Adjectives

As a follow up to the adverb video thought I’d post the Grammar Rock adjective video.  An excellent and cute video.  Kids (heck adults for that matter) often learn better when something is put to music.

So is the song stuck in your head?  Do you love or hate these videos?

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I found a great series of videos that explain some grammar rules.  I love it!  If you’ve ever been confused about what it is an adverb does or how and when you are using them (because you do even if you don’t know it) This is the video for you.  For that matter it is a great little tool to refresh your child’s understanding during the summer or to help them with adverbs during the school year.

What did you think of the video?  Did it bring back great memories?  Do you understand adverbs any better?

I had so much fun with the geography games from yesterday that I thought I would do a follow up geography post with this map video.  The map video shows you how to read a map.  Pretty darn cute.  Would be a great way to introduce a map lesson or a fun video to show before letting the kiddos loose on the map games I mentioned yesterday!

What did you think of the video?  Do you like songs that teach?  Do you have a favorite learning song??

As I was randomly surfing the Internet I found (you are going to have to work to follow me here but it’s a fun trip) a YouTube video that explained how maps worked that led to another video about a map game.  This map game looked like fun but I couldn’t figure out how to find it online so I read the information from the person that uploaded it and there was the link!  However, the user said they had since found a more entertaining group of games.  The link for the more entertaining games can be found here. Ah…there is no end to the amount of work I will go to just to find something to entertain and educate you!

All of the quizzes ask you to locate specific items on the map.  There are over two dozen games to play.  You can choose The World, variations on the United States, or various other countries or continents. 

These would be great to use with your children over the summer.  IF you are a teacher you could use these as rewards.  Kids love games and any excuse to be on the computer makes them happy.  If you can sneak in a learning experience all the better!

I played several of the versions and even though I taught Geography for a couple of years I was surprised by what I did (and more often didn’t) know :)  Go play the games and let me know how your geography skills stand up!  Are there other geography games out there that you especially like?  Leave your suggestions below and I’ll go check them out!

I know that for the most part graduations around the country are over. BUT if you are one of those people who puts things off till the last minute and you haven’t bought your graduate a gift yet here are two of my favorites.

The first book is the Little Big Book of Life.  This book has some fantastic quotes, letters, short essays and songs about, well, life.  It is a truly fantastic book.  There is a bit of bad language but overall really a great item, and I think most graduates would find it a book they’d go to repeatedly throughout the years.

The next book is a long time favorite from Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!.  I know what you’re thinking, he’s a children’s author.  Well, yes and no.  This is a great book for graduates because it tells them you believe in them.  Most of the kids I know who graduated this year were very anxious about leaving school behind and this book is child like enough to comfort but the message is powerful enough to be touching.  You could even splurge and make a little gift basket with the Places You’ll go theme.

I’ve recently found two new FREE games online that I think are a lot of fun. Not only are these educational games fun but they are also great learning tools.  You could use these games as a teacher or as a parent or heck even just for fun if you are an adult

• The first one is Budget Hero. 
  • I had ridiculous amounts of fun with this.  It lets you control where your tax dollars go and how much taxes the country takes in and based on that tells you when the economy would go belly up!  Pretty cool stuff…shows you can’t be a hero to all and keep the country out of financial peril.  I think this would be a fantastic site to use in government, economic, history, civics, or even math classes for grades 8-12.  LOVED it. 
• Next is My Savings Quest
  • First you make your character, always fun.
  • Then you pick a career that will influence the types of ‘problems’ you have to solve.  A detective gets critical thinking questions, an accountant math, and an archeologist history and society type questions.  Have to earn that monthly check!
  • You also get to pick what kind of apartment you rent and how often you go out.
  • During the game you will get questions about spending extra money and sometimes you will lose money for random events like getting your car fixed.
  • Ultimately you are saving for a goal (which you get to pick) and at the end of six months you find out if you’ve met your goal
  • This is really fun and could be used in grades 4 and up.  It teaches about budgeting and goal setting and responsibility.  Great for a variety of classes.

I hope you will all go check these out!  Even if you don’t have a class to use them with right now they could go into your lesson plans for next year.  But….to be perfectly honest I like them so much I keep going back to them for myself.  Especially the Budget Hero.  It is really interesting to see how the changes you make effect the economy.  It’s made me rethink what I want in a president.

Try out the games and let me know what you think!  Will you use them in a class or with your own children?  Were they fun for you?