Squidoo : Lenses by Jimmie

Homemade Calzone

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:03:52 -0600

Calzone is a close cousin to pizza; you could even call it wrapped up pizza because the filling is encased in the delicious dough rather than sitting on top. Want to impress your family? Need a handy food, easy to eat at a picnic or party? Calzone fits the bill. Cut it into slices, and it can be eaten with your hands! Here are step by step directions with photos for making large, homemade calzones.

Making a Shoebox Diorama

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 08:39:14 -0600

The classic shoebox diorama is a childhood rite of passage. Although it can be used for school work, your children may enjoy making them just for fun. Make a diorama alongside your child today with this step by step tutorial.

Hands-on Fractions

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:06:55 -0600

Understanding fractions is a critical foundation of math learning. But despite their daily frequency in our lives, math with fractions can be difficult to grasp. Not surprisingly, research shows that to master fractions, students need multiple opportunities to practice with many varied representations of fractions. So a one time activity of cutting up a Hershey bar into smaller squares, although great fun, may not be enough to truly cement the understanding of how fractions work. By all means, cut up chocolate bars, pizzas, and pies. And add even more activities such as the ones featured here.

Human Body Lapbook

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:25:06 -0600

We all have one! We use it every moment of every day-- your incredible human body! What a personal and relevant topic of study for any child! For the younger students, your study may focus primarily on anatomy, so you will explore the body's organs and body's systems. For older students you may extend the study into physiology and add in the functioning of the human body, including its systems, tissues, and cells. Browse the ideas and links here to plan your human body lapbook, notebook, or unit study. Photo credit

Minibook Gallery

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:17:32 -0600

Whether you're new to lapbooking and are trying to get an idea of what minibooks are or whether you're an old hand at lapbooking and want some fresh ideas, welcome to the minibook gallery! Browse the images for some creative inspiration. Follow the links for directions and templates. Each photo featured on this page comes from a minibook that my daughter made as part of her homeschool experience over the past seven years. Each is uploaded to Flickr. So if you need a closer look, click the image to see it larger. If you're looking for printable templates for these minibooks, keep scrolling down. There's a link lower on the page for Homeschool Share, your best site for templates and printables.

50 States Notebook

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 23:54:36 -0600

The Fifty States of America is a popular notebooking topic. It can be the basis of a unit study, or it can be a supplement to your American history curriculum. When you're finished, you have a wonderful, homemade reference book, filled with facts and memorabilia about the states of America. Here you will find free printables, books, ideas for what to put in the notebook, and supplementary activities.

Shakespeare for Children

Sat, 14 Jan 2012 10:26:08 -0600

When should students first be exposed to the world famous works of William Shakespeare? Should it be during high school or college years? Isn't it true that Shakespeare is inaccessible for most modern readers and certainly for all children? No, not at all. The nuances of language may be out of the reach of elementary students, but the stories of Shakespeare's plays are well within their grasp. Although your ultimate goal is for your children to read and enjoy Shakespeare's original works, don't wait until they can before offering them a taste of these classic works. Child-appropriate chunks of the Bard's works will lay a foundation for reading his original works later. At that time, they can focus their attention on the beautiful turns of phrase and poetic descriptions rather than the complicated plot lines which they already understand.

Lapbooking

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 21:55:18 -0600

Lapbooking can be done by any learner-- from preschoolers to adults. With this educational method, you make mini-books covering details that you've studied. After making a variety of mini-books about a larger topic, all the books are put together in a large folder. The finished product is called a lapbook because it's large and covers your lap. Lapbooking helps children learn what they study. Later the completed lapbook can serve as a review tool as your children refer to it over and over again. And if you have to keep a homeschool portfolio to document learning each year, lapbooks can be a very impressive addition. Parlez-vous francais ? Cette information a ete traduite par Isableue sur Arboressences. Per un estratto in italiano clicca qui.

Tangrams

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:11:38 -0600

Tangrams are geometry made into 3D, creative fun! Print off some paper tangrams or make your own from craft foam. How about tangram toast for breakfast? Then put on your visual-spatial thinking cap as you discover how to arrange the tiles to make animals, people, or objects. Put away the math workbook and play with tangrams for your math lesson tomorrow. Demonstrate that you understand math vocabulary by manipulating the seven tans. Tangrams are rather mysterious as no one know exactly how they came to be. We do know that tangrams originated in China. So playing with tangrams can be a nice hands-on activity for a unit study about China.

Sentence Patterns

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:37:24 -0600

Sentences are the first goal in writing, and although they may be compared to baby steps, they are not just for the young grades. Even adult authors need to know the different ways to craft sentences and to combine sentences. There are rules that govern sentence building, and amazingly there are actually only a few basic sentence patterns. Master these five sentence types, and you can write anything -- correctly!

Timelines for Homeschool

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 21:09:32 -0600

Timelines are an important complement to any homeschool history curriculum no matter your spine or educational philosophy. They are especially good for visual learners because they offer a view of historical events in a pictoral way. Even very young children can use a timeline to see the span of time between events. Any historical person or event that you study can be placed on the timeline. So the timeline can integrate your studies in art, music, literature, and science, with your history studies. And you can include your own family's events such as births or marriages as well.

Math Notebooking

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:02:49 -0600

Whether you call them math notebooks or math journals, writing about math and documenting math activities are a great way to cement mathematical understanding. And along the way, you're creating a wonderful record of your math studies that can be useful for portfolios or homeschool evaluations. Grab a three ring binder and some paper. Let's start making math notebooking pages! Here you will find ideas for things to put into math notebooks, math journal prompts, free printable pages, and other math notebooking books and links.

Physics Lapbook

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:45:36 -0600

Think physics is only for geeks? Think again! Physics is a fascinating facet of science that is especially relevant to children -- pushing and pulling, falling and leaping are all components of this science. Even elementary students can benefit from a study of physics. Use this page to help you design your own physics lapbook or unit study. This page actually has material for making at least six lapbooks. Click on the link to take your directly to the subject you're looking for. Forces and Motion Lapbook ◊ Simple Machines Lapbook Light and Color Lapbook ◊ Sound Lapbook ◊ Electricity Lapbook Magnetism Lapbook

Grammar for Homeschool

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:43:44 -0600

Although teaching grammar has become slightly old fashioned, most home educators still want to incorporate at least the very basics of the parts of speech into their language arts curriculum. Here is a collection of some of the best resources available to make learning English grammar interesting and memorable. Many of them can be found free online, so with just a little bit of planning, you can develop a very low cost homeschool grammar curriculum.

Greek Classics for Children

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:34:58 -0600

Any study of ancient history would be incomplete without a stop in Ancient Greece. Why Study Ancient Greece? Western Civilization owes a great debt to this ancient society --the seeds of democracy, mathematics, philosophy, theater, and art. The great classics of this period, including the Greek myths, The Iliad, and The Odyssey, have remained foundational works of literature for hundreds of years. All educated Westerners should be familiar with these stories since so many other works of literature and even our very language include allusions to them. There are a lot of great resources for studying Ancient Greece. I've compiled the best ones here. Some are free, online things. Others are retail. But the good news is that many of them are in the public domain and FREE. Whether you want a living books approach or want to make a lapbook (or maybe both), you will find some excellent materials hidden in the links below.

How to Make a Shadow Puppet Theater

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 23:30:26 -0600

Making shadow puppets with your hands has been a pastime since the earliest of times as men sat around an open fire. Dress it up a bit by designing a small puppet theater and cardboard shadow puppets. Then dim the lights and treat your family and friends to some entertaining performances. Making a shadow puppet theater is an inexpensive family time activity that will build memories. It could also be used to narrate back something read for homeschool or for a book report presentation. All you need is a cardboard box (a cereal box works very well), scissors, tape, thin white paper or wax paper, and either straws, craft sticks, or skewers. A desk lamp works well for the light source. Oh, and you need some imagination because there are stories to be told!

Space Lapbook

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 23:30:42 -0600

Take advantage of a child's natural fascination with outer space and space travel with this science unit study! What child doesn't like to pretend he's an astronaut, flying a spaceship to a distant planet or yet to be discovered galaxy? Channel that curiosity into the creation of a space lapbook! It is so much fun, the children won't realize that they are "doing school!"

Elements of Fiction

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 14:39:21 -0600

Every story has the elements of fiction whether it is a short story, a novel, a play, a movie, or even a television sit-com. The story you told your husband at dinner last night probably had these elements as well. And your child, even if he has not formally studied the elements of fiction, has already internalized many of the elements of fiction merely from exposure to stories, television, books, and drama. When it is time to introduce the literary terms of character, plot, climax, setting, conflict, and point of view, be sure to connect the ideas to the stories he already knows. It's not hard to understand the elements of fiction, and a strong foundation in these elements is the cornerstone of writing literary analysis or even just a simpler book report. Furthermore, competence with literary elements is always part of reading scope and sequence charts for most all grade levels.

Salt Dough Maps

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 21:34:29 -0600

How can a little flour, water, and paint become a fantastic hands-on geography project, full of educational benefits? With salt dough maps, that's how! Get messy and make a 3D relief map of a country or state with these directions and pictures.

Ancient China: A Homeschool Unit Study

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 17:49:27 -0600

When teaching our children ancient history, we are sure to include Ancient Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, and Ancient Rome. Unfortunately we sometimes omit another great ancient civilization on the other side of the globe-- Ancient China. Maybe we ourselves don't know much about Ancient China, or we have no resources that cover Ancient China. If you've come to this page, you are probably wanting to teach your child about Ancient China. Congratulations! The study of Ancient China is fascinating. This page was created to help you design your own unit study about Ancient China.

Classical Music Lapbook

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:32:30 -0600

Music is one of those topics that we homeschool moms know we should teach our children. But whether it's because of our own lack of knowledge, a tight homeschool budget, or just a crowded schedule, music study often gets pushed to the back burner. This lens will help you painlessly educate your children about classical music through a unit study or lapbook approach.

Ancient Egypt Lapbook

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 21:38:59 -0600

Ancient Egypt is one of the most fascinating of world cultures! What child isn't intrigued with mummies, pyramids, and the complicated religion of this ancient civilization? Create an interdisciplinary study by including subjects besides just history. For example, you can study the plethora of gods and goddesses through their portrayal in Egyptian art. The Egyptians also had advanced mathematical understanding. Float down the Nile with the Pharaohs and study Ancient Egypt today. Whether your children are early elementary or middle school, you can record your learning in a lapbook or notebook. Besides photos of my daughter's own lapbooks, I've collected and linked some of the best online resources available.

Nature Study -- Charlotte Mason Style

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:18:14 -0600

Charlotte Mason's educational philosohpy is a great fit for homeschool families who love great books, simple methods, and academic excellence. One component of a Charlotte Mason education is the regular study of nature. Nature Study has just two parts -- the Doing and the Documenting. Doing -- the nature walk Documenting -- the nature journal or notebook (This page has a sister page at Nature Tales -- CM inspired living books to supplement your nature study.)

Picasso Artist Study

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 21:14:09 -0600

Study the artwork of a modern artist whose very name has come to mean a masterpiece of art-- "a Picasso." If your children have been studying more traditional artists, the works of Picasso may be a most welcome change of style. Dabble into the artistic schools of Cubism and Collage as you reproduce your own Picasso-styled art. It's fun! I'm going to walk you through a Picasso artist study: share what we did and also share some additional ideas and resources. Pick and choose what works for you.

How to Plan a Lapbook

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:29:32 -0600

Once you understand the basics of lapbooking, you can easily plan your own lapbook to match whatever topic you are studying. You don't need to buy a kit, so you save money. And you can custom design the lapbook to reflect your children's interests and educational needs. So grab a pad and a pen (or print my lapbook planner page), and let's start planning.

Mini Offices

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 21:31:34 -0600

A mini office is a particular application of lapbooks. Each child can make his own mini-office -- a lapbook filled with reference pages for his own learning. The sky is the limit on what you can include. Fill the mini office with the charts that your child needs -- maps, state abbreviations, penmanship models, clock faces, a multiplication table, or timelines. The mini office actually helps the student move towards being a more independent learner as he looks up the answers to his own questions. With a mini office, you have an individualized reference tool for each student! Cater it to your child's level and needs. Make a new one each term if necessary or make several -- one for each school subject. Pull out the math mini office when studying math. Or use the language arts mini office when doing a writing assignment. Since the mini office is affixed to a file folder, it can be easily folded up and put away when not needed. But when the child needs to look up a fact, he knows right where to go -- to his mini office. And because it's so small and tidy, it's portable when you want to "homeschool on the go."

Teaching Writing without (BUYING) a Writing Curriculum

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:41:15 -0600

Finding a writing curriculum can be difficult and expensive. But it doesn't have to be. Actually, as long as you have an English usage manual or two, you don't need a writing curriculum at all. You simply need to practice writing! Repeated experience writing and editing your writing is the best way to improve your skill. And that requires no fancy curriculum or textbooks --just time to write. Caveat -- some families really do need a writing curriculum. Read Do I Really Need a Writing Curriculum? at In Our Write Minds blog to discover if you need a curriculum or if you can go the DIY route as I outline here. photo credit

Celebrate the Peanut -- A Unit Study

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:55:14 -0600

The average American consumes more than six pounds of peanuts and peanut butter products each year. WOW! Americans love to snack on peanuts. In fact, four of the top 10 candy bars manufactured in the USA contain peanuts or peanut butter. Because of their popularity and versatility, peanuts contribute more than $4 billion to the USA economy each year. And around the world, peanuts are an important source of protein and edible oil. Actually, the peanut is not a nut, but a legume related to beans and lentils. But you already knew that! Do your children? How about a peanut unit study or a peanut lapbook? You can cover geography, history, botany, nutrition, and language arts through a thematic unit on the peanut. photo credit

BF History of the Horse Unit Study

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:48:36 -0600

Welcome to my curriculum review of The History of the Horse. Buying homeschool curriculum is a huge decision. Not only is it a large investment in money, but the responsibility of choosing the best materials for your child is ever-present. The more feedback you can get from actual users of a product, the more informed your decision will be. For that reason, I like to post online my own opinions of the curricula I've used. Of course, these are my own evaluations and experiences. Everyone has her own ideas. Here are mine! I was reading through homeschool catalogs, and I wanted to enlist my nine year old daughter's opinions as I made some curriculum choices. So I read her some product descriptions. When I read about the Beautiful Feet History of the Horse, she was excited! "That's what I want to study, Mom!" she said. In doing online research, I couldn't find a lot of product reviews for History of the Horse. So the day I ordered the unit study, I started work on this lens, committing to share my own evaluation of this curriculum with other moms hunting for good material.

Science Notebooking

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:53:26 -0600

If you're new to notebooking, you'll discover that science is a great topic to begin with. Because science is so broad and lends itself to a variety of methods of expression such as charts, diagrams, paragraphs, and photos, it's perfect for notebooking. Read on for more ways to jump into science notebooking. If you've already been using notebooking as a learning tool for science, you may find here some new printables to use or discover some ways to hone your notebooking to gain the greatest educational impact. The last thing we want is busy work for our children. Make your notebooking count by implementing sound instructional practices. Science Notebooks are a tool for the student to organize thoughts, consider possibilities, and record observations. For the teacher or parent, the science notebook is a way to assess understanding and to create a portfolio that can serve you well in homeschool evaluations. And real scientists use laboratory notebooks regularly in their daily work. In this photo, my daughter is drawing a diagram of the lever she just constructed. You can see her living book open in front of her. There is a lot of learning going on there.

Rainforest Lapbook

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:13:32 -0600

The tropical rainforest is a fascinating topic for a homeschool unit study! Just the botany and zoology alone could take weeks to cover. There are also the history of the rainforest, the indigenous peoples of the rainforest, and the economy of the rainforest. You can cater this topic to your youngest of students by focusing on the fascinating creatures such as toucans and leopards or raise the challenge by requiring older students to explore the political issues surrounding the use and misuse of this global treasure. Your options are almost as endless as the variety of life in the rainforest itself. This lens (or webpage) is designed to point you in the direction of some great online resources and living books that will enhance your homeschool unit study of the rainforest. If you like to make lapbooks, you will be delighted to find free printable templates for rainforest related minibooks. Each photo of a homemade minibook is a link to a template I designed. Get your pith helmet and let's explore the rainforest! photo credit

Chemistry Lapbook

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:35:21 -0600

Finally we are studying chemistry for homeschool science! This year is going to be really fun! We will study the elements, learn about subatomic particles, read biographies of famous chemists, and the best part -- make lots of messy experiments! Besides all that, we'll record our learning in a lapbook or two. And we're sure to throw in some notebooking as well. So here are the free online goodies I found to supplement our Noeo Science curriculum. By the way, Noeo offers three levels of chemistry based on your child's reading level (or age). I love Noeo because it's a living books based curriculum that incorporates experiments into the reading. But Noeo doesn't plan a lapbook for you, so I did it myself. photo credit

Artist Study -- Charlotte Mason Style

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:42:06 -0600

With most things Charlotte Mason (CM), once you get accustomed to her methods and they become a habit, you realize just how easy they are. Artist study is no exception. Charlotte Mason's way of studying artists is inexpensive, simple, and enjoyable. This page will lead you through the basics of artist study, step by step, and offer plenty of free resources along the way.

Quiz: Third & Fourth Grade Prefixes and Suffixes

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:28:12 -0600

The ten prefixes and eleven suffixes quizzed here are the ones tested on the Kansas Reading Assessment for third and fourth grades. You can download a PDF that has all the prefixes, suffixes, and roots for grades three through high school. For third and fourth grades, there are no specific root words listed. The knowledge of prefixes, suffixes, and roots is cumulative, so a knowledge of the lower levels is assumed at higher levels. Other quizzes: 5th & 6th Grades | 7th Grade | 8th Grade | High School.

The Best Lapbooking Blogs

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:29:07 -0600

Want a regular supply of lapbooking inspriation? Subscribe to the feeds of the best lapbooking blogs. Each day you'll see some brilliant ideas and lots of links to explore. On this page, you can see the three latests post from some of the greatest lapbooking blogs. To read more, simply click over to the blog post. Browse around and leave the writer some comments or questions.

Quiz: Fifth & Sixth Grade Prefixes and Suffixes

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:27:49 -0600

Let's quiz our vocabulary knowledge! The eleven prefixes and nine suffixes tested here are the ones tested on the Kansas Reading Assessment for fifth and sixth grades. You can download a PDF that has the tested prefixes, suffixes, and roots for all grades three through high school. For fifth and sixth grades, there are no specific root words listed. The knowledge of prefixes, suffixes, and roots is cumulative, so be sure to review the quiz at lower grades too: 3rd & 4th Grades. For a look ahead, try these quizzes: 5th & 6th Grades | 7th Grade | 8th Grade | High School.

Chinese New Year

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:17:13 -0600

新年快乐 Happy Chinese New Year! Take your children on a fascinating cultural experience -- celebrate Chinese New Year! Chinese New Year is the celebration of a new lunar year. It is a fifteen day holiday that starts on the evening of the second new moon after the winter solstice. This is sometime in January or February each year. This holiday ends with the Lantern Festival on the 15th day. In China, this holiday is also called Spring Festival 春节 Chun Jie since it marks the change in the weather from bitter cold to the coming of warmer weather.

Reading Journals

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 22:37:07 -0600

Keeping a reading journal is a fantastic way to encourage a child to think deeply about whatever he his reading. It works especially well with fiction novels, but can be used with non-fiction as well. There is no right or wrong with a reader's response journal because it is a collection of the reader's thoughts about what he read. Each person's journal is as unique as the individual himself. Besides promoting reading comprehension, reading journals are a stepping stone to the literary analysis that is done in high school. So prepare your children in the elementary years by using a reader's response journal. Keep reading for all about using reading journals in your homeschool language arts curriculum.

Printables for Mathematicians Are People Too

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:25:56 -0600

Biographies are a mainstay of a living books curriculum. Therefore biographies of mathematicians are a key part of living approach to math. In my transition to living math, I bought the book, Mathematicians Are People, Too. It is composed of 15 chapters, each recounting a specific incident from the life of a famous mathematician. We like to use notebooking as a narration technique, even for math, so I decided to design some notebooking pages to go with each mathematician in the book. In my researching the mathematicians, I found some wonderful quotations written by them and also decided to make some cursive copywork pages for my daughter. She needs practice with handwriting, and these quotations give her something thoughtful to ponder as she copies. On this page, you'll find links to all the free notebooking and curisive copywork pages I designed for my daughter. General notebooking form that can be used for any mathematician can be found at Homeschool With Index Cards. In addition, I added any helpful links that I discovered for the individual mathematicians. We're still working on this book, so I'll add any new things we find as we continue our readings.

Catalogs for Homeschoolers

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:43:56 -0600

Looking for free homeschool catalogs? Real catalogs printed on paper that you can hold in your hands and not just a website? Catalogs are great for planning next year's homeschool curriculum, finding great new living books to read, and for "window shopping." Scan this page for all the best catalogs out there -- most are just a few clicks away. I've linked right to the catalog request page of each homeschool retailer or told you how to get the catalog. In just a few days, watch your mailbox because the homeschool catalogs will start pouring in! image credit

How to Make a Flag Book

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:08:27 -0600

A flag book looks tricky, but it's not really hard. These step by step photo instructions will teach you how to make a flag book that you can fill with whatever you want. It's sure to impress! Use it as a minibook for lapbooking something you learned in homeschool, or use it purely for fun! Need something to pass the time on a trip? Pull out a flag book and some new colored pencils. Let your child make a fun comic book on the flags. She is sure to love the action of the pages.

Hands-on Shakespeare

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 23:31:24 -0600

We know that Shakespeare wrote drama to be performed in a theater not "literature" to be analyzed during language arts lessons. So reading his plays doesn't achieve the same effect as watching a performance. But you can actually bring the theater home by acting out Shakespearean plays in your living room. Dress up and be actors, or use puppets instead. Here are some ideas to add a fun element to your Shakespeare studies.

Pilgrim's Progress Homeschool Unit Study

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 14:42:20 -0600

An uneducated working-class man armed only with his imagination and knowledge of the Bible composed a classic that is still cherished over 300 years later. John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress is undoubtedly one of the most influential books of Western civilization not to mention Christianity. The allegorical novel highlights Christian, the protagonist, who chooses to follow Jesus Christ and then journeys to the Celestial City. Along the way, he encounters people and places that quite obviously symbolize the perils which a Christian believer faces in this earthly life. A study of Pilgrim's Progress is a great choice for a homeschool unit study, literature study, or even Bible study. This lens will give you ideas and resources for customizing your own Pilgrim's Progress study.

Opera for Children

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 23:32:24 -0600

Opera connotes a high brow artistic entertainment. But to put it simply, opera is a musical drama. Don't be intimidated. Plunge in and learn about an opera today! Taking children (and yourself!) to the opera is the best experience! But before you invest in expensive tickets, be sure to spend some time learning about what you will be seeing. Since the opera will probably be in a foreign language, learn the basic story outline, so you can enjoy the costumes and music without being glued to any translations offered during the performance. Listen to some recordings of the music so you will be familiar with them and can enjoy the anticipation of hearing your favorite pieces. And if going to an opera is out of the question, you can still enjoy this art form through audio and video productions.

Hymn Study for Homeschool

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 14:40:57 -0600

Aren't hymns old fashioned and out of style? Why study them? Even if you prefer to sing modern praise choruses, your faith will be strengthened by studying the words of the hymns. Many of them are rich in theology and Biblical truth. And they remain a part of our Christian heritage. What a shame to lose that history through neglect. These two articles offer excellent defenses for singing and studying the traditional hymns of our faith: Why We Still Need Hymns in a Postmodern Society and Why Young People are Returning to Old Hymn Texts A Charlotte Mason education includes many traditional studies such as Shakespeare, poetry, nature, composers, artists, and hymns. In fact, studying the great hymns of the Christian faith is a rich cross-curricular pursuit. A single hymn provides tangents of study in fields of history, language arts, Bible, theology, and poetry. You could legitimately create an entire unit study out of a single hymn! Or you could keep it simple, as Miss Mason suggested, and study one hymn per month. photo credit

A Super Easy Way To Begin Lapbooking : The Simplest Lapbook Ever

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:35:46 -0600

So you've heard about lapbooking and seen pictures or videos of other people's finished lapbooks all over homeschooling blogs. You're intrigued and want to make a lapbook with your own children. But where to start? How can you transform that plain, boring manilla file folder into a beautiful record of your children's learning? This page will get you started, step by step.

Flip Books for Fun and Learning

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:20:35 -0600

Flip books are low-tech fun that still appeal to kids today, especially if they are creating them themselves. It's not as difficult as you might think to make a flip book. Here I'll give you several easy ways to make them with normal office supplies that you probably have sitting around. If you need a creative idea for a homeschool lesson plan, maybe making a flip book would work. Although very small children will probably find flip books too difficult to make, children in grades fourth grades and up can easily visualize and plan the frames needed for a small animated book. Younger children can play with pre-printed flip books that they cut out and assemble. photo credit

Using the Kindle for Homeschool

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:37:37 -0600

After much deliberation, I finally did it! I bought a Kindle. Actually, I bought two Kindles -- one for me and one for my daughter. I at first wanted one for myself for reading books and for reading PDFs. But the more I read about Kindle, the more I realized that it would be great for homeschooling. The Kindle is a great fit for Charlotte Mason homeschoolers because of the emphasis on living books. So I purchased a Kindle 2 for my eleven year old daughter to use for recreational reading and for her home education. (I find it ironic that we can use such modern technology to read old fashioned classics that are in the public domain.) Both Kindles share one Amazon account, though, so we can share books without any problem at all. The Kindle has been a wonderful learning tool. Keep reading for some of the features that work well in an educational setting and some of our tips.

Bible Notebooking

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 21:58:48 -0600

Notebooking can be applied to any subject of study, including the Bible! Enrich your Bible study times by recording what you learn and documenting it in notebooks. The notebook is not the same as a personal prayer or devotional journal although a Bible notebook certainly could include personal responses to Scripture. Instead, a Bible notebook is something that could be shared with others, even with homeschool evaluators who are looking to document your yearly progress.

How to Create an Animal Lapbook

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:19:31 -0600

Planning your own lapbook is quite do-able because of the wealth of free and instant resources available on the Internet. This lens will point you in the right directions for a free DIY animal lapbook. Once you understand the process, you can use these steps over and over for your own planning. (Lion photo credit)

Playdough

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 23:31:08 -0600

Besides a freshly baked loaf of bread, I can't think of a better use of a few cups of flour besides a batch of velvety soft playdough! The simple toys are the best, and playdough has to rank up at the top of simple toys. A handful of playdough, a plastic knife, and a rolling pin can be the inspiration for hours of creative play!

Narration Helps

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 21:56:18 -0600

Narration is a cornerstone of a Charlotte Mason homeschool. Forget workbooks, expensive craft kits, and complicated busy work. Narration is a learning method that can be used for any age and for any subject. One of the greatest things about this method is that it requires no purchases or special training. All you need is an understanding of this method to begin using it immediately.

Best Homeschooling Blogs

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 18:21:15 -0600

Here are the best homeschooling blogs! These favorites are the ones that I seem to click on first in my feed reader because they have consistently good articles. I've chosen blogs that are authored by a group of writers rather than an individual because these collective blogs give a broad view of homeschool philosophies and methods that appeals to a wide audience. On these great homeschooling blogs you'll find inspiration, practical tips, lesson plans, and curriculum reviews. And maybe you'll be motivated to begin your own personal homeschool blog.

Monet Artist Study

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 21:42:23 -0600

Claude Monet is sure to be at the top of your homeschool artist study list! His paintings are everywhere and his contribution to art history is unparalleled. It is his own painting Impression-- Sunrise that gave Impressionism its name! Monet's subject matter is especially family friendly and generally enjoyed by most everyone. So if you're looking for a painter to begin your artist study with, Monet is a great choice! Hopefully you already understand the basics of a Charlotte Mason styled artist study. If you need to brush up, visit CM Artist Study for the basic how-tos.

Notebooking Exhibit

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:34:57 -0600

You've heard about notebooking. You know it's a flexible tool that can be used with most any curriculum or homeschooling style. You've read a bit about it, but you're still not quite sure. What is notebooking? What does it actually look like, and how does it work? What can you put inside a notebook? What subjects can you use with notebooking? Do you need special notebooking pages to create notebooks? You've landed on the right page. This Notebooking Exhibit has lots of photos and explanations to help you understand notebooking. If you still have questions, feel free to ask in the guestbook at the bottom of the page.

Preparing for a Trip to an Art Museum

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:58:43 -0600

No amount of studying art from books or computer screens can substitute for seeing actual pieces in a museum. So visiting an art museum is a wonderful complement to a Charlotte Mason styled artist study regardless of which artist you are currently studying and the ages of your children. Preschoolers and high schoolers can all benefit from a trip to an art museum. Furthermore, taking your children to art museums is a wonderful way to encourage their appreciation for and understanding of the arts. Before you load up the van for the field trip, consider preparing your family for this rich experience. Plan what you'll do while at the museum, and even consider some follow up activities. photo credit

Math Poetry Lessons for Homeschool

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 18:26:35 -0600

When you think of poetry, math may be the last association you make. But mathematics can be enjoyed in the form of rhymes, riddles, and poems. Mixing mathematics and language arts in this way can be a secret weapon against reluctant learners. Imagine you have a child who doesn't like math. She prefers words, riddles, and writing. Introduce her to math poetry. She can learn math concepts through a subject she excels in. On the other hand, consider a child who dislikes language arts, especially poetry. This child thinks mathematically and loves doing arithmetic problems. To him, poetry seems illogical and full of flowery words that don't clearly explain. This child may appreciate poetry that deals with an area where he excels -- math. Math poetry has something for everyone -- the math lover as well as the poetry lover and everyone in between.

How to Make a Three Square Unfolding Book

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:47:15 -0600

This is a tiny book that opens up BIG. In fact, it's so big that some people call it an explosion book or a squash book! Okay, I'm not going to lie. This minibook is a bit difficult to make because it involves some origami folds. BUT it's really cool! You take three squares of the same size, any size will do, and end up with a book that when closed is only one fourth of the size of one of the squares. That's a tiny book with lots of room for writing. Fill the three square unfolding book with pictures or text; it's totally up to you. Use this minibook in a lapbook, or let it stand alone as a one day project. Make some blank books and hand them to your child on a long car trip. He will love the action of the pages!

Quiz: Seventh Grade Prefixes, Suffixes, and Roots

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 18:37:48 -0600

The prefixes, suffixes, and roots tested here are the ones tested on the Kansas Reading Assessment for seventh grade. You can download this PDF that has the prefixes, suffixes, and roots tested for all grades three through high school. The knowledge of prefixes, suffixes, and roots is cumulative, so be sure to review all the quizzes at lower levels too: 3rd & 4th Grades | 5th & 6th Grades. And for a look forward, see 8th Grade | High School.

Tchaikovsky Composer Study

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 19:23:33 -0600

Remember the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies? Even if you think you don't, I'm positive that you do! Listen to this midi file and you'll instantly recognize the tune. That famous piece was written by Tchaikovsky as part of The Nutcracker ballet. Peter Tchaikovsky lived from 1840 - 1893 and is considered one of the great Romantic composers of Western music. He took passionate and fanciful tales such as Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, and Sleeping Beauty and set them to beautiful music that was usually performed in ballets. Because most children are familiar with the stories of Tchaikovsky's music, he is a great musician to begin your habit of composer study. In a Charlotte Mason styled composer study, you listen to the artist's works repeatedly for an entire term. Studying biographical information is optional, but can enhance a study, especially for older children. But keep the study enjoyable by focusing on the music itself. As you listen, try to name the pieces so that eventually your children (and you!) will come to recognize the composer and the music. It's such a joy to be in a public place and have your child identify the music playing in the background! That is the purpose of a Charlotte Mason composer study -- familiarity with music and composers' styles as well as a love for the music itself.

Anatomy and History of Medicine Curriculum

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:38:17 -0600

Charlotte Mason homeschoolers discover that there is a real lack of literature based science curriculum at the middle and high school levels. We had used and loved Noeo Science for several years, but we outgrew it as my daughter entered middle school. In desperation for a living books approach, I decided to create my own curriculum. It seems I'm not the only one wanting this type of study. And so in an effort to help others, I'm posting my book lists and lesson outlines. In fifth grade, my daughter decided she was interested in a nursing profession. She pored over the Occupational Outlook Handbook, looking at the various types of nurses and their educational requirements. She kept asking me when we would be studying about the human body again. (We had studied it long ago in first grade.) Her natural interest caused me to design this living books approach to the human body and the history of medicine for her sixth grade year. I used Guest Hollow's curriculum as a reference in planning our own study. So be sure to check out Otter's Science if you'd like another option for a living books approach to science. In planning this lens, I discovered that my book choices are also on the Mater Amabilis Human Body study, but my course is far more in-depth and time consuming.

Hink Pinks

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 23:33:11 -0600

You can create hink pinks as part of your language arts lesson or just for the sheer fun of playing with words. What is a hink pink? And what about a hinky pinky or a hinkety pinkety? Try these as examples: Hink Pink What is a sham cobra? A fake snake! Hinky Pinky What is a fantastic detective? A super snooper! Hinkety Pinkety What is a frozen vehicle? An icicle tricycle. Do you see the pattern? Each riddle is a set of two rhyming words with a clue. One syllable sets are hink pinks. Two syllable sets are hinky pinkies. Three syllable sets are hinkety pinketies. They are fun to solve, and they are fun to create! So what's a smashed fedora? Yes, A FLAT HAT.

Vermeer Artist Study

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:58:29 -0600

Vermeer is a rather mysterious artist. We have no portraits to tell us what he looked like. Even the facts of his life are few. We do know that he left only thirty-five paintings, and his creation of a few of them is still disputed. With little background information on his life and just a few dozen paintings, Vermeer makes a great artist for a Charlotte Mason styled artist study because there are no lengthy biographies to distract us from enjoying his art. Just dive in and enjoy his paintings. That's what a CM artist study is all about -- studying one artist in depth for an entire term by narrating paintings, one at a time. The idea is that after looking at so many paintings by Vermeer, you will instantly be able to spot a Vermeer because you've internalized his style. Actually, for Vermeer, this is quite easy to do. His recurring themes and distinctive single style make his work easy to point out.

Lapbook Video Showcase

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:18:39 -0600

Wouldn't it be great if another homeschooling mom could come over with a lapbook in hand and simply show you what lapbooking is all about? If she could let you see an actual lapbook and explain how it works, how it's made, and what her children learned, then you feel sure you could really understand what a lapbook is and how to use it yourself. With the help of YouTube, you can "invite some lapbooking moms over" and see exactly what lapbooking is all about. View sample lapbooks, learn about minibook folds, and be encouraged as you see that lapbooking is not difficult.

Flat Travelers

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 23:58:27 -0600

Trading flat travelers through the mail is an engaging way learn about geography and even other cultures! Simply create a flat traveler -- a paper or cardstock character that can fit into an envelope. Arrange a host family, and mail your flat to them. You host their flat at the same time. When the visit is over, you send the visiting flat back home with a goody packet and a journal. Flat travelers are an adaptation of the Flat Stanley Project (which happens to be the matter of some legal debate right now). Many flat traveler exchanges are done by homeschooling families. But some public school classrooms also participate!

Homemade Chicken Croquettes

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 19:29:54 -0600

Croquettes are small, rounded foods usually made of minced meat, fish, or vegetable coated with egg and bread crumbs and deep-fried. They are commonly served with a cream or tomato sauce, but they are equally good plain. Do you know how to say "croquette?" Click here for the pronunciation. My mother made these as I was growing up, and I learned how to make them from watching and helping her in the kitchen. Be sure to look for the link to the printable recipe card on this page. My favorite type of croquette is a chicken croquette, and here I'll show you how to make them. Made from ordinary ingredients you normally have on hand croquettes will get raves from your family! image credit

Quiz: High School Prefixes, Suffixes, and Roots

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:23:59 -0600

Get a leg up on SAT and ACT test preparation by beginning vocabulary studies early. See where you stand right now with these quizzes. The prefixes, suffixes, and roots quizzed here are found on the Kansas Reading Assessment for high school grades. You can download this PDF with an entire list of all prefixes, suffixes, and roots for grades three through high school. The knowledge of prefixes, suffixes, and roots is cumulative, so be sure to review all the quizzes at lower levels too: 3rd & 4th Grades | 5th & 6th Grades | 7th Grade | 8th Grade. Want more test prep ideas? Try this PDF with practical, low-cost alternatives. And be sure to look under the quizzes for more free printable guides and curriculum.

Penguin Lapbook

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 23:36:00 -0600

The penguin makes a great unit study and topic for an animal lapbook. There is the biology involved in the study of the animal itself. You can also add the earth science and geography of the penguin's habitat. Then there are great living books about penguins as well as crafts to make. Explore this lens for your own DIY penguin unit study and lapbook. You will find books to read, free printables, shape books, coloring pages, and activity ideas all about penguins.

Using Drawing with Children by Mona Brookes

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 23:32:47 -0600

Here is the record of our homeschool journey into drawing, using Mona Brookes' Drawing with Children as our main resource. My daughter Sprite was nine years old when we began these studies. She is a motivated artist who wants to hone her skills. I usually do the activities right alongside her.

Spelling

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:46:18 -0600

Spelling -- didn't you dread it in school: the pages and pages full of your words written "ten times each," cramming for a test each Thursday night, and the deadly dull Spelling Bee each year? It doesn't have to be boring! Make spelling fun with games and hands-on activities. There are a multitude of different ways to practice spelling words. The ideas here can be used with whatever spelling curriculum or approach you use. photo credit

President Barack Obama Lapbook

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 08:48:16 -0600

Celebrate President's Day or Black History Month (or both!) with a study of our current president -- Barack Obama! Read about our 44th president and make a lapbook to record what you learn. All you need for your Obama study is linked here. There are online biographies, suggested books, as well as lots of free printables -- minibooks, notebooking pages, and coloring sheets. Keep reading for a great activity that will have your children going to the mailbox in expectation.

Celebrate National Dictionary Day!

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:50:34 -0600

October 16, the birthday of Noah Webster, is Dictionary Day in America. Show your appreciation for this most useful of reference books by celebrating Dictionary Day with your children --learn some new words, learn how dictionaries came to be, spruce up your dictionary skills, or even create your own dictionary!

Backyard Bird Identification Quiz

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:27:14 -0600

How well do you know the birds that live in the wooded areas in your neighborhood? This quiz features 18 common American birds. Test your knowledge and see if you know a chickadee from a finch and a catbird from a bluebird. After the quiz questions, you can find links to printables for learning these eighteen backyard birds. There are flashcards for bird identification and checklists to record how many birds you see during your own nature study observations. intro photo credit by likeaduck The other photos on this lens are Creative Commons licensed at Flickr. Simply click on the image to find out more about each photo and photographer.

Audio Homeschool

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:09:02 -0600

We all have our own preferred learning style whether it be visual, auditory, or kinesthetic. But did you know that learning is always enhanced when more than one learning style is used?Adding audio books and stories to your home offers many learning advantages. Don't listen when people say that audio books are cheating; they are legitimate learning tools. So spice up your lessons by adding in some auditory elements! Photo Credit

Charlotte Mason Basics

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 21:53:19 -0600

The homeschool movement is gaining momentum all over the world, and many home educators are looking back to the ideas of Charlotte Mason as a compass for teaching their own children. Charlotte Mason was an educator who lived in England from 1841-1923. She established schools to train governesses and parents how to teach their children at home. Her ideas were at the time quite revolutionary. She considered children to be people who were capable of studying advanced topics in science, math, literature, art, and music, even at very young ages. She also had a passion for nature and beauty which is evident in her writings. photo credit

Cassatt Artist Study

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 14:31:28 -0600

Mary Cassatt is an excellent choice for your homeschool artist study. She is one of the few women Impressionists, and commonly portrays domestic scenes of women and children. She was American by birth, but lived for much of her life in France, surrounded by the other great Impressionists of her day. My nine year old daughter, Sprite, and I studied Cassatt for one term of her fourth grade year. In nine weeks we looked at about 25 of her works and slowly digested her unique style. Our method of studying each artist is distinctly Charlotte Mason in method. After studying the painting for a few minutes, Sprite verbally narrates it back to me. Every now and then we switch roles: I narrate and Sprite listens! It's quite simple and takes only a few minutes each day. But the results are impressive. She can easily identify a Cassatt now -- even one we haven't studied. When I gave her the quiz below, she correctly identified the Cassatt without any trouble. For more about the basics of Charlotte Mason styled artist study, visit Artist Study Charlotte Mason Style.

Dragon Boat Festival

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:33:49 -0600

Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated on the 5th day of the 5th month. But that's not May 5th. This holiday is calculated according to the lunar calendar. The next Dragon Boat Festival is Saturday, June 23, 2012. You still have time to plan some fun activities for your children! Along with the Chinese New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival, Dragon Boat Festival is one of the biggest traditional holidays in China. The origin of this holiday is a bit troubling -- a poet Qu Yuan 屈原 (about 300 BC) killed himself by jumping into the river on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. A very patriotic person, Qu Yuan attracted the wrath of the king by stating his concerns about the govenrment. Later when his country was overrun by enemy solidiers, the ever loyal poet killed himself out of grief for the pain his country was facing. You may want to be selective about what you share with your children about this holiday, especially if they are sensitive. It's not a very happy story. The Chinese name of this holiday is Duan Wu Jie 端午节 or "Double Five Holiday." photo credit

Lapbooking Versus Notebooking

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:52:27 -0600

Lapbooking and notebooking are both popular among homeschoolers now. I will take you through some basic characteristics of each and hopefully answer these questions: What are these learning methods? How are they similar? How are they different? Which one is best for my child? Can I mix them up into something new? photo credit

Vocabulary Building with Analogies

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 18:15:03 -0600

Analogies are a great way to sharpen the mind because they require logical thinking to solve. Besides knowing the meanings of the words, you must also understand the relationship expressed in the analogy. For this reason, analogies are perfect for vocabulary development. Analogies can encompass science, history, math or any other area.

Lapbooking and Unit Study Themes

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:36:44 -0600

This page is guide to all my other pages of lapbooking, notebooking, or unit study themes. Browse around and find some ideas for topics of study. Each lens is full of links to freebies and photographs to inspire. An entire list of all my pages here at Squidoo can be found on my profile page.

Mother Goose Rhymes

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:39:08 -0600

Not only are Mother Goose rhymes a part of our western cultural heritage, but Mother Goose has her own special holiday. May 1 is Mother Goose Day! Of course, these classic rhymes can be celebrated any day of the year! How well do you know your nursery rhymes? Can you distinguish Old King Cole from Old Mother Hubbard? Does Little Boy Blue get confused with Little Jack Horner in your memory? Take an online quiz and see how familiar you are with these timeless poems! Then keep reading for more Mother Goose fun. Hey diddle, diddle, The cat and the fiddle, The cow jumped over the moon; The little dog laughed To see such sport, And the dish ran away with the spoon .

Make Your Own Notebooking Pages

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:38:38 -0600

So, you've done a bit of notebooking using the freebies online. Maybe you've even bought a kit or two. But now your creativity is kicking in and you want to do it yourself! Yes, you can make your own notebooking pages, even if you're not terribly computer savvy. Just a little knowledge combined with the how-to's here will set you to making your own unique notebooking templates!

Poetry in Homeschool

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:48:40 -0600

April is National Poetry Month. Does your homeschool language arts curriculum include the study of poetry? Whether you're striving to incorporate more poetry into your curriculum or whether you are looking for a poetry unit study, this web page should offer some resources. Charlotte Mason suggested that children often hear poetry read aloud. Occasionally they should memorize and recite poems. And she also recommended using poetry for copywork and dictation. Just like her ideas on artist study and composer study, she felt it best to focus on the poetry of a single writer for an extended time (6-12 weeks). To supplement, she allowed the addition of a biography about that poet.

Winter Promise Versus Sonlight

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 23:24:30 -0600

If you want a literature rich homeschool approach, you will want to evaluate these two excellent options -- Sonlight and Winter Promise. Both of these companies offer complete homeschool curriculum packages with daily assignment schedules. Although these packages cost several hundred dollars, they are full of living books and will help to build your home library. Buying used or borrowing books from the library is another way to keep costs down and still get the benefit of these literature-rich programs.

Composer Study -- Charlotte Mason Style

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 21:22:07 -0600

A rich and full homeschool education is sure to include some study of classical music and the famous composers who write its music. The Charlotte Mason style of studying composers is an easy and inexpensive way to expose your children to the masters of music so that they grow up both appreciating classical music and knowing a bit about it. Here you can read the basic how-tos for a CM composer study, find possible composers to study, and browse at the best audio, text, and online resources.

How to Make a Wheel Book

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:51:54 -0600

Grab some cardstock and a paper fastener! We're going to make a wheel book today! This minibook is especially popular with the little ones because of the motion of the book. The wheel book is especially good for steps in a process or listing several parts of a whole. This book can stand alone or can be affixed into a lapbook.

Shakespeare Animated Tales Video Showcase

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:16:33 -0600

Shakespeare: The Animated Tales is a BBC television program of 12 episodes, each episode showing an animated half-hour adaptation of one of Shakespeare's plays. These shows are a great way for children to experience Shakespeare's stories and become familiar with the classic plot lines. Then when they are older, they can begin to study the original plays with a foundation of already understanding both the characters and the plot. The animation, done by Christmasfilms Studio in Moscow, offers a wide range of animation techniques. In the United States, the series aired on HBO and was hosted by Robin Williams. Watch Shakespeare's Animated Tales free online at YouTube; I've found them all (save Othello which has been removed) and organized them right here.

Charts and Graphs for Learning

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:05:14 -0600

We were studying the instruments of the orchestra, and my daughter had an idea to make a poll of people's favorite composers to add to her lapbook. I asked her a few questions, and she said, "Wait a minute. I know just what I want. Let me go get the book." She came back with Bart's Amazing Charts in her hands and showed me the pictures of poll results and bar graphs.Wow! What an opportunity to use math in a real world application--living math-- and at her request! This was a teachable moment I could not pass by. Please help her learn how to make graphs by participating in the five polls below. We've finished this project. You may vote just for fun if you'd like. For more information about our orchestra and composers unit study visit Music Lapbook.

Transitioning to Living Math

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:15:25 -0600

Yes, it's hard. Very, very hard to set aside the workbook and orderly math progression through an outlined curriculum and shift to what seems to be a messy, random bunch of games and hands-on activities. You love the concept of living math. You know that it's fun. You even know that your children would learn through it. But, there are still those nagging concerns -- What about gaps in their math learning? What about drill? What about memorization? What about standardized tests? When will I find time to prepare all these games and clean up after all these messy activities? Here's my own journey from textbook prison to living math paradise. Okay, it's not quite so glamorous as that! But this is how I shifted my thinking and am (still) transitioning to a living math approach. I'm not a math expert or even a math person. I think in words not numbers. I have trouble remembering which number bus takes me downtown, but I can easily remember the names of all the stops on the way. This is just one homeschoool mother's attempt to try to make some sense of math instruction and make it enjoyable along the way. Come peek into my journey.

Bach Composer Study

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 19:22:40 -0600

Anyone using Charlotte Mason styled composer study is sure to encounter Johann Sebastian Bach at some point. Although more famous in his lifetime as an organist than as a composer, Bach is considered today to be one of the primary Baroque composers of Western music. Let the music of Bach fill your home as you introduce your children (and possibly yourself!) to this master. You may also choose to supplement the music with some biographical information, some notebooking, and some stories on CD. Here are some resources to help you design this unit study.

The Squatty Potty

Sun, 15 Jan 2012 14:53:59 -0600

When traveling internationally, there are two main areas of dread for many people -- food and toilets! You're on your own with the food, but I'm here to help you with how to use the "squatty potty" found all over Asia. This is a delicate topic, and not without some inherent humor. But this is meant to be a truly educational lens. I'm here to demystify the squatty potty!

John James Audubon Artist Study

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 21:00:45 -0600

Was John James Audubon a sketching naturalist or a nature loving artist? Actually, his bird drawings were intended to be scientific sketches instead of art. But most people would agree that his careful observation of birds brought a realism and detail to his sketches that elevated them to the level of art. If you chose Audubon for your Charlotte Mason styled artist study, be sure to incorporate what you learn about birds into your nature studies as well. Simply turn the focus of your nature walks to studying birds and make the most of your Audubon unit study. Below are ideas, resources, and photos to inspire your study of Audubon.

How to Make a Matchbook

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 14:57:43 -0600

Called a matchbook because it's folded like a book of matches, this minibook is just a few folds away. Generally a small book, it is perfect for vocabulary words or other snippets of information. Make several and arrange them in a group inside your lapbook.

Quiz: Eighth Grade Prefixes, Suffixes, and Roots

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 22:13:07 -0600

Would you like to quiz your vocabulary knowledge? The prefixes, suffixes, and root words at this online quiz are taken from the Kansas Reading Assessment for eighth grade. If you would like an list of all the prefixes, suffixes, and roots for grades three through high school, download this PDF. The knowledge of prefixes, suffixes, and roots is cumulative, so be sure to review all the quizzes at lower levels too: 3rd & 4th Grades | 5th & 6th Grades | 7th Grade. For a look ahead, visit High School

How to Keep a Poetry Notebook

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 22:08:05 -0600

Notebooking is a simple learning technique by which students narrate what they've learned and form an organized portfolio of work. Any subject can be "notebooked," including poetry. Even though poetry may not be a daily topic of study in your homeschool, keeping a poetry notebook fosters an appreciation of poetry and establishes an easy way to review the poems you've studied and loved. Poetry notebooks can contain copied poems, composed poems, illustrations for poems, analysis of poetry, and biographies of poets. And any age student can keep a poetry notebook -- from pre-K children up to high school students. graphic credit

Gauguin Artist Study

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 17:37:05 -0600

Consistent artist study is a part of a Charlotte Mason homeschool. The principle is that a little bit, done often adds up to large amounts of knowledge over time. I can vouch for the effectiveness of this approach. Picture study is simple and quick. But when done repeatedly will result in a strong foundation for the fine arts. This lens will walk you through how to implement an artist study on Paul Gauguin. Everything you need (and plenty more) is all right here. Gauguin artist study essentials: picture study of one work of art each week for every week of your term (6-12 weeks) (That's it. That is the minimum. Just one small weekly task.) Gauguin artist study options: study more pieces of art read a biography of Gauguin create a reproduction of a painting make notebooking pages about Gauguin visit a museum

Living Math

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 23:33:43 -0600

In a child's early years, math is actually play. Counting, stacking, sorting, and balancing are all fun activities that develop mathematical reasoning. Don't separate math from fun. Don't kill a child's natural love of mathematical play by insisting all mathematical concepts be relegated to a textbook or a workbook once she reaches the elementary years. By using math in daily life, especially in games and playtimes, not only will your child avoid the "math dread" so many of us have, but he will also end up with proficiency in many math skills. Math will come alive and become living math. Photo credit

The Best Charlotte Mason Homeschooling Blogs

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:28:57 -0600

I enjoy reading blogs. That peek into another mom's daily life offers inspiration and focus. Yes, in fact, I am doing enough in our homeschool. Or perhaps, no, I'm not doing enough in this area, but this blog gives me some great ideas for how to get on track! Here are my favorite Charlotte Mason themed blogs. The authors are all homeschooling moms who know what they are talking about. These are not theorists but daily practitioners who don't gloss over the realities of educating your children at home. They may blog about other topics, of course, but CM's gentle style of home education permeates their posts.

Building Vocabulary in Your Homeschool

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 23:38:17 -0600

Vocabulary is a collection of words. Some words we can only guess approximate meanings in context. Other words have roots or prefixes that give us clues which we can use to make guesses. The words we have truly mastered are those that we can not only read and understand but also use correctly in our own speech or writing. Of course, vocabulary skills are not just for the standardized tests that are so important for college admission. A fluent vocabulary is also a marker of a good communicator and a skilled writer. Vocabulary truly runs the gamut of the language arts curriculum - reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Consider how you want to tackle the teaching of vocabulary in your homeschool. There are several approaches, and you may find that your chosen method changes over time as your children's needs change.

How to Add a Printable Recipe Card to Your Lens or Blog Post

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 18:29:32 -0600

This scenario happens to me often: I am reading a favorite blog or I've come across a great food lens and there's an incredible recipe that I really want to try. I know I will never remember the ingredients, so I reach for a pen and pad to jot it down. Or if the recipe is a bit more complicated, I highlight the text of the recipe and hit print. It works for tonight when I whip up the recipe, but my cookbook shelf ends up a mess with scribbled recipes and printed excerpts from webpages. I really wish every recipe post or lens had a printable recipe card that I could add to my card file and use in the kitchen later. Here is how to provide that printable recipe card for your readers. Whether you blog, write lenses, hubs, or wizzes, your readers will love you for it and remember you each time they pull out the card to cook your special dish. Still not sure if it's even a good idea to make a printable recipe card? Read these reasons. intro image credit

Mozart Composer Study

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 14:37:47 -0600

Mozart is often one of the first composers chosen for a Charlotte Mason styled composer study. He is considered one of the best known and best loved composers of all time. And the fact that he began performing and writing music at such a young age is sure to be an inspiration to your children. Let the music of Mozart fill your home as you introduce your children (and possibly yourself) to this master. You may also choose to supplement the music with some biographical information, some notebooking, and some stories on CD. Here are some resources to help you design your Mozart unit study. image credit

Panda Fascination

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:25:10 -0600

The Panda Bear is most certainly one of the most famous and beloved of the world's endangered animals. Personally, I never was a huge fan of the panda until I saw them in person at a research center in China. They are amazingly beautiful animals -- gentle, slow, and BIG eaters! The two pictures below are ones I took when I discovered these amazing animals in their native habitat. In Chinese the panda is called "Da Xiong Mao", which means giant bear cat. Its scientific name means black and white cat-footed animal --Ailuropoda melanoleuca. It's been a scientific dilemma for a century; is it closer to a bear, a cat, or a raccoon? Finally using genetic research, scientists discovered that the panda is, in fact, a species of bear. A giant panda can eat 12-38 kg of bamboo a day! And that's why you see the panda eating in so many photos -- it eats all day long! This page is a celebration of the panda --pictures, videos, and panda products! Get ready for a very high adorable factor!

Nature Study at the River

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:28:18 -0600

Rivers are a freshwater biome full of life and motion. And they make fantastic places for nature walks. Grab a bucket and a net, and let's go to the river to explore. After a few visits to your local river, lake, or stream, you may want to learn more about what you're seeing.Use any questions you and your children have as a starting point for your study. Learn the vocabulary associated with a river or stream and use those words on your next nature walk. Here are some great resources to start with: This free, full-color science textbook chapter called River Landscapes is a wonderful overview of the river biome. This Habitat Assessment PDF has lots of photographs, vocabulary words, and diagrams related to streams and rivers. An entire science curriculum of fifteen lesson plans based on the Rio Grande. Here is more Advanced information on River Ecosystems, including full-color diagrams. And finally, this document includes a nice two page Diagram of a Catchment with emphasis on protecting the river habitat.

Lapbooking -- Frequently Asked Questions

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:44:27 -0600

Most any topic comes with its own set of FAQ --frequently asked questions. Lapbooking is no exception. These questions seem to be asked by most new lapbookers. The fortunate thing is that there are lots of other lapbookers who have answers to these questions. Here you can find a compilation of the answers I've discovered on my own or learned from others.

A Trip to a Chinese Wet Market

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:42:38 -0600

Although there are modern supermarkets in China, the absolutely freshest meat and vegetables are to be found at the open air wet markets. I'm going to take you on a virtual field trip to some wet markets in ordinary Chinese towns. Put on some sturdy shoes to keep your feet out of the slop, grab some small change, and let's mai cai (buy veggies)! If you are a vegetarian, a hard-core animal lover, or simply weak of stomach you may find some of the images in the meat section disturbing. My intention is not to shock but rather to share the daily sights at a Chinese market. All of the photos here were taken by me and are under a Creative Commons license Attribution 2.0 Generic. For the required attribution, just link to this page or to the Flickr page where each photo is hosted.

Winter Promise American Story 1 Extras

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 14:36:45 -0600

Winter Promise's first year American history curriculum is fabulous! It is very thorough on its own, especially with the added Native American focus resources. BUT who can't resist adding a few extras here and there? We are finished with our WP journey with AS1. I have documented here the extra resources we used to enrich this already great material. You can also get a peek at some of the crafts and projects included in this curriculum. (Most of the photos-- excepting the lapbooks --show things that are a regular part of the package, and not extras that I added in.) This page is in no way meant to detract from WP's own sales. I will not feature any of the titles from WP's American Story 1. Instead, I will be assuming that you are already using WPAS1 and are looking for additional, free resources to add to the program. Have you organized your teaching guides? Here is a great blog post that tells how a mom arranged a whole year's worth of Winter Promise material into an organized system, ready to use all year long.

How to Make a Four Corner Minibook

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:03:09 -0600

Have a square of paper? Then you can easily make this minibook. Because of how it's folded, the four corner minibook is also often called an envelope book. Make it large or make it small depending on how much content you want to include in the book. Attach the back of the four corner minibook to your lapbook or let it stand alone as a one day project.

Curriculum I've Used

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:46:52 -0600

Here's an overview of what we've done for homeschool from kindergarten until now (currently in seventh grade). I've made changes over the years, but there has been one constant -- a literature rich environment filled with living books and hands-on activities. I gravitate towards a Charlotte Mason style of education, and you can see that in my curriculum choices. Here you will see our curriculum choices, favorite books, and a good dose of crafts and fun. I hope that my curriculum reviews will be helpful to you as you make your own choices. If you're looking for homeschool curriculum ideas, you're free to poke around and learn from my past experiences. If you just want to know more about how we homeschool, you're welcome too!

How to Make a Trifold Minibook

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:19:45 -0600

A trifold is one of the simplest and most versatile minibook out there. It's called a trifold because it's folded in thirds just like you fold a letter to put into an envelope. This lapbook option can be large or small. With lots of empty space inside, trifolds are a good option for most any topic of study.

What Do I Need to Get Started With Lapbooking?

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:26:56 -0600

If you're ready to take the plunge to use lapbooks in your curriculum, you should evaluate your resources: Do you have what you need to do it well? Where do you store your craft and art supplies? Do you have the essentials for lapbooking? Do you know about some extras that can make your lapbooking easier or can make you lapbooks POP?

A Homeschool Gallery

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:13:38 -0600

From our homeschool philosophy to our table and chairs, our homeschool is unique. Those unique elements give each homeschool its flavor. Some are relaxed and move at a slow pace. Others are wacky, messy, and loud. Still other homeschools are serious and driven. I'm not sure exactly how to classify our homeschool, so I'll just let you come in and see for yourself. Welcome to our homeschool gallery! Feel fee to browse the examples of my daughter Sprite's projects, crafts, and field trips. I've scattered links to other lenses, my blog, and other online articles in case you want more information about any particular topic. Each photo is linked back to Flickr where even more homeschooling images are stored. I love using Flickr for homeschool. I can photograph the projects my daughter does, upload them, and then discreetly dispose of the projects. [sly snicker]

Top 6 Reasons to Use Hands-on Projects

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:07:07 -0600

Board games, dice, dominoes, cards, arts and crafts, science experiments, nature walks and nature journaling, lapbooking, making models and dioramas, making costumes and acting -- these are all hands-on activities that can be used in education. Hands-on learning is advocated by homeschoolers of all types -- from Charlotte Mason style to Unschoolers. But why should you use hands-on approaches to learn and to teach? Here are six reasons why!

Chacos are the Best Sport Sandals

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:21:29 -0600

I love sandals. When the weather gets warm, all other shoes are neglected for my Chaco sandals. I want my feet to stay cool and free. And I love to show off painted toe nails! But I'm also on my feet a lot, walking on uneven ground and hiking outdoors. So "pretty" but flimsy and strappy sandals are out of the question. I love them, but I just can't wear them. Being beautiful is just not worth the risk of a sprained ankle. I need serious, practical sandals. Chacos come to my rescue and fit the bill perfectly. Lots of people mentioned Keens when I was on the hunt for the "perfect pair of sandals." But I do hate to wear clunky, masculine shoes! Keens are not attractive enough for me and my already massive (size 9 1/2) feet. What's a girl to do? Chacos are the answer to my footwear dilemma -- both sturdy and beautiful! photo credit

Thanksgiving Lapbook

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 21:24:59 -0600

Take a break from your regular homeschool curriculum and have a Thanksgiving unit study! History, culture, and food all come together in this topic! Create a lapbook to record what you learn. This page will direct you to great books to read and free resources for making a Thanksgiving lapbook or notebook project.

Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 19:59:33 -0600

When you hear the name Scott O'Dell, you probably think of one of his two Newbery Award winning books -- The Island of the Blue Dolphins and The Black Pearl. And rightfully so. Of his 26 books for young adults, these are the most famous. But Scott O'Dell gave juvenile literature something very special besides his great novels. He created The Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction in 1982. The purpose of the award was two-fold: to encourage writers of historical fiction and to engage young readers in history through fantastic living books that bring the past alive. If you're looking for some good historical fiction to enrich your homeschool curriculum, consider some of these titles. Most all of the titles can be bought used at very affordable prices -- usually for the cost of shipping. I have not read every title here. As a parent, use discretion with what you offer your children to read. Some things may be inappropriate for your particular child.

Chopin Composer Study

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 17:42:04 -0600

If you are implementing Charlotte Mason styled composer study into your homeschool, Chopin is one of the great masters you will eventually include. Everything you need to plan a Chopin unit study or composer study is right here -- books, audio, printables, and ideas. The main thin you need is music, so that you can expose your children repeatedly to the sounds of Chopin's compositions. But there are plenty of additional materials you can add to complement the music.

Nature Study at the Beach

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 18:31:58 -0600

Charlotte Mason considered it ridiculous that a child would study about the rainforest but not recognize the plants and animals in his own back yard. But she certainly didn't limit nature study only to a family's immediate surroundings. Nature study can extend to whatever place you visit whether that be a city, a zoo, a botanical garden, a desert, or the beach. If the beach is nearby, take a day trip for your weekly nature study. Or if the beach is a far away treat, try to sneak in a little nature study during your vacation time. You won't have to work hard to encourage your children to collect shells and look at the creatures caught in the tide pools. But be deliberate about bringing along sketchbooks to document what you see and field guides to identify what you find.

Mid-Autumn Festival

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:44:15 -0600

Most cultures have a harvest festival. China is no exception. The Mid-Autumn Festival 中秋节 (Zhong Qiu Jie) is one of the three most important, traditional Chinese holidays. (The other two are Chinese New Year and Dragon Boat Festival.) It takes place on the fifteenth day of the eighth month (according to the lunar calendar). It is usually on or close to the time of the Harvest Moon, when the moon appears at its fullest during the autumn equinox. It is also sometimes called the Mooncake Festival after the delicious treats eaten at this time of year. Traditionally, it is a time to meet with friends and family for a meal and watch the moon. Printables related to Mid-Autumn Festival are lower on the page.

Bruegel Artist Study

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:01:21 -0600

In selecting artists for your Charlotte Mason styled artist study, it's nice to have some of the leg work already done for you. This page is that kind of help. I've chosen a prominent artist -- Bruegel-- and assembled representative pieces of his art to give you one term's worth of picture study. Besides that, there are plenty of other study helps -- books, videos, and printables. Bruegel is an artist of the Northern European Renaissance of the 15th-16th centuries. Bruegel was from Belgium and, like his fellows from Germany and the Netherlands, is known for his realistic style and his portrayal of the everyday life of peasants. In fact, Bruegel's work is so realistic that costumers use his paintings to gather inspiration for theater costumes and period dress. Bruegel's emphasis on daily life makes his art very accessible to children. In fact, some works are full of intricate detail like a Renaissance version of Where's Waldo.

How to Make a Tabbed Book

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:42:14 -0600

Making a tabbed book is quite easy! So you don't really need a template. You simply need instructions. Do you have scissors (or a paper cutter), a ruler, a stapler, and some paper? Okay. Follow these step by step directions and you can make this minibook right now. This book can stand alone or be included into a lapbook.

Guiseppe Verdi Composer Study

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 18:33:57 -0600

Choosing Giuseppe Verdi for your homeschool composer study will add the variety of opera to your music curriculum. In his lifetime (1813 –1901), Verdi composed 28 operas! And those operas have continued to be loved right through modern days. In fact, on the list of top 20 operas performed in America, Giuseppe Verdi is listed four times for these operas: 1. La traviata 2. Rigoletto 3. Aida 4. Il trovatore Although Verdi did write other pieces of music -- songs and sacred works, he is best known for his brilliant operatic compositions. So as you study Verdi, you're also studying opera. We chose Verdi for one term of our Charlotte Mason styled composer study. Here are some things we used for our study that can help you design your own Verdi homeschool composer study or unit study.

Junie B. Jones

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:27:45 -0600

The first Junie B. Jones book was published in July 1992. Since that time, Barbara Park has written a total of twenty-seven Junie B. books and sold more than 43 million copies! Ms. Park is considered one of today’s funniest children's authors. Her Junie B. Jones early chapter books are consistently on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists.Despite the best-seller status, this series is actually controverisal! Junie B. is a bit of a smart aleck, she doesn't use proper grammar, and she has a temper. In the spirit of Pippi Longstocking or Ramona Quimby, Junie B. is a fiesty girl who finds herself in many humorous misadventures. The books follow Junie B. through her kindergarten and first grade school years. Appropriately, the target audience for these books are 4-8 year old readers, especially girls, but many boys love the crazy antics of Junie B. The Junie B. Jones series are early chapter books, great for motivating reluctant learners to read because of their silly but very realistic humor.

Dragon in the Sky Shadow Puppet Theater in Beijing

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:51:00 -0600

In 2009, we took a family vacation to Beijing. Our ten year old daughter "Sprite" is old enough to enjoy the architecture and to appreciate the history of the typical Beijing sites, but we also wanted some kid-friendly activities especially for her. Going to the Dragon in the Sky Shadow Puppet Theater was one of those kid-friendly outings that we all enjoyed! It's not just a shadow puppet performance. You can also get hands-on and try manipulating the puppets yourself behind the scenes. And there is a large museum and display room where you can touch more puppets, learn how they are made, and buy one if you desire. The Official Website of Dragon in the Sky Puppet Theater is in Chinese. Here is a short overview of the theater in English --Chinese Shadow Puppetry: Revived at Longzaitian Theatre. (The prices quoted for tickets there are not correct.) But my lens here is going to give you a thorough tour of the Dragon in the Sky Puppet Theater, all in English.

Charlotte Mason: The Simplest Homeschool Ever

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:01:16 -0600

At first glance, Charlotte Mason's educational philosophy seems complicated. But in fact, that misconception is only because CM is so vastly different from the textbook driven education many of us received in public schools. As you read more and more about CM, you discover the simplicity of this educational outlook. More than that, you realize that this gentle style of teaching and learning is also easy to implement step by step, one area at a time.

How to Make a Three Fourths Book

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:07:51 -0600

A three fourths minibook is a simple fold for your lapbook that offers plenty of space inside for writing text or drawing pictures. Three fourths minibooks aren't just for lapbooking. Use one for a writing assignment or book report instead of boring lined paper. Or your children can use them for unique note paper.

100 Strangers: a Photography Project

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:02:25 -0600

Photography is an art. However, there are skill sets that can be learned and honed as you strive to improve your photography. And of course, like any skill or talent, practice is crucial. The 100 Strangers Project offers a great way to motivate yourself to work on street photography skills as well as general portrait taking skills. There's a clear goal -- 100 photos of strangers. They must be strangers and you must get their permission to take a photo. The photo to the left is my first submission for the 100 Strangers Project.

Last Child In The Woods

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:41:09 -0600

People need nature - really need nature, not merely enjoy nature or benefit from nature. Children need experiences with nature just as they need sleep or healthy food. Why? Richard Louv spends much of his book Last Child in the Woods explaining exactly what nature offers children: emotional well being, spiritual sense of perspective, observation skills, cognitive abilities, creativity, healthy risk taking, observation skills, balanced sense of humility, stress management, increased attention, lowered depression. \ Flickr photo credit How can nature offer all of these advantages? Primarily because it involves all of the senses. He contrasts it with television and computers which are mainly dual-sensory, appealing only to the eyes and ears.

Teaching Art Headquarters

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 19:24:56 -0600

Welcome to Teaching Art Headquarters-- a collection of excellent resources to inspire and guide you as you educate children in the arts. Are the arts vital to our children's education? Or is art an optional area that we can add on if time allows? There are many reasons why children should study, appreciate, and create art. After doing research, two art educators said that students who take art classes are better able to visualize, to persist, to learn from mistakes, to analyze, and to make decisions based on their analysis. Whether you want to teach sketching, add bits of art appreciation into your homeschool routine, or to design a unit study about a specific artist, this page will guide you in the right direction.

Charlotte Mason Quotes

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:56:21 -0600

Charlotte Mason was an educator in England who lived from 1842 to 1923. Her educational philosophy, called the Charlotte Mason method, is used by many modern homeschoolers. This lens is a collection of quotes by Miss Mason on these topics: How Children Learn Teaching Children Books and Reading Narration Recitation You may be a CM educator, looking for a bit of direction, inspiration, or just a great quote for your blog. Or possibly you're investigating her system of thought and want to hear what she says. I have created two printable quotation posters that you can download as well. Charlotte Mason's works are in the public domain. I downloaded a PDF of her Home Education, volumes 1-3 at Archive.org. You will find this book in many formats there. Or you can read online at Ambleside. All images were created using Gimp from free graphics by withremote.

Living Geography for Homeschool

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 22:44:45 -0600

Every homeschool curriculum should include a robust study of the geography of one's own nation as well as the world. Charlotte Mason, a British educator whom many homeschoolers admire, had very definite ideas about the teaching and learning of geography. I'll outline her thoughts, including several quotes, and give you some CM friendly resources to add to your homeschool routine.

Chan Chu the Wealth Toad

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:26:59 -0600

The chan chu has many names -- three-legged toad, wealth toad, or prosperity toad. In Asia, the chan chu is a good luck symbol, especially in the area of prosperity. Just one look at its figure will demonstrate that. Look at all the gold coins! According to the belief of feng shui, the mythological three-legged frog brings luck to the home that hosts it. These figures are all around China, especially in storefronts whose owners don't want to miss out on any opportunity to garner a bit more luck in earning money.

Nature Tales

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 14:28:32 -0600

Of course, the best way to learn about nature is through first hand experiences. Nothing can substitute for a nature walk. But a living book with nature themes makes for a great read when you're not out exploring the woods or the beach. Fortunately for us, many of the books Charlotte Mason recommended are available for free in the public domain. Read on for more details of great nature tales.

Charlotte Mason Quotes About Nature

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 18:22:34 -0600

Charlotte Mason loved nature and felt that children should be outdoors among nature as much as possible each day, directly observing plants, animals, weather, and seasons. Many homeschoolers follow a Charlotte Mason style of education and incorporate nature study into their learning. Taking regular nature walks and keeping a nature journal are parts of that nature study. Here is a collection of quotations from Charlotte Mason in relation to nature and the experiencing of it outdoors. Charlotte Mason's works are in the public domain. So you can feel free to copy and paste these quotes on your blogs or create motivational posters for yourself like the freebie that I offer lower on the page. I downloaded a PDF of her Home Education, volumes 1-3 at Archive.org. You will find this book in many formats there. Or you can read online at Ambleside. All nature icon was created using Gimp from free graphics by withremote.

Winter Promise American Story 2 Links

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 14:35:38 -0600

These are the weekly links suggested in the Winter Promise American Story 2 teacher's manual. Along with those suggested links, I've added a few more here and there. My daughter used this curriculum during her fifth grade year and generally enjoyed her online assignments each week. Sometimes we would get behind on them, an in that case she would do several weeks at once. Originally I had some general directions for my daughter and guestbooks for her comments/narrations. I have since deleted those parts to make it easier for people visiting this page.

Frugal Coffee Recipes & Tips

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 21:15:10 -0600

You love coffee, right? Maybe would even say that you need coffee on a daily basis. Regular visits to the local coffee house drive through add up to large sums of money over the course of a month. Even buying flavored coffees and fancy creamers to make delicious coffee at home can put a burden on the food budget. What's the solution? Have your coffee and drink it too with these frugal coffee add-ins. photo credit

Charlotte Mason on Math

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 18:39:48 -0600

Although modern CM practitioners use the term "living math," you will see that it is not in her original writings.She did talk repeatedly about "living books," and obviously the term living has been carried over to the learning of math. Charlotte Mason did refer to the "living teaching" of math (Home Education p.236 in Chapter XXI, "Suggestions Towards a Curriculum"), and so it's obvious that she would be in favor of referring to a well rounded math education as living math. So what did Miss Mason say about teaching math? How would she define living math? I've included here the full text of Miss Mason's Arithmetic section of Home Education. You'll find some key parts highlighted in yellow, and I've interposed some of my own thoughts (marked in green) as well. Charlotte Mason's works are in the public domain. I downloaded a PDF of her Home Education, volumes 1-3 at Archive.org. You will find this book in many formats there. Or you can read online at Ambleside.

Language Arts Lessons with Acrostics

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 23:38:24 -0600

Every teacher knows that adding a game or puzzle to a lesson makes it more fun. When children are having fun, they are more motivated to learn. Acrostics are word games that can be used with almost any homeschool lesson to add some variety and encourage critical thinking. Create an acrostic today. Hang it on the wall as a poster or put it into your notebook. (photo credit)

Charlotte Mason on the Bible

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:20:58 -0600

Charlotte Mason had a lot to say about educating children. What did she think of the Bible? Was it important to her that children read the Bible? In fact, she had high regard for Scripture and thought that all children should be familiar with its stories and be molded by its moral instruction. Below I've collected some representative quotations of Charlotte Mason's thoughts about the Bible. I hope that they inspire you as you educate your children in God's Word. Charlotte Mason's works are in the public domain. I downloaded a PDF of her Home Education, volumes 1-3 at Archive.org. You will find this book in many formats there. Or you can read online at Ambleside. The floral Bible icon was created using Gimp from free graphics by withremote.

Jimmie -- About Me and My Lenses

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:29:38 -0600

Hi! I'm Jimmie. Although I don't look much like the Victorian lady I've chosen for my avatar, I like the image that she portrays -- dignified, calm, attractive, and cultured-- all things I'd like to be. Instead I'm a bit too loud, a bit too frank. So to give you a more realistic view of me, here is a photo of me and my darling only child Sprite (a nickname) who is now eleven. You can find images of us sprinkled throughout this lens. I'm a homeschool mom who loves to plan lessons and make printables -- sometimes more than we even need. I find the research and planning step great fun. Most of my Squidoo lenses, blog posts, Wizzes, and Hubpages revolve around an education theme. Come see what I write about.

How to Make a Christingle

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 18:32:35 -0600

Christingles are a traditional Christmas craft that are both simple and frugal. The materials are not expensive and most of them can be eaten or otherwise used. Best of all, the Christingle is a distinctly Christian craft, displaying the truth of the holiday season -- Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. To skip straight to the directions for how to make a Christingle, click here.

I've Been Blessed by a Squid Angel! (or hoping to be)

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:05:43 -0600

Have you been blessed by a Squid Angel? Or are you wishing for an angel blessing? Are you wondering what the Squidoo blessing actually DOES? This is the right place to be! I'll try to unveil the mystery of the Squidoo Angels program. I am currently serving another term as a Squid Angel, this time specializing on the Homeschool Resources subcategory.

Charlotte Mason Homeschooling Headquarters

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:35:47 -0600

Welcome to Charlotte Mason Homeschooling! This group features lenses that help homeschoolers implement Charlotte Mason's philosophy in all areas including narration, living books, poetry, Shakespeare, timelines, living math, composer study, artist study, and nature study. We hope that you find some helpful resources here.

How to Create a Demographics Survey for Your Blog

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 21:15:39 -0600

If you have a blog, you are probably curious about your regular readers and visitors. One of the best ways to get data about them is to ask them to fill out a survey that you customize for your blog. You probably have some guesses about your audience based on the content of your blog, but the facts can be revealing. If you are putting together a media kit for potential advertisers or sponsors, having demographic facts is essential. Guessing is just not adequate. The data you get from a demographics survey can also help you to tailor future posts to meet their needs and improve your blog. It's easy and free to create a demographics survey with Google Docs. This tutorial will show you exactly how to do it, step by step. (Thanks to cambodiaforkidsorg for the intro image here.)

Delight Directed Homeschooling

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:27:11 -0600

After you decide to homeschool your child, your next big decision is the style of education that you want your homeschool to take. Delight directed is a gentle style of home education that allows the child's natural interests to guide the learning rather than a purchased or prescribed curriculum dictating the pace and activities. Delight directed not only starts with delight, it also fosters delight because the learning is based on a child's natural curiosity. intro photo credit

Sprite's Websites to Explore

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:24:55 -0600

Squidoo is a very versatile publishing platform. You can offer detailed product recommendations, educate an audience about your passion, or even teach your students or children. Take this lens for instance. I created this lens for my daughter as part of her homeschool assignments for her fourth grade year. Whenever I found something pertinent to our studies or just something fascinating, I added it to this lens here. Then each week when she had computer time, it was guided by the links you see on this lens. I've also embedded some YouTube videos that are associated with our homeschool lessons. Some of them became favorites that my daughter watched again and again. You're welcome to poke around and see what my daughter was learning in fourth grade. These links are all ones that I allowed my daughter to explore. Your children may like them too. Or better yet, create your own custom lens with curriculum supplements for your children.

Oreo the Homeschool Cat

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:00:38 -0600

Meet Oreo, one of our homeschooled cats. My daughter "Sprite" is educated at home and since the cats like to get in the middle of everything we do, I figure that these are some very educated cats! Look at the photos for the evidence. And join in the fun by adding some funny captions! What is Oreo really thinking? Does he enjoy homeschool? If you like this lens, please visit more Caption Contest lenses and vote for Oreo the Homeschool Cat. The images here are Creative Commons licensed. Please click on the links to go to Flickr where the photos are hosted if you'd like to download them for use. Please attribute by linking here or to the Flickr page.

A Homeschool Mom's Squidoo Tips & Tricks

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 18:42:37 -0600

Whether you are just starting out making your first lens or polishing off number 20, you're probably still on the lookout for ways to improve existing lenses, create new lenses, increase productivity, and boost your earnings. On this page I will share my Squidoo tips from over three years of lensmaking. I'm just another homeschooling mom who's learned about internet marketing through trial and error between meal preparation and lesson planning. In fact, I stumbled into it without any intention of making money at all. You can read my Squidoo story on my lensography. I started out using Squidoo as a place to organize links about lapbooking. When others found my lenses helpful, they started getting traffic. And after several months, they started earning a bit of money. That was a motivator to keep going! Now three years later with over 100 lenses, I am seeing significant earnings from Squidoo. What's a lens, anyway? It's just Squidoo's word for a webpage. It's your lens or your viewpoint on a topic. Squidoo makes it super-duper easy to build a lens. Honestly! You can start one today and work on it a bit at at time until you're ready to publish. Using Squidoo's platform is totally free. All you need to invest are your time and expertise.

Crazy English

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:41:38 -0600

I call it Crazy English. Others call it Chinglish or Engrish. Whatever you call it, it's hilarious! When people in China try to use English, disastrous errors often result. Enjoy a chuckle at my collection of crazy English, most of which was captured in China. All of these photos are uploaded to Flickr. So, if you have an account, I welcome you to log in and leave comments on the photo page. My Crazy English collection is here. Chinglish or Engrish can be the result of many things. Here is a list. Misspellings These are especially funny when the spelling mirrors the common incorrect pronunciation in China or when the spelling changes the meaning dramatically. Terrible Translations Sometimes these are so bad that the meaning is totally unclear! I find these to be the funniest examples of Chinglish. Grammatical Errors

Flickr for Homeschool

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 17:48:39 -0600

Flickr is a photo hosting site with a lot of fun extras that are quite useful for homeschoolers! Let me show you all Flickr can do for you in your homeschool -- blogging, sharing images with others, recording homeschool projects, and showing off. Flickr is a great place -- and free-- to store those photos of the projects that you just don't have room to store. De-clutter your home by saving your photos safely online. Icon credit

Asian Foods Headquarters

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 19:34:10 -0600

This group is dedicated to showcasing the amazing flavors that Asia has to offer. Here you can find the very best information on the most delicious cuisine from this exotic corner of the world. In the 1970s, Asian food meant chop suey and fortune cookies to most people. Today that has all changed. A rich and increasingly authentic variety of Asian foods are available all over the world at both restaurants and in supermarkets. The public's increased sophistication about food in general has been fueled by new tastes acquired while traveling overseas and by the growing number of immigrants who have created a market for their native foods.

Learning and Teaching Math Headquarters

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:09:54 -0600

Math is fun. Well, math can be fun. And math should be fun. This headquarters is devoted to making fun math a reality for your lessons whether they are classrooms or homeschools. We can all agree that math is practical; Math is all around us, used in our daily lives. Understanding math is critical to being a well rounded person, a savvy consumer, and an educated citizen. Besides the practical aspect, math is a sort of mental exercise, stretching the muscles of your mind. Come find out all the ways to learn math in a way that motivates and fascinates. Games, hands-on activities, crafts, experiments, and puzzles galore here! No musty workbooks and boring lectures. Let's learn math by doing math. Want to be featured here? Submit your lens in the guestbook below.

Learn About China Headquarters

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 19:35:35 -0600

China is a huge country; its geographic size is comparable to the continental United States. And there is no need to mention that its population is the largest in the world with 1.2 BILLION. History? Four thousand years of recorded history make for endless stories of inspiring and tragic events . The art, architecture, religion, philosophy, and folklore of China all exude the history of this ancient culture. Come learn about China with this collection of Squidoo lenses highlighting the Middle Kingdom. From modern China to ancient history, these lenses teach you about China. Topics range from the cities, the cultures, the language, the food, the people, the philosophies, and so much more. There is a quiz on this lens to test your knowledge, so read carefully.

Top Ten Cures for the Homeschool Blahs

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 23:39:18 -0600

Despite the joy we homeschool moms find in educating our children at home, there can be boring days where it feels that we're just going through the motions. We feel it, and the children feel it too! We may need to stop and assess -- why are we having these motivation issues? If we don't address that boredom, lethargy can set in. And later it may turn into full blown burnout. Here are my top ten suggestions to rid your homeschool of those blah feelings and inject some excitement into a school day!