B is for ...

This theme is mainly review and the letter changes every two days.  We assembled a binder with a tab for each letter.  Each day's papers can be put into the binder for a sort of scrapbook to review.  Here are some of our slightly organized ideas for the letter B (of course we didn't do all of these and some are more specific than others):

• Food: Bananas (make banana bread or banana pudding); beans (make bean salad, chili or Black Bean Nachos)
• Animals: bears, bulldogs, beavers, bison, to name a few.  Choose one or two to learn about.  Print coloring pages, draw, share facts, look at pictures.
• Science: set up a butterfly habitat
• Geography: mark locations on a map, make a fact book about Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belau, Belgium, Belize, Belorussia, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi.
• Math: sort, compare, count, add and subtract beans.  Make a bar graph using beans.
• Books: Berenstain Bears series
• Songs: The Bear Went Over the Mountain
• Art: make butterfly mirror paintings

Black Bean Nachos 

1 can cheese soup        1 cup shredded cheese                    1 can black beans, drained

1 cup milk                    1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips        1 package shell pasta, cooked & drained   

In a medium bowl, mix soup and milk.  In a large casserole dish, combine pasta, beans, and soup mixture.  Bake 30 minutes at 400 degrees.  Remove from oven, sprinkle tortilla chips and cheese over the top and bake and additional 15 minutes.  Serve with salsa and sour cream.