An Unschooler's Not Back To School Guide + A Giveaway

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The World is our classroom!

Wow this Summer has flown by. Not that it really matters for us since we unschool and learning happens all the time...even during the Summer. But believe it or not even unschoolers need to prepare for a new "school" year.

So what does an unschoolers "not back to school" preparing look like? Well it is definitely not stressful and is basically a time for us to regroup. Here are some of the the things that occur when we are getting ready for a new "school" calendar year!

• Make a list of everything the kids want to learn about and explore during the year. This list definitely grows throughout the year, but it's helpful to have a good launching point. This list includes everything the kids are interested in learning about whether it is dinosaurs or shrunken heads!
  
• Buy some books, because you can never have enough books! We utilize the library every month and check out around 100 books a month (on average) but we also like to add a few books to our personal library. Our two favorite publishers are National Geographic and Usborne.
  
• Load up the Netflix queue with educational programming that compliments what the kids want to learn about. Yes the television is a resource in our home.  Netflix and Amazon Prime are loaded with fabulous, educational documentaries and movies.
• Stock up on supplies! I love taking advantage of the "back to school" sales. Who doesn't love to save money? Just like you can never have enough books you can never have enough pencils, crayons, scissors or glue! I swear my kids eat the crayons and glue, just like the dryer eats the socks :)
  
• Clean out the "homeschool room" or as I like to call it our resource room. I know Spring is over, but it is better late than never to go through that dreaded room (you all know what room I am talking about) to organize and purge. I did ours a few weeks ago and it felt wonderful. I got rid of several boxes of resources we no longer utilize and gave them to a homeschooling family that is starting their first year!
• Fill up the calendar with experiential learning experiences, fieldtrips and camping trips. If you follow me you know I run the largest homeschool group in the Southeast USA. So not only am I busy finding and creating amazing experiences for my children, but I am also busy helping out other families too!
• Celebrate! Get together with homeschool friends and celebrate with a "not back to school" party! After all Summer is NOT officially over yet and we still have a couple months to enjoy it with "hot" weather activities like swimming at the lake!
  

Giveaway:
Several bloggers have gotten together to host a great giveaway for you just in time for back to school! One lucky winner will receive a $100 US Amazon Gift Card . Giveaway ends 8/1/16 and winner will be announced 8/2/16. Please enter via the rafflecopter below.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read some more great Back to School tips from my fellow blogging friends:

An InLinkz Link-up

Great Backyard Bird Count and Common Birds of Atlanta FREE Printable Checklist

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Courtesy of ebird.org

I had really hoped to have this posted on my blog on Saturday but I had to take an unexpected trip to the emergency room for a kidney stone. So better late than never, right? And there is still one day left to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count 2016.

What is the GBBC?
Launched in 1998 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society, the Great Backyard Bird Count was the first online citizen-science project to collect data on wild birds and to display results in near real-time.

Now, more than 100,000 people of all ages and walks of life worldwide join the four-day count each February to create an annual snapshot of the distribution and abundance of birds.
We invite you to participate! Simply tally the numbers and kinds of birds you see for at least 15 minutes on one or more days of the count, February 12-15, 2016. You can count from any location, anywhere in the world, for as long as you wish!


If you’re new to the count, or have not participated since before the 2013 merger with eBird, you must create a free online account to enter your checklists. Learn more about GBBC here.

Why count birds?
Scientists and bird enthusiasts can learn a lot by knowing where the birds are. Bird populations are dynamic; they are constantly in flux. No single scientist or team of scientists could hope to document and understand the complex distribution and movements of so many species in such a short time.
Scientists use information from the Great Backyard Bird Count, along with observations from other citizen-science projects, such as the Christmas Bird Count, Project FeederWatch, and eBird, to get the “big picture” about what is happening to bird population.

FREE Audubon Bird App:
For a limited time you can download one of my favorite field guide apps. But hurry the Audubon Bird App doesn't stay FREE for long.

FREE Common Birds of Atlanta printable checklist:
Each February for nature journal club I always have a club meeting on birds. This is a printable I made for my class to make counting the common birds of Atlanta easier for the children. Get your copy of the Common Birds of Atlanta printable checklist for FREE.

Homeschooling With National Geographic Books #NGKInsider

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It is no secret that our family has a slight, okay a BIG, book addiction. We have several favorite publishers that we love and utilize in our homeschooling journey and National Geographic Kids is one of them. Their entire line up of books are educational, fun and filled with beautiful illustrations. And most importantly the kids LOVE them.

Over the last few months we have received several amazing books from National Geographic, it is one of the many perks of being part of the National Geographic Kids Insider Club. Sadly I got a little bit behind due to some health issues so I am sharing all of the great books we received that we have been utilizing in our homeschool learning adventures.

I'd like to also mention that all of these books make great gifts for the upcoming holidays too and many are currently on sale on Amazon right now!

A Friend For Lakota by Jim and Jamie Dutcher - ($16.99) Since we homeschool you might think bullying is not a huge concern for our family, but it is, and mostly in our own home. I always say that my kids are each others best friends and worst enemies, it is to be expected since they are together ALL the time. In this book Emmy winning Jim and Jamie Dutcher had the unique experience of living in a tented camp in Idaho's Sawtooth Mountains among a pack of wolves where they observed and documented the rarely seen social behavior, including bullying. In the book Lakota is a shy wolf pup who is growing up as the lowest ranked and frequently picked on member of the wolf pack (his brothers and sisters). This story was a great one for my kids. It taught them a very important lesson about not bullying one another and being there for each other no matter what and it also taught them that they shouldn't bully other kids and should they see a kid being bullied to do something to help them. In the back of the book there is a map that shows where Lakota lives as well as information about gray wolves, notes from the authors and a page with websites, books and places to see wolves. The photographs in this book are absolutely stunning by the way and make you feel like you are right there with the National Geographic photographers.*If you hurry you can get this book for $11.79 on Amazon right now!

100 Things To Make You Happy by Lisa m. Gerry - ($9.99) Have you ever made a happiness bucket list? Well after you flip through the pages of this book you just might. This book is filled with great ideas that are guaranteed to make you happy. Try a few or try them all, from exercises and foods that boost happiness to tips from professional "happy makers," like psychologists and even magicians. This book is also filled with inspirational quotes, heartwarming tales from the animal kingdom and interviews with National Geographic explorers who followed their dreams. I will tell you I have been very down in the dumps lately due to my health. I am in pain just about everyday and extremely exhausted. So whenever I am having a really bad day I flip open to a page in this book and find some inspiration to be happy. So not only is this book great for kids it's great for moms too! "The secret to happiness is to start by doing things that make you happy!" *If you hurry you can get this book for $7.34 on Amazon right now!

Why? Over 1,111 Answers to Everything by Crispin Boyer - ($19.99) Have you ever wondered why your cat hacks up hair balls? Or why volcanoes blow their tops? Well this book has you covered. It contains 7 chapters covering questions about your body, our planet, the universe, history, technology, animals and pop culture. This book is filled with hundreds of topics ranging from silly to serious, and includes expert information! It is fun and entertaining and will literally keep your kids busy for hours....seriously it kept my kids busy during a recent road trip from Georgia to Florida. Answers include all kinds of fascinating extra info like top ten lists, weird-but-true facts, explorer profiles, and cool activities. If your kids are anything like mine they ask a lot of questions....well this book will give them the answers without needing to Google! *If you hurry you can get this book for $10.99 on Amazon right now!

Mission Tiger Rescue by Kitson Jazynka - ($12.99) One of our favorite series from National Geographic Kids is the Mission Rescue Series. One of the homeschool clubs I run is zoo club. Each month we visit the zoo and learn about an animal while sitting in front of the animals habitat. Well thanks to the Mission Rescue books I am always well prepared for zoo club and can not only teach the children about the all about the animals but also ways we can help rescue them. Mission Tiger Rescue combines fun and amazing adventure stories, beautiful photographs, hands on activities, tons of facts and more. Throughout the book you meet real life tigers and learn about their habitats, challenges, and successes plus how YOU can personally take action and save these amazing endangered animals. Check out my review on Lion Rescue and Elephant Rescue here. *If you hurry you can get this book for $11.4 Amazon right now!

Buzz Aldrin Welcome To Mars with Marianne J. Dyson - ($18.99) This book is perfect compliment for our astronomy lessons. This book has 5 detailed chapters and covers Why Mars, Off to Mars, Approaching Mars, Riches of Mars, Martian Home and Green Mars. The kids favorite part of the book are the hands-on science experiments. I love that in the back of the book there is a section with additional book recommendations and websites. *If you hurry you can get this book for $12.22 on Amazon right now!

Pope Francis by Barbara Kramer  - ($3.99) I am sure you are all well aware there is a new Pope in the Vatican, Pope Francis! But did you know that he is the oldest of 5 siblings, that he loved to play soccer as a kid, that he was the first pope to take a selfie, or that he is an excellent cook? Well you can learn these facts and more in this Level 1 reader. This book arrived at the perfect time because my daughter asked to learn about the smallest country in the World this year which is well the Vatican!

How to Survive Anything by Rachel Buchholz - ($12.95) My kids are very interested in survival skills so this book is right up their alley. It contains 31 chapters and covers everything from surviving a tornado to a breakup. We took this book along with us on a recent camping adventure it was the perfect book to read at bedtime. I mean knowing how to survive a snakebike, being lost in the woods, or wildfire is definitely important information to know when camping! *If you hurry you can get this book for $8.34 on Amazon right now!

APPS:
Before I get to some really exciting news I want to quickly share one more valuable resource we use in our homeschool and that is apps. Well National Geographic experts have teamed up with Google Play to hand select some top educational apps. Nat Geo Kids is all about exciting children to explore the world around them. With these apps kids will have so much fun discovering all about animals, science, countries, and more that they’ll forget they’re learning. We have personally tried at least 4 of these apps and can say they definitely deserve to be on the list!

 

My kids love their National Geographic Kids subscription. This magazine subscription definitely makes a great gift for any child. Each magazine is loaded with engaging age appropriate content and fantastic photography. Little kids is designed for children ages 3-6 yrs old and Kids is designed for children age 6-12 yrs old. Currently you can get a subscription for as low as $12-$15.

Giveaway:
Guess what? One winner will receive a 1 yr subscription to their choice of Kids or Little Kids National Geographic Magazine thanks to National Geographic. Just fill out the Rafflecopter entry form below. Only the first entry is mandatory. Other entries are optional and give you extra chances. This giveaway is not affiliated with Facebook in any way. The winner will be posted on the blog and will be emailed. Winner must reply within 24 hrs with their contact information or another winner will be chosen. Prize will be shipped by National Geographic. Wait a moment for it to load....

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lego Americana Roadshow Comes To Georgia

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We are a big Lego loving family so of course we were really excited to find out that the Lego American Roadshow was coming to Alpharetta, Georgia. This FREE special exhibit will be on display at North Point Mall from September 17th - October 4th.

The LEGO® Americana Roadshow: Building Across America is a travelling display of large scale LEGO models replicating some of our nation’s most well known landmarks.

Models include: US Capitol Building, The White House, Supreme Court, Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Statue of Liberty, Independence Hall, Old North Church and Liberty Bell. 

Image courtesy of On Milwaukee.

In addition to these models there will be mini-figure scale “Brickscapes” as well as a fully staffed hands-on Play Area for guests.

This week we are planning to check out this exhibit along with several of our homeschool friends. And guess what? We can totally count our visit to this exhibit as schoolwork because I made a scavenger hunt to go along with it that incorporates math, writing, reading, history, geography, science and more! Before you visit make sure you download your copy of this FREE Lego Americana Scavenger Hunt. 

You can also download a lesson plan courtesy of Park Meadows Mall.

 

After we visit this week I will come back and upload some of our photos!

Camp Google - 4 Weeks of FREE Fun Science Adventures #NGKinsider

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I am about to leave for a a week long camp to become certified as an Outdoor Wildlife Leader along with my two friends. But I won't be the only one having fun....you and your children can experience a science camp from the comfort of your own sofa over the next 4 weeks. Khan Academy, National Geographic and NASA have joined forces with Google to bring you Camp Google. Camp Google is a 4 week online camp designed for children ages 7-10 years old. Each week will be filled with fun science activities and exploration.

Every Monday camp starts with a live adventure that you access right from the Camp Google site. Adventures include a dive into the Atlantic ocean, a hike up an active volcano and jamming with a music star. If you miss a week don't worry, camp activities will remain open and you can look back and relive the experiences at anytime.

National Geographic kicks off the fun on July 13th with Ocean Week. During Ocean Week children will go on a 1 hr live dive into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean with with National Geographic Explorers Erika Bergman and Sylvia Earle. The event will be staged from inside Baseline Explorer's Submarine 'Nemo' where Erika Bergman and Sylvia Earle will discuss marine biology, technology and then pilot an OpenROV pre-positioned several miles offshore and piloted through a wireless ethernet bridge.

Children will learn things like:

• What's at the bottom of the ocean floor?
• How are volcanoes formed?
• What do astronauts eat?
• Why does music make us want to bust a move?

All you need to participate is internet access and a few household items.

As children progress through camp activities they will earn cool badges....like these.

Google explains:

"To really dig into the answers, kids will complete hands on science projects led by experts - using supplies often already available at home - that encourage them to learn by doing, explore the real world and get a little messy. With every activity completed, kids collect special Camp Google badges and track the new skills they've learned along the way."

Watch this video to learn more:


I'd love to hear your thoughts on the camp after you attend some of the session!

FREE Nature Scavenger Hunts

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First off I want to wish everyone a happy and safe 4th of July. Do you have any exciting plans this weekend? We are going on a camping adventure with some friends and visiting another one of a kind camping destination in Georgia (don't worry I will share all about it when we return). Remember you can follow us on our fun adventures by checking in with us on Instagram and Facebook.

We have all kinds of fun activities lined up for the weekend like learning how to tie the different types of knots, making para-cord bracelets, playing board games, geocaching, and going on scavenger hunts. So today I decided to make up my own nature scavenger hunts and share them with you.

Download the nature scavenger hunt here, or click the photo below.

Download the fungus scavenger hunt here, or click the photo below.

For more fun, FREE downloads including nature journal pages (leaf, arachnid, flower, etc) and fieldtrip/road trip worksheets (letter game, travel journal page, road trip scavenger hunt) visit my freebie page.

Do you have any camping trips planned this year? I'd love to hear more about them post a comment below.

You can also tag us on instagram (@kbalman or use hashtag #2015campingfun) or share a photo on our Facebook page.

FREE Summer Reading Programs For 2015

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It's that time again...time for Summer reading programs! For the last few years I have been putting together a post that lists all the FREE Summer reading programs in one place. It has always been a HUGE hit so here are the programs for 2015. All of these programs offer children some great incentives so its a great way to encourage reading over the next few months. And if your anything like us you read a lot!

Image(s): FreeDigitalPhotos.net

So hear are 12 programs for 2015 to keep you busy reading all Summer long!

1) Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge - In Summer 2014, students around the world logged millions of reading minutes. Can you help set a new world record for summer reading? Sign up your children. Then all your children need to do is read books, log minutes and earn prizes.

2) Book It Reading Sweepstakes - Starting in June children K-6 who read five books will be eligible  to enter for a chance to win a summer fun prize package. Fill out the entry form here (will update once it is posted). (updated info for 2015 is not yet posted)

*Don't forget to also register for the BOOK IT program for 2014-2016. Your children can earn FREE personal pan pizzas through this program.

3) Book Adventure - Sylvan offers a reading incentive program. Children will read books and then take a simple comprehension quiz to make sure they understood what they read. There are hundreds of books to choose from in all reading levels. Kids can earn fun prizes!

4) Barnes & Noble Imagination Destination - This is one of our FAVORITE summer reading programs. We have done this for the last two years and both kids love earning their special prize. Children will log the books they read on the provided log. After they meet the requirement they can take it into a Barnes and Nobles to receive a FREE book. 

Barnes and Noble also offers free storytime. You can enter your zip code here to see a list of events at your store.

5) Junie B Jones Reading Club – Sign up and get access to fun Junie B. activity sheets and a reading log.

6) National Amusements Theaters Bookworm Wednesdays - Your child can earn a FREE movie ticket from National Amusements Theaters when they read a book and complete a book report. Not available in all cities.

7) Pottery Barn Kids Summer Reading Challenge - From May 16th - August 26th kids can attend Pottery Barns story time for children of all ages on Tuesdays at 11am. Your child will receive a passport and once they attend 5 storytimes, they get a FREE gift.

9) TD Bank Summer Reading Program – Read and keep track of 10 books this summer and your child will get $10 added to their Young Saver Account FREE! Not available in all cities.

10) Chuck E. Cheese – Children earn 10 FREE tokens every time they read 2 weeks in a row.  Just fill out the form and take it into your local Chuck E. Cheese to claim your free tokens.

11) Half Price Books - (ages 14 and under) Children can earn a $5 gift card when they read at least 15 minutes a day. Once they reach 300 minutes they just turn in the completed reading log and they will receive the $5 HPB Back-to-School Bucks reading reward for the month. Not available in all cities.

12) Heifer International Read to Feed - The Read to Feed program encourages reading, while heightening students’ awareness that their actions make a difference in the lives of others. As students read more books, they improve their reading abilities and more families receive gifts of livestock and training. Children (individually or as a group) get sponsors for each book (or chapter or page) they read during a time frame set by their Read to Feed leader. At the end of the program, the group pools its funds and donates them to Heifer International. There are lots of resources including curriculum on the Heifer International website.

13) Books A Milliom Summer Reading - The Books a Million Summer Reading Program offers kids a FREE Pencil and Pencil Case from the John Grisham book Theodore Boone Kid Lawyer – for reading 6 select books. Complete this form.

14) Local Library - Don't forget to also check your local public library! Many library's offer great Summer reading programs. Ours has one starting at the beginning of June. Our library also offers weekly story times.

15) Six Flags Read To Succeed - This program takes place during the school year and earns children a ticket to Six Flags for the Summer. Read to Succeed is an exciting program that encourages students in grades K through 6 to read for fun. Students who complete six hours of recreational reading earn a free ticket to Six Flags! The program is available to teachers and schools at no cost to participate, and it's a great way to motivate kids to read.

16) Usborne Reach For The Stars - This program is a generous pledge-based reading incentive program, designed to benefit schools, individual classrooms, clubs, pre-schools, church groups, home school groups, charities, businesses and public libraries. The goal of Reach for the Stars!! Is for participants to read, or be read to, for 300 minutes over a two week period of time, thus developing a reading routine, receiving Usborne and Kane Miller books for participating...which makes it the perfect summer reading program. (for more information contact me, I am an Usborne consultant)

               
As Dr. Seuss said, :The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go."

Have a great Summer and happy reading. If you know of any other programs please share them in the comments below so I can add them to the list.

Free and Frugal Earth Day Resources and Ideas

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Earth Day is April 22nd, how are you planning to celebrate this year? Some of the ways we are celebrating Earth Day is by making fun crafts like this coffee filter Earth, taking a trip to a local recycling center, volunteering to picking up litter in our local park and going to watch the newest Disney Nature film, Monkey Kingdom (which also included a craft project and free journal page).

If you need some more ideas to celebrate check out these 10 Earth Day freebies for kids:

1. Earth Day Sort - Help kids learn the difference between reducing, reusing, and recycling!
2. Happy Earth Day Writing Activity - Kids of all ages can reflect on ways their family, school, and themselves can help keep the Earth healthy. Also encourages handwriting practice!
3. Earth Day Coloring Pages - Creative kiddos can color the Earth with their colors of choice, or follow the color-by-code page to add critical thinking to art hour.
4. Earth Day Poof! Subtraction to 5 - This Earth Day themed game builds fluency with subtraction facts to 5. It can be played in a small group or as a partner game. It is a fun way to practice those facts!
5. Earth Day Word Search Freebie - Enjoy this Earth Day themed word search puzzle with 21 eco-friendly terms like atmosphere, compost, and recycle.
6. Earth Day Bookmarks - The perfect Earth Day treat for your students. Available in full-color and black-and-white.
7. Earth Day Survey and Graph - A fun and different way to practice graphing in your classroom while encouraging collaboration between students.
8. Spring Coloring Book - Let your little ones COLOR & SPELL Spring words.
9. Love the Earth Mystery Picture Graph - Students will love discovering the mystery picture by coloring in the correct squares on the alphanumeric grid using the coordinates given. This is a great addition to an Earth Day or recycling
10. April 2015 Journal - A month of free journaling for learners age 8 to 100! Read about important historic, artistic, and current events that happened during the month of April - including J. Robert Oppenheimer's birthday and Earth Day on April 22nd. Then develop vocabulary and critical thinking skills.
    

For even more great resources visit these  Earth Day learning resources.

Disneynature Monkey Kingdom - Journal Page, Crafts and More

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A couple days ago we went to the theater with our homeschool movie club group to see Disneynature's newest film Monkey Kingdom. If you missed the last movie club update check it out, we wen to see Night At The Museum (there is a fun, free journal page and craft idea on the post that you won't want to miss).

Every few months when a fun, educational movie is released we get together and go to the movies with friends from our homeschool group in Georgia. But that's not all...I also create a journal page centered around the movie and come up with a fun craft project for the group to complete afterwards.

We are huge fans of the Disneynature movies. We have seen them all and even reviewed Chimpanzee when it was released. This movie was just as good as all its predecessors. There were funny, sad, and edge of your seat moments. Plus the movie is really educational. An added bonus of seeing the movie during opening week is that part of the movie ticket proceeds go towards helping protect monkeys and other endangered species in their natural habitats.

After the movie our group got to go behind the scenes to check out the projection room....special thanks to Aurora Cineplex a locally owned and operated theater and entertainment center.

After the movie the kids made two fun crafts. One is craft was about monkeys and the other was about our planet Earth, both go along great with the movie

Earth Rock Craft:

Supplies:
-Blue Paint
-Green Paint
-Rocks
-Paint brush
-Acrylic Spray

Instructions:

1. Paint the rock blue first and let it dry.
2. After the rock is dry add some land formations with the green paint.
3. After the rock has completely dried spray it with acrylic paint.

You can put the Earth rock in your garden, flower pot or just sit it on a shelf.

Monkey Pipe Cleaner Craft:

Supplies:
-4 Brown Pipe Cleaners
-1 Yellow Pipe Cleaner
-Scissors
-Pencil

Instructions:

1. Cut the brown pipe cleaners into the following sizes: 1- 10 inch, 1 - 6 1/2 inch, 2 - 3 1/2 inch,  2 - 1 inch. Cut the yellow pipe cleaner into the following size: 1 - 1 inch
2. Take the 6 1/2 inch pipe cleaner piece and make a circle at one end for the head. This is the head/tail.
3. Next take the 10 inch pipe cleaner piece and create a corkscrew/spring. You can either wrap it around a marker or your finger. This is the body.
4. Place the corkscrew/spring over the head/tail pipe cleaner piece. Pinch the top and bottom of the body piece onto the head/tail piece to secure.
5. Next take the two    pieces and place one just below the head and wrap it around once to secure. Place the other piece at the bottom of the body piece and wrap it around to secure. These creates the legs. 
6. Next take the two   pieces and wrap them around the top of the head to create ears. 
7. Finally give the monkey a banana to eat by placing the yellow pipe cleaner in one of his hands.

The monkey can now be played with, sat on a shelf and posed, wrapped around a stick and placed in a flower pot or put on the end of a pencil for a cute pencil topper.

Free Monkey Kingdom journal page:
Each family also left with a copy of the journal page I created for the movie. You can download a copy for FREE here (or click the photo below).

Photo courtesy of  Disneynature.

Recommended reading:

• Monkey's
• Monkey's Sticker Book
• Monkey's Friends
• National Geographic Monkey's
• Monkey's A Picture Book (FREE eBook)
• Gorilla, Monkey and Ape Eyewitness 

More goodies:

• Visit the Monkey Kingdom website for fun games and downloads, including an educator guide and parent guide.

Don't worry I will share the craft and journal page after each homeschool movie club meeting!