http://www.howtohomeschooltoday.com/hthst/ en cindy@me.com Copyright 2011 2011-12-10T13:19:27+00:00 http://www.howtohomeschooltoday.com/blog/review_see_how_they_run/ http://www.howtohomeschooltoday.com/blog/review_see_how_they_run/#When:13:19:27Z See How They Run: Campaign Dreams, Election Schemes, and the Race to the White House by Susan E. Goodman is a 96-page picture book about presidential elections and the election process. Goodman covers the history of democracy, the electoral college, legal requirements for president, campaigning, political parties, campaign financing, and how ballots are counted. Written in 2008, the book includes presidents from George Washington to George Bush. What I love about the book is that it's fun to read. It presents facts in an entertaining way by including funny sidebars and humorous illustrations. Goodman includes both the bad and good of the American political process and encourages kids to do what they can to get people to vote. If I had to guess, I think the author and/or publisher is Democrat; however, that's only a guess. The book was fairly neutral. I recommend the book for grades 4 and up. Even older readers will enjoy reading the book and learn a lot from it. This is a good choice to read while doing a study on presidents, elections, civics, and democracy.   Book Review 2011-12-10T13:19:27+00:00 http://www.howtohomeschooltoday.com/blog/teaching_composition_can_be_fun/ http://www.howtohomeschooltoday.com/blog/teaching_composition_can_be_fun/#When:15:47:47Z Most language arts curriculum teach grammar and mechanics, but spend very little time teaching actual composition skills. Here’s a resource that will make teaching composition fun for the kids. Don’t Forget to Write for the Elementary Grades includes 50 lessons for ages 5 to 12, as well as a self-assessment checklist, evaluation rubrics, and common core curriculum standards. Here’s what makes this book effective: Each lesson includes activities to get the kids interested in writing such as a watching a video, building something, brainstorming, or role-playing. This sets the stage for the writing assignment. Next, students are invited to discuss the prewriting activity. This prepares them for the actual assignment. Finally, the students are given the assignment along with step-by-step instructions, appropriate worksheets on which to organize their writing, and ideas to get started. The ideas for writing aren’t your usual everyday ideas, either. Students will write about eating tuna and Jell-O sundaes, mosquito ranching, codes and ciphers, how to be the next president of the United States, monsters in their lunch bag, the secret life of groceries, how to open a bag of chips without making any noise, how to wrestle an alligator, and dozens of other zany topics. How fun is that! In order to teach kids to write well, they have to write often. Although Don't Forget to Write is written for classroom use, there's plenty here that can be used in a homeschool setting to make "writing often" FUN!   Note: There is a second book, Don't Forget to Write for Secondary Grades, that is perfect for your 7-12th graders. Book Review, Composition, Teaching Tips 2011-12-03T15:47:47+00:00 http://www.howtohomeschooltoday.com/blog/world_war_ii_interactive/ http://www.howtohomeschooltoday.com/blog/world_war_ii_interactive/#When:12:18:07Z World War II Interactive for iPad provides a glimpse into World War II, its causes, events, and aftermath. The app includes more than 600 photos, 35 rare video clips, and audios of famous speeches made by Allied leaders. You can browse by timeline event, media, people, and weapons. This interactive app is perfect for students, teachers, veterans, or history buffs. I particularly like the app because it uses all the senses: auditory, visual and even kinesthetic (the interactivity of the app itself). Perfect for lesson plans and unit studies.  Apps, History 2011-11-23T12:18:07+00:00 http://www.howtohomeschooltoday.com/blog/biology_101_review_by_cindy_downes/ http://www.howtohomeschooltoday.com/blog/biology_101_review_by_cindy_downes/#When:14:39:01Z Your visual and auditory learners are going to LOVE this. As a matter of fact, Biology 101: Biology According to the Days of Creation, developed by Wes Olson, is going to be enjoyed by the whole family! The topics covered in this 4 disc set include Defining Life and Life Classification, Plants, Aquatic Creatures, Avian Creatures, Land Animals, Mankind and Genetics. It also includes a printable 114-page guidebook and a 12-page "Course Accreditation Program." First, what I liked: I loved the beautiful videos; the animated graphs, charts and illustrations; the background music was pleasant and added to the learning experience. The host (also Wes Olson) was an excellent speaker and kept my attention with clearly defined definitions, anecdotes, and interesting facts. During the plant segment, he takes the viewer to a variety of places to study plants: the bakery to learn about grains, a restaurant to learn how algae is used to make ice cream and salad dressing, and the forest to watch a forester drill a tree ring sample to find out the age of a tree. He also offers memory tips like learning that stamen ends with "men" so it's the male part of the plant, and he shows how plants are used in scripture to illustrate spiritual truths. The animations are excellent and easy to learn from so everyone in the family will benefit from watching the videos. What I didn't like: There is no real lab work included to speak of, only a few simple projects. The "accreditation program" is not adequate for students going to college or entering any science-related field. I recommend supplementing the curriculum with additional research, composition, and lab work. The guidebook did not include much more than what is included on the videos, so it's not really that helpful. Perhaps this is a feature they will improve in the future. However, I liked the videos themselves so much, I highly recommend them as the foundation for a biology course or a unit study for all ages. You could teach topic by topic as in a unit study and use the videos as the "meat." Simply add additional reading, research, composition, and lab to suit, depending on grade level, interests and abilities. Much of the extras could be found on the Internet for free. The cost of Biology 101 is currently only $69.95/set ($49.49 on CBD), a full year's course that can be used by your entire family. You can't beat that! For more information or to purchase - Biology 101.   High School, Curriculum, Reviews, Science 2011-09-27T14:39:01+00:00 http://www.howtohomeschooltoday.com/blog/teaching_a_foriegn_language/ http://www.howtohomeschooltoday.com/blog/teaching_a_foriegn_language/#When:16:54:05Z Foreign language is a notoriously challenging subject for many Americans due to our relative isolation from the rest of the world. Even those who take a foreign language in high school or college rarely end up using it. In fact, only 26% of American’s speak a second language well enough to hold a conversation while more than 50% of Europeans are fluent in at least one additional language. So if you are one of the 74% of Americans that continue to struggle with a foreign language here are a few ideas that might make the process a little more enjoyable. Experts agree that “immersion” substantially increase a student’s ability to retain foreign languages. Although trips to Mexico or Europe may be out of the question, there are other ways to create immersion opportunities for the whole family. Immersion is not just about traveling to other countries. It is about changing your lifestyle to include constant exposure to the foreign language you are learning. Every week many of us listen to music, watch a movie or TV, order food, and talk with friends and family. By finding alternatives to our everyday activities, we can immerse ourselves in foreign languages without changing our overall routine. In my own home, I have instituted French Fridays to provide some immersive experiences for the kids. We begin our French Friday during our lunch break. I prepare a special menu for the kids and allow them to “order” their meal in French. We then move to the Living room to spend some time working on activities that will promote fluency. We have a collection of French Christian rock music that we can sing along with. Our current favorite is a band called The Kry. You can purchase their CD, Peut-Etre, from iTunes. We also play “vocabulary bingo” while watching our favorite movie in French (most DVD’s include foreign language audio tracks as an option). Though the kids are not fluent enough to follow the movie word for word, having them call out words they understand while the movie is playing gives them the opportunity to make associations in context and increase their interpretive speed. After some music or a movie we may pull out a storybook to read together and discuss how many words we can find that have similar roots in English (i.e. “ciel” and “celestial”, “lumiere” and “illuminate”, etc.). Remembering to include immersion opportunities on a regular basis will provide both the practice and the diversity of interest that helps keep lessons interesting. Not only will your students perform better, each lesson will become more enjoyable for everyone involved.   Apps, Life Skills, Music, Curriculum, Teaching Tips 2011-09-21T16:54:05+00:00 http://www.howtohomeschooltoday.com/blog/medieval_life/ http://www.howtohomeschooltoday.com/blog/medieval_life/#When:18:50:18Z Medieval Life features sound effects and interactive pen and ink drawings, paintings, and photographs that tell the story of life in the middle ages. It includes information on castle life, cathedrals, farms, towns, work, play, food, clothing, religion, homes, children, women, knights, tools, weapons, monastery, Vikings and Viking ships. Pros: The sound effects, such as dogs barking, a blacksmith clanking tools, geese honking, and monks chanting, help pull you back into the middle ages. I like that. I also found it fun trying to find all the interactive hot spots; kind of like playing “Where’s Waldo.”     Cons: There is no animation or video including in the app. Although the pictures are interesting and there is a bit of interactivity, this app lacks the features that would really keep a child’s attention. It’s basically a “pop-up” book on the iPad. I think a pop-up book would be more entertaining; however, a pop-up book that includes as many pop-ups and as much information would cost a fortune to produce. This app is currently at $5.99, which although a bit high for an app, is better than the cost of a comparative book. Education Value: 5 stars Entertainment Value: 2 stars Overall: A convenient and comparatively inexpensive tool to enrich a unit study on medieval life – for that I would give it 4 stars More information on other products by Knowledge Quest.   Apps, History 2011-09-12T18:50:18+00:00 http://www.howtohomeschooltoday.com/blog/ready_set_go/ http://www.howtohomeschooltoday.com/blog/ready_set_go/#When:15:40:03Z Its the third week of August, and I can feel the winds changing! Yes indeed, my friends. The school year is approaching once again! There are two additions to my treasure trove of curriculum that has me particularly giddy this year. The first is a math book named for a precocious little professor that goes by “Fred”. The Life of Fred is a series of math books covering everything from fractions through calculus and trigonometry (as well as biology and economics). However, what makes Fred so different from other Math curriculum is that it is specifically written with the “math-phobic” in mind. Fred’s creator (Stanley Schmidt, Ph.D) has had plenty of experiences with less than enthusiastic math students. After teaching on both a high school and college level for over 15 years, Dr. Schmidt began developing stories about “Fred” to help his students see the relevance that math had in their own lives. With his famous tagline “as serious as it needs to be”, Dr. Schmidt promises to take a light hearted approach that immediately puts students at ease. In one book (The Life of Fred: Pre-Algebra and Biology) Fred begins to have dreams about various strange objects. In an effort to discover what the meaning of these dreams might be, Fred explores what the objects have in common. He begins grouping them (living vs. non living things) and then breaking them down into fractions (three ducks out of eight living things, etc.). Students don’t even realize they are doing math (or biology) until the questions begin to get more complex. By that time, your former “math-phobic” is shocked to find that math really does make sense! As they read about Fred’s experiences and learn how to apply those experiences to the problem solving process, math seems to come alive. It’s no longer simply “learning the steps” to solving various problems and equations; its understanding why we take those steps and how it makes sense when used in the real world. My second addition to our curriculum is a science book that follows Fred’s lead. Rather than presenting science as a list of facts and figures for students to memorize, Joy Hakim presents “The Story of Science” as a historical narrative. As students are pulled into the lives of great scientists of the past, they are able to discover what motivated these great men and woman to study science in the first place. Ms. Hakim’s science series also follows the classical method by presenting each book in chronological order starting with the ancients (Aristotle, Pythagoras, etc.) and progressing through to more modern thinkers (Einstein, etc.). Because of this very intentional progression from the earliest discoveries to more recent discoveries students are also exposed to each idea in a progressive way. They start with the same basic observations that ancient scientists would have made (how the stars move, how motion and momentum affect objects, how things can be measured in a logical way, etc.) and build on those observations as they become more and more complex. As much as I love this science series and will whole-heartedly be using it with my own children, I do want to give a quick word of warning. Science can be a very controversial subject (regardless of your personal religious views), and you may not agree with all of its views concerning the origins of life, etc. Though this book does include a great deal of content from a variety of literary and religious sources it does not promote the views of one religion over another. It also promotes “mainstream” scientific theories over alternative theories. If you are not comfortable presenting the debated material to your students, you might want to stick with a curriculum that is more in line with your specific religious views. With that said, I believe that perhaps the most appealing thing about both of these books is that they are very flexible when it comes to age ranges. Even though I have four kids ranging from 4th -9th grade, I will be able to use The Story of Science with all of them. Though I won’t be using Fred with all of my kids just yet (I plan on keeping my younger two in Saxon math until they get through fractions) it has also claimed to work well with students of all ages.   Book Review, High School, History, Literature, Math, Curriculum, Science 2011-08-22T15:40:03+00:00 http://www.howtohomeschooltoday.com/blog/modern_pioneers_in_classical_education_susan_wise_bauer/ http://www.howtohomeschooltoday.com/blog/modern_pioneers_in_classical_education_susan_wise_bauer/#When:18:06:59Z One of the first Classical Pioneers of the 21st Century is an English Professor from the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA. Susan Wise Bauer first entered the homeschooling community as a student. Though homeschooling was mostly unheard-of at that time, her parents not only created a solid educational environment, they followed a neo-classical style of their own design (including teaching Susan Latin at the age of 10). She was a good student, devouring everything that they offered her. Books were the central feature of her education and weekly trips to the library were a special treat. By the time Susan was 17, she had completed her studies at home and was accepted into college as a Presidential Scholar and National Merit Finalist. While in College, Susan earned a B.S. in English with a Minor in Greek. She went on to complete a Masters of Divinity and a Masters in English from two different universities (adding Hebrew and Arabic to her languages). From there, Susan began teaching at William & Mary, a “Public-Ivy League” College in Williamsburg, VA. While teaching at the college she continued her own education and earned her Ph.D. in American Studies. After Susan married and began homeschooling her own children, she wrote a book with her mother (Jessie Wise) outlining her own homeschooling experience and giving practical guidance for others who wished to teach their children with a classical method. The book is called A Well Trained Mind and has continued to receive much praise after its release in 1999. After writing the book, Susan was able to develop an online support to homeschooling parents and began speaking at conventions around the country. After the success of her first book she wrote a companion piece called A Well Educated Mind (2003) in an effort to offer support to parents who never received a classical education of their own. In her second book, Susan gives suggestions and book lists for adults who want to improve their own education without having to “start from scratch” with the Trivium. After the success of her books, Susan went to work writing her own history curriculum for elementary students, publishing a four book set in 2004. The Story of the World is an engaging narrative for elementary students following a classical method. It can be purchased as a book or a CD series and you can also purchase an optional activity book with coloring pages, craft ideas and maps. The history series Bauer create for older students is named for the time periods they cover (i.e. The History of the Ancient World, etc.) and will also be written in four volumes. So far only two of them are available for purchase. In 2007, Susan published The History of the Ancient World and in 2010 she published The History of the Medieval World. The remaining books are presumably still in the works. In 2008 Susan published her own writing curriculum entitled The Complete Writer. Like the History curriculum, this set is available in a four book series for younger students (Writing with Ease, books 1-4) while she is currently working on another series for older students (Writing with Skill) that are currently being developed. Though this is still an evolving curriculum, Susan’s experience and background give her a unique position as a writer and educator. All of her material as well as the curriculum written by Jessie Wise are available through Susan’s publishing company, Peace Hill Press. With its inception in 2001, Peace Hill offered not only individual books but also curriculum packages and helpful guides for parents who are new to classical teaching. They have even developed a YouTube page to answer e-mail questions, show interviews and examples of the curriculum in action. It’s a wonderful resources for those interested.    Biographies, Composition, History, Curriculum, Reviews, Teaching Tips 2011-07-16T18:06:59+00:00 http://www.howtohomeschooltoday.com/blog/continuing_education/ http://www.howtohomeschooltoday.com/blog/continuing_education/#When:15:42:47Z Even if you already have a college degree, continuing your education is a great way to bolster your teaching skills, and add inspiration to your homeschooling curriculum. Although there are countless resources on the market, I’ll give you a short list of my favorites. A Well Educated Mind by Susan Wise Bauer is a book that helps homeschooling parents walk through the process of building their own understanding of classic literature. It’s a wonderful book with plenty of guidance. However, because it included some “assignments” to help sharpen your skills, it is best read within a group setting. If you have a few friends that are interested in studying literature, I would highly recommend this book. iTunes University offers free seminars on a number of different topics from a variety of universities. Many of these courses are actual lectures given at the universities, and transferred to iTunes for the benefit of the general public. Though they will not earn you any college credit, they are free; and available anytime you want them. Kindle and other e-book readers can be a great way to stay connected to your favorite news sources. As my children get older, I find myself fielding more and more questions about world events and politics. Using my e-book reader to automatically download my favorite news papers, journals, and literary magazines gives me a steady diet of quality information from reputable sources. Whatever your interests or inclinations, continuing your own education is a significant benefit to both you and your children. With the number of resources available, it has never been easier… or cheaper!   Apps, Literature, Curriculum, Reading, Teaching Tips 2011-07-08T15:42:47+00:00 http://www.howtohomeschooltoday.com/blog/summer_fun_on_a_budget/ http://www.howtohomeschooltoday.com/blog/summer_fun_on_a_budget/#When:15:36:34Z Summer is a wonderful opportunity for adventure, but in this economy it can be tough to find activities that fit a tight budget. When a typical summer camp can run anywhere between $450 and $1000 a week, the cost can quickly become prohibitive. However, there are ways to offer your kids quality activities at a fraction of the cost. You just have to know where to look! The first place I would recommend is your local church. Whether you are a regular attendee or not, many churches around the country open their doors every summer to offer free day camps for elementary and middle school children. Most churches offer things like crafts, sports, puppet shows, or opportunities to participate in a musical or play that is preformed at the end of camp. My local church offers their summer camp from 4 to 9pm and serves dinner to the kids as well. There hope is to support the whole family, not just by entertaining and feeding the kids, but to allow parents some quality time after work hours. If you have teenagers, try a church youth group. This weekly group will typically meet during the school year and then offer special trips and outings over the summer. The summer trips will cost you but they are often much cheaper than other camps.  The next place to look would be not-for profit organizations like the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, or a 4H program. These types of organizations often invest in purchasing their own properties and resources in order to reduce costs to future generations of group members. In my area, my son is an active member of a Sea Scouts crew. Because they are a branch of the Boy Scouts of America, they are able to gain access to Boy Scout camps and resources around the country for free or at a reduced cost. As a result, his crew was able to spend 7 days in Cape Cod Massachusetts for $150 per person. The price was reduced even further (or eliminated completely) for crew members that participated in the fundraising event. Lodging was free because they stayed at a scout owned cabin, and a 15 passenger van was donated for the trip as well. This meant that the total cost of the trip was spent entirely on food, gas and activities while in Cape Cod. The kids went whale watching, toured multiple museums, took the subway into Boston, walked the Freedom Trail, had a cookout with their host crew, and explored the many incredible restaurants around Cape Cod. If you compare this trip with a typical week long summer camp, the savings are huge! If you have a teen that is reluctant about going to college, I would look into a summer camp hosted by a private college or university. Each college is different, and some are more expensive than others but there are some really great deals out there. My daughter will be spending a week at Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA with her church youth group. Up until this trip, Cayti never liked the idea of going to college; and often complained that she just wanted to work after high school. Now that the youth group has planned this trip (it cost me $125 for the week) Cayti and her friends are talking about attending Liberty together after they graduate from high school! College has instantly moved from a “scary” solitary experience to an “adventure” with friends. If you’re just not ready to send your child off to camp for a week, try some of you local entertainment outlets for special summer deals. Movie theaters (i.e. Cinemark and Regal) will offer children’s movies for free or for minimal cost ($1 per person) over the summer months. Though they are not typically first run movies, they do provide a nice treat for younger children. Bowling alleys (i.e. AMF Bowling) offer free bowling for children during the summer as well (shoe rental is not included). The opportunities are always changing, but knowing where to look makes a big difference.   Life Skills, Nature, Sports/Physical Education 2011-07-05T15:36:34+00:00