The Curious Homeschool - Homeschool Blogger

I love this template

Sat, 13 Oct 2007 23:03:00 -0500

“It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education.” - Albert Einstein

Darling Aligirl allowed me to use this template and I love it! It is fun to work with.

I am by no means a designer and I realize my site doesn't blend, but I am having a great time experimenting.

Curious about Lapbooks?

Mon, 1 Oct 2007 04:43:00 -0500

We love to utilize lapbooks in our homeschool.
We have used them for family projects, for example my son made one for our daughter who was taking a mission trip to Peru. He made it look a mini scrapbook adding stuff about our family as well as adding information about Peru. It turned out very cute.
We have used them as a follow-up to a field trip. Often times we receive great handouts and literature on our field trips. Additionally. we learn interesting tidbits of information, but do not have an outlet or method to utilize that new-found knowledge. This is where a lapbook can be a GREAT tool. We have added photos from the field trip, brochures, notes and other information we gleaned.
A lapbook can help with the culmination of any unit study, book or subject material.

Yahoo Groups are GREAT for getting and sharing ideas. Check out these:
Hands of a Child
Lapbooking 101
Lapbooking
Lapbooking with Weaver Curriculum
Lapbook Your Way Through the USA

Learn more about lapbooks at these sites:
Lapbooking With Boys
Lapbooks By Us
What is a lapbook? by the Lapbooking Ladies
Living Literature with Lapbook Learning

Day by Day in February for Curious Children

Sat, 3 Feb 2007 15:36:00 -0600

While browing Homeschool Estore I stumbled upon this resource, Day By Day in February. I looked at the preview pages and decided it would be a helpfu addition to our school day. It provided interesting information in small bits, uncomplicated pages, and daily review. I love calendar typr studies where we can learn bits of monthly holidays and themes.

Day by Day is a unique opportunity for young students to daily review their skills in reading, writing, math, language, vocabulary and phonics. It is completely child directed with a familiar structure that encourages creativity and individuality. There are 20 lessons for February that incorporate Science and Social Studies ideas for the month. There is no adult preparation required but the topics could spark some lively conversations.

Curious About Making Math More Fun

Sun, 30 Sep 2007 14:07:00 -0500

Math doesn't came easily for all children. Having homeschooled over 14 years and graduating two of my children, I discovered math was not always easy to explain.

We found that by using manipulatives and games we could better demonstrate mathematical concepts. So when I found Making Math More Fun I was excited. I don't have to try to invent my own games as there are tons of ideas in this e-book

When my children enjoy their math lessons and have fun with math they seem to retain more and complain less.

I hope you will enjoy this resource!

Online Math Resources

Mon, 1 Oct 2007 04:07:00 -0500

Learn Math Online
Math Foundation is an award-winning online math course which features interactive e-learning tools to help students master the concepts of mathematics quickly and easily.

Discover how easy and enjoyable learning math can be!
Math Foundation's courseware is self paced and allows each student to learn at their own rate and comfort level. The lessons are easy to follow with step-by-step examples. Additionally, the graphics and animations reduce the anxiety that many students experience when learning math, and help to maintain interest.

Check out the free demo lessons!

Math Foundation

Curious About Geography? Try This - A Childs' Geography by Ann Voskamp

Wed, 14 Jun 2006 08:48:00 -0500

This book is one of the most gorgeous books I have ever seen and read; adding to that is its interesting content and delightful text which makes this book truly a winner.
Ann Voscamp uses beautiful language and vivid descriptions which makes one think they are reading a classic. Her love for God's creation and His world is integrated throughout the book.
The author is Charlotte Mason fan, which is evident right from Chapter 1. Inside you'll find narrations, notebooking, hands-on activities and reading lists.
According to Ms. Voskamp's website there will be more books in this series.
You can check out the author's blog or her A Child's Geography website.
Another homeschooling family is using this book, their Blog is adorable.

Excerpt From Chapter One

Too-Fun-to-Resist Excursion!

AND THIS IS THE HOME THAT GOD BUILT!

Our home of earth is a pretty big place! And it would be very easy to get lost. Do you know where in our home you are?!! Let�s see if together we can draw it out so we know more about the home that God built for you!

Materials needed:

~a large piece of paper

~pencil and crayons or pencil crayons

~globe or atlases

Ready to go? Let�s Head Out!

~Draw a relatively small picture of you on your piece of paper.

~Now draw a your house around you. Then draw your street. See if you can now draw a circle where your town is around your home.

~Next, sketch out the shape of your state or province around your city. Are you beginning to see how BIG our home of Earth really is?!!

~Draw your country around your city. Then your continent around your country!

~Now, the LAST part of your home to draw! Draw EARTH around it all!

Can you now to point to the various features of your drawing as you sing along:

�This is the Earth that
holds the continent ,
that holds the country,
that holds the state,
that holds the city,
that holds the town,
that holds the street,
that holds the house,
that is the home God built for Me!�

Take some time to write the actual names of your street, town, state, country, and continent on your drawing? Didn�t God build an awe-inspiring home for us!?

Reprinted with author's permission.

http://www.AChild'sGeography.com

Homeschool Reading Maniacs

Sat, 10 Jun 2006 01:58:00 -0500

The people in our house carry encyclopedias around, even to the bathroom, and like to read the dictionary, as well as the BIBLE. Everyone clamors for World Magazine and Reader's Digest when it comes.
We tend to read EVERYTHING (even cereal boxes and food labels) and want to know the answer to all the questions one could wonder.
We like books and stories on tape like Jungle Jam the Radio Show, Hank the Cow Dog, CDs like Adventures in Odyssey and in our hands. We like to read silently, out loud and mostly before bed.
Mom likes to read, Dad chooses his favorite, daughter reads this and this over and over, son likes this author, and baby loves this.
We find things on the internet to read, books to download, take a field trip to the public library to check out books, and buy oodles of books and I guess that is what curious people do.

Math Resources

Mon, 1 Oct 2007 03:56:00 -0500

We have been struggling with math at our house. Being the curious mother that I am I went online to find help.
One interesting resource for me has been e-books; I can read them on my computer, print out a chapter, the whole book or copy it to a CD and have it printed at Kinkos or Office Max.
I own e-books from Cindy Rushton, The Homeschool E-store, Steve Beck of www.familyebiz.com, Ann Voscamp and also some internet business e-books, like Terri Johnson's Jumpstart Your Successful eBusiness: a Step-by-Step Guide to eCommerce and Internet Marketing.

I also like to look for fun ways to teach concepts in our homeschool, so with that in mind I searched for ideas, games, tutoring and explaining math facts.
I found the following e-books for math help:
Brain E Games
Making Math More Fun
Another way we have "sneaked" math into the house is with puzzles like:
Sudoku for Kids

What math resources do you like and use?

Are Curious About Homeschooling? Can You Do It?

Tue, 6 Jun 2006 00:23:00 -0500

Read this great, helpful book, Secrets of Successful Homeschoolers, from the publishers of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine!

Whether you are a new homeschooler, a seasoned homeschooling parent or just researching what homeschooling is all about, you will find helpful and encouraging advice in this book compiled by Paul and Gena Suarez, editors of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine.

A compilation of lessons from well-known authors such as
Cindy Rushton, Christine Field, Terri Camp, and Lorrie Flem.
There are over two million homeschoolers today.
You can teach your own child�YES, you can!

Curious Avocado Conflict

Wed, 16 Nov 2005 01:47:00 -0600

My ds-9 and ds-12 have been arguing an awful lot lately. It is driving everyone batty and even they have expressed their frustration with it.
Mom sat down with ds-9 and asked him if he could think of any reason why he and ds-12 are fighting much more frequently.
"I don't know. I guess it is because we don't always like the same things.
Like avocados, I used to not like avocados and neither did brother. Now I like avocados and he doesn't. We have been fighting ever since."

So, dear friends, I warn you, feeding your child avocados may result in increased arguments and conflict. Who knew?

Curious Analogy

Mon, 14 Nov 2005 15:39:00 -0600

My baby DD was fussing in her highchair. DS commented, "She is just like the toilet when it is not working properly."
Curious Mother: "What do you mean?"
DS: "You have to jiggle her for her to be quiet."

Curious about Thanksgiving

Sat, 12 Nov 2005 04:45:00 -0600

I love to read what other people have for Thanksgiving traditions and how they make the holiday special. We always read about Pilgrims and the tradition of Thanksgiving in the weeks prior to the holiday.
Here are some links I found that I liked.

Thanksgiving Trivia, Traditions and History
A Thanksgiving Tradition by Barbara Rainey
A great site of informational links, including the Mayflower Compact
Some resources at Focus on the Family
You could turn this one into a unit study!
Bible Unit Study for Thanksgiving Week from Teaching Home magazine
Links 4 Kids: Thanksgiving

What are some of your traditions?

Curious Dinner Prayer

Fri, 11 Nov 2005 22:08:00 -0600

A wife invited some people to dinner. At the table, she turned to their six-year-old daughter and said, "Would you like to say the blessing?"
"I wouldn't know what to say," the girl replied.
"Just say what you hear Mommy say," the wife answered.
The daughter bowed her head and said, "Lord, why on earth did I invite all these people to dinner?"

Curious George

Tue, 1 Nov 2005 00:58:00 -0600

Okay I just had to throw this one in, couldn't resist!

Curious George, the Complete Works

Curious Humanitarism

Mon, 31 Oct 2005 22:54:00 -0600

Curious Child: What do those adopt-a-highway signs mean?

Wise Parent: Well, they are for a company or organization to donate their time and clean up the road and boulevard. It is taking part in ecology and keeping our city clean.

Curious Child: Where do they get mops big enough to clean the highway?

Curious Geography

Mon, 31 Oct 2005 22:53:00 -0600

We are driving down the road and DS asks, "Does this bridge go over the MepsaPepsi River?"

Curious Questions

Mon, 31 Oct 2005 22:52:00 -0600

DS asks, "Mom when I grow up can I have a uterus just like you?"
Mom was pregnant at the time.