Sunday, May 30, 2010

MEMORIAL DAY LESSON PART II


Remember Our Veterans Lesson Plan
http://www.crayola.com/lesson-plans/detail/remember-our-veterans-lesson-plan/

Remembering the Heros of Memorial Day Lesson Plan
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1630491/remembering_the_heros_ of_memorial_day.html

Remembering Those Who Gave Their Lives
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson313.shtml

Teaching the Meaning of Memorial Day
http://curriculalessons.suite101.com/article.cfm/teaching-the-meaning-of-memorial-day

The Memory Shall Be Ours: Celebrating Memorial Day
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson119.shtml

Unknown Soldier Diorama Lesson Plan
http://www.crayola.com/lesson-plans/detail/unknown-soldier-diorama-lesson-plan/

Veterans in My Family
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/SSMDVeteransInMyFamily-VetMemDayIdeaP12.htm

Crafts

Craft Stick Flag
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/july4/craftstickflag/

Crayola® Holiday Crafts - Memorial Day
http://www.crayola.com/crafts/memorial-day-crafts/

Patriotic Ribbon Dance-Along
http://crafts.kaboose.com/patrioticribbondancealong.html

Patriotic Wind Sock Craft
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/windsock/

Red, White & Blue Spinners
http://www.makingfriends.com/spinners.htm

Sequin Flag Magnet
http://www.makingfriends.com/flag_sequin.htm

Cooking

Preschool Education Snacks : Holiday > Memorial Day
http://www.preschooleducation.com/cmemorial.shtml

Multimedia

Memorial Day Images
http://www.usmemorialday.org/images.html

Virtual Fieldtrips

Arlington National Cemetery
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.org

Memorial Day Museum
http://www.waterloony.com/MdayMus.html

Online Activities

A Time to Remember: Memorial Day Quiz
http://www.funtrivia.com/trivia-quiz/ForChildren/A-Time-to-Remember-Memorial-Day-309728.html

American Flag Concentration Puzzle
http://www.surfnetkids.com/games/flag-c.htm

English Study Quiz - Memorial Day (Grammar Quiz)
http://www.manythings.org/voa/010525bam.htm

ESL Quiz - Memorial Day Quiz
http://a4esl.org/q/h/9901/cr-memorialday.html

Memorial Day Maze- Easy
http://www.alphabet-soup.net/mem/memorialmaze.html

Memorial Day Maze - Medium
http://www.alphabet-soup.net/mem/memorialmaze2.html

Memorial Day Word Search
http://www.alphabet-soup.net/mem/memorialseek.html

Printouts

Internet Scavenger Hunt: Honoring Our Veterans PDF File
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/hunt/hunt011.shtml

Memorial Day Coloring Pages
http://www.apples4theteacher.com/coloring-pages/memorial-day/

Memorial Day Printables
http://homeschooling.about.com/od/holidays/ss/memorialprint.htm

Memorial Day : Spelling Words Worksheets Builder
http://www.softscho ols.com/language_arts/words/worksheets/spelling_word_list420. html

Memorial Day Vocabulary Quiz Worksheet
http://www.teach-nology.com/worksheets/misc/memorialday/quiz/index.html

Memorial Day Word Jumble Puzzle PDF File
http://www.classbrain.com/artholiday/uploads/memorial_wj_a-m.pdf

Memorial Day Word Search Puzzle PDF File
http://www.classbrain.com/artholiday/uploads/memorial_day_ws.pdf

Memorial Day Worksheets
http://www.schoolfamily.com/print-and-use-tools/category/133-memorial-day-worksheets

Memorial Day Worksheets for Kids
http://www.allkidsnetwork.com/worksheets/memorial-day/

To Subscribe to the Lesson Theme of the Week use the links below.
Lesson Theme of the Week
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lessonthemeoftheweek/

Section Sixty
The Saddest Acre In America

Men and Women buried here
Who gave their all for you and me
In Iraq and Afghanistan
So that, others, might be Free.

Row after row of headstones
Where friends and families grieve
They pay respects and say a prayer
There's some, don't want to leave.

Some will place a memento
For their Hero, 'neath the ground
And far too often, during the day
Hearing "Taps", a mournful sound.

The white stones bear their Name
Rank and Branch and conflict Served
The dates of Birth and Death
And the Citations, they deserved.

Maybe, a symbol for their Faith
Something, etched above their name
But no matter what, their beliefs
They're all treated just the same.

Once, Comrades in Battle
And now, resting neath that stone
Forever with, those other Heroes
So, they will never be alone.

Section Sixty, just a small part
Of this sacred, hallowed ground
But, each plot a special place
Where, a Hero may be found.

They all are in good company
Two hundred sixty thousand souls
Buried here at Arlington
Some young, with unfulfilled life goals.

All Served our Country selflessly
And they all deserve our praise
We should, remember them and thank them
Not just, only on, these holidays.

Del "Abe" Jones

Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.htmlhttp://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.htmlhttp://kathystemke.weebly.comFollow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemkeFollow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profileAdd to Technorati Favorites

Friday, May 28, 2010

MEMORIAL DAY LESSON PLAN PART I


The Homeschool Network Internet Library News
http://www.homeschoolnetworklibrary.com

If you would like to get future in depth on my website I have 6 of the main U.S. Wars in my history index to use with your children.

General Information

History of Memorial Day
http://www.history.com/topics/memorial-day-history

Memorial Day History
http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html

Origins of Memorial Day - Kids for Our Troops
http://www.kidsforourtroops.org/originsofmemorialday.htm

The National Memorial Day Concert
http://www.pbs.org/memorialdayconcert/

US White House Commission on Remembrance
http://www.remember.gov/

Lesson Plans

Creating a Memorial Day Poster Poem
http://www.eduplace.com/activity/memorial.html

Graphing Our History of Sacrifice
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/03/lp313-04.shtml

How to Plan a Memorial Day Flag Lesson Plan
http://www.ehow.com/how_2188597_ plan-memorial-day-flag-lesson.html

Learning Through Listening | Memorial Day Lesson Plans
http://ltl.rfbd. org/Classroom- Teaching- Tools/Lesson- Plans/Memorial- Day-Lesson- Plans/426/

Memorial Day
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/memorial-day/teacher-resources/6644.html

Memorial Day Lesson for ESL Students
http://www.elcivics.com/memorial_day_lesson_1.html

Memorial Day Shoebox Parade
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/03/lp313-01.shtml

Memorial Day Theme for Preschool
http://www.brighthub.com/education/early-childhood/articles/66163.aspx

Memorial Service Lesson Plans
http://www.500festival.com/events/MemorialServiceLessonPlans.asp

NEA - Memorial Day Lesson Ideas
http://www.nea.org/tools/13569.htm

Kathy Stemke's websites:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.htmlhttp://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.htmlhttp://kathystemke.weebly.comFollow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemkeFollow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profileAdd to Technorati Favorites

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Writers Block: Help Kids Break Down the Wall! by Alexis Montgomery



When you think of writer’s block, you probably picture a professional novelist; say Stephen King or J.K. Rowling, sitting at a typewriter or computer, staring blankly into space as they try to visualize a way to round out their character through the use of creative storytelling. But absolutely anyone can suffer from this common creative roadblock, so it should come as no surprise that kids suffer from writer’s block as well. Although children are often considered more creative than adults, they may lack both the knowledge and tools necessary to harness their ideas and translate them into coherent writing. As a teacher, it’s your job to work with them on ways to get past any anxiety they may feel at being forced to write and find a way to make it fun. Here are a few tips.

1. Give examples. Almost any kid can find a way to relate to a topic if you just get the ball rolling for them. If their assignment is an essay on their summer vacation, for example, they could write about a trip they took, a friend they made at camp, or helping their dad with the barbeque. Sometimes all they need is a nudge in the right direction.

2. Get them talking. Going straight from an assigned topic to writing it out can be a little intimidating. If a child is struggling, start asking them questions. Chances are they can answer almost immediately. Have them write down their answers and then prompt them to organize them into a list. From there they can begin to fill in the blanks.

3. Brainstorm. Have kids shout out (or write down) ideas that they think relate to the topic. Write them on the board in a cluster diagram (main ideas in the middle with branches pointing to related ideas or sub-topics). This should give kids who freeze up a couple of ideas to use as a springboard. No volunteers? Ask some pointed questions to get them started.

4. Start with a drawing. Not every kid is geared for linguistics. Some do better with pictures, so if they’re having trouble getting started, suggest they draw a picture or a comic strip that relates to the topic, and then have them write a description. Having something concrete to focus on may work better than an ambiguous idea.

5. Don’t begin with the beginning. If a child has a definite idea for the body of an essay or the climax of a story, have them write it out and work from there. Just getting started with writing may help them work out the rest.

6. Free write. Have a child who is stumped write any old thing that pops into their head, even if it’s gibberish. Getting into the right mindset for writing may spark an idea.

7. Take a break. Your brain, like your body, can become exhausted. Taking a break to stretch or get a snack might be enough for them to reboot and come back fresh.

8. Don’t push. Trying too hard to critique or help might only serve to give kids a complex, so let them get it out, make mistakes, and then offer suggestions in a passive way, such as by highlighting spelling errors or inconsistencies and then directing them to a dictionary or asking questions to lead them to specific conclusions. If they feel that they can figure it out on their own, they will gain confidence in their abilities.

These techniques should be quite helpful for grade school on up, but the best approach is to avoid these problems altogether by putting your child on the right path as early as possible. And you can start before they even learn to write. Preschoolers can be taught to tell stories through drawings. You can let them tell their own story, or dictate one and have them draw (or scribble) it out for you. Be sure to offer lots of encouragement and allow them to explore their own creativity. This way they can learn to frame a story long before they actually have to represent it with written words. Letters, after all, are merely pictorial representations of sound. You can also help them to write letters, lists, and messages to post around the house. Encouraging your child to express itself through writing from an early age will assist them not only in pre-empting or overcoming writers block, but also in developing their comprehension skills, which will help them in all academic subjects.

Alexis Montgomery is a content writer for Online Degree Programs, where you can browse through various online degree programs to find a college that suits your needs.

Kathy Stemke's websites:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.htmlhttp://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.htmlhttp://kathystemke.weebly.comFollow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemkeFollow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profileAdd to Technorati Favorites

Friday, May 21, 2010

EBOOK: MOVING THROUGH ALL SEVEN DAYS


Kathy Stemke’s book, Moving Through All Seven Days, uses movement activities to teach the days of the week. The lyrical rhymes also teach them how to spell each day! The 14 pages of activities at the end of the book are designed to reinforce the concepts as well as give impetus to movement exploration.

Find it on lulu by clicking on this link: http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#

Here are some other fun activities that you can do with your children.

DINNER BELL
String seven bells on a string with the each day of the week spelled out. Add a picture of the foods mentioned in the rhyme below. Great for jump rope chants:

Monday, meatball, start the week,
Tuesday, tunafish, what a treat.
Wednesday, watermelon, red and cool,
Thursday, turkey, that’s the rule,
Friday, French fries, eat them hot,
Saturday, slurpees, thanks a lot,
Sunday, spaghetti, sun or rain,
Then start the week all over again!

PIN THE DAY ON THE CALENDAR
Make a poster of seven empty boxes.
Using tacky the kids put the days of the week in order from Sunday to Saturday.
For fun you can blindfold each child, spin them three times, and see how close to the right spot they can place their day on the boxes.

SUITCASE RELAY RACE
In each suitcase there is a piece of clothing for each day of the week.
On Monday we wear mittens.
On Tuesday we wear a tee shirt.
On Wednesday we wear a wig.
On Thursday we wear a tank top.
On Friday we wear a feather boa.
On Saturday we wear socks.
On Sunday we wear sneakers.

On command, one child runs to the suitcase says, “Monday” as they put on the mittens. He runs back and sits down. They next child says, “Tuesday” as he puts on the T-shirt. Etc. The first team to be finished and seated wins!

SYLLABLE SPELLING THE DAYS OF THE WEEK
Make a poster with all seven days of the week printed out.
Cut each day into their syllables.

Sun/day
Mon/day
Tues/day
Wed/nes/day
Thurs/day
Fri/day
Sa/tur/day

Give the cards to the children. Call three children at a time to make words until all the days are spelled out and in order.

Kathy's websites:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.htmlhttp://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.htmlhttp://kathystemke.weebly.comFollow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemkeFollow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profileAdd to Technorati Favorites

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

THE TOP TEN TRENDS IN HOMESCHOOLING


I RECENTLY CAME ACROSS THIS ARTICLE ABOUT TRENDS IN HOMESCHOOLING FROM THE FOLLOWING SITE: Onlinecolleges.net

A few decades ago the public perception of homeschooling families was probably one of conservative Christians or isolationists who shunned any form of government intervention in their lives. While it may certainly be true that there are homeschool families who fit these descriptions, it is also true that many other types of families are choosing to homeschool their children. Some families choose homeschooling because of the individualized education they can provide while others enjoy the freedom to teach their own beliefs in a setting they create. To find out more about what homeschooling looks like today and get a glimpse into what the future may hold, take a look at these current trends in homeschooling, that range from colleges shifting to a more welcoming environment for homeschooled students getting into online colleges (as well as traditional colleges) to dads becoming the primary homeschooling parent.

1.Colleges becoming homeschool-friendly. More and more colleges and universities are becoming homeschool-friendly with everything from making online applications usable by homeschoolers to loosening requirements for accredited transcripts. The HSLDA once kept a list of homeschool-friendly colleges on their website, but has now removed the list as most colleges have improved their admissions policy to include homeschoolers.

2.New laws. In an effort to ensure all children are receiving an education, many states have enacted new laws requiring a variety of checks that vary by state. While some states require the homeschool parent to have specific credentials such as holding a college degree, many don’t. Many states, however, do require methods of validating the learning gained by homeschooled children. Another important factor to consider when examining these state laws is what may be required by colleges. If your homeschooled students plan to go to college, ensure they are getting the basics required by the college, not just the state laws.

3.Online resources. With so many online resources and online education opportunities available, homeschool families are finding a whole new world of resources at their fingertips–literally. As computers have also become more affordable, the ability for more families to have access to online resources continues to grow.

4.Homeschool consultants. Some homeschool parents are beginning to use educational consultants who come out to the family home and work with parents to set up the curriculum. They will check in with the students and can monitor and test the progress. Some of these consultants also offer a central office where families can meet for a combination check-in with the parents and an organized playdate for the students.

5.Special needs students. Many parents of special needs children are opting for homeschooling, especially those with children on the autism spectrum disorder. Homeschooling provides parents and their children an opportunity for an educational experience that meets the needs of the children rather than trying to force the children to fit into a community that does not typically lend itself to easily accepting the circumstances encountered with special needs. Homeschooling special needs students ensures the children are being cared for by someone who truly has their interest at heart and provides an opportunity for a schedule that fits with the needs of the family.

6.Homeschooling becoming part of a learning economy. Some educators and researchers envision a trend of moving away from competing educational elements (public school, private school, home school, etc.) and a move toward a more global "learning economy" that works like other aspects of the American economy. In this learning economy, all educators can share resources (many of which are open source or online) and work cooperatively for a more tailored, creative, and beneficial education for all students, no matter the vehicle of their education. If this idea comes to fruition, homeschooling will likely move out of the shadows and into a more mainstream form of education.

7.Unschooling. Many homeschool families have begun to embrace the idea of unschooling in their home education. Unschooling usually relies on real-life experiences in place of a formal curriculum. While most homeschool families will not completely abandon their formal curricula, many are beginning to learn to find a balance between beneficial unschooling experiences for some subjects and formal curricula for other subjects. Some parents find that they can rely on a formal curriculum for the subject or subjects they don’t understand as well and will be able to tap into their own knowledge and approach to teaching those subjects they know better.

8.Move from private schools. As a result of tougher economic times, many families have decided to forgo the expensive private education they were providing their children and choose homeschooling instead. Many families chose private schools for a more tailored education that also removed some of the negative aspects sometimes found in public schools. When many of these families hit hard times, they re-evaluated their educational choices. Some families have decided to homeschool all their children while others look at the needs of the individual child and have eliminated private school and turned to homeschooling for only part of their family.

9.Homeschooling Dads. While moms have traditionally been the parent in charge of homeschooling the children, a trend of dads staying home to see to the family’s education is taking hold. In families that don’t hold to typical gender roles, many women find themselves in the position of breadwinner for the family, and many families see Dad as capable educators. Even in families where Mom is the primary homeschool educator, many dads are participating in new ways, such as teaching a particular subject in the evening that may be his specialty.

10.Working parents. Another shift in the typical homeschooling demographics lies among the parents working outside the home. Traditionally, the homeschooling parent has not worked outside the home, or did so on a very part-time basis. More and more parents are starting to find a way to both work outside the home and homeschool their children. Flexible schedules, a supportive network, and embracing every teachable moment are often integral elements of making a career outside the home work with homeschooling.

Kathy Stemke's website:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.htmlhttp://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.htmlhttp://kathystemke.weebly.comFollow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemkeFollow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profileAdd to Technorati Favorites

Monday, May 17, 2010

BOOKS AND GAMES THAT HELP KIDS LEARN MATH!


Because math concepts tend to be abstract in nature and the traditional methods of teaching math facts are boring and ineffective, introducing interactive math activities will increase the learning and retention of math facts. Students will be eager to participate in these fun-filled games and projects.

COUNTING GAME: A counting lesson might begin with a circle game similar to Duck-Duck-Goose. The students sit in a circle on the floor then one students stands behind a sitting classmate and begins counting each of their classmates in turn until they reach ten. All the students can assist in the counting. When the standing student reaches their tenth classmate the tenth classmates stands and chases the counting student around the circle attempting to tag them before they return to the place of the chasing student.

JELLYBEAN STORY: Students learn through exciting fairy tales and stories. Fun characters come to life for the students, bringing the numbers and math facts to the real world. The following tale is an example of the kind of story that can be used.

“It’s my job, said the jellybean queen, to divide the jellybeans equally among the subjects of Numeria. This bag of jellybeans is for you two girls. Be sure to share them equally.”

“But how can we be sure to share them equally between us?” Chali asked.
“Oh,” the kindly queen said, “That is easily accomplished. Watch. . . . There are six jellybeans in the sack . . . .here is one for you, Chali, and one for you Stephanie, another one for you Chali, and another one for you Stephanie, one more for you Chali, and one more for you Stephanie . . . as you see we now have two piles of jellybeans with 3 in each. It’s as simple as that!” The girls smiled at each other.

The queen was so busy she asked the girls to help her. For the rest of the day, Chali and Stephanie busily counted and divided jellybeans.”
This story could easily be modified to teach subtraction. The students could take turns eating one or two jellybeans.

After illustrating this story on the chalkboard I went outside and hid several piles of "jellybeans" around the room. Whenever a pile is found, the student must divide them equally.

GUESS WHICH NUMBER: You can follow up this activity with a 100 board. Look for number patterns of odd and even. The students will discover that evens end with 2,4,6,8,0 and odds end with 1,3,5,7,9. Call out random numbers and the students can jump up and down for even numbers and hop on one foot for odd numbers.

BIG BALL MATH: requires the teacher to section off a ball into spaces with a marker. Each space houses a math problem (add, subtract, multiply, divide, etc). The children toss the ball to each other, and when they catch it, they answer the problem under their right thumb. For young children the problem can be as simple as identifying numbers or shapes, and for older children a way of practicing multiplication or division facts.

NUMBER LINE GAME: Using a number line system of number placemats across the floor, the team may deduct the answer by acting out the problem. For example. 2 + 3 = 5
Team A organize themselves by standing on number mats on the floor. One stands on zero (0), while the rest stand in order from 1, 2, 3 4 and so on. For the problem 2+3, the person standing at zero may first take two steps on the first two mats and then jump another 3 mats indicating an increase of 3 in the problem to land at mat 5.

SKIP JUMP MATH: Using lighter colored vinyl, cut out shapes, (circle, square, rectangle, triangle, pentagon) number them with a marker, and tape them to the floor. The students jump from shape to shape, saying each number as they land. The children can skip count by 2's, 3's, 4’s,etc. They can jump in ascending or descending order. They can jump on even or odd numbers only. They can jump on circles only, or squares only.

BOOK SUGGESTIONS:

“Making Math Meaningful” by Nettie Fabrie, Wim Gottenbos, and Jamie York. A Scource Book for Teaching Math in Grades One through Five

“String, Straightedge and Shadow” by Julia E. Diggins. Using only three simple tools - the string, the straightedge, and the shadow - men discovered the basic principles and constructions of elementary geometry more than two thousand years ago. This book reveals how these discoveries were made and shows how they were related to the early civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt and Greece.

“Moving through all Seven Days” by Kathy Stemke

“Jump into Math” by Rae Pica. The activities in each chapter are organized by level of difficulty, and each one incorporates fun, exciting math experiences with movement.

“Learn to Count 1-10 with Professor Hoot” author, artist: Eugene Ruble.

“Shaping up the Year” author: Tracey M. Cox, artist: Samantha Bell. Uniquely illustrated with cut out art. Teaches shapes, colors, and counting with activity pages, too.

Kathy's websites:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.htmlhttp://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.htmlhttp://kathystemke.weebly.comFollow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemkeFollow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profileAdd to Technorati Favorites

Friday, May 14, 2010

COME TO THE WELL DANCE CONFERENCE 2010

In case you were wondering what I do on the weekends I thought I'd share some pictures of a conference I went to last weekend. Pastor Lynn Hayden from "Dancing for Him Ministries" was the teacher. http://www.dancingforhim.com/

We had classes in.....
Active Word Study
Billow Cloth Beauty
Purposeful Pageantry
Creative Worship
Expressive Worship & Sign
Artistic Worship/Ministry
Weapons Of Warfare/Movements of Breakthrough
Corporate Movement
Stretch & Adoration
Ballet Basics
Modern or Contemporary Dance
Choreography
Team Tips/Talk Time
Prophetic Dance/Ministry (extra time spent on this than a normal conference)
Participants' Concert

The most exciting classes were about prophetic dance. God ministered to each one of us in fantastic ways. On Saturday night we had a dance concert and ministered to each other with solos and group dances. God is awesome!























Kathy's websites:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.htmlhttp://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.htmlhttp://kathystemke.weebly.comFollow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemkeFollow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profileAdd to Technorati Favorites

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

WEATHER POEMS


Ramona Street on a Hot Summer Day

You can hear the whack
of a tennis ball against the plastic bat.
You can smell Mrs. Lowry’s
honeysuckle bush.
You can lick an ice cold popsicle
from Pete’s ice-cream truck.
You can feel Mr. Garcia’s sprinkler water
tingling on your warm skin.
There’s no place I’d rather be
than Ramona Street
on a hot summer day.

Betsy Franco

A Warm Spoony Day

It’s a day for a cone,
for a plum,
or a peach,
a warm spoony day
for a run
on the beach,
where a ball
hits the clouds,
where the sky tips
the sea,
where we jump
for the water,
one, two, three!

Sarah Wilson

Thunder

Hear him tumble
grumble
rumble.. .
Bash, crash, blunder—
old grouch thunder!
Always in a mood to fight—
morning, afternoon, or night.
Lightning quickly answers back
with a zig-zag
flashing
crack!

Bobbi Katz

Kathy Stemke's websites:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.htmlhttp://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.htmlhttp://kathystemke.weebly.comFollow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemkeFollow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profileAdd to Technorati Favorites

Thursday, May 6, 2010

MOTHER'S DAY POEMS BY DEL "ABE" JONES

Military Moms

This year on Mother's Day
We should think of offspring lost
And Mothers of all those Troops
Who paid the ultimate cost.

They've watched Sons and Daughters
Sent off to a foreign land
To fight wars and give their all
In some conflicts so ill planned.

But no matter what the reasons
They've always stepped up to the line
To give their lives for Freedoms
Enjoyed by all of yours and mine.

We must Honor all those Mothers
Of all those who have Served
And Sacrifices that they made
With our, "Thanks!", so well deserved.

It takes a very Special Lady
To let Her Child go off to War
Or just to join the Military
With the pride and fear and more.

There's too many Gold Star Mothers
And if you might know of one
Please send Her a special wish
To praise Her Daughter or Son.

Military Moms are the Greatest
With a strength beyond compare
Who hope and pray their loved one
Comes Home safe, from over there.

So, let's keep them in our thoughts
And hope their prayers come true
All those Moms and all those Troops
Who stand Strong and Proud, and True.

Del "Abe" Jones

Mother's Day

There were some different beginnings
To what we know as, "Mother's Day"
One woman, Anna Reeves Jarvis
"Mothers' Work Day Clubs", her way.

They focused on sanitary conditions
And provided medicines for the poor
They promised to care for all Soldiers
From both sides in the Civil War.

After that War that had divided
The new-found peace would take her
To healing families and friends
And she became a real peacemaker.

Then, in the Eighteen seventies
Something we could sure use now
"Mothers' Peace Day" was started
By, Julia Ward Howe.

A famous woman of the time
Reformer, lecturer, and writer of note
"The Battle Hymn Of The Republic"
Is something that she wrote.

A woman' suffrage association
Voted her their first President
And hers, the first suggestion
To have a Mother's Day event.

Then there was Frank Hering
In the year Nineteen ought-four
Of the Fraternal Order Of Eagles
Who claimed to open the door.

In Nineteen fourteen Woodrow Wilson
Recommending a Federal Mother's Day
Signed a joint resolution
That we now observe each year in May.

No matter who takes the credit
It was a long time overdue
To honor all those Ladies
Who gave life to me and you.

So, those who still have theirs
Should remember those times passed
And thank Her now for all those things
She's done for you in the past.

For those whose Mom is gone
It's a time to reflect and say,
"Mom, I love and miss you,
On this, and every other day."

Our Mothers shape our being
And have an endless wealth to give
And She will be a part of us
For as long as we may live.

Del "Abe" Jones

More poetry here-
http://iwvpa.net/jonesd/index.php
http://www.scribd.com/documents

KATHY STEMKE'S WEBSITES:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.htmlhttp://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.htmlhttp://kathystemke.weebly.comFollow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemkeFollow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profileAdd to Technorati Favorites

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

151 Great Craft Ideas for Mother's Day!

Why not put your kid's eager hands to work making something extra special for their mom? These crafty gifts are perfect for teachers looking for a holiday activity - and even better, wonderful for the friend of a mom or husband with absolutely no clue what to give.

I came across this website with 151 awesome craft projects for Mother's Day.

Mother's Day Central:
http://www.mothersdaycentral.com/mothers-day-crafts/

Kathy's Websites: Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.htmlhttp://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.htmlhttp://kathystemke.weebly.comFollow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemkeFollow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profileAdd to Technorati Favorites

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

MOTHER'S DAY LESSONS!


General Information

The Complete History of Mother's Day
http://www.mothersdaycentral.com/about-mothersday/history/

Lesson Plans

Acrostic Mother's Day Poems
http://www2. scholastic.com/browse/lessonplan.jsp?id=1259

Celebrate Mother's Day in a New Way!
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson263.shtml

Celebrating Mother's Day - MSSS Bible Lesson
http://www.mssscraf ts.com/miscellaneous/mothers.htm

Make a "Memories of Mom" Memento
http://www.educatio nworld.com/a_lesson/02/lp263-05.shtml

Mother's Day Activities
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/LAOMothersDayActivitiesIdeasK6.htm

Mothers Day for educators: Lesson plans
http://www.helium.com/items/327912-mothers-day-for-educators-lesson-plans

Mothers Day Lesson Plan
http://www.instructorweb.com/lesson/mothersday.asp

Painter for Mother's Day
http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Arts/
Visual_Arts/ARA0202.html


Preschool Mother's Day Theme
http://www.everythingpreschool.com/themes/mothersday/index.htm

Music

Mother's Day Songs
http://www.perpetua lpreschool.com/mother_songs.html

http://www.amazingm oms.com/htm/holiday_mothersd ay_songs.htm

http://www.mothersdaycelebration.com/mothers-day-songs.html

Crafts

Creating Stained Glass Vases
http://www.brighthu b.com/education/k-12/articles/29854.aspx

Easy Soap Making
http://crafts.kaboose.com/ easysoap.html

Handprint Dishcloth
http://www.kinderar t.com/seasons/mother5.shtml

Helping Hands for Mom
http://www.amazingmoms.com/htm/holiday_mothersday_crafts2.htm

How to Make a Memory Book for Your Mother
http://www.ehow.com/how_16068_make-memory-book.html

Mother's Day Butterfly and Poem
http://teachers.net/lessons/posts/1061.html

Printouts
Mothers Day Award
http://www.billybear4kids.com/holidays/ mother/momcert.htm

Mother's Day Tracing I Love You Mom
http://www.printact ivities.com/TracingLetters/Shapes/I_ Love_You_ Mom_F.html

KATHY STEMKE'S WEBSITES:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.htmlhttp://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.htmlhttp://kathystemke.weebly.comFollow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemkeFollow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profileAdd to Technorati Favorites

Saturday, May 1, 2010

MEET THE TALENTED AUTHOR MARIETTA TAYLOR!


Marietta (Mari) Taylor resides in Raleigh, NC with her husband of seventeen years and her two teenage daughters. Mari is the author of Surviving Unemployment Devotions to Go, released March 2010 and Girlfriends On…Surviving Unemployment, also scheduled to be released in 2010. Mari was also published in Penned From The Heart VOL XV, a devotional anthology. Her column, Frugal Elegance, appears in Girlfriend 2 Girlfriend, an online magazine published by Extreme Diva Media.

I asked Mari a few open-ended questions so we could get to know her better and these are her answers.

MY FONDEST MEMORY IS when my husband and I attended a marriage conference in Winona, MN. We had been on the verge of a divorce. Going to this conference was the first trip we were taking after deciding to try to work things out. We had our two daughters with us because they had a program for the kids. We lived in Chicago at the time and drove up. As we crossed from Wisconsin to Minnesota we came upon a dam with water flowing over and the most beautiful pristine looking body of water. It took my breath away. I knew instantly this trip was going to be fabulous! It was held on a college campus so we all stayed in a dorm room. We had the best time. Our kids enjoyed their program and we learned so much there. We were on of the youngest couples there and were "adopted" by several older couples. This conference was a turning point in our marriage. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to attend.

WHEN I HAVE ENOUGH TIME, I WANT TO do some traveling overseas. I'd love to visit Jerusalem, Egypt, Paris, Italy and Tahiti. I know that's an odd mix but those are the places on my list. Jerusalem and Egypt are on the list because of their biblical significance. I took advanced French in high school and college and have always wanted to visit all the renowned landmarks and places of interest. I love Italian food so that placed Italy on the list. Tahiti is my romantic place. My husband and I hope to be walking the beaches of Tahiti in 7 years when we celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. I guess this also falls into the "when I get enough money" category.

I GET ANGRY WHEN people place blame, conveniently forgetting to mention their part in the matter. I think it is important to be accountable for your actions and not try to deflect so that you "look good". I often face this at work. I find myself carefully crafting a response "be accountable for your actions as well" in the most professional and unemotional way possible. That really helps my writing skills!

I ENJOY being relaxed, reading a good book. As an author I know that sounds kind of hokey but it's true. I'm a voracious reader. Books make me happy :)

MY FUTURE GOAL IS TO start a ministry for women facing difficult circumstances. I've already picked out the name. It will be called Joy For Mourning Ministries. The name comes from Isaiah 61:3. It says that God will give "The oil of gladness instead of mourning". I love that! I plan to draw on my own experiences to provide support, encouragement, practical advice and concrete assistance to the women who will participate in the ministry.

Here’s part of a review of Mari’s latest book:
Marietta Taylor’s book, “Surviving Unemployment Devotions to Go,” is a devotional that reads like an e-mail from a friend. She is candid, smart, and funny. She reveals to you the things that most people wouldn’t, just so you can learn from her experiences. Each chapter has a scriptural reference and a prayer focus that condition you to hold on to the Lord’s promises and obey His Word, even as the storm of circumstances make you a little unsteady.

Surviving Unemployment Devotions to Go,” offers tips on thankfulness, frugality and money-making, and keeping a consistent relationship with God.
The emotions and obstacles brought about by unemployment are some that many of us face each day in different situations. There is debt, marital discord, and the tough job of trying to meet the needs of everyone in the family. I would recommend this devotional to any woman who manages a household.

Taylor shows us that we can live, love, and laugh through our issues, and make the best possible decisions, while we trust God to lead us out of them.

Book Review by Adrienne Adams
President, The Write Vision Group
www.wtvmin.com

Mari’s websites:
Personal Blog: www.marismorningroom.blogspot.com
Website: www.mariettataylor.net
Twitter: www.twitter.com/raleighgirl
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Marietta-Taylor-Author/345681080001Read an excerpt of “Surviving Unemployment Devotions to Go” at www.mariettataylor.net.
Get your copy at www.edmbookstore.com.

Kathy Stemke's websites:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.htmlhttp://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.htmlhttp://kathystemke.weebly.comFollow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemkeFollow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profileAdd to Technorati Favorites