Schoolhouse Library

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I've been using SchoolhouseTeachers.com for a few months now and have been impressed with the variety of resources and lesson plans available on the website.  It's a great place to find inspiration for unit studies, which we love in our homeschool.  Now The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, the source behind SchoohouseTeachers.com, is offering something new: Schoolhouse Library.  It's a compilation of over 175 e-books and audiobooks for homeschool families for only $25.  That's a one-time price of $25, not $25 a month or per year.  One price and you have instant access to download all these helpful resources.

Here is a description from their website:

Are you a new homeschooler and feeling overwhelmed? Not sure where to start or how to begin? How about a long-time homeschool parent who is looking for some new, fun reading resources to change things up?

For a one-time purchase of only $25, you will have access to a library of more than 175 E-Books or audio books for homeschool support and encouragement from many popular homeschool publishers and TOS, including:

• 2 Study Guides from YWAM
• Draw Write Now Sampler E-Book by Barker Creek
• Heroines of the Past-Victorian unit study from Amy Puetz
• Map Trek: Atlas and Outline Maps of World History from Knowledge Quest
• Teaching Writing E-Book from WriteShop
• 15 audio E-Books from My Audio School in history and literature
• A Glimpse at Carnivorous Plants Lapbook from In the Hands of a Child
• Video from Jessica Hulcy on  “Learning as a Family”
• From Frazzled to Focused: 7 Planning Tools for Busy Moms from Mary Jo Tate

This is the best new homeschool digital library collected for all ages and stages of homeschooling whether you are teaching a preschooler, a high schooler or somewhere in between. With over 25 topics, you’re sure to find what you need for your homeschool adventure:

• Art and Crafts
• Bible
• Economics
• Electives
• Encouragement
• Geography
• Government
• Grammar
• Spelling
• Reading
• Organization (with several planners)
• Nature Study
• Special Needs
• And many more!

Don’t start your homeschool journey off feeling alone and overwhelmed.
Buy the Schoolhouse Library now and get started today with instant downloads!

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Schoolhouse Crew Review: Science, Naturally!

Science, Naturally! wants to "bridge the gap between the blackboard and the blacktop."  As an independent press, they do this by publishing fun and interesting science and math resources that kids enjoy.  They strive to make these topics "intriguing and accessible" to students of all ages.

We had the opportunity to review their book  One Minute Mysteries: 65 More Short Mysteries You Solve With Science!  ($9.95)  It was written by the father-daughter team of Eric and Natalie Yoder, who have been featured guests on NPR.  Their books have won multiple awards and accolades from the education and publishing communities.

Designed for kids 8-12, these fun brain teasers get kids thinking about science to solve these quick mystery stories.  This is the second book in this series.  They've also written a book of one-minute math mysteries, too.  You can read a mystery sample here.

Big Sis (11) started reading the book as soon as it arrived.  She was immediately hooked on the "mysteries" and figuring them out.  I love the fact that you need to use deductive reasoning and basic facts that you know about science to solve them.  One of her favorites had to do with changing a recipe for high altitudes.  We had a conversation about atmospheric pressure and how the air gets thinner at higher altitudes.

She read the book completely through by herself, but we discussed many of the stories together.  She finished the book in two days.  I had originally planned to go story by story and discuss all the science behind them, but she couldn't wait to finish it and I didn't want to discourage her when she was enjoying it so much!  I told her to make notes of which topics she wanted to explore further, so that's what we did.  She did some science notebooking pages to go along with it.

When Big Sis got to the end of the book, she said, "You know there are other books like this.  Do you think we could get those, too?"  It's safe to say that this book was a hit in our house and we will be doing more in the series, including the math mysteries.

Science, Naturally! is offering a discount right now if you're interested in making a purchase.  Just enter code 3SPEC to purchase any 3 books on the website for $19.95 plus $2.95 shipping (a $12.90 savings).

Be sure to read the other Crew reviews by clicking on the banner below:

Review & giveaway: Lighthouses Project Pack from In the Hands of a Child

 

One of the fun things we like to do whenever we travel anywhere as a family is to visit nearby lighthouses.  We've visited lighthouses on the Great Lakes from Minnesota and Wisconsin to Ohio and New York, as well as lighthouses all along the northeastern coast of the Atlantic.  Back when I used to collect and display breakable knick-knacks around the house (ha!), my lighthouse collection was a favorite part of our home decor.  Now I keep a photo book of all the lighthouses we've visited and hopefully we'll add to it through the years.  That's why we were so glad to have the opportunity to use and review the Lighthouses Project Pack from In the Hands of a Child.  It was the perfect way to combine our interest in lighthouses with our love of lapbooking!

A few of the lighthouses we've visited

We received this lapbook Project Pack as a 59-page PDF download file, but it's also available on CD or even printed for you.  The e-book version I received is currently on special for $7, regularly $10.

We've used several Project Pack lapbooks from HOAC in the past, including Butterflies, Seashells, Math Circus, Multiplication Pizza Party, Symbols of Christmas, A Devotion a Day, North America, Natural Wonders, and several more.  They offer lapbooks and notepacks covering Bible, Language Arts, Geography, History, Science, Math, and so on.  Every Project Pack we've done has been thorough and fun.  This one is no exception.  It covers the following topics about lighthouses:

• Parts of a Lighthouse
• Timeline
• Light
• Lighthouse Characteristics
• Lighthouse Keepers
• Famous Lighthouses
• Modern Lighthouses

We learned about how the Fresnel light was invented and how it works, the life of a lighthouse keeper, the structure of lighthouses, and the locations of some famous lighthouses.  It's definitely a great enrichment project for anyone planning to visit a lighthouse and take a tour for a field trip.  It's also neat to learn about how lighthouse keepers and their families once lived.  Most lighthouses are automated today, unlike the days when they had to be hand-tended and cleaned by a keeper around the clock.  It's a neat bit of history to learn about these aids to navigation and how many lives were saved thanks to the lights and their keepers.

Each Project Pack begins with a Table of Contents for ease of use.  They also provide a bibliography and list of additional suggested reading.  We got some lighthouse books at the library to go along with our study.  It took us about 3 weeks to complete the lapbook, but we took our time and didn't work on it every single day.  One of the nice things about lapbooking is that they're flexible -- you can add as much to them as you want or just use the included Research Guide as your only reading material.  It's really up to you.   They estimate it will take 6 days to complete it and even include a sample schedule for you to follow so you don't even have to plan it out yourself.  Everything is there and ready to download, print, and start.

I printed out the Research Guide (the reading material portion of the Project Pack you need to complete the lapbook) and we three-hole punched it and kept it in a three-prong folder.  As we cut up the lapbook pieces, we stored them in the pockets of the folder so everything was together.  We then glued them into our file folders according to the outline instructions provided.  It was simple to do, yet we ended up with a nice project to save and show off.

Would you like to win your own copy of the Lighthouse Project Pack lapbook?  In the Hands of a Child has generously offered to provide one for one of my readers.  Just enter to win in the Rafflecopter form below:

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All of creation testifies (Scripture & a Snapshot)

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

~ Romans 1:20

We cannot ignore, nor deny, His presence all around us.  He speaks to us through His creation and His wonderful works.  We have only to listen . . .

Linking to:

"Catch a Falling Star" by Beth Vogt review & giveaway (Litfuse Blog Tour)

From the first time I read the description of Catch a Falling Star by Beth Vogt, I looked forward to reading and reviewing it.  I enjoyed reading Wish You Were Here last year, so this is the second book I've read by this author.

This book was just what I expected it to be -- a light contemporary romance that was easy and fun to read.  The characters are likable.  I can relate to Kendall's romantic notions, which don't always line up with reality.  Kendall is an older (late thirties) heroine than most romance novels.  She enjoys a successful professional career as a doctor, but longs for a husband and children to share her life.  Her biological clock is ticking, after all.  Griffen, an Air Force pilot, is the untamed bachelor who doesn't want to be tied down.  The typical romantic tension ensues.

What I like best about the novel is the faith aspect of searching for God's plan and being willing to let go of your own ideas in exchange for God's will.  It's not always an easy thing to do, no matter who you are or what your stage of life.

More about Catch a Falling Star:

What does a girl do when life doesn't go according to her plan? 

At 36, Kendall Haynes has seen some of her dreams come true. She's a family physician helping kids with severe allergies and asthma achieve more fulfilling lives-a childhood struggle she knows all too well. But the feeling of being "the kid never picked" looms large when romance continues to evade her and yet another one of her closest friends gets engaged. Are Kendall's dreams of having it all-a career, a husband, children-nothing more than childish wishing upon a star? Should she hold out for her elusive Plan A? Dust off Plan B? Or is it time to settle? God says he knows the plans he has for her-why can't Kendall figure them out and be content with her life?

Griffin Walker prefers flying solo-both as an Air Force pilot and in his personal life. But a wrong choice and health problems pulled him out of the cockpit. His attempts to get out of "flying a desk" are complicated by his parents' death-making Griffin the reluctant guardian of his sixteen-year-old brother, Ian. How did his life get so off course? Can God get his life back on track ... or has there been a divine plan all along?
Catch a Falling Star reminds readers that romance isn't just for twenty-somethings and that sometimes letting go of your "wish I may, wish I might" dreams is the only way to embrace everything God has waiting for you.

Meet Beth: 

Beth K. Vogt is a non-fiction author and editor who said she'd never write fiction. She's the wife of an Air Force family physician (now in solo practice), though she said she'd never marry a doctor-or anyone in the military. She's a mom of four, though she said she'd never have kids. She's discovered that God's best often waits behind the doors marked "Never." Her contemporary romance novel, "Wish You Were Here", debuted in May 2012 (Howard Books), and "Catch a Falling Star" releases May 2013. An established magazine writer and former editor of Connections, the leadership magazine for MOPS International, Beth is also the Skills Coach for My Book Therapy, the writing community founded by best-selling author Susan May Warren. 

Find out more about Beth K. at http://bethvogt.com.

Read more reviews at the Litfuse website.


Celebrate the release of Catch a Falling Star (Howard Books) with Beth K. Vogt by entering to win a Romantic Weekend Getaway and RSVPing for her June 4th Author Chat Party.

  One "lucky" winner will receive:

• A $200 Visa Cash Card (Perfect for a weekend stay at a hotel or B&B!)
• Catch a Falling Star and Wish You Were Here by Beth Vogt (Swoon-worthy!)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 3rd. Winner will be announced at the "Catch a Falling Star" Facebook Author Chat Party on June 4th. Connect with Beth for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Beth will also share an exclusive look at her next book and give away books and other fun prizes throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of Catch a Falling Star and join Beth on the evening of June 4th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 4th!

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Real Life Homeschooling guest post

Like everything else in life worth doing, homeschooling isn't always easy.  Candace at His Mercy is New has begun a new series called "Real Life Homeschooling" every week.  I wrote the guest post this week and I hope you'll stop by to check it out.  Here's an excerpt:

I have a few confessions to make as a homeschool mom.  Our days don't always go as I plan them or as I'd envisioned them to be before I actually started homeschooling for real.  Having worked in a Montessori school B.C. (before children), I imagined a nice, neat little classroom full of brightly colored manipulatives, cute little tables and chairs, and everything in its place in orderly bins in little cubbies.  *deep breath*  I will not covet my neighbor's organizational skills.  Or her budget to buy all that cool stuff we can't afford.

Reality check: when school is home and home is school, there's bound to be a little chaos.  At least in my experience there is.  Can you relate to any of the following?

You'll have to click over to read the rest!

Schoolhouse Crew Review: "Papa's Pearls" by Diane Flynn Keith

Papa's Pearls: A Father's Gift of Love and Wisdom to His Children and Grandchildren by Diane Flynn Keith was a joy for us to read and review.  Diane's father, Papa, must've been a special man to inspire this book.  I found his wit and wisdom endearing, reminding me of my own dad and grandfathers.

Diane is a veteran homeschool mom and creator/author of several books and websites, including: Homefires, Carschooling, and ClickSchooling.  She is an advocate of homeschooling and a mentor to homeschool families.  She has written this memoir of her father's life to encourage others, even against the odds.  Her father, Carol Joseph Flynn, grew up during the Depression and struggled in his early years before turning his life around and becoming the owner of his own plumbing business.  His is the story of the American Dream at a time when faith and hope were still valued.

My favorite quote from the book actually comes from the epilogue when Diane remembers telling her father about beginning to write Papa's Pearls:

"I think this is a good idea.  You gotta tell 'em.  This world . . ." His voice choked and trailed off as he shook his head sadly from side to side.  Then, determined to finish his thought, he said softly, "They don't know.  They don't know they're loved.  You gotta tell 'em they're loved.  And tell 'em to say it out loud every day to their families.  'You're loved.'"

The book isn't long (just over 100 pages in 17 chapters) and is very easy to read. The style is engaging and memorable.  I read it through myself, then shared parts of it aloud with the whole family.  We all enjoyed it!  There are parts that had us laughing, as well as parts that brought a tear to my eye.

The world needs more "Papas" and their wisdom.  I'm glad the author has shared her Papa with us.

You can purchase Papa's Pearls from the Homefires website for $21.97, which includes shipping.  It is also available at Amazon for the Kindle.

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