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Nov. 23, 2009
Free Advent Study - Advent Begins November 29th!
| Until last year, I hadn't ever celebrated Advent, and didn't even really know what it was. A few homeschoolers on The Homeschool Lounge had talked about Advent, and posted a link to a free Advent study, and I thought I would give it a try with my family. I'm so glad I did as we all enjoyed it! We will be starting our nightly Advent celebrations again this year, on November 29th. I have my free Advent study all downloaded and ready to go. You can download it too, at the Our Grace Journey blog. If you're like me and don't like doing fill-in-the-blank activities with your children, simply discuss things with your children instead. There are also colouring pages, scriptures to read, and of course the lighting of the candles, which my children particularly enjoy. We find it's a great way to get excited about and prepare for the coming of the Christ Child :) We also like to include some readings of other books and stories nightly - last year we read A Christmas Carol and a story from "What Really Happened in the Middle Ages" about who Good King Wenceslas really was. |
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Nov. 11, 2009
The Canadian War Experience - a resource
On Remembrance Day, you are probably, like me, teaching your children about our soldiers and the wars they have served in. There is a terrific resource on the internet, full of primary sources...
The Canadian Letters and Images Project is an online archive of the Canadian war experience, from any war, as told through the letters and images of Canadians themselves. It began in August 2000, located in the Department of History at Vancouver Island University. In November 2003 the Project was very pleased to bring in as partners the History Department at The University of Western Ontario. Students at Western will be working under the guidance of Dr. Jonathan Vance, Canada Research Chair in Conflict and Culture. This partnership between Malaspina and Western will ensure that more material can be made available to the public through the Project web site.
There is a short video about the project done by a student at Vancouver Island University currently available on YouTube. You can access the video by clicking on the the link here.
Each day, a letter is posted, matching today's date. On this date, November 11th, you will find a letter from 1918 detailing the celebration of the end of WWI in France. |
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Nov. 5, 2009
Sales, Sales, Homeschool Sales!
Hooray for Homeschool sales!
First a local, Atlantic Canada sale. Tree of Life in New Brunswick is having an in-stock sale - Tree of Life Book Service's Annual Inventory Reduction Sale! Each year they offer in stock items at a discounted rate during the last couple of months of the year. Take advantage of this to buy gift items and/or stock up on anticipated curriculum for the next academic year. Beginning November 1, 2009, all "in stock" items you order will qualify for 20% off. Other items may be ordered at the regular price. You can call 506-328-6781 or, If you are placing your order from the on-line storefront, please note that the prices on each item are the regular price. You will be contacted with an adjusted invoice to reflect the 20% and make the adjustment to your payment, and to see if you would like to make any substitutions.
And...Currclick is having a sale...
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Nov. 2, 2009
National Novel Writing Month
Nanowrimo is here again!
What is NaNoWriMo?
National Novel Writing Month happens every November!
The challenge is to write an entire novel in just 30 days. That means participants begin writing November 1 and must finish by midnight, November 30. The word-count goal for the adult program is 50,000 words, but the Young Writers Program allows participants who are 17 years old and younger to set reasonable, yet challenging, word-count goals.
All around the world, other National Novel Writing Month participants of all ages are going through the same joys and sorrows of producing the Great Frantic Novel. And everyone wins, you get a certificate of participation at the end of the 30 days, providing you've reached your word count.
In 2008, 119,000 adults participated through themain site, and 22,000 young writers participated through the Young Writers Program.
If you are 13 or older you can sign up on the main site at www.nanowrimo.org. Just know that you will have to write 50,000 words since the adult site doesn't allow you to set your own word-count goal. This is terrific, because you and your child can both write a novel and encourage each other all month long :)
If you are under 13, visit the How NaNoWriMo Works for Young Writers page! If you are an educator, visit the How NaNoWriMo Works for Educators page.
Happy Writing!
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Nov. 1, 2009
Welcome!
Welcome to the new Homeschooling in Nova Scotia blog. Previously I was blogging on the Homeschool Nations site for Nova Scotia, but TOS has decided to close down Homeschool Nations. So, I have been busy transferring all my blog posts from the old site to this new one. I will continue to provide homeschool information, events, links, and reviews from our beautiful province of Nova Scotia! Enjoy :)
Live, Love, &
Laugh,
Kimberly |
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Oct. 26, 2009
Christmas Hymn Copywork E-book Review
From Sharon Crooks comes a new title in the WisdomKids series: Delight in the Lord - Celebrating our Saviour in Hymns, Volume 1. It is part of a Bible and copywork program designed for children 6 and up. However, I know my 5 year old daughter, who loves to sing, is going to enjoy working through this as we get closer to Christmas. I was provided with a copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.
There are 6 hymns inside this 80 page e-book, including such favourites as Away in A Manger and The First Noel, as well as a couple new ones for me that I've learned. I love that definitions of possibly problematic words are included before each hymn. Plenty of room is given to copy the words of each hymn, and I like that tracing is omitted since I'm a fan of the children forming the letters on their own. In addition, the copy-work pages are plain and uncluttered so the children can concentrate on their printing. Fill-in-the-blank, colouring pages, and activity pages are included for each hymn, along with Bible verses and discussion.
There are a few things that would improve this e-book. First, it would be nice if the words to copy were also written in on the lines that are provided for the children to copy - this may be problematic for those children who are just starting to learn to print and forget which letters are tall and which end at the mid-line for instance. Second, none of the links provided to listen to the hymns online worked for me, which is unfortunate since this is a nice idea, integrating musical links to listen to with your child. (Note: as of Oct 29th the links work, Sharon Crooks has fixed them - now you can listen to the hymns!) Lastly, an index would be handy, so you don't have to scroll or flip through the entire e-book to see which hymns are included, etc.
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Oct. 19, 2009
Friday Open Skates at Dartmouth Complex
Join other homeschoolers at the Dartmouth Complex 10:15 - 11:45 am Fridays for an open skate. $4 per child, $9 per family. Afterward the homeschoolers will go upstairs to the cafe for tea and hot chocolate.
For more information about this and other homeschooling activities going on in the Halifax-Dartmouth area, go to the Facebook group "The Comedy of Errors" |
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Oct. 16, 2009
Someplace Called Special - A Look At Homeschooling Special Needs Children - Review
Even though I don't have a special needs child per se, I could see some of my son in the story shared about the gifted little girl, in his perfectionism. I have some new perspective on it, and gleaned some ideas on how to handle his perfectionist streak when next it rears its head. If you are considering homeschooling your child with special needs, this book will give you some confidence to begin and some ideas for how-to. If you're already homeschooling your child, this book will give you some terrific perspective, and energize you to keep on going.
This e-book is now available for download at The Old Schoolhouse Store for $12.45 US. |
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Oct. 13, 2009
Autumn Treasures FREE Unit Study & Lapbook by Amanda Bennett!
Click above for your week-long unit study/lapbook. This is just the first in a series that The Old Schoolhouse is releasing...
Where Unit Studies and Lapbooks Come Together
Easy . . . Innovative . . . Effective . . .
An exciting, brand new, E-Book series by Amanda Bennett and The Old Schoolhouse®. Amanda Bennett is well-known for her groundbreaking unit studies that are popular with homeschool families around the world.
Download instantly! The learning process is on GO from that point on--let the fun begin!
Units are theme based and full of exciting discoveries and motivation to develop lifelong learners.
- Each study is one week in length, having five daily lessons with lapbook components for each day.
- Each student creates a complete lapbook--a finished capsule of learning.
- All the research and preparation have been done!
- Hyperlinks are embedded right in the study--saving you time!
- Integrated studies include history, geography, reading, science, spelling,
vocabulary, writing, art, and more.
- Units are reusable year after year--nothing is consumed.
- There are no expensive resources required!
- Includes a great list of books that you can use to enrich your study, but
they are not required.
Check out some of the fun and unique upcoming themes for 2010:
Seasons Americans that Made a Difference
Places in the World Toys and Gadgets
Presidents & Patriots Sports
Ocean Animals Literary Giants
Special Introductory Pricing. Limited Time Offer!
Get in on the special introductory pricing and save 20%! Purchase a semester--19 weekly studies--Regularly priced at $114--Click here for a Special introductory price of only $91.20!
Pre-pay for an entire school year--38 weekly studies--Regularly priced at $190--Click here for a Special introductory price of only $152! |
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Oct. 13, 2009
Homeschool Talent Show Nov 4th & 11th Online
Oct. 13, 2009
FREE Maps from Knowledge Quest!
 
Knowledge Quest is releasing a new book full of maps, including historical maps - "Map Trek Volume 1, Ancient World". They have been pre-releasing some of the maps. They're just terrific and you can download them for free HERE. I'm using the map of Mesopotamia today in our homeschool. They will be releasing more - to receive notification when more free maps are available, join the Knowledge Quest Facebook Fan Page.
Note: Map Quest is now available for download HERE for $14.95 US. I've purchased it myself, what useful maps for our homeschool and what a great deal! |
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Oct. 9, 2009
Canspell Spelling Bee - Register now!
Sep. 3, 2009
Registering for Homeschooling
It's that time of year again, time to register your homeschooled children. Perhaps this is your very first year homeschooling and you're not sure of the requirements.
It's fairly easy to homeschool in Nova Scotia. All children ages 5 - 16 (re Amendment to Education Act Regulations, Section 3(1)) must be registered by September 20th of the coming school year, said registration including: "in the case of previous public school experience, the last grade level attained; in the case of previous home education experience, the program level of achievement and estimated equivalent public school grade level; and identification of the proposed home education program" (Regulations Section 39 (2)) You may send in a letter to register. You may send in a letter to register with the required information, or fill out the Registration form offered by the Department of Education on their website (see link to the right). Please be advised that if you are registering your child for the first time, the Ministry will demand a copy of your child's birth certificate, so you may want to include one with your registration.
In the Regulations, reference is only made to providing your children with an "educational program". There are no stipulations as to what the "educational program" must be and can be whatever you feel is appropriate to give your child a well-rounded education. This gives you complete freedom to choose whatever materials (religious or secular) you want and to design your own program that meets your child's needs - the possibilities are endless! If you are new to homeschooling, the task of choosing curricula can seem daunting, but don't let it scare you! Start by chatting with other homeschoolers. Please see the list of links to the right for more information on contacting homeschoolers near you. Another way to connect with homeschoolers throughout Nova Scotia would be to join an email group. There are Yahoogroups for Nova Scotia homeschoolers, such as HomeLearnersNS and one for Cape Bretoners called HomeschoolingCapers - both listed in the sidebar.
A couple of great articles and resources for those new to homeschooling...
HomeschoolStarter.com the homeschool how-to site
New to Homeschooling? Getting Started
10 Good Reasons to Homeschool
Live, Love, &
Laugh,
Kimberly |
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Sep. 2, 2009
Young Minds: Numbers and Counting DVD - Review
But I'm an adult, what do the children think? My 5 year old daughter and her friend enjoyed watching - in particular they enjoyed the bonus materials, especially the "What Animal Am I" - an extreme close up of an animal is shown and as the camera pans back, clues are given as to which animal it is. The two girls were jumping up and down, guessing, and the adults in the room got in on the guessing game too. A toddler I showed the video to was absolutely absorbed by it - he would shout out when he saw something he really liked, such as "flowers"! I like that it's not just mundane things like cats, apples, and oranges that are showcased on the DVD, but also things like meerkats, apricots, and colourful cans of paint. What a wonderful way to reinforce counting to 10 and identifying numbers!
If you'd like to see a video clip and some screen shots, go to the Math Tutor DVD website. There you can purchase the DVD for $19.99 U.S. The more you purchase the more you save (4-7 items will get you 5% off your order and so on). Shipping and handling is a flat fee of $19.99 US (via Fedex) across Canada. So you can really save on an order of more than one, but this makes the cost of one just a bit steep. You could get your Homeschool group together for one big order and split the shipping. Math Tutor offers great customer service and their return policy is terrific - "If you are not 100% happy, you may return the DVD for a full refund" within 30 days of purchase. You can also purchase the DVD at Amazon.com.
Would you like $10 off one DVD? Click here to learn about how you can get a $10 coupon by becoming a "fan" of Math Tutor on Facebook. Also, join the mailing list and be entered into a draw every month to win a complete bundle of Math Tutor DVD's worth $435 US, as well as being notified when they release a new DVD. |
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Aug. 28, 2009
College Success Begins At Home E-book Review
If you're planning to homeschool through high school as our family is, or you're currently homeschooling high schoolers, TOS' new e-book College Success Begins at Home: Seasoned Homeschoolers Share Their Experiences is for you! I received a copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review. Fourteen Christian parents and students share encouragement through their stories, along with practical how-to suggestions and advice. Although this e-book is American in perspective, the majority of the stories and information presented are still relevant for Canadian homeschoolers. Some things you may not have considered are covered, such as the importance of instilling character and communication skills to prepare them for college/university and for life. Various options are presented - things that can be worked on in the homeschool high school as well as things that can be worked on concurrently, such as apprenticeships and college classes. You will find tips on record-keeping and portfolios for the high school years as well as transcript preparation - things many homeschoolers are concerned about. The importance of researching options and preparing your student even before high school, in Grade 8, is recommended. Many resources are shared, from books and CD's to curricula and web sites, and all of them are handily listed and linked at the end of the e-book. Discussed as well are alternatives to traditional college/university, such as online courses, apprenticeships, and personal study. In particular, I liked hearing from actual homeschool graduates.
I enjoyed reading the e-book and will come back to it as each of my children approaches and goes through the high school years. I almost can't wait to homeschool high school.
College Success Begins at Home is now available for download at The Old Schoolhouse Store for $12.45 U.S. |
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Aug. 26, 2009
New E-book about Homeschooling High Schoolers - Review
My children aren't high school aged yet, but I am so happy to have received this e-book to review from The Old Schoolhouse. I love to read stories of homeschooling successes, it really helps reaffirm the value of homeschooling and gives me a boost of energy to keep on homeschooling my own children. I can see myself re-reading this again and again as my children approach and go through the homeschool years, to gain perspective and that boost I need. I'm looking forward to homeschooling my children through high school.
Help, Lord, I'm Getting Ready to Homeschool My High Schooler! is now available for download at The Old Schoolhouse Store for $12.45 U.S. |
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Aug. 24, 2009
University Credit Online Computer Course for Grade 11 & 12 Students!
This September, Acadia University will be launching Computer Programming 1, an online introductory Computer Science course for Grade 11 and 12 students across Nova Scotia. Students in this university credit course will explore programming and fundamental elements of Computer Science.
Topics include designing and testing code, fundamental techniques in software tools, graphics, and environments, and more. CP1 allows students to earn a university credit while still in high school. There is an urgent need for computer science professionals in the workplace, and CP1 will provide students with an opportunity to explore this exciting field. CP1 is offered entirely online, and includes live and interactive instructor sessions.
Start Date: September 16, 2009
Register by: September 9, 2009
Sharon Watson
Senior Administrative Secretary
Jodrey School of Computer Science
Acadia University, Wolfville, NS
tel: 902-585-1331
email: sharon.watson@acadiau.ca |
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Aug. 6, 2009
Annual Not-Back-to-School Camping Trip! Sept 7-11th
Monday September 7, 2009 to Friday, September 11, 2009
Kejimkujik National Park
For more information or reservations call:     902... or email kejimkujik.info@pc.gc.ca
Every year homeschoolers of all types from across Nova Scotia descend upon the Keji Campground when everyone else is leaving to go to school. A wonderful time is had enjoying the company of other homeschooling families. The weather is beautiful and homeschoolers have the campground to themselves to walk, hike, run, bike, sing, play games, play instruments, chat, and laugh. So, bring your camping gear and your wonderful homeschooling children, and celebrate yet another year of not-going-back-to-school!
Organized by "The Comedy of Errors" group on Facebook. |
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Aug. 2, 2009
Homeschool Art Classes - Dartmouth
Marijke's Art Class
Fall Term begins September 25
Thursdays
adults 7 pm-9:00 pm
Fridays
5-7 yrs 9:30 am-11:00 am
Teens 4:30 pm-6:15 pm
Saturdays
5-7 yrs 9 am-10:30
8-10 yrs 11 am-12:30 pm
10-12 yrs 1:00-2:30
Cartooning
9-12 yrs 3 pm-4:30
Sundays
5-7 yrs 9 am-10:30
5-7 yrs 11 am-12:30 pm
8-10 yrs 1:00-2:30
Sculpture
9-12 yrs 3 pm-4:30
Fees
Each 8 week term is $130, all materials are included.
For registration form or for more information please contact:
Phone: 466-4823
Address: Marijke’s Art Class,
22 Edward Street, Dartmouth. B2Y 2P4
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Jul. 18, 2009
Molly's August Money-Saving Digest - Review
August is almost here and a new school year is just around the corner. It's that time again, time to organize! And what a great time to get rid of clutter. Molly's August Money-Saving Digest, which I received free in exchange for an honest review, covers how to help your children get organized with their homeschool stuff, and step-by-step how to organize your closets, garage, kitchen, photos, toys, bathrooms, and the big paper monster! You'll also receive a whole bunch of great home-made dry mix recipes to make now and have on hand when you start homeschooling again And that's not all, there are more recipes for entertaining in the summer. At the end of the digest is a great directory of related links to click on. As always, there's something for everyone in Molly's Digest, and lots of great cost-cutting tips.
Molly's August Digest is available for download at The Old Schoolhouse Store for just $4.95 US! You can also check out Molly's past Digests HERE. |
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