Not Back to School Blog Hop 2013 - Week 2

It's the second week of the Not Back to School Blog Hop. This will get me back on track; late, but on track.  This week it's time to share where we do our schooling.  I'm blessed to have a room we like to call our classroom.  Of course,  that doesn't mean everything is completed in there; It's just where we get started.

This is what you see from the door.  The 4th and 6th graders will be occupying the desks.  As you can see in the left side of the picture,  there is a toy area for my 2 year old.  I have to keep an eye on him, keep him occupied, and out of trouble. Some days that is my biggest challenge!!

 Better picture of the desks with one of our many possible visitors during the day, our kitty Roxy.

 Looking left from the door,  you see the ornery little boy we have to entertain while doing school in our supply closet.  

 My little Mini-Me will be doing most of her school here at the computer desk.  

 The supply closet contains my very small bulletin board, extra books in the storage tub, notebooks on the shelf, and all the breakable science equipment is up on the top shelf.  Once again, you can see the little one getting into things.

The boys will be down stairs where we are planning to set up two new computers for them.  

While we do start our days in the classroom, the kids often end up stretched across their beds,  laying on the floor in the living room,  sitting at the dining room table,  or even sitting outside on the back porch.  

Pretty simple and not very fancy,  but it works for us.  Where do you get most of your school work done?  I'm linking up to the Not Back to School Blog Hop to get a peek at some other home school classrooms.  

Not Back to School Blog Hop Curriculum

Due to technical difficulties, I'm a little late. However, the saying is - better late than never - right?  It's passed time to join the Not Back to School Blog Hop 2013! 

The first week was curriculum and since I have 5 students this year,  I have a variety.

Let's start with the easiest and the oldest. My 9th and 7th graders will be doing all their work on the computer. They enjoy the freedom of getting up, getting started, and getting finished without much interference from mom. I just log on, verify the work, and grade what I need to. This year they both will be using Switched on Schoolhouse. I used this last year for the oldest and  he did very well. 

The next two, 4th and 6th graders, will be doing a combination of computer work with traditional classroom type work. They will be using Teaching Textbooks for math. This is also a curriculum I tried last year and the kids really did well. This would be the favorite of all the math ones we have tried. It is on a CD-ROM so they get to work on the computer a little too. The program shows them step by step what to do then walks them through a couple sample problems. Once they get into the actual "worksheet" part of the lesson, they know immediately whether they got each problem right or wrong. If they missed it, it gives them the option to see exactly how it should have been done.  

We will be doing science and history together for the 4th and 6th graders. I will be using Christian Kids Explore Biology. I borrowed this from my sister-in-law a few years ago and went through it with the two oldest, but not the girls. So, we will be going through it this year together. We'll be doing the activity book this time and I'm hoping to get to do a lot more of the experiments and hands-on activities this time around.

 History will be from Answers in Genesis, America From the Beginning. I reserve the right to change this during the year, since it is the first year for this one. I have used Answers in Genesis in the past for simple Bible units, and have know people that use them for VBS themes with positive feedback. With that in mind, I found this while looking for our Bible curriculum and thought it looked very interesting and fairly simple. We shall see. That leads me to Bible - Answers for Kids Bible Curriculum. I'm hoping to be able to use this as a group Bible time for all of us. Since it still hasn't arrived, I haven't been able to look through it to make sure. 

One of the blessings of homeschooling is being able to be flexible!

Their English will be Easy Grammar. I have used this for the past couple years and find it one of the easiest for teaching English. Most curriculum I have used jump around too much getting my kiddos confused. It doesn't help that English is probably my LEAST favorite subject to attempt to teach. Along with their Easy Grammar, we will be using Soaring with Spelling. This is one my sister-in-law uses and likes really well. Spelling is an issue for both of my girls. I'm hoping that this will help them. There is nothing I dislike more than getting texts with an abundance of mis-spelled words. We're going to work on that this year. Their reading units will consist of grade appropriate books they will read through and do a book report on. One of my biggest challenges with the oldest girl is reading books; which I find difficult to deal with since I LOVE to read. 

That leaves the little one. She will be in K4. I'm going to start her out with the ABC Mouse program online. She loves being on the computer and this will keep her interested with their games and she will be learning as well. We also will be using BJU K4 Foundations for Learning on DVDs. 

I believe that covers everyone and everything. That only took me two hours to complete since my computer is still acting horribly!

I have enjoyed browsing through seeing what everyone uses. Check back to get a peak at our classroom. 

Not Back to School Blog Hop Week 4

This is the last week of the "Not" Back to School Blog Hop and the theme is A Day in the Life.  So,  let's take a glimpse into our daily routine.  First,  let me just say that in no way can I be held to this routine, because on any given day,  I have many variables that can throw a wrench into my plans (and often do). We pretty much school year round.  We take various breaks through out the year for holidays,  vacations,  and just some days off!!

Wake-up is usually somewhere between 7:30 and 8:00.  If they aren't up by 8:00,  I go in!!!  Then,  they have an hour to relax,  eat breakfast,  watch a bit of tv,  get dressed,  brush teeth and comb hair. 

We try to start our school day at 9:00am!!  We start with Bible time and prayer, then the schedule is varied for each individual child.  My oldest is doing his school work on the computer,  so he is free to stay in the class or take the laptop to his room.  I just have to keep an eye and make sure he is working and not surfing!!  He has in the past had a little problem with "listening" to the lesson on the  computer, but checking out facebook and other things in another window.  I think I have fixed the problem,  but time will tell, and so will his grades!!!  I can just tell you now that if he is caught repeating this sort of behavior,  he is in BIG trouble!!!

The other three older kids start with handwriting, spelling, and reading.  These subjects they can do without any instruction and allows me to work with Mini-Me for a little while.  Then,  when I get Mini-Me squared away and working on multiple worksheets,  I do Science and History with the older girls while,  Mr Gamer does Math on the computer.  After that round,  we take a little break, get a little snack,  and do a few chores around the house. The chores usually involve laundry, dishes, and trash!!! 

Once back from a break,  Princess 1 does some math on the computer with A Teaching Textbook and Princess 2 gets started on English.  After a little instruction,  both of the Princesses can work on their own while Mr Gamer and I do his English, Science and History.  Then, the Princesses switch and I believe that covers it!!

Now,  here's my disclaimer!!  I also have a 16 month old running around in the midst of all of this. That means that sometimes our break goes long, I have to stop and change a stinky diaper,  there are froot loops dumped all over the floor,  or any number of things can happen. 

We do try our best to have everything done by 1pm,  but more often than not,  we are finishing stuff up after lunch.  After their school work is finished,  they have some chores they have to do, then they are free until time to eat.   Our evenings are currently spent running to football practice on Mon, Tues, and Thur,  church on Wed,  and Friday is usually a church activity or something else. I've said it before,  and I'll say it again, "There just aren't enough hours in the day!!". 

Not Back To School Blog Hop 2012 - Week 1

This is my 5th year homeschooling and my first year participating in the Not Back To School Blog Hop.  I wish I could say I was an expert on homeschooling (with 4 years under my belt) , but the truth is,  every year is an experiment!!  It seems that every year,  I've added a student and with that adds new challenges.  This year,  I'm up to 5 students.  I'm starting Mini-Me in K4.  We won't be terribly serious about her lessons,  but I think it's important to get her involved and seeing how it will work.

One of my biggest challenges each year is the curriculum.  I try to find things that we can do together in order to save time,  but our age ranges are so vast that is is pretty much impossible now.  So,  I have tried to get the older kids more independent and doing their own thing.  One of our new experiments this year is with Mr Helper.  We are enrolling him in Abeka Academy.  They will keep his grades and records therefore I do not have to worry about his credits and transcript.

The other children will be using unit studies for handwriting found at Curr Click.com. I also like to supplement their standard work with unit studies from there as well. In the past,  I have used Simple Schooling unit studies found there for Science and History.  You can find something for all age ranges and they provide a lot of hands on activities perfect for my younger children.

Last year,  I found the  Easy Grammar textbooks for English.  I can honestly say English is one subject I just do NOT like to teach.  However, I love this set because of the method of teaching.  It starts with learning and removing prepositions and prepositional phrases (something my children always struggle with) which leaves the sentence simple and easy to learn the other parts of speech.  I do supplement with some units from BJU English in teaching writing, only because I already have them. I will be looking for something different for next year though.

I will be sticking with  BJU math, for financial reasons, since I already have all of those textbooks and teachers materials.  Math is something most of my children have picked up rather easily, Mr. Helper being the exception.  So,  for this year,  I'm just going to stick with what we know.

Another one of my experiments this year is with Christian Light Publications unit studies for Science and History.  A fellow homeschooler in my church has been using them for the past two years and highly recommended them.  I am going to try them for time reasons.  The past two years,  I have compiled my own unit studies and workbooks which is very time consuming.  I will let you know how I like them.

Reading is completed by utilizing our public library and the unit studies I find.  I think that pretty much covers it, except for spelling which again I will stick with BJU since I already have the books. 

Mini-Me will simply be doing worksheets I have saved over the years from my other children.  It's more of a get her involved and started year.  I am not going to be super stressed over what she does.

I think that covers everybody - Mr Helper -  8th grade, Mr Gamer - 7th grade, Princess 1  -5th grade, Princess 2 - 3rd grade, and Mini-Me -  K4.  It's going to be a BUSY year AGAIN. 

I would love any recommendations or suggestions from your school day.  What things do you do to make your school days easier?

Soda Bottle Rocket

For our end of year homeschool group party,  each family was suppose to bring something they had done during the year and share it with the group.  My boys studied space this year in science.    Instead of doing the normal solar system display,  I thought we could do something a little different.  We made a rocket to blast into space.  Well, obviously not into outer space,  but way up the air.  Hopefully??

We first had to drink a 2L soda.  That was the best part for my kids I think,  as they so rarely get soda.
Then,  we designed our rocket.

Not too bad, huh?  We simply took poster board and hot glued it around the bottle.  Then, we rolled the cone top around and cut out the fins and glued them on.  Add a little paint and design,  then you're done with that part.

Now comes the fun part!!  Fill the soda bottle about 1/4 to 1/2 full with water (the less water,  the higher it goes).  You need a cork with a small hole drilled through to place in the opening.  Do not turn it over until you have the bicycle pump needle in place and are ready to pump in the air.  It took us a couple tries to realize the less water,  the more fun.  Usually, it's the other way around!!

So,  I had hoped to post a video of the blast off,  but it won't upload for some reason.  So,  a few more pics.

Just a little note:  whoever is pumping the air in the bottle might get wet:)  We had a couple mishaps,  but after we figured it out,  we blasted the rocket off at least 5 times.  It was a lot of fun.

Top 5 Reasons We Homeschool

I am always getting the "are they all yours" question and I love those.  But, the looks on people's faces when they find out I homeschool are priceless.  Then,  the infamous "why" question always comes up!!  I have never been at a loss for words.  I always have multiple answers for them. So, I decided to jot down the top 5.

1.  CONTROL - It's all about control.  I want to control what my children learn and who they are  learning from.  That of course doesn't just include curriculum,  our kids learn a lot by watching and hearing what goes on around them.

2. FLEXIBILITY - Hubby owns his own business and I've worked off shifts for years in order to avoid the whole child care issues.  Our families live miles away, so dependable child care is impossible.  With our crazy shifts and schedules,  getting them to and from school would have just been crazy.  Plus,  we enjoy vacationing during the "off seasons" much better.  Disney World is so much more fun when it's not super hot and there aren't big crowds.

3. FINANCES -   We had our 3 oldest children in a very good Christian school in this area, but our tuition bill was higher than our mortgage and we decided something had to give.  Public schooling was never an option with our family for personal reasons (I'm not getting on anyone who chooses that option).   So,  we decided to homeschool.

4.  FREEDOM - If we want to do school in our pajamas, we can.  If we don't feel like starting at 8 am, we don't.  If someone is sick,  we don't have to worry about missing a school day, we can make it up on Saturday if need be.  The choices are endless!!

5.  FAMILY - An unusual reason,  I know.  For me,  it's about spending as much time with my children as possible.  Do they drive me crazy some days?  YES!! But,  I wouldn't have it any other way.  Our children grow up so very fast.  If they were all in traditional school settings,  we would be running in so many different directions,  we wouldn't even get to see each other let alone spend quality time together.  Does that mean they don"t get to participate in sports or other activities?? Absolutely not!!  Our boys play football, our oldest daughter will be starting gymnastics in the fall, they participate in church groups/outings, as well as our homeschool group functions.  We stay busy, but imagine 8 hours of school plus homework added to that!!

I love the choice we've made.  Will I continue to homeschool all through high school?  I honestly can't answer that right now.  My oldest will be starting high school and for next year,  the plan is to continue on.  We'll go year by year and see what he wants to do.  The younger ones will continue on at least through 8th grade.  It's not as easy as dropping them off everyday for someone else to teach,  but it is well worth the effort we have to put into it.  Homeschooling isn't for everyone and I realize that.  I don't push it.  I realize it is everyone's individual choice, but we LOVE it!!

The Classroom Is Back!!

Finally,  I have my classroom back.  We have been doing our schooling on the kitchen table, or in the living room now for the past 2 years at least, maybe longer, I can't remember.  I am so excited, and so are the kids.  It will help tremendously in keeping some of the clutter and mess out of the main part of the house.  We spent an entire day,  arranging and organizing.  The kiddos helped a lot and I think they did a great job.  Here's a little peak!!

 The Library area, completely arranged by Mr Gamer.

 Dry erase board (I'm hoping to get a larger one) and the cabinet on the lower right of the picture has all our school supplies; scissors, glue, crayons, markers, colored pencils, etc...

 My desk, as well as the computer center.  This computer is simply for playing educational games or typing out their papers.  It is not connected to the internet at all. 

Looking into the room from the door.  Next year, I will shed a desk as the boys will be doing school at their desks in their rooms.  

I am so glad it's back and we have a place we can keep all our school stuff out of the way:)) Eventually the closet in this room that currently holds all the boys hang up clothes with have shelves built in for even more storage space .  Oh, I'm so excited!!!