Most people consider dandelions weeds, but they are one of my favorite wildflowers. Dandelions are an important early spring food source for pollinators like bees and butterflies. The entire dandelion plant is edible and highly nutritious. They're also a natural anti-inflammatory and can be used medicinally to treat minor inflammation and relieve pain.  One of the neatest things about dandelions is their lifecycle. Much like a butterfly or a frog, dandelions go through an amazing transformation, changing their beautiful yellow flowers into poofy seed heads. In this post I share a few activities and resources for learning about dandelions and their lifecycle. Keep reading for lots of dandelion themed learning activities. If your interested in a printable dandelion   study, I have one here:   Dandelion Mini Unit Study . Resources For Learning About Dandelions When I was planning our dandelion investigation, I came across several great videos and websites to use. H...

Let's face it, most of the traditional ways to practice spelling words are boring. No one enjoys copying the same word out over and over. Plus many kids tend to do better with hands on activities that stimulate both sides of the brain. Here are 20 creative ways for kids to practice spelling words: Creative Ways To Practice Spelling Words: Yelling For Spelling - Go outside somewhere your kids can be loud and have them practice spelling their spelling words aloud, as loud as they can.  Glitter Writing- Everything is better with glitter!  Have your kids write their spelling words with school glue and then sprinkle with glitter. Rainbow Writing- Write your child's spelling words with a black ball point pen. Then have your child trace the letters with various colors of marker to create a colorful rainbow effect. Alternative Writing Mediums-  Writing doesn't always have to be done with a pen or pencil on paper. Try using different writing mediums. Have your c...

Baking soda vinegar reactions are always a favorite in our house. My kids never get tired of watching these bubbly acid-base reactions. In this post I share a few fun variations of the basic baking soda vinegar experiment.  The Science Behind Baking Soda Vinegar Experiments: Baking soda and vinegar reactions are classic acid base reactions. Vinegar is acetic acid in water and baking soda is a base known as sodium bicarbonate. Initially the reaction yields carbonic acid, but it is unstable and quickly breaks down into carbon dioxide and water. The carbon dioxide gas bubbles are what what makes the bubbly foam in these reactions. NaHCO3 + CH3COOH = CO2 + H2O + Na + CH3COO- Basic Baking Soda And Vinegar Reaction: You will need: -baking soda -vinegar -a cup or bowl Add a couple tablespoons of baking soda to a cup or bowl. Add a half a cup of vinegar and watch it foam! Now try these fun variations: Sudsy Reaction: For an extra foamy reaction add a small amount of...