WE HAVE A WINNER! CONGRATS SANDY!

We have a winner!
sandy from The Adams Family Blog in PA
You have won Shawna's awesome giveaway!
Please email me with your mailing address at handsonlearningfun@live.com

Special thanks to Shawna of The Student Corner for providing such a wonderful giveaway.

The end of school is rapidly approaching and I'm a bit swamped, so I've decided to wait one week before announcing my next giveaway. I'm sponsoring it and I promise it will be worth the wait!
Happy Monday,
Pam

Lois Ehlert Activities for Planting a Rainbow & Growing Vegetable Soup

Here are some great resources for Lois Ehlert's Planting a Rainbow:

I found this Groovy Rainbow Cupcake from Flickr: breeleed

I made a yellow cake mix (white also works, too) and then divided the batter into four bowls. Using Wilton icing colors, I dyed each bowl of batter with my favorite color. Just spoon each color into a lined cupcake tin and you're all set!

Makes and Takes has a great activity: planting a rainbow

Angelfire has some bloomin' good plant activities!

Virtual Vine has a neat rainbow unit

Growing Vegetable Soup Activities:

First School's Vegetable Basket Craft

Let's Read at Home

Family Literacy Guided Lesson

Cute video from Gardentime: Kids Seed Planting Projects

Enjoy!
Pam

Friday Freebie

Woohoo! It's Friday!
I just sent this week's Freebie, so be sure and check your email.
If you are following and did not receive it, please send me a email with the name you are following under at handsonlearningfun@live.com and I will add you to my mailing list.

It's a really cute Animal Opposites Game.

Saturday, I will catch up on my posts. The end of school is rapidly approaching and keeping me very busy during the week.

Enjoy your weekend!
Pam

Planting & Gardening: My Favorite Books - Planting a Rainbow, Growing Vegetable Soup & The Tiny Seed Plus Activities

Here are some of my favorite Planting and Gardening Activities:

My Favorite Books to Read:

The Tiny Seed By Eric Carle
Planting a Rainbow By Lois Ehlert
Growing Vegetable Soup By Lois Ehlert

If you haven't discovered Lois Ehlert, be sure and check her books out - she's awesome!

Tomorrow, I will list my favorite websites with fabulous activities to go along with these great books!

Cute Crafts:

Coffee Filter Flowers by Family Corner

Make a beautiful flower bouquet. These flowers are quick, easy, inexpensive and fun for all ages. Use your imagination to come up with your own varieties! For each flower you will need:
2 basket style drip coffee filters
Food coloring (2 colors)
Wooden skewer
Green construction paper
Clear tape
White glue
Green paint or marker


Scrunchy Blossoms By Kids Craft Weekly


Our scrunchy blossoms turned out so nicely that we have decided to keep them in a vase on the kitchen table. These blossoms are easy to make – younger kids with good fine motor skills should be able to manage quite easily. You will need• pink or white crepe paper• scissors• twigs• kids pvc glue and paintbrush1. Cut crepe paper into small pieces – we cut ours into roughly one inch squares.2. Scrunch a piece of crepe paper into a small tight ball. Dip it in glue and stick it to your twig. Keep going until your stick is in full bloom.






Build a Terrarium By Kids Gardening

Be sure and visit this great website:

My First Garden

a guide to the world of fun and clever gardening
Have Fun Planting!
Pam

Manic Monday Giveaway!!!!!

Manic Monday Giveaway
Sponsored by my friend, Shawna Huggins

Shawna has a wonderful Etsy shop: The Student Corner

Shawna's Info:

Hi, my name is Shawna Huggins. I am a professional tutor . That means that I get to work with students of all ages (9 - 21) on academic subjects ranging from punctuation to physics, astronomy to ancient history, and geometry to game making, all in one day. I work out of my home and the students come to me because all my toys are here.

Currently, three of my students are participating in the Etsy store experience. We use Etsy to practice creative writing (product descriptions) and math (gee, what does net and gross mean, and what do you mean pay pal takes a percentage - what is percentage anyway?). It is amazing how quickly students learn decimals, multiplication, division, and percent when they have to use it to figure out how much of the sale they get to take home.

We are so happy to be participating in the Monday Madness Giveaway. All of the art in this store was made by Nalani, Age 13, Keelianna, Age 9, and Kyle, Age 13.
I live in Medford, Oregon with my husband, dog, and cat. We have a grown daughter living in Portland, Oregon. We laugh a lot and enjoy life.

Giveaway Info:

You may enter: April 20th - April 26th

Winners will be announced Sunday, April 27th

How to Enter:

Follow my blog - 1 entry

Visit Shawna's shop: The Student Corner and leave a comment about your favorite item - 1 entry

Visit my artfire shop: Hands On Learning Fun and leave a comment about your favorite item - 1 entry

Post about my giveaway on your blog and leave comment with link - 3 entries!

Send a email to your friends about the giveaway with a link to my blog and copy me: handsonlearningfun@live.com - 3 entries!

I love comments!!!! Comment throughout the week about my posts and receive 1 entry per day

You will receive 2 photo cards by Keelianna, age 9



Summer Time photo Card by Keelianna, Age 9

I love summer and sunflowers.

Hi, My name is Keelianna. I'm almost 9. I love to paint. When I was four I used to doodle. I still do. My doodles look much better now. So now you know me. Bye.This is a photo of Keelianna's original painting. It is glued to a 6.5 x 5 inch folded ivory card and comes with an envelope.Keelianna enjoys painting, reading, writing stories, and learning new things every day.

Happy Time photo card by Keelianna, Age 9.

I made this painting when I was very happy. It is a heart with wings and a halo.

Hi, My name is Keelianna. I'm almost 9. I love to paint. when I was four I used to doodle. I still do. My doodles look much better now. So now you know me. Bye.This is a photo of Keelianna's original painting. It is glued to a 6.5 x 5 folded ivory card and comes with an envelope. Keelianna enjoys painting, reading, writing stories, and learning how to borrow in subtraction.

Have a great week!
Pam

Manic Monday Giveaway Winner!!!!!!!

We have a winner!

Melissa Tingle

You have won Teena's awesome giveaway!

Please email me with your mailing address at handsonlearningfun@live.com

I used random.org to choose our winner:

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 49

and Melissa won!

Check back tomorrow for my new giveaway - you're going to love it!

Special thanks to Teena of Teena's Teacher Tidbits for providing such a wonderful giveaway.
Enjoy your Sunday,

Pam

Free Food Giveaway: Don't Delay Enter Today!

FREE food Giveaway!
How many of you would love to have a year of free meals? I know I would.Well, Joan of Joan of all trades is having this amazing giveaway. You really should check it out. Meals have been designed by two chefs that created A Flash in the Pan.

A Flash in the Pan is the answer to "What's for Dinner?"

Every Friday, they provide a weeks worth of menus complete with shopping list!

You need to enter by April 20th, so enter now!
Pam

Friday Freebie

What a busy week!

Today's Friday Freebie is from a great website: Carl's Corner by Cherry Carl.

Cherry has created a wonderful website full of educational resources:

Games

Books

Sight Word Activities

Alphabet

Phonics

Poetry

Themes/Holidays

Word Families

and more!

You can also purchase CD's of her work at the Corner Store

Proceeds from the sales of this CD are dedicated to establishing and maintaining a scholarship fund and to support the growth of literacy for children and teachers.

Today, I'm emailing a really cute book about frogs by Cherry Carl.

Enjoy browsing Carl's Corner and have a wonderful weekend!

The adorable frogs are by Graphics ©Scrappin Doodles

Be sure and check this great website out!

Enjoy your weekend - it's sunny and warm here in Atlanta and I am going to Pikes Nursery to buy lots of plants for my deck and front porch.

Pam

Two Days Left To Enter Teena's Giveaway!

Don't delay - earn extra entries!!!!!
Help spread the word and gain extra entries

Blog about the giveaway or send a email to your contacts with a copy to me at handsonlearningfun@live.com

Entries accepted through Saturday

Winner announced Sunday.

Good Luck!

Terrific Tuesday & Wonderful Website Wednesday: Starfall

Hi Everyone!
What a busy week! I had a wonderful Spring break last week and my kids came home at the last minute for Easter, so after dashing to the grocery store, we had a really nice Easter Feast. Now, I'm back at school and of course, I waited until the last minute to finish my taxes, plus filling all of my orders, sooooooo it's been crazy around here!

Today, I'm going to feature one of my favorite websites: Starfall
Teachers around the world use Starfall.com and Starfall high-quality educational products as an inexpensive way to make the classroom more fun and inspire a love of reading and writing. Parents use Starfall to prepare their children for school, and to support them once they are there. Starfall is an educational alternative to other entertainment choices for children.
Primarily designed for first grade, Starfall is also useful for pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and second grade. Starfall is perfect for home schooling.

Be sure and check out their cute story: Earth Day Have fun exploring this terrific website.

Pam

Manic Monday Giveaway!!!!!

Enter to win the following fabulous prize:

Sweet Treats Math Pack

You will receive:
Sweet Sums - addition up to 10 clothespin clip cards
Pattern Pack - various patterns to create and blank cards to write your own
Popsicle Puzzles - number sets & number words 0-15
Easy storage in laminated/ labeled white envelopes.
Sweet Treats Math Pack will arrive on your doorstep complete and ready to go!

How To Enter:You will receive one entry for each of the following:
Follow my blog - please email me and let me know the name you are following under, so that I can add you to my Freebie Friday mailing list
Visit Teena's Teacher Tidbits Etsy Shop and comment on your favorite item
Visit Hands On Learning Fun Etsy Shop and comment on your favorite item
Post about giveaway on your blog and leave a comment with the link - 3 extra entries !!!!
Don't have a blog? Email your friends with a link to my blog and tell them to follow! Copy me on the email - 3 extra entries!!!!

Giveaway Dates: April 6th - April 18th
Winner will be announced on Sunday, April 19th

Good Luck!

Pam

Hands On Learning Fun Artfire Shop

I have a new Hands On Learning Shop at Artfire. I'm still in the process of listing items and if you don't see what you're looking for, please email me and I will be happy to list it for you.

Here's the thing about Artfire - NO FEES!!!!!! Artfire only charges a small monthly fee - no listing fee, no final value fee, which means lower prices for you - anywhere from 10% - 15% less!!!

So, if you get a few moments, visit my shop and let me know what you think.

Thanks,

Pam

Earth Day Printable Math Activities

Earth Day is right around the corner!

Check out my new Earth Day Math Printable Activity Packet with over 20 pages of fun hands on activities!

You will receive via email in PDF Format:

Really cute math counters from Scrappin Doodles that can be used with all of these activities:

Let's Count - 10 math boards numbered 1 - 10 - place the correct number of objects on each board

Math Counting Boards - 2 boards with numbers 1- 10 number word recognition

Math Counting Boards - Counting objects up to 10

Earth Day Patterns - AB, ABC, AABB patterns included

Graphing Activity - graph the objects then answer the questions

Graphing Question Sheet - answer each question using the number markers

Enjoy!
Pam

Friday Freebie: Spring Bingo

Hi all!
Today I'm sending all of my followers a really cute Spring Bingo Game featuring awesome graphics from Scrappin Doodles Creative clip art, web sets, printables, and more!

For the love of computer crafting. Be sure and check out her great website.

I love bingo and even more importantly KIDS LOVE bingo!

So enjoy this great holiday weekend and have fun playing my Spring Bingo.

If you are a follower and do not receive your bingo game, please email me at handsonlearningfun@live.com and I will add your email to my mailing list. Please let me know what name you are following under.

Thanks,

Pam

Thrifty Thursday: Recycle Reduce Reuse

Here are some of my favorite Earth Day Finds:

Cute games for kids to play online:

Ollie's Super Hero Sorting Game

Energy Saving Game

Recycling Activities:

Quick Lesson in Recycling from PlanetPals

Planetpals recycling printout

Composting Tips:

Compost

How to Build a Compost

Etsy Finds:

Great finds that are good for our Earth!



Earth Day Tote Guerilla Sewing Pattern

Show the Earth you care for it by not using plastic (or paper) bags at the grocery store by bringing your own!This pattern is ideal for the beginner and intermediate sewer in mind. you can customize it to be bigger have a longer handle drop or whatever you choose its your bag!The pattern includes color pictures, instructions as well aspattern piece dimensions.

Easy Crochet Soda Pull Tab Hobo Bag Pattern for Beginners PDF File Eco Friendly

This awesome Hobo Bag can be easily made by crochet beginners. Only basic crochet experience required such as single crochet.

pink gingham and flowers reusable sandwich wrapper (pink buttons)

you pack a sandwich for lunch on a regular or at least semi-regular basis and you use a disposable plastic sandwich bag and you feel a little guilty about it every time. you try to wash out those ziplock bags and reuse them, but it doesnt always work out that way, because a gob of peanut butter gets stuck in a corner or you just plain dont feel like it. get one of these instead! it's way more pretty and way more cool and way easier.you wrap your sandwich up like you're swaddling it in a blanket or tucking it into an envelope. there's a hook and eye on the inside closures to keep it snug and then the other part is adjustable -- fold the flaps to fit your sandwich. and wrap the elastic over the buttons to keep it closed. at lunch time, you've got a placemat on which to rest your sammy between bites. when you're finished, wipe it off with a damp cloth (or all out wash it in the sink if your sandwich was really messy) and it's ready to be used again the next day. awesome, right?

3 Sisters Reversible Bag PDF Pattern

****3 SISTERS BAG****The same pattern done in three different sizes. You choose who you are and make it up. This is a tutorial style pattern. There are pictures along with the directions to help you along. The pattern includes:* Instructions for each bag* 3 different sizes for pockets* Strap ribbon for tying on handle or for rolling the bag* Pictures for help* Measurements, fabric needed, and cut list* Totally reversible* Fully lined* Extra Wide handles

Enjoy your day!
Pam

Wonderful Web Wednesday: Insect Lore

Have you heard of Insect Lore?

Love bugs?

This is the shop for you!

The website is divided into 3 areas: Play Learn Shop

Save 5% Use coupon code "Web5" at checkout

Here are my fav's from each section:

Play

Check out today's BUG GIGGLE!

Shop

40th Anniversary Plant Lover's Bundle save 40%

See how roots form, sprout your own edible shoots, and help a prehistoric plant pop back to life, and learn all about it with a fantastic fact-filled book. Save 32% with this 40th anniversary bundle!

Root-Vue Farm - regularly $29.99
Amazing Dinosaur Plant - regularly $6.99

How a Plant Grows book - regularly $5.99

Grow & Gobble Seed Sprout Kit - regularly $19.99
Regularly $63, only $40 for our 40th anniversary!

Beetle Barn - Look what’s growing on the farm! Follow the lifecycle of the mealworm with this easy-to-raise easy-to-do kit. Just mail away for the larvae and discover insect metamorphosis first hand! Move your Darkling Beetle larvae during each stage of their lifecycle in the fun and functional tri-chambered "Barn" habitat. The silo features a super magnifier for insect observation. A great kit for the classroom, home or home school.

Butterfly Garden - shipped with live butterfly culture
Raise 3 to 5 Painted Lady butterflies while learning all about metamorphosis. See the caterpillars' transition as they mature, change into chrysalides, and finally emerge as Painted Lady butterflies! The butterflies' development takes approximately three weeks, and they're absolutely safe to release into the environment.Includes colorful pop-up habitat suitable for hanging or free-standing on a countertop, one cup containing 3 to 5 butterfly larvae with special food, feeding kit and complete instructions.

Learn:

Praying Mantis Ice Cream - Here's a simple recipe for making some home-made ice cream, using just a few household items, and without an ice cream maker! Actually, the ice cream maker will be you! And, in case you were wondering, no praying mantises are required - we're just going to make yummy green ice cream and pretend it's mantis-flavored.

Make Your Own Mealworm Habitat - explains how to make a mealworm experiment container

Insecltorepedia - lots of info about insects

Enjoy!
Pam

Terrific Tuesday Earth Day Crafts

Earth Day Crafts
from Making Friends.com

Litter Bug

Materials:

Trash (Newspaper, String, Straws, Bottle Tops, Caps)

Tacky Glue or low temp glue gun

Crumple up a piece of newspaper. Wrap another piece around it. Wrap with string and tie off to hold newspaper in a ball. Add straws, bottle tops, caps... anything to make it look like a litter bug.

Coffee Filter Earth

Materials:

Coffee Filter

Blue and Green Food Coloring

Directions:
Scatter approximately 4 drops of green food coloring and 5 drops of blue food coloring in the bottom of a coffee filter using the Earth pattern as a guide. Color should spread out to fill the entire bottom. Let dry. Cut out the bottom. Tape or hang in window.

Melted Crayon Earth

Materials:

Wax Paper
Blue and Green Crayon Shavings

Adult with warm iron

Place a piece of wax paper over Earth pattern. Sprinkle crayon shavings (sparingly!) on wax paper following the design on the download. Place another piece of wax paper on top of shavings and a blank sheet of paper or a cloth over that. Gently press down with a warm iron. Crayon will melt quickly. Cut wax paper into a circle around the design. Tape or hang in window.

Rainstick

Materials:
Cardboard Tube
Tinfoil
Cardboard for end caps
Popcorn Kernels
Hot Glue Gun
Markers
Scissors

Trace around end of tube onto a piece of cardboard. Cut out. Glue one of these onto one end for a cap. Tightly roll pieces of tinfoil into a long snake about twice as long as your tube and about 1/2" in diameter. Push tinfoil snake into tube zigzagging it back and forth to fit. Pour 1/2 cup of pop corn kernels into tube. Cap off remaining end.
Decorated with markers.
To play: turn stick back and forth. Popcorn kernels will cascade over tinfoil sounding like a gentle rain

Enjoy!

Pam

Manic Monday Giveaway!!!!

Teena's Teacher Tidbits Giveaway:

Sweet Treats Math Pack

Teena is a great friend and you will love her educational games!

You will receive:

Sweet Sums - addition up to 10 clothespin clip cards

Pattern Pack - various patterns to create and blank cards to write your own

Popsicle Puzzles - number sets & number words 0-15

Easy storage in laminated/ labeled white envelopes.

Sweet Treats Math Pack will arrive on your doorstep complete and ready to go!

How To Enter:
You will receive one entry for each of the following:

Follow my blog - please email me and let me know the name you are following under, so that I can add you to my Freebie Friday mailing list

Visit Teena's Teacher Tidbits Etsy Shop and comment on your favorite item

Visit Hands On Learning Fun Etsy Shop and comment on your favorite item

Post about giveaway on your blog and leave a comment with the link - 3 extra entries !!!!

Don't have a blog? Email your friends with a link to my blog and tell them to follow! Copy me on the email - 3 extra entries!!!!

Tell Me a Little About Yourself:

Hello everyone. My name is Teena Fisher. I live in Port Jervis, NY with Blake, my husband of 12 1/2 years, and my 6 year old daughter. Victoria will be joined mid August by a little sister -- name yet to be known :-). Education is in my blood. Although, I am not formally in the classroom, I take every opportunity to be involved in the education of children. Currently, I volunteer at least twice a week in my daughter's classroom and run a Daisy troop.

Before children, I taught first grade for 3 years. The excitement in the children's eyes when they got it -- well that is my absolute favorite part of teaching!
Once that beautiful little girl was placed in my arms - I couldn't leave her. I became a full-time stay at home mom until she was almost 2. I then got the best of both worlds. My former principal offered me an opportunity I couldn't resist - teaching title one math for 5th & 6th grade and 1st & 2nd grade reading. I got to be home most of the day and enjoy teaching.

When my little school closed -- I needed a creative outlet. That's when I turned to creating learning centers. I had always made most of my materials - so it wasn't new to me. Two years later I'm happy to be doing what I'm doing, while enjoying all the benefits of being home with my daughter!

Here are some samples of Teena's amazing activities:

Giveaway Dates: April 6th - April 18th

Winner will be announced on Sunday, April 19th
Good Luck!
Pam

Hands On Learning Fun Commotion in the Ocean Literacy Bag

Commotion in the Ocean Literacy Bag

This is a great thematic unit based on Andreae Giles book:

Commotion in the Ocean

I also have a great Rumble in the Jungle Literacy Bag, which will be listed later today.

I'm offering this set in 3 different formats:

PDF Format: For those of you who don't mind printing, cutting and assembling

Literacy Bag with Sink Float Objects and a CD containing all activities in PDF Format

Literacy Bag with activities printed, cut and laminated - ready to go!

Like to bid?: Complete Literacy Bag and Literacy Bag with CD

Activities Included:

Story Cards
Counting by 10's
Five Little Sea Animals Poetry Activity
Sink or Float? Science Center
3 Math Worksheets with ocean counters
What's For Dinner? Activity
Land or Sea? Classification activity
Activity Sheet listing ways to use the above activities as well as cooking, music, suggested reading, art, and math activities.

Enjoy your weekend!
Pam