Fourth of July must be over because the back to school deals have begun!

ONLY THROUGH WEDNESDAY~

Be sure to swing by Staples for their penny deals. See all the details in their add or view it online.

While it is a good deal, it is not as incredible as past years because this time around they require an additional purchase.  Be sure to read the stipulations carefully.

So, with an additional $5 purchase you can get pencils and folders for a penny each! They have lots of other great deals for $1, so be sure to look and see what you can use or stock up for the year ahead with these great prices.

I’m sure there are more to come in the weeks ahead. They usually have different items on sale for a penny or a nickle each week for a few weeks. Snatch them up while you can!

The following information came from the Homeschool University in West Chicago:

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!

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.   Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1 C.H.O.I.C.E. 2010 Curriculum ReSale & Kids’ Sale Monday, May 10th, 2010 Sale: 4:00-7:00 p.m. College Church, Commons Hall, Wheaton, IL * * * We need 15 volunteers in order to host this event! * * * Please contact Debbie Johnson for information on selling fruitlover@gmail.com Monday, May 3, is the deadline to reserve your spots Any educational material is acceptable (curriculum, supplementary materials, books, games, etc.). Kids may sell anything (no nuts or red drinks allowed in the church). Schedule for Monday, May 10, 2010: 3:00 — 4:00 p.m. Sellers can drop off and sort their pre-tagged items. Volunteers are available to help 4:00 —7:00  p.m. SALE SHOP  buyers, bring your own bags, boxes for transporting purchased items 7:00 — 8:00 p.m. All sellers return to sort books. NEW: 2010-2011 Activity Flyers Advertise your homeschooling activity, co-op, service project, or field trip for this summer, next fall, or next winter. Create a flyer (81/2 x 11) with your ideas, dates, rules, and contact information. Contact all of the places or organizations that you participate in as a homeschooling family, and have someone create a flyer (band, math team, dance, music studios, gym classes, art classes, science co-ops, etc). Bring 50 copies! We hope this will help your planing and organization over the summer. Links: C.H.O.I.C.E. Monthly Meeting Schedule eNewsletter Submission Guidelines 09-10

For more information see the full flyer online.

This is located in Bloomingdale, and I have often found it a great source for fresh reading material for our at home classroom as well as little rewards for learning incentives. As usual, if you register in advance you can print out a coupon for money off if you spend over $60.

Read on for more details:

Please add BookFairs@emailer.scholastic.com to your address book.

Save BIG on Books During Our Dollar Days Sale! • Hundreds of GREAT BOOKS all $5 or less! (Sale applies to selected product only) • Register online and receive a coupon to save $10 OFF a purchase of $60-100, or $15 OFF a purchase greater than $100. (Enter source code: EMAIL) • Limited time only – Find great deals on quality books for home, school, and classroom libraries. • Dollar Days are exclusive sales for educators, librarians and Book Fair volunteers. • Preferred payment methods: Credit cards, checks, purchase orders, and Scholastic Dollars. Items purchased with Scholastic Dollars do not qualify for further discount pricing and will sell at the cover price. > Find a Sale Near You (Enter Source Code: EMAIL)

Visit Scholastic.com Book Fairs | Find a Warehouse Sale | Contact Us

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 15^th-Feb 28^th 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:

In YOUR Child’s Hands Season

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.

One of the larger homeschool book sales in the Chicago area is set for May 1. These sales offer a great place to pick up gently used curriculum at a fraction of the price of buying new. Also, they welcome sellers, so start clearing out all those books you do not need and make room for the next year’s needs. Mark your calendars now!

Date:      Saturday, May 1, 2010

Time:      8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Location:      Christian Liberty Academy

502 W. Euclid Avenue

Arlington Heights, IL 60004

(847) 259-4444

Free Admissions!

Come, join home school and Christian school parents from throughout northern Illinois as they gather to buy and sell their new and used educational materials and school books. This event offers a wide variety of books at bargain prices, and an opportunity to sell or trade your used school materials. A limited number of display tables will be available free of charge; you are also welcome to bring your own tables. Set up starts at 7:30.

Christian Liberty Press will be selling new CLP-published books at 25% discount. New books from other publishers will also be available for purchase.

The Christian Liberty Academy music department will also have a bake sale to raise funds for their mission trip.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact:

Lina King
Conventions Coordinator
Christian Liberty Press
Christian Liberty Academy School System
502 W. Euclid Avenue
Arlington Heights, IL 60004
(847) 385-2057

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.

Check out this great opportunity for educators and it says it includes home educators as well. It might be good to bring some kind of card verifying your homeschool status if you have one: