Today I Learned About...

Every night when Daddy gets home from work, he asks Joshua what he learned in school today. Joshua's response is always "I don't know" and Daddy has to ask a hundred questions to pry it out of him or Mommy has to remind him. So I decided to make a "Daddy Sheet" for Joshua to complete as we're doing his lessons throughout the day. As soon as we complete a lesson, I ask him what one thing he'd like to share with Daddy about what he just learned. In the box for that subject, he can draw a picture, write words or numbers, or do both. We don't do every square everyday because we don't do all subjects everyday. Joshua likes it because it's easier for him to share with Daddy what he's learning, I like it because it helps keep me accountable, and Daddy likes it because he gets to see and talk about what Joshua's learning everyday. Here is an example:

If you would like to download this sheet, click here. Here is another form without the subjects listed in the boxes so you could write in your own.

How do your students share what they're learning with others? Please share any ideas!
This post has been submitted to Helpful Homeschool Hints.

Review: Time4Learning

Our family had the privilege to try out Time4Learning, an online home education program, for 30 days in exchange for a candid review. When I initially heard of Time4Learning, I didn't look into it too much because I figured why pay for online educational games when there seems to be plenty of free ones out there. (The program costs $19.95 a month for one child and $14.95 a month for each additional child.) What I didn't realize, however, is that there is much more to this program than any typical computer game. It can be used as an entire curriculum for preschool, elementary, and middle school students. The student typically begins by watching an animated lesson on a particular concept. Then there are interactive activities to help him learn and review the concept, followed by a quiz to assess his understanding. What I love most about the program are the parent reports that I could print out to see how they were doing.
My oldest, Joshua, began with first grade level math and language arts, but we realized quickly that he needed to move up to second grade language arts. It was easy to move the kids up or down a grade level once we realized where they needed to be. Ella really enjoyed her preschool lessons. Both of the kids love working on the computer and would ask me every morning if they could do their "computer school." Since we already have a curriculum for this year, I used it as a supplemental program. Instead of telling them which lessons to work on, I just gave them free reign to move through the lessons at their own pace. I knew I could check the parent reports later to see if they were really answering the questions correctly. It was a great way to make sure the kids were doing something productive with school when I couldn't give them one-on-one time, such as when I was working with another child, doing laundry, or feeding the baby. I would most likely not use it as a core curriculum for our family because I tend to lean more towards classical homeschooling. But all in all, I and my two little brainiacs were very impressed with the Time4Learning program and highly recommend that others check it out to see if it would be a good fit for them.

Disclosure: I received a free month trial of Time4Learning in exchange for an honest review. These opinions are entirely my own.

E-MEALZ- Easy Meals for Busy and Frugal Families

I overheard a couple of friends talking about E-MEALZ Easy Meals for Busy and Frugal Families, so I decided  to give it a try. This program does all the work for you in menu planning each week by providing easy meal plans and shopping lists based on what's on sale at your grocery store. I'm all about saving time and money! I just signed up for it tonight so I'll let you know how it goes.

Field Trip - Children's Museum of Atlanta

In September on a visit to Atlanta to see family, we got to go to the Children's Museum of Atlanta. The kids had such a great time playing in all the exhibits. I highly recommend going if you're ever in the area. First we went to Fundamentally Food to see how food gets from the farm to the table.

Joshua milking the cow

Brooke in the orchard

Joshua and Ella riding the tractor

Then the kids enjoyed playing in the molding sand table.

Little artist

Plenty of train tables

They enjoyed fishing in the Leaping into Learning exhibit.

We learned about conserving energy.

Ella liked spinning the handle fast to make the light shine

In the Tools for Solutions exhibit, the kids used the six simple machines to move the balls around.

Time4Learning Review

 I’ve been invited to try Time4Learning for one month in exchange for a candid review. My opinion will be entirely my own, so be sure to come back and read about my experience. Time4Learning can be used as a homeschool curriculum, for afterschool enrichment and for summer skill sharpening. Find out how to write your own curriculum review for Time4Learning.

In the Distance - Great Homeschool Devotional

This is a devotional from the Alpha Omega Publications Daily Focus. It spoke to me so much (especially the part about the 3 year old in diapers :) It doesn't always feel like it, but our kids grow up so fast and the time we get with them is so short. We need to appreciate and enjoy every moment we have with them, even the chaotic ones. I just had to share this. I hope it speaks to you as well. Enjoy!

Daily Focus - In the Distance

CSN $80 Gift Card Giveaway

Here's another great giveaway on Two of a Kind, Working On a Full House. Just read the post and enter to win an $80 gift card to CSN Stores. Hurry, this contest ends on August 30th!

Great Flip Video Giveaway!

Just wanted to let everyone know about this great giveaway on the blog Two of a Kind, Working On a Full House. Just read the post and enter to win the new Flip SlideHD Video Camera. Hurry...contest ends September 13th! If I don't win one, I know what I'm asking for this Christmas.
 

Favorite Homeschooling Websites: Language Arts

I am posting a series to share my favorite homeschooling resource websites. As they are completed, they can be found in the drop down list (Favorite Websites) at the top of my blog. Please let me know if any links have stopped working or if you have any suggestions for the list.

Favorite Language Arts Websites

Spelling:

All About Spelling: What we use!

Home Grown Hearts: Sight Words List 1, List 2

ArmoredPenguin.com: Word Search Generator

Spelling City

Writing:

The Complete Writer: What we use!

WritingFix

First-School: Handwriting Worksheets and Printable Activities for PreK & K

DLTK KidZone: Custom Tracer Pages

Write Source: Writing Topics per grade level

Reading:

Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons: What we use!

Trivium Pursuit: What Makes a Book Good (Great book list)

Classical Christian Education Support Loop: 1000 Good Books List (Primary Reading Levels 1-3)

HomeschoolChristian.com: Young Reader Book List

Confessions of a Homeschooler: Animated Books Online

Mountain City Elementary, TN: Reading Units

Starfall.com

Book Adventure

Phonics:

Explode the Code: What we use!

Confessions of a Homeschooler: Paint Chip Phonics

Progressive Phonics: Free Reading Program

Grammar:

First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind: What we use! This is the newer edition to be released in September.

DLTK KidZone: Language Arts for K

Queen Homeschool Supplies: Language Lessons

First Day of School 2010-11

School officially started on August 9th for us, which was later than I had originally planned. We've just had so many visitors and trips planned over the summer that I couldn't get us ready any sooner. I'm so glad that I did all my prep for the new school year (researching and buying new curriculum, printing and laminating tons of PreK activities, lesson planning, etc.) before we moved across country and had a new baby. Here are my little brilliant brainiacs! Forgive the bad photography. I really need a better camera. And by the way, they're not really that tall, just standing on a chair.

Joshua - 5 (almost 6) - 1st Grade

Ella - 4 - PreK

Brooke - 2 (almost 3) - Tot School

And let's not forget our sweet new baby girl, Rachel - 3 months

Thanks for stopping by!

Our Schoolroom 2010-11

We moved across country this summer, so I had to get unpacked, get organized, and get my new schoolroom all set up. Our new house has an eating area off the kitchen and a separate dining room, so that became our new schoolroom. I changed our workboxes to the plastic drawer storage stands from Target to save space. You can read about how we use workboxes here. Enjoy the pictures!

The far left wall has shelves with learning toys and games. Our new workboxes are under the whiteboard. In the middle of our work table is a green bucket with different compartments for pencils, crayons, glue sticks, and scissors.

My 2-year-old, Brooke, was doing puzzles while I took this picture. The left wall is our new morning calendar wall, which I'll write another post about soon.

Our tall bookshelves on the back wall hold our curriculum, reading books, puzzles, and supplies for science, math, art, etc. On the right wall is my desk. Underneath and on the side of it are big plastic bins of other supplies, activities, and files.

Here is Joshua's new workbox stand. I stacked a 3-drawer stand on top of the 7-drawer stand so he could have more drawers. When he completes a box, he takes off the number and puts it into the box. The bin on top is his "done box" where he puts all his completed work.

This is Ella's workbox stand. Brooke has a stand too because I thought she might want to start doing Tot School for fun.

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Favorite Homeschooling Websites: Math

This is the second in my series of posts to share my favorite homeschooling resource websites. As they are completed, they can be found in the drop down list (Favorite Websites) at the top of my blog. Please let me know if any links have stopped working or if you have any suggestions for the list.

Favorite Math Websites:

Math Worksheet Wizard: Make 1000s of free math worksheets!

PreKinders: Wonderful ideas and resources for teaching PreK.

The Math Worksheet Site: Math worksheet generator

Arcademic Skill Builders: Math and Language Arts online games

Mathwire.com: Math activities/games

KidZone: Math games and printable worksheets

Math-U-See: Our favorite Math curriculum

Math Is Fun

The following blogs have great Math Calendar ideas:

Homeschool Creations

1+1+1=1

Homeschool Highway

Mama Jenn

Favorite Homeschooling Websites: Bible

I am doing a series of posts to share my favorite homeschooling resource websites. As they are completed, they can be found in the drop down list (Favorite Websites) at the top of my blog. Please let me know if any links have stopped working or if you have any suggestions for the list.


Favorite Bible Websites:

Totally Tots: In My Heart-Songs For Saplings downloads

Danielle's Place: Crafts and activities (many of which are Bible-based)

Calvary Chapel Children's Ministry Curriculum: Bible lessons and coloring pages

The Homespun Heart: Fruit of the Spirit study for preschoolers

eBibleTeacher.com: Free Bible lessons with worksheets, activities, coloring pages, etc.

Mission Arlington: Bible curriculum for all ages

Simply Charlotte Mason: Scripture Memory System

Lambsongs Bible Story Books

Christian Preschool Printables

Bible Story Printables

Awesome Preschool Curriculum!

Erica from one of my favorite homeschooling blogs, Confessions of a Homeschooler, is truly a gift to the worldwide homeschooling community. She provides tons of ideas and free resources to help other homeschoolers, especially newbies like me. Just recently, she put together a Letter of the Week Preschool Curriculum that includes valuable downloads of weekly lesson plans and all of her A-Z printable activities, worksheets, flashcards, reading lists (well you get the idea) for only $10! I love having everything already planned out for me! I just ordered and downloaded it and am so excited to get started for Ella's preschool this year. If you haven't already, check out her blog and see what all she has to offer. Be careful though, once you start, you won't want to leave without reading every post!

Our Curriculum 2010-11

I've created a page explaining our curriculum choices for the 2010-2011 school year. I know it's a little early to have it all planned out, but I've got a new baby and move across country coming up withing the next few months. We usually do our schooling year-round, so I wanted to have all my planning out of the way before we begin this summer. Just click on the tab "Our Curriculum" at the top of this page to get there!

Easter Craft

We recently read in Egermeier's Bible Story Book during our Bible time about Jesus' death and resurrection. So we did an Easter craft from DLTK's Printable Crafts of the empty tomb with the stone rolled away and the angel inside. We decided to color the paper plates with markers instead of painting them (because I like to avoid the mess of painting at all costs). Each stone was just a crumpled up brown paper bag held together by masking tape. These of course became fun indoor balls when they were all done. (Why do we even bother with store-bought toys?)

Can't Beat the Dollar Crafts

We went to Michaels for some craft items and I found these little wooden model crafts in the dollar section. Each kit included the wooden pieces, paints, glue, and sand paper (which we didn't use) to make the craft. The kids had so much fun painting and helping Daddy glue them together. Joshua had the longest attention span so he painted most of the pieces himself, but Ella and Brooke eventually lost interest until it was time to put it together. They enjoyed wearing their new craft shirts (Daddy's old white t-shirts) too. Joshua made a jet plane and Ella and Brooke made mini-birdhouses.

 The beautiful finished products!