Free Crafts for Kids at Lakeshore on Saturdays

http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/general_content/store_locations/storeCrafts.jsp?ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474395181113&bmUID=1272382674002

Lakeshore provides free crafts for kids every Saturday. Just to let you know.

:)

Where do I find what the state of Texas teaches?

Ok, so I went to Disney and it has been a crazy long time since I've posted. Oops...but I'm back. So if you are thinking of homeschooling, you are wondering "Ummmm, what am I supposed to teach?" Well, for a limited time you too can see what the state of Texas teaches every child in each subject by grade. Just kidding! It isn't for a limited time. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is mandated to let you know. It's called the TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills.) This is what 3rd grade and above take the TAKS test on every year (yikes...run screaming small children!)


TEKS by Grade for K-5th (scroll to the bottom)
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=6148

Preschool Guidelines (click under documents & skills start around page 37)
http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/curriculum/early/index.html

And that gives you the same learning guidelines for skills as the Texas public teachers!

Is my child on track developmentally?

This is the #1 question I always received from parents in my classes and at the day school. I thought it was funny until I had my own son. Then I too started to worry and wonder if he was doing the things that all the other children were doing. My advantage was that I had also worked at a private therapy group with speech-language, occupational and physical therapists for children. Haha! So I whipped out the HELP scale (Hawaii Early Learning Profile). Aloha!! It made me feel better to see that skills can develop over a time span (ex. walking 8-14 months) instead of something is wrong with your child if they aren't walking by 12 months. That being said...I am currently working to bring you these charts.

Preschool Chart 2-5 Years (Not HELP)
http://www.unc.edu/~lwatson/classes/sphs207/developmentalcharts.htm

Activites to Compliment Animal Cams

Animal Coloring Pages:

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/coloringbook/archive/

http://www.coloring.ws/animals.html

http://www.first-school.ws/theme/animals/cpanimals.htm

Online Animal Puzzles:

http://animal.discovery.com/games/puzzles/jigsaw-puzzles-tab-04.html

http://www.blackdog4kids.com/zoo/puzzles/index.html

http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Audiences/Kids/jigsaw.cfm

Live Animal Cams

Animal Cam Websites:

Amazon River Fish Cam -http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/WebCams/default.cfm
Andean Bear Cub Cam
Asian Small-clawed Otter Cam
Black-footed Ferret Cam
Cheetah Cams
Clouded Leopard Cam (DC)
Clouded Leopard Cam (VA)
Fishing Cat Cam
Flamingo Cam
Gharial Cam
Golden Lion Tamarin Cam
Gorilla Cam
Kiwi Cam
Lion Cam
Micronesian Kingfisher Cam
MicroTheatre Cam
Naked Mole-Rat Cam
Octopus Cam
Orangutan Cam
Panda Cams
Sloth Bear Cam
Tiger Cam


Owl Cam- http://www.sportsmansparadiseonline.com/Live_Owl_Nest_Box_Cam.html

Africam- http://www.africam.com/wildlife/index.php

San Diego Zoo Cam - http://www.sandiegozoo.org/videos/

Monterey Bay Aquarium Cam - http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/efc/cam_menu.aspx

Tiger Homes Cam - http://www.tigerhomes.org/animal/cams.cfm

National Geographic Cam - http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/wildcamafrica/

Extensive Page of Animal Cams - http://www.trmichels.com/AnimalCams.htm