Chronicles: Things To Do At Shamrock Farms

Cool mural of everyone who works at the farm

Yippee! We finally got a chance to tour Shamrock Farms! Shamrock Farms is a dairy farm just southeast of Phoenix. Arizona dairy farms are infamous for their well... unique aroma all over the valley of the sun. There's not a friend or family member who doesn't comment on how it smells whenever they visit since we have one just across the road and down the street from where we live. It's something you can't forget or get away from completely because there are so many dairy farms in the area. And, while there are many dairy farms near us, Shamrock Farms gives a tour of their outfit and allows you to see firsthand how a dairy farm actually works. Our family had an amazing time there. It's quite a ways away as we live in the west valley, but it's well worth the drive. Here are some things that are nice to know before you go:

Puzzle fixing while waiting for the tram to arrive

There is a discount tour for school groups and homeschools are included. The key is you have to make a reservation. You can fill out the reservation form and do everything online. You'll get a confirmation email and you must pay attention to the day and time given for your visit. In our case I wanted a certain day, but they gave me a different one. I didn't catch that and showed up on the day I requested. We almost ended up missing the tour, but they were gracious enough to let us tag along with the school group that was there. This is only because the group was small enough to fit us. Had it been larger we would've been out of luck and out of a huge amount of gas and a lot of time. Don't make this mistake. It's a true farm and there's nothing commercial for miles around.

1. Use the lessons provided on the website after you're confirmed to go. They will set a purpose for the tour and solidify what your kids learn during the tour.
2. Arrive earlier so you can eat lunch before the tour begins. I recommend bringing a sack lunch but there is food available there if you would rather go that route. By bringing a lunch you make sure any dietary needs your children may have are going to be met. *If you opt for ice cream with your tour (and trust me, you should) it will be served right after lunch.
3. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes. While a tram is the mode of movement throughout most of the tour there are times when you'll get out and walk, including a trek up narrow, steep stairs. Also, even though the farm tours are closed during the worst, hottest AZ weater, you'll want to wear loose, breathable clothing even if you are there in spring or autumn when the sun is still brilliant. And, as always, use sunscreen since most of the tour is out in the open.
4. Bring wet wipes. You're at a dairy farm and there will be many instances where you'll wish you had them if you don't bring them along.
5. There's a neat gift shop with all sorts of fun souvenirs. I was delightfully surprised to see that the selection includes kid-appropriate merchandise at reasonable prices. I don't buy from gift shops when they don't have this characteristic. This time we took away a bag full.
6. Use this link for more info: Shamrock Farms Tour Info Page
7. They operate year - round, but the tours are only available from October through May.

Simulation of milking a cow

This is a great tour. The participants learn how a dairy farm works. They can actually see the production process as the farmers work in all the aspects of a running farm to keep the cows healthy and the milk they make fresh. A funny film is provided for you see what goes on the behind the scenes once the milk has been cooled and delivered to the factory where the final steps take place to bring us our favorite dairy products like ice cream, chocolate milk, cottage cheese, and sour cream. Our family will think of the dairy farms we pass by all the time quite differently now that we know the basics of how they work. We also find ourselves thinking about what we learned when we see dairy products at the grocery store. This tour is definitely worth it. If you are creating your field trip plan for next year be sure to add Shamrock Farms to your list of worthy learning experiences.

Chronicles: Homeschoolers Field Trip to Butterfly Wonderland

Our homeschool group recently ventured out to Butterfly Wonderland in Scottsdale, Arizona. I was so curious to see what it had to offer since it's fairly new to the valley. We studied ants and bees for a month. We also took a few weeks to study the Amazon rain forest, along with the tropics when we studied South America. So, needless to say, I was excited to have a chance for the boys to see the insects and feel humidity up close and personal.

Butterfly Wonderland is a new attraction in the north Scottsdale area where there is actually an atrium full of exotic and very special butterflies. The atrium is humid and full of tropical plants, much like what you would find in a tropical rainforest. The Butterfly Wonderland website boasts a 3-D documentary of the monarch butterfly's migration pattern, a rainforest atrium, a working bee hive, an ant farm, and an aquarium. These are all such splendid ecosystems to witness in person so, of course, we were excited to go.

The discounted group price was also a draw. Without the discount it would cost our family of 5 about $60 to go. That's kind of steep for a field trip. There is no advertised price for field trips so I didn't know whether there was a discount or not. When the homeschool group set up the field trip I was estatic to be able to go for less.

Nice Location

Once we got there I was pleased to see that Butterfly Wonderland is right off the highway. There's plenty of parking, and nice areas to sit and wait with your group if necessary. The whole homeschool group was quite large and there weren't enough seats for everyone, of course, but they were comfy. And, quite honestly, unexpected. After everyone was paid and had their wristbands and 3-D glasses, we filed inside to watch the documentary. This was a great part of the experience. It lasts just the right amount of time for little ones and it's informative. My guys left understanding the migration pattern of the monarch butterfly so it's written at a level that young children can comprehend.

After the movie we were ushered into a viewing room where there are cocoons ready to become butterflies. The truth is our group was too large to get too close or see the butterflies emerge, so it feels a little like being in the nosebleeds. But, theoretically an individual can physically see the cocoons in different stages of development.

Next we moved into the atrium after we were informed that we would have to leave the stroller in the butterfly emergence gallery. Oops! I generally don't carry a "baby bag", I just use the bottom storage space in the stroller. We have to cross our fingers and hope the baby is happy with the butterflies. This seems to be the most popular aspect of the attraction and where the traffic stagnated. There were a lot of people there trying to get a good look at these exotic butterfly species. Many wanted the butterflies to land right on them so they would stand in one place for a while. No butterflies actually landed on us this time, but we hold out hope. We did see them in action though, and that was great. After some good photo ops we moved into the cafeteria.

Steep Pricing At the Butterfly Wonderland Snack Counter

This is where the trip got a little less than desirable. The cafe is set up to hold several people whether you bring your own lunch or buy. We didn't pack lunches so we ordered a bag of trail mix, a box of Cheerios, a large cookie and a bag of Doritos. I know it was not very nutritious or filling, but I just wanted to hold them over until we got to lunch. This "snack" came to almost $10. Ouch! These are snacks that would normally cost half that much in the outside world. For a penny pincher I should've known to bring lunches because most attractions like this have big prices for small stuff.

After eating the snack we ventured on through the bee, ant, and various desert creatures exhibit. The ant farm was under construction so we missed out on that part. The bees, however, were in full effect. One of the guides was explaining life cycles and behaviors of the bees and pointed out the queen for everyone. This was great. When it's not too crowded you can actually see the work the bees are doing and figure out which bees have which jobs. It could be really nice if it isn't too congested. In this area one can also get a glimpse of a tarantula and a scorpion.

Multitasking In the Aquarium (Inside Butterfly Wonderland)

After this we moved into the aquarium. The aquarium had a shark. No, don't think Jaws...this shark was a smaller one, but still cool to see up close. It also contained lots of tropical, colorful fish. There was a stingray pool to gather around and touch the rays. There was also a guide explaining all about the fish and managing the pool with the stingrays while directing traffic and giving instructions about what to do if a person wanted to pet the stingray. He was doing a lot. This was awkward because it's so much multitasking. If it were possible to have a few people there on busy days to help guide the traffic, manage hand washing and behavior with the stingrays, and give the lecture / information about the stingrays and fish it would be a more thorough experience for all visitors. The added manpower would make it more engaging and help everyone to get more out of it.

Keys To Make Your Field Trip To Butterfly Wonderland Manageable:

Overall, I will say this is an informative trip. With the group discount it's well worth the money. If you can manage to wait until the crowds clear a little, you and your brood will get more out of the experience. In fact, we went through again to see everything except the movie. This was beneficial because with less people we were able to see so much more.

1. Go with a group or find another way to get the discounted admission price.
2. Bring your own lunch / snacks.
3. Stay after the crowds dissipate to get closer looks and hear the guides explain.
4. If you have an infant bring a carrier as strollers are not allowed into the atrium.

Chronicles: Calendar for Homeschoolers

We finally disassembled our homeschool classroom. This plan has been in the works for a while since baby number 3 was added to our family. We needed the extra room so we took the boys' desks and set them up in their bedrooms. We also took our daily calendar work, which is traditionally hanging on the wall, and put it into a sheet that they work on 2 -3 days a week. If you are in a situation where you don't have a space in your home to dedicate to your homeschool then you may want to try this.

Calendar time was an opportunity to review concepts so that they wouldn't forget them as we went throught the school year. It includes the calendar, weather, measurement concepts, counting money, time, numeric operations, place value, spelling rules, sentence building and design, and language concepts. I knew I would no longer have a "Calendar Wall" for them in our house so I condensed the calendar wall to a calendar page. It includes many of the same concepts. I prepare a different one for Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. It includes a spiraling review of the concepts to keep them in practice and at the forefront of their minds.

If you decide this works for you and your family here are some concepts you may want to have in your calendar review:

• A calendar - use MS Word and create a new document. The page should show many different calendars you can choose from. Condense it and embed into your page so that you can add questions to the bottom of it about the number of days and weeks. Also, be sure to ask questions about elapsed time over weeks and the number of specific days of the week.
• A thermometer - you don't have to focus on the weather in your town only. We are using My Father's World curriculum, which is all about the globe. I ask questions about climate and clothing while having them "read" a picture of a thermometer.
• Clocks - I use these in many ways. I have them convert digital time to analog time, create times in an analog clock and determine AM / PM by a narrative story about what people are doing at that time of day. I give them two times and ask how much time has elapsed between the two.
• Money - Pictures of coins are used for them to count the money and determine how much change they will get from a purchase or how much they will have if they add it to another amount.
• Number patterns - I include patterns and have them find the missing numbers of the pattern.
• Operations - Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division are all used to keep these skills sharp. I generally focus on basic facts and leave the more complex problems for their actual math hour.
• Place Value - They have numbers that must be written in different forms. They also have to tell which place a certain number is in. They are required to say the numbers aloud for reading purposes.
• Sentences - I give them sentences full of mistakes and then a blank line for them to correct them. On every other day I give them the answers to compare their work.
• Spelling - I give them misspelled words to correct, phonograms in a series to recognize and mark, or switch the phonogram and tell why it needs to change
• Language - this includes everything from parts of speech to use of homophones and homographs. Anything can really be a part of this section. I switch it up often so that they stay sharp in these skills.

 

Chronicles:Are Work From Home Jobs American Outsourcing?

Okay, I give in. I'm a Christian woman who believes wholeheartedly in the biblical structure of the family. But...the western structure is a bit precarious in this country right now. Let's face it, two incomes are necessary to make it in this economy. Western society dictates June and Ward, but the Bible is full of love stories with women who work. Albeit there are some strange familial connections that would be straight out of a scene in deliverance in today's society. Rachel was Jacob's first love and first cousin. Ruth had been married to Boaz's distant cousin. Rebekkah was related to Isaac. David married his mistress after killing her husband in battle. Each of these men also had other wives. It's a love story, yes, but it's full of more scandal than any primetime TV show. This is often glossed over in church circles, but modern Christians also overlook that these women worked. They had jobs: Rachel was a shephardess, Ruth gleaned the harvest, Rebekkah was volunteering when she met Isaac's servant, Deborah was a judge. While the Bible doesn't specifically mention other matriarch's jobs, it does vilify Rahab, who was a prostitute, and Jezebel, who was doing her husband's job without any regard for his people's beliefs and customs, which was a problem since he was the king. Perhaps that's where the idea of having women stay home and out of the workplace gets its teeth. But, the Bible is not shy in relaying the notion that women don't have to do this.

It becomes crystal clear in Proverbs 31. I read it without any preconceived ideas or other's perceptions of it and realized she's a boss. This woman is the ultimate in feminism. She's got all kinds of businesses she's running and she holds it down at home with her husband and her children. I don't think she sleeps because she literally can't and the scripture actually says..."She rises while it is still night..." She is phenomenal in making it happen. Geesh, I kind of envy her. If I could pull that off...wow!

So, in attempting to help out with finances and still fulfill my role as mom and wife in a more practical way I've been filling out work from home applications. Yes, there are legitimate work from home jobs all over the place. You have to be savvy and know not to give anyone your own money to do work for them. But, real opportunities are out there. The problem is some of them actually pay pennies to do the work. Some jobs are actually paying folks $.01 to complete a task. The internet means you can hire people from all over the globe to do anything anywhere. And, current tax law says that if you hire them as "independent contractors" you don't have to worry about payroll taxes. So, work from home companies do it. I think this is American outsourcing. Some of these companies are paying much less than minimum wage, not paying payroll taxes, and not having to pay any overhead for facility maintenance, as they require the worker to have the equipment in their own home before they're even hired. It's a corporation's dream come true. And, I think it works well for some. My own experience was to over-think the tasks. I tried several of these jobs and ended up making like $6 after two hours of work. Maybe I'm not in touch with the pulse of America, or maybe I'm too work conscious. At any rate, I think teaching my daughter to take her first steps or say her first words, or listening to my sons read a chapter of the book they checked out at the library is worth that six dollars. I do that instead.

This doesn't mean I've stopped my diligent search for an online opportunity that will work for us. My husband's work schedule is flexible and I am good at a lot of things. Still, I've submitted about 15 applications and none of them have been accepted for actual guaranteed income, a traditional 20 - 40 hour / week job with benefits. I hold an advanced degree and have 14 years of work experience under my belt, but I get no takers. It's fascinating really. Meanwhile, we pinch pennies. That's no problem. My husband and I are both discount scavengers, always looking for a frugal way to enjoy life. But, it sure would be nice to at least get a call saying, "We're interested in hiring you." If not for the sake of actual monetary gain, then for the benefit of my self-esteem.

Chronicles: Stay Home, Homeschool...is the RV next?

Full Time RV Living...To Be Or Not To Be

Last week our family took a trip to the Rio Vista park for some sun and fun, but along the way we stopped at Camping World to check out the RV's they had for sale. Why you ask? We have discussed RVing since, like, forever. One of the most precious times we share as a couple are on the road, as strange as it may sound. In fact, we usually make up from awful fights on the road. To tell the truth, we've dreamed about
exploring America since we tied the knot. It was our wanderlust that brought us together in the first place. We once traveled from Arizona to Indiana with our kids for two days, only stopping for gas and a sleep break and loved every minute of it. So, when we saw the RV lot on the way to the park we said, "Why not:?".

The RV Lure
Now, I had done a little research so I knew that there are different types and sizes and purposes for RV's. I knew there were Class A's, Class B's and Class C's to choose from. I didn't even bother looking at the trailers or fifth wheels because I just knew we wanted an RV, flat out. To someone who actually knows about RV living that statement would probably be funny. We got out and were greeted by a salesperson, but with so little to go on and just dreaming, we let him know we were only looking and would ask for his help if we needed it. It made me wonder just how many sales RV dealers make and how many young families come to buy an RV. It seems like such an untouchable

dream at this point in our lives.

Climb Aboard an RV!
At any rate we got an education.We climbed aboard large monstrosities that we couldn't imagine putting on anyone's road anywhere. We explored smaller beauties that didn't seem fascinating enough to spend months in them cooking, riding, sleeping...living. We ignored the fifth wheels until my boys, as curious as ever,
couldn't help themselves. This was at the end of our journey so I was sad at the outcome. I loved it! This particular fifth wheel had what I have come to know now is a bunkhouse and a bedroom. There was a super fancy kitchen, inside and out. And, the sitting area was beautiful. I thought, whoa, wait a minute, a fifth wheel just might be the ticket. I wished we had spent some time exploring these for the duration of our visit. We stayed for a short while and then continued on to the park, but an RV living seed was planted, for sure.

RV Web Research
Well, since that day I've been researching and learning more and more about RV's. What I've found is that there's a whole community of people out there who live in their RV's, not for months at a time, but indefinitely! They've sold all their possessions and traded in the fast-paced life for life in 400 square feet on the road. Some have parked in one spot permanently while others keep moving all over. There are conventions and resources and job boards specifically for travelers. These kind-hearted people publish their budgets and lifestyle blogs to inform people like me who have no clue. It's amazing that there are so many who have chosen to live this way out of pure sense of adventure. And what's more intriguing is that there is a great deal of lifestyle diversity. For some they dropped out of the hustle and bustle for financial purposes. For others it was all about simplifying life.  Perhaps I saw no evidence of ethnic / racial diversity, but definitely full time RV'ers come from many different walks of life.

RV Roadschooling
Then, looking into it further, there are even roadschooler blogs! Families who live on the road obviously have to homeschool their children. They have provided all sorts of awesome tips and ideas for each other to support this life. That's fascinating. It makes sense because homeschooling families definitely have to find ways to pinch pennies most of the time. Living on the road offers a flexibility in budgeting that no other lifestyle I've come across offers. Food and fuel can be huge expenses, but even that can be modified to fit the lifestyle. And, what a terrific education. Talk about hands-on experiences and ample teaching moments!

Of course, it's a fascinating concept that I have no experience with and in fact, never even considered until I read some of those blog posts. Full time RVers seem so happy with their decisions. Yet, there are some stories of families packing it in and trying something different due to disillusionment. I suppose this would only be a welcome adventure if you're completely for it and have no reservations at all. If you feel forced into it by way of interference from an outside source it would not be a happy time. I suppose it's different strokes, but if our family had a chance to just try it out for a while I'd probably jump at the opportunity. When thinking about selling everything and going for it...well, I'm bold and courageous, but I don't know if that's what I really want, or what's best for our family at this point in our lives. We will keep praying and thinking...

Chronicles: Girl Scout Cookies - To Buy or Not To Buy

Oh, how I love a box of Thin Mints.No, seriously. Over the course of a month or so, I can eat an entire box of them. I hide them so no one else beats me to it because they are just that delectable. So, with all the controversy it was tough to decide whether or not to buy any this year.

What controversy? There's this hubbub, and this too, also here. There was even a rumor a few years back that all the proceeds went to the CEO and made her a kajillionaire. This, of course is not true. If you navigate to their website you will see that most if not all of the proceeds from sales go to local Girl Scout troops to go towards projects and activities. Still, with so many up in arms about the Girl Scouts I must admit that when I see them selling outside my local grocery store I am wary of buying simply because I don't want to fund anything negative that may directly effect the character development of a young girl.

But then I recall my own Girl Scout days. "Make new friends, keep the old, one is silver and the other is gold!" What a time I had. I developed good friendships and had quite an experience selling cookies myself. My mom was even a troop leader one year. How fun to have all the girls from my troop come to our house all the time to meet and plan and discuss. Being a Girl Scout was a really good experience that I probably wouldn't have received anywhere else in any other capacity at that time in my life. I won a cookie selling competition that year. I don't really recall what the prize was, but I do remember selling (or my mom selling) like a bajillion boxes of cookies and loving the excitement around that. We also planned and executed a slumber party, the first one of many I would have. All this means that Girl Scouts is a beneficial entity for so many reasons.

I know that it's strange for the adults who are running the corporate headquarters of the organization to make some decisions that could adversely interfere with what the local girls are doing, but by and large, it's nonsense to boycott cookies that young girls are selling to learn priceless lessons about business, skill development, and character development. Some troops are in the most precarious places where the young ladies will need all the support they can get to be empowered to lead positive lives. No, we should not boycott Girl Scout cookies anymore than we would boycott Oreos or Chips Ahoy. No, because in the end what is gained is priceless.

Chronicles: Animals and Folktales

My son, who would be in 3rd grade were he in public school, recently rose to the occasion of writing a folktale in an African style by trying to explain how an animal got a special feature that it has. It's funny that both of my boys asked: "Can I make it about humans?" They obviously recognize that human beings have many features that make them seem different, like hair, skin, and eye colors. Also, sizes of various body parts. I replied, well, since all humans basically have the same attributes, just different colors and sizes, let's focus on the larger variety of animals. They are really diverse. They agreed with me and chose two very different animals to write about.

Zeph - 8 years old

How Birds God Their Beaks

Once upon a time in the African rainforest there were millions of birds that had bald faces. Once bird bragged about his beautiful ears. Then one bird screamed, "Alligator!". All the birds ran for their lives. The bird that was bragging had an idea, but he needed an acorn. He chased after the one he wanted because he thought it looked the best for him. When he saw the acorn for real it was ugly. Then he bumped into a tree. His hands flew off and the ugly acorn sunk into its face. And when all the birds saw his new beak they laughed. That's how the bird got its beak.

Now, with a little time and a little more thought, he could deepen this story by adding details and continuing the story line about the alligator, but I think he rushed it a little so he could finish the rest of his work. That's one caveat to home school, there's always something else to do. Oftentimes, it seems like it would be so much more fun.

Zol - 6 years old (uses dialogue, but is not aware of how to use quotation marks yet)

How Lions Got Their Tail

Once a lion stood on its porch. I want a tail he said and pulled himself off his porch. He went to get one. He took his jam and put it on his back. He climbed up a palm tree. Then he took leaves from the palm tree and stuck it to the back. It was so hot the leaves were changing yellow. Hooray. 

He went the easy route, rather than have the lion have to tussle with any other animal. He also got the seasons confused. One thing about living in Phoenix is that there is no distinction in seasons. It's Sweltering, Hot, and Warm. That's about it. But, overall, I am glad they took on the challenge. As their teacher I clearly see the areas where they need improvement and instruction, but as a mom I'm amused at their imagination and sense of adventure.

Chronicles: African Studies = Kenya

We all know how the Home School shuffle goes. We get on a roll, but then learning takes us to another destination. We've taken a few twists and turns, so we're not on our regularly scheduled programming. Due to all sorts of changes and detours, we're only now embarking on our journey to Africa! The My Father's World curriculum is full of great ideas about how to navigate through the continent, but with so many countries I plan to extend it somewhat. We spent the first week discovering the diverse climates, animals, languages, and people groups within the continent. The most fascinating part of the journey so far is the savannah. Of course, the boys are excited because during our trip to Cabela's they were able to view a scene of the African savannah with an actual African elephant center - stage. They recall all of the various animals located in this part of the exhibit so they have a good reference point. With 54 different independent nations it's tough to choose which ones we'll study, but I've narrowed it down to a few.

We are now traveling through Kenya

, which is in the My Father's World curriculum. This week we'll discuss the flag, its origin, the languages spoken there, the population and size relative to the USA (for no other reason than that this is a country whose size they are most acclimated to), and some indigenous customs. We will also explore their economy and government.

Activities:

1.) Color an outline of the Kenyan flag, create your own. (Using glue and colored construction paper the boys will try to recreate the Kenyan flag while listing the meaning of its colors and symbolism on the back)

2.) Research the climate and ecosystems present in Kenya. Find out which animals are there and determine information regarding their habitats. Use shoe boxes and natural debris from the backyard to recreate the ecosystems present. Describe them in detail. *Use internet to find out if there are endangered animals there and why they are endangered.

3.) Write a legend about how an African animal got an attribute. This is a common legend technique and the entire time we study Africa we'll be reading these types of stories. Since they have so much experience reading and listening to them I will have them write their own.

3.) Learn Swahili. Each day count to ten in Swahili, learn how to say the word for a different color and post and label them within the classroom, and learn basic greetings and conversation words.

4.) Art project: Make a Masai necklace using different pasta shapes and construction paper.

We are in for a treat. Whenever we study new places I always include our basics, like reading, language, math, and spelling skills. But when we explore different places we use all of those basic skills. Using writing, math, and reading they will be able to analyze and synthesize their learning so that it sticks with them for a long time to come.

In my next post I'll include the stories they create along with their illustrations. Fun and exciting times. Soon we'll travel to Nigeria and Botswana!

Chronicles: New Year, New Attitude

We're back in the saddle again and actually getting some great things accomplished for the new year. We were suffering from a little burn out before the break so I decided to adjust things a bit thinking change can sometimes bring fresh, new outlooks. We moved our school room to a new location in the house to maximize organization and space for activities. The change helped change the boys' attitudes as well as mine, since the space is a little bigger. I also gave each of the boys a desk of their own. Talk about having a better attitude. I had to face it, they needed their own individual space to concentrate on their work and limit distractions. Since I still have some points from the old Chase points program I was able to get them from their online store without paying anything. That was fantastic. So, with that came some pretty neat adjustments...another attitude booster.

The new room brought about new changes, which helped us develop new attitudes. For one, this year our calendar time runs more smoothly. There's a designated area and space to explore each review concept thoroughly. I moved money counting to their desks. Also new, they have a space to study their own individual math and reading lessons without interrupting each other. Especially new, there is a place to store the supplies they need with immediacy. And, last, but not least, they don't "accidentally" kick each other under the table and cause distractions. I'm trying to work on cutting down on that type of horseplay in the classroom and the desks definitely decrease it because it's just not even possible.

Fun tip for practicing telling time every day:

I have a cardboard clock I got at the dollar store that has a minute hand, an hour hand, and the 5 minute increments above the clock numbers. Each day during calendar review time I turn the hands of the clock to a certain time of day and give each of them a chance to 1.) tell the time and 2.) tell whether it's a.m. or p.m. through a scenario. For example, if the clock is pointing to 1:37 I might give the following story: Jamie heard something and it woke her out of her sleep. As her eyes adjusted she looked around to see that it was quite dark, but she had left her window open. She got up and trudged over to close it shut. She then climbed back into bed under the covers. Is it 1:37 a.m. or 1:37 p.m. The kids love the "Time detective" idea and enjoy being able to determine which 1:37 it is.