Summer Homeschooling - Zombie Apocalypse Week

ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE WEEK -

Monday: Would you survive the Zombie Apocalypse?

• Rules of Surviving in Zombieland (just read if your kids are squeamish - some of these are silly, but some have excellent reasoning and purpose):
• #1: Cardio - When the virus struck, for obvious reasons, the first ones to go were the fatties. Zombies aren't fast. To escape, it's more important to be able to run longer than faster.
• #2: Double Tap - In those moments when you're not sure the undead are really dead dead, don't get all stingy with your bullets. One clean shot to the head can protect against zombies playing possum.
• #3: Beware of Bathrooms - Don't let them catch you with your pants down. Zombies know to hang around them, caution can help avoid an ambush.
• #4: Seatbelts - Wear one, zombies rarely do. Braking can send them flying away.
• #7: Travel light - And I don't mean just luggage. Traveling light means traveling fast. Only pack essentials.
• #17: Don't Be a Hero / Be a Hero - Unnecessary risks are risks that shouldn't be taken. But for loved ones, some risks are worth taking.
• #18: Limber up - A muscle cramp during a zombie chase is a death sentence.
• #22: When in Doubt, Know Your Way Out - Knowing where to flee can aid an escape.
• #23: Ziploc™ Bags - You got enough problems, moisture shouldn't be one of them.
• #31: Check the Back Seat - Zombies or little girls with guns may hide there, don't be caught off guard.
• #32: Enjoy the little things - Zombieland is harsh, enjoy happiness where it can be found to stay sane.
• #36: Sunscreen
• #42: Keep your hands to yourself - It's just polite. It ostensibly leads to better group cohesion and facilitation of rule #52.
• #52: Don't be afraid to ask for help - Groups have a greater chance of survival.
• Real-World Survival Tips
• Media: Watch You vs. Wild Interactive

Tuesday: Make your Bug-Out Bag

• Backpack Activity: Ask them what they think they should pack to be prepared for a bug-out situation or even just a hike – tell them to imagine the basics they would need to survive a night in the woods.
• Bug-Out Bag
• Bug-Out Simulation: Give them a bag and give them 20mins to pack everything they would need to bug out. Then, see what they're missing and what the household may be missing.

Wednesday: Camping Preparation

• Basic Survival Skills
• 100 Survival Skills Kids Need to Know
• 32 Survival Skills

1. Building Shelter
2. Finding Water 
3. Starting a Fire
• Different Types of Campfires
• Smokey the Bear Video
• Fire Starting Challenge
4. Using a Compass and Map - Map Challenge

Thursday: First Aid

• Kids On Outdoor Trips: First Aid Recommendations
• Ask them about some things they should avoid in the outdoors to be safe.
• Go over precautions to take – This includes bug spray, sunscreen, and properly fitting footwear to reduce the risk of falls.
• Self-defense
• Foraging for Food: 
• Edible vs. Non-edible – Go over what you can eat in the wild, but always ask an adult before doing so.
• Situational Awareness

Friday: Hunting and Firearms

• Get a Daisy bb gun or an airsoft gun, and learn how to shoot.
• Learn how to prepare and cook a hunt.

Saturday: Field Trip to a National or State Park to test out their survival skills. We went to Colorado Bend State Park.

Summer Homeschooling - Detective Week

DETECTIVE WEEK -

Preparation:

• Detective Kit
• Badge
• Notebook

Monday: Going Undercover

• Media: CrashBox Brain Games
• Lens McCracken
• MugShots
• Sketch Pad
• Most detectives are part of your local sheriff's department or the FBI, but this week, you will be a Private Investigator. A "PI" is a private citizen who solves mysteries on a per-case basis. Think Sherlock Holmes, the Hardy Boys, or Nancy Drew.
• Change into your disguise: Detectives sometimes go undercover as part of their investigation of a possible crime. Choose the clothing and accessories farthest from what you would normally wear, and make your outfit as absurd as possible so that no one will know it's you.
• A detective’s job is to solve crimes. They search for clues and uncover evidence to create a whole picture of what happened. Detectives will also search public and private databases and investigate people to solve the case.
• Four parts to the detective process: Observation, Question, Inference, and Proof
1. Observation - Look for clues, observations can be seen or heard. They are something you witness. Example: The photo shows... 
2. Question - A question caused by your observation. Example: I wonder why...
3. Inference - A conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning. You can witness something, but you have to use your brain to understand what it means. This part is difficult for most non-detectives, but if you change your way of thinking, you can do it too. This is how you make your case to put the bad guy away. Example: I can infer that... 
4. Proof - Use your evidence to back up your inference. Example: This is what happened because...
• You can use inferences in all parts of your life. Example: Motley didn't have any food in her bowl when you got home from school, but when you went to feed her at 5PM, she had food in her bowl. What is your detective process? What is your inference? You can infer that someone else already fed Motley. You can, of course, prove this by asking.
• P.E. - FBI Special Agents are the most renowned detectives in the country. Because of this, they have to go through some extensive training. This week, we are going to prepare for the FBI Physical Fitness Test:
• DAY ONE - Sit-ups: Do as many continuous sit-ups as possible in one minute.
• Media: Play Nancy Drew PC Games
• Games: Play Nancy Drew Mystery at Magnolia Gardens
• Media: Watch Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase
• Media: Watch Annabelle Cooper and the Ghosts of Nantucket

Tuesday: Crime Scene Investigation

• To have a crime, you have to have a victim. Who was hurt by the crime?
• To prove someone committed a crime, you have to prove intent/motive and opportunity (do they have an alibi?)
• Media: Watch Forensic Files: Point of Origin
• P.E. - Prepare for the FBI Physical Fitness Test:
• DAY TWO - Sprint: Sprint for 300 meters (for time).

Types of Physical Evidence at a Crime Scene:

• A Real Crime Scene Investigation
• 
  Body fluids — Primarily blood and saliva, which can be found on clothing or other fabrics or objects in liquid or dried form. These components are commonly gathered from a crime scene or a person on sterile fabric patches or swabs for species identification and possible individualization using serological methods or DNA analysis. 
  
• You can make homemade blood with corn syrup, water, and food coloring. On a large piece of butcher paper, splatter the fake blood with an eye dropper.  Leave space while splattering to show where a hand or arm could have been. Then, have the kids try to recreate the blood splatters to determine the distance they were splattered from.
• Body Tissues — autopsy samples of various organs, as well as blood, urine, and stomach contents, are collected for toxicological analysis.
• Drugs and Controlled Substances — plant materials, powders, tablets, capsules, or other preparations for identification and weight.
• Fibers – fibers for identification and comparison, either natural (cotton, wool) or synthetic (rayon, dacron).

• Fingerprints, Palm Prints, and Foot Prints — visible or latent prints lifted or cast from various surfaces for comparison and identification. This category frequently includes tire and footwear impressions.
• How to Lift Fingerprints
• Fingerprint Science
• Fire and Explosive Materials — liquids, solids, or burned debris to identify accelerants and explosive residues.
• Firearms and Projectiles — identification, source, and comparison of projectiles, as well as firearm test firings, distance determinations, and firearm operability.
• Glass – Glass fragments may be linked to a suspect and a break-in, or glass fractures may be analyzed to determine the direction of the force exerted or the sequence of rounds fired. Glass analysis is frequently used in the reconstruction of automobile accidents.
• Hair — Hair is collected from a crime scene, a victim, or a suspect to determine the species (animal or human), race, and origin of the body part. Hair morphological traits can be used to include or exclude a suspect if they are human. It’s also possible to tell if the hair was crushed, clipped, burned, forcibly removed, or simply fell out.
• Compare hairs between animals and humans with your magnifying glass. What are the differences?
• Oils and Grease or Cosmetic Products — Oils and grease, as well as cosmetic items, are transported between objects and people and have distinct compositions that may be compared.
• Paint and Paint Products — Paint may have transferred from one object to another on numerous surfaces, such as in a vehicle collision. This form of paint fragment transfer is commonly examined on the clothing of pedestrians who have been struck by a car.
• Serial Numbers — Serial numbers are unique identifiers for a Frequently altered or removed from vehicles, firearms, and other objects, and can be restored for appropriate identification using chemical etching.
• Soils and Minerals, Wood, and Other vegetation — Soils and minerals, as well as wood and other forms of plants. A plausible source or location that can be linked to a suspect or victim is identified and compared.
• Tool Marks — Surface impressions or scratches that may reveal the type of object that created them. Wear features on the object or instrument, such as a prybar or screwdriver, might provide distinct characteristics for comparison with the impression. Clothing or fabric impressions on vehicle parts have been linked to pedestrian hit-and-run accidents.
• Questioned documents — Questioned Document is a type of physical evidence that can include handwritten, typed, copied, or computer-generated documents that are inspected for forgery evidence. To determine authenticity, the studies may include ink and paper analyses as well as handwriting comparisons. In the case of erased, physically damaged, or burnt papers or materials, restorative processes may be used.
• Set up their own crime scene to investigate:
• I scattered paintbrushes all over the dining room table as if they had been knocked over, and I dripped washable paint on the table and floor. I then dipped one of my dog's paws in the paint and left a pawprint on the table. I also left behind a good chunk of dog hair, a few pieces of his food, and some grass in the paint to provide even more evidence. I then dripped a little bit of paint on the dog's coat to show up in the lineup.
• Then, I rounded them up: "Detectives, a crime may have been committed at our home. The police need your help to solve it. Will you help them figure out what happened?"
• Make sure you properly prep to enter the crime scene: 
1. Tape off the scene to mark your parameter and keep all unauthorized visitors out
2. Put on gloves so as not to contaminate the crime scene 
3. Be on the lookout for all forms of physical evidence
4. Do not touch anything until you have taken pictures of the scene; mark each piece of evidence with an evidence marker before you take the picture
5. Once photos are done, you can pick up the evidence with only a sanitized tool
6. Secure prints with tape and imprint paper
• Need a corkboard to pin documents, reports, photos, and drawings
• Use your detecting process to solve the crime
• Extras:
• Create a timeline for the crime
• Draw a map of how each crime was committed
• Write a first-person story about one of the crimes

Wednesday: Witness Statements

• Another pre-arrest investigative tool detectives employ is interviewing the victim of the alleged crime and witnesses. They speak to anyone they believe may have helpful information, which could include a suspect’s co-workers, family, friends, and neighbors.
• Unfortunately, out of all types of evidence, eyewitness statements are the least accurate because they are subjective and can be warped by a person's ideas and morals. However, they are a great source to corroborate the physical evidence you have already collected.
• Example: You've been waiting all year for this awesome new video game to be released. At 6:35PM, you finally receive the e-mail stating it has been delivered to your mailbox parcel locker. However, your mom says you have to eat dinner and take a shower before you can go retrieve it. 
• At 7:43PM, you race to the mailboxes to find the key to parcel locker #2 in your mailbox. But, when you get to parcel locker #2, you find it has been pried open, and there is no video game inside. 
• You are sad, of course, but you waste no time. You put on your detective thinking cap and begin examining the crime scene for evidence. 
• You notice a fingerprint on the door to the parcel locker, marks made by the device used to pry the parcel locker door open, and a muddy boot print on the concrete pad the mailboxes are secured into. 
• You lift the fingerprint, measure the marks that the pry bar made, take a casting of the boot print, and take a sample of the mud from the boot print. 
• You see Max walking back into his driveway. He is out of breath, sweating, and holding his little chihuahua, PingPong, under his arm. Max's house is right in front of the mailbox. You ask him if he saw anything or anyone strange around the mailbox between 6:35-7:43PM.
• Max says he was in his yard watering his roses around 7:30PM and remembered seeing Bill at the mailbox. He says Bill was acting very suspicious, constantly looking around to see if anyone was watching him. But then, Max says PingPong ran after a cat, so he had to run and catch him. He says he just got back. 
• With this information about Bill's behavior, you can safely add him to the suspect list. After running the fingerprint you lifted through the national fingerprint database, you find that it matches Bill. With these two sources of corroborating evidence, you can receive a warrant from a judge to search Bill's house. 
• In Bill's garage, you find a pair of boots with mud on them. When you line the tread against the impression you took from the crime scene, it matches. The mud on the boots also matches the sample you took from the crime scene. Propped against the wall next to the boots is a crowbar, and its width matches the measurement you took from the crime scene.
• When you walk inside the house and search the living room, you find the box to the brand new game on top of the PlayStation and the brand new game inside the console. Bill has been caught red-handed.
• With just Max's statement, the crime would have just been hearsay, but without his statement, you would never have known where to look for a suspect. Now, with all this corroborating evidence, you can put handcuffs on Bill. And while he's spending the night in jail, you can go back home and play your awesome brand-new video game.
• Detectives can also bring in a suspect for questioning. Unless the individual is in custody, law enforcement officials do not have to give them their Miranda warnings and can use any statements made against the accused. 
• P.E. - Prepare for the FBI Physical Fitness Test:
• DAY THREE - Push-ups: Do as many continuous push-ups as you can (not for time).

Thursday: Investigating Suspects

• Once you have your physical evidence and your witness statements, it's time to investigate the suspects...
• Engaging in Surveillance - Sometimes detectives engage in surveillance of a suspect or others who could have useful information. There are special rules around this due to privacy laws, so most of the time, you have to have a warrant (for searching private property, tapping phone calls; tracing vehicles, persons, or calls) unless on public property. 
• Searching Social Media and Other Records - Detectives could also search a person’s social media sites or other websites where individuals discuss potential crimes with others for evidence that a crime was or is about to be committed. They may also obtain a warrant to get an individual’s cell phone, financial, or other records from businesses or other parties.
• Other items that may be obtained via warrant: security camera footage, witness camera footage
• 911 call recordings can also be a good resource.
• More Practice:
• Go to a place where the kids can’t see you. Ask questions about your eye color, the clothing you’re wearing, etc.
• Arrange 30 items on a tray. Let the students look at it for 30 seconds. Then take the tray away. How many items can they remember?
• CIA Photo Analysis Game
• CIA Memory Game
• P.E. - Prepare for the FBI Physical Fitness Test:
• DAY FOUR - Run: Run 1.5 miles (for time).

Friday: Criminal Profiling

• Criminal profiling refers to the process in which the nature of a crime is used to make inferences about the personality and other characteristics of the likely offender in order to locate and capture the said offender.
• Games: Play Guess Who
• Clues Worksheet 
• P.E. - Take the FBI Physical Fitness Test:
• Sit-ups: Do as many continuous sit-ups as possible in one minute.
• Sprint: Sprint for 300 meters (for time).
• Push-ups: Do as many continuous push-ups as you can (not for time).
• Run: Run 1.5 miles (for time).
• Play a lifesize version of CLUE - Set up a life-sized game board in the rooms of your house, put the cards in a Manilla folder, dress up as the characters, put items in different rooms, and call it that way
• You can get costumes from Amazon: Mrs. Peacock, Colonel Mustard
• Media: Watch CLUE

Saturday: Field Trip to an Escape Room to put your new inferencing skills to good use!

Summer Homeschooling - Career Week

CAREER WEEK -

Vocabulary: 

Career - A job or profession someone does for a long period in their life.

Salary - A set amount of money someone gets paid for getting the work done. 

Monday: Money

• How does money work? Where does it come from? Money is a form of currency that is traded for a good or service. The trading of a good or service is what makes the paper or coin money valuable.
• If you make $20.00 an hour and work 40 hours per week, how much do you make every two weeks on your paycheck? You would make $1600 per paycheck and $3200 per month
• What if you made that $20 per hour because you didn't go to college, but made $40 per hour if you went to college?
• What if your rent is $1200 per month (utilities are included), your food is $300 per month, your phone bill is $50 per month, your car payment is $350 per month, your gas is $50 per month, your car insurance is $100 per month, your toiletries are $20 per month, and your pet's food is $50.00 per month? How much would you have left over from that $3200 to go to the Pokémon store? To buy a game from the Playstation Store?
• What if you want to go to a movie for $35? What if you want to go on a $2,000 vacation?

Tuesday: Budgets, Investments, Bills, and Taxes

• Finance Playlist 
• Set a goal, set a budget, and set up a savings account
• You also have the option to invest your money: For every $1 you put into investments, I (the stock market) will give you $2 to borrow it, so at the end of the month, you will have $3 for every $1 you invested
• Bills are your food, electronics
• Taxes are for federal taxes, state taxes, Social Security, and Medicaid. For every $22 you make, I take $2 for taxes
• This week, you will make $22 per hour for class, $2 of that will automatically be taken for taxes, $5 will be taken away for every hour of electronics, $1 for every sugary drink, $1 for every snack, breakfast/lunch/dinner are free and water is free
• What are you saving for?

Wednesday: Finding A Job

• Jobs I Can Have When I Grow Up
• Complete the "Whey I Grow Up" handout
• Get more info on their desired career fields
• What is great about your chosen job environment? How does your career match your personal interests? How will it fulfill you?
• Do you need to go to college for your career? Will you make more money if you go to college? How do you go to college for free?
• What is your career plan? How do you get a job? How does school now help you then?

Thursday: Their Interests

• How to become an Orca Trainer?
• How to become a Marine Mammal Trainer
• A day in the life of a Marine Mammal Trainer
• Some of the best things to do moving forward: practice swimming, join your school swim team, get large animal experience, complete the summer programs at Sea World, get scuba-certified, become a lifeguard, and work at Sea World over the summer when a teenager
• Need to go to college for an Animal Behavior major
• Dolphin Research Center's Training Program
• Unpaid internships
• Husbandry Assistant
• Sea World Swim Test: 10-min time limit, 5-min water tread, hands above water, 240ft freestyle (80secs), diving in or pushing off underwater hold breath for 80ft or longer, dive down 26ft, get 2 6lb weights where the weights broke the surface before you do, haul out to your feet from the water, script over a microphone
• How to become an Animal Rescuer?
• Animal Rescuer Careers
• What is the best way to become an Animal Rescue or Shelter Worker?
• Can definitely consider a bachelor's degree, especially to work with wildlife
• Need strong communication skills

Friday: Play the Game of Life

• Take the Career Test

Saturday: Field Trip 

Summer Homeschooling - Cooking Week

COOKING WEEK -

Monday: Kitchen Exploration

• Media: MasterChef Junior.
• Safety First: Go over all safety precautions. 
• Oven and stovetop safety. 
• Washing vegetables. Tearing and making a salad. 
• Learn what each kitchen utensil is used for. 
• Learn how to use measuring utensils. Wet versus dry ingredients. 
• Recipe: Blackened fish tacos with taco salad, guacamole, and queso dip.
• Learn how to properly set a table. 

Daily Meal

Dinner Party

Formal

Tuesday: Food Pyramid

• Media: MasterChef Junior.
• Learn the food pyramid.
• Learn how your plate should look. 
• Learn how to use recipes to build your plate. 
• Meal Planner Template.
• Different spices to season:
• Salt - salty
• Pepper - spicy
• Lemon - sour
• Honey - sweet
• Turmeric - bitter
• Recipe: Cajun pasta with green beans and cornbread.

Wednesday: Knives

• Media: Knife Safety.
• Media: Basic Knife Skills.
• What knives are used for what. 
• Spreading and peeling.
• Cutting whole fruit.
• Slicing and dicing vegetables. 
• Crushing and mincing garlic. 
• Sautéing vegetables. 
• Recipe: Chicken alfredo with spinach, asparagus, and garlic bread on the side. 

Thursday: Basic Cooking

• Media: 4 Cooking Skills Every Kid Should Know.
• Gordon Ramsey Part 1 & Part 2
• Make rice.
• Steaming vegetables.
• Recipe: Orange chicken with vegetables and fried rice. 

Friday: Baking

• Media: Watch "Kids Baking Championship" on Hulu. 
• Using a mixer. 
• Rolling dough.
• Make dessert. They want to make a Kraken cake. 
• Make a sauce.
• Browning meat.
• Recipe: Shrimp tacos with mango. Ground beef for Anna. 

Saturday: Field Trip 

• Make breakfast. 
• Cracking eggs. 
• Pancakes.
• Mystery Box Challenge. 

Summer Homeschooling - Alaska Week

ALASKA WEEK -

This week, we're going on vacation to Seward, AK, so why not make a homeschool lesson plan to learn all about Seward and Alaska!

Monday: Alaska's Animals

• In Seward, we will see sea lions, sea otters, harbor seals, humpback whales, bald eagles, seabirds, and more!
• Alaskan Animals
• Animal Yoga Poses
• Whale Communication

Call of the Wild Sled Team

Sled Dog Positions

Iditarod Race Map

Tuesday: Dog Sledding

• Sled Dogs: Life Before Zero
• Sled Dogs: More Than Meets the Eye
• The Iditarod Race is over 1,000 miles long (so basically New York City to Orlando), and the dogs have to make it in 8-15 days. The yearly race is used to commemorate Balto / Togo and his team's rescue mission to get life-saving medication to Nome to save the children in the town from a deadly disease.
• Balto Lap Book 
• Meet Iditarod-Winning Sled Dogs
• What would you pack on your sled to take your dogs on a 8-15 day sled ride?
• Why Don't Sled Dogs Ever Get Tired?
• Sled Dog Positions
• When people think of sled dogs, they think of Alaskan Malamutes and Siberian Huskies, but all sorts of dogs have made up sled teams. Make your own sled dog team. What breeds are they, what positions are they in, and what are their names? Why do you think those dog breeds would work well in your sled dog team? 
• Watch Balto, Togo, or Call of the Wild
• Snow Mountain Run

Wednesday: Fjords and Glaciers

• Fjords are different from standard lakes and rivers because they were built by massive glaciers moving across the land, so they are extremely deep. 
• Glaciers dominate the landscape of Kenai Fjords National Park. 51% of the park is covered by ice, and nearly 40 glaciers flow from the 700-square mile Harding Icefield. These glaciers have formed, shifted, and moved over the course of tens of thousands of years. You can hike along Exit Glacier (an alpine glacier that formed in a mountain basin) or feel the thunderous road of dramatic tidewater glaciers (glaciers that terminate the water's surface) calving into the ocean (when a large chunk of the glacier breaks away).
• Welcome to Kenai Fjords!
• Explore Kenai Fjords National Park
• How Do Glaciers Move?
• Glacier Ice Game
• The Land of the Midnight Sun - The sun usually sets around 8:30PM here in Texas, but when we go to Alaska, the sun won't set until 11:00PM and will come back up around 5:00AM. We won't see the Midnight Sun while we're there, but we will have some VERY long days!

Thursday: Travel Journal

• Write in your Travel Journal and play Road Trip Games

Friday: Field Trip to Alaska!

Summer Homeschooling - Harry Potter Week

HARRY POTTER WEEK -

P.E.: Harry Potter Chase - Harry Potter Workout

All About Magical Me Worksheet

Monday: Back to Hogwarts

• Set up the dining room with floating candles, a projector showing the stars or sky, the house flags, the books on the table, their wands, their uniforms, souvenirs, character stuffies (Hedwig, Buckbeak, Fawkes), a nice table cloth or runner, fancy dining ware, goblets, etc. 
• The kids get their acceptance letters from Hogwarts
• Go to Pottermore to sort them into their houses and to let their wands select them
• Learn about familiars and their familiars, Jack and Spike
• Familiars provide protection to young witches and wizards coming into their powers; they attend to witches and wizards by acting as companions, servants, messengers, or even spies
• Guinea Pigs 101 - Guinea Pig Breeds - Guinea Pig Noises - Guinea Pig Tricks
• If they have a hamster, a guinea pig, or a rabbit, they can make a Marauder's Map maze
• Make chocolate frogs, butterbeer, and pumpkin pasties
• Have a First Night Feast with roast beef, roast chicken (drumsticks), pork chops, lamb chops, steak, bacon, boiled and roasted potatoes, fries, meat (steak and kidney) pies, sandwiches, peas, carrots, corn on the cob, broccoli, salad, gravy, ketchup, rolls, charcuterie boards, apples, grapes, Yorkshire puddings, peppermint humbugs, assorted ice cream, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate eclairs, jams/jam doughnuts, strawberries, jelly, rice pudding, etc. 
• Play a Quidditch Table Pong Game
• Play Harry Potter CLUE

Tuesday: First Day of Classes

• Charms Class (with their wands)
• Wingardium Leviosa
• Impervius - repels water from a surface: put some water on a plate and sprinkle some pepper on top; have the kids stick their fingers in there to show the pepper sticks to your finger, and then hand them their wands with some dish liquid on the tips and have them say "Impervius;" the pepper will shoot away from the dish liquid
• Defense Against the Dark Arts Class
  • Art: Draw what your Boggart would be, and then draw what you would change it into
  • Find out your Patronus and draw your Patronus
  • Have a chocolate snack to regain your strength after all those bogarts and dementors
• Harry Potter "Would You Rather" Game

Wednesday: The Care of Magical Creatures Class

• Reading: Read through the Fantastic Beasts book
• What's your favorite magical creature from the Wizarding World?
• Craft: Make your own Pigmy Puff
• Questions of the Day:
• Fluffy's History? Hagrid originally purchased Fluffy from a "Greek chappie" at The Leaky Cauldron. Hagrid loaned Fluffy to Dumbledore to aid in guarding the Sorcerer's Stone during Harry's First Year.
• How does the Phoenix heal people with tears? The Phoenix's tears have immense healing powers capable of reviving a person from any injury, they could even save a person on the brink of death. Their tears also hold the only known antidote to Basilisk venom. Being cried on by a Phoenix is similar to drinking unicorn blood, but without leading a cursed life afterward. However, the Phoenix has to care for and trust you to be willing to offer up their tears to save you.
• Media: Watch the Fantastic Beasts movies

Thursday: Potions Class (Science)

• Make an overflowing potion
• Make a color-changing potion
• Make potion drinks (bonus points if you use dry ice!)

Friday: The Biwizard Tournament - J.K. Rowling loves adding challenges to her books, so why not make our own? This is essentially a Scavenger Hunt with a little Escape Room sprinkled throughout

1. Begin in the middle of the house. Hand the kids an envelope. When they open it, they see your house floorplan marked with the Hogwarts room names and a note that reads: "Welcome to the Biwizard Tournament! To win, you must work together to complete SIX challenges. Good luck! Here is your first clue: When Harry got detention, he had to help Hagrid as part of his punishment. Go to the place where Hagrid took Harry and help Harry find all the patronuses. Once you have all the patronuses, they will tell you where to go next."
   
2. The backyard is labeled "Forbidden Forest" on the floorplan, and all over it are pictures of different patronuses. On the back of each of the patronuses are the letters: G R E E N H O U S E. They have to unscramble the letters to find out that the Greenhouse is where they go next.
3. When they enter the Greenhouse, they see Hedwig with a rolled-up parchment attached to her leg. It reads, "Alohomora will not work on me. To unlock the door, you must find the key. Which key is not like the others?" 
4. There are multiple keys with wings hanging above the locked door to the house. When they pull down the key with the broken or missing wing, there is a note attached to the back of it that reads, "Find your next clue where Moaning Myrtle sleeps."
5. This leads them to the Prefect's Bathroom. Moaning Myrtle is under the toilet lid with a note that is written backward. The bathroom mirror is labeled "The Mirror of Erised." They have to put the letter against the mirror to read it. The note reads, "Where would you find a book about Magical Creatures?"
6. This leads them to the Library. There is a piece of parchment inside the Fantastic Beasts book. The top reads, "Take me to the Charms Classroom to reveal my secrets." The rest of the note is written in UV ink that only shows under black light. 
7. On the table in the Charms Class, there is a note and a black-light flashlight. The note says, "Have your partner turn off the light, and then use the spell that makes things appear to enchant this flashlight to "reveal" the secrets of the parchment." The part of the note revealed says, "Where in the castle does the creature with healing tears live? She is roosting on your next clue!"
8. In Dumbledore's Office, there is an Easter egg under Fawkes. Written in Sharpie on the egg, it says, "Open me in the Potions Class."
9. When you get to the Potions Class, you see seven potions in bottles of all different shapes, sizes, and colors. The Easter egg holds a riddle inside it:
• "Two among our number hold only nettle wine. Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line. Choose, unless you wish to stay here for evermore. To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:
1. First, however slyly the potion tries to hide, you will always find some on nettle wine's left side;
2. Second, different are those who stand at either end, but if you would like to move onwards, neither is your friend
3. Third, as you see clearly, all are a different size. Neither dwarf nor giant holds death inside;
4. Fourth, the second on the left and the second on the right are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight."
• ANSWER: Since the giant bottle is not poison, and it is a twin to the second from the left, we know these two are nettle wine. Therefore, two of the poisons are to the left of these. The ones on each end are different, and since we know the one on the left end is poison, both nettle wines have been found, and it will not help you move onwards, the rightmost bottle sends you back. This leaves 2 bottles, and we know the dwarf bottle is not poison, so it must be the one to move ahead. Finally, the remaining bottle must be the third poison.
• Once one of them drinks the correct potion, it says "Great Hall" at the bottom of the bottle.
10. In the Great Hall, they find an envelope on the table. Inside, it says, "You have made it to your final challenge. Translate the Ancient Ruins to decipher the code. Once you have it, race to where Harry saw a dragon egg hatch. Buried inside this location, you will find treasure!"
11. In Hagrid's Hut, buried under stuffed animals, they find a treasure chest that has a combination lock. They use the code to unlock it. You could have wind-up butterflies fly out of it. Inside, there is a note congratulating them and maybe some Wizarding World candy. You could even give them trinkets or trophies for participating!

Saturday: Field Trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Florida, the Warner Bros Studio Tour in California, the Harry Potter exhibit in Philadelphia, the Harry Potter treehouse in North Carolina, the Harry Potter coffee house in Texas, etc. Check out the Ultimate Harry Potter Bucket List for even more ideas!

Summer Homeschooling - Star Wars Week

STAR WARS WEEK - Welcome to your very own Jedi Temple Challenge!

Get your own Star Wars costumes, and start every morning with the Jedi Motto: "Strength, Knowledge, and Bravery!"

Links:

• Star Wars Activities
• Star Wars Kids
• Star Wars Recipes

Media:

• Star Wars Explained In 7 Mins
• Watch the Jedi Temple Challenge
• Watch the original movie trilogy and/or the Mandalorian on Disney+

The Planets of Star Wars

Monday: The Star Wars Galaxy

Art: Design your own planet! What color is it? What kind of creatures/animals live there? Do people live there? What is the weather like there? Can humans breathe there?

How can the characters in Star Wars travel from planet to planet, but we Earthly humans cannot? Hyperdrive allows starships to travel faster than the speed of light, crossing the galaxy through hyperspace.

You have heard people say, "May the Force be with you," but what does that mean? The Force is a mysterious energy field created by life that binds the galaxy together. Harnessing the power of the Force gives the Jedi (the light side), the Sith (the dark side), and others sensitive to this spiritual energy extraordinary abilities. 

• Who are some characters that are on the light side?
• Who are some characters that are on the dark side?
• Are you on the light side or the dark side of the Force?

P.E.: Star Wars Chase

Tuesday: The Jedi

• The Jedi Order - A noble order of protectors unified by their ability to tap into the power of the Force, the Jedi Order are the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy. 
• Who is the most powerful Jedi?
• Padawan - Those on the path to becoming a Jedi. They must first train one-on-one with Jedi Masters who help them understand the power of the Force and their place in the world. 
• Lightsaber - This is the weapon of the Jedi. With a kyber crystal at its heart, a lightsaber can be used to cut through blast doors or defend against enemies. Using the Force, a Jedi can sense blaster bolts and deflect them with this elegant sword. 
• Kyber Crystal - This is found at the heart of every Jedi lightsaber. This special gem channels the power of the Force and is connected to a Jedi Knight on a deeply personal level. In this way, a lightsaber is an extension of a Jedi's Force awareness. 

• Learn lightsaber moves. Watch a duel. Practice a duel.

Wednesday: Droids

• Astromech Droids - A series of short, utility robots generally used for the maintenance and repair of starships and related technology. R2-D2 is an astromech droid. 
• Protocol Droids - Droids programmed in etiquette that can communicate in millions of languages, which makes them perfect assistants for Jedi, diplomats, and politicians. C-3PO is a protocol droid.
• Build your own droid, or buy one that you can control with an app.  
• P.E.: Star Wars Chase II

Thursday: Star Wars Creatures

• The Top 9 Star Wars Creatures and Pets
• What is your favorite Star Wars creature?
• P.E.: Star Wars Jump Battle

Friday: Final Jedi Temple Challenge

• Test your Strength, Knowledge, and Bravery!
1. Strength - go to a trampoline park and complete the obstacle course without touching the ground, the rock climbing wall all the way to the top, and the zipline (get clues for the next challenge with each task completed: bunny stuffed animal, binoculars, the numbers 1-2-3, the color blue, a rock)

1. Knowledge - listen to a Star Wars story and help each other answer questions to complete a scavenger hunt
• The Story: On the rocky world of Enujut, peacekeeper Evor Haris welcomed all visitors, most recently a ship of one-legged, gray Zemerin, a skittish species that could fix anything from star ships to food replicators. Later in town, Haris broke up a fight between a long-eared smuggler and a merchant. Seconds later, he found another confrontation between a technician and her assistant over a stolen orange and white data unit. After that, two Ewoks started arguing over which one was taller. And then, the cantina erupted over which food capsules were tastiest. Haris boiled over with rage. His 12 fingers curled into a fist, ready to pop anyone who didn't agree. A metal hand tapped him on the shoulder. "Leave me alone, I'm keeping the peace!" Haris snapped at the blue protocol droid. "Sir, I've noticed that these petty arguments began as soon as the Zemerin arrived." The droid had discovered the Zemerin were telepaths that fed off negative energy. They didn't want to repair ships, they wanted to cause trouble. Haris lost his cool and chased the droid into a transport, calling him a bile mopper, a space dolt, a yak sniffer, every name under Enujut's three suns, with the selfish Zemerin hopping behind to feed on the negativity like scavengers. Suddenly, the transport door slammed shut, Haris jumped from an emergency hatch, and the blue droid took off. Haris smiled as he watched the transport disappear from view through his macro binoculars, blasted back to their home planet. The Zemerin were going to be hopping mad when they realized they had been tricked. 
• What kind of ears did the smuggler have? The bunny
• How many Ewoks were arguing? 2
• What did Haris use to watch the Zemerin? The binoculars
• What color was the protocol droid? Blue
• The Zemerin had a special power. What was it? Telepathy
• How many suns did Enujut have? 3
• What kind of landscape did Enujut have? Rocky
• How many legs did the Zemerin have? 1

1. Bravery - your teammate navigates you through the dark (blindfolded) to find your Kyber Crystal
• The Dark Side tempts them with the answers (I had an envelope with all the answers inside sitting in front of them on the table)

Saturday: Field Trip to the caves/caverns like we're on Dagobah, or within any of the other many caves in the Star Wars universe. 

"Reminds me of Dagobah. Dunno why the Force seems to love caves so much." -Luke Skywalker, in a cave on Serelia