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Special Words for Special Needs ~ The Heart of the Season
Posted 10:34 AM, Feb. 5, 2010
It's Valentine season and love is in the air. I get a small snow storm of letters and drawings from my children everyday with, I <3 you mom!! I get the warm fuzzies and YES I keep them in a bulging file that has seen a decade of love.
With the heart symbol all over the place in decorations to cards lets use that as a platform for a quick unit study on Congenital Heart Defect. Strange, did I just jump off a cliff? No, Febuary is CHD awareness month. Did you know that CHD is the number 1 birth defect?! Chances are many of you have a child with CHD or know of a child that has CHD.  Here are some sites and facts to help you put together a topic study on Congenital Heart Defects (CHD). 50% of people with Down Syndrome have CHD Penelope and CHD Here is a site for children or adults with CHD, it also has a financial assistance program. Congenital Heart Information Network John Hopkins Cove Point Foundation has clear graphics to show you each type of congenital defect, great for the older kids. Finally here are some families that are dealing with CHD right now. All that and a Box of Rocks I am Blessed is written by mom, Amy Morris, who helped to open my eyes to the need for awareness of CHD. She also made the small awareness badges on this page! Thanks!!  Blessings my friends! Heather lives in West Virginia. She and her husband have been homeschooling their 5 children for 8 years. Due to a genetic disorder their children have multiple special needs. Heather is also dealing with personal health difficulties. Living life to the fullest for the glory of God is their goal! Visit Heather's page at www.homeschoolblogger.com/gfcfmomofmany/ or at Special Needs Homeschooling. Special Words for Special Needs ~ Can Groundhogs Change the Weather?
Posted 12:38 PM, Jan. 29, 2010
The weather is chilly outside... who am I kidding it is down right frigid here. Winter runs up to April. So where does a furry brown rodent fall into our season?? Ground Hog's Day is special here. Most of our television channels come out of Pittsburgh and all of Pennsylvania news gets excited over Ground Hog's Day.
Really I don't mind. I think it is a bit cruel to wake up some poor little guy and try to see his shadow, let him sleep! I am faced with a serious problem with Ground Hog's Day. My children ask me how can a groundhog affect weather? They can't honey. Why do they keep trying? Is he magic? That is my problem. For most kids this would not be a problem, you tell them no, they move on. When you have a black and white thinker, such as my autistic kids, your answer and the celebration around the day don't mix. I have to repeat that the Lord made and tends the weather not a groundhog. I found a funny but very real way to make my point. We got a weather rock. We laughed about it but it made a point. "Is it raining?" "Yes, the rock is wet!" "Is it sunny?" "Yes, the rock is dry with sun on it!" "Now can that rock make it's self wet? No, it can't no matter how much it tries." The kids still need reminders but now I can just ask "what about the rock?" I think it is important for us to root out these silent fallacies. You may say hey there's no harm in this silly thing or that. I agree some fanciful items are fine. For my children I had to draw the line where they were displacing the Lord's power with something of this world. Find that line for your family. You are not taking away the joy of childhood you are raising up a generation for the Lord! Heather lives in West Virginia. She and her husband have been homeschooling their 5 children for 8 years. Due to a genetic disorder their children have multiple special needs. Heather is also dealing with personal health difficulties. Living life to the fullest for the glory of God is their goal! Visit Heather's page at www.homeschoolblogger.com/gfcfmomofmany/ or at Special Needs Homeschooling. Special Words for Special Needs ~ The Makings of a Unit Study
Posted 11:29 AM, Jan. 22, 2010
We are doing something a bit different around the Porch this year. We are joining together not just to have a general theme, but a sort of unit study to use. This week we are looking at space and Christa McAuliffe Day. Frankly I didn't know that Mrs. McAuliffe had a day. I am happy though. I remember in 5th grade watching the shuttle launch, it was the end of a space unit study. For those too young to remember, she and the crew of the space shuttle Challenger blew up soon after taking off. The silence that filled my 5th grade class still echoes in my head to this day.
So forgive me but I am going to go slightly off track today and talk about unit studies in general. I love unit studies. If you have never put one together there are unit study guides. There is everything from a complete step by step unit study to a more free form guide. Then there is plenty of room for the do-it-yourselfer. I have used every level through the years but I always tend to the do-it-myself version. A trip to the library fills us up with books. A search on the internet often gives free print offs and information. Then I decide if we are going to do the study short term or long term. Now that the kids are getting to be older I have begun assigning a unit study to them and have them research and report on it through the month. At the end of the month some form of presentation must be given. A report, a show, a dinner what ever is appropriate. I have found a handful of freebies on the web that will help out a unit study. Make your own flashcards! http://www.kitzkikz.com/flashcards/ Free printable maps, including some historical maps! http://www.nationalatlas.gov/printable.html Make your own worksheets! http://www.schoolexpress.com/create.php Some free unit studies! http://happyhomeschool.familyclassroom.net/Archives.shtml Another way to do a unit study is a Lapbook. Here are some free Lapbooks and Lapbook Templates! http://www.homeschoolshare.com/lapbooking_resources.php To take Lapbooking even further Notebooking is a long term unit study wonderful to show improvement over the year or get indepth for an older child. This site has the nitty gritty on Notebooking and Free Resources section! http://www.notebookingpages.com/ I hope you learn to incorporate unit studies into your homeschooling journey! Blessings my friends! Heather lives in West Virginia. She and her husband have been homeschooling their 5 children for 8 years. Due to a genetic disorder their children have multiple special needs. Heather is also dealing with personal health difficulties. Living life to the fullest for the glory of God is their goal! Visit Heather's page at www.homeschoolblogger.com/gfcfmomofmany/ or at Special Needs Homeschooling. Special Words for Special Needs ~ Flying high!
Posted 10:11 AM, Jan. 15, 2010
If you have cruised the Porch this week you would notice we all have our head in the clouds. Amelia Earhart is the lady in the spot light.
Where do you start to find out about Amelia? Start at her official website http://www.ameliaearhart.com/ There is a brief but detailed biography on the site. Personally I have always been in love with flying. My grandfather had a small plane that he would take me on trips around Ohio. I got to see the rolling hills of fields or corn and cows. The leaves changing colors into a patchwork quilt made by the Lord. I was even blessed to fly in a bi-plane with the wind whipping at my face. The old leather cap on my head like Amelia. Fun but scary! When the plane banked or rolled it would pull against the seat belt and that was all that was holding me in. Flying is a wonderful hobby and career choice. Here is the wiki on pilot licenses so you have choices for your research. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_Pilot_License If your child is kinetic and likes to take things apart and look at how they work. Try calling your local airport to see where your child can intern to be an airplane mechanic. My local airport holds an open airport day. A sort of fair that also gives plane rides through the day. What a fun family day! Here are some interesting printables: Amelia Earhart Preschool/Kintergarten lesson http://www.first-school.ws/activities/bio/earhart.htm Make your own sticker/charts with jets and planes http://www.stickersandcharts.com/airplanes.php Paper Airplane Mathematics grade 2-8 http://www.teachervision.fen.com/tv/printables/Overholt_0876285558_175-177.pdf Another preschool/kintergarten themed printable (because it is REALLY cute ) http://www.funlessonplans.com/free/printables.htm My grandfather later built his own airplane. He is a very intelligent, motivated man. I think that flying was a release for him. The joy and freedom it allowed him made him that much better when his feet where on the ground. We should not only be cultivating career interests and learning opportunities, we should also be helping to find worth while hobbies that bring joy and peace. Many blessings my friends I hope you enjoy your time in the friendly skies! Heather lives in West Virginia. She and her husband have been homeschooling their 5 children for 8 years. Due to a genetic disorder their children have multiple special needs. Heather is also dealing with personal health difficulties. Living life to the fullest for the glory of God is their goal! Visit Heather's page at www.homeschoolblogger.com/gfcfmomofmany/ or at Special Needs Homeschooling. Special Words for Special Needs ~ Winter is Here!
Posted 2:01 PM, Jan. 8, 2010
This week can be summed up in the word COLD! Most of the U.S. and Europe are cold, cold, cold! Not only cold but snowy around here. Right now there are warnings in my area for as much as 12 inches. So this is a wonderful time to do a weather unit!
 Many kids who have sketchy attention spans can also hyper focus if given the right topic and timing. Snowstorms always amaze and entrance my children. I am going to use that to work on a couple of day weather unit.
I plan to have the kids check the depth of the snow every hour. The older kids can calculate the rate of falling snow. They are all going to make a graph. We are going to call in the snow depth to the local weatherman, perhaps even letting my oldest take a picture and send it in. I will bring in some snow for the kids to play in like play dough. This works wonderfully for the youngest or the more delicate in health kids. We have also compiled an emergency kit. Candles, blankets, heavy clothing and food that could be cooked over the fireplace. These are days that I love. Other kids are out of school and in general not learning. My kids get to keep on learning. My guess in the interesting circumstances will actually make the material more memorable! So what are you doing? Are you schooling as usual? Have you thought of more ideas? Hmm I wonder if Amanda Bennett has a weather unit study out? Take care my friends stay warm and safe! Heather lives in West Virginia. She and her husband have been homeschooling their 5 children for 8 years. Due to a genetic disorder their children have multiple special needs. Heather is also dealing with personal health difficulties. Living life to the fullest for the glory of God is their goal! Visit Heather's page at www.homeschoolblogger.com/gfcfmomofmany/ or at Special Needs Homeschooling. Special Words for Special Needs ~ Happy New Year!
Posted 3:12 PM, Jan. 4, 2010
Happy New Year's! The second half of the year seems to have snuck up on us again! Are you on track? Do you have a detailed teacher's plan? That is fine but if you don't do you feel guilty? I did for years.
I am not a good all year planner. I have never in 8 years of homeschooling successfully planned out the entire schooling year for us in detail. I have friends that have their texts marked and highlighted with accompanying worksheets back in September. When I see that I am so happy for them, but I am praying that they don't ask about our year. I'm not a total slouch, I know where we are in the various subjects. I know where we need to be at the end of the year for it to be a success. The middle only has a vague structure to it. I get the main books, unit studies, and lapbooks we will be doing. The rest I leave up to where the urge takes us. After several years of hiding my shame of not having a full detailed teacher plan I realized it's okay! This is how we learn in my house. The kids are doing well. My husband is satisfied with our progress. Over the years I have found some things that make my free form style easier. -Take it each month at a time. Set out and read through all the material for a unit study or lapbook right from the beginning. -Like I said before know where you are and where you need to be at the end of the year. That will help you keep the big picture in mind so you don't get caught up in the moment. -When intense interests come up, show the kids not only the material about the subject, but how to get the material. You will be laying the foundation of good research skills. -Write down as you go what you are reading, talking about watching etc. It will help with the record keeping at the end of the year. I hope you all have a Happy New Year. Whether you are a planner or a more free form parent I pray that they coming year will bless your homeschooling with abundance! God bless! Heather lives in West Virginia. She and her husband have been homeschooling their 5 children for 8 years. Due to a genetic disorder their children have multiple special needs. Heather is also dealing with personal health difficulties. Living life to the fullest for the glory of God is their goal! Visit Heather's page at www.homeschoolblogger.com/gfcfmomofmany/ or at Special Needs Homeschooling. Special Words for Special Needs ~ A Beautiful Christmas Project
Posted 12:33 PM, Dec. 18, 2009
Merry Christmas (very soon)!! It's time to talk about Christmas!
How do you run your homeschooling around Christmas? The season has plenty to do, but my kids demand structure. This time of year I tend to turn to my Christmas unit study. The art time in the afternoon will get turned into present making time or ornament making time. Though being Christmas time I search for more meaning in our days. This time of year I also try to fit in outside service projects. In talking with a homeschooling mom recently she shared how they use this season to help train their children in service to others and keep it Jesus focused. The day after Thanksgiving she and her family settle on a family that is in great need. They each give part of their Christmas gifts to feed and care for this family. Then a week before Christmas they drop this package off at the needy family's home. You may say well there are groups out there that do that. Yes, there are. I would argue though that it is our duty as Christians to help others and what better way than just a simple exchange in love and covered in prayer. You show very clearly to your children that it IS better to give than to receive. Thank you my friend for sharing that with me! Think of a way you can share the love of Christ with others. What does your family do at Christmas to make Christ an active, real part? I pray blessings to you and may your Christmas time be productive for the Lord! Heather lives in West Virginia. She and her husband have been homeschooling their 5 children for 8 years. Due to a genetic disorder their children have multiple special needs. Heather is also dealing with personal health difficulties. Living life to the fullest for the glory of God is their goal! Visit Heather's page at www.homeschoolblogger.com/gfcfmomofmany/ or at Special Needs Homeschooling. Special Words for Special Needs ~ A Calm Heart for the Holiday Season
Posted 11:45 AM, Dec. 4, 2009
I love the holidays! Around here it takes some effort though. I have to think through all my decor...can it be swallowed, chewed on, obsessed over or otherwise some danger that will require me to call the poison control guy? Are the meals at my house or somewhere else? Then what about our diet restrictions? If we are going to somewhere else is it safe enough that my little one who runs away will not get out? And so the list continues.
This is not say that I get uptight and overwrought for the holidays. I have done that before and as much as I would like to say it's not going to happen again... I just don't know. I have found a calm that helps me deal with the season. Part of the calm comes from an acceptance of what can and cannot be. My husband and I have collected small Hallmark ornaments for years. The past 5+ years they cannot come out. We tried they were broken. So now we stow them away knowing that a time will come later in our life when we can put them out. I read an article in a country decor magazine that sung to me. The lady being interviewed had two children on the spectrum. She had made all her ornaments out of rolled stripes of cloth, very country looking, and nice when one of her sons flung one across the room! Another one that hurts but is necessary, is that we cannot schedule everything and meals with everyone. In the holiday season it seems that there is a place to be every weekend and many week days. We could get a babysitter but is that truly what the season is about? For us no. We choose what we can do reasonably and then in the end if we have to we are ready to cancel. I don't like be so soft about meal commitments and events. It can be hard for others to understand but I know that my responsibility as a parent to a wonderfully special child comes before my social calendar. As for diet restrictions I make a meal for us ahead of time. We bring a portion of the meal. We quietly load up the kids plates with the good stuff. I also go understanding that we will most likely have some contamination of glutens or caseins. It happens. I am not happy and I do not take that as a reason to break our diet in a big way. We get right back to work doing the best you can and eating the best you can. All of this happens the easiest if I have a grand plan for the month. I mark out on a calendar, we hang on the wall, the whole month. The kids and I go over it repeatedly. As my son says,"If you don't tell me. I don't know and I get icky feeling inside when you jump up and say it's time to go." That was such a perfect insight into how he sees a change in schedule. It isn't an inconvience for him, it is a physically unpleasant response. Be clear about your plans! Your holiday season can be wonderful! Carefully and thoughtfully think about your expectations. Plan the season accordingly. Get the whole family involved in keeping a calendar for events. In the end talk about and live out what is the most important part of the season. I believe if you do that you will feel fufilled and at peace! May the Lord bless your holiday season! Heather lives in West Virginia. She and her husband have been homeschooling their 5 children for 8 years. Due to a genetic disorder their children have multiple special needs. Heather is also dealing with personal health difficulties. Living life to the fullest for the glory of God is their goal! Visit Heather's page at www.homeschoolblogger.com/gfcfmomofmany/ or at Special Needs Homeschooling. Special Words for Special Needs ~ Thanksgiving is Changing Around Here
Posted 10:22 AM, Nov. 20, 2009
Welcome and soon to be Happy Thanksgiving! Are you like me and still in need of that last minute run to the grocery store? I have a list that is huge but I hesitate to get it. Why? After all the big day is just days away!
This year has been rough on me physically. I am spending most of my day in a wheelchair now due to possible MS. I am use to being up and cooking for hours on Thanksgiving day. I wake up early and cook through the day making all sorts of special side dishes, baked goods and of course the big turkey. This year I physically can't do it. How many of you also deal with these restraints? Maybe not a mobility issues but a fatigue issue. How do we accomplish this grand plan without leaving us useless or not able to finish? For me Thanksgiving has highlighted a problem that I have been ignoring for a couple weeks now. I need to realize my weaknesses and plan accordingly. I tend to plan with high hopes and higher expectations of myself. If I don't reach those I can get discouraged and guilty feeling. This is not how the Lord wishes me to be. Paul exhorts believers to be strong and run the good race. I now realize that my race may be slower than others. I chose to keep running. I chose to not stop. I need to learn to pace myself. This Thanksgiving may not be like we have had in the past. I believe it will be better! If you are dealing with physical problems stop blaming yourself for the differences between your family and the "normal" family. You are normal, for you! So join me in being thankful to the Lord for where we are right now! Blessings to you and your family! Happy Thanksgiving Heather lives in West Virginia. She and her husband have been homeschooling their 5 children for 8 years. Due to a genetic disorder their children have multiple special needs. Living life to the fullest for the glory of God is their goal! Visit Heather's page at www.homeschoolblogger.com/gfcfmomofmany/ or at Special Needs Homeschooling. Special Words for Special Needs ~ Home Ec and My Big Projects Week
Posted 10:29 AM, Nov. 13, 2009
This week we are talking about Home Ec around the Porch. I am excited that I have a ton of pics this week to share. We just got done with our big project week.
I homeschool all year around. For us it allows lee way for doctor appointments, longer holiday seasons, and in general it keep the information flowing so there is no summer brain drain. I like to stop every 6 weeks and have an off week. That didn't work very well for my most autistic child. She didn't understand the week off and it became very agitating for her. I needed to weigh her anxiety and the problems it caused with giving the kids their well deserved week off. So big project week was born. During big project week we focus on things like sewing projects, large art projects, service projects,any thing that doesn't comfortably fit into a normal homeschooling day. We still get work done and yet there is plenty of time to relax.    Heather lives in West Virginia. She and her husband have been homeschooling their 5 children for 8 years. Due to a genetic disorder their children have multiple special needs. Living life to the fullest for the glory of God is their goal! Visit Heather's page at www.homeschoolblogger.com/gfcfmomofmany/ or at Special Needs Homeschooling. Special Words for Special Needs ~ Veterans Choose to Serve
Posted 11:58 AM, Nov. 6, 2009
Welcome my friends! Veterans Day is November 11. I have a particular soft spot in my heart for veterans, after all my husband and I are former Navy.
In researching for this post I found this quote on the VA website, "A celebration to honor America's veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good." VA site for kids Why join the military? The money isn't terribly good. Starting pay is nice but it doesn't keep up with the private sector. The locations are great but even a tropical island is blah after the third holiday you don't see your family. Then there is boot camp and the continual physical tests and challenges that are just plain hard. So why join the military? I can tell you why we did. My husband and I both chose to serve. Someone must stand on the line and say no further. I will protect my family and friends. I will stand up for my rights and those of my neighbors. I chose to serve because it is a responsibility as a citizen of the United States of America that I am able to fulfill. Times change and now we are no longer in the military. I am glad that I had that chance. Now how can I continue that sense of service to country? This year we are looking into sending packages and cards to soldiers around the world. American Red Cross Cards for Heroes I would like to thank the veterans out there! Thank you for your dedication and willingness to serve and protect. God bless! Heather lives in West Virginia. She and her husband have been homeschooling their 5 children for 8 years. Due to a genetic disorder their children have multiple special needs. Living life to the fullest for the glory of God is their goal! Visit Heather's page at www.homeschoolblogger.com/gfcfmomofmany/ or at Special Needs Homeschooling. Special Words for Special Needs ~ Hospital Schooling
Posted 10:38 AM, Oct. 30, 2009
Special Words for Special Needs ~ Are You Teaching Cooking?
Posted 11:29 AM, Oct. 23, 2009
Do you know how to cook? Are you teaching or planning to teach your girls AND boys to cook? We should teach all our children to cook even if it is only simple foods. For some of our children the goal rather than cooking will be kitchen safety. Either way opening the kitchen to make it a part of homeschooling is a wonderful experience.
We homeschool just steps from the kitchen, so making meals has always been part of our learning. Confession time: I start homeschool most mornings still dishing out breakfast. Homeschooling has allowed meal preparation and cooking to be just another skill to learn in a working household. My daughter has excelled at cooking. She is very creative and has found cooking to be a special talent to show off her skills. Alton Brown you better watch out! We have also encouraged her learning with cooking. She is dyslexic and is so excited about cooking she will power through a recipe just to try it! (Use your child's interest to push them in weak areas! ) This past summer we started the Little House of the Prairie series. With all the scrumptious foods and preserving Ma does in Little House in the Big Woods we were encouraged to preserve. We beefed up the garden and canned some peaches from a local orchard. I was pleasantly surprised when everyone turned out to help me can. The little ones cleaned the peaches. The older kids helped me get out ingredients and jars. It made for a wonderful family afternoon! This has led us down many other culinary paths. Use cooking to do mini-unit studies or projects. Try some ideas like preserving food, figure out how much food a pioneer would need to live through a winter, research scurvy and rickets, teach fire safety in the kitchen, design a garden and imagine you are selling at a farmer's market. How much would you need to make a profit, grow, etc.? May your cooking adventures be blessed! Heather lives in West Virginia. She and her husband have been homeschooling their 5 children for 8 years. Due to a genetic disorder their children have multiple special needs. Living life to the fullest for the glory of God is their goal! Visit Heather's page at www.homeschoolblogger.com/gfcfmomofmany/ or at Special Needs Homeschooling. Special Words for Special Needs ~ Crafts and Art Provide Needed Depth to Education
Posted 11:45 AM, Oct. 16, 2009
This week we are focusing on crafts. I have to confess that I am not terribly crafty. I get good ideas but somewhere between my brain, the craft store, and getting all the kids to produce my masterpiece it never quite works out. In fact here is a picture of a craft day . . .
 Yes we usually have bath time soon after craft time. Are crafts important to learning? Yes! Do they have to be perfect and super cute when we are done. No. It's nice to have something to hand to grandma and grandpa. I have to remind myself that my children have a tough time with the creative side of their personality, most of my children are autistic. I try to incorporate crafty items into a real subjects like history. This way we can work with a real subject and then the details can be the creative part. Last week I talked about creating an Ode to Fall. We were doing super until the another side of autism kicked in...the obsessive side. The poor poem was worked over and over and over and over until we had changed pages several times. Part of the project was to decorate the outside edge of the paper. The craft part also fell victim to the obsessive issues. Each leaf was placed and replaced and then ripped off and tried again. It took some time to get it "right enough" to get my son to put it down. Then I laid it up out of sight for a couple of days, until I felt he was able to work with it again without obsessing. I truly think this was a good thing for him. It showed me where there are some problems we need to address. It also showed him that others really liked his poem and decorations even though he felt there still needed to be changes. Crafts are a fun way to work on these areas that are sometimes lacking in our special kids. Creativity, abstract thinking, and obsessive problems. Autism isn't the only problem that could use some craft time to increase the depth of our child's learning. Often those kids with high intelligence can be so focused on their hard subjects that they stop working on soft subjects. Yes you will do quite well with a solid knowledge of science and math. Crafts and art can open a world into the human nature that you also need to succeed. Art can also provide an outlet for stress. Encouraging your child to become well rounded in their education is a important goal. Enjoy your crafts and art! Heather lives in West Virginia. She and her husband have been homeschooling their 5 children for 8 years. Due to a genetic disorder their children have multiple special needs. Living life to the fullest for the glory of God is their goal! Visit Heather's page at www.homeschoolblogger.com/gfcfmomofmany/ or at Special Needs Homeschooling. Special Words for Special Needs ~ Making an Ode to Fall
Posted 12:44 PM, Oct. 9, 2009
Fall is a wonderful time of year. The bright colors and change in temperature have me reaching for a book and apple cider. I also get the warm fuzzies. All the holiday planning, harvesting is finished and it's time to take a breath and relax. I didn't realize how much I still connect with my roots. I was raised in the middle of farm country in northern Ohio. October and late fall were always a time of joy. The hard work of the season was over and your silos and pantries were full.
Today the kids and I sat down to talk about fall. We discussed the science of fall earlier this week. Now we were going to discuss the emotions of fall. My children with autism found this exercise to be particularly hard. They knew things about fall they liked but could not connect these things together. As we worked through the day each child had a break through moment where they understood what I was asking of them. This hard work really paid off not just in understanding fall but in understanding emotional response. So I thought I might share this exercise. We focused on making an ode, which is a lyrical poem showing enthusiastic, emotional response. 1. Together we brainstormed on the chalkboard all the things about fall that we loved and were enthusiastic about. 2. Then each child wrote or drew a picture about the 3 things that "made their heart sing" 3. I then read several poems and showed them several poems. They needed to see exactly what a poem looked like. 4. With each child I had them talk through with me one single part of their idea until it made a working stanza. I wrote it down for them to rewrite, or for the older one I just looked over spelling. This was the tough step. We needed to step forward and push, then relax several times until that light turned on. Take your time here this is where we are hoping to reach an emotional understanding of poetry. 5. We proceeded to work through each idea and find a common link to focus the poem. 6. Finally they rewrote the poem and tomorrow we are going to glue on leaves and other fall like objects. This turned out to be a great fun mini unit. The real fun (for mom) is that since it wasn't in our normal book they didn't consider it work. Mom knows better. We made a huge step forward in understanding literature and humanity today. Poetry is a wonderful way to reach beyond just telling a story. If you chose to write an ode to fall please post it! In fact I'll post my children's odes to fall on my homeschool blogger page! Heather lives in West Virginia. She and her husband have been homeschooling their 5 children for 8 years. Due to a genetic disorder their children have multiple special needs. Living life to the fullest for the glory of God is their goal! Visit Heather's page at www.homeschoolblogger.com/gfcfmomofmany/ or at Special Needs Homeschooling. 
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In MemoryMissey GrayLorrie Gnos Peggy Barendregt Chrissy Murphy Colleen Moeller TOS Staff & AssociatesMari AlmonNancy Baetz Lisa Barthuly Nancy Carter Donna Conner Michelle Eichhorn Christi Gifford Jamin Kate Kessler Tia Linschied Amy Osborn Kris Price Susan Spann Deb Turner Kim Wolf Dena Wood Deborah Wuehler Homeschool Nation Roll Call** denotes a state needing a Coordinator - all states are needing several contributors each!** need contributors for each of the following areas: North England, Scotland, South England, London Front Porch BlogRoll- ... and his ministers a flame of fire- 21st Century Reformation - As for me and my house, - Aspiring PolyMathis - Back of the Envelope - Be Bold, Be Gentle - Bear Witness - Beyond The Rim... - Bird of Paradise - Blog for Books - Blogcorner preacher - Blogotional - Brandywine Books - Broken Masterpieces - Burkean Canuck - Captain's Log - IntellectualPrivateer.or - Carol's Storybook - Cerulean Sanctum - ChoosingHome Blog - Christian Home School Teachers - Christian quoter - Classical Education 4 Me - Classical Education in Paradise - Comment Me No Comments - Confessions of a Homeschool Dad - Crazies from the Crazy lady - Daddypundit - DaisyChain Farmstead - Damascus Road - DANDELION SEEDS - Scattering inspiration - Danny Carlton - Dan's Journey - Day By Day - Defiant Lamb - Dignan's 75 Year Plan - DOUBLE TOOTHPICKS - Dr. John Mark Reynolds - ESPRESSO ROAST - Exiled Preacher - Faith at the Front - Blog - Fellow Random One - Freedom of... - Gerald Yuen: Home - Gratuitous Advice - Grizzly Mama - Hard Starboard - Hatless in Hattiesburg - Holy Fool - Home Maker ~ Proverbs 14.1 - Home Where They Belong - Homeschool Mom Blog - Hux - Isn't It Rich - Jack Of Clubs - Janne's Jabberwocky - jeffmcfadden.com - JivinJehoshaphat - Journal of a Domestic Athlete - Journeying...By Grace Alone - Julie's Life in Living Color - Junto Boyz - Kramjam Reiterates - Ladies in Training - Lessons Learned On the Farm - Light Along the Journey - Linda's Thoughts - Logicus bLogicus - Magic Statistics - manasclerk's The Power Struggle - me autem minui - MediaCulpa Blog - Midnight Hour | Do you not know there co - Mike Perrigoue - Monopedilos - having but one shoe - Neumatikos - Northern 'burbs blog - Off the top - Ogre's Politics & Views - Old Path, New Song - Our Little Homeschool Farm - Patricia Ann's Pollywog Creek - Paultastic Musings - Pete The Elder - Power of Change... - Principled Discovery - PRMAMA: Marketing to Go! - prosthesis - technology and science - Pruitt Communications - PR Ideas - Pseudo-Polymath - Quiet Life - Random Yak - RazorsKiss.net - Redirect - Reed's Blogged Arteries - Reformed Politics - Revenge of Mr Dumpling - RightFaith - Rooftop Blog - RootleWeb - Scotland Diaries - secundum Christum - Shades of Pink - South of the Gnat Line - Sprittibee - sprucegoose - Spunky Homeschool - Spurgeon Collection: Sermons and Writing - Stones Cry Out - such small hands - Sudan Watch - Sunny Side Up Academy - Susan Wise Bauer's blog - Tami's Blog - Texas Raisins - The (In)Scrutable Observer - THE CALVINIST POLICE GAZETTE - The Common Room - the evangelical outpost - The Greatest Pursuits - The Grey Shadow - The Official HSB Community Blog - The Prattling Pastor's Wife - The Rogue Angel - The Young Evangelical - Then Jesus told his disciples - This Little Light Of Mine - Through a Glass Darkly - Through It All - Through the eyes of HappyApple - Tim Thompson . . . Reflections - To Tell You The Truth - Trying is Bravery - Under The Sun - US Navy Retired - Vibrant Woman Writer - View From The Pew - Walking Circumspectly - Wesley Blog - Wired Wisdom - Wittingshire - wooQ: Theological Christian thoughts and - Writing's of an exceptional being - Raising Three Knights and a Princess 
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