The Homeschool Classroom

The Homeschool Classroom: October 2009 Recap

ManyLittleBlessings@gmail.com (Angie @ Many Little Blessings) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Thanks so much to all of our wonderful readers! You guys are just the best!

Thank you, also, to all those who have taken the time to refer readers to The Homeschool Classroom. We appreciate your support! Here are our top 10 referring sites during October 2009:

1. We are That Family

2. Facebook

3. Many Little Blessings

4. Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers

5. Life as Mom

6. Twitter

7. Squidoo (Referring Lenses were: Grammar for Homeschool, Best Homeschooling Blogs, Classical Music Lapbook, and Top Ten Cures for the Homeschool Blahs)

8. The Tie that Binds Us

9. The Finer Things in Life

10. Homeschool Creations

In case you missed some of our posts, you might want to go check out the top ten most visited posts during October 2009:

1. Playtime Kits

2. An Epiphany on Homeschool Scheduling

3. Keeping Toddlers Busy While Homeschooling

4. 25 Homeschool Websites You Should Have Bookmarked

5. Amazing Facts About The Human Body

6. Ideas for Your Next Co-op Class

7. Anecdotal Records in Homeschool

8. Fun with Crayons

9. Q & A: What Have You Tried That Just Didn't Work For You?

10. Multiplication Games

Angie can be found writing about faith, family, and household management at Many Little Blessings.

Discipline With a Learning Twist

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:00:00 +0000

I have to admit, I have pretty good kids. They really do most of what they are supposed to do, no one rolls their eyes or slams doors. I don't have heavy sighing when someone doesn't want to do something I've asked and most of the time my kids really enjoy spending time with me and don't hesitate to give me a kiss in front of their friends and say, "Bye Mama! I love you!"

Some who don't have older children yet might be scratching your heads saying to themselves, "And that's a big deal why?" While those of you who do have older children or who have been around older children are probably wondering what I've done to enjoy this kind of "luck".

Over the years I have found that there are things worth putting my foot down over (manners, respect, etc) and others that just don't warrant all my attention (if their rooms are spotless, are all the toys put up, etc). Still as I've added more children to my family I have found that there are certain areas that we have to be firm on, not because I particularly want to, but because I have to for the family to function right. Chores have to be done and kids have to get along (or at least pretend to get along and not continuously argue) so that the house runs smoothly and we aren't always flustered or cluttered.

My children don't receive an allowance for doing their chores. It is just expected that as part of the family you pitch in. We've never had an issue with this and most of the time the kids just naturally do their chores and help out. I've been told we are lucky that the kids help. I say it's just being consistent and firm and starting them out young! They don't know any different. Life has always been that you help.

One thing I have noticed though with my children (and it's been driving me crazy!) is that the girls who are closest in age are starting to argue more. I know that being with each other 24/7 is not easy. When your classmates are also your roommates who are also your dining buddy and your outside friends, well, sometimes you just have had enough! That can lead to arguing which can lead to a very stressed out Mama.

I decided to nip this problem in the bud and in the process teach my kids several lessons at the same time. I devised a "ticket system" where the kids would be given tickets at the beginning of each week. Throughout the week they can either earn extras for good behavior or for helping out in ways not normally expected of them, or they can lose tickets by arguing with each other, not doing their chores or any other "negative" type behavior. The older kids obviously started out with more tickets than the younger ones and they lose more easily than the younger ones as well (but they can earn more too). At the end of the week we tally up what they have left of the original tickets given to them at the beginning of the week plus what they have earned as extras.

After we tally we pull out the "treasure box" full of goodies I have been collecting (lots of dollar store items but others that I have found on sale or that I know they really want). Each item has a ticket value to it and if they have enough tickets they can purchase an item. I have things that only cost a few tickets right up to things that cost 100s of tickets. We also have prizes that are not included in the box but are much more expensive that they have to really work and save to buy. Examples of this are renting a movie at Blockbuster, buying a book at Barnes and Noble, picking out what we will eat for supper, helping me cook supper, getting to go out for a milkshake, getting to run errands with me alone, plus many more things. I allowed the kids to come up with a list of things they would want to work for and these were some of the items that were important to them. They get so excited when it come time to tally and hear what they have earned and can buy!

We have noticed a real difference in their attitudes towards each other. They are arguing less and are pretty nice to each other. They are more respectful of each other's belongings and of their space. Their chores are done a little more effeciently and without having to be asked. Bedtime involves a whole lot less tattling and drinks and bathroom runs. All in all, our ticket system has been a success! The kids are able to use math to figure out how many tickets they have, how many they need and how many they'll have left after "buying" something. They are learning to save up for what they really want. They are learning their actions have consequences. They are using social skills by improving their relationships with each other and they are developing bargaining skills as they barter each other for prizes or tickets. I've been impressed with them and they have loved the system. I am so happy we started our ticket system.

What ways have you found to make day to day living easier?

Lately Michelle hasn't had much time for her blog, Pass The Flu Bug Please, but she is trying to get back up on the horse and post more often! Stop by and tell her hi so that she knows she has an audience who is interested in hearing about what's going on.

How Do You Socialize?

brensain@gmail.com (The Ties that Bind Us) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Socializing is what you make of it. I view socializing my homeschooled children as another choice that I get to make as a parent regarding what sort of influences will be aloud in my children's lives. With each year, there are different concerns about the "S" word in a homeschooled parents mind. Are we getting too much or too little? Should we have none at all outside our safe circle of friends? Are our children mature enough to handle the outside world's influence?

Toddler Socialization

For instance, toddlers need watched a lot as they are experiencing the world because they don't always know what is right and wrong. They are in a phase of training in the art of right vs. wrong. The picture above is of two brothers. This is one way of socializing a toddler with a proper role model. One that is training and one that has already been groomed. And, they live under the same roof. I know this, because it is my oldest and youngest son. I love being privy to these moments of nurturing and love between siblings.

One-on-One Time With Another Family

Some of our best memories of homeschooling are from when we spend time learning together with another family. The dynamics of older children and younger children helping each other and getting to have fun together is a unique way to socialize.

Same-aged children don't always have to be the priority of social interaction. I've observed that children that spend time with only their ages, don't want to be around younger children. Often times, their younger siblings at home get left out too. How sad this is.

This above picture is of a day when our family and another family, with a total of 10 kids, spent the day doing school together. The older children were assigned a younger sibling (of the other family) to partner with and help. Mine asked if we could do school like this every day, they enjoyed it so much.

The Pre-teen and Teenager Years

What is this I see? It's 2 homeschooling families with pre-teens and teenagers. Guess who's around? 2 moms.

The influences that persuade teens are everywhere. Shouldn't we choose wisely whom we allow our teens to hang around? Also, we shouldn't back away and hope that we did a good job raising them as kids and hope for the best during the teen years.

I want to be more involved then before. There are a lot of decisions, and a whole new world opening in the eyes of our teens. They are seeing new things for the first time. I'm not walking away during this time. Nor, do I believe my teen wants me to.

Let's set the record straight on the "S" word. It's a natural thing for homeschooling families to do. And, homeschoolers do it well. Don't we?

Written by Brenda, a mother to five well-socialized children. She blogs at http://www.thetiethatbindsus.blogspot.com about her lifestyle as a homeschool mom. She is the founder of Our Lifestyle of Learning, an online support group.

Sir Ken Robinson on Creativity

weirdunsocializedhomeschoolers@charter.net (Weird Unsocialized Mom) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:00:00 +0000

I've shared the following video on my personal blog before, but I decided I'd like to share it here on The Homeschool Classroom today, as well. For one thing, I just didn't feel as though I had anything particularly profound to say this week and I thought that Angie might kick me off the Classroom if I I posted, "I don't really have anything interesting to write about today. That is all. Thank you."

Secondly, I think that what Sir Ken Robinson, author of The Element (which is an excellent book by the way -- the author is just as funny in print as he is on-screen), is profound, though probably not terribly surprising to most homeschooling families. While his points may not be surprising, they may make you think about the significance you place on the subjects you include -- or don't include -- in your home school and why. He just may inspire you to make some changes.

Watching this speech will be 20 minutes well spent. Enjoy.

Kris is the sweet-tea-drinking, classically eclectic, slightly Charlotte Mason, homeschooling mom to her three Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers.

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Homeschool Mom’s Survival Kit

ManyLittleBlessings@gmail.com (Angie @ Many Little Blessings) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Every mom has one of those days. You know the one I mean. The day when the toilet gets clogged, the coffee maker breaks down, and Junior discovers the sharpie markers and paints masterpiece in the hallway.   Sometimes it’s perfectly fine to have a mental health day and skip school. Snuggle on the couch with some good books, explore nature outdoors, and wait for the plumber.

But what if you’re having one of those weeks, or worse…months? What if there are no major disasters, you just have a good old-fashioned case of the blahs? It happens to even the greatest moms, and homeschoolers aren’t excluded.

For this reason, I have come up with a homeschool survival kit that every mom should have. When I first began teaching preschool, the teacher training me had a bin in the cupboard with a label that read "Teacher Supplies." I expected to find staples and scissors inside, but when she opened the lid, grinning, I saw a mountain of chocolate.

Why not have a “Teacher Supply” box of your own? We all have things on hands for our kids’ sick days, rainy days, bumps and bruises. What about your rainy days, bumps in the road…days when you look out the window as the school bus pulls away with other people’s children in it and ask yourself, what was I thinking?

Ideas for your toolbox:

•    A packet of a sweet coffee mix, hot chocolate, or your favorite tea bag.
•    Your favorite candy. Or two.
•    A couple of cards or letters from your husband or kids. (If they haven’t made you any lately, ask them to!)
•    Your version of Post It notes. Am I the only mom obsessed with paper supplies? A fresh new pack of sticky notes would do my heart good! What would be your post its?
•    A copy of your family mission statement.
•    Some of your favorite quotes, poems, or scripture verses on teaching.
•    A CD of uplifting music.
•    An inexpensive timer. Set it for thirty minutes and take a well-deserved break. Usually, the days when you think you can’t afford a break are the days you need one most!
•    A small journal or notebook to collect thoughts.

What would you include in your box?

Angela tries a little bit of everything as she homeschools her two girls and is finding that she’s not as smart as she thought. You can catch her blogging at Angela Mills.

This post is linked to: Works for Me Wednesday and Thirsty Thursday.

photo by KennethMoyle.

Soda Bottle Recycled Into a Bird Feeder

ManyLittleBlessings@gmail.com (Angie @ Many Little Blessings) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:00:00 +0000

My kids have a great love for birds. (I have even written about using bird feeders as a homeschooling tool before.) The kids just can't get enough of watching birds in our backyard at our bird feeder. So, when I saw a small contraption that would allow us to turn a soda bottle into a bird feeder, I knew that the kids would really love that!

This project was easy for the kids to primarily work on by themselves, with a bit of help from me (specifically when making holes in the top of the "bird feeder" aka the bottom of the two liter bottle). And, with the actual feeder costing only a few dollars, this was a fun and frugal way to recycle an old bottle.

Not only were the kids able to enjoy watching the birds, but the birds seemed to enjoy it as well!

What are some inexpensive utilitarian crafts that you enjoy with your family?

Angie can be found writing at Many Little Blessings about faith, family, household management, going greener, and trying to live a more content life.

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Thanks for the Writer Response

ManyLittleBlessings@gmail.com (Angie @ Many Little Blessings) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:58:00 +0000

Thanks so much to our readers who responded with interest about writing for The Homeschool Classroom from my post asking for writers for specific subjects.

I will be in touch with people soon, but we very unexpectedly lost my Grandmother on Sunday morning. Understandably, I will not be at the computer as much this week as I would normally be. So, if you have already emailed me or if you do in the next week, I may not get back to you immediately. But, I am looking forward to looking through the email submissions that I have received!

Thank you!

Looking for a Few Writers for Specific Areas

ManyLittleBlessings@gmail.com (Angie @ Many Little Blessings) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:51:00 +0000

We are very interested in having a writer (or a few) join us that school with one of the following methods: unschooling, Montessori method, or Waldorf. Our writers submits articles twice a month (every other week).

In addition to this, we would be very interested in writers who are focusing on middle/high school, as well as homeschooling children with special needs.

We are also interested in someone to compile link posts similar to this "great homeschool links" list.

Of course, if you do not fit into one of these areas, but you feel very called to write for us, please email me with links to samples of work.

Thank you!

Angie

Play in the Past

Nov231973@gmail.com (Tammy) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:00:00 +0000

We recently had the opportunity to attend a Renaissance Day with our Girl Scout troop, and it was such a fun experience I thought I'd share it with you. If you belong to a homeschool co-op you could either look into your local community and see if you have any non-profit educational Renaissance groups that would put on an activity for you, or you could put one together yourselves.

Our event was coordinated by volunteers from the Siouxland Renaissance Festival, which is a non-profit group in our community that fosters education through Re-enactment, Interaction, Presentation and Participation.

The afternoon was divided up into 15 minute sessions and the girls got to participate and learn about Renaissance culture and activities.

Our group started off with a lesson in dancing. The importance of it (to show that a man was fit and was a good match for as a prospective groom), and they even got to learn some steps to one of them. Then they headed off to learn manners and social deportment of the times. How to curtsey, why a lady's ankles must never show, why hats are always worn, and other important etiquette so you wouldn't be banished from court!

Off to try on some Renaissance clothing. No whale bone corsets were donned but the girls had fun realizing why it was so important to have servants to help one dress. There were a lot of lacing and layers to get into during those times.

My daughter who is far more into swords and daggers, than skirts and hoops, was happy to attend the Weapon Master's session. The different types of armor, and types of weapons to use in various battles was interesting, and a bit terrifying too!

Lucet training was a little challenging for some of the girls. It was a nice change to see the fingers that text and video game doing something a little out of the ordinary, with some yarn and wood. In the end they all managed to (some with a little help) produce a small bracelet on the lucet.

Another fun activity was jousting, of course in a gymnasium we did not have real horses, but pool noodles and needlepoint hoops sparked the imagination. And nerf swords and shields make for fun hand to hand combat.

Entertainment from the Storyteller, brought us tales from Windsor Castle, the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey.

To round out our afternoon, the cooks prepared us a feast over their fires. Some of the finest in the land, cucumber sandwiches, pumpkin & sweet potato mousse (apparently one of Henry the VIII's favorites), orange and raisin cakes along with some apple tea to wash it down.

It surely was a fun day to play in the past and learn about the days of Elizabeth I.

Also check out this website for more information and resources. www.all-about-renaissance-faires.com

Tammy's blog is located at Three Different Directions, where she does product reviews and giveaways. She has a couple of giveaways running there right now. Visit her blog to see how you can enter to win.

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Q & A: What Have You Tried That Just Didn't Work For You?

ManyLittleBlessings@gmail.com (Angie @ Many Little Blessings) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:44:00 +0000

So many of us have had it happen, right? You spend money on that piece of curriculum that you read good reviews about only to stick it in a closet after trying it because it just didn't work for you.

Or, maybe you have read about some method of homeschooling or just an idea that you thought would be the best, and it just didn't work for you or your family.

Here's your chance to dish about it. Come on, now, it's happened to everyone. You definitely have something to share, so do it.

What have you tried that just didn't work for you and your homeschool?

Angie can be found writing about faith, family, and household management topics at Many Little Blessings. Just don't check out her closet, okay?

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photo by Seven Morris

Fun With Crayons

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:00:00 +0000

As much as I'd like to say I always have activities planned for each grade level, the reality is that there are often times where some of the kids don't have anything to do. Currently I am teaching seven different levels (from pre-K to a high school junior) and while I don't believe in structuring my children's every moment or learning experience I do try to have things on hand for when I hear for the 100th time, "Mama, where's my school work?" or "Mama, I'm bored. When's it going to be my turn?"

One of my children's favorite activities to do is coloring. I can't tell you how many crayons we have gone through over the years. Sometimes though, the kids get bored with regular coloring so we have found a few alternative ways to have fun with crayons. They are sure-fire ways to help my kids wait a little longer for their "turn" at school.

Rainbow Crayons: Take broken pieces of crayons, take the papers off of them and divide them by color. Place the sorted pieces in empty tin cans. Set the cans into a pot of hot/boiling water so that the bottom half of the can is submerged. Let the crayons melt. After the crayons have melted pour one color into an empty film canister. As the color hardens pour a second color on top of the first. Repeat with however many colors you wish. When the wax has all set again, cut the film canister from around your new rainbow crayon.
Clothespin Crayons: Clip a clothespin onto a crayon and have your kids color with them. It gives a whole new perspective (and gross motor skills) to coloring. Your kids will have fun for sure!
Stained-Glass Crayons: Gather up all your broken crayon pieces (or break ones if you want). Make sure there is no paper left on them. Line a cookies sheet with foil and cover with your crayon pieces. Place the cookie sheet into a 400* oven for a few minutes or until the crayons melt. Cool completely. When the crayons melt and mix you'll a have stained-glass effect. Break your new crayons into chunks and color!
Rainbow Drawing: Tape two or more crayons together and let your children color pictures. They'll love the double or triple effects they can make with their crayons!

Do you know of any other fun ways to color? Is there anything you do to help your children wait a little longer until it is "their turn" for one on one lessons? I'd love to hear more suggestions on how to keep the other kids busy while I work with some of the other children.

Lately life has been crazy for our family, but when she has a minute or two Michelle writes about her family at her blog Pass The Flu Bug Please.

This post is linked to Works for Me Wednesday.

Great Homeschooling Links: October 25, 2009

ManyLittleBlessings@gmail.com (Angie @ Many Little Blessings) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 02:37:00 +0000

These aren't all brand new links, but here is a smattering of great homeschooling links from around the blogosphere:

Finding Support -- The Curriculum Choice

I think one thing that most homeschoolers need to make it through with their sanity is some type of support. This article gives lots of ideas for where to find that! (Where do you find support?)

Make a Creation Station -- Crafty Crow

Fun and fabulous idea that will really spark the creativity of your children!

Art Museum Scavenger Hunt -- Heart of the Matter Online

Maybe it's because I have always been an art lover, but this list of ideas for a museum field trip made me very excited!

Homeschooling is Like Making Pancakes -- Homeschool Creations

Do you feel inferior to other homeschoolers? Do you think that everyone else is doing a better job than you? Go read this fabulous post by Jolanthe.

Taking Dictation -- Let's Explore

Wonderful ideas for doing dictation with preschoolers! Love all of these ideas!

Twilight Unit Study -- Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers

And then on the opposite side of the age spectrum, this looks like a great set of ideas for including the best selling Twilight books into your homeschooling curriculum.

The World is Our Classroom -- Keeper of the Home

An amazing list of ideas that just goes to show that your homeschool classroom really is anywhere you are!

Story Maps Download - Early Bird Homeschool

Download five great story maps to use with your children! Awesome download from this new blog (from the writer of Let's Explore).

When Angie isn't too busy reading wonderful blogs, you might be able to find her writing on her own blog, Many Little Blessings.

photo by Wilson17 (newly remarried!)

The Skinny on Toolbars

brensain@gmail.com (The Ties that Bind Us) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:00:00 +0000

If you've heard about toolbars but don't quite know what one is or why you would need one, let me give you the skinny on toolbars.

Toolbars are a way to stay connected to what you are interested in. If you spend the majority of your computer time looking for photography equipment and techniques then you would benefit from a photography toolbar. They usually provide links and gadgets that serve a specific interest or hobby.

Since I spend the majority of my computer time researching homeschool curricula, finding craft ideas and free printables, reading homeschool blogs and staying connected with other homeschoolers through communities, I needed a a toolbar that provided these things.

That's why I decided to create The Homeschool Gadget toolbar. I thought that being able to have instant one-click access to the best homeschooling sites and blogs would benefit many. And, it has, because currently we have 495 downloads!

While I was putting the toolbar together I knew immediately that I was going to need help. I called upon my wonderful gal pals that co-write for the Curriculum Choice and asked for favorite sites and blogs. The uniqueness of these women is that they all have differing homeschool philosophies and styles so I knew that I would get an outstanding variety of links.

The Homeschool Gadget Toolbar has many other features that make it unique:

email notifier - This feature is set up to compile all your email accounts and lets you know when "you've got mail".
radio player - Groove to a mix of radio stations from acoustic praise through 80's hits.
customized searches - These searches only search pre-approved homeschool sites that have the information that is being searched for, so that your search results don't come back with 100's of unusable links. You can search for curriculum reviews, free printables and unit study resources.
student gadget - This allows instant access to dictionary, thesaurus, Bible search, picture study (art prints), nature study references, spelling and math drills, SAT practice and more.
100's of homeschooling sites
The very best blogs in alphabetical order
Facebook - You can access the facebook fan page or your facebook settings.
Community access - If you click on the chat button it takes you to a growing homeschool community, Our Lifestyle of Learning which has nearly 800 members to meet and stay connected to.

Once you download this spyware and virus free toolbar it will remain on the top of your computer screen wherever you go on the internet, providing access to all the aforementioned features. If you need to hide it or remove it, it is very easy to do so.

Years of research went into this toolbar because it was created by veteran homeschooler's and their favorite resources. It's truly a gem and I've only heard great reviews from everyone that uses it. Our toolbar has a high % of usage, which means that the moms that download it, use it over 80% of the time they are on the computer.

If you already have a toolbar on your computer that you use, we have a "To Go" version that adds our favorite blogs to your existing toolbar. Currently you can only access this version by downloading it from my blog, http://www.thethiethatbindsus.blogspot.com.

To download the toolbar, visit http://homeschoolgadget.ourtoolbar.com.

Written by Brenda, a classically eclectic mother of five. She blogs at Tie That Binds Us and is the founder of Our Lifestyle of Learning, an online homeschool community.

Multi-Aged Lapbooking is Fun

ManyLittleBlessings@gmail.com (Angie @ Many Little Blessings) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:00:00 +0000

Do you love lapbooks but are intimidated to use them with multi-aged children?

Lapbooks are great little tools for enhancing your studies. You CAN use them effectively and easily!

Basically, a lapbook is an irregularly folded file folder with mini books and paper crafts that are adhered to the inside. It's a perfect way to keep all the research and information neatly folded inside and in one place. You have many choices when purchasing lapbooks. Besides the myriad of subjects, you can purchase pre-made lapbooks, ebooks, have all the supplies mailed to you where you just cut and paste or have CDs sent to you so you can re-use the information.

We have used lapbooks for several years. This year, one of the classes that I am teaching at a co-op is zoology with multi-aged children-Kindergarten thru fourth grade. I didn't hesitate at all when combining the large age gap because I am very used to adapting the same information to different levels with my own children who are in 4th and 8th grade currently.

To give you an idea of my students in the co-op, their skills vary from non-writers to able to research and write reports. Everyone participates in discussions and activities and they all have the same mini-books that I have prepared for them. (I printed a lot of my material from Homeschool Share.) For my non-writers, I ask them to draw a picture of what we discussed or the info they needed to research. Many times, I am also able to write their narration down when time permits. I always ask them to tell me about their pictures which helps solidify their connection with the information. I might make a suggestion to their picture, but I try and let them share in their own style.

Here's how I incorporate this idea: For my youngest guy, he drew a picture for the question "What is a zoology". When I asked him to tell us about his picture, he said that he drew a man. I praised him for his wonderful picture and suggested that he draw an animal too since zoology is the study of animals. He went right to it; he was so excited! For the varying skills in between, I will ask them to write specific information like: Please write 3 interesting or fascinating facts or Draw a picture and write a sentence about it. For the older ones, I ask them to write paragraph reports when applicable. Everyone gets to share their new information. They just love that!

For vocabulary you have several options. Many times, I will type out the words and definitions for my younger children. They cut and paste the correct words with their definitions into different types of mini-books we have created. We'll find the words and review them together. Instead of just asking, "What does aerodynamic mean?", I'll ask them to put the word in a sentence. Now that I know the child understands the definition, we will paste the definition with the correct word. Sometimes, I'll have the definition typed out and ask them to write the correct vocabulary word. My older children are obviously capable of writing both words and definitions. I vary their exercises depending on what I want them to focus on and how much time I've accounted for studying the subject together. The kids love changing up the mini-books! Dinah Zike's Big Book of Books is a great resource to have on hand!

I personally love including hands-on activities outside of lapbooks when teaching. I love to teach to all of the different learning styles throughout class-auditory, kinetic and visual. If I am planning several hands-on activities for the class then I'll cut out the mini-books already to save time. For example, during our next class, we will be building a bird house with pre-cut wood and nails and creating a bird feeder out of a recycled 2ltr bottle on top of our lapbooking. In our last class we cut and pasted the books already and they are awaiting information to be written/drawn inside of them. Kids love to enhance their lapbooks. Dover Publications sells some inexpensive and wonderful stickers for several themes.

These are just a few ideas to get you started. You can successfully share this experience with your multi-aged children at the same time! Lapbooks are so much FUN! They give you, the teacher, a sense of accomplishment. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE having all the information together in one place. The kids get excited seeing their lapbooks come together and the finished product. Remember to have them write a created and finished by date on the outside somewhere. These will be a keepsake for sure!

Do you currently use lapbooks as part of your homeschooling? What are your favorite resources for making lapbooks?

Amanda is an eclectic homeschooling mommy to 4 beautiful girls and has been homeschooling for 9 years. In the elementary and middle school grades, she uses the classical format of teaching history chronologically as a reference for each year. She's used several curriculums and ideas spanning the subjects over the years that were chosen for her children’s individual learning styles, needs and goals that her family has purposefully chosen. Homeschooling is one of the many hats she proudly wears. Grab a cup of tea and get to know her better at Encouragement Along the Way.

photo by prayingmother

Flower Pot Science Lab

weirdunsocializedhomeschoolers@charter.net (Weird Unsocialized Mom) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:00:00 +0000

Do you ever watch Franklin? You know his cute little buddy, Snail? We have one of those -- a cute little land snail. He (or she) lives in the potted peace lily in our dining/school room. We didn't set out to have a pet snail on purpose. I found him in the bottom of the basket that the peace lily and various and sundry other plants were in when I re-potted the survivors a few months after my grandmother's funeral this past summer. (Yeah, I'm not so good with plants..of any sort. Peace lilies are about the only things that survive at my house.)

So, anyway, I almost tossed him outside when I found him back in August, but, after considering a moment, I decided that he might be beneficial for the plant and if I hadn't even noticed he was in there up until that point, surely he wouldn't hurt anything -- or, you know, get out of the pot and go crawling around my house.

It's been really fun to observe him and he's not especially shy. Sometimes we'll see him climbing a little way up a peace lily stalk. Other times, he'll let us pick him up without withdrawing into his shell. Every so often, we'll toss a piece or two of cat food in there. We figured we can't keep the slugs out of the cat food outside, so it must be something edible for a snail.

Other than those observations, we didn't really seek to make a real educational venture out of having a pet snail. We'd never looked him up to see exactly what kind of snail he was or to find out anymore about him.
Well, not until a couple of weeks ago, that is -- when we discovered what could only be a baby snail in there with him!

At that point, we were curious if the only plausible explanation really was true -- did our snail reproduce itself?

It did!

Turns out, our snail was rather easily identified as a Xolotrema denotatum, commonly called a velvet wedge snail -- a fairly common land snail. Although these snails typically mate with another snail of the same species, in rare instances, they are able to self-reproduce, having both the male and female reproductive organs. They lay their eggs in moist, loose soil.

In addition to the baby pictured above, I have since found at least three other babies -- the smallest ones no bigger than the tip of a pencil. I think I've found some eggs, too, but I'm not 100% sure. A few days after we found the first baby, I took a picture of Mama (and/or Daddy) Snail, eating a piece of cat food. It wasn't until I got the picture downloaded to my computer that I realized that Baby Snail was eating, too. If you look closely, you can see it on the left side of the picture.

It's unexpected moments like these when I love homeschooling! Could I have a pet snail if we didn't homeschool? Sure...but I know me well enough to know that I wouldn't.

What unexpected fun learning moments have you and your family shared lately?

Kris is the sweet-tea-drinking, classically eclectic, slightly Charlotte Mason, homeschooling mom to her three Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers.

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Anecdotal Records in Homeschool

ManyLittleBlessings@gmail.com (Angie @ Many Little Blessings) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:00:00 +0000

Back in my days as a pre-k teacher at a private Christian school, I was trained to keep anecdotal records on my students. My school didn’t actually require them, but I found that the parents really appreciated them and, come conference time, so did I. Not having to rely on my memory is always a good thing.

Anecdotal records are simply notes taken on something that happens. They are meant to be objective, with no interpreting. They are most often used in schools to form a plan of action. No opinions or subjective language allowed. It is a narrative describing an event just as it happened. Here’s one I could have written today:

Chloe and Sophia put on a play about Noah’s Ark today during free time. Chloe set up a folding table on its side and Sophia, acting as Noah, went under it, pretending to get inside the ark. Chloe, on a microphone, read the scriptures in the Bible as God speaking.

You may be required to keep anecdotal records if your child is on a specialized education plan. If that’s the case, you’ll want to follow traditional guidelines. Otherwise, enjoy the freedom homeschool brings and tweak the guidelines a bit to fit your own homeschooling style.

For instance, if I recorded the incident above, it would look more like this:

Chloe and Sophie had free time today and they decided on their own to put on a play about Noah and the ark. Sophia played Noah, and even remembered all her lines! Chloe played God and did a deep voice on the microphone. Frankie (our dog) even got in on the action, getting in the “ark” (a folding table on its side). I was thrilled that the girls had remembered all the aspects of the story we’d been reading. It was especially cool that they thought of doing this on their own, it wasn’t some assignment I gave them.

See, I’m not so worried about being objective here. I can think of a few more things I’d like to record as years go by. Why not write records that support your educational philosophy? For example, if developing a love of learning is high on your priority list, you can begin jotting down instances when your child especially enjoys an assignment or project.

If you want your child to think for themselves, you could record decisions they made on their own, or instances when they figured something out without help.

Maybe there are character issues your child is struggling with. Take a moment to write a couple sentences when she makes a positive choice or shows growth in a certain area.

As long as we’re tweaking these records to fit our homeschool life, I tend to make them positive. Here’s why:

•    When a hard day comes, and you find yourself doubting homeschool, you can pull out your notebook and be encouraged.

•    On the same note, when you feel frustrated with your child’s behavior and your own seeming lack of progress in an area, it can really help to be reminded of little victories.

•    Referring back to your mission often will keep your educational philosophy and mission statement fresh in mind.

•    Your husband can browse through it and be a part of the day-to-day happenings of school.

•    It will someday be a great keepsake filled with positive memories.

Do you keep anecdotal records or are you considering giving them a try?

Angela tries a little bit of everything as she homeschools her two girls and is finding that she’s not as smart as she thought. You can catch her blogging at Angela Mills.

This post is linked to: Works for Me Wednesday and Thirsty Thursday.

photo from photoexpress.com

An Epiphany on Homeschool Scheduling

ManyLittleBlessings@gmail.com (Angie @ Many Little Blessings) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:00:00 +0000

I had a couple of homeschooling epiphanies at the end of last week. Granted, they weren't things that I didn't already know. But, for whatever reason, it just really hit me.

My first epiphany came upon while I was thinking about a project that my kids are supposed to be working on for a saints party that we will be attending. I was thinking about it, and I thought, "When will we have time to work on this?"

Then, it hit me. I'm the one that makes the schedule. I can fit it in when I want to fit it in. It is a project that is more than appropriate to work on during the school day, so why not work on it during the school day.

I had been so proud of myself for coming up with a framework for our schedule this year (since I struggled with it last year), but in the end -- I have occasionally allowed myself to become a slave to it. I made the schedule, and I can change the schedule when I need to without feeling guilty.

Shortly thereafter, I was thinking about some of the hands on things that I have wanted to work on with the kids that I just can't ever seem to find time to get to.

That's when epiphany number two hit me -- I'm the one that makes the schedule. If I want to schedule in the things that we are lacking, I can.

Yes, this may sound like I had the same epiphany twice, thus making the second not really an epiphany. But, I guess I needed to realize that I can change the schedule both permanently and temporarily. Just because I came up with a good plan, it doesn't mean I have to stick with it forever.

I decided to schedule a "hands on" type of day every other week -- on the opposite week from our homeschool group's co-op. I plan to do activities such as basic sewing, laundry, cooking, field trips, soap making, and videos related to what we've been studying.

I would love some more suggestions of "hands on" activities to do on our special days (and maybe even a catchy name for those days)! If you have some great ideas, please be sure to leave them in the comments!

What homeschooling epiphanies have you had? Did it change how you homeschool?

When Angie isn't busy trying to think outside the homeschooling box, even though she happens to be the one that put that box together, you can find her writing at Many Little Blessings.

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photo by Joe Lanman

Living History

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:45:00 +0000

Something our family enjoys doing is historical re-enacting. Historical re-enacting is basically a type of role playing where participants try to recreate an event or time in history. (Civil War re-enacting is probably the most well known!) Our family does mid to late 18th century, around the Revolutionary War period. Every year (well, almost every year!) we participate in the Feast of the Hunter's Moon at Fort Ouiatenon in West Lafayette, Indiana. This past weekend was the 42nd annual Feast! In the picture you can see my 19 month old dressed in her 18th century garb.

Sometimes it's hard to impart the fun of re-enacting! As a military wife (we "fight" with the Royal Highland Emigrants on the side of the British) most of my weekend is spent cooking over a campfire, scrubbing dishes, and keeping our camp tidy. Did I mention we sleep in historically accurate canvas tents and that's it's bitterly cold at night? It really is a good time, though! If I'm not occupied with little ones, I sometimes get to participate in mock battles, "Mollying" (i.e., dragging the "wounded" off the battlefield). And of course, it's a great educational experience for the kids. Reading about the Revolution is one thing, participating in it is another! I know for me, the history I soak up at the Feast stays with me much more easily than what I read in books. And I think it tends to be the same for kids. It's also a great way to get a hands on look at what life was like for every day people, something that tends to get overlooked in history books in favor of big battles and flashy generals. And, it holds special meaning for us, as my husband's parents (who are deceased) had helped to get the Feast started so many years ago. The "old timers" out there watched my husband grow up, and it's a way for my children to get to know grandparents they never had a chance to meet.

Although participating in a historical re-enactment might not be possible for everyone, you can still attend as an observer! The Feast, for example, has many great activities for children, such as paper making, candle making, soap making, story telling, and tomahawk throwing. This year they also had a re-created Wea Village (native people from the area) as well as costume try-on so visiting children can see what kids wore in the 18th century. Historical re-enactments are a great engaging way to share our country's history with your children!

A Couple of Fun Website Activities

Nov231973@gmail.com (Tammy) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:00:00 +0000

The internet has an incredible amount of resources for free teaching tools. I have so many websites bookmarked, but not enough time to use them all. Here are a couple that I recently came across that I would like to share with you.

The first is a new site put out by Disney called Disney Digital Books. The new and classic Disney stories are now available interactively from any computer.

The books have a "magic pen" that you can use to click and hear words aloud, highlight the text, turn the pages, and see definitions.

There is a storybook activity to create your own books full of original Disney characters and you can print them.

Over 500 books are available with the Disney characters your younger and older kids love.

This is a subscription based service but you can Try It For Free, there are 7 sample books, 1 of which is a Look and Listen book and 1 which is Story Builder activity. No credit card is required for the sample.

The other site is from Mackin Educational Resources and Journey Back in Time, on October 12th, they started a month long Citizenship Challenge.

The Citizenship Challenge is an interactive game based on the questions used by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for their Naturalization Test. Students can study for the game by clicking a link to view videos covering many of the questions.

Are your students prepared for the challenge?

Tammy's blog is located at Three Different Directions, where she does product reviews and giveaways. She has a couple of giveaways running there right now. Visit her blog to see how you can enter to win.

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Historic Flooding Leads to Learning

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:00:00 +0000

Recently here in Georgia we experienced historic flooding. You may have seen this on the news. We received around 20 inches of rain in a few days times. Many of the lakes and rivers near us flooded. They washed away roads, bridges and homes. Thankfully our home received no damage but many of our friends weren't as lucky. Our county was declared a disaster area and those who had damage to their homes are now able to get help in putting their lives back together.

The rain and flooding caused many widespread problems in our communities. As a result of the water damage many schools were closed for the week, businesses were shut down and we were on a water boil order because our water wasn't safe to drink. Unfortunately we found this out too late and both babies ended up sick from contaminants in the water. They are on the mend however, and things are slowly getting back to normal here in Georiga.

The floods brought up many questions from my children. We decided to abandon our plans for the week and study instead about rain. We learned many things including the basics about the water cycle, why it rains and what happens after it rains (be it too little, just enough or too much). We did many hands-on activities to help us learn about rain. I wanted to share an experiment we did to learn how clouds form. It was something that interested all the kids and I was able to tailor it to fit all learning levels!

Making A Cloud:

First you need to gather your supplies:

A plastic 2 liter bottle

A piece of black construction paper

Tape

A sandwich sized ziploc baggie

Ice

Matches

Warm water

First filled the bottle about 1/3 of the way full with warm water. Next tape the piece of black construction paper to the back of the bottle. This will allow you to see your cloud easier.

Light a match and drop it in the bottle.

Immediately place the ziploc baggie full of ice over the mouth of the bottle and hold in place.

Watch as your cloud forms!

So what's going on? Clouds form as warm water evaporates into the air. As it does it forms drops of water onto pieces of dust that are in the air (the match smoke provides the dust in our experiment). As the water droplets combine on the dust they form clouds in the sky.

My children used the scientific method to determine what they thought was going to happen against what actually happened. We continued to learn about clouds- which clouds actually bring rain, how the rain affects not only our community but the world at large, and how too much rain is harmful but so is not enough rain. We did several art projects and writing projects as well. I will be posting these on my personal blog this coming week for you to see at Pass The Flu Bug Please. I tried my hardest to incorporate the lesson into all subjects.

I love that we can take time to learn about something that might not have been on our agenda but that was our lives at that moment. It's one of the wonderful things about homeschooling... the ability to teach what is relevant in our lives at that particular moment.

To learn more about Michelle, her family and their homeschooling journey, check her out at Pass The Flu Bug Please.

Shakespearean Chickens

brensain@gmail.com (The Ties that Bind Us) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Aemelia, Helena, Juliet, Lavinia, Olivia, Katharina, Bianca and Gertrude are not only female characters in Shakespeare's plays but they are also a new small flock of chickens that we recently adopted into our family. As I continue to define our homeschooling life as a lifestyle of learning, I am finding that every opportunity provides lessons to learn. Not only will these chickens teach my children the value of life, dependence, and commitment; they will begin giving gifts in about four to five months of fresh eggs and the biggest gift of all - satisfaction.

Part of our goals for our family this year was to find something that we could do as a family to become more self-sufficient. There is an excitement in the air - the excitement of our very own eggs! It may seem small, and a lot of work for such a little reward to some. But, we are hoping to have lessons to share about our experiences of keeping a small flock of chickens in a small city space.

My favorite book that I have read several times is Keep Chickens! by Barbara Kilarski. It's an easy introduction to small flocks in city and suburb areas. It is a great starter book, but I must admit that without friends to call and ask questions I would have been lost. Thanks to my friends that keep chickens, I have learned that there really is a "pecking order" and some insider tricks on how to keep the cost down by gathering things such as free shavings for bedding.

So, our hen house project was kicked off last weekend, when we got a weekend of cool weather. We built the playhouse-turned-hen house within a closed in area of our yard. I thought that turning this Sam's Club summer deal into a hen house was a darling idea. I have put up chicken wire in the windows to keep the chics in and the creatures out. We haven't built roosting boxes yet, but plan to soon. The pullets (chicken lingo for baby chic) will want a place to roost at about 5 months old. We picked out a variety of chickens for their looks, egg colors and dispositions:

Americauna - cautious, lays green or blue eggs

Seabright Bantum or "Bantie" - can withstand heat and stays a small chicken (3 #) that will lay little brown eggs

New Hampshire Red - cautious and calm, lays light brown eggs

Red Sex Link - friendly, good layer, lays medium brown eggs

Black Giant - will be a 10# chicken, lays brown eggs and can be trained to do circus acts. (at least that's what some locals do....)

Admittedly, it was a lot of work to put together the organization of this chicken project. I had to learn about what chickens need, and how to keep their supplies organized. Thankfully, my older two sons have loved to read about how to care for them and have been fully in charge of their care. The younger ones have held and chased their chickens with much delight. Plus, we've incorporated the watering, feeding and chicken-run (the place where they get to run and stretch their little legs) routine into our day. Because they are still small we watch them while they are in the chicken run. We've also had to tell our very well behaved boxer to not touch them. So far, so good. We're working on our little piece of paradise in the city, since we aren't able to move away just yet. I'll be posting more about our chicken adventures in the months to come.

To see pictures of the Bard's Girls, please visit my blog post this week.

Written by Brenda, a homeschooling mother of 5 turned aspiring chickenkeeper. You can find her blogging at http://www.thetiethatbindsus.blogspot.com

I Broke Down and Set Up a Twitter Account

ManyLittleBlessings@gmail.com (Angie @ Many Little Blessings) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 02:37:00 +0000

I already have my own Twitter account, but I just finally set up one for The Homeschool Classroom. It doesn't have much on it yet, but if you'd like to follow us, head over to our page - @HSClassroom.

Are you on Twitter? We'd love to find some people to follow too!

image by mfilej

Nature Study 101

weirdunsocializedhomeschoolers@charter.net (Weird Unsocialized Mom) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:00:00 +0000

If you read my personal blog on a regular basis, you've probably noticed that my kids and I have been surprised to discover a real love of nature study this year. We've tried having a nature study time in the past, but it has always fallen by the wayside until this year. I thought I'd share some things that are working for us so that maybe you'll find some ideas you can use to add a nature study time into your homeschool.

Nature Center Membership. You may be one of those fortunate people who have a wonderful area to explore nature in your own backyard. We're not. One of the reasons nature study has fallen by the wayside for us in the past is that our yard isn't an especially interesting place to spend great amounts of time outdoors. I knew that if we were going to carve out a regular time for nature study, we had to find a place that was interesting to us. The family membership at a local nature center was inexpensive and has been one of our best homeschool investments this year.

Make It a Date. We have our nature study time once a week, in between Josh and Megan's music classes. Because we have set aside this time specifically for visiting the nature center, it happens. Consistently. If possible, decide on a day and time when you know that, barring any unforeseen obligations, you should be able to visit your nature study spot.

Supplies. We have a bag of supplies set aside specifically for our nature study time and I keep them in the back of our van, so I don't have to worry about forgetting them. Our bag contains sketch books, a pencil bag for each of us (containing colored pencils, a sketch pencil and an eraser), magnifying glasses, binoculars, field guides, and a piece of drawing charcoal for doing leaf rubbings. I plan to add some plastic sandwich bags for things we might like to bring home (only things found on the ground -- we don't pick flowers, leaves, etc.) and I want to add something for us to sit on while we sketch. The only thing I have to remember to grab each week is my camera.

Handbook of Nature Study. The book, The Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock has been invaluable to us this year, along with ideas from the Handbook of Nature Study blog and these tips from Raising Olives.

Realistic Expectations. I know that last year, I envisioned us all sitting around together, quietly sketching away, capturing the details of the beauty around us. Yeah, right. My kids would much rather be skipping rocks in the creek or crashing along the trails in the woods than actually observing anything specific. So, I've learned to keep it low-key. If I have something specific I want us to do, I plan to spend about 1/2 our time (or less) doing and the rest of the time letting the kids explore. They're still getting out and observing things.

I also try to keep in mind that the kids' nature journals are their own. I strongly encourage them to sketch something and write some information down about what they drew. I also try not to make it an assignment because I want journaling to grow into something that each of the kids enjoys.

Those are some of the things that have been working for us this year. Do you and your family enjoy a weekly nature study time? If so, what tips would you offer?

Kris is the sweet-tea-drinking, nature-lovin', classically eclectic, slightly Charlotte Mason, homeschooling mom to her three Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers.

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Playtime Kits

ManyLittleBlessings@gmail.com (Angie @ Many Little Blessings) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:23:00 +0000

For the last five or six years, I've been dreaming up games and activities for my littlest girl. I love being one of her favorite playmates, but it has become clear to me lately that she needs to be able to play on her own just a little bit more.

To encourage her to play on her own (and give mom a little break), I put together some playtime kits. I used some bright pink bins I already have and started grouping things we had around the house. Here are some kits I made:

Money Kit:

Play money and coins
Money board game
Toy cash register
Price tags
Paper grocery bags
Wallet

Science Kit:

Kid's microscope
Microscope slides kit
Tasty science kit
Sea shell collection
Rock collection

Jewelry-making kit:

Beads and pendants
String
Wire
Mini pliers
Tweezers

Handicrafts kit:

Yarn
Knitting needles
Paper doll kit
Mini weaving kit
Mini weaving loom
A few half-finished craft projects we never got around to finishing

Sure, these are toys and items we already had, but somehow putting them together in a kit made them more interesting! I found that it is even more exciting when some grown-up (but safe) items are added. For instance, I added some of my beading tools to her jewelry-making kit and some of my craft glue in her handicrafts kit.

I plan to switch these around in a few months when she's grown bored with them. In my house, I already have the makings of a play-cooking kit, a sculpting kit, and a photography kit. I'm also thinking any one of these could be a great gift idea!

What do you have in your house that you could turn into a playtime kit?

Angela tries a little bit of everything as she homeschools her two girls and is finding that she’s not as smart as she thought. You can catch her blogging at Angela Mills.

This post is linked to Works for Me Wednesday, Finer Things Friday, and Frugal Fridays.

photo by Angie @ Many Little Blessings

The Homeschool Classroom: September 2009 Recap

ManyLittleBlessings@gmail.com (Angie @ Many Little Blessings) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:00:00 +0000

Thanks so much to all of the fabulous friends of our blog who have referred readers here this past month! As a special thank you, we want to link back to the top 10 referring sites:

1. Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers

2. We are THAT Family

3. Many Little Blessings

4. Homeschool Creations

5. The Tie That Binds Us

6. Catholic Mothers Online

7. Tales from the Bonny Blue House

8. Joyful Always

9. Squidoo

10. Five J's

And, in case you have missed any of these gems, be sure to check out some of the posts that received the most hits during September 2009:

1. Using Crafts as Educational Tools for Preschoolers

2. What Does Your Schedule for the Week Look Like?

3. School Name, Colors, and Mascot for Your Homeschool

4. Organizing Homeschool Plans and Papers

5. 25 Homeschool Websites You Should Have Bookmarked

6. Ideas for Your Next Co-op Class

7. Multiplication Games

8. Keeping Toddlers Busy During Homeschooling

9. Fine Arts in the Home School

10. Assignment Chart