Homeschool Diploma Printable

Every spring I head up the decorations and preparation for our Co-op's high school graduation...it's a lot of work but it's a lot of fun to see it all come together. I was asked a few times by moms who didn't know where to start about a diploma for their student.
My husband and I created one and I popped it up on Etsy to see if there was any interest, and there was!

If you need a diploma please email me at wrennrabbit@gmail.com and I will be happy to send you a 50% off code to my Etsy store. Click the diploma above to go see the choices.

Homeschoolers Don't Wear Shoes - Much

As summer is winding down and we are all planning our first days of school with the kiddos the last thing that goes through our minds is shoes. Well, mine anyway. Because I homeschool the two little darlings, the thought didn't cross my mind about the first day of school.
Well, JINX!!!

We go to a co-op twice a week, so we do put clothes on and brush our hair, and we have backpacks! So that's very school-like. However, when 9:30 on the first day rolled around we weren't as prepared as I thought. The girls put on their outfits and brushed their hair and I'm like, "Put on your shoes, let's go"...and guess what? My 11 year old bursts out crying that her shoes don't fit and she hates her feet. Yikes!

We jumped in the car and drove directly to the closest shoe store. We had less than an hour to get to our co-op and eat lunch...we had her feet measured and there was an entire size difference! (Have never seen that before!).

Then my youngest and I treated this shoeless child like a princess and brought her every pair of shoes we could find that would go on her obscure feet. I was aiming for a pair of Converse (because they are so cool), but she said they felt funny and looked like clown shoes, we tried Bobs, ballet slippers, moccasins, sandals, boat shoes and more...the poor kid was teary and finally I found a pair of those tough trail sandals...they fit and they made her bouncy and she smiled...what!!!!? Then it was buy one get one half off so we looked at the clearance section and found some other cool items...like silver metallic tennis shoes and a pair of sky blue Keds. Now she has four pairs of shoes that may or may not fit her for a while, it depends if the small foot catches up with the larger...oi.

Crisis averted we made it to co-op with smiles and Chick Fil A all over our faces. Whew!

This sounds like a commercial doesn't it...but at least last week taught me that if you get ready early enough you can go get new shoes. And being prepared is a good thing even if I tend to want to wear flip flops all year long. I am from California after all, and that's a thing.

To all the mommas out there starting up for the fall, stay calm, smile a lot, bring snacks, and don't forget that being 11 is really hard.

Happy Back To School Everyone!!! What's on your back to school list homeschool mom?

Make Your Own Microscope Slides At Home - Homeschooler's World

Today has been amazing! We basically fell into a two hour in-depth study of a world we don't usually see! The microscopic world!!

Last weekend I picked up a used, older microscope at a flea market. I don't know anything about 'scopes but it looked like it would work...so I brought it home for $17. I realized later that it didn't have a light source, so placed a small bright lamp underneath until I can find a proper light.

I only had two old slides on hand to test it out at the time...luckily I'd saved them for 20+ years...(can you say hoarder?). We tried them out and everything worked great. Then I researched on Amazon for prepared slides and plain slides and solutions etc. I then got to thinking that I have a bad habit of spending money on supplies and then my children tend to lose interest.

So fast forward to this morning! (This idea has been brewing since Christmas by the way). One of my kiddos slept till noon and the other one was chomping at the bit to learn something new...so I asked her if she wanted to be a botanist and collect samples to look at under the microscope...of course, she was intrigued! Eight year olds are amazing at finding tiny stuff by the way...

Now here's the part that I've been wanting to try out: making homemade microscope slides that kids can use safely...using my LAMINATOR! And yes, it works. Some of the slides can look cloudy, but most of them turned out great.



You will need:

• a laminating machine (got mine on Amazon for under $20)
• business card size laminating pouches
• tweezers
• sharpies
• nature collectibles, tiny things, dead bugs
• microscope or bright light source like a light table

All you do is open up the little pouch and place your tiny leaves, petals, ants etc as much in the middle of your pouch as possible. Then slide the pouch into the machine (follow the manufacturer's instructions) and let it work its magic!

 See how great things look even when not magnified!

The heat of the laminator makes petals and leaves almost translucent so you can get a good view of the structure of samples. Place them under the 'scope at 4X for larger items and 10X for smaller (like ants).

Things we collected include:

• dead fly and ants
• small dead beetle
• various blossoms, flower petals, pollen, garden plants and herbs
• potting soil/dirt
• bark & pencil shavings
• textiles like fabric, felt, threads, twine, string
• house plant leaves
• glitter and glitter glue (the glue will squirt out so only a tiny drop is needed)
• hair
• aloe vera gel 
• money
• tea, coffee, spices from the kitchen 
• a smidge of bread (will turn moldy eventually)

The kids spent over an hour looking at everything and discussing what each slide looked like, comparing to other slides, and thinking about what each would look like if we had an even more powerful microscope. We will be on the look out for more items to turn into slides.

I found an empty pencil box and placed all our slides inside, along with our trusty tweezers, and a marker. Now we are prepared to enter the realm of "microsopy" at any moment!

I would love to hear what you think about this idea. If you don't have a microscope, you can also use a light table or a window on a sunny day....kids young and old will truly enjoy noticing the tiny details of a flower or a slice of bread.  

Have a ton of fun being a science explorer with your kiddos! 

Some awesome printables I found that you can use to learn about microscopes and cell structure are located at Teachers Pay Teachers , A School Called Home and Pinterest.

Technology Time-Keeper Chart - Limiting Time on Electronics for Your Kids

We got the kids their own Kindles when they were $35 each, but we didn't think how much it would cost us in time and aggravation when we didn't want them to be using the devices.

I came up with a quick post-it note chart on the fridge one day, and wrote five minute increments on the notes...then every time they did something worthy of moving up in time, I let them move their magnet marker up one or two spots. The chart only goes up to one hour, because if they go over their hour they seem to get even more bad-tempered than usual.

So I decided a while ago to make one that is printable and I just now remembered to post about it. I hope this chart can help you navigate the murky waters of how much time your kids get to use their devices. If this chart doesn't work for you then improvise and make your own with your own times and totals.

I also use the time boxes to take away time if they do something I deem in the "bad" zone. Like burping at dinner, or taking a toy away from another kid, using a negative tone, not doing what they're asked within a reasonable time frame, etc. With my youngest child, the idea of losing hard-earned minutes was a really big deal!

One thing I've been trying lately is the BONUS system...if they do something amazing, like, above and beyond the call of duty, then I move their marker up without telling them and then they get a surprise! I love free stuff!

Feel free to print this out and place on your refrigerator door...explain how it works to your kid/s and give them a week or two to get used to using it. Pretty soon they will be self-monitoring and asking you how they can earn more minutes!!!

Please share the link to this page, not the actual download...I really appreciate it!

Wild Kratts Field Journal Notebook Printable

I am super excited to present to you the brand new FIELD JOURNAL that is now ready to go with our Wild Kratts animal study! It's only taken me forever to pull it all together and get it completed. I hope your kids love it as much as we do!

DETAILS:

This field journal has been created to fit on both legal and letter size paper. Legal size paper folds beautifully into an almost square shape that is perfect for kids to use and fits their hands.

Print this out on both sides of the paper and you could create an outstanding journal of your child's journey into animal habitats.

Also, if you print it at 50% or less, you could create a mini book which would be even cuter as a party favor! The children could use the notebook during the party to write/draw observation of animals you present in the form of puppets, videos, and stuffed toys hidden in the backyard. So cute!

Included on 12 pages: Animals, Birds, Insects, Plants, Extra Notes & Observations, Animal Classification Chart, Leaf Chart, Sketch Areas and Scientific Identifiers.

COST:

I offer all my printables free of charge. However, for this field journal I am asking a small fee to cover the cost of art work. For $1.99 you can own this printable forever and print as many copies for your family as you like. I only ask that you do not sell or distribute as your own work. Please refer those interested to this page if they need a copy.

BUY NOW ON ETSY - 8.5 X 11 SIZE

BUY NOW ON ETSY - 8.5 X 14    AVAILABLE SOON, OR EMAIL ME

I hope you enjoy this and that it adds some fun to your school day!

Thanks to the Graphics Fairy for vintage animal images.

A LOOK INSIDE:

 

  

 

alternative cover without WK logo

Organize Your Desktop

I cannot stay organized, can you? I created a desktop organizer for all the folders on my screen...

You are welcome to try it out yourself if you like. Just save the above image as a jpg on your desktop and load as a screen background...

Would you like more designs? Let me know and I will make a few more!

Have a blessed day everyone!

Learning To Watercolor

 

Creativebug is my new favorite! I signed up for two free weeks and I've been learning how to watercolor and how to calligraph(y). It's pretty cool. And I like FREE.

Here's some shots of my watercolors.

I will post some calligraphy when I get something nice done, so far it's just a lot of practice.

I started off with the wreath. You basically put some spots of color in a circle and then had vines and leaves. You then proceed to make the details with either a pen or colored pencil or with your brush if you feel up to it. Wreaths are very forgiving, so get creative. Then I went online and found some tutorials for roses, leaves and feathers - which are so cute. I could make my own greeting cards!!!

Hope you enjoyed this little peek at my new hobby! There's always something new brewing around here!

 

Happy Tickets and Reward Ideas List

Prize tickets are a fun way to encourage children to help around the house without grumbling or muttering or dragging their feet (ha ha). Use these FREE PRINTABLE tickets by printing out on card stock and using one ticket per child...when they help out with a "happy heart" they get a star stamped (or use a hole punch). When the stars are all stamped then a prize is in order. OR they can save up several tickets for a BIG PRIZE (like an amusement park, horse riding, renting a canoe, a party, a shopping spree etc).

What are some reward ideas you use with your family?

Click on the image to go to the FREE download. Feel free to share with your friends by sharing the link to this post, not the direct link to the image. Thank you! Created by Sarah at www.differentdog.com.

Do You Want To Build A Snowman Printable - Sort of

Last winter I made up a writing activity for the girls to go with all the snow we'd been having...they did really well with it...it has a beginning, middle and end, plus they get to illustrate the different stages of building a snowman. I know summer isn't even over yet, but you can save it for January!

Enjoy this free printable! (click the image to download)

Free Simple Homeschool Weekly Planner

Homeschool planning is challenging to say the least, but it can be a lot of fun for us moms who love to organize and create lists, and buy office supplies...

So I created an updated version of my homeschool planner FREE for you to download and print out. I place mine in a colorful three-ring binder and print out a page for each week.

I hope you enjoy! Feel free to share the link to this post (not the direct download link)!

My New Passion For Adventure

Speech Pathologist in the making! Graduated from SDSU with honors, summa cum laude, outstanding student

I feel like this past winter lasted forever...but now it's the end of May and no chance of snow in sight! My world is green again and the hustle of spring activities has died down, the slow hot breath of summer is upon the land.

My daughter Kathryne graduated from college last week, I was lucky enough to be there and partake in the jolly festivities...it was relaxing and invigorating. I walked on the beach, ate amazing food, visited with friends, and came home with a renewed sense of adventure. I can certainly see how the winter season cocooned me and blocked my vision of what the future can be. 

My second daughter, Holland, asked me the other night about having adventures. It kind of broke my heart, because I identified with what she asked me. "When can I have adventures?". Wow. I've been asking myself that for forty years...and I've convinced myself that my life is an adventure. If I'm truthful about it, the adventurous part of me has been in limbo, thinking that raising two young daughters and maintaining a large home is what my story should be. When I was Holland's age I had thoughts of adventure often...travel, meeting new people, seeing amazing sites...I'm not sure if I've actually done that.

Adventure is about not being scared of the future...or what can go wrong. We as a society get so bogged down maintaining the status quo that we lose sight of what beauty the world holds. We also get bogged down in all the bad things that happen in our lives, health issues, crime, bills, worry, mean people...the drive to fit in and be "successful".

In my heart of hearts I know that I'm a rebellious person. I don't want to follow the rules of what I'm supposed to be doing. I don't want to die in my four bedroom brick ranch house that I owned for forty five years. I want to throw off the cloak that dumbs me down and see all the natural beauty that God created, and I want to BE IN IT. I want my kids to BE IN IT. 

I unpacked my little carry on case the other day and I looked around and thought about how I love living out of a suitcase. I didn't use half the stuff I packed. I don't wear the clothes hanging in my closet (maybe once or twice). This house I live in is packed with stuff I don't need or use very often. Why are we paying for storage of stuff we never use?? Hello????

There was a video on the Facebook yesterday that showed a family who had sold all their possessions and were driving around the world, educating their son themselves, living in nature, canoeing on lakes with no one around, working online when needed, enjoying vital, open lives. It struck a major chord with me.

I've had an affinity for tiny houses the past few years. I really wanted one. I've wanted to move from the house we're in for about four years. But I didn't know where we were supposed to be. Nowhere permanent. Life is short. I have twenty years before I'm officially retirement age. Let's move these feet that are turning to stone, and have a freakin' adventure!!!!

It's totally weird that a nomadic lifestyle for a few years appeals to me. I love my bed...not sure I can sleep in a space with three other people breathing. I love crafting (and you know that creates clutter). I just launched my online ribbon business and it's growing well. My daughter and son in law are moving to the same city we are in. Why would I want to pack it all up and drive away from that?

Because life is short right? I want my little girls to see things and have a wonderful, mysterious adventure. I want to look up in the sky and see millions of stars. Life isn't easy, but it is short. 

Next summer is my goal to get out of here...to sell or give away all this crap that is sucking the life out of me. To drive around the country and visit all our friends in many states, to see the national parks, to dip our toes in all the waters, and to bond as a family. My husband is coming too, as soon as I can convince him.

Just think, no debt and no crap. Wow. That's big. When the two years on the road are over we will assess where we want to go...maybe build a tiny-ish house. Keep the rv so we can moonlight as fulltimers...

Stay tuned for more news...what I'm selling...what I'm buying to get ready...homeschooling on the road...travel hints...and all that jazz.

I'm SO EXCITED!!!! What is your passion?

Seed Growth Project Printable For Homeschool Learning

With Spring in the air we have begun a unit about plants and seeds growing. This is part one so the girls can track the progress of four different kinds of seeds. We went to Lowes and they chose cucumber, chives, cilantro and tomato seeds. I also grabbed one of those little green house trays with soil pods in it. They had a lot of fun plumping up the soil with water, and they made name tags for each one (for the art part that always must be included).

Download the four sheets containing the Seed Growth Chart Project and paste onto a folded construction paper folder. If you have any questions on how to proceed let me know and I will help you out!!!

Some good books and videos you could use with this unit are:

Time lapse of the germination of a bean: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E__rbDzNOZI

Time lapse of the germination of a bean in soil: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKx4ZwoJqXY

Growing cucumbers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPoQZg-FIbs

Growing tomatoes from seed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b4LktURbMQ

We've also ordered this book because it looks so good!

Click the book to go to Amazon

I also found a FREE resource at Playful Learning that you might want to use...it's a bean sprouting activity with a video and printable, plus it lists many resources. Check it out!