Summer Term-July – Oceans!

I think we’ve run the gamut of zoo books . The kids still have some of their papers to fill out, there was never anything hard core in there, just random stuff about drawing animals and so on anyway, dot to dots and so on. Things to keep them occupied when I was busy doing other things. UPDATE: Still not done with these… they don’t want to sit with paper, unless it’s their idea. We’re moving on to Ocean Theme! Find all of our activities here!

It seems like we’ll probably start our fall term in August since we’ll take a lot of November off due to baby #4s arrival. I had a friend generously donate Sonlight curriculum to us that they used a dozen years ago or so, and that would be a good thing to try because it would be less work than trying to build things from scratch as we have been doing. We’ll see as we get closer and if I get a chance to peek through the info what I like about it or don’t. For now, we’re just going to be trying to enjoy the summer, doing a lot of reading and answering life’s little questions.

Our garden that we planted as a spring homeschooling project is now TALL! Full of food! Bursting at the seams ready to get going! I’ve harvested a lot of beans, tomatoes, our radishes and beets are done, corn and peppers are growing, etc.

Food:
Besides our garden stuff, we’ve been working on seafood type things. I’ll link posts to here soon. I made a sandbar snack mix, octodogs and shells, and more!

Games:
-Fish matching (3 year old can do this on own) with go fish deck which features… fish
-Add to 10 Go fish/rummy/whatever you want to call it… game that lets kids add up to 10! With or without jokers as wild cards. Basically, if they have 2 cards that add up to 10, play them, if not you can draw/go fish for it, etc. Helps the kids learn what numbers add up to 10 (this is great for the addition/subtraction facts and the number families or whatever it’s called in school nowadays) and change the rules as you go. A lot of fun!

Kits:
A House for a Hermit Crab Kit (Reading Rainbow VCR Tape and BOOK!)
CRABS storytime kit : Books: Kermit the Hermit by Peet and Follow Me! by Tafuri Plus Stuffed hermit crab puppet
Underwater Life Kit: Stuffed shark, octopus, etc. plus a variety of books. Copied activities from Endangered Oceans (Carson Dellosa Publishing, 1993 K-4 grades), plus the manual: pages to color and activities and songs, we don’t have anything to play the cassettes, but we watched the VCR video: Under the Sea

Media:
The Magic School Bus Takes a Dive (Scholastic)
The Magic School Bus Gets Eaten – about food chains and sea life (Scholastic)
Finding Nemo (Disney)
The Little Mermaid (Disney)
Go Diego Go! Episode: An Underwater Mystery
“Life on the Reef” PBS Show, first aired 2015. Parts 1 and 2.

3 year old reading together:
A was once an apple pie by MacDonald
The Berenstain Bears Count Their Blessings by Berenstain
The Little House by Burton
The Berenstain Bears and the Attic Treasure by Berenstain
Moo Moo Peek A Boo by Dyer
Noisy Breakfast by Blonder
Penguins, Penguins, Everywhere by Barner (this is a repeat, but the kids love it)
Clifford Dogs and Cats by Bridwell (repeat)
Hooray It’s Easter! by McNeill
The Berenstain Bears and the Truth by Berenstain
Pete the Cat Valentine’s Day is Cool by Dean
The Christmas Story by Werner
If you Give a Pig a Pancake by Numeroff
Blues Worlds of Words by Bergen
If you give a moose a muffin by Numeroff
If you give a pig a party by Numeroff
Cinderella’s Dream by Disney
Little People of the Night by Bannon
Fancy Nancy Sees Stars by O’Connor
Barbie Let’s Have a Sleepover by Lasser
Rainbow Fish and Friends Hidden Treasures By Pfister
Rainbow Fish The Dangerous Deep By Pfister
Rainbow Fish and the Big Blue Whale By Pfister
Rainbow Fish and Friends Lost at Sea By Pfister
Rainbow Fish and Friends A Fishy Story By Pfister
The Rainbow Fish by Pfister
Sitting Ducks by Bedard
Bears on Wheels by Berenstain
Inside Outside Upside Down by Berenstain
Pete the Cat’s Train Trip by Dean
Katy and the Big Snow by Burton
The Scary Thing by Bannon
Fancy Nancy Poison Ivy Expert by O’Connor
Mud Pie Annie by Buchanan
Barbie Fairytopia by Landolf
Mike Mulligan and the Steam Shovel by Burton
Easter Basket by Murphy (board)
Miles and Miles of Reptiles by Rabe (Cat in the Hat learning library)
It’s a Fair Day, Amber Brown by Danziger
Little Bear by Namm
Just a Teacher’s Pet by Mayer
Walter the Farting Dog by Kotzwinkle
Chocolatina by Kraft
Milli, Jack, and the Dancing Cat by King
Annie Bananie by Komaiko
How is a Moose like a Goose by Koontz
Miss Spider’s Tea Party by Kirk
I Know a Shy Fellow Who Swallowed A Cello by Garriel
The Spotty Pig by King-Smith
Bob the Builder: Bob’s Birthday by Redmond
Bob the Builder: Wendy Helps Out by Inches
Bob the Builder: Bob’s Busy World Lift the Flap Board Book
Bob the Builder: Bob’s Toolbox Mix-Up by Thorpe
The Cat in the Hat The Movie: Do Not Open This Crate by Seuss
Round and Round Again by Van Laan
Ice Cream Everywhere by Parker
Fancy Nancy Pajama Day by O’Connor
Fancy Nancy and the Boy from Paris by O’Connor
Fancy Nancy at the Museum by O’Connor
Fancy Nancy the Dazzling Book Report by O’Connor
Tiny Turtles by McLean
There’s a house inside my mommy by Andreae (great book about babies growing in mommy’s bellies!)

topical reading
Little Toot by Gramatky
You will live under the sea by Phleger
The Underwater Alphabet Book by Pallotta
The Hole in the Dike by Green
Hector the Hermit Crab by Boyce
Starfish, Seashells and Crabs by Fichter
The Magic School Bus and the Shark Adventure by Cole
The Sunbeam and the Wave by Hamilton (great to teach kids about being an important part of the world)
What’s Under the Sea by Diamond
Seashore Surprises by Wyler
Real Life Sea Monsters by Jango-Cohen
Hark! A Shark! by Seuss
Have you got what it takes to be a marine biologist by Thompson (on the Job series)
Why do Whales Sing (Mickey Wonders Why-Disney) by Parsons
Clam-I-Am:All About the Beach by Rabe  Cat in the Hat Learning Library
Surrounded By the Sea Life on a New England Fishing Island by Gibbons
Salty Sea Critters by Parent (board book)
In My Ocean by Gillingham (board book)
Good Night Ocean by Jasper (board book)
Go Fish by Dickens
Commotion in the Ocean by Andreae
Larry Gets Lost Under the Sea by Skewes
Curious George Discovers the Ocean by Rey
Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach by Watt
Under the  Sea by Milbourne
Moonlight Ocean by Golding
Life in the Sea by Curran
I spy under the Sea (few words, gives clues to hide and seek) by Gibbs
Wow! Ocean! (few words) by Neubecker
I wonder why the sea is salty and other questions about the oceans by Ganeri
A Whale of a Tale All About Porpoises, Dolphins, and Whales by Worth

Books we used mainly for pictures or copying:
Shark and other sea creatures dictionary an A to Z of Sea Life by Twist
The Sea Exploring Life on an Ocean Planet by Plisson
Shimmer and Splash the Sparklingn World of sea life by Arnosky
Under the Sea (the nature company) 100 pics of sea life
Coral Reef Watch it grow (this was gorgeous and I wish my kids paid more attention to it!) by Scarborough
The Seashore by Cohat
Coral Reef Hideway by Boyle
Seashells of the world by Abbott
Sea Animals Thematic Unit (songs) by Williams – Teacher Created Materials
Tails of the Sea Lasting Lessons by Shakleford (picture of a blank house to decorate like hermit crab did his new home)
Thematic Unit Oceans by Sterling {Intermediate level, too advanced for our group}

6 year old independent reading:
The Mona Mousa Code by Stilton
Babysitters Little Sister #115 Karen’s Runaway Turkey by Martin
Babysitters Little Sister #4 Karen’s Kittycat Club by Martin
Babysitters Little Sister #11 Karen’s Prize by Martin
Babysitters Little Sister #99 Karen’s Big City Mystery by Martin
Babysitters Little Sister Super Special #4 Karen, Hannie and Nancy: The Three Muskateers by Martin
Babysitters Little Sister #81 Karen’s Accident by Martin
Babysitters Little Sister #17 Karen’s Brothers by Martin
Babysitters Little Sister #6 Karen’s Little Sister by Martin
Babysitters Little Sister  #8 Karen’s Haircut by Martin
Babysitters Little Sister #45 Karen’s Twin by Martin
Babysitters Little Sister #33 Karen’s Secret by Martin
Babysitters Little Sister #15 Karen’s in Love by Martin
Babysitters Little Sister #71 Karen’s Island Adventure by Martin
Babysitters Little Sister #111 Karen’s Spy Mystery by Martin
Babysitters Little Sister #9 Karen’s Sleepover
Ghostville Elementary Frights! Camera! Action! by Jones/Dadey
Ghostville Elementary Ghosts be Gone! by Jones/Dadey
Ghostville Elementary The Treasure Haunt by Jones/Dadey
Barbie A Sea of Friends
Barbie Three Cheers for Becky
Barbie Skippers Babysitting Blues
Barbie The Lucky Skates
Barbie Girl’s Best Friend
Barbie Shooting for the Stars
Veggietales Larryboy In the Attack of Outback Jack by Peterson
Veggietales Larryboy and the Abominable Trashman by Peterson
Veggietales Larryboy and the Sinister Snow day by Peterson
Veggietales Larryboy and the Awful Ear Wacks Attacks by Peterson
Nancy Clancy Secret Admirer by O’Connor
You Can’t Eat your chicken pox Amber Brown by Danziger
Amber Brown Goes Fourth by Danziger
Amber Brown Wants Extra Credit by Danziger
It’s Fair Day Amber Brown by Danziger
Amber Brown Sees Red by Danziger
Get Ready for 2nd grade Amber Brown by Danziger
I, Amber Brown by Danziger
Amber Brown is Green with Envy by Danziger
Amber Brown is Feeling Blue by Danziger
Amber Brown is Tickled Pink by Danziger
Amber Brown is on the Move by Danziger
The Berenstain Bear Scouts and the sinister Smoke Ring by Berenstain
The Berenstain Bears in Maniac Mansion by Berenstain
The Berenstain Bears Bear Scouts and the Coughing Catfish by Berenstain
The Berenstain Bears and the School Scandal Sheet by Berenstain
The Berenstain Bears and the Wheelchair Commando by Berenstain
The Berenstain Bears Gotta Dance by Berenstain
The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes Two Heads are Better than One by Mazer
The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes Out of Sight Out of Mind by Mazer
The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes The More the Merrier by Mazer
Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot vs. The Mutant mosquitoes from Mercury by Pilkey
Nate the Great Where Are you? by Sharmat
Nate the Great and the Crunchy Christmas by Sharmat
Nate the Great and me The Case of the Fleeing Fang by Sharmat
Nate the Great and the Tardy Tortoise by Sharmat
Nate the Great Goes Down in the Dumps by Sharmat
Nate the Great and the Phony Clue by Sharmat
The Unicorn’s Secret The Silver Thread by Duey
The Magic School Bus Chapter Book The Fishy Field trip by Cole
The Magic School Bus Chapter Book The Wild Whale Watch by Moore
The Magic School Bus Chapter Book The Great Shark Escape by Johnston
Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot vs. The Mecha-Monkeys from Mars by Pilkey
Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot vs. The Stupid Stinkbugs from Saturn by Pilkey
Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot vs. The Jurassic Jackrabbits from Jupiter by Pilkey
Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot vs. The Voodoo Vultures from Venus by Pilkey
Stallion By Starlight Magic Tree House by Osborne
Magic Tree House Soccer on Sunday by Osborne
Magic Tree House Day of the Dragon King by Osborne
Stink The Incredible Shrinking Kid by McDonald
Ocean Hunters by Hirschmann
Mermaids in the Backyard by Hapka
Fairy Realm The Third Wish by Rodda
Whales Magic School Bus Fact Finder by Scholastic
Journey Under the Sea by Montgomery (Choose your own adventure)
Harold and the Purple Crayon Under the Sea by Baker
20,000 Baseball Cards Under the Sea by Buller
Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot vs. The Uranium Unicorns From Uranus by Pilkey
Mermaids Solving Mysteries with Science by Hile
Magic Tree House A Good Night for Ghosts by Osborne
Evil Under the Sea A Miss Mallard Mystery by Quackenbush
The Fairy Berry Bake-Off by Alberto

Linking up with the weekly wrap up, even though mine is a whole month!