Weekly Wrap-Up --Feb 21-Feb 27

Here's another week of participation in the weekly meme called Weekly Wrap-Up.  What a strange week it was.   This meme is hosted by Kris at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers.

Click HERE to read more Weekly Wrap-ups for this week.

 Monday we were hit by about 14 more inches of snow. SNOW, SNOW, SNOW.... blaaaaahhhh! I had a TON of fun stuff planned for Monday but after dealing with animals, wood hauling, shoveling, the snow plow dude, shoveling more so I could shut the gate in order to let the animals loose so they could access their food..... I was pretty much done with the day.    We DID do current events.   Otto listens to the Week in Review with Tom Ashbrook from his show On Point and then he and daddy discuss major points of the show.  This week they discussed the definitions of: revolution, revolutionary, dictator, democracy and Arabic/Arabian.   Our goal is not that he will fully understand all that he hears but just like a parent who reads a chapter book to a non-talking toddler.... hearing and learning by osmosis will surely benefit him in the future.

Tuesday is our busy day with the University Gym and Swim program.   We did not have bible study this past week so I expected to get SOME school in between gym and when I left that evening for my Master Gardener class.  What I did not account for was my promise to take the boys to spend some of their NEW allowance.  The boys just started to get $1 for a week's worth of chores, $1 for obeying mommy and daddy and Otto can earn a third $1 if he decides to sit and listen during church like a big kid instead of reading books, drawing, writing or playing with quiet toys.   We went to Target and I did a lot of division for them as we discussed the fact that they get a maximum of $2 each week and if they saved for X number of weeks they could get this toy or that toy. They ultimately still wanted the one dollar styrofoam swords.  I tried, I dearly tried.   I also counted our store time as "Life Skills."

Tuesday night I went off to class and felt lousy.   Head stuffed, nosing running non-stop, headache, wiped out.   Last week I told a few people that I felt like my candle was burning at both ends while under a heat lamp...... Tuesday night it (and a fabulous virus) caught up with me.

Wednesday was a "mamma's sick" day.... Yet I still managed to pull off some school-like activities.  I desperately needed to lie down and rest next to the wood stove.  The only way this happens is if the kids are watching something.  I had recently heard about Netflix having IMAX shows.   I pulled up one on beavers and dozed, when it was over I pulled up one on dolphins.  On Saturday for handwriting Otto wrote about these programs in his science journal.  :)

Thursday the dominoes began to fall.  Otto was out for the count on Thursday.   He napped quite a lot. (Although if you ask him, he was just fooling us all by PRETENDING to nap for nearly two hours at a time while pulling of a perfect snore rendition.)   :)   We watched the history of the 1980 Hockey team that won the gold at the 1980 Olympics (Miracle) as well as learned some more about dinosaurs from a Dinosaur Train dvd.

(This week was looking the like the most pathetic school week we had ever seen.)

Friday we managed to pull of a school day that LOOKED like a school day.  Brill Kids Aesop's Fables, Reading Kingdom, a math lesson on Venn Diagrams (which Otto loved), Kinderbach (which all the kids love and start pouting when I turn it off) and then for their daily short dvd they chose Leap Frog's "Storybook Factory."  Nothing like having them choose educational materials for me.  :) 

Now for most families the week would have mostly been an educational wash.  For my family, we have a daddy who works an odd schedule.   We don't really ever *feel* like weekend days are any different than weekday days so we often school through the weekend.   I will grieve the day when my boys figure out that this is NOT NORMAL for most of their peers!!! (Sshhhhhhh, please don't tell them!)

Saturday we did a math lesson, Reading Kingdom of which we are now learning to spell WORDS!!!  We did copywork, finishing up the beatitudes that soon will be made into a book and Otto did copywork into his science notebook.   When we do this he will tell me what he wants to write.  I write it on scrap paper correctly and he copies it into his notebook. The notebook is an elementary school drawing composition book.   The hard covered books that have a sewn seam but it contains the 3 lined writing paper with the top 1/3 of the page blank for a picture. :)  Otto loves to work in this journal.  We also did a lesson from Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading where we were reviewing the long A sounds.  Otto had to read a word (okay, I'm mean.. I made him read the whole sentence) and then he needed to label what the sentence said.  Ex: Put this card where you bake.

Here is a picture where he has labeled his brain, a vein and something grey.

Sunday. I had plans for light school activities for Sunday.  Yes, I know.. Sabbath, day of rest and normally I do not school on Sundays or even THINK about it but I was feeling like I had accomplished not much all week.  But Gracie was the next domino to fall and I only snagged about 4 hours of sleep Saturday night.   When I woke up feeling exhausted I scraped all my school plans.  Funny how we make plans change them and then someone else comes along and changes them again FOR US.   The kids BEGGED me to let them do KinderBach and who says no to children begging to do school???   They also had received their new science magazines (Your Big Back Yard and Wild Animal Babies) so we took some time to read and discuss our way through those.  Ya know??? By George, if I am going to spend time talking about the changing of seasons from winter to spring, the signs of those changes as well as the life cycle of salamanders.... I'm gonna count it as school.

Incidental schooling is my FAVORITE!!!!!  :)

This coming week we need to do some intense school early on in the week (although we are gone all but an hour or so on Tuesday).  This coming Thursday this mommy is cashing in on a Christmas present:  a night alone in a hotel and gift card money to spend at Macys.  I can't wait, although I hope I can find something that is "farm wife" worthy at Macys.   I will be sure to share with you my finds.  Honestly, I might be mostly excited about eating in a restaurant where the only time I have to touch the food is to eat it.... and to do so when it is HOT!   If I forget to tell you about it you have permission to pester me.  :)

It's a Wash or Foggy, Groggy and Sick

My last 3 days have been a complete wash.   Well, perhaps I need to scratch the "complete" part as I can be the master of substitution and am awful crafty and sneaking in "educational" like stuff and calling it school when we are sick.  I can also, with much thought, pull off easy meals that were not originally in the plans.

I have had a continuous mild feeling of nausea for many days.  (NO, I'm not pregnant!)  Over the weekend I had a scratchy, cotton-like feeling in my throat that was taking my tonsils captive.  I didn't think much of it.  Tuesday, the day we run ALL OVER, I felt worn down, tired, sick to my stomach and the nose faucet began.   Wednesday my symptoms had developed into a painful, stuffy, runny,  miserable head cold.  I am amazed at how a simple little cold can make me battle my own thoughts and feelings as I spend precious energy convincing myself that in deed I AM NOT dying but am merely just sick.   I am also always amazed at how a head cold can affect the brain's capacity to function properly.  Wow, what a fog indeed!

Wednesday my substitute supper plan was:  1) cut up ham slices from the weekend's spiral ham (read: I had to cut previously cut slices into kid size pieces and microwave).  Micro-baked potatoes (wash, stab, microwave until done) and a bag of frozen peas (empty bag into pan, add water, warm).  It took me over an hour to mentally function at a level where I could pull these tasks off.   If I had felt better I can imagine myself laughing at myself at how hard this super easy meal was for me. 

When Hubby woke up I asked if he could handle everything, took Nyquil and went to bed. . .   it was 7:15 PM!!!

With only two wake up calls (alarm set to get Abram up to potty and Gracie's normal 12 MN scream fest) I am functioning better today after 12 hours of sleep or more. 

Yet, as now I *JUST* feel sick (instead of yesterday's feeling like death) I look around and realize that my normally clutter-challenged self has a lot of work to do in the next few days.   On a good day I struggle with the fight against my *stuff* piling up into clutter piles everywhere I look.   On days when I am not home (physically.... or mentally as is the case of the head-cold fog) those piles seem to take on new momentum.  It's like there is an Olympic-like competition amongst our *stuff* that cumulates during illness and busy stretches.   Like all of our stuff says "How out of control can we get before she is with it enough again to notice??"    Really, have you ever wondered how it's possible that you and the family can do nothing yet the house gets messier and messier?  

Alas, Otto says that he doesn't feel that great today so we will be doing a little bit of work and will be taking it easy for the rest of the day.  Hubby gave me a supper request: WHICH I LOVE because it means I don't have to *think* about what we have, what I want, and what to fix.  :)   Yaay.

Perhaps, tomorrow (YEP, Friday) we can start our work week.

By the way, have you ever heard me state how much I love HOMESCHOOLING.   How many teachers out in the classrooms would love to just go home and rest when they are sick or who feel they haven't accomplished what they wanted to in the week and wish they could just do a little work on Saturday, not having to put it off until Monday.   Perhaps it's just me.  I dunno.

Blog Walk! Blog Walk!

(Thanks to Debbie, over at Debbie's Digest for the great picture)

Blog Walking is a great way to meet new people and read about their experiences homeschooling.  You might find someone who schools or thinks like you.  You might find great information on a new resource, curriculum or teaching technique. Blog Walking is a great way to learn more about the world of home education.

Please click around on the links below and feel free to leave a message or two if you feel led.  We bloggers like to see that other homeschoolers have found us and like what they have read.

This week's Blog Walk List:

1. Our Best Daze
2. The Joy of School
3. Spell Outloud
4. to the sea with me
5. Half Dozen Mama
6. Creative Learning
7. Homeschooling My Miracles
8. Beyond The Silver and The Gold - A Filipino Family's Homeschool Journey
9. My Own Sense and Sensibility
10. Happily Homeschooling

Weekly Wrap-up Feb 14 - Feb 19

Here's another week of participation in the weekly meme called Weekly Wrap-Up.  Although, I can not guarantee much excitement.  It is hosted by Kris at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers.

Click HERE to read more Weekly Wrap-ups for this week.

Monday

We packed a lot into Monday. Reading. Copy work (more beatitudes). Math (using our notebook is going swell). We then had a spur of the moment Valentine making session for Grammy who was swinging by for just an hour or so as she traveled to her next work destination. Grammy brought a Dinosaur Train dvd so of course we had to add Science into the mix as well. :)

Tuesday

Tuesday was likely the highlight of the week, even though we got virtually no book work in. This Tuesday was the beginning of this semester at the University. The Physical Education department hosts gym classes for homeschool children. It is a win:win for our community. The college students rotate around the age grouped classes which start with 4 year olds and go up through high school. Each class has 6-12 students so our children get that opportunity to "be with their peer group" to learn gym skills.   (I stick this feather in my hat for those who start in on the socialization critique that kids HAVE TO have experiences with only their own peers.  I don't agree but I can talk about gym to these people and they usually stop questioning me.)  

Even more fun than gym is that for the first 4 weeks of the Spring Semester the university offers free swimming classes after gym. Last year the children were one on one with instructors. This year my boys are 2:1 with an instructor. Last year only Otto was old enough and barely would get his face wet by the end of four weeks. This week, both boys were bobbing in the water and letting the instructor hold them up as they “floated” through the water. It was a great day. :)

Wednesday

We started with Story Time at the library which is always a joy for my kids. Once home we tackled some reading and history and did one last quicksand activity that we just had not gotten in before the Curiosity Files Review.

Thursday

We are home all day on Thursday and try to make up for lost time. We did reading (OPG: learning that AI and AY make the long A sound). We did two lessons in Math along with the sequencing and counting in our math notebook. We did some Beatitudes copy work and did many Reluctant Reader Newspaper Puzzles. 

We then watched the movie “Miracle” (about the 1980 Olympic Hockey Team). I counted it as history. Otto had a funny quote while we were watching one of the hockey games in the movie: “Mom, I think if I were a Hockey Player and got hit like that by the other team I would fall onto the ice and just cry.” Yep, me too son, me too.

Friday

We hit reading and math on Friday. I pulled out some Aesop Fable's book for an upcoming review and my, oh my are they wonderful. I told Otto he HAD to read one. We ended up reading 4 before he was tired. :) I LOVE these books and look forward to writing up the review for them. :)

Just curious. Does anyone, who has to count up hours, count Sunday School for “school time”?? I've always wanted to count it (especially since *I* am the one who is teaching it). Do you?  Just curious.

So, a pretty tame week around these parts.  How about you?

Would you like to read more Weekly Wrap-ups???  There is lots to learn from others and lots of incidental inspiration going on.  Why don't you click on over to the Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers to read more?

Kid Scoop's Reluctant Reader Solution: A TOS Review

Recently, as a member of The TOS Homeschool Crew, 

our family received

for the months of January and February.

Kid Scoop, the parent company of Reluctant Reader Solution, is a weekly newspaper (often printed in local newspapers) which is aimed at children ages 7-12.  It offers educational and entertaining information along with fun games and puzzles that draw children further into their newspaper to help them learn more about themselves and their community.

The creators of Kid Scoop know that in order to become really good at something a person needs to practice.  They know that when children are discouraged with reading they stop practicing which conversely affects all areas of their lives.  Kid Scoop believes that in order pull children back into the reading world one needs to provide fun and excitement.  Kid Scoop also knows that many children need to be pulled away from exciting computer activities before they can dig into the printed word.  To counteract this Kid Scoop created the Reluctant Reader Solution.

The Reluctant Reader's Solution was devised to offer fun filled and exciting newspaper like activities on-line and in print which will bridge the gap between the internet and paper & pencil. 

Members of the TOS Crew received the Reluctant Reader's Solution.  

The Reluctant Reader's Solution Includes:

• 12 months of access to the Kid Scoop monthly newspaper, the online newspaper just for kids.
• 365 Kid Scoop Worksheets, the most "pencil-friendly" worksheets available anywhere.
• 365 days to put the full program to the test with absolutely no risk.

When you purchase Kid Scoop's Reluctant Reader Solution you will receive an email from Kid Scoop giving you a link to access a download to the 365 Kid Scoop Worksheet pdfs.   There are many ways to use these worksheets.  Included in the instructions are both topical and monthly suggestions of how to use the worksheets.  Topics cover science, environment, health, safety, animals, people and legends, financial literacy, games and sports, holidays and special days.

Here are some sample worksheets: 

Also included the Reluctant Reader Solution is a monthly on-line newspaper. 

We especially LOVED the February Online Newspaper.  Here is the front cover.

When you purchase Reluctant Reader Solution you are given the log-in to access the monthly on-line newspaper. Once logged in, this is the view you will see.

From this view you can flip the pages, zoom in, print, save it to your computer  and listen to the magazine being read.

Here is an example of our favorite page in the February edition.

So what did we think of the Reluctant Reader Solution?

I think that Kid Scoop has nailed their objective on the head.  I think that the on-line newspapers are radiant in color and fascinating.  The February edition told about how pencils were made and how art can be carved into the graphite of a pencil.   It also talked with authors Judy Blume, Jane Yolan, Sid Fleischman and profiled Nellie Bly and President Lincoln.   It contained sequencing puzzles, "find the two identical picture" puzzles, math games, writing exercises, word searches, crossword puzzles, dot to dots, drawing exercises, a calendar of facts and activities and an educational board game based off of Nellie Bly's life.

We really enjoyed the monthly on-line newspaper. 

The pdf downloads are ours to keep and I will keep the topical and calendar topic lists close at hand to use in a supplementary fashion throughout the following years.

Reluctant Reader Solution sells for $97.00.

Would we purchase the Reluctant Reader Solution to use on the homestead?

I really like this product.  But the price is very much out of our budget for this kind of supplemental product.  The materials are definitely engaging and fun.  The educational material is great but much of this information can be researched by a parent and similar activities can be found on-line for free or in children's magazines for a third of the price.  

For those of you who would like to learn more about the Reluctant Reader Solution please click HERE.

Kid Scoop also offers some FREE activities and additional products for sale.

Click HERE (and then enter your email in the box on the right) to sign up for the Kid Scoop Newsletter which will also provide you with "30 Knock-your-socks-off fun activities over the next 30 days"

Click HERE to go to the Kid Scoop KIDS AREA where you can do many activities similar to what is found in the on-line newspaper.

Click HERE to go to the Kid Scoop Parent's Area to get some great educational and family suggestions and ideas.

Click HERE to see the Teacher's section of Kid Scoop to get weekly writing prompts and more education ideas.

Click HERE to scroll through the individual downloads (found on the right margin) for just $2.99

IF I do use Kid Scoop in the future, it will likely be as supplemental material in this fashion.  I really like the idea of this Maple Syrup e-book.

Don't just take my opinion though, please check out what other TOS Crewmates have to say about Kid Scoop's Reluctant Reader Solutions click HERE. 

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Disclaimer:  I am a member of The Old Schoolhouse 2010-2011 Homeschool Crew and receive free products and services in exchange for a thorough and honest review.  Though I am compensated with free products, I am not compensated in the form of cash for my reviews.  My reviews will always reflect my honest opinions, findings, beliefs and experiences on the products and services that I receive.

The Preschooler

My dear Abram has REALLY started to take an interest in letters.  He wants to write them ALL NOW.  He wants to write words.  He just started drawing pictures.

Here is his version of ME in BED.   lol

The gray blob above my head is NOT bad breath but is the gray marker from the other side of the paper.  He had colored the same spot so much it tore through.  Does it mean anything if a bed has 6 legs??

He turned 4 in November.  In all reality he would not even be starting "school" (if we were in the Public Schools) until next September.  However, as homeschoolers we often make up our own rules and ways....right?

Last Fall I thought we would start a letter a week but when I tried he could have cared less.  So I would encourage him and do things here and there with him but was not actually officially *teaching* him anything in a sit down manner.   I did do a fair share with numbers and he amazes me in his ability to count and even do some pretty challenging math problems (when he wants to).

The past week or so he has been begging me to help him, usually when I was neck high in a complicated task or topic with my 1st grader. 

I decided this weekend that THIS week we would start working on letters.

I first stopped off to see what Erica had for me at Confessions of a Homeschooler.  Some day I might give her $10 to get her download for the Letter of the Week Curriculum that she created.  She amazes me.

From there I linked over to Totally Tots and immediately felt like there is no way anyone can possible actually do ALL the activities these people with these tots (and maintain a house with older and younger kids).  But their stuff is AMAZING and I actually printed more than I want to admit (since I am a printer ink, hoarder). Click here for their Letter pages.

From there I clicked over to Making Learning Fun and think I'm in love with all the activities and worksheets they have as well.

Now I am just hoping that I have prepared ENOUGH and that Monday will be a day where everything flows nice and smooth.  I am hoping for the older one to have the ability to work independently and not cry because his brother has different  stuff to do.  I am praying for a day when everyone can learn a whole lot, be attentive, follow directions..... and sing perfect 4 part harmony while dancing the steps to River Dance.   Oh wait... sorry I fell into a fun daydream there.  Okay, then I am at least praying that Abram STILL wants to do school stuff, that I can handle EVERYTHING going on in the house tomorrow and that we all survive and LOVE each other at the end of the day (and prayerfully THROUGHOUT the day as well).

Here we go!!!!!!!!!!!  (Said in the best Peter Pan that I can pull off.)

How do you teach the youngers the basics (letters and phonics) while teaching the olders (who still basically need you beside them for most steps still)???

Stylish Blogger Award

In the past few weeks I have been awarded the Stylish Blogger Award.

I am sorry that I have not been able to get my post up before this time but sometimes life gets busy and sometimes, especially in January and February, I struggle with motivation and get-up-and-go.

So FIRST I want to say THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MY AWARD to both Michelle, at A Life Better Than I Deserve and to Julie at A Teaching Heart.  I feel very honored to have been chosen by these lovely ladies with beautiful blogs.  You really need to leave me now and go check out what they are talking about on their blogs.  

Okay, now that you're back let's get down to the business of this award.

The rules of the award are as follows:

1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this award
2. Share 7 things about yourself
3. Award 15 recently discovered great bloggers
4. Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award

NUMBER ONE
Is done!  CHECK.  See the top of this post and if you did not go visit them when I told you to up above..........go now, please.  ;)


NUMBER TWO
Ugg.....   Talking about myself.  Hmmmmm.... What to say?  What to say?

1. I am a contrarian by nature.  I can't help it.  Sometimes I can bite my tongue but more often than not I am sticking my foot in my mouth as I show them the flipside of the coin.   Tell me how rosey and happy life is and I am sure to point out the dangers lurking around the shadows in the corners.  Yet, if you are all down and gloomy I will surely point out all the jewels hidden in dark places and will definitely point out the silver lining in your clouds in life. 
2. People tell me all the time that I am funny and I make them laugh.  I'm not sure why?  My family calls it embarrassing and occasionally unrefined.
3. I have very mixed love-hate feelings about Spring.  Spring means warmer temps and more sun which are amazing to me.  Spring brings the grass back and the kids stay outside longer to play.   On the flipside (told you I was a contrarian) Spring makes the multiple feet of snow on the ground melt very quickly.  We live on a hillside and so all that melted snow water runs down the hill and down the driveway.  Now flashback to our first snow of 24 inches when we had to bring in an excavator to dig our very long driveway out.  The piles of snow on each side of the drive were 6 feet tall at least.  When the snow melts in Spring those banks are still there so the snow melt runs down my drive like a river and then at night melts again turning our driveway into a luge run.  Daytime=mud  Night time=luge  It doesn't bode well for my nerves but we usually survive.
4. I am currently taking a Master Gardener Class despite not having a LOVE for gardening.  Hubby is moving into Bee Keeping tasks more and more which means he will have less gardening time which means I will be in the garden MUCH MORE.   I am learning a lot from the class and am praying for God to fill me with a TREMENDOUS love for tending the plants and soil this summer. 
5. Many of the things I currently love and would be sad if taken away from me are things I disliked or even detested when the change first happened. God's changing power is amazing.
6. I'm a GleeK.  There I said it!
7. I often wish I were either and octopus or a super hero that was capable of spliting into 4-5 manifestations of myself.  I have so many things on my wish list and seem to run out of ooomph, motivation, time, energy, ability to do even a fraction of them.
8. I'm giving you a bonus fact.  I am a HUGE promoter of GRATITUDE, THANKFULNESS and CONTENTMENT.  I struggle to balance number 7 and number 8 on this list.    The other day I read a status on facebook that really hit me in the heart.  "What if the only thing you had today was that which you thanked God for yesterday?"   If that does not help sway a person to remember one's thanksgivings I am not sure what will.

 NUMBER THREE
Award 15 (FIFTEEN????) recently discovered bloggers with this award.  OH MY!
 If you wonder why it took me so long to post this is was because I was trying to find time to go out and discover new blogs that I had not discovered previously.

Here's my list.  Congratulations to you that I have discovered.  Please pass on this award to 15 more wonderful blogs out there.

1. Erin at Closing Time
2. Jennifer at A Glimpse of Our Life
3. Wendi at Simply At Home
4. Shawna at Tenacity Divine
5. April at The Homeschool Cafeteria
6. April at ElCloud Homeschool
7. Christy at Reed, Party of 6
8. Dawn at Guiding Light Homeschool
9. Kimberly at We Love to Homeschool
10. Totally Temberton
11. Four Little Penguins
12. Jacquelin at A Stable Beginning
13. Mozer at Spell Outloud 
14. Lexi at Pink and Orange Coffee
15. McMama at Ruby Slippers School

Whew!   That should keep everyone busy for awhile.  All of these blogs are very worthy of your visit.  Most of them I have never visited before. Many are fellow TOS Crew members but all are very unique and very fun with lots to learn and enjoy.

I am hoping that many of those blogs awarded will pass on the award and check back in with us to let us know who they passed the award onto.  It's fun to find new-to-us blogs, isn't it?

Weekly Wrap-up Feb 2-Feb 12

I am quickly typing this week's Wrap-Up hoping to get my link connected before Kris at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers closes up shop for the week.   Sometimes it's hard for me to get this done when we frequently do Saturday School.   I KNOW!  I KNOW!  I might be the meanest mom in the world.  Well actually not because I do Saturday School when we have extra free time and we usually do lighter activities that day.

So anyway, on to my

Click HERE to read more Weekly Wrap-ups for this week.

Monday

Was "Mommy is having a minor crisis day" and thus I pulled out all of the electronic tricks I could find.   I had a review due about VocabAhead for TOS Crew.  I had worked on it during all my spare moments on Sunday. I could have submitted it in the number 2 spot but decided to read through it one more time the next morning.  Flash through my sleep to Monday morning when I hit something which wiped out my blog post and before I could hit Ctrl-Z Blogger *autosaved* a blank page. 

So for school on Monday we did Reading Kingdom, Times Alive, VocabAhead, listened to Science Friday and did copy work of what we learned from the show (One segment on Pluto and one on salt water aquariums) and then the kids adjourned to the couch with ALL FIVE Leap Frog videos (The Letter Factory, The Talking Words Factory x2, The Storybook Factory and Math Circus).  Otto switched them when each one was done and I sat in the kitchen frantically typing with earplugs in my ears to damper the noise a smidge.  OY, Praying that never happens again.

Tuesday
We did not one ounce of school unless someone can help me find a way to count playing in Toy Land Heaven.  We had gone over to a new friend's house for me and the mom to discuss TOS Crew and blogs and what I do and what she will need to do.  The kids were in TOY HEAVEN with very amazing toys everywhere.  All 3 were crying as we left, before she passed out popsicles. They told me the REALLY want to go back.  LOL

Wednesday
We tried to make up for lost time.  We started at the library for preschool story time where Otto works on Read, Write, Type.  Then at home he wanted to read to me a new library book (Diego: Giant Octopus to the Rescue).  He did so well and it was tough on him so I counted us done with reading after he did one session on Reading Kingdom.

Then something happened which I dearly love.  Wednesday was the day that explains why I hardly EVER plan a whole week at a time.  I have my weekly goals and I plan the next day the day before but I just can't plan the whole week because I just feel like we need to go with the flow.  After reading Diego, Otto wanted to know the difference between a Squid and an Octopus. So we spent a good deal of time googling Squids and I now have one more very good reason to be afraid of natural bodies of water!!!   Humboldt Squids are scary and I'm very impressed that we did not have nightmares this week!

After Squid Adventures we worked on our Quicksand Curiosity File for review.  We had worked so long on Squids that we had to actually finish our Quicksand work on Thursday.

Thursday
Thursday actually USED our Group Time board.  I am always amazed at how Gracie (2) just HAS to be involved in that activity.  I really need to do it more often for Gracie and Abram who really, really love it.  We worked on our memory and I read our devotional.  Then I read SOTW where we learned about the Assyrians and the first library ever.  :)  Then it was on to more squids (so Otto could show little brother who had been napping the day before).   We then moved onto finishing up Quicksand with our definition mini-book. 

Friday

Found us hitting several lessons in Math since we had not gotten to it all the other days.  I think sometimes Otto could do math ALL DAY!  He loves math.  We did our memory review since we have added some new history cards and then we did a lesson in Ordinary Parent's Guide as well as Reading Kingdom.

Saturday

Today we did both Math and Reading but Otto didn't really know he was doing either.  We pulled out Pyramath which we have not used since our review.  Otto now has many more addition and subtraction facts under his belt and thanks to Times Alive he knows a fair amount of multiplication.  We had a good time.

Abram drawing while sitting ON the school desk.  Gracie drawing with mommy while we played (I'll gladly take suggestions as to how I can convince her to keep clothing on) and Otto working very hard at figuring out what numbers he needed to beat me.

Here is a picture of the end of our game.  We both got down to one card each.  I actually found a way to distract him by having him write on paper the problems he had before him and the answers he needed cards for.  

 

While he was not looking I flipped through the deck and stacked it in his favor.  I KNOW I'M A HORRIBLE HORRIBLE MOTHER!!!!   I REALLY wanted him to win...... and then I realized that he needed a 1 or a 0 and the stack didn't have EITHER ONE.  :(  He caught me that time and I explained that I REALLY wanted him to win but all the cards he needed had been used.  So we decided to call it a TIE!    When he's older and more competitive I won't let him off the hook so easily.  It was a fun game.

After lunch we worked our way about half way through the Kids Scoop Magazine that we are reviewing.  We learned about what a writer's life looks like and received some tips for writing stories.  We also learned about how pencils were made.  Did you know they first have to make a "pencil sandwich"?  It was good reading and the critical thinking activities along the way were fun for Otto.  A review is coming up next week for Kids Scoop.  :)

What did you do this week?

Curiosity Files: Quicksand -- A TOS Review

The Old Schoolhouse has recently taken on a new E-Unit Study Project.

THE CURIOSITY FILES
Explorations with Professor Ana Lyze, Expert in Outlandish Oddities.

 

These studies introduce us to an eccentric professor named Ana Lyze.  She and her research team, the lab spies, introduce your students to the obscure, abnormal and bizarre found all over God's intriguing creation.

The Curiosity Files claim the goal is to "educate children about subjects they'd never find otherwise, to get them thinking creatively and give their minds some exercise."

As a member of The TOS Homeschool Crew our family received a copy of

to review.

We have had fun learning all about Quicksand. 

The Curiosity Files: Quicksand is an 85 page downloaded, printable unit study geared toward children ages 8-13 and up.   Unit Studies are written so that they can be done with the entire family and I found that my 2, 4 and 6.5 year olds really enjoyed this study.   It was researched and created by some great minds at The Old Schoolhouse Magazine and they did a great job at finding something for everyone.

What does it include?

• "Everything You Never Wanted to Know About Quicksand"
• Reading comprehension questions
• Bible Study on: Matthew 7:23-27; Luke 6:47-49; Proverbs 3;               Jeremiah 23:12; and Psalm 73
• Several math pages and activities
• Chart reading activities
• Drawing/following directions activity
• Writing ideas, essay writing instructions and outlining practice
• Spelling and vocabulary lists and worksheets for both elementary and Jr/Sr High
• A page of spelling and vocabulary games
• Copy work in King James Version for printing and cursive for four verses
• Lab activities in water surface tension & viscosity
• Map work locating coastlines and oceans
• Quicksand terminology 3 x 5 booklet
• Quicksand recipes non-edible and edible
• Sand related craft projects
• A snippets mini file-folder book
• Music ideas
• Book list
• 1.5 pages of website links.

What did we think?

My boys were very excited to learn all of the very interesting facts about Quicksand.  I chose this study because I knew that in the past or in the near future my boys would experience a quicksand like effect in our muddy driveway or along a shoreline while exploring on some summer excursion.  I was excited to present them with a unit that they might later encounter in real life.

The very first thing we did with the study was to read the fact section "Everything You Never Wanted to Know."  I then found myself giggling over the next several weeks as my boys would look at me in the most serious way and say "Mom!  I just want you to know that the only way you can drown in quicksand is to dive in head first!!"  "Why, thank you my courteous, sweet child for letting me know such a thing.  I shall try to never let that happen."  (hee hee hee)

That first day we also watched several videos of Quicksand.  My boys have never seen any movies that contained quicksand so the entire concept was new to them.  THIS video was our ABSOLUTE favorite and THIS video was imitated frequently by my oldest who re-enacts all video.  We frequented the video list many more times over the review time.  We even started to watch video of random citizens trapped in quicksand.  Thanks to the very detailed lessons in this study I was able to quiz my boys while we watched these amateur videos: "What did she do wrong?"  "What would have been easier?"  "What did he do right?"  "Does screaming help?"

A few days later (after I could get to a store for supplies) we made our very own cornstarch quicksand.  I must say I, myself, could play with this stuff for a very long time.  Gracie got in on some of this action as well.

 We have kept our quicksand and have played with it several times now.  :)  I was tempted to make the edible quicksand as well but we tend to go super light on sugar around our house and was not so sure we would survive the sugar rush and crash from Marshmallow Fluff quicksand.

Otto did some of the printing copy work as well as the 3x5 Quicksand Terminology book.  Here are some pictures of his work:

 We also did the word search and crossword together and worked a little bit on some of the other pages.

Things that we loved:

I love that this is a download. Downloads=Reusable and the frugal being that resides in me LOVES reusable.  I was encouraged to do this review even though my children are younger than the recommended age.  I will admit that they had a GREAT TIME and learned very much yet I know that when I pull this study out again in a few years the math and writing activities will add to the excitement.  The activities and worksheets (from a trained teacher's perspective) look very mind provoking, yet not boring.  The way in which the lab introduces some physics terminology in a fun way and the way in which the writing and math assignments use charts and critical thinking is very wonderful.   I think 8 year olds would love these activities while highschoolers would not be under challenged.

We LOVED THE CORNSTARCH QUICKSAND.   Non-Newtonian Fluids rock.  Squeeze them together to make a ball that you can crumble apart then stop pushing it and it drips off your hand like goo.  Who wouldn't love THAT??

The unit study was pretty to look at with graphics, font variation and beautiful photos peppered throughout.  It was stunning to look at.

What do I wish were different?

We are NOT fans of King James Version.  I could write 3 other posts about that alone but this is not the place.  The verses found in the bible study as well the copy work are King James Version.  I almost did not do the copy work with Otto because of this but then realized with my bottle of white out I could tweak the "doeth" and "likened unto."   My wish would be for NASB, or at least NIV, to be offered in the copy work sections for those of us who have issues with KJV.

Also, I know that "Unit Study" and "Lap booking" are not the same thing but adding in a lap book component would just make this the cream of the crop.  :)  And that statement comes from a homeschooler who does not frequently lap book nor do unit studies.

Who would LOVE The Curiosity File Studies?

Families who love to do unit studies and love to learn about the weird and uncommon.

There are 9 units in The Curiosity Files Series so far and

more are being worked on.

The 9 Units Include:

• Blue Diamond
• Dung Beetle
• MRSA
• Puffer Fish
• Red Tide
• Zombie Fire Ants
• Blue-footed Booby
• Cicada Killing Wasp
• Quicksand

Individually The Curiosity Files vary in price dependent upon advertisement specials.  (There are a few in the $1 sales spot at the moment.)  

To find the current price please click on the link above, which will take you to The Old Schoolhouse Store.

If you ARE a family that LOVES the bizarre and LOVES unit studies the most cost effective way to purchase The Curiosity Files is to purchase the CD containing all 9 studies for $49 or to purchase the electronic download for all 9 which runs $46.

Go ahead!  Go check out The Curiosity Files today.  I triple-dog-dare you.

And don't just take my word for it, if you would like to read what other TOS Crewmates have to say about The Curiosity Files please go check out the TOS Crew Website.  

Oh, and check out The Curiosity Files on facebook as well.  Becoming a fan gives you direct access to Ana Lyze herself as well as a place to ask questions and get swell ideas about how to use these studies.  :)

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Disclaimer:  I am a member of The Old Schoolhouse 2010-2011 Homeschool Crew and receive free products and services in exchange for a thorough and honest review.  Though I am compensated with free products, I am not compensated in the form of cash for my reviews.  My reviews will always reflect my honest opinions, findings, beliefs and experiences on the products and services that I receive.

Homeschooling Only Children -- A TOS Blog Cruise

Another Blog Cruise has set off  and again this week is a topic I have no expertise in.  I AM an only child but I was not homeschooled and although last year I only taught one child I most certainly had my hands full occupying the other two while schooling.   This weeks topic is how to homeschool with an only child. 

If you are thinking about homeschooling your only child or you do homeschool your only child I would encourage you to step on over to the TOS Crew Blog Cruise site and check out what my fellow TOS Crew Members have to say.  I've read a few posts and they seem to be packed full of wisdom.

Click HERE to read this week's topic on homeschoooling only children.

Blog Walk! Blog Walk!

(Thanks to Debbie, over at Debbie's Digest for the great picture)

Blog Walking is a great way to meet new people and read about their experiences homeschooling.  You might find someone who schools or thinks like you.  You might find great information on a new resource, curriculum or teaching technique. Blog Walking is a great way to learn more about the world of home education.

Please click around on the links below and feel free to leave a message or two if you feel led.  We bloggers like to see that other homeschoolers have found us and like what they have read.

1. Heritage Homestead and Homeschool Academy
2. The McClanahan 7
3. The Happy Homeschool Mom
4. Books \'n Other Stuff
5. The Midlife Housewife
6. Because of Our Children
7. This Day Has Great Potential
8. Ladybug Chronicles
9. Freelance Homeschool Mom
10. Ben & Me

VocabAhead - A TOS Review

Recently, as a member of The TOS Homeschool Crew, 

our family received a copy of VocabAhead's
SAT Vocabulary: Cartoons, Videos & MP3S.

This product is a 342 page, black and white, paper back book.  It contains a short "How to Use this Book" section along with thirty units which contain ten vocabulary words and a unit review quiz page.  Every book that is purchased comes with instructions to receive, for free, a download of both MP3 audio files as well as videos of all 300 words that are found in the book.  Once these are downloaded they can be accessed through your computer anytime you desire without needing access to the internet.

Each page contains a vocabulary word, it's part of speech, the definition, an illustration, a few word illustrations, four synonyms and three antonyms.  Here are two examples:

Each quiz is made of two parts.  The top section contains a list of the ten words from the unit as well as a list of definitions that need to be matched to the words.  The bottom section contains ten sentences with blanks for the students to fill in using the vocabulary words from the unit.

VocabAhead, in their "How to Use this Book," states:  "The key to successful learning and recall of words and their meanings is full brain learning.  This book is designed with just that process in mind.  With the audio and video files included in the lessons, vocabulary can be learned as a complete concept, not just as words printed on a page...  The illustration creates a visual connection for your understanding and recall.  This is the 'pull' model, which means that your brain "pulls" maximum information about the word from the information provided, and then creates a mental picture of it.... The corresponding audio MP3 files can be downloaded ... you can listen to the words you viewed earlier.  This is the 'push' part of the process... The combined audio-visual experience strengthens your mental connections with the word even more as you learn to create multiple associations with the word."

The book goes on to suggest that a student pick a unit to study which they work on daily.  It suggests that the student use at least 2 of the three learning modes (book, video or MP3) each day.  At the end of their study they are to do the review quiz to assess which words need more work.


How did our family use this product and what do we think?
Well, my children are not yet studying for their SAT tests but we did enjoy having this book around.  My boys are absolutely in love with language and enjoyed the opportunity to learn some fun "big words."   I incorporated this book into our morning group time.  Each day I would hand the book over to my boys and they would pick out a picture that they wanted to learn about.  I would read the page and we would discuss other ways to use the word.  They were quite fond of the word "bombastic" and I would hear it in their play from time to time.  :)

Because of the stage of our family we never did a whole unit at a time.  I would think the combination of this book, the MP3s and the videos would be quite helpful to a highschooler learning more advanced vocabulary, ESPECIALLY if that student is a VISUAL/AUDIO learner. 

My boys loved to sit at the computer and listen to the program read them definitions, although they were a bit disappointed when they realized the Roman soldier from the word "bellicose" was not going to be moving to show them his warlike moves.  The videos are essentially audio readings of the words exactly as found in the book while showing the exact same picture found in the book.  They do not move as one would expect a video to do.

One issue that I have is with the coupling of emotions to the illustrations.  The "How to Use this Book" section states: "Whenever applicable, a word's description will utilize the emotions, especially humor.  This emotional aspect enhances your mental connection to the word..."  I agree that this might be the case however there are some examples that include an emotional connection that is not completely accurate.  For example the word "refute" (shown above) is defined: "To prove a person, argument, or statement to be false."  I like this definition.  The picture however shows two very angry men pointing, waving arms, sweating and spiting while standing at two debate podiums.   The further explanation at the bottom of the page states: "As the two politicians continued to refute one another's arguments, they became increasingly angry."  The illustration is showing the second part of this statement which is not actually a part of the definition.  There are many ways to refute and many do not require anger.  I am afraid that having this picture so strongly connected within a student's memory will lead them astray when the word comes up again in life.

I find myself to be a pretty humorous person but I really struggled with the humor used in some of the illustrations.  It often seemed a bit negative, crude or shocking.  The illustration for "quandary" is a good example of humor done in a way that our family does not find funny.  There are other ways to illustrate this word. You can view the video for "quandry" HERE.

I think this product might work really well for students who are responsive to audio and pictures.  I am one who learns by writing and I know teens who have to physically move before they grasp and retain information.  VocabAhead claims they use "Full-brain" learning but I really was wishing they had more for the kinesthetic learner such as suggestions for making the learning physical or more practice worksheets that included fill in the blanks, circle a word, crosswords, matching, word puzzles, picture to word matching, flash cards, matching cards, etc. These could easily be accessed through the website or even downloaded with the MP3 and video files.


What I like most about this product is actually not the product (the book with access to downloads) itself.    What I like most about VocabAhead is all of the extras contained within the company website.  Below are some neat tools that anyone can access from the VocabAhead website.

• There is a STUDY ROOM where a teacher can customize word lists, activities and flash cards for students.
• Over 100 videos can be viewed HERE.
• There is an extensive list of SAT and GRE words with their definitions HERE.
• There is a Teacher Page which gives instructions for teachers to build their own lists, link their lists to a website and other helpful teaching instructions.
• There are also instructions for those who would like to use VocabAhead products on their iPhone.  Click HERE to see more.
• And my favorite is the ability to sign up for a Vocab Word of the Day.  Click HERE and then scroll down toward the bottom on the left side for a box to enter your email address.

The product my family received (SAT book containing 300 words)
currently sells for $12.95.

VocabAhead also sells a DVD-ROM which contains more than 1,000 MP3s and videos.  It currently sells for $24.99.


You can access more information about these products by clicking HERE.

Don't just take my word for it, if you would like to read what other TOS Crewmates have to say about VocabAhead please go check out the TOS Crew Website.

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Disclaimer:  I am a member of The Old Schoolhouse 2010-2011 Homeschool Crew and receive free products and services in exchange for a thorough and honest review.  Though I am compensated with free products, I am not compensated in the form of cash for my reviews.  My reviews will always reflect my honest opinions, findings, beliefs and experiences on the products and services that I receive.

Weekly Wrap-up Jan. 31-Feb 4

This week I am going to jump on board a weekly meme called Weekly Wrap-Up for the first time.  It is hosted by Kris at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers.

Click HERE to read more Weekly Wrap-ups for this week.

 MONDAY
Because last week was so "fun" and "exciting" (read: we were too sick to do much school) I ended the weekend ready to work hard at school.  We worked for a very long time on finishing Otto's How To Train Your Dragon "DRAGON MENU" copy work book.  A few weeks back I was struggling to get him to write.  Out of the blue he brought me a page with a picture of a dragon and some of his inventive spelling telling about it.  I decided for our current copy work project we could re-write these and make a book out of them.  Here's a cute picture.

We worked for so long on the DRAGON MENU that I decided to take some shortcuts for math and reading.  I recently reviewed TIMES ALIVE for TOS Crew so we worked on that program for about 1/2 hour for math.  We then switched over to Reading Kingdom which we are working on for an upcoming TOS Crew Review.   After math and reading we began studying Quick Sand as we work our way through "The Curiosity Files: Quick Sand" which is yet another TOS Crew Review on board.  We watched a few videos and thought this one was absolutely AMAZING!!   The favorite quote from The Curiosity Files this week is the random announcement: "You can only die from drowning in quicksand if you jump in HEAD FIRST" and sometimes it is accompanied by the boys pretending to jump head first onto something like the floor, couch or bean bag.  It really catches me off guard.  Earlier today (Friday) I was driving along listening to the radio when I heard a boy yelling "Mom!  Mmmmmooommm!!!!"  "errrr, uuuuhhh, yeah???"  "You can only die in quicksand if you dive in head first."   I thanked him and tuned back into the radio.  LOL

TUESDAY
If Monday found me motivated to do school, Tuesday found me ready to regain ground!

We did lesson 82 in The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading which was a very challenging review of long vowels and Otto thoroughly impressed me!  We just started using a "See and Read" tool and I am AMAZED at how much this tool helps his reading and confidence and decreases the putz factor associated with using post-it notes as we have been.  (TOS Crew reviewed it HERE, I was not part of that review but I had a friend who did not need it.)

We then moved to writing.  I am using HWT's "My Printing Book" and am picking pages that I think Otto could benefit using.  I cover the page with clear page protectors and Otto writes with dry erase markers.  Tuesday we worked on the letter "S" (which he still often writes backwards and some words that used "S" and "A."

After writing we did two lessons in Saxon 2 and I checked off a 3rd lesson because without knowing it I taught that math lesson as a part of our last Sunday School class!!

On Tuesday I also grabbed a spiral notebook for us to use in Math.  I find that I have a lot of random, loose papers that are my class time demonstrations or they are where I draw out patterns I want him to solve or where I have him write a number sequence or practice problems.  These notes are outside the workbook and they were driving me nuts.  I decided on Tuesday that I would do all this work in one spot, the spiral notebook, so it is all together.  We'll see how it goes.

We finished Tuesday with a 6.5 year old boy BEGGING for me to read a history lesson out of Story of the World.  It was chapter 15 with a story about a Phoenician Princess named Dido who started the city of Carthage by cutting up a hide and circling a large land area.   You can read about the story HERE.  We then cut a piece of paper in the same way to see how much land (in our living room) we could conquer!  Here's a picture.

WEDNESDAY

Wednesday I was feeling super crabby.  I hadn't slept well, was very tired, had  hormonal issues going on, the driveway was blown shut with snow.  It was just one of those days and I decided, as I fed the kids breakfast at 9:30 (instead of their usual 7:30) that we were going to go light on school.  School amounted to Leap Frog's "Math Circus" DVD for Math review; Leap Frog's "Storybook Factory" for reading and punctuation review, half hour of Reading Kingdom (which is more than normal), a then he begged me to color a "Color by Number" Pirate Ship... which I counted as ART and was thrilled that he is FINALLY WANTING to color and that he did not complain when I had him use crayons instead of markers.

THURSDAY
This week I seemed to be functioning on high every other day.  Thursday we made more ground in our work.  We did our last lesson in Section 7 of OPG in Reading.  We started using the math notebook, which so far is going well.  We then did a test and called it quits for math.  I want to keep the writing wheels turning so as we are memorizing the beatitudes I thought turning our verses into copy work would be great.

We THEN mixed up some cornstarch/water QUICKSAND and the boys had lots of fun playing in it with their hands, fingers and a few poor dinosaurs and 4x4 toys that just couldn't seem to work their way out.  :)  There are pictures at the bottom of this post. 


FRIDAY
We had to travel to our nearby "Big Town" so that I could attend bible study.  The kids played for 2.5 hours non-stop with all the "new to them" toys.  When we arrived home, and after lunch, Otto and I did some math (notebook and a worksheet).    We also worked on several of the worksheets for the Quicksand unit learning vocabulary like: marsh, quicksand, sediment, saturated and tide pool.  He did his first "Circle a Word" ever and said it was REALLY HARD, he did a "Fill in the Missing Letters to the Word" activity and then together we did a crossword puzzle which he said was "REALLY" fun. I think it was mostly fun because I was giving him the answers.  :)

After supper all three of the kids played with cornstarch quicksand.  I remember making this stuff when I student-taught 3rd graders.  I think I still love the sensations that go along with this just as much 15 years later.  :)  Here are some pictures:

Abram picking up a ball

Otto's rescuing.