Homeschool Blog Awards 2009 Part 2

Okay, remember the Homeschool Blog Awards that I mentioned just yesterday? Well, apparently the last day for nominations is TODAY! Duh! I almost missed them again! So if you were waiting till the last minute to nominate someone . . . this is the last minute! Don't check back next week and say to yourself, "That Sara, she told me I had time to do this." Because you don't. And I won't be held responsible for your procrastination. I can barely manage my own procrastination. LOL Have fun!

Homeschool Blog Awards 2009

I just "discovered" the Homeschool Blog Awards last year, about a week too late to nominate anyone. I think it's a great idea and I hope you all will participate! I found some very worthwhile blog reading through the nominees and winners. The contest is divided into 25 categories and you can nominate one blog in each (even yourself!). Head on over and check it out. Nominations are being accepted for a limited time only, so go today! You'll find inspiration, humor, encouragement, and great ideas from fellow homeschoolers. Plus, you get a chance to appreciate the efforts of someone who has helped you in your homeschool journey. You can't beat that!

Did I mention the GREAT PRIZES? ;0)

Mr. Popper's Penguins -- Our first lapbook!

I've been wanting to write about our studies for the new school year and the fun learning we've been doing, but I'm sure you can understand that having a baby on August 25th has sort of kept me busy. *grin*

I do really want to share what Big Sis and I have discovered, though -- lapbooking! Not a new invention in the homeschooling world by any means, but it is new to us. I've been reading about lapbooking, looking at lapbooks, thinking about lapbooks, but generally not doing lapbooks for the past two years. I liked the concept, but had the sneaking suspicion that it might just be busy work. Well, as it turns out, Big Sis loves it. And it's not just busy work! For us, it has increased her already-enthusiastic desire to learn, enhanced skills like handwriting & cutting/pasting, and built a foundation for some very nice literature and unit studies in the process.

We have delved into books and a new level of reading comprehension, thanks to deeper question and answer time with the lapbooks. Big Sis craves hands-on "stuff" for learning. Lapbooks are great for this. We read a little, research a little, and lapbook a little. The only thing I have to do in advance is find the resources and print what we need. Big Sis starts everyday with, "What are we going to do today? Did you find more stuff for me?" She looks over my shoulder as I scour my lapbooking and homeschool sites for printables and ideas. (I'll share some of my favorite links in an upcoming post.) Fun!

We began with reading Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater. Big Sis loved the book so I decided it would be a fun place to start. Homeschool Share (an awesome site for quality free resources, especially if you also use FIAR) provided the outline and printables for us to follow. Here are some pictures of her first effort:

Here you can see she labeled the parts of a penguin.

An overall view of the inside of the lapbook. She colored the states where the penguins traveled -- great geography lesson!

We included a food chain (science), penguin alliterations (language arts), and Mr. Popper's infamous icebox. Big Sis added details from the story to the icebox, which covered reading comprehension, as well as fun artwork.

The outside flaps included a definition of pinnipeds (dictionary skills & science), a q&a booklet about the design of penguins' black and white coloring for camoflage, and Big Sis' hand-drawn seals. The encounter with the seals was her favorite part of the book, so she wanted to include them somehow. She drew them free-hand, then cut them out and pasted them onto the front to go along with the pinniped definition.

We used some additional resources from Usborne Books, too:

Where do penguins live and what do they eat? Find the answers, and lots more about penguins, in this delightful touchy-feely book. Hardcover Board Book, $15.99, Deluxe Touchy-Feely Series

What is it like to live in Antarctica? How do penguins travel quickly across the ice? Who discovered the South Pole? And why are seals so fat? In this fascinating book you’ll find the answers and lots more about life on the ice. Hardcover, $4.99, Beginners Nature Series

Dive down deep into the amazing world of penguins to find out how they swim, feed and travel across land. Then follow a penguin chick from the very start of its life, to the time it can take care of itself. Hardcover, $6.99, First Reading Series

These books have beautiful photos and illustrations! I'm an Usborne Books consultant, so I get a good discount but I love these books anyway. {Ask me how you can get a discount, too! And it doesn't involve selling anything -- you can become a Valued Customer or an Affiliate to get discounts!}

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I've learned some things in the process of this first lapbook. I now know how to do extensions, how to make and fold mini-books, and the importance of cardstock and/or colored folders. Our current work is already showing improvements as we learn together about the art and craft of lapbooking! I'll post more photos in the future as we continue to learn through lapbooking.

I'd love to hear your comments and suggestions!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Happy Birthday to my DH!

Just wanted to give a little shout-out to the man of my dreams!

So glad to be celebrating another year with you.

Come grow old with me, the best is yet to be!

You're invited . . .

. . . to an Usborne Books eShow! Come explore the world of Usborne Books and ignite your child's interest in reading and learning with the lavish illustrations and informative content in these quality, long-lasting books. There are over 1300 bright, colorful and fun titles covering activities, puzzles and a wide range of subjects for children of all ages.

Usborne Books - the books kids love to read!

Hosted by: Lisa Berry
Place: www.ubah.com/HOS157913
When: Today thru 10/31/2009 11:59:00 PM

Everyone is welcome, so invite a friend.

It's a rewarding experience when a child opens a book and discovers the magic of reading.

Remember -- books make great gifts! Save time and gas money by shopping online now. Orders are delivered direct to your door by UPS!

If you would like personalized recommendations based on age and interests, please feel free to contact me! Leave a comment or email me at the address at the top of the Usborne Books page (link above).

FREE Unit Study/Lapbook from Amanda Bennett & The Old Schoolhouse

The air is cool and crisp. The leaves are red and gold. I can almost taste sweet gooey chocolate and marshmallow S’mores melting in my mouth and the smoky campfire that we cook them on. Yes, it’s a few of my favorite things from my favorite season – fall!

Just in time for this great season, The Old Schoolhouse and Amanda Bennett have teamed up to bring us the Download N Go series of unit studies beginning with Autumn Treasures. The unit focuses on everything that makes this season special, from the life cycle of pumpkins and apples to the recipe for candy corn. Why do the leaves change colors? Who is Johnny Appleseed? What do animals do in the fall to prepare for winter? How does popcorn pop? Why and how do Monarch butterflies migrate? Your students will find out these answers and more with Autumn Treasures.

The unit study is designed for five days with a different subject covered each day (science, math, geography, language arts, etc.). I appreciate the organization of the layout, making the division of time and lessons very clear. It begins with the “Daily Objectives” list, which is an overview of the five-day study. There is also a list of book recommendations complete with ISBN numbers, also divided by day, which makes getting the books from the library a snap. I just went down the list and requested them through our library website.

The links to videos, science sites, word definitions, and more are included right in the lessons. No scrounging for your own supplementary resources in the middle of teaching something! Even the spelling and vocabulary words are provided at the end of each daily lesson.

I can summarize my opinion of this series, particularly Autumn Treasures, in one word: Awesome! It is such a timesaver for me! Everything is organized and ready to go when we are – just download the unit study and lapbook pages and you’re set. I don’t have to search the Internet for resources, I don’t have to spend lots of money on buying things from multiple sources and then wait on the shipping to get here, and I don’t have to guess about lesson plans for each subject and how to tie it all together. Even the lapbook is ready to go and all we need are the basic supplies we already have on-hand (glue, scissors, file folder, and so on) to bring the lessons to life.

We love unit studies and lapbooking in our house and with trusted names like Amanda Bennett and The Old Schoolhouse, you can’t go wrong! We look forward to seeing more in this Download N Go series.

You can download the 86-page Autumn Treasures here for FREE! ENJOY!

Book Review: "A Family Guide to the Bible" by Christin Ditchfield

All Christian parents want their children to gain a better understanding of God’s Word, but many of them are still searching to completely understand the Bible themselves. How can they confidently share what they believe with their families?

Does that describe you? I know I can relate. Are you there now, or just anticipating future questions from your kids? Do you want to study the Bible in a family user-friendly way? Thanks to the Crossway book review program, I've found an excellent resource to do just that! It's called A Family Guide to the Bible by Christin Ditchfield and I received a complimentary copy for review.

I found this book to be a breath of fresh air in my Bible study time. It's written in an easy-to-read, easy-to-use format. It's not necessary to begin at the beginning and read straight through if you prefer to use it as a reference book, but it's certainly engaging enough to read from cover to cover. It covers all 66 books of the Bible, plus chapters on the history, authority, and message of the Bible. There's even a chapter dedicated to Bible study tips. One of my favorite features is the maps section. This is great for homeschooling, too!

Each book section has a "Making the Connection" discussion for personal application. I find that's a great feature for family discussions and helps keep the kids interested and thinking about "real life" applications of Biblical wisdom. There's also a summary, a "Did you Know?" section for interesting facts, a review of the message, a key verse or passage, and even vocabulary words. I really think this would make a great tool for Bible study in your daily homeschooling.

I highly recommend A Family Guide to the Bible for family devotions, homeschool studies, and personal Bible study time. It's one of my favorite new resources and I know we'll be using it for years to come.

From Crossway:

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A Family Guide to the Bible takes readers on a fun and exciting tour through all sixty-six books of the Bible and offers parents, grandparents, and teachers a better understanding of the Scriptures so they can help the children in their lives know what is in the Bible, where to find it, and how it all fits together. As Christians become more familiar with God’s Word, they will gain greater confidence as they share what they believe with their family and friends, help answer questions concerning the Bible, and encourage others to grow deeper in their walks of faith.

Christin Ditchfield is the host of the syndicated radio program “Take It to Heart!” heard daily on stations across the United States, Canada, Central and South America. She is a popular conference speaker and author of more than 40 books. Her articles have appeared in numerous national and international magazines, including Focus on the Family, Today’s Christian Woman, Sports Spectrum, and Power for Living.

Visit www.crossway.org/blog for more info.