I will survive… homeschool style

Definately a homeschool classic from Natalie at Ramblings, Rants and Remedies.

Enjoy!

Penmanship – Handwriting

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu

While making some worksheets for little sister, I thought I would share some resources I have found to be useful.

Handwriting does not necessarily begin with the tracing or copying of letters. Fine motor skills need to be developed before accurate control of the pencil is achieved. Here are some pre-writing worksheets to encourage tracing and development of pencil control:

Donna Young Printing Readiness

Kidzone Pre-Printing Skills Practice

Preschool Learners Pre-Writing Worksheets

SEN Teacher Pre-writing Set 1 and Set 2

I always like to start teaching handwriting by using the child’s name. I make worksheets using a dotted font with lines, adding clip art or pictures to colour. If you search on Google for their favourite character, then select the Images tab, you should find a large variety. Either download the image to your computer to be used again, or copy and paste directly into the document.

There are many free fonts available on the net or you could just use your favourite (even the good old comic sans) and make it grey instead of black. It all depends on what style of handwriting you would like your child to develop, or what you are bound to in accordance with local home education authorities. Grr…

Free Handwriting Fonts

Jardotty

Learning Curve – cursive

National First

Primer Apples

Print Clearly

Trace Font

Zyia Learns Letters

Handwriting/Tracing Worksheets

Pre-made

There are many sites with pre-made alphabet and thematic tracer pages for example colours or days of the week.

Abcteach – tracing and letter practice worksheets in d’nealian and zaner bloser

Boggles World Alphabet Tracing Pages

Donna Young – different sizes of manuscript and cursive

First School Alphabet Handwriting Practice Sheets in Standard Block and D’Nealian, numbers, colours, days of the week, and months of the year with flowers

Handwriting for kids – also has a worksheet generator

Home Education Resources – reference sheets, print read colour, cursive. These are copywork rather than tracing.

Jan Brett Alphabet Tracers – traditional manuscript, cursive manuscript or modern manuscript all with beautiful illustrations

Learning Page has lots of worksheets – free to join and totally worth it!

Preschool Learners Handwriting Worksheets – helping your child to improve his handwriting, alphabet and rhyming words worksheets

Primary Games Activity pages – alphabet, numbers, colours and months of the year

PrintActivities.com – alphabet, numbers, shapes and names. They even have Aaliyah!

School Express Handwriting – alphabet and numbers in both modern and traditional

Sparklebox – lots of alphabet and number worksheets

Generators

These sites enable you to create worksheets using your own words.

Abcteach Handwriting Worksheet Maker

ESL Writing Wizard – search for other people’s pre-made worksheets also

Create tracing worksheets online

Handwriting for kids – also has pre-made worksheets

Online fun

Donna Young’s manuscript animations

Handwriting animations of the alphabet

Writing the alphabet and numbers

Simply Yummy

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu

I am always on the look out for tasty new dishes that don’t take much time. Otherwise it’s the “same-old-same-old” monotonous routine. While at a sister’s house recently, I found this interesting recipe in a magazine – a slight twist on an old favourite. Looked easy and delicious so I thought I might attempt it. Let me know if you decide to try it.

Cheesy Gnocchi Bolognaise

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 750g lean beef mince
• 600ml bottle Italian tomato pasta sauce
• 625g packet fresh gnocchi
• 150g Tasmanian Heritage St Claire Swiss-style cheese, grated

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes or until soft. Increase heat to medium-high. Add mince. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up mince, for 5 minutes or until browned.
2. Add pasta sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until sauce thickens.
3. Meanwhile, cook gnocchi in a saucepan of boiling, salted water for 3 minutes or until partially cooked (see note). Drain. Spoon bolognaise into a lightly-greased, 6cm deep, 24cm x 30cm (base) baking dish. Top with gnocchi. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce bubbling at edges.

Notes & tips

• Baking will complete the cooking.
• Serve with salad.

Source

Super Food Ideas – November 2006 , Page 78

Earth Hour – We can make a difference

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu

In 2007, the people of Sydney initiated Earth Hour to try and save a little of the energy being taken out of the earth. Over 2 million residents and 2000 business took part recording a 10.2% reduction of energy across the city.

Now in 2008, it has gone global, with over 24 cities world wide participating. This weekend, March 29 at 8pm is Earth Hour for 2008. All they ask is to turn off your lights and any unused appliances for one hour. The idea is to also educate and create awareness – saving energy all through the year – not just during Earth Hour.

Read more about Earth Hour here at the official website.

Lesson plans and activities:

Kids “Create your Future” – lots of ideas to get you thinking

Tiki the Penguin – Climate Change for Kids – 12 things you can do to help stop global warming

ManagEnergy Kids Corner – interactive and downloads on sustainable energy

NSTA Source Reduction Curriculum – pdf file for middle school

Adventure Ecology – interactive (register for free)

Carbon Control

Energy Quest Room – interactive

Spread the word and see how much we can do to preserve this beautiful world that Allah has given us.

Decisions, decsions…

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu

Well I finally decided on a theme..for now. Don’t be surprised if next time you visit the layout of the site looks different. Best I could do within the limitations of WYSIWYG. It will do for now. I just want to get started!

I hope to have lots of ramblings and perhaps a few rants on all sorts of topics. Islam, home education, special needs and anything else I stumble upon. Insha’Allah you find something of interest.