Showing posts with label Homeschool. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Homeschool. Show all posts

Thursday, April 14, 2016

College English Composition CLEP

I am helping my son with CLEP preparation materials. I'll be sharing information here as I find it. If any one wishes to add helpful links, please do so in the comments. No advertisements, please. Free resources only, unless it's for tutoring


CLEP® College Composition Book + Online (CLEP Test Preparation)

How to Write an Effective Essay: The Introduction


Trying this site out: Study.com(Not free)

Simplified Writing 101: Top Secrets for College Success

A Writer's Guide to Powerful Paragraphs

Saylor Academy

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Children's Books Pre-K Through Eighth Grade .49 Cents Shipped

This looks interesting! Supposedly .49 cents a book shipped. I haven't tried them, but it looked like a good deal for children's contemporary best sellers. See here. I'd love to visit this place. The store in located in a North Carolina.

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Bookshelves Overflowing!

Putting more books in my Etsy store. We have to weed out some books and make room for new ones, especially since I'm heading to a book sale on Saturday.

I've got a few academic books to list: spelling, English, and history. I should get those up to tomorrow.

It's so hard to part with them, but we need to work on some new skills. We've been using apps and ebooks quite a bit for school, but nothing beats a real book!

We've always had an interest in different cultures, so those items will be listed as well. As souvenirs from the states and other countries are used for studies, I'll be passing them on in my shop.

These knick-knacks, tourist books and pamphlets are so useful for creating interest and extended learning, and helpful for memory when covering history and social studies.

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Friday, June 05, 2015

Planning for College Already!

Gahh, I can't believe we are at the end of the road for homeschooling my son. What a journey it has been, and since Kindergarten no less.

He'll be eighteen soon, so he decided to study for and take the GED during his senior year this fall. College tuition is ridiculously expensive, so he'll start off at our community college studying for an A.S. in computer science. I remember working part-time in college and earning enough to cover tuition. Tuition was very inexpensive in the late 1980's.

Other things he'll be working on are getting a driver's license and setting up some volunteer work for job experience. We'll be sharing a car while he goes to college and works.


Still Listing at Etsy



I've picked up some older classroom games that I'll list after my daughter has some time with them, and more books. Most of the older classic collections of children's stories are really high quality. I hope someone selects those for their home library.

I haven't decided whether I should open a second shop just for my vintage collectibles, or just mix them in with the books. I'll probably just have to experiment. Meanwhile, I stick to what appeals to me and hope others out there have the same taste. If not, I'll have an awesome library for keeps! Haha.


Monday, May 11, 2015

Bedtime Math

I just ordered the book after using the website for free math problems.

A question a night keeps the math fears away - Bedtimemath.org Math problems are divided by skill level, so can be used across ages.


Thrift Finds for Math

Picked up a making change game today, and six or seven BBC Earth Life nature puzzles all for .59 cents a pound!

We'll check this game out tomorrow.









From the Manufacturer

Exact Change combines an excellent teaching lesson with fun, fast paced action that the entire family will love. The goal is to play all of your cards first. You can discard cards by matching the color of the last card played, by matching the currency value (play a penny on a penny), or by making EXACT CHANGE. Making exact change allows you to discard multiple cards that add up to the value of the last card played. If the last card played shows a quarter, you can make exact change by playing two dimes and a nickel…allowing you to discard three cards in one play

Sunday, May 03, 2015

Frugal DIY Math Games with Dice

Just pinned a few to Pinterest

DIY giant dice game.

Connect Four

Final Count Down

10,000 Dice Game(Farkle)

By the way, I see dice all the time at the thrift store for pennies a piece when sold together bags. These are very inexpensive math games for home learning.





Friday, May 01, 2015

Book Storage Cart and Managing Book Collections

Things here are much less organized than they used to be. My daughter is a high energy crafter and hands-on learner. Things are constantly cluttered, but learning is happening, so I roll with it.

I've cleared the house of extra furniture, and there are open spaces for play and crafting and art projects. Clean up is much easier this way. Books have never gotten put back into the bookshelves, so I gave up, and stacked them.

Lately, it has been getting out of hand...too many books. Bookshelves weren't working for us. The books fell out or over, and it was a hassle squishing them inbetween each other. Titles were hard to read, and often books that did make their way back were put in backwards, so the title couldn't be read.


I saw this library cart on Amazon and thought it would be easier to load up the cart with books by category. It rolls out of the way and to and from rooms for quick pick up, and it's angled back, so books stay and don't fall out. It was pricey, but I think it will be the perfect solution.

I'll get more in the future, but this is a good start to reaching sanity with the book situation. We try to use the library and ebooks to cut down on storage as much as possible, but there is nothing like the feel of a real book and long term access. Some books we keep for reference and because they are favorites.

Monday, April 27, 2015

Illustrated Storymaking in Elementary School - Blank Hardcover Story Books

White Blank Books with Hardcovers 6"W x 8"H (6 Books / Pack)

My daughter(third grade) asked for a hardcover blank page book to make her own illustrated storybook. I found these(pictured and linked) on Amazon. They've got 16 bank pages and a blank hardcover. She has since asked for more, and I got a set of six. Short stories with illustrations can be done easily in this 6 x 8 hardback.

I've been collecting art supplies from the thrift for years, so we have a huge stash. I also noticed you can purchase supplies in "lots" off ebay. This is so much less expensive than building your art center with new items that tend to be overpriced.

Sunday, April 26, 2015

Thrift Store Curriculum Finds for Third Grader

I've been finding very inexpensive items at one of our local thrift store for my children's education. Thankfully, the "pickers" pass by the children's education books and activity kits. Thrift stores, yardsales, and church sales all potentially have things you can use for science, English, math, geography, home economics, you name it.

A few items I picked up this week for my third grader:



I think I got this for under dollar.
Ancient Egypt Mummies; More by Creativity For Kids (1153)

And we watched this video on Queen Nefertiti on YouTube while putting this together. She loved it!

The other day I found a covered wagon kit. I found this for a quarter in the bargain bins. We worked on it today and  listened to this read aloud book, Covered Wagons, Bumpy Trails on YouTube.


Covered Wagon Wood Craft Kit 

Sunday, July 07, 2013

Getting Ready for the New Homeschool Year

My eldest will be entering 10th grade, our eleventh year homeschooling. By now it has become old hat and an established way of life. I barely think about living any other way - it just is. My daughter begins second grade which is hard to believe. Her childhood seems to have rushed by much more quickly than my son's did. It is like a blur, but then she is like a blur - in constant motion. To quote Beatrix Potter's Squirrel Nutkin, she "danced up and down like a sunbeam". This is my daughter's walk through life. It's wonderful and exhausting all at once.

Jeremy will continue with Christian Light Education which he does on his own. Periodically, I'll add to the curriculum as an extension to his interests or comprehension. We talk a lot about his studies and use the Internet daily for free study resources. YouTube has a great many interesting documentaries and math tutorials which we use a lot.

Olivia, my little sunbeam is learning with Kindle educational apps and YouTube educational videos.Her attention is limited, so a full structured curriculum does not fit her. She is very curious and a natural learner. She pursues knowledge with gusto which makes it very easy for me! I read to her a lot, and we spend time learning by doing. We do use some structured curriculum. We are using Climbing to Good English(about 170 pages), Pathway Readers, and MCP math. Last year we finished about 80% of Christian Light Education's learning to read program. It was a good program; she just got a little burnt out on it.

Some of Our Resources:

Christian Light Education(Son - full curriculum)
Climbing to Good English(Schoolaid)
Pathway Readers
MCP Math(check Amazon as well)
YouTube (my channel)
Pinterest Homeschool Pins
Kindle/Android Learning Apps
Library
Nature Centers and Museums
Field Trips and Travel
Learning By Doing
Recreation Center for P.E.

Friday, May 24, 2013

Frugal Summer Creative Writing Course


I'm thinking about using this course($12.00 download), CTT Creative Writing I – Start Writing from CurrClick for my son(rising 10th grader). He has an interest in creative writing and wants to polish his skills over the summer. He'll probably be able to zip through the first course, but I want him to begin with the first course to make sure he doesn't miss anything - to make sure a good foundation of understanding is laid before he moves into the more advanced sections.There are five courses in this series:


"What is Creative Writing? How does one write?  How does one write creatively? How do you teach writing to a nine year old, or even an adult?

 Our Creative Writing I course has been successfully completed by many hundreds of students, and has been proven for well over a decade to jump-start students in the direction of being able to fully express their creativity in words.
Learn the basics directly from a lifelong educator with 40 years experience, as well as an Emmy and Dramalogue award-winning, often produced and published author.
Complete with test and answer guide, and a very useful teacher's guide with thorough advice and exercises to help the teacher assist the student through any difficulties…no matter where in the course they are encountered!
Our Creative Writing I course is called "START WRITING", and that's what it accomplishes! There are no additional purchases needed to do this course as the course materials are self-contained: the Study Guide, Teacher's Guide, test and answer guide. This course has proven to be remarkably effective with students of all ages nine and above who are reticent to write, and is a tremendous success with students already interested in writing!
Once the student has written a work he or she is proud of, we provide a free service here on our site where they can “publish” the work for the world to see, surrounded in appropriate art work and ready to share with family, friends, and admirers around the world!
Generally, students take between 25-40 hours to complete this course.  One of our most popular and best-selling courses!
_____
Creative Writing is the "crown jewel" of our curriculum. Starting with the most basic basics which explain what "writing" is, the student rapidly develops a complete understanding of the elements of great story telling, including plotting, characterization, dialogue and action. These are thoroughly detailed, and the student is always given many exercises in order to truly improve their understanding and skills, and to demonstrate expertise."

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Television: Content Matters, No Kidding

It seems morally wrong and abusive to expose preschool children to violence for the sake of a study. This is nothing but common sense; however, it puts the "science" behind it, and we value and put great emphasis on the social sciences in our society :

When preschoolers watch educational programs instead of violent TV shows, they tend to be more compassionate and less aggressive, according to a study published Monday in the journal Pediatrics. 

The study

About 600 families were recruited and assigned to one of two groups. Parents in the first group were encouraged to substitute violent shows with educational and pro-social ones - shows that stressed compassion and cooperation. 

Families were given monthly TV guides listing educational programming for their area: shows such as "Dora the Explorer," "Super WHY," "Sesame Street" and "It's a Big, Big World." Parents were also encouraged to watch TV with their kids.

The children went from watching a half-hour of violent programming a day to 23 minutes. Parents then increased educational viewing from about 30 to 43 minutes a day. 

Families in the second group did not change their viewing habits. 

"This is the first study to try to modify the viewing habits of preschool kids," says Dr. Vic Strasburger, spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics. "That's one of the significances of this study."

After a year, researchers found that children watching less violent and more child-appropriate shows scored better on tests that measured cooperation, a willingness to share or compromise. They also had fewer incidents of aggressive behavior such as yelling and hitting.

"Although television is frequently implicated as a cause of many problems in children, our research indicates that it may also be part of the solution," the study notes.

Read more here.

Friday, February 08, 2013

Getting Organized, Homeschool on Wheels: Easy Curricula Storage

I got this cart, Household Essentials Jumbo 3-Tier Metal Cart with Wheels, White, on Amazon for my daughter's homeschool items. I store it in the corner when not in use, and pull it out to where we decide to do our work - it changes from day to day. I can even roll it outside on the concrete. The trays are deep enough to hold standard sized paper and workbooks, and wide enough to store paper and workbooks on the same shelf. I've got them going two different directions to fit(see picture).
 The price is relatively low because it is not a heavy utility card, but a light weight cart designed for light weight items. We have solid surface floors and the casters work just fine on these - no scratches on the floor. It is also light enough to pick up by the handles to carry .

Cart is white wire with measurements of 24-inch width by 32-1/2-inch height by 14-inch depth.