Theme of the Week – Pirates

The Golden Age of Pirates was from 1560 to 1730 and many of the most famous pirates were based in the Caribbean.  The most notorious pirates lived around 1700 and include: Blackbeard (considered the most feared pirate), Calico Jack Rackham (who created the classic Jolly Roger flag with scull and crossbones), Henry Morgan and Bartholomew Roberts (both very successful pirates).

Fun Pirate Facts:

1. They Rarely Buried Treasure

2. Their Careers Didn’t Last Long

3. They Had Rules and Regulations

4. They Didn’t Walk the Plank

5. A Good Pirate Ship had Good Officers

6. The Pirates Didn’t Limit Themselves to the Caribbean

7. There Were Women Pirates

8. Piracy was better than the Alternatives

9. They came from all Social Classes

10. Not all Pirates were Criminals

Learn more about each of these facts at About.com.

Check out these and other books about Pirates at your local library.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pirate Crafts:

Pirate’s Hat

Pirate Flag.

 

Paper Plate Pirate

 

Paper Plate Parrot

Sunset Pirate Ship

Pirate Masks

Newspaper Pirate Hat

Pirate’s Hook

Easy Catapult 

Pirate Activities:

How to Talk Like a Pirate

Sandpit Treasure Hunt

Online Pirate Quiz

Pirate Maze

Pirate Song

Pirate Poem

Pirate Snacks:

Pirate Ship Cheese and Apples

Treasure Map Quesadilla 

Pirate Sandwich

Jolly Roger Sandwich

Additional Lesson Plans:

Teachers.net

WorldHistory.org

YahooVoices.com

Au Pair International puts together weekly learning crafts and activities called Theme of the Week to help au pairs and host parents with ideas about educational and fun activities to do with their kids.  Want to learn more about au pairs?  Check out au pair profiles on our website.

Theme of the Week – Jellyfish

Jellyfish are beautiful marine creatures that can be found in oceans all over the world, even near Antarctica.  They can be found at the surface of the water or down deep in the sea.  They are very simple organisms that have an umbrella-shaped top and tentacles that trail below.  Jellyfish use their tentacles like a net to find food.  Their tentacles also are a great defense mechanism since they carry venom that is shot into a predator, temporarily paralyzing it and allowing the jellyfish to escape.

Did you know…

… some jellyfish are bigger than a human and others are as small as a pinhead?
… people in some countries eat jellyfish?
… that jellyfish have been on Earth for millions of years, even before dinosaurs?
… jellyfish have no brain but some kinds have eyes?
… that jellyfish are mainly made up of water and protein?
… a group of jellyfish is called a smack? (http://www.jellywatch.org/blooms/facts)

Want to learn more about jellyfish?  Check out these websites:

http://twistedsifter.com/2009/06/10-amazing-facts-about-jellyfish/

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/animals/creaturefeature/jellyfish/

http://www.jellyfishfacts.net/

Jellyfish Activities:

Make your own jellyfish lights.

Check out this amazing jellyfish in a bottle.

Create a fun jellyfish umbrella.

These are beautiful ribbon jellyfish.

These jellyfish are easy for kids of any age.

Pretend with this no-sew jellyfish costume.

Make glow-in-the-dark jellyfish.

Jellyfish Song and Video:

The Jellyfish Song

Jellyfish Poem:

The Lost Jellyfish

Jellyfish Snacks:

Jello Jellyfish

Hot Dogs Jellyfish

Jellyfish Sandwiches

Jellyfish Lesson Plans:

Westfield

Bright Hub Education

Suite 101

Books about Jellyfish:  Go visit your local library to find these and other books about jellyfish.

 

 

 

Theme of the Week:  Au Pair International developed the Theme of the Week to give au pairs different ideas of things to do with the kids they take care of.  If you are interested in learning more about the Au Pair Program, contact Au Pair International.

Theme of the Week – Rainbows

“April showers bring May flowers…”

Spring is in the air and with that comes rain and hopefully rainbows.  Rainbows are caused when sunlight hits water droplets in the air.  The water droplets act like tiny prisms and reflect the light back into the sky.

Interesting facts:  Did you know that the sun must be behind you in order to see a rainbow? And every person sees their own personal rainbow since the angle which you are viewing it is unique and each person sees color a little differently.  Learn more interesting facts here.

Learn more about Rainbows at these sites The National Center for Atmospheric Research, How Stuff Works, Weather Wiz Kids,

Or take a trip to you local library and check out these and other titles:

Theme of the Week – The Solar System

In honor of Star Wars day on 5/4 (“May the 4^th be with you”) we have decided to feature the Solar System as our first Theme of the Week.

What is the Solar System?  The Solar System is everything that orbits the sun.  This includes planets, moons, asteroids, comets and more.  There are 8 planets and 5 dwarf planets that orbit the sun.  Before 2006 scientist classified Pluto as a planet, but it was downgraded to a dwarf planet at that time.

Want to learn more?  Visit these great sites:

http://www.kidsastronomy.com/solar_system.htm

http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/space/solarsystem.html

http://www.makemegenius.com/cool_facts.php?mId=43

OR

Check out these and other great books at your local library.

 

 

 

Fun Solar System Activities:

Make a Solar System Online.

Learn about the distances of different planets from the sun.

Make asteroids out of aluminum foil and toss them into a black hole.

Or create your own constellation with black paper.

 

 

 

Teach your kids this fun song about the planets from Hooplakidz.

Color and cut out the planets.

 

You can also make these great paper mache planets.

 

Finally, you can all make this healthy Solar System snack together.

 

Theme of the Week: We wanted to help our au pairs with different topics they could explore each week with their host kids.  Each Monday we will introduce a new topic and give ideas for games, activities, crafts and resources to learn more.  Let us know what topics you might be interested in.  Want to learn more about getting an au pair or being an au pair in other countries?  Visit our website.