May. 16, 2008
Narnia and Prince Caspian Resources
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Celebrate the release of the Prince Caspian movie with a visit to the Schoolhouse Store! We have everything your family needs to enjoy the movie both before and after your visit to the theatre.
There are many lessons to be learned from C.S. Lewis and his entertaining Narnia series. Our selection of Narnia resources will make it easy for you to incorporate fun, educational activities with the newly released Prince Caspian movie.
Plus, check out the new Schoolhouse Planner from TOS (see the side bar for details). It will definitely help you organize your home and school. Perfect for planning your summer and the upcoming school year.
Grab some popcorn, a cool drink, and visit the Schoolhouse Store. And remember, shipping is always FREE!
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Shop the Schoolhouse Store for Narnia products and all your curriculum needs!
Don't Miss Our Upcoming Summer Issue!
- Ten reasons to homeschool your special needs child
- Homeschool Pioneers: Charlotte Mason and Susan Schaeffer Macaulay
- Staying close to our Shepherd and following His voice as we homeschool
- What's the fuss over intelligent design?
- Nature walks
- Outdoor play: its impact on indoor learning
- Homeschooling the gifted child
- Changing theories of history
- Homeschooling families and adoption
- Instill a love for reading in your child
- An interview with Norm Wakefield
- The science of flight
- And much more!
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Plan Your Busy Life with Our New
Schoolhouse Planner!
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Calendars in various forms - yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily
Lists of holidays and places to record special days in your family
Planners for your homeschool - in various styles to meet your individual needs
Pages for both long-term and short-term homeschooling goals
Curriculum planning forms
Evaluation forms and test score recording sheets
A through-the-Bible in a (school) year schedule
Forms for recording Bible memory and other memory work
Logs for recording books read, movies and documentaries
viewed, etc.
A field trip planning form and recording log
A sample science lab sheet and nature study sheets
A place to record extracurricular activities,
outside classes, co-op, and support group information and recording sheets
Household planning forms
Daily, weekly, and monthly household schedule charts
Grocery, menu-planning, and food logs
Various budget and financial planning forms
Garden planning sheets
An appliance and electronics inventory sheet
Vacation planning ideas
Address and telephone records
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 Prince Caspian: Living for Christ
E-Book from Brandenburg Studies
With the upcoming movie release of Prince Caspian, this unit study gives you the opportunity to go through the novel, gleaning its great spiritual truths. This unit study includes the following:
- Chapter Summaries
- Memory Verses for each chapter
- Vocabulary/Spelling with each Chapter Worksheets, Writing Assignments,Word Search, & Crossword Puzzles
- Coloring page section
The unit is excellent for use in school, home or Sunday School.
A wonderful way to present spiritual truths!
Click here to view more information about this product.
Also available on CD! Click here.
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 A Study of Prince Caspian
Project Pack
From In the Hands of a Child
The story of Prince Caspian takes C.S. Lewis readers back to Narnia, where a prince fights to regain his right to the throne and restore Narnia to its old splendor. Your student can complete a lapbook on this extraordinary story with the Narnia Chronicles: A Study of Prince Caspian Project Pack from In the Hands of a Child. This 88-page pack includes a 16-page Research Guide with a brief biography of C.S. Lewis, a summary of the story, Prince Caspian, an introduction to the characters of the story, and a chapter-by-chapter account of the story, related scriptures, and Christian messages from each chapter. In addition, there are 25 hands-on activities to guide you and your student through each exciting chapter. Those who wish to study the Christian approach will find additional activities to explore.
Grade Level: 3+
Click here for more details on this product.
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 Literary Lessons from The Lord of the Rings
Homescholar Books
If your family is enjoying a Narnia study, why not follow-up with The Lord of the Rings?
This is a complete one year literature program designed for grades 7-12, this easy-to-use program covers the Lord of the Rings and introduces the ancient epics, Beowulf, linguistics, poetry scansion, the stories of King Arthur and more. Also covers 600 vocabulary words and 130 literary terms. Student and Teacher's Edition, tests, quizzes, answer keys, and writing assignments included. Everything you need!
Click here for more details on this product.
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 Narnia Project Pack
From In the Hands of a Child
Let us help you and your students discover The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. Based on the original novel by C.S. Lewis and opening as a major motion picture, now is the time to study the wonderful adventures of the Pevensie children! There are 10 hands on activities that will guide you and your students through each exciting chapter. In addition, those who wish to study the Christian approach to the book will find additional activities to explore.
Click here for more details on this product.
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 Visual Manna's Art Adventures in Narnia
By Visual Manna
Art Adventures in Narnia is jammed packed with 55 art lessons that are inspired by the wonderful world of the fantasy stories, including those by C. S. Lewis and J.R. Tolkien. It contains lessons on how to draw lions for older and younger children, the talking trees, castles, thrones, fantasy creatures and much much more. Web sites that take you to master works of art are also included in the lessons. An example would be studying The Room by Matisse, examining the use of patterns, and drawing a room inside the professor's house which teaches one point perspective. We also have several lessons on knights and ancient weapons. Projects are for younger and older children.
Click here for more details on this product.
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 Narnia: C.S. Lewis and His World
Kregel Publications
"Once there were four children whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy." C. S. Lewis fans everywhere know that this famous line leads children and adults alike into the land of Narnia, a place where a wardrobe leads to a fantasy land and beavers become your protectors.
What made C. S. Lewis such a renowned children's author? Was it his ability to mold fantasy worlds so complex that it took a series to explain it all? Or was it his love of children's books even as an adult? This book will engage readers as it details the timeless Narnia series, fantasy literature in general, C. S. Lewis's life, and much more.
Click here for more details on this product.
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E-Book: Prince Caspian: A Literature Guide Unit Study
From The Highlights of Homeschooling
This unit format divides the book up into 10 or fewer lessons. Each lesson covers 1-4 chapters of the book. After reading the chapters indicated, the student will do daily work in: vocabulary (dictionary, defining and sentence writing), literature elements (main character, setting, problems, solutions, and character traits) key events, prediction, comparison, fact and opinion, the 5 W's, sequence of events, multiple choice, and true or false. There are daily handwriting prompts, daily journaling as if you are the main character, daily writing forms (such as mystery, point of view etc.), daily poster board activity, daily creative writing, daily making literature fun, and daily create a newspaper.
Do it all or pick and choose those activities you want to do. There is enough to keep your student very busy!
Click here for more details on this product.
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 Narnia Chronicles: The Magician's Nephew
Project Pack
By In the Hands of a Child
Let us help you and your students discover The Magician's Nephew. In this 101-page Project Pack from In the Hands of a Child, you will find a 17-page Research Guide that includes a brief biography of C.S. Lewis, a summary of the story, The Magician's Nephew, and introduction to the characters of the story, a chapter by chapter account of the story, related scripture, and the Christian message from each chapter. In addition, there are 20 hands-on activities to guide you and your student through each exciting chapter. Those who wish to study the Christian approach to the book will find additional activities to explore.
Click here for more details on this product. |
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May. 14, 2008
Children's Bookshop & Teaching Supplies Upcoming Events: Kent, Burien, Lynnwood, WA
Upcoming Events at the Following Stores:
In the Kent Store – May 17th @1pm: Suzanne Williams will read from her new series, Fairy Blossoms. May 31st @1pm: Laura McGee Kvasnosky will read her new book, Really Truly Bingo. June 7th @1pm: Preschool Story Time. Learn More
In the Lynnwood Store – May 31st @1pm: Summer Reading Forum. Learn More
Visit http://www.childrensbookshop.com/OrderForm to download an order form, and for more details on orders.
Children's Loves to Ship Orders, Place an Order Today by Phone
or Fax!
From: "Children's Bookshop & Teaching Supplies" Info@childrens-bookshop.com
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May. 14, 2008
Ships, Sailors and Sounds of the Sea - Celebrating Washington’s Maritime History, Tacoma, WA
Ships, Sailors and Sounds of the Sea -
Celebrating Washington’s Maritime History
Saturday, June 14, 2008 @ 11 AM
Set sail to the Washington State History Museum for Ships,
Sailors and Sounds of the Sea, a special family program celebrating
Washington’s maritime history. Come and meet two local authors as
they present stories and images from books they have written about
ships and the sea. Chuck Fowler is the author of “Tall Ships on Puget Sound,”
which tells the history of the tall sailing ships that came to the Pacific Northwest
beginning in the mid-1700s. Children’s book author Deb Lund wrote “Dinosailors,”
about the funny adventures of a crew of novice dinosailors who launch on an
oceanic journey, only to find that something even better waits for them back home.
Catch a performance of the Whidbey Island singing group, The Shifty Sailors,
who inspired the book “Dinosailors.” They will perform a selection of the traditional
and fun sea shanties sung by sailors at sea. The group has released four CDs,
including “H is for aHoy.”
This program is FREE with museum admission.
Program Schedule
11 AM - Noon Author Chuck Fowler talks about Tall Ships on Puget Sound
Mount Tahoma Auditorium
Noon - 12:30 PM Book signing: Chuck Fowler
Mount Tahoma Auditorium Lobby
1 PM – 2 PM Book Reading and Program by children’s author Deb Lund
Mount Tahoma Auditorium
2 PM – 3 PM Musical performance by The Shifty Sailors
Mount Tahoma Auditorium
3 PM – 3:30 PM Book and CD signing: Deb Lund and The Shifty Sailors
Mount Tahoma Auditorium Lobby
Visitors to the History Museum on June 14 may also enjoy FREE admission
to tour the sea scout ship Odyssey as it celebrates its 70th birthday.
It will be open for visitors from 1 to 5 PM; location pending.
For more information, visit www.sssodyssey.org.
Abigail Azote
Public Relations Coordinator
Washington State History Museum
Washington State Historical Society
T. 253/798-5877
F. 253/272-9518
aazote@wshs.wa.gov
WashingtonHistory.org
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May. 13, 2008
Win a Circle C Book! Vote for Book #4's Cover!
Mosey on over to the Circle C Ranch Site and vote for your favorite book cover.
This cover will be on Susan Marlow's newest book
Andrea Carter and the San Francisco Smugglers.
Mrs. Marlow writes wholesome books for kids.
By voting for your favorite cover, you enter the contest
for a free copy of her newest book.
Contest ends June 1st.
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CircleCRanch
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May. 12, 2008
A Guide to Preschool Education "Are Parents Really Necessary?"
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By Amelia Harper
A couple of years ago, in my role as a local journalist I was asked to cover a luncheon. The luncheon was held to laud the efforts of preschool educators and to raise awareness for more funding for federal Head Start programs geared to instruct children aged three to four. For nearly two hours, the speeches droned on: speeches from local educators, from policy makers, and from the wife of the governor of our great state. For nearly two hours, they discussed various issues regarding the health, education, welfare, and success of our tiniest scholars. Then I noticed a remarkable thing: the word parents had barely been mentioned.
This got me to thinking, "Are parents really necessary?" If I were a disinterested observer at the meeting, I would certainly conclude that they are not. I would conclude that the government alone had the responsibility to provide for the future of its citizens and that parents were simply accidental providers of a human commodity: the youth of our nation. In fact, from the tone of the speeches, I would conclude that parents were often obstacles to a child's education and that his greatest chance for success was to be removed from the home as soon as possible and placed in the state's more nurturing bosom.
Certainly, the National Education Association (NEA) must feel that way. In a report titled "Taking Steps Toward PK-3 Success,"1 the NEA outlines suggestions and strategies for improving educational outcomes for our children. In this fifteen-page report, parents are mentioned only once, and that is in the context of how we should provide full-day preschool programs because working parents would have a tough time dealing with part-time programs. The report encourages teachers to interact with policy makers, local businessmen, and other educators at all levels. Not once are teachers encouraged to interact with parents.
On its website (www.nea.org), the NEA outlines its goals regarding preschool education: goals that it encourages its members to push through at their local levels. The goals include the following objectives:
- "States should expand opportunities for three- and four-year old children to attend full-day, full-year Pre-K programs."2 This is also called "voluntary universal preschool."
- "All states should make kindergarten compulsory and require districts to offer it and require all five-year-old children to attend."3
- "States should require publicly funded pre-kindergarten teachers to have a four-year college degree and be certified in early childhood education."4
- "Public schools should be the primary provider of prekindergarten programs, and additional funding must be allocated to finance them in the same manner as K-12 schools."5
The report, "Taking Steps Toward PK-3 Success," concludes with this statement: "Where state statutes and laws prevent it, change must be initiated by taking steps to revise the regulations and requirements. Policymakers, school districts, and educators have the ability to improve children's educational experiences through policies and regulations that improve teachers' job quality." 6 Once again, parents are left completely out of the equation.
It is not hard to see how the policies cited above would benefit teachers and the NEA, but does it necessarily follow that these policies are in the best interests of our children?
 Many parents must think so. Today more than half of four-year-olds and more than a third of three-year-olds are in preschool programs. In families with greater incomes, the numbers are even higher. According to statistics supplied by the National Center for Education in 1996, families making more than $50,000 a year had more than 75% of four-year-olds and 55% of three-year-olds enrolled in preschool.7
"There is a big push for universal preschool. I think we will have it eventually," explained Denise Kanter. Denise is a homeschool mom who hosts a website that promotes the benefits of preschooling at home (www.preschoolingathome.org), and she conducts research related to this issue. "The [prevailing] philosophy is that if you want your kids to be smarter, get them in school as early as you can. However, the evidence does not support this."
Many people have bought into this philosophy and the preschool myths promoted by the NEA and their ilk. However, when you examine the issues closely, you find that the very statistics they quote are suspect and their motives may be less than pure.
Myth #1: Universal preschool programs for children aged three and four are necessary for success in school and in life and will save taxpayers money down the line.
The basis for this myth comes from an often cited and little understood forty-year-old study called The High/Scope Perry Preschool Project.8 In this project, conducted from 1962 to 1967, 123 low-income African American children were studied. Half were put in preschool programs at the ages of three and four and were given other extra educational help; the others were not. Throughout the next forty years (1962-2002), their lives were compared, and the preschooled students in the study were generally found to more often perform at grade level, earned more as adults (60% were earning more than $20,000 in their forties compared with 40% in the control group), had longer marriages, higher graduation rates, and lower amounts of time spent in prison. Throw in some "creative" mathematics (the NEA alleges that these students ultimately earned $2,000 more per month than the others,9 even though the study does not say that at all),10 and the result is a plan that looks as if it were actually saving the taxpayers money when they invest in preschool programs. Many politicians are completely snowed by this study. Even BusinessWeek quoted it to show what a great bargain preschool education is.
However, the problem with this study (other than the ridiculous conclusions drawn from so small a study) is that it is filled with flaws. First, the students had teachers who worked with them intensely at school and even came to their homes once a week to work with them (show me the preschool teacher who does that!). Of course, the intense attention and weekly home visits probably also impacted the parents' view of the importance of the child and his education, which was a likely factor. Also, according to the High/Scope Perry Preschool Project, at age five, 67% of the preschooled students had IQs of 90 or higher, compared to only 28% of the non-program group, causing one to wonder which group had the most intellectual potential to begin with. Next, the program cost $10,600 per child in 2005 dollars (according to BusinessWeek).11 It is hard to see how taxpayers can ever get that money back. Third, no one has ever been able to replicate these results, according to an article published by the Cato Institute.12
Other studies highlight another big hole in the preschool myth: its temporary nature. In an article titled "Preschool in the Nanny State," which was originally published in The Weekly Standard, the author, Darcy Ann Olsen, states: "The most comprehensive synthesis of Head Start impact studies to date was published in 1985 by the Department of Health and Human Services. It showed that by the time children enter the second grade, any cognitive, social, and emotional gains by Head Start children have vanished. By second grade, that is, the achievement scores, IQs, achievement-motivation scores, self-esteem, and social behavior scores of Head Start students are indistinguishable from those of their demographically comparable peers. The net gain to children and the taxpayers is zero."13
 However, newer studies indicate that the plight of the preschooler may be worse, at least for those from "better-off" families. A study conducted at UC Berkeley examined 14,000 kindergarteners across the nation to determine the overall effects of preschool. The study concluded that though preschoolers generally performed better at cognitive functions such as pre-reading and math, their behavioral problems increased. "The biggest eye-opener is that the suppression of social and emotional development, stemming from long hours in preschool, is felt most strongly by children from better-off families," commented Bruce Fuller, a UC Berkeley sociologist and co-author of the study titled "The Influence of Preschool Centers on Children's Development Nationwide: How Much Is Too Much?"14
"These negative social behaviors children are displaying are getting worse," explains Denise Kanter. "A child's success in life and academic performance hinges on their healthy social and emotional development. Young children need to be home bonding with mothers and fathers."
Myth #2: Children should be required to attend full-day kindergarten programs.
Okay, let's look past the whole issue of whether starting school earlier is of any lasting benefit and the issue of whether compulsory attendance laws are really such a good idea at all. Those are topics for another day. The point here is that people are being told that children age five not only need to attend school, but need to be there all day.
However, a recent 2006 study by the Rand Corporation highlighted a fact about all-day kindergarten that you probably have never heard mentioned. According to the study, "Attendance in a full-day kindergarten program had little effect on reading achievement but was negatively associated with mathematics achievement and the development of nonacademic school readiness skills."15
The study, titled School Readiness, Full-Day Kindergarten, and Student Achievement: An Empirical Investigation, went on to explain: "Children who participated in a full-day kindergarten program demonstrated lower levels of nonacademic readiness skills through the fifth grade, including poorer dispositions toward learning, lower self-control, and worse interpersonal skills than children in part-day programs. Children in full-day programs also showed a greater tendency to engage in externalizing and internalizing problem behaviors than did children in part-day programs."16
Most parents could tell you why this is: God did not make little children to sit still that long. They are just not emotionally developed at that point. Before I had kids, I used to teach a multi-grade classroom of students who were in first, second, and third grades. The difference in emotional development between the first- and second-graders was amazing. The first-graders were much more sensitive, active, and emotionally needy. That is why they need parents more than ever in those tender years. When I had preschool-aged kids of my own, I knew that preschool and kindergarten would be futile for my active sons. At least three of them would have been labeled as "problem children" and given medication within the first month, for two were perpetual talkers and one was a wriggler. Maybe that is why one out of eight children in the U.S. today is now on Ritalin.17
Myth #3: You need a degree to teach preschoolers.
This is another myth propagated by the NEA which, according to their website, has roughly 2.3 million members. And they want more members. Their preschool plan holds up Connecticut as an example: "Associations such as the Connecticut Education Association are working to ensure that new Pre-K programs in their state will employ teachers that hold bachelor's degrees and who are eligible for NEA membership."18 Degreed and certified professionals can demand higher pay, and higher pay for teachers is one thing the NEA is focused on.
 Included in this article (See the full article in the Spring issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine.) is a sidebar of ten good things to teach your preschooler. As you look it over, you will see that it is not rocket science. If you cannot teach a child to recognize colors or count to 10, you have bigger problems to worry about. No homeschooling requires a degree if you have the right resources, and preschool education is the easiest (and most delightful) area to teach. Think about it: If a big yellow bird can teach preschoolers on television, you should be able to handle your crew at home!
Myth #4: Public schools should be the primary providers of preschool education.
Of course, this myth falls in line with the general notion that public school should be the primary provider of all education. The public schools do such a great job, right?
Recent findings of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study19 indicated that twelfth-grade U.S. students placed nineteenth out of twenty-one countries in math and sixteenth out of twenty-one countries in science. Study after study indicates the failure of our public sch
ool system, yet they want us to turn our tiniest scholars over to them when they are barely out of diapers.
The truth is that homeschoolers tend to outperform public school students in all areas of academic success. Several studies show that while the average achievement test scores for public school students is the fiftieth percentile, homeschoolers average in the eightieth.20
Additionally, many studies indicate that parents are the biggest factor in academic success, particularly at the early ages. A 1999 study by Parker, Boak, Griffin, Ripple, and Peay21 examined the way that parent-child relationships affect school readiness. According to a report titled "Supporting Young Children as They Enter School," this study concluded: "Main findings were that children have better school readiness outcomes when parents spent more time helping them at home. Parents that had a better understanding of the importance of play in child development also contributed to better cognitive outcomes for children."22 Fortunately, homeschooling is the ultimate in parental involvement.
If you are not certain that you want to homeschool, preschool can be a great place to start. Children are natural learners, and you will soon discover the incredible joy of being the one who guides them into knowledge. Many people who "try" homeschooling in the preschool and kindergarten years become committed, long-term home educators. Parents are necessary to preschool education. In fact, you are the most important part.
If you enjoyed this article, you won't want to miss the rest of our Spring issue! Subscribe NOW and select our One Year + Spring offer!
An even BETTER deal is our 2 Year + Spring offer!
Shop for preschool and early learning resources at the Schoolhouse Store, where shipping is ALWAYS FREE!
Amelia Harper is a homeschooling mother of five and pastor's wife. She is the author of Literary Lessons from the Lord of the Rings, a complete one-year literature curriculum for secondary level students. She is also a freelance writer for newspapers and magazines. http://www.homescholarbooks.com. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/MiddleEarthMom
Copyright 2008 The Old Schoolhouse Magazine®. Originally appeared in Spring 2008. Used with permission.
Footnotes:
1.
accessed March 24, 2008.
2. Ibid, p. 7.
3. Ibid, p. 7.
4. Ibid, p. 9.
5. accessed
March 24, 2008.
6. , p.15, accessed March 24, 2008.
7. ,
p. 1, accessed March 24, 2008.
8. accessed March 24, 2008.
9. accessed March 24, 2008.
10. accessed March 24, 2008.
11. accessed March 24, 2008.
12. accessed March 24, 2008.
13. Ibid.
14. accessed March 24, 2008.
15. accessed March 24, 2008.
16. Ibid.
17. accessed March 24, 2008.
18. , p. 9, accessed March 24, 2008.
19. accessed March 24, 2008.
20. accessed March 24, 2008.
21. accessed March 24, 2008.
22. Ibid.
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May. 10, 2008
Warning on Government School-at-Home Programs/Virtual Schools, From Christian Homeschool Network
Warning on Government School-at-Home Programs/Virtual Schools
May 2008
Over the next several months some government school-at-home programs will be offering informational meetings all across the state. This e-alert is a brief reminder of the dangers of these programs.
Due to the passage of the virtual school law in 2005, many virtual schools now operate in Washington State. Many claim to be home-based, homeschooling, or h | |
