It Just Couldn’t Happen

 Bible, Biblical Principle Approach, Hands On  No Responses »
Nov 112011
 

What an exciting new product! As a home-schooling family, this has just taken it’s place in our standard curriculum! Want to address those tougher questions about biblical vs scientific subjects typically taught in schools? This is fantastic for that, too! The book is easy to read, geared for all ages as it is well written, and has fantastic pictures to captivate.

It Just Couldn’t Happen outlines the points of view in easy to digest segments, providing not only “facts” but a means for you to discover and understand how science comes to its conclusions as well. They encourage learning more, seeking your own answers and going further. (perfect for library visits or building further for older children). The “Just for Fun” area is a fantastic addition to the book as well. At the end of each chapter they place fun, fanciful questions (such as: if you could live on any plant, what would it be an why?) and hands-on experiments. These engage minds and hands, bringing the subjects to a new level of imagination and interaction; a perfect way to retain knowledge and fuel further passions for learning!

I also love that the book takes both science and bible verses to guide you on the learning journey; something so other books so often fail to do. It’s a delight to see that science CAN be merged with Biblical wisdom and rather seamlessly as well. Overall, the book was a delight. I received this as an e-book to review from Book Sneeze, but honestly, I may go out and buy the tangible paper version – I see this being a beloved portion of our curriculum for years to come.

PROS:

  • Beautifully written, easy to read and understand concepts
  • Stunning pictures that really captivate the mind and the imagination
  • Fun experiments and questions to further enrich concepts

CONS:

  • For us, it was only that the book ended too soon; we had a blast with this book!

 

Pictures of Table of Contents and an except from inside the book.

Lewis and Clark for Kids Unit Study

 Hands On, History, Unit study resources  2 Responses »
Oct 212011
 

We use a lot of Unit Studies in our home school. A couple of years ago I stumbled upon the For Kids Unit Studies. Each study contains a book written about the subject and 21 activities that tie into what you are reading. One of our first to use was Lewis and Clark for Kids: Their Journey of Discovery with 21 Activities (For Kids series) by Janis Herbert.

We really had fun with this study.  My favorite part of these unit studies are the activities that are included in the books.

In one of the many activities, we learned that Lewis knew red face paint (called vermillion) would be a welcome gift among the Indians they would meet on their expedition. His dye was made from grinding minerals into pigment. We used a recipe included in the book to make up our own homemade face paint much like Lewis did. The kids then had fun painting themselves up like indians as we wondered what it was like as the expedition met their first tribes of Indians along the way.

Our very favorite activity was to make some homemade fruit leather. We learned in our readings a bit about the foods that Lewis and Clark ate on their expedition across the country. It was interesting to learn how they stored food and what they ate. They traded a lot with the Indians as they met different tribes.

This Lewis and Clark study is 131 pages in length and is broken down into 9 chapters which cover the following….

  • Chapter 1 – Covers 1770- 1804. Activities include learning about Latitude and Longitude and making Vermillion (homemade face paint).
  • Chapter 2 – Covers 1804 May through August of that year. Activities include lessons on preserving plants and identifying them as well as making homemade fruit leather and learning about the lunar cycle.
  • Chapter 3 – Covers August 1804- October 1804. Activities include: Telling a story of your year on pretend buffalo hide, constructing a muslin tipi, constructing a dance rattle, and a recipe to make a great plains stew.
  • Chapter 4 – October 1804- February 1805. Activities include: Tracking animals and learning to play hoop and pole.
  • Chapter 5 – April 1805- June 1805. Activities include learning some specific Indian dances, making a buffalo mask, sewing your own pair of moccasins.
  • Chapter 6 – July 1805- August 1805. Activities include learning to speak Indian signs and making a basket.
  • Chapter 7 – September 1805- December 1805. Activities include making a drum, doing an archaeological dig, and making beeswax candles.
  • Chapter 8 – March 1806- August 1806. Activity is recognizing and making trail signs.
  • Chapter 9 – August 1806- September 1806. Activity is a celebration for the 200th anniversary of the Lewis and Clark expedition.

__________________________________

Most of the supplies needed for the above activities are easy to find items that you typically have around the house, but some of the supplies are things that would need to be purchased. With 21 activities and most chapters having multiple activities you certainly do not have to do each and every activity to make the study complete. In fact our family only completed a handful of them. A few of the activities were a bit more time consuming than I desired such as making our own moccasins.

Included at the front of the book are 2 timelines, one being from the birth to death of both Lewis and Clark and one being about the expedition. Also included is a preface about the Louisiana Purchase and a map of the expedition. The back of the book has a glossary of terms used in the study and a listing of Lewis and Clark sites around the United States that you can visit as well as organizations and events that revolve around Lewis and Clark. The back of the book also has a listing of web sites to explore for further information/reading.

Other For Kids unit study titles include: Thomas Edison, Monet, World War 2, Civil Rights Movement, Civil War, The American Revolution, Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Theodore Roosevelt, Isaac Newton, The Underground Railroad, and more. Titles are written by various authors.

-Jennifer is mom to 6 children, 2 boys and 4 girls, ages 14 down to 5. The Unsell family is in their 10th year of homeschooling and are a bit eclectic in their approach to schooling with a focus on unit studies and living books. You can find their family blog at Adventures in Unsell Land.

Science Is Simple

 Elementary, Hands On, Nature Study, Preschool, Science  1 Response »
Oct 142011
 

Science is Simple

Why, yes it can be!

With two little ones – a Kindergartner and a toddler, science needs to STAY simple.  Both of my girls are hands-on learners, so that makes science REALLY fun in our house!

Because my girls are young, and because I believe exploration and hands-on activities (especially science!) is best, Science Is Simple is a great book for us!

Written by Peggy Ashbrook and having won the Learning Magazine’s Teachers’ Choice Award, Science Is Simple divides its experiments into lessons.

What Kinds Of Lessons Will My Child Learn From This Book?

Of course, just like with any tools or curriculum, it really depends on how you present the material and their curiosity, but here are a few of the great “lessons” listed in the Table of Contents:

  • Magnets and Testing Hypotheses
  • Year-Round Gardening
  • What Do Seeds Need To Grow
  • Why Do Some Tree Leaves Change Color?
  • Stretch Your Senses on a Walk To A Nearby Park
  • Compost Critters
  • Spring-Flowering Bulbs…Are Planted In The Fall
  • Corn and an Introduction to the Globe
  • Winter Birds
  • What is Melting
  • What Can the Wind Do?

Why Is This Book Different From Other Science Textbooks?

Well, first off, it isn’t a textbook!  Second, it’s written for Preschoolers and Kindergartners (although the activities can definitely be altered for older kids if you have siblings involved).

Science is Simple contains over 250 Activities and each Lesson is divided into different sections that give you tips for presenting the material to your child.  And, if you struggle with what to say or the questions to ask, this book covers that too!  Also included in each lesson is a section on other activity ideas and book ideas beyond the experiments to help supplement what they just learned.

Would I Recommend This Book?

Definitely!  This is one of those resources that we’ll continue to use with all of our children.  Whether you are a home-educator or you teach in a classroom, it’s great!

PS – Want to see one of our experiments from the book?  Check out our mantis babies!

-Written by Ashley.  Find more of Ashley’s writings and reflections on motherhood, marriage and life on her blog.

 

Hands On History Book: Letters for Freedom

 Elementary, Hands On, History  No Responses »
Sep 122011
 

Book: Letters for Freedom: The Civil War

Published by: Innovative Kids

Age Recommendation: 8 and up

Use: To enhance history lessons.

Type: Hands-on

Homeschool Method: Any

Book Synopsis:

The past comes alive with this jam-packed, interactive book that puts history in context as it describes every moment of the Civil War, from its causes to its consequences. With flaps, gatefolds, pull-tabs, and removable letters that provide a first-person account of history as it’s happening, there is no better way to learn everything there is to know about the war that almost divided, and eventually united a nation.

Why I Recommend It:

I love history. I find history fascinating. I could sit and watch almost anything that comes on the history channel. Sadly, a few of my children do not share my love and fascination. They find history boring. Certainly, we have all heard the yawns emitting from mouths below glazed eyes as we taught what happened in the middle ages. I submit that history is not boring. What could be boring about Robert E. Lee? Dare you say battle plans and strategy tactics leave you heavy eyed? If you or your children believe history is boring it is simply because you have not made it come alive or connect the past with the present and the future in the wide eyes of your students.

Letters for Freedom: The Civil War brings the Civil War to life. The layout of the book alone garners interest. The illustrations, historic photographs, and points of interest beg for attention. My son, who claims to great dislike for history, emitted an “ooo” and not a yawn upon seeing this book. The book has a hands on approach as you flip pages filled with little envelopes that contain letters to read. The letters are from real soldiers and even General Lee. Each page has a point of interest for the eyes and the hands to keep young distractible students busy. As a lover of history and hands on learning I give this book highest marks.

Disclosure:  Was graciously given the book for review purposes by Innovative Kids.

Richele is an eclectic homeschooling mom to four reflections of God’s love whose greatest accomplishment thus far was teaching physics, folding laundry, and playing Candyland simultaneously.  Find her blogging at Under the Golden Apple Tree.

 

Grapevine Bible Studies

 Bible, Hands On  1 Response »
Sep 082011
 

We’ve been using the Grapevine Bible Curriculum, New Testament, & loving it! The idea is that your children draws the stories & lessons from the Bible as they learn the lessons. The drawings are simple little stick figures, but if your children are like mine they’ll enjoy embellishing them with a few extra details!

They will also write and memorize verses & have weekly reviews. All of which combines together to help your child remember the lessons. In fact, my children’s retention using this curriculum is huge!

This curriculum is made so you can get as much or as little out of it as you want. The Teacher’s Manual comes with information about each lesson so you can pre-study it if you so desire. It’s also suggested you keep a dictionary and concordance at hand incase you need it, but with websites like Dictionary.com & Biblos.com you wouldn’t need to pay for either of those items if you didn’t want to.

You’ll also want to provide your child with a wide range of coloured pencils. The manual also calls for a white board so you can draw the stick figure pictures first, then the students copy them down. They are all very simple to draw and the TM actually shows them so you don’t have to think up what/how to draw on your own. Can I confess that I don’t always draw the pictures thought?

How we use it:

I read the story to them, both from the Bible and telling parts in my own words. I point to the picture in the TM and have them draw each one as I come to that part of the story. Doing it this way means we can take this Bible curriculum anywhere and not have to worry about hauling a whiteboard with us.

Each lesson is very simple, and it’s up to you how much of it you do in a day. The reason this curriculum has lasted us so long is because we started out doing one lesson a week. In the TM it explains that you can do one lesson per week or one per day depending on your needs and desires.

To do one lesson each week we broke it down like this: Monday: Review of previous lesson. Tuesday: Timeline Review. Wednesday: Read new lesson & do page one. Thursday: Do page two of new lesson. Friday: None, OR start the rotation again.

However, we decided to pick up the pace and start doing more lessons in a week so we could move on to the Old Testament. Now we do one lesson per day, but we still save the review of that lesson for the next day to help reinforce what we previously did. This means our schedule now looks like this: M-F: Review previous lesson, timeline review, new lessons.

The Break Down:

  • Let’s take a look at the Student Workbook and how it all breaks down! The book begins with a New Testament blank Timeline. This is basically an overview lesson. They discuss each “story” or event in only a few basic sentences while your child sketches everything on the timeline. The idea being that the children get an idea of what they’ll be learning.

  • Next you have lessons. Each lesson has a Biblical reference, you can choose to read the summarized version from the Teacher’s Manual or you can grab your Bible and read it from there. I’ve been known to do both if I feel like a specific part of the story I want my children to know was missing from the summarized version. I even summarize it in my own words at times.
  • Each lesson is a two page spread, with generally about 8 pictures to draw. The pictures are always based on the lesson, and, as previously mentioned, are always pre-drawn in the TM. At the end of each lesson comes the Lesson Review.
  • Lesson Reviews have a few questions {4-8 generally} about the lesson you just learned. I like saving these for the next day to make sure the kids still remember the previous lesson. After the Lesson Review is a Memory Verse to go with each lesson.

  • We add all memory verses to our Memory Box to work on memorizing them through that simple method. We also say them at lesson times to help enforce why we chose to memorize this verse.
  • Next up you’ll find a page with Character/Event Cards & a space to write out your memory verse. I will confess that we haven’t filled out the cards. The idea is that you write down the key factors from the person or event so that you can use them as quick reference points. My children retain the events and stories well enough that we’ve chosen to skip this part of each lesson. I’ll also confess we don’t always write our our memory verse as we might be working on something else for copywork.

  • Then you come to the Timeline Review. This is where you’re meant to remember the three previous lessons you learned before jumping into the next one. You simply draw your stick figures on the timeline and jot under it what they are. There’s also a space for writing out the two previous memory verses. We always do the timeline reviews, but sometimes I’ll just have the children tell me the verse rather then write it.
  • Last, but not least, every 6 lessons is a Big Review. When we come to a Big Review it’s the only thing we do that day for Bible. My kids love Big Review Days. We turn them into trivia style games.

What We Love:

  • My kids love everything about this curriculum. Anytime I move away from using this as our main Bible there are cries of, “When do we get to do drawing Bible again?”
  • I love that it’s simple to teach! It did take a little bit of time to “figure it out”, but once I found my groove we were set!
  • It’s non denominational. It was not written from the view point of any one religion. You can read any story/event from your own personal Bible getting that view point.

  • I also really love that my kids adore this Bible Programme. Let’s be honest, anything that gets my kids excited about the Bible is usually top notch in my book!
  • I was also really excited that I could buy this programme as a download from either Grapevine directly or from Currclick.com. This is a big factor for international homeschoolers. It completely eliminated the need to pay for shipping! It’s also nice if you have more then one student using the student book.

What we don’t love:

  • While I love that I can buy this product as a download it’s big. I’m talking 200+ pages for students & the same for the Teacher’s Manual. Now, the downside there is the amount of paper and ink you’re going to use when you print it out. For US based homeschoolers, I suspect buying the hardcopy would be a wiser and more economical choice. This is not the fault of the programme, as they do offer hard copies of their books.

  • I’m also going to give a few thoughts that might be factors for some people.
  • It did take a little bit to find my feet with this curriculum. I don’t fault the programme, you are encouraged to contact them if you need any help. I don’t think it’s a difficult programme to use, but, like most curriculums, it took me a bit to find my feet.
  • If your children do not like to draw they probably won’t enjoy this programme.
  • If you’re nervous about drawing for your kids you might feel turned off by Grapevine Bible, but may I just say that you do not have to draw! Stick figures are really simple, and if you don’t have the confidence to draw them, just show your children the pictures directly located in the Teacher’s Manual. We do this like when we school outside, at the library, or in the park.

Bottom Line:

We love this programme. My kids retain so much information that I know we’ll be sticking with this programme for quite a while!

Kendra lives in Tasmania Australia with her husband, the Man From Down Under, two curious boys, a dog, & a bird that constantly talks back. Creator, and avid user, of the Homeschool Book Of Days & The Nature Game she can be found retelling tales from The Land Down Under over at the Aussie Pumpkin Patch.

Loving Living Math

 Grammar, Hands On, High School, Home Economics, Logic, Mathematics, Middle School, Mom Helps  4 Responses »
Sep 012011
 

“From the time my children were in kindergarten, I have followed the same basic weekly schedule for math. We typically complete three textbook lessons per week and two living math lessons per week.” ~ Cindy West

Cindy West’s Loving Living Math has given my family permission. Permission to learn and enjoy the real life stuff of math. See, I admit I am not a math type mom. But I do thrive on the practical. That’s why Loving Living Math speaks to me. I can see math all around us now.

This ebook also opened my eyes to the fact that we were already enjoying many living math opportunities in board games, Snap Circuits, Saturday morning trips to the store and simply setting the table! Our favorite game, Blokus? Check!

Dear Parent – Loving Living Math is for you! Most often curriculum is for the student. This is for you. To teach you. To encourage you.

Coaches the parent in how to:

  • teach outside the textbook. You don’t have to complete each and every textbook lesson!
  • add living math to your homeschool. Practical ways for working your schedule.

Offers lengthy lists of resources for:

  • Logic
  • Problem solving
  • Favorite skills and drills
  • Making the most of website links
  • Using manipulatives

Includes worksheets with math puzzles (e.g., popcorn puzzler, Valentine math, coordinate candy graphing) to mix in. (Complete with the answer key at the end of the book.)

But there’s more! Did you know you can teach math through literature?? Through hands on projects?? Yes! In the photo above, my son is enjoying both a Tapestry of Grace assignment and living math.

Loving Living Math even shows the parent ways to incorporate writing into math and infuse math into other subjects. The latest, greatest technology? How about Excel spreadsheets, balancing the family online bank account, designing a graph for the science fair project? All math.

Baking. Oh I can see this area expanding even more. All that Cooking Fun we do during our week? It can all count as math. And Loving Living Math gives examples for doubling, tripling recipes, sorting candies…

For my family, Loving Living Math cued up the fun. Added in the logic that was lacking. My children are traditional math textbook learners. But this approach throws a bit of delight into math learning. I can see Loving Living Math being a successful tool for families that might have difficulty learning the traditional textbook way.

Loving Living Math taught me, the teacher, how to see the everyday math learning opportunities. It helps answer the practical question, “How will I use this in the real world?”

Loving Living Math is a 48 page ebook. Excerpt from the book description: “Loving Living Math will answer all your questions, ease all your fears, and bring skeptics at least closer to the idea. This is a book for parents who would like to learn more about living math – a “how-to” book of sorts. In 46 straightforward pages, you’ll understand what living math is, learn why it can be so effective in your homeschool, and consider various ways to incorporate it into your homeschool schedule.  Don’t get the impression that Cindy wants you to get rid of math textbooks!  Although some parents use living math exclusively, this book encourages you to supplement textbook lessons with living math lessons and shows you how to effectively do that.”

What age/grade is Living Math designed for? All ages. What you, the parent and teacher will learn will help students of all ages.

View a sample on the NaturExplorers site: Loving Living Math

Loving Living Math! So many children (and parents) struggle with math during the school day. Whether you’re hoping to learn how to ease the whining, add some new lessons to the regular textbook schedule or overhaul your math curriculum, this workshop will inspire you. Learn how to add “real” math lessons that make sense to your child. Questions will be answered very practically! What is living math? How will it help my child enjoy math again? How can I add it to my textbook curriculum without overwhelming my child? Why would I want to add living math to our schedule? What are some super ideas and resources for living math? ~ Heart of the Matter session description

But don’t take it just from me. I had the privilege of hostessing Cindy’s Heart of the Matter Online winter 2011 conference session. I heard directly from the author how simple it is to incorporate living math ideas in our homeschool. And you can too. The mp3 of her session is available for purchase HERE.

I’m off to oversee children tripling some recipes…

Before you leave, here’s a special note from Cindy West…Please enjoy $3.00 off Loving Living Math through the month of September!  Use the code “livingmath” (without quotes) at checkout.

~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.

My Father’s World: 1st grade

 Art, Bible, Charlotte Mason, Classical, Elementary, Geography, Grammar, Hands On, Language Arts, Living books, Music, Nature Study, Phonics, Reading, Science, Spelling, Unit study resources  3 Responses »
Aug 222011
 

What immediately drew me to My Father’s World is that the curriculum is the fact that it is fairly stand alone. You purchase either the basic set or their deluxe set, and you are ready to go!  I adore this as our little library in this rural community really doesn’t have the variety or selection of books that we were used to in San Diego. This means filling in blanks or filling out a curriculum is a challenge now so a curriculum with most of the absolutely necessary books included was a huge plus to us.

However, like the true bibliophiles that we are, I wanted the option of having more, should we be able to find them. True to the Charlotte Mason element, the curriculum is surrounded by the “living books” concept so the usage of books is completely up to you.  I love that they include this in every year.

About My Father’s World 

mfw basicMy Father’s World isn’t just a Charlotte Mason style offering but rather a unique fusion of sorts, merging both “the best of Charlotte Mason, classical education, and unit studies with a Biblical worldview and international focus.”

My Father’s World offers grades K-2nd grade as a more independent, semi-stand alone element and then moves into a family 5 year cycle that works around a central theme. The 5 year cycle is specifically geared for multiple ages, for grades 2nd-8th so there is savings to be found as families with more than one child use the same program to teach all children in 2nd – 8th grade.

Year One Geography: Exploring Countries and Cultures
Year Two History: Creation to the Greeks
Year Three History: Rome to the Reformation
Year Four U.S./World History: Exploration to 1850
Year Five U.S./World History: 1850 to Modern Times

 

They also offer a bridge year called Adventures in My Father’s World, which is geared for families 2nd or 3rd graders who have no siblings in 4th – 8th grade.(We will be doing this program next year as I have a 4year old and a 7 year old.)

 

Our Adventure

Currently we are working our way though My Father’s World, 1st grade.  I adore this program as it is laid out in an easy to follow, daily workbook fashion.  It’s easy for me to combine the integrated social studies, science, art and Bible elements with both kids, while focusing independently on the phonics and math.  My boys love that they are learning together, doing the same things, despite their age and grade differences.

The curriculum does include a 1st grade phonics-based reading program that focuses on the Bible and more fun, hands-on math activities.  We include our own K4 phonics and and additional math program (Math U See) for both boys as I found their math not as intensive as I think it needs to be for the grade.

mfw craftsOne major element we always seemed to miss with our previous years curriculum was the arts; we simply didn’t always make time for them.

With My Father’s World, art, music, crafts,hands-on learning is a major part of the curriculum. Everything is planned out and outlined for you to see the day before so you can prep easily, using common household items most of the time.  My boys have enjoyed this more consistent addition to our learning and I have found they have better attitudes and have better lesson retention.

The only cons that I have experience thus far is that the 1st grade teachers book is only formatted with a daily lesson plan. It lacks the easy, one glace, weekly grid that their latter versions offer.  I also felt the math that is included is a bit weak for the age group so we needed to supplement an additional math program. Ultimately, minor things that we easily rectified.

For a full curriculum, It’s fairly affordable, especially when you compare it to larger, more known companies. For the 1st grade curriculum, you can elect to get their basic package for only $136.oo or their deluxe package for $239.00.  As the years grow in complexity, so does the number of books included which will contribute to a steady raise in the overall costs. However, remaining competitive and within reach for most families.

Overall, My Father’s World, or MFW, has been a blessing to our household. It’s affordable, fun, engaging and the children really do learn.

Real Science 4 Kids

 Elementary, Hands On, Science  4 Responses »
Aug 122011
 

real science physics I ran across the Real Science 4 Kids while attending our local curriculum fair this year.  Right from the start I was attracted to the colorful, yet informative, hands-on learning style.  I didn’t pick up a copy at the time mainly because I really wanted to see what was out there and approach the pros and cons.

In the vast array of options, I really thought I wanted to do Apologia for our first grade.  However, after delving into that a bit, I discovered that it really isn’t geared for the younger aged kids, at least from my perspective.  I felt it would take more work to bring it down to their level than I really wanted to commit to, so  I returned again to Real Science 4 Kids.

Fortunately, I found the Gravitas Publications website.  I went about doing the proper due diligence before committing to a purchase.

Things I found I loved about the curriculum:

  • They have a true K-3 grade option. It’s called their “Pre-Level” and it’s available in all of their subjects!
  • FREE lesson plans! Included for each subject and available for download directly from their website. You can download it for free without a single purchase, which I found super helpful for me to see the inner workings and intentions of the program.
  • They offer a club Lifetime Membership which gives you full access to additional resources like online testing,  additional experiments, e-library, audio talks and more. You only need to purchase it once as it is offered to be used for all age groups and all of your kids.
  • The student workbook is colorful, the experiments are fun, and the lessons are not too long.
  • They have a gift at taking somewhat difficult concepts and making them not only presentable for younger ages, but somehow applicable and memorable.
  • They have multiple ways of purchasing their curricula!
    • Purchase each item (Student  text, lab workbook & Teacher Edition) as a discounted book bundle or individually.
    • Elect to skip the actual textbook and download e-books in a part or whole elements of the curricula.
    • Or my personal favorite, you can choose to download the curricula a chapter at a time! I adore this idea because we don’t have to purchase a full set to get going. I don’t have to furnish a full purchase price initially and I am not “locked in”!  We can elect to do chapters from all of their different subjects! (They tie in together anyway).
  • The program can be extremely affordable! If you elect to do their e-book chapters, you can get the full chapter bundle for only $3.50!  The full set is $34.95 for e-book download, or $74.56 for the traditional textbooks.
  • They offer a chapter preview for free so you can try it out fully before you buy.
  • Real Science-4-Kids has a full set of real experiments using household items so you do not need to purchase additional kits or outside teacher resources.

MY cons:

  • The author created the curricula to appeal to all homeschoolers, so it is “Worldview Neutral“.  A quote directly from their website sums it up rather nicely: “…. You won’t have to spend time screening your science curriculum for references to God or evolution because Real Science-4-Kids focuses on the science….” For some of you, this may be a plus, but I really wanted a directly biblical science curriculum.
  • If you elect to save money with downloads, you will have to print some things from time to time which will ultimately cost more in ink and paper.

Ultimately, I have found that the curriculum will work for us a core to weave with what we have.  I will use this as our base science, and Epi Kardia’s lesson plan to add biblical elements as well.  We love going to the library to expand upon our lessons with living books; which is exactly what we’ll be doing with Real science-4-kids.

 

Nature in Your Pocket

 Hands On, Nature Study, Uncategorized  No Responses »
Jul 292011
 

Waterford Press has a tagline that says, “Putting the World in Your Pocket.” With Waterford Press it is amazing just how much of the world you can fit into your pocket. You can store information about animal tracks, the cosmos, plants, wildlife and more right in your back pocket. These naturalist pocket guides are durable, easy to read, colorful, and fun for children or anyone who appreciates nature. In addition to nature guides, you can have a hands on guide to first aid, wilderness survival, knots, and state flags and facts. I cannot even begin to give you the entire list of amazing pocket guides, please visit the site. I am certain you will find a guide that suits you!

I had the opportunity to review three naturalist guides from Waterford Press; Animal Tracks, The Night Sky and Bugs and Slugs. I was pleased when I opened my package of pocket naturalist guides. Moreover, my children were pleased.

What we liked:

The guide is laminated which makes is durable. Durable enough for a two year old to grab it out of her sister’s hands and run around the house before dragging it alone before getting caught.

The size! The guide is 8.25″ H x 3.5″ W. It is small enough to bring it with you on nature walks or where ever you go yet big enough to find. The ability to find an object in a house with four kids, including one stealth mode toddler thief, is essential.

The amount of information provided in the guides. The guide is not simply pictures with a few words on each animal, bug or object. It provides a nice balance of enough information to understand and appreciate the topic yet not so much that my five year old or my 11 year old got that glazed look in their eye. It also had enough information to peak an interest yet not leave you with too many questions.

The Night Sky guide has a star chart that glows in the dark!

What we didn’t like:

Animal tracks had a picture of an opossum. I dislike opossums. So, that is a bit unfair, right?

My toddler and my Kindergartner fight over the Animal Tracks guide. Not sure how I can blame that on Waterford Press though.

Honestly, we couldn’t find anything wrong with the guides. In fact, I am looking forward to more of their products coming out in the spring. They will soon offer My First Nature Activity Books and Children Nature Activity Books which really appeal to me and my kids.

Pictured below is an activity I used the Animal Track guide for with my Kindergartener. I happened to have animal track molds from a previous activity. So, I rolled out Play Doh and imprinted the tracks. I then had my daughter use the guide to identify the tracks. She had a great time doing this activity. She even made her own tracks using the guide and a few Play Doh tools.

Richele is an eclectic homeschooling mom to four reflections of God’s love whose greatest accomplishment thus far was teaching physics, folding laundry, and playing Candyland simultaneously.  Find her blogging at Under the Golden Apple Tree.

Life Lessons: Sponsor a Child

 Bible, Geography, Hands On, Writing  1 Response »
Jul 222011
 

Our family sponsors two children with Compassion International.

It isn’t exactly a curriculum, but my family is receiving an education through it.

The educational benefits are numerous:

1. Geography becomes a real, living subject rather than a flat, oddly shaped spot on a globe. Someone lives there! Someone who writes you letters! You send letters back! Geography lives.

2. The study of geography extends to cultural study, based on a real person, a child, just like your child. Although this picture may emerge slowly, it is, at its base, more real than any book could portray.

3. Financial stewardship and generous giving become a reality in your family. This giving is not just for adults. Children must see giving in action to understand it. Sponsorship allows for that. Beyond sending the money, writing letters and daily praying for the child(ren) that you sponsor teaches a true concern for the welfare of those that you serve with your finances. Giving becomes a family affair, one that is more than lip service or check-writing.

4. Writing skills are honed through the exchange of letters between children. Even if the adult acts as an intermediary, parent and child can write the sponsored child together. In sharing details of life through writing, children learn how to share themselves in their writing.

5. Humility and discipline are brought to the forefront when sponsored children share their experiences. The kids that we sponsor are poor, poorer than we can really understand, but their gratitude, humility, and commitment to disciplined living shine a light into our lives.

6.  Family prayer has an outward focus.  We pray daily for our sponsored children.  Do you think that I remember to pray for them every day?  Hardly. My eight, six, and four-year old are on the ball, though.  It is a beautiful thing when children pray for each other.

7.  The fabric of the body of Christ is woven in a tangible way.  Even my youngsters can understand that through our prayers, service, and love we are connected to people on other continents.  This is the kingdom of God and it is alive.

There are so many reasons to use our wealth to sponsor children of poverty. In light of the extreme circumstances of the children served through programs like Compassion International, it seems selfish to list the ways that sponsorship benefits me. In my experience, though, God is a God of double blessing: He uses relationships to bless those who receive and those who give. The reasons listed above may not be the primary reasons to become a giver, but they are a part of the blessing of sharing with others and a sign of God’s goodness and love for all.

Perhaps sponsorship seems insufficient, even paltry, due to the distance between your money and the very real difficulties of the children. A few minutes spent perusing the websites of organizations that create child sponsorships quickly reveal that the help is as real as the need. Compassion and groups like them have become adept at creating a cycle of giving that truly helps children and families.

Sponsorship makes a life for children of poverty in a way that empowers families. It is real and lovely.

And as an added bonus for the homeschooling family, it is an education.

Susan is a homeschooling mom of three—a preschooler, a first grader, and a third grader. They spend their days reading on the couch, playing with numbers, and making big, fun messes in a Spirit-led, Well-Trained Mind-inspired classical-Charlotte Mason-traditional model of home education.


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