Monday, August 31, 2009

Review of Don McCabe's, Get Outta Mah Face! Get Offa Mah Case!, by Dr. J. Oatman, Ph.D.

Don McCabe’s, Get Otta Mah Face! Get Offa Mah Case!, provides clear understanding of the importance of language, verbal and body in relationships with others.

Illustrations of positive and negative effects of language and suggestions for assisting family, staff and students to adapt behavior are included. Ideas such as, family and staff training sessions, student role playing and classroom games are detailed.

Emphasis also is given to students’ beliefs about themselves and others which affect personal interactions and practical tools for implementing change are described. Suggestions are given for use in Schools, Business, Family and Correctional Settings.

J. Oatman, Ph.D.,

08/30/2009

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Homeschool.com's "101 Things to Do This Summer"

Posted by Brian McCabe, Brian@AVKO.org

[From Homeschool.com]


1

Make a scrapbook of everything you do this summer
The Basics of Scrapbooking
http://www.scrapbookscrapbook.com/beginners.html

2

Have a picnic
Planning a Picnic
http://www.the-picnic-site.com/

3

Learn how to play soccer
How to Play Soccer
http://www.ehow.com/PrintArticle.html?id=2044097

4

Visit another country
Lonely Planet Destination Guides
www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/

5

Go to a ballgame
Major League Baseball Team Schedules
mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/schedule/index.jsp

6

Get a job (parent permission)
Teens 4 Hire
www.teens4hire.org/

7

Become a photographer
BetterPhoto for Kids and Teens
www.betterphoto.com/photography-for-kids.asp

8

Make dinner for your family
Do-It-Yourself Dinner Party Project (PDF)
www.reynoldskitchens.com

9

Compare a book to a movie
Compare and Contrast Essay (PDF)
www.csudh.edu

10

Write a poem
30 Days of Poetry
www.msrogers.com/English2/poetry/30_days_of_poetry.htm

11

Learn about fireworks
How Stuff Works: Fireworks
people.howstuffworks.com/fireworks.htm

12

Bake some cookies
Science of Cookies
www.bakingandbakingscience.com/cookies.htm

13

Take a boat ride
Boat Safe Kids!
www.boatsafe.com/kids/index.htm

14

Sketch a picture of your house from the outside
Perspective Drawing
www.artyfactory.com/perspective_drawing/perspective_1.htm

15

Go to camp
Smart Start to Business
http://www.youthpreneur.net/camps

16

Visit a farm
4-H Virtual Farms
www.ext.vt.edu/resources/4h/virtualfarm/main.html

17

Take a walk and record the sounds
Listening to Nature
www.museumca.org/naturalsounds/

18

Embrace Other Cultures
Culture Quest
http://www.ipl.org/div/kidspace/cquest/

19

Keep a journal of what you do during the Summer
Keepsake Diary
http://kids-indoor-activities.suite101.com/article.cfm/keep_a_summer_journal

20

Cut up an old greeting card picture and make a puzzle
(parent help)

How to make your own jigsaw puzzle
tn.essortment.com/howtomakeyour_rgzx.htm

21

Start a band
Make Music! Start a Band
www.mustcreate.org/kid_home/kids3_1.shtml

22

Learn how to make a movie
Digital Movie Making for Kids
http://www.adobe.com/education/digkids/intro_video/making_of_movie.html

23

Blow up balloons, put notes inside and hand them
out to friends

Message in a Balloon
www.nmhct.nhs.uk/pharmacy/nmha-activities.html

24

Go backpacking
The Beginning Backpacker
www.backpacking.net/beginner.html

25

Learn how to oil paint
Free Art Lessons
http://www.interactiveartschool.com/free-art-lessons.html

26

Create a web site
Lissa Explains HTML for Kids

www.lissaexplains.com/

27

Go camping
Go Camping America Kids Pages

www.gocampingamerica.com/kidspages/

28

Learn how to use Microsoft Office
Free Tutorials for Microsoft Office
http://www.baycongroup.com/tutorials.htm

29

Help an elderly person with house or yard work
(parent permission)

20 Great Reasons to Volunteer

www.volunteermatch.org/volunteers/resources/tipstricks.jsp

30

Visit the zoo
National Zoo Animal Web cams

nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/default.cfm

31

Learn a foreign language
Free Online Language Courses

www.word2word.com/coursead.html

32

Make an obstacle course in your back yard
How To Set Up An Obstacle Course

www.ehow.com/how_3113_set-obstacle-course.html

33

Make a treasure hunt
The Ultimate Treasure Hunt

www.allthatstuff.net/treasurehunt.htm

34

View and learn about Modern Art
Destination Modern Art
http://www.moma.org/destination/

35

Learn about the Animals that live on our planet
A Library of the World’s Animals
http://www.learnanimals.com/

36

Recycle bottles and donate the money to a local charity
The Internet Consumer Recycling Guide

www.obviously.com/recycle/

37

Explore the Universe
A Learning Center for Young Astronomers
http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/StarChild.html

38

Build a tree house
The Tree House Guide

www.thetreehouseguide.com/

39

Create a new world
World Building
teenwriting.about.com/library/weekly/aa071602a.htm

40

Set up a lemonade stand
Lemonade Stand Game

www.coolmath-games.com/lemonade/

41

Learn how to make ethnic food
Ethnic Recipes
http://www.bhg.com/recipes/food-slide-shows/ethnic-food/

42

Attend a concert
Buy tickets
http://www.ticketmaster.com/section/concerts

43

Have family game nights
What Game Should We Play?

http://www.hasbro.com/familygamenight/en_US/

44

Learn about science
Latest Science News
http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/

45

Make a collage from magazine words and pictures
Collage

pbskids.org/zoom/activities/do/collage.html

46

Create a terrarium
How to Make a Terrarium

www.ehow.com/how_9374_make-terrarium.html

47

Learn how to help the environment
Environmental Kids Club
http://www.epa.gov/kids/index.htm

48

Discover new games to play
Nature Games
http://www.ultimatecampresource.com/site/camp-activities/nature-games.page-1.html

49

Go to a museum
Find a museum in your area

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_museums_in_the_United_States

50

Make a fire plan
Home Fire Safety

www.usfa.fema.gov/kids/flash.shtm

51

Make up bubble solution and have a contest
Casey Carle's "Secret" Bubble Solutions

www.bubblemania.com/faq/solution.html

52

Find a pen-pal (parent permission)
Pen Pal Directories

www.stonesoup.com/main2/penpal.html

53

Plant something
Gardens for Beginners

www.geocities.com/mastergardener2k/

54

Learn about Plants and our Environment
ThinkQuest
http://library.thinkquest.org/3715/

55

Host a yard sale
How to Plan a Yard Sale

www.ehow.com/how_137461_yard-garage-sale.html

56

Build a sandcastle
Sandcastle Tools

www.sandcastlecentral.com/toolpages/

57

Donate some of the toys and clothes you no longer use
How To Donate Toys

www.ehow.com/how_10124_donate-toys-children.html

58

Research your family tree
Free Genealogy Information
http://genealogy.about.com/cs/free_genealogy/a/free_sites.htm

59

Fly a kite
Professor Kite and the Secret of Kites

www.gombergkites.com/howgen.html

60

Invent your own board game
Design Your Own Board Game

la.essortment.com/boardgamedesig_rxcu.htm

61

Make your own comic book
Comic Creator
http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/comic/

62

Create a book cover for your writing projects
Book Cover Creator
http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/bookcover/

63

Act in a play
So You Want to Put On a Play?

www.writewords.org.uk/articles/theatre1.asp

64

Learn to Cook
Introductory Cooking Lessons
http://www.kids-cooking-activities.com/kids-cooking-lessons-cit-intro.html

65

Make a bird feeder
Easy birdfeeders for young children
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/make-easy-bird-feeders.html

66

Organize a bike safety clinic
Bicycle Safety Command Center

www.state.il.us/kids/isp/bikes/

67

Spend time with your grandparents
10 Great Activities

www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson136.shtml

68

Learn how the Internet works
Learn the Net
http://www.learnthenet.com/english/section/intbas.html

69

Dig for fossils
Dinosaur Dig

www.sdnhm.org/kids/fossils/

70

Write a song
Notes on Songwriting

www.robinfrederick.com/write.html

71

Tie-dye some t-shirts
How to Tie-Dye
iaia.essortment.com/tiedyedyefa_rmel.htm

72

Make your own banana split
Yum!
http://parentingteens.about.com/cs/recipesforkids/ht/bananasplit.htm

73

Create a themed dinner
Theme Dinner Ideas
http://www.kids-cooking-activities.com/theme-dinner-ideas.html

74

Tour the World
Google Earth Style
http://earth.google.com/tour.html

75

Throw a pajama party
Make it a success
http://www.ehow.com/how_2047629_plan-pajama-party.html

76

Learn some new outdoor games
Games Kids Play
www.gameskidsplay.net/

77

Make something from recyclables
Crafts from Recycled Products
www.makingfriends.com/recycle.htm

78

See a movie with a friend
In the theatre or on DVD
http://www.movies.com/

79

Make homemade ice cream
Kitchen Theater Science in a Scoop
www.carnegiemuseums.org/cmag/bk_issue/1996/julaug/dept4.htm

80

Build a time capsule
For the entire family
http://www.ehow.com/how_6637_make-family-time.html

81

Get a magazine subscription (parent permission)
Magazine Listing
www.magsonthenet.com/chilmag.html

82

Organize a scavenger hunt
Outdoor Scavenger Hunts
www.lovetheoutdoors.com/camping/kids/scavengerhunt.htm

83

Go swimming
Video Clips of the Swimming Strokes
wellness.lattc.cc.ca.us/real/strokes.html

84

Paint a portrait of your best friend
Draw Your Friend
www.arts.ufl.edu/art/rt_room/sparkers/friend_portrait/
portrait_friend.html

85

Start a collection
How to Start a Collection
www.ehow.com/how_10563_start-collection.html

86

Write a fairy tale
Fractured Fairy Tales
http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/fairytales/

87

Travel in time
Odyssey Online
carlos.emory.edu/ODYSSEY/MidElem_Home.html

88

Stargaze and track the moon phases
Moon information
http://www.moonconnection.com/

89

Learn how to sew
Learn to Sew
http://cyberseams.com/

90

Visit a National Park
National Park Service Guide
www.nps.gov/parks.html

91

Rent a video of a ballet
Easy to Read Profiles of the Histories of Ballets
classicalmusic.about.com/od/historyofballet/

92

Roast marshmallows
How to Roast a Marshmallow
www.ehow.com/how_1164_roast-marshmallow.html

93

Watch the birds
Tips on Getting Started with Bird Watching
www.birdwatching.com/tips/kids_birding.html

94

Arrange a bouquet of flowers
Learn how to make a beautiful display
http://interiordec.about.com/library/weekly/aa021403b2.htm

95

Learn to blog (parents’ permission)
How-to
http://learn2blog.pitas.com/

96

Re-decorate your room
Decorating Gallery
http://www.hgtv.com/topics/bedrooms/index.html

97

Learn to play chess
Chess is Fun
http://www.soyouwanna.com/site/syws/chess/chess.html

98

Adopt a pet (parent permission)
http://www.petfinder.com/

99

Keep your brain going
Brain Teasers
www.brainconnection.com/teasers/

100

Teach someone to use email
How eMail Works
www.learnthenet.com/english/html/20how.htm

101

Create your own holiday
A Month With No Holidays? Make Up Your Own!
.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson018.shtml

Monday, August 17, 2009

Bind Your Own Books at Home

Posted by Brian McCabe, Brian@AVKO.org

Whether you are scrapbooking, self-publishing your child's best-selling work of fiction, doing arts and crafts, or creating a portfolio of writings, there are many reasons why you may want to bind your own book at home. AVKO recommends daily writing; creating a book that contains all of these writings, in chronological order, can easily show the progress that your student has made in writing over the course of a lifetime.

BindingBooksBeautifully.com
has ready-to-go packages for you to use to make your own books at home.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

AVKO Philosophy

Posted by Brian McCabe, Brian@AVKO.org

Read all about the philosophy behind AVKO's methods and curriculum materials on the AVKO Philosophy page of the website.

Learn:
  • what AVKO believes about dyslexia testing.
  • what AVKO believes about teaching reading and spelling.
  • what AVKO believes are the most important factors for teaching students reading and spelling.
  • what AVKO believes about studying.
  • how AVKO teaches handwriting.