All About Salt

My educational journey into the world of salt started one afternoon as my children and I followed a snowplow home from town. And like other adventures of this sort, it began with a question.

 
"Where does salt come from anyway?" my oldest son asked as we watched a stream of white crystals pour from the back of the plow truck.

As I had no answer for his question, I answered him in the style of a typical home school mother. "Why don't you research it? You could do a lapbook."

"Never mind, " he answered, in the style of a typical teenage boy with a severe pencil allergy, "I don't want to know that badly".

But I, being a homeschool graduate as well as a homeschool mother, and having been brought up by a mom who never lost her love of learning and who researched these types of things for fun, did want to know "that badly." Where does salt come from? I was on a mission to find out.

My research took me to our small-town library where I was surprised to find two books on this rather "unexciting" topic. The first, a book on sodium, is part of a series for children covering all the individual elements of the periodic table. My son, who much preferred chemistry to writing, pounced on this book at once, devoured it, and proceeded to check out ten more books in the series. The second was a book called The Story of Salt, which tells the science and history of salt in a way that even a small child will find interesting.

Sodium (Elements)

by Anne O'Daly

My fourteen-year-old son loved this book. He says the books in this series are full of interesting facts and he would like to own all of them.

The Story of Salt

by Mark Kurlansky

This book starts out as the tale of a rock which the narrator brought back from Spain and which he uses to amaze his friends. From there it explains the chemistry, history, and uses for salt. You will learn where salt comes from, why it is important to us today, and how it has influenced civilizations throughout history. A fascinating read for young children and interesting for their parents as well!

While I never did get around to making a lapbook (because I was a homeschool mother with limited time), I did enjoy learning a few not so common facts about a rather common substance. Here are a few additional ideas if you do decide to make that lapbook.

• Quotes about salt
• Salt in the Bible
• Salt and Your Health
• Salt Recipes
• Experiments
• Art Projects that use salt

How To Teach Your Preschooler To Read

Teaching your child to read can be one of the most enjoyable things you will ever do. Preschool aged children are eager to learn and have an amazing capacity to absorb information. The key is to keep it simple and keep it fun. Do a little each day and maintain a relaxed environment. I have taught seven of my children to read using the methods I will write about. They were all fluent readers by age five.

(I taught two of my children to read using a packaged phonics curriculum. They didn't begin to gain fluency until ages 6 and 8. This isn't to say that the curriculum was to blame. After all, every child is an individual and will learn at their own pace. I only mention this to show that a child can learn to read just as well without spending money on a purchased program.)

Getting Started: Don't Teach the Alphabet

I remember well my oldest son's first phonics lessons. They were a jumble of mixed-up letter sounds, letter names, and names of the colorful objects decorating a set of "phonics" flashcards. By the end of the lesson, my son was in information overload and I was ready to pull my hair out. Later, I complained to my mother-in-law about the fiasco. "Sometimes he remembers the name of the letter but gives it the wrong sound. And by the time we get to the fourth letter, he's forgotten the first one!" She looked at me and asked one simple question. "Why are teaching him the names of the letters?"

It was a good question. Why was I teaching them? After all, we don't read the letters. We read their sounds. I went home and replaced the phonics cards with a laminated placemat with the alphabet printed across it in a variety of colors. This placemat was all my children needed to begin reading.

PRINTABLE ALPHABET CHART

How To Teach the Letter Sounds: Keep It Positive

Here is how a lesson might look. The child sits in front of me as I hold up the mat. As I point to the first letter, I tell the child its sound. It is important when doing this that you are careful to say the sound EXACTLY as it would be sounded out in a word so that blending will come easier later. (For instance, if a child learns that the letter c says "cuh," then they will pronounce the word cat as "cuhat".)
The child repeats the sounds as I say them. After three or four new letters, we start at the beginning again. I point to the letter and the child tells me its sound. If they don't remember, I say the sound and move on to the next one. We do this a few times, or until the child loses interest.

Sometimes I will draw on the placemat or use my hands to give a memory clue to help the child remember the letter. The whole lesson is treated as if it were a game to see what the child can remember. Sometimes I award a small prize for each sound remembered, such as a penny or a chocolate chip.
If you teach your child the phonics sounds without showing them what the sounds are used for, they will quickly lose interest. So, it is important to allow your child to begin sounding out words as soon as they have learned enough sounds to make a word with. If your child knows the sounds for the letters "a", "c", and "t", show them the word "cat" and help them sound it out. Even if you do most of the "actual work", praise them and tell them, "Good job! You're reading!" When the child can tell me the sounds of all twenty-six letters, we start reading sentences.

PRINTABLE ALPHABET FLASHCARDS

Memory Clues
My oldest always seemed to get stuck on the "f", so I started holding my bent finger up to look like an "f" and saying "Ffff, finger." After a few times, I could simply hold up my finger, and he would remember the sound.

This worked so well that I came up with a whole alphabet of pictures shaped like letters: a-apple, b-ball and bat, c-cake with a piece missing, . . .o-olive, . . s-snake, . . . w-wave. I later discovered that the Waldorf schools also use this method. If you don't want to make up your own, you can find picture alphabets like these in the Curious George alphabet book and the Harold and The Purple Crayon alphabet book. It really helps kids to have something concrete to bring the letter shape and sound together.

Phonics Mnemonics
Because every child is different, it sometimes takes a little experimentation to find what will work for one particular child. After teaching his older brothers and sisters to read, child #8 should have been easy. But none of my old methods worked for this boy. Finally, I came up with this simple project, and within an hour he had all the sounds memorized. First, I cut some colored index cards in half, wrote the letters on them, and glue them onto cardstock. Then I helped my son make up some silly stories as we pointed to the different letters. As he recited his stories, my verbal son was able to remember which letter stood for which sound.

When They Won't Sit Still

My oldest daughter learned to read while sitting at her own desk. My middle daughter preferred to practice her reading while alternating between sitting, crouching, and standing next to me on the couch. Although this drove me crazy, it didn't seem to affect her ability to learn. In fact, she actually picked things up much faster than her older sister did. Each child has their own learning style and the key to success is to do what works for each of them as an individual.

Give Your Child A Sense of Accomplishment

Now that your child knows all twenty-six letter sounds, they can begin reading simple stories. (We really enjoyed the Bob Books phonics readers.) Because your child has been learning the letters in order, this step will require a transition as they learn to recognize the letter shapes in a different context.

Point to each letter and give the child a second to name the sound before giving them a clue. You could show them the letter on their alphabet mat, do a finger sign, or suggest a word that starts with the same sound. If they are still stuck, simply tell them the sound and move on. Don't make a big deal about it or force the child to come up with the answer.

The important thing is that the child sees how the sounds he has been learning can be put together to make words. With practice, your child will eventually remember all the letters; but if their first experience with reading is one of frustration, then reading will become something to be dreaded.

Most phonics readers I have seen have at least a few "sight words" that don't follow the rules. When you come to one of these words, just read it for the child, telling them, "This word uses different rules, and we'll learn about it later." Or you can write your own stories which only contain words your child can read.

When They Have Trouble Blending
At first, some children will have trouble blending the sounds of the individual letters into a word they can recognize. For my children, it seemed to be easier for the younger ones who had an opportunity to listen as the older ones learned to read.

Let your child listen as you blend sounds together. Do two letter blends and point to the letters so they see what you are doing. sssttt, st, ffflll, fl, etc. After a while, let them try reading some of the blends you did. Make it fun and help as needed.

When you read stories to your child, stop occasionally and point to an easy word. (This works especially well with stories they have memorized, because you can stop at a place where they know what comes next.) "Sound out" the word as you point to each letter. Then let them "guess" the word you read. Or read in "slow motion" so they can hear the sounds that make up the words.

Another trick I've used with my children is to have them sound out the word in their head (actually, they usually interpret this as whispering), then say it aloud. Just keep practicing and eventually it will click.

Diagraphs, Diphthongs, and R-Controlled Vowels

When the child is comfortable with what has already been learned, I start teaching them some of the special phonics sounds. I use homemade flashcards to drill these. The sound is typed on one side of the card and a word using the sound is on the back side. These cards are laminated for durability and so that they will slide apart to make turning easier.

I introduce these sounds a few at a time, adding more every couple of days or so, as the child becomes familiar with them. This is done in the same way that the alphabet sounds were taught. I hold up a card, say the sound, and have the child repeat it. After a few new cards have been added, we go back to the beginning. I point to the letters and the child says the sound. If they can't answer or answer wrong, I will tell them the sound and a word it is used in (on the back of the card). "It's _____ as in _________."

We go through them several times. Then, if the child still seems interested, I make some words with the new sounds and help them to read them.

The next day, we will review the same sounds, shuffling the cards each time we go through them. If one sound seems to be especially difficult for a child to remember, I may have them read a list of words containing that sound or go through the list pointing to the sound as they say it out loud.

PRINTABLE DIAGRAPH & DIPHTHONG FLASHCARDS

FREE! BOSSY R MANIPULATIVES & WORKSHEETS

Flashcards, minibooks, worksheets, and more! Introduce your child to the concept of R controlled vowels and reinforce through a variety of different learning activities. These manipulatives use picture clues to help your child grasp the idea that "Bossy R" causes the vowels to make sounds they don't normally make.

Long Vowels: Introducing the Letter Names

When the child knows the whole stack of flashcards, they are ready to learn about vowels. These are also taught using flashcards. I explain to the child that all letters have both a name and a sound. We have been learning the sounds, but now we are going to learn a few of the letters' names.

Most of the letters in the alphabet are consonants. But there are also five special letters called vowels. You can't make words without vowels. When two vowels are together in a word, they act differently than when they are alone. Sometimes they make some of the special sounds we have been learning. But most of the time, when two vowels are in the same word the first one says its name and the second one is quiet. So, if we are going to learn to read words with two vowels, we need to know their names.

We drill these flashcards just like the others, taking time to practice their new skills as we go along. Sometimes the child will get confused at this point and give the long sound to all vowels or forget to give a vowel the long sound when they should. As always, don't make a big deal of it. Just point out that there is only one vowel or that there are two vowels. If the child can't correct the mistake on their own, give them the answer and move on. With practice, they will begin to see the difference on their own.

FREE SHORT & LONG VOWEL LAPBOOK

Practice Makes Perfect

By this point, my children all took off on their own. They read an amazing quantity of books and seemed to pick up on the rest of the phonics rules through trial and error. If your child is still having trouble, encourage them to practice their reading by providing plenty of books that catch their interest. Also, take time to listen to them read aloud on a regular basis so you can help them with any problem areas that are revealed. 

I hope you enjoy this adventure as much as I have!

Homeschooling? Here Are Six Things You Should Know

If you're just starting out in homeschooling, you may be feeling a little overwhelmed. This is my attempt to set your mind at ease.

I've noticed a common theme among questions asked by those new to homeschooling. For lack of a better title, I'll call them "should I" questions. Should I use this curriculum? Should I do notebooking or stick with workbooks? Do you think my seven year old should be reading by now? What should I do when my kid won't sit still?

I find it puzzling that someone would ask me what is best for their child. Now, I'm not saying it's wrong to ask for advice. Advice can be very useful. However, I think a lot of these questions come from mothers who are feeling a bit unsure of their ability to carry out this undertaking now that they have committed themselves to it.

So, since you asked, here is my advice: No one knows your kids better than you do.

The Best Educational Philosophy Is Your Own 

Maybe it's mother's intuition, maybe its just because you are living in close proximity, but you know those kids much better than I do. I can tell you what works with my kids, but I'm pretty sure your kids aren't any more like my kids than they are like the thirty or so kids that would be in the same class with them if they were to go to a public school. Isn't that part of the reason you are homeschooling them -so you could teach them in a way that was best for them?

There is a lot of wisdom to be gleaned from the writings of vetran homeschoolers such as Charlotte Mason and Ruth Beechick, and from systems like the Principal Approach or Classical Education. But if your effort to mimic these philosophies and ideas is interfering with your ability to teach your child, you are defeating your purpose.

Relax, you can do this! If you think about it, homeschooling really isn't much different than the rest of life. All those birds, flowers, trees, and animals you pointed out to them were an introduction to science. And they were learning math every time you said, "You may have two pieces of cheese, but only one cookie." If you taught your child to talk, teaching them to read is just the next step. And since you've been reading to them since they were little, you must know what books they would enjoy. So, pick out a few that will double as a history lesson. Every parent is a home educator. Some of us just do it more often.

Curriculum Is A Tool 

Just as there are many great homeschool philsophies to choose from, there are also many wonderful curriculums. However, even the "best" curriculum is no good if it doesn't work for you. Remember, curriculum is just a tool, and like any other tool, it should make your life easier.

There is nothing wrong with using only part of a program or mixing two programs together. There is also nothing wrong with getting rid of a program entirely and trying something new. If money is an issue, find someplace to sell it second hand. It isn't worth your time or sanity to struggle along with a curriculum that doesn't fit. You and your childen will both end up dreading your learning time.

When choosing your curriculum, don't confine yourself to the whole "grade level" thing. Children are often ready to learn things before -or even after- the recommended grade. As I said before, no one knows your child better than you do, so teach them what you know they are ready to learn, not what everyone else says you should.

Placing children in different grade levels is an artificial system set up for organizational purposes in the institutional schools. However, in homeschooling it often makes more sense to teach a subject to all the children at the same time. There are many excellent science, history, and geography programs which are intended to be taught to multi-age levels. If you are teaching several children at the same time, this method is a great time saver.

There's More to Education Than Bookwork 

It is easy for a homeschool mother to get overwhelmed by all the responsibilities of educating the children and keeping up the home, even if she only has one or two children. However, when the household contains a large number of children, it becomes absolutely necessary that every member do their part to keep things running smoothly. All the children, from youngest to oldest, should be required to help with the daily cleaning and maintenance of the home as soon as they are able.

This, however, should not be seen as a hardship. It is not a "downside" to homeschooling or having a large family, but rather a benefit. It is not something which we should view as secondary to our childrens' education, or as getting in the way of their education, but rather as an important part of their education.

Book learning is important and should not be neglected. However, our children will also require a variety of skills throughout life, and doing chores is the perfect way to learn those skills. This type of learning should be a part of all childrens' education and you should never feel guilty for requiring it of yours.

Some of the Best Resources Are Found In Unexpected Places 

I always encourage my children to take advantage of their opportunities, because we never know if that opportunity will present itself again. It is much easier for a single young man or woman to aquire skills and knowledge that will help them later in life than it is for a married man or woman with family commiments and financial obligations to pick up those same skills when they become necessary. It is often much cheaper too.

As homeschool parents, we should always be aware of the learning opportunities that arise around us. If your hot water heater goes out, have the children watch as it is replaced (from a safe and out of the way location). If the local farmer asks your boys to spend an afternoon helping him put up hay, let them. Look for opportunities for your child to volunteer. Look for friends and relatives with special skills who are willing to pass them on to your children, then create the time and opportunity for that to happen. Take advantage of local events: ethnic festivals, library programs, VBS, concerts, plays. Visit parks or craftsmen in your area and encourage the children to ask questions.

This approach to education often calls for a sacrifice from us as parents. We must be willing to work out the details to make these experiences possible. Sometimes we must sacrifice our time to drive them to and from an event and sometimes we must sacrifice their time and the plans that we have already made for them. But these small "opportunity costs" are greatly outweighed by the benefits gained. And these opportunities don't always come more than once.

At the same time, make sure you keep a balance. Remember, you can't do it all. But do try to do what you can.

But Don't Forget To Be A Mom! 

As a second generation homeschooler, I sometimes cringe when I hear other homeschool moms talk about their "educational opportunities." I hear comments like, "We took a walk today. Mark it down for phys ed!" or "We're taking a cross country trip to visit relatives. How can I make it educational?"

While I loved being homeschooled, and I think my mom did a great job overall, I occasionally felt as if I was stuck in a perpetual classroom. Somewhere along the way I had lost my mother, and she had been replaced by SUPER TEACHER! In her enthusiasm to give me the best possible education, she sometimes forgot that it's also important to have a "life outside of school."

It's true that all of life is educational, but that's true even for those who DON'T homeschool. It's OK for your children to experience some things as nothing more than a normal part of family life. (That doesn't mean they won't learn from them.) Some things should be less about making grades and more about making memories. This is especially important in a large family where "mom time" is somewhat limited.

And One Last Thing . . . 

Don't forget that learning isn't just for kids. Mothers too often use their busy schedules to excuse themselves from any mental exercise. But just as muscles atrophy without use, so a mind that is not exercised soon turns to mush. Continuing to learn new things will not only benefit your family by making you better equipped to fulfil your duties, but it will also send a message to your children that learning is not just something one is forced to do until they are old enough to do more important things. As your child sees your enthusiasm for learning, they will become excited about learning too.

Here are three ways you can use "mother culture" to nuture your child's love of learning:

1. Set educational goals for yourself.

Think of something you want to learn and then make time to learn it. Your goals could include learning new skills or increasing your head knowledge. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

* Learn a foreign language.

* Build a web page using trial and error.

* Do a research project on that topic from the kids lessons that you wanted to know more about.

* Make a lapbook (use a kit or design your own)

* Learn how to sew, knit, or do another handcraft.

* Take a photography class.

2. Read something besides fluffy fiction or the kids school books.

Read books on homemaking, homeschooling, motherhood, or marriage. Consider these your "textbooks” which can be read and reread for insight and encouragement.  Or, read something that will help you to reach the educational goals you have set for yourself. But also read great literature- books which will stretch you and fill your mind with beautiful pictures and ideas to ponder. 

3. Nuture your own curiosity.

No trivia is trivial when it provides the opportunity for a great educational experience. Children will naturally ask questions, but they will not always know how to get the answers unless you show them. A great way to do this, is by keeping track of those times when you say "I wonder . . ." and making the effort to actually find the answer. 

Remember, learning is a lifetime experience. Enjoy the adventure!

How To Make Continent Boxes

While creating a geography unit study, I stumbled across a blog post at LaPaz Home Learning talking about the Continent Boxes she had just completed. Finally, I knew what to do with all the "artifacts" we create during our studies of different countries.

Continent Boxes are sort of like treasure boxes- one for each continent- which contain maps, books, and artifacts from the countries on that continent. You can buy or create things specifically for your continent boxes, or you can do a "scavenger hunt" around the house to see what objects you can come up with. The boxes can be plain shoe boxes or plastic totes, or you can decorate them with maps, pictures, and flags from each continent.

Here are some ideas of what you can include:

Maps

If you're going to study geography, it is only sensible that your study should include maps. The physical geography of a country is important, not only because it tells us where a country is located, but also because it gives us a glimpse into the cultures of the area. 

Cultures are influenced in many ways by the physical geography of the place where they live.An example of this is the Inuit people of the Arctic regions. As we were preparing to study them the other day, I asked my children if they knew where the Inuit lived. Two of my children answered "Mexico" and "South America." If you know anything about the Inuit, you can see how ridiculous these answers are. The cultures of the Arctic peoples are vastly different from those of Central and South America.

Each box ought to include a map of the continent and maps of individual countries on that continent. You might also want to include puzzles or games featuring the physical geography of that continent.

Pictures

A picture is worth a thousand words, so make sure you include several in each box. These pictures should include things like people, buildings, food, animals, plants, and landmarks.

Photos can be cut from old copies of National Geographic and pasted with a label onto cardstock or made into a collage. Travel brochures would also be a great addition. Or, you could just include a few nice picture books. If you can find some copies of the local art, add those in too.

"Artifacts" and Souvenirs

The best things you can put in your boxes are real items from the countries you want to learn about. If you haven't been blessed with the ability to travel the world to collect your own souvenirs and don't know anyone who can do it for you, try looking around your house to see what "foreign" items may be hiding there. 

Check out the ethnic food shelves at your local grocery store or go shopping at a store which specializes in selling exotic merchandise. There are also many online stores where you can purchase items from overseas.

You can also add all the projects your children complete as they study different countries. Or, include craft items and instructions in your continent boxes so your children can complete these projects at another time.

Money

You can learn a lot about a country's history and what its people value by seeing what they put on their money. Kids especially love to examine foreign coins. Both coins and bank notes are available for sale on Ebay. You might also ask your local bank if they can get them for you or ask friends and relatives to bring some back from their travels. If you can't get the real thing, you can still print off some pictures of foreign money to add to your continent boxes.

Stamps and Postcards

Stamps and postcards are like tiny windows through which we can glimpse small amounts of a country's culture. These can be collected through exchanges or from a friend who likes to travel. Sometimes you can find them in shops which sell collectibles. If you can't get them anywhere else, try looking on Ebay.

Miniatures

Your boxes ought to contain as many real "treasures" as possible. But some items are obviously going to be too big to put in a box. This is where miniature replicas fit in. Miniatures can be things like toy animals, tiny models of famous landmarks, or dioramas of native landscapes.

Many items which are intended for dollhouses would be perfect for your continent boxes. Or, you could even get some modeling compound and have your children create some miniatures of their own.

Costumes

These would be the most fun if your child could wear them. But they could also be doll-sized. If you are not handy at sewing, search the resale shops for likely items. We have also found lots of great costumes on the clearance racks after Halloween.

Flags

Small flags are another item which is easy to add to your boxes. These can be made using white cloth and fabric markers, or they can be purchased.

Music and Instruments

Your Continent Boxes include more than just things to touch or things to see. Try adding a CD with native music and national anthems or a few native instruments for the kids to play.

Additional Items to include: 

-samples of writing/ alphabets

-spices, ethnic foods, or recipes

-textiles (such as a piece of silk for China, plaid for Scotland, etc.)

-children's books and folktales from or about each country

-paper dolls in native costumes.

Creating a Geography Notebook

What Should You Include?
Have you ever wondered what to put in a geography notebook? While the *exact* contents are totally up to you, perhaps you'd enjoy taking a peek inside some notebooks created by another family. Here are some of item we have included in our notebooks. I've included some pictures, as well as links to printables we used or printables that could be used instead of what we used.  

Our binders are divided into eight sections, one for general geography information and one for each continent. This is what you'll find in that first section:

*This post contains affiliate links.

Maps, Globes, & Explorers

• World Explorer Biography Pages (If you are looking for info on explorers, you can find biographies of notable explorers at the Fact Monster website.)


• Geography Terms and Definitions: Our list was actually a page copied from a library book, but I think it would be much more educational to have the children create their own list. As my younger children study geography this year, I will have them use Geography Terms Notebook Pages to make their own glossary.


• Landforms Ready Reference: I picked up this card at Walmart during their back-to-school sales. I could probably have had the kids do some Landform Notebook Pages, but I liked this one-page handy reference guide. It looks nice, and it was inexpensive.


• Notebook Atlas: Also purchased at Walmart (for a lot less than the Amazon price). Although it is small and details are sometimes hard to see, it can be used for most things that need to be looked up.


• Compass Rose Worksheet


• Latitude & Longitude Worksheets


• Continents Map and List


• Oceans of the World Map and List


• World Map (drawn using Draw Right Now)


• Map showing Plant Life on our Planet (pg. 76 of Considering God's Creation by Susan Mortimer)


• Columbus pages (drawn using Draw Right Now)


• Notebook pages and lapbook from Amy Pak's New World Explorer's study

Maps, Globes, & Explorers Freebies on Other Sites

Notebooking Nook oFreebies

Scroll down to the geography section for Geography Terms Tab Books and Geography Terms Notebook pages with Primary Lines or Basic Lines. (There are also some State Study Notebooking Pages and Country Study pages.)

SuperTeacher: Landforms and Bodies of Water

Printable games and worksheets to teach students about landforms, such as plains, plateaus, mountains, and hills. There are two freebies, as well as many that come with membership to the site.

THE LEARNING ARK: Compass Rose

Montessori learning activity with free printable for learning about the compass rose. Includes cardinal points, half cardinal points, and false points.

Notgrass (Revised American History) Literature Selections In the Public Domain

In addition to revising their World History texts last year, the Notgrass company also revised their American History textbooks and brought them up to date. 

Even though the text has been updated, only one of the literature selections has been changed. This means, if you already own this program and decide to update, you will only need to buy one additional literature books in addition to the new textbooks. The new list substitutes Miracle In the Hills by Mary Sloop for Christy. 

1 new book and 1 removed

Exploring America, Updated Edition -- Curriculum Package By Ray Notgrass / Notgrass Company Updated Literature Titles:

The Scarlet Letter    EPUB   Audio Narrative of the Life of Davy Crockett   Kindle   EPUB  Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass    EPUB   Audio Uncle Tom's Cabin   Kindle   EPUB   Audio Co. Aytch  Kindle   EPUB   Audio Little Women   EPUB   Audio Humorous Stories & Sketches (not available for free online) Up From Slavery    EPUB   Audio In His Steps   Kindle   EPUB   Audio Mama's Bank Account  (not available for free online) Miracle In the Hills (not available for free online) To Kill a Mockingbird  (not available for free online) The Giver (not available for free online)

*This post contains affiliate links.

Remember to check your local library for print or audio versions of the books not available in the public domain. You can also purchase used versions of the literature books through sites like Amazon, Ebay, or Thriftbooks. 

Shoebox Diorama Literature Project

9 year old's  Wizard of Oz diorama

10 year old's Wizard of Oz  diorama