How to DIY Layers of the Earth

Continuing from our Science and Geography Unit of

• How the universe all began
• How Earth was created and life on Earth
• The Sun and Moon
• Our Solar System
• More about Earth
• The Seven Continents
• My Place in the World
• Land and Water forms
• Biomes
• Layers of the Earth

How to DIY a Rainforest Biome

We have been learning about biomes, via videos and books, now it was time for a project. With my husband's difficult shift working late into the night, and life in Saudi doesn't permit that women drive (not that I'm complaining), we are always pushed to get our errands done on the weekend which I would rather spend as a family day out. But instead I dragged the family shopping, which is the last place they want to be. It's a huge store that sells everything you need for your home we expats know it as "kulli shay" stores, which translates as "everything" a store that sells everything, FYI they are my favorite places to shop I could spend hours, which I did haha. I stocked up on supplies for the biome project of plain gift boxes, artificial leaves and flowers, minature animals, cotton wool, string and sand, glue and so on.

Homeschooling My 5 year old Math

Our Old Classroom 

Math

We had spent the previous year of just concentrating on mastering the math facts and strengthening number sense. So, this year was about learning some new concepts like multiplication, telling time, measurement, division, fractions, subtraction, addition, money and 3D shapes. She is able to add upto 4 digit numbers and carry over, she is comfortable using most methods of addition. She has learnt how to subtract this year upto 2 digit numbers and using the borrowing method, but she prefers to use the number line and work out the difference between the two numbers.

How we use Montessori Number Cards (FREE Printable)

DIY Math Montessori Number Cards

Learning Place Value 

Number cards are an amazing resource to have when learning place value, your child can view all the components broken down to make the whole part, thus developing their number sense.

To introduce number cards to your child I would start like you can see in the picture. Lining up the units in sequence, then the tens, then hundreds and then thousands all placed in their columns as you would find in a stacked up math equation. This helps the child to familiarize themselves with the order of place value. They also begin to understand through direction that units are from 1 to 9, tens start from 10 to 90, hundreds begin from 100 to 900 and thousands are 1000 to 9000 etc. Teach this by having your child recite each column, for them to familiarize how to read each number.

Math Haul for Grade 1

Maths Materials we have been using 

Grade 1 Math Materials

Putting these materials together for this picture makes me look like I got a bit too excited on the Math Aisle!! Anyhow, these resources are what my 5 year old has been using throughout the year. Starting from the back to front.

Ramadan Sticker Calender (FREE Printable)

Ramadan is around the corner and we all want to it to be memorable for our children. This free PDF is designed for you and your little one to track the blessed days of Ramadan, it includes;

Math Fluency for ages 4 - 6 (Free printable - Math Fluency Framework GUIDE)

Just as much I tried to develop reading fluency in my child from the age of 3, I thought it was just as important to begin developing number fluency. Math fluency isn't just about mere memorization or following mathematical procedures following each problem step by step until we reach the right answer, and not really knowing or understanding how we came to that answer. Being fluent is a skill that is learnt and developed, in math it is to be accurate, have automaticity, be flexible and efficient, they are all integral parts needed to have math fluency. And having it will benefit your child later on to think about math in smarter ways, by providing a solid foundation upon which later stage of education can be built;

What is Number Sense?

What is Number Sense? And How to Master it

Number sense is making math make sense, it is a broad notion, it is a person having the ability to understand and use numbers effectively and efficiently. Russell Gersten and David J. Chard suggests that number sense "refers to a child's fluidity and flexibility with numbers, the sense of what numbers mean and an ability to perform mental mathematics and to look at the world and make comparisons."

Number sense is not just teaching the child math facts and have them memorised (although its the very first step in building the foundations. But it is to get the child to understand the relationship between numbers, knowing how to use them and to make judgement's and estimation's, how to use them in flexible ways and how to develop useful strategies in math operations. 

Get to Know me - What is life in Saudi like for an Expat? (Part 2)

For some reason when you are living in Saudi and you mention you are British, the Saudi will respect you more and treat you better, had they not known. Another perk of being British is our English language, we hadn't yet learnt the local Arabic dialect but many Arabs know a bit of English to understand you. And as the years have gone by more Arabs are becoming better English speakers and it is a lot easier to communicate in just English whilst living in the Kingdom without ever having to have a conversation in Arabic.

In the Holy City, Makkah

20 WAYS TO GET YOUR PRESCHOOLER TO LEARN NUMBERS

Teaching your child numbers is one of the most basic concepts he can learn. So let's make the start of their learning journey fun for them and full of sweet memories.

Coming Soon!! Arabic Grammar for Children

Arabic Grammar for children

I am excited to reveal to you all what my next exciting project will be, three workbooks designed for your precious little ones to learn the Arabic language and its grammar, inspired by the famous Arabic Course originally taught in Madinah Islamic University grammar books by Dr V. Abdur Rahman. A children's workbook that has been adapted to suit your chid.

Get to know me - What is life in Saudi like for an expat? (Part 1)

What is it like living in Saudi Arabia, or rather what is it like living in Saudi Arabia as a British Muslim expat? Well I moved to the capital city, Riyadh back in 2011, when they had already established a well built city and still a lot of construction for taller buildings, businesses and housing still under way. And let me tell you there is a lot of construction everywhere every side road is full of rubble or construction vehicles parked up on the street ready to work and dig up some roads.

So a little bit of background before we came to Saudi.

My First Counting Book - Allah Created Everything

My First Counting Book - Allah Created Everything

Cross curricula: Let's Learn about our Creator and Numbers

This project brings back fond memories. This book was our first home education project myself and my daughter did together, when she was 3 years old. It all started in Riyadh, when myself and a dear friend of mine who had a sweet son close in age as my DD had the resolve to officially start home schooling our children together, we were both newbies to teaching young children. She had experience in teaching Arab university students and I had experience in teaching year 5 girls, but this was not the same!!

Arabic Sight Words Workbook

Learn Arabic Sight Words week-by-week

An easy system of teaching the most common 100 Quranic words to set the stage for reading success and memorization of the Quran. 

IMPROVE Arabic reading skills

Aids Quran memorization

10 week by week lessons

89 pages

Reproducible flashcards

Sight words reading tests

Completion certificate award

My Place in the World Craft

My Place in the World Craft Activity

As part of our geography unit KS1, DD5 learnt our place in the world. She understood we lived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and her Grandma and Granddad lived in England, she understood we all lived on Earth and Earth is within our solar system which is a part of many solar systems in this greater universe, which is part of our Creator's grand design and He is above all that which He has created. This was a far cry from when DD was 3 and she firmly believed that the sun and the moon were in the sky and nothing went further then what her eyes saw. 

DIY Landforms and Bodies of Water

Discovering more about our planet engages the child to want to know more about their surroundings and where they live, my children are fascinated with the world around them and I wanted to teach them more about our beautiful planet, that our Creator made for us. Continuing with our Geography Unit, after learning about the Seven Continents, we started our next project of learning about Land forms and bodies of water that are naturally occurring on the Earth.

Montessori Seven Continents (inc. FREE Printable)

Geography

Montessori The Seven Continents

(keep reading to claim you free 3 part cards)

Recently we have started a new project covering the seven continents. We started off learning about the names, facts and identifying where it is on the map. I set up an area for the work to be displayed and easily referenced. We used the Montessori Seven Continents colors;

North America = Orange

South America = Pink

Africa = Green

Europe = Red

Asia = Yellow

Australia = Brown

Antarctica = White 

Who said learning isn't fun. DD5 and DS3 learning about the seven continents with playdough.

This is how we introduced the unit by learning the Seven continents song and then using a laminated world map and rolling and shaping out Play-dough onto each continent all the whilst singing the song.

The Lyrics to the Montessori Seven Continent Song is;

Teach Your Child to Read Arabic in 10 Easy Lessons

How to Teach Your Child to Read Arabic Second Edition

by Umm Sumayyah Quan

Back when my DD was the tender age of 3, we were at the beginning of our homeschooling journey, most of the resources we were using were sensorial and hands on material, and we barely did any book work. So, it was a difficult adjustment to learn Arabic with only using a book, and not all that appealing for a 3 year old. It was a challenge to get her excited about the subject let alone engage her to want to learn which was the main battle. Albeit we were learning Arabic as a second language, I knew my DD was capable since she had learnt how to read English within 3 to 4 months of using the Montessori method and following the Jolly Phonics program. But because of the lack of resources and variety available to learn how to read the Arabic Language as compared to learning how to read English, we weren't progressing as well. Having learning aids and tools really does help speed the process along and create a good understanding of what is to be taught at hand. 

Multiplication Flowers (FREE Printable)

Multiplication Learning Aid

multiplication flowers 
on my classroom wall display

When introducing simple multiplication to my DD5, I had spent the previous year just working on skip counting in 2s, 5s, and 10s until she knew it well and had mastered it. Then when I felt that she was ready and needed a step up, I had researched creative learning materials for multiplication, and one that stood out was multiplication flowers, they looked pretty and was a hit for my very girly daughter. So I DIY'ed them with pen and colored paper and this is how they turned out;

Montessori Number Cards (FREE Printable)

Learning 123's

In English And Arabic

Cards and Counters Activity Cards

DS3 using montessori number activity

These cards can be used with Montessori materials. All you need to do is print out on A3 paper, cut and laminate. You will also need 45 counters (chips, buttons, etc.)

Demonstration

1. Begin with number one, explaining that one counter is the same as the symbol for number one.