Sunflowers

I've been writing a lot about Sunflowers- my FAVORITE flower- lately.  I just can't get enough of the happy yellowish orange bloom, the quirkiness of which it follows the sun, and the seemingly impossible spindly yet strong stalk. Click HERE and HERE and HERE for info about how and when to harvest sunflower seeds for roasting, and then click HERE for how to soak and roast the seeds yourself. YUM-O!

And if you're even MORE interested in sunflowers, and check out THIS article which discusses how the adorable plants track the sun.

Interesting Article I Read.... "Blogging To Teach Writing"

I read an interesting article in Homeschool Enrichment Magazine the Nov/Dec 2010 edition titled "Blogging to Teach Writing" by Gail Heaton, which discussed the infamous assignment of handing students a blank piece of paper and having them write what they "Did for the Summer" in 500 words. Why not consider letting your student begin a blog?

Your child's blog could be a journal of sorts, a way to get out his feelings- or it could be dedicated to a specific topic or theme. If sports interest your child, let him write about his favorite hero or team and give commentary on the game. If animals interest your child, let her record her observations of a bird feeder or a trip to the zoo.

Of course there are security issues to consider. Will the blog be public or private? Will you allow photos of your children and their friends on the blog? Will you allow commentary from other people?  All these things will depend upon the age of your child, and their development.

Interactive Winter Bulletin Board Ideas

Looking for winter bulletin board ideas? Help preschoolers learn about and enjoy winter snow better by creating interactive bulletin boards.

An article I posted on eHow, titled Interactive Winter Snow Ideas for a Preschool Bulletin Board  will teach you how to make a bulletin board about Snowman Construction, a Countdown to Christmas Calendar and Making Snowflakes.

License Plate Bulletin Boards

High school teachers might be worried about bulletin board ideas that look too cutesy, however this bulletin board idea about license plates works just right. You can create your own license plate visual, or recycle old license plates for a nice three-dimensional touch.