Eliana's Elephants

elephant pics oops it's really a squirrel

2022-04-15T12:18:00.001-05:00

Just Some Random Elephant Pics

2016-02-04T17:54:00.001-06:00

Don't worry. It's not made out of ivory.

The Daily Elephant Picture

2016-01-28T11:52:00.001-06:00

Just another random elephant picture to brighten your day.

Your Daily Elephant Picture

2016-01-27T09:55:00.001-06:00

My daughter and I love elephants, but there is only so much space in her room for more toy or keepsake elephants, so we go elephant hunting in our own way - The way that saves elephant lives and doesn't use guns. We use my iPhone to take pictures of every elephant we see. So, I thought I'd share some of them with you as often as I remember.

Today - This is your daily elephant picture:

Gifts for Elephant Lovers

2015-09-24T08:06:00.000-05:00

My daughter, as you know, is a huge lover of elephants. So, on her birthday, someone shared this amazing link with me.

It's from Bored Panda, and it lists complete with pictures, 15 gift ideas for elephant lovers. They are too, too cute!

Here's the link:

BORED PANDA'S 15 ELEPHANT GIFTS

Elephant pics from thrifting

2015-08-26T07:59:00.001-05:00

Random elephants

2015-02-09T20:31:00.001-06:00

This Day in History with Benjamin Franklin

2014-01-17T06:30:00.000-06:00

On this day in 1706, Benjamin Franklin was born. Anyone who studies science, history, or has frequented a library, has encountered the ideas, the works, and discoveries of Benjamin Franklin.

Whether you find his fascination with electricity equally as fascinating, or his love for books a complete sheer and utter delight; the man accomplished enough in one lifetime to pass on enough material for months of lessons.

Get your kids and students, or you for that matter, involved at a hands-on level with these freebies that will save you time and money. After all, as Benjamin Franklin would say:

Time is money

Spend your time learning with your children because the legwork of research has already been done for you in gathering this list of information. Following are some links to some awesome sites across the web that deliver free lesson plans and printables to make your job as a parent and/or educator that much easier:

Why Benjamin Franklin Made the History Books
Free Benjamin Franklin Lesson Plans and Printables (There are links to tons of freebies in this one!)
Free infographic memes and quotes to use for handwriting or memorization

Free MLK Day Lesson Plans and Printables

2014-01-17T00:55:00.003-06:00

Civil Rights, Black History, Social Studies and Cultural Studies - Whatever you call it, National holidays like Martin Luther King Day are a great time to study about historical leaders.

How much do you know about Martin Luther King, Jr.?

Where was he born?

How old was he when he was assassinated?

What was the name of his most famous speech?

What hotel was he at on the day of his death?

Find the best MLK Day lesson plans and printables from across the web at these links below:

Facts About MLK

Free Lesson Plans/Printables

When you're done learning all there is to learn from the above links, and the links within these links, it's time to write your own narrative about Martin Luther King, Jr.

Begin by writing your own "I Have a Dream" speech. What is your dream?

Next, make a list of community organizations or people you know who need your volunteer efforts to help out. Start small, and work up to great things by giving to others.

'Let There Be Light' Creation Illustrated For Children

2014-01-07T13:06:00.003-06:00

I received the book “Let There Be Light” by Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, from Booksneeze in exchange for an honest review and was very excited about reading it to my children. When it arrived, I was even more excited as I began to read it to my seven-year-old daughter who absolutely adores elephants, as there were several pages that featured pictures and mentions of elephants.

She was thrilled! There are at least three pages that contain adorable and beautifully illustrations of elephants throughout the book.

The book is a retelling of the Genesis account in the Bible that describes creation. I was equally as thrilled at how, while the book is aimed at children, it stayed true to the biblical text and only changed the wording to appeal to a young audience while leaving the original meaning of scriptures intact.

The hard cover book’s 14 pages of easy-to-read text and 21 pages that have beautiful illustrations work together to bring the Word of God to life for a child. The pictures, illustrated by New York Times bestselling author of “On the Night You Were Born”, Nancy Tillman, are captivating and a perfect complement to the story. At the turn of each new page, you feel as if you have stepped inside the pages and are part of this marvelous creative week.

This child’s book would be a great addition to a child’s learn-to-read or early reader library. It would also make a sweet bedtime story. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself, as a parent, grandparent or any adult, enjoying it as well because the story paired with the beautiful illustrations will leave you in deep awe no matter your age.

It expresses not only God’s omnipotent power but His amazing tender love for each individual, including the child enjoying the “Let There Be Light” book. The author’s intent is spelled out in a quote featured on the back cover that reads, “You are part of something truly amazing.”

Find the book sells for $16.99 from ZonderKidz publishing.

Book Review: 'Sir Silly: The World Where Words Play'

2013-10-12T19:42:00.002-05:00

I was thrilled to receive this book from KSB Promotions in exchange only for my honest review. The book is a thin 44 pages, but packed with fun poems for children.

The English language is quite complicated. There are so many exceptions that when teaching English to children, it can make their heads spin. Sir Silly The World Where Words Play takes these language woes and has a lot of fun.

The author, David Dayan Fisher, is known for his bad-boy roles on television’s hit show, NCIS, as well as a role in the latest Batman movie. But, in Sir Silly, he let’s loose with playing with words.

Since this blog is elephant-themed, I thought I would share one poem, in particular, that is about an elephant and an ant:

The ant was upset.

He sat, and he wept.

An elephant asked,

WHAT’S WRONG?

I’m small. I am small.

I want to be tall.

The world is so big and so long.

DON’T BE SAD,

WIPE UP YOUR TEARS.

I’VE GOT A LONG NOSE

AND BIG FLOPPY EARS.

But your’e big.

You’re tall.

I just feel like a fool.

It’s not easy being

An ant.

BUT I’M CLUMSY AND SLOW.

I CAN’T HIDE THIS I KNOW.

EVERYONE HEARS ME COMING.

I STEP ON TWIGS.

I CRUSH THE BRUSH.

IT’S NOT EASY BEING THE SIZE OF A BUS.

IF I WERE SMALL AND YOU WERE TALL,

THINK OF THE THINGS WE COULD DO.

The ant just sat. He had a think.

The elephant’s mind began to blink.

They imagined being each other.

My, oh my!

How much I would eat!

It’s heavy work being in an elephant’s feet.

AND WHAT A PACE, SO VERY BUSY.

BEING AN ANT WOULD MAKE ME VERY DIZZY.

The ant looked up.

He had a smile.

I think I will stay who I am for a while!

Baby Gear Product Review: SnoozeShade Plus

2013-04-08T20:16:00.000-05:00

A couple months ago, I received a SnoozeShade Plus stroller shade for review. I was excited to put it to the test, but the weather decided to hang onto winter and early spring snowfall making it difficult to get out and go for a walk.

Last week, spring finally sprung in my town. First on my order of business was to take a walk around the lake and try out the SnoozeShade Plus.

I had read the reviews and the product description, but I was extremely impressed as I pulled the SnoozeShade Plus out of the package to see first-hand what it was like.

It was neatly tucked away inside a pull-close mesh bag for storage. I was really pleased to see that the Velcro closures were covered in the packaging to protect them from snagging the shade. This immediately won me over with excitement, as I get so annoyed when this wonderful invention of Velcro snags an otherwise perfectly wonderful garment or item.

I pulled out the SnoozeShade Plus and opened it up to find that it has several loops to fit around just about any stroller, though will not fit on a double-width hood of a double stroller. It will, however, fit on a single-hooded/kid in a row style of double stroller. There are plenty of Velcro-looped straps to get the best fit. If you don’t use all of the straps, just tuck them away..

It is designed with baby and mom in mind.

It provides 50+ UPF sun protection
Protects baby from wind and chill on colder days.
Serves as a mosquito or insect net.
It works great with newborns through approximately age 4
It is a universal fit
It is made out of breathable fabric
Mom can catch a sneak-a-peek through the front zipper
It has a 2-in-1 blackout blind and a full sunshade
It provides black-out from the sun so baby can sleep or a zip-down window, on the dual layer fabric, for baby to look out while still being shaded from the sun.
It works great while traveling. It is portable inside the mesh drawstring storage bag, and it helps to keep baby’s sleep routine undisturbed.
It has a top zipper (at stroller handles) to allow you to quickly check on baby.

The SnoozeShade is sold as:

SnoozeShade Original ($34.99)

SnoozeShade Plus ($49.99)

SnoozeShade for Infant Carriers ($29.99)

SnoozeShade for Playards ($99.99)

They are available online at www.snoozeshadeusa.com. You can also “like” them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this product in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations.

Elephant Pictures 101

2013-02-04T20:58:00.001-06:00

Since my daughter now owns upwards of 100 elephants, we have agreed that it's time to make the shift from rescuing and collecting all of the elephants in the world to instead begin taking pictures of all of the elephants we encounter.

Well.... There are many.

I was shocked to discover that there are elephants wherever we go. And, no, I'm not seeing "pink elephants" from too much drinking.

Here's just a few from one day's outing:

Coolest Snow Globe Gift Cards Gift

2013-01-04T10:43:00.003-06:00

I realize that Christmas has passed, and we have moved into a new year. However, I received this coolest gift for Christmas from my niece and just had to share my haphazard tutorial of how to make one for yourself to make your own gift card snow globe.

Hint: These would make adorable Teacher Gifts for any occasion, and a child could make them with adult supervision with the hot glue gun!

Yes, they are decorated in Christmas ornaments, but you could just as easily make it any wintry scene to give throughout Valentine's Day, a child's birthday (add a princess theme and some pink tulle) or even a gift just to give during the winter. You could probably even turn it into a sandy beach/ocean scene with some blue food coloring and a little creativity to give throughout the year.

Keep in mind that I did not make this originally, I received it as a gift. But, I pretty much figured out how it goes.

Start with a jar, and remove the label.

Buy a gift card (the ones without the magnetic strip probably work best, but I don't know if this would become damaged when wet or not). Hot glue the gift card to the inside (bottom) top of the lid.

Note: When I opened my snow globe to redeem the gift card, this was challenging to remove. So, it might work best to wrap the gift card inside a clear plastic bag or plastic wrap and glue only the wrapping or outside bag to the lid instead. Just a thought. But, I did successfully get all the glue off so I can use the cards.

Fill the jar with as much glitter as you desire (or other decorations, such as small water-proof Christmas ornaments, little heart glitter (for Valentine's Day) or sea shells and glitter that resembles sand for a beach scene. Use your creativity and go wild.

Learning to Tie with Pink Elephants and Fleece

2013-01-02T10:28:00.000-06:00

If learning to tie shoelaces seems like a lost art, learning to tie knots can be useful. Well, at least the Boy Scouts still teach the art of knot tying. And, if nothing else, it's a fun process when elephants are involved.

This is not a paid product review, though if I were to throw in my two cents worth I would highly recommend these kits. My daughter received hers as a Christmas gift from my sister, but I believe you can find them at Joann's Fabrics and maybe even Hobby Lobby, Michaels or online.

It began with two pieces of fleece fabric. One was a solid lime green backing color. The other was PINK ELEPHANTS!!!!!

My elephant-loving daughter was thrilled when she got the chance to learn how to tie knots using a No-Sew Fleece blanket kit picturing PINK ELEPHANTS!

I cut the strips of fabric fleece fringe and showed her how to cross the strips to form an "X" and then tuck inside the newly formed circle and puuuuuullllllllll hard and tight. She LOVED this part.

Soon, I began to tie every other fringe strip leaving the rest to her.

Before long, the blanket was complete with one happy elephant-loving knot-tying girl.

My Thoughts About Newtown Shooting

2012-12-17T13:56:00.002-06:00

Please forgive my lengthy comments. I have been numbed, tearful and have so many emotions on what happened in CT. I cannot get these horrific events of yesterday morning out of my thought and, of course, my prayers. I look down this list

and 14 of these babies were the same age as one of my daughters.

I cannot imagine what Christmas morning, or the last night of Hanukkah will be/was for these families. This absolutely breaks my heart in two. ...

And, I cannot help but wonder if any of them would have one day met up with my daughter as friends, or even as her intended mate, but has now been snatched forever from this world.

To my knowledge, I do not know anyone in Connecticut with children in Sandy Hook Elementary, but my heart grieves with these strangers.
My heart grieves for the kids who saw their friends die in a gruesome manner.
My heart grieves for Ryan Lanza who was initially blasted all over the internet as the killer when it was really his brother.
My heart grieves for the families and friends of the adults and the teachers who acted heroically.

I have questions, like how did this gunman get into the school? And, of course, I want to know why.

And, I realize everyone is going to grieve in their own way and no one means any harm for their knee-jerk first reactions.

I see posts responding to the tragedy blaming guns (neither bans on guns or laws for right to carry will fix this. The same day, 22 children in China were stabbed by not a gun wielding bandit, but a knife-wielding one),

blaming public schools (this isn't isolated to public schools. It happened in an Amish community, a theatre and places of employment in the past),

blaming taking prayer and God out of schools (there were teachers praying with their huddled terrified students, which may have saved their lives)

or even blaming God (God does not make evil happen, but allows it for reasons we cannot yet fully understand)

The truth is that this was an evil act committed in a less-than-perfect world filled with the need for the light of love found only in a risen savior. That's what I believe. This act of horrific violence grieves me, scares me, shakes my sense of security and feeling of safety and makes me want to wrap a blanket of peace around the survivors. And, we cannot let this man's murderous acts to win.

Draw Plus Science Book Teaches Through The Art Of Drawing

2012-12-10T18:22:00.001-06:00

Learn Science while drawing art. Another wonderful book in this “Draw Plus” line of books. Draw Plus Science by Freddie Levin, published by Peel Productions, Inc., is a 64-page fun way to enhance science studies by using art.

My children love this hands-on approach to learning scientific facts. And, of course, my elephant-loving daughter was drawn to the elephants.

The book is filled with more than 200 drawings and full color illustrations throughout the book. It is intended for children age 6 and up. My six-year-old loved it, but so did my 10 and 12 year olds. I wish I could teach every subject like this every day

Shhhh! Don’t tell your child they are really learning because they won’t realize the enormous amount of information that is filling their head full of knowledge while they think they are doing nothing more than creating through the art of drawing. While your child is drawing, he or she is also learning about scientific observation and facts about classification, life cycles, seasons, measuring, recording, variety in nature, climates, inherited traits as well as characteristics of organisms.

The book is available at area bookstores or your local library. If it’s not there, ask for it as it would be a sweet addition to any learning collection. Find it also online at drawbooks.com.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book to my delight in exchange only for my honest review. I received no other compensation.

The hottest new word game Typecrush is green and made in the USA

2012-12-06T09:25:00.001-06:00

If you haven’t heard about this great new game, check it out! I received a sample to try out for myself with my children in exchange for this review. No other compensation was exchanged, just my following thoughts about the game:

Typecrush is a simple yet brilliant game that creates teachable moments in the form of a word game. Included are round colorful cardboard disks with letters imprinted on them. Each color represents how frequently that particular letter is used in the English alphabet. The color coding also gives you clues to solving the hidden word games.

The rules are similar to Hangman, but that’s where your creativity is free to launch. Play the game by your own rules. The only official rule is that when someone guesses the word they get to choose the next word. Also, the makers of Typecrush suggest that you play using themes and that players be at least seven years old.

We played it with making crosswords, spelling words on my daughter’s spelling list and by guessing the words that other players created. Another way to play could be to mix up the letters like a word jumble puzzle or to play matching games, like a game of Memory.

Of course, the game would not be complete until someone spelled the word E-L-E-P-H-A-N-T!

The game is assembled in the USA and is made from recycled materials. The entire game fits inside a canister that is very portable.

You can find the game at typecrush.com and order it just in time for Christmas, or it may arrive before the 8 days of Hanukkah are over.

TILL MONDAY YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN YOUR OWN:

There is a fantastic giveaway going on at Teachable ScottsTots blog. All you have to do is comment with a creative vocabulary word (please keep it clean), and you could win your very own Typecrush game. Once you get your hands on the game, you’ll fall in love and will be building words and creating new games like you’ve never imagined. Before you know it, your children will be spelling words with ease and begging to play Typecrush to show you’re their newly learned skills.

Education is Busy Work

2012-11-21T00:18:00.001-06:00

Argh! Education has become such busy work for me that I just realized it's been September since I have posted anything on this amazing blog.

In that time, we have traveled from Wisconsin on a musical tour with my husband and kids, found a new dance studio for my daughters since their beloved dance teacher retired after teaching us for 8 years, began gymnastics class for all three kiddos and been swamped beyond belief with new writing opportunities.

All the while, I'm also homeschooling my three children.

The schedule works on ideal days. I get up at 6, work till 10 and then begin the school portion of our day. But, nothing is ideal and most days follow suit. I do my best with what I have been given and find myself extremely busy just trying to play catch up and pay the bills.

New Educational Blue Orange Spot it! Games

2012-09-07T19:23:00.000-05:00

First let me say that my kids really love these games. In a world of technology and great gaming animation effects, which my kids also enjoy, this pleasantly surprised me that they took to a card game with such enthusiasm. It truly is more fun to learn when you’re having fun learning. Blue Orange Games just released new learning games. Spot it! For Schools now features:

Alphabet Numbers and Shapes
Basic English
Spanish
French

I had the privilege of reviewing three of these game with my children thanks to the people at Blue Orange Games who sent me the games in exchange for a review.

After receiving many requests from educators, Blue Orange developed games for teachers to use for early learning. The games are designed for three to eight year old children, but teachers may find themselves playing them behind the scenes as well. According to a recent press release from Blue Orange:

The games develop visual perception skills, while exercising cognitive speed and reaction time in a fun atmosphere. As always, there is always one and only one match between any two cards. Spot it! Alphabet and Spot it! Numbers & Shapes help children build essential skills for preschool as they learn to identify letters, numbers, colors and shapes. In the Basic Language editions, players search for matches between universal words and their corresponding pictures. While the repetition solidifies sight word recognition and builds reading confidence, the pictures support reading comprehension.

All of the School Edition games will be available on September 15, 2012 at Mindware.com. Basic Spanish and French will be available directly on Amazon.com from September 15, 2012.

Freedom on the Underground Railroad: Ghost train to Freedom Book review

2012-06-26T07:21:00.001-05:00

If you ever wanted your kids to get excited about history, you have just found your solution. I received the book, Ghost Train to Freedom An Adventure on the Underground Railroad by Faith Reese Martin, in exchange for an honest review. It is part of the JMP History Mystery Detective Agency Series.

The book weaves together a fascinating story of time-traveling teens, Jinx and Max. The adventurous girl and boy travel back in time to the 1800's when slave trading was alive and accepted in America. It was also a time of the Underground Railroad where freedom was found in secret through a dangerous series of trustworthy brave people and hiding, largely at night.

The author knows her history well. Faith Reese Martin is a former fourth and fifth grade teacher who simply desired to spark her students interest in history - a subject that is far too often presented in a dry and boring manner. The author, instead, approaches it with a fictitious story set in a time that really happened, using real facts of history woven throughout the story. The result of combining history with fiction and mystery is that you won't want to put the book down. You will find yourself pulled into the story as if you traveled through time on a time-traveling train with Jinx and Max, the main characters who guide you trough history.

If you're not intrigued yet, you will be the moment you crack open the covers of this book. From the first paragraph all the way through to the end of the 300+ pages, you will be on the edge of your seat asking yourself why you never learned this much details about this important time frame in America's history. It will lead you on a trail of further research. You will discover facts about the past that will make you want to know more.

. Here is something I learned from the book: Making it to freedom took desire, bravery, skill and complicated communication. Some of the trails to freedom were communicated through the use of Freedom Quilts which were scraps of fabric woven together to form a quilt filled with intricate designs of codes and symbols showing the road to freedom. See what you discover when you use the book for summertime reading enjoyment or weave it into a history class and lesson about American history.

You can find the book at Amazon.com I was provided with websites on the information I received, however when I visit the sites I get error messages that will not allow me to proceed. Hopefully, they will be up and running soon for you to discover more. Here are the sites: www.ghosttraintofreedom.com www.faithreesemartin.com

Say This, NOT That to Your Professor Book Review

2012-06-22T15:56:00.000-05:00

I know, the cover of this book alone is enough to brighten your day. I recently had the pleasure of reviewing a book that was sent to me from the publisher in exchange for only an honest review. Well, the book is amazing and a must-have for every college student. Actually, it's a must-have for anyone who ever deals with any other human being ever in their lives. Though, it is focused on dealing with college professors.

The book by Ellen Bremen, M.A., is Say This, NOT That to Your Professor. It walks you through more than 35 scenarios of what you might feel like saying to your professor, and better ways to phrase it so the professor responds favorably. As a professor, the author has personal experience to draw from and expresses helpful advice in an easy-to-understand format.

What you say, and what the professor hears can be drastically different. It can mean the difference of passing a class with joy and ease or having a miserable time throughout. For instance, if you missed a class and want to find out if you missed something important, there are ways to approach your instructor so he or she does not interpret what you say as meaning that you do not find the class important. The book is very conversational and easy to read with practical advice every student will value.

If you've ever been a student or a teacher, chances are you will relate to at least a handful of the scenarios in the book. It is a must-read for any student headed off to college in the fall or taking a summer session. You can find out more information about the author and where to buy the book at her site, Ellenbremen.com.

Teacher Appreciation Week May 7-11

2012-05-07T09:21:00.001-05:00

Teacher Appreciation Week this year (2012) is this week (May 7 to 11).

It's a great time to thank a great teacher for all he or she has done.

It's also a great time to be a teacher. Many businesses offer Teacher Appreciation Week savings. Some of these businesses are nationwide. However, many are local. So, look around and see who is offering teacher specials this week in your area.

And, THANK YOU!!! Thank you for a job well done.

Create Custom Lesson Plans With New TED-Ed Videos

2012-04-25T09:43:00.000-05:00

This new site is amazing! It allows teachers to customize lesson plans and use videos and slides from this site - TED-Ed http://ed.ted.com/lessons/ .

There is something for almost every subject. I just looked at it to check it out and have not delved deeper. However, I saw lessons on science, art, Business, health, math and more.

Check out this lesson plan and video on the size of an atom:

TED-Ed | Just How Small Is an Atom?

Great Math Site for Finding Mean, Median, Mode, and Range

2012-04-13T12:05:00.001-05:00

Do you find yourself inside a personal complex math problem when trying to decipher the definitions of mathematical terms? If so, I ran across an amazing site that clearly explains the differences between Mean, Median, Mode and Range. It's called Purple Math:

Mean, Median, Mode, and Range

When you're done reading this you will no longer find the average to be a "Big Blue Meanie" and may even find yourself singing, "Home home on the RANGE". OK, enough of corny humor and onto figure out numbers at Purple Math.com