Journibles

 Bible, High School, Highschool, Language Arts, Middle School  No Responses »
May 092012
 

I have been using a fabulous Bible study tool called Journibles, The 17:18 Series. I have used it as a springboard for really digging into a Bible book and studying it deeply.

I wanted to share it here because I think that it could also work well for your high school students as part of their Bible study, and plan to have my son, who will begin his high school studies this fall choose a Journible of his own.

What is Journibles?

Sam's Noggin

It’s pretty simple-it is a book that has lightly written guides- to help you write the Scriptures as scribes once did. The mind behind this tool comes from the Bible:

And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. Deuteronomy 17:18

Sam's Noggin

I love taking my time to write the Scriptures out- writing them is much slower than I would normally read, and I pick up so much more. I also feel the Scriptures that I write absorb in my mind, they feel more familiar when I go back and read again.

Journibles is a fabulous learning tool. All the pages to write are on the right hand side, with the left hand side reserved for notes, and a few prompts that you might like to use to help your study.

Sam's Noggin

Journibles are hardbound books, with sewn bindings and thick premium paper. They are meant to deepen your Bible knowledge as well as to leave a legacy.

You can learn more about Journibles from their website, and you can purchase available titles there as well. I purchased my copy from Amazon in January, but at the writing of this post the sale at Reformation Heritage Books is a better deal. You can find each title for under $13.00.

My only personal suggestion is to use my favorite pen, Frixion from Pilot. That way, if you make a mistake, you can easily erase it with friction. I use these pens for all of my homeschool planning as well.

Youth Virtue Journal

 High School, Highschool, Middle School, Mom Helps  2 Responses »
Apr 162012
 

The Youth Virtue Journal is a slim ring-bound workbook with a huge goal:  to help teens choose virtues.  Working with a mentor, teens will learn how to be attentive, content, forgiving, gentle, helpful, honest, obedient, perseverant and respectful.  The booklet contains a form for parental input as well.

Each of the nine chapters contains a moment to dream and a chance to see how virtues could help achieve dreams.  In fact, the booklet states that “ …though you add virtue to your life because it is the right thing to do, it will also tremendously improve your ability to live your dreams.”

Each virtue is defined in a very personal way.  For example, Attentive is defined as

I am attentive: I watch and listen carefully.

I am not …forgetful, distracted or distracting and I don’t ignore or interrupt.

Teens are asked to discuss a list of questions about this virtue in themselves and are given a chance to rate themselves on a scale from 1 to 10.  Then they are asked questions that show how this virtue, in themselves or others, has affected their relationships, either because it was practiced or ignored.   Quotes from various sources highlight the virtue being discussed. Then the teens are given an opportunity to relate the virtue to their dreams, write down thoughts about this virtue in their lives, and sign a resolution to ‘take a stand for what is right’.

This whole process is meant to guided by a caring mentor and supported by parents at home.

How we used it:  I quickly realized that the Youth Virtue Journal would be suitable for all ages, so we began to discuss it after lunch time, question by question.  We covered a lot of ground besides virtues.

The children shared thoughts, criticisms, hopes, and frustrations.  We laughed a lot.  We discovered some things we needed to change.  We talked about what virtues were and discussed whether or not this journal was right in its definitions and why.  These were very valuable discussions, and I plan to continue them using the insightful questions in this book.

Obviously, this is not how the book was meant to be used, but this is how it worked for our family.  It is very versatile, and its lists of questions can be used in many ways.

Our thoughts:

1.With a bit of tweaking, the Youth Virtue Journal can be a valuable tool in a homeschooling family.

2.In this study, written by Christians, I was startled to find no references to sin, salvation, and our inability to become virtuous on our own.  When I contacted the author, Heather McMillan, about this, she wrote (and I added the bold face type):

This particular tool was written at the request of a government truancy court in Nampa, Idaho. In writing this Youth Journal I was fighting against the very philosophy that there is no such a thing as right and wrong, that we do nice things because it benefits ME instead of because it is RIGHT, that obedience to authority is dangerous (I know, seems extreme, but it is the prevailing thought of our day when it comes to raising children), and that correction is to be avoided instead of embraced.  

We Choose Virtues is a tool that is not the complete story. For Christians and non-Christians alike, it sets a standard of truth for people who have no biblical standard operating in their lives or who simply need a way to explain it to their children. It forces children and youth to face their true character.  So many of us walk around believing that we have no sin because we live in a lawless generation. Parents are afraid to set a consistent standard because their own parents rejected authority. Once a true standard is set before us and we compare our lives to it, then we have a place from which to repent.  If anything, perhaps repentance will come when the true condition of a young person’s heart is revealed through this journal. Beyond that, I hope (no, actually I pray) that when this tool is in the hands of Christian parents and youth pastors, the true power behind the transformation of a heart will be explained. As you stated, there is no way we can change ourselves. It is the power of the Holy Spirit that transforms us, and that only by the work of the cross. (quoted with permission)

In this sense, then, this booklet shows people what is in their hearts.  In the hands of a Christian parent or mentor, it could be a tool to show us and our children our sinful nature and our need for redemption.  That is something we can never understand deeply enough.

3. If you want a resource to promote open discussions, the Youth Virtue Journal has excellent lists of questions.

In summary:  Our family benefitted from our time with the Youth Virtue Journal and will continue to use it.  Although it was written for a different audience, it can be a valuable resource for Christian homeschoolers.

The Youth Virtue Journal is available from We Choose Virtues.  Similar products for younger children are also available.

Disclosure:  I received a review copy of the Youth Virtue Journal from We Choose Virtues in order to share my honest opinions.

-Written by Annie Kate, a Christian homeschooling mom of five, who reviews and blogs at Tea Time with Annie Kate.

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Money Help for Teens

 Economics, High School, Highschool  3 Responses »
Apr 132012
 

Taken directly from their website:

The Money Book for Teens is a series of 3 modules teaching teens the necessary financial skills to live and thrive in life.  Using the Bible as its foundation, The Money Book for Teens is taught from the context of a language arts course.

Module 1 focuses on Biblical Stewardship principles while emphasizing things like budgeting, tracking spending, net worth, and understanding a balance sheet.  Students will memorize foundational scriptures, learn financial vocabulary, practice critical thinking and logic skills, as well as reading comprehension.  They will read the book The Richest Man in Babylon, a classic book by George Clason as part of their reading program.

Included: The Student edition (78 pages) & the Teacher edition (44 pages)

Needed: The Richest Man in Babylon

What we like about this:

The first module (Stewardship) is the only module we have used and we really like it because it has a very strong biblical foundation but also because it incorporated reading that “brought the point home” in a very easy-to-understand way. There are six lessons: What is Stewardship?, What am I a Steward Over?, Setting Up a Spending Plan, Tracking Spending, Balance Sheet and Net Worth – Why it’s Important.

Each lesson is about ten pages and consists of a little information presented by the authors followed by reading comprehension exercises (key terms, memory verse, concept problems), then reading from the book with “Connect to Literacy” questions. They close with reading scriptures and giving observations of those scriptures and how they relate to what is being studied.

They are asked to work on spending plans – showing them the connection between incoming and outgoing monies. {YAY!}

They also complete KWL charts:

 

If you are looking for an economics type study that is affordable with a biblical perspective…this study is for you!

Cost: $29.95 (e-book; both teacher and student editions)

As a side note: Originally we checked The Richest Man in Babylon out from our library but we needed it for too long so we went ahead and bought a used copy of our own.

Here’s praying you have fun learning!

Come visit Dawn over at her blog, Guiding Light Homeschool, on Facebook and on Twitter…friends are ALWAYS welcome!

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Sisters in the Wilderness, an Introduction to Canadian History and Literature

 Elementary, Geography, High School, Highschool, History, Literature, Living books, Middle School  1 Response »
Feb 222012
 

Here’s a wonderful introduction to Canadian history and literature for the whole family:  Sisters in the Wilderness. This DVD portrays the mid-19th century pioneer life of two sisters who sailed from England expecting an easy existence in the Canadian bush.  Incorporating both contemporary artwork and dramatization, this quality film full of beauty, pathos, humanity, and history tells the story of Susannah Moodie and Catharine Parr Traill, both writers.  Their two families settled in the bush close to each other and, after years of hardship, moved to town.  Throughout their lives both Catharine and Susannah  continued to write about their experiences.  The movie Sisters in the Wilderness is based on their books.

Although not designed as a curriculum, Sisters in the Wilderness can be used as the basis for a thorough study of Upper Canada pioneer life.  It shows

  • the English background of many immigrants,
  • the ocean journey,
  • the arrival in Canada,
  • survival and adaptation in winter and summer,
  • hardship and ingenuity,
  • the Rebellion of 1837
  • and so much more.

Each element of this beautifully produced movie highlights a fascinating aspect of the history of Upper Canada in the middle of the 19th century and beyond.

After watching Sisters in the Wilderness and seeing how real pioneer families lived, younger students understand A Pioneer Story much better.

Sisters in the Wilderness gives older students an appealing introduction to the two women’s books as well.

  • Catharine Parr Traill, the optimistic sister, wrote The Backwoods of Canada, focusing on hints for new colonists and on nature.  There is a wealth of practical and everyday history in Catharine’s writing.  This book is part of our Canadian geography curriculum.
  • Susannah Moodie, more gloomy and literary, wrote the famous book Roughing it in the Bush.  This sombre personal history of an upper class British gentlewoman trying to survive in the woods was written as a warning to those ‘back home’ who were considering such a move.  Roughing it in the Bush has become one of the foundational works in Canadian literature, greatly influencing it in modern times.

In summary, Sisters in the Wilderness, available from Northwoods Press, introduces the whole family to Canadian pioneer life in a delightful way and sets teens on the path to studying Canadian literature.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of Sisters in the Wilderness from Northwoods Press.

Written by Annie Kate, a Christian homeschooling mom of five, who reviews and blogs at Tea Time with Annie Kate.  You can read her other Curriculum Choice reviews here.

How to Raise Your High School Grades by Half a Point in One Semester

 High School, Highschool  1 Response »
Dec 022011
 

Teens need to think about thinking, studying, time management, and the future. There are all sorts of serious, sober, and expensive approaches to these topics. However, if your family has a sense of humor and likes outside-the-box ideas, Gary North’s free study course might work for you. How to Raise Your High School Grades by Half a Point in One Semester is full of quirky opinions mixed with excellent advice. The excellent outweighs the quirky, but it’s the quirkiness that made this course such a success in our homeschool.

Our children delighted in their weekly sessions with Gary North. There seems to be something in Dr. North’s writing style that brings out humor and independent thinking in my teens, because their summaries were almost always insightful and often downright funny.

In this guide, Dr. North discusses:

  • study skills
  • attitudes
  • time management and tricks
  • study partners
  • vacations
  • textbooks
  • note-taking
  • test-taking
  • writing
  • keeping up with the news

The lessons are short, full of short sentences and definite opinions that sometimes had me sputtering. Aim for a B in your book reports!  Indeed! But they generated great discussion. What’s more, many of the suggestions are truly wise.

Although Dr. North set this course up so that students would get one lesson a day—and presumably raise their marks quickly—our approach was more long-term. Once a week our teens would go to the website, read the lesson, summarize it, and write down the take-home message. This kept them interacting with the material for a much longer time, which is better for real learning and thinking.

I have not read much other material by Gary North and cannot vouch for the rest of the things he says. In fact, I don’t even agree with all he says in this course. However, How to Raise Your High School Grades by Half a Point in One Semester has been a highlight in our homeschool for the past 27 weeks, and my teens are sad that they have finished it. 

Your teens might also enjoy it.  They will certainly learn from it.

-Written by Annie Kate, a Christian homeschooling mom of five, who reviews and blogs at Tea Time with Annie Kate. You can read her other Curriculum Choice reviews here.

Digital Photography Unit Study by Amanda Bennett

 Grammar, High School, Highschool, Middle School, Unit study resources  No Responses »
Nov 092011
 

Before the start of this school year I asked my older children what they’d like to learn more about. My eldest, then a rising eighth grader, said photography. Specifically digital photography. Hadn’t I just seen Amanda Bennett tweet about that same unit study being on sale?

“I think a photography class should be a requirement in all educational programs because it makes you see the world rather than just look at it.” ~Author Unknown

Not only did my daughter learn about digital photography but her enthusiasm encouraged her siblings. It’s also been a learning opportunity for mom. Isn’t that a wonderful benefit of homeschooling – continuing education for the teacher too?

The unit study is an approach for the whole family. Each week is presented:

  • For Two Levels – Lower (elementary) and Upper (middle/high grades) – so everyone can learn together if you’d like!
  • With a List of favorite books

From the unit study site: “Topics covered in this study include:

  • The science of light and lenses.
  • The history of photography.
  • Camera basics.
  • Composing a photo.
  • Famous photographers and their work.
  • Applications of photography.
  • Working with a digital photograph. “

“Every artist was first an amateur.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Four Weeks of Study. Each week includes:

  • Learning Plans for Days 1-4
  • Weekly Windup
  • Additional Internet Sites
  • Today’s Quote
  • Words of Wisdom (vocabulary)
  • Interesting people and places
  • Read and discover

The Digital Photography unit is in pdf format. A download with all the internet links readily available.

The digital photography unit is fun!

What we liked: This unit is easily adaptable to any schedule. We chose to spread the four weeks out over eight. The study is rich with information so you can dig as deeply as you’d like for your student(s) to – on any level. We really enjoyed the family project ideas (e.g., a family calendar for grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins across the country), plus the daily quotes, a few of which are scattered throughout this post. My daughter liked the photography assignments – she used her iPod on photo scavenger hunts and challenges and photography journal assignments. This study was even the inspiration for her science fair project: Comparing the Camera to the Human Eye.

“Photography was once described as painting with light.” ~ Anonymous

Where to find Digital Photography Unit Study and more information:

  • Amanda Bennett’s Digital Photography is available from Unit Studies by Amanda Bennett here
  • You can view a sample and peek inside the unit here
  • You might also be interested in Amanda’s explanation of What is a Unit Study? here

In summary: Digital Photography was everything we needed in one, neat pdf format. A jumping off place for learning. Inspiration for more exploration. Amanda Bennett’s unit study built confidence and opened wider the doors of delight with photography.

~Tricia faces a daily dose of chaos homeschooling five children. She contributes a blend of writing at parenting, frugal living and homeschool sites as well as her own daily Hodgepodge.

Foundations in Personal Finance Curriculum

 Economics, High School, Highschool  2 Responses »
Oct 172011
 

During school time Mr. 16 was sitting at the computer, chuckling. Having that much fun doing ‘schoolwork’ suggests to me that it’s not really schoolwork on the computer….

So I sternly asked, “What are you doing?”

Sweetly he answered, “Dave Ramsey,” and continued chortling.

After listening to a few more minutes of this laughter, I pulled up a chair beside him to watch “Bargain Shopping,” Chapter 8 of the Foundations in Personal Finance Curriculum, Homeschool Edition, a wonderful curriculum by Dave Ramsey. Soon the Little Misses joined us and we finished the chapter…and then started again at the beginning, laughing and learning all the way.

Sure, not all of the lessons are this funny, but we love this curriculum. It’s fun and relevant and practical. Dave’s mission is “empowering students to make sound financial decisions for life,” and he does it in such an appealing way!

He covers a lot of topics too, and, besides being excellent training for life, this course also meets state standards. In his 4 teaching DVD’s, Dave covers the following topics in great detail:

  • Unit 1: Saving and Investing
  • Unit 2: Credit and Debt
  • Unit 3: Financial Responsibility and Money Management
  • Unit 4: Insurance/Risk Management and Income/Careers

There’s also a Teacher’s Guide CD-ROM with lesson plans, tests, answer keys, activities, case studies, and more, as well as a Student Workbook containing worksheets, reviews, and many interesting tidbits of information. (For more information, please see the very detailed review on my blog.)

We are extremely pleased with the Foundations in Personal Finance Curriculum. While studying other subjects is very important, learning Personal Finance may well have the most practical impact on your teen’s future life. This curriculum is not inexpensive, but I believe it is an investment that will pay back many times over, both in your teen’s life and your own.

-Written by Annie Kate, a Christian homeschooling mom of five, who reviews and blogs at Tea Time with Annie Kate.  You can read her other Curriculum Choice reviews here.

Disclosure I received a complimentary copy of Foundations in Personal Finance, Homeschool Edition, in order to give you my honest opinion of it.

 

Consumer Math Success Kit

 Economics, High School, Highschool, Mathematics  2 Responses »
Sep 302011
 

Consumer Math Success Kit by David Newton is a gem for high school students!  This one semester course (53 lessons – some of which can be used more than one day or extended into real-life practice) includes practical math your child will need in the future.

Bank accounts, loans, credit cards, taxes, home costs, budgeting, insurance and planning for the future are some of the 27 topics covered.  What I like best is that every single lesson is very real.  There isn’t a lot of wordiness to the teaching, but very concise explanations are given with practical problems following.  Some people may feel like there isn’t enough teaching and may find the book to be more appropriate as a “workbook” to go along with a consumer math textbook.

The lessons assume your child has a fair background in mathematics. He needs to understand and be able to complete such things as multiplication, division, ratios, percents, fractions, decimals and conversions.  The average high school student should already have a well-rounded math background to successfully use this curriculum.

The book also assumes that the teacher has a fair background in mathematics and consumer experiences since there is no teacher’s guide for you.  For each section, there are teacher’s notes that supply you with pertinent vocabulary, related math topics, mathematical skills required and a few teaching suggestions, but no “how to teach notes”.  And, although there is an answer key, there are no step-by-step solutions provided.  For me, neither of these factors have proven to be a problem.

There aren’t an abundance of practice problems (only 5-12 per lesson), but they are sufficient for understanding the concept in most instances.  I’ve found it easy to assign a real problem related to our own family to extend the lesson and “bring it home” when necessary.

In conclusion, I have really enjoyed this book as 1/2 credit for high school math.  Both my husband and I feel comfortable with consumer math, so we haven’t felt slighted with the lack of teacher’s helps.  We also haven’t felt it necessary for our daughter to read additional information on the subject.  When needed, we’ve simply talked through some of the topics on a personal level.

-Cindy West is an eclectically Charlotte Mason mom of three from Kentucky.  You can find her blogging at Our Journey Westward and find her NaturExplorers studies at Shining Dawn Books.

{Cindy received Consumer Math Success Kit free for review.  As always, her review reflects her honest opinions about the product.}

Logic and Reasoning with the Bluedorn’s

 Highschool, Logic  2 Responses »
Sep 102010
 

We love logic in our homeschool! I’ve used logic puzzlers with my children as early as 1st grade with such materials as Mind Benders, Prufrock Press books, and Logic Links. Now that my oldest is moving into upper middle and high school level courses, we’ve begun some more formal logic/reasoning instruction.

Brothers, Nathaniel and Hans Bluedorn, have written two very easy-to-understand and fun books for students in middle and high school – The Fallacy Detective and The Thinking Toolbox. Both books are excellent and offer 35-38 lessons including:

  • simple, solid teaching about reasoning/logic skills.
  • short lessons that only take 10-15 minutes to complete.
  • tons of pertinent vocabulary.
  • fun illustrations and cartoons to help you visualize the concept.
  • an attractive layout.
  • lots of conversational examples to explain the concepts being taught in each lesson.*
  • exercises with answer keys to practice the reasoning skills from each lesson.*

To help you see the simple and sensible explanations within the lessons, here’s a conversational example from The Fallacy Detective, Lesson 12: Straw Man. In teaching the student about a straw man in an argument, this simple conversation is given.

“POLITICAL CANDIDATE A: Due to this year’s budget problems, I think our state should decrease the amount of money going to the schools. This would solve the problem. We could bring the amount of money back to normal next year.

POLITICAL CANDIDATE B: My fellow citizens, is this what you want in a candidate? Someone who is against our schools, against our children’s education, and against our future?”

The authors use plenty of examples such as these as part of their explanations of reasoning and logic that help students begin to question and think through all the rhetoric and influential arguments in our world.

At the end of each lesson, your student is given exercises to practice distinguishing arguments. From The Thinking Toolbox, Lesson 11: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Evidence, this is one of the exercises.

“In the examples below, choose which piece of evidence seems especially strong or especially weak when compared to the other evidence.

1. Bonnie thinks that Robey’s excitableness stems from something in his diet.

a. Robey loves to eat.

b. Robey eats a special dog food made with organic meatballs.

c. Every morning, before Bonnie takes him for a walk, Pringle’s instructed her to give Robey his special treat called a “Zip and Zaz Cookie” made for older dogs that need more energy.”

Your student is expected to determine which statement logically makes the most sense.

We have loved these books so much and they are really preparing my children to think logically! They are confronted daily with advertisements, worldview arguments, political arguments, peer pressure and so much more.  These books are training their minds to look past the glitz and glamour to get to the real truth of the matter.

As Christians, we especially need these truth seeking logical skills to help us keep our eyes on the Lord and not be swayed by the devil’s wily tactics!

-Written by Cindy, eclectically Charlotte Mason mom of three.  You can find her blogging at Our Journey Westward and find her nature study curriculum at Shining Dawn Books.

Sew Teach Me Sewing Curriculum Review

 Hands On, Highschool, Home Economics, Middle School  4 Responses »
Sep 062010
 

Since my daughter is in 8th grade this year, I was eager to start some formal home economics classes with her as part of her school day.  Not only do I feel that home economics classes teach valuable life skills, I think they are a wonderful, hands-on break from the more academic subjects which compose her school days.  My daughter had shown interest in learning to sew, so I wanted to add a sewing course to her schedule this year.  Given that my seamstress skills are limited at best, I was nervous about putting together my own sewing course.

Thankfully, I ventured into the Sew Teach Me booth at the Midwest Homeschool Convention.  After talking with the helpful folks at the Sew Teach Me booth, I decided that the sewing curriculum was exactly what I had been looking for in a beginning sewing course.

I purchased the entire course on CD for $89.95 which includes patterns for a few of the projects and pattern design software from which all of the other patterns can be printed.  If you prefer to purchase the curriculum printed and bound which also includes the pattern design software, the price is $159.95.  The curriculum is recommended for ages 8 and up but I think you would really need to consider the maturity level of your child.  My daughter definitely would not have been ready for this course at 8, but at 13, the course is a perfect fit for her.

Sew Teach Me includes 8 chapters covering a wide variety of basic sewing skills.  My favorite part of the curriculum is that chapters 2 through 8 all include a great sewing project to complete at the end of the chapter.  My daughter’s enthusiasm for the sewing course increased dramatically when she had successfully completed her first project.  All of the projects are items that could be given for gifts or kept for oneself.

Most chapters offer a choice of projects so that your child could choose his or her favorite project to complete or complete all three projects if desired.  For example, your child can choose between a ski hat, pet planket, or tic-tac-toe board at the end of the chapter on straight sewing.  My daughter chose the ski hat.

More specifically, each chapter in the Sew Teach Me sewing curriculum covers basic sewing skills with a project or projects at the end of the chapter designed to practice the newly learned skills.  Here is a brief overview of the contents of each chapter and the sewing projects from which your child can choose.

  • Chapter 1 – Learning the parts of the sewing machine.
  • Chapter 2 – Straight stitching.  Projects include a ski hat, pet blanket, or tic-tac-toe board.
  • Chapter 3 – Stitching curves.  Projects include a candy swirl pillow, oven mitt, or hand puppet.
  • Chapter 4 – Fasteners (sewing in a zipper, sewing a snap, sewing hook and loop tape).  Projects include a book bag, hanging organizer, or wrist wallet.
  • Chapter 5 – Survival sewing (replacing buttons, repairing hems, mending tears and rips, re-sewing seams, replacing zippers, pressing, laundry).  The project for this chapter is a laundry sorting bag.
  • Chapter 6 – Decorative stitching.  Projects include a lap quilt, computer mouse pad, or a visor.
  • Chapter 7 – Field trip to a local fabric store, learning about patterns.
  • Chapter 8 – Putting it all together.  Projects include a picnic tablecloth, iCare bib, or apron.

Sew Teach Me is written directly to the student in simple, clear language.  While the class is clearly designed to be primarily an independent study, I am working through the class with my daughter.  If at all possible, I think it is quite helpful to have somebody available to help work through the sewing projects.  Expert sewing skills are NOT NEEDED to help your child with this course.  I have some experience with sewing but I am no expert.  With my limited knowledge and the excellent instruction in this course, I am learning right alongside my daughter.  In the very first chapter, I learned that I’ve been removing the thread from my sewing machine the wrong way for the past 17 years!

My only complaint about the Sew Teach Me curriculum is that I find piecing together the patterns after we’ve printed them out to be difficult.  Using the included pattern design software, patterns are printed right from your computer.  Then, all of the pieces of paper need to be matched up, taped, and then the pattern pieces need to be cut out.  Therefore, I will be purchasing a simple apron pattern for my daughter to use in the last chapter rather than trying to piece together the pattern pieces for a large project like an apron.

You can learn more about the Sew Teach Me curriculum at their website.  As well, you can see pictures of each of the chapter projects.  Fabric kits for each project can also be purchased on their website but I find it much more fun to pick out the fabric of my daughter’s choice at our local fabric store.  If you are not close to a fabric store, though, this may be a convenient option.

Samantha has been homeschooling her three children for the past 8 years.  Currently, she is homeschooling a 4th grader, 6th grader, and an 8th grader.  Samantha writes about homeschooling and family life at To Be Busy At Home.

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