Have you seen the Christmas decorations up in town? Have you been stocking up on special holiday foods and gift wrap yet? Well, here is one more holiday sale - but this time for your homeschool!

   Currclick do instantly downloadable ebooks of Home ed curriculum and resources. If you do pop over to take a look please consider clicking on the Currclick box in the sidebar as that is our affiliate link and we get a small commision on your order if you do. Thanks - Deedee

   There is a cool new company that has opened here in the UK called 'Truth Fabrics'. I had the priviledge of meeting the precious family who started this company up a few months ago.

   They wanted to provide an alternative for kids bedding and clothing that included Bible 'Heroes' for their kids to have in their rooms and thier lives!

   We are about to purchase the 'The Lord is my Shield' bedding for our boys room since they wanted a knights and castle theme. We actually couldn't find a 'castle' theme duvet set anywhere and then I remembered something I had seen in the Truth Fabric brochure.

   I pulled up the (old) website and the boys looked over my shoulder. They spotted this gorgeous duvet set before I could say a word and asked (begged, pleaded, jumped up and down shouting) if they could have those!

   I have seen these duvets and T-shirts first hand and they are the finest cotton I have ever seen on a duvet. It feels like silk!! So although the price may be a 'little' higher than some kids duvets on the high street, I found the quality to be far superior.

   They have just launched a new website this week and you can find it here at www.truthfabrics.com They have also produced a short vido/commercial about their products and their vision. So, I'll end by posting their video clip so you can see them for yourself and hear from the creator Paul Vivian in his own words!

Truthfabric promo for UCB TV from TruthFabric on Vimeo.

   OK. So I know that Mother's Day was two months ago now! But in America it is Mother's Day this coming Sunday. While I know most of you won't celebrate it for a second time this year (although I get to - Hehehehe!) that is no excuse for missing out on *FREE* stuff!!!! And you all know how much I just LOVE *FREE* stuff!  So check out this link to *FREE* stuff over the next 7 days at Currclick! And please be sure to click over using the link box at the top of this page or in the right hand column - thank you. That is our affiliate link and we get a little extra if you go over and get stuff using our link - Thank you! -Deedee

   Another Currclick publisher has a sale on and here below are the list of items in the sale. These are from Westvon Publishing and they are selling most things at 50% off this week only! So jump in a grab a bargain. See the post below for directions on how to use Currclick if you aren't familiar with them and to see another great sale!

History Scribe Combo -  Regularly $20   ---  On Sale $10

Geo- Scribe Combo  -  Regularly $10  ---  On Sale $5

Boy Scribe Combo  -  Regularly $12  -- One Sale $6

Bible Scribe Combo - Regularly $10  --- On Sale $5

Journaling Habit Books - Combo!  -  Regularly $12.50   --- On Sale $5

Study Starters - Unit Study Helper -  Regularly $5  ---  On Sale  $2.50

Master Planner - Over 160 Homesch! ool Forms  -  Regularly $9  ---  On Sale   $4.50

And Check out our NEW CURRCLICK BUNDLE -    24 Happy Scribe Handwriting Books....Normally $57  ---   Now  Only $15!   

   Just wanted to give you all a heads up that there is a great sale on 'Highlights of Homeschooling's products over at Currclick. I just got a load of literature unit studies for $1.20 each which is under a pound!!!!

   They have some great classic titles like Tom Sawyer and Anne of Green Gables. Also timely books like The waterhorse and Stuart Little are available. They also do lots of units for little ones like Curious George and The Hungry Catapillar. If you are looking to study a particular animal, these would be great for you too as they do TONS of studies on different animals.

   The pages work nicely along side of the read aloud and cover many grammar and literature concepts. So if you are into unit studies, just wanted to try one out, or want something different for spring break pop on over and pick up some super duper bargains.

   Just click on the Currclick link at the top or in the right hand column and it will take you right there. Then in the left margin of the website scroll down in the 'Publishers' list till you find 'Highlights of Homeschooling' and click on it. That will take you to five pages of 240 units to choose from! And of course like with everything from Currclick, there are no shipping fees and you can download it immediatly and start today if you like! Happy shopping!

PS- Don't forget that if you sign up for Currclick's newsletter, you get a free unit each and every week as well! REALLY! It's free. No strings attached and no junk mail either. Just one email a week to tell you about the freebie and any other specials that they have on offer! You can't beat 52 free homeschool curriculum books every year now, can you?

IN THE HANDS OF A CHILD     All In the Hands of a Child Products on Sale! (Excluding Super Memberships)   Project Packs and Graphics Packs in eBook, Printed or CD format!   Kit Packs too!!   And Free Shipping!!!   Basic Members Receive 30% Off!   Super Members Receive 45% Off! (With Super Member Discount)   No Coupon Code Needed!   For Even Greater Savings Check Our Home Page Each Day for Daily Specials!   Sale valid thru November 28, 2008. Cannot be combined with any other offer, special, discount, coupon or sale (Super Member discount DOES apply). Tax not included in calculating discount price.  Not valid toward prior purchases.  No rainchecks.

This is usually a great sale!  I got loads of bargains last year!

Sarah

It's that time of year again!  The Friday after Thanksgiving in the States is known as 'Black Friday' and is a time of getting real bargains in the shops.

The Old Schoolhouse^® Magazine is having an amazing sale during their annual Black Friday Sale November 26 – 30.

During the Black Friday Sale, they have all kind of bonus gifts when you spend $50, $75, $100, or $150. Some are electronic downloads that you can download immediately, while other are physical products mailed from various vendors directly to your home.

 Visit The Old Schoolhouse store at:  www.TheOldSchoolhouseStore.com

Whilst some of this is not relevant to us in the UK, don't forget that they sell loads of ebooks which we can download easily.

Sarah

   Here is a great deal on offer for 'The Old Schoolhouse' magazine! You don't want to miss out on this one! And there are free gifts whether you subscribe to the print magazine or the digital version! Winner! - Deedee

Dear International Homeschoolers,    Here at The Old Schoolhouse Magazine we know that homeschooling can get rough if you have to do it alone, particularly with the holidays coming up. Life gets hectic and homeschooling can take a backseat. Doubt begins to creep into your mind and you wonder if homeschooling is really right for your family. You may even be ready to pack it all in and check out travel brochures.     Are you missing a support group and other like-minded families? Connect with other homeschooling families worldwide through our pages. Are you needing encouragement for even the little subjects? You'll love the product reviews and suggestions from other homeschool parents. Do you need research that proves that homeschooling works? With articles and interviews by homeschool experts you'll be able to debate with confidence. Do you find homeschooling multiple ages challenging? What about preschool, high school, and even college? Each issue focuses on different levels of education. Do you wonder just how important socialization is for your children? You'll find out how the right kind of socialization makes all the difference. Is space tight at your house or do you find it hard to receive mail overseas? Our digital subscription would be perfect for you! Guess what? You aren't alone! Thousands of homeschooling parents worldwide have asked these questions. Even if we're not just around the corner, we're still here for you! Subscribe today and get what you need to keep your homeschool fresh and fun! Your subscription will give you the answers and the support you need. Plus, your subscription will include 15 FREE E-Gifts from product sponsors we have reviewed and trust! Sing 'n Learn - Mulitplication to Music: Classical Math to Classical Music mp3 downloads - Value $12.95 New Harvest Homestead - 5 back issues of the New Harvest Homestead E-Newsletter - Value $10 AVKO - Digital Sequential Spelling 7 Sample download - Value $10 Math Mammoth - Math Mammoth Multiplication 1 and Math Mammoth Early Geometry E-Book - Value $7 Notebookingpages.com - Nature Study Notebooking Pages E-Book - Value $10.95 Helpme2teach.com - 1 month online subscription - Value $10 MotherboardBooks.com - What Homeschooling Moms Really Need to Know About the Internet Mp3 download - Value $12 Art of Eloquence - The Play Book, A Day Without Communication Is Like... Impossible, and Defending the Faith printable calendar E-Books - Value $34.85 Remembrance Press - The Girlhood Home Companion E-sampler and The Pebbly Brook Farm Stories mp3 download - Value $15.95 KinderBach - 2 weeks of piano lessons via downloadable web videos and activity pages - Value $9.95 Write Shop - World of People Storybuilders cards, WriteShop1 sample lesson, and coupon downloads - Value $10.00 ALEKS Corporation - 1 month online subscription to ALEKS Math - Value $19.95 Christian Cottage Home Character Traits Services - Roots and Relations Unit Study from Volume 1, In the Beginning, God! E-Book - Value $19.99 Proverbs 22:6 Academy - Biblical Character Traits to Learn and to Live E-Book - Value $20.95 Homestead Originals - Homestead Simplicity E-Book - Value $9.95   For our Canadian neighbors, you can subscribe for just $30.00 and receive a one year subscription or make it two years for $49.00 and save $11.00! That's 8 issues, instead of 4, that bring help and comfort to your corner of the world.  A one year international subscription is only $45.60 and you receive the 15 FREE gifts to help you keep going. With articles from and about other homeschoolers who live in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and even China, TOS will make you feel right at home! If you like to save money and get your issues more quickly, then the digital version of TOS is just right for you! For only $16.95 you'll still receive 15 FREE gifts, in digital format. That means you get your gifts and your magazine FAST! No need to wait for your magazine to arrive in the mail or find a place to store it. Just find the option that is right for you and subscribe today. You won't want to miss out on our upcoming issues. Plus, you'll receive the monthly Teacher's Toolbox right in your inbox with a bonus freebie each month!

I've have been looking at some new curriculum over the last couple of weeks and the more I look the more I like it!  It is British and links to the National Curriculum.  It is also Christian.  Janice Ross,  who has developed this curriculum has many years of experience in teaching and has a desire to write Christian curriculum for those involved in homeshooling or for Christian schools.

She started writing the topic packs after contact with some homeschooling families who wished to work together.  Their children were aged 5-8 and with these packs it was possible for each child to learn something at their own level whilst studying a topic altogether.  Each idea in each topic has 3 to 5 activities suggested so that, depending on the child's age and interest, a parent can choose appropriate activities and how many they wish to do. She comments, ' I find that a topic approach is brilliant for skill development as it works across subject areas and gives loads of opportunities for investigative study. '

At the moment there are 5 topics packs available.  Family, Fearfully and Wonderfully Made and All things bright and beautiful were written for 5-6 year olds.  Changes and Houses and Homes are aimed at 7-8 year olds.  It is expected that each topic would be covered in 6-10 weeks.

In each topic pack she gives a Christian rationale for the work, which clearly underpins each lesson.  She also lays out the specific aims and gives links to the Scottish 5-14 and the National Curriculum.  The topics cover a wide variety of subject areas including history, geography, science, technology and health.  There are also opportunities to develop maths skills, look at art, listen to music and develop P.E. skills according to which pack you choose.

They are intended to be a pick-up, ready to use plan of main teaching and learning activities and I would say they match up to that.  You are not told word-for-word what to say, but there is enough information to enable you to help your child learn.  There are additional resources required which are a necessity but a quick check on my local library website tells me that the majority of those books are available there.  There is an assumption that some Christian songs will be known and be used to reinforce ideas, however, they are not an essential part of any lesson.

There are many opportunities for 'going off on a tangent' too, for those of us who are more used to a less structured approach.  For instance, in Fearfully and Wonderfully Made  there is a small section about nursery rhymes, which could easily be developed into its own little topic, with discussing a wider variety of rhymes, learning how rhymes work, changing last lines to make new rhymes, illustrating rhymes etc. (Something which when my son was in school they managed to make last a full half-term!)  There is also a section about sheep, which just begs its own lap-book!

The author is Janice Ross and you can contact her  at schooloftheword@googlemail.com

The packs cost £25 for the teacher's book and £9 for the student's workbook, which can be photocopied if you are using the topic for more than one child within your family. 

If you are just starting out and concerned about what you should be teaching you will find these packs excellent.  If you want to keep in touch with National Curriculum guidelines they are also a very good resource and for the price, a good deal cheaper than other curriculum available.

These packs have been endorsed by Julia Morgan of the King's School Oxford who has highly recommended them, as has an Assistant Director of Education in Highland Region.  

Janice has also just finished a book of ten short stories for 5-7 year olds. Each story includes a range of activities to do across three days including designing and making, talking and listening, recording and comprehension. Friday is a Fun Day, Monday a Meaning Day and Thursday a Thinking Day.  I haven't seen this yet, but judging by the quality of the packs I have seen it will be well worth a look.

Sarah

   If you think of Cyndi over at Knowledge Box Central, please pray for her this week. She is undergoing some nasty sounding surgery on her stomach on Wednesday. Though she says she is looking forward to the 'vacation' of having a few days in hospital afterwards with no work and no family to worry about!

   She has decided to have a major sale on ebooks while she is off her feet in the hopes that her dear hubby can keep up with the ebook sales better than he could with an ton of printed material sales this week. So she is offering 40% off all ebooks this week! Whoo Hoo!! Here are the details - be sure to check it out and grab a bargain!

   I know I mentioned several months ago that The Schoolhouse Store is selling ebooks, but they now have hundreds of them!! AND they are having an AMAZING sale right now with 50% off tons of them! I'll post the details of the sale with all the links below. Be sure to hop over and snap up a bargain!

50%+ off Sale on eBooks at The Schoolhouse Store!

For the month of August, the Schoolhouse Store has select E-Books at 50% off. They're excited to have over 70 E-Books on sale for at least 50% off! It's a great time to find some handy resources for your homeschool and give E-Books a try!

You can purchase the Inventors and Holidays Combo pack - regularly $15.90 - for only $3.97 during this sale! 

Check out these incredible TOS Gold Medal Deals!

50% Off Fiesta of Freebies - Regularly $3.00 - Sale price - $1.50
50% Off 3 E-Book Homeschool Combo Pack - Regularly $24.95 - Sale price $12.48
50% Off Secrets of Successful Homeschooling - Regularly $12.45 - Sale price $6.23

Check out even more Specials ... 86 items on sale just for YOU!! These deals are only available for another 12 days, so grab them while you can!

   I've read tons of emails, blogs, and websites lately from the states listing all the fabulous 'Back to School' offers available at the various stores.

   I know. You're thinking 'She has lost the plot this time! We aren't sending our kids back to school!' Bear with me here, OK?

   I know we don't need rucksacks and lunch boxes or school uniforms, but we can pick up some real bargains at this time of year.

• For one thing I buy some school trousers for the boys for Sunday or best clothes, along with a couple of collared shirts and jumpers.
• The schools sweatshirts are cheap as chips this time of year and they are great for kids to decorate themselves!
• We have some families in our home ed group who buys a school uniform for their family for when we go on home ed outings. It makes the kids feel like they are on a 'real' school trip. I know this isn't every families way of doing things, but it works for some.
• It is a good time to get a nice modest one piece swimsuit reasonably priced for your kids too. The ones for school use are nice and plain.
• Also a good time to stock up on nice simple undies and socks. At Christmas it will be all the character ones at three times the price as the plain ones for back to school right now!
• When the sales get really crazy I usually pick up a bunch of pencil cases as they are great for storing all sorts of small things. I recently used one for all the hair clips and ribbons belonging to one of our foster daughters.

This time of year you can get lots of standard supplies at really silly prices! So stock up and save for the whole year.

• I buy glue sticks by the packs of 10 or 12 for just a pound in Asda (smartprice ones). I buy two or three packs and they last us the whole year even with our childminding! Much cheaper than paying a pound for one in the middle of the year when we run out!
• Pencils come in industrial size packs this time of year, so now is the time to stock up on plenty for all those maths lessons!  Also large packs of pens in all sorts of colours and highlighters too.
• Notebooks and paper pads are really cheap at the moment. So now is the time to get loads of paper in.
• Erasers are being sold in packs of 10 for a pound right now. And these are the cute character shape ones that go on the end of your pencils too! (I also get a bunch of these for using in party bags for my sons birthday party in October. In fact I buy alot of his party bag fillers in the back to school sales!)
• Boxes of crayons and packs of felt tips are another good stock up item. I got several small boxes of chunky crayons with Disney Princesses, Winnie the Pooh and Cars the movie on them at 30 pence each on a clearance shelf! Great for presents or just a small treat now and then. And you can't beat the price!
• If you need a new stapler, whole punch, or pencil sharpener - now is the time to buy it! They are everywhere and in every colour and style imaginable. And while you are at it stock up on the staples, paper clips, push pins and paper fasteners too - they will cost you twice as much in a couple months time.
• I got clipboards this past week in Asda for £1 each. A couple of months ago I was looking for some and they were starting at £2.99 each!

The best stores I've seen sales in are as follows

• All the major grocery stores. I usually shop in Asda, so I know more of their sale than others, but I tend to pop in the other places this time of year just to pick up a bargain or two. Trust me it is worth the trip. And I don't mean drive 20 miles to your nearest Sainsburies either - I just mean if you are driving by, stop in and check the back to schools stuff out while you are in the area.
• WH Smiths is usually quite expensive, but also usually quite good quality that last longer too! At the moment they have some 75% off sales that make things very reasonable. Well worth checking out. I got an organizer/ring binder in there last week. It has a two ring notebook in it, a pad of lined paper, a filing section, pen holder and zip pouch in it and it zips closed with a handle on the spine for carrying it around. Very cool! It was supposed to be £16.99 and I got it for £4.24!!!! Needless to say I picked up two at that price and still spent half of what I would have had to pay for one.
• Check out all the stationary shops like Staples, Rymans and Partners. They always have a special back to school section with great prices.
• Bargain stores if you have any near you are great too. Places like Home Bargains, Scrooges, Poundland and others sometimes have rubbish supplies, but other times have real quality supplies at bargain prices.

I hope you find this information useful as you get ready for another great year Home Educating or as you seek to start off down the Home education road! If I come across any other great bargains I'll add them to the blog with an update so watch this space!

   There is a new Yahoo group for the UK called 'Free Home Educating Materials'. It is a yahoo group for posting Home educating materials that you want to give away and where people can find free materials.

   It is similar to a Freecycle group just for home educating materials. You post things on offer, you contact the person to ask for the things, and you can post for things that you are looking for.

   You have to sign up for the group, but it is basically open to all UK home educators. Be sure to check it out and find a bargain, or list your stuff on there and bless someone else.

   Just to remind people about the new TOS (The Old Schoolhouse) Magazine! They have brought out a digital version of the magazine that is delivered right to your inbox!! No more waiting for weeks for it to arrive from America. No more costly subscriptions. Here are the details below and I've read one myself and it is really cool! You click on and turn real pages online just as if it was a 'real' magazine. The other really cool thing is that all the ads and links in articles are 'clickable' (is that a real word?) so that you can click right on them and go to follow the link! How cool is that?? Be sure to check it out!

   TOS has produced a new homeschool planner and it is available in digital format so it means no shipping for us. It is also somewhat customisable so you can adjust some of the wording I think to make it a bit more UK friendly! Here are the details, and there is a free sample of pages so you can check some of them out a bit closer!

We are so excited to announce that our much-anticipated Schoolhouse Planner is READY!

The Schoolhouse Planner has so many wonderful features. You told us what you wanted in a planner, and we have delivered!

Some of the main features include:

• Calendars in various forms - yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily

• Planners for your homeschool - in various styles to meet your individual needs

• Household planning forms

• 12 "homeschool must-know" items, one for each month of the year

• 12 essays from some of our favorite authors in the homeschool community - you absolutely won't want to miss these!

• 24 easy main-dish recipes from some top homeschoolers around the nation

• and so much more!

 

PLUS, the Schoolhouse Planner is interactive! You can type right into the pdf! If you have Adobe Acrobat, you'll be able to save the changes you make. (Note: If you only have Adobe Reader, you can type in your planner information, print it, but will not be able to save these changes.)

Don't forget, monthly planner add-ons are available for purchase every month. We already have some great holiday related information ready for July's planner supplement!

We're there with you each month to make your home and school planning as easy and fun as possible throughout the year!

Have a friend who likes an organized home and school? Let them know about the Schoolhouse Planner.

________________

We want to say a very special "thank you" to those of you who pre-purchased the planner. 

 

If you pre-ordered the TOS Planner, you will receive download instructions within the next 48 hours. Watch your inbox! If you haven't ordered your Shoolhouse Planner, now is the time to order your copy. The new school year is quickly approaching!

ORDER HERE!

   This sale is good for two weeks though so plenty of time to grab a bargain! Here is the scoop.

You are invited to 2 weeks of summer fun and savings at CurrClick's Back to the Beach Sale! From June 16th through June 30th, you'll find a huge selection of discounted summertime titles to choose from. Discounts up to 75% OFF! From beaches to The Beatles to biomes, from novel studies to dream diaries, you'll get unbeatable discounts on books and audio, sure to entertain and educate all through the summer - whether you're at the beach or in your own back yard!

 As always could I ask you to consider using my affiliate links to go and make your purchases at Currclick please? It costs no more for you, and I will get a percentage of your sales to use in purchasing my own families curriculum. You can click on either the banner at the top of the page or the square box in the right sidebar. Thank you kindly!!

   A good friend of mine in the states (Texas to be presise!) has developed a great homeschool planner that is available as as ebook. So NO SHIPPING!!!!! Always a good thing living across an ocean.

   She has it for sale at a bargain price at the moment and is running a contest to win one. (hence the fact I'm posting this here and telling you all about it since I want to win one! ) Here are the details complete with pictures!

   I was just strolling around over at Currclick and found something wonderful!! It is from Westvon Publishing and is called the Master Planner!!

   I purchased this product in the states over a year ago and it cost me $20. Currclick is selling it for $15 and this week it is down to $9!!!! That makes it about £4.50 for us and of course no shipping and you can download it directly online.

   This is an amazing collection of hundreds of record keeping forms, lesson planning forms, certificates, rewards, coupons for kids, household forms and just about every other type of form for homeschooling you could ever think to make! It has some really cool reading acheivment charts where you can make lists of books for kids to read and when they do five of them they can get an award.

   There are so many useful and fun things in this set and it has several different ones for diffent style of homeschooling too. So there is something here for every one!