Homeschool Pick of the Week

http://www.gwnews.com/

Good news for kids!  

Incorporating current events into your curriculum can be one of those items that get pushed out of the schedule.  Staying abreast of real news is tricky if you watch TV for your information or read the newspaper.  A reliable resource that I love is World Magazine.  They have news articles for every grade level from Pre-K to adult.  It reports and teaches from a biblical worldview.   Each monthly edition contains editorials, maps, colorful photographs, quizzes and the best part is scripture is laced throughout every page.  I have my daughter read through the magazine each month and answer the questions or fill in the crossword puzzle, or complete the assignments built right into each issue.  Then we talk about what she has read and go over any vocabulary or pieces of the news events that need further discussion.  

Faithfully Yours,

E.W.

September Review

My September goal was to write little notes in my boys lunch pails.  I started off strong.  I kept a little basket on my kitchen island with important school papers, a joke book, and things like that.  But then I was cleaning up one afternoon and put everything away so I forgot about the little notes.  I am going to put the basket back on the island right now!  Besides, it matches perfectly!!  Thanks for the reminder Sarah Mae!

September has been great!  I had to modify some of our workload for Sissy.  For instance I had 2 spelling programs, okay make that 3...what was I thinking?

We have just completed our devotional In the Flower of Youth and were challenged by some of the applications suggested; like kindness to your siblings, would you feel comfortable letting your parents read your diary, and writing a poem to God.

She is working her way through Total Language Plus for Anne of Green Gables.  The program is a little slow moving so she reads for about 30 minutes and then works on that days lesson.  I decided to let her read the series because she reads faster than the programs allotment.  She is giggling her way through the 2nd book in the series; Anne of Avonlea.

We finally got Spanish somewhat settled.  I choose the Bob Jones program- which is not very teacher friendly.  I bought the CD's (cha-ching) and we are making muddling our way through this high school level coarse.

Science is botany.  I had to search high and low for an advanced program for an 8th grader.  I am pleased with our books; Botany Adventure and I also purchased The Botany Coloring Book-which is a very advanced learning tool.  It is really cool.  We borrowed a microscope and are onto sprouting seeds and classifying, and learning new terminology.

I can't say enough about the Mystery of History!  Oh, if I had known about this curriculum years ago.  It is so comprehensive and functional for various learning styles and it has oodles of variety of research and digging deeper.  Love, love, love it!

The other book I am taken with is Themes in Literature from A Beka.  It has richly varied excerpts of good literature, short stories, poems, essays and plays from some of the finest writers of the world.  Selections reflect Christian principles with an emphasis on character-building and life-enriching themes.  I read this aloud and then we discuss the lesson and then she will have some kind of responsive writing.

We are enjoying each other's company and I am thrilled to have this one-on-one time with her.

The boys are genuinely excited about school (pheww).  My little guy comes home with a smile and my eldest loaded down with homework but challenged in a good way.   I am enticed to see what October will bring!

Blessings,
E.W.

Autumnal Swirl

When I think about my calendar and times I know are going to be busy; I think of Christmas and the end of school.  So much to do and it is all cramped into a very short period of time. At first glance, I initially think of autumn as the changing seasons, the weather cooling down, and the anticipation of settling into routine.  The reality of this fall season is that our family has some major transitioning to do.  Bye-bye lazy summer and hello school books,  soccer, and youth group all starting afresh.  I feel like I am juggling many things, and I AM!
The swirl of all the activities getting settled takes time.  Hebrews 12 says:

...let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross...

Life has its moments of walking, sprinting, and running.  September starts out at full tilt for us.  I just want to encourage all of you (especially my homeschool moms) that the trees don't all change color in one day.  It is a gradual process of day upon day change that occurs; and slowly, beauty fills the streets and valleys.

Bumpy parts of the road can easily get us flustered.  Remember the tasks set before you and recognize your busting point.  For me it is the 4:00 hour that does me in.  The kids want a snack, homework questions abound, and I am trying to think of what I am putting on the table for dinner.  Uhh!  What weight amI going to lay aside?  All these things must happen so I need to be aware of the sin that is waiting to ensnare me, and at this time of day it is impatience, and so I look to my Lord for help.  Having a snack idea ready beforehand helps immensely.  Grab an apple with some peanut butter, pop a bag of popcorn, or maybe some chips and salsa.  Just that little thing keeps me from a deep sigh because when everyone is rootin' around in my 10x10 kitchen lookin for a snack I want to send them out, out, OUT!  Not a difficult thing, just part of being prepared (the Holy Spirit nudges me on this), so this helps keep me at a jog.  I try to update my weekly calendar on the fridge to help me highlight the days events and to have shopped and planned for a dinner meal.

I pray all of you are off to a good start with your school year and please know that you are not on this journey alone.  We are designed for fellowship, so don't believe for a second that you are running this race all by your lonesome!
We are doing a kingdom work by taking care of our families, whatever stage of life you happen to be in.  May you find joy in all you do and stop to refresh yourselves along the way.  You CAN NOT keep up an exhausting run without refueling.  So the question begs to be asked, "What refuels you?"  For me it is exercise, healthy eating, quiet time, a good nights sleep, and being prepared for the next day.

As the autumnal swirl rushes around you keep first things first and the rest will come accordingly.  First for our family is being in the Word together.  There is a battle going on and equipping them is of the utmost importance for us.  One new thing we have implemented this year is morning devotions with Dad.  We all meet at the table at 7:15 and we are reading through Proverbs.  By 7:30 we have each shared our prayer requests for the day and off we go.  I am lovin' it!  That just makes my heart happy and delights me.

The joy of the Lord is my strength (Nehemiah 8:10)

Coram Deo,
E.W.

Field Trippin'

Our nation's capitol is a wealth of history and beauty.  We visited the White House today.  We toured all the roped-off rooms and peaked inside as far as we could lean.  I love the Dining Room.  It has a lovely hooked rug in golds and reds.  The room will seat 140 guests.  The guards stationed in each room shared little tidbits with us.  The White House has about 200 events within the year.  There is a bowling alley in the basement that never gets used.  One of the guards who has worked there for the past 25 years shared a funny story.  My girlfriend had asked what was one of his most memorable events and he shared that for the girls birthday they flew in "those brothers?...what's their names?"  The Jonas Brothers my daughter quickly piped-up.  Yes, them.  He had to hang-out with them until it was time for the girls scavenger hunt.  He was rather funny in his account for the long hours prior to their "surprise."

Guess who is in the middle of this carved stone atop a building?  Moses, holding the Ten Commandments.  Our Christian history is embedded everywhere, I LOVE IT!

As we walked along the streets, one of the local homes had this planted right in their front yard.  Hallelujah!

We visited the Folger's Library where Shakespeare is THE attraction.  God does have a sense of humor.  

I love this land.  I pray for our troops.  I am blessed to be an American.

We spent a little time sketching this fountain by the art gallery.

Okay, I am bearing my soul and sharing my sketching journal.  This is part of our art curriculum.  I am enjoying it very much!

We went into one of the history museums and they had an entire floor dedicated to relics of the presidents.  One of the presidents sons had a little journal ( see it in the bottom left hand corner) and he wrote about the Christmas play they went to that evening and drew a picture of the manger.  So sweet.  I was tickled to see that of all the pages that could have been on display the Lord saw to it that He is sovereign; past, present, and future.

We haven't been to the Smithsonian in a while, the one with the big elephant in the foyer.  It is so majestic and  awesome to behold.  I love that place.  It makes me think of that movie, A Night at the Museum.

This was our favorite site of the day.  There is a new wing with all ocean creatures.  This aquarium was not that big but it had the most beautiful tropical fish I have ever seen.  The more we looked at it the more we saw.  Cute little fish with sunrise colors of pink and yellow, pink fish with green tails and thin black strips, coral that looked like flowers.  It was breath taking!

It was a beautiful day to be out and about!

Blessings,

E.W.

Homeschool Launch

Today I was blessed to help my friend get prepared for schooling all 3 of her children.  She is a fabulous artist, her murals hang all around the county and she is one of my fellow prayer warriors.  We have done A LOT of praying together over the years.  She is a free spirit, an athletic (she has competed in triathlons), and has a heart for Jesus that is contagious!  The thing I love about her is that we can go for long periods of time and not see each other but the second we lay eyes on each other we pick right back up where we left off.  Numerous times she will pray with me where-ever we are; standing in the hall at the gym, in the parking lot, or with one hand holding the pair of scissors she is using to cut my hair (yes she does that too) and the other hand on my shoulder.  She is a STOP, DROP, and PRAY kind of gal.  I simply adore her!  
Her kids have been in private school for years, but this year she felt the calling to homeschool.  She will be juggling  2nd, 5th, and 7th grades this year.  We got straight to work and 4 hours later created a matrix of her day.

 She will be a busy gal this season.  There is a nice balance between her time spent with the littlest guy to interacting and overseeing the older ones.  Homeschooling is not for the faint hearted!  It is not a solitary journey either.   Helping and supporting one another is crucial.  I just love, love, love to help mom's get started with their plans.  I'm a nerd, I know!  But when your gift is organizing and your brain has more curriculum ideas than Rainbow Resource, it's a weapon to be reckoned with!  When I grow up I think I will be a Homeschool Guru!
I pray for all the mom's ramping up for next weeks launch.  I pray for excitement and vigor to let God use you to teach your children.  May each of you treasure each day with your children.
Blessings,
E.W.

Homeschool Tailor Made

We hold to the philosophy of 'one-year at a time' concerning our children's education. One just never knows what a year will bring as well as how the needs of our children will change from year to year.  I have been homeschooling on and off for 8 years. This year will look a lot different for us as the boys go back to school; so it will just be Sissy and me.  I hold this coming year as a gift; one on one time to pour into my daughter whom is quickly becoming a young woman.  She still thinks that I know some stuff and that I am on her side.  She listens to my advice and doesn't think I've just fallen off from another planet.  That said, I am going to run with this station in life and give it all I've got.  I want to open to her some 'old-fashioned' precepts that the world looks down upon.  I want to reveal to her the difference between feminism and femininity.  I want her to know what propriety looks like and why it is a dying breed.  With all that in mind, the compass pointed towards the Victorian Era, hence, that will be our focus of study .  Here is an overview of the curriculum choices for her 8th grade year of schooling:

**BIBLE**

*One Girl Can Change the World

*In the Flower of Youth

*Millie's Prayer Projects

*Violet's Hidden Doubts and Devotional Sketchbook

*Preparing My Heart for Advent

*A Young Women's Call to Prayer

*The Lost Art of True Beauty

*True Love

*Before You Meet Prince Charming

*Raising Maidens of Virtue

*DVD's*

*The Return of the Daughters

*What is Biblical Femininity?

**HISTORY**

*The Mystery of History Volume III-this covers the Renaissance, Reformation and Growth of Nations.  I am really excited as this curriculum is for all ages and has lots and lots of hands on projects if you have a crafty learner that is older but still enjoys creating.

*The Timetable of History...this book gives a sweeping glance of what was happening around the world, simultaneously, through history.

*Our Island Story (4 CD's) to listen to in the car.

**CURRENT EVENTS**

*Top Story from World Publishing

**LANGUAGE ARTS**

*Learning Language Arts Through Literature: Gray Book (a Charlotte Mason based curriculum)

*How to Write Clearly

*Vocabulary Vines

*Total Language Plus:  Anne of Green Gables, Jane Eyre

*In the Hands of a Child- A Christmas Carol

*Themes in Literature Vol 3

*Comprehension Guide Little Women, Veritas Press

**LITERATURE**

Mastering good writing skills is key.  For journaling this year we are going to let her start a private blog to get the creative juices flowing.  She is extremely excited about this idea.

*Anne of Green Gables

*A Christmas Carol

*The Edwardian Lady

*Pride and Prejudice

*Beware, Princess Elizabeth

*Little Women

*The Basket of Flowers

*Emma

*Sense and Sensibility

*Wuthering Heights

   *Tales from Shakespeare

     *Jane Eyre

     *A Girl of the Lumberlost

 **FINE ARTS**

This was the initial inspiration for picking this era.  We will both keep a nature journal during our daily romps with the dog.  This particular book is like an art class.  It shows you how to approach sketching and drawing.  

*Keeping a Nature Journal

*Learn Watercolor Pencil Technique

*The Country Diary of An Edwardian Lady-I am in love with this book!

*Elegant Writer-Calligraphy

*Pressed Posies Card Kit

*What People Wore- a great reference book

*A Very Victorian Christmas Kit-we gave this to my mom as a Christmas present last year so she and Sissy will do this together.

**MUSIC**

*Gift of Music:Great Composers and Their Influence

**GEOGRAPHY**

*Maps, Charts, Graphs of The World

**LOGIC**

*The Art of Argument

*The Fallacy Detective

*Wicked Whodunits

*2 Minute Mysteries

*Mind Benders CD

**MATH**

*Algebra 1 Teaching Textbooks

*Brain Math Vol 1

**SCIENCE**

*Botany Adventure

*Handbook of Nature Study

*Beatrix Potter: A Life in Nature

*National Audubon Society Field Guide of Wildflowers


**FOREIGN LANGUAGE**
Spanish 1 from Bob Jones University

**POETRY**

*Painless Poetry

*Anne's Anthology

Her outside activities will include a sewing class, drama and public speaking, girl's choir, soccer (in the spring) and horseback riding.  Our schedule varies from day to day.  I am working on our lesson plans right now.  We will continue working on her cookbook and mealtime preparations. My girl is such an independent learner.  She focuses and stays on task and accomplished the work before her.  She is a joy to teach!  I pray for a fruitful, life-giving year.


Blessings,
E.W.

Geodesic Domes

Easy science lesson for today, all you need are some toothpicks and gum drops.
Domes have been around for a long time. What makes geodesic domes different?   Efficiency!

A sphere is already efficient: it encloses the most volume with the least surface. Thus, any dome that is a portion of a sphere has the least surface through which to lose heat or intercept potentially damaging winds.

A geodesic dome uses a pattern of self-bracing triangles in a pattern that gives maximum structural advantage, thus theoretically using the least material possible. (A "geodesic" line on a sphere is the shortest distance between any two points.)

This one is made from legos.  You can make them from playdoh too.  You know the big golf ball at Epcot, that is an example of the geodesic dome.  I love easy science lessons.
PLUS, you can eat this one!








Blessings,
E.W.

Salt Maps

We have enjoyed our learning of history.  The Gabanator is studying Genesis through Rome this year.  One of the activities was to make a salt map of either our world, or one you create.  We discussed different geographic terms and labels like oceans, desserts, mountain ranges, tributaries, etc.  Then we made a blueprint for his project.  The recipe for a salt map is very simple:

1 c. wheat flour (non-self rising)

2 c. salt

1 c. water

Poster paints

Mix salt and flour. Add the water a little at a time, stir thoroughly. Divide mixture in bowls to add the colors needed. Spread immediately as you would frosting on a cake. Must be used at once, it will dry solid in 2 or 3 days.

If we had to do it over I would use a smaller poster board, this is really big!  In addition, you can add food coloring right to the mix, we did that for the ocean.  Other pieces you will want to paint sepeaately.