Carole Marsh Chapter Books - Fantasy Field Trip Series

Join Ms. Bogus and her diverse class of students on fantastic field trips to extraordinary places! Together they discover facts, visit incredible places, and learn about the world.

As the students learn about the places they visit, they begin to discover who they are on the inside and build confidence in themselves.

They learn to embrace the things that make them different, not judge people based on physical characteristics, and tackle difficulties head-on.

Adventure to the Eight Wonders of the World

Adventure to the Planet Mars

Adventure to the Pioneer Prairie

Carole Marsh Chapter Books - Science

The Masters of Disasters Series

Learn about disasters through these exciting chapter books for children! I can't wait to order them.

Join a brother and sister team as they accompany their scientist dad on hair raising adventures. Children ages 7-14 will be thrilled as the characters try to save the day while learning about science along the way.

What child can resist learning about the power of mother-nature and the tools to stay safe as these interested kids confront nature head-on!

The Ferocious Forest Fire Mystery

Voracious Volcano Mystery

Behemoth Blizzard Mystery

Horrendous Hurricane Mystery

Treacherous Tornado Mystery

Earthshaking Earthquake Mystery

More books on my wish list!

Unlocking the Mysteries of Creation

The Kingfisher History Encyclopedia

Daily Life and Times of Jesus

Eyewitness Medieval Life

Eyewitness Abraham

Eyewitness Light

Eyewitness Energy

A Family Guide to Biblical Holidays

God's Lamp, Man's Light

Listening to the Language of the Bible

New books ordered this week!

I like ordering books throughout the school year instead of ordering them all at once before school starts. This gives the kids (and me) an opportunity to get excited about opening something new, right in the middle of the school year.

These are books from the My Father's World Lists: Creation to Greeks and Rome to Reformation. I don't order their entire packet, but I do appreciate it so I refer to it and look for the used books on Amazon or elsewhere!

Here are the book we ordered:

1. Streams of Civilization: Earliest Times to the Discovery of the New World

A hardcover world history text which provides a comprehensive overview of ancient history from Creation through the 1620s from a Christian perspective. Extensive vocabulary questions and suggested projects are listed throughout the text. This text contains numerous illustrations, sidebars, and maps.

2. How the Bible Came to Us: The Story of the Book that Changed the World

Read the stories of the people who made it possible for us to have the Bible in our own language. Learn how to crack a code. Make your own secret scroll. Find out for yourself the exciting adventure story of the book that changed the world - and still changes people's lives today.

3. What the Bible is All About for Young Explorers: Based on the Best-Selling Classic by Henrietta Mears

This children's resource is especially designed to give young explorers an overview of the Bible. Based on the best-selling classic by Henrietta Mears, it's a colorful handbook with information about each book of the Bible--background, main characters, a map, archaeology, and more! Important sections detail how each book reveals God's plan to send a Savior and how we fit into that plan. Written in a fresh, contemporary style and featuring new articles, maps, charts and illustrations, this book will help reinforce the Bible study skills that kids need to grow in Christ.

4. The Trojan Horse: How the Greeks Won the War (Step-Into-Reading, Step 5)

Trouble is brewing between Greece and Troy. The Trojans control a waterway important to the Greeks, and demand a toll every time the Greeks use it. When a Trojan king kidnaps the Greek queen Helen to be his son Paris's wife, this means war! After ten years of fighting, the Greeks play the greatest trick in military history - using the Trojan Horse. This fascinating tale, full of heroes, is based on truth and forever immortalized in Homer's Iliad.

The Latest Children's Book Series

The current book series Kitty is reading is Around the World in 80 Mysteries from the Carole Marsh Mysteries Collection.

Through these books, children can travel along with the kids in the series, to places all over the world - England, France, Rome, Egypt, China, Australia, Japan, Romania, Greece, South America, Germany, Africa, and Antarctica!

Each book has at least five SAT words, which are highlighted within the chapter and further defined in the glossary. There's lots of neat activities and challenges on the publisher's website, which adds even more fun for readers!

#1 The Mystery of Big Ben - Completed Summer 2009

#2 The Mystery at the Eiffel Tower - Completed Summer 2009

#3 The Mystery at the Roman Colosseum - Completed Summer 2009

#4 The Mystery at the Ancient Pyramid - Completed Summer 2009

#5 The Mystery on the Great Wall of China - placed an order at our local Barnes and Noble (they only have one of the CMMs in the store) - Completed Fall 2009

#6 Great Barrier Reef - Completed Fall 2009

#7 Mount Fuji - Completed Fall 2009

#8 Amazon Forest - Completed Fall 2009

#9 Dracula’s Castle - Completed Fall 2009

#10 Ancient Acropolis - ordered

#11 Crystal Castle - ordered

#12 Icy Antarctica - ordered

#13 The Rip Roaring Mystery on the African Safari - ordered

#14 The Breathtaking Mystery on Mt. Everest - ordered

On Teaching Reading

A friend asked me how it went .....

My answer:

Honestly, I started with letter recognition in the bath tub with foam letters, then the letter sounds using the Talking Letter Factory DVD from Leap Frog, kids pick up on those in about a week sometimes. Then we started with simple words on flash cards and books you get from Walmart, etc. then when she was 4 or 5 I ordered TATRAS (Teach America to Read and Spell).



I loved TATRAS. From there she just took off. We listened to some audio books that we got with kids meals from ChickFilA (or maybe it was Wendy's) and as she became interested in the story, I bought the real books for that story and since she knew the characters (it was The Magic Treehouse Series) she was eager to read the words from the story she had already listened to over and over and over.

One of the biggest keys is reading lots of stories to the children aloud (pointing to the words) from time to time. Reading will do an EXCELLENT job of building her vocabulary which is one of the number one indicators of intelligence anyway (not math, science, etc.) I could go on and on you know!

Patience to home school. Of course you would not have it LOL. I don't either, it's all through the strength of the Lord! I have to apologize to them for losing it. On the flip side they could be with someone else who loses it and does not apologize and ask for forgiveness. My mistakes i front of them, I believe, are lessons in godliness and humility, .... and dependence on the Lord to do anything that we do in life.

I stopped working 2 years ago (almost exactly 2 years ago). When we finally made the decision after going back and forth and waiting until we were financially ready, we just jumped in and did it. We still weren't ready (financially) but the Lord made up the slack and increased my husband's income! I don't think we would have ever been "ready" by our own standards.

Don't get me started.......

New Additions to our school year: Classical Conversations

There are new exciting additions to our home school this year. The Robinson Curriculum (self-teaching program) and Classical Conversations (a leader in training parents to educate their children with tools to learn and master any subject)!

Classical Conversations is an exciting program which is not new but new to our family. I am incredibly eager about starting this year because this is going to be such a support and source of education for me, as well as the children.

I first learned of Classical Conversations (CC) over a year ago and the program was not offered in my area. At that time, I also had a newborn and it was just not the right time for us to participate. Since then, I have been continually researching the program, and it goes right along with our original schooling method which I've spoken of here on this blog before. A few months ago, as I pondered the coming school year, I resumed my research of CC and I became more and more convinced that it was time for us to take the plunge into it. At that time, the Lord also began speaking to me about becoming a Director with the program and inspiring other parents in their educational journey.

This Fall, the new Classical Conversations Community will be opening and I will have the opportunity to partner with other mothers in educating our children.

In the program, we will be leading and training the students, and parents, in science experiments, art projects, oral presentations, and hundreds of facts (math tables and formulas, English grammar, Latin, history time line events, history sentences, and science).

To learn more about Classical Conversations and our particular community here in Texas, visit the CC Waxahachie Blog.

Find more information about what other home schoolers are doing, check out Tami's Carnival of Homeschooling, here:

2009-2010 Homeschool Planning

Here's a quick summary of what our school year will look like, at least for starters.

2nd Grade (Kitty)

Classical Conversations (Once each week)

• Math facts and formulas memorization
• English grammar rules memorization
• History timeline memorization
• History stories (Old World) memorization
• Geography map memorization
• Science facts memorization
• Latin nouns, verbs memorization
• Art projects
• Music projects, including composers and learning the tin whistle
• Oral Presentations

Co-op (Drama, P.E., Story of the World, Storytime)

Robinson Curriculum: Starting with Heidi, Alice in Wonderland, Pinnochio, Bible

Saxon Math 5/4 (Self-Directed Math Studies)

Kindergarten (Pupster)

Classical Conversations (Once each week)

• Math facts memorization
• English grammar rules memorization
• History timeline memorization
• History stories (Old World) memorization
• Geography maps memorization
• Science facts memorization
• Latin nouns, verbs memorization
• Art projects
• Music projects, including composers and learning the tin whistle
• Oral Presentations

Co-op (P.E., Storytime)

Robinson Curriculum: Begin with McGuffy Books, continue reading Sing, Spell, Read and Write books

PreK3 (Lamby)

Co-op (Music Makers, P.E., Storytime)

Continue with phonics, T.A.T.R.A.S., Begin Bob Books

She will listen in on stories read aloud to the older kids and build vocabulary and proper grammar, naturally

Toddler

He will listen in on stories read aloud to the older kids and build vocabulary and proper grammar, naturally

2nd Grader's Summer Reading List

We moved the TV out of the family room in preparation for starting The Robinson Curriculum this coming school year. So we're trying to fill as much time as possible with reading good books.

I'm so glad our 2nd grader is at the independent reading stage and she loves getting lost in these stories.

The Wizard of Oz - completed
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood - completed
A Journey to the Center of the Earth - completed
The Secret Garden - completed
Adventures in Wonderland (unabridged)
True Friends by Stephanie Perry Moore
The Adventures of Pinocchio (unabridged) - completed
Cooper Kids Adventure Series by Frank Peretti
Sweet Honesty by Stephanie Perry Moore
Heidi (unabridged)
Golden Spirit by Stephanie Perry Moore
The Swiss Family Robinson (unabridged)
Chronicles of Narnia (unabridged)
The Great Brain
Winnie-the-Pooh
Five Little Peppers and How They Grew

Can Anyone Home School?

I've been reading some of the information on the Robinson Curriculum Website and listening to the audio seminar.  One of the interesting questions addressed in the seminar is Can anyone home school?  I'd be interested to hear what others think of this. The link I referenced is only an audio snippet of the entire video workshop.  Another part I especially like is the Vocabulary and the Value of Auditory Learning.

The information on the Robinson Curriculum Website is very intriguing and reading it, reminds me of the time I spent combing through the Teaching the Trivium website 2 years ago.  The audio seminars on that site were what helped Jeoff and I make the final decision that we were going to make the big move and become a home schooling family.

These sites are both very challenging but make such valid points that it's almost impossible not to adopt some portion of what is shared.  They're sites that actually will either make you lean very far in their favor, or make you come up with several cons against them!!!

Kumon Flash Cards

Kumon Flash Cards have worked out great for my three year old during our home school day.



Just picked up some of these for my 3 year old. I look forward to working with her on them!

Echo in Celebration - A Call to Home-Centered Education

My latest favorite book is Echo in Celebration by Leigh Bortins

Homeschool Month 6: Looking for School Room Setup Ideas

I recently rearranged the room where we do most of our indoor learning and discovery.  So there are very little posters, maps, etc.  I'll be starting from scratch again so I'm looking for new ideas and would like to see some pictures of what you have in your learning room, school room, or whatever you call it.  I realize that many of us don't do school in one room only but whatever ideas you can share, please do.

You can include a link to your blog with a description/photo(s) or just describe it in the comments.

Thanks in advance!

Homeschool Month 5 - Incorporating iTunes University

My husband told me about iTunes University at the end of last year and last night I sat down and went through some of the courses.  iTunes U was started in May of 2007 and it's such a neat resource!

I selected one of the free video courses for my 1st Grader to "take" this semester.  It's Elements of Music, taught at Missouri State University.   We started with the first session today.

As for the rest of our schooling, much of the past 4 weeks was spent on Christmas break, but when we were not on break, we continued work on Bible, handwriting, reading, living math, science, character, nature and art.

As we go into this next semester we'll be continuing the same, with the addition of Kitty's new music class, possibly Suzuki piano and the classes we take at co-op.

Homeschool Month 4 - Let me remind myself

Note to self: I am not trying to have formal education with our children, the children the Lord has given us to steward. I am not trying to line up what we do, with exactly what's being done in first grade and in PreK, nor am I trying to be sure that they are always far ahead of their natural grade.

My focus right now is on comprehending, reasoning, and communicating. Based on the normal progression of learning. Laying a firm foundation and moving toward discernment, logic, critical thinking, ...moving beyond mere sensory perception. All of these will help our children learn to discern between truth and error - so essetntial to their life in Christ.

Educating them with useful facts instead of merely trying to master all of the modern learning theories.

We want them to learn - Why we do what we do. How the world works and why.

And finally, training their spirits in self-discipline.

Homeschool Month 3 -- What are we doing?

This is a quick post that I hope to come back to and share more detail later.

The Five in a Row books we've done in the last month are Madeline and The Rag Coat.

With reading, we ventured off a bit and began using some new books we purchased from the bookstore for the kids' independent reading. Some of them are Well Done, worm from the Brand New Readers series (for The Pupster) and we started some of the books from Top Readers and Magic Tree House series. From Top Readers we got a book on Castles to go along with The Knight at Dawn from book #2 in the Magic Tree House series. We heard the audio of book #1 (Dinosaurs before Dark) but we went ahead and got the printed copy as well, so we can make a collection.

Kitty is also continuing the Kids Phonics Bible and Ready Set Read for her independent reading.

Field Trips: We visited two pumpkin patches and made our first field trip to the Texas State Fair!

Bible: We picked up curriculum set I previously purchased to help us in this area and we're now reading through it. It's the Training Wheels Curriculum. We hope to go through the activies on Creation through the activities on Heaven. I'm sure we'll skip (or go briskly through) some in between since they've learned some of them in more depth than others.

Our character focus for this past month was Responsibility and this coming month the focus is Patience. -- I may need to do that was like, ALL YEAR!!

At some point we want to study some more about blue whales (I made a mental note) because Kitty asked lots and lots of questions about them after we watched Nim's Island a couple of weeks ago.

In co-op, Kitty has just about gotten through all of the state capitols and has progressed in Spanish class from numbers, colors, name, days of the week, letters, through simple expressions.

Art (update coming soon)

One thing we focused on the most this month was memorization. Kitty and Pupster were in an oratorical contest where they recited poems and both received gold ribbon ratings! The Pupster's poem was "The Quality of Mercy" by William Shakespeare and Kitty's was an original poem, "Who is He?" written by yours truly.

Homeschool Month 2 -- What are we doing?

Quick updates:

Co-ops started the 2nd/3rd week of September so we are out of the house a few times a week now. Much more than we were last year.

For Five in a Row, we have done Storm in the Night, The Story about Ping, and Lentil. I'm really enjoying all the great lessons that are in the lesson book.

The kids been making good progress in handwriting, memorization, reading and work ethic. The rest of the subjects have been going well too but they are not focused on as much as the others.

The co-op classes Kitty is taking (1st grade) are art, Spanish, Traveling Across America, and P.E.

Homeschool Month 1: Week 1 -- What are we doing?

It's a light week. We're not fully into our schedule but during this prep week, we'll start with some portions of the curriculum below.

Five in a Row
Integrated Literature Curriculum, including Social Studies, Math, Language Arts, Science and Art. The story for week 1 is Storm in the Night by Mary Stolz (All children)

Catechism: Big Truths for Little Kids (Bible memorization for 1st grade and PK4)

This week we're doing Chapter 1 - A Party at the Zoo and Questions 1-5

Handwriting Practice: Copy Work for Little Girls (1st grader)

Independent Reading: Growing Reader Phonics Bible (1st grade and PK4)

History Alive: What in the World's Going On Here? (All children)

Audio stories - learning the history of the world, beginning with creation

Ancient Civilizations & the Bible - Activity book which acompanies What in the World's Going on Here

Additional Reading & Memory Work: A Child's Garden of Verses

Letter of the Week: Letter G New vocabulary, spelling, and reading words; artists, composers, and elements of science which begin with the letter G

What Your 1st Grader Needs to Know

Homeschool Kindergarten Graduation

"what I learned in kindergarten"

The parents presented the diplomas to their children

The kindergarten class of 2008

...... High school graduating class of 2020!

Coming up with this year's curriculum

My neck is hurting from revisiting the subject and researching online while holding baby in between his naps today and listening to the other kids read stories but now I am taking a break from that, to prepare for dinner.

We're almost done with our list for the school year.   Tonight I'll spend some time putting together a price list and preparing for my meeting with the head of the school and getting even closer to our final list.

The time I spent today has reminded me to go back to our original principles and methodology and not get too caught up in the details of everyone's specific experiences.

It's been good to hear the reviews and opinions of others, as we hone in on what's right for THIS year.  Here's where we are on the list.