The 2009 Planner is bigger and better than ever. With more forms (over 40 ADDITIONAL forms will be included), 12 new essays from favorite homeschool authors, including Amanda Bennett, Dr. Jay L. Wile, and Tammy Duby, 12 new "Must-Know" lists, 24 new recipes, and more!

"What we want is--not the best thing that can be had at the lowest possible price--but a thing suitable for our purpose, at a price which we can afford to pay and know to be just." ~Charlotte Mason
 

Take a glimpse at some of the advantageous new pages featured in this complete home and school planner . . . 
 
Calendar Pages for 2009-2012—planning and scheduling just got so much easier!
 
24 Recipes—from Mexican Lasagna to Loaded BBQ Potato Casserole!
 
12 Articles (one for each monthly topic) from homeschooling's most well-known authors. Here are just a few . . .

• "American Government Basics" by Amanda Bennett
• "The Thirteen Colonies" by Michelle Miller
• "Weather" by Dr. Jay L. Wile, PhD
• "Lap Books: A Creative Road to Retention" by Tammy Duby

12 "Must-Know" Lists that correspond to the monthly topic/articles including these and more . . .

• Common Latin and Greek Roots 
• Letter Writing Tips
• Miracles and Parables
• Getting into College Check List
• The Planets—Basic Information to Know
• Emergency Preparedness
• Branches of Federal, State, and Local Governments
• Cloud Types

Alphabet Writing Charts for Copywork—Beautiful! Ready to print and use!

Green Cleaning Recipes—from Lisa Barthuly. 
 
TOS Resource Lists—A huge inventory of ideas to include in your studies, corresponding to each monthly topic.

With over 40, ALL-NEW Forms—You'll find just what you need and more with so much to choose from . . .
 

For Home
     - Address Book 
     - Website Login/Password
     - Home Repair Projects Worksheet
     - Christmas Card List
     - Car Maintenance Schedule
     - Party/Celebration Planning
     - To-Do List/Appointment Schedule
     - Emergency Medical Info Sheet
     - Grocery List
     - Seasonal Cleaning Checklist

For School
     - Book Reports
     - Journal Pages
     - Assignment Sheet with Due Dates
     - Report Card Template
     - Decorated Bible Study Note Pages
     -Video/Library Due Date Sheet
     - Preschool Planning Form
     - Homeschool Wish List
     - Weekly Schedule Form
     - Transcript Template
     - Inventory Book Log
     - Attendance Form
     - 4 Co-op Planning Sheets
     - Preschool Activity Box and Need-to-Learn List
     - Weekly and Daily Schedule Charts for 2-5 Kids
     - Community Service Recording Form

 

Supplemental monthly modules will be available for purchase to enhance your use of the planner and incorporate them into your studies. Make learning come alive for your children with these all-new, interactive units! The 2009 Planner modules will incorporate lapbooking activities.

Being organized is a priority for your home and school. The 2009-2010 Schoolhouse Planner will make a monumental difference for you as a homemaker and homeschool mom in the busy months and years to come! The support and encouragement you'll receive are amazing!
 
 
Now is the time to "Plan Your Best Year Ever!"

Looks great, huh?  But don't take MY word for it.  The NEW Homeschool Crew will share their thoughts on The Schoolhouse Planner.  Click through the links to see what they have to say.

Crew - please sign the Mr. Linky below with a DIRECT LINK to your Schoolhouse Planner Review post.  Thank you!

Earlier this year, the Crew reviewed StoryBuilders by WriteShop.  Now, several Crew members have received the newest book available from WriteShop - WriteShop Primary, Book A. 

Book A is the first in what will be a series of 3 WriteShop Primary books (books B & C are coming soon!)  This series is written by Nancy I. Sanders, and is appropriate for children in grades K-3.

WriteShop Primary teaches the skills of the writing process at the very simplest level through activities, crafts, and picture books. It accommodates pre-writers as well as beginning and developing writers, so your youngster needs no previous reading or writing experience. Slowly and gently, the child is asked to help with the actual writing, first in simple words and later, through copywork. And by turning these stories into a little craft, he will have a project to proudly share with others.

Several schedules help you plan according to your child’s grade or skill level. Lessons are divided into eight Activity Sets to thoroughly cover a topic without hurrying the child. Examples abound to make teaching oh, so easy for you!

Each Activity Set includes Guided Writing Practice.  Activity Sets 2-8 also include a key activity or project.

Some Crew members will be reviewing the print version of this book, others will be reviewing the e-book version.  Check here to see their reviews:

 

 

TruthQuest History is a homeschool curriculum product that I have heard about many times but never had a chance to see until serving on the Crew this year.  I was excited to see this one, as I'm a huge history lover. I have really enjoyed teaching history since we've started homeschooling - history has just come to life in our home, and I'm excited about the great products that are available to us as homeschoolers. 

TruthQuest is one such vendor. Their website explains it best: "TruthQuest History is a deep and rich literature-based history study…but with a difference. You will not learn the story of mankind; you will learn the lovestory of mankind. You will not focus on the rise and fall of human civilizations; you will focus on the arrow-straight line of God's unchanging existence, power, love, truth, and plan for civilization. You will not simply 'meet the culture' or 'get the facts;' you will probe the truths of history so deeply that your students will be equipped to change their world! Why? Because mankind is not the prime force in the universe ...God is. He initiates; we respond. History, therefore, is not first about what people do. It is first about what God does and says, and secondly about what people believe and do in response." This is the basis of TruthQuest.

Our Crew members were each allowed to select which level and volume they were interested in receiving to review.  Here are the various levels/volumes available from TruthQuest:

Level 1 (best for grades 1-5) - American History
Vol. I ~ Exploration - 1800
Vol. II ~ 1800-1865
Vol. III ~ 1865-2000

Level 2 (designed for grades 5-12)
American Egypt/Ancient Greece
Ancient Rome
Middle Ages
Renaissance Reformation Exploration
Age of Revolution I
Age of Revolution II
Age of Revolution III

Here is what the Crew has to say:

Because I tend to be a perfectionist when it comes to anything to do with schoolwork or paperwork, handwriting is something that is very important to me.  Neither of my girls have what I would consider to be nice handwriting, so I was anxious to receive some products from Barchowsky Fluent Handwriting, and set to work trying to improve their writing skills. 

When I received my package, I was immediately impressed by the beautiful handwriting on the package!  Would it be possible for my children to learn to write this neatly?!  One can only hope!

Here are some of the variety of products offered by Barchowsky:

Beginners' Handwriting develops gross motor skills. It introduces children to the rhythmic movement they need for a lifetime of easy, legible handwriting.

Twenty-eight, reusable, large sheets (11 x 17 inches, or 28 x 43 centimeters) come with a Teacher's Guide. Place the sheets on an easel for maximum eye-hand coordination, or tack them to a wall. Trace and copy patterns and letters. Most sheets have simple, warmup patterns to assist lowercase letter formation. Two sheets introduce capital formations.

Let children love to learn with the pre-writing activities in the Teacher's Guide. And yes, there are ample suggestions for using each sheet, and for teaching both right and left-handers.

FIX IT...WRITE is for the older student or adult who needs help with legibility and/or speed.

The format is hole-punched, loose-leaf sheets with instructions, lessons and lined sheets for practice. Users are encouraged to put the sheets in a ring binder; then add all practice to that binder. Date each practice page. After a couple of weeks, review your work. You will be amazed at your progress, and motivated to continue.

Fix It...Write is in two sections. The first is for students who primarily use print-script, and need to make letters flow with legibility and speed. The other is for students who prefer conventional cursive, and have the same need for improved handwriting.

If you are looking for a beginner's handwriting course, or would like to see improvement in your child's handwriting (or even your OWN), I'd recommend checking out Barchowsky Fluent Handwriting. Seven of our Crew members received products from Barchowsky, and will be sharing their reviews with you here:

Have you seen the action figures by Schleich?  I have not, but I've been listening to the rumblings of the Crew; and, according to them, these action figures are something to be seen ... and played with ... and displayed ... and collected ...