Now this is Western Civilization done right!  Annenberg Media has put together on-line, a 52 week series on Western Civilization, that is billed for High School and Adults.  I though will tell you that you can use this series for your home-schooled middle school child without it being too lofty for them, and the educational benefits are tremendous.

The 52 week series is done in video format, using thousands of images from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, it is interesting, and entertaining using these visuals to teach. Taking you from the dawn of civilization to a look to the future. It is an impressive mixture of History and Art woven together. These lessons are only 30 minutes in length, and can easily fit into your daily or weekly schedule, and are free of charge. Some of the lessons are as followed:

• The Dawn of History
• The Ancient Egyptians
• The Rise of Greek Civilization
• Greek Thought
• Alexander the Great
• The Hellenistic Age
• The Rise of Rome
• The Roman Empire
• Early Christianity
• The Rise of the Church
• The Decline of Rome
• The Fall of Rome
• The Dark Ages
• The Middle Ages
• The Late Middle Ages
• The National Monarchies
• The Renaissance and the Age of Discovery
• The Rise of the Middle Class
• The Wars of Religion
• The American Revolution
• The French Revolution
• The Industrial Revolution
• The Age of the Nation-States
• The First World War and the Rise of Fascism
• The Second World War
• The Cold War
• Europe and the Third World
• The Technological Revolution
• Toward the Future

I did not include all the subjects, but enough to give you an idea on the order the program heads.  You can read a description of each program on the website.  In the very first lesson within the first few minutes, there is a delightful 4 minute "short" movie on the History of Civilization done in four minutes.  It is quite charming! There is nothing to download or buy.  To access this wonderful series go here:

Annenberg Media

I love to find amazing talents and outstanding people who have been home-schooled. Christophe Bisciglia is just one of those people.

He was one of those kids in a public school, who just couldn't keep still, kept asking questions, often annoying teachers, he wanted to learn and he wanted to learn now. So he was taken out of public school to be home-schooled, where he found the time to pursue the things that he loved

Not one for ordinary lesson plans, he started raising horses and collecting computers, and this is really where he found his spark.  He learned to hack all his video games, he grew up and attended University of Washington, and at the age of 22 started working for Google.

This is where the Hero part comes in.  Now that he is 27, and still hacking games, he designed a program called Google 101, which became a class at University of Washington that teaches students a new concept called "cloud computing".  The concept hit big, so big that through a partnership with IBM, it will spread to other Universities.

To learn more on cloud computing click here:  Cloud Computing

Christophe Bisciglia is making his mark in the world, and that is why he is a Home-school Hero.....

I have met dozens of home-schooled children over the years who are in love with horses, and horseback riding.  Several times a year, hundreds of home-schooling families visit ranches and horse farms all over America, it is a very fun and educational field trip to take.

As an extension of Michigan State University, My Horse University has MUCH to offer your older home-schooled child.  I believe this course would be perfect for teens, but if you have an advanced middle-school child who is wild about horses, this may be for you too (Check out the sample lessons on the site). If you have horses of your own, these on-line courses are really for you!

My Horse University offers science-based courses and live web presentations on horse breeding and selection, from the top experts in it's field.  The short courses take about an hour or two to complete, and you can view the courses when they fit into your schedule from your own home.  On the website, you are able to view samples of the courses, and of the web presentations before you buy anything.

Don't wait too long though to sign up, the live web presentations are as follows:

• Breeding for a Champion - January 21
• Your Next Competition Horse - January 23
• Preparing and Breeding your Mare - February 4
• Post-Natal Care - February 11

These web courses can be bought individually, or as a whole series, and each series has an overview and extra activities that you may chose to take part in.  This is great scientific fun for all horse lovers!
My Horse University

I belong to three different home-schooling groups, some of them seasoned veterans in home-schooling and curriculum with creative and  fantastic ideas.  If you don't belong to a home-schooling group as of yet, I would Cha-Cha search for one in your area.

The great dog-sled race, the Iditarod is set to start March 1, 2008.  This is a perfect time not only to teach about this historical race, but to pick your own dog team and map along.

There are lesson plans galore available for this event.  I am using suggestions from Walter McKenzie's One and Only Surfaquarium.  His suggestion for lesson plan follows in this order:

• January 7th - February 3:  Create a wall map of the trail
• February 4th - February 16:  Select a Musher to follow in the race
• February 19th - February 29th:  Prepare for the big race
• March 1st - end of race:  Follow the race, and map you musher as he/her advances

Now Walter's site has a list of sites to set up your lesson plans, the sites to really make note of are as followed:

• 2008 Official Iditarod Site
• Fascinating Facts
• Iditarod Podcasts
• Iditarod Virtual Field Trip

Those are just a few of the over 100 sites listed on his site.

During February 19-29, take time to find projects and lessons to learn about the dogs, the owners, the history and the race, the history of how it all began is extremely interesting.

My student is excited about this project, she will be keeping a journal on the team that she has chosen.  All children love to feel a part of an event, this lesson idea allows them to follow along with "their" team, and they then become anxious to learn all they can about "The Last Great Race", the Iditarod.  Have Fun!

Objective

What kid doesn’t love learning about the solar system? The planets are interesting and when your child is ready to learn, there is a wealth of information out there to help you and your child. This lesson will help you teach your child about the different planets and interesting facts about each one. This is also a great time to teach your child about space exploration.

 

Materials

*Books about the Solar System

*Print out pictures of the planets

*Construction paper

*Glue
*Crayons
*Scissors

*Model magic
*Styrofoam
*Paint 

Fact File

*The sun takes up over 98% of the mass in the solar system.
*Pluto, which was the smallest planet, is no longer classified as a planet.
*Mars has a surface and atmosphere that most closely mirrors that of Earth.
*It takes 2-1/2 Earth centuries for the Sun to orbit around Pluto once.
*Some of the rocks found on Earth are actually pieces of Mars. 
 

Activities

Make a Solar System book: One of the best ways to reinforce a lesson is to allow your child to make their very own fact book about the solar system. You can print out pictures of the planets and have them color each picture. Gather books and find websites and have your child write down several facts about each planet. Make a cover out of construction paper and organize the pages into a useful book.

 

A Solar System model is also fun—just do not rely on the store bought kits. Have your child come up with a unique way to make the solar system on his or her own. For example, how about making the planets out if lightweight clay such as Model Magic, or making a mobile?

 

Field Trip Opportunity

There are many excellent places you can take your child to learn more about the exciting world of the solar system. Look for a space center near you. The Houston Space Center offers families an in-depth look at space travel, the planets and much more. Ticket prices are $14.95 for kids and $18.95 for adults. You can get discount rates when traveling with a group and you can even check into overnight stays and day camps that are specifically geared towards scouts and homeschooling families. Don’t forget to tour the nearby Johnson Space Center while you are here. It offers a look at space exploration that your kids will love.

 

Wrap-Up

The official website for NASA is an excellent website when you are looking for just about any information about the solar system and space travel. Your child can even write to NASA and request information by mail. This website features an interactive place for kids of all ages to go and explore space through the Internet.

 

Another fun site for kids is Kids Astronomy. This site is full of easy to read and understand information for kids, all of which pertains to space. Kids can go here to learn detailed information about each planet as well learn about deep space, space exploration and more.

   Tomorrow we will be enjoying a Fun Friday at the Impression 5 Science Center. I figured that we would get back to lessons at a slow pace and enjoy the little extra time off before we work toward the mid-term chemistry exam and start a new healthy lifestyle course on Monday.
   This field trip will be interesting as "Impression 5 is a hands-on learning enviornment that challenges its visitors to experience, discover, and explore the world in which they live."  They offer many interactive lessons and educational games to make learning fun. Financially it is another bonus since Impression 5 is a member of the ASTC (Association of Science and Technology Centers) and its passport program. They honor membership cards from any ASTC member institution. 
   I will post our experiences tomorrow and maybe even a few pictures so you will have an opportunity to share the fun with us.  
 

   As the old year will soon be over and a bright, new year quickly approaches I am busy attempting to get the curriculum set for the return to homeschool on January 3. I like to plan ahead and have all of the work set up ahead of time and entered into the planner (Homeschool Tracker is my favorite www.homeschooltracker.com) and then all I need to do is assign the days work, grade and then plug the scores in when they are finished.
   This year we are studying algebra, chemistry, spelling, reading/literature and geography/history. I like to add a few "extra' fun classes each quarter that focus on art and music just to keep them using both sides of their brains and experiencing different forms of both. During December the boys had a great time doing hidden pictures everyday, even though this is a project often used in elementary school art they found it a lot of fun trying to guess what the picture was before coloring it.
   Once a month I schedule a "Fun Friday" where if we have completed the weeks work and chores then we plan for a road trip. This is especially exciting since I am usually the only one that knows where we are going until we get there.  It might be to the local bowling alley to bowl a few frames, or special museum exhibit, or maybe even the local water park (in the summer) or "The Fridge" when the winter weather allows for bobsledding along a long and winding course of frozen tubes. These adventures usually provide us with an inexpensive way to have fun, learn and attending during the weekday offers the benefit of less crowded facilities.
      
  

   Have you ever wondered what happens when you take some of those old plastic army men (you know the ones) and put them in a frying pan on your stove set at high heat? Well, aside from the obvious, they will create a smell in your home like you have never smelled before and it will linger for days! This courtesy of our 2 boys and that ever popular spark of learning that drives the homeschool process.
   After detecting the first hint of the plastic (probably toxic) smoke, I ran into the kitchen (aka the lab) to see what was happening only to discover the boys gleefully watching the little green men melt into a puddle of nothingness. Rarely have I been so grateful for Teflon.
   All of this to find out just how big the plastic puddle would be after the melting process was complete. Amazing, a simple question turned itself into a miniature science/math experiment...and our house into a stinky domain that required open windows on one of the coldest, windiest days of the year. Oh the joys of homeschooling! ~GRIN!~

I know, I know, you are taking a little time off for the holidays from your lesson plans, but home-schooling never really stops does it?  Here are a few of the new discoveries and happenings going on in our world that you can go through, just for the fun of it!

Read about a lost civilization at the bottom of a lake, in the middle of the Kyrgyz Mountains, located in Russia.  What is most interesting is a rumor of an old monastery located on an island in the middle of the lake, rumored to possess the relics of St. Matthew the Apostle. Read of this fascinating discovery:
Remains of Ancient Civilization Discovered on the Bottom of Lake

Two lesson plans in one in this next article.  Learn the history of Roti, an Egyption bread, that resembles a pita.  Once you have learned the history, it also includes a recipe so you can try this bread in your own home:
History of Roti

February 12, 2008, the State of Kentucky will start a two year birthday celebration in honor of Abraham Lincoln, it is the bicentennial party.  Learn how preparations are being made and what activities are being planned. It may be the perfect time to plan a few lessons on President Lincoln:
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace Readying for Festivities

At Cambridge University, historic penguin chalk drawings were found, belonging to Captain Scott and Ernest Shackleton, famous Arctic Explorers, dating from about 1904 to 1909, probably from lectures they had done at the school.  Their history is quite fascinating, and I encourage further reading on their lives and journeys for your children:
Historic Penguin Sketches Found

Just what the world needs, poison dart frogs!  If you have a child that is nuts for frogs, this story is for you.  Two new species of poison dart frogs have been discovered in Columbia, the article also includes great pictures
Two New Species of Poison Dart Frogs Discovered in Columbia

Scientists are much closer to discovering why Marine mammals don't develop brain damage from low oxygen intake.  Brain Globins are behind it all, and may in the future help in aiding human brain aging problems:
Why Diving Marine Mammals Resist Brain Damage from Low Oxygen

Now that you are home-schooling your children, you think we are safe from bullies, but don't sit back yet, there is a "bully" black hole out there that is destoying everything in it's path. Earth has no problem though, since this menace is 1.4 billion light years away:
"Bully" Black Hole Blasts Nearby Galaxy

Here's a story that will get you to start planning for presents for next year's Christmas.  Pens made out of cow patties.  Just goes to show you what can be accomplished with hands-on activities:
Man uses Cow Patties in Unusual Pens

370 trillion miles from here, there may be a sun setting, and it's not ours. Learn right along with the scientists that have discovered this sunset and what they believe it all means:
Astronomers Spot Possible Sunset

Take a field trip around the world with a couple of bloggers who are sailing the world. Read about their adventures, and a few scary moments as they travel from Indonesia to Malaysia:
Lightening and Frozen Cows

Here is another Abraham Lincoln story.  A new photograph was found of the President recently, which is notable because there are only 125 known photographs of him now known.  Your student will find it fascinating, because in the dedication pictures, they are all on horses, yet you can make out a tall bearded man with a tall hat, amazing!:
President Lincoln discovered in 1863 photos

I hope you enjoyed this weeks discoveries, and you find a few good ideas for future lesson plans.

Ever think you need a change of pace? Well try a Virtual Field Trip, there are so many places you could visit right in the comfort of your own home. This is a nice way to add some fun into homeschooling or into a lesson plan or current theme you are working on. An example of a Virtual Field Trip would be viewing multi media about Glacier Bay or a trip through a  musuem. Virtual Field Trips and Web Cams website has many different links to different Virtual Field Trips. The site contains good starting points, musuems, zoos, points of interest, and webcams. Sit back with your kids and enjoy the new places to explore.

A Unit Study is a collection of materials all tied into one theme. In a Unit Study all subjects can be combined into a particular theme. Unit Studies are a great hands on experience for learning. For example, let's say my child is interested in cars. For Langauge Arts, we can find stories about cars and write sentences and stories about cars. For Math, we can use simple addition and subtraction using my sons toy cars or printing and laminating clip art of cars. For History or Social Studies, we can learn the history about cars by researching it on the internet or watching videos. For Science, we can learn about the engines in the cars and how they are made. See how simple it is to tie it all together. A good place to start is as simple as what your child is interested in and working from there.

Here are some websites that supply free and complete unit studies:

Easy Fun School - Unit Studies

Free Unit Studies

Fun Christian Homeschooling Unit Studies

Free Homeschooling Unit Studies Online

Free Homschooling Unit Studies

The Learning Umbrella - Free Unit Studies

Welcome to my homeschool blog. Homeschooling doesn't have to be expensive. Sure you can purchase many different kinds of curriculum, but in many places on the internet you can find free stuff for homeshooling. Every day I will share some of my resources with you. This blog will contain the following topics such as lapbooking, internet field trips, educational games, free printables, lesson plans, and many more resources to use with homeschooling.  

I would like to share with you one of my favorite all time sites that I visit each. It's called the Homeschool Estore. Each week you are able to download a free piece of curriculum. You do need to register in order to download.

Stay tuned each day as you begin to collect a wealth of information.

Here are some interesting finds from the last week in the news. Space discoveries have been numerous this week. My hope is you find something exciting to study more, and work into your lesson plans!:

 

Retro! Knitting has become a new rage among Americans again. This article helps explain the phenomenon:

Once a lost art, knitting now is a red-hot craft

 

Scientists are getting closer to understanding rogue waves. Join them in this article that explains exactly how they are doing that:

Scientists Shed Light On Monster Sea Waves; 'Very Difficult To Study Directly'

 

This article is a little disturbing to me...but interesting just the same. Scientists have modified a mouse so that it shows no fear. This article can spark some great ethical/moral debates, and also stir up conversation on "do we need fear?":

Japan Scientists Develop Fearless Mouse

 

There are so many space discoveries this week, so I am going to list the headlines that link to the articles:

• Milky Way's two stellar halos have opposing spins

• Asteroid Shower this Week!

• NASA discovers magnetic ropes which connect Earth to the Sun

• Voyager 2 Finds Solar System Is Uneven

• NASA Mars droid in ET life discovery shock

• Indian astronomers discover longest intergalactic beam

 

Is this tree a Christmas miracle or just an oddity? Read the story and you decide:

Workers find cross inside Christmas tree

 

Planning lesson plans for dinosaurs? Don't forget to read this first! A new breed of meat eating dinosaur has been discovered:

Student identifies enormous new dinosaur

 

Schedule a little learning time about how Americans' ate during the 18th and 19th centuries, a fascinating little lesson to work into your teaching:

In The 19th Century, Dinner Sets Included Soup Tureens

 

By studying insects, scientists have discovered how to make a robot bounce on water:

Scientists Discover How to Make Robots Bounce on Water

 

Hey, give me that Twinkie! Scientists have discovered that aging occurs faster in animals who have to compete more for their food. This is a interesting read for your science lesson plans:

Competition for Food Drives Animals

 

Work a little art into your home-school day. This is a great article on cave paintings from around the world, that include some wonderful pictures and links:

Cave art rocks

 

This next article is about a new book out that would be perfect for kids and adults of all ages. There is physics involved, but more fun than science! Time to build an Igloo!:

The Bookworm Sez: ‘How to Build an Igloo’ for fun and survival

 

That's it for this week, I hope you have found something to inspire some great lesson plans, or in the very least some stimulatingconversation between you and the children.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teaching kids the true meaning of Christmas is of utmost importance in a Christian family.  There are many resources available to us that help us teach the birth of Jesus, so I have decided to consolidate some of these ideas and create a new lesson plan that will help you teach your children about this miraculous and important event in history.

Bible references:  Isaiah 9:1-7; Luke 2:1-20.  Read both passages to your child(ren) and then ask the questions below.

Thought Questions

• Why was Jesus born in a manger and not in a palace?
• What are the names that Isaiah gives Jesus?  What does this tell us about the coming Savior?
• What does it mean that the government will be on his shoulders?
• Why did Jesus come to earth?  Did he accomplish what He wanted?
• Why were the shepherds told about Jesus' birth by the angel?

Jesus/Me Comparison

Create a worksheet that has three columns and five rows in MS Word or other word processing program.  Name the first column "Questions," the second column "Jesus," and the third column "Me."  Now list these five scenarios down the first column:

• I was born in the city of...
• I was born in a...
• When I was born ... came to visit me.
• People that had to travel to see me would...
• On most Sunday mornings you will find me...

Christmas Craft:  For Christian Christmas craft ideas click here.

Coloring Pages:  DLTK has a wide range of coloring pages that tell of the birth of Jesus.

Book Suggestion ~ Authors Lori Walburg and James Bernardin

 

Field Trip Opportunity

This time of year churches are displaying live nativities for people to come and view.  If you have the chance, take your family through one of these live nativity scenes and let them hear and see the sites and sounds of what it might have been like when Jesus was born.  It was cold when Jesus was born, so bundle up because it may be the same for you during your travels.

Christmas Caroling

Another fun event that your family (and possibly a few others) can participate in is singing Christmas carols at nursing homes, for older people at your church who cannot get out much any more, and around your city or town to spread Christmas cheer.  Take the time to tell kids the meanings of the words in these inspirational songs, and what they have to do with Jesus being born.  You can find the lyrics and make your own songbooks by clicking here.

Especially for preschoolers:  The Birth of Jesus Bible Lesson.

I had recently polled kids in my surrounding area of Richmond, VA to find out what they believed to be the benefits of homeschooling.  They managed to come up with some pretty neat responses.  I think it is important to get a kid's perspective on homeschooling because often times parents make the decision to homeschool, but we don't take the time to ask our kids if they see the benefits.  Let's take a look at what they said.  These responses are not in any particular order.

 

*One reason kids like homeschool is because they can take field trips to great places and take as long as they like at their destination.  Public schools need to leave by a certain time to get the kids back to school.

*Older kids really liked the fact that they can learn subjects that interest them instead of following what every student has to learn at the same time in public school.  An example of this includes learning about the Bible.  Some teens who want to become a minister or a missionary can study this during their high school years, whereas you cannot do this in public school.  It gives them a head start on their career much quicker.

*Kids like the fact that they can master a subject in homeschool before learning something new.  In public school, the teacher pretty much has to teach a concept, especially in math, and move on to a new concept within a time frame in order to complete a curriculum on time.  Sometimes kids will ask for their parents help, if they did not understand a concept, and other students will not, and end up with a poor grade.  With homeschooling, you have the opportunity to master a concept before learning new things.  You can basically work at your own pace, and kids like that idea.

*One family shared that they consider a birthday a holiday in their home.  If someone's birthday falls during the week, they don't have school that day.  It is a day set aside to make that person feel very special.  When their child's birthday falls in the summer, that child gets to pick a day towards the beginning of the school year to make his day off.  So, it all works out.

*Taking a vacation mid-year is something a lot of homeschooling families take advantage of.  They are able to rent places to stay during off-season for better prices, and they have the ability to see the sites without bunches of crowds.  It is really cool to be able to go somewhere really fun and enjoy it feeling totally relaxed.

*If an emergency arises at home, homeschooling families know that they have the flexibility to take care of the situation, and school will not suffer because they can make it up easily, or just treat it as an off day.  Homeschooling is a way of life, so it does not have "set hours" that work has to be done by.  Flexibility is something kids really enjoy.

*One child shared that his dad is the "principal" of his school.  That is true for many homeschooling families.  I think that is pretty neat to have a principal who can hug and kiss you, and say "great job."  And just think...you don't have to wait for an appointment to see your principal.  He is always there for you!

*One family gave their homeschool a name.  They put this on letters to the Board of Education, and they display it in their "school room."  They found a way to make their homeschool personal.  Not many students get to name the school that they attend.

I bet you and your kids can think of more advantages to homeschooling.  It is a neat opportunity, and I feel blessed every day that I can teach my kids and enjoy their company 24/7.  How about you?

Right before Halloween, our local Middle School had a "dress up" day.  Whoever wished to could  wear costumes to school that day.  The majority of the boys, chose to opt out, the girls, well they chose to dress as Britney Spears,  Paris Hilton, and Pamela Anderson. Only fitting since these seem to be the "heroes" of the  times for young girls.

My heroes?  Well of course, Meg, Jo, Amy and Beth!  When I was a young girl, I couldn't read "Little Women" without being drawn into their lives.  I wanted their story to continue forever, while I waited nearby watching their every move. 

Lesson plans for "Little Women" are vast, I am going to attempt here to point you to a few of the good ones.  First of all, owning the book is a plus.  Every book store and library in the country carries "Little Women".  If for some reason though, you cannot get the book, it is published online, chapter by chapter:

Online Literature

Read Print 

The Literature Page 

Background and Key facts before reading:

SparkNotes 

Online Field Trip to the Alcott Home 

Fun Facts on Little Women 

My daughter struggled a bit with the vocabulary, here are a few of the vocabulary words you may want to conquer before beginning:

Acquiesce

Adorn

Amicable

Anoint

Ardent

Bequeath

Beseech

Blight

Blithe

Bounden

Candor

Capricious

Cherub

Copious

Demeanor

Cultivate

Emaciate

Expatiate

Frolic

Gallant

Obscure

Pettish

Propitiate

Reverie

Remonstrate

Peremptorily

Irascible

Peruse

Obstinate

Exult

My daughter was a little ticked off at Louise Alcott for her strange use of words.  I told her, "Wait until you get a load of Shakespeare!"

Online quizzes and lesson plans:

Quia quiz 

Advance Infoplease Quiz 

This site has excellent ideas for lesson plans, but it is geared towards the classroom.  Some of them could easily be adapted into a home-school lesson plan:

Cheerful Hearts and Willing Feet 

Sharing this book with your daughter will bring on its own lessons, and create in her wonderful memories of her own.  I have to admit, that once the fear of the vocabulary was diminished, this was one of the best home-school lessons we have had.

Enjoy! 

 

Is a homeschool field trip any different than a field trip that public and private school children take?  Absolutely!  I want to take this time to discuss why this is so, and give you some great ideas of places to visit, if you want to take your family or homeschool group on a fascinating adventure!

Distances:  Consider the distances that you can travel being a homeschool family.  You are not limited by the time that you need to be back to school.  A field trip is your day of school.  You can get up at dawn and stay until dusk, if you desire.  If the field trip destination is an hour or two away, that doesn't have to sway your decision to go on the journey.

Stop Off and See Other Sites:  Are there some really cool places that are on the way to your field trip destination?  Well, you can stop and see them.  Again, with no time constraints, you can take advantage of any opportunity to teach your kids by taking them to a variety of different places.  Flexibility is great!

Field Trip Frequency:  Just think of the ground you can cover in a year!  There are field trip opportunities for many types of lessons, including history, science, and others.  Instead of taking perhaps two or three field trips in a year, consider taking two or three field trips a month.  Field trips break up a mundane routine, and they keep kids interested in their lessons.

Here are some super field trip ideas:

• Museums
• Park events
• Zoos
• Day trips to different cities or states
• Airports
• Farms
• Native American reservations
• Festivals and fairs
• Historical landmarks

I am not saying that pubic school children are under-privileged because they don't have the opportunity to go on that many field trips.  They still get to see some really great things.  What I am saying is that homeschoolers just have the opportunity to utilize field trips to their fullest potentials.

One of our favorite times of the week is spending time catching up on current events and new discoveries.  The world is growing in knowledge at such a swift pace, it is a challenge to keep up with some of the more interesting stories.

Each week here on the blog, I would like to share a few of the stories and discoveries that we have found, my hope is that you find them as interesting as we did:

 

Geominos - Looking for a new game for the family, this one looks promising.  To me it seems like a cross between dominoes and scrabble.  You can order online right from the Geominos website, or if you live in Minnesota, there are several stores you can pick the game up in (check website for retailers), the game sells for $29.95

 

How elephants keep tabs on family - The University of St Andrews recently finished a project studying the Elephant families in Amboseli Park.  They present some fascinating insight on how the elephant families keep track of each other!

 

China's Turtles, Emblems of a Crisis - Learn about two long neglected Yangtze giant soft shell turtles, one male, one female, that are the only two left in the world, and are fighting to survive against all odds.

 

Russia poised to Penetrate Huge Subglacial Lake - Learn how Russia's drilling rigs are very close at getting to Lake Vostok, the largest of over 150 lakes under the sheets of ice in Antarctica. Though causing much excitement, the project also has it's scorners.

 

Architect Invents a Toy Based on a Scientific Riddle - This new toy is called Qubits, and has received such rave reviews that the company has sold out of the product.  This toy teaches math concepts and myriad Science.  The website will soon offer science projects and lessons, and will also announce when the Qubits toy will be available for purchase.

 

Researchers Find 459-Year-Old N.C. Pine Tree - A graduate student may have discovered the oldest longleaf pine tree in all the world.  Learn all about it, it is not often you find something born in 1548!

 

Those are my discoveries for the week,  next Wednesday I will bring you some more finds from around the world.

 

 

 

 

I'm part of a large homeschooling group and every now and then a potential homeschooler will come to a meeting. They are usually on a quest to discover if homeschooling is a good fit for their family.

Here are some tips that I have if you are wondering the same thing:

1) Go to as many homeschooling activities and field trips without your kids as possible! If you're concerned how your kids will manage without the socialization of other kids EVERY day, it's best to see how other kids are doing. Talk with the parents and get their advice. Chances are there are many who have been right where you are!

2) Join lots of homeschooling support egroups! Yahoo Groups has hundreds of eGroups dedicated to homeschooling. You can find local or national groups. Feel free to ask questions and most people are very willing to help. This is where I got my start when I began this journey for our family.

3) Read books and articles from your library or online about homeschooling!  Do your homework and you'll be better educated to make your decision.

4) Be prepared to make more sacrifices of your time and finances!   The lovely thing about homeschooling is the variety of curriculum plans there are out there. My kids use a distance learning program from Bob Jones University where all their classes for all their subjects are on an external hard drive for their computer. No matter what curriculum program you choose you will have to sacrifice finances and time.

5) Be prepared to obey your state's laws! The Home School Legal Defense Association has a fantastic site full of information regarding state laws and what is required of the homeschooling parent(s). Visit http://www.hslda.org/laws/ for more information on your state's laws.

Overall, homeschooling is a personal decision. If you feel it's right, your kids agree to it, and you don't mind making sacrifices it can be a very rewarding experience.