Epiphany party: Three Kings Day Magi activities, Twelfth Night King cake recipes | Examiner.com

Few students look forward to returning to school in January after Christmas vacation. So why not start the New Year with a holiday party? But you just did the holiday season, right? Well, not if you live Europe, South America or some other countries. There, the holiday season has just begun! And it's called Epiphany (or Three Kings Day, Dia de Reyes, Twelfth Night). Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christian churches celebrate Jan. 6 as Three Kings Day when the Magi brought gifts to Baby Jesus. People mistakenly assume the Magi arrived with the shepherds, angels, etc. But the Bible says they came roughly 12 days after Jesus's birth, so Three Kings Day is the Twelfth Night after Christmas.Here's an Epiphany party planner to use for social studies lessons.  Epiphany party: Three Kings Day Magi activities, Twelfth Night King cake recipes

Alphabet Letter Reading Lessons from A-Z

Need some fun summer games to help children practice the alphabet, letters, reading, and phonics? We want children retain what they've, but let's do it the fun way. Here are reading recipes and games using alphabet and letter foods. Here's what you will need:
- Alphabet pasta (available in pasta section)
- Chicken soup broth
- Alpha-Bits cereal
- Letter pretzels
- Letter Cheez-its crackers
- Variety of fruits and vegetables (whole and fresh)
Alpha-veggie (Initial Letter practice) Preschool to kindergarten
Set out a tray of fresh fruits and vegetables
Give each child a bag of letter pretzels, letter Cheez-its or Alpha-Bits
Hold up one fruit or vegetable at a time. If the child has the letter in his bag that matches the first letter of the fruit, he may eat the letter.
Cut each fruit and vegetable into bite sized pieces with letter pretzel or cracker near it. Or make salad from fruit pieces.
Fruit and Vegetable letter list
A-apple, apricot, avocado
B-banana, blueberry, bean, broccoli
C-cucumber, celery, cherry, cabbage, carrot
D-date
E-eggplant, endive
F-fig
G-grape, grapefruit
H-head of lettuce
I-iceberg lettuce
J-(juice from fruit)
K-kiwi, kale
L-lemon, lime, lettuce
M-mango, muskmelon, mushroom
N-nectarine
O-orange, onion
P-pear, pineapple,peach, pepper, potato, pea
Q-quince
R-radish, raspberry, raisin
S-strawberry, star fruit
T-tangerine, tomato
U-ugli fruit
V-vegetable
W-watermelon, wax bean
X-(Hershey's kiss!)
Y-yellow bean
Z-zucchini
Word Wizards (grades 1-5)
Give each child a bag mixed with letter pretzels, letter crackers and Alpha-Bits breakfast cereal.
Set the timer for three minutes.
Child makes as many words as possible with his bag of letters. When finished the Word Wizard makes the treat disappear!
Alphabet Souper (all ages)
Cook alphabet pasta in chicken broth. Add vegetables from Alpha-Veggie game if desired or just let children enjoy the pasta. As they eat the soup children name the letters or make words with the letters in the bowl. You can substitute Campbell's Alphabet Soup if desired.
For more great educational games for family, homeschool and classroom, visit me at www.diyhomeschool.blogspot.com and www.freelessonplans4u.blogspot.com.

Free Printable Very Hungry Caterpillar Coloring Pages, Crafts, Game, Lessons

Childrens' illustrator Eric Carle is best known for his book The Very Hungry Caterpillar. In the story of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, a little caterpillar eats his way through different foods each day of the week. The Very Hungry Caterpillar is used in preschool and kindergarten classrooms teach and explore caterpillars and butterflies, sequencing and days of the week. Click here for Free Printable Eric Carle Activities from The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Free Printable Cinco De Mayo Coloring Pages, Activities on Mexico

Cinco de Mayo, or Fifth of May, celebrates the victory of the smaller Mexican army over the mighty French juggernaut, in the Battle of Puebla, 1862. Cinco de Mayo is not the Mexican Independence day, and not many Latinos celebrate it outside Puebla. But stateside, we love any excuse to party (ahem, fiesta!). In that spirit, here are free printable coloring pages for Cinco de Mayo. Commemorate the Mexican cultural celebration Cinco de Mayo with free printable crafts, coloring pages and lessons. Use these free printable activities in the classroom, homeschool, 4H, Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops and church groups. Free Printable Cinco De Mayo and Mexico Coloring Pages

Book Activities from Brown Bear, Brown Bear

Is there anyone who won't be glad to see the back end of winter 2014? Well, don't worry you parents of bored kids, teacher-mama has more children's literature activities. Hands-on lesson plans with story, game, craft and snack. Today's is on "Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?" and "Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?" by Bill Martin and Eric Carle. Book Activities from Brown Bear, Brown Bear

Free Printable Stone Soup Activities

The legend of "Stone Soup" is timeless. It's been used around Thanksgiving to teach sharing. Stone Soup could easily have been a metaphor for the Native American and pilgrim relationship. The story has been retold many times, notably by Marcia Brown, Ann McGovern and Jon J. Muth. Stone Soup is sacred text in preschool and elementary classrooms. If you are teaching Stone Soup, here are free printable activities. As an educator and homeschooler, I've used "Stone Soup" over the years. Read on  Free Printable 'Stone Soup' Games, Activities and Lesson Plans