Let's create an EBook!

To launch our Spring Semester Book club, the moms had decided it would be fun to write "All About Me" book and share them at our first book club.  I knew about this idea about 2 months ago...  And I had written in my plans that we would write 1 page for our book each day until it was finished.  UGH!
I wasn't into it and neither were my kiddos....

SO!  I came up with this plan and it turned out to be SO much fun and our ebooks were finished in 30 minutes.  We accomplished more in that 30 minutes than we EVER would have writing day after day.

Our materials:
1 Wipe Board
few wipe board markers
1 I-Pad/phone
Star Wars Sheet as a backdrop (optional)

Our first picture/slide was going to be just our name...we needed to introduce ourselves to everyone, right?

For Nixon, I used "Share the Pen", an interactive Writing technique.  I write, you write, I write, you write...and so on.
For Jackson, he was in charge of writing his sentences.  I would jump in and help with specific sounds...and towards the last picture/slide, we were "sharing the pen".

From there, I let the creative juices flow!  We'd erase the board, write a sentence together, take a pictures and move on.

We wrote and pictured everything from "Lego Creations" to "Cream Cheese and Crackers".  You'll have to see the final slideshow to get it all.

So once you have ALL your pictures, it's super easy to run your pics as a "slideshow" on your devise.  So easy even a 3 year old can do it...Really!

If you aren't tech-savvy and this sounds fun...no worries!  Read below for step-by-step picture instructions for this fun, learning activity...and memory maker!
 I would actually LOVE to do this every few months with the boys!

First, find your Camera App Icon and start writing and snapping your pics!

Once all your pictures are taken, click on your slideshow opening picture.  Look for this icon in the bottom left corner.

Then, click on slideshow.

This box will pop up.  Here is were your kids can have fun adding transitions and adding music.
**If you need to add time/seconds in between slides, find it in your Settings Icon under Pictures/Camera**

Here's J's ebook!  Cool, huh?

I'll post N's ebook on FB...so be sure and "like" mommys little learners on FB!

And Happy Learning with your Little Ones!  Make it fun and make it memorable!

New Year, New Everything!

Welp!  It's been a good 2 months since I last posted...I left you in my kitchen, power-blogging, while cooking Thanksgiving dinner and planning our pack attack for the big move.  This time our move wasn't to a new state (praise God!)- just a new home!  But this move did teach me a few things... and I won't go there!  Well maybe just one - if you can avoid it, DONT move during the month of December!  It was memorable.  It was one-of-a-kind.  And it went by way to fast!!

But we are finally settled and enjoying our new house, neighborhood and amenities!

With each move, comes new spaces...which strangely excites me...yes, I am weird!  So I'm planning to open this blogging season with everything NEW!  Just wanna give you a tour of the where's and why's of our homeschooling materials.  Hoping that it will inspire you in some way to reorganize or rethink how you have your supplies set up.  

For Homeschooling, I went from having a Learning Room to having an assortment of closets, walls and corners.  I was alittle upset about this idea at first, but honestly...now...I'm loving it.  And with a busy 18 month old, closets that shut, mean less mess for this Mom!

Supplies have found their places and my kids have been trained well (in a fun way, of course!).  And now EVERYTHING is happening around our kitchen table!

Welcome to our Dinning Area/Learning Wall!

We have claimed this corner of our dinning area as "The Learning Wall".  It has our calendar (which we have added something NEW!) and the famous red magnetic board for N's Morning work.  Hung some buckets from Ikea above to hold my materials that I need quick like scissors, markers, tape and such.  

So what's NEW and IMPROVED?!

Our Calendar!

Another homeschooling Mom approached us about using these cards, then planning a monthly field trip based on the theme of the cards.  And I LOVED the idea!  I was looking for a way to spice of our Calendar routine...and this was it!  And it being by the kitchen table, everyone gets involved! 

Each card  has a "thematic" picture on the front along with the date.  

On the back is some amazing information regarding that specific theme. 

This month I printed off Arctic cards....BRRR!  

And our field trip will be to get some shaved ice at the end of this month with some friends.

I added this chart paper to write down facts from the cards that the boys thought were cool.  We've learned so much!  We use this chart to review and recall those facts each day...usually to Daddy during dinner time.

Stay tuned for Next Months Calendar Connections - We are doing Geology cards then headed to a cavern for our monthly field trip!

Click the link below to print yours!

Calendar Connections Printable Cards

This was taken from the amazing blog - http://www.1plus1plus1equals1.net/

I am looking forward to a great start to a great year!

Hoping you are all refreshed and jumping into 2015 with a happy heart.

Happy Learning with your Little Ones!