President's Day Printables
President's Day is observed on the third Monday of February, honoring all past United States Presidents. Here are printable worksheets, activity pages and coloring pages for George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.
Until 1971, we celebrated the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln on February 12 and George Washington on February 22. In 1971, President Nixon proclaimed President's Day as the federal holiday to honor these two presidents as well as all the presidents.
My Homeschool Fairy Tale
Before my husband and I were married, we talked about teaching our kids at home. The plan was for me to get a teaching credential to make it possible. It sounded like a fairy tale to me because I had never heard of anyone teaching their kids at home...and back then (1974) homeschooling was truly very scarce...
After reading my story, share your story with us.
February 16th - Studebakers, Helicopters and King Tut
Here's a more detailed list of February Holidays and Events with homeschool worksheets, coloring pages and activities to provide teachable moments for February 16th:
- Studebaker Company Founded - Before automobiles, what did the Studebaker brothers manufacture?
- First 911 Call - Who placed the first 911 call?
- King Tut's Burial Chamber Unsealed - Who opened the chamber?
- 1st Commercial Helicopter Flew - What type of helicopter was it?
February 14th - Valentine's Day, States and Ferris Wheels
Happy Valentine's Day! Here's a more detailed list of February Holidays and Events with homeschool worksheets, coloring pages and activities to provide teachable moments for February 14th:
- Valentine's Day - Who is your Valentine?
- Arizona Admission Day - What is the capital of Arizona?
- Oregon Admission Day - What is Oregon's largest city?
- First Presidential Photograph - Who was the photographer?
- Ferris Wheel Day - Who invented the Ferris Wheel?
February 12th - Abraham Lincoln, First Ladies and Savannah
Here's a more detailed list of February Holidays and Events with homeschool worksheets, coloring pages and activities to provide teachable moments for February 12th:
- Abraham Lincoln's Birthday - What was the famous speech he gave in 1863?
- Louisa Adams' Birthday - Where was Louisa Adams born?
- Savannah Founded - Who founded Savannah?
February 11th - Edison, Inventors and Japan
Here's a more detailed list of February Holidays and Events with homeschool worksheets, coloring pages and activities to provide teachable moments for February 11th:
- Thomas Edison's Birthday - What was Thomas Edison called a wizard of?
- National Inventor's Day - Who is your favorite inventor?
- Japan: Foundation Day - What does Foundation Day celebrate?
- Don't Cry Over Spilled Milk Day - What is the theme of this day?
February 10th - Umbrellas, Fire Extinguishers and Swimming
Here's a more detailed list of February Holidays and Events with homeschool worksheets, coloring pages and activities to provide teachable moments for February 10th:
- Umbrella Day - Who invented the umbrella?
- Fire Extinguisher Patented - What acronym is used to remember how to use the fire extinguisher?
- Mark Spitz' Birthday How many gold medals did Mark Spitz win in the 1972 Olympics?
February 9th Trivia - Harrison, Hershey and Toothaches
Here's a more detailed list of February Holidays and Events with homeschool worksheets, coloring pages and activities to provide teachable moments for February 9th:
- William Harrison's Birthday - Why was President Harrison only in office for one month?
- Hershey Chocolate Company Founded - Where is the Hershey company located?
- Toothache Day - Why should children learn good oral hygiene?
- The Beatles first live TV Appearance - What show did The Beatles appear on?
Homeschool friendly 2011 Doodle 4 Google Contest
The theme for the 2011 Doodle 4 Google Contest is "What I'd like to do someday..." Homeschooled students are invited to participate in the competition to create a new design for the Google homepage logo centered around this year's theme.
The doodles will be judged on artistic merit, creativity, representation of the theme, and other criteria.
Homeschooler Vance Viggiano of Heritage Home School Academy in Long Valley, New Jersey, won the Grades 7-9 division in the 2010 contest with his "The Love of Art" entry.
Remember...If you don't enter, you can't win!
February 8th - Boy Scouts, Radios and Kites
Here's a more detailed list of February Holidays and Events with homeschool worksheets, coloring pages and activities to provide teachable moments for February 8th:
- Boy Scouts Coloring Page - What was the goal of the Boys Scouts?
- Radio Installed in White House - Who had the radio installed in the White House?
- Kite Flying Day - When was the last time you flew a kite?
February 7th Trivia - The Beatles, John Deere and Spacewalk
Here's a more detailed list of February Holidays and Events with homeschool worksheets, coloring pages and activities to provide teachable moments for February 7th:
- The Beatles Tour America - Where were The Beatles from?
- John Deere's Birthday - What problem did a polished steel plow solve for farmers?
- First Untethered Spacewalk - What are MMUs?
February 6th - Reagan, Massachusetts and Babe Ruth
Here's a more detailed list of February Holidays and Events with homeschool worksheets, coloring pages and activities to provide teachable moments for February 6th:
- Ronald Reagan's Centennial Birthday - Ronald Reagan was not only the 33rd President of the United States, he was an actor and governor to what state?
- Massachusetts Day - What is the capital city of Massachusetts?
- Babe Ruth's Birthday - What team did Babe Ruth play on for most of his career?
President Ronald Reagan's Centennial Birthday
Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 - June 5, 2004) was the 40th President of the United States and the 33rd Governor of California and an actor appearing in over 50 movies. Ronald Reagan was the oldest president ever elected. Ronald Reagan was shot by an assassin on March 30, 1981, but recovered quickly. Ronald Reagan was president during the longest period of peacetime prosperity without recession or depression. He renewed self-confidence, stimulated economic growth, curbed inflation, increased employment and national defense.
February 5th Trivia - Weather, Mexico and Family Leave
Here's a more detailed list of February Holidays and Events with homeschool worksheets, coloring pages and activities to provide teachable moments for February 5th:
- National Weatherperson's Day - Have you considered a career in weather forecasting?
- Mexico: Constitution Day - During what major event was the constitution approved?
- Family and Medical Leave Act - Which president signed this bill?
- Hank Aaron's Birthday - Who is Hank Aaron?
February 4th Trivia - Lindbergh, Washington and Galoshes
Here's a more detailed list of February Holidays and Events with homeschool worksheets, coloring pages and activities to provide teachable moments for February 4th:
- Charles Lindbergh's Birthday - What was Lindbergh's nickname?
- First U.S. President Elected - Who unanimously chose the president?
- Rubber Galoshes Introduced - Who invented rubber galoshes?
- National Stuffed Mushroom Day - Have you tried stuffed mushrooms?
February 3rd Trivia - Voting, Income Tax and Carrot Cake
Here's a more detailed list of February Holidays and Events with homeschool worksheets, coloring pages and activities to provide teachable moments for February 3rd:
- Chinese New Year - When does Chinese New Year fall?
- 15th Amendment Ratified - What right does the 15th amendment give American citizens?
- Income Tax Birthday - What is the deadline for filing and paying your taxes?
- National Carrot Cake Day - What type of frosting is usually on carrot cake?
February 2nd Trivia - Groundhogs, Zeppelins and Treaties
Here's a more detailed list of February Holidays and Events with homeschool worksheets, coloring pages and activities to provide teachable moments for February 2nd:
- Groundhog Day - Shadow or no shadow?
- Zeppelin Crashes into North Sea - Who invented the zeppelin?
- Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo Signed - What war did this end and in whose favor?
Groundhog Day Fun
Shadow or no shadow? Punxsutawney Phil? Candlemas Day? How much do you know about Groundhog Day? Learn all about groundhogs and Groundhog Day with these fun printables, activities and quiz
A new Groundhog Day Tic-Tac-Toe page has been added to the printables. Will it be three shadows in a row or no shadows?
February 1st - February 1st Trivia - Robinson Crusoe, Space Shuttle Disaster and Baked Alaska
Here's a more detailed list of February Holidays and Events with homeschool worksheets, coloring pages and activities to provide teachable moments for February 1st:
- Robinson Crusoe Day - What five things would you want on a deserted island with you? And why?
- Space Shuttle Columbia Disaster - The Space Shuttle program will end in 2011. How many years was it in service?
- National Baked Alaska Day - Where did the name of this dessert come from?
Creepy Crawlies Printables
At my grandson's first birthday party, I spotted this baby praying mantis. It was about 1/2" in length and was just the cutest thing. After showing all the kids and then snapping his picture, I gently shoo'd him away so we could eat. Have fun learning all about insects and other creepy crawlies with these fun printable pages.
Want to dig deeper? Visit the Insects site here at About.com. Debbie Hadley shares her passion and expertise with you. She answers the question, What is an Insect? She gives you Twelve "Must Have" Tools for Studying Live Insects and has an excellent photo album, entitled A Monarch is Born.
More about bugs:
From the mailbag: Can you homeschool me?
I received the cutest email obviously from a student in distress:
"I go to school, but do you think you can can homeschool me online by sending me email messages and I will send them back...please, please please, please, please."
My response:
"I wish I could homeschool you, but that's not how it works. Your parents do the homeschooling. You should talk to your parents if you'd like to be homeschooled. I don't know your situation, but one parent would have to be home and do the teaching.
If homeschooling doesn't work out, let me encourage you to do your best in school. I know it's hard to imagine now, but honestly, your life will be better later on if you do what you need to do now. Even if you have to stay in school, talk to your parents and share your concerns and frustrations with them. I'm sure they love you and would welcome the chance to help you do well.
Good luck to you. Let me know what happens."
I enjoy hearing from students. I really would homeschool this child if I could, but homeschooling other people's children falls under tutoring and not homeschooling and is a whole different ballgame legally. Each state has laws governing homeschooling and tutoring, so if you wanted to do something like this, you'd have to check the laws for your state.
Do you homeschool other people's children? What requirements do you have to fulfill to do so legally in your state? How does this work for you and for the students? Share your story.
January 24th - Gold, Peanut Butter and Boy Scouts
Here's a more detailed list of January Holidays and Events with homeschool worksheets, coloring pages and activities to provide teachable moments for January 24th:
- Gold Discovered in California - Who found gold at Sutter's Mill?
- National Peanut Butter Day - Have you ever made peanut butter?
- Boy Scouts Founded - What was the goal of the international Boy Scouts movement?
January 23rd - John Hancock, Handwriting and Bathyscaphes
Here's a more detailed list of January Holidays and Events with homeschool worksheets, coloring pages and activities to provide teachable moments for January 23rd:
- John Hancock's Birthday - Why was John Hancock the first signer of the Declaration of Independence?
- National Handwriting Day - What is the purpose of National Handwriting Day and why was January 23rd chosen?
- Bathyscaphe Breaks Depth Record - What was the name of the vessel that set this record?
January 22nd - Space Debris, Artificial Lenses and Blondies
Here's a more detailed list of January Holidays and Events with homeschool worksheets, coloring pages and activities to provide teachable moments for January 22nd:
- Space Debris Hits Person - How many people have been hit by man-made space debris?
- First Wild Animal with Artificial Lenses - Why did this owl get new artificial lenses?
- National Blonde Brownie Day - What's another name for Blonde Brownies?
January 21st Trivia - Stonewall Jackson, Squirrels and Granola
Here's a more detailed list of January Holidays and Events with homeschool worksheets, coloring pages and activities to provide teachable moments for January 21st:
- Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson's Birthday - Why the nickname?
- Squirrel Appreciation Day - What are the three types of squirrels?
- Granola Bar Day - What are the typical ingredients in granola?