Designing your own free curriculum - resources

We pulled our children from their school after spring break when the boys were in second grade and kindergarten.  We wanted the nine remaining weeks of the school year to "try it out" in case homeschooling wasn't for us.  We had no curriculum, no experience, and no idea how things would turn out.

We did, however, have internet access.

And library cards.

And lots of people who found out we were homeschooling.


This became our trifecta of curriculum through which our early experiences of homeschool flowed.  If you are interested in designing any or all of your own homeschool studies, these can be your greatest aids.



The Internet


I can't imagine how much effort homeschooling was before the internet.  I could type in 'kindergarten science' or 'second grade math' and seven billion sites would pop up with unit study materials, other moms blogging about their great ideas, free printable worksheets or coloring pages, and lists of scope and sequence (which I would then google because I had no idea what scope and sequence even meant - it's okay if you don't know what that means either).

I ordered gently used copies of the "Core Knowledge" series of books and based most of what we did for an entire year off of those books; they were an essential resource for guiding our learning by grade level. Their website states:

"In one convenient volume per grade — from What Your Preschooler Needs to Know through What Your Sixth Grader Needs to Know — the eight-volume Core Knowledge Series provides parents, teachers, and children with an engaging, illustrated introduction to the important knowledge outlined in the Core Knowledge Sequence. Each book suggests related readings and resources. The kindergarten and first grade books also include sections on how children learn to read."

I also searched several variations of "homeschool for free" or "homeschool resources" and listed the books and read the blogs and fell into internet rabbit holes full of magical ideas and tips.  I wrote lists of books that looked helpful.

I knew what my children had been doing in school up to this point, so we tried to pick up from there.  We finished the math workbooks the school sent home with them.  My kindergartener had only the letter "Q" left in his phonics studies, so I printed off worksheets and coloring pages.

I asked my children what they wanted to learn about.  I wrote down those topics under the list of books I had made for myself and off we went to the next critical stop on our journey:

The Library


Our library contained a small but rich homeschooling section.  Among the books I read were "Homeschooling on a Shoestring"  by Melissa Morgan and Judith Allee, "The Ultimate Book Of Homeschooling Ideas" and "Homeschoolers Success Stories" both by Linda Dobson, "How to Write a No-Cost/Low Cost Curriculum for Your Homeschool Child" by Borg Hendrickson, and racks of homeschool magazines - full to the brim with lessons, activities and tips.

We spent a great deal of time in the non-fiction sections of our library.  We found books covering the topics the children were most interested in, as well as resources recommended by the Core Knowledge books and suggested by internet sources.    We discovered DK Eyewitness books; three years later they are still our favorites.  We chose fictional books to read out loud together, including the first Harry Potter book and several Newbery Medal winners.

We branched out into the Audio-Visual section of the library.  We checked out classical music CDs, books on tape or playaways, and instructional DVDs.  Our favorites were the "Signing Time" series, "Families of the World" series, and (surprise!) DK Eyewitness.

Then, I discovered an entire "Teacher's Resource" section.  Just a few steps away from the homeschooling area!  There were reams of pages for copying to create classroom-type crafts (we did a Halloween skeleton from one of these books the next October) as well as themed books for different subjects, different times of year, month-by-month, and even fully written curriculum for certain subjects.  It was a goldmine for free curriculum planning.  As far as directly impacting the work my children did each day, though, the teachers resource area remained a distant second to...

People Who Heard We Were Homeschooling


We tried to quietly fade into the nine weeks away from school, to privately decide whether or not we were going to continue with this crazy idea.  It didn't work out that way.  First of all, people want to know where on Earth  you have gone.  Secondly, people care about you and your kid(s) and want to show it. Third, everyone has tons of stuff sitting around their house taking up space and are all in a constant state of decluttering.

Paper bags started appearing on my doorstep pretty quickly.  A cousin's unfinished math book from the previous school year, a barely used stamping set, puzzles, educational games, an expensive math manipulative set, and flashcards became part of our curriculum.  My sweet mother unearthed a box of worksheets with wipe-off plastic covers and black, oily pencils that we used during the preschool years at my own childhood home.  We were given old textbooks, garage sale books, early reader books, coloring and activity books, matching sets, art kits, craft boxes, jewelry making packs, clay, sorting kits, beads, prizes, and more stickers than you can imagine.

And we used them.  We used them all.

I started meeting and talking to other homeschooling families.  I was also fortunate to already be friends with three homeschooling families and related to a fourth.  They showered me with curriculum samples, borrowed books, group introductions, and reassurances.  They let me use their curriculum books, look over their children's work, ask questions about what they used and other families used. The best things that came from these friendships included the book "Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum: A Guide to Catholic Home Education" by Laura M. Berquist and invitations to used curriculum sales, where I continue to gather information and materials - even as we enter our fourth year at home.





Was designing curriculum for my children easy?  Actually, yes.  It was pretty simple.  I'm not going to say it wasn't a lot of work or a great deal of time, but the information and resources are abundantly available.  What required the most work was the sorting, organizing, storing, copying and printing of the materials.  The researching and teaching parts were fun!  Do we still school in this way?  No, we purchase a planned curriculum now.  But if I weren't also contributing to running our family farm or we were in a tighter financial situation I would want to go back to this method of curriculum design.  I still exert a similar technique and level of control over some portions of our children's education.  And it was a great way for me to learn what sort of style and rhythm where best going to fit my family.

There is something else I took from my experience of homeschooling without a curriculum:  I loan my curriculum out.  I give away the manipulative sets, puzzles, craft kits and unfinished workbooks we don't need anymore.  I try not to bombard them, but I give entire boxes of borrow or keep items to new homeschooling families when they tell me they are going to give it a try.   I loan out science, language arts or reading packages and sets to anyone who is interested in what we have used.


And then I tell them all to get out their library card and start making friends with the most knowledgable librarian working in that wonderful place.

Ideas for St. Patrick's Day

Yesterday, we shared ideas for studying presidents, elections, and government. Today, the topic is St. Patrick’s Day.

Before teaching my children about St. Patrick, I knew relatively nothing.  I knew he had something to do with Ireland, lots of people decorated with shamrocks, and some celebrated the day with green drinks.  That about summed up my knowledge. 

Then, a few years ago, I decided to teach my children about the man behind the holiday, St. Patrick.  The Story of Saint Patrick, by James A. Janda, offered us a fascinating introduction to his life.  We were intrigued by his life and experiences. 

This is just one way to incorporate St. Patrick's Day into our homeschools.  Another approach would be to learn about Ireland, its history and culture, or perhaps read about the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle.

Or, perhaps you would rather celebrating the day with a few fun activities, maybe include...

Printable Worksheets
St. Patrick's Day Printables at about.com

Shamrock craft ideas for youngsters
"Tie-dye Shamrocks" from coffee filters at Kaboose

Potato Stamp Shamrocks at Family Fun

Rainbow craft ideas for youngsters
"Handprint Rainbow" at Enchanted Learning (use construction paper or paint)
"Jell-O Scented Rainbow" at Making Learning Fun

Fun food ideas
Irish Soda Bread (traditional)
Irish Soda Bread with raisins
green fruits - kiwi, limes
green vegetables - cucumbers, celery, brocolli, lettuce, peppers
green dessert foods - pistachio pudding, mint flavored ice cream, key lime pie
"Pot o' Gold Cupcakes" at Mega Crafty

Party ideas
"Pot of Gold Party" at education.com


There are numerous ways to learn about and celebrate St. Patrick's Day, and this short list is just a start.  We would love to read about your plans for studying or celebrating the day.  Feel free to include any applicable links in your comment.

Topic for tomorrow: spring

Studying Presidents, Elections, and U.S. Government

This week is party week! planning week! For the next few days, we will share some themed activities and ideas for St. Patrick's Day, Easter, and spring.

Today, I have compiled a few activities and ideas for studying presidents, elections and the U.S.  government.

Every February we recognize, remember, and honor our Presidents. This year with an upcoming presidential election, we may focus a bit more on our past, current, and future Presidents in our homeschools.   Perhaps you will incorporate the election into your studies, or spend some time teaching your children about our government.

Are looking for a few resources?

Here are some of the resources we have used and loved:

Books
Don't Know Much About the Presidents, by Kenneth C. Davis
Presidential Elections, by Syl Sobel
How the U.S. Government Works, by Syl Sobel
The U.S. Constitution and You, by Syl Sobel

Workbook
The Complete Book of Presidents & States, Grades 4-6, American Education Publishing

Flash Cards/Trivia Game
U.S. Presidents, Trend Enterprises, Inc.
Brain Quest: Presidents (ages 9-12)

Election Day Activity Suggestions

• Going to vote?  Take your child along.  We prepared our children by discussing what voting is and how the actual process works.  In our area, at the poll, a volunteer sitting alongside the booth announces your name as you enter, "Now voting, Dorie..." The children find this very exciting.  They are allowed in the booth as well, on the right side, where the vote button is NOT located.
• At home, use a blank USA map, with state outlines, to color each state as the electoral votes and popular votes are tabulated and announced.

Read the original documents online
Declaration of Independence
Constitution of the United States
Bill of Rights

Places to visit
Washington, DC (White House, National Archives, and much, much more)
Philadelphia, PA (Independence Hall, Liberty Bell, Constitution Center)
Mt. Vernon, VA (home of our first president, George Washington)

Can't visit in person?  Perhaps an online tour like this one for Abraham Lincoln's home in Springfield, IL would be possible.

A few resources that I stumbled upon recently

Online worksheets and printables:

President's Day Theme Unit at ABC Teach
Online computer game:
Name that President and others at Primary Games

As I know this list is not exhaustive, what activity or resource would you recommend using to study presidents, elections, and government?

Feel free to include any applicable links in your comment.

Topic for tomorrow: St. Patrick's Day

Finding Time for Yourself

Welcome to our Homeschool Holiday Open House!

This week we are opening up, discussing details related to our homeschools.

So far, several ladies shared how they schedule and manage their days,
organize their homes, and tackle technology.
If you haven't read these posts
and the excellent ideas readers are posting in the comments,
then might I encourage you to do so today.
The giveaways end on Saturday, December 31 at 11:59 PM.

Today, for our final Homeschool Holiday Open House post,
 we focus on finding time for ourselves amongst these busy days.

Jessica, Tracy, Sam, and Ralene share about this important issue...

Jessica:

"This is such a personal and interesting topic.  Each family, and each member therein, has different needs.  Every mother I have met has different ideas of what constitutes time to herself and how to make a bit of that happen.  Since I became a homeschool mother (we were in a school system for several years first) the #1 comment I receive is 'I could never spend all that time with my children!'

However, I found it has really freed me from the schedule we were so tied to before.  I am much better able to savor time to myself because I spend most of my time participating in quality interaction with my kids.  Because of this, I can take (guilt-free) opportunities I used to pass up!

There are several ways I find time for myself.  I have dates with my husband every chance I get.  I schedule my children's activities to coincide when I can so that I have an hour to pick up groceries or scan clearance racks in clothing stores without helpers.  I get up very early in the morning so I can have a run and be back before My Farmer leaves for work.  I also stay up late to blog a few times a week, and rely on technology (like blogger, facebook, and twitter) in order to have snippets of virtual adult conversation for short periods during the day.

In the end, homeschooling has not made finding time for myself difficult.  Having very small children is what made that hard for me!  Now that they are older (six, eight, and ten) and more independent, I am enjoying the freedom it has brought to me as well."

Tracy:

"I have really struggled with the topic of 'me-time' for awhile, simply because I often feel guilty for even considering time for myself.  But I do have a small moment in my day that I don't feel the least bit guilty about setting aside.  I love to keep a short devotional book in my bathroom.  My favorites have been Lydia Brownback's devotionals Joy and Purity.

When I desperately need my 'mommy break,' I'll head to the bathroom and grab my devotional.  The short 3-5 minute reading is just what I need to regain perspective and to refresh me for what awaits outside my bathroom door."

Sam:
"Every evening after dinner I take 30-60 minutes to workout.  I don't really feel the need to get away other than that, and nothing makes me feel better than doing something good for my health.

Not only is it good for my body, but it helps me to relieve stress, lots and lots of stress!  My favorite workout is kickboxing.  It is too much fun!

If you ever stress about taking some time for yourself-just remember that it makes you better for the rest of the time you give to your family.  Now go grab a DVD and kick something!"

Ralene:

"First, let me say that God has blessed me with a wonderful family!  My husband is so supportive of all my endeavors, from homeschooling to writing.  He often has no issues with giving me some time to myself.  Now, let me say that every parent, regardless of jobs/responsibilities/etc., deserves time for themselves.  A common complaint, probably more prevalent among moms, is that they feel they have 'lost themselves' in the throes of family and other obligations. 

So how do I find time for myself?

The initial step is realizing that I need that time to recharge, that it will not take away from my time with my children/husband/household/job/insert obligation.  Everyone needs a way to decompress and allow their spirits to be refueled.

The next thing I did was talk to my husband.  The biggest hurdle is having your family on board.  I explained the situation (although he already understood, so it didn't take much of an explanation), and we talked about what seemed appropriate.  At first, it was just sporadic time for myself--a shopping trip here, a movie night with my friends there.  But the more I took that time for myself, the more I saw how it benefited my life in other ways.  Now, I make sure that I have some downtime every week--be it 30 minutes or a couple of hours.  Sometimes I go out and do something, sometimes I stay in and read a good book.

The trick is not using that time for 'other obligations'.  At first, I found myself using that time for stuff like sorting through the clean clothes that needed folded, or working on my blog posts/novel/editing.  That time is not supposed to be about anything else but myself.  I had to force myself to see and experience the refreshment that comes from doing something that is just for me.

Here's a few things that I do (and some that other women I know do): Read (book/magazine), shop (not grocery), walk/exercise, Ladies' Night, get hair done/manicure/pedicure, invest in a new hobby (scrapbooking, knitting, crafts, hiking, sports), take a class...the list goes on.  Some can be done in a few minutes, some in a couple of hours--all important to our mental/emotional (and sometimes physical) well-being."

  And, now, we want to know how you find time for yourself as well. 

What ways are you refreshed?

Leave a comment telling us,

and you will automatically be entered for today's giveaway.

Today's giveaway:

a $30 Walmart GC
perhaps spend it on something for you!
~courtesy Ralene~

This giveaway is open to all residents of the USA
and ends Saturday, December 31 at 11:59 PM EST,

To enter, simply leave a comment on this post.

Winner will be announced on Monday, January 2, 2012.

Technology and Social Media in Our Homeschools

Welcome to our Homeschool Holiday Open House!

This week we are discussing a few homeschooling specifics.

On Monday, several ladies shared how they schedule and manage their days.

Then, yesterday, a few of us discussed how we organize our homes.

Around the table today,

Marla, Aurie, and I are discussing technology and social media. 

How do you use technology and social media for your homeschool? 

What are the benefits?  And, how do you find balance?

Marla:

"I use technology extensively for homeschool planning and preparation.  I create my own curriculum (I make some of my own activities and also use activities created by others).  In order to create my activities, I use Microsoft Word and Powerpoint, so I spend hours on my computer making activities.  I use the internet to find other activities to supplement what I create.  I have found that there are a variety of websites and blogs with fantastic ideas and free printables for preschoolers and have also found great ideas on Pinterest.

In our homeschool, we do not use technology much yet.  Since Abigail is only 3, she is still young for most computer activities (and I prefer hands-on learning to computer learning).  She does, however, use the Starfall app on the ipad as a part of our letter-of-the-day lesson and plays a math game on the ipad a few times a week.  During our weekly animal units, we watch 1-2 minute clips of the animals we are studying in the wild (generally on the National Geographic website).  Additionally, I use my Spoitfy account to access songs that are related to our current lessons (for example, during our unit on the continents, we listened to 3 songs about the continents every day).

As a homeschooling mom, I also love the internet as a means of connecting with other homeschooling moms.  Being a homeschooler can be isolating when everyone you know sends their children to school, so being able to interact with other moms via Facebook and blogs is wonderful.  It is amazing how the internet can make the world seem so much smaller and you can share activities and ideas with moms all over the world!"

Dorie:

"In the very beginning of our homeschooling journey, I swore off technology.  We used nothing related to technology. 

Over the years, we have slowly added technological elements to our homeschool.  Each addition has been planned and purposeful.  Using a computer based program, our children begin learning Latin in the third grade.  Next year, our oldest son, will begin French with another computer based program. 

Another fun application for technology has ironically been during our nature walks.  When we find something we cannot identify (because we don't know or don't have the right reference books along) we take a digital photograph of the item.  Later, we upload the picture and search through books or the internet to identify or classify the unknown item.  This has been perfect for large scale items and for those times when we have visited parks with rules about removing flora and fauna.

Because we live in a technologically based society, we have begun to systematically introduce our children to computers in general.  We have an old computer in the school room that is not connected to the internet.  On it, the children learn keyboard skills, how to navigate through computer programs, photo uploading and editing, etc.  Slowly, as they age, we will add internet usage and social media.

For me, as a homeschool mom, I use technology for various planning related activities.  The internet is a great place to research curriculum, resources, and potential field trips and ideas for our homeschool.  

Our local library is networked throughout the county with all the public libraries.  By visiting their website, I can request a library book, CD, or resource from any of the networked libraries.  This has resulted in a tremendous amount of options for books. 

Also, connecting with other moms through technology has been extremely beneficial.  Whether we are planning a play group or organizing a class for co-op, technology has definitely been a time saver and convenient way to communicate with other busy moms.  Social media like blogs have also been a source of encouragement for me as well.  Though I don't have too much time to peruse the vast array of blogs, I do enjoy and benefit greatly from those I read and the communities I participate in."  

Aurie:

"As a new homeschooling mom, I am always looking for advice and support.  Having access to twitter, facebook and email makes it easy to find help and encouragement right when I need it!  I've also found some amazing free resources online {and who doesn't like free!} which allow me to see what methods will work for Sophie and what might not be best for her right now.  Sophie doesn't use the computer much at all right now, but she's learning to. She is more hands on, so I think computer based learning will be something that might be nice in the future, but not for her right now. 

I balance social media by limiting the amount of time I am online.  I have 2 hours each morning before the girls are up/dressed/school, and then I hop on again during naptime/quiettime.  I also do most of my blog reading at night after the girls are in bed.  Also, I stay away from social media on Sundays - everyone needs to be unplugged just a little bit!"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Feel free to join our discussion as we would love to hear

your opinions and suggestions on using technology
and social media in your homeschools.
By leaving a comment, you are entered in today's giveaway.

Today's giveaway:

a second copy of

Educating the WholeHearted Child

by Clay Clarkson with Sally Clarkson

~courtesy Aurie~

This giveaway is open to all residents of the USA
and ends Saturday, December 31 at 11:59 PM EST,

To enter, simply leave a comment on this post.

Winner will be announced on Monday, January 2, 2012.

Organizing Our Homes

Welcome to our Homeschool Holiday Open House!

This week we are discussing some of the most frequently asked questions of homeschoolers. So far several ladies have shared how they schedule and manage their days. Today, Sam, Ralene, and I are discussing how we organize our homes. And, of course, we'd love for you to join the discussion.

Sam:
I have a separate space for homeschooling-so that helps.  Everything school related lives upstairs and the main living area and my bedroom are on the first floor.  I am pretty organize-driven.  I love to purge and clear out things.  I also love to find new storage solutions for the things I do keep.  We use all the vertical space we can, and purge often.

We have an evening rule that the main downstairs rooms be cleaned up by 8:00 family time in the evening, the last clean of the day, but we try to stay on top of things throughout the day as well. The vacuum is run again at 8:00.  I like waking up to a clean house!

Ralene:

"The biggest thing that changed in our house is that we set aside a large chunk of the office as the homeschool area. We found a neat table that wasn't full size, but not like tiny-tot size either. My husband sanded and refinished it, and that's what we use to work at. I have a shelf that has our daily curriculum and work boxes on it. Then two book cases full of art supplies, books, workbooks, and lots of resources. We don't have a lot of wall space, in that room, so I bought an easel to hold a large white board, and on the back of the white board, I glued a world map. We did have just enough room to put up a calendar on the wall. 

Around the rest of the house, we've made little changes. The kids have a chore chart on the wall in the hallway. In the living room, there's some art supplies and books for them to look at/play with in their free time. In the living room, there's also a computer that we bought mainly just for homeschool and household purposes. It has learning games and internet access. The girls are still at that age, for me, where they don't use it without me, but it's still another tool that we can use.

Cleaning/organization-wise, I know a lot of homeschool moms (including myself) have a hard time keeping the house together. Very rarely will someone show up (especially without notice) and see a tidy home. However, I have developed my own system to keep things from getting too out of hand. It started with Flylady.net, and then I had to make my own tweaks. So, every room gets attention at least once a week (major traffic places like living room get twice a week)."

Dorie
"We have a separate room designated for homeschooling.  However, we didn't start out that way.  When we first started homeschooling, we lived in a tiny house.  Our school books were stored on a shelf and I taught our preschooler at the same table we had meals. 

Later we moved to a larger home.  Once we purposed a room for our homeschooling, we arranged the space and brought in a few organizing tools.  We have multiple shelving units, with a variety of drawer and shelf options.  Learning games, puzzles, globes, maps, reference materials, and books fill our shelves.  We brought in a desk for me and one for the children's computer.  We also set up tables for the children to use.  A free standing chalk board and white board are used daily.  The electric drums and keyboard are in one corner, and art supplies are stored in another area of the room.

Despite a designated room, other rooms in our home are used regularly for school lessons, as well.  With a sink and stove top readily available, the kitchen is our main area for science experiments.  Each of the children's rooms has book shelves, and our living room and family room have baskets of books. 

For the most part, the children are free to move about the house as desired throughout the day.  Sometimes, they bring their bean bag chairs down from their bedrooms, and cozy up with a good book in the living room.  Other times, in warmer weather, they may head outside with a blanket and work under the clear blue sky.

To keep a full house clean is challenging.  Adding homeschooling to the day, and a clean house seems impossible.  For us, we maintain a clean house by following a routine and using a children's chore chart.  Daily, we strive to have all items in the downstairs rooms put away before dinner.  For our homeschool room, we typically clean it on Fridays so it is ready for Monday morning."

How do you organize your home now that you are homeschooling?
Are your rooms allocated differently? 
Are you keeping supplies in one area or all through the house?
Do you have a favorite organizational tool?
{By commenting, you are automatically entered in today's giveaway.}

Today's giveaway:

A Preschool Pack of
Transportation Counting Cards
(numbers 1-10)

~ created by Marla

This giveaway is open to all residents of the USA
and ends Saturday, December 31 at 11:59 PM EST,

To enter, simply leave a comment on this post.

Winner will be announced on Monday, January 2, 2012.

Schedules, Planning, and Managing Our Time

Welcome to our Homeschool Holiday Open House! 

This week, we are opening up a little bit more
about the details of our individual homeschools. 
We'll talk about how we organize our homes, manage our days,
tackle technology, and still find time for ourselves!
No, we certainly aren't superwomen,
but are simply sharing what works,
or doesn't work, for us in our homeschools. 
We hope you find encouragement in these posts,
and invite you to join the discussions

and enter the giveaways. 

When homeschool moms get together, several topics always surface.  One I've asked and been asked often is 'how do you plan your time to include all the tasks of life plus homeschool?'  Sometimes this question is worded slightly differently, but the intent remains.  Most people want to know how homeschoolers plan their days.

When asked, Aurie, Jessica, and Tracy responded with
planning techniques and schedules that work for them.

Aurie:

"I use a schedule that has some flexibility, but for the most part stays the same.  The girls get up, are dressed, have breakfast and play by 9am. {while they are playing I get the breakfast dishes washed and do any lunch or dinner prep}  Sophie starts school at 9am, with Bella still playing in the other room.  We break for snack time at 10:00am, and then Bella comes in to color while we finish up.  Lunch is at 11:30am, and the girls are down for naps/quiet time from 12:00-3:00pm.  Since Sophie is preschool, we don't generally do school in the afternoons.  We'll work on some crafts, some fine motor skills, or go outside and run around.

What really makes this schedule work is me getting up an hour before the girls do in the morning.  I have my quiet time, jump online to check email, blog posts & twitter and then get ready to start my day while the girls are still asleep.  This change has really helped to keep me on track!"

Jessica:

"I do my scheduling in small, adjustable blocks.  Our school year is 36 weeks long, usually beginning in early August and ending in late April.  (State requirements would come into play for homeschooling families here; my state requires a similar number of days and the same required subjects as public school.)

Next, I plan a month at a time.  Each month offers an opportunity for me to tweak the scheduled extracurriculars my children participate in.  My oldest son is in band at the public school, which has an already set schedule, but most of the other lessons and sports are scheduled on a monthly basis.

Each Sunday, I catch up on bookwork for our Farm and plan for the week ahead.  I have a school binder where I keep all our plans and papers for the week.  Each child has a section of the folder where I keep their work yet to be done, and a pocket where I keep their finished papers.  I check off items in the lessons plans as we complete them.  At the end of the week, I remove all the papers and file them (I also keep an item or two that is an example of their best work separate, which we then display at our end-of-the-school-year party) and place next week lesson plans into the binder.  I front-load our week, with most of our activities and heavy academic work Monday through Thursday.  This way, Friday is a short academic day with more time for whatever we need that week (catching up around the house, meeting friends, going on a field trip, decorating for Christmas).

Each evening, I set out all the assignments and materials for the next day at their places.  I also set out my own supplies, the read aloud books we are working from, maps and tools.  I like to set out craft items or coloring supplies as well, if we are going to have a lot of 'listening only' activities the next day.  I also like to set up a CD to play the geography songs, memory verse songs or math facts songs we work on.

I also use the evenings to look ahead at what activities are the next day, and pack the items we need to take along with us.  I also think about (and if I have time, prep ahead a bit) what we are eating the next day.

The most important part of my planning is flexibility.  If we are behind on an assignment, or something comes up, or someone is feeling poorly, or a friend needs our help, we can adjust what we are doing.  School can start earlier and end later (in a day or in the year!), we may push some work back to the end of the week, or we may work ahead if we know things will be busy the next day.  Having a general outline and being able to change it each day is one of the greatest benefits of homeschooling for my family."

Tracy:

"We typically have a very structured homeschool day.  I plan exactly what we will do, and because my children are small, I allow for about 15 minutes per activity.  We use hanging file pockets to organize the activities.  Each pocket will include the worksheet, reading book, or other activity, along with all of the necessary tools to accomplish the task (scissors, crayons, pencil, etc.) I set a timer, and we work our way through the pockets one at a time. Sticking with a strict schedule has taught the kids to work hard even on tasks they don't prefer, because they realize it's only a short amount of time before the next activity.

However, I have had to organize differently this year since becoming pregnant.  For instance, I have become very flexible with our start time, often starting our school day close to 10 or 10:30.  And when I do have a rough day, we work only through the essentials and skip our opening pledge and calendar activities.  It's really forced me to evaluate what my priorities are for each day, what must get done, and what can wait for another day.  It truly is amazing how flexible you can be, even with a structured school schedule!"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Every homeschool operates on a slightly different schedule or routine.
We'd love to hear how you organize your days to teach your children,
clean your home, cook meals, and visit with your neighbor?
{By commenting, you will automatically be entered in today's giveaway.}

Today's giveaway:

Educating the WholeHearted Child

by Clay Clarkson with Sally Clarkson

~courtesy Aurie~

This giveaway is open to all residents of the USA
and ends Saturday, December 31 at 11:59 PM  EST,

To enter, simply leave a comment on this post.

Winner will be announced on Monday, January 2, 2012.

An Invitation for You

With the holiday season in full swing,

we wanted to share some holiday fun with you.

So, we are hosting our first

Homeschool Holiday Open House,

and we would love for you to attend!

You are invited  to join us next week for A Homeschool Holiday Open House with encouraging discussions and fun give aways! Where: Growing Your Homeschool When: December 26-31

My Favorite Planner (and the WINNERS!)

I have just found my new favorite planner!

The Well Planned Day Yearly Calendar is perfect for a homeschooling parent trying to keep it all together. By all, I mean: homeschool, menu, shopping list, appointments, budgets, even reading lists, goals, and inspirational articles. Yes, it also has a holiday organizer!

Seriously, this is my new best friend!

I also bought the binder they provide to put the calendar in. The binder is big enough to keep my entire household management system in (i.e. my Flylady cleaning schedules, medical stuff, blog/writing/editing schedules). I mean, this thing is Ralene in a Binder. Or Ralene's Brain on Paper. Or...well, you get the picture.

If you haven't had a chance to explore the wonderful products that Home Educating Family Publishing have to offer, check out their website. In addition to planners for homeschooling parents, they have student planners (esp for high school), binders, and a magazine!

I've been looking for a way to keep it ALL together. I think I've finally found it. Now if I could just keep it in one spot. Where'd it go now?

This is Ralene, the spaz-brained, homeschooling mama signing out for now!

Oh wait!

A huge thank you to all the ladies that joined us in a fabulous party last week. We had a blast sharing with you and seeing what you all had to say.

WINNERS:

The winner of Story of the World Vol. 2 from Sam is: BETHERINA

The winner of a $30 Amazon Gift Certificate from Ralene is: SARA

The winner of an ebook from Kerry Beck is: NELLIE BAGGETT

The winner of a free download from A Journey Through Learning is: MIRIAM

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Please send an email to raleneburke [at] yahoo [dot] com with either your email or your physical address (depending on what you won).

Seeds of Wisdom--Kids Say!

We all know that kids say some of the cutest, rudest, crudest, funniest (and many other -ests) things. They process life differently than we do, and they don't understand the constraints yet. So, there are bound to be some hysterical moments to share. And so--we shall.

JESSICA

We were trying to raise a litter of just-born, orphan kittens. As can happen with farm life, it didn't go as we had hoped. When the first kitten died, I told my five-year-old daughter. She squatted next to it's tiny, furry body and examined it for several minutes. Then she hugged me and said, "I named the kitten George Washington. Because he's dead too. Did you know he was our country's first president?"


DORIE


While teaching my daughter to diagram compound subjects for grammar, I said, "You draw a fork." Our preschooler was apparently listening because later as my daughter practiced sentence diagramming on a chalkboard, he wandered over to her, and asked, "Where do you put the spoon?"


SAM


My husband is a minister. A few Sundays ago our 5th child, Evan (5), asked me- "Why does daddy always go up front to preach?" my reply- "It's his job." Evan's response- "Really?"


RALENE


About a year ago, I was sitting on my bed, typing away on the laptop, while Alana and Kyra were watching cartoons.

Kyra stood up and walked across the bed to stand by my side. She was quiet for a few moments before asking, "Mommy, do you have any nipples?"

Not wanting to get into a discussion about nipples or have Kyra trying to lift my shirt to look, I told her no.

She laughed. "Yes, you do, Mommy. You have one right here!" She pointed to this mole I have on the back of my neck (you know the ones that are big and stick out).

My eyes widened. Where do kids get this stuff? "No, honey, that's not a nipple."

"Yes, it is!"

"No, it's a mole."

"What's a mole?"

Here we go again...

Needless to say, I couldn't even answer because I was laughing so hard.




Now, you're turn to share!

The Great American Recipe Blogroll!

...or not.

I tried to research how to do a blogroll in a post that people could add their links to, and, well...I failed miserably. I could only find info for the sidebar blogroll. Great, huh? Obviously, my (Ralene) research skills stink. lol... I know it's probably an HTML thing and I'm just not as tech savvy as I used to be. Oh the days when I was the smart one...

Still, we'd love to see what YOU would bring to our party. So link it up in the comments! You still get entries for the prizes and we get some recipes to try out! I'm salivating just thinking about it all! :)

A Peek Into Our Worlds

Sometimes we just want to see how the rest of the world does it.

Everyone is different. So, of course, everyone's homeschool area is different. Some people have a whole room to dedicate to school, others do not and use the kitchen table (some even prefer to), still more trade places depending on the moods of everyone. It's interesting to see what other people come up with for storage space, wall hangings, etc.

And now we're going to share with you!

DORIE

With 13 windows and 3 doors in our school room, wall space is a luxury. Most of it is filled with book shelves. For the remaining portion, I hung literature themed art.

BETH

In my kitchen, I have a small piece of clothesline hung up on the wall with two nails, and clothespins attached to display artwork. :) Displaying their artwork says so many things to your children's little hearts.




SAM

We converted our playroom into a classroom last December. It is a wonderful space!

Ralene was going to share her photos, but her homeschool room is currently "under construction" as they just got some new furniture. :)

What about your rooms? If you have a link to share, we want to see it!

Recipe Day!

The party continues...

One of the best things about a party, second only to the guests, is the food! Today we're sharing some of our favorite recipes with you so we can enjoy them together.

BETH

Finger Jell-O

This is the best finger Jell-O recipe I have ever used.  The Jell-O hardens in 1 ½ to 2 hours.  It is very easy to cut with different shaped cookie-cutters.

What you need:

2 Unflavored Gelatins

1-6 oz. Package of Jell-O or 2-3 oz Packages, Your choice of flavor

2 ½ cups of Water

What you do:

Dissolve unflavored gelatin in 1 cup of water.  In separate saucepan, add 1 cup of water and boil.  Add flavored Jell-O to the boiling water and dissolve.  Remove the boiling water and Jell-O from heat.  Add the already dissolved unflavored gelatin to the boiling Jell-O.  Add the final ½ cup of water and stir.  Pour into a 9x13 lightly greased pan.  I use a glass casserole dish.  Put in freezer and let Jell-O harden for 2 hours.  After Jell-O has hardened, you can use your favorite cookie cutters to cut our fun shapes with your kids.  You can use this recipe at special times of the year.  For example at Valentine’s Day, you can use red Jell-O and cut out different sized heart shapes.  Happy jiggling!

DORIE

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge

1. Foil inside and over edges of a 8x8x2 pan tightly. Set aside.

2. In large microwavable bowl mix:

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup butter (I melt it first)

1/4 cup milk

1/4 tsp. salt

3. Microwave uncovered at 70% power (1000 watt microwave) for 1 minute. Remove. Stir.

4. Mircowave uncovered at 70% power (1000 watt microwave) for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove. Stir.

5. Microwave uncovered at 70% power (1000 watt microwave) for 1 1/2 minutes, or until bubbling. Remove. Total cooking time is 4 minutes. Bowl will be hot, handle with care.

6. Quickly add and stir until melted and blended:

1 pkg (12 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips (2 cups)

3/4 cup peanut butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla

7. Spoon into pan. Use back of the spoon to press into an even layer.

8. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. (I like to refrigerate it overnight, and cut the pieces the next day.)

Variations:

To make the two layered fudge in the photograph...

1. Follow the recipe, but substitute peanut butter chips for the semi-sweet chocolate chips. Spoon into a 9x13x2 pan. Allow to cool in refrigerator for 2 hours.

2. Follow the above recipe to make the top layer. Spoon chocolate layer onto the peanut butter layer.

3. Allow fudge to cool completely in the refrigerator over night.

4. Cut into pieces the next day.

*Original source of this recipe is unknown to me.

RALENE

Uncle Ralph Dip

1 block Velveeta Cheese

1 large block Philadelphia Cream Cheese

1 small can of Rotel (spiciness dependent on preference)

1 pkg of sausage (type dependent on preference), hamburger is also okay

1. Cut the Velveeta and cream cheese into blocks and put them in a slow cooker along with the can of Rotel.

2. Brown the sausage, and then add to slow cooker.

3. Heat on low for 4-6 hours, stirring occasionally to keep sides from burning. When all is melted and blended well, it's time to serve with some tortilla chips!

That's all for today. What are you favorite party goods?

End of Summer Par-tay!

So, what to do with that random 5th week. Since we work on a 1st/3rd, 2nd/4th week schedule, every now and again we'll run into an extra week. And what do we like to do almost as much as we like to homeschool?

Party with our readers!

So...

We're celebrating the end of summer!

Lots of fun discussions, excellent goodies, and exciting prizes to behold this week.


What are we doing, you ask?


Monday (that's today...): Contest begins! (See Details Below)

Tuesday: Recipe Day! We'll share some of our favorite recipes with you!

Wednesday: This is how we homeschool! We'll share pictures of our homeschool spaces.

Thursday: (If I can figure out how to do it) Great American Recipe Blog Roll...What would YOU bring to our party?

Friday: Seeds of Wisdom: Kids Say...

Saturday: Winners announced!




CONTEST DETAILS:

The contest starts today and will run until 11:59 pm on Friday night. Winners will be announced in a special post on Saturday.

How do you earn entries?

*Comment on any post through the week (total of 5)

*Follow this blog (1)

*Follow us on Facebook or Twitter (up to 2)

*Tweet/leave a FB status about this party! Make sure to include @GrowingYourHS on Twitter. (2/day)

Now, what would a party be without presents? We have some great giveaways!

*Sam is giving away Story of the World Vol. 2

*Ralene is giving away $30 Amazon gift certificate

*Kerry Beck of Homeschool Super Heroes is giving away one of her ebooks (they are having some great giveaways this week as well, so stop by and register!)

*A Journey Through Learning is giving away a free download of winner's choice.



I can't tell you how excited we are to share this week with you. What other exciting things do you have going on this week...please share so we celebrate with you!