Holiday Homework: 4 Ways To Keep Your Students Engaged During Winter Vacation

Holiday Homework: 4 Ways To Keep Your Students Engaged During Winter Vacation
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Lauren_Humphrey]Lauren Humphrey

Winter Break is a time for fun, family and friends. It's also a time when assigning homework can be difficult, as you don't want to burden students during their vacation, but you also need them to continue studying the lessons you're teaching in class. How can you assign homework that is both educational and won't detract from student's family time? Read on!

1) Family History: Some students only see their extended family during the holidays. Researching a family history is a great way for students to interact, and to learn more, about their family during this special time. Assign students to pick a family member and interview them. They can ask questions about the person's life, another family member, important historical events, or about an event that happened within the family. Have students present their findings as a mini-biography. They should write-up (and, for advanced students, analyze for historical context) the interview. Give them creative license to present their findings. Let them draw, animate, film or paint their biography, or allow them to write it as a song, poem, comic book, one-act play or short story. The more personal and creative it is, the more the family will treasure this historical snapshot.

2) Now and Then - Metacognitive Thinking: Winter vacation is a great time for students to reflect on the scholastic year. Ask students to complete an ungraded survey or to answer questions that engage in metacognitive thinking. Define "metacognitive" and ask them to tell you what they have learned this year, what things they still don't understand, and what they want to learn about in the coming new year. Ask students to anonymously tell you about anything in class that has confused, worried, or stressed them out; when you find out what these things are, you can adjust your teaching style and curriculum to help alleviate any problems. Ask them their favorite and least favorite parts of class, what they want to learn about, what they dislike learning about. You can add a fun twist to the assignment by having students write their favorite (school-appropriate) joke, and share one every week with the class in the new year.

3) Book Reports: A classic for a reason, assigning a book report is a great way to engage students over their lengthy Winter Break. Rather than assign one book to the entire class, provide a list of appropriate books and let each student select their own. Make sure to give them this project with enough time to check out the book from the library. As students read their books, they can complete a worksheet to help them retain and expand their ideas for an actual written report. And this isn't just an assignment for ELA classes-social studies teachers can assign works of historical fiction to really bring the curriculum to life.

4) Family Movie Night: One surefire way to get families involved with homework is to assign a movie to watch. Make a list of films that students can select from. You can create the list based on what you're learning about in class or what you will be learning about when students return from Winter Break. Have students watch the film with their family, and give them a worksheet to complete as they watch the movie. Tell students that sharing is okay for this assignment, and encourage them to work with their family members to come up with the best answers for the questions.

Giving homework that is entertaining, interacting and engaging will make sure students don't miss out on important family time over the holidays!

This article was written by Lauren Humphrey of [http://www.TeachWithMovies.com]http://www.TeachWithMovies.com, Inc. -- the premiere site on the Internet showing teachers how to create lesson plans using movies and film.

With the help of Teach With Movies, thousands of Teachers and Home School Parents use movies / film in their classes and home schooling programs to teach Social Studies, English, Science, Health, & the Arts.

Visit our site today: http://www.teachwithmovies.org

Inspiration is Priceless! Gain access to over 350 Learning Guides and Lesson Plans based on Movies and Feature Films.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Holiday-Homework:-4-Ways-To-Keep-Your-Students-Engaged-During-Winter-Vacation&id=6710359] Holiday Homework: 4 Ways To Keep Your Students Engaged During Winter Vacation

Helping Parents to Keep Their Children Motivated to Learn During the Break

Helping Parents to Keep Their Children Motivated to Learn During the Break
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Saundra_Carter]Saundra Carter

It happens every school year. Students return to school in the fall or after the winter break eager to see their friends, to wear the latest fashions, and to learn - not necessarily in that order.

Unfortunately, after several weeks or months of playing video games, vegetating on the couch, babysitting younger siblings, or working outside of the home many students have unintentionally shifted the lessons from the previous semester or school year to another part of their brains.

It is not their fault. If information is not used on a regular basis, it is forgotten. If a student has not factored a quadratic equation in 3 months, chances are that skill will take several minutes and several examples to recall.

The impact of this lapse in memory is problematic for the teacher who must invest time in review instead of introducing new material. In a global economy that requires a global work force, there is simply no time to waste.

In Japan, South Korea, Israel, and the Netherlands, students spend at least 200 days in school. Students in Japan spend 243 days in class, while Americans are only in class for 180 days with the traditional school calendar. [1]

In order to make the most effective use of class room time to prepare our students to compete in a global work force, they must invest more time engaged in proactive learning outside of the classroom and beyond the school year.

What can be done to inspire learning, to minimize memory loss over the summer or winter break, and to reduce the time it takes to regenerate the brain for a successful academic school year? Daily injections of knowledge are the answer.

Here are a few ideas. Use the break to determine the student's areas of strength and improvement. Unfortunately, there are many students in high school that cannot successfully do arithmetic with decimals and fractions. Quite often this deficiency is hidden by use of a calculator. Parents can give the child an evaluation of math skills to determine the areas of strength and areas of improvement. One hour of study per day focused on correcting these deficiencies can substantially improve academic performance for the coming school year and potentially improve chances of receiving an academic scholarship.

Another idea is to empower the students to make decisions concerning their own academic future by assigning them the task of searching the Internet for enrichment courses and SAT Math Boot Camps in areas that the student knows help is needed. If the student is required to pick three classes, they will probably choose one that the parent will find worthy of attendance.

A very effective method to keep the mind challenged during the break is for the parent to assign realistic math problems. If the student has a job, the student should be required to prepare a budget and maintain it on a spreadsheet.

Younger children accompanying parents to the store can be challenged by manually calculating change returned when shopping or manually calculating percentage discount on an item that is on sale. This is a very effective method of gaining the child's interest if the item purchased is for the child.

The final idea is to assign the student one chapter to read per day over the winter break or per week over the summer break. To insure the reading was done, assign math problems to complete or questions to answer. Use the self-empowerment principle. Let the student choose three books for review by the parent. The parent approves one of the three books.

In summation, everyone needs a mental break. After several months of intensive study, students need time to relax, to rejuvenate, and to retool. The concept is to spend at least 5 hours per week engaged in learning. These 5 hours of proactive prevention are worth more than summer school or remedial classes required as a cure for failing. Our children can achieve if we challenge them, give them resources to excel, and raise their standards for excellence.

[1] "Back to School Already? Year-Round Programs in Full Swing" ABC Nightly News http://abcnews.go.com/US/Story?id=8289808&page=1

Copyright 2011, Math 1 On 1, LLC, Saundra Carter "The Math Lady"

Saundra Carter, known to her clients as "The Math Lady" is the CEO of Math 1 On 1, LLC a mathematics tutoring company that offers tutoring services from Arithmetic to Calculus in a setting convenient to the client. Her company also presents Fun, Interactive Math Workshops and SAT Math Boot Camps that can be used as fund raisers for youth groups.

She is the author of "How to Help Parents and Kids Get Over the Fear of Math". This book contains a math evaluation and answer key that will empower parents to determine their children's areas of strength and improvement in under 30 minutes.

Math 1 On 1, LLC http://www.math1on1.net

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Helping-Parents-to-Keep-Their-Children-Motivated-to-Learn-During-the-Break&id=5661352] Helping Parents to Keep Their Children Motivated to Learn During the Break

Friendship and Thanksgiving Worksheet

Sample Friendship and Thanksgiving Worksheet

Mayflower Coloring Page

About this Worksheet: A free printable worksheet for students to color! Pass this picture of the Mayflower out and let them color it as they learn more about the voyage of the Mayflower and all of the adventures! From k12Reader.com.

Patriotism in the Classroom

Patriotism in the Classroom

Vetearns Day Quotes for Our Loving Veterans

Vetearns Day Quotes for Our Loving Veterans

How To Improve Your Writing: Capitalization

How To Improve Your Writing: Capitalization

Halloween coloring pages—Celebrate Halloween with your kids in several ways

Halloween coloring pages—Celebrate Halloween with your kids in several ways

How to Make Your Own Halloween Maze

How to Make Your Own Halloween Maze

The Top Bulk Candy Buys For Halloween

The Top Bulk Candy Buys For Halloween

Halloween Activities, Using Classroom Technology & Multiple Intelligences for Classroom Lesson Plans

Halloween Activities, Using Classroom Technology & Multiple Intelligences for Classroom Lesson Plans

Halloween Games Make Math Fun

Halloween Games Make Math Fun

Halloween Word Games – Educational Halloween Games for School

Halloween Word Games – Educational Halloween Games for School

Completing Homeschool High School Records

Completing Homeschool High School Records
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Lee_Binz]Lee Binz

Do you have perfectly crafted homeschool transcripts and course descriptions, ready even now for the event (soon to come) in which someone will ask you for them? Most folks don't, either, so don't feel badly. I have a friend who called me recently in a panic, because she needed a transcript on Monday (it was Friday). Since she homeschools in California under the private school law, she had never even considered that she might need a transcript some day. When her son decided that he wanted to enlist in the Navy, surprise--the Navy wanted a transcript!

I have another friend that needed help with her homeschool records. Her problem was that she just wasn't quite sure what school work they had done. She said that she was a binder person, but when she showed me her homeschool binder during our first day together, I opened it up and there was nothing there! She had some labeled sections, but there were no papers, no curriculum, nothing there! So we dug through the tub of stuff that she had brought with all of her homeschool pieces, and I helped her put together a transcript.

Random Facts Versus Whole Science Approach to Homeschool Teaching

Random Facts Versus Whole Science Approach to Homeschool Teaching
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Dr_Rebecca_Keller]Dr Rebecca Keller

When it comes to learning science, most of us were taught in the public school system, which is a big proponent of the random fact teaching methodology. In other words, science was a single subject taught in a vacuum separate from other subjects. When it comes to teaching difficult or complex subjects such as science, it makes more sense to take a holistic approach. Here's why.

The Science Random Fact Junk Drawer

There has been much news lately about the American education crisis in regards to a lack of interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) disciplines. The United States is falling behind other developed countries when it comes to new technologies and discoveries, mainly because it is producing fewer graduates with related degrees.

How to Make a Website for Parents Who Home School

How to Make a Website for Parents Who Home School
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Blake_H_Alexander]Blake H Alexander

A large number of people choose to not send their children to public school and choose to teach them from home. Many people who home school have come up with lesson plans and other ideas that other home schooling parents can benefit from. Setting up a website to share lesson plans, ideas, and information about home schooling is a great way for home schooling parents to easily share these things with other parents. Learning how to make a website for parents that home school can help ensure that information is organized and easily accessible to all visitors to the home schooling website.

The very first page of a website is called the main page or home page. The home page usually contains very basic information on what the website is about and what users can gain from exploring the rest of the website. Clearly stating what the goal is will help visitors get an idea of what they can find on the website. Also featured on the home page and any other subsequent pages are links to other pages available on the website. By clicking on one of the page links, visitors are redirected to the corresponding web page. This allows for visitors to the website easily navigate to the different pages to get the information they are personally seeking.

Easy Fundraisers for Homeschool Organizations

Easy Fundraisers for Homeschool Organizations
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Carol_Topp]Carol Topp

Many homeschool groups bring in needed income through fundraisers. Through experience I have found that some fundraisers are much easier to conduct than others. Although very common, selling products door to door is one of the hardest ways to raise money because managing the orders, delivering the product, and storing inventory is a lot of hard work. My group had tried selling products in the past, but we wanted an easier way to bring in funds. We found several ideas that have worked well including reward and coupon programs, dinners, donation drives and website income.

Coupon and Reward Programs

Learn To Organize Your Homeschool for Free With Evernote

Learn To Organize Your Homeschool for Free With Evernote
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jenny_McDaniel]Jenny McDaniel

The thought of homeschooling conjures many fears for new homeschooling parents. One of those fears is record keeping both for the state as well as recording educational growth of your child. You have the option of saving every paper and filing away in a cabinet or be savvy and use a paperless trail. I personally love the ease and convenience of Evernote. The program allows me to use my desktop or an app on my phone to record numerous milestones and allows me to seamlessly transition between my phone or computer by automatically syncing the data. Evernote allows for personalizing data to your lifestyle so the ways to use this program seems limitless! That prospect will either excite you or scare you depending on your personality. Here I would like to share how I have been using Evernote for over a year for our homeschoolers and give you a starting point for optimizing your own organizational system with Evernote.

The Transition to Homeschooling

The Transition to Homeschooling
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Judy_Hansen]Judy Hansen and Peter Watly

If you are considering switching to homeschooling from conventional schooling, then there are several things you need to be aware of besides just what kind of homeschool curriculum you would want to embark your kid on. Moving from conventional schooling to homeschooling can be daunting and troublesome for any child, more especially if you, as parents, do not take the time or make the effort to make the transition as smooth and as simple as possible. Preparation is definitely a must here.

Here are the bases that you need to cover when considering switching to homeschooling.

1) Research

Age-Appropriate Considerations When Choosing Homeschool Textbooks and a Curriculum For Homeschool

Age-Appropriate Considerations When Choosing Homeschool Textbooks and a Curriculum For Homeschool
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Christine_Harrell]Christine Harrell

If you've made the tough decision to homeschool your children, the next difficult decision is choosing a curriculum for homeschool. As homeschooling has become more mainstream, the number of homeschooling supplies available has exploded. How do you know you've chosen the right one? Whether you're looking for preschool, elementary, junior high or high school homeschool textbooks, here are some things to consider and evaluate before choosing a curriculum for homeschool.

Preschool Homeschool Textbooks

Homeschool Roadblocks - Four Traps to Avoid

Homeschool Roadblocks - Four Traps to Avoid
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Camille_Rodriquez]Camille Rodriquez

Homeschool families love what they do. They love the freedoms that are afforded to them. They love the fact that they can suit their homeschool program to fit their values and objectives, and they love the flexibility to do so on their schedule. However, there are some common traps that homeschool families need to be on the lookout for in order to ensure that they meet their goals with integrity, value, and purpose and that their students have an easy access to post-high school options. Several of these common traps can easily be avoided with a little attention to scheduling and accountability.

Used Homeschool Curriculum - Seven Ways to Save You Money, Time, and Costly Mistakes

Used Homeschool Curriculum - Seven Ways to Save You Money, Time, and Costly Mistakes
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Susan_Marra]Susan Marra

Homeschooling is a multi-million dollar industry, but the truth is that most families who are homeschooling are living on a tight budget.  With the average family spending $600.00 a year per child for curriculum purchases, homeschooling can be hard on a family's budget.  Buying used books and curriculum can save you 25% to 50% or more off the cost of your curriculum, saving you money to use elsewhere for your children's education. 

Seven Good Reasons to Buy Used Homeschool Curriculum. 

Whether you have plenty of money, or are trying to save money wherever you can.

How to Set Up a Home Classroom and Curriculum For Homeschool

How to Set Up a Home Classroom and Curriculum For Homeschool
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Christine_Harrell]Christine Harrell

Deciding to homeschool your children is a decision many families struggle with. It's a difficult choice to make and families may decide to homeschool their children for many reasons. Families may choose to homeschool to provide children with one-on-one lessons and attention, for religious reasons, to allow children to learn at their own pace, or for many other diverse reasons. Once you've decided to homeschool your children, your next step is to find a curriculum and homeschooling supplies.

Setting Up A Homeschool Classroom

Back to School Savings

Back to School Savings
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Cheryl_Johnson]Cheryl Johnson

Back to school. Whew! What a relief.   Although I don't look forward to the school supply lists and shopping in preparation for the big day, I am grateful for the peaceful days that lay before me.   I love my kids, but don't love those long summer days playing referee to numerous sibling conflicts between three teens and one pre-teen, each individually determined to have the day go their way.

Two and a half months later I'm ready to all but  push them out the door to go back to school!  But really, I have to congratulate the kids.  That no-one suffered severe injury during all that head butting is truly a miracle!  Safely surviving the summer, they now get ready to bravely walk the halls of peer scrutiny.  Hard to believe that they could actually be excited about it.  But, they are, as they have always been each year before, eagerly anticipating the big day.

Back-To-School Shop the Smart Way!

Back-To-School Shop the Smart Way!
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Anne_Clarke]Anne Clarke

"Back-to-school" is almost like a season all of its own.  Parents and students are rushing to grocery stores and office stores to find the best back-to-school supplies.  Meanwhile, many of the best back-to-school supplies are already sold out or mixed into the wrong piles.  Here are some tips for helping you shop for back-to-school supplies.

·    Most importantly, do not wait for the last moment.  There are many back-to-school supplies that you can buy for your child long before school starts.  You know that your child is going to need basics like:

Back to School - Back to Reality

Back to School - Back to Reality
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Danielle_Line]Danielle Line

So it's back to school time, which for most of us Moms that means back to reality. I don't know about you, but this summer has been quite an adventure for my family and I. Vacationing was very limited for us this year due to the state of our economy and it's effect on our pocket book. It made vacation planning pretty tough and I spent a lot of time searching for the best deals everywhere we wanted to go. Fortunately, even with a super tight budget we were able to enjoy some really great places this summer like New York, Miami, San Diego, as well as numerous days spent at good ol' Zuma Beach. Oh how nice were the days of relaxing on the beach and reading all the latest gossip magazines. Now that back to school is here it's time to get not only the kids, but yourself focused on the new school year ahead and off of the vacation schedule. Here are some helpful tips to make this the smoothest transition possible.

Back to School Tips For Parents

Back to School Tips For Parents
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Amy_Blakeslee]Amy Blakeslee

It's the end of July and back to school time is just around the corner. Where did the summer go? My daughter just finished kindergarten in June. I look back to when she entered kindergarten last fall; I was so unprepared and confused. What did we need to get? Where did we need to go? What forms did I need the doctor to send in?
 I am looking forward to an easier transition this year. I have some real back to school parenting experience under my belt and my daughter loves her school. An added benefit this year? She's been attending a summer day camp at the school so the environment is still familiar and friendly to her.
 Are you where I was last year, new to your child's school and unsure of what to do? Or maybe you just haven't started thinking about it yet? Read on for some steps you can take to help you prepare for back to school time.

How to Be Thrifty During Back-to-School Shopping

How to Be Thrifty During Back-to-School Shopping
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Christie_Silvers]Christie Silvers

Back-to-School shopping is quite a daunting task and it can get pretty expensive for many parents.  The children want all of the fancy, new and character-covered school products on the market and many parents feel compelled to spend a lot of their hard-earned cash on said school supplies.  So what's a parent to do when they finally get tired of spending a small fortune on school supplies?  They get THRIFTY! 

Being thrifty does not mean that you don't supply the things that your child will need for school. It simply means that you have to find a cheaper way to do so.  Dictionary.com defines thrifty as "1. practicing thrift or economical management; frugal  2. thriving, prosperous, successful".  So following along those same lines, being thrifty is a goal that everyone should aspire to reach, especially in the matter of back-to-school shopping.  Here are a few tips on how to be thrifty during your back-to-school shopping.

5 Tips For Beating the Back to School Blues - Preparing Your Child For Their Return to School

5 Tips For Beating the Back to School Blues - Preparing Your Child For Their Return to School
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Eronne_Ward]Eronne Ward

Do you remember when you were young, the feelings you experienced when school ended and summer break began? Pretty great huh? Do you also remember how you felt when summer was ending and school was about to be back in session? Not so great hey? Well now it's your kid's turn to feel that way and it is highly likely that their suffering the same feelings you did when it was time to head back to class. Obviously no parent wants to see their child unhappy so we've compiled a list of tips to help your child transition through the shock of starting another year of school.

Advantages of Learning Through the Summer Months

Author: Surabhi
While children learn plenty of information throughout the school year, some of that can be lost during the summer. In addition to that issue, often called 'summer brain drain,' there are a variety of other reasons for parents to consider an online summer learning program. In fact, there are many advantages of learning through the summer months.
Prevent Loss of Learning
Facts oftentimes are not being practiced enough during summer vacation. Learning through the summer months can help avoid a loss of learning that occurs due to non-practice. Oftentimes teachers spend a good portion of the beginning of the school year reviewing what was learned in the previous year. Summer learning programs can make this process and transition much smoother for a child.

What Can/Should Parents Do to Keep Their Children Involved with Academics During the Summer?

Author: Surabhi
School’s out! It’s time to run and play – and study, too. What? Studying in the summertime? It’s true that kids have been working hard all year at learning and deserve a break. But, that doesn’t mean that learning should completely stop during the summer months. A fair balance between learning and summer fun will allow a child to have fun, as well as help to prevent summer brain drain. So, what can/should parents do to keep children involved in academics during the summer? Here are a few simple ideas for parents to use.
Read Something Daily
Children need to read something every day. Reading daily keeps the brain focused. Good reading skills will help with learning success in all subject areas. In fact, reading is one of very few activities that help to produce new brain cells. Reading comprehension is required to comprehend just about every other school subject, including math. Not only will lessons and instructions need to be read and understood, but the better a child can decode in reading, the better his or brain can decode in other areas. This is why reading comprehension is so important. Oftentimes, deficiencies in other areas can be traced back to reading and math. Daily reading practice keeps the child\'s reading level current, as well as helps increase reading and comprehension levels.

How to Keep Your Children Reading During the Summer

How to Keep Your Children Reading During the Summer
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Michael_C_Miller]Michael C Miller

Your Public Library: A Great Resource

You may be eager to know as to how you can maintain or improve on the reading levels of your child during this summer? The answer is not too complex; just encourage them to keep reading. The public library in your area could be of immense help. In fact many of the public libraries have specially formulated summer reading sessions for the children's. These sessions are specially designed to encourage the children to continue reading and provide for incentives to keep them reading. Special events are sometimes added to the schedule to prop up the habit.

You can check out at your library to find out its plans for coming summer. If you've not already been a member of library, it requires just a proof of your address to secure one.

Warning! Danger Ahead - Avoid Summer Slide!

Author: Andrew Joseph
This kind of summer slide is not wet, wild or fun – but a 100 year old learning-loss phenomenon** that affects our students every summer! The 'Summer Slide' is how experts and educators describe the more than 2 months of math learning students lose during the course of summer vacation.
The good news is there are many fun, convenient and effective ways to help avoid the Summer Slide! So grab your summer reading list and make plans to…
Help Your Family Avoid the Summer Slide:
What Parents can do to keep kids sharp over the summer
© 2010 National Summer Learning Association.

Christian Summer Camp Jobs

Joyful Employment Christian Summer Camp Jobs

Author: askinrobbins
Joyful Employment: Christian Summer Camp Jobs

For many high school and college students, summertime is an opportunity to earn extra money and gain some valuable work experience. Many of these students are able to work at entry level positions that don\'t require much work experience. If fortunate, they will be able to work at a business that may be in keeping with what their career goals are.

Another exciting opportunity that may be afforded to a young person is to work at a Christian summer camp. This is an excellent opportunity for a number of reasons. Therefore, it is important to note what a Christian summer camp is and what some of the Christian summer camp jobs available to the young person are.

What Is a Christian Summer Camp?

Help Your Kids Learn All Summer

Help Your Kids Learn All Summer
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Sheryl_Wood]Sheryl Wood

School may be out for summer, but the learning doesn't have to stop there. In fact, the real challenge of summer is to let your kids relax, enjoy their leisure time with friends and family and still keep their minds sharp and their curiosity piqued. How can a parent help make that happen? Read the tips below and find all kinds of activities, some that the entire family can enjoy, that will keep your child learning all summer.

1. Encourage daily reading. Kids don't have to read textbooks or the classics to maintain reading skills over the summer. Summer is for fun. Take them to the library or the bookstore and let them choose anything that interests them. If you are going to the beach or to visit relatives for vacation, somewhere you know they won't have the distractions of home, they might even welcome reading. Give them a fun novel about kids their own age. Young girls still love the Nancy Drew Mystery series. It builds curiosity, problem-solving and strategy skills. If comic books are all they will read, indulge them.

Advantages Of Taking Summer College Programs

Author: Joey
Here you will find some of the advantages of enrolling in university and college accredited summer programs. First of all, you get a jump on the fellow students by preparing for the academic year and getting major disciplines out of the way. In case you are searching to graduate earlier or take the double major course work, then summer program preparation can prove inestimable.
Besides, you will meet new friends prior to the academic year begins thus expanding your social circle. Certain summer programs offer 'out-of-the-classroom' experiences. For example, you may be capable to take part in a learning/work program at a company in your selected industry. Alternatively, you might travel for the summer program as well as explore a new country or city. Summer learning may introduce you to various university and college courses and stimulate your interest in the new disciplines.

Fun Summer Activities To Do Together or With Their Friends for the Self Confident Parent - Part 1

Fun Summer Activities To Do Together or With Their Friends for the Self Confident Parent - Part 1
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Lena_Tucker]Lena Tucker

"I'm bored!" "I have nothing to do!" "What should I do now?"

Are these some of the things you are hearing or have heard from your child or children this summer? Are you running out of things to do? Here are some fun activities that you can do with your kids. You can even have your kids invite friends and do these activities together.

But first, here is something to think about. A girlfriend of mine had a very good suggestion that will prevent your child from complaining  about being bored. She sends them to the refrigerator and taped to the door is a list of chores that she has written down for them to do, when they complain that they are bored. Needless to say, her children never complain about being bored.

As a self confident parent, if you are looking for some things that are actually fun to do, here are a couple of great activities or ideas:

Self Confident Parent Guide to Fun Summer Activites To Do Together - Part 2

Self Confident Parent Guide to Fun Summer Activites To Do Together - Part 2
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Lena_Tucker]Lena Tucker

How about some more fun summer activities, for that self confident parent to plan and do this summer, to have more fun and bonding experiences and build a self confident child or children.

Here are some more fun suggestions or ideas for the self confident parent to do this summer with their child or children:

1) Plan a game night or game time. Pull out your old board games.

One of my sons loves to play the game of bunco. (It is a fun game and one of my favorites. It is an easy dice game. There is no skill required except rolling of 3 dice at a time.) We have played with just with the two of us and sometimes three.

My girlfriend plans a yearly game night for her girlfriends and their sons. She provides the pizza and soft drinks and we provide the desserts and munchies. We have a great time!  We have even had grade level bunco game nights.

Thomas Jefferson and his Charlottesville Home

Author: Sandy Collins

Thomas Jefferson and his Charlottesville Home

Jefferson was born April 13, 1743 at Shadwell in Virginia. Interesting that a man who drafted our Declaration of Independence, became our 3rd President and founded the University of Virginia decided to live in the Charlottesville Real Estate area.
Certainly he could have lived anywhere as he traveled overseas as Secretary of State and had intimate knowledge of the United States as he was the one who sent Lewis and Clark to map out the west. He had a better knowledge of the world and the Untied States than most people do today.
Jefferson built his home, Monticello within a few miles of his birth place overlooking Charlottesville and the University of Virginia. The drive to Monticello is almost a step back in time. You can imagine riding a carriage or house to the property un the hills in the Virginia countryside.

President Jefferson and His Take on Architecture

Author: Kohn Coleman
There is only one United States president to date that was so beloved by his people and such a prominent figure in the construction of his own home that he had an architectural style named after him.  President Thomas Jefferson was given this honor after being extremely involved in designing several different architectural phenomenon.

The Jeffersonian style is one like no other, though it falls somewhere between the Neo-classical and Neo-Palladianism styles.  The Jeffersonian style never spread overseas like many other styles, and was limited to a few different areas of the U.S., but it made its impact nonetheless -- several places became famous due to this style of architecture and the purpose behind them, but there are dozens more private homes that few people pay any attention to.

Declaration of Independence and Thomas Jefferson

Author: david dagan
Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776)
The United States Declaration of Independence, written byThomas Jefferson, was adopted by the Continental Congress in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776. The Declaration stated that the Thirteen Colonies in North America were 'Free and Independent States' and that 'all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved.'
It consists of four main parts:  (1) justification of the Declaration and presentation of the Congress intention to adopt the Declaration. (2) consice explanation of the foundations for the new government - the political philosophy at the time. (3) A bill of particulars documenting the king\'s 'repeated injuries and usurpations' of the Americans\' rights and liberties.
(4) the independence decision and signatures of the assemblies.
The main ideas were taken from John Lock and articulated by Thomas Jefferson. The revolutionary part of the Declaration is the attempt to establish the Age of Enlightenment ideas as the states foundation.  Its historic importance is a result of the fact that most of its readers accepted it as the credo of American democracy. Its universal importance is because it states the rights of humans in general, and not just Americans. 
  

Easter in the Homeschool: Homeschooling Recipes at Easter

Author: Mimi Rothschild
Welcome to The Southern Baptist Academy\'s Easter Recipe\'s page! It is our hope that you and your homeschooling family will enjoy one or many of the following Easter recipes. Enjoy!

Twin Groves: Try out these different recipes for Easter Ham. More than any other food, a plump roasted ham represents a traditional American Easter feast.

AllRecipes: Your homeschooling family may find it difficult to bite into this adorable dessert. You might have to shut your eyes.

Joy of Cooking: This fabulous Easter treat will thrill your homeschoolers with sweet carroty goodness.

Fabulous Foods: This Bunny Crisp is sure to please your home school students with its cute red licorice whiskers.

Fun Easter Activities for the Classroom

Author: Terese Evans
If you need Easter activities for the classroom, you will find that you have many different activities that you could choose. You may like to have the children create Easter crafts but there are also many other educational Easter activities that are suitable for the classroom. Many of these involve math, reading and writing so the learning doesn\'t have to stop while the kids have some Easter fun!
Easter Riddle Match
The children can be involved in preparing this Easter activity for the classroom. They can start by finding about 10-15 Easter riddles. Once they have found the riddles, each riddle is written on a separate card and each answer is written on a separate card. These cards can then be used to play a Memory style game with 2 – 4 players. The cards are spread out face down on a table. Each player has a trun at choosing two cards and turning them over. If the cards make a match, the player gets to keep the riddle they have made and have another turn. The winner will be the player who has the most pairs when all of the cards have been matched.

Easter for Home Schoolers: Why Christians Don't Celebrate Passover

Author: Mimi Rothschild
Most Christian home school students will tell you that the origin of Passover can be found in the Old Testament book of Exodus. The term Passover comes from the Jewish word 'Pesakh' which means 'passing over'. During a 400-year period of bondage out of which Moses would soon lead the Jewish people, The Jews were commanded to kill a sacrificial lamb and spread the blood of this lamb on the doorpost of their home. This blood would alert the Angel of Death, who would then pass over the house. Families who did not have blood on the doorpost would be punished with the murder of their firstborn son. Each year, this event was celebrated with The Feast of Unleavened Bread, which referred to the week in which the Jews ate only unleavened bread or 'matzo'.

Foreshadowing Christ\'s death, the blood of the sacrificial lamb would one day be eclipsed by the blood of Jesus Christ himself. Christian home school students no longer celebrate the Passover because the death and subsequent resurrection of Christ removes the need to sacrifice an animal to atone for sin. Christ\'s sacrifice was an eternal atonement; his blood replaces the need for the lamb\'s blood.

Kids Easter Activities for Home or School

Author: Terese Evans
As Easter approaches there are may different kids Easter activities that children can enjoy. Whether you want an activity for your child to do in the classroom or at home, you have lots for choices. There are games, crafts, puzzles, math activities and cooking activities that will keep the kids happy and busy.
One of the common kids Easter activities is decorating eggs, but there are also other crafts ideas that you could use.
Easter Cards
Provide the kids with construction card, glue, colored paper, stickers, glitter and markers and they can make Easter cards to give to friends or family. To make an interesting card, try shaping the card like and egg or a bunny.
Easter Wreaths
A different Easter craft activity is to create wreaths. These can be made on a paper plate with a ring cut out of the center. To start, the wreath can have straw glued over it or it can be painted in gold or silver paint. Next decorate it with fluffy chicks, eggs, flowers, ribbons or cutouts of colored egg shapes that have been decorated. Add a ribbon to the top to hang it from and you have your own unique wreath.

Spring Break Frugal Activities and Crafts for Kids

Author: Sandy Sandler
Spring Break is just around the corner; a week spent with children home from school looking for ways to have fun and be creative. As a parent you want their time spent at home to be quality family time. Plan fun frugal activities ahead of time so that when those adorable faces are staring at you begging for something to do you have a game plan.

Easter in the Homeschool: a Closer Look at Easter History

Author: Mimi Rothschild
Christian homeschoolers celebrate Easter every spring as a way to celebrate and remember the death of Christ and his subsequent resurrection from the dead three days later. However, Easter is actually rooted in surprising pagan mythology. Christian homeschoolers should think about this the next time they get upset about someone taking Christian imagery out of an Easter display.

The actual name of the holiday is most likely derived from the Teutonic goddess 'Eastre'. This goddess represented spring and fertility. Like Groundhog Day, Valentine\'s Day, and even Christmas, Easter was once used to worship pagan deities. The Easter Rabbit, Easter eggs, and several other holiday imagery also stem from these pagan festivals. Other scholars believe that the holiday stems from Phrygia, where they made music and danced in order to wake up their god who had spent the winter asleep.

Homeschool Easter: Easter Activities for Homeschoolers

Author: Mimi Rothschild
Welcome to The MorningStar Academy Easter Activities page. We hope that you and your homeschoolers enjoy these fantastic free crafts, printables, and other activities.

Wooden Spoon Bunny Craft: Families First will teach your homeschoolers how to make this fun bunny craft.

Why is Easter so Happy?: Bible Kidz Funzone chronicles a kid-friendly story of Easter. Your homeschoolers need to know why Christians celebrate this holiday.

Easter Egg Hunt: Kaboose has several pages that should get you started on the best Easter Egg Hunt you\'ve ever hosted. You would be surprised at all the creative things you can do!

Easter Chicks: Homeschoolzone has a fun Easter Chick craft that your homeschool students are sure to love.

Saint Patricks Day Gifts With Irish Symbols

Author: Kate S
St Patrick\'s Day is on March 17.  It is observed by the Irish to commemorate the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick (AD 387 - 461).  The Irish have observed the anniversary of his death as a religious holiday since the seventeen century. Today, St. Patrick\'s Day is celebrated as a secular holiday.  This article examines the symbols of this holiday and provides ideas for Saint Patricks Day gifts.
The symbols of St. Patrick\'s Day include the shamrock, the color green, the leprechauns, and anything Irish. The main symbol of this holiday is the shamrock, which is also the symbol of Ireland.  According to Irish folklore, St. Patrick used the three-leaved shamrock to illustrate the idea of the Holy Trinity - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The color green is associated with this holiday probably because green is the color of the shamrock.  Green clothings are worn by the Irish and non-Irish alike for the celebration.  Even the Chicago River is dyed green for the celebration.   

History Of Saint Patrick's Day

The Fascinating History And Powerful Message Of Saint Patrick's Day

Author: Tobin Crenshaw
SERMON PULPIT EXCHANGE JANUARY 18 2009
While leprechauns are ubiquitous, children are regaled with tales of banishing snakes, and adults sit back to drink green beer, the truth is that Saint Patrick suffered much, inspired much and taught the world some of the most timeless principles about love and life.
Saint Patrick (385-461 A.D.) was taken into slavery as a teenager. During that time his comfort came from above as he often prayed a hundred times a day for God\'s presence. Several years later a voice called out to him, 'Ship is ready.' Escaping from his slave master in Ireland, Patrick would travel seventy miles to the coast to find a ship waiting for him at the dock. Finally free, he sailed back to his home in Britain.

African American Poetry

African American Poetry - The Players, The Times, The Themes, The Struggle!
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Sarah_H]Sarah H

African American Poetry is a form of literature that is basically an expressive and colorful form of the emotions of the black and enslaved populations of America. Many of the themes of early African American Poetry revolve around issues such as slavery, murder, familial problems, and lifestyle. The tone of most of the literary works of this era entertain an emotional tone rather than reserved philosophical style. This allows the poems to be more personal and engaging. The journey of African Americans in America from the days of slavery until now can be traced through the history of these poems.

Homeschooling - Fredrick Douglass - Today

Homeschooling - Fredrick Douglass - Today
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Daviyd_Peterson]Daviyd Peterson

This article is the 1st of 3 in a series for computer based Homeschooling African American children during Black History Month. It's aim is to suggest a standards goal for teaching our children at home in order to provide them with an exceptional education to insure their future. Homeschooling using a computer to bring the enormous amount of information into our children's classroom during Black History Month can be a critical tool to reaching a parents goal for a quality education.

Thurgood Marshall

Thurgood Marshall
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Gus_M_Lange]Gus M Lange

Thurgood Marshall was the first African-American to serve as Supreme Court Justice. He protested that "the separate but equal" doctrine was unconstitutional in the Supreme Court case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka.

Thurgood Marshal was born on the July 2nd, 1908 in Baltimore, Maryland. Marshall was son of William Canfield Marshall, a railroad porter and a steward at an all white country club, and his mother Norma Williams Marshall, an elementary school teacher. Marshall was a honors student when he graduated from Lincoln University in 1930. He went to a college called Howard University Law School, being rejected from University of Maryland Law School because being white was a "qualification" to attend. He still took the best of his resources and was ranked first in his class. At Howard he was encouraged to view the law as a vehicle of change by Charles Hamilton Houston.

President's Day Facts, Crafts, and Ideas

The Top Free Patriotic Crafts, Ideas, and Free Patterns and President’s Day Facts

Author: Kelly Mellott

This year Presidents Day falls on February 16. Many schools use the time before Presidents Day to educate young children about presidents past and present and the workings of the United States Government. Patriotic crafts for children are a great way to teach them about the history of President’s Day . Make these great patriotic homemade crafts with your own child at home and spend time with them talking about what it means to be an American!

Patriotic Crafts for Children

George Washington Powdered Wig

Dress-up like the birthday boy himself – our very first president George Washington – with this fun and educational project.

Materials:

• Approximately half a bag of cotton balls per wig


• Paper painter’s cap


• Black ribbon


• White craft glue


• Safety scissors

Steps:

1. Give the painter’s hat a little more shape by stuffing some rags or towels inside it to make it stand as though it will when placed on your child’s head.


2. Glue cotton balls directly to the hat as if they were the curls of a wig. Cover the entire hat.


3. Cut enough of the ribbon to tie a small bow. Glue the bow to the cotton balls as if a ponytail that would hang over the nape of the neck.


4. Let your child wear and feel like a true American patriot.

Obama Symbol Paper Plate

Help your child join in the excitement and celebration of our new President with this easy and cheap President\'s Day craft idea.

Materials:

• Paper Plate


• A copy or pattern of the Obama 'O' logo


• Acrylic paint in red, white, and blue


• paintbrush

Steps:

1. Draw the Obama 'o' pattern on the paper plate. The middle part of the plate should become the white of the O inside the outer ridge.


2. Paint the top portion of the outer ridge blue and the horizontal stripes red and white like the American flag.


3. Allow to dry completely. Have your child learn a few facts about President Obama. Discuss with them the historical importance of his election to office.

Presidents Day Facts:

Presidents Day, also known as Washington’s Birthday or Washington and Lincoln Day, is a United States Federal Holiday, celebrated the third Monday of February.

Presidents’ Day is also known as a day to celebrate General Washington’s creation of the first military badge of merit for the common soldier – the Purple Heart – which was revived on Washington’s 200th birthday in 1932. Many people honor US veterans over Washington’s birthday weekend.

In New Mexico, President’s Day, as a state government paid holiday, is observed on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Because Presidents Day is not the official name for the federal holiday, many spellings are accepted with no right or wrong. President’s Day, Presidents Day, and Presidents’ Day are all commonly used spellings of the holiday’s name.


Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/crafts-articles/the-top-free-patriotic-crafts-ideas-and-free-patterns-and-presidents-day-facts-764669.html
About the Author
Kelly Mellott is an Editor for Favecrafts.com and favecraftsblog.com.

ROSA PARKS: CHAMPION FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND FREEDOM

Author: David Nalin
There are many stories of brave and rebellious patriots that have risen from the history of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. Few are more celebrated than the quiet seamstress whose actions lead to the ultimate fall of legalized segregation. The story is of Rosa Parks, often referred to as the mother of the modern civil rights movement.
The day that Rosa Parks is most remembered for is December 1st, 1955. At the time Rosa was working as a seamstress at a local department store. At the time, segregation laws required that blacks enter the front of the bus to pay their fare then leave the bus and enter by the back door to take their seats. There was a section of seats in the back of the bus that was reserved for 'colored' riders. Should a white rider enter the bus and be unable to find a seat, black riders were required to leave their seat to allow the white rider to sit down.

African American Home Schooling Resources

Black History Month: African American Home Schooling Resources

Author: Mimi Rothschild
National Black Home Educators: African Americans who are new to home schooling will find this webpage to be quite informative. Be sure to view their 'Getting Started' page for tips.

Ed Online: Historically Black Colleges (HBCU\'s) are known for equipping African American students to succeed in the work environment. Click on some of the different colleges to find the perfect fit for you.

About.com - Home schooling: About.com is a great home schooling page that has resources specifically for African American home school students and their parents.

The National African American Home schoolers Alliance: This support page for African American home school students will find lots of resources and helpful info.

Art Class for Children

Homeschool Art class for children

Author: Samie Ryan
Getting started with Homeschool art can be a challenge but is an important part of any Homeschool curriculum. The Arts allow children to express themselves and improves their creativity abilities, imagination and to explore their inner thoughts and feeling, Countless studies clearly show that Teaching Art education not only develops the right side of the brain but it also develops neural body-brain connections critical for children to achieve their full potential in all areas of study.
Art class for children
Includes painting, sketching, line, color, shape, texture, pattern, sketching, sculpture - as well as Art-history, Art appreciation, cultural appreciation, right-brain drawing techniques, and much more.
Children need Art the same way they need science and literature to gain knowledge of the world and how it works. Adding Kids Art projects to your Homeschool curriculum is a great way to create ideas that cannot be accessed by any other means.

The Life of Martin Luther King

Author: Russell Shortt
Martin Luther King Jr. was born on 15 January 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. Interestingly, he was named after the original Martin Luther, the initiator of the Protestant Reformation. The young King received his early education at Booker T. Washington High School; he excelled there, being allowed to enter Morehouse College at the tender age of fifteen without even formally graduating from high school. He graduated from Morehouse in 1948 with a degree in sociology and enrolled in Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania from which he graduated with a Degree of Divinity in 1951. He then enrolled at Boston University, receiving his Doctor of Philosophy on 5 June, 1955. He married Coretta Scott in 1953, they began their lives in Montgomery, Alabama with King becoming pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church.

How 9 Quotes From Dr. King Can Still Transform our Lives Today!

Author: Stephanie McWilliams
Copyright (c) 2009 Stephanie McWilliams

In honor of this country\'s greatest spiritual leader, take time today to reflect on the following nine quotes of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Allow his vast wisdom to resonate in your own life so that you may experience more fullness, richness and juiciness in the year to come!

1. 'Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.'

Positive situations can only spring from optimism. Peace will never be established through wars. And inner-peace will never be created through negative self-talk.

So many of us are kind to others, yet are cruel dictators internally. Practice speaking gently to yourself this week, like you would to a sweet, innocent child. Be compassionate and understanding. Be encouraging, excited, and joyful about all that you dream. It is only through a loving approach that the true enjoyment and richness of life can be embraced.

Why New Year Resolutions Are So Hared To Keep!

Why New Year resolutions are so hard to keep!

Author: Shekhar
The year is about to change; December is already here and will soon be gone as well, which will bring us to the New Year. The year 2015 will be soon saying hello, and to welcome it we must be prepared. A New Year is like a fresh start, renewed hopes, goals and newfound courage. A place of possibilities, and absolute victory, where I (we all) can win and be the person we wish to be! But these hopes usually lead us to make New Year resolutions.
People start planning their New Year resolutions sometimes right since November while most are seen discussing and sharing resolution plans in the entire month of December. When two close friends talk at a gathering or spouses discuss the coming year or even siblings studying and working in different cities will be often seen discussing their New Year resolutions.
Resolutions are nothing but goals! Goals to reform us and make us individuals we owe (by our own standards) to be and something we may have earlier tried but only given it a half hearted attempt or left it mid way due to circumstances or other needs of the hour. As New Year gives us that new hope we re-determine to fight and become or achieve our goal, which is definitely out of our comfort zone, which is why following through to achieve them is so hard!