TTT - Gomeschool Helps

The web is a tremendous resource for homeschooling families.
Here are a few of my favorite 'GoTo' sites.

Heart of Wisdom
Bible Memory Printable Cards

Character Trait Check Lists

Bible Memory Printable Match Game

Printable Chore Charts

Bible Worksheets

Writing Prompts

Homeschool.com
Printables for all ages and grade levels, including parents

Helpful Articles

Curriculum Reviews

Discussion Forums

Donna Young Printables & Resources
Everything!
Help for all subjects, household chores, recipes...
Printable calendars

First School
Tons of themed activities, writing pages, coloring pages & crafts
*I print from here almost daily

TheHomeschoolMom
Similar to Donna Young's site. A wealth of information.
Local Resource Links.
Fabulous theme ideas.
Check out her amazing Celebrating Christmas with School page.

TTT - Word Fun

Two weeks ago, I mentioned I was
'bursting at the seams with excitement'.
My excitement...I flew to VA to visit a dear friend who is on bed rest with her second child.
I surprised her!
It was great!
She is a school teacher, and is a wealth of knowledge. I enjoy picking her brain about school things. She introduced me to Wordle.

You can create things like this

  

Go to www.wordle.net, click 'create'. Then start typing words.
The number of times you type the same word,
on the same line, determines the word size.
The greater the number, the larger the word

I plan to use Wordle as an aid while teaching parts of speech, in creative writing
and as a tool to help study for tests.

Go check it out and let me know how you would use Wordle for learning.

TTT- DNA

My 7th grader has been studying DNA in (BJ Life) Science.
I added this clever activity to reinforce what he was learning.

download using link below
Have Your DNA and Eat It Too!

I studied the In-Depth background information, then gave a simplified lesson to all of the children. Yip, even my 2 year old was learning about DNA.

We built the strands, and discussed the chemical base parts.

My 4 year old was very proud of her DNA Strand. She mixed a few of the chemical base pairs up, but lets be honest, it was a bit over her head :)

Science IS fun & tasty too!

TTT - new foods

How often do you venture out of your food comfort zone?
Our house does all the time.
I've learned that allowing my children to pick out new foods to taste helps their little taste buds to accept a variety of foods. Plus, I can use the food to introduce my children to other parts of the world and other culture's.

Do you know what this is?
It is native to Zimbabwe.

It's a Kiwano, or Horned Melon. And trust me, it isn't something you want to play catch with!

We found it while grocery shopping last week and thought it would be fun to taste.

From Wiki...'The Kiwano (also known as the Horned Melon, melano, African horned cucumber, jelly melon, hedged gourd, and/or English tomato) is a fruit native to a region of the Kalahari Desert. When picked green and allowed to ripen, the fruit tastes like a mix of cucumber and kiwifruit. When it's picked fully ripe, it has a banana-like taste.'

It tastes exactly like a kiwi-cucumber. The slimy sac's of fruit inside the prickly peel take a bit to get use to, but my children sucked it all down, literally!

What is the most unusual food you've fed your family?

TTT - Devotions

95% of our school days start with devotions. I read to the children while they eat breakfast. When their food is gone they are required to sit still and listen. We are going through 4 books this year.

We start our morning by reading a chapter or two from The Child's Story Bible. Bible stories from the Old and New Testament are retold in easy to understand language, while remaining true to Scripture. Each story has Scripture references if you choose to look them up in your Bible.

Jesus Wants All of Me has a short, simple, daily devo for little ones. My 8 year old is in charge of the daily reading of this book. We do this devo mainly for the little girls.

Sticky Situations has one page real life scenarios which allows for discussion in various topics and helps in decisions making. My 12 year old reads this to us daily.

Who Is God? And How Can I Really Know Him, by Apologia, is a workbook we started this year. We love it!
from Apologia...'Who is God and Can I Really Know Him?, introduces the concept of worldview while laying the foundational truths upon which the evangelical Christian worldview is built: God is truth and He reveals His truth to people; He is the one true and almighty God; He is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; He created everything; we are God’s children and are made to love and to praise Him; God meets all our needs; sin keeps us from God; and Jesus is the only way to God.'
Download a sample lesson here.

We always end our devo time with prayer. I pray specifically for daddy's work day, that he might have wisdom and safety, as well as each child by name and a specific thing they need help with. It is amazing how the children respond to hearing me pray specifically for each of them. I am not wimpy or sugar coat my words in my prayer. I am specific and honest.

I don't know why I haven't learned that skipping devo's and prayer time does not yield more school accomplished. (wow that was quite the sentence) Yes, it provides more time, but I am a better teacher and my children are better workers when we begin our day learning from our Maker.

'I can do all things through him who strengthens me.'
Phil 4:13

TTT - Brain Work-Out

Brain games are a fun activity we do to stimulate different parts of our brains.

The games provide a break from our work, add fun into our day and help sharpen our thinking skills.

Try these out...

Say the color, not the word.
Yellow
Green
Blue
Brown
Red

Are the horizontal lines parallel?
Yes! Measure them to prove it.

How does your brain see the two squares below?
They are exactly the same color. Put a pencil over the line in the middle to see.

Which line is longer?
They are exactly the same!
What causes one to appear longer? The ends trick your brain into thinking figure one is longer.

Next time you need to refocus growing brains, or want a fun mind stimulating activity, try playing a few Brain Games.

To learn more about how the brain works, watch Brain Games on the National Geographic Channel.

TTT - Breaks

Taking a break goes against every bone in my body. I am a stick to it, get it done, workin' type of gal. But, my healthy, growing children, who have enough energy to power a small amusement park, need breaks. It took me a long time to learn this. Logically it doesn't make sense. Take a break, get more done.However, it works! And I'm stickin' to it.

I have learned regular breaks during school improve
work
attention
and effort.
What mom doesn't want that?

My children know they are allowed a 15 minute break after specific books are completed. I require a mandatory break if frustration is beginning to build, or if things are getting out of hand, which I am sure only happens at my house. It is amazing what fresh air or a change in brain activity can do for a child.

What do my children do during break?
Play with their pets.
Ride bike.
Play Lego's.
Shoot hoops.
Eat a nutritious snack.
Jump on the trampoline.
Sit and talk with me.
Play with their siblings...

Next time your child is getting frustrated or having trouble concentrating, give them a break, and see if it helps.

TTT - Fall Activities

Do you know, many children learn best when they are 'hands on'? Fall is the perfect time to take your classroom outside. Teach through nature; use acorns to help with math, talk about why leaves change & watch the same tree gradually change colors, teach direction & map skills as you hike through the woods, learn about apples & pumpkins, serve others by raking leaves...

Don't be afraid to mix up your school day and have a little fall fun, learning doesn't only happen indoors. Before we know it, snow will be flying and the winter weather will keep us house bound.
Now is the time, my friends, to get adventurous, learn outside the box and enjoy the fresh air!

1. Go to an Apple Orchard. Look here to find one near you.
2. Visit a Pumpkin Patch. Look here to find one near you.
   
3. Find a corn maze to explore, many Pumpkin Patches have them.
4. Rake leaves for a neighbor or elderly couple, then treat your kids to cider and apple pie.
5. Rake leaves and play in them.
6. Make a scarecrow.
7. Read books about fall outside under a tree.
   
8. Go for a hike, explore the woods.
9. Sit outside, by the woods, at dust and see what creatures come out.
10. Go leaf hunting. See who can gather the most colors.
11. Document, through photo's, a tree changing colors.
    
12. Play name that leaf. Collect five different leaves, see who can name the most correctly. Use this leaf guide if you need to. Keep clicking through the leaves until you find the name.
    
13. Attend a Fall Festival.
14. Bob for apples.
15. Go for a bike ride.
16. Throw a Fall Party complete with a hayride & bonfire.
    

TTT- Little Ones & School

School can be challenging with little ones under foot. I find it beneficial to have various activities only allowed during school time. The purpose of not allowing the activities other times throughout the day is to keep them 'special'. If your children could play with them at any time, the activities would soon be like all their other toys.

I've posted several times on this topic before, click the pictures to go to my previous posts for many more activities & ideas.

Magnetic Dress Up-Dolls & Pop Beads


A box of Rice & Beans


Noodle Necklaces


Quiet Time

TTT Fall Crafts

Fall explodes with a unique coziness after a hot summer.
I love the smells and activities of the season;
football, bonfires, sweatshirts, hikes, gourds, squash baking, beautiful leaves ...

Fall is a breath of fresh air after a hot sticky summer, which I also love, but only for a season.

We enjoy the addition of fall crafts during our school day.
Below I've highlighted a few.
If you have a fall craft you enjoy with your children, please share in the comments!

Fall Leaves


We are going to try these leaves this week.
photo from Better Homes and Gardens

Maple Flavor Leaf Cookies

Paper Pumpkins
photo from Martha Stewart

Owl Paper Puppet
photo from While She Naps

Fall Trees
photo from 1+1+1=1

Teaching Tip Tuesday

Awesome job!

Wow, you really stayed in the lines!

Good job sounding out that long word!

Hey, you did it! Remember how hard it was a month ago to tie your shoes?

Thanks, I needed your help.
You might never hear thank you from them, but you are making a difference.
*smile*

Praise...

We all need it.
Some more than others, but we all need to hear encouraging words once in a while.

Do you offer genuine praise to your children? Your husband? Your friends?

I haven't ever met someone who doesn't respond to genuine praise. Not the cheap, 'Wow your the best at that', stuff; unless of course your child/husband/friend is a world famous toy pick-r-up-r or a record holder for shoe tying.
Genuine praise, is truthful.
Genuine Praise is encouraging.
Genuine Praise speaks honestly about ones achievement.
Genuine Praise is individualized.

Now, before you disagree, think about what I am saying... cheap praise is something simply not true. As adults, we often do this to each other, and shrug it off. But our kids see through it. They know they aren't the best____. When they continually hear cheap praise from adults, eventually they won't hear it at all. Your encouraging words will mean nothing.

So... Next time you are encouraging,
Be Specific
Be Genuine!
Your child will appreciate it.

Summer Reading

I firmly believe, once a child can read, the world is at their fingertips!
Reading is the most powerful educational tool you can give your child.
If your child can read, he/she has the ability to
learn
create
build
do
travel the world
Not only on the pages of the book, but in real life. I realize the ability to read won't get your child a plane ticket to Australia, however, it will give him/her the next best thing, the ability to learn all about it. Reading can physically give your child the skills to: build a catapult, build a fort, sew, create beads, knit... the list is endless.
My boys have built things, created things, & fixed things, I had no clue they were capable of. The ability to read & follow directions is what helped them accomplish those things.

Don't let your child stop reading this summer!

Barnes and Noble has a summer reading program.
Check it out.
Use their program, or use it to create your own.

• Make reading fun by gathering books that interest your child.
• Go to the library and allow him/her to pick several books to read.
• Set a reading time each day or 4-5 days a week.
• Read together as a family.
• Pack a picnic & a book. Read to your children as they eat.

Keep your kids Reading this summer!

TTT Boys

I have a boys who loves animals, amphibians, reptiles... if it moves, doesn't belong in my house, and isn't a human, he's all over it. Well, minus spiders, he hates spiders!

Can you guess what these are?

How do I interest a (2nd grade) boy in school who would much rather; feed calves, play with kittens, catch frogs & look for turtles?
I incorporate those things in to his school.
How?

• Adding animal related words to his spelling lists as bonus words
  
• Reading Books
• Writing Assignments
• Science Projects & Research Assignments

He also loves to listen to Jonathan Park. VF currently has two CD sets which are 'tours'.
Jonathan and his dad are your guides as you explore the Galapagos Islands and learn about 100 of the most popular zoo animals.

JP Goes to the Galapagos Islands
JP Goes to the ZooI have decided to try a new (to us) curricular for his Science. For his 3rd grade school year, we will be using Singapore Science. After reading reviews and looking at sample material, I think he will love it... I hope he will love it!
From the Singapore website... ''Singapore Science is a comprehensive package based on the latest Primary Science syllabus set by the Ministry of Education, Singapore. Adopting the inquiry-based approach to the learning of Science, it aims to spark curiosity and awaken young minds to the world around them. Special emphasis has also been placed on helping pupils acquire skills and processes.

The textbooks in this series attempt to present Science as a fascinating subject by helping pupils to find the answers to the questions in the world around them. This is accomplished through inquiry, where pupils are encouraged to be actively involved in finding the answers. At the same time, with the use of vibrant photographs and amusing illustrations to enhance learning, Science is made real and relevant to pupils.

There are five textbooks in this series, following the themes of the latest Primary Science syllabus in Singapore – Diversity, Cycles, Systems, Energy and Interactions. Where appropriate, links are included across the five themes to help pupils connect scientific ideas.''

I'll let you know what we think the Fall.

Oh yes, what did you guess he was holding?
If you guessed Frog Eggs, you are correct!

Be sure to head on over to the Hop to see what other Homeschool families are up to.

Remember these little

guys lady & a guy?

They fell in Love
or something like that...

Now we have an entire turtle family frolicking in the pond.
And another 'Unit Study' to finish before the school year is over :)

.Life is good.

10 Ways to Make Your Homeschool Day Run Smoothly

It can be easy to feel overwhelmed when homeschooling. A mom has many responsibilities to tend to each day. Add homeschooling to those jobs and anxiety& frustration can mount.
Some things just happen...

I could not agree more with Roan's 10 tips for Daily Homeschooling. I am very consistent with most of them. Answering the phone and the Internet are two I tend to struggle with.

'Quickly' looking something up or printing a writing sheet {for one of the kids} can too easily turn into checking email. Checking caller ID when the phone rings is tempting, it might be a friend I need to chat with.

Thus, I created 'Mom's Rules'
Guess what?
When I follow the rules, things go much better!

Even if things are going smoothly for you, check out Roan's 10 Ways to Make Your Homeschool Day Run Smoothly. You'll be glad you did!