I received an email today from the Home Education Foundation(HEF) urging home educators to call the Florida House Education Committee members today or tomorrow to voice your concerns over HB 859.  If you would like to read HEF’s entire email, you can view it in your browser here. 

In a nutshell, this piece of legislation will eventually require all Florida students to take and pass the FCAT in order to graduate, regardless of school choice, public, private or homeschool.  In essence, you we be required to teach the public school curriculum in order for your child to pass the FCAT, and be allowed to graduation and be accepted into college. As Brenda states in her email,

YOUR FREEDOM TO FOLLOW YOUR OWN CURRICULUM is at stake here. if the FCAT becomes mandatory, there is no turning back. YOU MUST ACT!!!! The FCAT will lead to the End of Course exams which will be tied to the public school curriculum. You will be forced to teach the public school curriculum. I cannot say this more strongly.

Please take a few minutes out of your busy, hectic day to call the committee members listed below.  As Brenda states, do not identify yourself as a homeschooler, but as a concerned parent.  Here are the points to cover in your call:

Tell them that this provision will:

1. Threaten the integrity of the FCAT and End of Course exams that Taxpayers have spent millions of dollars to develop.

2. State assessments will require private schools to use the same curriculum as public schools. As a result, private schools will lose their independence and parents will lose their choice.

3. This will place an unfunded mandate on the school districts at a time when funds are extremely limited. The staff analysis states that it is impossible to determine the cost to the public school for overseeing the administration of the test at private schools.

Ask them to amend the FCAT language out of HB 859.

House Education Committee Members:

Bill Sponsor: Rep. Richard Corcoran 850-488-8528
Proctor, William L. "Bill" [R] Chair 850-488-2977
Adkins, Janet H. [R] Vice Chair 850-488-6920
Coley, Marti [R] 850-488-2873
Fresen, Erik [R] 850-488-4092
O’Toole, H. Marlene [R] 850-488-5991
Stargel, Kelli [R] 850-488-2270

This year in our history studies we have a heavy focus on Bible lands, as we are studying “Creation to the Greeks.”  There is one particular map we have already used several times in the six weeks since we began our school year.  I was attempting to get by using an 8 1/2 x 11” sheet of paper to show the children the different things they should be labeling.  Let’s just say it was a smidge tedious. 

I decided that I would like to enlarge the map and have it laminated.  This way, I would have something big enough for everyone to see and using dry erase markers, I could write all over it and then wipe it off.

I called my local big box office supplier and they wanted an arm and a leg to enlarge my map. Well, it seemed like an arm and a leg to me…I want to say $24.00. Then, they wanted about that amount again to laminate it…$48.00, really?!?!   I have since blocked that from my memory ;)

Appalled by this price, I decided to attempt to find an alternative.  I searched the internet and found this website, www.blockposters.com.  Here’s the low-down, you upload your photo or image and they enlarge it.  Then, they email you the enlarged print as a downloadable pdf.  Then, it’s like having a puzzled to put together….a really easy puzzle.  

I printed mine on cardstock and then had it laminated at our local school supply store for a grand total of $4.50. 

SWEET!

I think it looks very nice, you can see the seams a bit from where it was taped together, but it is very usable, and I am very pleased with it.

FYI, I am in no way affiliated with blockposters.com, and I have NOT be compensated for this post.

Last year we added something new to our homeschool routine.  I started setting aside an hour at the beginning of our day for what seem to be tings that fall through the cracks.  Now, things that tend to fall through the cracks for me are going to be different for each person.  My loose ends tend to be handwriting, Latin and Greek vocabulary, and math drill sheets.  These are the things that I easily forget when life gets busy.  Now, with an established time each day, they fall through the cracks less often.  We start with our Latin and Greek vocabulary.  Then, I go over their handwriting and am available to  encourage and correct as needed. What kid doesn’t love a red smiley face on their paper, and no black won’t do :)  Last, they work on their Saxon math drill sheets.  I know that the drill sheets are very valuable for the kiddos and have been a huge help in learning their math facts.  However, when added to their daily math exercises they tend to overwhelm the kids.  So, working on these sheets at a separate time has been the answer. 

Most days we don’t need the entire hour to complete the work.  I use this fact to my advantage.  You see, as soon as the kiddos finished their drill sheets, they get to have whatever time is left for recess. 

And who doesn’t love recess?!?!?!

What things fall through the cracks in your homeschool program?

Last night I needed a fun little project to…distract me :)  I found these cute book marks and thought that they would be a fun little treat for the kids.  They really are quite easy to whip up. I just used  some old scrapbook paper I had on hand. 

They fit on the corner of the pages, like this….

I also made a few for myself :)

If you are interested in the tutorial, visit I Could Make That.

This past weekend the majority of my family went to Pensacola for a memorial service for my aunt.  It was supposed to be a really quick trip.  You know, drive up on Friday, memorial service Saturday, drive home on Sunday.  It was a pretty interesting trip… let’s just say that it took us 12 hours to get there, and even longer to get home :) 

That’s okay, memories were made and we were able to be there for my cousin.

On the way home, we decided to drive by our capitol building.

Then, we ended up stopping to get a pic in front of the building.  Next thing I  know, my Mom and Mr. OverKill disappeared into the building, which is now a free museum.

Okay, so a quick picture on the inside steps….

And one of the beautiful glass work on the dome.

And the next thing I know the kiddos are reenacting a session of the senate.

Okay, well at least it was educational….we counted it as school :)

This guy….he was so intrigued with everything at the capitol.  This weekend he also became quite concerned about his hair….now I just call him “The Republican.”

The Supreme Court room was very cool.  This is all the original furniture….

I love the look on the kiddos faces when they are learning.

I want to say that we made it through the museum in about an hour.

The kids were a little frustrated at the pace, so Mr. OK promised them we would come back sometime when we could stay a little longer.

I love it when impromptu learning occurs :)

Ha ha, how many of you did a double take on that one?  Yes it’s true, we will be beginning our new school year in January..  Remember, we run on a year round schedule which begins in January.

This year we have a few things that we will be working on together.  All the children are going to be using MFW’s Creation to the Greeks cycle.  We will also be continuing English From the Roots Up, and my own brand of handwriting :)  Oh, and spelling (I always forget spelling!) I am hoping to use Spelling Power with all of the children this year.

We also have a few subjects that are “graded.”  Let’s take a look, shall we?

Little Man – Let’s call it grade 2.

This year “technically” he is in the 2nd grade.  sniff…sniff….can’t believe it!  He is very good with numbers.  I’m not talking “Rain Man’” here, but he definitely has a talent with numbers. At the end of last year, we decided to switch all the kiddos into Saxon Math.  Little Man tested into Saxon Math 54.  He will also be continuing some formal reading with mom.  Basically, he will be choosing books of interest and we will read through them together.  I am really hoping that we can get Little Man back into his Ukulele lessons this year as well.  His teacher has been a tad busy.

Tootle Bug – Grade 4

Wait, what?!?!  I’m really beginning to dislike this post….  Tootle also tested into Saxon Math 54.  She will be reading various chapter books this year, right now she is enjoying the YWAM books, which I highly recommend.  Tootle will also be continuing to take violin and ballet lessons.

Sugar Belle – 5th grade

Sugar Belle will be working through Saxon Math 65 this year.  She will also begin using Institute for Excellence in Writing(IEW) this year.  Shug has recently begun taking cello lessons and will be continuing with ballet this year. Oh, and reading…same deal as Tootle Bug, she will read where her interest leads her, as long as it is at or above grade level.

Bubba – 7th grade

Seriously?!?! Oh my word.  Well in addition to our MFW curriculum this year, Bubba will also be working through Apologia’s Exploring Creation through General Science.  He will be completing one of IEW’s theme based writing this year.  Reading will be a tad more structured for Bubba this year.  I have not compiled his reading list in it’s entirety yet, but I do know he will be reading “Do Hard Things” and “Thoughts for Young Men.”  At the moment he is reading about Alan Shepard.  I am also hoping to get him back into his guitar lessons…
I will try to post more middle school reading suggestions as we go along. 

All the children are participating in 4h this year.  The three Littles received bunnies as a gift this year for Christmas, so that will definitely be a great learning experience.  Bubba will be focusing on working through the Small Engine project.

So there you have it, our school year in summary.

This year Scholastic has an amazing wealth of printable activities, and virtual tours of the Mayflower, the Pilgrim village, a Wampanoag home site, and Plymouth Plantation. They also have a Thanksgiving Web Quest game.  Very cool!  Hope you enjoy.

Scholastic, The First Thanksgiving.

$56,000 Giveaway!

We are officially beginning our 3rd week of Fall break(the equivalent of your Summer break).  The first week, we were in Birmingham where we visited a couple of museums.  The children learned many new things that week…for example, they learned what a shark feels like, they learned about experimental aircraft, propulsion, iguanas, engineering…need I go on?

Last week, Bubba found some directions online to make a Wright Brothers kite from “household materials.”  He printed them out, gathered his supplies, and set to work….All without any assistance from me.

He did have a cute Little Assistant, but it wasn’t me :)

The finished product…

Complete with strings…

Oh look!  It’s the cute Little Assistant!

And…

It works!

Which of course caused a ruckus amongst the neighborhood boys…

Bubba told them all about it, and gave them a private demonstration.

Finally the cute Little Assistant got a turn ;)

So lets see, last weeks education included, reading comprehension, following directions, engineering, torque, thrust, warping….

Yeah, we’re on break.

Oh, if you are interested, you can find the directions Bubba used at wright-brothers.org.

Today we made some very interesting, very colorful volcanoes out of non-hardening modeling clay.

This was Little Man’s.

He finished his volcano first, so he got to do the experiment first.

Cool!

Tootle was up next….

Her volcano was very….large.

But it did look very interesting.

Here is Bubba’s volcano, he had way too much fun with this experiment.

Mr. OverKill’s parents dropped by unexpectedly, proving my point that you never know what you will find happening if you pop by Frazzled Mama Land ;)

Mr. OverKill found it hard to believe that I had never done this experiment as a child.

I had almost as much fun as the kiddos.

Sugar Belle was up last…

And her volcano did not disappoint.

In case you are in need of directions…here ya go:

Form a volcano from modeling clay.  Add 2 teaspoons of baking soda to the volcano.  Then, pour a bit of vinegar in, and there you have it, a volcano simulation.  

This is a great activity for any age.  I have also read variations on the vinegar/baking soda reaction activity.  One mom put food coloring in the vinegar.  Then, she dumped out a box of baking soda onto a cookie sheet.  Using droppers, her kiddos created little, colorful reactions in the baking soda on the tray.

You can also use the combo to clean out your kitchen sink drain.  I dump about half a box of baking soda down the drain and then follow with a cup or so of vinegar.  The effervescence rids the drain and pipe of gunk and odors.

Happy effervescing!