A while back, Jimmie introduced me to Squidoo and I love it. Building lenses on Squidoo is a great way to organize information and resources so you can keep track of everything  without filling your computer memory with zillions of bookmarks. And they even pay you a little something for doing it!

Check out some of the lenses I've created, then build one of your own:

Notebooking 

"Notebooking" is a term used to describe the process of creating a written and illustrated record of learning. Unlike other methods of education which are based on cosumable workbooks and texts, notebooking produces a journal of past educational adventures, which can be added to whenever additional learning takes place. Notebooks are a great way to review information and are an excellent way to share your learning experience with others.

What To Do With Lapbook Scraps

Although lapbooking is a great educational tool, it does create an abundance of scrap paper waste. This is a major turn off for some who are considering this method of education, and a source of guilt for many avid lapbookers.

But good stewardship and lapbooking can go hand in hand. There are many ways to recycle lapbook scraps, and some are as fun and educational as the lapbooking itself. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

You may also want to check out the Notebooks and Lapbooks Group  for more great notebooking and lapbooking lenses.

Sewing Lapbook

This lens provides ideas for completing a lapbook on the topic of "sewing." It's not anything fancy, but hopfully it will provide you with a few ideas. I will be adding to it as I think of additional topics to include.

Books For Girls

In an effort to help our daughters prepare for their futures, my husband and I began a hopechest for each of them at birth. This is a collection of high quality household tools as well as precious heirlooms.

Along the same lines, we have also begun a library for each of them by purchasing the highest quality books we can find- some newly published and some which are old favorites. We hope that by reading these books, both now and in the future, our daughters will develop the skills needed to be sucessful women- wives, mothers, and homemakers. Take a peek at our girls' bookshelf.

Table Manners

As the party guests gather around the table and begin gorging themselves, your glance shifts to the man seated across form you. His impeccable table manners add pleasure to your meal. Noticing your stare, he politely asks if you are enjoying your meal. Replying with an empathetic "Yes!", you shower him with food particles. After a scene like this, you may feel like giving up and becoming a hermit. But, there is still hope! Proper table etiquette is easy to learn and will save you from future embarassment.

Teatime Treats

Teatime is once again gaining popularity as many young mothers seek to establish this tradition with their children. Ofcouse, the sweetest part of these times together is the memories made, but here are a few recipes for some other sweet things you can serve with your tea.

Bringing The World To Your Living Room

So, you've made the decision to do a geography unit study. You've finally let go of your boring (but safe!) textbooks and made a trip to the library. But now what? Just follow these easy steps and soon you will find yourself touring the world from the comfort of your own home.

Creating Geography Treasure Boxes

Continent Boxes are sort of like treasure boxes- one for each continent- which contain maps, books, and artifacts from the countries on that continent. You can buy or create things specifically for your continent boxes, or you can do a "scavenger hunt" around the house to see what objects you can come up with.

Country Unit Studies

I've also mead some unit study lenses for different countries. These have ideas for crafts and for notebooking or lapbooking.

 China Unit Study

Mexico Unit Study

Japan Unit Study

Native American Crafts and Ideas

This is a list of projects and ideas that I will be using with my children as we study the Native Indian tribes of North America.

How To Teach Your Three or Four Year Old To Read

Teaching your child to read can be one of the most enjoyable things you will ever do. Preschool aged children are eager to learn and have an amazing capacity to absorb information. The key is to keep it simple and keep it fun. Do a little each day and maintain a relaxed environment.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

This simple book has been a favorite with generations of children. The simple, repeating text and bright, colorful illustrations are perfect for engaging young minds with short attention spans. However, this is more than just a storybook. The Very Hungry Caterpillar contains a wide variety of themes. So many, in fact, that this one simple book could be used as the basis of an entire preschool curriculum!

Making A Yearbook For Your Homeschool

At the end of third grade, my parents removed my sister and me from the private Christian school we had been attending and began home schooling. While I eventually grew to like being at home, I still to this day enjoy looking at my old school year books from the private school. I'm sure I would enjoy looking at my home school year books as well, but there aren't any. Nor are there any pictures. Not one single photo to prove that I ever attended school after the third grade. So, when I was paging through an old Teaching Home Magazine and read about the yearbooks someone else had done, I knew this was a tradition I was going to start.

Slime Science

Let's face it, most kids love to make a mess! And, yes, slime can be messy. But it is truely amazing how many different things you can learn about just by playing with this oohey gooey goop. Come on, admit it. The kids aren't the only ones having fun!

Holiday Freebies

There are tons of freebies available online. All it takes is a printer and some common art supplies to add some fun and educational activities to your holiday routine.