While waiting for the Carnival of Homeschooling, I read some other posts at The Homeschool Cafe. And discovered a link to this hilarious online questionnaire:
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
The Overachieving Homeschooler's Quiz
Monday, August 4, 2008
Free Lectures in Honor of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing
An announcement from The Teaching Company, one of our favorite resources for high school history:
Ancient Origins of the Olympic Games
"In celebration of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, The Teaching Company is proud to present a pair of free commissioned lectures.You can download Ancient Origins of the Olympic Games any time until September 4, in mp3 or iPod format. Enjoy!
"Although the modern version of the Olympic Games has been around for over 100 years since its revival at the 1896 games in Athens, the Olympics have a rich and exciting history that goes back to ancient Greece. A crucial aspect of Greek culture, the ancient Olympics emphasized the ideas of heroism and honor established by Homer's epic poetry. The games were meant to celebrate physical strength, speed, and manhood. Most importantly, they embodied the spirit of competition (agon) that defined ancient Greek life.
"The games as they were played back then bear a striking contrast to the Olympics as we know them today:
- Athletes originally represented their families and not their communities.
- Women were not allowed to compete and only unmarried women could watch the games.
- There were no team sports; rather, individual athletes competed against each other.
"Despite their differences, the ancient Olympics were as celebrated as today's games. The first Olympics captured what it meant to be a citizen of Greece. The Olympics of today capture what it means to be a citizen of the world."
- The games never moved to different locations; instead, they were always held in the city of Olympia in southern Greece.
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- A Student's Guide to the Study of History
- Foundations of Our Republic
- The American History Required Knowledge Test
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Carnival Of Homeschooling - The Boy Scout Edition
How frustrating! I am having computer problems, so there will be no "Book of the Week" or new post today. But don't forget to visit this week's Carnival of Homeschooling at Consent of the Governed:
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
The Book Arts Bash: A Summer Writing Program
[Photo by gotplaid?]
Are your students eager to put their thoughts on paper? Or do they struggle, intimidated by that blank, white page? Or are they like me --- a little of both? Even the most reluctant writer may be motivated by knowing that a real person (not "just Mom") will read his creation. In case you missed the announcement a couple of weeks ago, I would like to highlight a wonderful opportunity for writers of all ages:
" The Book Arts Bash is a brand new writing contest for homeschoolers, unschoolers, upschoolers, and outschoolers! Our goal is to have fun writing and illustrating, and to stretch book arts across the curriculum.Browse the list of contest categories
"The deadline is October 1, so get scribbling! Explore 20 categories, and enter as many as you like! There are five age groups, from kindergarten kids to homeschooling moms and dads."
Look over this delectable list to get your creative juices flowing. Which of these would you like to write? As a bonus, the guidelines for each category include teaching tips!
- Picture Book: Original Story, Familiar Tale, ABC Book, Pop-Up, Fractured Fairy Tale, or Non-Fiction
- Blog: Entire Blog or Single Post
- Drama: Classic Revisited or Original Skit
- Fiction: Short Story, Original Fable, Original Legend, Novel Excerpt, or Novel Cover Art
- Poetry: Single Poem or Collection
- Storytelling: Original Story or Familiar Tale
Parents and homeschool graduates can enter, too, so be sure to get the whole family involved. There are five different grade levels in each category: K-2nd, 3rd-6th, 7th-9th, 10th-12th, and Adult.
Prolific writers may enter more than one category. Simply fill out one form for each entry, and then send them in together. There is a small entry fee: $5 for the first entry per family and $3 for each additional entry.
The organizers are still working to find sponsorships and finalize assorted details. Several well-known authors, editors, and storytellers have signed on as judges. See the list here as it is updated.
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Monday, July 28, 2008
Bridge to Reading
[Photo by The Jamoker.]
Is your child ready to learn to read? Here is a downloadable program that can help your student make the transition from letter sounds to true reading.
A quote from the website
Words are gradually introduced through the events on the screen that provide a meaningful context for their comprehension. Introduction of new words is carefully spaced out, so that previous words have become familiar, but there is constant learning... By the end of chapter seven, children will have learned 105 of the most common English words...Programs for Pre-Readers, Too
Bridge to Reading is fundamentally different from most of the educational games and 'edutainment' programs currently on the market. It has no 'shoot-em-ups', high scores or other distracting elements. In most educational programs, the reward, in sound and animations, is extrinsic to the action the child is supposed to perform; it is a treat given for a trick. In this program, the reward is intrinsic.
Bridge to Reading does require children to have basic familiarity with letters and their sounds. If your student is a complete beginner, try playing with these games first:
- Learn Letters
Free Software for learning the alphabet. - Letter Sounds part 1
Free Software for learning beginning phonics. - Letter Sounds - Blends
Blending consonants to make the initial sound of a of a word. - Letter Sounds - 'S' Blends
Blending 's' and another consonant to make the initial sound of a word. - Letter Sounds - Short Vowels
Selecting the correct short vowel to begin a word. - Letter Sounds - Long Vowels
Selecting the correct long vowel to begin a word.
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Thursday, July 24, 2008
Just for Fun
[Photo by Ernst Moeksis.]
Princess Kitten finished her daily FreeRice and multiplication drill games and started exploring my computer. I peeked over her shoulder, and the two of us had a blast browsing my old bookmarks...
We enjoyed ourselves so much, it inspired me to share a few of our other old family favorites with you. Most of these were discovered via StumbleUpon. (If you are not familiar with Stumbling, you should check it out. It's a fantastic way to waste hours on the web.)
Interactive play
- Singing Horses
Our very first Stumble bookmark, and still a favorite. - Dog
Move your mouse to see him in action. - Jackson Pollock by Miltos Manetas
Move your mouse, and click it every so often, to create your own Pollock-style masterpiece.
- The Shirt
How cute! - Gift Box
"This box made from two bills. The bills/box can be the gift itself, but it is also just about the right size for a ring box. (Perhaps a dollar-bill ring?)"
Princess Kitten has already written about her all-time favorite video. I'm sure she would love to have you visit her blog and check it out:
Finally, here is one of our favorites, a truly phenomenal juggling act:
[If the player doesn't work, go to Amazing Juggling Finale.]
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Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Homeschool Co-ops: How to Start Them, Run Them and Not Burn Out
Frugal Homeschooling Book of the Week
Yesterday, I wrote about homeschool co-ops, so today's Book of the Week is devoted to that topic. Carol Topp is a homeschooling mother, Certified Public Accountant, and author of...
Highlights from this week's Carnival of Homeschooling
Be sure to check out The 134th Carnival of Homeschooling - The 12 Labors of Hercules.
"Most people (and especially most homeschooling families) have at least a passing knowledge of the 12 labors that Hercules had to complete for Eurystheus. I would propose that, as homeschoolers, we face a no less daunting set of tasks..."So many interesting articles! Here are a few of my favorites, but remember, they are only a small taste of the smorgasbord:
- Alasandra is taking nominations for the 2008 Homeschool Blog Awards.
- Lydia offers a free pdf unit study, Treasure Island Homeschool Seminar: Literary Lesson Plans and Nautical Worksheets.
- Thomas J. West shares some great Music Practice Tips.
- Laureen made me laugh with Upside Down and Backwards.
- Jena goves Advice for First Year Homeschoolers.
- Lori speaks for (and to) many of us with What I Wish I Had Known.
- The Princess Mom weighs in with Advice for Newbie Gifted Homeschoolers.
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- Writing to Learn, and Carnival Highlights
- Homeschooling: Take A Deep Breath - You Can Do This!
- You Can Teach Your Child Successfully
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Planning a Homeschool Co-op
[Reprinted with permission from Home Spun Juggling.]
Summer is time for planning ahead to the next school year, which makes it a great time to think about starting a homeschool co-op. Would you like to get together with a few other families for semi-regular playtime or field trips? Or do you envision a large organization with several classes for each grade level?
As the Bible says, "Plans fail
- Homeschool Co-Op Know How
How to start a small enrichment co-op with a few families, plus A Thanksgiving Lesson Plan.
- The Complete Idiot's Guide to Starting a Homeschool Cooperative
Excerpt from The Complete Idiot's Guide to Homeschooling.
- Homeschool Co-op Tips
Lots of good advice, including why a homeschool co-op may not work for your family.
- Homeschooling Co-ops: Pros and Cons
"Homeschool co-ops can be a wonderful experience, but you must know what you are getting into."
- Spring, the season for planning…
If only my kids could master the art of being in three places at once!
- How To Start a Homeschool Math Club
Math enrichment classes are a great co-op idea.
- How to harness metacognitive decision-making
A fun look at co-op planning in educational jargonese.
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Monday, July 21, 2008
The Periodic Table of Videos
[If video player doesn't work, click here: Periodic Table of Videos trailer.]
Learning chemistry? Or simply in the mood for a little excitement? Check out The Periodic Table of Videos:
They are the unlikely new stars of YouTube --- from Sodium and Helium to Lithium, Oxygen, Hydrogen and Argon. University of Nottingham scientists have brought the Periodic Table into the 21st century with a bang, by posting lively video clips about every single chemical element on a new website.More Online Resources for Chemistry Students
And ‘The Periodic Table of Videos’ has already proved a massive online success, appearing on the UK front page of the YouTube website and registering more than 106,000 hits in just a few days.
- Tom Lehrer's "The Elements" flash animation
Even my young children love this song!
- Periodic table at Wikipedia
What is the periodic table, where did it come from, and what does it mean?
- Periodic Table Memory Pegs
A fantastic way to memorize the elements and their symbols (abbreviations) in atomic numerical order. Be sure to read the instructions, Using Atomic Number Memory Pegs.
- Dynamic Periodic Table
Tons of information at a click: orbitals, melting points, density, conductivity, discovery date, and much more.
- Visual Elements Periodic Table
A beautiful version of the periodic table, with links to information on each element. Also available for purchase.
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- A Student's Guide to the Study of History
- My Favorite Algebra Resource
- Talk like an Alien --- Latin, Anyone?
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Crazy 4 Math Contest
I heard of this contest in an e-mail from ClickSchooling:
Kids, share your creative math ideas! Describe how you use math in any activity you love to do — a sport, game, craft, hobby, or anything else.Sounds like fun! If you want to enter, act quickly. Entries must be submitted online by July 30th. Visit Crazy4Math.com for more information and to check out the winners from previous years.
Send in a description of the activity and how it uses math, as well as any drawing(s) or diagram(s). There are many great prizes to be won. Please ensure you've read and understand our contest's rules and regulations before entering.
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