Dr. Seuss

As you know, my youngest is working with Dr. Seuss and Nursery Rhymes this year. While I designed a full lapbook for The Cat in the Hat (our first book) I've also designed a simple worksheet for each book (just in case I don't finish each and every lapbook,...lol....

Dr. Seuss Worksheet

remember to use the user name kickbutttidbits and the password kickbuttmama to access my files

Latin Lessons

So it's not east trying to come up with a latin plan for elementry schoolers...there's precious little available. I thought I'd better post the resources I've found for y'all:

• Minimus - This is a workbook, CD, Teacher's book set. You can purchase them at Amazon...( I got them used )
• http://www.minimus-etc.co.uk/index.shtml - this is the website that goes along with the Minimus series
• http://homepage.usask.ca/~jrp638/latin/index.html lots of worksheets and supplements
• http://www.quia.com/shared/latin/ (games & flashcards)
• http://archives.nd.edu/latgramm.htm dictionary & grammar aid
• http://www.proteacher.com/090084.shtml ancient rome
• http://www.frapanthers.com/teachers/white/LI_handouts.htm
• http://www.classics.uga.edu/courses/elem_latin/handouts.htm
• http://www.funmathclub.com/docs/cmc1204paper.pdf
• Pronunciation Guide http://www.luc.edu/faculty/jlong1/L101pron.htm
• http://www.personal.kent.edu/~bkharvey/latin/
• http://www.frcoulter.com/latin/links.html (links & resources)

Chores Galore

I can't tell you how often I'm asked how I do it all: homeschooling, personal training, teaching sign language, and now starting a karate school - as well as normal mom stuff - cooking, cleaning, organizing, etc.

The truth is I'm a total type A personality. Things have to be organized or I start to go slightly insane - this means setting schedules, goals, and acknowledging achievements. You can't possibly do everything. This took me some time to acknowledge. I want to do it all - be the Super Mom...but I've realized juggling too many balls just means I'm missing something (or getting bit$$$ with the family unit).

My solution? DELEGATE! That's right. My boys are now 8 and 5 - totally old enough IMO to have certain chores assigned to them. My darling husband is considerably older, and I firmly believe having a 9-5 job doesn't disqualify him from the chore list either. I guess I run my house like an army unit - but it keeps us from running around in circles.

DJ (just turned 8) Chore List:

• Clean the litter box 2 times a week
• Help take out the garbage
• He's on the dish washing rotation (they each take turns)
• Clean room
• Tidy living room - homeschooling clutter every evening
• Put away pantry items after grocery shopping
• Occasionally makes lunch (PB & J)
• Transfer clothes from washing machine to the dryer
• Mini-vac the bedrooms

Xman (5 y/o) Chore List:

• Dish washing rotation
• Help take out the garbage
• Clean room
• Help tidy living room
• Put away pantry items after grocery shopping
• Put clothes in the washing machine (we have separate baskets for each load)
• Mini-vac the living room

Hubby Chore List:

• Dish washing rotation (his job is all the pots and pans)
• Help coordinate the garbage brigade
• Tidy the kitchen
• Help with the laundry - folding & putting away
• Occassionally make dinner (if it's been one of 'those' days)
• Help tidy our room

My Chore List:

• Make dinner (and lunch, and breakfast..lol)
• Clean bathroom
• Help with the laundry
• Sweep & mop
• Make sure all homeschooling bins, baskets and such are labeled clearly so the kids can clean up after school each day.

Curriculum's

Whoo-hoo, I've finally finished compiling the curriculums for the coming school year. Here are the links to the pdf filed. If you don't have a keepandshare username then you can use: kickbutttidbits with the password kickbuttmama

DJ's 3-5th grade Matrix
Xman's 1-2nd grade Matrix

Awww

When we were at the CT Science Center DJ did a digital survey to find out what type of sports he should do (although I think he answered most as what he thought I would like...lol) then they sent us a copy of his magazine cover..

new link

I was told by my best friend about this link and LOVED it - most of the downloadables are really cheap (or free) which are the only one's I'll use...LOL...so enjoy!

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/

Reading and things..

So I'm almost finished compiling our curriculum for this coming year...I feel like it's all I've lived and breathed for the last couple of weeks.

For my oldest - DJ - he's using Magic Tree House books as his reading list - reading one every 2 weeks as it takes him a little while to finish a book. THen he'll do a small 1 file folder lapbook on the book he just read. Some of the resources we'll be using for these lapbooks:

• http://www.randomhouse.com/teachers/magicth/activities.html - worksheets
• http://www.randomhouse.com/teacher/magicth/guides - teachers guides
• http://www.curriclick.com they have several worksheets and such
• http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/magictreehouse - this too has some great activities. It also has a passport you can print, you then print a little 'stamp' for each book. When a child reads a book they can paste the 'stamp' into their passport.

For my youngest - Xman - we're using Dr. Seuss and rhymes for our reading, as he's just starting to read independently.

• A Nursery Rhyme a week - http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/go/wil/rimes_and_rhymes.htm fab downloadables, worksheets, lesson plans, etc
• http://www.abcteach.com/directory/seasonalmonths/3_march/dr_seuss
• lesson plans - http://atozteacherstuff.com/Themes/Dr_Seuss/
• http://www.teachersplanet.com/resource/drseuss.php - worksheets
• http://orgin-www.seussville.com/university this is a great site for printables
• http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/dr_seuss_links.htm there are about 50 great links for dr seuss here
• http://www.schoolexpress.com/fws/cat.php?id=2331 rhyming worksheets