Vintage May Blackboard Story Starters/Drawings

Vintage drawings for blackboard, May1910, Primary Education teacher's periodical. Click on image to enlarge and save, if desired. Free and in public domain.

Recycled Plastic Bottle Planters Using the Sub-irrigation Planter(SIPS) Method

Tutorial and many images for plastic bottle inspirations here.

Image source here.

This is super for young science students learning capillary action.

"How Sub-irrigation and Automatic Indoor Self Watering Containers Work

Water is added to a reservoir; the plant pulls moisture upward through the entire root ball through capillary action, like a sponge. The amount and evenness of the water movement from the sub-irrigation reservoir to the growing medium depends on the growing medium mix and its degree of compaction and/or breakdown."

A simple way to do this with house plants is to put a potted plant with drainage holes within a larger pot with no holes; raise it a bit off the bottom with some random stones or an upside down bowl(anything that lifts it up), and add water to the outer pot only. The water should be higher than the potted plant within, about 1/4 of the way up. You can add more water, but I've found that the water stays fresher if you fill it more often, and not let it sit for long periods as it would with a higher level of water. I've done this successfully with an African Violet.

More on garden SIPS here.

Recycled Plastic Toy Planters

Such a cute idea!

Image from the Plaid Pigeon shop at Etsy.

The Decline of the Paper Road Map

Image source

Mapmaking in Decline:

As a result of public reliance on digital navigation systems, traditional cartography jobs are being downsized, and in many cases eliminated. For example, the California State Automobile Association (CSAA) produced its last paper map of highways in 2008. Since 1909, the had created their own maps and distributed them free to members. A near century later, CSAA had eliminated their cartography team and produce maps only through the AAA national headquarters in Florida. For organizations like the CSAA, mapmaking is now seen as an unnecessary expense. Although the CSAA is no longer investing in traditional cartography, they realize the importance of providing paper maps, and will continue to do so. According to their spokesperson Jenny Mack, “free maps are one of our most popular member benefits”.

Some Downsides:

A downside to the outsourcing of cartographic skill is the lack of regional knowledge. In the case of the CSAA, their original cartographic team personally surveyed local roads and intersections. The accuracy of survey and cartography from thousands of miles away is questionable. In fact, studies show that paper maps are more accurate than GPS navigation systems. In an experiment done at the University of Tokyo, participants traveled on foot using either a paper map or GPS device. Those using the GPS paused frequently, traveled greater distances, and took longer to get to their destination. Paper map users were more successful.

While digital maps are helpful in getting from "Point A" to "Point B," they lack topographic details and cultural landmarks, among other details. Paper maps show “the big picture”, whereas navigation systems only show direct routes and immediate surroundings. These shortages can lead to geographic illiteracy and dissipate our sense of direction.

~ What is the Future of Paper Maps?

More map information here: "What is a Map?"

Free Blank Outline Printable World Maps of the Countries and Continents of the World

Vintage May Children's Calendar(Blackboard Calendar)

From a 1910 Primary Education teacher's periodical:

Click to enlarge and save, if desired. Dates are the same as 2011.

DIY Scrap Wood Pallet Toy Shelf

We made this out of some remaining scrap wood pieces which were leftovers from another project. The wood was found free at a big box home improvement store in cans, discarded near the wood cutting and lumber area. They are a type of shipping pallet - end pieces. We've been taking these with permission for various projects. The wood is usually weathered and interesting looking. Some of them have stamps on them making them look extra rustic. A few have grooves down the middle making them an excellent ball run. I plan to put together a maze with these pieces soon.

This modified A-frame shelf holds a good number of baskets and wooden boxed toy sets. We used the wood pieces that extend from the top to display and store puppets, and toy laces and ribbons. It would be handy for draping costumes and dress-up items as well.

The entire thing is screwed together with long deck screws. There are no rules here - just make a shape and screw it together. We didn't even bother to cut the shelves into even lengths. I puzzled it together on the floor, marked with pencil, and my husband screwed it all together. The pallet pieces came pre-sanded, so there were no rough areas which might cause splinters.

Click on picture to enlarge.

The Spring Garden

May flowers - tall white iris(ebay) in our backyard


Carrots(over-wintered)







Radish(Dollar General seed)






Tomato (Dollar General seed) and sage(over-wintered)


DIY silver plated spoon garden markers.




DIY spring wreath - lily of the valley.

Better Home and Gardens: Free Admission to Botanical Gardens 5/6/11

Nice freebie! I guess Friday will be field trip day. These printed out easily from a PDF download. See here for link to coupon and list of participating botanical gardens(nationwide)

Printable History of May Festivals for Children(Vintage)

From Our Boys and Girls children's magazine, Oliver Optic editor, Lee and Shepard, 1870:

Have any of our readers been "a-May-ing," as the common expression is? Have they found any of those sweet-scented May-flowers that are among the first of Nature's harbingers of green leaves and bright blossoms? But kings and princes went "a-May-ing" many generations ago, and with them went, as the old poet Chaucer says, "all the court, both most and least, to fetch the flowers fresh." In those early years, when Henry VIII. of England and Catharine of Arragon rode from their palace in Greenwich into the country to meet the people, and join with them in their festivities, there were jolly times on May-day, and, in fact, the whole month was joyful. Our May is colder and more disagreeable than that of England, and therefore our celebrations of May-day are usually very uncomfortable; but our ancestors brought the custom with them across the ocean; and, ever since, we have tried to have a good time with paper flowers, blue arms and noses, chilly processions, and bad colds.

Entire page here. To save and/or print, right click on the image of the page at the link. Free and in public domain.

Take a peak at the Table of Contents.

2011 Entertainment Coupon Books Now $15.00

I just purchased an "Entertainment" coupon book for South Jersey(vacation) and one for my area. The first book was only $15.00(retails for as much as $40.00), and the second book was only $10.00 with free shipping. Depending upon your area, these usually have some very usable coupons to local stores, entertainment, and dining.

The books probably have the best coupons in larger metropolitan areas and/or in tourist areas. I know for South Jersey there are some great discounts for museums, historical sites, fun parks, and family restaurants. These are all places we usually go, so the discounts will be worth the price of the book. This is the first time that I've purchased a book for my area. I'm hopeful that the coupons will at the very least cover the cost($10.00). We don't dine out much at all, but there are quite a few attractions and family fun activities near us where a discount would be a help.

I noticed that once you sign-up, they offer online coupons, a membership card for more discounts, and phone apps.

I'll update this post after I receive the booklets.

Printable Royal Tudor Family Paper Dolls

See more here. Click on images to enlarge and save.

A Few Children's Newspapers Online

New York Times Learning Network(We use this one - middle school and up)

The Learning Network provides teaching and learning materials and ideas based on New York Times content.

Teachers can use or adapt our lessons across subject areas and levels. Students can respond to our Opinion questions, take our News Quizzes, learn the Word of the Day, try our Test Yourself questions, complete a Fill-In or read our Poetry Pairings.

Weekly Reader(brief coverage) See top tabs for news by grades pre-K - grade six, and teens.

Scholastic News(elementary)

National Geographic for Kids(science: elementary-middle school)

Time Magazine for Kids/Classroom(K-6)

Amazon's Trade-in Program

I recently noticed that Amazon has a trade-in option! My son had been cleaning out his media, and I thought I'd check to see if I could list them on Amazon. The items were too common and selling for pennies; however, they were offering trade-ins for no less than a dollar each. So, I printed out the pre-paid label they provided, mailed the books and DVDs, and very soon had about $6.00 deposited into my Amazon account.

To find trade-in items simply enter your item in the Amazon search box and look for the "More Buying Options" window on the right. In that box, you'll see a button labeled "Trade in Here" with a price. It is located under the "Sell Yours Here" button.

Hereis an example listing.

I used my last balance to purchase a non-Amazon gift card.

Waning Interest in Cursive Writing

Students nationwide are still taught cursive, but many school districts are spending far less time teaching it and handwriting in general than they were years ago, said Steve Graham, a professor of education at Vanderbilt University. Most schools start teaching cursive in third grade, Professor Graham said. In the past, most would continue the study until the fifth or sixth grades — and some to the eighth grade — but many districts now teach cursive only in third grade, with fewer lessons.

“Schools today, we say we’re preparing our kids for the 21st century,” said Jacqueline DeChiaro, the principal of Van Schaick Elementary School in Cohoes, N.Y., who is debating whether to cut cursive. “Is cursive really a 21st-century skill?” Read more here.

I gave up on cursive with my son. He prefers print, and we didn't pursue cursive past fifth grade. I was the same way in giving it up in middle school for print. I do miss seeing it, but not enough to pursue it in our homeschool. My parents and older sister still write letters in cursive. Sometimes it's difficult for my son to read the letters. We just don't see it enough in our everyday life to keep it as a practiced skill.

Family Circus Classic

More here.

How To Use A Sewing Machine

An easy free series here.

Swimming Weather and Our DIY Stock Tank Pool

It has been warm enough on a few days to swim, so we put out our stock tank pool. We have too many trees to have a regular pool, and the area that is free is quite unlevel for an above ground pool. This rigid 300 gallon Rubbermaid stock tank can take the water pressure from the uneven rough ground. This is our second year with this pool. It was stored outside during the winter with no ill effects. The drain is a big plastic screw bolt which is replaceable if broken or lost.

In the summer, I put up an inexpensive netted lawn tent around the pool to keep the mosquitoes at bay.

Dollar Tree T-Shirts and DIY Decals

Picked up a few children's t-shirts at the Dollar Tree for my DIY decals. The shirt I made in March has washed well, so I thought I'd make more. Super deal! These are thick and without any noticeable flaws.

A few decals I'd like to add to t-shirts:

Vintage Book Finds

Some great finds at one of our local used book stores, about $5.00 each:

Misericordia Readers, Sixth Reader, 1934(Nihil Obstat Catholic school reader, Sisters of Mercy, Baltimore, Md)

1952 early reader, What's Next(third grade? - need to research) , Scott, Foresman and Company
Young Folks Library, 1902, Thomas Baily Aldrich, Hall & Locke Company.

Treasury of Life and Literature, Volume Four, 1937, Rollo Lyman, et al; Scribner.

The Lion of the North(30 years war), (first edition?), G.A. Henty, A.L. Burt Publisher

Some of these we'll use for summer reading.

World Stories Retold for Modern Boys and Girls

"World stories retold for modern boys and girls: one hundred and eighty-seven five-minute classic stories for retelling in home, Sunday School, children's services, public school grades, and "the story-hour" in public libraries, with practical suggestions for telling."

A 1914 free public domain book -a super story telling book for ages pre-K through age twelve.

See here for an alphabetical list of stories. Book is downloadable as a PDF, and pages are printable by right clicking on the images of the pages.

DIY Orange & Fennel Toner

"Fennel seeds & fennel essential oil contain plant estrogen & phytohormones that firm and rejuvenate the skin by stimulating the dermal cell metabolism... This lovely balancing, rejuvenating fragrant toner is especially beneficial for sluggish, untoned, lined skin whether it be oily or dry. Perfect for us oldies.."

Easy recipe here. I'm trying this tomorrow.

Ebook Reading Experience

After Christmas we bought a Kindle to read ebooks - classics and others available in public domain. It turns out none of us like reading virtual books on a small device. Fortunately, my husband found the Kindle very useful for his audio books, music, and random internet access from work. I've decided that nothing beats the sensory experience of holding a book in your hands, the crisp sound of turning pages, the smell of an old library, and their constant visual presence in the bookshelves. They become a part of your home, beckoning you to come visit. Similarly, public library visits have become a part of our routine, an enjoyable outing, and a stress reliever to quietly browse and wander among the stacks of books.

We still access school materials online, but when it came to reading for pleasure, the ebook readers just didn't cut it for us. The physical presence of books feels more like home.

Richard Norquist of About.com Grammar and Composition ponders:

"My dad never made it beyond Andrew Jackson High School, but the books he lovingly collected set me on a course that led to grad school and a career teaching English. So I'm not surprised by the results of the study.

But I wonder about what lies ahead--after the bookcases have been dismantled to make room for wall-sized LCD panels and all the books have been replaced by Kindles and iPads.

Sure, every book you can imagine will be available for download (along with every movie, TV program, and video game). But without the physical presence of books in the house, will kids experience the same sense of discovery and adventure? More importantly, will they still feel at home with books?"

Vintage Children's Cut Out Post Office Template

Original template here from a 1917 Primary Education Magazine. Free and in public domain.

Hot Today

so we headed to a beach





just down the road from us.





Pooh Bear catching some rays.

Elementary School April Picture Study: Corot's Pond at D'Avray

From "Picture Study in Elementary Schools: Primary Grades", by Lucy Langdon Williams Wilson,1899. Pages 172 through 181. See here. To print or save pages, right click on the image of the pages. Free and in public domain.

Picture in color here.

Vintage Children's Educational Radio Shows: Minnesota School of the Air

From OTRCat:

"15 minutes episodes originating in Minnesota were primary children's programming broadcast twice a week by 'tape transcription' for 'in-school listening.'

* Tales Old and New - highly entertaining fairy tales
* Let's Sing - musical sing-alongs
* Adventures in Music - music appreciation
* Each in It's Own Voice - about musician instruments and musicians
* Looks What We Found - entertaining recordings on Edgar Allan Poe, trains, lighthouse keepers, forest rangers, patrol men, printers, zoo animals, and much more!"

See here. There is a free download from this collection(limited time). The sound quality is very good for vintage radio.

Old Time Radio Easter Shows

"Happy Easter from OTRCAT.com! Please enjoy these Easter-themed old time radio shows free to download from the Easter Collection. Read about each episode and listen to these special holiday shows!"

Minnesota School of the Air - (Drama)

"The Smallest Angel's Easter" from March 16, 1951
In this show intended for "Primary School" and young children: The very smallest angel in heaven wants to help get ready for the big day for Christ's homecoming to heaven--Easter!

Treasury Star Parade - (Drama)

"Easter Story" (Episode 34)
With beautiful choir music celebrating the Resurrection and Eastertide, this program features a dramatized monologue for Easter . A fictional German minister gives a sermon about the meaning of Easter during wartime. He prays that we are merciful to the Jews during WWII.

Ozzie & Harriet - (Comedy)

"Easter Sunrise Service " from April 17, 1949
Wishing you a happy Easter, Ozzie is determined to get Harriet, and the boys, David and Ricky Nelson, to wake up bright and attend the Easter services which begin at the crack of dawn... literally.

Burns and Allen - (Comedy)

Easter Program from March 25, 1948
Starring Hans Conrad, Gale Gordon, Frank Nelson, and of course George Burns and Gracie Allen: Gracie only has two shopping days left before Easter and she needs a new schmancy Easter Dress!

Comic Weekly Man - (Children / Comedy)

"Easter" from March 25, 1951
Enjoy the funny papers dramatized on a special Easter program from 1951 by the Comic Weekly Man!

Downloadshere. To download, right click on links and "save as".

DIY Leaf Mulch

Our new neighbor raked up twenty-six bags of leaves from his tree-filled backyard. Although we left him scratching his head, he handed us all twenty-six bags over the fence. We've spent several days on this project, emptying and mowing over these leaves with a mulching mower to make finely chopped leaf mulch. I was able to cover the beds in the backyard with this mulch. The bags also had a lot of tiny brittle sticks mixed in with the leaves. It was a heavy leaf mulch, and will make an excellent cover for weeds. It will hold in moisture during our hot summers, and provide plant fertilizer as it decays. Worms love eating through old leaves, so I'm hopeful for lots of worm castings among the plants.

We used to get free wood chips delivered by local tree cutting businesses, but for some reason they no longer do this. Leaf mulch is a frugal option.

Pictured: our tall white iris just about to bloom.

Vintage April Blackboard Calendar

From a 1910 teachers education periodical. The dates are the same as 2011. Click on the image to enlarge and save.

"The Tree" Cut and Paste Nature Science Story, Elementary School

This might be fun to put together with drawings, and further research(extended study) by the student. Notebooking can to mind.

Click here.

To print and/or save, simply right click on the image of the page at the link.

April Teaching Guide: The Study of Buds(Elementary School)

From Primary Education, 1897: The Study of Buds, pages 135-136. Free and in public domain. To print and or save, right click on the image of the pages at the link.

Easy No Yeast Pizza Crust(Dough)

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon garlic salt(less if you like it plainer)
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Mix all ingredients and then knead well by hand, adding oil if too dry. I use a few sprays of canola oil from a can to make it a bit more workable. Roll out or push out with fingers into a circle. I can make a thick one in a cake pan with this recipe, or one big thin crust one(pictured) on a pizza pan. The children really like this crust. It tastes like a Bisquick crust only better.

For the pizza, I use spaghetti sauce and a pre-packaged shredded pizza cheese mix.

These freeze well.

Free Jon Gnagy Video Art Lessons

Broadcast in the 1940-1960's, Jon Gnagy's original learn-to-draw broadcasts. Each lesson is 10 minutes. Read more here.

Art lessons here(YouTube).

Apple Tree Seedlings

These sprouted quite well! My son saved all his apple seeds from his green apples, and they grew rather quickly from these seeds in a starter soil(dollar store) under plastic.

We'll be transplanting these in our garden when they grow larger.

Discounted Gift Cards

I saw an article in Times Magazine online about the savings benefits of purchasing discounted gift cards, and Cardpool.com was one of the vendors mentioned. I tried it out last night and was able to purchase an AMC and Home Depot gift card at a combined savings of 16% - not bad! The AMC gift card will be an actual gift, and the Home Depot card will be used for a tile job in a bathroom.

Update: Forget Cardpool.com. I just got an email stating that they canceled my order because they couldn't get in touch with me to verify some information. I guess they tried to call me(but no messages?) because I never got any emails until today(almost two weeks)! What a hassle. Meanwhile Plastic Jungle sent out my discounted cards immediately, and I received them within a few days - much more professional, and better communication with emails when items are shipped, etc.

I'd recommend Plastic Jungle over Cardpool.

More DIY Pallet Furniture Ideas

I think these are from Norway. See more here at Stylizimo.

And here at French by Design

Elementary Level Paragraph Writing Exercise: All Things Bright and Beautiful

IV. PARAGRAPH WRITING —INSECTS

1. Write a paragraph telling how insects prepare for winter. Correct the paragraph and copy it into your notebook for future use. Think of —

Cold — enemies — bees — caterpillars

2. Write a paragraph telling how insects leave their snug winter cradles.

Home Reading. — It is a sign of a gentle spirit to take note of the little creatures that people this great world of ours. Poets look into the meaning of all forms of life. They find things to say that you and I should never think of. Sometimes they say these things in a beautiful way, sometimes in a humorous or whimsical, yet delightful way, as you may learn from these poems: —

All Things Bright and Beautiful.—Cecil Frances Alexander. Ladybird, Ladybird. — Caroline B. Southey. How doth the Little Busy Bee. — Isaac Watts. The Bee and the Flower.—Alfred, Lord Tennyson. The Housekeeper. —. Charles Lamb. To a Butterfly. — William Wordsworth. White Butterflies. — Algernon Charles Swinburne. To an Insect. — Oliver Wendell Holmes. "He prayeth well who loveth well." — Samuel Taylor Coleridge (from the "Rime of the Ancient Mariner " ).

If possible, read one or more of the poems. Commit to memory one that pleases you.

See here for printable page. Right click on image of page at link to print and/or save.

From: Modern English: Elementary Lessons in English, 1906.

DIY Pallet Flat Storage

See more here.

Kindergarten/Early Elementary March Lesson Plans

March lessons plans for young children -The Plan Book: Primary, 1898. Free and in public domain. At link, right click on images of the pages to save. Good clip art for topics as well. Pages 657-768.

Quick view of suggested topic areas: