The following was received from CHOICE homeschool in Wheaton. I have heard that this is a great sale for both buying and selling. Also, check out the details about their new information exchange that is new this year. Looks like a great place to gather resources!
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For more information see the full flyer online.
If you already use the Institute for Excellence in Writing, are interested in learning more about this much sought after writing curriculum, or if you just want some general help in teaching writing to your children, there are a couple Webinars coming up that you might be interested in.
IEW has announced that they will host webinars twice each month on the 1st and 3rd Monday. You must register for these in order to participate, but they are free to registered participants.
The rest of the details came straight from IEW:
Monthly Webinars on the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month, 7:30-8:30 PM CST:
Check out the following information from Hands of a Child co-owner Katie Kubesh:
Lapbooking LIVE on February 23rd!
With Katie Kubesh
Co-Owner of In the Hands of a Child
In Conjunction with Heart of the Matter Online
As a co-owner and writer/researcher for In the Hands of a Child, the Premier Provider of Ready-to-Assemble Lapbooks, I am asked a lot of questions about lapbooking. Many people have heard the term “lapbooking” but have no idea what it is or are overwhelmed by the entire concept of hands-on activities and unit studies. Since lapbooks are such a great way to include hands-on activities in your student’s curriculum, I will be answering the top questions asked about lapbooking and explaining the following concepts:
1. What is a lapbook?
2. How are lapbooks made?
3. What supplies are needed to lapbook?
4. I have all the supplies, now what?
5. How do I find information and activities to complete lapbook?
6. How does my student complete a lapbook?
7. How do you fold the file folder to make a lapbook?
8. How do I incorporate lapbooking into my existing curriculum?
9. What are the benefits of lapbooking?
Please join me, LIVE… at the Heart of the Matter Annual Online Conference this year!
Have you ever wondered what a lapbook really is? Or maybe you have heard of it, but the mere thought of unit studies and hands-on activities makes you want to crawl back into bed and pull the covers over your head. Don’t let your lack of understanding scare you away from this great way of enhancing your child’s curriculum! In fact, you can bring your questions to a bona fide lapbooking expert… LIVE, y’all! Katie Kubesh will be speaking LIVE and will host a Q&A session Tuesday, February 23rd at 10:00 CST.
Click here to purchase tickets and read the post in its entirety.
Katie Kubesh is co-owner and writer/researcher for In the Hands of a Child. Recognizing that hands-on projects are essential to the learning experience, In the Hands of a Child has created Project Packs that go beyond the hands-on aspect. They have taken the preparation time out of the parent/teacher job description with Complete Ready to Assemble Lapbook-style units that are available in Ebook, Printed Book, and CD formats. Please visit their website at www.handsofachild.com.
©2010 Katie Kubesh
Also, for those that miss out on the great deals at conventions, they have put together a deal available now:
Through our online poll we’ve learned that many of you do not attend a homeschool convention. That is why we’re declaring Feb 15th-Feb 28th as
In YOUR Childs Hands Season!
What does this mean for you?
Savings of course!
We want all of you to have access to our great products and we know that right now times are tough!
So, every day during In YOUR Childs Hands Season
we will post AT LEAST one unit up for discount.
Discounts only apply for that particular product (or products) for that particular day.
So be sure to check back each and every day!
This will be an excellent way to add some great
Lapbook Project Packs to your school shelves!
REMEMBER!!! Check back each day at this link:
Here you will see the unit(s) on special and find the daily coupon code. You will also find a list of units that will be featured during this special so you can make your
wish list and plan accordingly!
Sale ends February 28, 2010
Cannot be combined with any other offer,
special, discount, coupon or sale.
Tax & Shipping not included in calculating discount price.
Not valid toward prior purchases.
No rainchecks.
“Yeah, spelling!”
Not words you hear too often. Not words I recall hearing in our house until we started using All About Spelling after receiving it through the TOS Crew to review.
The perfect spelling curriculum for a variety of learning styles, from the beginner through middle school, students needing remedial spelling help (or phonics review — this was great for my third grade daughter), or parents seeking a solid curriculum geared specifically toward the homeschool environment.
Product: All About Spelling
Details: A multi-sensory, logical, gap-free, mastery based, review-filled, and easy to use spelling curriculum for preschool through middle school.
Price: $26.95 for the starter kit (used throughout all levels); $29.95 for Level 1; $39.95 for each level 2-5 (level 6 coming in the near future)
What we loved . . .
But, the downside . . .
We really love All About Spelling. I am pleased with the quality of the product, the ease of use, and the excellent academic standard. If you think it might be for you, I would encourage you to visit their website. They have a free download with 20 spelling tips that everyone can take advantage of on their home page. You can also view their FAQ page and their advice on what level to order for your child(ren).
I definitely highly recommend this product.
For more TOS Crew reviews on this product, check out the TOS Crew blog.
Disclaimer: This spelling curriculum was provided to me free of charge from All About Spelling as part of my participation in The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew. I received no additional compensation and the opinions expressed here come from my personal experiences and sincere thoughts.
Department and electronics stores aren’t the only ones with amazing deals this week.
If you find yourself with some extra money in your budget, or relatives asking what you would like for Christmas, or maybe you just want something a little educational to give your kids this Christmas season . . . you will want to check out the amazing sales taking place at various homeschool vendors.
I’m sure to miss some, but here are a few of the deals that I have come across recently:
First, a freebie from The Old Schoolhouse Magazine — a holiday planning guide. Free to download!
If you do some shopping in their store and spend more than $50 you also receive over $300 in bonus gifts for free. They have additional bonuses if your total increases. Check out their 4th annual Black Friday Special for details.
CurrClick always has great freebies everyweek, and this week they will also have a Black Friday giveaway. Be sure to check out their website during the day this Friday, November 27th. They are sure to have some great stuff both at great prices and free for the taking.
Notebookingpages.com also promises to have some great deals in honor of Black Friday. They will offer 35% off most of their products starting November 24 and continuing through the 30th. While at their site, make sure to check out their freebies also. Great inspiration that will cost you nothing.
Hands of a Child also has deals, especially for the Super Members. They have extended this, and I just got this email:
You’re in luck because we’ve extended the sale for everyone staring November 26th through midnight on November 29th (EST Zone)
All Project Packs in any format are 35% off
Everthing else on our site is 20% off
Visit our website at www.HandsofaChild.com to shop starting on November 26th!
Code: BlackFriday
Be sure to hit apply to see the discount in your cart during step 4 of checkout.
And, don’t forget the Scholastic Sale right here in the Chicago area.
A couple years ago I heard about a history text that caught my attention. It focused on not just the important events and people of history, but God’s working through it all, and from a biblical perspective. I kept an eye out for it at used book sales (my main avenue for accumulating new curriculum), but it never reared its cover.
No wonder. I have no desire to let go of this book either, and will move Volumes I and II closer to the top of my “Buy for homeschool” list.
It brings us all together to study one history, from the kindergartener to the middle schooler. I love things we do all together, and the kids learn even more from each other, even their younger siblings.
Product: Mystery of History Vol. 3 student reader and companion guide
Details: This full color history text offers 84 lessons beginning in the Renaissance and ending in early American history.
Price: $59.95 for the text and $29.95 for the CD of the companion guide (various packages available on their site as well)
What we loved . . .
Challenges we faced . . .
I have no hesitation in recommending this product to anyone looking for a Christian based history curriculum that can work for a variety of ages. I definitely plan on purchasing more Mystery of History books after our experience with this one. Whether used exclusively or to supplement other secular sources, this book deserves a place on your home book shelf.
For more TOS Crew reviews on this product, check out the TOS Crew blog.
Disclaimer: This curriculum was provided to me free of charge from Bright Ideas Press as part of my participation in The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew. I received no additional compensation and the opinions expressed here come from my personal experiences and sincere thoughts.
Formerly, I thought I had a pretty good handle on all my library had to offer:
Reading programs — great incentives in summer for individual reading and in the winter for family reading and we earn free stuff in the process of doing something we would spend our time doing anyway. And, the kids got even more excited about time spent reading.
Books — Obviously, books hold the main draw of the library. Thousands of books on any topic you could want to read on. I’m still not quite sure how I would homeschool if I did not have weekly access to the library and daily access to the Internet. I would spend a lot more money, I am sure.
Non-book items — we also enjoy magazines, CD’s, movies, puzzles, and other items the library makes available for home use through borrowing.
Online account access — We can easily keep tabs on all these items that constantly flow in and out of our house online with our account information readily available and renewable with the click of the mouse.
All those things are great. However, I recently found out I had just scratched the surface of information available to me through the library.
This summer I discovered the World Catalog (claims to have 1.4 billion items on record right now!) which I had access to from home with my library card. I can reserve a book from just about anywhere in the world and they will send it to my library for me to pick up. Now, living near a large city like Chicago, I rarely have a book sent from outside of my state, but I did recently get a book from Arkansas. If you have not learned to navigate the “World Cat” get in touch with your librarian and find out about the billions of items that you have access to through this data base.
We love audiobooks and devour a few of them each month during our errand running. Well, they come in a new format we can check out from the library as well. Playaways are preloaded auidobooks in an MP3 type device that you check out and take with you.
But, there’s more. My librarian also showed me the depths of internet options and subscriptions available through my library website. This will vary widely from library to library, but here is just some of what I can access with my library card, from the comfort of my own home (Clicking to these sites through my library site automatically enters me as a subscriber. On some I need to set up a free account to use them):
And the list goes on and on, figured I would just share a few favorites we have already used. When she started showing us this I could not believe the information that I had in front of me. All these memberships and subscriptions that I have a part of through my library card. Now, of course, as I said this will vary widely by library, but if you want your library to offer something that they do not already offer, just ask. If they can find a way to fit it in the budget, they might just do it.
Tiny, but powerful! The Homeschool Resource Center. Four walls packed with resources.
I could not talk about libraries and homeschooling without mentioning the Johnsburg Public Library. Tucked away in this small, unassuming town library is a Homeschool Resource Center that has helped homeschoolers across the country. If you live in Illinois you can drive to the library and check out items with your valid Illinois library card. They have microscopes, models, a vacuum pump, and lots of other larger items to help teach some of those tougher topics. Those items you must physically pick up and drop off at their library.
However, they have also used this $55,000 grant to stock its shelves with books, curriculum samples, and other resources that homeschoolers will benefit from. And, they are open to suggestions for new purchases as well. It would most likely be worth your time to peruse the 2000 plus items they have specifically for the homeschooler.
One last library advantage . . . If you live in the Chicago, Detroit or Minneapolis area (click city names for various local program sites), you have the opportunity to “check out” museum passes each week. These can provide for some great, inexpensive field trips for your family or homeschool group. They are first come, first served, but make sure to look into this great program if you live in any of those areas.
Enjoy more Works for Me Wednesday and Thirsty Thursday
If ever a math program could be tailor made for the tech-loving, middle school aged boy, ALEKS would fit the bill. It has a much wider audience and application, but in my home it met with the most enthusiastic reception from Blake.
ALEKS describes itself as follows:
Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces is a Web-based, artificially intelligent assessment and learning system. ALEKS uses adaptive questioning to quickly and accurately determine exactly what a student knows and doesn’t know in a course. ALEKS then instructs the student on the topics she is most ready to learn. ALEKS can provide you with the instruction and support that you need to homeschool your children in mathematics for grades 3-12. ALEKS offers highly-targeted, individualized instruction from virtually any computer with Internet access, making it a comprehensive and mobile education solution for your children.
Overall, we really enjoyed our trial with ALEKS, so let me break it down for you.
What we loved (and, some of this I might not have discovered if my 12 year old had not had so much fun poking around to figure out all he could do with it):
– Jump right in! You don’t really need to figure anything out ahead of time, it is ready to use once you start your subscription or trial. Pick the grade level for your child, and let them loose!
– Visible progress. As each topic is mastered the kids fill in wedges of their pie chart. The sense of victory is impossible to miss in those glowing eyes.
– Very little writing! Once again, my 12 year old loved this. He loathes anything involving a pencil, but didn’t mind doing the few problems on scratch paper that he needed to since the vast majority of his work was typed or clicked in.
– You can send little messages to your math students through the ALEKS program, and they can send them to each other. Blake would send his little sisters challenge questions by emailing them screen shots and links to his problems and reward them with Webkinz dollars if they got it right. What a clever kid! He had to show me how to do that one. 🙂
– Make your own quizzes. They give you so much flexibility in putting together a quiz for your child, and still without you having to come up with the actual problem. You can pick the length of the quiz, the topics it covers, when they have to take it, how long they have to take it, how much each problem is worth, etc., etc. And, they walk you through all of it, so I could even do it without my 12 year old helping me.
– Weekly email updates. Each week, just in case I forgot to check obsessively throughout the week, they would automatically email me a summary of each student’s progress.
– Online records and progress. You can see everything they do summarized into neat little charts for your knowledge. Attendance records show when and how long they were logged in, how many topics they attempted and mastered, their level of mastery of each topic and much more.
– No grading! That doesn’t need any more explanation.
What we tweaked:
– Because I let the kids work on their own, we had to lay down ground rules initially about when to use the calculator (only when ALEKS lets you use their calculator), how much time to spend on it, and avoiding distractions during logged in time.
– The assessment at the beginning is rather lengthy, and my kids got a little weary of the process. So, I let them complete it in more than one sitting. It was just fine. The next time they logged in, it put them right where they left off.
Challenges:
– This is designed for kids in 3-12 grade, but they wisely recommend younger kids (3-4 grade) have parental assistance in the process. I definitely agree with this. My 8 year old is not a strong reader, and could not always follow the explanations. It would be nice if they had an audio option or some animation to make it easier to follow for young readers. We knew it going in, but it did make it less desirable for her.
– Also, as with most computer programs, some kids learn to work the system. I assume he would eventually have to tackle these tough topics, but I found in watching Blake that when he picked a topic he didn’t like or found too hard, he went back and did something else. If we were to use it long term I think I would need to go through and assign him topics to work through at least some of the time so he didn’t just put them off.
– I would have like more review. Maybe I’m just used to Saxon and similar programs, but I didn’t feel like ALEKS had enough review built in to their program. It will review a couple problems at the start of each session, but I would be interested to see if the retention is there long term using this program.
Would I recommend it?
Definitely, in certain situations. Personally, I would probably not use ALEKS as our regular math program, but I could see using it to keep skills fresh through the summer months or breaks. It would also be helpful if you were taking an extended vacation where you would still have internet and wanted the kids to keep up on their math while gone. Or, in a time of family crisis it would be a great fill in to free up mom/teacher while not compromising academic excellence.
If you have not tried ALEKS before, you can also get a free one month trial and discover all they have to offer for yourself:
To learn more of what others have to say about ALEKS, check out the TOS Crew blog.
“Look, Mom. I just finished my third copy of the Old Testament stick figures.”
I guess we can say this one’s a keeper. Paige voluntarily drew three sets of the Old Testament stick figures from Adam to the 400 years of silence. All of my kids enjoyed Grapevine Studies‘ hands on approach to Bible study in which they actually get to draw the story.
The first two weeks we sped through the entire Old Testament, highlighting all the major stories in a stick figure time line. Since then we have gone back to the beginning for a more detailed look at the events that started the world on its downward spiral of sin while those individuals kept their eyes seeking desperately forward to the promised Messiah.
Even for the non-artisan this is an excellent curriculum. It allows for creativity of expression, but also can simply provide a framework for reinforcing the story. They can just draw what they are shown, or they can run with it. You can draw the pictures yourself as you teach, or you can hold up the book for them to duplicate or gather inspiration.
– Getting the overall picture of God’s working through the Old Testament (we are still really at the beginning, but I can see my kids really putting together the red thread that ties all these well loved stories together)
– The simplicity of stick figuring. I am not a great artist and many of my kids take after me in that regard. This is something anyone can do. My five year old sometimes comes up with a better rendition than I have put together. Everyone gets to do their own thing as long as they accurately represent Scripture
– I love that we do this all together. From my four year old (who doodles along on his white board), to my 12 year old (who zips through the basic drawings and moves on to pondering the deeper messages of the Scripture passages), they all learn at their level, yet we go through it together. The Level 1 book was easily adaptable for all of them to benefit from. Getting a higher level book and expecting less of the younger students would most likely work as well. And, they do also have mutli-level studies available.
– The application is not book driven. The writer intentionally does this so as not to limit the products to any specific doctrinal background. We loved it. Our conversation each day took a personal path. We dug through Scripture, discussed what these events had to do with our daily lives, and benefited from the thinking patterns of each individual in the family. God speaks so clearly through His Word, that this provides us the order to follow and the framework for learning, and we take it from there.
– The memory verses. I like that they have a weekly memory verse, and that ones from earlier weeks are reviewed periodically to keep them from getting unmemorized. I wrote the verses out on note cards and we reviewed multiple verses each day. This way even when we have multiple verses to review we should get through most of them every week (or two), always keeping them fresh.
– The cards that are drawn up to summarize the lesson are helpful to bring it all together. I allowed my younger ones to draw the summary points (with stick figures) rather than write the many words out. We also did not use the actual page from the book, but rather used a simple 3×5 card for these review cards.
– Dealing with the different speeds at which the kids worked and their level of interest in creating detailed drawings. To allow for this we went through the drawings together and discussed the verses and applications. Then if they needed extra time, they could use our read aloud time (which immediately follows Bible time) to finish up their drawings for the day.
Probably. When we first started, I thought probably not. As much as we were enjoying it, I personally have a strong Biblical knowledge base and I didn’t think a program like this would add much to what I could do on my own. However, it gives us a great framework and direction for our Bible times this school year. The kids are personally involved in recording the story so they really connect with it.I enjoy how easy it is to use, and yet how adaptable it is as well.
Definitely. Memory work, multiple learning styles, easy to use format, reasonable price, all in one package. They have a New Testament survey as well which I might consider purchasing for next year.
If you do decide this is something that you would like for your homeschool, right now you can get it for an even better price.Grapevine has allowed you to enjoy 30% off their products for the next 30 days. Use this code: crews to receive your discount.You can choose between ebooks and regular books, whole Testament studies or special topics. The whole Testament overviews can take a full year to work through, but there are shorter studies available as well (Esther, Birth of Jesus, etc.)
The products that I actually used included the Old Testament Overview Level 1 student ebook ($25.95 for use in family), and the Level 1/2 Teacher book ($45.95 for the book or $22.95 for the ebook).
If you would like to read other reviews on Grapevine Studies, check out the TOS Crew blog.
Walmart is not the only place for back to school specials. The homeschool community is also bursting at the seams with special deals for people looking to stock up on items needed for the year ahead. For just another couple days you can enjoy an incredible discount at NotebookingPages.com.
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Gearing up for next year? Have a big wish list? With so many homeschooling curriculums, resources, and books available, it’s tough to pick and choose the best for your family and it’s even more difficult to make it all fit your budget. We cut the busywork out of our days years ago with notebooking and put an end to the major spending as well.
Finish your year without regrets! Now is a great time to get started! |
EVERYTHING in the store is 50% off!
**Use the discount code below during checkout to receive your savings**
Right now she has an unreal sale — for just $50 you can get all the pages she has created (the list is huge! States, Latin, history, character, etc.)
Even if you don’t decide to take advantage of the deals she has to offer right now, you can check out her many free resources that she has made available. I have used a number of these over the years with my kids. Well done, and ready to use.
