Somehow summer is over and I have no idea how that happened. Maybe its the weather - it's been hot, hot, hot and sticky for the last couple of weeks around here - but whatever it is, I am NOT ready! Regardless of my desire to stop time, my middle kiddo goes back to school tomorrow and my oldest has been in school for almost three weeks. (Which is still hard for me to wrap my mind around since we are so used to starting school after Labor Day.) This year we compiled a "Summer Fun List" of around 30 things we wanted to do during the summer. (We still have several items on our Summer Fun List that we haven't completed, but I'm going to claim an extension until the autumnal equinox on September 22nd for those. Is that cheating?) This activity was inspired by one of the list items - "Go Stargazing". I found a site called Lie Back Look Up that has a lot of great activities, including a printable star map for kids which I printed out and brought with us to the beach in early August. The girls were able to find a couple of the easier constellations (i.e. The Big Dipper) but were struggling with identifying the others. (I think its a bit like using a microscope with children. You may know what you are seeing, but the kids can't distinguish between an air bubble and an amoeba due to their limited experience.) When we got home, I started thinking about ways to explore the constellations with them. I found an awesome book by HA Rey (the creator of Curious George) called Find the Constellations. I also saw quite a few constellation cards on Pinterest - check out my Science with Kids board to see some of them. My favorite are these from Lie Back, Look Up that includes information about each of the constellations on the back. We printed those, laminated them and stuck them on a key ring for future reference. Then I had a flashback to my own elementary school days and remembered making constellation tubes out of those black plastic film canisters. Since those are pretty few and far between these days (who uses film?!?) I thought we could make them using toilet paper tubes (one of my favorite things to repurpose). I found a few examples on the web, but no super clear instructions and since I did them completely wrong the first time, I figured it might be a good DIY project to write up in case other people have the same problems that I had. So, here it is. Let me know if you make them and have any feedback!! Step 1: Print out the constellation patterns from the About.com Space site. I think these may have originally been intended for use with the smaller film canisters because I found that I needed to print them at 120% size to match the approximate diameter of the toilet paper tube. The other key thing here is to make sure to select "flip horizontally" found under the 'layout' option in the print screen. I ended up with inverted constellations the first time because I didn't do this step. Because the words also end up flipped, I would print out an extra sheet not flipped so that you can use it as a reference. (I developed the ability to read upside down pretty well when I was teaching in the classroom but trying to read stuff flipped gives me a headache!) Step 2: Gather the rest of your materials. We used the following: empty toilet paper tubes glue stick tape scissors black construction paper squares (4.5" x 4.5") black sharpie marker giant push pin cork board Step 3: Cut around the outside, dotted line around the constellation pattern. Glue to the center of the construction paper. Step 4: Place the construction paper on the piece of cork board (I doubled it because my cork was fairly thin) and use the giant push pin to punch holes where the stars are located in the pattern. Step 5: Trim around the square into a rough circle shape (it does not need to be perfect!!). Then make cuts from the outer edge of the construction paper into the center, but do not cut into the constellation pattern. This allows for easy attaching of the construction paper to the cardboard tube. I made cuts to divide the piece into 8 wedges - you could probably do more to make the fit even smoother, but I wouldn't do less. Prefold the wedges by holding the circle with your thumb on the edge of the white constellation paper and folding the wedge upwards. Step 6: Center the constellation in the top of the cardboard tube and tape each wedge down. Start with the wedges opposite each other (i.e. 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock) then move on to the ones perpendicular to those (i.e. 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock). Finally tape the remaining 4 wedges down then go all the way around with another long piece of tape to add extra security. (You could also use duct tape here.) Step 7: Using the sharpie marker, write the name of the constellation on the side of the tube. Step 8: Close one eye and use the other eye to look through the tube at the constellation pattern. Start by sharing the name of the constellation with your child and have them look through the tube at the pattern. As they get more comfortable with the patterns, do it the opposite way and see if they can tell you the name of the constellation after viewing the pattern. Step 9: Because the tubes are fairly delicate, store them in a secure box. We chose to use a fairly thick shoe box. Also, because we only had enough rolls to make 4 constellation tubes to start, I put the extra patterns in the box as well so we could make more as we collected more empty toilet paper rolls.
Ube Crinkle Cookies are beautiful cookies with a subtle ube flavor. They are moist, soft, and pair perfectly with a cup of coffee.
20 funny and unique bachelorette party games for a night out or a girls night in! Everything from a man scavenger hunt to tons of printable girls night games!
Individually, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are two of the greats. But together? Well, there's no one better. Let the ultimate power pair—costarring again in Sisters—explain their two-decade friendship. Forget Jay Z and Beyoncé, or Brad and Angelina—the real love story of our time is the friendship between Tina Fey, 45, and Amy Poehler, 44. It started unassumingly, like all real friendships do: Fey, a wisecracking theater kid, and Poehler, the onetime secretary of her high school class, met while taking improv classes in Chicago in 1993. In the two decades since, they've built fame, fortune, family, and some of the most culture-shifting comedy of their generation. Let's count the ways. The twosome ushered in a new era at Saturday Night Live; as cast members in the 2000s, Fey and Poehler spoke directly to and for women, roasting mom jeans and proudly reclaiming the word bitch ("Bitches get stuff done," Fey joked). They made history as the first female pair to coanchor "Weekend Update" and influenced elections with impersonations of Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin. Separately, they've created some of the most dynamic characters and shows on TV: Fey's Liz Lemon on 30 Rock and Poehler's Leslie Knope on
Enrich your Reformation Day party for your family with fun Reformation Day Snacks. Celebrate the beginning of the Protestant Reformation!
The Reformation is a very important part of world AND church history. We are spending extra time on this subject because the 500th anniversary of the Reformation is this year. I’ve rounded up some FREE Reformation Printable Resources that are perfect for a Reformation unit study. *Note: Some of these may only be free temporarily for the [...]
The Autoimmune Solution Pillar I: Heal Your Gut - The first in a four part series, based on The Autoimmune Solution.
While it's not new gender reveal parties have not been around that long so many parents still don't know too much about them. Here's what you should know about gender reveal parties.
Ensure you child's next pajama party is a hit with 21 great sleepover games for kids
A Yoga Hen Party? Never heard of a yoga hen party? Things are about to change! Yoga hens are becoming increasingly popular. And we can see why.
The good news is the party’s a raging success and your guests are having the time of their lives. The bad news is the party’s a raging success and you’re about to run out of booze. Here’s how to never let that happen again. Now that you have that down, ensure your party’s a smash […]
DIY Paper Wisteria Tutorial - Learn how to make hanging wisteria flowers with this easy step-by-step tutorial for parties and weddings.
While bachelor and bachelorette parties are often stereotypically envisioned as wild celebrations with elements that may not align with Christian values, this
Dance can be a fun way to get your kids moving. So, we've compiled a list of dance activities for kids where they can have fun with both family and friends.
Want a fun and unique non-treat Halloween gift idea for the kids this year? I recently shared some fun Halloween Playdough a couple of weeks ago as a non-sugared Halloween treat. In keeping with the non-treat theme, I thought Halloween slime would be another fun option. I know my kids love this stuff. And it
Audley End’s Victorian cook, Mrs Crocombe, has become a YouTube sensation. Eleanor Doughty signs in for a lesson with her.
See Kaley Cuoco, Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, and the rest of the Big Bang Theory cast before they found their inner geeks on CBS
The showstopping besties talk Wine Country, S.N.L., and acing the Bechdel test.
When I host a dinner party, I want my friends to get that fancy feeling — like they’re being taken care of and treated like the special guests they are. That means putting a lot of thought into getting everything ready. I’ve learned, however, that not all preparation has a great return on investment. While you’re fussing over every detail, I promise there will be a lot of things your guests won’t notice.
Sunday found us at one of Jackson and Sawyer’s favorite kid-friendly places… Kidspace If you find yourself in or around LA I can’t encourage you enough to take your little ones… it’s the coolest way to spend a day, and apparently, your sixth birthday party. So cool in fact that Jackson begged for weeks to... View Article
Amy Terry e Basil Mavroleon disseram o "sim" em um lindo destination wedding no Parque Lage, no Rio de Janeiro. Roberto Cohen cuidou do cerimonial!
Parks and Recreation is my honest to God favorite show on television. Pretty much my favorite celeb sighting ever goes to the time I saw Jerry eating alone at the LA Farmer's Market (SO Jerry, right)? Anyway, Parks and Rec comes back tonight, and I can barely contain my excitement.
Meet the woman behind these wonderful fairy tale illustrations featured in Shrek Forever After: Griselda Sastrawinata Illustrations are the property of Dreamworks Animation.
When I serve this fruit soup on a warm summer evening, my guests are always delighted. Compliments abound for this sweet and creamy meal starter.
Looking to lose a few pounds before the big day? Check out these simple tips to make sure you do it in a healthy way at SheFinds.com
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! I woke up this morning to SO.MUCH.SNOW! Yah! I love it when it snows and I am at home! Hence, I need to emphasize HOME! I have been busy this past week finishing up my Winter Wonderland unit, just in time for the snow! You can check it out here. I have jam-packed so much stuff into this unit...it's really cute! I think you and your students will love it! Inside you will find an original story (sung to Jingle Bells), lots of graphing activities, a booklet on the 5 Senses in the Winter, so many games for both literacy and math centres and lots more! Click on the picture for your *freebie*.
How to Make Wine: Making wine is actually pretty idiot proof, with the right stuff, equipment, and sanitizing again and again. In this Instructable, you'll learn how to make fruit wines, including grape wines. This instructable will focus on the techniques, equipmen…
About to tackle a room makeover? Planning your design is key! Download this free room design planner printable set to ensure you've thought through all of the design details before taking action!
Following a vegetarian or plant-based diet and think you can't have a cheesy lasagna? Not so fast.
When I first heard about curd cheese doughnuts I thought they sounded very strange. I had a vision of a chunk of cheddar sandwiched between two sides of a sugary ring doughnut, similar to a filled …
Test prep season is upon us, and with it comes the dreaded question, how do teachers prepare their students? Working in a classroom during test prep can be stressful for both the teacher and the students. The classroom can feel tense and nervous, which can make it difficult for student to retain in
This Chicken Fajita Salad captures all the taste of fajitas without the nightshades, corn, or flour! It’s a great option for paleo ‘Tex-Mex’ on The Myers Way® or any grain-free diet. Top with any salad dressing of your choice!
Let's explore our shared passion for vintage textiles, sewing, and fashion.
Tips on how to use Pinterest and grow your following. 10 tips for growth with challenges to get you started by DIY Lifestyle blogger Amy Locurto.
