This is the newest quarterly freebie from Hands Of A Child.
It is a lapbooking package!
Ready to assemble, hands on unit with reproducibles.
http://www.handsofachild.com/shop/Zebras-Ebook-P898.aspx
Enjoy!
.
Dirt, stink, mosquitos and stars
A local homeschool group that I am actively involved in, will be going on a group camping trip 
next week. This is the second year for the event. I took my children last time and we had a great time despite the mosquitos and wayward dogs. The tricky part of the whole thing is that there is no flushing toilets, sinks, showers or elctricity of any kind AND the trip is for a whole week. Ummmm yeah. That's a long time for messy dirty kids not getting baths. It is also a long time without being able to properly wash dishes.
A recent discovery for me is that I cannot handle outhouse type toilets during this pregnancy. I actually get violently ill. ?? Normally I am not an easily grossed out girl. So, I am not really clear on how I will be managing my frequent preggo potty trips next week.
Something I do know- REPEL Permanone Clothing & Gear spray works. I bought a couple cans last year at Walmart for $5 each. Two cans is enough to treat your clothes, hats, sweatshirts and coats for four people. If properly treated ahead of time, these clothes will keep mosquitos and ticks away without spraying your skin with chemicals! Where was this cool stuff when I was growing up?
Anyway, I am looking forward to camping. My husband will not be able to take off work to join us, but we will still have a good time none-the-less. Camping seems to be the only time I get to read anything. Or seriously relax. Now what book should I bring.... choices choices.
Planning a homeschool year
Trying to plan out your homeschool year can be a daunting task!
I like to do it. 
It forces me to really think things out.
I am far from an expert in this area! But...
Here is what I can share from my experiences.
Some people like to have at least a general layout for the year of what will be studied when and for how long.
I try to work that out on a word document over 2-3 months here and there. I make a table on Word and then I can copy & paste and move stuff around or add to it and the table will grow or shrink accordingly. I find that handy. This would be a great area to add a section on ebooks you have collected. Like if you were going to study Egypt for 6 weeks- type "Supplements" in that area and then add "Ebook: Egyptian Culture Lapbook" and then you could add "Website: www.Pyramidsforkids.com" and if you bought some cool books "Book: Pharoahs" "Field Trip: online field trip at www.walkingwithancientkings.com".
Now if you had a planner- just write the stuff out on lots of those tiny post-its and you can move them around in your planner as you work that all out. Then when you turn to the first week of December you will open to find 3 post-its on Christmas related projects or ebooks you have. Or if you turn to October you may be very happy to see that week three begins your Egypt unit and there are the post-its to show where all your stuff is. Now you know what you need and where to find it.
My best planning is on paper (preliminary) and then some kind of planner/calendar thing
and gets a lot more detailed. I mark it with a highlighter as it cements. My
oldest gets pink highlighter, my son gets a blue highlighter and I
get yellow. My littlest will get orange as she gets incorporated when I
begin "Before FIAR" with her sometime probably after next January.
This all coincides with my MOTH schedule, too. It sure is nice to have that set up already!
Grace & truth
I really appreciate companies that make a stand for what is good and edifying according to the Lord's definition. Vision Forum, Mantle Ministries and Hope Chest Legacy are some of the companies that I admire.
Today I wanted to share with you Grace & Truth Books. I have so valued them that I have emailed them about it. Often they will reprint older titles or buy out titles that are disappearing and should be made available to the God fearing homeschool public. Promoting godly character, purity and honor are their goals.
At Grace & Truth Books, their focus is:
To bring the rich heritage of character-building books of past centuries to this generation of Christian families! And as you train your children, remember to nourish your own soul on the Word of God! For the great need of our children is godly parents whose own souls are well-fed and strong in the Lord.
Find it in your budget to shop and support companies like these! We need more of them!
Little learners
Got a toddler or pre-schooler?
These two sites are great! I especially love the one with the ziplock activities!
Ziplock activities and other great ideas!
Under the influence
I have been homeschooling for several years now “officially”. Every one has a different definition of just when you can claim beginning homeschooling. This is especially true if you have a learning lifestyle- which we always have had.
I have read and skimmed through some homeschool method books before we started this last year of school. Not sure what motivated me to do this! The Lord has already refined quite a bit of what we do ("we" mostly means "I"). I have tried many different ways of doing things and little by little have come to where I stand now. You could say learning to homeschool is a process or an adventure- if you are willing to take it. If you are willing to grow as the Lord is leading.
Have you read any homeschool method books before and thought “wait a minute… we do that!” or “that’s what I’ve been saying!”
The books that kind of took me by surprise were:
You can Teach Your Child Successfully by Ruth Beechick
Heart Of Wisdom Teaching Approach by Robin Sampson
Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola
It seems that Charlotte Mason and Ruth Beechick sat in on our home school day and wrote books about it. LOL!
And Robin Sampson hits really strong on Bible first-and-all-day-in-every-subject .
Sampson also is a big promoter of the 4mat method which in a nutshell is: get them excited about the subject, study it, and show what you learned. You show what you learned best by lapbooking (scrapfolder) or notebooking or some other project- maybe a diorama or something.
Well, I am a strong believer in lots of Bible, but I did not teach it all school day. So, in that area, I was really challenged. I have committed to do this now.
If you have not read her book… I cannot recommend it highly enough. No other homeschool book has been more valuable. Worth every penny.
Isn't it funny to see that you didn't make up something- that it was already around- you just did not know?
Curricula Plans for 2008-2009
This plan is built around two students: 8th grade & 3rd grade
I teach based on the Heart Of Wisdom Teaching Approach. So, I am not classical, principal, or whatever. Basically, I put Bible first and foster a love for learning. This can be tricky, but we have benn VERY successful using the HOWTA method. Wish I had done it right from the beginning. It is a lot of Charlotte Mason.
Some subjects/items I have listed here will be taught together: Heart Of Wisdom history/Bible, International House Of Prayer curriculum, English From The Roots Up wordcards.
I am still considering on how to handle teaching out of Writer's Inc with an 8th grader and a 3rd grader at the same time. I may just teach my 8th grader from it and teach my 3rd grader out of it in the future.
I am also excited to implement Managers Of Their Homes. I just read the book and I am fixing to write out my first schedule using the method. All my past attempts at scheduling were great looking and well researched/thought out but never worked. I believe the MOTH method will work. I am hoping that I will be able to allow for doing art and experiments or whatever. This is all while potty training my toddler girl and having a newborn (September 08). We will see.
MATHEMATICS
Teaching Textbooks
Algebra
Making Math Meaningful
Level 3
LANGUAGE ARTS
English From The Roots Up
Volume 1 Wordcards
IEW SWICC B
Write-Source Writers Inc
LLATL Orange TM & Student
Progeny Press Literature Guides
Wordly Wise
Level C
Level 8 (2nd edition)
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
International House Of Prayer
Workbook & CD
Pearables Christian Gentleman’s Series
Lessons In Responsibility For Boys
HEART OF WISDOM- YEAR TWO
Mystery Of History 2
Materials & books related
Early Church, Vikings, Middle Ages, Renaissance, Reformation
SCIENCE
Apologia
Physical Science
Apologia
Elementary level: Swimming Creatures
OTHER
I Can Do All Things Art Program
My Father's World (ECC) Exploring Countries & Cultures
10.5 oz and 10 inches tall.Resource Library
| For New Homeschoolers Can we really do this? What about testing, socialization, finding resources? What's unschooling? Basic questions answered! | HEM's Q&A Column Reader Home Education Magazine's popular Questions and Answer Column. Edited by Laura Weldon. |
| Teaching and Learning Wondering what to teach and how to teach it? Should you teach or just "facilitate learning?" Readin', writin', 'rithmetic and more! | Older Homeschoolers Is it harder to homeschool older kids, or does it get easier as they take more responsibility for their own learning? And what about work or college? |
| Foundations Of Freedom Who's changing homeschooling laws, and why? What about testing, OBE, research, school-to-work, curfews, truancy, and misguided lawsuits? | Special Situations Military and foreign homeschooling. Special needs. ADD, ADHD, LD and other forms of alphabet soup. Resources and information. |
| Networking and Communications Articles about support groups, national organizations, online networks, conferences and more. | Support Groups and Organizations Where can I find a support group thats right for us? How about a National or International Organization? |
| Index of Information Files An index of free files available via email: Starting out, homeschooling dads, unschooling, high school years, college admissions and more. |
Vision, convictions, and wisdom
Christian families suffer today because they fail to capture the hearts of their children. Too often they fail to communicate vision, convictions, and wisdom to their children. In the battle between pagan culture and the Christian family culture, paganism often wins. The sad response is that too many Christian parents simply give up. Others set their goals so low that their best strategy is simply to see their children “survive” a little bit longer, or to lose the battle for the generations as slowly as possible.
To achieve victory, first you must seek it.
In the battle for the family, this means making God-honoring and strategic choices which cultivate an environment of honor, faithfulness to Christ, and generational- minded strategic choices. (Doug Phillips)
For more: Victory For Your Family
Ahhhh, camping in the rain!
I have camped IN THE RAIN and MUD many many times here in Oregon. (groan) I grew up here camping in the rain- and making midnight trips to the outhouse, through the mud, in my jammies. Black plastic awnings so you can play cards at the picnic table. We had to dig a ditch around our tent to keep the rain from pooling under it! It may sound like I am exaggerating, but this is all true.
Last year my husband and I decided that, after using someone's camper trailer, a camper was going to make camping more a reality. I have a personal goal every year to camp at least twice and that is hard for me to do around my husband's schedule and with 3 kids and tent stuff. (Give me a break!) Now I am pregnant, just to add another short person to the mix! That makes six of us.
We just bought a camper trailer. (yippee!) Now I can take all my children camping with, or without, my husband. We will be dry! And quite safe, too. This is really free-ing for me. I feel like I just won some big prize!
I am not talking about TVs, satellite, cable, spa tub, loud music. Just something that you can lock at night, have prepacked with all the crud, and dry when it rains.
These can be bought for 20% off the msrp, but they start off really inexpensive, so that is good for everyone! Especially when you factor in how much your vacations cost you. See different models here: Jayco.
Free Hands Of A Child project pack
Art Appreciation Project Pack Grades: 4 and up What does the word “art,” mean to you? Art can be many different things to many different people. It might be a favorite painting, sculpture, or drawing. It might be a favorite building, photograph, or craft. It could be a favorite dance move, play, or favorite song. Discovering art with the Art Appreciation Project Pack will give your student an introduction and understanding to the world of art. This 51-page Project Pack includes a 16-page Research Guide about the different types of art, elements of art, famous artists, principles of design, styles of art, and appreciating art. After reading the guide, your student will use the information found to complete 15 hands-on activities to make a lapbook on Art Appreciation. | ||
Who's responsible
I have children ages 13 to toddler and one on the way.
In our home, we call chores RESPONSIBILITIES.
We all have a part of this family and we have responsibilities that keep the family home working.
Our "chores", as people call them, DO NOT ROTATE. They are that person's responsibility. 
As they get older and can take on more responsibility, they get harder jobs and maybe more of them depending on the tasks. We do not have the arguments associated with switching all the time- nor the complication of charts and figuring this and that out.
We do not pay our children for doing what they are responsible for. Sometimes they have opportunities to earn money by doing a special job, especially if they ask.
Another thing to note. Attitude is key.
We find that this works well for us. Everyone knows what is expected and it flows. Nobody needs to ask who forgot to unload the dishes, change out towels or whatever. We all know.
Honor Defined in Practical Terms
Children need to know what Godly character looks like in practical terms. We love the character quality of honor, not just because God commands it, but also because it has so much rich meaning for parents and children. It can give direction in many of the frustrating moments we experience in family life. In fact, every form of selfishness has an honor-based solution.
Honor means…
Treating people as special,
Doing more than what's expected,
And having a good attitude.
Doing more than what's expected,
And having a good attitude.
Use our honor definition or make up your own. The point is that honor changes people. It changes the way that parents relate to their children, the way children relate to each other, and the way children relate to their parents. We all need it.
You can use the concept of honor in correction or when things are going well. You can use it when you teach your children about money, time, and other resources, and you can teach it when conflict comes around. One of the best ways to teach it is on special occasions when someone wins a contest or earns a certificate. You may show honor by giving that person a fancy place at the table or by decorating his or her bedroom door.
Honor is fun. It's like oil in a machine. It gets work done with less friction and less heat. Every family needs honor. It's great when things are going well and essential when family relationships are strained. You can work on honor whether your kids are preschoolers or teens. It will change the way your family relates.
For more practical ideas on developing honor in your family listen to the CD series with your kids or buy the book, "Say Goodbye to Whining, Complaining, and Bad Attitudes, In You and Your Kids," and read it with them. Learn more at www.biblicalparenting.org.
The new teacher
Sad, but unfortunately a reality...
After being interviewed by the school administration, the teaching prospect said, "Let me see if I've got this right:
You want me to go into that room with all those kids, correct their disruptive behavior, observe them for signs of abuse, monitor their dress habits, censor their T-shirt messages, and instill in them a love for learning.
You want me to check their backpacks for weapons, wage war on drugs and sexually transmitted diseases, and raise their sense of self esteem and personal pride. 
You want me to teach them patriotism and good citizenship, sportsmanship and fair play, how to register to vote, balance a checkbook, and apply for a job.
You want me to check their heads for lice, recognize signs of anti-social behavior, and make sure that they all pass the state exams.
You also want me to provide them with an equal education regardless of their handicaps, and communicate regularly with their parents in English and Spanish by letter, email, telephone, newsletter, and report card.
You want me to do all this with a piece of chalk, a blackboard, a bulletin board, a few books, a big smile, and a starting salary that qualifies me for food stamps.
You want me to do all this and then you tell me that I can't pray?"
With Lee In Virginia, G A Henty - download
The famous story teller Jim Hodges is giving away his audio book by G A Henty "With Lee In Virginia". This is his all time best seller.
With Lee In Virginia
...A Tale of the American Civil War
Setting: AD 1860’s – American Civil War – Slavery and state’s rights.
Story: Few wars have been fought by each side with greater intensity of conviction in the rightness of its cause or with more abundant personal heroism than the War Between the States. The story begins with a great responsibility falling on Vincent Wingfield, the teenage son of a widowed Virginia plantation owner. Vincent must decide what course of action he should take when a problem arises on the plantation. Unlike many stories of this American war, Mr. Henty brings to it a European viewpoint that differs drastically from the current views on the nature and reasons for this struggle. Henty’s "With Lee in Virginia" will introduce the reader to many of the famous battles of the 1860's along with learning much about the character of Robert E. Lee and his lieutenants.
GA HENTY - With Lee In Virginia
Getting It All Done
Free eBook Download
Getting It All Done by Marilyn Boyer
Have you ever felt overwhelmed with the demands of parenting? Life is certainly a challenge for parents, and especially those who accept the added responsibility of home education. But there are ways to make life easier and more productive, and this workshop discusses some of those.
IMPORTANT: You MUST select "Ebook" when you click your selection. Only the Ebook "Getting It All Done" is free. Then enter code TTH in checkout. It is free, just complete checkout without inputting your credit card.
Spine Book teaching – making your own curriculum the easy way
Maybe you have heard of teaching using a
book as a spine?
I am surprised at how easy this is and love it.
Teaching this way can open up your homeschool to develop a real love of learning and save you plenty of money at the same time.
Unfortunately, there is not really any information on "how" to use a book as a spine. I've taught how to do this in person to groups and conferences but maybe I need to do a video to share with the world.
I did find this link here below. Hopefully it will shed some light. It is a little like mind mapping (an abstract way of doing an outline) and inspires creativity… even if you are not the creative type.
My own post on the subject:
Teaching Using A Book As A Spine ... awesome homeschooling on the cheap!
Another writer on the subject:
Teaching Using A Spine
DO YOU LIKE POSTS LIKE THIS?
Check out my blog on these and 100's of other FREE homeschool curriculum ideas, methods, ebooks and textbooks.
Inspiring To Learn
http://inspiringtolearn.blogspot.com
I am surprised at how easy this is and love it.
Teaching this way can open up your homeschool to develop a real love of learning and save you plenty of money at the same time.
Unfortunately, there is not really any information on "how" to use a book as a spine. I've taught how to do this in person to groups and conferences but maybe I need to do a video to share with the world.
I did find this link here below. Hopefully it will shed some light. It is a little like mind mapping (an abstract way of doing an outline) and inspires creativity… even if you are not the creative type.
My own post on the subject:
Teaching Using A Book As A Spine ... awesome homeschooling on the cheap!
Another writer on the subject:
Teaching Using A Spine
DO YOU LIKE POSTS LIKE THIS?
Check out my blog on these and 100's of other FREE homeschool curriculum ideas, methods, ebooks and textbooks.
Inspiring To Learn
http://inspiringtolearn.blogspot.com
Are you stressed?
Ever heard of a homeschool lobotomy? It’s the non-surgical condition most moms experience around September 1 and the commencement of homeschool. Chores and responsibilities pile up. Relationships begin to unravel. Suddenly you can’t complete a sentence without forgetting what you were going to say. You walk into a room and can’t remember why. You forget appointments. You feel snappish. You can’t fall asleep at night as your mind circles around and around the day just past. The morning comes all too soon, and you can’t pull yourself out of bed, overwhelmed with all you face. Homeschool lobotomy.....or stress?
Want the answers? Go HERE.
Training our children
So often the church forgets the next generation.
They plunk them down in a Sunday school class and hope for the best from some thin watered down "curriculum" the church board bought because it looked fun and just may save the visitor's children. This is not what we are supposed to be doing. We are starving them all.
The children are being entertained. Not trained.
How we miss the mark!
If the next generation- today's children and youth- are tomorrow's leaders... WE ARE FAILING THEM.
Have they learned to serve?
Have they learned how to read and study the Word?
Do they know the Lord they claim to follow?
Do they keep His commandments?
Have their gifts been indentified and cultivated?
Sadly, "No" is the answer to all of these questions.
What can we do about that? Well, it starts with us and does not- and I repeat NOT- lay in the lap of our church. We, as our children's parents, are responsible for the training up of our children.
Get out you Bible. Get out theirs and make sure they know where it is at all times. Teach those children to reverence the scriptures and to dilligently read it every day. No exceptions.
Use the model Jesus taught when you instruct your children how to pray. Write it out and analyze the different parts and what they are. For example: say Who you are praying to, praise Him, thank Him, ask forgiveness, pray for others, ask direction, ask for protection, always finish praying in the name of Jesus.
There are few materials out there to help train our children in their spirtual gifts that God gave them. It is as if the church does not really believe children have them! What a travesty!
Scripture tells us to teach them dilligently. When we get up, as we go through our day, as we walk along the road. You get it, you know what Bible says. But are you doing it? I mean really doing it. Do you stop at almost every opportunity and show your child God's handiwork? His every day miracles? His answers to prayer? Do you set them back on track and point them in the right direction again according to what the Bible says? Do you show them God's plan for their life? Do you encourage them in it?
It grieves me to tears at the starvation of spirit in the body of Christ today. Let us not neglect the future of the bride! Will she be ready?
I have included some links to some books and information on identifying your children's spiritual gifts here.
Contending
Many years ago, my husband and I were really contending for financial breakthrough. Things were so bad that I often considered not eating for the week so everyone else could eat. I never had to though- God provided as He always says He will. ("I have never seen the righteous forsaken nor begging of bread")
But you know-- I fasted all the time during that time period. It was about a year and a half. I was not fasting to make sure my family could eat- I fasted because I saw increase every time I did. Increase in financial steps, a new job for my husband, unusual favor with God & man, a better car for my husband (his was reallllly bad) and new spiritual revelations and spiritual progress. We also had all kinds of amazing sowing we were doing. Crazy sowing.
I would just have the Lord put fasting on my heart and I would just start right then. I would not know how long I would be fasting for, but I would just jump in. Sometimes just a 24 hour fast but often I went 3 days and sometimes longer.
It is strange to say it-- but I loved fasting.
Have you ever read Mahesh Chavda's book on the Power of Praying & Fasting? It is really good and will get you excited to fast. You will want to start right away... even before you finish the book. The key, he says, is to pray AND fast. Just like Jesus said "this kind goes out only by prayer and fasting". I keep that "key" in front of me all the time while I am fasting because I often would forget to keep praying while I was fasting!!
I love food. Don't get me wrong. And it is extremely tough cooking for your family while you are fasting. But I get so much JOY and know I am getting victory when I fast! It is like your prayers are magnified.
Anyway... maybe that will encourage someone.
More information on fasting: Types of fasts and how to fast All about fasting
Human-Animal babies?
LONDON (AFP) - Britain's fertility regulator said Thursday it would allow scientists to create human-animal hybrid embryos for research.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) approved applications from two universities to create "cytoplasmic" embryos, which merge human cells with eggs from animals such as cattle or rabbits.
However, John Smeaton, national director of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), said the decision was a "disastrous setback for human dignity", creating sub-human "slaves" used as raw materials.
"Of those embryos with a smaller proportion of human material, greater uncertainty arises... as to whether such an embryo is a human being with due rights," he said.
The use and destruction of embryos in research is a highly sensitive subject in the United States, for political and religious reasons.
US President George W. Bush has twice vetoed a bill seeking to allow federal funds for stem cell research as it would involve human embryo destruction.
For entire article: Are you a cow or a rabbit?
Oat cuisine
Why use steel cut oats? They get that creamy taste without the mushy & glue-like nastiness typical of regular oatmeals and also keeps the health benefits of the oats that you want! I can get them locally in the bulk food section for only 99 cents a pound, I bet you can too! Cheap!
Steel Cut Oatmeal
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown
Episode: Oat Cuisine
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup steel cut oats (a.k.a. pinhead oats)
3 cups boiling water
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon low-fat buttermilk
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
In a large saucepot, melt the butter and add the oats. Stir for 2 minutes to toast. Add the boiling water and reduce heat to a simmer. Keep at a low simmer for 25 minutes, without stirring.
Combine the milk and half of the buttermilk with the oatmeal. Stir gently to combine and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Spoon into a serving bowl and top with remaining buttermilk, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
Overnight Oatmeal (CROCKPOT!)
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown
Episode: Oat Cuisine
1 cup steel cut oats (a.k.a. pinhead oats)
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup dried figs
4 cups water
1/2 cup half-and-half
In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients and set to low heat. Cover and let cook for 8 to 9 hours.
Stir and remove to serving bowls. This method works best if started before you go to bed. This way your oatmeal will be finished by morning.
Recipes from Good Eats on FoodNetwork. One of my favorite shows! Get all the recipes featured on this episode HERE to print off since I have copying disable on my blog.
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