Posted in Website of the Week

~~This will remain a sticky for a few weeks. Scroll down to see my new posts.~~

You are invited to 2 weeks of summer fun and savings at CurrClick's Back to the Beach Sale! From June 16th through June 30th, you'll find a huge selection of discounted summertime titles to choose from. Discounts up to 75% OFF! From beaches to The Beatles to biomes, from novel studies to dream diaries, you'll get unbeatable discounts on books and audio, sure to entertain and educate all through the summer - whether you're at the beach or in your own back yard!

Posted in Summer Fun School

Yesterday started out like the day before. Matt worked on his math and reading workbooks. We got a late start due to me not wanting to wake up, but once I got up we got down to things.

First up was creating a Pirate Color Book.

Matt was pretty sick of coloring once he got to the parrot.

While I was reading Chapter 2 on the New World Pirates inthe research guide, Matt was creating a book on "P" words.

Later on in the evening, after a bath, Matt went to work on his parrot. I put it together, but he did the rest.

~ Day 3 Plans ~

First up is to create a pirate ship out of two half gallon milk cartons. Me personally am using lemonade containers because they were cheeper than milk and I love lemonade.

Next is to create a pirate hat. Every pirate needs a hat. This is the first of the gear to make you look like a pirate.

While I read Chapter 3 on the Golden Age of Pirates in the pirate guide, Matt will color a pirate picture with monkeys as the pirates. Matt loves monkeys.

The final activity of the day is a pirate command game. This game is part of the Ahoy Matey! lapbook, but I plan on changing it a bit. We will play it as "Pirate Says", otherwise known as "Simon Says".

Stay tuned tomorrow for our day in review and our day 4 plans.

Check out my pirate theme store where you will find tons of books, movies, and toys all geared for the pirate lover in you!

All our lesson plans and links used can also be found here on our website.

Posted in Summer Fun School

We took an impromptu trip up to my sisters in NH, so no learning about pirates happened today. We will be doing day 2 tomorrow and will post about it after.

Posted in Summer Fun School

Our first day started out well. After breakfast, chores, and a little bit of playing on the Wii, we started out. Matt started with a little math and then phonics review. This will be done every day to insure he doesn't forget his skills over the summer.

First up was a reading of the poem "Pirate Story" by Robert Louis Stevenson. Then we made the mini book that went along with it. Matt's drawings were pretty cute.

After this Matt colored some bookmarks while I read about the first pirates. He loved hearing about the Greek pirates and the vikings.

And finally we made a couple of pirates. The patterns I used came with the Ahoy Matey! lapbook, but here is an alternative pattern for you to use.

~Day 2 Plans~

The first activity is to make a color book, pirate themed. It is a little young for Matt, but it is cute and easy for him to make.

While I continue reading the Magic Treehouse Guide Chapter 2 on the New World Pirates, Matt will create a "P" book. Again, this is a little young for Matt. (Matt also noticed that for lunch on day 1 he had pizza and pineapple and they both start with "P" like pirate does).

Final activity of the day is to create a parrot craft. The goal is for Matt to be decked out in full pirate gear by the end of all the lessons and he needs a Polly to go along with it.

Stay tuned tomorrow for our day in review and day 3 plans.

Check out my pirate theme store where you will find tons of books, movies, and toys all geared for the pirate lover in you!

All our lesson plans and links used can also be found here on our website.

Posted in Summer Fun School

Welcome to the first annual Summer Fun School! We have picked a few themes to learn about and Pirates are up first. All our lesson plans and links used can also be found here on our website.

We are using the Ahoy Matey! lapbook and Pirates Past Noon and the Pirates research guide, both from The Magic Treehouse series. I have also added some other hands on activities to make it more enjoyable.

I also bought  math and reading workbooks for Matt to review his first grade skills during the summer. Don't need him to forget what he learned over the school year.

Each of ours days will be short. Matt's friends inthe neighborhood aren't around until the afternoon, so I have made plans to stop then so he can go run and play.

~Day 1 plans~

Today will be a bit longer I think because we haven't done any lessons in a few weeks.

We will start with the workbooks first every morning, then move onto the pirate themed activities.

Read the "Pirate Story" by Robert Louis Stevenson and do the minibook that goes along with it.

While I read chapter 1 in the Magic Treehouse guide on the first pirates, Matt will color some pirate bookmarks for us to use to hold our places.

Our last activity of the day is to make a pirate craft. You can't have a pirate theme without pirates afterall.

Stay tuned tomorrow for our first day in review and our day 2 plans.

Check out my pirate theme store where you will find tons of books, movies, and toys all geared for the pirate lover in you!

Posted in Ponderings

You see them at the grocery, or in a discount store.

It's a big family by today’s standards - "just like stair steps," as the old folks say. Freshly scrubbed boys with neatly trimmed hair and girls with braids, in clean but unfashionable clothes follow mom through the store as she fills her no-frills shopping list.

There's no begging for gimcracks, no fretting, and no threats from mom. The older watch the younger, freeing mom to go peacefully about her task.

You are looking at some of the estimated 2 million children being home schooled in the U.S., and the number is growing. Their reputation for academic achievement has caused colleges to begin aggressively recruiting them. Savings to the taxpayers in instructional costs are conservatively estimated at $4 billion, and some place the figure as high as $9 billion. When you consider that these families pay taxes to support public schools, but demand nothing from them, it seems quite a deal for the public.

Home schooling parents are usually better educated than the norm, and are more likely to attend worship services. Their motives are many and varied. Some fear contagion from the anti-clericalism, coarse speech, suggestive behavior and hedonistic values that characterize secular schools. Others are concerned for their children’s safety. Some want their children to be challenged beyond the minimal competencies of the public schools. Concern for a theistic world view largely permeates the movement.

Indications are that home schooling is working well for the kids, and the parents are pleased with their choice, but the practice is coming under increasing suspicion, and even official attack, as in California.

Why do we hate (or at least distrust) these people so much?

Methinks American middle-class people are uncomfortable around the home schooled for the same reason the alcoholic is uneasy around the teetotaler.

Their very existence represents a rejection of our values, and an indictment of our lifestyles. Those families are willing to render unto Caesar the things that Caesar’s be, but they draw the line at their children. Those of us who have put our trust in the secular state (and effectively surrendered our children to it) recognize this act of defiance as a rejection of our values, and we reject them in return.

Just as the jealous Chaldeans schemed to bring the wrath of the king upon the Hebrew eunuchs, we are happy to sic the state’s bureaucrats on these “trouble makers.” Their implicit rejection of America’s most venerated idol, Materialism, (a.k.a. “Individualism”) spurs us to heat the furnace and feed the lions.

Young families must make the decision: Will junior go to day care and day school, or will mom stay home and raise him? The rationalizations begin. "A family just can't make it on one income." (Our parents did.) "It just costs so much to raise a child nowadays." (Yeah, if you buy brand-name clothing, pre-prepared food, join every club and activity, and spend half the cost of a house on the daughter’s wedding, it does.) And so, the decision is made. We give up the bulk of our waking hours with our children, as well as the formation of their minds, philosophies, and attitudes, to strangers. We compensate by getting a boat to take them to the river, a van to carry them to Little League, a 2,800-square-foot house, an ATV, a zero-turn Cub Cadet, and a fund to finance a brand-name college education. And most significantly, we claim “our right” to pursue a career for our own
"self-fulfillment."

Deep down, however, we know that our generation has eaten its seed corn. We lack the discipline and the vision to deny ourselves in the hope of something enduring and worthy for our posterity. We are tired from working extra jobs, and the looming depression threatens our 401k’s. Credit cards are nearly maxed, and it costs a $100 to fuel the Suburban. Now the kid is raising hell again, demanding the latest Play Station as his price for doing his school work … and there goes that modest young woman in the home-made dress with her four bright-eyed, well-behaved home-schooled children in tow. Wouldn’t you just love to wipe that serene look right off her smug face?

Is it any wonder we hate her so?

Sonny Scott a community columnist, lives on Sparta Road in Chickasaw County and his e-mail address is sonnyscott@yahoo.com. 

Posted in School Year Stuff

That H-U-G-E catalog that every homeschooler looks forward to. That bible of all homeschool catalogs. The one that we all read cover to cover even if we know every product they carry. You guessed it, my Rainbow Resource catalog finally showed up yesterday! I curled up in bed with it last night with my hubby shaking his head like I lost it. LOL

Posted in School Year Stuff

Every year for the last day of school, we go out to Chuck E Cheese. Today was Matt's last day of public school. Here's a few pictures of our day (including a rather dark one of me that Matt took).

This trucking game we have at home for the Game Cube, but of course it doesn't come with a huge wheel and it isn't played on a life sized screen.

Posted in Ponderings

The house is now on the market. We (or should I say my hubby) signed the papers this morning.

Of course this being Sunday, I just wanted to hang out and read and relax in my jammies until we had to leave for a birthday party. So, I am in the shower, taking my time, enjoying the hot water, when my hubby pops his head in saying the realitor will be here shortly!

Well, my shower ended right there. I dressed really fast and started barking orders at Matt to clean up the living room. He had a friend try to sleep over the night before (his friend got homesick and wanted to go home. No big deal, he only lives right next door) and there were toys and blankets all over. My kitchen was a mess. I made pancakes for breakfast and I didn't feel like cleaning up right away. You couldn't tell there was a table in the kitchen is was so covered in books and papers.

The realitor showed up like 5 minutes after. I was freaking out! I am by no means a neat freak, but the fact that my house looked like a monster ran through it did not help. Thankfully, our realitor, who has 3 kids under 8, knows how I feel. Her inlaws decided to show up and she was freaking out herself.

It took like 5 minutes for my hubby to sign the papers and she told me she had someone lined up to see the house TOMORROW NIGHT!!!! I guess they like the neighborhood or whatever. I love it here honestly. But all I could see was my house being so cluttered with boxes and papers and stuff that I still need to fix around the house, that I just went into a melt down. I am still freaking out, just not as much.

So, now I have to make sure the house is spic-and-span by 7pm tomorrow. Ya right. That never happened the 9 years I have lived here. My house has always been cluttered, but in a neat way. We are still storing crap from my inlaws and they passed away 7 and 4 years ago!

So wish me luck as I run around like a chicken with it's head cut off tonight and tomorrow. Housework is not my favorite thing to do. Good thing is we rented a storage unit, so I can throw all the boxes in it tomorrow, but there is still so much that needs to be done.

As much as it would totally rock my socks to have the house sell asap, I don't want it to. I need time to go through my crap before I pack.

Posted in School Year Stuff

Trying to get my kids to read has always been a challange. I am an avid reader. I devour books. I read a 300 page book today infact. (I was up at 5am and read most of it by 8am and finished it at lunch).

Chantelle has been better at reading since we joined our homeschool groups reading club. She has actually read the other books in a series after readign the first ones in the group.

Matt on the other hand hates to read. Well, he hates to read when he is told to read I should say. He reads instead gaming manuals, magazines, and anything other than a book. I have been thinking of taking him to a comic book store and letting him choose a few to read. Anything to get him to read.

Every year since we begain homeschooling, we have participated in a few Summer Reading Programs.

One is through our local library. Last year they didn't have the program because they lost their funding and accreditation, but I read in our library's newsletter that it will be running this year. Yippy! It's different every year and my kids were ever featured in our local paper promoting the program. 

Another is put on through Barnes & Nobles around the country. All you have to do is read 8 books and fill out a form and return it to your local Barnes & Nobles and you get to choose a book from a selection that the store has chosen.

The third one we participate in is through Homeschooling.About.com. This one has been going on for the past 7 years. You simply read at least 500 pages (it was easier for Chantelle to complete than Matt which always bummed him out, but he got to read more books) and return the list to Beverly. Come the end of September, you get a certificate and some prizes (usually book marks, pencils, stickers and such).

Normally those are the only ones we do, but this year we found another one to participate in. It is put out by TOS called Summer Reading Splash. You simply read books and keep track of how many you read and at the end of the program ou turn in the logs. Also every week there is a topic of the week that the kids will answer and email for a chance to win a prize.

Have a fun summer reading! 

Posted in Nature Study

Free this week at Currclick, is a Nature Journal in the Charlotte Mason style. Go grab it before this great deal is gone.

It’s all in one place! A guide to nature journaling and a template for creating your own journal. This 90-page book follows Charlotte Mason’s guidelines, has a 36-week nature journal template, includes tips, suggestions, a bird, tree and mammal observation list and food for thought on the many ways nature study enriches your child’s life.

Contains:
Introduction to Nature Study
Finding Delight in Nature Study
Charlotte Mason on Nature Study and “Nature-Diaries”
Better Nature Journaling
Dry Brush Technique for Nature Journals
Instructions for Nature Journal
36-week Nature Journal Template
Bird List
Tree list
Mammal List

Posted in Nature Study

Posted in Website of the Week

Today I found a page that offers a free teachers guide to the books by Gail Gibbons. We love her books and can find almost all of them at our local library.  It comes in two pdf files. One is the cover, the other is the actual book. There is two pages for each of the books it covers, most of which my son wants to learn about, so that is great.

Teacher's guide to Gail Gibbons books

Posted in Ponderings

Boy, have we gathered a ton of stuff living here. I have been here 9  years, my hubby grew up in this house. So you can just imagine how much junk we have. Not to mention I am still finding stuff from his parents (this was their house until my FIL passed away 5 years ago, MIL passed away 7 years ago). I found two huge boxes of pictures, in my closet, that no one knows who they are.  I found old bill stubs and checks from banks that were back when my MIL first had her stroke in the early 90's. Those were stashed in my sons closet. There was even a huge box of old medical bills and reciepts in the basement. Lord knows why my FIL saved all this crap.

Like most homeschooling families, we have a T-O-N of books. We have donated a bunch (like 6+ boxes) to Got Books but we still have a ton. They are everywhere in the house too. I have 4 novels here at my desk, all but one has been read. I read a ton too. I can read a 400 page novel in one day, if the kids let me. I did today infact, but I was up at 5:30 with my asthma bugging me and hubby didn't want me to do too much to aggivate it more. I did fill up 6 boxes of stuff here at the house though and a load of laundry before needing to rest again.

We are having a huge yard sale this weekend up at my BIL house. Lots of stuff we have gathered are in need of a new home. We don't use most of what we have, so why not get some money back from them. My son alone donated 5 huge rubbermade bins of toys, while my daughter donated two. Most of her "toys" are cd's a movies anyway.

I am going to go curl up with a good book again before I tackle more packing. I'll post some things later in the week.

Posted in Ponderings

Just having a little bit of fun. How I love this movie. I think I will curl up with a cup of hot cocoa and watch it.

Posted in Nature Study

I was suddenly sensible of such sweet and beneficent society in Nature, in the very pattering of the drops and every sound and sight around my house, an infinite and unaccountable friendliness all at once like an atmosphere sustaining me, as made the fancied advantages of human neighbourhood insignificant, and I have never thought of them since. (Henry David Thoreau, 1854)

Today, we headed out to Walden Pond in Concord MA to do a little Trout fishing. They stock the pond yearly with the fish and had just done so a few weeks ago. We didn't catch anything however. I think it was a bit to chilly this morning. It rained out the past two days, so it was in the high 40's.

We took a walk around and explored a little and learned a little more about Henry David Thoreau (at least I did hehe). This area was once owned by Emerson and he allowed Thoreau to live here. From what little reading I did on they today, they were good friends. This is a replica of Thoreau's house and a little info on how much it cost him to build the house.

Can you imagine paying so little for a home today? A shed this size would cost hundreds now. Here's a link for you to build a card model of Thoreau's house. I think I will make one with Matt later tonight. (I'll post it when we are done).

Walden Pond is a kettle hole, a deep (103 foot) pond formed over 12,000 years ago when the last glacier to cover New England slowly melted away. As it did, large chunks of ice broke off and beame surrounded and covered by vast amounts of sand and gravel carried by streams flowing fromthe glacier. As these blocks melted, they left behind depressions that eventually filled with water. Because of this geological history, most kettle holes like Walden Pond have no streams flowing into or out of them (from the Walden Pond State Reservation brochure).

Posted in Science

I just recently signed up for this and boy am I excited, so I just had to pass it along to you. It's FREE! So sign up today! When you do sign up, you get a free science activity guide filled with experiments and a link to join in on a free live video class!

Welcome First, let me tell you that I'm so glad to be able to share the science experiments and projects in these newsletters with you. And most importantly, I'm really glad that you believe science is an essential part of education for your child. I'd like to make a commitment to you that I can show you how to make science totally engaging and fun for your kids. About once a week I'll send you an experiment that is kid-proven to breed curiosity, excitement and learning. You see, science isn't just a subject in school – at least it doesn't need to be. Recently a man came up to me and thanked me profusely. To be honest, I didn't recognize him. Then he explained that about six years ago, I had taught a science workshop that his son participated in. His son was doing very poorly in all his subjects at the time (I think he was in 6th grade). He continued to tell me that after the workshop, his son had developed a fascination with science (airplanes in particular). His grades in school got better, and in science, he was getting A's and B's. Then the man straightened up and smiled. He said “My boy just started college in Aeronautical Engineering!” It turns out, six years ago he was looking ahead and worrying that his son might not even finish high school. Like I said, science can be so much more than just a subject to teach your kids. So what was it that inspired this kid so much during a few hours that it changed his life? I'm about to tell you, but first you should know that just the knowledge itself doesn't do anything. You have to implement it for it to matter. And that is what these newsletters will show you how to do. So what's the secret? I'm sure you already know it, but here's my version. If we want kids to learn a subject – any subject – we usually provide them with the information we want them to learn and get them to practice it a bunch of times. But I do it differently. First, I get kids interested and excited about the subject. In fact, I don't even care if they learn a single academic fact to start with. Because what I've found over years of teaching is that if kids are excited about the application of a topic, they will want to learn the theory behind it . In fact, they'll learn it without even realizing what they're doing – it just becomes a part of the fun. That's it. Okay, so there is a bit more that goes along with this (and I'll make it a part of future newsletters), but this is the foundation. Make it fun and engaging first. If kids like what they are doing, they will want to learn the academics. Thanks for joining me on this wonderful journey of discovery. I look forward to sharing more fun, excitement and learning with you in our next issue. Warmly, Aurora   P.S. Years ago, a very special teacher and mentor changed my life. He inspired me with a passion for discovery and learning through exploring the world around myself. Now I get to share this with you and your children - a chance to pass on the gift that was once bestowed upon me.

How to Share Supercharged Science

If you found the information from Supercharged Science useful and insightful, I please pass along the good fortune now by forwarding this email to someone you know who may benefit.

Science Tools for Homeschool Families

If you feel awkward because your child asks science questions you can't answer, and you're not even sure where to look for those answers, know that you are not alone! Many parents today feel their child has outstripped their science knowledge, yet they still want to support their child in a meaningful and lasting way. There are many science experiments you can do today with your child that are not difficult to do nor do they require expensive equipment.  You can start right away with things in your house with a little help and guidance from Supercharged Science.  Visit here to find out more.

Posted in Holidays

With Mother's Day quickly coming, here are a few great ebooks from CurrClick the help you get started learning about this wonderful holiday.

Mother's Day Unit Study

Mother's Day Unit, Crafts & More

                                                                            Mother's Day Activities             

Posted in School Year Planning Ideas

Posted in Ponderings

Now that the weather here in eastern MA is finally getting warmer (it will be in the low 70's by the end of the week), we are doing a huge spring cleaning. Mostly because our house is going up for sale this week. This is something my husband and I have been talking about for months now and have decided that this is the time to do it. With any luck, our house will sell by the end of June. That way Matt is out of school and I won't have to put him in a school for a short amount of time. Although I would take that oportunity to ask to homeschool him as well.

The only thing I am worried about is the fact that this house is in some serious ned of TLC. My inlaws (it was their house for over 40 years) did nothing to maintain it other than a few coats of paint here and there. I know those "flip that house" type of shows are pretty popular right now, so I am hoping a flipper (or someone who can see the charm of this house and quiet kid filled neighborhood) will by the house and give it the love it needs.

I see a H-U-G-E yard sale in our near future. One persons junk is another persons treasure. My hubby and I have accumulated so much "stuff" over the past 9 years we have been together. We still have all his parents stuff here as well from when they passed away (over 4 years ago). I hate yard sales and our neighborhood actually stinks for one (easy to get lost up here), so it will have to be at my BIL in NH.

Well, back to cleaning. I'll post some more things tomorrow. Like all the lapboosk we have finished that I haven't posted yet and some pictures of our cat homeschooling. They are cute.