http://www.nieonline.com/bhamnews/students.cfm

NIE with The Birmingham News provides a resource for students to apply current events and news items to their studies.  Here is a quote from their website:

Every day, The News is filled with articles and news items that reflect the current events of the world.  From math to government to history, The Birmingham News NIE program can be used to augment any subject.  The Birmingham News provides an innovative learning experience based on current, real life events that move beyond textbooks.

https://www.alatelco.org/kidsSavingsSchool/

Alabama Telco Credit Union offers online resources for teaching your students how to save.  There are stories, coloring pages, games, and links to other helpful websites.  You can also establish a special Kids Saving School account at your local Alabama Telco Credit Union for additional benefits!

http://www.kidscoop.com/framed-teachers/download_edition/

Kid Scoop provides a weekly learning packet with printable, educational activity pages. Each packet focuses on a curriculum-based theme and includes high-interest reading content, vocabulary development activities, math problem solving puzzles and games, writing prompt, newspaper lesson and more.

GREAT NEWS!  IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO REGISTER

FOR “EXPLORING MOUNT VERNON”

Presented by Alabama Public Television

An exciting adventure awaits students in grades 4 and higher as Alabama Public Television’s IQ Learning Network broadcasts the live, electronic field trip “Exploring Mount Vernon.” The live program will be broadcast on-air and streamed online from 9:00-10:00 am Central Standard Time and from Noon-1:00 pm Central Standard Time on February 15^th.  Click REGISTER to take your students beyond the classroom walls to experience 18^th century America as General and Mrs. George Washington tour their historic estate.

All registrants will receive an automatic confirmation e-mail from aptplus@aptv.org.  The confirmation message contains the URL for the Mount Vernon electronic field trip website for access to all teacher tools, student interactive options, and the online streaming site for the live event. This information will enable you to take full advantage of the teaching and learning opportunities in the field trip experience.

Toontastic is a FREE app that gives students an opportunity to create a cartoon. The app leads students through story parts – setup,  conflict, challenge, climax, and resolution. Your student uses his/her own voices for the dialogue.  There is also a parent/teacher guide to direct you in using this for educational purposes.

WARNING:  children with imaginations will not want to stop!

http://jennyfunderburke.com/advent/

You really must check out this online family Advent calendar!  I wish I had known it about it earlier, but you won’t be too far behind if you start soon!  We completed the 1st day activities together tonight which included an online reading of John 1, a video, a discussion starter, a prayer, and even a link to online activities about the Bible reading.  Hope these activities lead you and your family in the true meaning of Christmas.

Can you believe it is the holiday season already?  I know many of you are planning time with family and perhaps even trying to juggle schedules for church plays, dance recitals, and holiday parties.

If this is your first year to homeschool,  I want to prepare you for the overwhelming feeling that comes when you feel like you cannot get it all done.  For most veteran homeschoolers, December becomes either a month off or a time of focusing on a single subject or project.  If you celebrate Christmas, you can find lots of projects that are educational.  I have collected a few unit studies that incorporate math, reading, and writing:  FREE Christmas Unit Studies.  Consider setting aside the curriculum for a week or two and completing one of these as a family project.  You and your family will enjoy doing something differently and will also be given an opportunity to use some of the skills they have been learning in their formal schoolwork.

Please feel free to share your ideas for School during the Holidays by posting on our Facebook Wall or by commenting below.

Looking for FREE fun that could be educational for the whole family? This festival is one to check out!

play safe! be safe! is a multimedia fire safety education program created especially for children ages three to five. It was developed by BIC Corporation in cooperation with educators and fire safety experts.

October is Fire Safety Month, and we encourage you to talk to your students about ways to prevent fires and about ways to be careful around fire when it is being used for good.