Celebrate America! with Little Hands®

In the spirit of yesterday's holiday, I wanted to share with you one of the books I am using to teach American history to my kindergartner and 2nd grader. Little Hands® Celebrate America! is such a fun book for introducing young children to our nation's history.

Inside these pages, parents and teachers will find a short - but informative! - story (description) of the symbols, history, geography, and heritage of our country. For each topic, there is also an accompanying craft or game. For instance, at the beginning, Hauser talks about the U. S. flag and the symbolism behind each element. Children can create their own personal flags with a picture of themselves in the blue square, and/or design their own American flag using stars, stripes, and the colors red, white, and blue.

Hauser also introduces important works such as our national anthem, and describes in simple terms the meaning behind the Pledge of Allegiance. My children loved creating their own miniature Liberty Bell, as well as the simple science experiment that explains why the Liberty Bell broke to begin with...

As you go through this book with your students they will learn to identify famous American landmarks, memorize patriotic songs and poems (America the Beautiful, etc.), discover famous Americans (Lewis & Clark, Sacagawea, Martin Luther King, Jr., Tecumseh, etc.), and learn about our national holidays.

Along the way they'll make a freedom drum, a cornucopia, a Navajo bracelet, a suspension bridge, and many, many other fun crafts.

This is simply the best book for young, children. I have been using it as the core, and supplementing it with books I purchased on Etsy and Amazon, as well as some from our local library. I've also been using printables that I've found online (check out my Pinterest page).

This book is available in English only.

So if you are looking for a great little book to teach your K-5th grade child about American history, this one's for you! You can find new and gently used copies in my online store.

Con mucho cariño...

Disclosure: I purchased this book for my kids' lessons. I was not contact in any way by the publisher. 

Presidents' Day Activities, Coloring Pages, Books and More

Happy Presidents' Day!! The more that I learn about our U.S. presidents, the more I appreciate this day. Although Presidents' Day typically focuses on George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, we have had a number of fascinating men running the United States: Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Garfield, Theodore Roosevelt, Kennedy, the list goes on and on. I am grateful to them, and their willingness to take on the incredibly difficult job of running this country. Have you noticed that every single president has left office with a head full of gray hair? I don't think that a single person entering into this position has a clue about what they are getting into and how hard it will be to try and hold the country together.

With this being an election year, I think now is an especially good time to discuss the office of the presidency, how a president is elected, and what they must do once they are in office. 

Tonight, as I type this, my husband and children are sitting in the next room watching Abraham and Mary Lincoln, A House Divided: American Experience on PBS and learning about Lincoln's life. Though it is way past their bedtime, we're letting them enjoy the moment, knowing that tomorrow we will be remembering him and other US presidents. 

Anyway, in honor of all the men who have so bravely led this country, here are some excellent resources for learning more about them and the office that they've held.

LESSON PLANS

• Scholastic has a good lesson plan titled, If I Were President, that covers a wide range of activities.

• Teaching Resource Cneter has a some great activities and lesson plans on George Washington. They also have an article dedicated to a Code to Teach the Oath of Office.

• lovetoknow home school also has some good lesson plans.

• I really love this math/social studies activity where students graph/map which state has produced the most presidents.

• I think older children will really enjoy these lesson plans from Lesson Planet.

• Mr Donn's American History page on American Presidents has lots of great lesson plans, games and activities, too.

• Mr G's World of Social Studies has a page dedicated to the presidents of the US with some fun trivia, and other data.

• ClassroomHelp also has information on topics like who died in office, who had a nickname, presidential salaries, and vice presidents who became presidents. 

• Here is a printable story in Spanish on Presidents' Day from edhelper.com.


ACTIVITY SHEETS & COLORING PAGES

• Enchanted Learning has some great printables for Presidents' Day. These include worksheets and short books for beginning readers.

• FreeKidsColoring.com has a nice sized coloring page of the President's Seal and several for both Lincoln and Washington.

• Crayola.com has a great coloring page for George Washington and others for Presidents' Day.


CRAFTS

• First, I have added so many cute Presidents' Day crafts to the MommyMaestra Pinterest board, Presidents' Day, so be sure to check that out.

• Kaboose has some super cute crafts, such as this Craft Stick White House and this Powdered Wig.


VIDEOS & PHOTOS

• National Geographic Kids has a great collection of U.S. Monument photos including Mount Rushmore, Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, and more.

• If I Were the First Latina/o President - super cute video of Latino children's description of what they would do if they were the first Latino president.

• Love this video on how a president is elected.

• Schoolhouse Rock/America Rock - Presidential Minute video.


BOOKS

• Who Was George Washington? by True Kelley and Roberta Edwards

• Who Was Abraham Lincoln? by Janet B. Pascal

• Presidents' Day by Anne Rockwell

• If I Were President by Catherine Stier

• If I Ran For President by Catherine Stier

• Little Hands Celebrate America!: Learning about the U.S.A. Through Crafts & Activities by Jill Frankel Hauser


BILINUGAL BOOKS

• Yo también puedo ser presidente (Spanish Edition) by Yanitzia Canetti

• El Día de los presidentes by Mir Tamim Ansary

• Otto se presenta para presidente: (Spanish language edition of Otto Runs for President) (Spanish Edition) by Rosemary Wells

• Dí­a del presidente (Presidents Day) by Rebecca Rissman

Music with Sara: más canciones en español {Giveaway}

Last year, musician Sara Horlick Quintanar asked me if I'd share her adorable music video with you. This month she has released her new album, Music with Sara: más canciones en español, with 18 songs in Spanish. I do love her music! Her versions of the selected Latin American children's songs are original and creative without sounding hokey (as sometimes kids' albums in Spanish can be), and I especially appreciate the cultural rhythms I hear. But you don't have to take my word for it! Listen to these samples from her new album...








THE GIVEAWAY

To celebrate the release of her new album, Sara is offering one of her CDs to a MommyMaestra reader.

To enter to win, simply leave a comment below.

The deadline to enter is 11:59 EST, Thursday, February 23rd. The winners will be chosen using Random.org. and contacted via email - so be sure to leave a valid email address in your comment!

And to increase your chances of winning, you can:

1.) Follow me on Twitter and tweet the following: Win a copy of the new album, Music with Sara: Más canciones en español, from @LatinMami http://bit.ly/zJBsar #Spanish #music #giveaway

2.) Blog about this giveaway and include the link to your post in the comments below.

Don't forget to let me know by posting a separate comment for each entry!

By entering this giveaway, you agree to the Official Sweepstakes Rules. No purchase required. Void where prohibited.

¡Buena suerte!

Disclaimer: I have not been compensated for this post.

Collaboration: One of the Keys to Education Reform

Tonight on NBC's Rock Center with Brian Williams there was a fascinating piece by Chelsea Clinton on how one charter school (The Learning Community) in Rhode Island is sharing their reading strategies with local public schools to help their students improve their reading performance to grade level. When this collaboration began three years ago, only 37% of K-2nd graders were reading at or above grade level. Within 8 months, that number was up to 66%.

As Clinton talked with the teachers and the students I was amazed to discover that these new and innovative strategies were things like "sketch it" (kids listen to the story and the draw pictures related to it), "connection" (kids think about the story then relate it to a similar experience they've had), and "retelling" (kids tell the teacher what the story was about). The teachers also make it a point to have one-on-one time with each student every week to help them with their reading.

These are all practices that I use with my kids, and I bet so have most homeschooling moms. I'm not a trained teacher. My major in college was English with a creative writing emphasis and a minor in Social Work. But I learned most of these techniques with the curriculum I was using to teach my kids how to read, and from reading articles about developing your child's literacy skills. And I don't think these ideas are new to teachers, either. Maybe for some. But I know that there are many teachers who are either teaching their students this way, or would like to but can't.

Although I was really sad to see that these strategies are not commonplace techniques in ALL school districts across our country, I was so very glad to see this type of collaboration between the charter and public school system. I have had a very high opinion of charter schools for a while now, and even considered enrolling my own daughter in one when she was ready to start Kindergarten. (More on that another day.)

Anyway, in the interview, one of the questions Clinton asked was why we weren't seeing more collaborations like this across the country. The teachers readily admitted that "sometimes public school teachers can perceive charter schools as a threat" when it comes to resources and personnel. How sad is this? I wonder if this perception isn't promoted by "upper management" within the school districts.

But you quickly learn that this group of teachers have a different outlook. I was so happy to hear one of the other public school teachers say "We all share the same goal. It's student achievement."

And isn't that just what it all boils down to in a nutshell?

When asked why the program is successful, a charter school teacher responds that "We just keep it dynamic. We make decisions right there on the spot about how to meet the needs of every single student in the class." What a profound statement. This is something I do every day at home with my kids. Isn't it a shame that teachers across America aren't allowed the freedom to make these decisions with their own classrooms? 

There are so many lessons to be learned from this segment. I think it is an inspiring story during this time when there are so many negative feelings associated with our current education crisis. So I want to share it with you here...

I really wish that instead of so much fighting and distrust, our education systems would find a way to work together for the sake of our children. Enough with the jealousy, the bickering, and the OVERLY competitive outlooks.

I would love to hear from some of the teachers reading this blog. What are your thoughts about this issue?

Con mucho cariño...

The Librotraficante Caravan

A few weeks ago, I shared my thoughts on the Arizona book ban. Perhaps you, too, were outraged by the assault on our culture and on our children. Perhaps, you were already outraged by that and many of the other issues occuring in the state...and around our country.

Well, we're not the only ones. A revolution has begun. And one of the forms it has taken is the Librotraficante Caravan. (Librotraficante means "book trafficker" in Spanish.) Next month, on March 12th, 2012, a group of librotraficantes from across the country will be smuggling contraband books back into Arizona. Spearheaded by author Tony Diaz, this movement is supported by many Latino authors, many of whose works have now been banned in Arizona, such as the esteemed Rudolfo Anaya whose book, Bless Me, Ultima, is now forbidden to be taught in classrooms. (Seriously?!? Bless Me, Ultima? This may be one of my favorite books ever. I read it in a high school lit class.) Other supporters include Sandra Cisneros (her book, House on Mango Street? BANNED!), Dagoberto Gilb (Wood Cuts of Women), Luis Urea (has FIVE books banned), Carmen Tafolla (Curandera), Sergio Troncoso (The Last Tortilla & Other Stories), to name just a few.

The caravan is intended to:

1. Raise awareness of the prohibition of the Mexican-American Studies Program and the removal of books from classrooms.
2. Promote banned authors and their contributions to American Literature.
3. Celebrate diversity: Children of the American Dream must unite to preserve the civil rights of all Americans.
4. Create a network of resources for art, literature, and activism.
One of the goals of the Caravan is to create "Underground Libraries," or sites to which the banned books will be donated. And it will be making stops along the way in places like San Antonio, El Paso, Mesilla, and Albuquerque. You can see their current schedule here.

To learn more about the Librotraficante Caravan, and to show your support, visit their site: Librotraficante.com.  

Cristina y la rana {Giveaway}

Happy Valentine's Day (a few hours early)!! Does your family celebrate this holiday? My children have already enjoyed their Valentine's party with all of their homeschooled friends, but tomorrow we will splurging with heart-shaped pancakes and some of the crafts I have in my Pinterest board for this holiday.

And to express my gratitude for all of you dear readers, I'm delighted to introduce you to another giveaway.

This one bring you this sweet story of Cristina y la rana. It is about young, lonely Crisitina, who one day finds una rana in her garden. She gives it a little kiss, hoping for it to turn into a playmate. But when she lets it go, the little frog disappears. And to her surprise, it is not a little girl who suddenly appears, but a baby...

Based on the popular folktale, The Frog Prince, this book is a sweet, simple story perfect for bedtime reading. It is written completely in Spanish.

THE GIVEAWAY

Author Alma Flor Ada has generously donated several of these books for a giveaway. I am so pleased to announce that THREE MommyMaestra readers will receive a copy of this beautiful little book.

To enter to win, simply leave a comment below.

The deadline to enter is 11:59 EST, Sunday, February 19th. The winners will be chosen using Random.org. and contacted via email - so be sure to leave a valid email address in your comment!

And to increase your chances of winning, you can:

1.) Leave a comment sharing with us the title of your favorite folktale.

2.) Follow me on Twitter and tweet the following: Be one of THREE winners of the Spanish children's book, Cristina y la rana from @LatinMami #Spanish #reading #giveaway

3.) Blog about this giveaway and include the link to your post in the comments below.

Don't forget to let me know by posting a separate comment for each entry!

By entering this giveaway, you agree to the Official Sweepstakes Rules. No purchase required. Void where prohibited.

¡Buena suerte!

Valentine's Around the Web

This year I have seen an explosion of great ideas for celebrating Valentine's Day with your niños. There are so many clever and creative crafts, that I wanted to share some of my favorites.  So stop by and take a look at the MommyMaestra Pinterest board on Valentine's. Enjoy!

(Note: Since I am not big on candy, you will mostly see other types of treats and ideas for giving as Valentines.)

Con mucho cariño...

Bilingual Valentine's Day Cards for Children {Printable}

This weekend, if you are looking for an activity to keep the kids busy, why not have them fill out some Valentine's cards? I have now listed a set of bilingual Valentine's Day cards in my etsy shop. There are two versions of six designs (one with "te amo," the other with "te quiero," etc.), so that you can print the one that best suits your familia. I've also included an optional "back" to the cards in case you'd like a decorative space for writing names.

My daughter used these at our Valentine's party on Wednesday. She used a hole punch on either end of the cards and pushed some Valentine-themed pencils through as her gift, (see the picture on the MommyMaestra FB page) but you could also use lollipops, erasers, or other treats.

Have a great weekend!

Strawberry Chocolate Smoothie {RECIPE}

A Valentine's Day treat from 12-year-old homeschooler, Angelica!

Strawberries + Chocolate = Valentine Smoothies!

These smoothies are easy, sweet and colorful! Adding small chocolate hearts only make them cuter, don’t ya think? 

Use frozen fruit instead of ice to boost the nutritional value, thicken the smoothie naturally and avoid using sugar.

Strawberry Smoothie

By Angelica Rodriguez 

• 2 cups frozen strawberries
• 1 ½ cup milk
• ½ cup yogurt
• 1 tbsp agave or honey
• ¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips

Place all ingredients in blender (except chocolate). Blend until smooth.
Place chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl.
Microwave in 30-second intervals until chocolate is melted.
Use spoon to make hearts on parchment paper.
Refrigerate until ready to garnish your smoothie.

Makes 2

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Angelica is a 12-year-old homeschooler with dreams of becoming a pastry chef.

Addicted to comics, food network, and carnival rides, Angelica loves taking over her mom's kitchen. She is currently working on perfecting her piecrust while her family reaps the benefits. You can find her sharing her baking skills over at Sweet Life.

How To Praise Your Bilingual Child

Wow! It's February already?

My family and I just returned home from a two-week vacation in Texas. And we got back just in time for our 4-H club's annual Valentine's Day party! I have several Valentine's posts scheduled for the next few days, including adorable bilingual Valentine cards that I created for my daughter.

But first, I wanted to be sure and share with you all this lovely printable that mi amiga, Unknown Mami, has created and is now offering as a free download on her site. It is a small poster with "101 Ways to Praise a Bilingual Child." I thought it especially appropriate to share this week with Valentine's Day coming up. What better way to show your child how much you love him or her than by building them up and helping them to find the confidence that comes with a parent's love?

How often do we remember to praise our children for their hard work and good deeds? I am guilty of not doing it enough. And I am thankful for Unknown Mami for creating this beautiful piece and offering it to all of us. It now sits in a frame on my mantel in our school room, a lovely reminder to tell my children how much I appreciate them.

If you go over and download it, please leave her a comment and tell her MommyMaestra sent you. ;)

Con mucho cariño...

Los Tweens: A Site for Latino Kids

Have you heard about Los Tweens, yet? It is a website for children ages 7 to 12 and their parents.  The site covers a diverse set of topics related or of interest to tweens and their parents. The creators of the site publish multicultural content so that through learning, kids can develop a global perspective and appreciation for world cultures and their people.

On its pages, parents can find everything from "Tween Cuisine" to a parent's struggle with violet video games.  Although the site is still in a Beta version, families can register and navigate all the areas of the website.

LosTweens.com is new, but worth keeping an eye on. If you are a parent of a tween, you might like the articles included so far. And as usual, I encourage parents to explore it first before signing their kids up.

Con mucho cariño...

The 2012 Pura Belpré Award Winners Announced!

A few weeks ago, the winners of the 2012 Pura Belpré Award were announced. I was so excited that three of them were chosen as the Book of the Month on our sister site, the Latin Baby Book Club, last year. You can find a list of this year's winners here.

One of the Illustrator Honor Book Winners was Rafael López, whom I greatly admire. Written by Samantha Vamos, The Cazuela that the Farm Maiden Stirred, is a beautiful book. Samantha sent me a video that Rafael created upon learning about the award. I'm happy to share it with you here...