TOS Review: Soli Deo Gloria Map Skills Unit Study

Farm Boy is a geography nut. He began studying the US map when he was a mere four years old. Now, at almost seven, he can place all the states in an unlined US map and can almost match up all the capitals. The boy loves his geography! When we received word of this review, he was stoked!

Map Skills came to me as a 31-page eBook. It is a three-week unit study that includes day-by-day lesson plans for a four-day school week for grades K-6. The overview of the unit gives Recommended Resources to use in addition to this plan. Following the lesson plans are optional activities for older students or those who want or need additional practice. 


From the overview:

The only thing you will need in addition to this unit will be your standard math curriculum and your phonics program for young learners. The above skills are taught through a variety of methods including; workbooks, hands-on activities, crafts, kinesthetic activities and map work. When you are planning your day, keep in mind that hands-on activities and crafts always take longer than you expect!

I love unit studies for this reason! It is a nice change from our day-to-day schooling to just take a break and focus fully on a particular subject. The appendix holds a reading list, four Bible worksheets related to the study and answer keys for them. A sample page from the lesson plans is available on the website and happens to be one of our favorite days. My boys got a kick out of the game variations such as using a the directional spin on Simon Says!

Soli Deo Gloria resources are created by a down-to-earth homeschool family with a heart for missions. We used Kindergarten Basics in our homeschool last year and loved it. I love the Charlotte Mason style in her resources as my boys love to create and do things rather than have me talk all the time. (Who would!?) There is a wealth of information in the Free Resources section of the website as well! Go check them out! You won't be disappointed!

Soli Deo Gloria

Map Skills

$14 printed
$11.50 ebook
Free Resources

As a member of the TOS Crew I received the Map Skills eBook  free of charge from Soli Deo Gloria for the purpose of review. Opinions expressed are my own and no other compensation was received.

TOS Review: Lanschool Makes School Cool

This is the coolest. I mean, really. When my boys started playing on the computer - supervised on specific websites - I worried they might accidentally click over to a website they shouldn't be on. Like some of those scary teenager games - or worse. And then it happened. They were happily playing an age-appropriate phonics games and suddenly I hear a shriek from my office where the computer is. Then there were creatures fighting and guns blasting. "Mamaaaaaaaa!!!!!" they yelled. Inadvertently they had found themselves somewhere they shouldn't be with only one click of the mouse.

Then there was the time Farm Boy asked to work on his Capitals (a map program where he places the name of the capital city on a map of the US.) He has them all learned now but is trying to beat his best time and this particular instance he got a little behind. Instead of continuing on, he decided then quit and just play chess. Not that playing chess is a bad thing. He was just supposed to be doing schoolwork and well, I don't consider chess part of school. 

If Lanschool had been on our network, I could have avoided both of these situations. Marketed as a "Classroom Management Software," I found it to be so much more! Lanschool is designed to alleviate the distractions of technology in a classroom while using that technology to teach. But knowing my kids can only go where I say they can go online or only use certain programs during schooltime is so worth the investment in and of itself.

There is a message feature where the student can ask a question of the teacher (through chat.) The boys and I loved playing with that - it was their first glimpse at true technology, not just playing a game or gathering info for a project on the web. You can also send a private message to one student or the entire class (or homeschool.) I loved the "clear screen" option where you can personalize a message that disables the student computer(s.) It really got my boys' attention! 
 
We had the National Geographic Kids website up and they were watching animal videos as we demo-ed the software. I loved watching what my boys were doing and how long they stayed on a particular video. You can monitor what they are doing on their computer by viewing their desktop or just looking at the history log at a later time.  You can even designate things they can't do such during schooltime such as email or IM or social networking! We aren't there yet, thank goodness. But the option was there.

Another neat feature (and one probably used most often by school districts) is being able to show the teacher's desktop to the student and teach them through it.

Now don't just take my word for it - head over and get a guided tour. Then sign up for the 30-day free trial. The cost of the software is only $99 for a home license (up to three computers) and tech support/upgrades for three years! It is invaluable for a homeschool with kids who understand how to navigate the internet. Mine do not - yet. If purchased when the kids start surfing (or using online curriculum,) it could work out to be just a few dollars per year throughout the entire school career. For me, Lanschool is peace of mind. It is a must-have for any family whose children are online either using the internet for school, research or fun.

I received a trial of Lanschool free of charge for the purpose of review, no other compensation was received.

Pictures ARE Worth A Thousand Words (Or At Least 210 Words!)

I seriously wish I had had Vocabulary Cartoons as a kid. I am such a visual person that mnemonics have always been something I relied on to help me through daily life. I learned early that by making up a silly rhyme or using one already thought up would help me remember something for a test. 


Or someone's name. 


Or how to make my kids' favorite breakfast. 


Oh yes, now the truth comes out about the way I memorize recipes. Well, anyway. That's another post.


The tag line, "Kids Learn a Word a Minute and Never Forget It" is true in our house. Designed for elementary aged kids, my second-ish graders loved the book! There are 210 cute cartoons that create a visual, giving the student an edge in remembering what the word means. Definitions and pronunciation guides are also listed with a separate page dedicated to each single word.

  

I am a big fan of online samples. Many a time, samples are the deal maker for me purchasing a curriculum helper for our homeschool since it gives me a chance to see if something is really a good fit for us. Vocabulary Cartoon's fourteen (!!) pages of samples are straight from the book! One of my favorites is actually the first one in the book and the first one we learned. 

Farm Boy, my youngest, loved Vocabulary Cartoons so much and will still laugh about "abducting a duck!"


This book is great for independent learners who need some extra work to do or for students who struggle in vocabulary. And for public schoolteachers, there are blackline masters, PDF formatted discs, and overhead transparencies, in addition to the books. 


Still not convinced? Here is a word list in its entirety!


In short, we loved this book and cannot wait until we are ready for the SAT Prep volumes!  


The Details

Vocabulary Cartoons from New Monic Books (Love it - even the company name is a play on words!) 

$12.95 each

Age: 3rd-6th grade

------

I received Vocabulary Cartoons from New Monic Books for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received and these opinions are my own.

New-To-Me Living Room and Color Palette Help Needed

So you may remember a month ago when I posted my couch for sale. I bought it after we moved to GA since my beloved crushed green velvet suffered an untimely death to a cat over Christmas break before we moved. I begged hubby to let me keep the couch and recover it. I LOVED that couch. But that is another post. *sigh*

My other couch did get sold, but not before the one I wanted was also sold out from under me. Dang those Craigslist sellers! Anyway, I held out and waited. And waited. And waited. And then ....

I bought the loveseat for the same price I sold my couch for! The couch was a bonus FREE!! (It needs a little work and has a rip in the middle back cushion close to the seam which is now hidden by that pillow. But it is from Ashley Furniture and is oh so comfy!!

Please excuse those awful wrinkles. They are only stuck up over the rod and are being held in place with a safety pin or two for this pic. The curtains divide the family room from my office which is now on the other side. I will be getting some some clips to hang the drop cloths properly so have a while "wall" there where entertaining or push them back when we need circulation into my office room (where we watch Hulu!)

I had in mind to make slipcovers for them using Lazy's Girl's Guide to Slipcovers. I'm thinking of using the drop cloths like what are on my windows. My issue is this: it is going to be a good while before I have the time and energy to make the slipcovers. What should I do in the meantime? I would really like to bring lighter colors in to the living room since the paneling is so dark. I would love to find a beautiful fabric to recover the pillows and add some *umph* to the drop-cloth curtains on the other side of the room.

I have my curtains from my old house up right now just trying to decide if I want to use them. They would have to be altered the at both the top and the bottom if I used them. The have tab tops which look weird with the drop cloth tops and well, capris are not a good look for curtains! I think I have decided I don' t love them in this house since they just blend into the wall and certainly don't help with lightening it up in there.

The curio cabinet will be finding a new home (at an aunt's house.) The side table is not quite right either - would love to paint it, but we will see. The lamp is not even plugged in - shopped the house for it! It has never been used. Bought it for $5 last summer at Wally World. Love it, but it has been shadeless until now and I'm thinking it needs a bigger/longer one anyway. And I think it longs for a coat of paint! But what color? The paneling is very dark but will not be painted as this is my husband's grandparent's house - the old homestead. Since we are temporary residents I will not even ask to paint.

I have a large mirror for the spot over the loveseat and some other decorating things planned, but it is hard to get into it not having a color scheme decided on. 

On one hand I am thinking add a cooler color to help offset the overpowering warm tones in there. I want white, camel/khaki and a shade of light blue eventually. But right now I am thinking khaki with persimmon.....not sure the blue would work with the olive? The piping on the couch and loveseat is khaki so that would work nicely.

So what would you do with this room?What colors would you use?

I'm in Checkmate!

photo by e.phelps

Farm Boy has taking a real liking to chess. He asked his daddy to teach him since he inquired about the checkerboard table after we moved in to our current house. (In our last house, it was covered with a cloth and he didn't notice it as much.) After several inquiries, Farm Boy was able to convince his daddy to teach him. They have playing about two months now and Farm Boy is getting really good at it. He even loves to play on the computer!

Well, a few nights ago as he was getting ready for bed, Farm Boy was told to make his way to the back and brush his teeth. He, at a mere six years old, still gets uneasy in the dark and did not want to go into the back part of the house to his room.He complained a bit about the dark and I told him to go the other way (through our bedroom.) He opened the door and lamented about the dark in there as well.


"I can't go that way," he said, pointing at the dining room. "And I can't go that way, " pointing at my room. "I'm in checkmate!"


Well, that was it. Hubby and I both lost it. We consented and got up to turn a light on for him. After we composed ourselves.

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day Service Scheduled

photo by natalicek

Please join us for a candlelight service remembering those babies who never had a chance to live ....

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day

Friday, October 15, 2010

Historic Courthouse

Monroe, GA

7:00PM

RAIN or SHINE

TOS Review: I See Cards - Pyramath

I did not need another game to get addicted to. Really, I didn't.

I See Card's Pyramath is a solitaire with learning power. But it isn't just for learning. It is great for staying fresh in your math facts and for building speed. The idea is simple allowing anyone with knowledge of basic math facts to play. Pyramath can be played alone or against another player. And for $6.95, they are a great addition to our Fun Fridays or even Family Game Night!

from the instructions:

Fundamentals of the Game
The basic concept of any Pyramath game is that a single card is played on 2 side-by-side cards using math operations. For example if a 4 and 7 are side-by-side, the legal plays are 3 (7-4=3), 1 (7+4=11), and 8 (7x4=28)

There is even a Pyramath Wiki to learn how to use Pyramath in the classroom (and I am all about Wikis!!) 

The main challenge using Pyramath in our homeschool since we have just begun working on our addition facts. Farm Boy was super interested in it and cannot wait to try it! He is looking forward to challenging me very soon! (Mom had lots of fun playing the game though!) 

Ready to try it for yourself? You can try it online playing the  5 Card Version or the 7 Card Version! But don't say I didn't warn you. Make sure you let the kids play once in a while! 

I received Pyramath free of charge from I See Cards for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

TOS Review: Math Essentials

I hated math growing up.  HATED IT. 

My mom was an English teacher, and though there was a time I could barely speak a sentence without being corrected for my grammar, I loved English, reading and everything related to it. Math ... well ... not so much. That continued throughout my life and I struggled with my college courses in Math. I would get through it eventually (albeit sometimes taking a class more than once!) but it was like part of my brain never computed it. (Sorry, I just couldn't help it!) 

Had there been something like America's Math Teacher when I was growing up, I think I would have "gotten" math. America's Math Teacher is an online tutor, a complete curriculum or math teacher- whatever you need. It is video-based instruction complete with white board demonstrations. Beginning with basic math on the 4th or 5th grade level and working all the way through pre-algebra, students learn at their pace, repeating lessons (via video instruction) as often as necessary. Students are encouraged to copy the problems into a notebook and "work along side" the teacher so that they actually have the examples in front of them when they go back to look at the notes again. I really like that multiple colors are used when demonstrating something like regrouping in subtraction. It helps to really see what you are doing and for me and my audio-visual learning crew, it was easy to understand the lesson.

Rick Fisher, the creator of America's Math Teacher, is a seasoned math instructor from California. The success of his program shows "each year approximately one-half of his students bypass the seventh grade math program and move directly to a high-powered eighth grade algebra program."

A one-year subscription to America's Math Teacher is $195 per family. It covers all the lessons in the program and can be used for any student from 4th/5th grade to algebra. There are actually four courses: Basic Math,  Advanced Math, Pre-Algebra and Algebra. I feel it is quite a bargain for those families whose parent-teacher may not have the strongest math background (like, say, moi.) Since you have access to all levels of instruction on the website, it is great for large families who are studying at different math levels!

One thing we personally enjoyed most was the Speed Drills. America's Math Teacher has a very unique way to practice math facts that was a lot of fun too! As an adult it is easy to forget how stressful it is to be timed on math facts, but the Speed Drills lightened the stress a bit. Set up with the feel of a game, the kids had to quickly process the fact in their head, press the correct number on the key pad and press enter. I think it is great for practicing their use of the 9-digit keypad as well. You could not move on to the next problem until you correctly answered the one in front of you.

Printed materials in PDF format are also available to reinforce and review what was learned in the videos. If you would like to see the program in action, there are resources available in the free section of the website. You may take a look at a nice overview of the program including some videos and review sheets. With a subscription, many more review sheets per section are available.

I received a two-month subscription to AmericasMathTeacher.com free of charge from Math Essentials for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

TOS Review: Time 4 Learning

I first heard about Time4Learning when I met a group of moms who were forming a group for homeschoolers with special needs. Several of the families in the group were using Time4Learning as their sole curriculum and I was curious about it. Upon investigation of it, I was very interested in the program and liked the features but decided that we needed to focus on the basics last year. I wanted the experience of hands-on schooling rather than my child working at a computer for his lessons. Now that I have reviewed it as part of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I can see the benefits of using it along side of our regular curriculum.

Since before they could manipulate a mouse, my boys have gravitated to the computer. They love to watch me while I work on the computer, viewing pictures and videos or even checking the weather. As they have gotten older and begun to understand how to do things on their own, I would allow them to play (educational) games, view science videos for school and work on language arts skills on various sites online.

From the website:  

"Time4Learning is a student-paced online educational system covering preschool through middle school. It is popular as a homeschool curriculum, for afterschool enrichment, for remediation, and for summer study."

One of the features in Time4Learning that I noticed (and loved) immediately was the timer function. Parents decide how much work (or Lesson Time) must be done before their kids enjoy a visit to the Playground. The Playground is what my kids looked forward to the most because as it implies - it is playtime!! The Playground is an area of the program where kids can click carefully chosen links to places on the web. There are educational sites and totally fun sites listed in the Playgrounds and kids can chose what they want to do in their Playground time. Parents set the timer for the Playground as well. We usually did 30 minutes of lessons and then 20-30 minutes of Playground time. Once the Playground time was up, they could either quit the program or go back to Lesson Time and complete the time requirement again in order to gain access to the Playground again. This was great for going to grandma's during the week and me having peace of mind about what they were doing on the computer.

The graphics are entertaining and very appropriate for elementary kids. There is a lot of music incorporated into the program for is great for Music Man.There were several modules they they wanted to watch over and over such as the science unit on thunderstorms.

This program can be used as a stand-alone curriculum for homeschooling and even provides free lesson plans! I love that my students can work at their own pace, going back to master a concept if they need more practice in an area. Time4Learning is very affordable, too, at $19.95 per month for the first child and $14.95 for each additional child. In the parent area, you can track what lessons your child is doing and what still needs to be completed.

Still not sure? Check out the screenshots! Then slip over to the free demo area.You may learn a thing or two yourself! I did!

As a member of The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew, I received this product free of charge  for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

2010-2011 Curriculum

Here is our curriculum plan for this school year. It is always subject to additions and subtractions. :) 


Since I am on the TOS Homeschool Crew we also get a variety of things to "play" with throughout the year! 


Farm Boy  

Handwriting copywork

Language Arts 

First Language Lessons

Ordinary Parent's Guide to Reading

Math

Math Mammoth (Money,Addition and Subtraction B, Clock)

Math on the Level Math Adventures   

Music Man  

Handwriting

 Peterson Directed Handwriting

Language Arts 

First Language Lessons

Ordinary Parent's Guide to Reading

Explode the CodeOnline 

Math

Math Mammoth

Math on the Level Math Adventures  

Social Studies
Story of the World Vol. 1 Ancient Times  


Science
various unit studies


Extra Curricular
Hey, Andrew, Teach Us Some Greek
 

Homeschool PE through local recreation department and homeschool group

TOS Review: Peterson Directed Handwriting

Hypotonia is a state of low muscle tone (the amount of tension or resistance to movement in a muscle), often involving reduced muscle strength. (from Wikipedia)

Hypotonia was not something I had ever heard of before I had Music Man. It is something he has struggled with every single day of his life. From eating issues to walking and everything in between, Music Man has had to work at it. Hard. We have to train his muscles to do the things that most people take for granted. Handwriting is probably one of the most difficult challenges he faces.

If you know anything about Music Man, you know he loves to sing and dance - anything with rhythm gets him excited, hence his pseudonym. Any time I need him to really learn something (say my cell phone number, for instance) I put it to music. Sometime we make up a rhyme or a little chant. We have even added on to songs/chants/rhymes we already know.

Peterson Directed Handwriting seems to be written just for Music Man. There is rhythm. There is movement. There is repetition and routine - all things Music Man likes and thrives with. Peterson Directed Handwriting is a program much unlike any other handwriting program I have ever seen. It is unique in that it utilizes several senses at once incorporating hearing, moving, and speaking. It stresses mastery of basic strokes, a concept I have not found in other programs. The first day using it, just implementing a different way of holding the pencil and paper, made a huge difference in how Music Man made a basic stroke. Each basic stroke has a name and the name is what is chanted while actually making the stroke. We've all heard the cliche' it's just like riding a bike. Using multiple senses, the rhythm of this program trains the brain to do something (write) without having to think about forming the letters. He even chants the cute rhyme included to remind you how to hold the pencil.

Over and over you will see in the curriculum notes to the teacher NOT to allow the student to trace the letters with a pencil. In addition to the curriculum there are many items related to teaching handwriting on the website that are available free of charge to anyone who is interested. One I found particularly helpful was a presentation about why we as teachers should not allow children to trace letters with a pencil or crayon.

Peterson's 15-minutes-a-day philosophy also keeps my highly distracted ready to conquer the world and get on with it kids engaged just long enough they don't get bored. It is an easy program to implement once you understand the method for teaching. The entire program and lesson plans are even available online for viewing so you can see for yourself the benefits of the program!

There are several eBooks in the series available on the website as well as printed material. Materials are available for all ages ranges including Pre-K and Kindergarten, First Grade, Second Grade, Third Grade and Fourth Grade and Up. There are many additional resources available including online training sessions, pencils, wall charts, fonts and complete Homeschool Handwriting Kits! We specifically used the Grade One Print eBook which retails for $19.99 and allows you to print indefinitely from your computer.

I thoroughly enjoyed this review and plan to continue using Peterson as our curriculum this year. Music Man has made some great progress over the last month and I am confident he will continue to!

As a member of The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew, I received this product free of charge  for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

Bathtime with the Daddy-Long-Legs

Farm Boy: There's a spider!!! A Daddy-Long-Legs!
Music Man: That's okay, (Farm Boy) Daddy will get it.
Farm Boy: No, it is a Granddaddy-Long-Legs!
Music Man: Well, then Granddaddy can get it!

RECIPE: Dawn's Very Best Buttermilk Waffles Recipe

When we moved to Georgia in February 2009, one of the traditions we picked up while staying with Jason's parents was Saturday morning waffles. They made them every Saturday morning while we were there and my boys loved them! After we got into our house, we were saddened that the tradition was ending since we did not have a waffle iron. After hearing the boys lament about not having waffles anymore (oh yes, it was that bad,) Jason's dad presented us with a waffle iron he had gotten off eBay and never used. The boys started jumping up and down and screaming - how had I deprived them for so long ..... lol! We went home that very night and made waffles and the boys were so excited! They wanted them "evvvvv-er-y day."


Then enters the cook in me.


I like waffles and enjoyed eating them with my family, but not to the extent that my boys did. Maybe it was because I grew up on Buttermilk Eggos and these just weren't them (not that I would eat them now since we don't eat processed foods with artificial flavors, colors and preservatives in them.) So began my hunt for the perfect waffle recipe. After a full year of hunting and experimenting, I finally came up with one we all LOVE!!! And it is better than Eggo® in my opinion! Serve up these babies with some pure maple syrup or my recipe for a simple frugal version and you are in business!!!


PS For those of you wishing you had a waffle iron so you could try them out, try Craigslist, Freecycle, yard sales and thrift stores. People sell them cheap!! I had stuff taking up room in my kitchen, but a waffle iron is just one of those appliances I will always make room for (at least as long as we carry out the Saturday morning waffle tradition!)


Dawn's Very Best Buttermilk Waffles

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons vanilla sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 dash cinnamon (I use Penzey's!)
• 2 eggs , separated
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 3/4 cups buttermilk (I use 1-1/2 c whole milk with a splash of white vinegar.)

Directions

1. Whisk dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
2. Separate the eggs, add the yolks to the dry and placing the whites in a small mixing bowl.
3. Beat egg whites until moderately stiff, set aside. (This makes very fluffy waffles! Do not skip this step!)
4. Add milk and oil to mixed dry ingredients and blend.
5. Pour stiff egg whites into mixture and fold gently.
6. Ladle mixture into hot waffle iron as directed by your model and bake.

 Enjoy!!!

Couch for Sale $50-SOLD!

Yes, you read that right. I really am selling my couch. I figured this is as good as an outlet as Craigslist and Facebook (which are both hosting my ads as well!) It is cute and looks great with those hot pink pillows!!! I have found something else I like better but have to get rid of this one to make room. (And I'm hoping this one goes before the one I want gets sold!)

TOS Review: Travel Kits

We are right smack dab in the middle of travel season. I am so thankful that I no longer have to trek seven hours one way (ALONE most years) with my boys to see our family in Georgia during the summer break. After moving back home to Georgia last year, those trips were shortened to less than 30 seconds to see my husband's parents and less than three hours to get to my mom's. We did, however, make the trip this year back to Mississippi to attend a wedding and visit friends. I am happy to report the trip was much more bearable than years past. Enter:The Travel Kit.

Travel Kits: A Simple Way to Bless Others from The Old Schoolhouse is a concept that allows both the giver and receiver to really have fun! The giver creates a travel kit to keep the kids happy with small trinkets (think DOLLAR STORE!!) snacks, books, games - the sky is the limit. It can cover all ages, all budgets and does not have to be super fancy! There were list upon list in this full-color eBook to spark ideas and get you going. I could not get over how many pictures were in the eBook showing samples of different kits! And if you know me at all, you know I love pictures! I was in heaven! :) I love the themed travel kits, too, such as a family traveling to the beach!

Traveling is often very stressful for parents (at least in my household!) since the kids are confined in a very small area without much to do.Travel Kits offer fun before the fun of the actual destination.

I had only a little time to prepare our travel kit before we left for Mississippi. We were also in a much smaller vehicle than what we were used to on a daily basis. I chose to keep the "happy bag" (as I called it) in the front with me and gave one item out every 60 miles. Usually when we stopped, I would get back to the car a few minutes before my boys and then place it in their booster seats. They never knew when I was going to put something in or hand them something as I did not present the Travel Kit to them before we left.

The Travel Kit allows for a lot of creativity and it turned out to be the best thing we ever did! I don't know that it would have been something I would have thought to purchase from The Old Schoolhouse Store, mainly because the pricetag of $12.45. However, I can tell you that it would have been worth every penny for my sanity years ago!! I had read on several occasions about putting together a bag with new fun items for a roadtrip, however, this takes that one step further in laying out how to present the items, when to give them and oh there are so many ideas I never would have thought of on my own!(Sometime one needs a little more direction than "get a few new toys for the road!")

In the future, I will definitely wrap the items as that would add to the excitement (I meant to for this trip but ran out of time!) In our kit for this trip from GA to MS: Rand McNally's Road Atlas for Kids, paint-your-own-pirate puppet with markers, yummy snacks, wooden shape bender, plastic snake, car bingo (printed from a travel website.)  I also had a list of kid games like BUZZ and I'm Going on a Bear Hunt - things I had not yet done with my kids since they are only at the age to enjoy those things now. I hit the jack-pot at a local craft store and found many of the items 50% off on the $1 table! Look for those kind of sales! You can also add library books or books on CD. Maybe even go in with another homeschool family and purchase some nicer things to share - things that are just for trips!


I received this product free of charge from The Old Schoolhouse  for the purpose of review, no other compensation was received.

Doorposts: Free If-Then Chart with any order! (EXPIRED)

Doorposts - Bible-Based Parenting and Character Training Material
As part of their ongoing 20th anniversary celebration, Doorposts is giving away their If-Then Charts for free with any size order! This offer ends July 31st!

From their website:

We wanted to be more consistent and more Biblical in the way we disciplined our children, and this was the solution. Three columns list ten common misbehaviors, relevant Bible verses, and space to write in agreed-upon consequences. With this tool, you'll know what to do, and your children will know what to expect!

To get your free chart, just use the coupon code FREECHART at checkout, and place your order by July 31st!

Doorposts - Bible-Based Parenting and Character Training Material

Draft

Photo by Lori Greig, on Flickr

The dog days of summer at in full swing and it is sizzling in Georgia! Our garden is kicking along, school is "in review" and we are relaxing as much as possible! (We school year-round dropping down to reading and reviewing during the summer so we don't lose all the ground we covered during the regular school year.) We live in a farmhouse with no HVAC so it gets toasty this time of year. I have saved no less than 20 (20!!) drafts in my blog about various things I have found on the 'net. My intentions were to go back and actually post them, however, I haven't gotten motivated in the heat around to it. I am going to attempt in the mornings to work through some of these awesome resources I've found and attempt to schedule them (and clear out some of my drafts folder!)

I will also attempt to post some of the wonderful things we have done this summer, including
1. trip to Mississippi (where I took very few pictures!)
2. our garden (of course)
3. Atlanta Braves Baseball Game
4. visit from my BFF from Mobile, Brittany Mothershead of All Heart Photography

and several other things that I'll just leave you in suspense about! :)

The masses are rising in the house. Time to get off of here and start my day!

A Blog Walk with the TOS Homeschool Crew!

I was on vaca the last week and not checking the TOS Homeschool Crew Boards. I came home to find I was listed in this week's Blog Walk! This blog walk lists ten fellow Crew mates from the TOS Homeschool Crew and features their reviewer blogs. Without further ado, here is the list:

1. Buckaroo Days
2. Our Homeschool Reviews
3. Reed, Party of 6
4. Training Hearts at Home
5. Along The Way
6. I Love Science!
7. Through the Calm and Through the Storm
8. Created for Home
9. Tractors and Tire Swings
10. Guiding Light Homeschool

I am excited to see these new blogs (and to now know it is going on! :) Thanks Crew Mates for stopping by! I will be visiting you soon!

Woo Hoo! TOS is doing it again! Fall Homeschool Expo October 4-8, 2010

They are doing it again! TOS is hosting another online homeschool expo this fall and has a two-day sale on registration today and tomorrow! Check it out!!!

'Save $10 on Schoolhouse Expo Registration - Two Days Only'

RECIPE: Homemade Syrup

No, I am not telling you how to tap a maple tree, here! Just a recipe for a simple, very frugal, additive-free pancake syrup!

Simple Pancake Syrup
2 c white sugar
2 c dark brown sugar
2 c water

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Heat until boiling stirring occasionally being careful not to agitate any crystals that may have formed on the sides of the pan. Remove from heat and add 2 T butter. You may also add 1 t vanilla or maple extract if desired (but we usually do not. The butter gives it a wonderful flavor without it! Think Mrs. Butterworth's TM!)

I Made the Crew!!!

The TOS Homeschool Crew, that is! I am so absolutely thrilled! I received an email about a week ago but it got buried in my inbox since we were at the Special Olympics Summer State Games in Atlanta. I was finally cleaning out my inbox on Saturday night and found the "Congrats" email! Woo Hoo!

As a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I will be a homeschool product tester/reviewer for the next year starting in July. We will have the opportunity to try out some new products and then dish about them on my blog! I am super excited! (Can you tell??) My first two try-out reviews were for Download N Go Expedition Austrailia and When I Grow Up ... I Wanna Be a Firefighter!


Bear with me as I bask in the excitement a few more days! :)

I By-Passed a Mother's Day Post This Year

I didn't mean to exactly, it just snuck up on me. I started one three times but each time it came out very cynical. So I just let it go. I may go back and try to tone them down later but for now, I am moving on.

We have been extremely busy training for the State Summer Games with Special Olympics, me taking a cake decorating course, Music Man's dance recital, Farm Boy's taekwondo belt testing and winding down our regular school year. We go year-round but drop down to three days a week once we hit our minimum for the year. (Almost there!!) I will post each event as I can but just haven't had the time to get to them as of yet.

But now I have to get ready to start school ....

TOS REVIEW: Download N Go Expedition Austrailia

Farm Boy is my geography nut. He has loved maps from a very young age and now, at six years old, can name and point out almost all of the 50 United States on his wall map. He enjoys world geography as well and often asks about different countries. One of his favorites is Australia.(I have a cousin living there and he thinks that is super cool!) This week we had an opportunity to learn more about Australia through Download N Go Expedition Australia!

This ebook was very well organized and told me what to expect out of it in the intro letter/description. There are "five daily lessons with lapbook components for each day." For someone who has never lapbooked before, this was absolutely the best way to begin! There were book suggestions for each day, some kind of video and links to other websites with tons of information about Australia! The vocabulary words were right on target for my kindergartners.

Music Man has trouble with drawing and writing so he was able to dictate his answers easily while I filled in the blanks for him. (We just skipped the drawings for the most part!) We haven't tried lapbooking before because he also has trouble with cutting. I quickly discovered the benefits of lapbooking as an occupational therapy activity.Cutting, gluing, coloring, thinking and planning were all part of the lapbooking experience.

There were tips throughout the ebook for the teacher such as how to "hide" the comments in YouTube in case something was posted there that you were prefer your kids not to see. I have been using YouTube for years and did not know how to do that!

I personally loved the recipes as I love trying things from different cultures! We were not able to work in an Australian meal during the week but plan to do it the weekend.

Overall, I was extremely pleased with this ebook. It is totally worth the price. I am even looking at writing a subscription into our school budget for next year. It is a must-have if you enjoy lapbooking. I know we do now!

Download N Go Series from The Old Schoolhouse Store and Amanda Bennett (Samples Available!)
Single Editions $7.95 with monthly, semester and yearly subscriptions available!
Ages:  K-4th Grade 
All ebooks published by The Old Schoolhouse Magazine come with a Money-Back Guarantee!

PS I need to seek forgiveness for no new personal pictures the past few weeks. My camera is experiencing technical difficulties and my iPhone does not take blog-worthy photos.

Fun Friday: Earth Friendly, Money Savvy Piggy Banks

Today's edition of Fun Friday comes from Homemade Mamas, a blog written by two sisters in Illinois. This month they are focusing on recycling and being green. We created Earth Friendly Money Savvy Piggy Banks these from two mayo jars and one spice jar. My "anal self" had to find jars that matched each other so both boys would have the same looking system.

Here is the first leg of the project finished (complete with money added already!) We had a lesson on money this morning and I explained to them that we would now be giving them an allowance every week so they could learn how to handle money. Their allowance will be $1 per week in the form of four quarters - .25 to save, .25 to give and .50 to spend.

Dad will have to help with the second part, cutting the top slots for us. Once that is done and they are painted, we will glue the "save jar" shut to prevent temptations. :) Farm Boy has collected coins for quite some time so he had a good head start. I was proud of him for dividing the money up between all of his jars and not just placing it all in his spend jar. (He even gave some to Music Man!) 

Farm Boy has decided he wants to save for a baby sister. :) He's been praying for one for quite some time.



PS My camera is still sick. Pics are taken with my iPhone.

REVIEW: TOS When I Grow Up, I Wanna Be .... a Firefighter!

We all have dreams as a child about what we want to be when we grow up. My youngest son changes his mind weekly, sometimes daily. Most days, however, it is between two things, one being considered most often is a firefighter.

When I was asked to review this ebook, I was thrilled. I had seen this series soon after I visited the The Old Schoolhouse Store last summer, and I had looked with interest at the different titles, 11 in all.

I received this ebook as part of my try-out process for the TOS Homeschool Crew. As I peeked through the curriculum, I wondered how I was going to implement it. There are word searches, color sheets, a lot of interesting (to me, anyway) history and end-of-the-unit party ideas. Unfortunately, I did not find a lot to use for my kindergartners. Their eyes glazed over as I tried reading the history and background to them. They colored the coloring sheets and we talked about visiting a fire station but we did not fully delve into the topic as I had hoped. The age range states it is appropriate for ages 4-10, however, neither of my kindergartners could understand the vocabulary words or questions I asked them from what I had read to them.

I think this is a great series, but I think that the age spectrum is too broad. I think older elementary kids would love it, though I still do not know how to implement the history and background information. Maybe that was just for me? Several pages of single-space information is not something I could just read to my kindergartners. And I did not see instructions anywhere in the ebook about how I was supposed use that information.

The end-of-unit party ideas included games and an adorable fire engine cake, but I decided not to try them out since we really did not make this a unit study.

Part two of the ebook featured Robotics. Again, there was a lot of background and history information here and it was extremely interesting - to me. However, for kindergarten aged kids, trying to explain the terminology was a challenge. There was a pretty cool looking project with instructions on how to make your own robotic hand out of Styrofoam.

Other things included in the ebook were vocabulary words, review questions, a math lesson, crossword and word search puzzles, prompts for creative writing and storytelling, handwriting and copywork. 

When I put together a lesson from scratch, I expect to have to work harder in making sure my kids understand it and I have covered all aspects of the lesson. But it also gives me the flexibility to tailor it to their needs. When I purchase a ready-made lesson, I expect to be able to sit down and work through it without a whole lot of complication and hassle. I personally prefer a curriculum to be designed specifically for a more narrow range of ages rather than a larger gap age range. If it is one that can be used for several ages, I think it needs to be stated in the description how to use it for different age groups. 

If you are looking for a great study for older elementary age kids, look no further. But if your children are young, like mine, I suggest you look for other great products available from The Old Schoolhouse Store.

TOS WannaBe Series

TOS WannaBe Series  So You Wanna Be ... a Firefighter!

$8.95

Ages 4-10 (though I would say it is more appropriate for 8-10)

Lesson Pathways: Building Paths for Online Learning

This is the most exciting resource I have found in a very long time! I cannot even contain my excitement - so much my dear hubby's eyes glazed over as I began trying to describe it to him! This is a FREE online curriculum called Lesson Pathways that isn't actually done online. Think automatic lesson plans for eclectic homeschoolers (like us!) You set up a profile for each child and assign the "pathway" to each one based on what year (or stage) of learning they are in! It is easy to set up the "planner" for an entire year just by adding a "Guided Journey" or you can choose to add separate building blocks to create your own curriculum. It is stand-alone from what I can tell and goes from K-5!! WOO HOO! I wish I had found this in the fall when we began planning for the year.

Check out the Lesson Pathways Blog and their own description of what they are!


Lesson Pathways: Building Paths for Online Learning

Ultimate Blog Party!

If you are visiting from the Blog Party, WELCOME!! I'm Dawn aka cookfromscratch on most webpages I visit. 

I have never participated in one of these before but I am so excited! The more I blog, the more blogs I find myself reading! And THAT is what a Blog Party is all about! I am thrilled to have a reason to read other people's blogs (like I really NEEDED one.)

I am a Christian homeschooling mom from Georgia. Married to my college sweetheart since 1997. I love to cook. I love photography and you will often find me hiding behind a camera. My boys, Music Man and Farm Boy, keep me busy. We school in the mornings and usually have activities in the afternoon ranging from taekwondo to dance therapy to homeschool PE. This is our first year homeschooling and we love it! 

Music Man is my oldest. He always has a smile on his face (as long as he isn't hungry or tired!) and loves anything to do with music and dancing. Music Man has what is called FG Syndrome, a rare chromosomal disorder characterized by heart defects, low muscle tone and developmental delay. He also has ADHD which we combat with diet following the Feingold Program. We deal with sensory issues on a daily basis and have to think outside the box in many things we do with him. 


Our middle son, Samuel, died at birth due to multiple congenial abnormalities including FG Syndrome and possibly ARPKD (Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease.) I created a non-profit organization, Remembering Your Baby, in his memory to help other parents who lose a baby at birth. 

Our youngest, Farm Boy, is totally typical and all boy! He loves living in the country, all living creatures -especially those that live outside and brings a great deal of energy to our family. He began taekwondo this January at the Athens Taekwondo Center and just earned his Yellow Belt.


So that's me in a nutshell. Feel free to look around. There are homeschooling helps, recipes and just random bits of info on us and our life. Glad you stopped by!

Whoops! Let me not forget that THERE ARE PRIZES in this party! I personally love surprises and these prizes take the cake! Especially since you can make a list of the ones you prefer in case you win! My list of preference in the prizes would be US105, USC75, USC31, US17, US56.



Or any of the PayPal, Amazon or Target Gift Cards!

Homestead Academy: Dolch Kit

On last week's Fun Friday, I posted about the Dolch Word Bingo Cards from this website. It is a great FREE resource created by a first grade teacher in California who is now retired. She not only made cute bingo cards, but also a complete Dolch Kit. There is even a booklet of the words split up into lists! I printed one out for Farm Boy to use in the car.

Homestead Academy Fun Friday: Dolch Word Bingo Cards

It's FUN Friday at the Homestead Academy!  This week we played Dolch Word B-I-N-G-O!

Bingo Cards

Feedburner Finally Moved to New Blog

WOW! I got the email today showing where my Feedburner subscriptions were finally moved over. I apologize for leaving y'all out for so long! I hope that the update did not confuse or overwhelm you all! I am working to remove the very OLD OLD subject line for the Chandler Family Web Home. Hopefully by the time you get this update, it will be gone. Just know it is still us writing to you!

The UGA College of Veterinary Medicine Annual Open House

I am so thankful to live in an area where homeschooling resources abound! Spring has sprung in the south and with it we have many fun field trips available! Our next one is planned for Friday, April 2, 2010! Can't wait!!

The UGA College of Veterinary Medicine Annual Open House

Happy 1st birthday: Mother keeps McDonald's Happy Meal for a whole year... and it still hasn't gone off | Mail Online

Um, gross! And people think our eating habits are freaky! Really glad we gave up McDs and all the other fast food places!! BLEH!


Happy 1st birthday: Mother keeps McDonald's Happy Meal for a whole year

Craft Your Own Abacus! | Activities | Education.com

Craft Your Own Abacus! | Activities | Education.com

Announcing Earth Fare's Family Dinner Night!

Woo hoo!!! Finally a KIDS EAT FREE that we can participate in!

Announcing Earth Fare's Family Dinner Night!

Parenting Special Needs Magazine Winter '10

This issue features the son of a college friend of mine, Sarah Cook! It focuses on autism.Ain't he the cutest thing? His mom is a photographer too so the pictures of him are fab!

Parenting Special Needs Magazine

Raising Olives' Homemade Hamburger Buns

This is the first homemade bread I've ever attempted to knead by hand. It was super easy and so very yummy! I made child-size buns but unfortunately didn't get a picture of my own. I must say I am pretty proud of myself though!! I know they passed the picky eater test when Adin asks me to make them everyday! :)

Homemade Hamburger Buns

I Took His Hand and Followed

I Took His Hand and Followed
Mrs. Roy L. Peifer

My dishes went unwashed today,
I didn't make the bed,
I took his hand and followed
Where his eager footsteps led.

Oh yes, we went adventuring,
My little son and I...
Exploring all the great outdoors
Beneath the summer sky

We waded in a crystal stream,
We wandered through a wood...
My kitchen wasn't swept today
But life was gay and good.

We found a cool, sun-dappled glade
And now my small son knows
How Mother Bunny hides her nest,
Where jack-in-the-pulpit grows.

We watched a robin feed her young,
We climbed a sunlit hill...
Saw cloud-sheep scamper through the sky,
We plucked a daffodil.

That my house was neglected,
That I didn't brush the stairs,
In twenty years, no one on earth
Will know, or even care.

But that I've helped my little boy
To noble manhood grow,
In twenty years, the whole wide world
May look and see and know.


I Took His Hand and Followed - BestHomeschooling.org