Egypt Study

This was an AWESOME resource for studying Egypt!

I am computer illiterate. Or lazy maybe. So just CLICK HERE to go to the book instead.

It came with a DVD that was very interesting. Great arguments about why we should change the traditional dating of Egypt & how he believes the Bible corresponds to Egypt history. Very very neat!!

Botany Study

Exploring Creation With Botany

This is the book we are using this month. We are using it as a backbone for our study and using the text books & encyclopedia for reference. It is supposed to be a whole years worth of science study, but it will work out perfectly for us. We read the Astronomy book the first year of SOW. I really like this series. Right now I have a lot going on & it seems that everything in school I need to be involved in, so I'm having my 10yo read to my 5yo. It's actually a lot of fun to listen to him teach her. :o)

While I'm here...

I may as well catch ya up on some other things too.

The biggest is - MATH!

So, I met up the other day with a "veteran homeschooler" and we were chatting and somehow we got on the subject of math & all the struggles I've had with my Superkid. She told me flat out...he's bored! See, I want to stay on the same ol thing until I feel that he has fully mastered it, but she said that he really just wants to be challenged and that in time those lil ol' facts WILL be mastered. (...sigh...) She's probably right.

In the meantime, Superman has taken over in the math department working with Superkid. THANK YOU JESUS!! I really needed some help since this is not just a teaching issue, this is a discipline / character issue. I'm soooo sooo thankful that my hunk of a man is willing to help and be involved!!!

Since both of these things have transpired, and after talking with someone on the SOW group back when I mentioned math on my blog, I have decided to go ahead with Saxon math using the Dive cd's. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to teach Saxon (even though it is highly recommended by EVERYONE). But, knowing that it is challenging (which should... crossing fingers... help motivate my 10 year old boy) and knowing that my hubby is willing to work with him on any questions he might have, I think it just might work!! It is supposedly a self-teaching curriculum and with the dvd it truly should be, which means that Superman shouldn't have to work too much with him, hopefully. (since he has so much on his plate anyway!)

But, with moving and all, it might take a bit for me to get organized in order to buy the math set. In the meantime we are just doing drill work. ;o)

What else...
Oh, phonics for my 5yo. I still haven't had the time or energy to make a decision on this one. Once I'm settled I will take the time to go through what I have and decide whether I will press in with the SOW phonics or use the Pathway set that I got for free. I have a feeling I will do a bit of a mix.

As I mentioned in the last post I was so super organized & prepared for the first few weeks of school and planning the school year, that I am really bummed that I'm set back a whole month.

Here was the old plan:(sorry it's sideways!)

I guess that's how life goes, eh? I'll have to spend some time working out the kinks for this year and figure out how to make up that extra month somehow. We'll see. I envision this next year to be much more challenging, but MUCH more spontaneous. The focus of this next year is on deepening our relationships within our home and with God. That's really it. If that's all we do, I'm really ok with how everything else goes. But, I have a feeling - just focusing on that will cause tremendous growth in other areas as well. ;o)

God is so very good!

Times Tales

If you haven't heard of this AWESOME resource, you are really missing out!

As everyone else says...It REALLY works!!

It only takes an afternoon and they have completely memorized their facts. How amazing & awesome is that?!? This is by far the best homeschooling resource I have ever used. It is quick and easy & the results speak for themselves.

Just buy it! :o)

http://www.timestales.com/

Reading R'iting & R'thmetic

That's it again this week. And maybe (probably) next week. We've got quite a bit going on. Every single night last week we were gone, the same has been for this week. EVERY SINGLE NIGHT. Even Sunday, we had planned to just take it easy (you know - rest!) but when we invited someone out to eat they wanted us to go to "the big city," so before we knew it - the day was GONE again! Life is just a bit busy. So, we're doing light work.

On a positive note, this week we should be getting some things in the mail:

Finally getting SOW volumes II-IV!!

Titus2.com, Managers of their homes, chores, school & the meek & quiet spirit book (whatever the name of it is). It was a bundle, so next week I'll be working those out trying to see if we can get our schedule, etc. nailed down. That's partly why I'm making next week light too.

Professor B math - praying it will help my oldest not hate math anymore

Handwriting for both my ker and 4th grader, Masterypublications.com - happy handwriting & cheerful cursive.

And, I also bought a unit study by Amanda Bennett for Christmas. She was having a good sale $6 including shipping, so I couldn't resist. I've never done any of her unit studies before, but we'll try it out. I like to have a loose plan for our christmas month.

I've also found some good deals at the thrift stores around here. I LOVE LOVE LOVE buying books at the thrift store! I can find so many really good books for cheap! I got a book called "The Everyday English Handbook" for our English. It looks like it will work instead of buying R&S's.

I'll try to give a review on some of these after we've used them for a bit. I might chime in and do a review of some of the things I've used if I get some quiet time sometime here too.

We'll be back by the 15th of February for sure!
See ya!

Resources I find are the most important:

Bible - I suggest the Life Application as it has character studies and mapsbuilt right in. I also would suggest having an extra atlas and character study resource though too. Strongs Concordance is an absolute must.

English you will need an english handbook -or- if you are doing phonics you purchase a skill book, work book and reader per year.

Literature there is about 9-12 books (depending on the age of your children) to purchase this first year, most of which do repeat throughout the years. It is not necessary to use the SOW books suggested though. You can use whichever books you choose.

There are also a few books intermixed into the lessons that would be helpful.For instance in creative writing when they are comparing Jesus to a shepherd andus as the sheep, it is suggested to read "A Shepherd Looks At The 23rd Psalm."It isn't necessary, but hey it would enhance it.

The rest of the resources are for sci/hist/geo. These vary each month basically.(Every four weeks) The easiest way to do that would be to purchase a library card and world book encyclopedia. I also purchased (as suggested) the Earth Science text book. (Either BJU or Abeka would do). The first four weeks you arestudying creation science, so those are not going to be found in a library. Since you will need to buy Christian resources to study creation science, this turns out to be the most expensive year. But, these resources and this studyhave been invaluable to our home!

I was overwhelmed with the amount of resources to buy at first. It is really a simple list though. Most of these you probably already have. I think the hardpart I had was there are SOO many books I COULD have, that sure would "help." I have to remind myself to be happy with what I do have to work with and use it. Also not to add anymore books to the curriculum than necessary. I kept trying to add things in and it just complicated our school to the point I wasn't even focusing on God's word anymore!

Unlocking the Mysteries of Creation

Well, I think I was too quick in judging whether this would work for my son. It turns out to be just fine. I think part of it was just getting into the swing of school, and we hadn't given it enough time to "get." So, I think I'll just stick with it after all. :0)

He's really enjoying it!

Also, we were able to get the videos with the book (these are the old vhs ones). They are actually just restating a lot of what we read in the book. It brings out things what we had missed and helped us to REALLY get it. Plus, Dad has been able to learn with us to in the evenings when we watch them. We are really learning a lot.

I'm not sure if I would recommend getting both the videos & the book???

Maybe one or the other.

We are going to use both since we have both. And, hearing the same thing in another medium really helps it to sink in.

Anyway, just wanted to update my review of this book.

It's not as bad as I thought it was at first. :0)

Pilgrim's progress

What a neat book!

Superkid nearly begs me to read this everyday. Even little Pickles (3yog) gets into it, big words & all. We're planning to watch the movie after we've read the book. Looks like it will be awhile since we're on pg 42 and there are 304 pages...we've been reading it for two weeks now. Guess we'd better get busy. ;-)

Unlocking the Mysteries of Creation

Found out today that this book is really not directed at an 8yo boy.



He was trying, poor guy, but it's a little too advanced for him. So, I'll have to read it the night before & just summerize it all while he looks at the pictures. Too bad they don't have a lot of creation resources to offer. It makes it tough.



Oh well. We'll deal with what we have.