Do you know about Los Bloguitos? It is the most wonderful Spanish blog for children that is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year! Run by my Latino children's author René Colato Laínez, this blog is a delightful compilation of stories, poems, illustrations, and more written completely in Spanish for children.
Spanish-dominant and Spanish-learning children of all ages will benefit from the site, which boosts literacy skills and supports imaginative development through short stories, poems, word searches, comic strips, anecdotes, and fun activities. Small children will enjoy looking at the short videos and illustrations while having the poems and short stories read to them. Older kids can enjoy reading the excerpts for themselves or by contributing works of their own.
Yep, you read that last part right. Your Spanish-speaking students or children can submit their own work to be featured on the website.
In addition, there are many talented authors and illustrators who contribute to the site. So it is an excellent example of the diversity of the Latino voice and culture.
What a great tool this is for developing a Spanish learner's vocabulary, as well as a way to develop a child's confidence in writing and illustrating!
If your child has a piece published on Los Bloguitos, please let us know so we can share it!
Do you have a Minecraft-obsessed kid in your house like I do? Actually, I have two of them. Well then perhaps you'll be delighted to hear that Microsoft has bought MinecraftEdu and is expanding it into a major resource for classrooms. It will be available as a free trial this coming summer.
Here's a direct quote from their announcement:
In the spirit of the Minecraft community, we are dedicated to making sure Minecraft: Education Edition is shaped in the coming months by a growing community of educators online at education.minecraft.net. We’re also excited to also share that these community pages will host a variety of resources like lesson plans and a new Minecraft Mentors page that allows educators experienced in Minecraft to connect with those interested in trying it for the first time.
I have to admit that I've always had a bit of a love/hate relationship with Minecraft because it concerns me that my kids are so addicted to it. But at the same time, I love the concept behind the game. I originally thought of it as virtual LEGOs, but really, it is so much more than that.
Anyway, I feel that if there is a way that I can use this program that my kids love so much in an educational manner to teach or reinforce concepts they are learning in school, then it is a win-win for everyone.
Are you one of those parents who plans out their children's summer activities months in advance? Or are you like me who waits until May then looks around to see what affordable programs will be available and that still have empty spaces for kids?
But here's the thing: my kids are unstoppable explorers. They can't resist a good mystery or challenge. They love Indiana Jones and Minecraft and How to Train Your Dragon. They are ALWAYS ready to solve a new mystery. So I try to look for programs and camps that appeal to their sense of hands-on adventure.
That's why I'm very excited to have my kids participate in Brain Chase, a 5-week online summer learning challenge for kids (early readers up to 16 years old). There are no boring worksheets! Instead, it is FULL of adventure learning. The kids go on a massive global treasure hunt and they have to use their reading, writing, and math skills to solve this real-life challenge with a REAL TREASURE at the end. You'll like this part, too. The first family to solve the mystery get's to travel to the site to claim their golden treasure and the $10,000 scholarship money!
No joke. Take a look at last year's winner whose family got to travel to Spain to find the Globe of Magellan. (I would totally love for someone to pay for my family to go to SPAIN! My kids have watched this twice and are so pumped!)
This year, kids are searching to find the Sunstone of Cortés! (Hmmm, I wonder where in the world this adventure will take the winners? I've got a good idea...wink, wink.)
With this awesome program, kids spend 1 hour each day working online (5 days a week). They'll log into their dashboard and watch an animated video like the one below to meet the team of explorers. Then they work on their learning challenges. They'll have four tasks:
read for 15 minutes a day
write one journal entry
earn 10,000 points on Khan Academy
do one bonus challenge
The work is customized to each student, so if you are like me and register two kids in different grades, their individual work will be tailored to their skill level. (So if your child is at a 9th-grade reading level, but a 7th-grade math level, it's no problem.) Or you can simply register one child and have both kids work together. When they are done, they will unlock the next webisode, which contains hidden pictures, numbers, and riddles to help them determine the treasure's location.
If your kid misses a day (or even a week!) that's okay. They can go back the next day and catch up. They just cannot work ahead. New challenges are posted every day at 9 am ET. Since the work is tailored to each child the program is great for children with learning disabilities, too.
The weekly writing exercises are reviewed by credentialed teachers who provide feedback, and weekly progress reports are emailed to parents.
In addition, 3 adventure tools will be mailed to your home to help you solve the special bonus challenges. We received a packet the other day and my kids were SO psyched to get: a wax-sealed letter with a secret code, a decoder ring (I always wanted one of these), a beautiful compass, and magic beans (my son is planting them today). And if you are traveling this summer, no problem! You can tell them your travel plans so that the packages can be mailed wherever you are.
I love that the program can be used together with any other summer camps your child might be involved in, such as sports, art, nature, etc.
Here's the introductory video:
By the summer, my kids aren't the only ones ready for a break from our homeschooling routine. But that doesn't mean I want their learning to stop. The reality is that during the summer, kids forget a lot of the material they learned in the spring. So when school starts up again, teachers are forced to spend weeks trying to review the same material so they can progress on to new concepts and skills. And that's where Brain Chase helps out.
First, you have to register. I'll be honest and let you know that Brain Chase can be kind of pricey. But it is no more expensive than a week-long summer camp. If you wait to register until after April 15th, most people will have to pay the full price of $199. But if you register early, the price is $149. BUT WAIT!! Mis amigos over at Brain Chase have generously offered MommyMaestra readers an additional 15% off discount!Just use the code MOMMYMAESTRA15when you register.
THERE IS A LIMIT to the number of children who can participate because they have to order the hands-on materials in advance. So sign up early.
Then, at 9 am on Monday, June 22nd, 2015, the adventure begins!
The program works on PC browsers and iPads. It is not available, yet, for mobile phones (maybe next year?) but I don't think it would be easy to write on a mobile phone anyway.
Disclosure: This is part of a sponsored campaign with the Motherhood and Brain Chase. However, all opinions expressed are my own.
I was really excited to learn this week about Google's newest initiative to get more girls involved in computer programming. In addition to investing 50 million in grants for girls to learn coding, Google has also launched the Made with Code website highlighting girls and women who code and create amazing things. The site includes fun and easy coding projects for your girl to try, and online community, and a list of resources & events across the country that provide coding opportunities.
Despite that it is the fastest growing field in the U.S., less than 1% of high school girls consider computer science for a career choice. I can only imagine how many of them are Latinas! Which is why I think it is important to highlight this here on MommyMaestra. If your daughter is interested in computers - encourage her!
Here are a couple videos to introduce you to the program. Be sure to check out the second video of the EPA Chica Squad from East Palo Alto!
Here at Mommy Maestra, we continue with all things World Cup! In our home, we definitely have the fever. My oldest can not wait for June 12th to arrive and his little brothers will surely catch on when they realize there will be futbol on our screen every day, all day, for a whole month!
Diego is seven, a huge soccer fan, and the World Cup will help him learn much more about the sport. This includes learning as much as he can about the host country, Brazil. I have done a little research to find websites that will expand his knowledge about the South American country, as well as sites that will keep him posted on scores and standings.
Here are 7 internet resources to introduce to your own child so they can enjoy the World Cup to the fullest.
Science Kids offers interesting, fun, and quick facts on Brazil for kids. They also offer links to expand children's knowledge on topics such as the Amazon Rainforest and the Amazon River. Easy to read!
National Geographic Kids is a gorgeous site with beautiful photography. I spent quite some time on it! Here you get more facts on Brazil with a little more substance in a magazine-style format.
Time for Kids features an Around the World section for many countries. It includes eight pages of sightseeing guides, a history timeline, native lingo and even what a typical school day entails in a country like Brazil.
Enchanted Learning is another site full of straight facts on countries but also includes printouts of worksheets and maps for kids to work on. Look closely because some printouts are only for site members, but not all!
Britannica Kids is still your trusty encyclopedia except it's online! I love that kids can discover information based on the subtopics that appear after the initial search. Just type in "Brazil" for you to see!
Activity Village will be one of our top sites to go to for World Cup activities. They offer free printables, worksheets, bookmarks, coloring pages...tons of great work to keep your child occupied throughout el mundial.
Sports Illustrated Kids is going to keep your children busy every single day with updated team scores, players' personal stories and fun games.
Let us know what you think of these sites and if you have some to recommend, please share!
Betty Galvan, is writing "for smart and stylish moms" over
