Wonderful Website of the Week!

The WWOW for this week is Cool Math.com. Thanks Samantha for telling us about it! This website has some very cool math games (very addicting) I loved the Lemonade stand game and Bloxorz. I could actually feel my brain cells stretching to play Bloxorz. There are lessons explaining all different math concepts in an easy to follow format as well as tons of games, calculators, flash cards etc. The website is broken into the following sections:
kids ages 13-100
kids ages 3-12
math games
finance
science
I can't wait to hear what you're favorite game is!

Wonderful Website of the Week!

This WWOW is more than our favorite website of the week, this website is our favorite website of all time for fun learning about letters and reading. Thanks to my sister for introducing this website to me over 6 months ago. This is the most played website in my home. My 2-year old only asks to "play letters" on the computer which means this site: http://www.starfall.com/. From Starfall My 2-year old has learned all her abc's and sounds and my 4-year old and 8-year old even enjoy it too. There are letters, sounds, words, and stories. Kids can learn about the calendar, holidays, literature, music etc. The website is conveniently broken into four sections :

1. ABC's

2. Learn to Read

3. It's Fun to Read

4. I'm Reading

I found this article about starfall and was excited to learn that the creators of Starfall even have a Spanish version of their website called Pumarosa. I'm really excited about that because I have been looking for a website for my 8-year old to practice Spanish and this one has 14 lessons to go through and you can listen to the Spanish pronunciation. Fantastico!!

Poetry: Writing Engine

Another great one from Scholastic, this Poetry Engine teaches you how to write Haiku, Limerick, Cinquain, and Free Verse poetry

http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/poetry/poetry_engine.htm#

Creative Writing: Story Starter Machine

You have to try out this story writing machine! It chooses a topic for you and then you write the story in the format you choose.
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/storystarters/storystarter1.htm

Grammar: Nouns and Verbs Game

Pick up the trash on the beach and sort it into nouns and verbs

http://www.missmaggie.org/scholastic/cleanup_eng_launcher.html

Science: The Water Cycle

This week we are studying the Water Cycle. Here are some cool demonstration and interactive sites:

Water Cycle Video:
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/studyjams/water_cycle/

The water Cycle Game:

http://apps.southeastwater.com.au/games/education_kidsroom_wcactivity.asp

Water Cycle Interaction:

http://www.epa.gov/OGWDW/kids/flash/flash_watercycle.html

Question and Answer Game

http://www.epa.gov/OGWDW/kids/flash/flash_qagame.html

Instructions on how to build your own water cycle:

http://www.epa.gov/safewater/kids/pdfs/activity_grades_k-3_watercycle.pdf

History: Ancient Egypt

My daughter has a fascination with Ancient Egypt, (she gets this from my mom) I compiled some fun sites all having to do with ancient Egypt for her to explore.

Here you can learn the steps to wrapping a mummy:

http://www.scholastic.com/magicschoolbus/games/frizfreshfacts/friztv3/index.htm

At this site you can make your name into a cartouche:

http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/cartouche/cartouche.html

Take a quiz about archeology:

http://www.scholastic.com/magicschoolbus/games/quizzes/archeology/index.htm

My daughter really liked this, you get to put wigs on Egyptians:
http://www.seattleartmuseum.org/Exhibit/Archive/Egypt/Discover/hairstyle.htm

Click on the pyramid to learn more about it:

http://www.seaworld.org/fun-zone/fun-guides/egypt/pyramid-power.htm

Decode the hieroglyphics into the alphabet:

http://www.seaworld.org/fun-zone/fun-guides/egypt/hieroglyphics.htm

Build a pyramid game:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/interactive/games/pyramid_challenge/index.shtml

Play Senet, an Egyptian board game. Requires 2 players:

http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/life/activity/main.html

See Egyptian artifacts and you can look at a timeline:

http://www.schoolsliaison.org.uk/kids/access/egypt/artefacts_egypt.htm

More Egypt fun:

http://egypt.mrdonn.org/games.html

Wonderful Website of the Week!

So, my 8 year old and I decided to call our favorite website of the week the WWOW (wonderful website of the week).

Here it is, this website is made for ages 7-10. It wwowed us because you can print free e-books on tons of subjects, print out a journal prompt for everyday of the year, creative writing prompts, stories with printable coloring books. You can make flashcards, quizzes, print out practice for handwriting etc. We had so much fun looking at all the possibilities. We printed out e-books on George Washington, Rocks and Minerals, and the Mayans, all things we have been studying the past 2 weeks. The e-books have tons of info and worksheets, word searches, cross-word puzzles and word scrambles. But since my 8 year old is wanting to play on learning is so fun I will leave you to explore the site on your own. Have fun! http://schoolexpress.com/index.php

Math: Timed Game

Sometimes it is fun just to see how many problems you can finish in a certain amount of time, this is one of my favorite timed games (shhh--test) You can choose addition, subtraction, multiplication or division and how much time you will practice.

http://www.playkidsgames.com//games/mathfact/mathFact.htm

Multiplication: Fashion Model

My 8 year old loves this game, you earn clothes with each right answer to dress your fashion model. You can even choose the level of facts you want to practice.

http://www.multiplication.com/flashgames/MathModel.htm

Preschool: Snowman Game

My 2 year old loves this site, she can dress the snowman and then he sings 1 little 2 little 3 little snowman...

http://www.starfall.com/n/holiday/snowman/load.htm?f&n=main

Math: Subtraction Fishing game

Here is a fishing math subtraction game perfect for taking the frustration out of subtraction.

http://www.softschools.com/math/games/fishing_sub.jsp

Science: Virtual Knee Replacement Surgery

My Four year old loves this site, you can perform virtual knee replacement surgery. I have to admit I haven't been able to watch the whole surgery, (I have a really weak stomach) but it is amazing the facts you learn about surgery. I see a great medical profession in his future:)

http://www.edheads.org/activities/knee/index.htm

Math: Multiplication Car Wash

Multiplication fun, get the cars clean by answering the multiplication problems.

http://www.multiplication.com/flashgames/CarWash.htm

Math: Multiplication Fairy Fun

Multiplication FUN for girls. Each time you get an answer correct, part of the fairy world appears!

http://www.multiplication.com/flashgames/FairyFun.htm

Science: Solar System

This page shows the planets and how they orbit around the sun
http://www.ictgames.com/solar.html

Learning is So FUN

I wanted to create a blog for my kids so that they could have easy access to the great learning games and tools that are available on the internet. The more I thought about it the more I thought how great it would be for you to share your best, tried & true, fun learning ideas, whether you are a teacher, homeschooler, parent of toddlers etc. send me your ideas to learningissofun@ymail.com and I will post the best of the best. Stay posted for fun learning give aways. Learning is so fun for kids and adults when you have fun ideas to use!