started using it.

Music of The Child of the Andes 1 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

The ebook A Child’s Life in the Andes is a 35 page pdf that gives a glance at the people of the Andes.

Included with the ebook are 5 cancioncitas or (little songs) that we loved listening to.

Right away, with the first song Alturas (high mountains), we heard some of the traditional Andean musical instruments like zamponas (panpipes), flutes and rainsticks.

Listening to the music, from a traditional folksong to a carnival song is really the highlight of this sweet little gem.

We started off using it by listening to all the songs and read the ebook, which gives background information about each song.

The sections of the book are:

  • Where are the Andes Mountain?
  • About the songs
  • A Child’s Life
  • Animals
  • Food
  • Language
  • Coloring pages, make your your own activities and a word search puzzle.

Depending our mood, we like to skip around when using new resources and this one was no different.
Tiny wanted to do the word search puzzle next because it had a Quechua word we have heard while living here which is YAW and it means Hey.

Crossword Puzzle 1 of The Child of the Andes @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

From there we moved on to including a fun and easy hands-on wind instrument called a Zamponas.
Hands-on Craft of The Child of the Andes @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

With just a few household items and a few minutes, Tiny made the easy wind instrument called the zamponas.

Hands-on History

He ended up really liking that easy musical instrument and I actually got my shy guy to try out the instrument while I recorded him for a few seconds.

There are 8 coloring pages in the ebook, which are animals indigenous to South America.

Of course being from Texas and thinking that armadillos are only critters that hail from Texas (aren’t they), we were surprised to know that many are here in South America.

The body of the armadillo is used for the body of the charango, which is a stringed musical instrument here in South America that looks like a guitar.

Then we had never heard of Chapchas, which is a very unique rattle because it is made from the toenails of goat or sheep.

We really have to look for one while we are here now that our curiosity was piqued.

A Child's Life in the Andes Craft @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

I think you will really love A Child’s Life in the Andes if you :

  • Want to use it like a supplement to a unit study on South America;
  • Want your children to appreciate the music of South America;
  • Have elementary age children;
  • Have children who like to learn hands-on without activities that are complicated;
  • Want a few sweeping details about life in the Andes; and
  • Want your children to be exposed to another culture without being overwhelmed with too much detail.

Guess what? Would you like to win a copy? I have a copy to give away.

Yippeeeee! Giveaway Details – Easy Rules

Begins: Tuesday May 19, 2015.  Ends: Friday May 22, 2015 @ 8:00 a.m. CST

Just comment here on my blog. The winner will be selected using random org and will be notified afterwards.  Also, because you can’t be a once a month email reader, if my winner does not respond to my email within 24 hours, I will choose another  winner.

1. Open to any resident because this is a digital download. You will not be shipped anything.

2. You have to be a blog follower.  You can comment twice.

Comment 1 x time letting me know how long you have been following (best you can remember or if you are a new follower) and comment the 2cd time with anything about the product or how you will use it.

Let’s get this party started!!

Connect with World Music for Children

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dariasmusic
Twitter: https://twitter.com/dariasmusic
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/dariamusic/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/DariaMusic?feature=watch

 Product Facts a Glance1

Company Name: World Music for Children
Website: dariamusic.com
Product Name: A Child’s Life in the Andes – Ebook
Grades: elementary
Type of Format: Download
Price: $9.99

Hugs and love ya,

Tina Signature 2015c

 

33 CommentsFiled Under: Geography Based, Homeschool Curriculum Review, Science Based Tagged With: south america

A Child’s Life In The Andes E-Book

April 29, 2015 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

One reason I haven’t shared a post lately about Ecuador is because we are heading soon to Banos to check out the thermal baths, volcano and waterfalls. Also, we will be making a jungle excursion.

I will be sharing about our adventure soon.

Hands-on Homeschooling

The other reason though is because I have been excited as we have been reading A Child’s Life In The Andes E-Book by Daria Marmaluk Hajioannou.

A Child's Life In the Andes @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool PlusLearning the culture of South America has not only been fun, but when I find resources like this that have hands-on activities to study the culture of an area along with listening to native South American music it just makes learning about Ecuador that much more fascinating.

The author, Daria speaks Quechua, which is an ancient tongue from the Andes Mountains.

It is an Amerindian language spoken also in a lot of other places here in South America.

Besides overhearing Quechua being spoken here, it will take us more time to able to tell the difference in the traditional dress.

We are trying to learn which dress goes with which geography region here.

Again, that will take us some more time but in the meantime I am tickled to be able to review this product because I think it is a fun supplement for elementary aged children.

Making learning come alive is best done by taking a look at the food, animals and language of this area, which A Child’s Life In The Andes does.

The music we are listening to that comes with this download is also played by traditional instruments from this area.

Too, not only does it come with music to listen to, but it has several fun downloads like coloring pages and a word search.

I can’t wait to share the fun and simple hands-on things we have been doing in an upcoming post.

What about you?

Have you seen this fun supplement to a South American Unit Study?

Hugs and love ya,

2015 Tina Signature co

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Product Review, Sponsored Posts Tagged With: south america

Appreciating the Culture of South America Through Dance

December 15, 2014 | 3 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Though we were excited to read many books and travel brochures before we escaped here to South America, appreciating the culture of South America through dance was an unexpected living moment of history for us.

Cuenca recently celebrated their independence and the full party and parade came right down the street we were staying on.

Appreciating the Culture of South America Through Dance

So sweet because even the little children get involved by dressing up and practicing the dance of their heritage.

Appreciating the Culture of South America Through Dance
Appreciating the Culture of South America Through Dance

The dances weren’t the traditional dances of South America like the tango and salsa, but were a tribute to the local customs like agriculture and farming.

Appreciating the Culture of South America Through Dance
Appreciating the Culture of South America Through Dance

Local traditional clothing are ponchos, embroidered  blouses and skirts.

Appreciating the Culture of South America Through Dance
Appreciating the Culture of South America Through Dance

In the few short months we have been here, we have learned that some dances are just celebrations.

More Appreciating the Culture of South America Resources

  • Free Machu Picchu Mini Book & Completed South America Lapbook
  • 6 South America Country Notebooking Pages
  • How to Memorize the Countries of South America & Mountain Climate Zones Minibooks
  • South America Unit Study– Colorful Free Printable Map
  • South America Geography Salt Dough Map + Printable Pennants
  • South America Unit Study resources
Appreciating the Culture of South America Through Dance
Appreciating the Culture of South America Through Dance

At the end of the celebration, you see many artists here practicing their type of art and you can get a portrait for a bargain price.

Of course local traditions cannot be celebrated either without savoring the local cuy or roasted guinea pig.

Appreciating the Culture of South America Through Dance

There were so many traditional dances and costumes that we could not see them all, but we tried.

Appreciating the Culture of South America Through Dance

Check out my other posts on living in Ecuador.

  • 8 Small Things About Traveling to Cuenca, Ecuador that Make a Big Difference
  • 5 Things I Love About Cuenca Ecuador
  • Everyday Life in Cuenca, Ecuador
  • We Arrived in South America!!!!

Also, look at these minibooks which come in the free South America lapbook 27 page download.

  • Animals of the Galapagos fan book which includes the Giant Tortoise, Lava Lizard, Marine Iguana, Green Turtle, Galapagos Penguins, Magnificent Frigate Bird, Blue-Footed Booby, and Blue-Banded Goby.
  • Comparing Mountain Climate Zones
  • Simon Bolivar Copywork
  • Map of South America to label and one labeled
  • Machu Picchu – Lost City of the Inca
  • Negrinho – A dessert from Brazil
  • How to Memorize the Countries of South America and Dependent
  • Map Flags to put on your salt dough map
  • 2 – The Galapagos Island layered book. One prefilled with facts and one blank to add your own information.
  • Vocabulary Pocket and Vocabulary Words

How to Get the Free South America Printable 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.

► 1) Sign up on my list.
► 2) Go to your inbox and confirm your email from the automatic reply I sent you. If you’re already a confirmed subscriber, you will not have to do this. You’ll receive the freebie instantly.
 ►3) Last step. look for my reply AFTER you’ve confirmed your email.

3 CommentsFiled Under: Living Abroad Tagged With: south america

We Arrived in South America!!!!

September 27, 2014 | 9 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

First, I have missed you! But after a year or more of planning, packing and selling our  junk stuff for months on Craig’s List, we have arrived in Ecuador, South America.  I have tons of photos coming your way today.

We are at an altitude of 8,400 feet here in Cuenca, Ecuador.  Going from dungeon sea level in Texas to a mountain altitude, we were expecting a bit more sickness.  Thankfully, none of us have had any of that sickness.  Sure, we get winded quicker, but are still taking it slow.  But I just couldn’t wait to get an internet connection to start sharing our journey with you.

Since we had to fly out of Florida, we made a quick stop in Orlando to check out Universal Studios.

Florida Universal Studios Universal Studios Florida 2

Then after a few more sprints to the local drug store in Florida for altitude sickness medicine, we were on our way.  Well not so fast.  The flight started off a bit wonky when we were all ask to deboard because one of their crew members did not show up.  Uhmm, it was the copilot.  Of course that didn’t go over well in calming our nerves, but soon they got another copilot and it was smooth sailing.

Leaving the U.S. 1 Leaving the U.S. 2

Since we wanted to see a bit of the Ecuadorean countryside, we decided to fly into Guayaquil, which is on the coast and so it’s sea level and then drive to Cuenca.  It would give the Mr. a chance to rest up some before we had the 4 hour drive and also we would be able to see more of the countryside.

Arriving in Ecuador 1 Arriving in Ecuador 2

(Guayaquil, Ecuador airport)                          (Holiday Inn Guayaquil/Airport was super nice!)

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Guayaquil which had some beautiful showcases showing the heritage and products of South America.  We didn’t have to go far to start learning and have a “field trip”.

Arriving in Ecuador 3 Arriving in Ecuador 4

Then of course, not to be missed is the chocolate here. Oh my goodness, it is the most fresh and organic (it’s true) to die for chocolate.  I have to put it away when the Mr. brought some to our apartment because I am trying to not add to my rotundness.  I am trying to lose weight here with all the walking.

Arriving in Ecuador 5

Then, we headed up to the mountains of Cuenca on the third day. 

Arriving in Ecuador 6 Ecuadorean Bike

Guayaquil is more industrial and does not have quite the quaint and colonial feel that Cuenca has, but then again it has more modern hotels and a big mall.  Okay, well Cuenca has a huge mall too.

Banana Trees Ride in the Clouds

(banana plantation)                                                                            (a drive “in the clouds”)

It did give us a chance to see where some of the fruit like the banana trees are grown.  I tried to take the picture of the banana tree as we were riding in the van so that you could see a bag wrapped around the bananas.  We have so much to learn but we read that the bag protects the bananas from insects and from ripening too soon.

Soon we left the industrial city of Guayaquil and headed for the “city in the clouds” or at least we felt that way as we headed to Cuenca.  The day was clear but as we climbed higher and higher, more clouds covered the road.  A few places along the road were nail biters because the clouds completely covered the road and we had a drop off on one side and could hardly see but a few feet in front of us. 

Thank goodness, the driver we hired was a local and use to the area but we still had claw marks on the seats.  Next time, we will fly to Cuenca from Guayaquil though without the drive we might have missed this beautiful scene.

Breathtaking Cuenca Views

I also took this picture as we were driving and it reminds me of a post card.  Such stunning views of majestic mountains as we kept driving up and climbing in altitude.  Though the culture, food and climate are different, we have already began to fall in love with this country. 

Some local expats call this area “eternal spring” and I couldn’t agree more.

The Mr. and I have both been so weary with the hot Texas weather that we both wanted a change and in just a few short days I am elated.  There is no a/c in the apartment because none is needed.  

Sleeping with the windows open to let in the 40 to 50 degree weather at night with a cool mountain breeze to the almost perfect day weather of 70 degrees is beyond refreshing.  We probably have about 2 or 3 hours of what I call hot, but nothing that a small fan won’t cure and then it’s cool again for the evening.

Here are a few pictures of the 2 bedroom apartment we are staying in on the third floor while we house hunt and the view we have of very old colonial architect.

Cuenca View from our room day Cuenca View from  our room

Our apartment is a L shape and so I am hanging out one window shooting a picture back at the other side. Of course this is all roof top and we still have people’s patio above us.

And then of course, the night lights so far have been breathtaking and it doesn’t hurt to see the beautiful mountain ranges too.

Cuenca View from our room at night 1

We have only been here just a few short days and can’t wait to explore the museums and history here along with of course finding a place to live.  I will be creating pages on my blog to give some tips too for living abroad, homeschooling and finding a place to live. 

So many things I want to share with you as we get our school year started and try to concentrate on it while we learn all about the culture of the many Latin American countries around us.

Missed ya, hugs and love ya,

2014Tinasignature Trail of Tears Indian Removal Act Minibook

9 CommentsFiled Under: Living Abroad Tagged With: south america

Free Mini Layered Book – South America Galapagos Islands

November 7, 2013 | 4 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Free The Galapagos Islands Layered Book

After we did our hands on experiment about the Humboldt Current, then we went ahead and finalized our layered book for our South America Unit.

Free Mini Layered Book - South America Galapagos Islands

Book 6 that I have today is a layered book about the Galapagos Islands.  The download has two ways to use it. One way, you have your child fill in the information because it is blank and the other way, I have a book where information is already added.

Too, you can use part of the book that is blank and use part of the book that has some information if you want to mix and match. As always you have options because I love options.

Our lapbook is shaping up on this unit and you can see above where I placed books 5 and now Book 6. I have just enough room on our lapbook to get in one more topic and that is about Machu Picchu before we finish this unit.

Ocean Currents and The Galapagos1

South America Printable Minibooks

Also, look at these minibooks which come in the free South America lapbook 27 page download.

  • Animals of the Galapagos fan book which includes the Giant Tortoise, Lava Lizard, Marine Iguana, Green Turtle, Galapagos Penguins, Magnificent Frigate Bird, Blue-Footed Booby, and Blue-Banded Goby.
  • Comparing Mountain Climate Zones
  • Simon Bolivar Copywork
  • Map of South America to label and one labeled
  • Machu Picchu – Lost City of the Inca
  • Negrinho – A dessert from Brazil
  • How to Memorize the Countries of South America and Dependent
  • Map Flags to put on your salt dough map
  • 2 – The Galapagos Island layered book. One prefilled with facts and one blank to add your own information.
  • Vocabulary Pocket and Vocabulary Words

More South America Unit Study Resources

  • Appreciating the Culture of South America Through Dance
  • 6 South America Country Notebooking Pages
  • How to Memorize the Countries of South America & Mountain Climate Zones Minibooks
  • South America Unit Study– Colorful Free Printable Map
  • South America Geography Salt Dough Map + Printable Pennants
  • South America Unit Study resources

How to Get the Free South America Printable 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.

► 1) Sign up on my list.
► 2) Go to your inbox and confirm your email from the automatic reply I sent you. If you’re already a confirmed subscriber, you will not have to do this. You’ll receive the freebie instantly.
 ►3) Last step. look for my reply AFTER you’ve confirmed your email.

4 CommentsFiled Under: 1. My FREE Learning Printables {Any Topic}, Geography Based, My Unit Studies {Free Printables & Hands-on Ideas}, Science Based Tagged With: south america

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