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Monday, July 25, 2022

Children's Books About Sharks in English and Spanish

To continue our celebration of Shark Week 馃, I started looking through all the bilingual shark-themed children's books on the market. I put together a list of the ones in English and Spanish that I liked best. There are a couple that had both English and Spanish versions. I tried to list all of the titles below starting with books for the youngest "readers" first. 

If you are looking for activity books with a shark-theme, then be sure to check out my post on Children's Crafts & Activities for Shark Week. I've listed those separately at the bottom of that post.

Happy reading!

This post contains affiliate links.

Books about Sharks


Children's Books in English that Feature Sharks


by Jess Keating



Sharks
(Smithsonian Kids First Discovery Books)



by Erwin Lorinser



by Brian Skerry






Children's Books in Spanish that Feature Sharks



Tiburones sorprendentes
by Nicola Davies



Tom y el 煤ltimo Tibur贸n
by Erwin Lorinser



by Tamia Sheldon



by Anna Membrino






(Scroll up for English version.)
by Mike Lowery





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Saturday, July 23, 2022

Children's Crafts & Activities for Shark Week

Children's Resources for Shark Week


Shark Week kicks off next Sunday on the Discovery Channel. Every year, they dedicate an entire week to programming about these apex predators. For families, it's the perfect time to sneak in some summer learning. For homeschoolers, it's the best time to find lesson plans and activities related to sharks. 

Here are some of the great resources that I've found on the internet.

This post contains affiliate links.


Shark Crafts & Activities


Here's a list of my favorite shark activities divided up by age:

Shark Bay Sensory Bin for Toddlers

Preschool & Elementary Shark Crafts

Shark Sugar Cookies by Homemade Heather
Shark Sugar Cookies by Homemade Heather

Middle and High School Shark Crafts



Basic Craft Supplies


Here's a list of the basic craft supplies I try to keep in stock at my house. These are items that most craft projects require and they provide everything you need for some of the activities above.



Printables about Sharks


Lots of great printable shark activities are available!




Children's Activity Books about Sharks




National Geographic Kids Sharks Sticker Activity Book: Over 1,000 Stickers!
(ages 3 - 6)



Shark Activity Book For Kids! A Unique Collection Of Mazes
(ages 5 -7)



The World of Sharks Facts and Activity Book For Kids 5-9
by Gold Stars



How to Draw Sharks: Step-by-Step Drawings!
(ages 7 - 10)



(Ages 7 - 12)


Want to find this post again? Pin it!

Children's Crafts & Activities for Shark Week


Other Resources About Sharks That You May Enjoy 


Wednesday, July 20, 2022

24+ Ocean-Themed Activities for Kids

24+ Ocean-Themed Activities for Kids


This year, shark week starts next Sunday. To prep for the occasion and celebrate summer, I started looking for ocean-themed activities for kids. There are SO many great ones available! I know that if you are looking for crafts or printables for your ocean-themed studies, you have a good chance of finding one on this list. 

The best part is that most of the crafts can be done in any language. The printables are in English only until I can find or make some bilingual ones to add. 

To further dive into ocean studies with your family, consider checking out my list of 15 Children's Books about the Ocean. It includes Spanish titles, too. And you may enjoy my post on 5 Ways to Explore the Ocean with Young Children.

Ocean-Themed Kids Crafts


Here's a list of hands-on crafts for kids to make as they explore ocean life.

For Toddlers

  1. A Sweet Octopus Craft
    Here's an easy toilet paper roll craft for little fingers from Mommy Snippets. Parents can help cut the tentacles, or just draw lines and let their little ones practice their cutting skills. 

  2. DIY Fishing Pole and Fish
    This craft/activity from Mindy Makes is great for young kids to play with, but probably needs older kids (←YES!) or parents to make it. 

  3. Floating Egg Carton Whale
    Barley & Birch has an easy tutorial for this crazy cute and clever whale craft! They also have this awesome Clay Sea Slug craft that teaches children about form and color. 

  4. Paper Plate Starfish
    A simple craft from Taming Little Monsters that is fun for both toddlers and older children. She also has this Octopus Fine Motor Activity made out of felt that is so clever and delightful!

  5. Paper Plate Tropical Fish Craft
    Crafts by Amanda has this excellent idea for making paper plate fish. This is such a colorful activity.  

  6. Paper Plate Jellyfish Craft
    About a Mom has a tutorial for creating these bright and cheerful jellyfish.

  7. Jellyfish Felt Craft
    If your little one is really into jellyfish, here's another way to make one from Mommy Made That.

  8. Under the Sea Craft
    Here's an activity from Wonder in His World that develops fine motor skills with coloring, cutting, and gluing.

  9. Orange Peels Crab Craft
    This is the CUTEST little craft from Little Ladoo. And for this one, you can give your kids permission to play with their food!

  10. 3D Crab Craft For Kids
    I think that kids in late elementary will love this 3D crab craft from Simple Everyday Mom.

For Older Children


These crafts may be enjoyed more by children up to 12 years old (and possibly older). 



  1. How To Build A Clay Fish For Kids
    If you're looking for a more challenging activity for older children, this tutorial from Crafty Art Ideas is excellent. Especially for young clay lovers.

  2. Ocean Slime Recipe
    Aren't scared of a little slime? Then this project from BabySavers is for you! You might also like this little Mason Jar Aquarium if your little one has been begging for a pet fish.

  3. Layers of the Ocean Soap Project
    If you have the tools, or are willing to purchase them, this is a really neat educational activity from STEAM Powered Family. You may also enjoy their tutorial for making Ocean Moon Dough.

  4. How to Make a Moving Paper Fish
    So, so brilliant. Here's a great tutorial from Crafts and Printables for making this moving fish - and you probably have everything you need right in your house. 

  5. God's Eye Baby Turtles
    If your kids love making ojo de dios crafts, then this little sea turtle one from Pink Stripey Socks may be for you!


Ocean-Themed Printables for Children


If you prefer print-and-go activities, consider this list of ocean-themed downloads. 


  1. Sea Animal Playdough Mats
    Taming Little Monsters also has these awesome printable playdough mats! Download the free printable. 

  2. Ocean Fill-In Puzzle
    Tree Valley Academy has this challenging print-and-go ocean vocabulary puzzle. 

  3. Free Dolphin Life Cycle Printables
    Designed by About a Mom for early elementary, preschoolers can also do them with help. 

  4. Sea Turtles Unit Study
    Here's a free unit study from Hess Un-Academy that is great for kids ages 4 to 12. 

  5. Coral Coloring Pages
    Great for any age, these coral reef coloring pages from Nature Inspired Learning are simple and lovely.

  6. Jellyfish Worksheets For Kids
    These jellyfish worksheets from Simple Everyday Mom are perfect for kids who want or need to practice their letter recognition, handwriting skills, and scissors skills.

  7. FREE Printable Under the Sea Kids Activity Pack
    SwagGrabber has this 7-page printable activity pack. Print just one page or all to suit your needs.

  8. Dolphin Facts for Kids To Learn & Study
    Here's a printable trivia game about dolphins from Homeschool and Happiness.

  9. Mermaid Coloring Pages
    Collective Crayon has these whimsical printable mermaid coloring pages.  

Ocean-Themed Kits


If you are looking for a kit that already comes with everything you need, consider one of these!











Tuesday, July 19, 2022

2022 Spanish Resource Libraries


I hate to bring up the subject of going back to school in the middle of July, but I just have to share with you an important new and FREE resource! Just in time for school to start, some of the TpT Spanish teachers have released their annual Spanish Resource Library. They've been doing this since 2015, and if this is the first time you've learned about this, the great news is that you can go back and upload all of the previous years' resources, too!



2022 Elementary Spanish Resource Library

This year's resource includes links to 20+ resources for PreK and Elementary Spanish teachers that you can download and start using right away.

Directions are on the 2nd page of this PDF to download the entire Google Folder that says: 2022 Spanish Elementary Free Resources

The included resources are:

  • 3 Palabras en l铆nea juego de ortograf铆a
  • 10 Introductions and Greetings
  • Actividades para el primer d铆a de clases
  • An Emergency Activity
  • Buenos D铆as - Spanish Canci贸n Infantil Nursery Rhyme
  • Centros Fon茅ticos - Syllable Clip Cards
  • Comprehension
  • Easy Print Spanish Numbers
  • Empareja
  • Hojas de escritura
  • Interactive Notebook
  • Mascotas - Minibooks
  • Microcuentos - Spanish Comic activity
  • Preposition Gato Activity
  • Spanish Building Block Sight Words
  • Spanish Cognates Matching Cards
  • Spanish Reading Comprehension
  • Spring Poem in Spanish
  • Tira y Lee
  • TL Blend Syllables in Spanish
  • Yo aprendo las silabas



2022 Secondary Spanish Resource Library


This year's resource contains 25+ resources for secondary Spanish teachers.

Many are digital or distance-learning friendly and are ready for your 6th - 12th grade Spanish classes during back to school and beyond. This is a digital resource library hosted on Google Drive. Download this free PDF to get the link. Then, click on the link to access a Google Folder with all of the secondary Spanish resources.

Each PDF resource has one free activity and many have links to more freebies - so take the time to read through the PDFs and follow everyone on social media and right here on TpT - you'll be glad you did!

The included resources are:

  • Find Someone Who Tiene
  • 4 Song Tournament
  • Introductions and Greetings
  • Activities Dolores Huerta
  • Possessive Adjectives Flip Book
  • AP Spanish Unit 3 Lesson
  • Calendar Talk
  • School Calendar
  • Emergency Activity
  • Free Write Worksheet
  • Interactive Notebook Sample
  • IR Y LA CIUDAD
  • Mystery Picture Marc Anthony
  • Songs for Spanish Class
  • Regular Present Tense Verbs
  • Snap and Chat
  • Reading - Spanish Introductions
  • I Can Statements - School Unit
  • Spanish False Cognates
  • Spanish Weather Listening
  • TFJ Social Justice
  • Time Filler Project
  • Todo Sobre M铆
  • Interactive Notebook Spanish 1 - 2
  • Weekend Gallery Walk


Click the images above or the titles to go to their TpT pages for downloading. 

Happy teaching!

Monday, July 18, 2022

2022 Virtual Homeschool Summit

 


This coming Thursday, the 2022 Virtual Homeschool Summit will kick off. Hosted by The Homeschool Graduate, the online summit has a fantastic line-up of speakers (including me!). I don't speak at many homeschool conferences, but I was happy to participate this time because of the diversity of speakers. 

Rising Diversity in Homeschooling

Typically, most homeschool conferences are pretty one sided. They tend to be centered around white Christians. Diversity is rarely present, though there may be one or two people of color included. That's why I was so delighted to see the speaker list for this summit. There are some very different perspectives being presented. 

Earlier this year, there was a huge outcry when one of the major homeschool conventions announced their keynote speaker. Nowhere close to being a homeschooler, the person - and conference - had become 100% politicized. "Homeschooling was NOT for everyone" was the clear message being sent.

But I think this change was a reaction to the pandemic, which suddenly thrust homeschooling into the front of everyone's mind. And I mean EVERYONE. While most families were suddenly involved in distance learning, a whole new set of people were suddenly exploring homeschooling as an option. And they continue to do so as another pandemic - school shootings - has spread. 

Homeschooling is for Everyone

Many families are finding delight in the freedom that homeschooling provides. Especially as school boards stop trusting teachers to teach and clamp down on what is approved teaching material. (This approval is based on personal opinion, NOT on academic study and recommendation.) 

A huge portion of these new homeschoolers come from very diverse backgrounds, heritages, and faiths. They are looking for curricula that reflect their own values and views. And if they can't find them, they create their own. 

Don't get me wrong - there is a crowd of established homeschoolers who have been championing the battle cry, "Homeschooling is for everyone!" for a while now. And their message is gaining steam. 

Note this is not to be confused with the phrase, "Homeschooling is right for everyone." It definitely isn't.

The 2022 Virtual Homeschool Summit

If you are interested in finding leaders in the homeschool world with whom you find you share similar outlooks, and whose knowledge you may benefit from, then consider signing up for the FREE 2022 Virtual Homeschool Summit. Then watch the sessions at your own leisure.

Note: I wasn't compensated for my participation. I agreed to be one of the speakers hoping to reach and encourage more Hispanic families, and was delighted to see the final speaker line up. 

Don't wait. Register today!


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Thursday, July 14, 2022

Incredibly Easy Summer Spanish-Practice Plan




Over the years, MommyMaestra sponsor Spanish for You! has shared a TON of great downloads, including mini-lessons, games, and audio files. These activities are designed to help nurture your young Spanish learners at home or in the classroom. All of them are available for FREE! Take an afternoon or weekend and browse through them by clicking the link above.

This post contains affiliate links.

Summer Spanish-Practice Plan


This month's download is an easy summer practice plan for your Spanish learner. The one-page printable gives you five activities for practicing Spanish at home. Just print it and hang it somewhere you can see it to remember your daily Spanish-learning activities.

Download the file here


And don't forget, there are tons of other great downloads from Spanish for You! available here on MommyMaestra. Such as this round-up of summer-themed Spanish activities. LOTS of good things in this one for this time of year.


Supplies for teaching Spanish


Here are some of the supplies you may need for implementing a Spanish-learning curriculum at home:


Remember! Spanish for You!'s program is geared for middle schoolers and is the perfect choice for homeschoolers and afterschoolers alike because their concepts are carefully divided up into manageable bundles that are available for immediate download from their website.

If this is your first time here, you can find other free samples from Spanish for You! here. There are some fantastic downloads of games and activities for you and your family to enjoy. If you enjoy this activity, be sure to visit the Spanish for You! website where you'll find tons of additional resources for you to help your young Spanish learner!

Wednesday, July 6, 2022

The Best Children's Books about Frida Kahlo

The Best Children's Books about Frida Kahlo

Happy birthday, Frida! Did you know that she would have been 115 years old today? In honor of the occasion, I've put together this massive list of the best children's books about Frida Kahlo.

And in case you missed it, yesterday I shared a list of Frida crafts for kids that you may enjoy sharing with your children. These books and crafts are great to read and do this week, but also any time during the year! 

There are SO many great books about the artist. I've linked to them on Amazon below, but seriously, you can request these titles from your local library or ask them to get them from another branch if they don't have them in stock. Sometimes, librarians will even put them on their "to purchase" list. 

This post uses affiliate links. 

Board Books about Frida Kahlo


Here are some excellent board books AND simple books written for children up to 5 years old. But older children may enjoy these titles, too!









by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara 









Picture Books about Frida Kahlo


For children ages 5 and older, these picture books are beautiful biographies to introduce children to Frida.


by Monica Brown



by Margaret Frith



by Isabel Munoz



by Anthony Browne




Chapter Books about Frida Kahlo


These books are best suited for children ages 8 to 12. They give great information about the artist while still incorporating outstanding illustrations.





by Mike Venezia



Who Was Frida Kahlo?
by Sarah Fabiny



by Magdalena Holzhey


Graphic Novels about Frida Kahlo


Graphic novels are a fabulous way to encourage young readers. If these types of books excite you or your children, check out my Mega List of Spanish Comics for Kids.


by James Buckley Jr.



by Button Books 


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