The Blessings Pour Out

Putting the Story Back into History

2012-05-24T07:23:00.000-04:00

From the Heritage History Introduction: "We developed the Heritage website with the intention of helping to repopularize old-fashioned narrative history. We believe that the current trend of teaching Social Studies rather than history to young people is unfortunate, not so much because it is politicized, but because it is boring. Too many students leave school with a vague disinterest in history because it was never presented in an engaging manner.

At Heritage History, we seek to promote, not so much the study of history as the enjoyment of History. By making available old-fashioned history, as it was enjoyed as a pastime rather than studied as a subject, we hope to help reawaken the interest of a new generation."

Heritage History is one of those products that makes me very glad I am on the TOS Review Crew. It has been an almost perfect fit for our family, so you will pardon me if I gush a bit.

I want to start out by telling you, though, that at first, I wasn't so sure why it would be all that useful. I am a clever and enterprising individual and at last count I had over 1200 quality, older ("heritage") FREE books in my Amazon Kindle account (utilizing their free app for desktop computers). Why would I want to buy a collection of e-books when I can find so many online for free?

Columbus Discovers America

Speaking of free, Heritage History offers ALL of the books available on their disks FOR FREE online. How's that for generous?? You can read them to your heart's content on your laptop or desktop directly from their site. You can even download and print up FREE timeline figures, maps, and character sketches. I especially like the timeline figures since they are all pictures from old books instead of cartoon-y clip art. Not to mention that they are FREE!

What is offered for FREE on the Heritage History site is absolutely amazing, and exceptionally helpful to anyone studying almost any sort of history: Greek, Roman, Christian, American, World Wars, Norse, African, Asian, and more. The only facet of history that is missing is the more modern history because the books used for Heritage History area all printed before 1923.

So why invest your hard-earned homeschool budget in buying a disk of Heritage History e-books if they are available for free online?

Well, first there's the altruistic reason that you should buy the disk to support the incredible efforts these folks are making to their growing site.
Then, there's the convenience of being able to access the books even without an internet connection (which is handy if you have limited time online or prefer to have your kids use their computers offline).
There is also the benefit of the Teacher's Guide and printable reading registers (book lists and accountability forms) to help you implement the curriculum.
Not to mention the fact that the disk makes the e-books printable, so you can choose a book (or ten) and print/bind them yourself for off-computer use (or take them somewhere to have it done).
But my main #1 reason for LOVING the disk option (vs. reading from their site) is because it allows you to download the books onto your Kindle (or other e-reader).

Did you catch that? I said the "K" word. YES! I did get a Kindle Touch for Mother's Day and we have been using it non-stop since then.

If you know me at all, I'll bet you'd never have guessed I'd go for an electronic reader. My cell phone is almost four years old (yes, I know I am due for an upgrade), but I am resisting changing it because I just don't want to get sucked in my all that Blackberry web-surfing and texting and constant Facebooking/Twittering stuff.

Then there's the fact that we own some where around 12,000 REAL books...we donated over a thousand back in Florida before moving this last time and did not even put a dent in our supply. Anyway, I just love the feel and the experience of holding a REAL live book in my hands. Curling up with a good book on the couch on a rainy day just wouldn't be the same as using a cold, hard electronic device to read a book...would it?

I am not going to try and tell you that using the Kindle (or other e-reader) is as good as a book. It's not in many ways. BUT it does have two advantages over real books which we have found very helpful in our homeschooling: Text-to-Speech capability and type-size customization. Wowsers!

My Three Amigos are LOVING these features in every way. Text-to-Speech allows them to "read" the more difficult books from our Young Readers Classical Curriculum from the beginning, and the text-customization allows them to follow along with ease.

Here's what we've been doing for history/reading/writing for the last few weeks since I received the Kindle and downloaded the Heritage History Young Readers Collection to it:

Listen to the book online at Books Should Be Free

I chose a book called American History Stories to use for the summer, to give the Amigos a break from Ancient Civilizations, which is where we are in history. Since we live in a historic area, American History is always relevant! Also, the Young Readers Collection is geared towards elementary students, while the other collections are not necessarily as easily independently useable by them. You can check on the Heritage History website for age-appropriateness as they have color-coded each book link according to Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced.
The first reading, the children get to sit either with the Kindle or with me and listen to the story (chapter or section). This helps familiarize them with the story and the words. I ask them to narrate back what they learned to make sure they comprehended the information, and they have a chance to ask any questions.
The second time they "read" the story, they follow along as the Kindle reads the story. The first time we worked through the process, I demonstrated how they should follow along and we worked out bugs like not touching the screen to point to words or you will mess the Kindle up! The purpose of this is that any difficult words and names will be pronounced again for the child, so when they read it through a third time on their own, they will be very familiar with the story and can read confidently. As the majority of the books in this collection are geared towards upper elementary, I am pleased that they can do the reading alone when it is presented in this way.
The final time they read the story, they really read it...independently, out loud, to me. I allow them time to read it silently before they "present" their oral reading to me (and often an audience of non-readers) if they request it, but mostly they are eager to show what they know and don't want more time. I use this as a final opportunity to ask a few questions to make sure they learned the information and as a way to let them show me how smart they are.
Lastly, they complete a notebooking page to demonstrate their learning. Ladybug writes most of hers on her own (I may write a few words down on a paper for her to copy after her narration), Cowboy narrates to me and I write his narration down for him to copy, and Firefly either only copies a few words, or I write what she says down for her. We get pages from Notebooking Fairy, Notebooking Pages, Notebooking Nook, Enchanted Learning, or by using a Google search for a specific topic.

During this time we also read a few picture books on the same topics, but we did that at night, for "fun." I feel as if by using this method, we are covering history thoroughly (a bit at a time, at an age-appropriate level), as well as really working on their reading and writing skills (not to mention neatness, diligence, creativity, memory, art, public speaking, and much more)...all using just one book of a large collection of 82 stories which cost only $29.99!!

I keep track of what they read on a reading chart that was in the Heritage History Study Guide that came with my disk.

So far, the kids, especially Ladybug, are very eager to pursue this form of learning. We have used notebooking before, especially for science/nature study and reading (journaling) and I am SO happy we are finally working notebooking into our history program, as well as integrating our reading and writing programs with our history studies even more.

I plan to utilize the excellent collection of clip art to use to develop our timeline later this week. I figure if I start out by adding our timeline figures after every few stories (every other week), I won't get overwelemed by it. We can work it up to once a week, once we become accustomed to it.

There is also a nice collection of maps we can use, though I will probably continue to pull maps from some of my other favorite sources. These will go into the children's history notebook, along with the notebooking pages (they all put their pages in a history notebook together, while their reading journaling pages are in individual notebooks).

I just can't tell you enough about how excited the kids and I are to have found such a convenient and easy way to do history/writing/reading/art and more. Heritage History has inspired and empowered me and I am so thankful for that!

Another thing I love about Heritage History is that it is easily integrated with other curricula. That means that if you have a favorite curriculum like TruthQuest (which we also reviewed and loved, and which suggests that you can substitute books you do have for any they list that you don't have), you can still use it.

The Heritage History collections will serve to compliment many other programs rather than taking them over, which makes it an enormous asset and very versatile. Think of all the money you will save by having to buy just one disk opposed to having to buy a huge box of "real" books to read (not to mention how much easier it is to buy just one disk, or all of the library trips and fines you will avoid...).

And then there's the fact that when we went to the optometrist's office today, I only had to take one book (well, the Kindle) instead of five or six or...(I usually can't decide what we might be in the mood for or have time for, then each of the kids wants their own books, and my bookbag just gets heavier and heavier, and my back gets more and more painful...). Anyway, it was so nice to be able to take just one small item, then rotate the kids between using the Kindle to read their current book (or listen to it), and coloring one of their (light) notebooking pages (and playing with Boo).

Having all those books on disk might not be my romanticized idea of what it means to "read a good book," but it surely does provide some tangible and appreciated benefits to my family as a resources for filling their ears with really GOOD, heritage, classic, quality books from the Golden Age of Literature, and I am very, very glad I was chosen for this review. Thank you, Heritage History!

A "heritage" historical book

Oh, I almost forgot to mention one last important thing: The stories on the Young Reader's Collection are just plain interesting. They are easy to read, as "living books" are...they will immerse you and your students in the world of the characters and draw them into their adventures. This will lead your students into wanting to go on their own adventures, both in the pages of many other wonderful living books and also in your big backyard (and the rest of the real world). Anything, electronic or not, that gets my kids interested in and excited about learning is a BIG winner for me.

I give this product an enthusiastic bump to the top of my list for favorite history products.

There are five main curriculum disks from which to choose: Young Readers, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, British Middle Ages, and British Empire.
Here are the books listed by Genre and Level/Seriesif you want to "try before you buy."
Each disk includes the stories in three formats: MOBI, ePUB, & PDF.
You can check out a complete listing of ALL of their books. Note that different colors indicate different reading levels (see key at top).
Each disk also contains a study guide, teaching tips, record sheets, timelines, timeline figures, maps, geography terms, and more.
Disks are $24.99 each. Currently, there is a buy two, get one free sale going on! You can also save $25 dollars by buying the five disk set at one time for just $99. This means you get over 250 books for about $.40 each. WOW!
You can purchase printed copies of the study guides for $24.99 if you do not have access to an inexpensive printer. The full content of each study guide is included on the coordinating disk, so if you buy the disk, you do not need to buy the printed guide unless you feel you need a printed copy (and don't want to print it yourself...it was nice to have it, but most pages could remain online and still be just as useful).
Read about their philosophy of history education...Putting the story back into history.
Check out their Frequently Asked Questions to learn more.
See what others on the Crew had to say about the collections they received, and see how they used them in their homeschools.

Blessings,

Disclaimer: I received a Young Reader's Classical Curriculum disk and supporting printed materials packet for the purposes of completing this review on this product. All of the opinions you see expressed here are my own based on the experiences and feelings of my family. If you have questions about this product, please feel free to contact me or leave a comment.

And The Winners Are...TOS Homeschool Review Crew Product of the Year Awards

2012-05-23T00:50:00.000-04:00

As the 2011-2012 Crew year comes to a close, we are once again presenting awards to our vendors.The awards are known as the TOS Homeschool Crew Blue Ribbon Awards.

The following vendors are the recipients of the award this year.
Click on their name to check out the Crew reviews!

*Favorite Reading Instruction Product: Reading Eggs
Favorite Writing Product: Write Shop (we did not do this review)
*Favorite Language Arts Product: Progeny Press
*Favorite Social Studies Product: TruthQuest History
*Favorite Science Product: Amazing Science
*Favorite Math Product: Math Mammoth
*Favorite Online Math Product: Math Rider

*Favorite Foreign Language Product: Visual Latin
*Favorite Fine Arts Product: Artistic Pursuits
*Favorite Christian Education Product: Apologia: Who Am I?
*Favorite Preschool Product: Before Five in a Row
*Favorite Elementary Product: All About Reading
*Favorite Middle School Product: Write with WORLD
Favorite High School Product: Excellence in Literature
Favorite College or College-Prep Product: Excellence in Literature

*Best Online Resource: Reading Eggs
*Best e-Product: Heritage History
*Best Homeschool Resource: Apologia: Educating the Wholehearted Child
Best Book, Novel, or Magazine: Apologia: How to Have a HEART for Your Kids
Best Children's Book: Amazing Animals by Design(I'd have to say The Person I Marry...it is so sweet and I want all of my kids to know it by heart).

*Best Game or Toy: Northstar Games: Wits and Wagers and Say Anything
*Best Hands-On Resource: Pitsco Education
Best Resource I Didn't Know I Needed: eMeals(I said Time Timer ...it really has helped a LOT)
*Best Customer Service: K5 Learning
Most Adaptable Resource: Creek Edge Press
Most Family-Oriented Resource: Northstar Games: Wits and Wagers and Say Anything

*Kids' Choice (favorite of CHILDREN ages 0-12): Reading Eggs
Teens' Choice (favorite of the TEENAGERS): Pitsco Education (Tex said Critical Thinking Company's Balance Math)
All Around Crew Favorite: Visual Latin

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Each winning vendor has received this wonderful award to display with pride:

Congratulations to our winning vendors!

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What we have to say about the results:

Our favorite resources were the same as many of the same ones listed above (the choices marked with an asterix reflect same responses). I have indicated a few of our differences when we really felt strongly about the choices which were different. We might have felt differently because we did not try the product, or because it just wasn't a good fit for our family, but I think you can be confident that any product on this list is a really good one (and that is not saying that the ones that didn't win are not good products...these were just the most popular).

My favorite overall resource is (in my opinion) the best homeschooling book ever...Educating the Wholehearted Child. If you haven't read it yet, please check out my review of it, then order yourself (and a friend, a difficult relative, or an interested potential homeschooler) a copy. I think it will become one of your favorite home educating books, too, and it could really change your upcoming year for the better. I try to buy one "how to" homeschooling book each year, as I feel it really keeps our home education program dynamic.

Also, my kids' all around favorite for the year (which could not win even though it deserved to since only 20 of us received this AWESOME! product) was.......TOYDLE. Check out my two reviews (Toydle Part One and Toydle Part Two, then hop on over to their website and start saving up for one for your kids for Christmas. Your kids will thank you over and over and over again...

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Many Crew Members are blogging about these awards as well.

Click here to see what they have to say.

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Thank you for sailing with us this year. It has been a great one.

We will be continuing our voyage with the TOS Homeschool Review Crew through the summer, up until Thanksgiving, when the current crew year will official end. A new Crew year will start after New Year's Day, but next year, our family plans to "stay ashore" so we can focus on notebooking, developing a Heritage Children's Library, getting certified to foster/adopt, and fixing up the old homestead...not to mention lots of reading!!

I hope you will stick around and keep checking for more reviews all summer...there are some good ones coming up!

Blessings,

May Your Future Be Bright

2012-05-20T07:00:00.000-04:00

I found this beautiful song last week and have been enjoying learning it since then. I wish that I could teach it to my Amigos before the wedding and have them sing it with me at Bubba and Miss As wedding, but the time is too short. They will have to settle for this simple post which wishes them both all of the best, all of our love, and an abundance of prayers.

We will be spending the day at Nanny and Poppy's as it is Miss As wedding shower today and my mother is hostessing it. What a joyous day it is! Only one month and a few days until the big day. We are so excited! We love you both. God bless you always.

"May Your FutureBe Bright"(Our Blessing Song)

Words & Music by Gary Bower
Copyright 2011 * All Rights Reserved.

(Song Lyrics)

May your future be bright.
May your sorrows be few.
May your family grow closer.
May your friendships be true.
May your clouds have silver linings
bringing joys that are new,
and may you never doubt
that God is passionate about
the way He feels for you.

May you plant seeds that grow.
May you prosper and thrive.
May you live each day with meaning --
embrace the reason you're alive.
May each challenge make you stronger,
helping you fight the good fight
with a purpose that's clear.
May you love without fear.
May your future be bright.

(Chorus)He has great plans for you,
to give you a future and hope.
He has great plans for you,
to give you a future and hope.

May miracles bloom
out of your heartache and loss.
May your comfort come from the One
who really knows the weight of a cross.
May He show you new horizons
as you walk in His light.
And when your pathway seems dim,
may your trust be in Him.
May your future be bright!
May your mind be at peace.
May your laughter increase.
May your future be bright!
May your spirit find rest.
May your children be blessed.
May your future be bright!
May you rejoice in the Lord
at your final reward.
May your future be bright!
Big plans, big dreams, big hopes for your future.
Big plans, big dreams and hope.(Repeat)

Please visit the site for Bower Books and check out their lovely and heartfelt books.
Every parent should get copies of these books and read them to their children.
You can read my review about the book The Person I Marry here.

Blessings,

Heather

Now That's a Fact! CapJax Math Facts

2012-05-20T06:37:00.000-04:00

CapJax Math Fax is a math drill program that can be used effectively with any math curriculum. Since "instant recall" of basic math facts is so essential to later math success, it is imperative that we take the time to make sure our students "have all the facts" before advancing them beyond the basics.

It is also important to be consistent in practicing the facts, since "practice makes better." You can never be too accomplished at knowing your math facts...CapJax will help your students get faster and more accurate, which will help them in all other areas of math. Now that's a fact!

Positives:

CapJax Math Facts drills all four operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. You can choose to practice only one operation in each set, or mix it up a bit for more of a challenge.
While there are recommendations of varying numbers of problems for each level of set, you can choose any number of problems for your individual student to complete in a set. If they are only able to do a few, set it at ten. If they need a challenge, give them more! This is especially good for students who have limited attention spans, are just starting practicing math facts, or who need to work up to larger problem sets gradually.
Your students can also pause between problems since they have to press the button asking for another problem. This allows for emergency breaks and less stress.
You can choose at which level to practice, starting with simple addition and going up to multiplication and division, even adding in negative numbers in all functions.
Your basic math facts are for numbers 1-10, but you can change the settings to allow up to 12s.

While they recommend a time allowed setting of 3 seconds, you can choose to allow up to ten seconds for your students to respond to each problem. Responding within this amount of time earns your student a "SUPER" which is very motivating (at least it was for my Crew). This is good for children who are just starting keyboarding, as well as those who are nervous, or who might have special needs because they can take a little bit of extra time without forfeiting the exercise of needing to answer within a time frame which helps with that skill of "instant recall."
Your students are given three tries to get the answer correctly. When the answer incorrectly on the third time, the answer is shown (in small numbers) below the response area. Once your child has entered that answer, they are still shown the word "RIGHT," so the experience remains positive.
Your students are shown the time it takes them to answer each problem on the screen when they answer each one correctly. Answering within the time limit you set earns a "SUPER" on the screen. Answering after the time limit earns a "RIGHT." At the end of the session, their total number of "SUPER" answers is displayed, along with statistics on the pattern of their responses (ie. how many tries for each correct response, how many seconds each took, and which problems were undertaken...all of this can be printed for your records, too).
Your students may practice keyboarding first, with no marks against their scores.
You CAN turn off the "display seconds" feature (ie. not showing the time taken after each problem), if that stresses your student out).
They may also practice their facts first, with no marks against their scores, before choosing to "Play for Rating." This means that they will see a record of their previous scores, and any other students "competing" at the same "school."
When you play for a rating, you see your old rating and your new rating displayed. You are allowed to print up a simple page showing your new rating. This provides tangible accountability for busy moms who might want each child to complete a certain amount of fact work each day and to bring to her evidence of that practice...
After the problems are completed, a graph is shown that charts the student's progress. You can go to a different screen and show a chart of the progress of each student in any (or all) of the four drill areas and print it for your records. You can also print the screen at any time, if you have a super proud student who wants a print up of their first "SUPER" (or anything else).

If you have a child who is motivated by badges or similar rewards, you can order actual merit badges from the company for just $4. You can add them to a hat or something (I plan to order them for my crew to use over the summer...they can put them on their book bags...I know they will be excited).
The problems are shown in a variety of formats during the drills (numbers horizontally, numbers vertically, various multiplication and division symbols, & words--only when you choose the "word thinkers" option).
The fact that you can drill with negative numbers (and "word thinkers") makes this program usable by even my older student. Who can't benefit from a bit of brain exercise and fact brush up?
The simple format will keep easily distractable children from getting, well, distracted by many choices or flashy features.
This program allows for the practice of math facts without the tedium of flash cards. All of this excellent practicing can be done without the teacher's involvement, freeing her up for things such as reading instruction or assistance with higher math problems (or a few moments of quiet time!).
This program does a nice job of helping a teacher keep track of her student's progress. The way it is designed allows for independent students to sign on and do a daily drill, bringing their teacher a print up or number to record on a daily or weekly basis. Students will improve their math facts skills using this program, and since the ability to retrieve math facts quickly and correctly is the backbone of all math success, that is a valuable asset.

Negatives:

I will admit that at first I was turned off by the simplicity of the program. It honestly seemed a little bit, well, boring compared to other math fact drill programs we have tried and enjoyed. However, once I delved into all of its abilities, such as the screen printing, the charts, and the ease with which it functions, I began to understand its appeal.
However, in spite of my appreciation for the program's versatility and ease of use, not every student, especially those impressed by bells and whistles, will find this program engaging enough to want to keep at it. Now, my students are easy. They are pretty compliant when it comes to school work, and they did not balk at doing five to fifteen minutes of math drills with CapJax regularly. BUT they did not ask to do it if I forgot to remind them, either.
So, yes, it did have benefit and I will definitely keep using it, especially as a method to test their progress in the area of math facts, but it is not something I will have them do every day as it wasn't their preferred choice. Thus, if you have limited funds, and you and your children expect more than simple drills (which this product does a great job of providing in a simple way that is easy for mom to manage), then you may need to look elsewhere.

You can purchase a download of CapJax Math Facts for just $29.95. This will enable you to download it to one computer and use it with as many students as you like.

You may want to evaluate it first for free by downloading a trial version, to see if it suits your family.

You might want more information about the specific features of CapJax Math Facts...if so, check out this page. Check out the page that tells you the story behind CapJax Math Facts. It's pretty interesting. Don't miss CapJax at a Glance for more facts.

If you are interested in seeing what other Crew members have to say about CapJax, sail on over to the TOS Review Crew blog.

Blessings,

Disclaimer: I received a free download of CapJax Math Facts for the purposes of evaluating the product and providing an honest review about my experiences. All opinions and experiences you see written here are my own, or my family's. If you have questions regarding our experiences with this product, please feel free to comment or contact me.

Serving Others to Build Character

2012-05-18T16:00:00.001-04:00

If you stopped by from the "5 Days of..." Blog Hop, I apologize for not having my final post on "Serving Others to Build Character" posted yet. I have had a bad migraine for the last three days and it has finally used up the last of my fortitude. I am going to give in and go to the ER to get a shot, and hope that will break the cycle. Please excuse my delinquency, and check back tomorrow for the post, which I am hoping you will find helpful. I will tell you the stories of how my oldest son learned to serve others in so many ways as the Lord provided us with a multitude of opportunities that became great blessings for ourselves and others. Thank you for your understanding, and enjoy the other posters' entries on the Blog Hop. Have a blessed day!

Heather

Building Your Homeschool Library? Start Here.

2012-05-18T02:55:00.002-04:00

Library and Educational Services has been offering quality educational and inspirational items to educators, churches, libraries, and wholesalers for over thirty years. Ranging from quality oldies-but-goodies, like the Moody Science Video Classics to newer additions such as the Drive Through History dvds, there is something for everyone in your family at a price that even dad will like. Price cuts range from 30% to 70% off of retail, and you can begin shopping immediately after completing a short free registration process. You will receive e-mail notifications of specials and new arrivals in your in-box, and you can customize the frequency and content of what you receive.

I've been using LES for about nine years now. I discovered them when someone gave me a catalog after I mentioned my oldest son's love for Adventures in Odyssey audios. You can imagine how pleased I was to find them greatly discounted---about 50% of what I was paying at the retail stores. We still listen to sets of tapes we ordered back then.

The Adventures in Odyssey complete set of 54 compact disk albums

retails for $699, a savings of 50%. Boy, would we love to get that for Christmas!

Over the years, I've added to our homeschool library using LES during sales or around holidays. Last Christmas, my grandmother was not feeling well, but wanted the children to have something more personal than money in a card, so I suggested that I could find each child something out of the LES catalog and she could pay for it. I sent her the catalog with the items circled so she could see what she had "chosen," filled out the order form and an envelope for her, and all she had to do was to write a check and put it in the mail (though they do take Internet orders, my grandmother does not!). Needless to say, the children were thrilled when they opened their gifts of books. The girls received the Circle C Beginnings books and the Mike's Inspiration Station art dvds. The little boys received the new Adventures in Odyssey Imagination Station series of books and a Bible devotional and hymn book and cd set. Tex received an entire set of Christian adventure books for the same price as one hardcover book bought from the store, and I was the lucky recipient of the Adventures in Odyssey Bible Eyewitness Collector's set, which the kids have LOVED listening to in the car.

I was excited to be asked to review something from Library and Educational Services since not only would it give me a cool product, but it would also give me to opportunity to tell about one of my favorite online distributors. I was even happier when it turned out they wanted us to review not one, but TWO, science videos from the Go Science series. The series teaches about science through demonstrations of experiments and my kids LOVE science.

We have been sincerely trying to go through our video/dvd and book collections this year to take out not-so-good and even just plain "good" stuff, but keeping the better and the best things. One of the areas we are particularly convicted in is the need to get rid of more and more of the video "fluff" we have lying around. We got rid of cable about three years ago, and I can't say I miss it. We limit the children's viewing of videos, and do our best to make deliberate decisions about what is being watched rather than letting them default to some old not-really-good-for-much show that makes no effort to teach or enrich in any way. In fact, the eventual goal is to have only educational videos, and those that have a deliberate and obvious character-building theme to watch on a very limited scope.

Well, the Go Science videos are definitely going to get to stay!

Not only do they educate, but they also may a Biblical connection with every experiment. My homeschooled children, ages 2-14, liked them enough to ask for them when given an opportunity to choose a video. I liked them enough to utilize them in our homeschooling day. We used viewing the experiments on the two videos we selected to teach certain principles, and then we also used one experiment to teach the younger children the process of the scientific method and how to write a lab report.

The videos are simple. There are no astounding effects or amazing feats of technology included. The scientific principles which are demonstrated, however, are fascinating enough on their own to not need a lot of glitz to interest me. Filled with examples of how God incorporated so many intricate and precisely coordinated mechanisms and functions into our wonderful world, the straight-forward and to-the-point episodes will clearly explain many scientific principles to your children in a way that will make it possible for them to take what they learned and then go out on their own and explore the new ideas. The presenter also gives a brief tie in to a principle of God's word, the Bible, that each experiment reflects, at the end of each episode. Sometimes it seems a bit hurried, but it is always heartfelt.

Both of the volumes I ordered had fourteen episodes, and each dvd ran for 52-59 minutes (we ordered episodes 2 and 3). There are six volumes in all, each of which has 12-14 episodes with run-times of 29-60 minutes. The topics include: motion, machines, magnetism, force, electricity, design, weather, flight, chemistry, matter, sound, water, space, engineering, gravity, and life science.

The short episodes (about five minutes each, sometimes a bit less) have a PBS sort of feel to them. The presenter, Bob, is warm and friendly, and talks to the kids in a way reminiscent of Mr. Rodgers. There is a studio audience of kids ages about 4-12, and they are all well-behaved, wearing matching science tee shirts (kind of like science camp).

The video series is definitely targeted toward the younger end of the age spectrum (perhaps 2-8), but Tex watched them through once and felt like a few ideas/demonstrations he'd only read about were clarified for him (seeing them in action helps). The younger crowd at my house (ages 4-10) all liked them, especially Cowboy and Ladybug. I ordered the disk with the Tornado Tube experiment specifically because Cowboy has been begging to do that one, and I've been putting it off since I didn't want to have to figure out how to explain what it was demonstrating.

GASP! Can you believe I said that? A homeschooling mom admitting she told her student "no" when he wanted to do a hands-on activity simply to avoid having to explain it (and try to look smart about it, too)? Sigh. It is true. While I do pretty well with biological things, physics and engineering are not my strengths. This is one of the BIGGEST benefits of these dvds. If you have ever felt the same way, these demonstrations will give you the ability to meet the needs of those inquiring minds without having to become a science experiment genius. Yay! You can either watch the video and then just talk about it, OR you can watch the video and the explanation, then reproduce the experiment on your own with more confidence. Nice!

Sweet Ladybug always does her best with a smile!

The blue you see all over their fingers and faces is from all of the mulberries they

were eating off of our bush/tree just before I called them inside.

We chose to give the experiment a try. Actually, I asked Tex to run things for me, and he did a great job. After watching the video, they talked about the ideas, made a tornado tube, saw it in action in person (though since we couldn't find Daddy's duct tape, the seal wasn't perfect, so the cyclone was not as impressive as the one on the video), and then talked about how and why to write a lab report. We used FREE printable lab sheets from Homeschool Notebooking, and they completed and understood the concept in about a half and hour. That's a nice science lesson!

The dvds are available for just $8.97 at the time of this post, or can be purchased as a set for $47.95. The normal retail for the set is $79.95...now that's savings!

Another thing I like about LES is that years ago when I ordered some items from them, once they packed the box incorrectly. I called and explained that I had received several items I had not ordered, and that a few of the items I did order were missing. They offered to put the correct items in the mail the next business day and I asked how I should go about returning the wrong items to them. They told me that I could either be blessed by keeping them for our family or that I could donate them to a church library. Needless to say, I was impressed!! That, to me, is the ultimate in Customer Service. Thank you, LES.

Boo didn't do much but watch and be silly, but he seemed interested...

at least he was until the camera came out, then all he was interested in was being a ham!

If you'd like to read what others on the Crew have to say about LES and the Go Science videos, please check out the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog.

Blessings,

Disclaimer: I received two Go Science dvds from LES for the purposes of evaluating the product and the service of their company. I received no other compensation, and the review you read here reflects my own honest experiences and opinions about both.

Character-Building Christian Literature

2012-05-17T01:04:00.000-04:00

This week I've been listening to the seminars at the Lamplighter Publishing website. They are truly transforming, and while very serious in topic, they are also quite entertaining. If you get a chance this week, listen to a few of them and let me know what you think. You might also want to hop over to OnePlace.com and check out the current episodes of one of their audio dramas. We listened to a "A Peep Behind the Scenes" recently and it was very moving, as well as fascinating. I read the online version of the book in just a few hours and absolutely loved it. The audio version is adapted, but still very good. Some of the topics are pretty heavy (alcoholism, death), so it may not be one to read with your youngest children (though all of mine listened to it, and we had some in depth discussions about sin), but the message is timeless and the ending is uplifting.

Lamplighter Theater Life Transforming Seminars...by Mark Hamby. He is both transparent, convicting, and amusing. A wonderful mix. Husbands will enjoy these, too.

Lamplighter Theater "A Peep Behind the Scenes" audio story (for a limited time) Episodes 1-4
Read A Peep Behind the Scenes online (alternate format of the book)

It is so important to make sure that what we are reading and listening to is building us up instead of tearing what we are working on day by day down. It is easy to go for the simple fix and turn on the television to a cartoon or children's show (yes, I do it) that may not be particularly harmful, but neither does it do anything to edify. Why not (at least some of the time) choose selections that teach very good lessons to everyone (including the parents), and develop in your kids an appetite for quality literature and stories? I know I am going to try to do a better job of adding more of these Christian Classics to our reading list.

You can do this by reading books, especially older titles, which are written specifically to teach moral lessons. They may not be silly, or have a pink frosting happy ending (I like those, too), but you can find stories that are rich in character, deep in message, and full of blessings for your entire family. Start small (with 15 minutes or so), perhaps even starting by fitting it in after you read your usual bedtime stories, or while the kids eat dessert or do the dishes. I'll bet you will find that it is not long before your kids are wanting to hear more, and begging you for just one more chapter.

Here are some classic book titles of a spiritual nature that I found online last night to get you started:

(Some of these are available on the Lamplighter site, and have the introductory audio available for listening to...you might get the family interested in the story by listening to the audio episode, then reading the rest of it out loud to them).

The Basket of Flowers by Christoph Von Schmidt
Beautiful Girlhood by Mabel Hale
Teddy's Button by Amy Le Feuvre
Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan (audio available)
In His Steps by Charles Sheldon
The Hedge of Thorns by Mrs. Sherwood
Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss (or on audio)
Saved at Sea by Mrs. O.F. Walton
Christie's Old Organ or Home Sweet Home by Mrs. O.F. Walton
Poppy's Presents by Mrs. O.F. Walton
The Lamplighter by Maria S. Cummins
Greasy the Robber tr. by Charles Lukesh
Jessica's First Prayer by Hesba Stretton
The Robber's Cave by A.L.O.E.
The Boy of Mount Rhigi by Charles H. Peirce
Ishmael: In the Depths and Ishmael: Self-Raised by E.D.E.N. Southworth

Here are examples from John Ploughman's Talk.

You could teach your children the verses...

John Ploughman's Talk (Plain advice for plain folk) by Charles Spurgeon
John Ploughman's Pictures (More plain advice for plain folk) by Charles Spurgeon

Collection of Little Colonel Books by Annie Fellows Johnston online (I have not previewed these, but they were mentioned other places)

Collection of G.A. Henty Books online (alternate source here)
Collection of R.M. Ballantyne books online

Check out many more books on The Baldwin Project site.

Project Gutenberg has over 39, 000 free e-books. You may find some of them to not be in the easiest form to read, but if there is an old classic you want to check out, you can check there and have a good chance of finding something.

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Of course, you can't forget about Amazon...Tex and I have collected over 500 free classic books from Amazon and put them in our Kindle collection. Initially, I simply downloaded the Kindle app for computers and he read them from the computer, but recently (for Mother's Day), Hubby was nice enough to give me a Kindle Touch so that I could have the kids read the books from there.

You can find all sorts of old family favorites for free there...books that while not necessarily quite as deliberately character-building as some of the books listed earlier, are sweeter, cleaner, and more innocent than the usual book you find being published today. We've found may of the Bobbsey Twins books, all the Henty and RM Ballantyne books, the Thornton Burgess nature stories, E. Nesbit tales, Robert Louis Stevenson, Clara Dilingham Pearson, James Baldwin, Andrew Lang, Hugh Lofting, L. Frank Baum, and many, many more.

What I did first was to download the free Kindle app for PC from the Amazon site. Then I typed in keywords in the search bar like "free Thornton Burgess Kindle" (these are a favorite of my children, especially Tex, who loves the Reddy Fox stories and Aesop's Fables) and waited to see what came up. You then just go through the "one click" process to add the books you want.

I find it faster to open up lots of tabs with the books I am interested in, then I go to each one and click on the "buy this book now" button, and move to the next tab. I can "buy" all of the books first, then go back to the beginning and start closing the tabs, because the transaction is completed. Just leave one open to start exploring more from again later. I find new books I want by looking at the "other people who bought this book also bought..." section towards the bottom of the screen. I do take the time to read through the reviews, if there is a book with which I am not familiar. Usually I find the reviews to be fairly reliable.

Here's Amazon's take on how to start finding free e-books for your Kindle.

Jimmie has a nice article on Squidoo about using the Kindle in your homeschool.

Marcy at Ben and Me compiled a great list of FREE Kindle books from Amazon. Her list is an excellent place to start. It will keep your kids reading for weeks...

Here's a list of FREE! Kindle books for homeschoolers on Amazon. I simply Googled " free kindle books homeschool" and found it. There might be more, since this list says it is list number four. I just have to wait until I have some free time to explore it...

Ambleside Online has a great reading list to give you ideas of books to look for. Their curriculum is free, and the books in the list support it. It is a Charlotte Mason approach, which uses Living Books as the core teaching method, so you can be sure that the book choices will be good.

Another huge book list is from the Classical Education website.

Heritage History will give you access to a plethora of FREE! history-related titles on their website. To add them to your Kindle or other reader, you must make a purchase, but if you just want to read from your computer screen, try them out for free online.

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**Another family-favorite source of classic literature, but in audio form, is My Audio School.

You can also head over to Librivox and look up any book you haven't found yet. I can't guarantee the reader will be interesting (some are very soothing to listen to, while others are a bit of a snore. You just have to give them a try...).

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Speaking of audio books, here are some quality audio story sites from my homeschool-for-free website your family might enjoy listening to together. They are favorites of my kids.

**Adventures in Odyssey is a permanent family favorite in our household. I can't think of a more pleasant way to while away the miles on a long trip than to join the well-rounded characters from Odyssey on a new adventure. This charming Christian radio drama is produced by Focus on the family. Your kids cannot spend time listening to these stories and not gain a tremendous amount of Bible knowledge. Here's another link with an extensive collection of episodes at FAIO.

**Down Gilead Lane is a wonderful radio drama from CBH Ministries centered around small community life. My kids have listened to it for year and higly recommend it. Your kids are certain to engage with the interesting characters and story lines, and will build up their own character in the process.

**Your Story Hour is a classic Bible-based broadcast for kids of all ages. These lovely broadcasts help develop strong Christian character with mrmorable stories from the Bible, famous people, and folks just like you and me. The motto of the ministry is: "Making boys and girls of today, better men and women tomorrow." *Interested in a Bible Study program for your kids? This ministry offers a program through the mail, and every time your child returns two lessons, he receives a new CD from the Life of Jesus Series. By the end of the study, he will have the entire 13 CD set. Now that's a freebie I will look forward to receiving!

Paws and Tales is a broadcast from Insight for Living that teaches Biblical principles to children through stories of friendship and adventure. These stories incorproate music and lovable animal characters, so they will be especially appealing to younger children.

Okay, I won't say that this site is a character-building site on the same level as some of the other more serious content I have listed (can it be when it is so much fun?), but Jelly Telly, from Phil Vischer, creator of Veggie Tales, is hysterical at times, and Biblically informative at others. You can watch full episodes of Adventures in Odyssey and Last

Chance Detectives here, and it is a good solution on a day when mom or kids are feeling under the weather and need a bit of cheering up. Be sure to check out the Sunday School Lady. She's a hoot.

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Well, that's all I have for today. I hope you discovered a few new treasures. If you know of any more FREE! quality character-building literary and audio materials that we might like to add to this list, please feel free to leave a comment with a link so that everyone can see them. Thanks!

Schedule for the week:

Monday--What is good character and Who needs it??
Tuesday--Why must we deliberately train for develop good character?
Wednesday--How can we develop good character in our children? (with links to character-building freebies and our favorite not free character training resources.
Thursday--How reading aloud to your family will help strengthen character and your family. (With links to online/downloadable free quality literature and audio books)
Friday--When do we train for character and who benefits...Developing character in your children through serving others.

See what 67 other bloggers have to say about 67 different topics during
5 Days of Blogging with the TOS Homeschool Crew!

Blessings,

Heather

Character Training Tools---Help for Developing Character in Our Children

2012-05-16T04:10:00.001-04:00

Today's topic is "How does my family teach

character in our homeschool?"

(with a bunch of freebies you will love at the end)

I want to start off with two disclaimers.

First, I truly do believe that the best and most important teaching tool we ALL have for instruction in character is the Bible. Here is mine.

It's worn out, falling apart, and currently being held together by the only Vera Bradley thing I own, a bookcover. I probably should get a new Bible, but then I'd have to do all my underlining and note-taking over. That is just purely intimidating to me.

Pathetic as its appearance is, it is the go-to resource when there is a question or a conflict that needs resolving. It is a source of wisdom and strength. If you don't have a worn out Bible at your house, maybe you need to work on that a bit more (*smile*), or else you are one of those folks who likes to get a new one every few years and doesn't write in them...and that's okay, too, but I couldn't do it...then again, I started writing in mine before sticky tabs came out, so maybe now I could...nope, forget that.

Anyway, in spite of what will follow, I want you to understand that disclaimer number one really is true. However, I am wholly and unashamedly (well, maybe a little) a curriculum junkie. I have A LOT of resources I've collected over our thirteen years of homeschooling and we've used them a little bit here, a little bit there. The only consistency is that after our first two years, we never went straight and all the way through any one curricula. We like to make up our own plan as we go.

Each of the following items I am sharing with you is not free (the free stuff is later in the post), but each of them has also proven to be useful and helpful at one point or another, and has been worth the investment. I will start out by telling you what we are doing this year, and then I will share some perennial favorites, and THEN I will move on to the freebies.

These are the flowers Bubba gave me for Mother's Day. They are sitting next to the Character Sketches books my parents gave to us when we first began homeschooling. They are filled with lovely character-building stories centered around nature. For example, a deer is attentive because it must not only pay attention to its mother when it is young to avoid danger, but also to its surroundings. Not being attentive can endanger its life.

Character First and Institute in Basic Life Principles

As you may have gathered, I am not a hard-core follower of any particular method (other than the Bible), but I do find things that work for our family during various seasons in many diverse methods. This is our first year to use the IBLP online courses at the Embassy Institute.

Mostly I have been the one to benefit from it, and I have passed time while folding laundry or doing some other repetitive and stationary task hearing various speakers on a multitude of topics. For a mere $9 a month, I have access to all of the videos from the Basic course, the Advanced course, the Anger Resolution seminar, and the Financial Freedom seminar. I also have access to many of their online character resources, and have appreciated the way you can easily find seminars (and many printables to go with them) to fit different topics, such as attentiveness and prayer, or speakers, such as Jim Sammons or Gil Bates.

I do believe that continuing to develop and learn as an adult is as important as instructing your own children. We need to model an enthusiasm for learning and a desire for spiritual growth, so that our children will follow our lead and be enthusiastic growers, too. Other places I frequently find excellent and challenging sermons are at northpoint.org (Andy Stanley), marshill.com (Mark Driscoll), intouch.org (Charles Stanley), and sermonaudio...but guess what? These sources won't cost you a penny...they are FREE!

To go along with our character studies, we purchased the set of coloring books that go along with our Character Sketch books, and the very inexpensive set of 49 character trait cards. We use the coloring books to supplement our other resources and reading, and when each trait has been covered for one month, we add the card to a laminate card holder that is displayed on our fridge as a reward and reminder.

We have also added the online subscription to the Character First online materials this year. The kids have loved this collection of songs, audio stories, printables, and audio files that help them learn their memory work. It makes it easy for me, and for just $20 for the first set of traits for this year, it is a good value for us.

It may seem like overkill, but my kids really like the idea of earning cards, so we got this set of cards for $3.99 to go with our subscription and they are enjoying it a lot.

Using the various materials already mentioned, as well as some free Character First lessons we saved from many years ago when a church we attended gave them away in the library, we prepare our marker board for each month with our character trait defined at the top (along with its negative trait), listing the ways we demonstrate the trait (with little pictures to the side to help the non-readers), and the corresponding family rule listed at the bottom.

Every few days (I will be honest and tell you that I do not remember to do this every day) we review the trait and its actions, then go over any of the memory work from the Character First website. On various occasions, for Bible time or during reading time, I will read from the Character Sketches book, the Bible, or a story book that has a story which coordinates well with the trait.

At various times, I will ask the kids to write the definition and rules for the trait, as well as to illustrate it in different ways, and/or to complete coloring sheets available from the CF website or the Character Sketches coloring books.

Erika Shupe at Large Families on Purpose blogged about using the CF curriculum recently, and takes you through a sample lesson on orderliness. It is worth reading if you are interested in checking out this curriculum.

Here are some pictures of our Character Notebooks to give you an idea of what we do using a notebooking approach.

Ladybug, age 8

Cowboy, age 6

Firefly, age 4

Mom, age (not going to say, but my birthday is soon!)

I found these two books very inexpensively on Amazon and they provide me with a comprehensive and inspiring overview of the traits and give me ideas to help reinforce them, along with our scripture studies, of course.

Here is an example of the sheet I use to keep track of the kids' work, just in case you are interested. This is the sheet for the Amigos. Tex maintains his own records (at least, he is supposed to).

Here are some character training tools we have used in the past, or may refer to occasionally, but are not currently using full-time. These are the ones we liked and trust enough to want to share.

The Pearables and The Learning Parent both have quality character curricula you might like to check out. The Boyers from The Learning Parent have audios, flashcards, storybooks, workbooks, and leveled curricula available for preschool age up through high school. They have added many new items recently and if you go over there quickly, you might find a coupon you can use. It is very tempting to want to check out some of those new items (or at least, new to us), as what we have already used by them has been excellent, but we are very happy with using CF and IBLP right now. Here is a link to their blog (the Boyers) where they post about character training.

We purchased Character for Life at a discount on a whim and have truly been thankful we did. It contains stories of men and women of great character who helped to shape our Western culture. Last year, Tex used it in conjunction with For You They Signed as part of his American History and character studies. It was an excellent example of how learning about good character should fit into every facet/subject of our homeschooling. I highly recommend both books.

Doorposts provides excellent child-training and character-developing tools. Plants Grown Up, a resource for teaching your boys, takes different character traits to be developed and ties Bible verses and activities with each one of them. You will get a full package of memory work,Biblical learning, evaluative tools, and worksheets. It lasts for a boy's entire education and is definitely something you can use in conjunction with other training tools. They have a similar book for girls called Polished Cornerstones, and a reference tool called For Instruction in Righteousness which are both equally useful and comprehensive.

Notgrass Company is an excellent source of many Biblically-based curricular options. We really like the "Draw to Learn" series and incorporate the pages into devotions as study of a particular Psalm or Proverb comes up. My kids love to draw and these pages are easy to use for a variety of ages. The act of illustrating a particular proverb really brings it to life, and we all know that the book of Proverbs is just bursting with character-building teaching.

We have mostly used Character Building for Families which I got inexpensively at a used curriculum sale as a reference or discussion starter, but it can be used as a complete Bible curriculum and it looks like it would do so very thoroughly. It is meant for the entire family to do together, which is a huge plus in my book.

Almost done with the not-free stuff...hang in there!!

We've been using the Impress Kids website in conjunction with our church's Awana program to work on Bible memory verses. I have set up our account so that we have sections for family verses, various levels of Awana verses, the songs we are learning as a family (hymns and praise songs), their character trait memory work, and the books of the Bible. The kids enjoy practicing their memory work as a "reward" for finishing their other school work on time.

One last not-free product that deserves a mention, but is not specifically a character curriculum tool are the Keepers of the Faith clubs. They offer both Contenders of the Faith for boys and Keepers at Home for girls. It is kind of like Christian Boy or Girl Scouts. All of the activities will point you back to good character and the books incorporates plenty of Bible learning. Each club book is filled with activities needed to complete various badges and they are actually quite fun and challenging.

The books are arranged just like the Boy Scout requirement manuals. There are activities like whittling and orienteering for boys, and crocheting and cooking for girls. If you object to this traditional breakdown of activities, this won't be for you, but I like it and so do my kids. There is even a series for the younger kids in the family. We don't use the books all the time, but sometimes when we are looking for a way to organize a project, or give us some engaging (but not overly heavy) focus during a break, this is just what we need. You can purchase badges after all requirements are met.

Now for the FREEBIES! Hooray!!

There are lots of them, so go refill your cup and settle in.

Here we go...I am going to share with you some FREE! resources for what I consider to be the most important subject that we teach in our homeschools...character.

I just love this quote from Charlotte Mason.

I pulled this picture from the Simply Charlotte Mason site.

If you are working on character at your house, you

might try starting with some of Charlotte's ideas in the book

Smooth and Easy Days by Sonya Schaeffer which is available

as a FREE! download courtesy of SCM.

They are offering a new title, The Way of the Will,

for FREE! as well, which looks very promising.

Head to their main page to view their other freebies

on the right sidebar. You will really benefit from them. I did.

If you are willing to spend a little bit of money, Laying Down the Rails by Sonya Schaeffer is a excellent resource for habit training (which equates to character training, when approached Biblically). You can also purchase a dvd of her talk on the topic. Here is a free handout to go with the lecture.

The Character Journal from Homelife Ministries is collection of comprehensive character studies for you to use with your family. Each one is an extensive collection of Bible verses, hymns, definitions, suggested Bible stories and activities related to the quality, a list of "I will" actions, quotes and testimonies related to the trait, and resources. This would make an excellent family Bible study. I highly recommend this site.

Download the Character Trait Checklist from Heart of Wisdom (link is at the beginning of the blog post) and also read how to implement the study of these traits into your homeschool using a four-step method of study. This extensive list of traits also includes definitions and related Bible verses. This is a good addition to a family notebook or child's Bible study notebook.

Homeschool Helper Online has a similar list of character traits, each linking to a brief study, suitable for children of all ages (you can vary the expectations based on age and ability). You are asked to look up the definition for each trait, read a related Bible story, memorize a related verse, then answer some thought-provoking questions. This could be done independently by older children, or orally as a family for younger ones.

Bible Class Books offers eleven character trait booklets that also detail examples and definitions of qualities such as contentment and kindness. These would be good with older students.

This is probably my favorite freebie, as simple as it is...

The Operational Definitions of Character Qualities is available for FREE! at S.M. Davis' site, Solve Family Problems. This chart lists character traits, their definitions, their opposite trait, and a Bible verse to support why this quality is important. I find this chart to be an invaluable resource. We laminated our copy and put it on our fridge. Ours is a bit smudged because we take dry erase markers and discuss which quality best describes each person is displaying the best at a particular time, then we circle that quality and write the person's name above it. It's sort of a "reward" for good behavior...just knowing you have been recognized for doing right is a great motivator to keep doing it. Cowboy is our "encourager" since he loves to pass out hugs and compliments in a very sincere way. We all need one of those in our family!!

The chart also helps us remember to encourage each other specifically about certain qualities. Instead of just saying, "You are such a good girl," I try to remember to say, "You were so responsible this morning, Ladybug, when you made your bed and put away your PJs without being asked. Thank you very much."

Another thing we like to do with this chart is to have a "family meeting" and decide what things we are all pretty good at doing, and which 3-5 areas we need to work on more diligently (we circle them with red). This helps us to not only identify family strengths, but also areas to improve upon, like patience and attentiveness this month.

Sarah's Sweeties offers a wonderful printable collection of character quality posters with a Bible verse, picture, and definition on each. I printed these on card stock and we hang up each one on the fridge as we study the quality. We are making a wall display in the library with all of our previously studied traits, so we can review them regularly.

I also try to tie the different character qualities we are learning back to the family rules we came up with using the resources of Our 24 Family Ways by Clay Clarkson and The 21 Rules of This House by Gregg Harris. I am listing this in the freebies section since we did combine the two on our own and did not really implement either book. You could borrow the books from a friend, or just come up with your own rules, keeping them as simple or as detailed as works for you, but just the act of coming up with rules you can refer to when situations arise helps clarify parental reactions a lot.

We have, over time, found Bible verses to support each of the rules, as well as character traits. I feel much more confident telling my child that he is being disciplined for pushing roughly past his sister because God tells us to consider others as more important that ourselves and to remind him that his actions broke one of our family rules, so he must suffer the consequences than if I was just saying, "Don't do that." (which leads to "Why?" and "Because I said so." Not so convincing, huh?)

I also printed up a set of the Character Trait Songs from Hubbard's Cupboard to use with each study. These are catchy tunes that my Amigos enjoy singing which remind them of a better way to act. It is wonderful to hear them singing the tunes together, or to have one of the little ones ask me to sing the song to go with a particular trait at night before bedtime. What a sweet thought to go to sleep on!

The rest of Hubbard's Cupbard's Character Study resources are excellent for 3-5 year olds (there is room to make it work for more diverse age group with a bit of tweaking on your part). 38 weeks of complete lesson plans with coloring pages, letter activities, character studies, and morewill get you started in your homeschooling, or enrich your current program.

Here's an idea: Have a problem area? Make up your own rules on how to follow it (or what defines it according to you), choose a supporting Bible verse and find a picture online, then make a poster for your fridge. Refer back to it when necessary. The THINK poster was great for self-control, honesty, and kindness, and is an enlargement of a badge is saw on Facebook. I'll bet there are some great ideas over on Pinterest, if you have time to go treasure hunting there.

Homeschoolshare offers an excellent round up of resources to help you supplement your character training. You can print them up individually to use as needed during your character study, or you can save them and assemble them into a keepsake lapbook when your study of each trait is finished. Either way is win-win!

WOW!! Have you ever read your kids stories from The Book of Virtues? That book is a favorite at our house. We have a copy of it on tape that we listen to in the car, too. Did you know that there is an entirely FREE! complete book study curriculum online for you to use with your family? Check out The Book of Virtues project at Shiver Academy (links to each chapter are on the right sidebar). Be prepared to be impressed andto run out of printer ink!

I just noticed that Adventures in the Book of Virtues animated episodes are FREE! on Netflix Instant Download (okay, maybe that isn't exactly free, but if you subscribe anyway, it sort of is.)

Here is a printable prayer chart that you can laminate and post on your fridge (can you tell my fridge is covered with stuff?)...it helps you focus and pray for your children about a specific character trait each day of the month.

Another free idea: Find character-building poems and type them up, using your own photos and a related Bible verse. Keep them on the fridge while you are memorizing them, then add them to your school portfolio or notebooks.

Download a free sample of Character First's character trait cards. You might get inspired to make your own as you study each character trait using index cards...It would be very easy to do using their list of character traits, which is actually an online character library you can subscribe to (check out "alertness" and "availability" for samples). You can print up a free one page poster version of the character qualities and laminate it for your fridge.

You can also use the Operational Definition of Character Qualities chart or this list of character qualities defined to make your own cards, then add a few "I Will's" from The Character Journal to the cards and then take a photo of one of your children demonstrating the character trait (or find appropriate clip art online). Put that all into a Word document (or use Open Office, which is also FREE!), print on card stock, and voila!, you have your own Character Trait cards, useful for review and reminders. You could also make double copies, perhaps with the definition on one and the word and photo on the other, and have younger children play a matching game. Or you could play memory. Or....the possibilities are endless! Also, download samples of their elementary and advanced character study guides. We used to get these at church and loved them.

A last-minute find is this collection of dictionary-linked character traits, both positive and negative. This would be an excellent way to have an older student do a study of different traits, figure out which ones go together, which negatives are the opposite of which positives, and then to find Bible verses on their own to support the Biblical need for the positive ones. Since we are talking about seeing the opposite of good character traits, I just had to add this list of 25 Characteristics of a Fool from A Wise Woman Builds Her Home. I think it is great.

Here is a family favorite read-aloud, A Hive of Busy Bees by Effie Mae Hency Williams. It is a timeless classic that tells stories involving character traits. Chapters include: Be Polite, Be Kind, Be Gentle, Be Helpful, and Be Gentle. This freebie is worth downloading and taking the time to read as a family.

For a useful list of some available FREE! online character-building classics (and a few links to audio versions of the books), check back tomorrow...

Also, you can check out Your Story Hour and Adventures in Odyssey (alternate link) for some character-building FREE! online audio radio dramas. My kids have LOVE, love, love, loved these over the years. If you are going to take the time to have them listen to something, why not have it be something that will do them good? This is a great way to give Mom a break when she needs some quiet time...

My final and favorite FREE! character training resource is YOU. As the sign says, children will think of themselves what you say to them regularly. If you are constantly pointing out what faults they have, they will likely see those faults as the definition of who they are. Conversely, if, in spite of their mistakes, you are regularly pointing out their strengths, and praising them for their genuine successes, they are more likely to believe that those things make up who they really are and will become.

Even further, always remember that your children are HOMESCHOOLED. This means that you are your child's teacher and one of his or her most important influences. Children will live what they see YOU do. The starting point when working on character needs to be you (and me!).

If, in spite of the minor (and sometimes major) problems you run into throughout your days and weeks, you strive to keep a positive outlook and stress to your children the importance of living in a way that is pleasing to God, they will learn to behave in the same way.

It might happen almost imperceptibly at first, but eventually, with patience (a virtue!), you will see the fruit of your labors as the seeds of character you have planted grow into beautiful expressions of God's love. In turn, they will plant seeds of kindness and consideration and helpfulness into the lives of others...

How wonderful is it to imagine that??

I think that is why I believe that teaching character is the most important thing you can do for your kids this year. And every year. Start there, and the rest will follow.

I pray you will be blessed by the resources I have shared.

Schedule for the week:

Monday--What is good character and Who needs it??
Tuesday--Why must we deliberately train for develop good character?
Wednesday--How can we develop good character in our children? (with links to character-building freebies and our favorite not free character training resources.
Thursday--How reading aloud to your family will help strengthen character and your family. (With many links to online/downloadable free quality literature and audio books)
Friday--When do we train for character and who benefits...Developing character in your children through serving others.

Join the members of the TOS Review Crew all week for the

"5 Days of..." Blog Hop.

Blessings,

By the way, you can check out a previous post called:

How to Homeschool for Free (or at least more inexpensively)

for an exhaustive (or exhausting!) list of ways to cut home education costs. You might want to print it and read it off line...it is chock full of good ideas (and very long)!!

You can also check out my website, homeschool-for-free, for links to FREE! resources in other curriculum areas (but as it has been a while since we ran link-checks, you may find a few that no longer work, but there are plenty more to make up for that...especially on the science links page.)

Study the Bible Using...the Bible??

2012-05-15T12:19:00.000-04:00

From the JBC Website: The Judah Bible Curriculum is a Principle Approach Bible study program. The doctrinal emphasis is left to the teacher. The Judah Bible Curriculum contains teacher training materials to help the teacher, but then the teacher uses his own doctrinal grid to teach his students, and the students study the details from the Scriptures.

Guest Reviewer and Poster: Hubby

When I first started reviewing The Judah Bible Curriculum, I realized this program requires significant commitment of time, prayer, and preparation. Not that the level of commitment should deter a parent from using it, but the parent should be aware of what they are prayerfully taking on. We are all called to teach the Scriptures to our children, "talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up" (Det. 11:19) Furthermore, God instructs us to "lay up these words of Mine in your heart and your soul" (Det 11:18)

So my first question was: "Does The Judah Bible Curriculum provide the best path for my family and me to get God's Word into our heads, hearts, and souls?"

To answer that question, I needed to read as much as I could about it, and this curriculum includes plenty of reading. The manual is about hundred pages of teaching philosophy, implementation guidance, and detailed information/resources for five Biblical themes of study. Eight teacher training audio seminars are also provided that better explain the key concepts. These lectures are information-rich, though the delivery is mild and requires what my wife would say is a dutiful, very attentive student vice one with who is not committed to gleaning from the instructor's knowledge.

About an hour later, I was impressed. Yes, this curriculum does require significant parental involvement (preferably both parents), but it also incorporates the usual study of Biblical events and people with extensive historical and governmental themes, Scripture memory, as well as a very personalized, intense Bible study. Students and teachers alike will grow to notice the hand of God in history and in the lives of individuals. Ultimately, they will draw conclusions about the connection of character and liberty, making them better citizens and Christians.

Both teacher and students develop their own Bible study notebooks through the year, and will add deeper layers to them over time as understanding and insight increase. Students are encouraged to do their best work at all times, and to spend dedicated time on each Bible passage, reading every word instead of just broadly covering events. You may view the Scope and Sequence here.

All work in the Judah Bible Curriculum is focused on Biblical principles through analysis of the "keys" (key individuals, key institutions, key events, and key documents) for each Biblical theme. The curriculum provides special sheets (which are very simple, but useful) to help you frame your understanding of the key ideas. A key element is that God's sovereignty in individuals frame the role of government.

This approach rang true for me in three ways:

Individual freedoms are a gift from God, not a intrinsic mandate that negates personal responsibilit.,
Government receives its power and bounds of influence from its citizens.
A Christian nation requires citizens with Christian character.

The six-year curriculum uses the Bible as its textbook to develop Biblical understanding and character in the teachers and student. You are encouraged to supplement the study with maps and time lines, to increase understanding of the world of the Bible and its relation to history and to the world of today.

Ultimately, I determined that JBC was an exceptional tool that we will incorporate into God's best plan for training our children. While the $44 price for a downloadable copy (or $74 for hard copy delivery) of the teaching text, a book of notebooking ideas for elementary students, the four key sheets, and eight audio lessons on how to implement the curriculum may seem expensive to some (the downloadable materials are provided on a membership site), most education textbooks cost more and deliver less. JBC requires time, but it would be time well spent.

What does Mom have to add?

I found this curriculum to be intimidating at first. However, once my Hubby took over and became enthusiastic, I realized it could work. Its method is more up his alley than mine, and if he can use this approach to be more involved with our children's Biblical education (especially our 14 year old), I am all for it. While I do not believe I would use it on my own (though I grow more comfortable with it the more time I spend with it), the website offers a walk-through of a lesson, and you have eight audios to listen to which help familiarize you with the approach and the specific keys/themes/topics. I believe that once you learn the method, this program would prove to be a very enriching and illuminating homeschool (or non-homeschool) Bible study.
JBC uses the notebooking approach. I like this idea, as having a growing and changing "textbook" made and understood by each of my children is appealing. However, due to the young ages of my four younger children (ages 2-8), this curriculum requires additional time to prepare for use. I had to search the Internet for coloring pages for the younger ones and found it is easy to get lost on rabbit trails...The "Key" pages were too much for my 8 year old, and while the downloadable book of notebooking ideas (examples of pages) is nice, you still have to thoroughly plan (create) and prepare for each lesson ahead of time. This is not the sort of curriculum you can start on a moment's notice, or walk into without preparation. Prayer is a large component of this plan, which is excellent, but this method does require some practice, especially if you are used to workbooks and/or texts.

To see what others on the Crew thought of the Judah Bible Curriculum, check out the Crew blog.

Blessings,

Disclaimer: I was provided with a downloadable copy of the Judah Bible Curriculum for the purposes of writing this review. All opinions are my own, or that of my family, and they are our honest thoughts and considerations about this product. If you have any questions concerning this review, please feel free to comment or contact me.

Education Isn't Everything---Why Character Must Come First

2012-05-15T06:46:00.000-04:00

I've come to realize over the years that education isn't everything. Really, what worth does a high school or college degree have if your child (now an adult) is lazy, feels entitled, is dependent on society to make his decisions, or even worse, is a bully who cares nothing for the feelings of others? Even more so, what worth is anything your child may gain if he or she fails to take that crucial step of admitting sin and seeking the free gift of salvation that Jesus offers us all?

An adult who lacks the qualities that we defined yesterday as character, and which are the fruits of the spirit that work themselves out in our lives when we come to a saving faith, is not going to have an easy or eternally fruitful life. Some may achieve powerful positions if they learn to manipulate others instead of putting others first as scripture commands, but of what consequence is that power if there is no love? Others, who refuse to follow the admonitions that "if you don't work you don't eat", and "to always work as if working for the Lord," may wind up with a string of failed jobs, a lack of employer recommendations, or in a dead end position. These poor employees will certainly not have the creativity or initiative to start and run their own business, so that they may be a servant to no one, which is what I desire for my own children.

A few months ago I had an interesting conversation with an older gentleman who turned out to be a personnel consultant. He travels all over the country looking for young college graduates who might be potential employees for certain influential companies. He said that these days there are so many graduates who exit school with a 4.0+ average (due to weighted courses) and stellar test scores (due to the many "how to beat the..." books), that it can sometimes be tough to identify the stars...but he also said he has found that the top notch interviewees are always those whose character shines the brightest which is evident in the section of their resumes that tells what they did with their free time.

Did they volunteer for a charitable organization or start their own creative endeavor? Did they prove that they can work well with a team of individuals and contribute innovative ideas? Are they reliable and trustworthy? Cooperative and considerate? Self-controlled and sacrificing? Diligent and determined? He told me that the companies he consults for will choose a candidate with imperfect grades and test scores, but strong evidence of positive character traits (as in held a job while in school, started their own small company, did missions work, ran a fundraising marathon, etc.) over the "paper perfect" candidate every time.

If you ask me, that all sounds like the employers of today (and tomorrow) are looking for employees with good CHARACTER. Why does it seem to surprise people today that having good character is a marketable trait? Being the top of your class, with the best grades, climbing over anyone who stands in your way just isn't enough these days. In fact, it turns out, it isn't even necessarily wanted by those who are the real quality employers. Back when my parents and their parents were growing up, the development good character was a necessary quality for success, not an exception. What happened?

Well, this series of posts is not really a forum for me to go on about how changing societal norms are pulling the rug out from under our proverbial feet, but I do want to say that my husband and I know that we want our children to be different. In the world, but not of it. In the Word...and loving it.

It has been my experience that when you spend time alone WITH GOD and with others who are spending time WITH GOD, then good things start to happen. Hearts change, people change, character improves, and things run more smoothly and effectively.

I don't want you to get the idea that I believe in the development of good character traits in the worldly way that has become somewhat of a fad, especially in the public school system. Do you remember how about ten years ago the schools were preaching "self-esteem?" Have you noticed that now there is a movement towards developing character instead? What happened to make them change their tune? A generation of self-absorbed, entitled, and indulgent young people, maybe? Falling test scores? Less discipline?

In any case, this trend isn't inherently bad, but the secular world's reasons for promoting character just aren't the same reasons I have as a Christian homeschooling parent for teaching character, and because of that, the method will not be the same.

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise." Psalm 111:10

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

2 Timothy 3:16-17

I personally believe that the primary instruction manual any of us have is the word of God, the Bible. If you look in the Bible, you will find plenty of instruction on how to build up godly character.

Romans 5:1-5 states: Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Colossians 3:12-17 says: Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Galatians 5:22-25 tells us that But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

You can pull out your own copy of the Bible and find many more examples yourself. I am sure you probably already know many of them. However, I am suggesting that we must go farther than a passing acquaintance with a few Bible verses. Not only do we need to "be doers of the word and not hearers only" (James 1:22), but we must also heed that familiar verse in Proverbs 22:6 that admonishes us to "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." and Ephesians 6:4 "And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord."

This will not guarantee that everything will always work out the way we might wish it to. But when we are living out the scriptures and praying for the Lord's wisdom and discernment in raising our children to have godly character, we can at least be sure we are following the leading of the Lord. He gave us His word for a purpose, and it was a greater one than as a place to collect church bulletins in and write in family marriages and births...

While there might be trials ahead, since we are all sinners, and every person must make their own choice to follow Christ, we can fully rely on God and put our hopes in Him, instead of in man-made ideals and prizes. Our prize is an eternal one, and our goal should be to develop in our children an appreciation for that freely given gift they may receive and also for the value of others to our Lord. When that appreciation leads to good character which benefits us all, then I can say "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." 3 John 1:4

Join us tomorrow to hear how we work on developing character in our home, and for an extensive listing of free and favorite resources.

Schedule for the week:

Monday--What is good character and Who needs it??

Tuesday--Why must we deliberately train for develop good character?

Wednesday--How can we develop good character in our children? (with links to character-building freebies and our favorite not free character training resources.

Thursday--How reading aloud to your family will help strengthen character and your family. (With many links to online/downloadable free quality literature and audio books)

Friday--When do we train for character and who benefits...Developing character in your children through serving others.

Blessings,

An Alphabet of Character Qualities

2012-05-14T00:59:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the "5 Days of..." Blog Hop!

This week I will be posting about character training and our children (which always translates to character training for the parents, doesn't it??) I feel that to have a worthwhile discussion about character training, we all need to understand what is meant when I say "character," so my first post will be an overview of as many positive character traits as I can think of...if I miss any, that you find to be important, please feel free to leave a comment and I will add to the list!

Teaching (and learning) character is so important for families...especially for us home educators since we are our children's teachers and most influential examples. It's not just the kids who need to build up their character, it is the parents, too...ouch! That can hurt, can't it?

Webster's 1918 Dictionary defines character as "The peculiar quality, or sum of qualities, by which a particular person is distinguished from others; the stamp impressed by nature, education, or habit; that which a person or thing really is; nature or disposition" and "Moral quality; the principles and motives which control the life."

"For as he thinks in his heart, so is he." Proverbs 24:7a and "For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks." Matthew 12:34

Since by definition, character influences a person's entire being and subsequently, their entire life, it MUST be taken seriously. Developing good character cannot be an afterthought, and we can't just assume that good character will come naturally. I have have found with my own children that while they may "generally" turn out with character that is similar to mine (which I hope is a good thing), they are masters at noticing my not-so-good qualities and reproducing them in spades, magnified by ten, while their reproduction of my good qualities (like picking up after myself) does not tend to increase as exponentially. Does that happen to anyone else??

In order to effectively instruct our children in character, I have found that deliberately setting and pursuing personal and family goals to achieve works best for us. We choose a quality and develop ways to remind each other of it, little keys to remembering how the proper behavior looks, and then work on it consistently for about a month. After that, we still bring it up, compliment each other when it is evident, remind each other when it is not, and so far I have not been disappointed.

Whenever we are diligent with our pursuit of good character, our days flow more smoothly. Whenever we are remiss, our days consistently become more rocky and fraught with discontent and conflict.

I hate to admit it, but there are quite a few qualities on my ABCs of Character Qualities list that I could use a bit of remediation on. How about you?

This week I am focusing on P is for patience and peacefulness. Hubby is getting acclimated to a new position at work so his hours have been erratic, and just knowing there is no guaranteed tag-team relief at the end of any given day (coupled with weather-induced migraines) makes it harder for me to practice my patience as well as I should. Thankfully, I do have Tex, my right-hand man, who helps share the load, and he also offers a bit of comic relief and encouragement from time to time, just when it is needed. What a blessing!

So here we go on our exploration of character, starting with answering the question of "What is GOOD character?"

The ABCs of Character

A is for Apologetic, because being able to admit you did wrong and to want to make restitution for your wrong doing takes a lot of courage. It is also for Attentive, Alert, and Availability. If we are alert to the events that unfold around us, attentive to what is needed, astutely discerning what is important, available to offer our assistance when needed, andadaptable to many types of situations, accepting of differences and difficulties that may arise, and ardent about helping meet other's needs, then we will fill an important role in the Lord's Army. And don't forget to appreciate all you have. We are so blessed.

B is for Brave and Bold, because the world right now needs more Christians who are willing to stand up for truth and to not be afraid to tell it like it is (in love). It is also for benevolent and blessing, because being a blessing to others is what we are called to do.

C is for Christ-like because we should all try to be more like our Savior, Jesus Christ. Children need heroes, and I just wish when you asked kids who their hero is these days, more of them would say, "Jesus!" C is also for contentment, creativity, cautiousness, consistency, commitment, charity, chastity, caring, compassion, confidence, consideration, calm, convicted, cooperative, courageous, and cheerful...not to mention plain old character...Christ-like character, not be a character! (That's a lot of C words!!)

D is for Diligence and Dependable. We need to teach our kids to behard workers, and to do every job as if it is for the Lord. They need to do their best work every time, until it is completed, without needing reminders. It is also for determined, discerning, decisive, discretion, and deference to others, with a little dreaming big for God thrown in.

E is for Endurance because times can be tough and we must be examples of how we will stick it out to the end, not just with our heads down and plowing forward, but with a positive and persevering attitude. It's not just whether you finish the race, it is how you run it. E is also for eternity in our hearts, excellence, enthusiasm, encouraging, efficient, equitable, equipped, and evangelistic.

F is for Forgiving. God forgave all of our sins, no matter how greivous...how can we do less than forgive our brothers and sisters for what they do to us? F is also for friendship, one of the Lord's precious gifts to us, flexibility, fairness, fearless, fortitude, and faith.

G is for Grace. Without grace, where would we be? We need to be sure we extend it to others, too. G is also for the gratitude we should approach each day with, as well as for generosity, gentleness, gallant, gregariousness, and the gifts we are uniquely blessed with by God.

H is for the hospitality we should extend to others. One thing we should strive to do as Christians, and as homeschoolers, is to make our home a place where we can openly invite others so that our testimonies can influence their lives, and their testimonies can influence ours (and our children's). H is also for humility, which is so important. If we all saw others as being more important than ourselves, as the Bible instructs us to do, our world would be so much more hospitable. H stands for helpful, honest, honoring, happiness, harmonious, and hope, as well.

I is for initiative because we want our children to not only do what we ask of them, but to do what they see needs to be done on their own. If they can't unload the dishwasher that needs unloading or get their math assignment done without our asking them to do it, how will they go forth and do the Lord's work? I is also for being interested in others, and for being inquisitive and intelligent.

J is for being joyful in all situations, even the ones that are difficult. This does not mean that we should laugh during times of sorrow, but that we have that deep feeling of abiding joy we get when we recognize that our heavenly Father is in control of our every circumstance. J is also for the justice we should try to uphold, while leaving vengeance to the Lord.

K is for kindness to others, even our enemies. Every time we are kind to someone, we are showing our love for our Lord and Savior. K is also for growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 2:18

Dowload a copy from thegirlcreative

L is for LOVE. "And now these three remain: Faith, Hope, and Love. But the greatest of these is love..." 1 Corinthians 13:13 L is also for learning, which is a lifelong process, level-headed, and loyalty to others.

M is for mercy, which we should offer to others abundantly for immeasurable mercy has been offered to us through Christ. M is also for meekness, for we should consider others as being better than ourselves, and for modesty, which is its companion.

N is for nurturing, a way to care for and encourage others. It is also for Near to God, for if you draw near to Him, He will draw near to you. James 4:8

O is for obedience. As young children, we must obey God, who tells us to obey our parents. This obedience to our earthly parents prepares us for direct obedience to our Heavenly Father as we grow. God is our Father, our Lord, and our Creator. He deserves our obedience, for He is worthy and He loves us. After that, O is for orderliness, which is helped by being organized. By being observant you will be able to see what the Lord needs you to do, and if you are optimistic, you will show others how to base their feelings on the hope that is within, Jesus Christ.

P is for patience, which I always need more of, since patience leads to better character, and better character leads to hope (Romans 5:4). P is also for punctual (just in case others aren't so patient), and for prayerful, persistent, persuasive, practical, prudent, pleasing to God, peaceful, and pure.

Q is for quiet of spirit, so that you can hear that still small voice within. It is also for being quick to respond to God's call.

R is for respectful of others and reverent towards the things of the Lord. It is also for being responsible, for those who can be counted on to be responsible for the small things will be entrusted with responsibility over greater things. It is also for the righteous defense of the Word of God, and for being resourceful by making the most of what you are given.

S is for the self-control by which so many other seeds of virtue are developed. It is also for our submission to higher authorities, starting with God. Then it is for sincerity and sensitivity, security and sacrifice, and lastly servant-leadership, if we want to be more like Christ.

T is for all of our God-given talents, which we should develop and not hide. It is also for being thoughtful and thorough in all that we do. T stands for being thrifty to better use the resources God has given us, as well as tolerant of other's imperfections, and truthful about all we say (without forgetting to be tactful, when necessary).

U is for understanding of others and their God-given uniqueness, and for seeking unity of Spirit within the body of Christ.

V is for living victoriously in Christ. It is also for having Godly values, maintaining Christian virtues, and for valor in battle (spiritual ones included).

W is for wisdom, which begins with the fear of the Lord. (Proverbs 9:10). It is also for being willing to go where the Lord calls you to go, and to do what the Lord calls you to do. W is for having a welcoming spiritto those you encounter, and for maintaining that sense of wondermentwhen you consider the awesomeness of all of God's creation. Don't ever lose that...

X is for the eXcitement you feel as you eXplore God's marvelous universe on your way to becoming and eXpert in whatever field He calls you to, always maintaining a standard of eXcellence in all you do and say.

Y is for those times you say Yes, Lord, I WILL! It's also for theyearning in your Spirit for the things of God, and a desire to maintainyesterday's values in today's confused and despairing world.

Z is for that "Zippity Doo Dah, Zippity Yay! My, oh my, what a wonderful day...Plenty of SONshine heading my way. Zippity Doo Dah, Zippity Yay!" feeling I get whenever I think about heaven, our REAL home, where we will be in the presence of the Lord for eternity...and we will fully understand that the fruit of developing all this good character in our children was their salvation and the salvation of many others they will influence (we hope and pray). How wonderful that will be! (Sorry, I couldn't think of a single character quality that started or included the letter "Z").

I hope you enjoyed my ABCs of Character Qualities. I'd love to hear what you are working on this week in regards to character.

Also, please feel free to give me a heads-up if you think of anything I missed. I will be glad to add it to this list!

Join the members of the TOS Review Crew all week for the
"5 Days of..." Blog Hop.

I will be posting on character training all week. Tomorrow's post on WHY we need to deliberately train for good character is called "Education Isn't Everything---Why Character Must Come First."

Schedule for the week:
Monday--What is good character and Who needs it??
Tuesday--Why must we deliberately train for develop good character?
Wednesday--How can we develop good character in our children? (with links to character-building freebies and our favorite not free character training resources.
Thursday--How reading aloud to your family will help strengthen character and your family. (With many links to online/downloadable free quality literature and audio books)
Friday--When do we train for character and who benefits...Developing character in your children through serving others.

Blessings,

Sermon Sunday---Staying in Love

2012-05-13T07:00:00.000-04:00

Love is so important that the Bible even tells us that "God is love."

Staying in Love
By Andy Stanley

We encounter love in all aspects of our life, but after loving our Lord, one the most important expressions of our love is to love our spouses. That type of love can be one of our greatest blessings, but sometimes one of our most pressing challenges.

In today's society, trading partners through divorce has pretty much become a norm when the going gets tough and the "love" begins to wane. The divorce rate is higher than ever, and the divorce rate of professing Christians equals that of secular society.

When Jesus has told us how important fidelity is, and that marriage demonstrates the relationship of Christ to his church to the world, why have Christians strayed so far from "for better or worse?"

Andy Stanley gives you some excellent tools and examples in his four-part sermon series, "Staying in Love" and will help you make sense of this distressing phenomenon. He will answer the question "Is it possible to find someone and stay in love forever?" and will impress upon you that love is a verb, and not a passive and fickle feeling, as well as give you some practical ideas for blessing your spouse and keeping your love fresh and growing deeper.

If we would all put as much effort into preserving our marriages as we put into pursuing other things of lesser importance and impact, our marriages could truly be a light to a troubled world.

Have a blessed Sunday.

"5 Days of..." Blog Hop May 14th-18th

2012-05-11T18:01:00.000-04:00

You may have noticed that occasionally I participate in the TOS Review Crew Blog Cruise. Keeping in mind that it is homeschooling convention season, and that homeschooling families are thinking about next school year already, our esteemed Cruise Director, Marcy has organized a TOS Crew Blog Hop to help you start your summer planning off right.

Beginning Monday, May 14th, and running for five consecutive days, many of the TOS Review Crew members will be participating in the "5 Days of…" Blog Hop. Each of the participants will blog about one topic or theme for all five days. I’ve heard that there will be topics such as "Favorite Freebies," "Hands-on Science," "Using Technology in Your Homeschool," "Bringing Books to Life," "Living Out of My Pantry," "Nature Journaling," "Adoption," "Preschool Arts and Crafts," "Home Organization," and "Theme Park Homeschooling." Sounds great, huh?? Definitely motivational. I’ll be blogging for the five days about developing character in your children.

Each of my posts will include a link to the TOS Homeschool Blog Post where you can hop between blogs. At last count, there were about 65 crew members participating, and that equals 325 motivational and inspirational posts to get you pumped up for your summer and the 2012-2013 homeschool year. WOW!!

I've learned so much from my fellow Crew members this year, and this is your chance to glean from their many years of experience and benefit from their helpful advice...plus you might discover a few new blogs you want to follow!! So please, get out your calendar and pencil in some time to visit several of the blogs and learn a few new things you didn't even know you needed to know...you will be glad you did.

Blessings,

All We Need is LOVE...

2012-05-07T11:58:00.001-04:00

This week's blog cruise topic is,

" What do you want your children to remember from their childhood?"

My answer is what I hope every parent wants for their children, and that is

Why choose love and not something else?

Because all through the Bible, we see that the overarching message is LOVE, and the Bible is our family's primary "textbook."

"God is love." 1 John 4:8b

"For God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten so that whosoever believes in him would not perish, but would have eternal life." John 3:16

God LOVES you.

Romans 8:37-39 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

When my children leave home, I want them to have on their minds that they are loved by the Lord, and I pray for each one of them that they come to a saving faith through Jesus Christ, and are fully committed to loving the Lord with all their hearts.

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

This school year, both Firefly and Cowboy sincerely and sweetly asked Jesus to be their Savior, with full knowledge and intent of the implications of what they were doing.

Praise the Lord!!

Last school year, Ladybug asked Jesus into her heart.

Thank you, Jesus!

Both Tex and Bubba are Bible-believing, God's will-seeking, Jesus-defending Christians.

What a blessing!

What greater joy can there be but to know that your children will join you in eternity with the Lord??

"I have no greater joy than to hear my children are walking in the truth." 3 John 1:4

Always remember that...

Mommy and Daddy LOVE you.

Your brothers and sisters love you.

Nanny and Poppy LOVE you.

What a wonderful example of love...

Your whole family LOVES you.

"For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation."

Psalm 100:5

Now, go love others.

Love each other...

1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.

Love your family...

"For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." Galatians 5:13

Love your friends...

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

John 15:9-17

Love your neighbors...

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" Luke 10:27

"Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth." 1 John 3:18

"Be doers of the word, not hearers only..." James 1:22

And while you are doing all of those things, don't forget to...

Love Life...

Isn't it grand??

"Love each other deeply. Honor others more than yourselves. Never let the fire in your heart go out. Keep it alive. Serve the Lord. When you hope, be joyful. When you suffer, be patient. When you pray, be faithful. Share with God's people who are in need. Welcome others into your homes. Bless those who hurt you. Bless them, and do not call down curses on them. Be joyful with those who are joyful. Be sad with those who are sad. Agree with each other. Don't be proud. Be willing to be a friend of people who aren't considered important. Don't think that you are better than others. Don't pay back evil with evil. Be careful to do what everyone thinks is right. If possible, live in peace with everyone. Do that as much as you can." Romans 12:10-18

AND

always remember to appreciate every moment of it,

for you do not know when there will be no more moments

left in a life to share...

Our sweet Bella, who died a year ago.

We still miss her very much.

Dear Copper, who had such a brief life,

but was loved so much by Bubba.

Our babies' tree, a memorial to our three precious little ones

who are waiting for us in heaven...we didn't have much

time with them before they were born into the arms of Jesus,

but we rejoiced over their every moment.

A dear friend, who is with Jesus now, in Heaven.

Praise God that Heaven awaits!!

Also, love God's marvelous creation...

Taken at the Creation Museum...

Rosie, the day she was born.

Honey and Rosie...our two baby ponies

born this year...what a blessing!

So much to explore...and much bounty to appreciate!

“Now if I believe in God's Son and remember that He became man, all creatures will appear a hundred times more beautiful to me than before. Then I will properly appreciate the sun, the moon, the stars, trees, apples, as I reflect that he is Lord over all things. …God writes the Gospel, not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars.” — Martin Luther

Cowboy helping make more pretty dandelions...

Don't worry, bee happy!

First snow...What fun!!

Love learning...

LIFE is learning...

There is so much to see and do...

and love their country.

Finally, consider this...

I don't normally use "The Message" translation, but I liked how this laid everything out that we want our children to learn about love, especially the final verse.

The Way of Love

1 Corinthians 13

If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up.

Love cares more for others than for self.

Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.

Love doesn't strut,

Doesn't have a swelled head,

Doesn't force itself on others,

Isn't always "me first,"

Doesn't fly off the handle,

Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,

Doesn't revel when others grovel,

Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,

Puts up with anything,

Trusts God always,

Always looks for the best,

Never looks back,

But keeps going to the end.

Taken in Silver City, Iowa

Love never dies.
Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.

When I was an infant at my mother's breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good.

We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist.
But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!

But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation:
Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly.
And the best of the three is love.

Blessings,

If you enjoyed this post, you might also like Measuring Success God's Way,

An Alphabet of Character Qualities, and Our Favorite FREE! Character-building Resources.

Join us on Tuesday for the

Homeschool Review Crew's Blog Cruise

and see more posts discussing

"What is the one thing you want your kids

to remember from their childhood?"

Sermon Sunday---I Never Thought I'd See the Day When Christians Wouldn't Know They Were in a War

2012-05-06T13:15:00.000-04:00

Dr. David Jeremiah

Turning Point Ministries

If you have time this week, please check out this sermon from Dr. David Jeremiah about how Christians need to wake up and realize they are in a spiritual battle. Learn how culture is influencing so many and causing them to ignore the truth of what is going on around them.

This sermon is highly recommended by my mom, so it's gotta be a good one!

(But it is available for FREE online for this week only, so go listen to it NOW!)

Blessings,

Balancing Math Learning With Fun

2012-04-27T03:05:00.003-04:00

Let me tell you a story...

A long time ago, in a land far away (Florida) I had a student (Bubba) who did NOT like Algebra. I don't know if it was a remnant leftover from his first few years spent in public school when he felt as if he wasn't "good enough" at math. Or maybe it was too early for him...sometimes kids just aren't ready. Kids' brains develop at different rates, and while some may "get it" early, others may need a few more months or years.

Whatever the reason, we must have tried every available option to get him through Algebra, from a computer program to a tutor and a co-op class, from two different written curricula and a series video lessons to sitting with him for hours as he worked through his "homework" every day. Nothing worked. At least, nothing worked until he was ready.

After a year and a half of beating our heads against the wall, we finally wised up and took a break from math for a while. We moved, and co-operatively decided that he would finish up the last few chapters of the book he'd had the most success with, and with my dad's help (we were temporarily living with my folks while we looked for a house shortly after I'd had Firefly) he completed Algebra STILL hating math. But at least we could check off that box, and fill in the grade report, right?

To be honest, filling in a grade report, with good grades or bad ones, is not really our personal goal for the homeschooling of our children. I am much more concerned with whether they A) have the good character and know-how to begin a project and stick with it until completing it, always giving it their best and B) whether they love to learn and will be lifelong learners, seeking out new things to know, more books to read, and interesting paths, under the guidance of the Lord.

In my book, our Algebra experience with Bubba failed miserably on most of those fronts. He definitely did NOT love to learn any type of math at that point (especially Algebra), we had tried so many venues to achieve the completion of a (meaning ANY) algebra program that I felt we hadn't stuck to much of anything, and his character did not make any gains during the study of algebra, as we had many horrible conflicts over the work or why it was necessary (certain publishers are not very concerned with you knowing why the particulars of the math they teach are important to your "real" life).

In any case, the next year we had a God-inspired moment when we discovered Bob Jones' Consumer Math course. Bubba took to that one like a duck to water. It made sense. At long last, here was a math course that actually seemed to have a real-life use that he saw as valuable to himself (he already had his own lawn care and gardening business at that point). Many of the problems were word problems or used pictorals of some sort to make the abstract ideas concrete. In hindsight, he was probably a good candidate for one of those math programs that used many manipulatives to make the concepts mroe real, but I didn't really know about them at the time.

You may be wondering why I am telling you all of this. My story really does have a point.(smile)

What I want you to get out of this is two-fold. First, I really, really want you to consider that if you have a student who is struggling with math, especially in one of those pivotal areas such as Algebra, PLEASE consider giving them a break and allowing their brain to catch up to your expectations. Taking time off doing something else for a while is not a crazy idea...it does not mean you are neglecting your child's education, and it does not put your child at a disadvantage later. Actually, they will gain many things from taking time off, such as time for their brain to mature, less frustration (and fewer conflicts in your home), and also a trust in you that you put them above some academic expectation that is not as important as they are.

The second thing I want to leave you with is that while trying a different Algebra curriculum or a tutor really wasn't a bad idea (in our case, there were definite problems with why the computer curriculum was a bad fit, so quitting it was the right thing to do), I am going to suggest that you consider trying something a bit different from the traditional second-options (like tutors and a new math book), but that makes complete sense. Something I just didn't even ever think of at the time, but that I am sure would have worked well with Bubba. What I suggest is that you find some other math-type activities that your child will be able to work with...math manipulatives, logic puzzles, mind-benders, a math book based on carpentry or business that uses real-life word problems...basically, anything with visual aids that will help him or her SEE the concepts that they need to understand.

You just can't minimize the importance of attaching a visualization to an abstract concept. The process of showing (vs telling) someone how math works is invaluable. Have you ever seen episodes of the show NUMB3RS? They used math to solve crimes, and the mathematician character, Charlie, was so incredible because he could take these incredibly complex and abstract ideas and turn them into practical examples that even the "average" TV FBI agent (and I) could understand. I admire people who can make math simple, even when a concept is a tough one. I just miss out on being able to do that. I can break math down into steps, I can tell you the rules and the most efficient way to solve the problem, but I can't make it REAL to you, nor can I make you SEE what is really happening in the "mathosphere." It's a gift I apparently do not have.

Well, in case I am not alone in being deficient in this sort of math genius, I am going to happily tell you that there is someone out there who does have that genius, and they are smart enough to hire lots of those math geniuses to write some pretty useful books to help our students visual the reality and practicality of math...The Critical Thinking Company.

I honestly should have known that they could explain math in such a useful way because I have successfully used their products in our homeschool before...just not the math ones. We have used their Editor-in-Chief and their Mind Benders products before with much enjoyment. The Editor-in-Chief series offers students practical ways to apply the learning of grammar, spelling, punctuation, and mechanics rules by having them edit a variety of stories, knowing only how many errors are in the selection...kind of like a treasure hunt...and my son, Tex, loves doing them. Why? Because they are more practical and interesting than completing endless exercises in a grammar or spelling book, and because they challenge him to be attentive and to "beat" the puzzle (and he likes puzzles).

I am so glad we were chosen to review Balance Math, a line of math exercises from Critical Thinking Company created to develop students' understanding of algebraic equations using the visual representation of equations. Tex has been working his way through Khan Academy's free math program this year, focusing on developing his Algebra skills, and he loved both of these books the moment we opened up their packages...he found them to be a welcome change from his online work, and felt they were more fun than work. Now that's a big plus!!

We recieved Balance Math & More Level 2 due to a shipping glitch, but the company was kind enough to let us keep the copy and work through it while they mailed us the Algebra book. Tex jumped right into the problems in Math & More right away and would often walk into the room where I was working with a smiling face to show me the interesting problem he had just completed. The problems in Math &More are geared towards grades 4-12, with the problems starting out simple and becoming more complex as the book progresses.

The problems vary from balancing equations using that scale visual to sudoku-type problems, and all work is meant to strengthen the student's ability to see the conceptual understanding and algebraic reasoning. It did not take long for him to work his way thorough the book, which costs $9.99 for 48 pages of exercises and their answers, which might seem a bit much for a "puzzle book" BUT the reward was great---enthusiasm for the subject. Priceless. The only criticism I have ever heard of about Critical Thinking Company is that their prices are a bit steep for certain products, but since they are providing such a valuable and quality service---helping kids learn to think critically and logically---the extra cost is worth it.

Once we recieved Balance Math Teaches Algebra, Tex started going through it with his dad. Hubby, who is a science and math geek, felt that the book was very effective in how it used pictures to demonstrate the algebraic equations, rules, and concepts. The first section of the exercise book graphically demonstrate the basic rules of balancing equations (through step by step problems), then the subsequent pages move in a logical sequence from the simple to more complex problems. He felt this book would be best used on a 1-2 exercises per week basis for a few months, but acknowledges that it would also be a good substitution for a regular curriculum if you have a student who is stuck in a rut and needs help out (or a creative learner, such as an unschooler or a younger student who wants to learn ahead of "schedule"), or as a gradual and intriguing introduction before jumping into the meatier concepts in most Algebra curricula. The book is a total of 62 pages (answers included) and costs $14.99.

The only drawback to these books is that if you, the teacher, do not understand the concepts yourself, you will need to get your own copy and work through it before offering it to your student (or you will have to hope that someone else in your family "gets" Algebra, so they can help if your student gets stuck.) There is no teachers manual, and the answers are just answers, not explanations.

I think that Tex's simple words of the other day, "Mom, I really love this book. Can we get more?" say it all. If you can find that something that incites your student to pursue knowlede and love learning, to be challenged and eager, then why would you say, "No?"

If you have students who need a bit of something to get them back on track with math, check out some of these other math products from Critical Thinking Company.

Check out what others on the Crew said about the Critical Thinking Company products they tried at the TOS Homeschool Review Crew blog.

Blessing,

Disclaimer: I received copies of Balance Math Teaches Algebra! and Balance Math & More Level 2 for the purposes of reviewing the product. I recieved no other compensation, and the opinions you see in my review are my own, based upon our families' experiences with this product.

That's Amaaaaazing!

2012-04-25T00:43:00.001-04:00

If anyone ever tells you that teaching science is not necessary in the early years, don't believe it. While it may be true that the vital early skills include character development, reading/writing, and math, there is still that "WOW!" factor and the curiosity and understanding about the way our world works that we want and NEED to develop, so that our children will become lifelong learners, and in my book, science is a big part of that. Personally, I feel that developing that spirit of inquiry is much easier in the younger years because most youngsters are both naturally curious and enthusiastic...especially when it comes to the "flash" and "amazing" parts of subjects like science. In my opinion, I'd rather they learn to love science early on, than be a bit intimidated by it later...even if it takes a bit of extra time and effort on my part.

However, science does NOT have to be either intimidating or ultra-time-consuming, for either Mom or the kids. You don't have to have been a Chemistry major to understand all of the experiments on the set of Amazing Science DVDs available from ScienceandMath.com. All you need is a DVD player, a few easy to find materials, and a sense of adventure.

Why don't you check out their DVD trailer below? You will get a taste for what the two DVD set, which costs only $19.95 (now that's amazing!), has to offer. To see a detailed listing of the contents of the two DVDs, check out the Amazing Science Page at their website. To watch five of the twenty-three experiments contained on the two DVDs, you can click here.

My homeschooled children are ages 2, 4, 6, 8, and 14. They all sat riveted to the screen, watching, laughing, and talking about the fascinating experiments conducted by Jason Gibson on the Amazing Science DVDs. Cowboy, age 6, was especially intrigued by the process of making an hypothesis and conducting appropriate experimentation. After watching "Amazing Magnetic Force" he had to walk around the house, conducting his own experiment by using a powerful magnet we have and testing different things in our house to see if they were magnetic, too. It only took minutes to type up a chart he could fill out to demonstrate his findings, then we added that to his nature notebook (not exactly what we had in mind for our nature notebooks, but magnetic fields are a part of nature, too!) Once we obtain some copper pipe, we will have to re-create the experiment with him at home.

Ladybug and Firefly LOVED the "Color-Changing Milk" experiment so much they talked Tex into reproducing it in our own kitchen. We had all that was needed for the project (each experiment is preceded by a list of necessary items), and the kids had watched the procedure several times, so they knew just what to do and to expect (very simply, you get a shallow pan of milk, put four different colored drops of food coloring---not touching---in it, then you put a drop or two of dish soap in the middle of the drops and watch the colors "run way" from the soap and mix together, making new colors and interesting patterns). I asked the kids to draw pictures of what they saw afterwards and each one wrote (or I wrote for them) what they learned from the experiment.

Mr. Gibson explains the hows and whys of every experiment very clearly, which was a relief for me, because as much as I am truly interested in science, my forte is in the life sciences, not the physical ones. He makes the process and the expected outcome very understandable and I found the experiments easy enough (and clear enough) for me to do with the kids, or to let Tex (age 14) do with them. I also felt that they were so well-demonstrated, that if a teacher was not particularly scientifically inclined, she could forego doing most of the experiments herself and the kids would still understand the basic principles of what was being taught by just watching the videos.

You could also complete lab sheets based solely on the video demonstrations. Here are a few FREE! printables I found to use with the experiments demonstrated on this DVD set: basic page with space for a drawing and blank lines , higher level page listing materials and hypothesis, higher level page showing results and conclusion. Here's a link to Notebooking Nook where you can download a FREE! 16 page science notebooking pages set.

My kids regularly request this DVD to watch their favorite experiments performed again and again. I don't like to have the TV on a lot during the homeschool week, but if there is a stretch of time that it seems appropriate (like if Tex is babysitting, it has been raining relentlessly for a long time, or someone is ill), then I find it hard to find fault with using this DVD as "educational entertainment." I am hoping that since this DVD is called Amazing Science: Volume 1, there must be a second video in the works. We can't wait!

I have had a playlist on YouTube for several years of "science experiment videos" that the kids have enjoyed watching from time to time (because that is the FREE! option), but it is so nice to be able to conveniently pop in a DVD (at home, in the car, at the homeschool co-op) and see high quality demonstrations. For the small investment of $19.95, I don't see how you can lose with this product. It would certainly compliment almost any K-8 science curriculum.

If you have learners at higher levels, you can also purchase video lessons about Chemistry, Physics, Algebra, and Geometry, to name a few. There is even a video tutorial for K-7th Grade Math I'd like to have a look at sometime. Check out the Science and Math website for more video tutorial DVD titles.

The bottom line is that after watching a few of the segments on the Amazing Science DVD, my kids had a renewed interest in pursuing scientific studies and a determination to search for answers to questions they had in a scientific way on their own, and I had an improved sense of confidence that "YES, we can do science experiments (and live to tell about it)." Look at that any way you like, but in my book that's amaaaaazing!

To see what others on the Old Schoolhouse Review Crew had to say about Amazing Science!, check out the Crew Blog.

Blessings,

Disclaimer: I received the Amazing Science! dvd set in order to complete this honest review. The opinions you read here reflect the personal experiences and thoughts of me and my children about this product.

Turn up the Music, Bring on the Art!

2012-04-23T11:55:00.003-04:00

If you read my post A Day in the Life of our Homeschool, you will know that we have a fairly easygoing pattern...especially for the little kids. However, there is a benefit to some sort of planning and structure, both for mom and for the kids, so I came up with the idea of scheduling a "Special Activity of the Day."

By doing this, we can add in those valuable "extra-curricular" activities, such as music and art, that often get forgotten by choosing one from our predetermined list, one at a time, depending on what day it is. In this way I also avoid the problem of feeling pressured to do art/music/writing/dancing/manipulatives/games every day, because there just isn't that kind of time in a day...at least not if we want our school days to end before Daddy gets home from work!

In any case, we came up with the idea of scheduling one "focus" activity a day, along with the usual required Bible, math, spelling, and reading/English. This allows us some variety, as well as a bit of structure, so we don't always default to our favorite activities when there is extra time (such as art for Ladybug, games for Cowboy, or reading for Tex).

Here's the sign I made for our fridge:

Our "Special Activity of the Day" sign

As you can see, we have listed one specialized area of study for each day. I will be honest here and tell you that we do NOT do every of these each week. Some weeks are good if we manage to do two or three of them, and on others we have actually done all five. My attitude about not getting to the "fun" and "special stuff" every day is that while everyone needs goals for which to aim, we should also be content in doing our best...and since we are trying pretty hard, I think our best (for the time being) is actually quite good...though there is always room for improvement.

Our "Writing Suitcase"...one of the kids' favorite extra activities, and something made using the contents of the suitcase (the lion is drawn on other paper and glued on).

Some activities, such as piano practice, do get done nearly every day. Tex is currently using a Suzuki book we purchased off the Internet (with accompanying cd) to learn piano, combined with some low-level tutoring from me, and some more detailed instruction from my mother once a week. He also found out that there are piano lessons on You Tube and has decided that he is going to learn one measure of The Moonlight Sonata every day or two (using those lessons) until he knows the whole thing. So far, he has managed to learn a full page (we printed the music), and sounds quite accomplished!

My philosophy about music lessons is fairly relaxed, as you can probably tell. If my children show an interest in a particular instrument, I will offer them the opportunity to learn it at home for a while. For example, we have the Worship Guitar Lessons on dvd if they want to learn guitar. I highly recommend those. Jean Welles has a very patient manner and the format is excellent for wannabe guitarists young or old (here is another video lesson site I found for free, if you have a child who already knows the basics---check out The Guitarmann.) Once they demonstrate that they are committed to the prospect of daily practices and learning, I will support paying for private lessons, if they are desired. This is the first time Tex has shown consistent long-term interest in something musical, and should he continue along this vein with the resources we have available, I will see about getting him some formal lessons.

Another way we work in music study to our curriculum is that we like to learn classic hymns to sing together. I have enough skill at the piano to play simple versions of hymns we like (out of one of those simple arrangements hymn books), and then we sing just for fun. The kids are learning to sing Be Thou My Vision (this links to a very cool site that offers audio of the four-part harmony parts separately and together for FREE!), and once they know all of the verses by heart, we are going to look for someone at church who knows how to sing in harmony who can teach us to do that as a family (here is a link to a host of other acapella hymns for free to get your family interested in the idea). Eventually, we'd love to have the children be able to sing during offering time at our church since they like to let children and their families sing for the congregation at this time.

Incorporating art has never been difficult for us, as all of my kids love to draw, play with clay, make art projects, and paint. We don't do a lot of formal teaching, though we do have online access to Mark Kistler's Imagination Station Mini-Marshmallow lessons (through the Homeschool Buyer's Co-op), and also to Meet the Masters, if we want to do a more formal study of an artist or style. Ladybug received the dvds of Mike's Inspiration Station from her great-grandmother for Christmas, and she got a few of the See the Light dvds for her birthday from her Nanny and Poppy (you can try a lesson for free online). There is also plenty to find at Activity TV, though your kids may need help wading through the silly and not-so-preferred stuff there.

They also do Nature Studies regularly, which in my book counts as art, if you are encouraging them to be observant, practicing drawing what they see, and can give them a few tips now and then to help them improve their drawings. Two fun ways to hold yourself accountable for what you draw (and they may also motivate your kids) are to participate in Harmony Art Mom's Sketch Tuesday or her Outdoor Hour Challenge. For Sketch Tuesday, you get an assignment every week and send Harmony Art Mom an email with pictures of the photos attached by the deadline, then she posts them in a slideshow on her blog every week. For the Outdoor Hour Challenge you link up blog posts about your nature studies to Barb's blog carnival. It's a great way to keep yourself accountable for getting it done, and to see what others are doing with their nature studies (and art).

We incorporate artist and musician studies into our day as the topic interests us. We will sometimes listen to a tape, cd, or video about a composer while driving long distances, and we have an extensive collection of (bargain priced) cds of many classical composers. I try to look up a bit about whoever I am putting into the cd player to share with them before I start the "concert."

We are building a library of books about artists and musicians, and read one of them from time to time. I also keep an art book with a new picture chosen every month on display in our dining room (on an easel), so they become familiar with a variety of artists. There is also a great art class available online that is free called Art Through the Ages. If you complete this one, you will know a lot about art. I also download pictures of favorite artists, then set one of them as my wallpaper for a while. It reminds me to talk to the kids about that work of art and the artist. Here's a link to some John Constable paintings. You can do a search for your favorites from there.

Once when we were eating out at IHOP, we saw a bunch of pictures that looked like a familiar artist, but I couldn't remember his name, so I had to find a patron who remembered his name, which led us to meeting a very nice older couple. Once we got home, we looked up Andy Warhol's works online and later the kids made their own Warhol-esque pictures. Another time, walking through the hospital to visit someone, we noticed all of the pretty landscapes on the wall, and the kids recognized some of the tunes coming from the piano in the lobby. It's always rewarding to hear your child say (when walking through Busch Gardens), "Mom...that's Beethoven!" Art and music just tend to come up in real life, you know?

One of these days I'd like to get a bit more formal about our art and music studies, but for now the kids enjoy what we do and it is working for us.

If you'd like to see more ideas on incorporating music and art into your homeschool, check out the other entries at the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog Cruise (starting Tuesday).

Blessings,

Disclaimer: I received copies of the student and teacher texts, as well as the downloadable audio files, to enable me to complete this review. The opinion you read here is my own honest opinion, based on our experiences with the product.

God's Great Covenant

2012-04-23T09:17:00.000-04:00

God's Great Covenant: NT 1 The Gospels

God's Great Covenant NT1 is another fine product from Classical Academic Press, publishers of The Art of Argument and Latin Alive!. This in-depth Bible study of the New Testament is intended for grades 4 and higher, and is divided into 36 chapters each of which take about one week to complete. If you choose to purchase the complete set, which is what we received to review, you will get a student manual, a teacher's edition, and a set of downloadable MP3 files of 32 New Testament audio stories. This set costs $56.95 and reflects a savings of almost ten dollars.

My students are currently ages 2 (almost 3), 4, 6, 8, and 14. Our 14 year old completes his Bible study class on his own (he is studying Revelation---his choice), while the little ones do Bible time with me, but for this study we all sat together around the dining room table. I found the study to be just a little bit too hard for the little ones (ages 2-8), though Tex (my 14) found it to be easy/just right. The little ones did, however, LOVE listening to the audio files, and we will continue to listen to them periodically as I felt we learned a lot from the reader's insightful comments and extra interesting information about the Gospels.

One thing I really appreciated about this curriculum is the way it was set up. Each chapter contains: Theme, Scripture Memory Passage, Key Facts, Story Time, Review worksheets, quizzes, and Think About It sections. Many sections include references to how Jesus fulfilled scriptural prophecy, exercises on discerning the important truths of the lesson, and maps to show where the action is taking place. The lessons also include a variety of exercises from word scrambles to crossword puzzles to drawing assignments to keep your child interested in their work. Our favorite section of all was Simon's World, a fictional account of a boy living in Jesus' time which revealed to the children all sorts of interesting facts about life in the time of Christ. I think that even though the workbook is a bit above my Amigos' abilities at this point, we might go through the book and read all of the stories about Simon before putting this away for a few years (my oldest Amigo is 2nd Grade and I'd rather wait for Tex to do it with us as a family).

I really liked how this study kept bringing up several key concepts. It repeatedly went back to the importance of the Gospels, and clearly discussed how each one is unique (written for different audiences) and how they are all pointing to Christ as the Messiah. The study also emphasizes how clearly Christ fulfills prophecy in the Old Testament, and points out specific scriptures throughout that support this assertion. Lastly, I really liked how the book took different questions Christians commonly have or encounter from others, such as the differences in the genealogies and what is the difference between the pharisees and the sadducees, and answers them for you. I find that this comprehensive and thorough treatment of this topic is very appealing to me, and it is exciting to think that once my children have completed this study, they will really have an excellent grasp of Jesus' mission and ministry.

The cost of the student book is $26.95 and the Teacher's Manual can be purchased for $29.95. If I was planning to do the study along with my younger children (which I will do when they are ready), I would not feel I needed the manual to correct their answers (you'd figure them out as you go along), however, there are additional footnotes and more detailed historical and geographic information to enhance your studies in the margins of the teacher's manual (along with a full copy of the student text with the answer key), as well as space to write your own reflections, so some teachers will feel more comfortable with buying it, too. You can check out samples of the Student Text and the Teacher's Edition at the Classical Academic website.

Either way, I'd definitely spend the extra $9.95 to buy the downloadable audio files of Christopher Perrin telling 32 stories from the four Gospels. They are engaging and full of insightful comments that definitely add to the study. You can burn a disk of these files, so you can listen to them somewhere other than the computer you download them onto. My kids were very interested in listening to these stories, and I very much appreciated the extra information and thoughtful comments the reader offered. I imagine we will be listening to these, just for "fun" for years to come. You can listen to a sample from Chapter One of God's Great Covenant.

You can read other reviews about God's Great Covenant at the Old Schoolhouse Review Crew blog.

The Comparison Trap

2012-04-22T01:14:00.000-04:00

The Comparison Trap

I'll admit it. I've done it. I've looked at other homeschoolers, other families, and other mothers and wondered, "Am I doing as well as they are? Are they happier than me? More successful than me? Smarter? More interesting? More on fire for Jesus??"

It isn't something that just recently happened, this comparison thing. I remember dealing with it back in high school, when I looked at the "popular" kids and told myself that I didn't like them much anyway since they were stuck up, and I looked at the "sporty" kids and told myself that they didn't have time to do anything but sports...certainly they did not have time to be in as many activities or get the good grades I got because sports were so silly. I avoided the "stoner kids" because I was told they had a bad reputation (probably true), though I looked wistfully at their laughter and camaraderie and wished I was part of something like that. I even looked at my friends, "the geeks," and told myself sometimes that even though Jim or Sam got a perfect score on the SATs, he had no common sense, so what good was it anyway? My scores weren't that high. They were good, but not perfect. Was something wrong with me?? Essentially, I was comparing myself to all of those people and finding myself falling short of some man-made standard, so I hid my feelings by pretending to not care.

But I did care. Oh, how I wish I'd heard this message back then. If my younger self could hear that God gave us all special abilities...abilities unique to ourselves, intended to fulfill a special purpose bestowed upon us by our Heavenly Father, what difference might that have made in my choices?

Is your problem with comparing yourself to the standard others have set instead of God's holy standard and his goals for YOUR life still a major influence in how you make your daily, monthly, and yearly choices? Who sets your standard? You, your peers, or God?

If you ever struggled with comparing yourself to others (come on, admit it, we've all done it), then this sermon series from Pastor Andy Stanley is for you.

The Comparison Trap

If you aren't familiar with Andy Stanley, the son of well-known pastor, Charles Stanley, and excellent preacher in his own right, you can read more about him at the NorthPoint Community Church website.

Then head on over to the NorthPoint Community Church website and listen to Andy's sermon series The Comparison Trap. I think you will be glad you did. I was.

Blessings,

PS. You are going to love the sixty second long vignette at the beginning of each session. I love Andy Stanley's humor.

A Little Help From My "Friends"

2012-04-16T19:54:00.003-04:00

This week's blog cruise topic is, "Who inspires you?"

As a Christian, I feel I ought to say, "Well, God, of course." Right? After all, it is He who ultimately convinced me I needed to homeschool. He can be very persuasive...and inspiring.

As a parent, I feel I ought to say, "Oh, definitely my kids...I have to keep one step ahead of them, so I have to stay on my toes!" It is true...they are the reason we do what we do. They are our heritage. Our blessing. Our inspiration.

As a wife, I feel I ought to say,"My husband. He inspires me to be the best I can be." Hopefully our husbands make the homeschooling journey more pleasant by helping us meet all of its many challenges and inspiring us to hang in there when the going gets tough.

As a daughter, I feel I should say, "My mom and dad. They are my best friends in the world." They do provide me with so much support that helps me keep going when times are tough, and their kind words and actions often inspire me.

As a friend, I feel I should say my sister-in-law and other homeschooling friends, since gaining insight from those who are traveling the same road and also by helping those who are just starting on their voyage can be very inspiring.

Well, all of these things are true. I do gain inspiration to keep homeschooling from all of these places. What a blessing it is to not be traveling this sometimes difficult and often challenging (but ultimately rewarding) road alone. However, the truth is that sometimes I hit a wall and just can't see what to do. I've exhausted all my resources and still haven't figured out what my next move needs to be. Other times, it seems I've lost the motivation I need to motivate my students. Sometimes I've been praying and can't seem to hear what it is that the Lord wants to tell me. Other times it's because there is an issue that my hubby can't seem to make heads or tail of any more than I can. Perhaps my friends and family have told me what they would do, but none of their answers have worked for me or don't seem to fit my exact situation. Or perhaps I can't find someone I feel I can talk to about a certain topic. What do I do for inspiration then?

Well, here's what I do. I'll admit it to you right now. I am a seminar junkie. A sermon addict. A homeschool or Christian conference groupie. I LOVE to learn. I adore listening to other people's ideas and methods. I find that picking a topic I am feeling uninspired or sluggish in and listening to sermons or seminars about that topic really gets me geared up and raring to go.

Do you attend your local homeschooling convention every year? Are you like me and by the end of the convention, even though you just finished your previous school year, or haven't even completed all of the last year's work, you are ready to get started implementing all the fun and interesting stuff you just heard about?? I don't think I am alone in this, am I?

Well, one way to keep that feeling going all year is to buy the conference cds/mp3s during the convention. It's a bit pricey, but if you save up during the year for them, they can be an inspiration to you all year long, and that is worth the price. You usually get fifty to one hundred talks to choose from (at least you do from our huge convention), and knowing that you will have the collection to listen to later leaves you free to focus on catching your favorite speakers during the convention without feeling that you are missing something important in another room. It also makes it possible for you and your spouse to take time throughout the year to listen to certain sessions together, then to discuss how to implement them in your own homeschool. One of my favorite lectures, from quite a few years back, is GASP! Are you leaving Gaps??? by Tami Duby of Tobin's Lab. Her lecture convinced me to stop worrying about what the state and my neighbors/relatives thought about my homeschooling choices and to focus instead upon what God wanted me to teach my individual students to acheive His purposes and plans. You can purchase it online here...if you are questioning your homeschooling decisions at all, it's definitely worth it.

Another way of gaining inspiration, especially if your local convention isn't that large or inspiring, is to attend one of the new-ish online homeschool conventions. There are a few I know of, though I have not participated in most of them. There are the Heart of the Matter Conference, The Schoolhouse Expo, and The Ultimate Homeschool Expo. I also found the Homeschool How-to Conference, which looks promising, and is free on May 1-3. You might want to check it out.

A few years ago when I was feeling particularly lonely and uninspired (during the months I was pregnant with Boo and not feeling very well), I discovered Cindy Rushton, who has a TON of online seminars available for your listening enjoyment. I was inspired to try notebooking by listening to her lectures on the topic, and she has plenty of printed downloads to supplement her talks, full of ideas and examples to spur you along, as well. You might want to check out her Ultimate Sets, available for immediate download, if you need inspiration in a hurry!

I also have certain speakers whose cd and tape collections I like to bring out an listen to whenever I need inspiration. One of my favorites is Gregg Harris. He has an older collection of how to homeschool talks that I have particularly enjoyed throughout the years.

I also love listening to sermons, as they challenge you in your spiritual journey, which is more important than your educational one. I have quite a large collection of sermons on tape or cd from many sources, but I will just tell you about a few of my favorites.

First, there is SM Davis. He is a conservative Baptist preacher who gives excellent talks about the family, anger, relationships, character, and more. If you are experiencing any troubles at all with the raising of your young ones, you might check out his site, Solve Family Problems. You can preview some of his best sermons online (scroll about halfway down the page to find his sermons), and you can download the fill-in-the-blank sheets to accompany each of the sermons, if taking notes helps you remember information (it also makes the sermons an excellent source of Bible lessons). One of my favorites is What to Expect from a Twelve-Year Old. This is one you should listen to with your kids of all ages. It will inspire some and humble others.

Another preacher favorite is Andy Stanley, son of Charles Stanley, whom you may already know. Andy is an excellent speaker/preacher and my son, Tex, in particular, loves to listen to his sermons. A few times a week he chooses to listen to one of his sermons for his Bible lesson instead of working in his chosen Bible study text. I have absolutely no problem with that! Of course, we love Charles Stanley's sermons, too.

I also like Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill. I think his studies on Proverbs will really make you think, and I hear from my brother that his marriage series is very inspiring, in terms of making your marriage better, though I have not yet listened to it myself. Jeff Pollard, a very conservative preacher (also reformed), has a series on family that will inspire you and make you think.

Mark Hamby of Lamplighter Ministries offers his seminars online for free. He is a wonderful homeschooling father who is not perfect...he made mistakes, which he transparently shares with you, as he discusses the importance of family, fathers, and choosing the best literature to influence your children and future generations.

There are also a few companies whose audio products often inspire me, and the one that pops into mind first is Vision Forum. I have several of their cd sets (or have listened to them from the library), and have found almost every lecture to be the sort that really makes me think, and to want to talk to someone about it to figure out how it should be applied to my life. I won't say that I am fully in agreement with every statement every speaker from that organization makes (for one, I am not in agreement with all of their reformed doctrine), but overall, I truly appreciate their goal of building up the family as a center of discipleship, being mission minded, and focusing on Christ and the Bible when making decisions, from choosing what books to read to what we encourage our children to do as their vocation. We have learned from many of the ideas presented on their Family Strategies set (though a few of the topics weren't really applicable to us), been motivated by the Entrepeneurial Bootcamp set (which I got for only ten dollars at the Antique Mall, of all places!), and been enouraged by the Babies, Adoption, and Family Logistics set.

Two of my favorite speakers who are connected with that organization are Doug Phillips and Voddie Baucham (and here's another page with sermons, but not all of the links work, so you will just have to try a few out, if you are interested). Another favorite is Ken Ham. Here's a link to Divided, The Movie, with both Ken Ham and Doug Phillips in it talking about how worldy youth culture has permeated our churches and seeks to figure out why so many of our youth are leaving the church. I was certainly inspired by this film.

Recently, I discovered the Embassy Institute, a resource of the Institute of Basic Life Principles. I know there are some who will find fault with some of what Bill Gothard says, but there is a lot of good to be found as well. I signed up for the online Institute, which is only $9 a month for unlimited access to every talk they have available, plus all of the outlines. I have been inspired by quite a few of the messages so far, in particular the one by Gil Bates about How to Support a Family of 19 with No Salary (though he was working during this time period, he talks about trusting God to supply your needs). You can check out some of the topics and you will see that many of the 49 character qualities are covered. Each topic is linked to talks that support learning about that topic. It's been a great investment so far.

The point of this long post is that if you are ever flagging in your determination to homeschool, questioning your Christian walk, or concerned that you may not have what it takes to stick to the long road ahead...DO NOT GIVE UP! Go online or to the bookstore or to the library and find yourself some audio inspiration from those who have gone before you...your "friends" and comrades on this sometimes difficult, always worth it, journey. You will be feeling inspired before you know it and excited once again, and before long you will find that you have become an inspiration to someone else.

The blog cruise link goes live on Tuesday and you can check out what others do for "a little inspiration" then.

Until next time...

Blessings,

Heather

Math Made FUN?

2012-04-15T23:17:00.003-04:00

AIMS is a non-profit foundation “dedicated to helping teachers give students a solid conceptual understanding of math and science.”

We were asked to review Looking at Lines from the Algebraic Thinking Series. It has 232 pages covering 32 distinct hands-on activities, mostly using readily available household items. We received a hard copy of the book with a cd-rom containing all of the printables for the activities. Users have permission to print up to 200 copies of the activity sheets for educational purposes.

Each activity includes:

A section for the teacher: standards, objectives, applications, materials, background information, procedures, solutions, and management strategies.

A Key Question with Learning Goals: Can be used as a handout sheet or made into a transparency or slideshow.

Pages necessary to complete the activity: This includes instructions, graphs, charts, and other printables necessary for construction of the exercises.

Connecting Learning: These are the questions that help student connect the activity to the concept and encourage higher level thinking skills as opposed to simple observation.

Hubby and Tex helped me with this review, and here is what Hubby had to say about Looking at Lines:

I found Looking at Lines to be an excellent supplement to an Algebra class or an introduction to related linear concepts. The book is very detailed and can seem overwhelming at first, especially to someone who is not fully comfortable with advanced math concepts. I took a quick glance on the web and I found a college course that uses this AIMS publication as its basis. That shows you the scope of its potential applications.
After I waded through the detailed introductory information (which is geared towards educators), I found all of the practical exercises very interesting. My wife and I struggled with our oldest son in demonstrating the practicality of higher math. I think the problem might have been eliminated (or at least lessened) had we slowly introduced linear thinking using the exercises in Looking at Lines. With my background in math and science, I thought I could use words to communicate abstract algebraic concepts. For my concrete-minded son, this approach bore little fruit. He embraced the value of algebra later when he started working with consumer and business applications, and he now appreciates the skills he learned as he uses them in his small business.
You may wonder why I believe that Looking at Lines works better than other approaches to introducing algebra. First, God blessed us with five other children and I have no desire to face the same struggles with them that I faced with my oldest. While my fourteen-year-old son (Tex) is more willing to embrace algebra, he also likes to see clear examples of what he is learning. Looking at Lines provides those examples in spades.
One of the first activities uses a simple equal arm balance (a plastic straw, stick pin, and some paperclips) and begins to show the student a simple linear equation by moving the paperclips and observing the results. How cool is that!
Build, move stuff around, and evaluate what you see...boys, especially, like that sort of thing. In the first lesson, he learned all the basics and could apply them in a very hands-on, practical way.
The book provides many more methods integrating science, business, gardening, and simple construction. We still needed practice problems and significant parental involvement, but I appreciated each part and how the instruction progressed from simple equations to graphs and tables to equalities and inequalities.
At times the course may require more effort in preparation and execution on the part of the educator than a traditional textbook method, but the results will be a clearer understanding of complex abstracts through concrete observations.
I recommend starting the course early (6th-7th grade) and breaking the work into small, manageable chunks, though it definitely applies to older students as well. The one thing I do not really recommend is giving the book to your student and asking them to do the exercises alone.
Teacher involvement is one of the strengths of this program and except for special cases, should not be forsaken.

Who will benefit from AIMS Looking at Lines?

Unschoolers who have curious students who want to pursue some hands-on math activities on this subject.
Parents of homeschoolers ready grade-wise for a higher level math course, but not quite ready for a full algebra course developmentally (and there is nothing wrong with that!). This would be a way to build some solid foundational ideas and continue doing math, while at the same time, not rushing into a math course the student is not ready for yet.
Younger students who need a challenge, but might not be ready to jump into a full algebra course. You could work on one of these activities a week as a supplement while completing their regular math course.
Parents with hands-on learners who need some guidance in how to add hands-on learning to their math lessons.
Parents of several mulit-age children who want to do some math activities together. While the stated grade level of Looking at Lines is grades 6-9, I really felt some of the basic experiments and concepts could be appreciated by lower level students. Older students could complete the actual graphs and problems, while younger students could help with carrying out the experiments and discussing them.
Folks who like the unit study concept will find that the AIMS books fit well into that sort of teaching style. Have a blast picking out your next unit study from their extensive list of choices! They sell the manipulatives to support their books, too.
Older students would benefit from this as a means to review key ideas by being in charge of completing the activities with their younger siblings. We all learn best by doing and teaching, don't we?
Anyone teaching in a co-op setting would find this entire series of books ideal for that purpose. You can photocopy up to 200 copies of each experiment, not to mention the fact that the presentation method lines up perfectly with co-op settings.
Private and public schools would find this product useful for the same reason.
Tutors might find that this series would be an interesting addition to their repertoire and a welcome change from the straightforward practice of simply going over the student's regular classwork.

When would I say "maybe not..."?

If you don't like having to do class prep, then this would not be an ideal curriculum for you. I felt that a thorough reading of each experiment was needed to familiarize myself with the information, not to mention preparing the materials and handouts necessary for each experiement. It's not that it was really, really hard, but it did require some bucking down on the old algebraic thinking skills.
If you have only one student, the prep time might be a limiting factor for you. For several students or a particularly needy student (someone who needs real life math as an encouragement), it would be all right, but it might be more work than the parent of one traditionally taught student wants to tackle on a regular basis...but how much fun it would be for a unit study!!
Anyone who prefers a regular textbook method is not going to prefer this curriculum, though it wouldn't be a bad thing to throw in activities like this now and then in any curriculum!
Anyone who feels their students need a lot of "drill and repeat" is not going to find that here. Most of these topics connect and develop each other in subtle ways, but you will not be re-covering the same territory repeatedly.

The price for Looking at Lines is $24.95 for the PDF version from the AIMS Store.

There are many more products available, and prices vary, so go check it out for yourself!

Watch some videos and download samples of activities to see how AIMS is "the right fit" for homeschoolers.

You can also check out other reviews of this product and others at the TOS Review Crew Blog.

Blessings,

Heather

Disclaimer: We recieved a paperback copy (plus disk) of Looking at Lines for the purposes of trying and reviewing this product. No other compensation was recieved.

Enlarge Your World With Writing

2012-04-13T07:00:00.001-04:00

Can I let you in on a little secret? You can't tell anyone...okay? Remember, I used to be an eighth-grade English teacher, and now I teach all grades in my homeschool, so this tiny secret could ruin my reputation. Okay. So here it is. I-don't-like-grammar.

Whew! That was difficult, but I feel much better now. Do you think less of me for disliking grammar? I hope not. I think it goes back to the fact that somehow I made it through twelfth-grade Honors English (a year early) without ever really "getting" grammar the way my brilliant peers did. I don't know...maybe my nose was buried in a fiction book hiding behind my (boring!) grammar book when they were going over dangling participles, but somehow, I really don't remember doing much grammar in school. Even so, I managed to get "As" in English, gain a reputation as a fairly good writer, and go on to major in English in college without being able to diagram a sentence. GASP!

I eventually did make it through an incredibly intense grammar course in college, learned all the whys and wherefores of the writing I had been doing by instinct (built upon hundreds and hundreds of good books read over the years), and even learned a respect for diagramming a sentence, yet once I started teaching, I still dreaded that time of the year when we had to focus on grammar. BOOOORING. The students were thinking it, I was thinking it, and I was wondering, "Why can't we just write and practice using grammar correctly instead of having to plod through this book of repetitive exercises?" Sigh.

You will not be surprised to find out that over the last thirteen years of homeschooling, I have done very little "formal" grammar instruction with my students...at least, not in the traditional sense. Oh sure, I will go over comma usage when I see a problem in someone's writing, or discuss possessives when I see someone misusing apostrophes, but I am not known for my eagerness to jump into a particular grammar program every year.

This state of grammar-phobia has left me with a bit of guilt from time to time. Did I try hard enough to help my students be good writers (because there really isn't a market for good grammar-ers, is there?)? Did I miss something? Are my kids being cheated or being left behind????

Obviously, I must think they are doing fine, or I'd change something, right? Actually, I was worried when Bubba started his college courses and had to write his first term paper. I was biting my nails mentally as I waited for the rough draft of that paper to make it into my e-mail box...and then I was blown away. His writing style was smooth, his knowledge base was immense, and his word choices were eloquent. Was all that from me? No, I don't think so. It was more likely from the many good books he read (and continues to read). I might have helped point out that he (still) needs to work on his comma usage, but you can't make a good writer like he turned out to be by doing numbered exercises in a book.

I truly do believe that they key to good writing is bound up in the quality and quantity of reading and writing you do, not the number of grammar exercises you complete. I will stand by that and take it to the bank. However, I will admit that there is a need for specifically directed teaching concerning common grammatical errors and standards of usage from time to time...don't you agree? And, I will also admit that not everybody who home educates their kids has a degree in English or taught grammar and actually got paid for it once upon a decade (or more) ago...and not everybody feels comfortable as a writer, or grammar-er (I made that word up, you know), or editor, or anything else that has to do with writing, let alone writing well.

This is where Write With World comes in. We are long time subscribers of God's World News and World Magazine. My kids of all ages have loved getting these publications in our mailbox since the early years when Bubba and I were just beginning down our home education path. Now Tex loves reading the articles, and will fill all of us in on whatever story he's recently perused, often amusing us with uplifting blurbs or amazing us with the depth of his understanding. When I heard that World Magazine was publishing a writing program I jumped at the chance for us to give it a run through, and I have not been disappointed.

This is all you need to get started with Write With World:

A student text (a teacher text is also available), a writing utensil (it should be a pencil, in my opinion...this is a pen...oops!), and a Composition notebook (cost: one dollar).

Write with WORLD exposes students to:

reading and critical thinking that develop discernment
contemporary subjects and professional guidance to pique interest
flexible exercises to build confidence and skill for using today's new media
a thoughtful and meaningful Christian worldview

Each level has four units. The units are divided into four chapters. Each chapter has five "capsules," or lessons, which can be easily completed during one week. Throughout the course, students will be introduced to (and hopefully cured of) the Top Twenty Grammar Errors (as shown by Andrea Lunsford's research), plus a few more frequent problems found in college writing. Yes, this WRITING curriculum incorporates GRAMMAR study into it. Do you think they read my mind?? I think that is just marvelous, don't you? So, using interesting, relevant, real-life writing (writing about news, life, advertising, and your own student's opinions), your student will learn to be a better writer AND a better grammar-er! ;-)

Seriously, here are some of the topics covered within just the first chapter: use your Thesaurus often (that's my favorite, so I listed it first), know your subject, using strong verbs, appropriate use of adjectives and adverbs, creating word pictures (show, don't tell), editing your own work for sentence fragments, and improving your vocabulary (by introducing new words in every lesson). That's a LOT of ground covered, and I have to tell you that it did not hurt a bit. Not one yawn was yawned, nobody cried, and everyone learned something new and useful. It's a win/win for teacher and student. Hooray!! Read more about the Write With World approach on their website.

Why don't you check out some sample pages of Chapter One of Write With World and see what you think?

Here is the Table of Contents, so you can see what else is taught, in case your interest is piqued.

I asked Tex what he thought of the program:

(since he is the one that used it...)

This is one of my favorite writing programs so far. It is my favorite book-based program.
I like how the book is so easy to read. It is like the teacher is talking to me. Mom says," It is very conversational."
The assignments are interesting and make me think. Mom says, "I like how they asked students to find things to write about that they connect with instead of just requiring them to respond to someone else's prompt."
It is written from a Christian worldview and I appreciate that. In fact, I prefer it. Mom says, "I do, too."
The lessons have to do with many things I experience in real life, and with things that are current. I understand why I have to be able to analyze a book for college, but it was nice to be able to write about the real world and my opinions.
I think the lessons are challenging, but not too hard. Mom was able to help me when I needed it. Mom says, "There is a Teacher's Manual, if you feel you need extra guidance. I did not use it, really."
I like how they teach you things you need to know in the middle of the writing assignment. For example, they teach you new vocabulary in each lesson and about common writing problems, like sentence fragments. I think that grammar is not so bad when done this way. Mom says, "I completely agree. Grammar is so much more pertinent when taught within the context of real writing that YOU did."
I am learning that I have a few things I need to work on to be a better writer, but with this program, it will be fun. Mom says, "If he likes it, how can I complain? I am grateful that he is 'turned on' about learning with this program."
Each lesson (capsule) was pretty short. I could finish it in about 30 minutes a day. Mom says, "The assignments weren't the longest and most taxing exercises in writing that I've ever seen...think more like newsy blurbs that get you to really consider your point of view and how you say it...But then, I am thinking this is more about teaching style and critical thinking (with some grammar and mechanics thrown in), and not necessarily about practicing the usual five paragraph essay sort of thing. I would assume a family would easily be able to still fit in their more arduous writing assignments for history and/or literature around this curriculum at the higher grades without having to stop working on this program. Younger students could go more slowly, if necessary."

This is an example of one day's assignment.

It took a bit longer than the usual, but he did type it and

he probably surfed the 'Net a bit looking for his favorite ad.

It was a toss up between Mayhem and that Star Wars kid car ad...

What I did not like: The student text was not very eye-catching. There weren't many pictures, which surprised me since World is such a colorful magazine. I am thinking that maybe the full edition will be more flashy. The information was good, though. I agree.
There was also no table of contents, which I wanted to use to check off which lessons I completed. I figure that will be in the final format of the book since this was a trial copy. I'd suggest putting check boxes next to each capsule's title so students like me can check lessons off as they go. I agree that this would be useful. Perhaps a suggested weekly schedule in the student book for kids to refer to might be nice, too.
I would have preferred to try the online portion of the program. I like online activities and I think I would have been motivated by the site. I hope I get a chance to see it sometime. I am going to keep working through this text as my writing program for the rest of this school year (this is my choice). I agree wholeheartedly. The site sounds exciting, especially if you can share student writing on it. I was also disappointed that we could not try this part of the program.

Here is a close up of that one assignment:

This is the assignment...

Here is his response.

(Tex prefers to type some of his responses since he is a lefty and when his writing is slow it stifles the creative process...typing is much faster...not to mention the auto-edit function in Word. LOL. We will simply tape this in his writing journal).

Tex says that the assignment really made him think about the motivations of advertisers, especially in relation to how they influenced him. This goes right along with his Logic class (The Art of Argument) and the different fallacies...I love it when a curriculum comes together!

If your middle school student (I would actually say this could be appropriate for grades 5-9, depending on ability and prior knowledge) is languishing in their current very structured and formulaic writing/grammar program and you want to try something new OR if you are TIRED of doing those boring old grammar workbooks, but will feel guilty if you don't do something that practices grammar OR you are looking for something to really get your student to focus on their Christian worldview and how they can develop their writing to be an influence in their world, then THIS is the curriculum for which you have been waiting. Everyone else, well, you might really like Write With World, too, but those folks are going to be doing the happy dance.

Write With World is on sale now, and will be available for shipping during the summer of 2012, just in time for a new school year. One full year of Write With World will cost $95 (for a teacher text with online access and a non-consumable student text). You can save by purchasing both years one and two together for $165.

If you'd like to see what other TOS Homeschool Crew members thought about Write With World, please stop by the Crew Blog.

Blessings,

Disclaimer: I received a Pilot edition of the Writing With World Year One Curriculum, not including access to the online portion, in exchange for my honest review of the product here on my blog. All opinions are our own, based upon our individual experiences with the product. If you have questions concerning our use of this product or this review, please feel free to contact me or leave a comment.

Finding Truth in TruthQuest Beginnings

2012-04-09T21:06:00.002-04:00

What is the prime force in the universe? Economics? Religion? Science?

Who is the initiator of history? Mankind?

What IS history? The story of men and women throughout time?

NO.

The answer to all of those questions should focus on God, not man, don't you think?

History is not the story of man, but of the One who made man.

When we are teaching history, we should not merely be teaching our children memorizable facts about men's battles and accomplishments, but of the influence of God and His providence for all of mankind, and how He has a plan and a purpose for all of us throughout all of history.

All of human history is man's response to the truth...God's truth...so studying history should reflect our "quest" for God within history.

Think about it: if we focus on mankind and his manipulation of history, the future can look pretty bleak. After all, look at what people DO to each other all over the world, every day, today and throughout the ages...

But when we focus on our study of history as a means for understanding how God has worked throughout human history to acheive His mighty purpose, then we can look beyond temporal things and see His Story, and our future as full of promise and provision.

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We were blessed to receive TruthQuest History Beginnings: Creation/Old Testament/Ancients/Egypt in sprial bound print form (also available for pdf download).

This study covers everything from Creation through Egypt, with an emphasis on God's plan for humanity and the evidence of His love as expressed throughout the ages.

I was very excited to receive this review product as I have been hearing about it for several years, but never have had the opportunity to see it for myself. I have to admit to you that history is NOT my strong point. Only once in my public school education can I remember ever being interested in my history classes (it was Ancient and Medieval History because the teacher was obviously an expert in his field who was on fire about the topic, and he transmitted that excitement to his students when he brought the topic alive...plus, he did not use a traditional "textbook," but two fascinating books written by other excited experts...or "Living Books," as Charlotte Mason called them), so my enthusiasm for teaching history has not been on level with my enthusiasm for doing reading, art, science, or pretty much any other subject up to this point.

This is a problem, and I know it. I have tried for several years to find the "perfect" history curriculum for our family, knowing my own poor attitude about history and not wanting it to affect my kids. We've tried several well known curricula and for some reason they just never quite work for us (me). Why? Well, either they required me to stick to a very strict schedule, which sounds great when you are thinking that having a schedule you are supposed to follow will keep you on track (it doesn't always work that way...too much of life happens with ages 2, 4, 6, 8, and 14 at home), they were too dry (as in textbooks, which just aren't our cup of tea), they were too inflexible (there was just so much required work to complete that it left little time for exploring "delight" directed learning without getting far off track), or they required a LOT of outside purchases to utilize (when I have shelves full of great books, just not all of the "right" ones for any particular program).

That doesn't mean that any of these curricula aren't perfect for someone else. They just weren't working for me...at least not for long. You'd think someone with a teaching degree would do better at sticking to a plan, any plan, but the fact is that my specialty was English, not history, and for good reason!!

So when we recieved our TruthQuest History guide in the mail, I was thrilled. On first perusal, it looked fantastic! I spent a week or two just reading through it and found myself falling in love with the Michelle Miller's easy way of writing about a topic (history) that she obviously feels passionate about. I also listened to her audio about yrotsiH: Do We Have it Backwards? to get a more in-depth idea of her vision for the curriculum, and it helped me really want to get on board and get started!

I am so impressed by the thoughtful consideration put into the preparation of this author's sections of background information. Each section always points back to God our Father, Creator and Lord of all. Wow! Yet, the earthly history (dates, people, events) does not suffer for the divine emphasis. Rather, it is woven into a fantastic and fascinating story that makes you feel as if you are having a conversation with the author as opposed to listening to a dry lecture. I highly recommend that if you are searching for a history curriculum for any age, mixed ages, or even for yourself, that you start by checking out TruthQuest History. I really am very impressed.

Here is a thought I had when preparing to use this curriculum: I think that it can be used one of two ways, in relation to the excellent section introductions (which I LOVED, but might be a bit much for wee ones since the World History curriculum is written for grades 5-12, but it is where we are...the author has an American History curriculum for younger students). I think that you have the option of deciding whether you want to read the overview to yourself and summarize it for your youngest kids, teaching them at their level using words/terms with which they are familiar (though the author's style is very conversational, it can get longer than the youngest ones might sit still for), or you may want to read the text straight from the book (this is what I chose since she did such an awesome job!). I'd recommend the latter, as while my youngest ones (ages 2-8) might not have understood every term, they maintained their interest and asked introspective questions. They "got" what God needed them to get at this age. We will come around to these topics again later in their school careers, and they can fill in any comprehension or knowledge gaps then. If you are concerned about which level to choose, the author addresses that issue on her website.

Prior to starting any section, you also need to decide which resources you wish to use. Each lesson has an extensive listing of ideas for audios, visuals, texts, and activites to use. Mrs. Miller relies on several "spine" texts (main supporting texts) for supplemental readings. For our unit, some of the spines were: the Bible, Story of the World, Part 1 by Susan Wise Bauer, Story of the Ancient World by C. Miller and H.A. Huber, Greenleaf Guide to the Old Testament, Genesis: Finding Our Roots by Ruth Beechick, and Streams of Civilization: Part One.

You are NOT required to use all of these. You should probably choose one or two and consistently refer to those when directed to topically specific pages. I appreciated how Mrs. Miller took the need to organize the resources out of my hands (or to find the correct pages to refer to as she lists the appropriate chapters to reference in each resource).

Even more, I liked how she still left me with a choice as to what resources I felt were best for my own students (she indicates grade level appropriateness next to each title, as well as brief, but thoughtful, reviews of the resources listed). Since we have Mystery of History on tape, as well as Diana Waring's Where in the World? series on tape, I used those to supplement our chosen study topics, as well as several of the aforementioned spine books that I already owned. The author is quick to state that her suggestions are just that, suggestions. You are the parent and free to choose and use what you think is best for your individual family and also what you have access to most readily.

Then we had to go to our bookshelves and find any picture books, "living books," and other fiction and non-fiction sorts of books to support our chosen topic. I have our books sorted according to topic for things like "Farm Books," "Inventions," and "Transportation." I also have our history books sorted by time period, so raiding our shelves and adding additional titles to our list of books to draw from was a fun morning's work. We also had the option of requesting a few titles from the Bookmobile, though we found that quite a few of the suggested titles were not available at our library (it's fairly rural out here).

Since we already own a pretty good collection of books, we decided what we had was enough (Mrs. Miller does give you thoughtful synopses and impressions of many of the quality books she suggests, so you can make informed decisions on which ones you wish to go looking for, if you wind up not having any of the books in easy reach). She also cautions about getting caught up in "overkill," or trying to "do it all." Just pick what works for you...what your family can enjoy and complete in a reasonable amount of time.

We later raided our VHS/DVD cabinet to find any movies we might use, as well as checking for available titles on Netflix, YouTube, and other favorite sites. It might sound like a lot of work to you, but honestly, since the hard part, the detailed (and fascinating) narrative, was completed for me, the rest was motivating and fun! It took about a day to lay out a schedule, find appropriate resources, and compile a collection of activities (it could take someone longer to collect resources if you have to really search and do not want to subsitute like I did when necessary).

At night I enjoyed "surfing the net" a bit to find FREE! coloring pages or mini-books for the little kids to add to their history notebooks, though I didn't feel compelled to use them all. TruthQuest History does have a downloadable packet of mini-books and notebooking ideas from A Journey Through Learning (AJTL), if you prefer to buy something already made. Tex (age 14) was in charge of keeping up the timeline and reading a few more advanced books on his own...I didn't make him do mini-books...he just helped me help the others. Eventually, I'd like for him to put together a history notebook with a few choice pages for each main topic, but right now, with us just getting into the history groove, I didn't want to push it.

We enjoyed the fact that we could mix and match books and videos and artistic/creative activities effortlessly. It is not difficult to find a lot of FREE! supplmental resources online, and I appreciated that this curriculum was loose enough that it allowed for me to go crazy when we were in the mood, and to do very little extra (other than reading the overview and maybe out of one of the spine resources) when I wasn't as interested in the topic or did not have time. I didn't have a definitive list of pencil and paper things I HAD to do, or of books I'd spent a lot of money on that I had to read, yet it wasn't so free-form that I had to come up with everything myself.

How perfect!

The general idea for how you might go about doing a day's worth of TruthQuest History (at least for us) was that I'd read the introduction and we would talk about it, the kids might tell me what they'd heard (narrate) or ask questions, and they might draw, color a picture, do a puzzle, or fill in a map while I read. Then later in the day (like lunchtime or before naptime), we'd read a picture book or older living book about a particular topic. Later in the week, we'd watch a dvd relating to the topic or do a project, and finish whatever we'd begun earlier, but not completed.

All week, I'd read a fiction book with characters from that time period as our night time read aloud. We'd usually review the plot each evening before we read and apply any cultural knowledge we gained from our other studies to our interpretation of the book. Tex would pick a picture off of the Internet or our Homeschool in the Woods timeline disk to add to our timeline, and he was usually assigned a harder history book, section of reading in a text, or an additional fiction title.

That's about it. Easy, huh?

I'd check off what we completed in the TruthQuest manual (I highly recommend purchasing the print copy as it is only five dollars more than the download and having something you can write in as a record of what you did is wonderful), and then I'd write in the additional resources we used along with my own comments about them (I love keeping track of that sort of thing, which is, I suppose, why I love that Mrs. Miller did the same thing!)

You will see that I did not say we did any testing, big projects, or major writing assignments. We are just getting into the history groove, and I guess I am "not there yet." I've seen tons of blogs where the kids did every mummy project imaginable and practically reconstructed King Tut's Tomb...I am sure the little ones would have loved to do more of that (we have made pyramids of Legos and made Egyptian paper dolls before, along with other fun projects), but it is a process, and besides, every family is different. I love that Mrs. Miller emphasizes that throughout her books. You must seek what God wants your family to learn, and be diligent to both guard their hearts from what they do not need to hear, and to provide what they do need to learn.

Another thing I especially like about TruthQuest History is the focus on God as the Author of all of History. That is the way history should be taught. I certainly wish I had been taught history from that perspective...well, at least I have to opportunity to learn it that way now. I LOVE homeschooling!

But, you say, there are several good curricula out now that attempt to do some level of that in some form. Why would I choose TruthQuest over one of those other excellent curricula? Because the style suits mine---it is structured and comprehensive enough so that I do not have to do ALL the work, but relaxed enough that I can tailor it to mine and my children's needs and preferences and to what resources I have available. I also appreciate that I can do as little or as much as we are excited to do, and I very much liked Mrs. Miller's wonderful topic introductions. Her style is easy to read and understand and quite inspiring...not to mention (okay, I am mentioning it), the price of TruthQuest just can't be beat.

If TruthQuest History sounds like it might be up your alley, too, you might consider checking out the TruthQuest website for more information about the curriculum, samples of the different books, the Scope and Sequence of the books, an introductory streaming audio about the importance of approaching history from the right perspective, additional resources available for each of the books, and testimonies on how other families use TruthQuest History in their own homes.

The TruthQuest History guide we used is available for only $29.95 (print copy) and $23.95 as a pdf download. You can also purchase a Binder-Builder (from AJTL) for $18.00, Notebooking Pages for $13.00 (AJTL), and a Map/Timeline/Report Package (AJTL) for $13.00. Or you can buy all three downloadable supplements for just $39.00 (some prices may vary by product).

There are many units and levels available, from American History at two different levels, to World History from Creation, through the Greeks and Romans, covering the Renaissance and Reformation, all the way through the Age of Revolution (up to present day). You can check out the different levels and topics and get tips on how to use this product with multiple ages on the TruthQuest site.

Now that we have had the opportunity to try this product, I can't wait to start at the beginning of the book and read her narratives all the way through to the kids. I don't intend to make the kids redo anything we already did...we have read an impressive array of books, viewed many valuable videos, and completed some fun projects (in our haphazard and rambling sort of way) as we've purposed to study early World History this year, but I don't want them to miss out on the impressive narratives that Mrs. Miller offers in her book, so I will probably read the entire text aloud to them on its own until we catch up to where we left off a month or so ago. I am excited to finally find something I can really sink my teeth into and that makes me want to dig more deeply into history and His Story.

Your family's approach to teaching and learning history is likely to have a large impact on how your children percieve God's influence in their own lives and in the larger scope of history and the world. It is very important that you prayerfully consider which history program would best suit your individual family. I am so glad to have finally found TruthQuest History since I truly believe this program is perfectly suited for us. Thank you, Mrs. Miller, author of TruthQuest History, for the wonderful review opportunity and excellent product, and thanks be to God, our Heavenly Father, Author of all History for inspiring her to write this.

Blessings,

Update: I am so excited! A conversation with Mr. Mike, our Bookmobile driver, led to the proprietor of a nearby homeschooling lending library calling me tonight. I just found out that they have over 12,000 hard to find out-of-print titles available for checkout (for a small yearly fee), MANY of which are tied to BFIAR, FIAR and...drum roll, please...TruthQuest History. Yippee!! Now that's Providential, don't you think??

Disclaimer: I recieved a print copy of TruthQuest History Beginnings to enable us to review the product and write a review about it here on our blog. The opinions I am sharing here with you reflect our experiences and in no way guarantee that your experiences or opinions will be the same. If you have questions concerning this product or our experiences with it, please feel free to email me or leave a comment.

Menu Plan Monday (and a Good Read Aloud)

2012-04-09T16:08:00.013-04:00

See other menu plans at Organizing Junkie.

Our Menu Plan:

Monday: Leftover Buffet (lots of ham, scalloped potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, corn, blueberry muffins, watergate salad, french bread, pasta salad, and chocolate cheesecake...yum!!)

Tuesday: Green salad with chicken and french bread

Wednesday: Church supper and Awana

Thursday: Bean soup with HAM and cornbread...the soup will be waiting for us when we get home from visiting the Living Museum with my sister-in-law and nephews. We changed this one up for breakfast burritos, English muffins with honey, and grapes. I never got the soup put on in the morning. Oops.

Friday: Make your own pizza night...you can guess the main toppings...leftover HAM and cheese...LOL! The ladies will be having "tea" with lemon scones, cream cheese pound cake (I've never tried this recipe before, but it looks deeeelicious!), and brownies, so we may not be that hungry. My mom and SIL are coming over with my nephews to watch dvds from Simply Chalotte Mason (I love their free e-books) and play. My brother will meet us here after work and perhaps we can all watch a movie or play some games together. Nice!

Saturday: Mexican Fiesta!! Taco Salad and Tortilla Pie with refried beans and Spanish rice. Just the rib-stickin', finger lickin' kind of food my troops go for after a hard day's work---today's project is building another stall in preparation for Rosie getting weaned soon.

Sunday: Spaghetti and salad served with Italian Bread. Simple and delicious.

Our Read Aloud of the Week:

We will be reading Andi's Lonely Little Foal this week in preparation for weaning Merry's baby, Rosie very soon. We noticed that Lily's baby looks an awful lot like Taffy, the foal in the book. We still don't know what we are going to name her. Maybe Taffy could be a possibility...or Honey (Bubba's idea)...or Dixie (Ladybug's idea)...or Daffodil Buttercup Dandelion (Cowboy's idea).

What do you think??

Rosie (Dusty's Briar Rose), who is as big as her mama at six months old.

Lily's baby, who needs a name. She's a sweetie pie!!

Read her surprising story: Surprise, Baby!

There are coloring pages and activities to go with the story offered for free on the author's website.

Have a blessed week.