Top 2014 Deceptively Educational Social Studies Activities

What a fun year learning about cultures, history, and geography!

Here are our most popular social studies activities of the year.

1. Battle of the States [free printable game]

2. How to Make a Water Clock

3. Pegboard Practice [States & Capitals]

4. Ancient Greek Temple Building Game (printable)

5. Reading Comprehension with the Greek Alphabet

6. United States BINGO (teacher's edition)

7. Louisiana Purchase Geography Game

8. Greek Mythology Matching Card Game

9. Paper Plate Dreamcatcher

10. Greek Gods and Godesses BINGO [free printable]

Top 2014 Deceptively Educational PreK Activities

Our 4-turned-5-year old had lots of fun learning letters and numbers in 2014. 

Here are our most popular activities!

1. Printable Lacing Cards: Numbers 0-10

2. Letter Dominoes

3. Printable Numbers Bowling

4. Red-Eyed Tree Frog Count & Clip Cards

5. Pegboard Practice [Letters Edition]

6. Printable Alphabet Blackout Game

7. ABC Memory

8. Chicka Chicka Letters Climb

9. Magnetic ABC Ocean

10. Racing ABCs Game

Top 2014 Deceptively Educational Science Activities

We had loads of fun playing with science this past year! 

Here are our most popular activities.

1. How to Make a Hovercraft

2. How to Make an Electromagnet

3. Fall Leaves BINGO

4. How to Make a Waterwheel

5. DIY Water Fountain

6. 5 for 5: Free Vertebrates Card Game

7. Phases of the Moon Flip Book

8. Weather Forecasting with a DIY Barometer

9. Leak-Proof Water Bag

10. How to Suspend a Ball in Midair

After School Linky (12-22)

Welcome to the party!

I speak on behalf of all the co-hosts when I thank you for not only making learning at home fun, but for sharing your journey with us in 2014.

This is the final linky of the year. (Where did the time go?!?)

We'll be back January 5th with each of the co-hosts sharing a round-up of our most popular activities from the past year, organized by themes. You won't want to miss it!

The After School Linky is cohosted by

Boy Mama Teacher Mama

Mama Smiles

Planet Smarty Pants

Relentlessly Fun, Deceptively Educational

The Educators' Spin on It

The Measured Mom

This Reading Mama

We would love to have you link up your School-Age Post (Ages 5 and up) about your learning week after school including Crafts, Activities, Playtime and Adventures that you are doing to enrich your children's lives after their day at school, home school, or on the weekend!

When linking up, please take a moment to comment on at least one post linked up before yours and grab our after school button to include a link on your post or site! By linking up, you're giving permission for us to share on our After School Pinterest Board and feature an image on our After School Party in the upcoming weeks!

Adding Decimals with a Visual Model

My 9-year-old son is a whiz at math. I wasn't sure though, how he'd do adding decimals. I thought I'd make it a little bit easier. Sometimes seeing and doing is understanding.

A simple 10x10 grid makes a wonderful visual model.

I made 10 grids with some of the squares filled in, and two grids without. Download them free from Google Drive here.

I printed the eight with colored blocks on heavyweight cardstock and cut them apart. Next, I laid a piece of acetate (an overhead projection transparent plastic sheet) over the top and with a ruler and fine-tip Sharpie marker, drew the grid.

Then I turned the paper over and laid it on top of one of the colored grids. I put the other colored grids underneath the first and tucked them all under the clip on a small clipboard.

With the addition of some fine-tip dry-erase markers, I was ready to teach my son to add decimals.

When my son came home from school, I added a second number with dry-erase ink to the acetate page to complete the math problem. My son then colored the white squares to represent the second decimal number and looked at the total number of colored squares, writing the answer in the blank rectangle to finish the equation.

This really clicked with my son and after four problems, he didn't need the visual model.

Don't have an acetate sheet? No sweat! Either laminate the cards (blank or colored) or place them inside a clear glossy plastic sheet protector. Both work with dry-erase markers.

This great idea was inspired by the visual models in the book Dazzling Decimals. Check it out!

After School Linky 12-15

Welcome to the party!

If you're like me, as the holidays draw near, days are super hectic. That is when this linky of ours REALLY comes in handy. After all, the kids will be home for winter break soon, and what are they going to do? 

Here are just some of the amazing ideas shared last week.

 3D Paper Christmas Tree Paper Craft Tutorial with Printable at Mama Smiles

DIY Window Gel Clings - Christmas/Winter at The Science Kiddo

 Christmas Math Games with Dice {FREE!} at This Reading Mama

 Christmas Muffin Tin Reading Games at Growing Book by Book

 Demonstrating Friction with Toy Cars at Raventhreads

Hanukkah Activities and Printables at 3 Dinosaurs

 West African Game: How to Play the Liberian Game "Queah" (Free Printable Board game) at Marie's Pastiche

Flip Your Lid Upcycle Lockets at Doodles and Jots

The After School Linky is cohosted by

Boy Mama Teacher Mama

Mama Smiles

Planet Smarty Pants

Relentlessly Fun, Deceptively Educational

The Educators' Spin on It

The Measured Mom

This Reading Mama

We would love to have you link up your School-Age Post (Ages 5 and up) about your learning week after school including Crafts, Activities, Playtime and Adventures that you are doing to enrich your children's lives after their day at school, home school, or on the weekend!

When linking up, please take a moment to comment on at least one post linked up before yours and grab our after school button to include a link on your post or site! By linking up, you're giving permission for us to share on our After School Pinterest Board and feature an image on our After School Party in the upcoming weeks!

Follow the Phonics Footprints (a Treasure Hunt)

My five year old son's alternative kindergarten program has begun introducing the school district's phonics program. The kids (my son included) are picking up on it super quick, too. 

To reinforce the letter sounds my son has already learned in school, I devised a fun treasure hunt for him.

If you're interested in doing this activity at your house, here's what you need.
A-Z footprints PDF
Paper 
Scissors
A small prize (I used a pack of Pokemon cards)

You can download the A-Z footprints I used here; they're free on Google Drive. Depending on the distance of your treasure hunt from start to finish, you may want to print more than one set of pages; I used two.

For added durability, print onto heavyweight cardstock. Cut out. Yes, it's a lot of cutting, but there's no need to be tidy and particular; just get the job done. Your kid will be so focused on getting to the prize, they won't knit-pick your cutting skills.

Shuffle the footprints and begin placing them on the floor in a path. Make sure that you add extra footprints that form new paths to throw off your little girl/guy. 

When you've placed the last footprint, add a prize nearby. Now carefully retrace your steps and with a notepad write down all the letters that will get your son/daughter from the starting point to the prize. 

Once your child is ready, ask that they stand before the first footprint and say the sound that the letter on it makes. You child will look at the footprints before them and move to the letter. Continue making the phonics sounds until your child has moved from one footprint to another all the way to the end and retrieved the treasure.

My son got stuck a few times, but I was able to sing the Jolly Phonics songs he's learned to trigger his memory. He was so proud of himself for finishing the hunt and VERY excited to get his prize!