Gung Hay Fat Choy!!

Have a prosperous New Year in Chinese, that is! I had the best intentions of posting all of these ideas days ago, but my computer works only when it feels like it! :( It is like trying to figure out a challenging puzzle, just to get it to function these days- it's getting old!! So here goes- our Chinese New Year agenda for today:


Fun Facts
(source: Enchanted Learning)

Chinese New Year starts on a New Moon and ends with the lantern festival on the full moon 15 days later.

Happy New Year in Chinese (Cantonese): Sun nien Fai lok

It is celebrated in late January to early February depending on the year.

This is the year of the ox. (Have your child find the animal of their birth year- my daughters have the horse and the monkey!)

A little bit of fun with Food
Orange slices to symbolize wealth or Tangerines to symbolize Luck.
Rice in chinese boxes: eat with chopsticks!
Fortune cookies
Tray of sweets and dried fruits- known as chuen hop- Tray of togetherness

Craft
Create a colorful paper dragon.
Enchanted Learning: Directions for Dragon

Geography/Culture
Find China on a large map or globe.
Compare cultures.
Share the book Daisy Comes Home by Jan Brett. Discuss the illustrations and the setting on the Li River in China.

Game
Hide red lucky $ envelopes. Fill with coins. Children find. Discuss how children often get these when celebrating the Chinese New Year.

Math
Teach Chinese number. Paint symbols for the numbers on Construction paper.
Extension: Children can create simple math problems with Chinese number for parents to solve! Chinese Numbers and Symbols
Tangram Fun

Art
Share examples of Chinese Art. We will be exploring puppets, paper cutting, Knotting, Paintings, and Sculpture.

Music and Dance
I'm going to try to find some Chinese music, because my six year old says that she wants to teach me a dragon dance that she learned! We will probably do the dance with the paper dragons we will make above.

Lots of fun will be starting here soon!! Enjoy your day and have fun being creative and curious with your kids!

Jen

Wordless Wednesday: Future Weather Girl!

Today's weather is snow, snow and more snow!

Cyberschool Adventure!!

I have now entered the world of Cyber education!! As of Friday, I am officially homeschooling my six year old via Cyberschool. (If you're curious about why, feel free to visit my other blog- God's Shining Stars. As my daughter would say, "We are high-tech, Mom!" Due to this transition to Cyberschool, I haven't had a second to spare to blog all of these creative ideas running through my brain!! I'm sure that I'm going to have lots to blog about, but until I get into a routine with my daughter,my time is going to be limited! Here is a sneak peak at my Cyberschool day tomorrow!

I'm going to do some morning activities with both of my girls!

Calendar activities:
Days of the Week Song
What is today? What was yesterday? What will tomorrow be?
Is today an odd or even number??
Create equations with today's date!!
For example: Tomorrow will be the 24th, so we will create equations that equal 24.
12 + 12 = 24
24 + 0 = 24
25 - 1 = 24


Weather: My girls will take turns being the meteorologist each morning. They will predict the weather and then check the weather outside. Next, they will make a predication about the type of weather they think will occur the next day. Using a weather sign, they post the weather of the day on a chart.

After we do our morning routine, we will go online and check my daugher's announcements from her teacher and any email messages she may have from any of her new teachers. She has a 1st grade teacher for her basic subject areas, and then an art and music teacher, and a gym and health teacher. They will communicate with her all via the computer. Basically, they plan the activities, lessons, and materials, and I teach with their support. They provide videos, websites, powerpoint presentations, and live chats. They will be able to see her during live chats via a webcam.
Other activities that I will be helping my daughter with tomorrow are orientation activities such as organizing her work space, taking care of and using her computer, and get to know you activities to send to her cyberteacher. If we have time, I will let both of my girls work as a team to complete a math scavenger hunt around the house.

This will be our morning and then we are off to a Thanksgiving performance for little sis and a Thanksgiving feast. She will be wearing an adorable turkey hat!!



I plan on doing some Language Arts and Math in the afternoon. We are still waiting for all of our curriculum materials to come in the mail, so I'm basically winging it for now with what we do have- luckily I have a teaching background! The great thing about teaching at home is the flexibility. I'm so excited that my oldest can attend her little sister's performance.

After teaching her in the afternoon, we have girl scouts (she'll be a Daisy!) after dinner. I just signed her up for this, because I want to be sure she has opportunities to be with children weekly. Life is getting crazy, but exciting!

Wish me luck with this new adventure!!!

One creative tip for Thanksgiving before I sign off!!! Have your child create their fanciest turkey. Trace hand on card stock like traditional turkey projects. Next, let them go to town with all kinds of craft materials- glitter glue, pom poms, fabric, feathers,google eyes, etc. Their challenge is to create the fanciest turkey to win an award in the Annual Turkey Fashion Show!! My girls loved this!! Their turkey's were way over the top!! I'll try to share photos later this week if I get a chance. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

Many blessings,
Jen