Poetry Bee

Rekindle the lost art of recitation in your students by creating your own Poetry Bee. This book contains many different levels of poems that will be enjoyable for all ages to memorize and orally present, from classic authors such as Lewis Carroll, Robert Frost, Christina Rossetti, Alfred Tennyson, Ralph Emerson, to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Get this book for only $.99 on Kindle.  Click here to order now.

I run a Poetry Club monthly in our community for our homeschooling families.  It has been such a delight to see the progress in our children's education.  I loved this so much, that I put my ideas down, and wanted to share it with others.  Thus, I made it an e-book for Kindle Books.  Enjoy!

Sign up for a FREE History DVD Set

School principals, register for your school’s free AMERICA The Story of US DVD!* HERE
America The Story of US — premiering on HISTORY™ April 25 at 9pm/8c — is a six week event that provides a fascinating look at the stories of the people, events, and innovations that forged our nation. It will provide you with an unprecedented opportunity to bring our nation’s history to life for your students. This 12-hour series will be supported by educational materials tied to curriculum standards and is copyright cleared for Fair Use in the classroom by instructors or pupils in the course of face-to-face teaching activities.
* HISTORY is offering America The Story of US on DVD to every school in the United States. School must be an accredited public, private or home school, grades K-12 and college. In order to receive your school's DVD, your school principal (grades K-12) or Dean of Students (college) should fill out the request form below. HISTORY strictly limits each school to one request. DVD requests must be made prior to July 1, 2010. DVDs will be mailed around August 2010, and free shipping is included in this offer.

Learn With Me

Check out this new product for home schooling families at Learn With Me!

At Learn With Me, our goal is to provide home educators and teachers resources that bring life and depth to a student's study of reading and writing. Our feature product is Read With Me. This book contains the core principles of reading with purpose; we call this strategic reading. These strategies are taught through activities, writing prompts, unique ideas, literary terms and much more. Read With Me is a must have resource for any language arts educator.

Our line of literature study guides are crafted to elicit discussion, foster literary analysis and also inspire change. These are available in book form or digital download.

True Confessions of an Organized Homeschooling Mom

I have become so frustrated with my homeschool supplies lately. I have to hide the permanent markers, glue, and scissors from my toddlers. Needless to say, I can never find them because they are hidden so well.. .. in drawers, the top of book shelves, in between books....everywhere!

So I broke down and bought this adorable tote at Walmart today! I am so excited! Why did I not think of this sooner?

You Know that you are a Homeschooler When...

your mother and best friend give you curriculum for your birthday presents - and you are thrilled! I just had to share what they gave me because I am always looking for a good recommendation.

The Core Knowledge Series - E. D. Hirsch, Jr.
Magic Tree House readers - Mary Pope Osborne
Leap Frog Alphabet Go Fish and Math Rummy

Note: My children are ages 5 1/2 and younger, so these things are for that age group.

Classical Music Curriculum

Adult Sources:
A. Copeland, What to Listen for in Music
B. Kavanaugh, Spiritual Lives of the Great Composers
C. Fuller, How to Grow a Young Music Lover

October Vivaldi
Suggested Music: The Four Seasons (a must), Violin Concerto in A Minor, Op. 3, 6
Audio: Classical Kids: Vivaldi's Ring of Mystery, Douglas Cowling,
Other possible sources: Introducing Vivaldi, Roland Vernon Musical concept: volume

November Peter Tchaikovsky
Suggested Music: 1812 Overture, Nutcracker Suite
Audio: Classical Kids, Tchaikovsky Discovers America, Susan Hammond
Famous Children Series, Ann Rachlin
Fieldtrip: Nutcracker Suite
For older kids and read aloud: Two by Opal Wheeler
Other: Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers Series, Mike Venezia
Musical concept: tempo

December Handel
Suggested Music: Messiah, Joy to the World (about Second Coming), Soulful Celebration (try it!), Firework Music, Water Music
Adult: Spiritual Lives, The Man who Wrote Messiah, D. Berreby, Reader's Digest Apr. '92
Audio: Classical Kids Series, Hallelujah Handel, Douglas Cowling
Book: Famous Children
Video: Handel's Last Chance, Devine, D. For older kids or read aloud: Handel at the Court of Kings, Opal Wheeler
Fieldtrip: Handel's Messiah
Other: Handel: Who Knew What he Liked
Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers Series, Mike Venezia
Musical concept: melody

January Bach
Suggested Music: Joy to Man's Desiring, Brandenburg Concerto #2, Minuet in G
Adult: Spiritual Lives
Audio: Mr. Bach Comes to Call, S. Hammond (Classical Kids Series)
Video: Bach's Fight for Freedom
Book: Famous Children Series, Ann Rachlin; Bach's Goldberg Variations, Anna Harwell Celenza
Older Kids or read aloud: Sebastian Bach: Boy from Thuringa, Opal Wheeler
Other sources: Sebastian, J. Winter
Glory and Honor: The Musical and Artistic Legacy of Johann Sebastian Bach, Gregory Wilbur
Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers Series, Mike Venezia
Musical concept: rhythm

February Franz Joseph Haydn
Suggested Music: Thanks to our Father, Primary Children's Songbook p. 20, The Seasons, The Creation, Symphonies 45 and 94, Op. 76, #3; 76, # 4
Book: Famous Children Series, Haydn, A. Rachlin; The Farewell Symphony, Celenza; The Surprise Symphony, Celenza
For older kids or read aloud: Haydn: The Merry Little Peasant, Opal Wheeler
Musical concept: pitch

March Wolfgang Amadaeus Mozart
Suggested Music: Ah, Vous Dirais-je (Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star), The Magic Flute, The Marriage of Figaro Overture
Adult: Spiritual Lives
Audio: Classical Kids Series: Mozart's Magic Fantasy: a Journey Through the Magic Flute, Mozart's Magnifican Voyage, D. Cowling
Book: The Magic Flute: Anne Gatti (book and CD),
Famous Children Series
Video: The Magic Flute (DVD in system claims to be for children)
For older kids or read aloud: Mozart the Wonder Boy, Opal Wheeler
Mozart, Scenes from the Childhood of the Great Composers, E. Brighton
Mozart Tonight, J. Downing
Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers Series, Mike Venezia
Musical concept: harmony

April Ludwig von Beethoven
Suggested Music: Symphonies 5 and 9, The Heroic Symphony, Piano music 8 and 14, Hallelujah Chorus from Christ on the Mount of Olives
Adult: Spiritual Lives
Video: Beethoven Lives Upstairs (also in book and audio)
Book: Value Tales: The Value of Giving, The Heroic Symphony, A. H. Celenza, Famous Children Series
For older kids or read aloud: Beethoven and the Chiming Tower Bells, Opal Wheeler
Other sources: Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers Series, Mike Venenzia
Musical concept: some singing instruction

May Frederic Chopin
Suggested Music: Revolutionary Etude Op. #10, #20, Fantasy Impromptu Op. #66, Etude in A Minor, Op. #25, and #11
Adult: Spiritual Lives
Book: Famous Children, Chopin, A. Rachin
For older kids or read aloud: Frederic Chopin: Early Years, Frederic Chopin: Later Years, Frederic Chopin: Son of Poland all by Opal Wheeler

June
Other Stuff Too Good to Miss! Maybe take a week on each?
Camile Saint Saens: Carnival of the Animals (look for the video, too), Danse Macabre
Pacabel's Cannon
Gerswin: Rhapsody in Blue, Book: Gershwin's Rhapsody in blue, Anna Harwell Celenza
For older kids: George Gerswin, American Composer, C. Reef
Meet the Orchestra, by Ann Hayes in conjunction with Peter and the Wolf
Musical concept: tone color

Other Composers for some other time
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Hark, the Herald Angels sing
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Spiritual Lives
Hidden Music: The Life of Fanny Mendelssohn, G. Kamen
Mendelssohn, Melodic Masterpieces
Famous Composers for Young People, G. Burch

Johannes Brahms, Hungarian Dance #5
Wiegenlied, Brahms Lullaby
Symphony #1, Op.68
Savior Hear Us When we Pray
Spiritual Lives
Famous Children Series

Paper Music: Bobby McFerrin conducts and sings classics
Discoveries in Music or Melody Lane, Calvert School
Classical Kids, Song of the Unicorn and A Classical Kids Christmas both by Susan Hammond
The Accidental Voyage (a Mr. Pipes), Douglas Bond
Mr. Pipes and Psalms and Hymns of the Reformation, Douglas Bond
Mr. Pipes comes to America, Douglas Bond
books by Majorie Persons?
Can You Name that Classical Tune?
Pictures at at Exhibition
World's Very Best Opera for Kids
The A to Z of Classical Music
Franz Schubert: Life and Words
Famous Children Series: Schumann
Bravo! Brava! A Night at the Opera, Anne Siberell
Robert Schumann and Mascot Ziff, Opal Wheeler
The Gift of Music, Smith
Classical Kids: Bizet's Dream, Liszt's Rhapsody, Rossini's Ghost, D. Devine
Silent Night: The song and its Story

School?

At our house we don't do "school". We have routines like get dressed, make your bed, brush your teeth... Then we have fiddle practice. Then Caden goes down for his nap and we gather for what we call school. It consists of a devotional of sorts where we have morning family prayer and then we study out of Gospel Principles together. Then we have "kids school" where I teach them whatever I feel like for anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour. Then they build things or draw or read while I study. Then we usually we have really great discussions around the lunch table about what we've each learned.
I have found that everyone remembers what they study themselves a lot better than they remember what they are "taught" plus, it really adds to the learning of the whole family when everyone learns what they are excited about and then teaches the rest of us.
For example, on Tuesday, we were studying the story of Daniel in the Lions Den as part of our study of Gospel Principles and Colin remembered that he had heard in The Story of the World that King Nebuchadnezzar had gone mad and ate grass. Somehow in my almost 30 years of life I'd never heard that story so we looked it up in Daniel. Sure enough he was right on, as usual. So we talked about that for a minute.
Later that night we told Randy what we'd learned just before he picked up The Long Winter to read to us. Three pages into chapter 31 he read, "'Could we eat grass?' Carrie asked. 'No, Nebuchadnezzar,' Pa laughed." Then, of course, we all laughed. It was great. I have read that book at least three times and never got that reference before Colin taught me the story. I love it when our books talk to each other and when my kids teach me things!


Sometimes I do freak out a bit and get nervous that we will miss something or some crazy fear like that. At those times, I take it to the Lord in prayer and he always comes through for me.
Two Examples:
1 - Geography.
I have issues with geography because the only thing I remember about geography is sitting in that basement room that had a lot of rolled up maps on the wall in the Jefferson. We colored a lot, don't remember what, and I remember wishing I could be across the hall in the library or the cafeteria instead. How was I going to "teach" my kids geography?!!
I read somewhere that the best way to learn geography was to draw maps. My artistic skills were killed in kindergarten when the class laughed at the "flower" hands that I drew. Those weren't petals - they were fingers! How was I going to "teach" my kids to draw maps.
I prayed about it and later that day at "school" I pulled out the Draw Write Now books and drew myself a chicken. I CAN draw and it's fun! I finished up the chicken with a barn and some hills. Caden helped me with the "finishing touches."



I left the books out on the table and went to make lunch. They were still out that night so Colin took one to bed with him after prayers, scriptures and stories. He came down to the kitchen around 10:00 holding a map of Australia he'd drawn. God does answer prayers! I didn't even know that maps were in that book. Colin has since drawn many, many maps and has big plans for building an interactive web page using his pictures.



2-Long Division
I do fine at good old fashioned arithmetic. I love it. Robyn spends hours doing her math workbooks and we have great times together. Colin doesn't particularly care for workbooks - as a general rule, they bore him silly. He spends hours working out problems that matter to him. He adds the letters in the alphabet using either the corresponding number on the telephone pad or the number the letter is in the alphabet (1-26). He even can add roman numerals and binary numbers. I cannot "teach" him math. I searched for math books that we could find common ground with and I think I found one. It's Life of Fred. Problem is, you have to know long division before you start.
I prayed about math and, the next day, Colin asked me how many 22s were in 72. He had made himself a game and didn't want to count the 72 spaces. He knew that there were 22 spaces on the board so if he knew how many 22s were in 72 he wouldn't have to count so much. He now knows a bit about long division.



Life is so fun!

Why do I Homeschool?

Hmm…
Time spent sitting at the table “doing school”(with classical music playing in the back ground): 2 ½ hours.
Time spent at the park playing catch with Dad during his lunch break: ½ hour.
Time spent lying on the grass with my children while eating cookies and reading C.S. Lewis together: 2+ hours.
Time spent doing whatever I wanted while my children created and played with “robot/alien/astronaut” costumes out of tinfoil, boxes, and various odd items: at least 3 hours.
…and that is only part of an average day!

It is widely documented that on average homeschooled students of all ages test higher than public and private school students –regardless of their parent’s education. In light of all the available research (see stats here) it seems that those who send their children to regular brick & mortar schools must have some reason for doing so other than the quality of their children's education. Perhaps both parents must work outside the home, one may have poor health, some may feel unqualified (if so, please re-read the first sentence in this paragraph more closely). Certainly there are some legitimate reasons; many of my friends admit they simply don’t like being around their children for too long, they need more time for themselves. (I commend their ability to look their decision squarely in the face and see it clearly for what it is.)

Another big issue with homeschooling is represented by the question I am most frequently asked, “What about SOCIALIZATION?!”

I have occasionally answered (with a twinkle in my eye) that "We’ve found the perfect solution to all of that… I just beat them up, steal their lunch money, and lock them in the bathroom once a week. Sometimes their dad and I won’t speak to them for a whole day because they were friendly with someone we don’t like, or ‘cause they didn’t dress in-vogue. Don’t worry, we know how important it is for our children to get a real school experience!” :)

In all honesty, no, homeschooled children are not socialized the same way public school students are, instead they are socialized the way the world truly is. Unless the family tries to be hermits they will inevitably socialize. In merely going about your daily life you interact regularly with all ages and in all kinds of situations. When you homeschool you simply take your children along through life with you, daily modeling appropriate socialization with immediate & extended family, neighbors, ecclesiastical leaders, librarians, people in the grocery store etc. All the homeschooled children I know will say “hello” to their siblings in public!! :) No, this is not the same kind of socialization! There are no clicks, negative pressure, or exclusion based on fashion or experience… instead there is love, acceptance, and guidance by those who truly care for their well-being. Homeschooled children still learn to work in a group, accept direction from adults other than their parents, and how to stick to a deadline; but more than all of this, they are allowed to explore, discover, dream, and be themselves. They are generally given a great deal of educational freedom (how shocking!) but studies repeatedly show us that they are more intelligent, creative, and enthusiastic about learning (and, I believe, happier) than their brick & mortar counterparts.

...And people ask me why I homeschool!