Sunday, November 11, 2012

Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread


Pumpkin Bread is one of my family's favorites, so I needed to figure some ingenious way to modify my recipe to accommodate our new diet.  I made this recipe this evening and it turn out wonderfully.


Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread

1 (15 ounce can) of Libby's Pumpkin
1 cup of white sugar (you can use 2 cups if you have a sweet tooth)
1 cup of brown sugar
1 cup of water
1 cup of coconut oil ( or vegetable oil)
4 eggs or egg substitute
3 1/3 Cup of Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
3/4 teaspoon of Xanthan Gum
2 teaspoons of baking soda
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves


Heat oven to 350 degrees

In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, white sugar, brown sugar, water, oil and eggs.....beat until well mixed.

Measure the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, nutmeg, xantahm gum and cloves into a separate bowl and stir until combined

Grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans and dust with flour
Evenly divide the batter between the two pans

Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Slice and serve with butter or cream cheese

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Reading Words with Two Consecutive Vowels

     My daughter has been really struggling to decode words with 2 consecutive vowels.  I kept repeating the phrase from the Letter Factory, "When two vowels go walking the first one does the talking."  For some reason this was meaningless to her.

    A few weeks ago she was trying to read something in the car.  And she stumbled upon one of these blasted words.  I was really frustrated and this analogy came to me, so I told her in my gangster voice , "The first vowel tells the second vowel to shut up and let me do the talking....yo....my name is letter A".
Ethan and Hannah were hysterical after I told them this.
 
     Hannah no longer has trouble remembering the rule.  It's not the most delicate way to teach the rule but it works.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Why Poetry?

Last fall I met a fellow homeschooling mom who had her children memorizing poetry.  When our children were performing their weekly presentations for Classical Conversations, her son would recite large volumes of poetry.  I was floored, how could this 8 year old be reciting these incredibly difficult poems and seem to comprehend them.

I decided right away in addition to memorizing scripture, we would start to memorize poetry.  I was entering into a world I knew nothing about.  Poetry has always seemed like a foreign language to me.  So as I ventured into the unknown territory, someone told me about the Excellence in Writing Poetry Memorization curriculum.  I immediately bought it and we started. (I didn't buy the disk, just the book and I don't feel like the cd was necessary and am glad I saved the extra money)  

So why memorize poetry.  It is beautiful, helps build vocabulary and my kids love reciting it for people.  It's funny how after you memorize a difficult poem you can understand it easily.  Here is a quote from Christine Perrin and her book The Art of Poetry,


"When you read a poem, you must take time and learn to be observant. Like sea diving, there are fathoms of depth. You go to one level for awhile, then deeper, then deeper. You discover there is a vast ocean to explore in any piece of art, that continues to deliver something new and unexpected with each encounter."
 

I haven't seen my friend Christine Perrin in over 10 years yet, I've know her since I was a child.  I found out today that she wrote a Poetry Curriculum called, The Art of Poetry.    And she is planning on coming out with poetry put to music cd, which all of my fellow Classical Conversations moms will appreciate.    My kids can learn anything put to music!  Here is a link to her  poetry curriculum  that you can check out.  And she has a  blog called The Art of Poetry.


Friday, May 25, 2012

A book progression that make sense!

I don't know about you all but I find those step readers really annoying.  The levels are all over the place, some books contain words that we rarely use and aren't basic.  So I am trying to make a list for when I start teaching Noah to read.

I think the Margret Hillert books are great for beginners.  They are very repeatative, a perfect beginning readers book collection.  We loved these after we finish Headsprout Reading Program.

Some of the basic Dr. Suess books, such as Hop on Pop and Snow would be appropriate.

Mercer Mayer is next, I love the Little Critter Series, they have interesting pictures and I even can have Noah search for the spider while I am having Hannah read me the story.

Now, we are starting on Syd Hoff books, they are about Danny the dinosaur and various horse books.

I will continue to update our book progression as we go....

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Nova Hunting the Elements

We watched this program this evening and really enjoyed it.  I'm sure it will be on again so set your DVR's
Hunting the Elements

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

My Favorite Salad Dressing!!

I don't know the name of this dressing.  I got it from my sister.  I am putting it on the blog because I am so afraid of misplacing the paper.

I did decrease the amount of salt in the original recipe

2 Cloves of Garlic, although I use 3 or 4
1/4 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard
fresh ground pepper
2 T wine vinegar
1/2 C of salad oil

Monday, March 12, 2012

Friday, March 2, 2012

Classical Conversations Week 20 Supplements

History
Brown V. Board: Timeline of School Integration
Brown VS Board of Education Documentary youtube video about 5 minutes
Martin Luther King Jr. Biography- 5 minute video
Three-Ring Government- Basic Government- Schoolhouse rocks
I'm Just a Bill - School house rocks
The Wright Brothers animation

Geography
Erie Canal- Cptn. Chris Fritton navigates Lockview V on the Erie Canal and through Locks 34 and 35 and many lift bridges in Lockport, NY.
How Canals Work - 1 minute
The Canal Diggers- slide show of the men who dug the canals...minutes

Orchestra-
String Instruments of the Orchestra
Woodwind Instruments 
Brass Instruments 
Percussion Instruments

Reading Supplements
White Water by Bandy, Michael K- Gr 3
Ruth and the Green Book by Ramsy, Calvin Gr 1-4
Rosa's Bus by Kittinger, Jo S. Gr 1-4
Ron's Big Mission Blue, Rose Gr 1-4
Rosa Parks and the Montgomery bus boycott by Miller, Connie Colwell
Dear Mr. Rosenwald by Weatherford, Carole Boston Gr 1-4
The Civil Rights Movement for Kids, Turck. Gr.4-9 
When Will I Get In?: Segregation & Cvl 
Rights. Rosa Parks: Civil Rights Pioneer, (Time Bio. Kids). Gr. 2-4 
 Civil Rights Movement 1954-1968, Yamasaki .Gr.5 & up



Joshua the Giant frog by Thomas, Peggy -K-Grade 5- Erie canal story
The Erie Canal Pirates Gr 1-4
The amazing impossible Erie Canal  Harness, Cheryl.   Gr 2-6



For more ideas go to http://halfahundredacrewood.blogspot.com/p/classical-conversations-resource-link.html


Museum Of Discovery and Science Ft. Lauderdale

We went to the museum last Friday, they just remodeled and added some new stuff. 

Ethan and Evan playing with Knex

You can build some amazing stuff, I think we'll try this when we get home :)

Sea otter, oh, my!!

Hannah always sees kid playing with these bubbles on PBS, it's finally her turn!!

Noah say turtle!!

Of course, Ethan is exploring the digestive system!

I wish we had one of these at home!









Thursday, March 1, 2012

  I got this idea from my sister and have started integrating it into our book reading.  It makes the books a little more meaningful and I think it will help when my kids start writing a little more.



What is the title of the story?
____________________________________________________

Who is the author?
____________________________________________________

Who is the illustrator?
____________________________________________________

Name  the characters in this book?

____________________________________________________

What is the setting?

____________________________________________________

When did it take place?

____________________________________________________

What was the problem?

____________________________________________________

How was the problem resolved?


____________________________________________________

What was your favorite part?
_____________________________________________

If you could change one part of the story, which part would you change?

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

History Highlights Q&A Week 20

History Highlights Q&A Week 20

Name  _______________________

1.  What is the current number of associate justices?  

2.  Who gets to nominate the justices and who needs to consent?

3.  The ___________Court is the highest judicial body in the nation.  

4.  T or F  Segregation was a policy, and in some cases a law, which kept black and white people from associating with each other in our society.

5.  Laws based on __________ were passed to determine which schools children could attend.

6.  Which Amendment is violated by racial segregation?

7.  T or F It was a smooth easy change after the courts ruled that segregation was unconstitutional.  

Answers
1.  8
2.  The president chooses them and the congress consents.
3.  Supreme
4.  T
5.  Race
6.  14th
7.  False

History Highligts Q&A Week 19

History Highlights Q&A Week 19 pdf.

Name  _______________________

1.  What does NATO stand for?

2.  How many nations signed the treaty?

3.  Who was President when the NATO treaty was signed?

4.  What country is Winston Churchill from?

5.  What term was used to describe how the Russians were isolating smaller European countries from the West?

6.  T or F Only countries in Europe signed the treaty.

7.  Can you name 4 of the countries that signed the treaty?

8.  Where is the headquarters of NATO?

9.  T or False The NATO treaty states that, “The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all.



Answers
1.  North Atlantic Treaty Organization
2.  Twelve Nations signed the treaty.
3.  Truman
4.  England
5.  Iron Curtain
6.  F
7.  Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, England and the U.S.
8.  Brussels, Belgium
9.  T

Sunday, February 26, 2012

How To Make an Eight Page Book Out of a Single Sheet of Paper


I found this tonight and can't wait to use these with my kids!

Classical Conversation Week 19 Supplements

We had a busy week so the supplements are a little sparse.   


History
Go to Half a Hundred Acre Woods for some History ideas


English Grammar
Subject Predicate worksheet free
Simple Subject and Predicate worksheet
More Subject and Predicate Worksheets
Subject and Predicate Online Game
More Subject and Predicate online games
School House Rocks Grammar- Predicates and Subject




Geography
Historic Trails of the West Reading
Wild Detectives: Gila Monster
The Oregon Trail landmarks and photos

Science
Probability Worksheet

Orchestra
Peter and the Wolf- thanks to (http://www.wisdomandrighteousness.com/)
Peter and the Wolf by Sergie Prokofiev
Zin! Zin! Zin A violin by Lloyd Moss
Meet the Orchestra by Ann Hayes
I Know A Shy Fellow Who Swallowed A Cello by Barbara S. Garriel
New York Philharmonic Kidzone- a fun website to explore different musical instruments
The Jazz Fly by Matthew Gollub
Children of the Storm, Carr.
Stalin: Russia’s Man of Steel, Marrin
Collapse of Communism (Witness to History)   

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Speech Therapy 101 Session 3

Here is what was covered at speech this week.

They played a game that I think (possibly)   is in the book called "Focus on Fluency".  The game consists of different circles that have different kinds of speech....ie.  baby speech, creepy speech, squeaky speech, whispered speech, high speech, rough speech, smooth, fast, silly, low, mean, bumpy, loud...you roll the dice and whatever you land on that is the kind of speech you use.

The homework that we have this week
1.  Say "p" as fast as you can (more like PUH)
2.  Say "t" as fast as you can (more like tuh)
3.  Say "n" as fast as you can (more like nuh)
4.  Say "pt" as fast as you can( PUH-TUH)
5.  Say "tk" as fast as you can(TUH-KUH)
6.  Say buttercup as fast as you can
The therapist explained that each of these sounds are made in a different part of your mouth, the front, middle and back.  The word buttercup includes all three areas.

We are increasing the gum chewing to 2 minutes on each side.  She encouraged us to do the exercise then spit the gum out and brush teeth.  We are also going to continue the exercises from session 1.  

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Speech Therapy 101 Session 2 Chew that gum

I don't feel like we got our money's worth this week, but I'll share what the therapist reviewed.  She had a diagram of the different parts of the body that are used when we speak.  i.e. the tongue, mouth, brain, voice box and diagram.  Ethan's homework is to learn these parts and their locations (which we already did in our homeschooling).
The second part of the session was aimed at chewing gum.  Apparently, part of the reason some of the sounds my son cannot articulate well,  come from having a weak tongue and lips.  His homework this week is to chew gum on the left side for 30 seconds then using only his tongue move the gum to the right side of his mouth for 30 seconds.  After that he is to practice moving the gum from side to side using only his tongue.  We are also supposed to practice everything we went over in lesson one.  


Other resources I found
The Tongue Story


Thursday, February 9, 2012

Classical conversations Week 18 Supplements

I can't believe it's week 18 already!  Only 6 weeks to go!  I have mixed feelings, I look forward to our summer material but I know I will also miss spending time with our CC friends!

History
Attack on Pearl Harbor Video Clip the History Channel
Slideshow Of Pearl Harbor
Allied Military Leaders Slideshow
World War II: How Did It Start? this video goes very quick, but the beginning really reiterates the History Highlights.
How did World War I End?
Secrets Of World War I

Geography
River Location Game



Science
Fluorine Video
Neon Video
Sodium Video
Sodium Explosion Video
Magnesium Video

How it's Made Fireworks Video- Fireworks have magnesium them that's how it relates

English Grammar- 
Find the subject worksheet

Jim Davis Garfield Comic strips- the kids can read and scroll through some of his work.


Reading Supplements
D-Day Landings, Platt. 
Pearl Harbor, Krensky. 
Hey, Mac!, McMurdie. 
Hiroshima, Hersey
WWII for Kids, Panchyk
Mercedes & the Chocolate Pilot,Theis Raven
The Good Fight, Ambrose. 
 If I Perish, Ahn Kim. RA: 4-A; R:6-A
Air Raid – Pearl Harbor, Taylor. 
Land of the Morning, McMurdie. 
It Began With a Parachute, Rang. (V)
Jennie’s War-The Home Front in WWII (RR) 
You Wouldn't Want to be a secret agent during World War II by Malam, John

What's so great about the Tuskegee Airmen  Orr, Tamra. Grade 3-4
The doll shop downstairs  McDonough, Yona Zeldis. Grade 2-4
Sky high : the true story of Maggie Gee  Moss, Marissa.  Grade 1-4
Honey Cake By Stuchner
Wind flyers  Johnson, Angela
I'm still scared / written and illustrated by Tomie dePaola

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Speech Therapy 101- Our first therapy session

After years of struggling with speech, going thru the public school systems program without any success and praying the issues would just resolve on their own, we finally bit the bullet and hired a highly qualified therapist.

My son struggles with articulation, fluency and some mild stuttering.  

Since I hate to waste money, I will be sharing everything we learn at therapy with everyone in cyber-space, hoping to help other moms and children out there.  

After the evaluation we were told my son has weak lips and tongue....I never would have come up with that myself, but after hearing that it totally made sense.  So the therapist gave us some Oral-Motor Exercises to do at home this week.

1.  First,  get a mirror and open your mouth as wide as possible and close it, making sure there is symmetry in the shape of the mouth.  She told us to do this 5X ( I call this one the Home Alone Face)

2.  Second, smile a big smile, again look in the mirror so that if the child's mouth is not symmetrical so he can adjust it.  (Smile big because we are about to kick some robbers out of our house)

3.  Third, pucker the lips like giving a kiss to a frog. 5X (Those robbers can kiss my tush)

4. Combo- OPEN< CLOSE<SMILE 5X

5.  Here is an extra one that she mentioned 

5.  Combo- OPEN< CLOSE<SMILE<PUCKER 5X

6.  Tongue depressor taps- tap the tip of the tongue against a tongue depressor (I told my son to pretend he is a frog catching a fly, quick and precise)

7.  Tongue depressor with resistance.....Push tongue out of mouth with tongue depressor against lips .  (I told my son to pretend he was tied up by the robbers and the only way to escape is to push the tongue depressor away from his lips)

She also wants my son to drink from straws and make sure his lips form a even seal, I think the larger straws are better.  

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

What we are up to....

Ethan's working on cursive with a little "help" from Noah

Noah is learning to say, "cheese" when we pull out the camera.

Hannah is giving her presentation on this cute book at CC.

Ethan's is giving his presentation on this book about Dragons.  

We get this book every once in a while its pretty funny.

A little additional art to go along with week 17. 

I found this at the library.

Ethan read this to me today to practice reading out load.  

Sunday, February 5, 2012

History Highlights Q&A Week 18

History Highlights Q&A Week 18 pdf

Name  _______________________

1. The three main causes of World War II were
A.  the problems left unresolved by __________ ____________
B.  the rise of various _____________________
C.  the desire of these 3 countries for more territory?______________________,______________._____________
2.  True or False  Most American wanted to go to war again.  ______________

3. __________________’s_attack on Pearl Harbor brought America into war on the side of the Allies.
4. What 3 countries did Japan plan to attack?  ___________,_______________and ___________________.  
5.  What mistake did Japan make when they bombed Pearl Harbor?    ___________________________________________
6. Name some of the countries which were Allies of the U.S. _________________________________________


Answers
1.  A.  World War I
B.  dictatorships
C.  Germany, Italy and Japan
2.  False
3. Japan’s
4. America, Thailand and the Phillippines
5.  They left our repair facilities largely undamaged and they didn't destroy the navy base completely which allowed the U.S. to regroup and go to war
6. Great Britain, Canada, India, China, France, the Soviet Union

History Highlights Q&A Week 17

History Highlights Q&A Week 17 pdf

Name  _______________________

1.  Who was President during World War I ?__________________________
2.  True or False  Woodrow Wilson was sneaky, dishonest and tried to trick people?

3.  When World War I broke out how did most Americans feel about it?  ___________________
4.  What was the first major event that happened and turned many Americans against Germany?  _______________
5.  Did President Wilson want to go to war immediately or did he try to make peace with Germany?  ___________________________________________
6. When Wilson was negotiating with Germany, what did he persuaded them to do ?   _________________________________________
7. When the Germans resumed their unrestricted submarine warfare against all merchant ships  including American ships, what did Wilson do?  _________________________________________________________
8.  Who were the German’s plotting  to get to go to war with the U.S. __________________________________
9.  What final event enraged the Americans into declaring war?_____________________________________________________
10.  Did Wilson make the decision to declare war on his own or ask Congress?______________________________________


Answers
1.  Woodrow Wilson
2.  False
3.  Americans wished to remain neutral and stay out of the war.
4.  German U-boats sinking the Lusitania
5.  He tried to negotiate with Germany rather than go to war.
6.  He persuaded them not to allow their submarines to attack neutral passenger ships.  
7.  Wilson immediately broke off diplomatic relations with Germany.
8.  Mexico
9.   The Germans sank 5 American ships.  
10.  He asked Congress.

History Highlights Q&A Week 16

History Highlights Q&A Week 16 pdf

Name  _______________________

1.  What is an immigrant and how can you remember it? _______________________________________________________
2.  What is an emigrant and how can you remember it?  
____________________________________________________
3.  Which two areas did most of the immigrants come from?________________________ and _____________________
4.  What two main reasons did people start to immigrate to the U.S. ?___________________________________________________
5.  Why did the U.S. want the immigrants to come? __________________________________________________
6.  True or False.  During 1820 to 1930,  the largest movement of people in the history of the world occured.  
7.  How did the immigrants get to the U.S.?
_____________________________________
8. Which harbor did most of the immigrants come through to enter the U.S. ?___________________________________
9.  Why did the first and second class ticket holders only get a cursory inspection aboard the ship and not go through Ellis Island?__________________________
10.  What was traveling like for 3rd class passengers?_______________________
11.  What does the term “melting pot” mean?_____________________________

Answers
1. A person who comes into a new country, into starts with the letter i
2.  A person who leaves a country, exit also starts with the letter e
3.  Europe and England
4.  Population expansion and improved methods of transportation
5.  Cheap sources of labor and profits
6.  True
7.  On ships
8.  New York
9.   The officials thought is a person could afford the price of the ticket they were not likely to be sick.  
10.  It was crowded, with unsanitary conditions in the bottom of the ship.
11.  The term “melting pot” refers to the different cultures becoming more like each other by coming to the U.S..

History Highlights Q&A Week 15

Back by popular demand :)
History Highlights Q&A PDF


History Highlights Q&A Week 15

Name  _______________________

1.  Which rulers were the Cubans rebelling against? _______________________
2.  What was the name of the battleship that was blown up in the harbor of Havana, Cuba?  _________________
3.  Who blamed the Spanish for blowing up the battleship and encouraging the Americans to go to war?___________
4.  Which branch of the armed forces did Roosevelt work to strengthen?
5.  Roosevelt became impatient with which President and compared him to a chocolate eclair?  ________________
6.  Why did Roosevelt resign from his position as assistant Secretary of the Navy?   _____________
7.  What kinds of jobs did the Rough Riders have before going to war?_____________
8.  Because of this war, Cuba gained independence from ______________.
9.  The U.S. gained additional territories which had belonged to Spain, can you name any of them?___________________________
10.  Who did McKinley chose to be his vice-president running mate in the next election?____________________________

Answers
1.  The Spainish
2.  U.S.S. Maine
3.  The newspapers.
4.  The Navy
5.  President William McKinley
6.  He wanted to go to war and fight.
7.  They were mostly cowboys and former college athletes.
8.  Spain
9.   Puerto Rico, Guam and the Phillippines
10.  Theodore Roosevelt

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Classical Conversations Week 17 Supplements

History Supplements
The Lusitania - reading
The Lusitania Video documentary
President Woodrow Wilson- video clip
Woodrow WIlson Timeline important dates
Woodrow Wilson Coloring Page


Math
Circles: Radius, Diameter and Circumference- Khan has a beautiful way of explaining math


Science Thanks to Brandie at http://halfahundredacrewood.blogspot.com/
Boron Video
Carbon Video
Nitrogen Video
Oxygen Video




Reading Supplement
War Stories, Dowswell. 
Hero Over Here, Kudlinski. RA:1-6; R:4-6 
A Father’s Promise, Hess. 
Raoul Wallenburg, Linnea. 
After the Dancing Days, Rostkowski. R2-6 
Sergeant York & the Great War, York & Skeyhill. 
When Christmas Comes Again (World War 1, 1917). Gr.4-9 





3 Actions You Can Take Now to Shift your emotional state

3 Actions You Can Take Now to Shift your emotional state

My sister sent me this link today, I thought it was helpful:)

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Ethan's Booklist

This is a list of books I want my son Ethan to read this year.  This is really for my personal benefit, since I tend to loose papers.
1.  Tales From Shakespeare by Charles Lamb- We tried this book, it was a flop.
2.  Dangerous Journey (Pilgrim's Progress)
3.  James Herriott's Treasury For Children
4.  Children's Stories from Dickens
5.  The Patchwork Girl of Oz by Frank Baum
6.  Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle by Betty MacDonald
7.  Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
8.  Nurse Matilda by Christianna Brand
9.  The Borrowers by Mary Norton
10.  The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
11.  Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert O'Brien
12.  Emerald City of Oz
13.  Glinda of Oz
14.  Little Wizard of Oz Stories
15.  The Lost Princess of Oz
16.  Ozma of Oz
17.  The Scarecrow Of Oz
18.  Tik-Tok of Oz
19.  The Tin Woodman of Oz
20.  The Enchanted Island Of Yew
21.  Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
22.  How to eat fried worms
23.  Harry Potter and the sorcerer's stone

Thursday, January 26, 2012

It doesn't get any clearer than this :)

Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."



Romans 6:23a "...The wages of sin is death..."



Romans 6:23b "...But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."



Romans 5:8, "God demonstrates His own love for us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us!"



Romans 10:13 "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved!"



Romans 10:9,10 "...If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."



Revelation 3:20a "Behold I stand at the door and knock, if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him..."



John 1:12 "As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name!"

Believe you have sinned, accept that your sin has separated you from God and made you unclean. Ask Jesus to forgive you of your sin.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Classical Conversations Week 16 Supplements.

History
School House Rocks- The Great American Melting Pot- video


Math


Geography

English Grammar 

Latin Review 

Timeline Review First Part

Reading Supplements
 Immigrant Kids, Freedman
Journey to America, Levitin
Hitch, Ingold
Maureen the Detective (1903). Gr.3-7 

If Your Name Was Changed at Ellis Island, Levine. 
Ellis Island (Cornerstones of Freedom). 
Immigration (Researching American History). Gr.4-8 
Angel Island by Mortensen, Lori K- Gr2

Irish immigrants, 1840-1920 by O'Hara Megan
Ellis Island- Mortensen, Lori,  K-Grade 2
Small Beauties by Woodruff, Elvira Grade 2-5
Bridge to America : based on a true story- by Glaser, Linda- This looks really good and got good reviews, I think we are going to definitely read this book.



For More Resources Click Here


Geography Review App

I was searching for an app to review coin values for my daughter, Hannah and stumbled upon a really fun Geography app.  It's called Stack the States.  We had a hard time getting back to our school work because it was so interesting.  It teaches the kids fun facts about the States, their shapes and location.  I highly recommend it for a fun way to review for CC.
Stack The States