I have yet to meet a homeschool family that did not love books. On my quest to find wonderful books to be read to or by my children I have read quite a few ‘books about books’. One volume has earned a place on my personal shelf to be used often. That book is Read for the Heart: Whole Books for Wholehearted Families by Sarah Clarkson. Read for the Heart is 384 pages full of information and … [Read more...] about Read for the Heart – A Book about Books
Choosing Literature
Read the best books first, or you may not have a chance to read them at all. ~Henry David Thoreau. As busy home educating mothers, we all know the truth of this statement only too well. But how do we know which are the best books for our children to read? As a young mother, I was blessed to be mentored by a Principle Approach® mom who introduced me to the 4R method of study. Using … [Read more...] about Choosing Literature
Map Skills by Continental Press
I feel a bit like a nerd to share this, but one thing that I always loved working on while I was in school was map skills. I thought it was most fun when those maps were brightly colored, having always been a pretty visual kind of gal. I was thrilled, then, to find the Map Skills series from Continental Press, which is available from a variety of online stores. Pros: Affordable - Because … [Read more...] about Map Skills by Continental Press
Classic Starts
Since we've starting homeschooling, I've been so surprised at how much I learn right along with my kids. I've always loved to read, but I feel like I wasn't exposed to the classics as much as I should have been as a child that went to public school. So, I've made it my goal to once again, learn right along side my kids and read tons of classic literature. When we first started out a couple of … [Read more...] about Classic Starts
Finding Educational Activities in the Most Unexpected Places
In the daily taking care of kiddos it is easy to forget something that is vital to the lives of our children--fun! While fun can be had in lots of ways, it is useful to have a tool to aide in inspiring the sometimes exhausted mother. Angie Kauffman recently sent me a copy of the e-book that she has written, Finding Educational Activities in the Most Unexpected Places, and it fulfills both … [Read more...] about Finding Educational Activities in the Most Unexpected Places
Greenleaf Guide to Old Testament History
Years ago, when we first started homeschooling, another veteran homeschooler recommended that I take a look at "the Greenleaf history guides" from Greenleaf Press, and I am so glad that she did, and I did! I ended up buying a few of them and have had no regrets whatsoever! They have turned out to be a perfect fit for us in many regards, at different seasons in our homeschool journey, but … [Read more...] about Greenleaf Guide to Old Testament History
More Reading Comprehension in Varied Subject Matter
I have four children and have taught three of them to read to advanced levels. Most of my children have been able to master reading comprehension through reading and discussion quality literature. However, some have needed more practice in order to do well on standardized tests. More Reading Comprehension in Varied Subject Matter by Jane Ervin - Level 1is a resource that provides … [Read more...] about More Reading Comprehension in Varied Subject Matter
Can You Keep a Secret?
Are you concerned with the clothing styles that are available for young girls today? Do you find it a constant struggle to find clothes that you deem ‘appropriate’ for your preteen daughter? Do you find yourself explaining time and time again to your daughter why she can’t dress like all her friends? Do you long to spend more time with your daughter one on one? If you’ve answered yes to any of … [Read more...] about Can You Keep a Secret?
Draw and Tell Bible and Saint Stories
I am not the world’s best artist. As a matter of fact, my idea of drawing people usually involves a whole lot of “stick” lines, and perhaps a set of triangles put together to make a bow, as well as some eyelashes, to indicate which of those stick figures is a girl. Because of this deficit in the area of drawing, I was thrilled when I was in a religious book store one day and found these … [Read more...] about Draw and Tell Bible and Saint Stories
First Language Lessons and Language Lessons for the Very Young 1: A Comparison
It is confession time. We used First Language Lessons this year for our language study. We also used Language Lessons for the Very Young 1. It is true. I subjected my six-year old first grader to two different language books. Gasp. I had decided to use First Language Lessons when I saw the picture studies in Language Lessons for the Very Young 1. The gorgeous, full-color … [Read more...] about First Language Lessons and Language Lessons for the Very Young 1: A Comparison
Artistic Pursuits
I am proud to introduce you to Artistic Pursuits. I will admit that teaching art was not my strong point. Mostly art classes in my home consisted of activities I looked up online or using my own imagination. While I came up with some creative and fun ideas, I was not teaching art but allowing my children to use different mediums to express themselves visually. I needed a curriculum that was … [Read more...] about Artistic Pursuits
Masterpiece of the Month
Masterpiece of the Month is an art curriculum for grades K through 5. Each lesson features a famous masterpiece that students will reproduce while learning a new skill or technique. Some of the masterpieces include “Sunflowers” by Van Gogh, “Mona Lisa” by daVinci, and “Artist’s Mother” by James Whistler. This book is very user-friendly, even to someone a bit intimidated by teaching art. I’ve … [Read more...] about Masterpiece of the Month