My new favorite thing!

Homeschooling will never be the same for us!  I have discovered 360 Cities - a website that lets you access interactive 360º panorama images of user-submitted locations all over the world!!  The interactive and spherical nature of these images really bring the locations to life and make it feel like you're standing there in person - a night and day difference from a 2D image.  And the way the images are cataloged makes it incredibly easy to search for exactly what or where you're looking for, and you even have the option of clicking on a global map to explore images from any area of your choosing.  The homeschool applications are unending!  Are you studying China's great wall?  Why not try standing on it?!  Or might you be studying geology and cave formation?  Have a look around one for yourself!  You could visit the Louvre, see what it's like inside the engine room of a submarine, pay your respects at Ground Zero, go scuba diving in Egypt, stand on top of a volcano!  The possibilities are truly endless!!  And ds10 and I COULDN'T be having more fun.  :)  And isn't that how it's supposed to be??  :D

6-sided paper snowflakes

'Tis the season to cut out snowflakes with your kids! Unfortunately, most people cut snowflakes the WRONG way, and don't even realize it. Thing is, real snowflakes don't have 4 sides, nor do they have 8. They have exactly 6 sides. (See photo to the right of a real snowflake!) This year, I encourage you to teach this fact to your kids by having them cut out 6-sided snowflakes instead.

Here is a pattern for cutting out a 6-sized snowflake out of paper. This is the method that I've been using since I was a little girl, and the results are FANTASTIC every time!!

Here is a pattern and tutorial for a similar method, but the steps are in a slightly different order, which some people might find easier to follow.

This pattern is adapted for use with a coffee filter. It's basically the same thing, but the diagram shows a circular pattern as you go, so it's easier to follow if using a coffee filter.

Please comment on my blog if you use one of these, and let me know how it turns out! HAVE FUN!!!