Monthly Archives: October 2009

Ten Awesome Homeschool Resources

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I love to read what others’ use to help them homeschool.  I always learn something new or find a resource that will keep me going on our journey of home education.  To this end, I have put together my own list of ten awesome homeschool resources that I especially love.

Enjoy!

1.  HSLDA

I feel this site is probably the most important.  Most people reading this list already know about the Homeschool Legal Defense Association, but for those that do not, this website is perfect for learning all about the state homeschool laws.  For those who are just starting out or only considering home education, they have a wonderful “You can homeschool” section.

2.  Donna Young

While I am not the most organized I am a huge proponent of keeping things as neat as possible.  This includes home education.  Donna has provided homeschoolers with an amazing resource of printables that will aid in such organization.  I highly recommend her homeschool planner resources.

3.  Just Call Me Jamin

We like lapbooks at the Wisdom Begun household.  Problem is, it can sometimes be hard for this mama to find inspiration as to what theme to create a lapbook for.  Jamin has an amazing list of the lapbooks she has done with her children – complete with pictures!  You can see a listing on the right-hand sidebar of her blog.

4.  Rainbow Resource Catalog

Getting this catalog reminds me of getting the huge Sear’s Christmas catalog when I was a kid.  Seriously, Rainbow Resource is a company that sends out the hugest, most extensive book of curricula and more.  I browse through it and dream about all of the stuff I could get to make our homeschool that much cooler read all of the great reviews before I purchase anything related to my kids’ education.  I highly recommend this resource.

5.  The Old Schoolhouse Magazine

Let me get this right out there – as a First Mate on the TOS Homeschool Crew I am considered an independent contractor for this company.  However – and this is a big however folks – this does not sway my view of the magazine in the least.  I read it before I even began doing reviews for them.  That being said, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine is my favorite sit-down-grab-a-cup-of-coffee-and-learn magazine in our homeschool journey.  I love the editorials (the most recent one on marriage was so very convicting) and the articles give me ideas on how to further enhance what I am doing during school hours.

*By the way, I am an affiliate for TOS, however the link above is not an affiliate link.  If you would like to browse through what TOS has to offer through my link, please click through the banner for them on the right most sidebar.  Thanks!*

6.  Christian Book – Homeschool Section

I purchase the majority of curricula through Christian Book Distributor’s Homeschool section.  They always have the best prices and your materials are shipped in a timely manner.

7.  Cindy Rushton’s Homeschool Articles

If I need a little homeschool pick-me-up I know I can find it with Cindy.  She does not post on a regular basis but when she does I know I will come away ready to continue on.  With Thanksgiving almost upon us be sure to check out her Thanksgiving Crafts article.

8.  Ambleside Online

Booklists are my friends.  Even if you do not use this website as a curriculum, their booklists are top notch.  I usually check here if I am stumped on what to add to our childrens’ reading materials.  This site also provides links to where some of the books are available to read for free.

9.  Sprittibee’s Homeschool Series

Okay, so Heather really is my friend so some may call me biased.  Don’t let that stop you from visiting her homeschool series.  This gal inspires me to be that really cool homeschool mom who does the perfect hands-on activities field trips with my kids go outside of my comfort zone and make education exciting for my children.

10.  Trivium Pursuit

I absolutely love their Ten Things to Do with Your Child Before Age Ten article.  That hits right at the current ages of my children and it helped me to better focus my energies on what I really need to do.  Their Trivium Pursuit book is also one of my all time favorite books.  Great reading for those considering the Classical Education method.

I hope you enjoyed this list.  It is not extensive, of course, and it was hard limiting it to just ten.  Would you please share some of your favorite homeschooling resources in my comments section?  Thanks!

ABC Teach – Review

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My kids love to color, play games, and do copywork during school time.  We go through reams of printer paper at our house.  Oftentimes I find it hard to find new things for them to do during school so I usually scour the internet for free printables.  ABC Teach was started to give easily searchable access to thousands of free and members-only printable worksheets and activities.  I was given a short trial to review as part of the TOS Homeschool Crew.

Pricing

The free portion of ABCTeach has 5000 plus printouts and the members-only portion has over 30,000 more.  The price for a yearly membership is $40 for individuals or groups of 2-9.  You can also purchase a two year membership for only $75.  There are other membership options you can buy.

What is Available?

A few things you will find on this site are:

Theme Units

Learning Centers

Clip Art

Many, many worksheets and activities for the younger set

and a lot more!

What do I think?

The ease of looking for things on only one site rather than sifting through google results was awesome.  I would much rather see everything available all at once rather than looking through individual sites.  The site was relatively easy to use and it had many resources that I used.  I was able to print out lots of folder games for Thanksgiving.  Dory loves hands on work and most of these were right up her alley.  Since the subjects and categories range from ABCS to Writing you really can find quite a bit to use.  I especially loved their handwriting sheets that you can customize.  I printed out handwriting practices for both Sally and Dory and they loved seeing and tracing their names in print.

What I didn’t like

The price was a bit too steep for me to consider purchasing a membership.  While the benefits I described above are tempting I just cannot justify $40 a year.

Bottom line:

ABCTeach’s site is bound to have something that your homeschool family can use.  Even if you choose to not buy a membership there is plenty to choose from in the freebies.

Virginia Soaps and Scents – Review

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I have desired to put what is most healthful into my family members’ bodies as well as what goes on their bodies.  Did you know what we put on our skin is absorbed into our bodies? This means that any chemicals in skin, cleaning, or makeup products we use will end up inside.

Because of this I have been looking for more healthful options for bathing.  As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew, Virginia Soaps and Scents sent me a sampler pack of some of their products.  Let me just say right off the bat that I am so impressed!

First off, a little about the company:

Virginia Soaps and Scents is owned and operated by the Spargur Family.  They make their products all by hand as they disclose here:

“We have developed our own soap recipes which are poured into Roy’s handmade poplar soap molds. Roy makes all the tools used in cutting and planing the soap, as well as printing all the labels and literature. All of our products are crafted right from scratch and are tested by use in our own home. Our children work alongside us and are sometimes our toughest critics.”

What kind products do they sell?

Obviously one of their products is soap.  Otherwise the name Virginia Soaps and Scents would be silly.  They also sell body bars (for shampooing, shaving, and body), shampoo bars, laundry soap, lips balms, linen sprays, and pet shampoos.  There are many various scents available as well as an unscented line for those of us who have allergies or cannot tolerate strong smells.

What did I personally receive?

I got the B&B versions of their Coconut-Lemongrass, Fresh Orange, and Oatmeal, Milk, and Honey soaps.  I also received their Ginger-Lime Shampoo Bar and their Laundry Soap Kit.

What did I think?

First off, the scents of these items were heavenly.  I especially loved the Fresh Orange soap.  Secondly, these soaps did not contain the nasty chemicals of most of the body cleansing products you find on store shelves.  Big plus in my book.

I have tried other “natural” soap products before and they left my skin dry and did not lather much.  However, the Virginia Soaps and Scents soaps left my skin moisturized and they lathered up quite well.  I highly recommend these soaps and I plan on buying more.

*I do want to mention that you if you have specific allergies that you make sure to check ingredients of these soaps first as some contain oils that may not be appropriate for your skin.*

I did not find that the shampoo bar worked well with my hair.  I have very dry hair and it made my hair dry out even more.  However, for those rare times when my hair needs to be stripped I believe that this will come in quite handy. For oily hair this would be perfect!

I was not able to make their laundry soap yet.  I will update this review accordingly when I have used this product.

This company impresses me and that is hard to do.  I am so excited to see their line of Christmas products and that they have soap that is scented in what is called “Country Clothesline.”  They also sell soap trays that will keep soap from becoming mushy.  These are quality products that and I highly recommend their products.  Be sure to visit their website.  Remember, Christmas is coming up and you may find just what you need for gifts.

Amazing Bible Timeline – Review

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As a homeschooling family that uses an eclectic mix of Charlotte Mason and the Classical Education method.  We love to look at history in the broader sense.  What were the Egyptians doing during Moses’ time?  What about the Romans during New Testament times?  In other words history is seen as God’s timeline in which we learn about historical facts and deeds.  This way of learning is exciting for us and brings it alive.

One day a huge triangular shaped box arrived at our doorstep.  I knew immediately what it was though I am not in the habit of ordering things that come in said boxes.  It was none other than the Amazing Bible Timeline.  I opened it up with my husband and we were pretty excited to look at it.  This was our cup of tea and we were sure it would fit right in with our home education philosophy.

As usual I will share a little bit about this product and then delve into my humble thoughts.

What is it?

A huge circular timeline that claims to enable to student to “readily see the flow of major events, the timing of the stories in the Bible in relationship to each other as well as other nations.”  In essence this timeline was designed to see many historical events all at once.

Price

$29.97 + shipping.  You can also Interactive Maps of the Holy Land and Digital Amazing Bible Timeline (each worth $14.97) for free with the Timeline purchase.

My Thoughts

I didn’t care for the circular timeline format.  I much prefer horizontal time lines.  The circular timeline was too hard to figure out and read.  Maybe I am just getting old but the words were too small on many of the dates.  The colors were garish and frankly hurt my eyes.

Obviously you cannot fit all histories of each and every country into one timeline.  That would end in a timeline that would go on forever and ever.  Yet I found that there was a lot missing in this timeline.  Most of this was focus on Western Hemisphere history (though China’s history is included).

And then there are the references on the timeline to the Book of Mormon and “pre-Adamites.”  Really?!  Yes.

Sigh.

You’ll read lots of viewpoints on this issue on the blogs of my fellow crew-members.  And really I do not want to beat a dead horse on this.  Yet, I can’t not say something.

First off, this company refuses to say what kind of doctrine they adhere to.  They also do not disclose their mission statement.  They also say that their “commitment is to keep doctrine off of the Timeline and out of our website.”

Really?  You are selling a Bible timeline and you refuse to disclose your doctrine?  Sounds fishy to me.  They have been questioned as to whether or not they are LDS in belief and yet the refuse to say.  Your doctrine certainly has a lot to do with how you view history.  Again.  Fishy.

I cannot and will not in good faith recommend this product.  I apologize if my review seems emotional.  However I cannot promote religious companies who are not out-and-out honest with what they stand for.

Traveling Table

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Recently the children and I made a traveling table.  We were studying the life of Sarah and Abraham and their nomadic lives.  They moved about from place to place, wherever God led them.  Of course lugging around a dining room table wasn’t feasible.

“Hey, Abraham?”

“Yes, my beautiful bride?”

“I don’t think our table will fit on properly on those new camels we just leased.  The humps are making it hard for the servants to lash it onto the backs.”

Um. Yeah.

So what is one to do when your only mode of transportation cannot carry that beautiful oak table?  You use a traveling table of course!  The kids and I really had fun with this one.  We used the directions from the book Old Testament Days by Nancy I. Sanders.

I used a bleached out piece of fabric that I had planned on throwing away.  Thankfully I did not have to waste it.  Sally cut out a 3foot circle and then I cut slits near the edges about every 2 inches or so.  She then threaded some yarn through the slits. Oh, I did serge the edges of the table so that we would not have an unraveling issue.

When it came time to test out our new creation I had Sally and Dory put some paper plates and paper napkins in the middle.  Then they pulled each end of the yarn and the edges of the table gathered up beautifully and created a carry-all for the needed items inside.

When they opened it up, Sally, Dory, and Mater Boy sat around on the kitchen floor and enjoyed their bean and cheese quesadillas.  It was a lot of fun for them and we were able to discuss even further God’s goodness to Abraham and Sarah and to their descendants.

Why not give it a try?  It is easy and very inexpensive to do.

And even better?  There are no camels involved.

Traveling Table

Sue Patrick – Review

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I have heard for nearly a year now all the rave reviews over Sue Patrick’s Workbox System.  Many people were quite adamant that this system is what revolutionized their homeschool organization.  Of course I was ready to give it a try.  Fortunately for me as part of the TOS Homeschool Crew I was given the eBook version to review.
Here is a bit of information on Sue Patrick’s Workbox System.
  • For $19.95 you will receive the print version of the User’s Guide.
  • $119.95 will give you the book as well as “4 months of personalized email consulting.”
  • And for $19 you will instantly receive the eBook version upon purchase.
The book is approximately 118 pages long.  In it you will learn how to use the book, where the benefits are in using this system while homeschooling, how to teach and train, what exactly the workbox system is, who the system is for, how a workbox system day might look, a bit on curriculum and materials, discipline in education, etc. Also included with purchase is an area on her website where you can download various worksheets and the like in order to facilitate using the workbox system.
Basically  the workbox system is comprised of separate boxes for each area of study for an individual student.  The student will choose the first box and complete the schoolwork therein.  They will then get the next book, complete that work, and so on.  This helps the student see work actually being done and spurs them on towards getting their work done in a timely manner.
So what did I think? Here goes.
This system is so not for me.
There, I said it.  Now I move on to why.
  • First, my brood consists of four children who are six years of age on down.  We do not sit down and homeschool for hours on end at a school table.  We “do school” on the couch, at the breakfast table, on the floor, or sometimes at the little round table in the office.  We sit to do school where it is appropriate at the given time.  If Boo is napping we usually go to the sitting area so as not to disturb her.  If Mater Boy is playing cars loudly in the front room we move to the family room.  Our school time is often nomadic.  That is how it works for us.
  • Secondly, I am in the midst of discipling and training my children.  Because of this they need my attention and guidance 24/7, even during school time.  They cannot sit off doing something by themselves without me at this point.  Sure, they may have a puzzle to do or something that has a purpose, but inevitably they will need help with something.
  • Thirdly, Sue’s educational philosophy is very government school-like.  While that may work for some homeschoolers it does not for me.  We are very hands on and I include my children together in everything.  They are not learning separately but all at once.  If Sally is doing her math we are all counting to 100 by 1s, 2s, 3s, 5s, 6s, 8s, 9s, and 10s.  If we are reading of Ancient Egypt we are all sitting on the couch or floor reading together.  This keeps me from having to do more than I need to.  We go on nature walks together.

However. . .

This may work for you if:

  • you have a more structured period of home education in your days.
  • your children are older and at the point where you are not having to train them on a consistent basis
  • you have the money and room needed to implement a plan such as this
  • your children need to learn self-discipline
  • your children are easily distracted and need a sense of direction

A few more closing words

I think this system is a great idea if it fits into your goals of home education.  I do think that Mrs. Patrick’s tone in the book will turn some people off though it did not personally bother me.  Just because it did not personally fit our family does not mean that it will not work for you.  I encourage you to visit her website and explore the FAQs and see if it something that you and your family could benefit from.

Menu Planning Questions?

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My years do not qualify me for much teaching.  I am not considered an older Titus 2 woman yet so instead I happily learn from those more experienced in homemaking and marriage.  Knee deep in unfolded laundry, paper plates, and bug-eating children I am in the stage where blow-by-blow I gain needed knowledge.

However.  (yes, there is always a “however, isn’t there?) I do have great success in the menu-planning area.  Our early years of marriage we were very low on the financial pay scale and while we are no longer nervously waiting for the next pay check, I have carried over money saving menu planning tips.  Our family grows and eats more and without strict organizational meal and shopping helps we would be throwing a lot of money out of the window.

Because of this I will be writing a menu-planning series.  While I put this together would you please comment with any questions you may have regarding planning, organizing, shopping, etc?  I want to make sure I cover these questions.

I look forward to hearing those questions!

*I also have a pretty awesome giveaway at the end.  If y’all play nicely together and share your candy and don’t steal each other’s sandwiches I just may share it with you.  So stay tuned!*

What do you cry out for?

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hiking boots

Yesterday was a . . . day.  Not a good day.  A day in which I dwelt in funk-land.  I put on my “I can do it by myself” boots and attempted to scale Mt. Funk.  I even put on my special DeLusional sunglasses.  I really thought it was something I could get the better of if I just did this or just did that.

I shoulda known better.  Really. This mountain is unclimbable on my own and yet I never seem to remember to learn that.  Inevitably I slip and slide down and I have the bruises to prove it.

[quote]

My heart was in the wrong place.  Focused wholly on my poor attitude and everything that was seemingly wrong with my life I ended up pushing myself deeper down in the nasty mud of self-pity.  It is never a nice place to be and like muck that has been festering for too long, it stinks.

This morning I turned to Psalm 84. Coffee in hand I had one of those slap-in-the-face moments in which the realization that I’d taken over the driver’s seat of my life.  My heart was longing for self, for control, for comfort in all the wrong places.

“How lovely is Your tabernacle, O LORD of hosts! My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.” -Psalm 84:1-2

Where is my longing, what do I focus my thoughts on?  If my whole being is not crying out for the living God, then I will never conquer Mt. Funk.  No way, no how.

Now if I can only remember this when I am knee deep in diapers, dishes, and a messy floor.

Photo Credit nkzs

EduCaching – Review

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I like gadgets.  I love learning. Combine those two and you get a very exciting educational experience.

When I was sent via email EduCaching’s ebook to review I was at first wondering just what it was.  I had heard of GeoCaching so imagine that it much be similar.  Problem was, I had no idea what GeoCaching was either so I was curious as to see just what the company was presenting.

Before I go on with my thoughts I will lay it all out for you.

EduCaching is fancy hide-and-seek game that involves technology – a Global Positioning System – and a hands-on and easy to use curriculum.  It gets your children out into the field and moving around to learn and explore and figure out.  I like to think of it as Charlotte Mason on 20 cups of coffee.  Through carefully planned adventures that the teacher prepares ahead of time, students use a series of “waypoints” to discover what the teacher has hidden.  What exactly are waypoints and are they dangerous?  No, they are not dangerous, and thanks to the genius that is Wikipedia, I can present you with a pretty good definition: waypoints are sets of coordinates that identify a point in physical space.  In other words, these points, based on latitude and longitude, tell your GPS where exactly to find what you are looking for.

However, your students are not just finding treasure.  Nope.  Once they get to the point indicated they are to follow instructions that will involve them in logically using their precious craniums to figure out clues, gather data, and process information.

So, let’s say that I have prepared the lesson plan entitled “Show Me the Money.”  I will have studied my objectives and gathered the needed materials.  This lesson is especially fun because it involves riddles that will be hidden at different waypoints.  The students will find the coordinates on their GPSs and will solve the riddles in order to know where to move next.  When they have found all of their educaches, or treasures, they will convene back into “headquarters” to discuss and solve the problems at the bottom of their fieldsheets.

Pretty neat and fascinating, huh?

The nitty-gritty

EduCaching came to me in eBook form.  It is 128 pages long and includes the following:

  • Teachers Training – in which you can familiarize yourself with how lessons will be handled and what will be expected of your little explorers
  • Lesson Plans – this is the meat of the material.  These lessons will guide you and your students toward learning the concepts presented.
  • Field Sheets – These handouts will be given to your students for them to recorder their findings out on the field.
  • Acquiring GPS – Yeah, these things are pretty expensive.  How to pick the right GPS for your home education, fundraising ideas, and grant writing tips are included.
  • Beyond the Basics – Are your children totally hooked?  Do they spend their days asking you to do nothing but EduCache?  Form a club and more!

The price for this eBook is pretty reasonable: $32.  If you wish to purchase the print book, you will pay $32 plus $6.95 shipping and handling.

This is the part where I give you my thoughts.  I want to start by saying that I was not able to use the curriculum as I would have liked.  EduCaching was designed for children in grades 4-8 and my kiddos just aren’t their yet.  However, I did learn plenty and am saving this book to use for them when they are the right age.

Despite this, I love the concept and idea of this.  With our world advancing at a scarily fast pace towards everything electronic the homeschool classroom would benefit hugely from this resource.  Not only that but it is so hands on that everyone, even mom, enjoys it.  You are able to use this as a family or in a group setting.  You are feeling and touching and exploring while using the knowledge you have been gathering in the classroom.  This would be a lot of fun for a homeschool co-op.

The downsides are obviously the cost of the needed GPS and the amount of teacher preparation needed.  I cannot see this being used on a daily or weekly basis on top of everything else however this is a great way to break up school time monotony and get outside to experience God’s creation.  As far as the expense of GPS units, well, those are coming down slowly in price and may not be out of range for many families for much longer.

So, all in all, I like this product and do highly recommend it.

Be sure to visit EduCaching’s website for more information!