Homeschool Circus

2012 Presidential Election Critical Issues Kit Review!

2012-02-10T19:36:00.000-05:00

Would you ever vote for a fool? Think the Electoral College is an outdated tool from bygones past? Believe that the Supreme Court is the end-all in Judiciary decisions and abides solely by the Constitution?

THINK AGAIN!

2012 Presidential Election Critical Issues Kit from Vision Forum contains How to Dethrone the Imperial Judiciary, The Importance of the Electoral College and Biblical Principles of the Ballot Box. Purchased alone or in the kit, these resources will not only help you choose a Presidential candidate, but aid in the understanding of American history and structure of our government as well.

Biblical Principles of the Ballot Box CD - Fearful Christians in an Age of Politics.

Though this was taped prior to the 2008 Elections, these timeless principles are still applicable today!

“Christians will panic and loose their spiritual minds and fear over the state of the election. The answer is delighting in the law of God and his statutes’ and beholding the wonderful things he has given us in these statutes’ not withstanding the fact that princes and magistrates and rulers may despise them as may other Christians who have lost their spiritual mind in a state of fear.”

Packed into a 2 hour message, Doug Phillips delivers a distinctively non-political message that doesn't endorse a particular candidate but rather shows all Christians how to use the one true source of guidelines in selecting civil magistrates - THE BIBLE

God can raise up whomever, but we don’t have to endorse someone that doesn’t acknowledge God as law and authority. So an attitude of "There are no perfect candidates, so we must chose the lessor of two evils", doesn't cut it in God's eyes.

For us to give our support, he should uphold Godly principals.

In Exodus 18, Jethro gives Moses specific guidelines in how to select a civil magistrate.
He must:

-be able (Man of spiritual strength)

-fear God (honor and reverence God) The Bible says if you don’t fear God, you are a fool.

Why would you vote for a fool?

-be committed to truth

-hate covetousness

Just as a present day judge gives guidelines to jurors before they render a judgement, Moses gives specific standards (guidelines) to the people in choosing a leader 40 years later in Deuteronomy 1:13.

Interestingly enough, these principles are similar to the selection of elders and are found in:

Deuteronomy 16:18-20

Deuteronomy 17:14-20

2 Samuel 23:3

2 Chronicles 19:6-7

Nehemiah 7:2

Romans 13:1-6

This CD also addresses women as civil magistrates as well.

Coming from a "voting for the guy I don't like so that the guy I REALLY don't like doesn't win" perspective, I was personally convicted that I have not been holding my "candidate of choice" completely up to the word of God. With guidelines in hand, it's time for me to get cracking and weigh each candidate by God's standard which was set down after the Flood. This November I will vote with a clear conscience supporting a candidate that is qualified according to Biblical guidelines, whomever that may be.

The Importance of the Electoral College

"What do George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Jack Kennedy, Harry Truman, Woodrow Wilson, Abraham Lincoln, and eight other American Presidents have in common? Each received less than a majority of the votes cast in the election that elevated him to the White House. What does every elected President since 1824 have in common? None received a majority of the votes of the potential voting population and, in fact, most received less than a fourth of that possible vote!"

Then why do we need the Electoral College?

Some of the reasons include:

*Republics exercise governmental authority through mediating representatives under the rule of law

*Pure democracies on the other hand exercise governmental authority through the imposition of the will of the majority without regard for the concerns of any minority-thus allowing law to be subject to the whims, fashions, and fancies of men

*The Founders rejected direct popular election of the President because it failed to protect the states from the intrusion of massed centralized forces

*Finally, the Founders avoided direct democracy because it would fail to prevent candidates from ignoring smaller states in favor of big metropolitan areas

Critics say each state's electoral votes are awarded on a winner-take all basis in the Constitutional system. This makes it extremely difficult for third party or independent candidates to win any votes in the Electoral College.

In this information packed book, great for Junior High and up, author George Grant takes examples from the elections of 1789, 1792, 1796, 1800, 1824, 1876, 1888 and 2000 demonstrating how the Electoral College's decision benefited the country over popular vote by representing a greater variety of the population.

For example, in the Election of 1888:

"the campaign proved to be one of the most civil and boring in history. It was also one of the closest. Cleveland won by only 0.8% over Harrison in the popular vote. That lead was concentrated in a single region while Harrison was able to appeal to a broader constituency across the whole nation."

While critics claim the above as their best example of how flawed the Electoral College system actually is, supporters argue that on the contrary, this shows why the system worked.

And finally,

"This is no time to tinker with the great instrument of our freedoms. The Electoral College is not broken. Like never before in our long and vanted

How to Dethrone the Imperial Judiciary

"Nowhere in Article III are federal judges granted “life tenure”. To suggest such permanent, unchallengeable incumbency is as foreign to the actual text of the constitution as are the words “separation of church and state.”

It is pure myth that the Supreme Court has the last word on the meaning of the US Constitution. Indeed, article VI makes clear that “this constitution and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof…shall be the supreme Law of the Land….and all executive and judicial officers, both of the US and of the several States shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution.

In other words, the Judiciary is under the Constitution. and not over it."

In Dethroning the Imperial Judiciary, Author Edwin Vieira takes the reader through landmark cases in which the Supreme Court has made their decisions based on foreign law and solely on the Constitution. These rulings have in turn been accepted as gospel.

For example, in Lawrence vs. Texas:

"In summary, foreign law not only was a very important component of the majority's decision in Lawrence, but also could be deemed the controlling component."

It was eye opening to read how members of the Supreme Court are seeking to undermine our Constitution instead of upholding it with such abuses traced back to the late 1800's. This book is meaty and a challenging read - definitely for upper high school and college level readers!

Check out one or all of these resources. I guarantee it will challenge the pop-culture mentality that many of us have been indoctrinated with - even if you've been walking with the Lord for years!

I received these items for free in exchange for an honest review.

BIBLE SHUFFLE: New ipad App from Digital Worship!

2012-02-10T00:17:00.000-05:00

Digital Worship Announces a New iPad App: BIBLE SHUFFLE!

Menu for BIBLE SHUFFLE

I'd like to introduce you to BIBLE SHUFFLE, a Christian iPad app that the husband of the author of Colleen's Quest recently developed and is now available at the App Store! This educational app provides basic Bible drill practice, helping students learn to order the books of the Bible in a fun way.

BIBLE SHUFFLE allows players to start slow, ordering individual divisions of the Bible, such as the gospels (4 books) or books of law (5 books), but graduates as quickly as desired to ordering the entire Old and New Testaments. Beginners can use the "Study" section to see the books in correct order for each division before they tackle the timed round. And there is a "Hint" button players can tap which reveals the next book in order, in case they get stuck. Using the hint button takes time, so they will soon drop this habit in order to beat the clock.

Student Score Sheet

BIBLE SHUFFLE captures the speed students order each division, and uses the times to allow them to advance through 5 levels: Beginner, Student, Scholar, Expert and Champion. They can see exactly how fast they need to be in order to achieve the next level -- and, trust me, those final levels are really challenging!

Homeschool or classroom teachers can check student scores to see how many divisions each student has completed and how their times are progressing. Up to 12 student names and scores may be stored at a time on one copy of BIBLE SHUFFLE.

Example of One Division

The score times energize students' competitive natures as they try to get faster times than their friends, siblings or parents, "inadvertently" memorizing the books as they progress.

The graphics for this game are colorful, but simple. They do not distract from the learning process. This game could be played during class-time by students who have finished other work early, or as a Bible drill practice for an entire class (or family) at once. Actually, anytime is a fun time to play this game!

BIBLE SHUFFLE rewards students with applause, encouraging words, and fireworks with the completion of each division. They are awarded medals for each level achieved. Bible verses adorn each page, reminding students of the glory and importance of God's Word.

Levels for BIBLE SHUFFLE

The BIBLE SHUFFLE app is only $1.99 at the App Store. If you have contacts with a Christian school who would like to use BIBLE SHUFFLE in the classroom, let them know that the Educational Pricing Program is reduced even further to $ .99 per copy.

If you don't have an iPad, but know someone who does, please forward this information to them! We'd LOVE to see BIBLE SHUFFLE go viral!!!

TOS Crew ALEKS Review

2012-02-08T19:25:00.000-05:00

Math grades 3-12

A subscription to ALEKS is

$19.95 per student, per month, or
only $99.95 every 6 months, or
only $179.95 every 12 months.

Family Discount Program

What is ALEKS?

Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces is a Web-based, artificially intelligent assessment and learning system. ALEKS uses adaptive questioning to quickly and accurately determine exactly what a student knows and doesn't know in a course. ALEKS then instructs the student on the topics she is most ready to learn. As a student works through a course, ALEKS periodically reassesses the student to ensure that topics learned are also retained. ALEKS courses are very complete in their topic coverage and ALEKS avoids multiple-choice questions. A student who shows a high level of mastery of an ALEKS course will be successful in the actual course she is taking.

ALEKS also provides the advantages of one-on-one instruction, 24/7, from virtually any Web-based computer for a fraction of the cost of a human tutor.

Read an overview of ALEKS

Homeschoolers

ALEKS (Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces) can provide you with the instruction and support you need to homeschool your children in mathematics for grades 3-12. ALEKS is accessible from virtually any computer with Internet access, making it a flexible and mobile educational solution for your children.

ALEKS is a Research-Based Online Math Program:

Complete Curriculum Solution for Math with Access to Full Course Library
No Textbook Required
Artificial Intelligence Targets Gaps in Student Knowledge
Assessment and Individualized Learning for Grades 3-12
Master Account - Monitor and Direct Learning Progress
Unlimited Online Access - PC & Mac Compatible

Read what homeschool families are saying about ALEKS

ALEKS QuickTables

ALEKS QuickTables is a research-based math fact mastery tool for multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction for grades 3 and up.

Learn more about ALEKS QuickTables

Click here for your free trial of ALEKS!

Our experience:

Due to technical difficulties, I was unable to successfully download and execute this program without our computer freezing up.

Here's what other crew members are saying.

I received a subscription free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

Carnival of Homeschooling - #319!

2012-02-07T19:22:00.000-05:00

The first post today is from Jen. She discusses the importance of setting priorities and keeping some sort of order to our lives with realistic expectations. Homeschool and Life: How we get it done

At Home Spun Juggling, you can also see a reminder about keeping priorities straight, and making certain that our dedication to our schooling doesn't lead to the neglect of other important things, like our health. Home Spun comic strip #705

Over on "Waiting for Charlie" you can read about a Daisy group's Garden project. "Welcome to the Daisy Flower Garden - a Journey Review"

On Homeschool Bytes, you can read about a creative App that is for the youngsters learning to write. IWriteWords App Review – My 3-year-old loves it! You can also find out about a free online program forlearning ASL Sign Language.

Speaking of technology, who would have thought that an iPod could help a child learn to read? Well that is just was this family discovered atA Life Supreme.

At Dewey's Treehouse, they are studying the amazing Underground Railroad.

At Home School vs. Public School, they are talking about history as well. Exploring History With Your Home School Student discusses different ways of looking at history.

At The Legacy of Home, you can read about The Importance of Home Economics Training.

Over on Eclectic Momma, you can read about her take on the difference between a "Reminder" and a "Resolution" at Reminders.

Lessons from the Homestead shares with you the great educational opportunities you can find in even the simplest of tasks, like Planting Seeds.

At Parent at the Helm, you can read about how once again, science confirms what loving parents already know. That a Mother’s Love Leads to Better Learning.

Holy Spirit-Led Homeschooling is sharing a great resource - a free eBook: 100-Indoor Activities for Kids. Perfect for when we are stuck indoors in the long winter!

At the Homeschool Co-op, you can learn about the benefits of aMontessori style education.

Homeschool Happymess is currently learning about Impressionistic Art in State of The Art: A Homeschool Studio.

Jimmie compares Homeschooling and Exercise at Jimmie's Collage.

The Thinking Mother shared a special moment she had with her son....one of those times where you child says something that makes your Heart Swell.

Homeschool Circus shares how Once a Month Cooking benefits their family.

Time4Learning is sharing something that our family knows a lot about. How your pets can be part of your schooling.

At Tea Time with Annie Kate, she discusses how the seasons can play a role with how your school "works."

The Homeschool Dad has a creative way of teaching his kiddos about the Presidents....by focusing on their birthdays!

Golden Grasses discusses how History is a story, or narrative, and so much more than just "evidence."

And thus ends this week's Carnival of Homeschooling!

The Resolution for Women - Encouragement to Run the Race!

2012-02-04T22:32:00.001-05:00

As for me and my house,
we will serve the Lord.
Joshua 24:15

A few days ago, a friend of mine handed me a piece of paper labeled 'The Resolution for Women'. She had seen it on a church bulletin board and it had blessed her. She in turn shared it.

It greatly blessed me and I in turn, would like to share it!

I hope it blesses you too!

The Resolution for Women

I do solemnly resolve before God to embrace my current season of life and live with a spirit of contentment.

I will champion God's model for womanhood and teach it to my children.

I will celebrate my God-given uniqueness and distinctions He has placed in others.

I will live as a woman answerable to God and faithfully committed to His word.

I will seek to devote the best of myself to the primary roles God has entrusted to me.

I will be quick to listen, slow to speak and esteem others more highly than myself.

I will forgive those who have wronged me and reconcile with those I have wronged.

I will not tolerate evil influences in myself or my home but will embrace a life of purity.

I will pursue justice, love mercy, and extend compassion toward others.

I will be faithful to my husband and honor him in my conduct and in my conversation, and will aspire to be a suitable partner to help him reach his God-given potentials.

I will teach my children to love God, respect authority and live responsibly.

I will cultivate a peaceful home where God's presence is sensed.

I will make today's decisions with tomorrow's impact in mind and consider my current choices in light of future generations.

I will courageously work with the strength God provides to fulfill this resolution for the rest of my life and for His glory.

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15

K5 Learning Review!

2012-02-01T21:55:00.003-05:00

About 2 months ago I was approached by K5 to review their online program. I'll be the first to admit that I really don't care for online learning as the majority of it is senseless fluff geared to babysit children. So, I ignored the first email.

Then the second email came. I had some spare time to kill, so, I looked up the website, signed up my two eligible children (ages 8 and 10) and had them try the assessment/placement. I still was not expecting much.

When the assessment came back, it came with a personal note. Hmmmm, great knowledgeable Customer Service! That's not something I see a lot of in the online education world. K5 noted on my daughter's assessment that they thought one of the components was off (vocabulary) in relationship to the other scores. Upon further inspection, he was correct. My daughter's attention wasn't fully on this part of the assessment and she had been marking answers randomly. Now MY attention was caught and so I agreed to review this product with my children.

What is K5?

K5 Learning is an online reading and math enrichment program for kids in kindergarten to grade 5. Designed principally for after school study and summer study, K5 is also used by homeschoolers, preschoolers and gifted kids. K5 helps your children build good study habits and excel in school. Watch our Intro Video.

Lessons are selected automatically

In K5 Reading and K5 Math, lessons are selected automatically based on each child's grade level, past lessons and assessments (if done). This ensures that kids progress in a logical manner and don't just do "fun" lessons or repeat lessons they have already mastered. Parents can also make assignments for their kids.

Lesson Levels

Lessons are divided into

5 reading skill areas (phonemic awareness, phonics, sight words, vocabulary, and reading comprehension), and
3 math skill areas (numbers & operations, geometry and measurement).

Initially, kids are placed at their nominal grade level in each skill area. If students complete an assessment, their placements are automatically adjusted to their assessed levels.

Our K5 Reading - Lesson Guide and K5 Math - Lesson Guide provide an overview of the material covered in each skill area at each grade level.

Our experience:

I was quite impressed with this program overall. Inspite of a few minor issues, this is honestly by far THE BEST online enrichment tool I have used so far in our 9 years of homeschooling. This program is interactive, fast-paced, informative and best of all sticks in my children's memory!

Starting with Spelling:

Click here to see K5 Learning Spelling

This was my favorite part of K5!

You can choose the number of questions that is given to your child AND choose between using K5's grade appropriate list or input your own.

First, the word is read. The student has the option to hear it again, read the definition or hear it in a sentence (Many times this sentence is a quote from a famous person!) Next, the student types the word. If it's correct, the program advances you to the next word. If it's missed, the student gets a second chance. K5 gives you a "fill in the blank" word with the correct letters that the student has already typed. The student then fills in the remaining blanks and practices the world. At the end of the pre-set number of questions, the missed words are revisited.

This is one of the areas that K-5 differs from other spelling programs.

Instead of playing silly games that don't aid in retention and continuing to re-test words already mastered (without emphasizing missed words), K5 remembers the missed words and continues to quiz them UNTIL they are mastered.

For example: in a batch of 15 words, say your child misses 5. During the next session, your child will revisit those same 5 words PLUS be tested on 10 NEW words.

Once 50 words have been answered correctly, a special "La Linea" movie can be viewed as a reward.

My only problem with this part of the program is some of the pronunciations are odd. "Boat" sounds like "boot", "Deny" sounds very strange, and "cattle" sounds like a rushed "kettle".

VOCABULARY TUTOR:

Read a clue about the 'secret' word. Need help guessing? Hit the clue button to help fill in the letters to the word. This section was too much like Spelling for us, so we skipped it.

MATH FACTS:

Click here to see K5 Learning Math Facts

Choose addition, subtraction, multiplication or division. The student then will have a typing test on the number pad to get accustomed to using it.

My daughter is currently learning her multiplication facts. I really like that K5 breaks math facts down into smaller digestible chunks. Instead of learning all the multiplication 2's in one fell swoop, they are broken down into several 'sessions': "Multiplying by 2's Pretest", "1x2 and 2x2", "3x2 and 4x2", "5x2 and 6x2", "7x2 and 8x2", "9x2 and 10x2", "11x2 and 12x2".

At the beginning of each' session' is a short teaching which uses real life word problems. After going over these problems, the students is timed. And following that, the student is timed with both new and previously completed facts. The student or parent can choose the order of facts to be learned as well.

I love the progress reports shown at the end of each 'session'. It shows all math facts and shades them according to: Excellent (correct and fast), Good (sometimes wrong or slow) or Needs Work (mostly wrong) and Not Sure Yet.

MATH LESSONS:

My fifth grader started with Geometry: 2D shapes, reflections, transformation, rotation, translation and tessellation.

All explanations were in a clear, easy to understand and interactive format.

Properties of multiplication section met with mixed results. My son already has a good handle on multi-digit multiplication. But, it's what K5 had next in it's lesson queue, so we went with it. There was an odd way of explaining multiplication in expanded notation form. It was confusing and frustrating. The last section he completed in this section had the problems written out in expanded form with boxes for the answers. It was very glitchy and the cursor skipped around as you tried to fill in the answers.

At this point, I entered the parents dashboard and easily moved to the section on fractions. Within each topic section, a parent is easily able to choose which sessions they want their child to do and which they do not. Here is what I choose for my son's fraction section:

Compare and Order. Equivalent Fractions. Improper Fractions and Mixed Numbers. Least Common Denominator. Add and Subtract Fractions with Like Denominators. Add and Subtract Fractions with Unlike Denominators. Explore Multiplication Patterns with Fractions. Converting Mixed Numbers and Improper Fractions. Multiplying Fractions. Division of Fractions.

For my third grader, it was all fun! Place value up to 6 digits and expanded notation, rounding, ordering and comparing numbers, multi-digit addition to name a few. She zipped through these sections without any problems!

Again - all explanations were in a clear, easy to understand and interactive format.

READING LESSONS:

I was very impressed with the reading section for my 5th grader. For a series on Samurai with it's conversational presentation, it was like you were amongst 3 other 'classmates' and a 'teacher'. In the first part of this section, one of the characters reads the story. There's a a 'discussion period' with the characters, the teacher and your child. One character gives their opinion and your child can agree or disagree with it. Then, your child must click on a supporting 'arguement' for the answer. Next, your child reads a paragraph . The teacher asks a question and the other characters give their opinion. Your student then chooses to agree or disagree while choosing a supporting statement. The student has a chance to change his/her answer after hearing character 'rebuttal'.

After 4 rounds of Reading Roundtable, your child types in their opinion of Samurai.

Next, K5 walks you through how to make an outline from the notes the characters took on the story.
Broken down into 7 categories, students match statements into these categories in order to make a report.

For my third grader, reading started off fairly easy. For au/aw and ow/ou diphthongs, K5 uses matching, find the picture who makes the sound and fill in the blank type of interactive exercises with short games interspersed throughout the lesson. Basic sight words, making predictions and reading comprehension rounded out her reading experience.

While it was great for her to zip through many of these lessons gaining self-esteem, I will be changing some of these lessons to give her more of a challenge.

Check out some Sample Lessons for yourself.

Don't forget to sign up for your free 14 day trial. And please let them know you were referred by HOMESCHOOL CIRCUS!

I received a 6 week subscription free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

Weekly Wrap Up - The Great Space Race!

2012-01-26T19:35:00.000-05:00

These past two weeks we've done a mini-unit on The Great Space Race: its' beginnings, its' present and its' future.

It was the perfect time to break out those pictures of our trip to Kennedy Space Center!

Kennedy Space Center

Some of our readings:

Selected readings on Space. (Citizens of the Galaxy was also a Literature selection)

And what study of space wouldn't be complete without a homemade solar system hanging in your living room? What a fun way to revisit Astronomy!

Homemade Solar System!

Join us next time for the Vietnam War!

Once-a-Month Cooking Tips

2012-01-25T20:19:00.001-05:00

There's been quite a favorable response to Once-A-Month Cooking! I'd like to answer some of the questions I've gotten and offer some helpful tips in getting the most out of your assembly day without dropping from exhaustion!

*If you are cooking with a friend or two - divvy up the prepping responsibilities. I can't stand deboning chicken. My two partners don't mind. So, in exchange for doing the chicken, I handle the cheese, onions and ground beef.

*Brown all necessary ground meat and cook and debone all chicken you will need prior to assembly day. This is just too much work to do the day of!!!

*Chop all onions and peppers prior to assembly day. To really make life easier, if you have a food processor, process all onions and freeze them in 1 cup clumps. Nothing makes things easier on assembly day than reaching into the cooler and grabbing premeasured clumps to pop into your recipe!

*Grate cheese prior to assembly day as well. If you have a food processor, it'll definitely make things go faster. But, you can still grate large amounts with old fashioned graters and extra helping hands. My daughter and I grated 20 cups of cheese in about an hour.

*If you are cooking on your own and it seems that assembling it all on one day is too much, do it over a series of days. Chop all veggies and grate all cheese first. Then, handle the meats. Assemble all Chicken dishes on one day and then do the ground meat/other meat recipes on another day.

*Make your own cream soup. It's easy, cheap and healthier too! To make 1 cup (= 1 can) Cream soup:

*Melt 3 Tbsp butter over medium heat.
*Add 1/4 tsp salt and stir
*Stir in 3 Tbsp flour of your choice and blend well.
*Add 1 cup of water or milk of your choice or chicken broth
*Increase heat and stir until thickened.

After it's thickened, (depending on the recipe), I like to add garlic powder, mushrooms (if it's for Cream of Mushroom soup) or grated cheese.

This recipe can easily be made for those gluten free needs! (Do this prior to assembly day)

*1 lb of raw ground meat = 2 1/2 cups of browned ground meat.

*The night before the big session, make sure you have non-perishables laid out. If you will be cooking at someone else's home, make sure you also have coolers handy to pack up the perishables.

*The morning of, eat a good breakfast!!!! Pack power snacks and take mini-breaks when necessary. But, don't sit too long or else you won't want to get up!!!

*Leave major clean up for the morning after!

*A few things to consider as you are planning your own assembly session:

- Shop the sales and plan your meals around things that are on sale. If it's around Thanksgiving, plan more turkey based meals, etc, etc.

- Don't be afraid to try new recipes and tweak them as necessary.

- Be flexible with your list of recipes. No matter how well you plan, there's always too much of one ingredient and not enough of another. Have fun creating something new!

After your hard days work, enjoy the fruit of your labor!

Also: Why Once-a-Month Cooking and Today's Once-a-Month Cooking Session

Today's Once-a-Month Cooking Session!

2012-01-21T21:24:00.004-05:00

Today I was up bright and early. It was assembly day at my cooking partner Jen's house. With kids, prepped items and a good attitude in tow, we arrived at 9 am.

After setting up and getting a plan of attack in place, assembling commenced at 9:30 am!

Our Cycle 2 menu consisted of:

White Chili

Chicken and Spinach Bake

Porcupines

Quiche

Ham dinner slices

**Herbed Chicken

Pizza roll-ups

BBQ Pork and Beans

Crockpot Chix and veggies

Sweet and sour chicken

Salsa beef casserole

Crockpot Chicken creole

Enchilada casserole

Upside-down Fettuccini Bake

Lasagna

Italian Sausage and Spinach Pie

Santa Fe Chicken

Chicken Potato Casserole

Smothered Burritos

German dinner

Chicken Pesto Casserole

Pork Chops on Rice

Sesame Glazed Chicken

Vegetable Soup with Meatballs

Chicken Supreme

Freezer Coleslaw with Ham

Apricot-Glazed Pork Roast

French Stew

Ranch Chicken Loaf

*Tator Tot Casserole

*Due to a ground turkey mix-up (needing 2 lbs of raw ground turkey that mistakenly got cooked), we had extra ground turkey left. Which resulted in a spur of the moment Tator Tot Casserole

** Due to a miscalculation in chicken breasts, this dinner didn't get made.

Sometimes things work out and sometimes there are mistakes. When you do OAMC, you need to be flexible and be willing to change things up when needed. Expect the unexpected!!

Our Master Shopping List for Cycle 2 (to make x2 each meal):

MEAT
Ground turkey-cooked	12lbs
Ground turkey-raw	2lb
Ham-slices	17 slices
Ham-cubed	8c
Chicken-cooked/chopped	34c
Chicken parts	12lbs
Chicken breasts	9lbs + 12 breasts
Pork Chops	12 chops
Pork roast	7 lbs
Pork meat	2 lb

Beef Stew Meat	6 lbs
Bratwurst	3 lb
Italian sausage	4 lbs
bacon	1 pkg

DAIRY
Eggs	20
Cheddar Cheese	15 cups
Mozzarella Cheese	13c
Ricotta	12 oz
Cottage Cheese	72 oz
Monteray Jack Cheese	7c
Swiss	2c
Parmesean cheese	2c
"Milk"	2 1/2 c
1/2 and 1/2	2c
sour cream	5c

VEGGIES
Green Pepper	4 whole + 3.5c chopped
Red Pepper	4 whole + 1.5c chopped
Onion	25 c chopped
Potatoes	8 potatoes
Red skins	2 lb +8 potatoes chopped
garlic	20 cloves
baby carrots	4c
grated carrots	5c
apples	2lb chopped
zucchini	2c chopped
celery	4c chopped
large tomato	2 large chopped
green onions	8 grn onions chopped
shredded cabbage	4lbs
lemon juice	3 tbsp


FROZEN
Turkey meatballs	24oz
pie shells	4 shells
hash browns	11 c
peas	2c
spinach	40 oz
mixed veggies	1BIG BAG

BREAD/RICE/PASTA
rice	1c
bread dough	2 loaf (Lisa will make)
flour tortilla	12
corn tortilla	16 +
Lasagna	16oz
Fettucini	16oz


BEANS
kidney	30oz
black beans	60oz
pinto	30oz
great northern	2c
refried beans	2c


CONDIMENTS
Cream Mushroom soup	6 (Lisa will make)
Cream Chicken soup	4 (Lisa will make)
Beef Broth	4 cans
Chicken Broth	4 cups

Tomato sauce	124 oz
Salsa	60oz +2 jars
Diced tomatoes	192oz
tomato paste	36oz
Enchilada sauce	54 oz
Taco sauce	2c
ketchup	2c

mushrooms	32oz
black olives	8 oz
pesto	6 oz
Alfredo sauce	32oz
apricot preserves	16oz
tapioca	1/2 c

coke/pepsi	2c
orange juice	2c
white wine	2c

tortilla chips	4c
ranch flavored tort. Chips	1.5c

oil	10 tbsp
mayo	1.5c
ranch dressing	4 tbsp
butter	14 tbsp

sesame seeds	4 tsp
salt
pepper
cumin
mustard
brown sugar	2 cup
basil
oregano
italian seasoning
parsley
chili powder
Worcestershire
paprika
adobo
sugar	2c
dijon mustard
cornstarch
creole or Cajun season.
bay leaf
mustard seed
bread crumbs	1c
celery seed
soy sauce
garlic powder
kelp
cilantro

Apple Cider Vinegar	4tbsp
white vinegar	2c

Total cost: about $165!

We finished at 6:00 pm and spent the next 1/2 hour cleaning up, and packing up.

Now to put my feet up and have a nice cup of tea!

To read more about how to do Once-a-Month Cooking and download a free week's menu cycle, please go read Why Once-A-Month Cooking.

Next time: Hints to help you prep for a smooth 'Assembly Day'!

Why Once-a-Month Cooking?

2012-01-20T20:01:00.001-05:00

Once-A-Month Cooking

Eons ago I had done Once-a-Month cooking (OAMC) for my family all by myself. As time went on and I had more children, it just got trickier to do it. It wasn't impossible, just tricky. And, honestly it fell by the way-side. I began to do more Mega cooking instead (cooking more than 1 of a particular meal and then freezing the extras for later).

Recently, getting in on the couponing craze, I had a major wake up call after my best couponing week EVER. I had gotten close to $300 worth of "food" for a little over $50. As I stocked my freezer and pantry with the goods, the realization sank in that eventhough I had bought a lot of "food", there really wasn't much nourishment. It was a very sad moment but, I'm glad I realized the slippery slope I was approaching. Sure, the "food" was cheap, but we'd all pay for it in the long run with our health!!!

(Now, please don't think I'm knocking couponing. It has its' place and it's up to each family to decide how much or what is consumed. As for us, we still use coupons on things that are healthier or on toiletries. And, I know some couponers are able to get healthier foods with overages and such -- but for me, it just didn't happen that way).

In order to have healthier meals without the temptation to get fast food or eat junk after a crazy day, I knew I had to go back to freezer meals. A few hours of prep plus an all day assembly session seemed like a good choice. When my friend Jen, who is a veteran OAMC'er asked me if I was interested, it was a no-brainer!

For my family of 6 (with 3 hearty eaters), a cycle lasts close to 6 weeks. We generally use the leftovers to eat for another night's dinner.

From my cooking partner Jen:
"The prep really isn't bad- it saves a TON of money. We get 30 meals (which make leftovers) for anywhere from $140-$150. That's about $5 per meal which for my family of 5 equals $1 per person per dinner. CRAZY!

I've done coupons, Angel Food and just plain eating cheap junk- this beats them all. Plus, I like knowing that all our dinners are made from scratch with whole ingredients. Something I would not have the time to do on a day to day basis.

I have found added benefits of no clean-up during the week (a HUGE time saver), and no running out for fast food on those crazy nights- since something is always ready to heat and serve.

In our house we eat the leftovers for lunch, rather than another dinner, which saves me time and thought during the daytime hours, which are crazy busy over here. It certainly isn't for everyone, but if you have a largish family and are trying to cut your budget somewhere- this is a great way to do it.

We have a child on a gluten/casein free diet, plus 2 teenagers in addition to the two of us and our youngest, so our food budget is a bit higher at this season of life. Pre-OAMC I would spend about $175 per week on groceries ($700/month) . Now I spend $140 on cooking day and about $80 the other 3-4 weeks.( $380 per month). Well worth a couple days of work!"

For Jen's family of 5 (w/two teenagers), a cycle of meals last about 4+ weeks.

(By the way, if you are looking for encouragement written by a Christian Mom, check out Jen's blog)

Our third cooking partner is Kelly. Kelly is our 'store-runner' on cooking days (when things are not measured properly or when a certain person (me) didn't double or triple the ingredients properly), helps with some shopping and works non-stop on cooking day.

Her family of 5 mostly eat like birdies, so these meals really stretch for her! Each cycle lasts about 6+ weeks.

There's so much I want to share about OAMC. The best way to explain it all to you, is to have your visit the Once-a-Month Cooking official site. There they have a FREE week's plan you can download and look at for yourself.

Tomorrow is our cooking day. We complied our list of 30 meals from OAMC, Mega-cooking, Internet websites, and our own cookbooks.... In the near future, I will post our menu, ingredient lists, tips and helps as well.

Let me put this out here now -- please don't ask me for specific recipes from books. These authors have spent so much time compiling, working out the kinks and publishing that I feel it would be stealing to share with others not in our cooking crew. I understand money is tight. I would encourage you to check out the free plan (link is above) and if it seems like you want to pursue OAMC, please support the authors by buying a book to share with your cooking partners.

So, check out the free week's plan on the OAMC website and go from there. I'm happy to answer any questions either left on this blog post, or, connect with me via Homeschool Circus on Facebook.

My first Once-a-Month Cooking Book (circa 1986!)

P.S. If OAMC doesn't look like it's for you, there are more ways to have some 'freezer convenience foods' that will help you cut down on your cooking time.

Also check out: Today's Once-a-Month Cooking Session
Once-a-Month Cooking Tips

What an Honor to be a Part of the Top 100 Homeschool Blogs!

2012-01-19T23:34:00.001-05:00

Today I received word that Homeschool Circus was chosen to be a part of the Top 100 Homeschool Blogs on The Teacher Certification Degrees Website!

Homeschool Circus is in the Top 100 Homeschool Blogs!

"While their motivations and methods may vary, those who travel parallel homeschool paths are united by a passion to be active participants in and witnesses to the education of their children. The homeschool blog community plays a big part in making the journey a little less lonely as its members offer support along each step of the way."

I am thrilled to be listed with many other great homeschool blogs worldwide. Each blog has it's own flavor, so, click on over and take a look!!!

Happy Reading!

Lego Friends - Time for Me to Eat Some Shoe!

2012-01-17T01:42:00.003-05:00

Some of you who follow me on Facebook may remember the conniption I had over Lego's new Friends. Friends are a new series that are made especially for girls.

When I first read about them, I thought they would be 'fluff' and bear some of the same ridiculous bodily measurements as another doll that's mass marketed to little girls which shall remain nameless. I declared this to be a 'definite fail'. How could Lego go and do such a thing?

I was convinced Lego had made a step in the wrong direction!

A week later we visited Legoland. My kids had a blast trading mini-figures with workers among many things to do at the park. While waiting for my husband and sons to return from a Lego movie, my daughter and I set out to look at some of the shops.

What do we stumble upon? Why the Friends shop of course! My daughter begged to go in....I begrudgingly agreed.

So, here I am...with my daughter...going to see 'epic fluff'. Gah! How could she do this to me?

As she runs off to look around, she hands me her previously owned 'girl mini-figures'. I start looking around for myself.

I look at one box. "Shm!" "Well, ok, this one's kinda cute. This girl runs a bakery." The set comes with little accessories in addition to regular bricks in girly colors and DOES NOT come with any other clothes. Hmmm, this particular box isn't too bad. But I bet the next box will certainly have something objectionable.

Next box. "Ok, not bad. This girl is a vet." "Oh, this tree house is cute too."

It appears to me that these Lego Friends actually DO something...but, what about the mini-figures themselves.

I look at the box...then I look at the old-style female mini-figures.

I look at the new mini-figures....then back at the old.

So on and so forth until the light goes on! Do you see what I see?

Older style Lego mini-figures

More older style Lego Mini-figures

And still more Lego Mini-figures

New Friends Lego Mini-figure

Old and new together

Now while I'm not totally sold on the new style mini-figures' outfits, the old style mini-figures are definitely more ummmm.....suggestive?

With that, please pass the salt. This shoe is going to need a lot of seasoning!

Goal Planning Monday-January 16

2012-01-17T00:42:00.000-05:00

It's time again to set some goals for this coming week with Katrina of Mama Manuscripts!

Looking back on last week's goals:

1. Devotions first thing in the morning with kids. DONE!

2. Walk at least 1 hour per day. Due to illness - only 3 days

3. Eat at least 75% raw foods per day. Due to illness - only 3 days

4. Write up review for "Learn Our History" and finish Swan Lake Lapbook DONE!

5. Visit and comment on the other GPM participants. Almost done!

This week as we get back on track:

1. At least walk every day

2. Up my raw foods intake

3. Write up 2 posts I have in mind

4. Visit and comment on the other GPM participants.

5. Implement yet another change to our schedule.

6. Shop for a Once a Month Cooking-a-Thon

How about you? What are your goals this week? Link up for accountability!

We Have a Winner!

2012-01-15T20:46:00.000-05:00

Thank you to all who entered to win The Swan Lake CD from Maestro Classics and corresponding lapbook from A Journey Through Learning!

Using Random.org, our winner is: 17! Congrats Hosanna! I'll be contacting you shortly!!

Swan Lake Lapbook from A Journey Through Learning Review!

2012-01-15T00:19:00.001-05:00

Swan Lake Lapbook

We've used lapbooks off and on during our 9 years of homeschooling. My oldest who's very analytical doesn't really care to do them. However, my social 5th grader and my artistic 3rd grader really enjoy this hands-on-learning method. Throughout the years, we've done just about every subject - literature, geography, science, math and fine arts. It's amazing what you can do with paper, scissors, glue, files, staples, brads and a good guide!

I recently had the pleasure of reviewing Maestro Classics The Story of Swan Lake CD with my children. It was an enjoyable way to learn more about the music, the composer and the story behind it all.

Following on these heels, I discovered that A Journey Through Learning has also created a lapbook which specifically ties into Maestro Classics' Swan Lake CD.

How wonderful! I knew my 3rd grade daughter would LOVE this.

More:

"Product Description

This 3 folder lapbook is especially made to go along with the Maestro Classics's The Story of Swan Lake. This purchase is for the lapbook only. Visit Maestro Classics to purchase "The Story of Swan Lake" Stories in Music CD.

In the tradition of Peter and the Wolf, Maestro Classics presents the beautiful music of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, conducted by Stephen Simon, with a narration written by Maestro Simon telling the story of this famous ballet. Even if you have not seen the ballet, the music and story will delight you.

The Story of Swan Lake is the tale of a prince who falls in love with a beautiful princess. The princess, however, has been turned into a swan by an evil magician, and only the prince's love can break the spell. Additional tracks about "Tchaikovsky Wrote a Great Ballet" sing-along, transform this into a modern classic."

As I said earlier, we are no strangers to the lapbooking world. One of the things we have enjoyed about lapbooking is the flexibility to go at your own pace, to choose which elements to use (or not) and the endless color combinations.

Usually we copy our pages onto colored paper. For a change of pace, my daughter requested we use plain white paper and color the elements together.

It sounded like a great plan to me!!

Upon first inspection of the Swan Lake Lapbook, I immediately notice the very well laid out diagrams throughout the guide showing the parent/student exactly where to place each element in the assembled lapbook.

I also notice that the study guide information for each subject covered is right with its' corresponding element. There's no need to go rooting through the guide matching information with its' activity. In a busy household, this is really appreciated!

Topics in this lapbook include:
History of the Waltz, Swans, Crossbow, Music Theory, Tchaikovsky, Ballet and more.

In the first activity, the student learns the history of the Waltz and via direct links gets to view an actual Waltz and Polonaise.

Waltz booklet for Swan Lake Lapbook

After reading the study guide and watching the dance, the student then cuts out the corresponding booklet, fills in the information they have learned and then looking at the diagram on the same page, pastes it to the lapbook.

This continues for 21 activities and varies from element to element.

As with most lapbooks, Swan Lake is also flexible and adaptable. For the activity on Magic Spells (which is a part of the ballet itself), we opted to write a scripture on what the Bible says about witchcraft instead of answering the question, "What do you think was the spell Von Rothbart placed on his daughter."

You also have the choice on whether to assemble the file folders into a lapbook and paste the booklets (elements) in as you go, or, wait to do it at the end. We choose to do the pasting at the end. If you go this route, make sure you hang on to the little guide pictures on each page that tell you where the booklet is placed.

If you've never made a lapbook before, no need to fret. A Journey Through Learning gives you step by step pictures with instructions!

How to make a lapbook. Step 1: Tri-fold file folder

Repeat 2 more times

Spread glue on the flaps of the middle folder.

Line folders up and press one side of file folder #1 and #3 to the glued sides of file folder #2. Allow time for glue to dry

My daughter and I enjoyed our special time together -- and don't tell her, but, she learned a lot in the process!

Finished Swan Lake lapbook!

A Journey Through Learning offers other lapbooks in a variety of genres, unit studies, copywork and more.

I received a lapbook free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

Weekly Wrap Up (Civil Rights Movement & The Kennedy Years)

2012-01-14T00:47:00.001-05:00

Coinciding with Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we spent this past week learning more about the Civil Right Movement, and JFK.

Selected reading - Books on John F. Kennedy (JFK)

Selected reading - Books on the US Civil Right Movement, and Martin Luther King Jr

Because of when I was born, I still remember some of the left over "social issues" still prevalent in my elders' way of thinking. My kids cannot relate to this at all. All they have ever known is that 'all men are created equal'. The story of Ruby Bridges (for example) is unfathomable to them. They had a hard time believing that that was the way people behaved!!

My boys added to their Modern American History lapbook as well:

Civil Rights elements for the Modern American History Lapbook. with "a letter to my congressman regarding Civil Rights" AND "What my Civil Rights Book would be titled and three key points it would cover."

A letter to my congressman addressing Civil Rights and Racial Equality

In between beginning the new year (we are over 100 days into our school year!) and starting our extra curricular activities this week flew by!

Join us next time for the Space Race!

Learn Our History - Birth of a Revolution DVD Review

2012-01-13T09:55:00.001-05:00

Learn Our History

The Birth of a Revolution

Ages 6+

Join the time traveling teens as they venture all the way back to Boston, Massachusetts in the 1700's to find out the causes of the American Revolution.

In this fascinating Learn Our History film, you'll discover how the American colonists joined forces to revolt against British taxation and oppression, ultimately leading to the Revolutionary War.

Learn Our History is currently offering "Columbus and The Great Discovery" DVD as a special introduction to the Learn Our History series. The title can be purchased for $9.95 (plus shipping). Plus receive "Birth of a Revolution " FREE. Purchasing a DVD also provides the ability to stream the title directly from within the customer's account on the Learn Our History website to view on a computer, iPad, iPod, etc.

Our experience:

I reviewed Birth of a Revolution and a bonus episode about 9/11 with my 13, 10 and 8 year olds.

While Learn our History does a nice job of presenting the facts in an easy to follow storyline, the teen characters leave much to be desired!

Done in simplistic animation, the characters treat each other much like you would expect out in the 'real' world. There's plenty of rude interactions such as calling one another "whimp", "geek", "stupid", etc. At one point the bully of the story (who incidentally wears a "I rule, you drool" t-shirt) speaks in a sarcastic and threatening tone to his sister and classmates. Equally disturbing is the mother of the bully who allows this behavior to continue as she sweet talks her son who's upset to be stuck with the "nerd herd", "bunch of losers" and "crew of thumb suckers".

The characters' poor behavior detracts from the actual story. My kids were so turned off that they didn't want to continue watching the video inspite of the relevant historical facts it contained.

You can read more about Learn Our History at their website http://learnourhistory.com/

I received this DVD free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

4 Days to a Forever Marriage Book Review

2012-01-12T00:04:00.000-05:00

4 Days to a Forever Marriage

"Is it really that simple --- love or anger?

Sure. The secret is in navigating the choices in a way that fosters read and meaningful communication. No time limit or special resources required - this is a solution for everyday marriage, dealing with the messy to the mundane, all with the goal of making sure you get the marriage you want and need.

What Makes this Book Different

*Offers a non-situational approach that can work for any marriage. Seriously - any marriage! Master these two responses and it will help you survive life's crises with your relationship even stronger than before.

*Expertise form years of experience mentoring and counseling thousands of couples with all ranges of challenges - the Smalley's have seen and heard it all.

*Tips from an experienced couple who have survived multiple marriage seasons of their own: courtship, early challenges, raising children, health, ministry and even financial pressures.

*An honest, open presentation from a ministry focused for decades on achieving marital success.

Special Book Features:

* Practical steps for him and for her - with a great mix of helpful biblical wisdom.

* A two-person perspective from Gary and Norma - giving both sides of the issues from their own challenges and the insight that helped them resolve it.

* Directed introspection for you at the end of each chapter - and specialized guidance for every season of marriage.

* Tweet-style insights sprinkled throughout - quick and easy tidbits for your daily inspiration!

* Advice for: finding time to speak with your spouse, romantic ideas for $20 of less, Smalley fighting rules, the power of dreams, and much more!"

4 Days to a Forever Marriage is composed of 4 primary chapters that are each broken down into a section for the husband and for the wife. Also included are reflections and separate questions for each to work through on their own and then to discuss.

Chapter topics include:

*Loving Words and Actions

*Communication and Resolving Anger

"If a husband and wife are going to keep happily together for a lifetime, they simply must learn to give, ask for and receive forgiveness."

"Anger creates distance and distance destroys relationships."

*Affection and Intimacy

"When you and your spouse agree to live in oneness, you're consequently willing to spend more time listening and discussing in order to resolve important issues and so build intimacy."

*Trials and Treasures

Learn and reflect on three principles through tough times.

The Smalley's share candidly about the ups and downs in their 40+ year marriage. I really like the "Smalley Fighting Rules" which could also be called, "How to work out a situation guided by the Holy Spirit with the end result of unity in mind".

My only "issue" with this book is that the pages are too nice to actually be written on. We chose to use a notebook instead to answer our questions.

I admit that I read through this book first before doing it as a study with my husband. So far, we are both enjoying it and will continue on with it.

You can connect with 4 Days to a Forever Marriage by:

Following on Twitter

Finding "Forever Marriage" Tweets throughout the book. Share them online and inspire others to create a "forever marriage" for themselves.

Become part of the Forever Marriage community by adding this hashtag to your tweets from and about the book: #4days2forever.

Visit http://search.twitter.com and enter #4days2forever to meet others reading the book.

Facebook fans of the 4 Days to a Forever Marriage will have access to special features of the book online, get the latest news on the Smalley's 4 Days to a Forever Marriage book specials and events. "Like" 4 Days to a Forever Marriage .

I received a copy of this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

A is For Adam Book Review

2012-01-11T19:34:00.000-05:00

"A is for Adam; God made him from dust. He wasn't a monkey, he looked just like us. Although some scientists don't think it was so, it was God who was there, and He ought to know."

A is for Adam is in a new format - a flip book with a stand!

While your child is looking at one side of the book, you can be reading: The Letter of the Alphabet, Corresponding Rhyme, Bible Bits, Let's Talk, Always Remember, Visual Vocabulary, Stuff to Do and Quick Review on the opposite side.

We own the original version of A is for Adam. I LOVE this new format. Everything you need to present each letter (and plan corresponding discussion with activities) is right at your finger tips. For a busy mom, this is WONDERFUL!

The picture page is large, colorful and eye catching. The explanations and details are age appropriate and easy to understand.

After the initial alphabet pages are more detailed suggestions for each letter of the alphabet. The Core Takeaway sections seem to be geared toward older children and parents to help cement the truth of a literal Biblical Creation.

Also included is the biblical model for marriage, holiness, armor of God, sin, Noah's Flood, and Jesus (Salvation).

Great for Sunday School or devotionals, this book will not only teach youngsters, but help parents and educators understand biblical truths as well.

I received a copy of this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

Goal Planning Monday - January 9

2012-01-10T00:44:00.000-05:00

It's time again to set some goals for this coming week with Katrina of Mama Manuscripts! This is the 50th week!

It's been awhile since I linked up (again) AND it's not technically Monday. But, who's counting!

My goals for this week:

1. Devotions first thing in the morning with kids.

2. Walk at least 1 hour per day.

3. Eat at least 75% raw foods per day.

4. Write up review for "Learn Our History" and finish Swan Lake Lapbook

5. Visit and comment on the other GPM participants.

How about you? Come link up!!!

Weekly Wrap Up (Eisenhower & the 1950's Oasis)

2012-01-10T00:38:00.000-05:00

This past week we took a tour through the 1950's studying Eisenhower and American Culture ....

Selected readings of 1950's American Culture

Queen Elizabeth and more literature....

In addition, we watched a documentary on Eisenhower and some 'I Love Lucy' as well!

For a change of pace, we ventured to Legoland.

This is what is left of the old Cypress Gardens

The Nip Napper and Daddy enjoying the day

A Lego Christmas tree!

And a Lego Elf

Join us next time for The Civil Rights Movement!

Come to the Carnival - Carnival of Homeschooling!

2012-01-08T18:50:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited to be participating in my very first Carnival of Homeschooling hosted by Why Homeschool.

For the 314th edition (The 6th Anniversary!) of this longest running Carnival, topics covered are:

Goals and Resolutions
Homeschooling
Reading
Art, Music and Geography
Education Beyond Academics
Resources
Changes

Click on over to read more!

Check out previous carnivals here.

If you are interested in submitting a post for a future carnival, click here for information.

Swan Lake CD and Lapbook GIVEAWAY!

2012-01-08T00:43:00.000-05:00

Swan Lake CD from Maestro Classics

I have up for grabs a WONDERFUL Swan Lake CD from Maestro Classics AND corresponding Swan Lake Lapbook from A Journey Through Learning!

I recently reviewed the Swan Lake CD and my whole family enjoyed it tremendously! I'm also working on the lapbook with my daughter -- we are both enjoying this activity as well!

Swan Lake Lapbook from A Journey Through Learning

To earn entries to this drawing:

Please leave a separate comment for each applicable entry!

*Easy entry.....Leave me a comment ( = 1 entry)

*Follow Homeschool Circus on Networked Blogs ( = 1 entry)

*Follow Homeschool Circus on Google Friend Connect ( = 1 entry)

*'Like' Homeschool Circus on Facebook (= 1 entry)

*'Like' Maestro Classics on Facebook (= 2 entries)

*'Like' A Journey Through Learning on Facebook (= 2 entries)

*Follow Maestro Classics on Twitter (=2 entries)

*Follow A Journey Through Learning on Twitter (=2 entries)

*Share (on Facebook), Tweet or Blog about this Giveaway (= 5 entries --- but you must leave your posted link as one of the comments)

Winner will be chosen randomly on January 15, 2012

Open to US and Canadian residents only. CD will be mailed directly from me to winner. Downloadable lapbook will come directly from A Journey Through Learning to winner's email.

TOS Crew Swan Lake from Maestro Classics Review!

2012-01-07T15:35:00.002-05:00

The Story of Swan Lake

Have you ever listened to Classical Music and wondered what exactly the composer was trying to convey or the story behind the orchestration?

I have. And, if you are a black and white type person, sometimes you just don't get it...period!

That's where Stories in Music from Maestro Classics comes in.

"Stories in Music is the award-winning audio CD Series for family listening. These recordings for narrator and symphony orchestra introduce great music and classic stories, and provide the opportunity to develop important listening skills.

Three Major Benefits:
* Expand listening horizons
* Develop listening skills and accumulate musical memories
* Encourage adults and children to listen to music together.

I had the opportunity to review The Story of Swan Lake with my 13, 10, 8 and 2 year olds.

"The Story of Swan Lake, Tchaikovsky’s greatest ballet score, is the tale of a prince who falls in love with a beautiful princess. The princess, however, has been turned into a swan by an evil magician, and only the prince’s love can break the spell. This narrated version of the classic tale for children is sure to delight all who love ballet and enchanting storytelling.

A 24-page activity book included with the CD contains a biography of Tchaikovsky, information on acoustic and electric guitars, sheet music and words for a sing-along song, explanation of major and minor keys, puzzles and more. MP3 download from Maestro Classics website includes a PDF of the activity booklet."

Our family thoroughly enjoyed this CD! The well-told story of Swan Lake is nicely interspersed throughout the musical score. Also on this CD are interesting facts about Tchaikovsky's life & music, fun activities and a 'rad' speed-metal version of Swan Lake that is guaranteed to catch your ear!

As a bonus, on their website is an interactive Homeschool Curriculum Guide to accompany each CD!

These CD's are appropriate for ages 5+ and families, and retails for $16.98 for each CD or $9.95 for each download mp3.

Also included in this series: Peter and the Wolf, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, My Name is Handel, The Tortoise and the Hare, Casey at Bat, The Sorcerer's Apprentice, Juanita and the Spanish Lobster, and The Soldier's Tale.

Here's what other crew members are saying!

I received a CD free of charge in exchange for an honest review!

TOS Crew K-19: The Widowmaker Z-Guide to the Movies Review!

2012-01-04T17:26:00.001-05:00

Zeezok
K-19: The Widowmaker Z-Guide to the Movies
Highschool
$12.99
(Available to the public, February 2012)

Last year I had the pleasure of reviewing Zeezok's Z guide to the movies. We chose the Kit Kittredge guide and were thoroughly impressed! Written for middle schoolers, it was filled with plenty of activities and discussion questions centered around the movie and Great Depression.

This year when the opportunity arose to try another z-guide, I jumped for joy! Out of curiosity, we decided on a high-school level guide. Choosing K-19: The Widowmaker to coincide with our study of the Cold War, we were not disappointed! Overview topics include: Cold War, US/Soviet Relations, Dealing with Difficult Situations/Crises, Leadership, Doing Your Duty, and Conflict Resolution.

"Each z-guide contains a topic overview, movie synopsis and ten learning activities for an in-depth study of the film. The topic overview puts the film in historical context enabling a student with no prior knowledge of the topic important background information - so, you don't have to know everything about a particular time period in order to glean from these guides! The movie synopsis provides a more detailed overview of the movie's storyline.

While watching the film the first time through, students answer the movie review questions that are provided. This assignment forces the viewer to become an active learner rather than a passive observer (and aids in retention). These can be done orally or written on the printed pages.

Nine additional activities are structure around the theme of the movie engaging them through fine arts, research (both book and internet), vocabulary, creative writing/speaking, literary devices, movie making techniques, critical thinking and family discussions that relate to moral or philosophical dilemmas present in the movie."

Although much of his work overlaps a grade level higher, my oldest is technically an 8th grader. So, after reading the topic overview, movie synopsis and Activity 1 Movie Questions, my son (with parental guidance) set off to watch this drama based on a true story centered around a mission on a Russian nuclear submarine.

The movie pretty much sucks you into the story early on, so it was a bit tough to stay on track and get those questions answered. Because of that, he ended up answering many of the questions after the movie was over.

Other question/answer/discussion sections include:

*More About the K-19
* Life Aboard a Submarine
* We're Here to Help
*What If
*Worldview Activity
*Filmmakers Art

As predicted, the fact-based questions were a piece of cake for my son to answer. However, some of the inferred or deduction based questions were challenging. (I was pleased to see his reasoning skills stretched causing him to REALLY think).

Zeezok suggests a 5-day schedule for completing this guide. They do also state that the guide can be adjusted as needed. In our family, we were able to get through the questions and discussion section fairly easily. However, we seem to be stalled out on the "Design a Nuclear Fallout Shelter" activity. Yep, and what's really great is that Zeezok includes an actual "Family Fallout Shelter" guide originally printed in 1959 by the Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization Agency! Reading it, you really do get a sense of the fear people lived with during the Cold War - and also the limited amount of information available regarding radiation.
As a bonus, you can learn how to build your own shelter and look at 4 different plans for various types. Between this pamphlet and other resources it will be interesting what the final outcome will look like!

Other activities include:
*Cold War News Flash (You are a news anchor for Soviet-American Relations)
*Conflict Resolution (Mediate a dispute between younger siblings using prescribed steps)
*What If (Insert the middle portion of a prewritten prompt.)

Overall, once again I am please with this movie guide. It's a great way to incorporate the motion picture genre into your study of History AND are family friendly!

Please check out Zeezok's large variety of z-guides for movies .

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I received this z-guide free of charge in exchange for an honest review!