Family Blogging Month :: The 50 States

November is Family Blogging Month in Mrs. Yollis' class. She started this tradition back in 2010, and the blogging fun lives on! The idea for this post came from a comment.  :-) 

A conversation started over on the class Photo-of-the-Day blog. Nolan sent in a photo about the Four Corners Region of the United States. 

Below is the text that complemented Nolan's photo. 

(click to enlarge or go here to see the original) 

Nolan got this comment from Sandy, Grandma Barb's friend. She brought up the fifty states and asked how many people had visited. 

Like so many things on the blog, that lead to a discussion about the 50 states. We have all been to the state of California because we live there. 

How many states have you visited?

Do you have a favorite state? If so, please state your reasons. 

So Long Summer :: Hello Fall!

FACT: Seasons change as we orbit the sun.

Spring • Summer • Autumn • Winter

Twice a year, around March 20 or 21 and Sept. 22 or 23, our sun shines directly over the equator. That event marks the beginning of spring or fall. What is the equator?

Public Domain photo

e·qua·tor

[əˈkwā•dər]

noun

1. an imaginary line drawn around the earth equally distant from both poles, dividing the earth into northern and southern hemispheres and constituting the parallel of latitude 0°.

In March when the sun shines directly over the equator, the event is called the spring or vernal equinox. In September when the sun shines directly over the equator, the event is called the fall or autumnal equinox. 

The Autumnal Equinox will occur in Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. on Thursday, September 22, 2016. at 7:21 A.M.

Things to look for in fall:

1. Deciduous (di•si•jo͞o•əs) trees will change color and drop all their leaves. Evergreen trees will not. Evergreen trees will stay forever green. :-) Why do the leaves of deciduous trees change color? Use World Book Online to research. Remember, do NOT copy sentences. That is plagiarism, and it is against the law! Take notes, and then turn your notes into your own sentences. 

Photo by Grandma Barb

Photo by Grandma Barb

2. On the equinox, there are exactly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night. The day and night hours are equal. However, as we continue into fall, the days will get shorter and the night hours will get longer. This pattern will continue until we reach the winter solstice. That is the longest night of the year and marks a new season, winter.

3.  Because the northern hemisphere is now tilted away from the sun, the days will start to become cooler. People will change their behavior. What sorts of behavioral changes will your family make as the days get shorter and cooler?  (In southern California, we have mild climate. We don't get too cold in our community.)

There are many fall festivals or holidays. Watch the BrainPop video about fall to learn about the many harvest festivals celebrated. Do you celebrate any of these autumn holidays? If so, please share so we can learn from you! 

Check out the FREE BrainPop video about Fall. 

4. Some animals in the northern hemisphere will change their behavior. As fall leads to winter, some animals migrate, or move, to a warmer area. Others try to fatten up for the winter they know is coming. 

Again, BrainPop Jr. has a FREE video about fall. 

Check it out by clicking here.  

https://jr.brainpop.com/science/weather/fall/

  

Share some fun facts about fall!
Did you use BrainPop or World Book Online as a reference? 

If you are in the southern hemisphere, tell us what season you are enjoying! How are you changing your behavior? 

Family Blogging Month Winners!

At long last...Mrs. Yollis announces the winners of Family Blogging Month! :-) 

Nearly 1,000 comments were contributed over the month!

Congratulations to Sean (156 comments), 

Ruby (143 comments), and 

Troy (135 comments)!

Each winner received a free kid's meal at a local restaurant, a fabulous crown to wear and enjoy, and a free post on the classroom blog! 

This year exceeded every Family Blogging Month since Mrs. Yollis created the idea back on April 1, 2010! The participation, the quality of the commenting, the interaction and learning that transpired via this classroom blog and the 365 Project makes Mrs. Yollis beam with pride. 

Not only are her students and their family members becoming superior writers, but they are also honing important digital skills like how to communicate and contribute on line, how to limit personal information on the Internet,  and how to develop a dynamic digital footprint. 

(To hone is a fancy verb that means to improve over time.) 

Mrs. Yollis would like to personally thank all the parents and family members for their constant support. Your participation is the key to your child's educational success! 

A special shout out is given to Troy's paternal grandmother for her exceptional participation! 

Grandma Barb not only submitted photos to the 365 Project, like her Fabulous Fall Foliage, but she was a major contributor to numerous online conversations. We thank you, Grandma Barb!

Finally, Mrs. Yollis is proud to announce that November is Family Blogging Month post won Second Place for Most Influential Blog Post for 2014! The post has nearly 100 comments! 

What was your favorite part of Family Blogging Month?

What are some digital skills that you have honed?