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 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 live in Michigan, I love the winter.  I love the snow, ice, ice-fishing, skating, skiing and sledding.  I have no patience for people who live in cold states, complaining about the cold and snow.....get up and have some fun!

My theory is, you do not enjoy winter because you don't participate in any winter sports, or fun.  But even us snow lovers tend to get a little to cozy inside once Winter has been around for awhile, so time to try something new.

Build an ice-rink as a family.  If you don't know how to skate, perfect!  What better way is there to learn something than in the privacy of your own backyard?  This is a big project, don't leave it to dad, all will have fun participating in the building and maintaining of your ice rink:

Directions for Ice Rink #1
Directions for Ice Rink #2

Take some time off of your daily home-schooling schedule to get the hands on experiences of these projects, your children will learn to love the winter (you will too).

As you are waiting for that ice to form, on to your next project, which is also family geared, build yourself an igloo.  It really is not as complicated as it sounds, and it doesn't need to be perfect, just steady!  Not to mention a cozy little retreat to hide in for awhile:

Igloo Making #1
Igloo Making #2

Now isn't this beginning to sound a lot more fun than pre-algebra?  The next project is making an ice lantern.  If you have never seen one, then you are in for a treat.  You may even want to keep in mind this project come next Christmas and have some waiting for your visitors during the Christmas holidays.  Expect a lot of "ooohs" and "ahhhs" not only from your guests, but from your children who will build these along with you.

Snow Lantern #1
Snow Lantern #2

This video talks about the importances of scheduling.

We are sad to report that our plans for a "fun" Friday at Impression 5 had to be postponed due to a nasty visit from the strep throat virus. Our fingers are crossed that after a few days of antibiotics and rest we can reschedule the road trip. Fortunately the weekend will provide the extra rest and quiet time needed for a speedy recovery.

   This year we have been trying very hard to create and stick to a regular schedule for lessons. This can be very challenging at times when you consider the fact that Jon has a part time job (a great benefit of homeschooling are the flexible hours that the student is available to work), and the extracurricular activities that at times overlap our schedule.
   I have found that the easiest way around scheduling issues is to do lessons around the jobs and extracurricular activities instead of vice versa. This allows our family a stressless approach to learning without playing beat the clock with their education. Some days require earlier start times, some evening lessons, and others require teaching twice a day to accommodate two separate planned activities.
   I know some homeschool parents that would find this to be a bit of an annoyance or exhausting, but it really has proven to be a calm and peaceful way to mix school with the opportunities that teens need to help build their self-esteem, confidence, and understanding of the real world. 
 

   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.
      
  

One of the first speed bumps I saw coming was my hubby and I getting on to the same page as far as home schooling expectations.  He works from a home office, so is very involved (or at least likes to listen in).  We have very different styles and approaches, but the same goals.  He is the organized, structured type and I am more of the "go with the flow" personality.  Well, I have been married to him long enough to see a conflict in the making.  So I decided to speak to him in a language he understands...

Before we started, I wrote a business plan for our "school".  This business plan included a monthly budget, mission and vision statement, broad schedule, curriculum, academic benchmarks, and discipline plan.  I was intentionally broad in my language, so that I gave myself wiggle room.  This served 2 purposes, gave my husband an outline of the school in a format that he understands and gives me some benchmarks to work toward and a little structure in my chaos.

We also have included the kids in the rule-making process and gave them contracts to sign.  Since they went to public school and then home school, I want them to understand that this is going to be fun, but a serious endeavor - not permanent vacation.  We explained to them that we feel that this is a great gift that we are willing and able to give them, but that they need to take some ownership in this process and that it is their education. 


My plan is to provide the basic skills, but let them explore the areas that interest them and work that into our plan.  I cant wait to see where that leads...

We all need a little help and encouragement as homeschoolers.  Sometimes it can feel like you are the only one with a particular problem in your day-to-day teaching or you just feel like you cannot possibly plan one more lesson plan without bursting.  That is what makes homeschool forums so great.  They let homeschooling families all over the globe stay in touch and talk about anything from coming up with a homeschool schedule, to finding where the best math lesson plans are on the web, to ways find homeschool games, etc.

The downside of having homeschool forums are that they are everywhere on the web.  You don't want to get caught up in the habit of signing up for every forum that you come across.  Most of your day will be spent responding to conversations, and you will wonder where the rest of your day went.  It is best to find perhaps two to four forums and stick with that.

You will find that some forums are geared for homeschooling in general, while others are narrowed to particular subjects such as Christian homeschooling, Montessori homeschooling, forums specifically for encouragement or new homeschoolers, to talk about your gifted child, etc.  If you find a great forum to talk about Christian subjects, then you probably don't need to join another one with the same topics.

Here is a list of some rather well-known and active homeschool forums that you might be interested in checking out.  Most forums do require you to register, but is generally free of charge.

*Veg Source Homeschool Forums

*CHF Web Interactive- Christian Homeschooling

*Homeschool World

*Gift Homeschoolers Forum

There are many, many more forums on the web.  You can find them by simply typing in "homeschool forum" in your search engine.  You can even be more specific, like "Christian homeschool forum."  So, I hope you will get in touch with some fellow homeschoolers today, and make new friends and find out great tips and tricks that only those in the trenches are able to give you!

 

Florida Virtual School a Homeschooling Public School Option

 

It may seem a misnomer, but trust me your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you.  I live in Florida and about ten years ago, Florida began a new program called Florida Virtual School.  This was a public school that consisted of interaction between homeschooled students with public school teachers.  In fact, the homeschool actually uses public school curriculum and when students graduate, they receive a public school diploma from their county.  All of this occurs while the child is technically “home schooled”. Since Florida Virtual School is a public school program, it is free.

 

Florida Virtual School went on to become very successful and what began with 77 students in Florida has now grown to embrace students throughout many states. This expansion has been termed, “Florida Virtual School Global Services” and allows students from other states to receive public school education online, while taking classes at home. 

 

Florida Virtual School and Florida Virtual School Global Services offers advanced middle school and high school courses.  All of the courses are accredited and are taught by state certified teachers.  Students take courses and are assigned a teacher whom they converse with through tools such as Email, Chats, and Forums.  They may also telephone their teachers as well.

 

Many students discover that they have more interaction with their teacher through the virtual school program than they did in a conventional public school setting.  Though students may access their courses at any time, they are required to work at a minimum pace, however there is plenty of room for students to work ahead of schedule and complete their courses in an expedited manner.

 

 

Here are some Important Links Regarding Florida Virtual School

 

FLVS Course Demos

 
Information for Florida Students

 Requesting Courses Video

 

Florida Virtual School Coverage Area

 

Florida Virtual School Course Offerings

 

Computer Requirements for Florida Virtual School

 

Remember, if you live in a state outside of Florida that your child may enroll through Florida Virtual School Global Services

 

 

Moms that homeschool the children do not often have the luxury that other moms have when the kids head off to school each day. Homeschooling moms spend each and everyday involved with the kids. While this is a great thing for the family, it can often wear mom down—after all, even homeschooling moms need a break every now and then. How do you find the time to break free from the kids for a little while and take in some pampering? Here are my tips that will help you the next time you need a little “me” time.

 

Get up before the kids:

When you homeschool, you probably have a schedule that you follow with the kids each day. Instead of getting up and then getting the kids up for the day, try getting up earlier than the kids and enjoying an hour or so to yourself. Enjoy a leisurely breakfast and have coffee or tea while you read a devotion or see what's happening in the news. Or, you can take a relaxing shower and use the time to get ready for the day. Some moms even like to exercise or do yoga in the morning before the kids are ready to get up. When you get up before the kids each day, make sure that the time you spend is for you.

 

Stay up later in the evening:

Of course, if you are not a morning riser, then you should put the kids to bed on time each night and have your “me” time after the kids go to bed. Let your husband take over while you go to the gym, take in an occasional movie, or go to dinner with a fellow homeschool mom or friend. If you would rather not go out, then jump in the bubbly bathtub and do what you need to do the most…relax.

 

Start a homeschool co-op:

There are probably many homeschool co-ops in your area. This is where other homeschooling parents get together and help others. Some groups may meet once a week or once a month. You may even find a couple of moms that are willing to do a kid swap with you every now and so you each can have the day to yourself and let the kids enjoy being around other homeschooled children. If you do not have a co-op group in your area, then you might want to consider starting one. This is a great way to get some pampering time in while connecting with others.

 

Hire a sitter:

The whole idea of homeschooling your child is to spend quality time with them each day. Sometimes, however, you can get a little too much quality time with your kids! Never feel bad about hiring a sitter every now and then for your kids during the day. Use this time to get your nails done, enjoy a peaceful lunch with your husband, or just catch up on your errands.  Don't worry, your kids will probably be nice to the sitter, unlike in the picture above!

 

It is possible to get in some good “me” time when you homeschool. You just need to know where to find the time and then enjoy it.

Some states allow homeschoolers to choose an option where they can use Internet courses as their choice of curriculum.  These Internet courses are referred to as "correspondence schools."  They offer all of the same school subjects that you would expect to find through physical workbooks, and actually often provide you with the physical textbooks your child needs to complete work.

A correspondence school is one that plans the lessons for your child, keeps track of the grades for you, and sends you reports on how well your child is doing.  Some correspondence schools take care of everything, while others will give the parents some flexibility with the lesson scheduling.  Correspondence schools are also responsible for administering your child's tests and quizzes.

A correspondence school will either be one where your child receives physical textbooks and workbooks, as mentioned in the first paragraph, and you correspond through the mail with tests and quizzes.  The other type of correspondence school offers Internet courses and everything is done via Internet and e-mail.  Some or no materials are physically sent to your child, depending on the program you choose.

Advantages of Correspondence Schools

• It's a good way to know that your child is receiving a quality education.
• It gives parents peace of mind knowing everything is being taken care of.
• It does most of the work for you, if you are not a planner.
• Some offer parents flexibility with class scheduling.

Disadvantages of Correspondence Schools

• Internet courses tend to be pricey.  This tends to be the biggest disadvantage.
• Corresponding through "snail mail" takes time to prepare and send off.
• You lose the flexibility to teach the subjects you want.

I know people who use Internet courses, and they love it.  We prefer to pick and choose our own curriculum, but I can't say that I have never entertained the thought of using a correspondence school.

Here is a list of some correspondence schools that offer traditional and Internet classes:

• Alpha Omega Academy - Uses the popular Switched-on-Schoolhouse software
• Bridgeway Homeschool Academy - Both Internet courses and traditional style
• American School - Offers workbooks and textbooks sent to students
• Time4Learning - Complete Internet course study; provides parents with reports

There are many, many more options.  Just type "homeschool correspondence" into your search engine and you will see all of your options.  I do suggest visiting A to Z Home's Cool website for a comprehensive list of correspondence schools.

When you're new to homeschooling, finding the right curriculum is like looking for a needle in a haystack. The choices are overwhelming, and so are some of the price tags! Our tax money pays for a school system we're not using, so it's hard to justify a huge chunk out of the family budget for books and other educational materials to use at home. Publishers often package curriculum in sets consisting of a student textbook, workbook, test booklets, answer keys, teacher's edition, and sometimes additional tools like cd-roms or dvds. There's nothing worse than buying an entire grade-specific set of science or math, only to find out that it's as dry as toast! Ebay here you come! Check the publisher's web site before buying their product to see if they have some sample pages posted online for your review. Another way to preview materials is the old fashioned way...go to the bookstore and thumb through the material. Either method can be time consuming, but well worth the effort.

Parents new to homeschooling are usually better off mixing curriculum, especially for the younger grade levels. It's a great way to try out different publishers and keep things fresh all year. Your kids won't be the only ones who appreciate the variety!

I've listed below some resources for finding curriculum online. Don't forget to use the library too. It provides a good reason to leave the house each week, and the shelves are full of rich history, intriguing science, and entertaining biographies.

http://www.homeschoolreviews.com/

http://school.familyeducation.com/home-schooling/curriculum-planning/38847.html

http://www.homeschoolsupercenter.com/

http://www.homeschooldiscount.com/

http://www.hsadvisor.com/

http://theswap.com/

http://www.abeka.com/

http://www.time4learning.com/

http://www.homeschoolclassifieds.com/

http://www.usedhomeschoolcurriculum.com/

http://www.thebackpack.com/

http://www.rocksolidinc.com/

Even after you've chosen a variety of books and other tangible learning materials, there's still plenty to be found online to enhance your at-home library. You may be in the middle of a unit study about castles and medieval life, and your children can't seem to get enough. That's the time to jump on the Internet and begin researching the subject in greater detail. It's surprising what you can find, and if you have older children you may be amazed at what they can dig up on a given subject. Internet research skills are crucial to this budding generation, so why not incorporate a little practice into their schedules and call it a lesson? That's what homeschooling is all about...turning life into lessons and lessons into life!

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I want to start highlighting a special person each week that has been home-schooled. Children who are home-schooled love hearing that someone famous has been home-schooled or is being home-schooled just like they are.

This week's person is very special. This past Saturday, Tim Tebow made history by being the first Sophomore ever to win the Heisman Trophy! This talented young man plays for the University of Florida Gators and he is their quarterback. He said he has four priorities in life:

1. God
2. Family
3. Academics
4. Football

As he was growing up and his parents teaching them from home, he wanted to try out for the one of the local public High Schools in Alabama where he lived. Home-schoolers though were not allowed to play on the team. So the parents made the sacrifice, and moved the children down to Florida where Home-schoolers are allowed to play.

I am willing to bet whoever turned away Tim Tebow has been kicking themselves lately!

He is no slacker in the Academic arena either. He has a 3.77 g.p.a. So get out your trumpet and start tooting your horn, what a special role model for home-schoolers everywhere!

As we go through our lesson plans, and plan our schedules, keep in mind that wonderful children are being molded in your hands, they may not be as talented in football as this young man, but you are allowing them to discover what their talents are, and we have the room to allow that to happen.

Even if the only thing they come away with is the CHARACTER this young man radiates, then they are ahead of 90% of other young people.

If your every feeling discouraged, tired, up to your neck in lesson plans, remember the wonderful success story of Tim Tebow, and most of all.....of his PARENTS' success story!

If you would like more info on Tim Tebow:

Heisman Story regarding Tim Tebow

More personal story on Tim Tebow and his family

Florida Gators Football Site

History of the Heisman

                     What about me?

Homeschooling with a toddler in tow is not always that easy.  It seems that every time you are ready to sit down with another child to begin schooling, that is the time your toddler needs you the most.  Has that ever happened to someone other than me?  Bless their little hearts.  They just need something to keep them occupied while you are busy.  Here are some neat ways that worked for me.  I hope they can help you as well.

Create a school box for your little one.  Have a "special" pencil box that you pull out for your child to do "school" when you and your other child(ren) are doing schoolwork, too.  This box can contain some crayons, coloring pages that you alternate each week,  along with stickers, and other little goodies that are safe for a child of 1-1/2 to 3 years old.  They will be happy to be doing "school," along with their older sibling(s).

Toddler-Sitting Tag.  This works, if you have multiple children of varying ages.  Have an older child sit and play with your toddler while you work with a different child.  When you have finished with that child, they will take over the role of playing with your toddler, while the other child comes in to sit with you.  As long as your toddler is entertained by someone else, they may be less likely to need your immediate attention.

Toy Box.  Pull out a toy box that is filled with things that your toddler can only play with when you are doing homeschool.  Let your child play in the same room as you.  Every so often, add something new to the box or alternate toys, so that your child sees something new to play with.

TV Time is Okay.  If you need just another half-hour before you will be done school, and your toddler just can't seem to wait that long, consider playing a DVD/VHS or letting her watch a TV show that is entertaining and educational.  Make sure it is a show that she does not already watch a lot, so she is interested in sticking around until its over.  Do not plan to have your child watch TV for extended periods of time.

Plan B.  If all else fails, try to plan your homeschool schedule around your toddler's nap time.  At least you know some work will get done, even if your child takes a short nap.

Please let us hear of your tips and tricks for keeping toddlers happy during homeschool time.  We'd love to know!

 

 

 

 

Homeschooling is a growing trend. In fact, statistics indicated that it is the fastest growing form of education. It is estimated that 2.1 million children were being homeschooled in 2003. The number of homeschoolers is on the rise, growing 7% to 15% per year, according to Dr. Brian Ray, president of the National Home Education Research Institute.

 

 

   

    Why is homeschooling becoming so popular? It probably has something to do with the fact that homeschooled students, or their parents, can set their own schedule. If a student, or parent decides that they want school to get out in April, then they can double up their efforts and get finished when they so choose.
    The popularity could also have something to do with the fact that homeschoolers are generally better socialized. This may come as a shock, because it seems ironic, however, Thomas Smedley, a graduate student at Radford University of Virginia, wrote a master's thesis indicating otherwise. He says that homeschoolers are, in general, better socialized than public-schoolers. Homeschoolers are usually more sociable around people that are not their age, both adults and young children. This has given homeschoolers a unique advantage when interviewing with prosepective employers.
    Lastly, homeschoolers, on average, score between 15-30 percentile points higher than children from public schools on standardized tests and also score above average on the SAT and ACT, according to Dr. Brian Ray, president of the National Home Education Research Institute. Because of this, colleges are beginning to actively recruit homeschool students. Is that not enticing?

 

Of course, nothing is as easy as it sounds. What does it take to homeschool? What do you need to know to start homeschooling? Find out soon!