Life of a Homeschool Family

Chemical & Physical Changes of Matter

2011-03-17T21:02:00.000-07:00

We have been studying matter & the chemical and physical changes of matter. Here is an experiment your child can do (with your help) that gives them a visual of the process. All you need for this is a candle in a candle holder, glass plate, & lighter or matches.

First light the candle & have them observe it for several minutes. Have them list the changes that they see take place in the candle. (Part of the wax became liquid, it got smaller, etc.)

Next hold the glass plate about 3-4 inches above the flame & have them record what they observe. (If you have enough moisture in the air you will see water droplets form on the plate. Unfortunately, this did not work for us...our air must be too dry this time of year!) If it does work for you, explain that when the hot air hit the cold plate heat was removed from the air. The water vapor in the air then changes to liquid.

Now, being very careful, hold the glass plate just above the flame for a short time. Have them record what they observe. (The plate should become blackened....white plate works best.) Explain what these results show: Even if the candle burns down & appears to get smaller, matter is not lost. It changes into another material...the black substance. At first my son thought the plate was burnt but I showed him that actually the black could rub off & therefore there was no change to the plate...so where did the black come from? It was the candle in a different form.

Have your child list all the changes that occured & label them ch (chemical) or ph (physical). HINT: Wax to liquid - ph, wax burned - ch, vapor to water - ph, plate blackened - ch.

This is a very simple experiment but really gives them a visual of the physical & chemical changes that take place all around them every day.

Nutrition Study: Testing Fat in Foods

2011-02-26T17:53:00.000-08:00

We have been studying nutrition for part of our science & last week we did an experiment to test the fat content in foods. My son was surprised at what foods had the highest fat content. This is something fun & simple for your kids to do.

First get a brown paper bag & cut out 5 two inch squares. Have your kids choose 5 different foods around the house that they would like to experiment with. We chose mayo, peanut butter, canned chocolate icing, hot dog, & 1/3 less fat cream cheese. You can also use cookies, cereal, yogurt....just whatever you have around the house.

Next cut or scoop out a marble size piece of the food you want to test. Make sure you get the same amount for each food so you get a fair result. Next rub the food on the brown paper for 20 seconds & then let it sit there for 2 hours. My son had fun rubbing the chocolate icing & licking his fingers afterwards!

After 2 hours remove & scrape the food from the paper. Some of your squares will be wet from the moisture so let the paper sit over night to dry. The next day the paper will be dry but the grease or fat will have soaked into the paper.

Let the kids make a hypothesis before the experiment on which foods will have the most fat & then see if they are correct. My son was surprised that mayo & peanut butter had so much fat content & thought the hot dog would have the most. Our results from most to least were mayo, peanut butter, canned chocolate icing, hot dog, & cream cheese (1/3 less fat).

So try this at home with your kids...fun, easy, & tasty all at the some time.

Longitude & Latitude Study

2011-02-06T13:40:00.000-08:00

This week in History & Geography we worked on learning longitude & latitude. Luckily we already have a world map on the wall so it was easy to show the lines & to give him activities to do in searching specific cities to find their locations by longitude & latitude.

In my search for extra information online to reinforce the learning I came across two websites to share. The first is BrainPop.com They have great information divided into 2 different age levels...K-3 & 3rd grade & above. They do have an annual subscription fee but it may be worth the money if you are looking for extra help in the teaching process. They cover 7 subjects with interactive "movies" & quizzes plus they meet state standards in the curriculum provided. They also have a Teachers area to help with organization & lesson planning. You can also try their Free Trial to see if this is something that will work for you.

Another site worth checking out is ClassBrain.com This site is geared to teens but is full of free information & tools on every subject plus has free math videos explaining different types of problems.

Top 40+ Reasons for Homeschooling

2011-01-14T23:04:00.000-08:00

I remember when I first started homeschooling that the reaction I got from some people was skepticism, I even had an ex-teacher roll her eyes at me. I think I felt guilty about not having him in school & concerned that I could even do a good job at it.

My son is the one who asked to be homeschooled so when people asked "why do you homeschool" I put the blame on my kid in a way. "Well, he wants to be homeschooled" & I would spout off the reasons why "he" wanted it. He was really distracted by the unruly children in the classroom, couldn't concentrate because of it...., & I left it at that.

So, I homeschooled him from second through fourth grade. Then he asked to go back to public school for fifth grade. I thought well, it is the last year of elementary school & if he is going to go back, now would be a good time so he could adjust before going off to middle school.

I was nervous when I took him for placement testing because I didn't know where he stood academically with the other kids. The teacher called me in the room with a look of amazement & said, "Well, I don't know what you did but whatever it was you did a great job with him". Turned out he was about a year ahead of the other kids, plus he was a young 5th grader...about 10 months younger than most.

So he was enrolled & really did well in school. He was a popular student, made the all A's honor roll (1 of 3 in his class), plus I saw a difference in his attitude. He became more independent which I thought was good since he is an only child. I missed that he didn't need me so much but I was proud of him. He gained confidence & loved everything about school.

So I was surprised when the winter break came around that he asked if he could be homeschooled again. One part of me said "WooHoo!", but the other side of me was concerned if it would be right for him because he seemed to be doing so well. I delved into his reasons & once again "misbehaving children" popped up. I had a feeling there was more but could never really to get to what it was.

So I removed him from school & we went to visit his teacher one last time to sign some papers. Before we left she said, "Well, at least you will miss the big essay test coming up next week". My heart stopped...was this why he didn't want to go to school...because of the State testing that was coming up? I knew he would do well on it but did he think he would fail?

I remember when he was in 1st grade being stressed out over the testing...as a 1st grader! I always told him that I didn't care what he achieved on those tests as long as he was doing well otherwise. I thought it would take the pressure off of him, but it didn't because the schools kept the pressure on.

So, that may have led to why he wanted to be homeschooled...I don't think he will ever tell me though. Now he is in 7th grade & I found a homeschool group that has a group of middle school aged children & he is really happy there. I am starting to realize that I want to homeschool him now all the way through high school but also realize that I needed to really evaluate why did "I" want to homeschool him.

Everyone has there own personal journey as to why they homeschool. Here are several reasons that may fit your situation (in no particular order). They do not all pertain to me because "one size does not fit all" in homeschooling. However, maybe they will help you pinpoint your reasons so you can explain to the nay sayers who ask "Why do you homeschool?".

1) No school shootings (if I had a gun there are some days it could happen...LOL).

2) You can sleep in (that works really good for us).

3) No "lunchables"...more time to fix a healthy lunch.

4) Fewer back injuries ( from heavy book bags).

5) You can wear whatever you want...yeah for pajama days!

6) Convenience...you can do school wherever you are. This works great for us because we travel a lot.

7) Improved family relationships.

8) Can focus on child's interests. This is a big one for me! I stick with a curriculum for most subjects (especially math & language arts), but I like to veer to things he is interested in for science & history. He was a huge Civil War buff when he was younger & absorbed everything on the subject. We even took him to Gettysburg for the Pickett's Charge re-enactment...he loved it! We also did an extra Pirates & Early Explorers course when he was in love with pirates...thanks Johnny Depp! For science we did an extra Oceanography course because he was interested in nautical archeology, & now we are doing an extra Anatomy & Physiology course just because I think he really needs to learn about his own body & how it works...he loves it too!

9) Flexible schedule...love this! We just had a family reunion in Florida this past October that we would have missed if he had been in school. Instead we went & had a chance to visit the Everglades & ride an airboat!

10) Providing moral training (not the school's morals but yours).

11) Can learn everywhere you go. This is great for us as well since we travel a lot. We do school in the hotel on our travels but we take one day where we will go & explore the area that we are in. They may have a lot of interesting things going on or it may just be a small town with a local history museum, but we always take the opportunities that present themselves.

12) Parents learn too! I do like this aspect because I get to re-learn a lot of things that I forgot plus learn new things they didn't have when I was in school. My friends tease me & say they can see me going to college with him & learning archeology...I could do that!

13) I want to be the one to see the "aha" moments.

14) Kids don't have to stand in line. I thought this was funny because that is one of the things that my son complained about, not that he had to stand in one but because his class would not stay in a STRAIGHT line...this really bothered him.

15) You can change the curriculum if it is not working...this is something the public school cannot do. They cannot customize to fit each individual child.

16) No outside indoctrination. This is important if you have certain religious beliefs.

17) Growing up with his dad. My husband works a second shift schedule & never saw our son on school days or Saturdays. With homeschooling he can spend the mornings with his day & then start school plus travel with him on business trips.

18) I want to answer life's questions.

19) I want to know what & how he is being taught. Even though I was a hands on parent, when he went back to 5th grade I wasn't sure what he was learning. He would bring homework home but I wasn't sure of the applications they were looking for so I had to leave it totally up to him. Turns out everything he brought home he had already learned in 4th grade homeschooling so we wasted a year of learning.

20) I want to spend the most time with him, not a stranger.

21) Public schools are suffering right now & private schools are too expensive.

22) You want your child to succeed whereas he is a number to the school.

23) No matter what anyone says, you are qualified to teach your child! There are so many resources & curriculum you can follow if you don't feel comfortable with putting together your own.

24) On average they outperform peers on standardized tests.

25) Better social skills. Totally opposite of what was thought because they learn to relate to all age levels, younger & older.

26) They accomplish more school work in a day than the public school.

27) Special needs children. I have a couple of friends who homeschool because of this. One has a mental injury that occurred during birth (head tongs) & another friend of mine has a son who is highly allergic to dairy which is in everything! It would be possibly fatal for him to attend school...he cannot even be touched by a child who has not washed their hands after eating a cookie.

28) Work at your own pace....focus on mastery learning & not grades. This is something I struggle with because I always felt he needed to know what grade he made on things, so I still do that but not as much as I used to. As long as he is completing the work & passing the tests at 80% or more that is a good judge for deciding to advance with his work.

29) You are the major influence in their life.

30) Bonding. Like I said earlier, when he went to public school I saw him pull away from us a little...not a bad thing. When he came back home he came back to that closer bond which felt good. I don't want him to lose his independence of course but it is nice to see him "want" to look to us for things & not outsiders.

31) Can teach your faith & beliefs. This is important for us because we are Christians. We use a Bible based curriculum which is nice because it incorporates God into the lessons.

32) Have the ability to say who your child is friends with. I am not overprotective but I do want to have a say as to who my child is friends with. I want to know the parents of the children he hangs out with. It amazes me how many kids wander the neighborhood with no parental supervision & the parents don't even bother to check on where they are or who they are with.

33) More creativity, like art. With so many programs being cut from the schools & the schools focus on passing tests, creativity has been lost.

34) No mad morning dash...woo hoo!

35) Time to explore.

36) Fewer clothes. It's amazing how many pairs of jeans he can get by with...just add a few shirts.

37) Having access to the parks, swimming pools, libraries, movies, etc. during off hours while other kids are in school.

38) Short distance to school.

39) Learning through life lessons...personal nutrition, money management, discussing the daily news.

40) Learning to LEARN, not just learning to pass the tests. This is one of my biggest reasons for homeschooling.

41) More access time to the computer.

42) More reading & literature.

43) More time to take piano lessons, skateboard, play with friends, etc. instead of doing homework in all of his free time.

44) Shelter. I know I cannot shelter him his whole life but I can make sure that he is prepared for it when the time comes. I know what he can handle & what things I can let him do on his own because I am his parent. Each child comes to independence at different ages & you can gauge that as a parent.

45) Better behaved.

46)Better preparation for college. I have a friend who homeschooled her two boys until 10th grade & then they wanted to go to highschool. So she enrolled them but they realized that they were so far ahead, were bored with the curriculum, & were more advanced behavior wise. So after 2 months she took them out & had them tested for college. They passed the tests & went on to community college...bypassed the rest of highschool. That was something I had never even considered before & it amazed me! I don't know if my son will be ready for college that early but if he is what a great head start we will be giving him in the world.

I understand that not all parents can or want to homeschool their children. When my son was in public school I felt it was right for him at that time. When I homeschool him I feel it is right for him as well. I don't think either is bad as long as your individual child is learning to the best of their ability. I do not judge parents who send their kids to public school & I in return do not want to be judged for homeschooling mine.

In summary let me leave you with these questions? If you could find a school that had a class ratio of 1:1, had individualized education plans, weekly field trips, & a flexible schedule, would that be beneficial for your child? These are all reasons I homeschool but the # 1 reason is because I love it!

New Skateboard

2011-01-12T13:28:00.000-08:00

We purchased a skateboard for my son this past Christmas along with a helmet. He had outgrown a smaller one that he had as a little boy when he was just learning how to ride in the driveway.   He had been borrowing our neighbors & has learned how to ride really well. We have a steep hill in front of our house & he goes down that at a quick speed & it takes him quite a distance down the street.

The skateboard we got for him is a Tony Hawk Huckjam Series & it is really cool...nice green color on the bottom. Besides looking good it is big & the surface of the board is really rough (almost
like sandpaper), so it grips the shoes really well.

As you can tell this post is not really about skateboards (all my vast knowledge showing through...LOL). It is about what happens when they fall off. As a mom that is what is more important to me.

My son never falls on his board (or I have no evidence of it) but last week he came limping in the house. His friend had cut in front of him on a bike while he was riding down the hill on his board. He tried to go around but to no avail & instead tried to jump off the board. Going at a high rate of speed caused him to lose his footing & he went tumbling down the road.

My main concern was his knee. His jeans had ripped & skin (about the size of an orange) had been removed & was bleeding. As I was doctoring his knee he told me he was glad that he had his helmet on because his head hit the pavement several times as he was rolling. Well, that got my attention! (Do you have a headache...how many fingers am I holding up? LOL)

I realized I really didn't know the signs of a concussion & did some research. I found information on concussions in children & was assured that mild concussions are common in children & are not serious. He wanted to go skateboarding again the next day but I made him sit it out, more for his knee than anything else.

I was happy to see that he was wanting to "get back on the horse" so to speak. I am also happy that I am OK with it. I have learned that I have to let him loose to explore & try new things even if they are slightly dangerous. He actually is a very cautious child & is aware of his limitations, but still willing to push the envelope to see what he can do.   He willing wears a helmet but not knee pads....I can live with that.

If you need to get your child a helmet check out Razor V-17 Youth Multi-Sport Helmet (Black Gloss), it gets high marks from people who have purchased it.

So teach your children to be cautious but not afraid. To go for it as long as they have prepared for it. To know their limitations, not to limit them, but so that they can stretch just a little past it....to reach a little further.

For more information on concussions in children, go to www.drugs.com/cg/concussion-in-children.html

Georgia Snowstorm 2011

2011-01-11T11:43:00.000-08:00

We live in Georgia & have been stuck in the snowstorm that has swept the Southeast. Since we homeschool we have the option of doing school, however we have chosen to take the time off along with the public school system. My son has a lot of schooled friends & his friends in the neighborhood are out playing in the snow, sledding, etc. My husband is also home, his work has been cancelled until Thursday, so it only made sense to put away the books & enjoy some time off.

We bought our son a skateboard for Christmas. If I had known we were going to be inundated with snow we would have opted for a Pelican Space Scooter Snowboard...LOL!

The good thing about homeschooling is that you can be flexible with your schedule & roll with the punches so to speak. If you need help setting up a schedule check out How To Develop Homeschool Schedules. I have friends who homeschool that are moving forward with their studies. That is the great thing about homeschooling, you can adjust it to your own personal situation.

Here are some photos I thought you might enjoy!

Not frozen enough for ice skating...good thing since we don't have any skates!

Sledding!

Study of the Digestive System: Stomach & Small Intestine

2011-01-07T20:15:00.000-08:00

For anatomy today we did a couple of quick activities to go along with our study of the digestive system. We have been studying about the stomach & how it turns food into chyme in our Apologia course Exploring Creation Human Anatomy. Now it takes the stomach 3 to 4 hours to turn food into chyme & this activity gives your kids a visual idea of how it works.

Put a piece of bread inside a Ziploc baggie & fill it with water (enough to cover the bread). Then place that baggie inside another one to help prevent leakage. Have your child squish & squeeze the bag like their stomach would do. Let them see what happens to the bread & explain that this is how the stomach churns the food that they eat.

After the food leaves the stomach it goes into the small intestine & is processed another 3 hours. That is really quick because the small intestine measures 20 feet! So the food moves pretty quickly during this process.

For an activity get a measuring tape & have your child measure out 20 feet. This gives them a great visual of how long the small intestine is & they will be amazed that something that long is inside their bodies!

Another great tool in teaching digestion is Bill Nye The Science Guy: Digestion Classroom Edition.

Stomach Flu

2011-01-05T16:40:00.000-08:00

My son is battling with the stomach flu today...no fever just mostly vomiting. So of course I had to research to see if I could find some home remedies to ease his discomfort. He has no aches or pains thankfully, otherwise he would be taking some Tylenol. I saw where it was not a good idea to take aspirin...I would think because of stomach upset.

I always thought he should be drinking a lot of liquids in between "episodes" to keep from getting dehydrated. From my research I found out you should only take sips or suck on ice cubes if the vomiting is still going on. I guess after it is all over is when you should start re-hydrating.

I am having him drink ginger ale...something about carbonation that always helped my stomach when I was a kid (maybe I just wanted soda). Anyway, the ginger in ginger ale does actually help nausea & vomiting. After the vomiting subsides I will be giving him drinks with electrolytes (Pedialite, Gatorade, etc.). All of these type of drinks will replace potassium & other nutrients lost in vomiting that cause dehydration.

When your child is ready to eat do it slowly. It is best to let a few hours go by to let the digestive system rest, then start with a bland diet like BRAT's....bananas, rice, apples/applesauce, toast/crackers ( I like crackers because they have salt that not only heals the stomach lining but also puts sodium back into the body which has been lost in vomiting). Other foods that can be included in this diet are nuts & broth (nothing like homemade chicken soup!)

I think it best not to give any medicine except a pain reliever/ fever reducer. I also do not give that if it is a low grade fever (100.9 or less) because the point of your body getting a fever is for it to burn out the virus or germs causing the sickness. You have to be the own judge for your child, but if they are not uncomfortable or lethargic I would let the fever do its job.

Never give antibiotics for the flu...it does not work on viruses. Also trying to give something to stop the vomiting (unless it is severe) is probably counter-productive. The whole reason your body is vomiting is to get rid of the intruder.

So let their body work its magic (fever & vomiting), treat fever & pain with Tylenol if needed, drink fluids to keep from dehydrating, & eat a bland diet that is easy on the digestion until they are back on their feet. Oh, & let them get plenty of rest!

Robert Toombs & Civil War Recipe

2011-01-03T08:10:00.000-08:00

A couple of years ago we went on a business trip with my husband to Washington, Georgia. While we were there we took a day to visit the Robert Toombs house & made it part of our history study. His home has been turned into a museum for the public to view.

Robert Toombs was an attorney & was instrumental in helping the South secede from the Union during the Civil War. He became Secretary of State for the Confederacy, however, he really wanted to become president. When Jefferson Davis was chosen for that position Toombs was not happy. He eventually resigned & lived out the remainder of the war at his home in Washington.

While we were there I picked up a recipe that was made by Mrs. Toombs. If you are doing a Civil War study this might be a neat project to do with your kids.

Sweet Pepper Relish Recipe: 12 red peppers, 12 green peppers, 12 medium onions, 1 1/2 pints vinegar, 2 cups sugar, 2 Tbls. salt.

Slice open red peppers & green peppers. Remove & throw away seeds. Then mince peppers & put into large kettle. Take skin from onions. Now mince onions & toss into kettle with peppers. Add vinegar, sugar, & salt. Blend everything well. Bring to boil & let simmer 10 minutes. Take from stove. Fill pint jars while hot & seal. Makes 4 pints.

For more Civil War recipes check out Civil War Recipes: Receipts from the Pages of Godey's Lady's Book.

Staying Home Alone

2011-01-01T15:10:00.000-08:00

My son is now 12 years old & has just recently asked if he could stay home while I went grocery shopping & doing errands close to our neighborhood.   I felt like he was ready to try it...but was I? Also, I didn't know the laws & what the legalities were for leaving children home alone in my area.
So I researched & came up with this information:   According to the National Child Care Information Center, only Maryland and Illinois have specific laws stipulating the age at which a child can be left home alone.

However, the National SAFEKIDS Campaign recommends that no child under the age of 12 be left home alone. I have to agree with this...I never felt comfortable leaving him home when he was 11. Also, I didn't feel he was ready emotionally to handle being alone.

Hear are some guidelines to follow in helping you to determine if your child is ready:

•Consider your child's age and maturity level. For example, if your child tends to be impulsive, you should wait until he or she is older than 12.

•Begin with several "dry runs" where you leave your child home alone for short periods of time. I did this by doing a quick run to the grocery for just a few items & a stop at the post office...less than 1 hour.

•Leave a phone number where you can be reached. If possible, provide a land line in addition to your cell phone number, just in case your company's service is disrupted for any reason.

•Call home to check on your child.   I called him when I arrived at each destination & then when I was on my way home.

•If possible, make arrangements for your child to check in with you, or with a relative or neighbor, while you are out. I am close with my neighbor, so I called her to let her know that I was leaving my son home alone. That way she could keep an eye out for any unusual activity in the neighborhood.   I also told him to run to her house for an emergency, if need be.

•Thoroughly prepare your child for staying home alone. Consider using a book, such as Dottie Raymer's Staying Home Alone, to discuss what it means to make safe choices.

•Be specific in discussing your expectations and how you would like your child to use his or her time. For example:

•Is the TV allowed?

•If so, are there any channels that are off-limits?

•Do you want your child to answer the phone?

•Should homework be completed before you arrive?

•May your child use the computer?

•Can your child have friends over while you're not at home?

•Can he or she go to other friends' houses?

•Make sure your home is childproof. For example:

•Are medications kept in a locked cabinet?

•Are there firearms in the home?

•If so, are they in a locked cabinet and/or do they have child safety locks?

•What could your child potentially get into that might cause harm?

•Practice handling emergencies. For example:

•What would you do in an emergency?

•What if someone were trying to get into the house?

•What would you do if there were a fire?

•Ask your child if he or she feels confident and ready to stay home alone. If he or she is hesitant, hire a babysitter and reconsider this issue in six months.

(Source of information provided by http://www.singleparents.about.com/ )

Time Capsule

2010-12-22T16:26:00.000-08:00

The other night, as most of you know, we had a lunar eclipse which will not happen again for another 84 years (not in my lifetime). My niece who has just had a new baby wanted to know if anyone had taken a good photo of it, if so she wanted a copy. The reason is she wanted to put it in her baby boy's keepsake album.

She is collecting all news worthy items that happen & putting them in an album so that when he gets older he can look back & see all the things that have happened in his lifetime. A friend of hers said that she clips newspaper articles of events & is putting them in a container...making a time capsule for her child.

Why did I not do this for my son? It is such a great idea! My baby boy is now 12 years old & so many historic things have happened already in his lifetime...Columbine, Sept. llth, a black president, the list goes on & on.

So if you haven't started a time capsule/album for your child maybe now, with the new year approaching, would be a good time. If you haven't done one, check online or at the library for old articles & print them out to catch up any older children in your family. Make comments about how you felt on that day at that time. When they get older they can look back & appreciate their history...& your efforts.

Gingerbread House Party

2010-12-17T03:24:00.000-08:00

This week one of the moms in my homeschool group came up with the idea to get together & have the kids build gingerbread houses. I had never made a gingerbread house without the kit (my limited crafty personality), but they used graham crackers, vanilla icing, & assorted candies.

So everyone brought the different items & we met at J's house. The kids had a great time putting them together. Some collapsed from the weight of all the candies while others really held up. The good thing about them is that you could actually eat them & they tasted great!

So if you want to make a gingerbread house to display as a decorative item, get the kit. However, if you want to build something fun that you can actually eat at the end, use the graham cracker & icing idea. The kids loved it...art & sweets all at the same time!

Saliva & Digestion

2010-12-14T17:27:00.000-08:00

This year we are doing a human anatomy & physiology course which is really interesting. Right now we are studying the digestive system & learned that saliva starts digesting your food before it gets to your stomach. In the saliva is an enzyme called amylase & it breaks down starches.

We did an experiment to show how amylase works on starches & it is so easy to do you can try this with your kids. Put a piece of saltine cracker on your tongue but DO NOT CHEW....that is the hard part. Leave it on your tongue & see what happens. You should soon start tasting a sweet taste because the amylase breaks down the starch into sugar.

Now do the same thing with a piece of cheese. You will see that nothing happens because there is no starch in the cheese for the saliva to break down. The process of breaking down starch is the beginning of chemical digestion.

Did you also know that without saliva your taste buds won't work at all? So try this experiment with your kids or try it yourself (I did), & be thankful for your wonderful spit!

Thanksgiving Day in Savannah

2010-12-10T17:21:00.000-08:00

We had a fantastic Thanksgiving! We have no family close by so we decided to spend a few days in Savannah, Georgia. I knew by researching online that they had Christmas activities planned for the weekend including a night boat parade on the Savannah River.

We arrived on Wednesday evening & then Thanksgiving morning we went to the Visitor's Center to book a trolley tour. The Visitor's Center was closed for Thanksgiving but the trolleys were running one tour that day at 10am.

Our guide was very personal & it was really nice seeing Savannah when the streets were empty (almost everything was closed). There are several trolley tour companies but the one we chose was Ogelthorpe Tours. They were about $10.00 cheaper than the others there ($15.00 per person versus $25.00), plus you get to ride the bus transportation around Savannah for free the rest of the day. Since they were closing early that day they gave us a bus pass for the next day. I strongly suggest getting a bus pass to get around Savannah...even with that you will be doing some walking so wear comfortable shoes. You can also get just the bus pass without the tour for $5.00. They give you a map showing the bus stop locations around the city & you can call them to pick you up or wait for the next available bus...around 20 minutes. Ogelthorpe also runs later than the other tour companies so you get extra time to explore.

Our next dilema was where to eat Thanksgiving dinner. We knew that The Pirate's House was open but we had eaten there on our last trip to Savannah & was hoping to try something new. Our last trip was on an Easter Sunday & they had a buffet that was good but limited, however the building & atmosphere were worth it. So when we went for the Thanksgiving buffet we were surprised to see that the buffet was huge, filling one whole room that they had set up just for that.

I cannot explain how awesome the food was...much better than our last trip. My son who does not eat much even made the comment that "even if he wasn't hungry he was going back for more". Mashed potatoes, cornbread dressing (out of this world), oyster dressing, squash casserole.....on & on it went. The salad bar was spectacular & then there were the meats. Not just turkey but prime rib, chicken, salmon, plus more. Oh, & the dessert bar....every dessert imaginable! So you get the idea that our Thanksgiving dinner was spectacular!

After our lunch we drove to Tybee Island to walk on the beach (about a 20 - 30 minute drive). We drove back to where the Tybee Island lighthouse is & parked there (parking is free on Thanksgiving). The lighthouse & museum were closed but of course the beach was open & the weather was a perfect 81 degrees. What a beautiful beach...not crowded at all.

So if you visit Savannah on Thanksgiving get to the Visitors Center to take the one tour available, eat at the Pirate's House, & take a walk on the beach...you will not be disappointed.

Family Reunion: Florida & the Everglades

2010-12-06T15:58:00.000-08:00

Last month my sister-in-law put together a family reunion, on my husbands side, & we all met down in Florida. Her boyfriend owns some cottages on Lake Placid in Lake Placid, Florida so we all stayed there so we could be together in one place.

Since it was October the weather was wonderful! Not hot at all & we had a cool breeze most of the time. The cottages are rustic but the view of the lake is priceless! Our cottage had 2 bedrooms & 1 bath with full kitchen & the other cottages had 3 bedrooms & 2 baths with full kitchen. We had a back deck on our cottage & all of them were lake front where there is a beach area, dock, grill, etc. Very nice for hanging out & enjoying the outside.

We arrived a day early & being so close to the Everglades we took advantage of the opportunity. We traveled south from Lake Placid about an hour to Billie's Swamp Safari...somewhere in the Everglades (not sure if there is a name to the town).

As we traveled on the 2 lane highway going 60 miles an hour a tractor trailer truck caught up with us & passed us, he must have been going at least 70 miles per hour. As soon as he passed us he came up on some vultures feeding on the side of the road. They were startled & flew up right in front of his truck. One of them whipped around the side barely escaping, but the other one never came back into view.

Soon we saw some feathers coming around the truck & we knew he had nailed it! However, we never saw the bird & wondered what happened to it. Within 2 minutes the truck started slowing down & finally came to a stop. We passed him & when we looked back we saw the vulture, wings spread, plastered to his front grill....only in the Everglades!

Counting our blessings that the truck hit the vulture & not us, we continued on & arrived at Billie's Swamp Safari. As we waited for our swamp buggy tour to depart we took advantage of the small zoo they have set up where you can view some Florida wildlife...including gators!

Soon we were on our swamp buggy & riding through the park. The first thing we did is drive through a gate (reminiscent of Jurassic Park) & drive right into the lake! It looked deep but turned out to be just a few feet so we were safe & made it to the other side. On the 45 minute tour we saw Florida wildlife including water buffalo, boars, deer, etc. plus learned about some of the vegetation.

After our swamp buggy ride we climbed aboard our airboat & went flying over the water & tall grasses. One thing I was not expecting was the noise! The airboats are really loud but they do provide ear plugs (which do not stay in very well). We stopped along the way to view the wild gators which always happened to be on my side of the boat. Not a good feeling when the boat sits so low in the water & I know how high gators can jump. I was happy when we started moving again!

All in all we had a great weekend with family, fishing, cooking out, eating, & enjoying the beautiful sunsets that Florida provides in the fall & winter.

So if you are looking for a great place to get away from it all & relax with family or friends, try Sully's Silver Sands Cottages in Lake Placid, Florida. A perfect location where you can reach Disney, Tampa, the beaches, & Miami all within a 2 hour drive in any direction. Oh, & check out the Everglades!

2010-11-19T13:59:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago my husband was working in Blakely, Ga. and never having been to that area of Georgia I had to go. We arrived at the Days Inn, the only hotel in town besides some non-descript motels that the townspeople themselves would not recommend. Typical hotel room with intermittent wireless service, but as I said the only hotel for 35 miles.

Blakely is a charming but not necessarily picturesque small town. It has the downtown square which I love with the courthouse right in the middle. An old theatre is boarded up & not used....a shame. However, there are some cute antique stores & local restaurants on the square worth visiting.

We were advised by a local to eat at the Fourth Out which is a sports themed restaurant. When we went at lunch it was not very busy & the service was not overly friendly. They had typical hamburgers, hot dogs, etc (not the healthiest of choices) but also advertised a special each day.

The day we went they had the hamburger steak with mashed potatoes & another vegetable that I now cannot remember...hmmm. Anyway the hamburger steak was huge but not very hot & not much flavor. The mashed potatoes were very tasty with some garlic added in but again not hot. I am a coffee drinker so I was disappointed to receive little packets of dry powdered creamer with my drink. All in all I was not impressed with my meal.

After lunch we strolled the square & stopped in one of the antique stores to browse. I bought some old Christmas cookie cutters because they are so hard to find when you need them. The store clerk asked if we were passing through town....like I said small place but friendly people.

As we strolled we passed by the Funny Girl Deli which had a specials board outside. It made me want to try them out, so the next day we went to eat lunch there. It is a sandwich/soup menu but varied enough that you can find something good.

I ordered the half turkey deli sandwich & soup of the day which was Loaded Potato soup. Great sandwich but the soup was awesome! My 12 year old son tried it & had to order some to go to eat later in our hotel room. It was "loaded" with big chunks of potato, butter, sour cream, chives, & cheese...all blended for a flavorful but delicate taste, not over the top.

The courthouse on the square was built in 1906 but apparently the original courthouse was built in 1826...do not know if that was incorporated into the new one. Blakely also claims to be the "Peanut Capital of the World" & there is a peanut monument in front of the courthouse which was erected in 1954. Several counties in south Georgia make the same claim but it is safe to say that much of south Georgia is covered in peanut & cotton farms. Also at the courthouse is the last remaining wooden Confederate flagpole from 1861...I missed seeing that so not sure where it is located.

So if you are ever passing through Blakely, Georgia stop by the square & have lunch at the Funny Girl Deli, shop the antique stores, & have your photo taken in front of the peanut monument. For more info on things to do around Blakely I will be posting another blog soon on the Kolomoki Indian Mounds, so come back & check it out.

Writing with Reactions

2010-10-07T12:18:00.000-07:00

Today in school we had more writing to do...the never ending battle. He had to write paragraphs with "reactions" included. We had just read a short version of "Gulliver's Travels" so he had to write a story of a fantasy land.

He choose to imagine being sucked into one of his video games, Lord of the Rings Online. He did great his first paragraph with reactions of being "confused" & "amazed" but the second parapraph he totally forgot! He wrote about being attacked by giant spiders & other great action...but no reactions. What am I going to do with this kid?

So we discussed what his "reactions" would have been...."scared, nervous, frightened", etc. & how they would have made the story more interesting. Without "reactions" there is no emotion. When there is no written dialogue, "reactions" tell how the character feels about a person, place, or situation.

So the next time your child writes a story have them add reactions to add more interest & emotion. Some reactions to include could be: happy, excited, sad, concerned, sympathy, anger, shy, disappointment, proud, disgust, etc. With these additions they will add emotion & interest.

Writing a Story with Dialogue

2010-05-11T20:30:00.000-07:00

Today in school we had to start the process of writing a story with dialogue. My son hates writing a paragraph much less a story from his imagination....with characters in conversation! So again we are taking it step by step.

First we are coming up with "seed ideas", using things around us to come up with a plot for his story. We made a folder out of construction paper to hold all of his "ideas" & then started looking through newspaper, magazines, etc.

I told him to cut out anything that was interesting for a setting....where would the story take place? Photos of cities, houses, woods, mountains, beaches, etc. Then I asked him to cut out photos of people that would make interesting "characters". Old, young, anyone with a different look, etc. The third thing I wanted him to look for was clothing...what would your characters be wearing?

He taped a sheet of lined paper on the outside of his folder & made a list of the photos that he placed in his folder, that way he knows what information he has saved. Now when he starts writing his story he can go to the photos when he is describing where they live, what they are wearing, & what the character looks like, etc. Instead of trying to imagine what it would look like he has actual details that he can "see" & describe.

That is the plan...we are still working on the photos. So far he has found one house, some ice cream cones, & a bunch of animals. Not exactly what I was looking for but I am going to let him work on this on his own without too much interference on my part. Who knows, maybe he will write about the animals having a birthday party at the house with ice cream cones! Of course they will be talking animals since we need dialogue. Who knows it may turn out to be a great story!

Writing Reports

2010-04-12T11:46:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had a great Easter break! We had our spring break this past week after Easter so just started back to school today. We did not have any plans to go out of town but ended going to Florida for a few days for a friends funeral. It was sad but also great to see old friends. We also stayed with my sister & mother while we were there so it was nice to spend time with them as well.

This past weekend I let my son have a sleep over both Friday & Saturday night with two different groups of friends. There was Star Wars Monopoly Clone Wars, sword fighting in the dark, & slidding down the stairs in sleeping bags. During the day they played in the creek & explored the woods behind our house. So after two days of a house full of boys I was happy to take my nap last night ...woke up in time to watch Amazing Race.

Today it is back to school work & writing reports. If you have ever read my other posts, or have a child who struggles to do any type of creative writing, you understand why I hate teaching on days like this. This time hasn't been as bad because we have broken it down into bite size pieces.

First he decided what his topic would be. He chose two different topics & then made two lists for each topic...what did he know about them & what did he want to learn about them. His two topics were Mythological Creatures & the Alamo. He decided he could find out more information specifically for the Alamo whereas mythological creatures may be to broad of a subject.

He then wrote out the things he knew about the Alamo on 3x5 cards....one fact per card. If he didn't know the information he wrote a question on the card such as "Why did help not arrive" or "Who were the survivors"? Then came the research to find the answers to the questions.

After all the questions were answered he laid out his cards in a logical order in the way he felt they should go in the report & then wrote an outline. Once the outline was finished he then wrote his report off the outline adding all the additional information he had learned or knew from his index cards.

I have found for him that the index cards help him tremendously when he writes. All of his notes are on the index card as well as the source information. If this is a step you have skipped & have just done an outline & report, maybe this will help your child as well.

Easter Study Unit

2010-03-17T16:21:00.000-07:00

Don't Miss Amanda Bennett's Popular Easter Unit Study

Easter Unit Study by Amanda Bennett

Christians celebrate the heart of their faith during Easter, and this four-week study has been written to help parents and teachers share this important concept with their children. As we celebrate this season, we have the perfect opportunity to instill a better understanding of our faith and the reason for our joy at Easter.

The holidays of Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter or Resurrection Day are included in the study, as well as the events leading up to Jesus' ascension to Heaven. The study includes the people and places involved, helping your students investigate and understand these events, as well as their history and meaning.

Of all of the people and history that I would like for children to understand and remember, it is the life of Jesus and His sacrifice that is most important. There is nothing as important as this throughout all time.

EASTER is structured as a four-week study, spending each week on key features, with lesson plans for each day of the study. There are reading and writing assignments (Read and Discover), spelling and vocabulary words (Words of Wisdom), and biography and geography studies (People and Places to Know). Favorite books and Internet sites are included in the lesson plans as well as a large resource collection of Internet sites for each week of study. Each day's lesson plan has been written in two levels. There is a daily lesson plan for Elementary Grades, and one for Junior/Senior High Grades. 109 pages, printable for your family's use.

Click on the title above for this study or go to http://CurrClick.com/?affiliate_id=72839 for more homeschool ideas!

Science Fair for Homeschoolers

2010-03-15T12:40:00.000-07:00

We went this morning to our homeschool groups "class day". We did art & a Think It class, ate lunch with the group & came home. We had been doing science fair classes at the beginning of the year, then realized that we really couldn't do justice to the projects with the time alloted, so those classes were cancelled.

I am always looking for things that interest my son & science is one of those areas he really enjoys. When we arrived home I checked my emails & saw the notification for CurrClick's science fair & thought I would share it with you. Enjoy!
Sign up for CurrClick's Earth Day Science Fair! Live coaching sessions, teamwork, prizes and loads of fun. 6 individual contestants will win a "My First Lab Duo-Scope Microscope." Click the title above for more information or to join a team. (Hurry, teams are filling up fast!)

For information on science fair projects & to get ideas for different age groups go to http://www.all-science-fair-projects.com/ Even if you decide not to do a group project online these would be great to try at home on your own or with your homeschool group.

Science: Study of Cells

2010-03-10T00:24:00.000-08:00

As I was getting my lesson plans ready for the week I realized that we were going to need a microscope for science studies. We are starting to study "cells" & will be viewing some under a microscope in some of our experiments.

I have never taken the time to purchase a microscope before but realized that now that my son is in middle school that we really needed to invest in one. I couldn't think of any stores in my area that carried them so I went online.

I found a site that has a variety of microscopes at all different levels & thought I would share it with you in case you are in the market for one. It is http://microscope.com/ So check it out....they come in all price levels.

This Weeks Giveaway

2010-03-05T16:11:00.000-08:00

This Weeks Giveaway

Just wanted to share a giveaway from Pennywise Learning. This week they are giving away a "Homeschool in the Woods" (publisher) Record of Time - timeline notebook....a $37.95 value! It is a wonderful way to see all of history at a glance. So click on the title above to be taken to this giveaway...hurry because it ends March 10th!

Educators Day at Zoo Atlanta

2010-02-16T15:29:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to let anyone within driving distance of Atlanta know that Zoo Atlanta will be having an Educator Appreciation Day on Saturday March 6th from 9:30am to 4:30pm. This is for all educators including homeschool parents.

You will receive FREE admission & get $3.00 off for up to two guests. There will be presentations throughout the day in the Wildlife Theatre to learn more about zoo programs. You can participate in private animal encounters plus there will be raffle drawings for a family membership & admission tickets. You will also receive a 10% discount at the gift shop & resturants throughout the park.

For homeschool parents all you have to do is show your letter of intent & a State photo ID to get this deal. For more information click the title above to be taken to their site.

Another Great Homeschool Blog to Share With You

2010-02-16T07:46:00.000-08:00

On occasion I like to share other homeschool blogs that I feel have great information...this is one of those. Click on the title above to check them out!

They have great articles that have been submitted by other homeschool bloggers like myself! Also a great resource for creative writing ideas. If you have a child who hates to write make sure you check this out.