Thursday, September 12, 2019

Book for Latino Parents on Raising College-Bound Children


I have a college-bound 10th grader. We're obsessing over college. So guess how excited I am to have just found out about Flight of the Quetzal Mama: How to Raise Latino Superstars and Get Them Into the Best Colleges (aff). I have not read it, yet, but here is the book description:

Move over, Tiger Mom! Latinos now have Quetzal Mama.

A book for Latino parents of college-bound students


Author Roxanne Ocampo – aka “Quetzal Mama” –  is a proud Latina mom who has demystified the complex college admissions process for Latino students. After strategizing her own children’s pathway to Harvard and USC, Quetzal Mama shares her strategies. She created the term, “Quetzal Mama” to refer to any person (male or female) who takes a leadership role in nurturing future Latino Superstars. 

A 3-Prong Approach: 

She provides a 3-prong approach to raising Latino Superstars that ensures Latino parents are focused and informed to prepare their students for success in academia. 

First, she provides parental guiding principles to nurture future Latino scholars. She calls them the “10 Quetzal Mama Principles.” Her Principles are more than philosophical ideas. She provides tactical, hands-on activities that she employed as a parent with remarkable success. 

Second, she shows parents how to “Work the System,” the intricate, inside track of K-12 public school systems that elude most Latino parents. She provides a step-by-step guide covering K-5, middle school, and high school – all geared toward maximizing college success. 

Lastly, she explains the nitty-gritty of the “College Admissions Process,” including how to strategize extracurricular activities, manage timelines, write an effective personal statement, create a Cyber Profile, and focus on each component of the college application process. No Hype. She informs students and parents with what they need to do, when they need to do it, and how they can achieve it. 

College-bound Latino students


Her book provides resources, tips, strategies, and practical wisdom. Her book was written with the conviction that Latino parents are not looking to understand why their children should go to college but how to get them there. The content appeals to Latino students as each chapter includes culturally-authentic language and examples, recognizable colloquialisms, personal and relatable stories, and addresses our specific needs and challenges. Her writing comes from working directly with Latino students including traditional, non-traditional, first-generation, migrant, as well as undocumented students. 

This book will empower Latino parents so their children can achieve academic excellence, become the leaders they were intended to be, and make a valuable contribution to humanity. Become a Quetzal Mama!


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Wednesday, September 11, 2019

New Podcast from Read Conmigo & Giveaway!



Now there's another reason to love Read Conmigo! Did you know that they have launched a podcast to help parents raising bilingual, bicultural, and kind kids? They've already aired four episodes with some wonderful guests, including my friend, Maritere Rodriguez Bellas, who talks about how to raise bilingual and bicultural kids. It's a great interview!

The Read Conmigo Podcast needs to be on your list of things to check out.


They kindly asked me to go on the show and talk about homeschooling. So, I'm on there today! If you've been considering this as a schooling option for your family, I hope you'll listen. I share all sorts of advice and bilingual resources for you to reference.


The Giveaway


To celebrate their launch and my episode, I'm giving away 5 copies of my bilingual children's book, Linda and Reuben Learn at Home/Linda y Reuben aprenden en casa. Read Conmigo published this book two years ago to help share more information about homeschooling with families across the country. The two children in the storyline are fashioned after my two eldest, so this book is really special to me.

To enter, just use the Rafflecopter below.

Buena suerte... and go listen to all the episodes!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Win a Little Free Library!



Here's an opportunity that I just learned about on Facebook and immediately signed up!

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is giving away one official Little Free Library structure for you to add to your home or neighborhood. As a bonus, your Library will be filled with books from HMH! You have until the end of this month to enter. Just fill out this short form.


This giveaway is their way of celebrating the new children's picture book, Little Libraries, Big Heroes (aff link) by Miranda Paul and illustrated by John Parra. It tells the story of Little Free Library's founder Todd Bol and how he started an international movement that now boasts more than 75,000 mini-libraries around the world.

I'm looking forward to reading this book with my little one!

Monday, September 9, 2019

Printable Lessons and Activities to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month


It's hard to believe that Hispanic Heritage Month kicks off next Sunday! And let me tell you, I think we need it more than ever. To dispel myths. To dispel stereotypes. To highlight the significant contributions of Hispanics to U.S. history. To fight racism. I've seen a lot of activity going on with my Hispanic Heritage Month printable activities that focus on historical Latino figures, Spanish-speaking countries, and more. To find additional resources, check out my comprehensive list of Lesson Plans and Activities for Hispanic Heritage Month around the web.

To make things easier for you, I've compiled them all together below for easy reference. But if you visit my TpT store*, you'll probably find a lot more that would complement the upcoming month!



FIRST, if you aren't signed up for my newsletter, you might want to do so. I try to share free downloads with my subscribers. Sometimes they are new products, and sometimes they are free versions of my paid products which I offer to my subscribers for a limited time. :) Right now, I have some new themed writing pages for Hispanic Heritage Month. Easy to print and go! A few ways to use them?
  • Research and write up the history of the holiday.
  • Have students write what Hispanic Heritage Month means to them.
  • Research and write up the story behind a Hispanic historical figure.

And now, on to the rest of the printable materials...


Hispanic Heritage Month


Hispanic Heritage Reading Passage


This is a one-page history on Hispanic Heritage Month. Students will learn about how it started, why it is important to celebrate it, and who are some important figures in U.S. history. This informational text is written for students in 6th - 10th grade. Includes an 8-question comprehension quiz plus answer key.

DIFFERENTIATION:
Digital versions have been added to Easel. Thus, this product includes four activities (reading passages and comprehension questions - each in English or Spanish), as well as two assessments. Educators can choose to assign the reading comprehension questions as a self-checking activity, or as an assessment.

Includes full text in English and Spanish.


Hispanic Heritage Month Trivia Challenge









This Hispanic Heritage Month Trivia Challenge is a digital Google Sheets™ file designed as a supplemental assessment game to my Hispanics in History Fandex. It may also be used as a quick introduction to the national observance, or as an assessment for my Hispanic Heritage Reading Passage (shown above).

Students will test their knowledge of Hispanic Heritage Month by answering up to 12 self-checking trivia questions. They are required to choose 8 questions to answer, but may gain bonus points by answering more.


Hispanic Heritage Month Escape Room


This Hispanic Heritage Month Escape Room comes with two Google Sheets digital files - one in English, the other in Spanish. Students answer 12 (self-checking) questions about Hispanic Heritage Month to unlock the final word puzzle, then unscramble the letters to escape! Printable task cards are also included if you don't want to do the digital activity.

This activity works best when paired with my Hispanic Heritage Month Reading Passage.


Country Studies




Explore the Spanish-speaking countries of Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Spain with this Country Coloring Activity BUNDLE!

Available in English or Spanish, it's simple and fun. Just have your kids read about a person, place, or thing related to the country, then have them find it on the map and color it in. You save when you buy the bundle, but you can also purchase the individual country files.



Latinos in American & World History


100 Hispanics in World History Research Packet


This 79-page unit allows students to choose from a list of 100 Hispanics in world history to research and share. The list is available in two formats:

The historical figures are arranged by century starting with the 1400s to the present
The historical figures are arranged by field of influence, including musicians, artists, activists, scientists, athletes, writers, journalists, actors, leaders & politicians, and other notable figures.
Pages for note-taking, research, and one-page presentations are included, as are additional pages for comparing/contrasting historical figures, word association, and listing new vocabulary.

In addition, date cards and information labels are included for creating a timeline display on a wall.

Instructions included.




Teach your kids about Hispanic Heritage Month with this set of three minibooks that are perfect for lapbooks, interactive notebooks, or literacy centers.

This file contains three books:
  1. A top flip book featuring Hispanic musicians
  2. An accordion-folded book featuring Hispanic writers
  3. And a side flip book featuring Hispanic artists




My most popular download during this time of year, this reading comprehension packet comes with one-page reading passages about the following 10 famous Latinas:

  1. Ellen Ochoa
  2. Isabel Allende
  3. Dara Torres
  4. Frida Kahlo
  5. Linda Ronstadt
  6. Dolores Huerta
  7. Sonia Sotomayor
  8. Carolina Herrera
  9. Rita Moreno
  10. Sor Juana de la Cruz

I've also included reading comprehension worksheets that focus on facts and vocabulary from the passages, a matching activity, dictionary reference, and complete the sentence. Answer key included.




This reading comprehension packet comes with one-page reading passages about the following famous Afro-Latinos:
  1. Celia Cruz
  2. Sammy Davis, Jr.
  3. Soledad O'Brien
  4. Roberto Clemente
  5. Martina Arroyo
  6. Pelé
  7. Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez

I've also included reading comprehension worksheets that focus on facts and vocabulary from the passages, a matching activity, dictionary reference, and complete the sentence. Answer key included.




Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by playing "Who Am I?" with this set of character crowns featuring 30 influential Hispanics in History. 

Each crown comes with a fact sheet and extension strips for making the crown. Directions for assembly and instructions on different ways to play the game, as well as different ways to use the crowns are included. 




These fact files may be used as individual bookmarks or a fandex. It features 36 historical figures. Directions for fandex assembly and use, as well as individual worksheets, cut-outs and answer key included. 




Introduce your students to Dolores Huerta with this easy, no-prep, printable poster and glossary! Available in full color or black-and-white, you can decorate your classroom or have your students color in the poster and read the glossary which features words related to the activist.

Worksheets are included that require students to study the words and then write in the definitions. Answer key included.



Hispanic Holidays




This is a collection of my four one-page reading passages on Hispanic holidays. It includes:

• Day of the Dead Reading Passage
• Las Posadas One-Page Reading Passage
• Día de los Reyes Magos Reading Passage
• The REAL History of Cinco de Mayo Reading Passage

Each one comes with a 1-page reading passage and a quiz.



Family Heritage Research




Encourage your children/students to explore their family's heritage with these sets of themed journaling pages. Each collection contains 42 different pages to record a child's family heritage and includes pages for sketching, photographs, recording family recipes and interviews, journaling and more. Just print what you need and go. 


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Friday, September 6, 2019

Free Download: What's in My Backpack? Activities


By now my kids have been doing school for almost a month! Where does that time go? Maybe it is the same for you, or perhaps you are just getting started. Either way, this month's freebie is perfect for the new school year. MommyMaestra sponsor Spanish for You! shares this set of What's in My Backpack Activities in Spanish.

This month's 4-page freebie includes vocabulary cards, activity pages, and directions. And as always, you can find an attached audio to help you with pronunciation. Especially if your house is full of non-(native)Spanish speakers!


Remember! Spanish for You!'s program is geared for middle schoolers and is the perfect choice for homeschoolers and afterschoolers alike because their concepts are carefully divided up into manageable bundles that are available for immediate download from their website.

If this is your first time here, you can find other free samples from Spanish for You! here. There are some fantastic downloads of games and activities for you and your family to enjoy. If you enjoy this activity, be sure to visit the Spanish for You! website where you'll find tons of additional resources for you to help your young Spanish learner!

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Imagineering in a Box: Free Online Program



This school year, I wanted to add something unique, fun, and educational to our homeschool studies. So I was pretty delighted to learn about Imagineering in a Box, a free online program for kids.

What is Imagineering in a Box?


Walt Disney and Khan Academy have partnered to bring this unique learning opportunity to your home or school classroom. The program is a series of lessons made up of a combination of videos and exercises to help your children learn how to create their own theme park. 

Real-Life Scenarios


In the videos, you hear from Disney professionals including artists, engineers, construction, management and more. It is a real life example of how much effort it takes from many different people in different fields of work to create something for the public.

They tell you about all the planning that goes into creating a theme park and how each of them has to work together with a team to make the parks come to life. It's an incredibly thorough unit that has been well thought out.

So far, my son has learned about how to create a story as the basis for your land, how to develop a theme, what goes into a layout, and what goes into building design. And there's so much more for him to learn. I love that this unit makes children think about the "big picture" as well as all the small details of what goes into such a big project.

Here's a peek at the introduction. Watch it and see if you think it might be a good fit for your child.



Other Project-Based Activities for Kids


PBL (Project-Based Learning) really is a phenomenal way to teach kids. Years ago I wrote about The Power of Hands-On Learning. And I still firmly believe that there is power in doing. 

TeachThought.com has a great list of 50 ideas for project-based learning. But if you are looking for something a little more directed and concrete, here are some other activity based learning projects that come in a kit for you to consider.

The 3-D Home Kit


The 3-D Home Kit lets you experience some of the work and rewards of being an architect, as you design and construct a detailed, three-dimensional model of your own house design. 


Model Engine Kit



Water Jet Rocket Kit


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Monday, September 2, 2019

55 Children's Books That Are Awesome Movies Too



Some of the best family movies are those based on a beloved children’s book. Perhaps you are able to remember a few off the top of your head, but you might be surprised at the sheer number of movies that began as books for kids.

This post contains affiliate links.

For the parents and teachers who are challenged with reluctant readers, these movies provide a valuable incentive for getting children to read. My son never enjoyed reading...until he watched How to Train Your Dragon and discovered the book series. For him, watching the movie first has become the motivating factor for picking up the book.

If your young pupil is an avid reader, these movies may be used as rewards for reaching milestones or utilized as comparison learning opportunities. My daughter’s favorite book of all time is Swiss Family Robinson. She’s read the book dozens of times. And when I shared the movie with her, she was surprised to see how much of the book was changed (in the book, one of the children is completely left out!). It was a great opportunity for me to whip out my little Venn Diagrams to let her compare the book and the movie.

Either way, you can’t deny that a good story transcends media to engage and empower its audience. We hope you enjoy this list of more than 50 children’s books that are also movies.


Picture Books


You’d think that a children’s picture book wouldn’t have enough content to create an entire movie, but you’d be mistaken! Some of the most amazing stories are the simplest ones and the following books/movies are prime examples.

  • Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak - book/movie
  • The Night at the Museum by Milan Trenc - book/movie
  • The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg - book/movie
  • The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson - book/movie
  • Curious George by H. A. Rey and Margaret Rey - book/movie
  • Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg - book/movie


Dr. Seuss


Truly, Dr. Seuss is the Master of children’s picture books and the movies that have been made based on his works certainly do them justice. They are fascinating, engaging, and visual masterpieces...just like his books.




Chapter Books


Adventurous, whimsical, inspirational, gripping...all of these books make perfect family movies. From the action-packed Lightning Thief to the thought-provoking Wrinkle in Time, your children will be fascinated by these stories of perseverance, intrigue, and triumph.

  • Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney - book/movie
  • Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan - book/movie
  • Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater - book/movie
  • Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Ron and Judi Barrett - book/movie
  • Coraline by Neil Gaiman - book/movie
  • Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan - book/movie
  • Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh - book/movie
  • The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster - book/movie
  • The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick - book & in Spanish!/movie
  • Inkheart by Cornelia Funke - book/movie
  • The Borrowers by Mary Norton (the movie was titled “The Secret World of Arrietty”) - book/movie
  • The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks - book/movie
  • A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle - book/movie (original) & recent version


Roald Dahl


Storytelling has never taken you so far as one of Dahl’s books. They lend themselves perfectly for film. And one of his stories is one of the few movies based on a children’s book that has been made more than once (think Willie Wonka Charlie and the Chocolate Factory).



Series


If Hollywood has gone so far as to make more than one film of a series, then you can bet the stories are bestsellers with a loyal fanbase. It is evident by these legendary titles.

  • Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling - books/movies
  • How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell - books/movies
  • A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket - books/movies
  • Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien - books/movies
  • The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis - books/movies
  • Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery - books/movies
  • The Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi - books/movies
  • Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder - books/movies


Classics


True classics are recognized around the world. The following books have been made into movies, some of them more than once.

  • Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White - book/movie
  • Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie - book/movie
  • The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss - book/movie
  • Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll - book/movie
  • Little Women by Louisa May Alcott - book/movie
  • The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum - book/movie
  • Heidi by Johanna Spyri - book/movie
  • The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling - book/movie
  • The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett - book/movie
  • Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers - book/movie
  • Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls - book/movie
  • Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne - book/movie
  • 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne - book/movie


For Older Children


Some movies are based on books better suited for older kids, such as those listed below. Some of them are required reading for middle schoolers. If you have tweens and teens in your household, don’t miss these stellar films!

  • The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien - book/movie
  • Holes by Louis Sachar - book/movie
  • Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson - book/movie
  • The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - books/movie
  • Jurassic Park by Micheal Crichton - book/movie


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