|
Happy Birthday to YOU!
October Birthdays
Cole turned 8 on the 6th
Colton will be 11 on the 26th
Tyler will be 5 on the 26th
We would like to celebrate your birthday too! Just send your first name only, age and birthday and we will include you here on your birthday month!
|
Do you like to write?
Find a Pen Pal just for YOU!
|
The Autumn Song
By Jordan, 11 Missouri
On the oak tree the leaves are falling
down to the ground
laying there like a dead flower wilting.
You think the tree is dying but it isn't.
Don't worry so much.
It will grow back soon and be beautiful as ever before.
Autumn is so different than I imagined
So magnificent with all the colors swirling in the air
and the birds flying overhead as they head south.
A gust of wind comes and you tremble with cold
You feel it.
The Winter is coming soon.
Jordan is 11 years old and lives in Missouri. Jordan likes horseback riding, crafts and animals.
|
What is Your Favorite Subject?
Send in your vote to Homeschooling Kids Magazine
information@homeschoolingkidsmagazine.com |
Celebrate
World Poetry Day
on October 15th by writing your own poem!
Send your poem to us to be published
information@homeschoolingkidsmagazine.com
|
The History of Candy Corn!
By Savannah, age 12, Ohio
Candy corn has a history that goes back over a hundred years. George Renindger of Wunderlee Candy invented Candy corn back in the 1880's. Wunderlee Candy Company was the first to make and sell candy corn as a result. Then, in 1900, the Goelitz Candy Company (which later became the Jelly Belly Candy Company) started making candy corn and continues to make candy corn today.
Candy corn earned its name because it looks like an actual piece of corn. Additionally, candy corn came in the colors white, orange and yellow. Since the manufacturing wasn't automated back then, candy corn was made seasonally between the months of March and November. Today, nearly 8.3 billion candy corn kernels are sold every year - 80% of which are sold during the months of September and October!
|
Book Review
Hershey's Kisses
By: Kayla, age 8 from Texas
Learning math is sweet and easy when I did
it the Hershey's Kisses way!
I read this book about multiplication and
division and learned a lot.
The favorite part of the book was about times
tables. I could not help but to do it too!
The book showed me in "kisses form" and normal form. There was also fun with sports around all of the pages.
I started by learning about the basic two times two and worked all the way up to five times four after learning more about times tables. There was a full chart with all the times tables on it. Then I moved on to division it was hard but I kept trying. I got it right and I did it myself with my own kisses.
There was also a division table that I studied hard. Now I can proudly say I learned a lot of math the kisses way!
Gerard Larry Pallotta :
He is called Jerry because his mom always called him that. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, was one of ten kids
and also has seventy two first cousins.
He published his first book at Georgetown.
He has wrote a lot of great books like
Icky Bug Alphabet Book
The Bird Alphabet Book
The Hershey's Kisses Math Series
and so much more!
You can find all the Hershey's Kisses books
at your local library or your local book store. |
Candy Math
 + =
 x =
Send in your answers to us or make your own Candy Math problems and send them in! information@homeschoolingkidsmagazine.com
|
|
Poetry & Stories by Homeschoolers
Fall Haiku
by Lucas age,11
Leaves fall all around.
There is no way to stop them.
Little leaves fall down.
Fall
By Emma
The sun in my face,
the light whistle of wind in my ears,
almost chilly, comfortable.
Fall is here but I have no fears.
I feel as if this is a moment of bliss.
Nothing can break my concentration
except for the yelling in play of people.
Fall is here but I have no fear.
Emma wrote this poem at age eleven. She lives in Kansas City, Missouri with her mom, dad and little brother. She has three pets: a dog named Cyrus, a dog named Magnus and a cat named Sweetie Pie. Emma enjoys reading, writing, swimming and playing tennis. She plans to be a scientist when she grows up.
These Autumn Days
by Nhan
The air brushes gentle leaves in my hair,
whispering without care.
Pumpkins carved into shapes;
some even looking like grapes.
The starry night teems with life;
the moon shining so bright.
Oh, how I love these Autumn days;
now, let us go out and play.
Nhan is twelve years old. She lives with her two brothers, sister and Mom in Missouri. Metta, Lily, and Toby, her three lovable cats, also live with her. Nhan's many talents include writing, sewing, knitting and reading. In the future, Nhan wants to graduate with an English Literature degree. She has written four books and hopes they will be published in the future.
Weather Dance
By Jaya
Rain is water from the sky
coming from the clouds so high:
thunder lightning-lightning thunder
here I hide under cover.
The wind blows the trees around
and makes a scratching sound;
hope it's not some strange stranger
or that would mean I'm in danger.
The wind blows, making the rain dance
and whistles to me; I want to prance.
My fears dissolve into the air
Jaya is thirteen years old and lives with her mom and five year old brother in Kansas City. Jaya loves to read, especially fantasy and manga, and also has been doing West African dance for over 7 years. She performs with the Soundz of Africa for many cultural events.
My life
By Marissa
It all started when I was about six years old. The first time I watched gymnastics on TV, and I thought it was awesome and exciting. I wanted to meet the stars and loved what they did. A couple of years later, my mom took me to this place called Xtreme Gymnastics. We walked in, and I said, "Wow! Look at all this."
My mom talked to Sarah, the coach, and she asked me if I wanted to start today. I said, "No way." I was too shy. My mom told me everything would be okay, so Sarah took me onto the floor to try out. I loved it and didn't want to ever leave. I had so much fun.
From then on, I have been in gymnastics. It's my life, and one of the reasons I started homeschooling. I want plenty of time to practice. My goal is to be in the Olympics one day like Shawn Johnson who is awesome. I watched her fun routines at a Superstar show and would like to meet her one day and workout with her. That would be so cool.
My parents and family are really proud of me and will stand by me.
My name is Marissa, and I'm ten years old. I will be 10 in January and can't wait..I love playing with my friends, swimming, and most important doing gymnastics. I enjoy going over to my best friend's house, Alaina. We have so much fun. My goal in life is to go to the Olympics. I'm on Dave's Gymnastic's Team, in Missouri.
Fridays
by Jordan
I like Fridays because I get to read in the morning and play. I play games with my brother and sister. Then, we go to Lakeland to play and go to some classes. I take a sign language class and a science class, and I get to see my friends and play with them. In science class, we do fun experiments. My favorite was putting mentos into coke. It exploded and made a little fountain. In sign language class, we learn signing and how to finger spell. Sometimes I get to go to my friends' house afterwards, and sometimes they get to come over to my house.
One Friday after classes, I went to deaf chat with my sign language class. When I got there, I felt embarrassed because there were so many people. We signed to deaf people, and we talked to college students and signed to them. Then, we walked around the mall together.
Fridays are one of my favorite days.
Jordan is 11 years old and lives near Kansas City, Missouri. Jordan likes horseback riding, crafts and animals.
Life as a Homeschooler
by Claire
In the mornings, I learn ten spelling words and write them five times each. I have to write the definitions and either sentences or a story with my words. I do all kinds of math like multiplication, addition, subtraction and fractions. I homeschool with my sister, and we like to do math on our white board.
LUNCH!!!!!!! We watch fun videos and eat, so we learn and eat at the same time. My mom makes us watch more videos. Today, we are learning about the real Christopher Columbus and about how Halloween came to America. When the videos are done, we answer questions. We do homework for our classes.
That's the way I live as a homeschooler!!
|
October is...
1 China National Day
Yosemite Park Established (1890)
First CD Player (1982)
2 Peanuts Comic Anniversary (1950-2000)
3 East & West Germany Reunification (1990)
4 Saint Francis of Assisi Feast Day
Sputnik Anniversary (1957)
5 International Frugal Fun Day
Jonathan Edwards' Birthday (1703)
6 German American Day
Mad Hatter Day
7 National Fire Prevention Week*
Arthur TV Premiere (1996)
8 Great Chicago Fire Anniversary (1871)
9 Leif Erikson Day
National Submarine - Grinder - Hoagie - Hero Day
10 National Angel Food Cake Day
11 General Pulaski Memorial Day
12 Discovery Day (1492)
Pledge of Allegiance created to celebrate 400 Years Since Columbus' Arrival (1892)
Farmer's Day
13 National Children's Day*
14 "Winnie-the-Pooh" Published
National Dessert Day
15 Statue of Liberty Designated a National Monument (1924)
World Poetry Day
16 Bosses Day
Dictionary Day
Noah Webster's Birthday (1758)
17 National Pasta Day
18 Alaska transferred from Russia to U.S.
National Chocolate Cupcake Day
19 Yorktown Day (1781)
20 National Character Counts Week*
21 Edison Invents Incandescent Light Bulb (1879)
22 National Forest Products Week*
23 Chemists Celebrate National Mole Day
Mother-in-Law's Day
Departure of the Swallows (San Juan Capistrano, CA, USA)
24 United Nations Day
25 Pablo Picasso's Birthday (1881)
26 Erie Canal Anniversary (1825)
Austria Day
27 Navy Day (since 1922)
Teddy Roosevelt's Birthday (1858)
Make a Difference Day*
28 Statue of Liberty Dedicated (1886)
National Chocolate Day
29 Stock Market Crash (1929)
First Internet Transmission (1969)
Oatmeal Day
30 National Candy Corn Day
31 Halloween
Apple & Candle Night (Wales)
National Caramel Apple Day
Reformation Day
|
|
Would you like to be featured in our Homeschooler Q & A?
Send us a note and you may see yourself here in an upcoming issue!
|
|
Movie & Book Reviews
Have you seen a good movie lately or read a good book?
Then send us a review about it
|
Send In Your
Thanksgiving Photos From Last Year!
Thanksgiving is a special time to spend with
family and friends! So why don't you share that special time for others to see!
Send in your Thanksgiving photos to us and you could see them here!
|
 |
Homeschooling Adventures by Madison
Madison is a homeschooler from Kansas City
 Every Friday I go to ACE. ACE stands for Art Creative Education. I learn about different types of art techniques such as drawing skills or clay handling. One day when I went to ACE, we were going to Kaleidoscope. I made a LOT of cool things there!!! It was really fun!! I made some presents for people, cards, a puzzle, and I made a fish that could hang from the ceiling!!! When we were done, we drove around to find a place to eat. I ate with my friends, Dominique and Re'quel. I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, spicy porkrinds, cheese-its and Juicy Juice. After my mom picked me up from ACE, we went home and did the dishes, cleaned up the kitchen and went to go pick up my sister from my mom's friend's restaurant where she went to go cook ( Il Trullo). It is a fine Italian restaurant, though it is moving (I do not know where). Then, we went to Whole Foods and picked up a few things and then home. When we got home, I called my friend who lives not to far away and asked if she could come over. My mom asked her friend if she could come over. They both came over, and my mom's friend brought her daughter, who was also my age. Then all four of us (including my sister, Claire) played a game of school. Afterwards, Emily went home with my mom's friend, and Elizabeth spent the night. On SATURDAY, we took Elizabeth home early in the morning because they had to go somewere that day. After she left, we (Claire and I) got ready for a soccer game. Claire's soccer game was first, so my cousin, Elijah, and my friend (who was on my soccer team) Olivia, and I went out into the woods to play in our secret hide-out. We talked awhile and then walked all the way down a steep hill to the lake until we could touch the water! It seemed like we hadn't been there long until Claire's friend (who was on her team) Jenniveve told Olivia and I that our game was starting! I ran all the way back up the hill with Olivia as fast as we could! It was tough, but we both made it! I found out that Claire won her game! My game was long and hard, but we managed a tie! After both of our games were finished, Claire and Elijah showed me their secret hide-out that was even BETTER than mine! It was pretty cool! After our games, my dad took us to Charlie Hoopers! Elijah and I played shufel-board, and then Elijah and Claire played a game, too. Not long after that ,our food arrived, and we ate our soup. When we were done eating we went to Tunnel Voyage for Elijah's other little cousin's birthday. Then we went to Elijah's house and spent the night.
| |
|
Welcome Homeschooling Friends!
Homeschooling Kids Magazine is published online monthly for Homeschooling Kids by Homeschooling Kids!
Some of the things we will be featuring:
articles, short stories, puzzles, poems, pictures, recipes, crafts and so much more! If you would like to receive your very own issue via email monthly, please ask your parents to subscribe today! Do you love to write? Consider becoming a Homeschooling Kids Reporter. Send a sample of your work to us at:
information@homeschoolingkidsmagazine.com
Include your first name only, age and state.
Enjoy reading and Happy Homeschooling!
Be sure to have a parent's permission before submitting articles, contest entries etc. |
|
More About Fairy Houses
Anna, age 7 from Massachusetts
(continued from our August issue)
In September I went to the Fairy House Tour in Portsmouth, NH. I liked meeting Tracy Kane , the author of the Fairy House books. She even autographed her new book, Forest Secrets, for me! It was fun to see all the different fairy houses people made, they gave me great ideas for making my own fairy houses. At the end of the day I made a fairy house before I left. I can't wait until next year's tour, I hope to participate in it.
For more infomation on fairy houses please visit |
 The Pumpkin
By Homeschooling Kids Magazine Reporter Samantha, age 13 from Arizona
Pumpkins. The sight of these bright orange squashes is truly a sign that it's autumn and we're well on our way to Halloween! Here are some interesting things you may not know about pumpkins.
History
Pumpkins are thought to have originated in Central America. Seeds from plants related to pumpkins were found in Mexico dating from 7000-5500 BC.
Also, Native Americans used pumpkins in their diets long before the pilgrims landed. When they arrived, they saw the pumpkins being used by the Native Indians and soon began using and growing them too. They brought some pumpkins seeds back to their homes in Europe and they soon grew in popularity.
Settlers used pumpkins in all sorts of recipes and even used the dried shells for mat weaving.
The carving of pumpkins really evolved from the traditions of a Celtic annual event called "All Hallow's Eve", in which Halloween partly came from. Though back in the days of All Hallow's Eve, turnips and rutabagas were carved instead of pumpkins.
Anatomy (Do YOU Know All the Parts of a Pumpkin?)
Stem- The brownish-greenish stump at the top of the pumpkin. At one time, it attached the pumpkin to the vine it grew from!
Tendril- The hair-like "tendrils" on the pumpkin attached to the stem. When the pumpkin was connected to its vine, these tendrils helped keep the vine anchored to protect it from the wind!
Skin- The outer layer of the pumpkin that protects the squash from insects and diseases. It's thin and shiny and is what gives the pumpkin its orange color.
Pulp- The yummy part of the pumpkin used to cook with! It's also referred to as the "meat" of the pumpkin.
Ribs- The indented ridges on the outside of the pumpkin running from top to bottom.
Cavity- Where the candle is placed after emptying out the pumpkin!
Seeds- The beginnings of new pumpkins for next year.
Pumpkins in Cooking! (Some recipes you can make!)
Pumpkins can be used to cook all sorts of things including pies, cakes, cookies, chili, soup, pancakes, and many more!
Traditional Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Cooked, strained pumpkin(or canned)
2/3 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 1/2 cups Evaporated Skim Milk
3 Eggs
3/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon Ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon Ginger
1 teaspoon Grated Orange Peel
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 Unbaked Pie Shell
Preparation Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degree.
Mix pumpkin, sugars, orange peel and spices in a large bowl.
Add evaporated milk and eggs.
Mix all ingredients well.
Pour pumpkin filling into pie shell.
Bake at 450 degrees for fifteen minutes.
Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 45 minutes more.
TIP: If crust begins to get too brown, loosely cover crust only with foil.
Serving Tips and Suggestions:
Everyone likes a little pumpkin pies with their whipped cream. Try putting a cherry on top of the whipped cream for color.
Fresh blueberry or shaved chocolate also is effective in adding color. Use chocolate sparingly, as too much affects taste.
Pumpkin Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup Shortening
3/4 cup Sugar
1 cup Cooked, strained Pumpkin(or canned)
1 Egg
2 cups Flour
1 cup Raisins
1/2 cup Molasses
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon Salt
Preparation Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 375.
Cream shortening and sugar.
Mix in pumpkin ,egg, and molasses.
Stir in dry ingredients, spices and raisins.
Drop by the spoonful onto an ungreased baking sheet.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes.
Serving Tips and Suggestions:
These cookies taste best with a cold glass of milk.
Some Quick Facts About Pumpkins
Did you know that:
The world's biggest pumpkin was 1,689 pounds?
The fastest pumpkin carver holds the record at 1 minute, 14.8 seconds?
The world's largest pumpkin pie was 2,020 pounds?
The record for the most pumpkins lit at one time is 30,128 pumpkins?
That pumpkins were once used as a cure for freckles and a remedy for snake bites? |
|
Meet Davis... 9 Year Old Homeschooler Who Races Motocross!
Davis is a 9 year old girl who lives in East Hampton, NY. She is about to start her first year of Home Schooling. She is just like any other 9 year old in that she loves the beach, doing arts and crafts, and playing with friends. But Davis also has a hobby that isn't like most other 9 year olds, she races Motocross.
Davis started riding quads when she was just 4 years old. Her and her dad would just ride around the yard and on trails. When Davis turned 6, her dad decided to bring her to a race. They traveled to upstate NY and entered the race and she won it. Her dad was so excited. Davis races all over New England. She now races in 3 different classes. The classes go by quad size and age. Davis' classes are the 50CC class age 4-8, 70CC class age 7-11, and the 90CC class age 9-14. Davis' season runs from April through November, pretty much racing every other weekend. She lives in a trailer at the race tracks on weekends and has made tons of friends from all over.
Last year Davis was the Tri State Champion ( meaning the best rider in her age group in The Tri State area NY, NJ, PA)
This year she is running 2nd in points in the New England ATV series and is again qualified to participate in the Tri State Championship which will take place November 1st.
Davis has a younger sister who is 4 named Devyn, who is hoping to start her racing career next year. :)
If you ever get a chance to try quad riding, we would highly recommend it. Remember to always wear your safety gear and never do it without your parents watching or knowing.
Good Luck Davis at your November 1st race! Keep us posted! |
|
AS AMERICAN AS APPLE PIE
 Autumn is prime apple time. It seems fitting, then, that John Chapman (aka Johnny Appleseed) was born in the fall on September 26th, 1774. He was a humble Christian nurseryman from Massachusetts. Although poor for most of his life, Johnny got to know thousands of folks. He read the Bible to many of them because he could read and they could not. As Johnny headed west across the frontier as a missionary planting spiritual seeds, he also planted many apple seeds. The seeds and saplings that he gave away to local Indians and settlers helped to build the orchards of the Midwest. Johnny continued planting apple trees till he was well into his 80's. By the time he went home to be with the Lord, he had planted over 100,000 acres of trees. Johnny always cut his apples in half across the middle of the apple because he told the people, "There's a little bit of heaven in every bite." If you cut your apple like Johnny did, you will see the star in the middle of the apple. Don't forget to celebrate Johnny's birthday and eat an apple cut the way Johnny did. If you like apples, you will enjoy the following apple recipes and books .
Apple Salsa
1 cup diced Granny Smith apple
1/4 cup diced peeled ripe avocado
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon minced jalapeno
1/2 teaspoon grated lime rind
1/8-teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice
Dash of pepper
1 small clove garlic, minced.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and allow flavors to blend about 1/2 hour. Serve with chicken, pork, beef or low fat tortilla chips. Serves 4.
Apple Bread Pudding
10 cups bread, cubed
2 cups apple juice
23 oz. apple sauce (1 jar)
6 apples, peeled and cubed (put in above apple juice)
6 eggs
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
½ tablespoon cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup raisins
Peel and cube apples. Boil in the apple juice until soft. (or microwave for 8 minutes until done). Cut bread into ½ inch cubes & set aside. In a large bowl whisk together the milk, eggs, apples, apple sauce, sugar and spices, vanilla. Add the bread cubes and mix well. Stir in the raisins. Spray 14, one-cup individual soufflé cups or ramekins with non-stick cooking spray. Spoon the pudding mixture evenly into the ramekins. Place the ramekins in a large flat baking pan and pour hot water around the cups. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until set.
Candy Apple Pie
1 3/4 cups unsweetened apple juice
20 cinnamon red hot candies
1/4 teaspoon red food coloring (optional)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 Granny Smith apples
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked
Peel and core the apples. Slice thinly. Combine 1 1/2 cups apple juice, candies, food coloring, vanilla, and apples in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Simmer until apples are tender, stirring frequently. Combine 1/4 cup apple juice and corn starch; stir into apple mixture and cook until thickened. Remove from heat and let cool. Spread apple mixture into pie shell, and chill for several hours. Before serving, top with whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon if desired. (This pie tastes just like a candy apple, but it's a lot easier to make and not as messy, plus the wonderful aroma permeates the whole house.)
Apple Oven Pancake
2 tablespoons stick
margarine or butter
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Medium cooking apple, thinly sliced (1 cup)
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Melt butter in a 9-inch pie plate in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over butter. Put apple slices on cinnamon/sugar mixture. Beat eggs slightly in medium bowl, using wire whisk or hand beater. Beat in other ingredients just until mixed (do not overbeat). Pour batter over apple slices. Bake 30-35 minutes or until puffy and deep golden brown. Loosen edge of pancake and turn upside down onto heatproof serving plate. 2-4 servings.
Chewy Apple Brownies
1 cup butter, softened
1-3/4 cups sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups peeled, chopped apples
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Combine flour with baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; beat into butter mixture. Mix just until flour is moistened. Fold in apples and nuts. Spread into greased 9-inch square baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. CLOVE APPLE To make a clove apple you will need: 1 large red apple, ½ cup whole cloves, and a toothpick (optional). Press the sharp point of each clove into the apple. Push it in only until the head of the clove shows. You may need a toothpick to help you get started. Continue until the whole apple is covered with cloves, or you can make some artistic designs on the apple with the cloves. Display your apple on a dish or in a bowl out of direct sunlight.
Books About Apples
BOOKS ANNIE ATE APPLES, by Lynette Ruschak. (Every one of Annie's fifty-one young friends is up to something delightfully daffy in this amusingly alliterative trip through the alphabet, from Andrew adoring ants to Zeke zapping zebras.)
APPLES AND PUMPKINS, by Anne F. Rockwell. (A little girl goes with her parents to a farm where they pick apples and choose "the best pumpkin of them all.")
THE APPLE PIE TREE, by Zoe Hall. (Two young sisters describe the changes that occur in their backyard apple tree throughout the seasons of a year.)
AUTUMN IS FOR APPLES, by Michelle Knudsen. (Sparse rhyming text details a child's impressions of an apple-picking trip, from the morning flapjacks to the last juicy bite of apple.)
HOW DO APPLES GROW? by Betsy Maestro. (From winter's snow-covered buds through pollination and growth to ripening and harvest.)
JOHNNY APPLESEED, by Steven Kellogg. (This picture book tells the story of a great American frontier hero with colorful, detailed illustrations.)
RUSS AND THE APPLE TREE SURPRISE, by Janet Elizabeth Rickert. (Russ longs for a swing set in his backyard instead of an apple tree. Then Russ and his Dad pick apples, and Russ bakes a pie with his mother and grandmother. Russ soon discovers the apple tree has a surprise for him.)
THE SEASONS OF ARNOLD'S APPLE TREE, by Gail Gibbons. (Arnold enjoys his apple tree: its buds and blossoms in the spring, its sheltering boughs in summer, the tasty apples in the fall, and the bare branches that hold strings of popcorn and berries for the birds in the winter.)
TEN APPLES UP ON TOP, by Dr. Seuss aka Theo. Le Sieg. (A story in rhyme about animals who carry ten apples on their heads and what happens when they all fall down.) |
|
Leaf Mobile: Can't find any fall leaves? Make your own! Glue different colorful fabrics to both sides of several pieces of heavy paper. Cut leaf shapes from this. Put a string on each leaf. Tie the leaves to a small branch. Hang it where the leaves will flutter in a breeze.
Autumn Trees: You will need: a large piece of paper, crayons or markers, glue, and leaves (the more colorful the better). To make a tree outline, trace your hand (with fingers spread) and arm (up to the elbow) on a large piece of paper. Color the inside of the outline; that is the tree. Glue leaves onto the branches and around the base of the tree.
Aluminum Foil Leaves:Set out square pieces of aluminum foil and a variety of fall leaves. Place a leaf under a piece of foil. Gently press and rub the foil with your hand to get a leaf print. Glue each leaf print onto a piece of construction paper. Leaf Rubbings Place a variety of leaves (underside up to show the veins) under a piece of plain white or light colored paper. Using the sides of crayons (with the paper coverings peeled off), make rubbings of the leaves.
Pressed Leaves:Collect some colorful fall leaves. Place the leaves between two sheets of paper and set a heavy book on top. After the leaves have dried, use to make a fall leaf wreath or other decoration.
Waxed Leaves: Collect some colorful fall leaves. Arrange them on a sheet of wax paper, and cover with another sheet of wax paper. Adults: Put a sheet of newspaper on top and using an iron on the wool setting, gently iron the two pieces of wax paper together. After ironing, you can cut around the individual leaves or attach the entire collage to a hanger of some kind and hang or tape the leaves in your window. They should stay colorful all year.
Nature Collage: Go on a fall nature walk and pick up items that have fallen off trees (leaves, twigs, nuts, pinecones, pine needles, etc.). Arrange your findings in a shoebox or create a collage by gluing them to a poster board.
And YUMMY Snacks!
Leaf Cookies: Obtain a leaf shaped cookie cutter and have the children help you make leaf cookies. Decorate them with red, orange, yellow and brown frosting.
Leaf Jello: Using a leaf shaped cookie cutter, make leaves from yellow, red and orange gelatin. |
Homeschooling Families Enjoying Apple Butter Day!
Submitted by Laina & Lexi from Missouri
Every Autumn, we look forward to the last Saturday of October for Apple Butter Day, a generations-old family tradition. Regardless of weather conditions, carloads of relatives and friends arrive at the Cunningham Farm in Higginsville, Missouri at eight in the morning to prepare for Apple Butter Day. We set up under a Walnut tree by carrying bales of hay to make a circular place for sitting. Then, we carried firewood to the middle of the circle of hay and built two fires.
In the meantime, Grandma Helen and Uncle David cleaned the two huge black kettles with a mixture of vinegar and salt to remove any tarnish. They worked until the insides of the copper kettles shone like a new penny. We also used hard wood stirring paddles of hickory, oak or walnut. Several half dollar coins were placed at the bottom to prevent scorching. Around ten o'clock, Mom and Uncle Bob added the ingredients. For our twenty-four gallon kettle, we added twenty-one gallons of applesauce, twenty-five pounds of sugar, one pound of cinnamon and one pound of red hots, the tiny candies usually used to decorate gingerbread cookies. The cinnamon and red hots gave it a nice brick red coloring. We used a little less of each ingredient for the twenty-gallon kettle, then settled back to stir and commune. Using the huge cans of applesauce instead, which we jokingly called cheating, we only had to boil and stir for about four hours. We stirred constantly, taking turns.
We tasted the apple butter and added more sugar or cinnamon until we were satisfied with the overall taste. Then we used an assembly line to get the apple butter dipped from the kettle into jars with boiling hot lids to seal, careful to not dip up the coins. We used the last part on the bottom to taste the apple butter by spreading it on homemade rolls. After cleaning up, we checked to see if the jars sealed and divided up the apple butter so each person could take some home.
|
|
AUTUMN LEAF
BOOKS & WEBSITES
AUTUMN: AN ALPHABET ACROSTIC, by Steven Schnur. (An alphabetical listing of autumn's sights, sounds, and emotions is recorded in brief blocks of text; read vertically, the first letter of each line spells out the seasonal word being described)
AUTUMN IDEA BOOK, by Karen Sevaly. (A creative idea book for the elementary teacher.)
CLIFFORD'S FIRST AUTUMN, by Norman Bridwell. (Clifford the Small Red Puppy leaps into autumn when he experiences the changing of the seasons for the first time, and he joyfully sniffs the falling leaves and enjoys the wonderful colors.)
CRAFTS TO MAKE IN THE FALL, by Kathy Ross. (Featuring symbols of the fall season, this book includes 29 craft projects--including a changing tree puppet, a soft sculpture pumpkin, a Columbus Day hat, and cornucopia place cards.)
EVERY AUTUMN COMES THE BEAR. by Jim Arnosky. (Follow the autumn activities of a bear on the rugged land behind a farm as he gets ready for a long winter's nap.)
EVERYTHING FOR FALL, by Kathy Charner. (A complete activity book for teachers of young children: activities for September, October, and November.)
I AM A LEAF, by Jean Marzollo. (Easy-to-read text and bright cut-paper illustrations describe the life cycle of a leaf and explore its many functions.)
LOOK WHAT I DID WITH A LEAF! by Morteza E. Sohi. (Learn how to create pictures of animals using leaves.)
RED LEAF, YELLOW LEAF, by Lois Ehlert. (A simple narrative celebrating the life of a sugar maple tree is extended with excellent notes on the tree's parts as well as instructions for planting and caring for it.) WHEN
AUTUMN COMES, by Robert Maas. (Beautifully composed color photos are combined with a simple text to portray typical events of a New England autumn in the country.)
AUTUMN LEAF WEBSITES www.sciencemadesimple.com/leaves.html
(A simple explanation of why leaves change color.)
(Detailed explanation of how leaves turn color)
(Photosynthesis and fall lesson plans.)
(Autumn crafts, activities, songs and poems.)
(Leaf activities, crafts, games, and snack ideas.)
(Autumn facts, recipes, & links.)
|
|
Parent's Box
Dear Parents,
Thank you for taking the time to view Homeschooling Kids Magazine. We hope that you and your Homeschooler enjoyed reading with us! That is our goal, to make reading and learning fun! It is also our goal to provide Homeschooling children a place of their own, to highlight their accomplishments, talents and thoughts. Here at Homeschooling Kids Magazine, our articles and information are written exclusively by Homeschoolers. We strive to make this a safe place for your child and will never share or sell your information with any 3rd party. Content is a top priority for us and articles will always be age appropriate. The opinions expressed in our magazine are not necessarily those of Homeschooling Kids Magazine. Our magazine will only allow sponsorship logos and links that are family friendly. Homeschooling Kids magazine cannot be held responsible for any information listed or actions from our sponsors, reporters or Parent Helpers. If you would like to have Homeschooling Kids Magazine sent directly to your inbox each month, just click on the box at the top of the magazine that says "Did You Receive This As A Sample?" box.
Our magazine is free to all Homeschoolers. If you know someone who would like to view a sample copy, please have them send us an email to request one. If you would like to forward this issue, please feel free to do so, however please advise the person you are sending it to that all the links may not work when forwarding. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
If you have a business and would like to be included as a sponsor for Homeschooling Kids Magazine, please contact us for information.
Become a Parent Helper in your area and earn some extra income, contact us for information.
Copyright 2009 Homeschooling Kids Magazine | |
