OUR HIGH SCHOOL HOMESCHOOL BLOG

SYLLABUS: WRITING POETRY

2009-12-10T08:38:00.001-05:00

What is Poetry (Reading/Vocabulary lesson)

Writing a poem

Literature, level: Senior
by Roger Kalin (hrothgar@magiccarpet.com).
Goshen (NY) Central High School, Goshen, NY
Materials Required: Black board, pen and paper
Activity Time: One class period
Concepts Taught: Creative writing, peotry appreciation, literary techniques

1. Have the students imagine themselves someplace -- the beach, a mountain top, a city street -- anywhere.
2. Have them write two lines beginning with the words "I see", and then state what they see. (ex: I see traffic lights; I see taxis")
3. Then write two lines beginning with "I hear" (I hear sirens; I hear engines); then two lines beginning "I smell".
Cover each of the five senses this way.
4. The last line should begin "I feel ...", and state how the scene makes them feel. ("I feel lonely and afraid")
5. You now have an eleven line poem. Return to each line, delete the "I see"s, the "I hear"s, etc. Add adjectives and adverbs.
6. Return to each line. Add similes and metaphors.
7. Return to each line. Add personification.
8. Add rhyme and meter. Add alliteration and assonance.Do one on the board as a class. Then let the kids do their own as HW. Don't force them to do all of the steps above, but urge them to do as many as they can. The results are true poetry which will astonish you and the kids, and which should give the students an appreciation of the artistry of good poetry. Share the poems with the class. They can also include illustrations that reflect the content of the poems. By all means, post the poems on the wall and in the hallway.

UPDATE ON OUR FAMILY HOMESCHOOLING LIFE

2009-11-24T19:05:00.003-05:00

A reader recently left a comment on THIS post from a few years ago. I was pleased to see that this blog is still useful to homeschooling parents. I thought I would post the comment from Dinah and my response. I hope it helps a few more High School Homeschooling families on their path to success. :o)

COMMENT:

I love this blog - its very helpful in planning for our oldest to start homeschooling. I'm wondering however if there is any more up to date info! I don't see anything on here for 2009 - are you still homeschooling high school?
Dinah (MD)

MY RESPONSE:

Hi Dinah,

Our eldest son, Kazz, actually ended up graduating from our homeschool in 2008. I didn't keep up with "the plan" that I have written here because he began zooming through school, life got in the way and keeping this blog updated fell by the wayside.

He began attending our local community college at the age of fourteen. He turned 17 this past July and will graduate this December with an Associate Degree.

Here is the blog post I wrote about our "plan" back then and we ended up working it to the fullest and see the light at the end of the tunnel. :o)

I have 4 more children coming up behind him. Our 12 (almost 13) year old son, Brise, is focusing on Essay writing, Pre-Algebra and other subjects right now in order to get ready for easing into college at the age of 14 also.

Here is one of my up to date blogs.

We use many resources from it,however, for High School I cannot say enough wonderful things about THIS SITE. It's fabulous!

Please feel free to join the Facebook Page for the Free Homeschooling 101. If you have any further questions I'll try to help as much as I can.

Thanks for reading! :o)
Shelly M.

ENGLISH: 11TH GRADE SYLLABUS EXAMPLE

2009-10-13T12:20:00.000-04:00

English: 11th Grade

Class syllabus

Description
This course is designed to expose students to a broad cross-section of American literature. Students are also expected to increase their composition skills through a variety of writing experiences. Students will be expected to have a number of pieces ready by semester's end that can be included in senior portfolios.

Prerequisites
Credit for English I and II

Topics to be covered

Expect to:

•Read two or three novels by American authors on your own, and complete a full set of assignments related to your reading. At least one novel will be studied as part of a literary circle, where you will meet with 4-5 other students to discuss your novel. In addition, one novel will be studied in-depth by the entire class. Past novels have included Huck Finn, Fahrenheit 451, and The Fellowship of the Ring.

•Complete a research paper and class presentation on an original research idea. This is a major project that is designed as a college preparatory activity. Failure to complete this project can endanger your semester grade. Internet research is usually a major part of the project, so be sure you have internet permission.

•Memorize one famous literary passage of 1-2 minutes in length. This is usually the entire Gettysburg address, or six stanzas from Poe’s “The Raven,” although an appropriate substitute passage can be chosen with instructor approval.

•Complete a least four writing projects/papers that are portfolio-quality. Included among these will be a personal narrative or memoir, a short story and several poems.

• Work on grammar daily. We will begin each day with the Daily Oral Grammar series.

• Have weekly vocabulary tests. Vocabulary worksheets will be given out on Mondays or Tuesdays, and they will be graded two days later. Vocabulary tests will be on Fridays. These words are not easy, and most students find it takes study to pass Friday’s test.

• Read in class. During the latter half of class on Fridays, we will often have SSR—Sustained Silent Reading. You will be expected to have reading material with you.

• Spend quite a bit of time exploring U.S. history as we examine the literature selections.

• Read 15 or more short stories, sermons and non-fiction passages from the text.

• Have homework several times each week, especially early in the semester.

• Have spelling tests on a weekly basis--usually Thursdays.

• Watch films of books by American authors.

• Read a drama play out aloud in class – either “The Crucible” or “The Glass Menagerie.”

• Travel to see a play performed, if funds are available. I try to take each junior class on a field trip to view a live stage production of a play or short story collection. Eligibility for this trip can depend on class behavior.

Order of material to be covered
• Short story unit.
• Non-fiction unit
• Drama Unit
• Poetry Unit
• Drama Unit
• Research Paper Unit

Major papers and writing projects are interspersed throughout the semester.
Resources to be used
• Textbooks
• Videos that correlate with reading selections
• Media Center
• Internet
• Guest speakers
• Field trip to view play production

GEOLOGY CURRICULUM FREE (old earth/Christian slant)

2009-10-08T13:15:00.000-04:00

I found a comprehensive Geology Curriculum Website today. It holds an Old Earth slant with a Christian worldview. The curriculum comes complete with Tests and Quizzes. I hope you enjoy the freebie as much as we do.

HAPPY FREE HOMESCHOOLING!

SIGN LANGUAGE

2009-08-26T10:30:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE IS...

ASL University!

"ASL University is an online curriculum resource for American Sign Language students, instructors, interpreters, and parents of deaf children.

Feel free to use the various lessons and resources for self-study. There is no need to register or pay (unless you want documentation to fulfill high school, college, or continuing education course requirements).

"If you are a teacher I give you permission to use the LESSONS to teach your in-person classes. Enjoy! -- Dr. Bill Vicars"

It doesn't get much better than that!

MICHIGAN HOMESCHOOL PROM CRUISE!

2009-05-08T18:23:00.001-04:00

Last Friday the Inaugural Michigan Homeschool Prom took place on the Elegant Detroit Princess Riverboat.

Kazz is 16 years old, considered a Junior, but is about to graduate from college with an Associate of Business Degree; so the standard "Senior" prom isn't something that would fly in the Homeschooling world. That is why this prom is a Freshman - Senior Prom. Homeschool Alumni under 21 can also attend as well as friends of homeschoolers.

There were teens in attendance from all over Michigan and Northern Ohio. Kazz and his friends are pictured above at the Detroit Renaissance Center. Kazz and his girlfriend, Beka, are to the right on the deck of the ship. The rest of the crew are pictured below in our yard. What a gorgeous bunch of unsocialized homeschoolers! LOL

Brian and I found out a while back that it is becoming more and more common for homeschooling teens to attend a Statewide Homeschool Prom. We decided that it would be a fun thing to plan a Michigan Homeschool Prom too, so that is exactly what we did. It went so well that we are now officially the Michigan Homeschool Prom sponsors. If you build it, they will come...and they did! :o)

If you know of homeschooling teens who live in Michigan or Northern Ohio who would like to attend the 2010 Michigan Homeschool Prom Cruise on April 30th please feel free to let them know. They can join the Facebook site for updates.

The view from the boat was absolutely amazing. We passed under the Ambassador Bridge twice during the cruise portion of the evening. We began the cruise when it was daylight and it ended after the sun had set so we were all able to get a lot of opportunities for sunset photos. Brian and I took advantage of that.

Here are some highlights of the dancing that occurred that evening. All of this fun took place with clean modern music too...who would have thunk it? :o)

I can't get over how pretty the boat was and how smooth the ride was that evening. I had never been on a Paddle boat. I didn't really know what to expect, but it was a pleasant surprise to find out that I couldn't feel the boat moving at all while inside the ship.

When I looked outside I couldn't tell we were moving either. It wasn't until I walked outside that I could appreciate the movement as I enjoyed the evening, breeze. It was a night to remember, though it took me 2 days to recover. The toe right next to my left big toe was numb for those 2 days and I have vowed to wear comfortable shoes next year...and I'm going to stop chaperoning long enough to dance with my husband at least once also!

Hope you all can join us next year too! :o)

DO ANIMALS FEEL LOVE?

2009-04-12T14:35:00.001-04:00

There are many people who believe that animals are not capable of remembering caretakers, feeling love or building attachment. After only one year of care, a lion is set free into the wild. Did he form a bond of love with his caretakers?

If there were ever a doubt, I give you this.

HOMESCCHOOL FREEBIE: COMPUTER PROGRAMMING

2009-04-11T18:23:00.004-04:00

Alice Computer Programming Software

This website offers "Alice" - free educational software from Carnegie Mellon University that teaches students computer programming in a visual, 3-D environment. It makes it easy to create animation for interactive games and videos and much more. The description from the website best explains it:

"Alice is a freely available teaching tool designed to be a student's first
exposure to object-oriented programming. It allows students to learn
fundamental programming concepts in the context of creating animated movies
and simple video games. In Alice, 3-D objects (e.g., people, animals, and
vehicles) populate a virtual world and students create a program to animate
the objects."

HAPPY FREE HOMESCHOOLING!

HOMESCCHOOL FREEBIE: ART LESSONS AT ARTYFACTORY

2009-04-11T15:35:00.002-04:00

Artyfactory has a wealth of information from color theory (both technical stuff
like the color wheel and the emotional impact of colors in painting) to a
thorough overview of African masks and Egyptian hieroglyphs, shading
techniques in pen and ink, etc.

This site can be used directly as reading or coursework for a high school student.

HAPPY FREE HOMESCHOOLING!

HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: INTERACTIVE GEOMETRY and more...

2009-04-11T14:57:00.001-04:00

Learner.org Geometry 3D Shapes provides free multi-media activities about three-dimensional shapes. Students can learn about the mathematical properties of polyhedrons, cubes, prisms, cylinders and pyramids and how to calculate their surface area and volume. Because instruction is presented in 3-D format it makes it much easier to visualize and understand.

Just click on "Geometry 3-D Shapes" and a new page opens where the presentation begins.

This site has so much to offer for grades 6 - 12.

*Math In Daily Life
*Metric Conversions
*Statistics
*Science Interactives
*Language Interactives
*History Interactives
*Arts Interactives

This is an invaluable resource for homeschooling families.

HAPPY FREE SCHOOLING!

WE'RE NOT PERFECT. WE'RE PARENTS...

2009-04-09T15:19:00.005-04:00

Anyone who knows me can vouch for the fact that I love to pick baby names. Anyone who has seen the names of our children will surmise that, I suppose. The topic of pregnancy, babies and naming babies has always been at the top of my list for interesting conversation.

As you know, we have 5 sons in our family. What you may not know, however, is that our family recently decided that we would very much like to include a baby girl into our family mix. Yes, we are going to be a foster family again. With this decision comes the pleasure of picking out a name for our little gal should she become a permanent part of our family. As I was scrolling through all the names on the ParentsConnect website I couldn't help but notice all of the other information they have to offer. There are topics ranging from pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, to blog widgets to parenting! The reason the site caught my attention is because their slogan is so very true.

"We're Not Perfect. We're Parents..."

If you are planning to add a new life to your family, this is a one stop must-add to your favorites for your website links. Look for me in the community section. See you there!

HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: The American Summer Guide

2009-04-09T11:50:00.004-04:00

This guide includes all kinds of information that vary according to topic or activity. The site is geared toward all age levels.

Learn the origin of the term "Dog Days of Summer," the history of Summer Vacations, and the science behind the Summer Solstice.

Did you know that "solstice" comes from the Latin for "sun stands still"?

Learn about the rise and fall of roller coasters, get a BBQ Primer, take an Ice Cream Quiz, watch kid-submitted videos of fireworks and more!

HAPPY FREE HOMESCHOOLING!

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: TEACHING MATH CONCEPTS

2009-03-30T14:54:00.002-04:00

THIS SITE provides suggestions and lesson plans that help educators incorporate technology (spreadsheets, graphing calculators, word processors, and presentation software such as Powerpoint) into math instruction. It also will help provides tips on using a math journal to integrate writing with your mathematics curriculum.

If you have a student with learning difficulties, this site is also geared to help them avoid endless drill work in order to make the subject more meaningful.

Read the "Site Overview" and then explore:

*Math Concepts - This section provides activities covering a range of math
strands commonly taught at the late elementary and middle school level. The
lessons incorporate the use of spreadsheets and/or calculators extending
conceptual understanding and allow students to apply their knowledge in
practical everyday contexts. These activities are designed to enhance
day-to-day curriculum, not replace it.

*Integrated Lessons - This section gives students a framework for
problem-solving. Students collect data and analyze it using a spreadsheet.
Then, they must develop a written report that summarizes the findings and
makes specific recommendations.

*Journals - Get a model for incorporating writing into math instruction.
Find out how students can use a math journal and get prompts that will
inspire students to write about their mathematical thinking.

The idea of the site is to move beyond rote learning, by using a more conceptual (and sophisticated) approach through technologies that will be standard for even minimum wage employment in the future. They have taken over the hand computations that for so many American students in the 20th century was the central goal of mathematics instruction.

HAPPY FREE HOMESCHOOLING!

THE STONEHENGE MYSTERY SOLVED

2009-03-02T10:49:00.003-05:00

A man from Flint Michigan may have solved the mystery of Stonehenge. He is building a replica in his backyard the same way ancient men may have created the original.

Weights, Counter-weighst, pulleys...you name it, they used it!

A DIABETIC DIET QUEST

2009-02-21T21:11:00.001-05:00

As you may know, we recently had a huge wake up call in our household. Our son, Brise, has been diagnosed with Insulin Resistance. I thought he just had a dirty neck. Who knew?!

This diagnosis is particularly scary to us because it is a precursor to diabetes. We are trying our hearts out to eat more healthy and get to the gym more often.

I have found that when I don't have a plan in place, our meals tend to switch right back to what is easy to grab. (ie: Pizza, Pasta..Carbs!) So, I did some research online and found some handy-dandy diabetic meal ideas. I'm placing them here for my ease of reference and for your viewing pleasure also.

I hope this helps someone out there. :o)

---------------------------------------

Diabetic Breakfasts

1) a cup of (plain) Cheerios, 3/4 cup of blueberries and 1/2 cup of skim milk most mornings ( frozen blueberries, defrosted)
2) A Thomas Light multi grain English muffin with "Simply Jiff" or another lower sugar, lo fat peanut butter and sugar free jam
3) scrambled egg beaters or an omelet - with mushroom or onions - and two slices of lo carb bread toasted with a little Smart Balance light
4) oatmeal with fruit

http://www.dlife.com
http://www.diabetic-talk-org

Diabetic Lunches

*Allergies to peanut butter? I.M. Healthy is a brand of peanut-free soynut butters that can be found in health food stores, some grocery stores and online.

MIX AND MATCH LUNCH BOX CHOICES
A	B	C
SANDWICHES	FRUITS/VEGGIES	TREATS
Peanut butter* and jelly	Apple	Homemade trail mix
Nutbutter (Nutella) and banana	Carrot sticks	Low fat yogurt
2% cheese and mustard	Celery sticks	1 or 2 homemade cookies
Low fat deli ham, lettuce and tomato	Clementine or tangerine	air-popped or low fat microwaved popcorn
Low fat deli turkey, lettuce and tomato	Plum or nectarine	Homemade whole grain muffin
Tuna fish with low fat mayo	Grapes	Homemade brownie
Egg salad with low fat mayo	Banana	Sugar-free pudding
Part-skim mozzarella and whole grain crackers	Orange slices	Low fat whole grain cereal bar

Diabetic Dinners

OTHER STUFF

FREE Food List (Low or no carbs/sugars)

Low Carb Bread/Pasta Recipes

.

EDUCATING IN THIS ERA

2009-02-08T23:43:00.000-05:00

The knowledge our children gain from using Computers, watching television, movies and clips online is more than most of us gained in all of our years of K-12 public schooling.

This is the new age. This video explains why homeschooling, with multi-media, hours and hours a day, works better than public/private schooling hours and hours a day. Our children can use the tools more often, for longer and with more leniency than any school in America is equipped to give their students.

THIS is why Homeschooling Works better than the failing American Schools. THIS is why teachers should be able to use their knowledge, love of teaching and energy to run their classrooms the way they see fit rather than adhering to bureaucratic standards that continue to squash the educational desire of modern day students.

Teachers Are Not Broken. The System is broken! Until our schools can teach full out with the technology of today, they're best foot forward is 10 steps behind their students.

THIS is why Homeschooling Works!

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: JOHN PHILLIP SOUSA!

2009-02-03T16:39:00.003-05:00

Dallas Wind Symphony: John Phillip Sousa

This website is sponsored by the Dallas Wind Symphony, that features all of the works of John Phillips Sousa. He is most famous for his 136 marches, particularly, "Stars and Stripes Forever," the official march of the United States of America.

When you get to the site, you'll see a You Tube screen - and if you click on it, you can watch a video of President George W. Bush conducting the U.S. Marine Band playing "Stars and Stripes Forever" at a White House correspondents' dinner.

Sousa was a man of many talents. Scroll down the page (below the You Tube video) and you can download for free - two novels that Sousa wrote and an operetta. You can also read descendent-approved biographical information and primary source accounts of Sousa's life and work.

Below that, look for the "Complete Works of Sousa" and click on it to see a comprehensive listing of Sousa's work along with sound clips from many of his original recordings with his actual band.

The music alone is really worth the visit.

WORKBOOKS FOR THE YOUNGER GRADES

2009-01-24T21:29:00.000-05:00

There are times in our homeschooling journey when I feel the need to switch up our routine and give our boys a little boost in a certain area of their study. It is in those times that I try to find inexpensive educational materials that will be both a positive and fun addition to our curriculum.

Recently I found out that Sylvan Learning is launching some Brand New supplemental workbooks that peeked my interest. I found out that they are consumable workbooks that focus on a specific subject. We needed a Reading/Spelling/Vocabulary supplement and they had just what I was looking for, for our 3rd grader, Vinze.

I got the workbook today and was pleasantly shocked to see that IT IS SO THICK! The pages are sturdy and thick also. This is not a flimsy curriculum. There are over 300 full pages in this book. Honestly, This is billed as a supplemental curriculum, but I've paid much more money for a lot less from some suppliers. I believe it could be used as a full curriculum. If Vinze does 2 pages a day that's 150+ days of schooling plus his reading assignments and book reports!

Each lesson is fun, lively and straight to the point. They look like they will be funny, easy to use and allow Vinze to learn using step by step processes while also reviewing learning gaps that have fallen through the cracks.

The third grade "Super Reading Success" workbook that we got today is actually 3 Books In one. It covers Spelling, Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension. The workbooks are based on Sylvan's proven techniques for success. They focus on reading and language arts, and features grade-appropriate activities, stories, and exercises to help students gain confidence and boost their grades.

The neat thing is that it can also be used to prepare for a Skill's Assessment at a Sylvan Learning Center if you want to have a record of your child's progress as the years go by. There is a coupon for $10 off a skills assessment test that can be used at any Sylvan Learning center.

I am going to watch as more and more Sylvan products become available. For $18.99, I do believe these workbooks are the best deal to come along since sliced bread! I'll keep you posted as we use the material.

HEALTH: DOES YOUR CHILD HAVE A DIRTY NECK OR DIABETES?

2009-01-14T07:49:00.001-05:00

As most of you know by now, I'm not blogging as much as I used to. Our family is getting our home ready to receive foster children this year. There is much to be done.

In the process of becoming foster parents it is required that everyone in our household have a physical examination. I've been busy taking all of our children to the doctor. The twins needed their 5 year shots, Kazz needed a booster and Vinnie was pretty well up to date with all of his requirements. All were healthy and there was nothing to make me think that Brise would be any different.

Last Monday I took Brise in to see our pediatrician. I expected to be in and out of there in a little over an hour just like we were with the rest of the boys. Little did I know that we would have a life changing experience that day. Please know that it could have been MUCH worse but that day did change our lifestyle, for the better.

We went in and Brise hopped up on the counter. The nurse took him out to weigh him and log his height. Brise is tall for his age. He's 5'6" tall, 11 years old and wears a size 13 shoe. When they came back into the room she took his blood pressure.

"hmm...let me do that again" She took it again.
"hmmm...this cuff isn't working correctly." She took the cuff off, left the room and came back with another cuff. She installed it and took his blood pressure again.

"His blood pressure is high." She said, and promptly left the room.

I had a hard time processing that. I was wondering how an 11 year old could have high blood pressure. She walked out the door before I could ask how high.

We go to a teaching pediatrician so the first doctor to walk in the door was just on his second day of rounds. He was nervous so we chatted a bit and I tried to answer all of his OVERLY thorough questions. We were questioned to ad nauseum...or so I thought. Little did I know that he had spotted something right away that caused him to ask so many questions.

He walked out the door and immediately came back in with a third year doctor. She began talking as if I knew what the heck she was talking about. She began talking about diabetes and how we need to change our eating.

"I see here that you drink soft drinks in your home. Those need to be stricken from your diet Brisan. Do you understand that?"

My head was swimming. What is she talking about?!

She then began explaining what foods we need to eat and how much. She talked and talked. She handed Brise literature. She talked some more. She handed me literature.

What is going on here? They haven't even looked in his ears yet!! I am very seldom at a loss for words. This day, I was lost.

They left the room. I could see that my son was on the verge of tears. I WAS on the verge of tears. Neither one of us could understand "Why" They were, all of the sudden, ranting about food and sugar levels and diabetes. I explained to Brise that if there is a problem with his blood sugar that we can certainly change our eating habits. I told him that he would NOT do this alone and our entire family would be on board with any diet changes.

The next doctor to walk in, THANK GOD, was our pediatrician. She's so gentle, sweet and knows just what to say to help her patients stay calm and understand what is going on.

"Hello agian. Aren't you tired of seeing me yet? Is this the last son?"

"Yes," I said. "What's going on? Do we need to be worried here? Does he have diabetes? How do you know that without a test?"

Those who know me in person, KNOW that those questions came tumbling out of my mouth before she could get a word in edgewise. I needed answers, NOW!

"Do you see these marks here on his neck?"

"Yes, I keep telling him to wash it but even when I try to wash his neck it won't go away."

"That's Acanthosis Nigricans. That is a marker for diabetes. If he does not have it, he's on his way to getting it. In adults the marks begin on the armpits or groin."

My jaw fell. I nearly cried right there but I held it together. I saw slight marks like that on Kazz's arms. Not dark, just light. Now, She had my attention.

Long story short, Brise had a LOT of blood drawn the next day. (9 viles) He does NOT have diabetes yet, but was diagnosed with insulin resistance. His Insulin level is quite high. You can bet, dear reader, that our eating habits have changed. We are on a schedule and we've bought more fruits and veggies than this house has ever seen. I am on a search for a diabetic brownie. If you have any great diabetic dessert recipes, we're all ears in this household!

They are going to monitor his blood pressure. We'll be heading back to the doc in a few weeks. I thank God that we caught this before it turned into diabetes. I hope this post will help another mother do the same for her family.

If you recognize these markings on any of your family members, or a lighter version of them that fade and come back, you'll want to read this information.

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Acanthosis Nigricans is a disorder that may begin at any age. It causes velvety, light-brown-to-black, markings usually on the neck, under the arms or in the groin. Eating too much of the wrong foods, especially starches and sugars, can cause insulin resistance. This will result in elevated insulin levels. Most patients with Acanthosis Nigricans have a higher insulin level than those of the same weight without Acanthosis Nigricans. Elevated levels of insulin in most cases probably cause Acanthosis Nigricans. The elevated insulin levels in the body activates insulin receptors in the skin, forcing it to grow abnormally. Reducing the circulating insulin by dieting or medication can lead to improvement of the skin problem.

TEACHING HISTORY THROUGH CLOCKS

2009-01-10T13:04:00.003-05:00

Studying The History of Clocks can lead a unit study from age to age in an interesting and fun way. I've found that teens really get into the time periods that clocks have played a role in. Whether it be the impact clocks have had on the Scientific method or the Chronology, Time and Narrative they have played in history, there is no denying that clocks have made a huge impact on our world and the way we live today.

Through our homeschooling journey there have been a few classes that touched on woodworking, time keeping and the making of clocks. One such topic that is a favorite of mine is grandfather clocks. The woodworking and precision timing are absolute works of art. Whether they be old or new they are timeless in design and are bound to provoke interest.

The one I find most intriguing is the Howard Miller Chateau Grandfather Clock. This clock is a timeless, majestic, masterpiece. All of the Howard Miller Grandfather Clocks are astonishing and make an elegant statement in most any home decor.

As I've become a little older, I've gotten the longing to own a piece of history. I would very much like a Grandfather Clock from the day that I live in right now. I would like to receive a new clock every Christmas and/or birthday from here on out. They will be heirlooms to hand to my children and grand-children. They will tell the next generations of my family, about the day that I lived, the hours that we kept and the home where they came from. Clocks are more than a topic for education. They are history, past and present. And to those who leave them to the future generations, they are time itself.

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: MATH DRILLS

2009-01-05T00:50:00.000-05:00

TODAYS HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE IS...

MATH-DRILLS.COM

Math-Drills.Com includes over 6000 free math worksheets with answer keys.
Classroom teachers use the free math worksheets on this website to assess students' mastery of basic math facts, to give students extra practice, to teach new math strategies, and to save precious planning time.
Parents use the free math worksheets on this website to give their child extra practice with essential math skills.
Using the math worksheets over the summer and other breaks allows students to stay sharp for the upcoming school term.

HAPPY FREE HOMESCHOOLING!

FUN AND FRUGAL HOMEMADE GIFTS

2008-12-19T01:23:00.000-05:00

WATER ROCKET LAUNCHER

Materials:

Valve
3 each ¾” PVC Cap
One ¾” PVC Tee joint
One ¾” x ½” threaded Tee joint
5’ of ¾” PVC schedule 40 pipe
One ½” x 8” threaded riser pipe
One ¾” 90 degree ell (“L) joint
1’ electrical tape
One tire inner tube valve
PVC pipe cement or epoxy

(important: use protective gloves and goggles when gluing!!!)

Assembly Instructions:

With a hack saw, cut the 5’ PVC pipe into two 6”, two 12” and one 18” length.
Drill a ½” hole in the middle of one ¾” Cap.
Push the valve stem into this hole and trim the rubber so that it will have a tight seal.
Glue this cap to one 6” pipe, being careful to have the pipe end push the rubber to be tightly sealed against the cap.
Assemble the launcher as shown, glue the joints.
Wrap the threaded riser pipe where it joins the threaded Tee, so that there is a tapered, water-tight connection when a 2 liter bottle, with a few cups of water in it, is pushed onto it.

MARSHMALLOW SHOOTER!
I found this over at TennZen. You'll love it there...go see!

The picture above is painted to suit the owner. Ours are white and boring but they work so have fun whichever way you decide to go. Painted, unpainted...they all shoot the same! :o)

What you'll need:

2 feet of 1/2 inch internal diameter PVC pipe (found in the hardware store's plumbing section)

2 PVC elbow joints to fit the aforementioned pipe

2 PVC end caps

2 PVC "T" joints

Tools needed:

Ruler or tape measure

Pencil

Hacksaw or PVC pipe cutter

1. Cut the PVC pipe into the following pieces:

5 3-inch pieces
1 7-inch piece
1 1-inch piece

2. Assemble pieces and connectors according to these directions from Instructables.com. Or, you can put all the pieces and connectors, unassembled, into a ziploc bag and include a printed copy of the assembly directions.

3. Get a supply of ammo - mini-marshmallows - and include with the shooter.

4. Load. Ready, Aim, FIRE!

FIRING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Insert a mini-marshmallow into the mouthpiece.

2. Raise the mouthpiece to your mouth.

3. Point the barrel at the intended target.

4. Take a deep breath.

5. Blow a hard puff of air into the mouthpiece to launch the marshmallow.

MICHIGAN HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

2008-12-11T23:45:00.000-05:00

The Michigan Merit Curriculum
High School
Graduation Requirements Effective Beginning with Students Entering 8th Grade in 2006

NOTE TO SELF: While these are the High School requirements for Michigan High Schools they are NOT required for homeschoolers. HOWEVER, when thinking about getting accepted into a 4 year college take into consideration that they will be looking for the State requirements. So teach the requirements accordingly...
ALSO...take advantage of the fact that our boys can go to the local community college at the age of 14. Allow them to earn an associate degree by the time they would have graduated High School. That should take care of any questions from a University.

ENGLISH - 4 Credits
English Language Arts 9, English Language Arts 10, English Language Arts 11, English Language

MATH - 4 Credits
Geometry, Algebra I, Algebra II, one math or math-related course in final year of high school

SCIENCE - 3 Credits
Biology, Chemistry or Physics, one additional science credit

SOCIAL STUDIES - 3 Credits
World History & Geography,
U.S. History & Geography, .5 credits in both Civics and Economics

PHYSICAL EDUCATION & HEALTH - 1 Credit

VISUAL, PERFORMING and APPLIED ARTS - 1 Credit

ONLINE LEARNING EXPERIENCE

Effective Beginning with students entering 3rd grade in 2006
LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH - 2 Credits
In grades 9-12; OR an equivalent learning experience in grades K-12

How democratic was colonial America?

2008-12-10T00:15:00.000-05:00

In time it became evident that there existed a different spirit than the one that existed in England. The colonists were a different breed of man. They were tough hewn adventurers, not the spoiled patricians that existed in the mother country. The colonists had come for many reasons, not the least of which was to get away from England. Whether their goal was economic opportunity or religious freedom it was goal that required a certain amount of independence from the King. While no colonist would acknowledge this it was true. They were some 3,000 miles away and for all intents and purposes expected to be left alone as long as they remained loyal to the crown. They were willing to owe allegiance to the King and they were willing to pay their fair share of taxes but the never expected the King to meddle in everyday affairs. The result of this was a spirit of Democracy that did not exist in England. Where the colonies democratic, far from it but they were on the way.

Democratic and Undemocratic Characteristics of Life in the Colonies

Democratic Characteristics

Freedom of the Press

- The trial and acquittal of John Peter Zenger on charges of libel set the stage for the first use of freedom of the press. This became a precedent in colonial trials and newspapers began to report news differently in the colonies than they did in England.

Freedom of religion

-Roger Williams, William Penn and others that founded colonies dedicated to promoting religious freedom.

Elected legislatures existed in almost all colonies.

Town Hall meetings took place where citizens consulted on all manners of law.

Mayflower Compact was an early sign of Democracy. It showed that government came from the will of the people and it set a precedent in the colonies.

Rugged nature of the colonists was one that did not take well to be told what to do by a King (or anyone for that matter.).

Distance from England - They were 3000 miles away and grew accustomed to making decisions for themselves.

Undemocratic

Slavery - was clearly undemocratic, except that most did not consider the slaves to be really human.

Indentured Servitude was another relatively undemocratic fact of life, after all how can one sell himself as property.

Ruled by a King - The fact was the the law was made by the King and the colonists had sworn their loyalty to him. The fact remains that up until the revolution most still considered themselves loyal to the King.

Colonial existence was by its very nature undemocratic.

FREE CURRICULUM PRESCHOOL THRU PRE-MED!

2008-12-08T21:22:00.001-05:00

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE IS...

FREE WORLD UNIVERSITY Kindergarten THRU Pre-Med Curriculum!

Here is their homepage explanation...

"Our mission is to provide free online education to everyone worldwide. Our primary goal is to develop a pre K-12 program. Our methods of accelerated learning will eventually expand to an online university that will include a wide range of practical subjects such as the computer sciences and trades.

Parents and their students should begin by clicking here to get answers to frequently asked questions, a movie walk through, a downloadable user guide, and a step-by-step tutorial on using the program.

We make learning absorbing and fun by breaking down complex concepts into simple fact units that are placed on electronic flash cards. Our software remembers exactly which units the student knows, and only shows information that has not yet been mastered.

Registration is open to everyone. Your personal information is confidential. You cannot appreciate the dynamic and personalized way that this learning system works without registering. Please click here for free registration."

We have used this for some of our homeschool classes. They are FlashCard oriented. If you like Straight to the point "Quick and Dirty" lessons this is the site for you. There are many subjects to choose from and the price is right! FREE! We have used this when the boys need to get a class under their belt in a quick, easy to understand way.

HAPPY FREE HOMESCHOOLING!!

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: OPERA CD'S AND TEACHING MANUAL

2008-12-08T20:32:00.002-05:00

Opera for Everyone!

Welcome to the OperaGlass home of Opera for Everyone

This site enables opera companies and educators to access and download FREE digital versions of the Opera for Everyone series of CDs and the Teaching Manual for teaching purposes. Our objective is to have these materials used to introduce everyone to opera -- the remarkable combination of music, drama, dance and the visual arts.
Opera for Everyone provides an excellent opportunity for students and educators alike to become familiar with the background and music of four classic operas -- each related to a different important period of opera: Rossini's The Barber of Seville (1816); Verdi's La Traviata (1853); Bizet's Carmen (1875); and Puccini's Madama Butterfly (1904).

Each CD tells the story in two ways, first with words and then with music.

HAPPY FREE HOMESCHOOLING!

STUDY SKILLS: FREE FLASHCARD GENERATOR

2008-12-06T22:24:00.000-05:00

When I was in college I used flashcards to study for tests. They are a beautiful thing. I would hand write the vast amounts of information from my notes and books into small, little bite sized chunks. I would then flash those buggers till the cows came home. The ones I knew went in one pile and the ones I didn't have down pat went into the other. Only when I could rattle answers off willy-nilly was I ready to stop studying.

It was nothing at all for me to have hundreds of flashcards wrapped in blocks with rubber bands when all was said and done with a course. I credit those flashcard information bites as the main reason why I could memorize vast amounts of knowledge and graduate with honors.

Needless to say, I've passed that study skill on to our son who is now in college. He writes and writes and then I flash those cards at gun until his eyes cross. But, he hit the College Dean's List at the age of 15 and has never looked back so it's not in vain. :o)

I've said all that to say, I would have paid a small fortune to be able to EASILY type up and print flashcards. Sure I tried it but I could never get the things to print so that I could fold, cut and flash. Well, lo and behold my son sure can.

Here is the FREE flashcard generator. Print them on a thicker stock paper and your work is half done. Just zip a little glue down the middle before you fold and then cut. Voila! Easy, peasy!

HAPPY FREE HOMESCHOOLING...I MEAN STUDYING!

HOME EDUCATION STATS

2008-12-06T22:03:00.001-05:00

I've been asked repeatedly for some hard data regarding Homeschooling vs. Public/Private schooling. I have posted the findings below. I believe that it all comes down to one-on-one teaching versus mass teaching. Somehow, humans just learn better when they are given all the attention they need to succeed. One of the things my friends who were teachers agree upon is that mo matter how wonderful the public or private school teacher is, they will always have this hurdle to overcome.

Here are the stats:

Because Homeschooling Works If it's not broken, why spend money to fix it?

How do homeschoolers measure up?

Home school students do exceptionally well when compared with the nationwide average. In every subject and at every grade level of the ITBS and TAP batteries, home school students scored significantly higher than their public and private school counterparts (Figure 1).

Because home education allows each student to progress at his or her own rate, almost one in four home school students (24.5%) are enrolled one or more grades above age level (Figure 2). It should be noted that home school scores were analyzed according to the student’s enrolled grade rather than according to the student’s age level. In other words, a 10-year-old home school student enrolled in 5th grade would have been compared to other students in the 5th grade, rather than to his age-level peers in the 4th grade. Thus, the demonstrated achievement of homeschoolers is somewhat conservative.

On average, home school students in grades 1–4 perform one grade level higher than their public and private school counterparts. The achievement gap begins to widen in grade 5; by 8th grade the average home school student performs four grade levels above the national average (Figure 3).

Another significant finding is that students who have been home schooled their entire academic lives have the highest scholastic achievement. The difference becomes especially pronounced during the higher grades, suggesting that students who remain in home school throughout their high school years continue to flourish in that environment (Figure 4).

Differences were also found among home school students when they were classified by amount of money spent on education, family income, parent education, and television viewing. However, it should be noted that home school students in every category scored significantly higher than the national average.

No meaningful difference was found among home school students when classified by gender (Figure 5). Significantly, there was also no difference found according to whether or not a parent was certified to teach (Figure 6). For those who would argue that only certified teachers should be allowed to teach their children at home, these findings suggest that such a requirement would not meaningfully affect student achievement.
Source

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: LONGLEAF ALLIANCE VIRTUAL TOUR

2008-12-06T20:56:00.003-05:00

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE IS...

The Longleaf Alliance

This website provides a virtual ecosystem tour of an old growth Longleaf
Pine forest. Longleaf Pines, are located in the Southeastern United States
and in 1996 researchers found that less then 0.01% of the remaining Longleaf
Pine forests would be considered old-growth.

The following links will take you to more information on some of the unique plants and animals that may be encountered in the longleaf pine forest.

After the tour, just click on "Information for Educators" on the menu bar at the top of your screen for more educational links.

HAPPY FREE HOMESCHOOLING!

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: ORGANIZATION AT IT'S BEST

2008-12-05T21:28:00.002-05:00

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE IS...

Cozi.com: Family Organizer/Planner/Calendar

This planner is designed with families in mind to organize and plan homeschool
days. With this planner we can keep track of each of our family members easily. and We can list our Homeschool's name and assign it a color. Each color
represents the activities, appointments and chores listed for that person or
thing.

This program also allows us to make grocery lists and view recipes. We can list our own recipes and have the ingredients added to your grocery list that can be printed out or accessed from the phone.

This is one for the Freebie Hall Of Fame!

HAPPY FREE HOMESCHOOL PLANNING

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL EXPERIMENT: RAW OR BOILED EGG

2008-12-05T20:45:00.000-05:00

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL EXPERIEMENT COMES FROM...

Krampf.com

RAW OR BOILED EGG...THAT IS THE QUESTION!

Raw Egg or Boiled video.

Mineral Identification. This video covers luster, hardness,
cleavage/fracture, streak, and other tests.

Mineral ID Chart for use with the Mineral Identification video.

How can you tell if an egg is raw or cooked without cracking the shell? There are several ways? (How many can you find?) This is one of my favorites. You will need:

- a raw egg

- a hard boiled egg

- a smooth, flat surface

- a pencil

- a small bowl

Place both eggs on the table and mix them around until you are not sure which is which. Select one and place it on the flat surface. Give it a good, hard spin and watch carefully. Notice how quickly it spins. Then test the other egg the same way.

You will find that one egg spins very quickly, while the other egg spins much slower. Use the pencil to write “A” on the egg that spun quickly, and “B” on the egg that spun slowly.

Take egg A and spin it again. Once it is spinning, use your fingers to stop the egg and then quickly release it again. You only want to touch it long enough to get it to stop for an instant. Notice that when you remove your fingers, the egg pretty much stays still.

Do the same thing with egg B. This time you will find that when you remove your fingers, the egg starts spinning again.

Egg A is the hard boiled egg, and egg B is the raw egg. How do I know? The hard boiled egg is solid all the way through. When you spin the shell, the entire egg spins. When you stop the shell, the whole thing stops.

On the other hand, the inside of the raw egg is liquid. Crack egg B into a small bowl. Ahhh! It really is the raw egg. We are going to pretend that the bowl is the shell of the egg. Gently spin the bowl on the table. Notice that when it first starts to spin, the egg lags behind. Its inertia keeps it still until the friction between the bowl and the egg is enough to get the egg spinning. That is why the raw egg spun slower. The inertia of the liquid inside was slowing it down.

Spin the bowl again, and this time stop it quickly. When the bowl stops, the egg keeps spinning. Again, its inertia keeps it moving until friction with the bowl slows it down. That is what causes the raw egg to start spinning again when you release it. You stopped the shell, but the liquid inside was still spinning.

The last thing to do is to clean up and get rid of the eggs. I scrambled the raw egg, chopped the boiled egg, sliced some green olives, and used some mayonnaise to make myself and egg and olive sandwich. Yum! Ahh, the fun of science!

HAPPY HOMESCHOOL EXPERIMENTING!

MY FELLOW BLOGGERS LINKY MEME!

2008-12-05T18:26:00.001-05:00

Hi there my fellow bloggers. Are you ready to give some linky love? Here's your chance to be a Beariuca Fan!

-START COPYING HERE-
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived a powerful Genie Princess named Mariuca who was known throughout the land as the friendliest, most popular blogger in the blogosphere kingdom. Adored and admired by international visitors and commentators from around the world, the Genie Princess travels the blogosphere on her magical flying carpet, always looking for ways to share her good fortune with others. Over the past two years of blogging, Mariuca has met so many new people, from all walks of life and all over the world, each one bringing a little of their culture and lifestyle when they visit and comment on Mariuca’s two sites. So on her 2nd Blog Anniversary, Mariuca wanted to celebrate with all of her international blogosphere buddies by hosting bear-naming contests at Wishing On A Falling Star and Mariuca’s Perfume Gallery and to pass her two lucky, cuddly teddy bears along to the winners who came up with the best names.

On the opposite side of the world, from the moment Roxy (the prolific Roxiticus Desperate Housewives blogger) and her sweet daughters London and Maddie saw the teddy in his personalized t-shirt and blue muffler at Wishing On A Falling Star, they knew that he needed to come to live with their family in Mendham, NJ. The three New Jersey girls named him immediately and burst into a wonderful song for BEAR-iuca:

BEAR-iuca, BEAR-iuca, amazing teddy cheer
BEAR-iuca, BEAR-iuca, we’d love you to come live here!

Mariuca received 16 possible names for the Mariuca Teddy Bear, making it hard for the Genie Princess to choose just one…then Alakazam! A bolt of lightning delivered the perfect way to share BEAR-iuca’s good fortune to bloggers around the globe. While the soft, stuffed, cuddly BEAR-iuca is on his way to live with Roxy, London, Maddie and Rex in the Roxiticus Valley, the Spirit of BEAR-iuca is racing through the blogosphere to bring happiness, holiday cheer, and beary best wishes to everyone who welcomes him into their online home and passes along the BEAR-iuca good luck charm to ten friends.

Please play along with us by following a few important rules:

Add your site(s) to the list once you have received the Spirit of BEAR-iuca badge of teddy bear cheer.
Pass along the Spirit of BEAR-iuca and his cheery badge to as many people as you like.
Leave a comment HERE once you’ve passed on the Spirit of BEAR-iuca.
Once Roxy and the Genie Princess have visited your site to make sure your links are complete and proper, you will then be added to the Master List.

To ensure everyone receives equal link benefit, please UPDATE your list regularly!

BEAR-iuca LOVES

1. Mariuca 2. Roxiticus Desperate Housewives 3. Mariuca’s Perfume Gallery 4. Roxy’s Best Of... 5. Bay Head Blog 6. Roxiticus Best Blogs 7. Emila's Illustrated Blog 8. Metz - Empty Streets 9. The Spirit of Blogging 10. Speedcat Hollydale Page 11. Snapshot 12. purplefrogcat 13. Turn-u-Off 14. Simple Life 15. A Little Girl Talk 16. Life in the Lapadula House 17. Spicybugz World 18. The Mom With Brownies 19. Our High School Homeschool 20. Our Five Dangerous Boys 21. The Big Dog 22. YOU Next!

-END COPY-

TODAY'S FRUGAL GIFT IDEA: VISA GIFT CARDS

2008-12-03T13:38:00.004-05:00

Don't just give a gift cards this year, give a personalized custom gift card from GiftCardLab. This gift is always the right color and always the right size. Just go to the GiftCardLab where you can upload pictures, art, or graphics to design your very own Visa Gift Card for loved ones, co-wokers, employees, and friends.

Visa gift cards from GiftCardLab are also FDIC insured so no need to worry about the risk brought on by retail gift cards that may lose their value if the retail store claims bankruptcy. We all know that's a real possibility in this economic environment.

GiftCardLab Visa gift cards can also be used anywhere Visa is accepted so the gift cards can be used for necessities like gas, groceries, clothes, etc. A much more practical gift for this Christmas season.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS SHOPPING! :O)

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: HOW ALUMINUM IS MADE

2008-11-30T13:55:00.004-05:00

Today's Homeschoool Freebie Virtual Field Trip to...

Alcoa: It All Starts With Dirt

Visit the "It All Starts With Dirt" Web site

Alcoa's founders discovered how to make pure aluminum and created a new industry the world over. Explore the amazing process of turning a four-ton truckload of dirt into a ton of aluminum.
enter site
download a printable brochure

"Alcoa Can't Wait"
In the mid 70's, Alcoa commissioned a theme song for radio and TV advertising that was full of hope for a brighter future. Today, the 'Tomorrow' that we sang about back then is coming true — and we still can't wait for what's next!

Alcoa's history (timeline)
Click below for a brief, interactive overview of Alcoa's first 120 years.

go

See how aluminum is made
View a three-minute video that shows the complete aluminum production process.
go

HAPPY FREE HOMESCHOOLING!

HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: PRINTABLE RULER

2008-11-26T21:53:00.001-05:00

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE IS...

PRINTABLE RULERS ONLINE

Today I could not find a ruler anywhere so I headed over to my handy-dandy computer and found a printable one! Vinze was able to finish his homework and I was able to stay in our cozy warm home, instead of running to the store for the umpteenth time to replace our ruler reserves.

It was a handy little bugger so I 'm passing it on to you!

HAPPY FREE MEASURING!

YES, I DO THIS TOO...

2008-11-21T13:16:00.005-05:00

Alright, I admit it. I have bought Christmas and Birthday presents for my children that were educational. Vinze has gotten more bug exhibits and ant farms then I care to admit. Kazz and Brise have gotten quite a few "board games" that were spelling and reasoning education in disguise.

I think homeschooling parents have a gene specifically designed to be frugal and educational at the same time. Mixing presents with education fits nicely into that personality trait. And if we can get the item on sale....We're good for the year!

I don't know why...But I don't even feel bad about it. *sigh*

IF YOU CAN GET IT TO WORK...PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT WENT WRONG

2008-11-21T02:52:00.001-05:00

UPDATE: The craft below was a flop. It grew but no tomatoes formed. I don't think there is enough nutrients in the small amount of dirt that fills the 2 liter container. Though I did use sticks of Miracle Grow to try to help things along, in the end the nutrients just were not there. Now tomatoes were had by our family this year. I think we'll go ahead and plant a garden next year. That's more fun anyway. :o)

--------------HERE IS THE ORIGINAL POST-------------------------

This week I'm trying a "Shelly Thunk It" Craft. I saw a commercial for a plastic pop up device that allows a person to plant a tomato plant in it so that the plant actually hangs and grows upside down.

Hydroponics? Well, no because I'm using soil but it is upside down.

I looked at the cylindrical tube and thought..."I can do that."

Brian and I went out to grab some plants and dirt from a local nursery. I saw this hanging do-dad up in their store. I thought that a 2 liter Mt. Dew bottle may actually fit in that upside down. So, I bought the thing. On our way home Brian and I decided to get some dog fence at good ol' Home Depot. While we were looking around, what should I see but a cute little plant hanging device. I just HAD to have it. That cute little contraption will work wonderfully to hang my Craft idea on. I bought that baby, came home and went to work on my idea.

I grabbed a 2 liter bottle, cut off the end of it and put it in the hanger.

It fell through! CRRAAAP!!

Brian got the brilliant idea to use his jerky sticks to anchor the jug to the hanger. Voila!

After I stuck all 6 sticks through the holes I tried to put the plant in and realized...

"duh..."

So I took the sticks out, put the plant in, put dirt in the jug; filling it 3/4 of the way full.

Then I placed all of the sticks through the hole, making sure to use enough sticks so the weight of a growing tomato plant won't break them and send my masterpiece tumbling to the ground!

Yes, I did indeed place this on our front porch. I think it looks interesting actually. Even if it looked terribly bad, I would still have to put it on our front porch though, or the dogs would have it for lunch and a play toy.

After I finished my project Daxx and Kole insisted on having pictures taken with it to put on "mom's blog." Mom obliged. Here are their poses. :-)

I'll keep the update going. If this one dies, I'll try another. This is going to work!! :-)

---------------------

NOPE! lol Any pointers on what went wrong?

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE IS...GEOGRAPHY ...A WHOLE LOT OF GEOGRAPHY!

2008-11-21T02:05:00.000-05:00

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE IS...

A huge list of Geography sites that I found in my drafts file. I don't remember when or even where I got the list but I'm glad to have it! The links lead to so many geographic sites that I had information overload. There are too many to explain. All I can say is have a ball learning and being fascinated with information you never knew.

HAPPY FREE GEOGRAPHY!

50 States Everything you need to complete a US State report...	Social Studies, Geography, History, Unit Study, Tutorial	Pike Street Industries	6-14
A Model of Seed Dispersal In this lesson, students will learn about one particular method of seed dispersal, through foods that animals eat...	Biology, Geography, Animals, Earth Science, Geography, Simulation, Tutorial, Tutorial	PBS	11-16
A Stitch in Time In this lesson, students will examine Senegalese sayings and proverbs, and compare them to American sayings....	Social Studies, Geography, Tutorial, Unit Study	Peace Corps	11-15
A View from the Top In this lesson, students meet Amelia the Pigeon and are introduced to the idea of aerial photography...	Social Studies, Science, Photography, Geography, Technology, Online Interactive, Tutorial, Unit Study	Microsoft	5-11
Africa This website is co-produced by PBS Nature and National Geographic. See Africa as never before!..	Geography, Online Interactive, Virtual Tour	PBS	6-18
Africa - What do you know? This lesson has students practice basic map skills while reviewing the location and physical features of Africa and Senegal...	Geography, Social Studies, History, Simulation, Tutorial, Unit Study	Peace Corps	8-11
Alike and Different: The Middle East and the United States Examine the similarities and differences between the Middle East and your own city, state, and country...	Geography, Online Interactive, Tutorial	National Geographic	8-11
America's Stories The Library of Congress presents the stories of America's past...	Social Studies, Geography, History, Reference, Unit Study, Tutorial, Virtual Tour	Library of Congress	3-18
American Experience: Mount Rushmore Explore the history, cost and personalities associated with Mount Rushmore National Memorial, create an inscription to explain it and describe Native ...	History, Economics, Geography, Civics, Simulation, Tutorial, Unit Study	PBS	10-18
Around the World Calendar In this project, students explore the famous landmarks or monuments of countries around the world. They discuss how those landmarks represent the cult...	Social Studies, History, Geography, Language Arts, Technology, Online Interactive, Tutorial, Virtual Tour	Microsoft	11-14
Broom Forest In this lesson, students will better understand that the environmental factors of an area affect a species's characteristics over time...	Geography, Social Studies, Science, Earth Science, Geology, Simulation, Tutorial, Tutorial	PBS	10-15
Charting Countries of the World Research countries & create a comparison chart...	Geography, Math, Tutorial, Unit Study	National Geographic	8-11
CIA - The World Factbook Find facts, country information, flags, maps and more on any country in the world...	Reference, Social Studies, Geography, Tutorial, Online Interactive	Central Intelligence Agency	3-18
Conquistadors: Step by Step Conquistadors Online Learning Adventure...	Writing, Social Studies, History, Language, Geography, Online Interactive, Tutorial	PBS	10-18
Contour Maps With DOGSTAILS Craft mountains from clay and create topographic maps...	Geography, Simulation, Tutorial	National Geographic	8-11
Current Events This website from textbook publisher McDougal Little Company that provides free, interactive, multi-media current events reports for students...	History, Geography, Economics, Online Interactive	McDougal Littell	10-18
Daily Life in the Middle East Focus on the people and daily life in Iraq...	Geography, Social Studies, Writing, Tutorial, Simulation, Unit Study	National Geographic	14-18
Do You Know the Story of Pomp? This lesson is a great supplement to any study of explorers, Lewis and Clark. Students will read about Pomp, the infant son of Sacagawea, who also too...	Social Studies, History, Geography, Language Arts, Technology, Online Interactive, Tutorial	Microsoft	11-14
Don't Be Fooled by a Photograph View digitally altered images & determine fact vs. fiction...	Photography, Writing, Geography, Science, Online Interactive, Unit Study	National Geographic	11-14
Earth Day A Lesson Plan for Earth Day everyday...	Earth Science, Science, Holidays, Geography, Social Studies, Tutorial, Unit Study, Simulation	National Geographic	8-11
Echoes: What Animals Can Teach Scientists Use echolocation and sonar to investigate the deep-sea...	Animals, Earth Science, Geography, Science, Simulation, Tutorial, Unit Study	National Geographic	5-8
Edible Geography Make a physical map of your state that is EDIBLE!...	Geography, Holidays, Lesson Plan	Educator's Reference Desk	All
Engaging Social Sciences Games and Much More This website that provides a free sampling of curriculum-based entertainment in the form of educational games that were designed for Discovery Educati...	History, Geography, Online Interactive	NDi Media	9-18
Estuaries: Finding the Balance Learn about the effects of growth on our natural resources...	Geography, Biology, Economics, Tutorial, Unit Study, Simulation	National Geographic	14-18
Fast Food Around the World Plan a fast-food restaurant for another country...	Economics, Geography, Social Studies, Health, Simulation, Tutorial, Unit Study	National Geographic	11-14
Free Educational Video Virtual Field Trips OpenRoad.TV was founded by television personality, Doug McConnell, who has been the host of a San Francisco-based television program called "Bay Area ...	Geography, Virtual Tour	OpenRoad.TV	All
Freshwater Fred's Lending Library Free lending library of educational videos, software, and curriculum for Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin...	Reference, Science, History, Geography, Art, Simulation	Freshwater Fred's Lending Library	3-18
Fun Geography IQ Challenge This website offers a series of fun, "Traveler IQ Challenges" that will help you learn where cities and countries are located on a world map and much ...	Geography, Online Interactive, Drill & Practice	TravelPod	9-18
Geo Bee Play the Geo Bee Quiz...	Geography, Online Interactive	National Geographic	8-18
Geography Quiz Take this online quiz to find out how well you know the world...	Geography, Social Studies, Online Interactive	National Geographic	9-18
Giants of the Century Students will identify key figures in 20th century progress and then document the life and times of each in a searchable database...	Geography, Language Arts, Writing, Social Studies, Technology, Online Interactive, Tutorial, Unit Study	Microsoft	13-18
Globalization Comes to the Table Students explore globalization by researching the issues surrounding one of several controversies involving food, then grappling with those issues in ...	Geography, Social Studies, Writing, Language Arts, Technology, Online Interactive, Tutorial, Unit Study	Microsoft	13-18
History and Cultures Project U.S. History Image Database...	History, Reference, Art, Geography, Online Interactive	University of California, Davis	11-18
History Reading Books, Timelines, Maps & More! Member Carol Henderson emailed us about A Book In Time ---a FREE listing of history books for children to read, maps, timelines, and more......	Geography, History, Social Studies, Reference, Reading	A Book In Time	5-18
Iditarod - The Huskies! Students calculate the amount of dog food needed for the Iditarod sled race and figure the rations per dog per day...	Math, Social Studies, Geography, Animals, Simulation, Tutorial	PBS	8-12
Interactive Geography Games Did you know that a National Geographic-Roper survey shows half of young Americans can't locate world powers like Japan and India? Twenty percent can'...	Geography, Online Interactive	My Wonderful World	6-18
Interactive US States Game Play this interactive US States Game - Can you identify all of the states?...	Geography, Social Studies, Reference, Online Interactive	Jayzee Bear	7-18
Interrelationships in the Rainforest Students will research a plant or animal from the rainforest and understand the different layers of the rainforest...	Art, Biology, Animals, Earth Science, Geography, Tutorial, Unit Study	PBS	10-15
Latitude & Longitude Introduction to latitude and longitude using outline maps...	Geography, Math, Earth Science, Tutorial	National Geographic	5.6.7.8-5.6.7.8
Latitude, Longitude, & Mapmaking Use latitude & longitude to create maps on the computer...	Geography, Social Studies, Online Interactive, Tutorial	National Geographic	11-14
Life Along the Ring of Fire Students gain an understanding of the geological forces that create the Ring of Fire and its effect on distinct cultures...	Geography, Science, Earth Science, Language Arts, Technology, Online Interactive, Tutorial, Unit Study	Microsoft	11-14
Lighting Up the Sea Simulation & exploration of bioluminescence marine animals...	Animals, Geography, Earth Science, Science, Simulation, Tutorial, Unit Study	National Geographic	8-11
Lost Elephants of Timbuktu Track an elusive herd of elephants across the deserts of Mali...	Animals, Geography, Science, Online Interactive, Simulation	Animal Planet	12-18
Map Mania Explore cultures, and locate & print maps of cities or countries...	Geography, History, Online Interactive, Tutorial, Unit Study	National Geographic	6-18
Map Projections Be a cartographer & understand when & why to use different types of maps...	Geography, Earth Science, Simulation, Tutorial	National Geographic	14-18
Map Reading in the 21st Century In the tutorials students will use MapPoint tools to create hands-on learning experiences for understanding the relevance of maps, both past and prese...	Geography, Social Studies, Language Arts, Technology, Online Interactive, Tutorial, Unit Study	Microsoft	5-18
Maps That Teach: U.S. & World Geography Can you point to Zimbabwe on a map of Africa? Can you find the Spice Islands? If you use today's website, you can! This website is one of the best map...	Geography, Educational Games, Online Interactive, Drill & Practice	Owl & Mouse Educational Software	6-11
My Wonderful World Led by National Geographic, My Wonderful World is dedicated to teaching kids, parents, and educators about geography....	Geography, Online Interactive, Simulation	National Geographic	3-18
Oil & Water in the Middle East Explore the roles of oil and water in the Middle East with mapping, satellite imagery, and research...	Geology, Geography, Tutorial	National Geographic	11-14
Old Sturbridge Village History Learning Lab The Old Sturbridge Village History Learning Laboratory is a comprehensive selection of resources and curriculum about early New England Life...	History, Social Studies, Geography, Reference, Tutorial, Unit Study, Simulation	Old Sturbridge, Inc.	3-18

FINDING THE BEST SCHOOL AND DEGREE FOR OUR CHILDREN

2008-11-21T01:45:00.001-05:00

Here is a great way to find the right school for an online degree. When our kids are ready to take that step toward a more financially secure future DegreeHound.com is the direct way to easily find schools listed that will best fit our child's needs. They assemble the top online and campus career degree schools and give a free and easy way to find the right school for their specific situation.

When the economy hits a rough spot it's no secret that companies begin to watch their wallets. In the workplace, that means the powers that be take a long hard look at who they want to keep and who is expendable. I think about that when I plan my child's future. With the economy the way it is, right now is the perfect time to explore college options and get a career-related degree. A degree can lead them to more secure career opportunities, fulfilling their lifelong dreams and a better chance for a great salary.

The site is super easy to use. They have many program areas to explore and degree types. There are quite a few articles to peruse if we choose to read about how best to explore our options. The site is a wealth of information and well worth a look.

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: PERIODIC TABLE OF VIDEOS

2008-11-21T00:51:00.003-05:00

Today's Homeschool Freebie is...

The Periodic Table of Videos

Each short video shows basic information about an element. The Chemists explain the history and use of each element. I would suggest that you tell your child not to try some of the experiments at home and also watch the videos before younger children view them. Some of the explanations are a bit over the top.

HAPPY FREE HOMESCHOOLING!

CONSTRUCTION PAPER CHRISTMAS

2008-11-21T00:13:00.003-05:00

Today's Homeschool Freebies are Frugal Construction Paper Christmas Craft Ideas. The websites are free. The supplies are inexpensive.

These are activities that the entire family can enjoy. The little ones will need some help. Teens may enjoy decorating the Christmas tree with various crafts. The ideas are endless. This is truly a frugal Christmas decorator's dream.

3D PAPER SNOWFLAKE DECORATION/ORNAMENTS!

PAPER CHRISTMAS TREE

CHRISTMAS TREE GARLAND

SPIRAL SANTA CLAUSE

SANTA WIND SOCK (Scroll down)

SNOW MAN ORNAMENT

PHOTO FRAME ORNAMENT

RUDOLPH ANTLERS

FINGER PUPPETS

HAPPY FRUGAL DECORATING!

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: THE NATIONAL GALLERY FOR AMERICA'S YOUNG ARTISTS

2008-11-17T13:32:00.004-05:00

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE IS...

The National Gallery for America's Young Artists

Though there are paid portions of this site, the student activities portion of the site offers FREE interactive activities, Online Art Guides and leads to other Free Art sites.

More information about the paid portion is below...

The National Gallery for America’s Young Artists™
is honored to announce the Grand Opening
of the first ever national youth art gallery thru 12th grade.

This art will be featured in conjunction with the magnificent Vatican Splendors traveling exhibit, opening in Cleveland, Ohio on May 31, 2008 for a limited engagement. The Vatican Splendors Exhibit will include 200 of the rarest paintings and artifacts from its archives dating from the third century. To celebrate the rare opportunity for this exhibit to appear in Cleveland, Ohio, The National Museum of Education will coincide the opening with the online National Gallery for America’s Young Artists™. For this new National Gallery, schools will submit digital images of selected student art, which will be chosen for exhibit online. Corporations, universities and private collectors nationwide will then have the opportunity to purchase art for display in their company foyers and board rooms. This has the potential to become the largest national art gallery for youth!

Happy Free Homeschoo0ling!

OUR FAMILY PHOTO

2008-11-17T13:21:00.000-05:00

We went to get the boys' annual Homeschool "School" Pictures this year. On the way there we stopped off and bought some white and black shirts on the off chance that we could get a family picture taken. Well, they fit us in and boy are we ever glad they did. We LOVE our picture.

Click the picture to check out Marion's Studio in Richmond Michigan. They know their stuff my friends.

Guess what you are getting for Christmas mom. :o) Wait until you see the 16 X 20 picture we bought for our living room. So Nice!

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE SITE

2008-11-17T12:14:00.000-05:00

Today's Homeschool Freebie site is....

SHEPPARD SOFTWARE VOCABULARY WEB GAMES

This Website Includes,an SAT word list, Medical Terminology and Computer Terminology. It is a great site to brush up before taking the SAT or ACT tests. The presentation is in flashcard and game format so it is fun to use also. It's a practical, easy way to study between studying.

Happy Free Homeschooling!

I WANT A GREAT LAWN IMMEDIATELY

2008-11-11T18:34:00.003-05:00

We have been battling with our lawn for such a long time. Our sons are tired of mowing it and frankly we are tired to trying to grow grass in the dead spots. No matter what we do the kids playing on it win out over the grass growing. I pretty much thought we were fighting a losing battle until I saw a synthetic lawn. I didn't even know that synthetic grass existed. Now my husband and I are contemplating an artificial lawn for the play area of our yard. Basically, we're tired of buying bag after bag of grass.

I was contemplating this when I realized that this type of lawn would be perfect for swimming pool areas! So I HAD to share this with my blog readers. Can you imagine how beautiful that would look, not to mention how much safer it would be. Synthetic grass would provide a non-slippery border around the pool, get rid of muddy patches, and provide a soft and warm surface to walk or lie on. So, there you have it, a great alternative for a new lawn. I hope it solves a lawn problem for someone.

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: The Cabinet of Curiosity

2008-11-11T18:33:00.000-05:00

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE IS...

The Cabinet of Curiosity blog by Robert Krampf.

Video, Experiments, Science Blog and more!

During his thirteen years at the Memphis Museum, Robert Krampf wrote and taught classes in geology, biology, chemistry, archaeology and physics. It was during this time that he became interested in electricity.

In 1987, Robert decided it was time for a change. He put together a traveling, high voltage electricity show, centered on a one million volt Tesla coil. Determined to show students and adults that science can be both fun and understandable, he began an exciting, educational adventure...read more here...

HAPPY FREE HOMESCHOOLING!

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: THOMAS JEFFERSON'S MONTICELLO EXPLORER

2008-11-06T16:01:00.000-05:00

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE IS...

The Monticello Explorer

This website that provides a variety of multi-media opportunities to explore the home where Thomas Jefferson (3rd U.S. President) lived on a plantation in Virginia. The home is called Monticello. At the site you can virtually explore the plantation, house, gardens and grounds.

Interactive maps:

*Explore the Plantation
*Explore the House

TOUR (Take a multi-media, narrated tour.)

*General House
*Domestic Life At Monticello
*Gardens and Grounds

This is truly an expansive historical collection of images and information
about the life and times of Thomas Jefferson.

HAPPY FREE HOMESCHOOLING!

FEED A FAMILY OF 4 - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Snack FOR $45 for ONE WHOLE WEEK!

2008-11-05T17:23:00.001-05:00

I took a nutrition class in college last year. In that class we were challenged to make a menu for an entire week that is nutritionally sound. I had to post it to my online class and then follow the menu for the entire next week. We were allowed to use the internet to help us in our menu making endeavor.

I found, in my search on the subject, a menu that will feed a family of 4 to 6, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner AND A SNACK for only $45.

I DO actually mean that a person can take 2 twenties and a five into a store, buy some groceries and feed the whole family for an entire week AND It is nutritionally sound!

I scrolled down to the bottom of the web-site and found that I did actually have to cook. I mean...you know...with flour and yeast and stuff. I had to buy powdered milk for the first time. I was a little worried that I couldn't actually do it but guess what! We, our family, did use the $45 menu plan. We decided that we didn't like the lentil soup and we LOVED the pancakes.

Now I make pancakes every week and keep them in the frigerator. I make beans all the time and have cornbread at the ready for when the random person gets hungry here or there throughout the day.

We now have something to eat all the time and our grocery bill is MUCH less than it used to be. Instead of spending $150 per week for our family of Seven, we now spend around $75 per week.

Here is the story from last year and what I actually had to buy. I spent $66 because we have over 4 people in our family, but that is cheap enough. We are all eating healthy food and our wallet is healthier too. I hope it helps someone. It is actually fun to get the kids involved Good Luck!

HOMESCHOOL TOPIC: THE AMERICAN DREAM AND THE MONEY SPENT TO HAVE IT

2008-11-05T16:51:00.004-05:00

In these turbulent economic times we have an unprecedented opportunity to talk with our teens about how to responsibly move toward the American dream of home ownership. There are many free sites online that can be used to give practical, real time examples of the house market around our nation.

Whether we are looking at Austin Real Estate or homes in Seattle, the different values of homes in various areas, is something we need to explain to our children. The value as it relates to each person's financial situation is a topic that is better learned on paper than after bad financial decisions have been made in the real world. We can even look at different areas within a large city to compare home markets within blocks of one another such as in the round rock Texas real estate market.

No matter how the topic is shared with our children, the point is to bring up the truth that buying a home can be a joyous occasion, but if we buy it without a full understanding of our personal finances, it can quickly become a desaster of a decision.

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: VIRTUAL BODY

2008-11-04T16:58:00.002-05:00

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE IS THE VIRTUAL BODY...

Medtropolis.com: The Virtual Body

This great Biology site is divided into four sections: Brain, Skeleton, Heart and Digestive Tract. A narrated tour gives a thorough explanation of each section. Students can also test their knowledge with interactive activities like 'Organize Your Organs' or 'Build a Skeleton.' There is an added bonus, this site is available in Spanish too. It's a helpful Spanish vocabulary builder.

When you get to the site select the language you want to use - English or
Spanish. A new page opens with a menu of four items that include:

*The Human Brain
*Skeleton
*Human Heart
*Digestive Tract

HAPPY FREE HOMESCHOOLING!

BEFORE THEY LEAVE THE NEST, WE NEED TO TALK INSURANCE

2008-10-29T17:34:00.005-04:00

It is so very important to take care of our family in any and all circumstances. That includes taking responsibility to make sure that our home would be paid for if and when we should pass away. NAA mortgage disability insurance is not just a piece of paper, it’s an investment in peace of mind.

When shopping for mortgage insurance my husband and I have been very careful. We try to pass on this information to our sons as they become older teens and become self sufficient adults. It is important to talk with them about these kind of things early so they understand that death has come calling on people younger than we are or even they are at the time. When they understand that they know that mortgage protection insurance is one of life's obligations, not something to be taken lightly. Life insurance is just one class that should be given before our children spread their wings and fly from the nest.

Food for thought.

HOW MUCH TIME DO WE ACTUALLY SPEND CONVERSING WITH OUR CHILDREN?

2008-10-29T17:31:00.002-04:00

Quote: "Public school children receive almost 11,000 hours of time in a secular school from kindergarten through their senior year compared with only 264 hours spent in meaningful conversation with their parents within the same 12-year period."

Oh my goodness. I thought that was bunk but then I began thinking. When Kazz and Brisan went to school, I was the mom who yelled at them to wake up in the morning, hurried them out the door to leave then when they got home I was the mom who bugged them to do their homework and scolded them when they resisted. I was hardly ever "talking with" them. I talked "at" them quiet a lot though.

I've come to the conclusion that this quote is correct!

Let's do the math.

Let assume that we as parents sit and talk with our children for 1 hour a day. I know that we don't do this daily but for the sake of arguement, let's throw up that number for consideration.

I know, I know! If we get 3 minutes of time here and there every day we are happy. If we get to sit and watch television with them we are happy. Oh my, and if we have dinner with them we are ecstatic! But, for the sake of argument let's say we actually do speak WITH our children for 1 hour EVERY single day.

1 hour X 365 days per year X 13 years =

4745 hours from Kindergarten thru Senior year

VS

the school giving them their version of life for 11,000 hours.

I bet if we were to tick off the amount of time we actually do have meaningful conversation with our children the total amount of hours would be so much less. This actually makes me so very happy to have them at home for their schooling. We do spend so much more time talking and getting to know each other. Food for thought.

SUPER MAN IS THE BEST...AND HALLOWEEN ADVENTURE HAS HIM!

2008-10-29T16:51:00.005-04:00

Yowzah! I have to say that out of all the Super Heroes, my favorite is still Super Man. He can do it all! He can fly, he's got super strength, hearing, good looks and well...all kinds of super powers.

Our children very much enjoy Halloween. This is the one time in the year when we can all dress up and eat candy while visiting with friends and family. It's fun to watch the little ones especially because they love to be scared and to laugh all at the same time. Their emotions are all over the place. My husband and I just love making memories with the kids as a family.

This year, I found a great place to find Superhero Costumes. Halloween Adventure is number one in my book when it comes to Halloween Costume Stores. Not only are they convenient, because we can order online, but they have the best looking costumes anywhere. You can see that just by viewing the awesome Super Man costume in the picture. I, for one, just can't beat the opportunity to Avoid crowds and save gas money in one click of the mouse. Super Man! Here I come, just in the nick of time!

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: LIVEMOCHA LANGUAGE LESSONS AND WORLD CONNECTIONS!

2008-10-29T02:20:00.003-04:00

My sister-in-law told me about an amazing FREE online Language Education website called LiveMocha

With this site, we can check other people’s language skills and correct their grammar. We can also record our voice and get feedback from other people who frequent the site! I Know! How neat!

My sister-in-law has had some good feedback already on two lessons. Every lesson has learning, reading, listening, magnet (basically picking the right words in the right order to correctly make the sentence), writing (you write and other people who are native or very fluent in that language can read and give you comments), and speak (you record it and people can listen and leave either written or verbal comments).

What an amazing way to meet people in other countries! It just doesn't get any better than this!

HAPPY FREE HOMESCHOOLING!

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: GEOGRAPHY QUIZZES

2008-10-26T23:40:00.002-04:00

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE IS...

Dartmouth Geography Quizzes

This website offers multiple choice quizzes that reinforce and test geography skills. The quizzes can be played cooperatively or alone. It presents a great challenge for families who enjoy competition. Find out how many times it takes for each individual to take the tests before they can pass with 100% accuracy. There's a challenge for you!

HAPPY FREE HOMESCHOOLING!

ONLINE COLLEGE EDUCATION

2008-10-25T19:37:00.002-04:00

If you have a high school student considering online degrees for their future college path, it may please you to know that they could be on the right path.

Amazingly, there are five times as many students taking online classes as there are taking traditional college courses. Online education enrollments now surpass traditional college enrollments by a 5-to-1 ratio. With so many college graduates heading to their new jobs with a huge debt upon their shoulders, the online path has become the economically savvy solution. Just Click to find the online college that best suits your student's needs.

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: SHAKESPEARE ONLINE

2008-10-22T23:19:00.007-04:00

Today's Homeschool Freebie is...

Shakespeare Online

This website offers links to all of Shakespeare's works online along with articles and analysis of his life and works - and much more! When you get to the site you will find links to quizzes also.

Here are the plays...

tragedies	histories	comedies

Antony and Cleopatra Coriolanus Hamlet Julius Caesar King Lear Macbeth Othello Romeo and Juliet Timon of Athens Titus Andronicus	Henry IV, Part I Henry IV, Part II Henry V Henry VI, Part I Henry VI, Part II Henry VI, Part III Henry VIII King John Richard II Richard III	All's Well That Ends Well As You Like It The Comedy of Errors Cymbeline Love's Labours Lost Measure for Measure The Merry Wives of Windsor The Merchant of Venice A Midsummer Night's Dream Much Ado About Nothing Pericles, Prince of Tyre The Taming of the Shrew The Tempest Troilus and Cressida Twelfth Night Two Gentlemen of Verona The Winter's Tale

Use the menu below to access all of Shakespeare's works referenced on About.com.

Characters of Shakespeare

Shakespeare's Audience

Blood Imagery in Macbeth

Shakespeare on Lawyers

Shakespeare's Birth

The Globe Theatre

What Shakespeare Didn't Say

All About "Et tu, Brute?"

Shakespeare's Lost Years

Hamlet and Christ

The Revenge Plot of Hamlet

Shakespeare's Queen Gertrude

Shakespeare on Friendship

The Swan Theatre

Famous Last Words

Saxo Grammaticus

Shakespeare Histories Quiz

Pronouncing Shakespearean Names

Shakespeare and the Seasons

Analysis of Horatio

Falstaff and Queen Elizabeth

Shakespeare's Nickname: Shakespeare?

Shakespeare's Boss

First Folio Facts

Shakespeare's Flowers

Is Shakespeare Overrated?

Violent Deaths Shakespeare's Plays

A Guide to Sonnet 116

Elizabethan Actors

Lady Macbeth's Speech

Sonnet 55 Analysis

Shakespeare's Death

Romeo and Juliet Quiz

Sonnet 138 Analysis

Macbeth Character Analysis

Power in the History Plays

The Story of Othello

Shakespeare's Will

Shakespeare's Vocabulary

Iago Character Study

Honour in 1 Henry IV

Shakespeare's Edward III?

Shakespeare on Love

Shakespeare on the Seven Deadly Sins

Shakespeare's Trap Doors

Scary Shakespeare

Shakespeare's Birds

Unusual Shakespeare Facts

Authorship Debate

Shakespeare's Quartos

Shakespearean Character Quiz

Shakespeare on War

The Life of Edward Alleyn

Fire at the Globe!

Here are more links. You should know that some may lead to pages where we can buy books and what-not.

·	Shakespearean Sonnet Basics
·	History of Hamlet
·	Annotations for The Balcony Scene (2.2) from Romeo and Juliet
·	Shakespeare's Influence
·	Macbeth Annotations and Glossary

today's question

·	What killed Shakespeare? The Answer

essentials

·	Shakespeare Glossary
·	Hamlet's Soliloquies Explained
·	Macbeth's Soliloquies Explained
·	Detailed Shakespeare Timeline
·	Shakespeare Quotations (by Play)
·	Shakespeare Quotations (by Theme)
·	How to Study Shakespeare
·	Top 10 Questions About Shakespeare

favorites

·	Shakespeare's Influence
·	Forgiveness in The Tempest
·	Top Shakespearean Villains
·	Shakespeare Wedding Readings

hot picks

·	Shakespeare Criticism: Plays
·	Shakespeare's sources for Macbeth
·	Bonus: The Best Math Help for High School Students!

Happy Free Homeschooling!

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: "NOVA" PROGRAMS ONLINE

2008-10-07T20:20:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE IS...

PBS NOVA ONLINE PROGRAMS

The following NOVA programs are available to watch online, divided conveniently into chapters and closed captioned for deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers. If you experience difficulty viewing, it may be due to high demand.

Find by Interest

Click on any film of interest and a new page opens. The films are divided into chapters or segments for ease of viewing. Some of the video pages link to further resources, teacher's guides, transcripts of the films, and more.

*Anthropology - Watch films about Israel's Cave of Letters, Ape
Genius, and the Lost Treasures of Tibet.

*Disasters - Learn about doomsday Asteroids and Mass Extinction, and
the devastating floods of Hurricane Katrina.

*Earth - Explore Sand Dunes, Glaciers, Hurricanes, Lightning, etc.

*Exploration - Crack the Maya Code and find out if MARS is Dead or
Alive.

*Flight - Discover the remains of Four-Winged Dinosaurs and find out
what's Missing in MiG Alley.

*Health - Get information about the Flu, Aging, Animal Hospitals,
Cancer, the Human Genome, Eating Disorders, Epigenetics, Life's
Greatest Miracle, Marathon Running, RNAi, Sleep, Stem Cells, and more.

*History - Enjoy the story behind Absolute Zero, Papyrus from ancient
Egypt, the Parthenon, and Sputnik.

*Investigations - Meet an archeologist who is helping to rewrite the
history of the Old West.

*Nature - Learn about Fish Surgery, Frozen Frogs, Ants, and T.Rex.

*Physics and Math - Watch films about robot swarms, a particle
accelerator, coded sculpture, string theory and more.

*Space - Find out about Hollywood aliens, the Monster of the Milky
Way, and the 10th Planet.

*Technology - View films about Artificial Life, Cars of the Future,
Fuel Cells, Robots, Lab Meat, Solar Energy and more.

HAPPY FREE HOMESCHOOLING!

STUDYING THE INCAS

2008-10-04T12:58:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE IS...

GoGeometry: From the Land of the Incas

The Nazca Lines are one of the mysteries of the ancient world. They are the most outstanding group of geoglyphs (drawings on the ground) in the world. They are believed to have been created by The Incas during the 15th and 16th centuries. The Incas were a civilization in western South America near Cuzco, Peru. You may have heard of Machu Picchu, an ancient fortress city of the Incas in the Andes Mountains. The Incas were superb craftsmen and
architect-engineers.

When you get to the website you'll find geometry problems withstep-by-step solutions, proofs, colorful animations, quizzes, puzzles, quotations, videos, and more.

HAPPY FREE HOMESCHOOLING!

THE TOPIC OF HEALTH CARE

2008-10-03T17:07:00.003-04:00

With all that is going on in the political arena I thought I would throw in an issue that has been getting a lot of attention. The issue of health care is a hot topic between Obama and McCain. McCain wants to give families $5,000 to choose their own health insurance and Obama wants to keep the money and offer every person insurance run by the federal government.

I've been checking out national health care companies and their coverage. I was surprised to see that there are companies who offer their plans across state lines. One of them is a company that can be dealt with online. No matter where you live you can access them. You only have to check out Kaiser Permanente California, Kaiser Permanente Georgia, and Kaiser Permanente Colorado to see that.

Our family has insurance through my husbands work. There are families who do not have this luxury. The topic gets hotter when we take into account that most men and women retire before Medicare kicks in. Where do they get health insurance in the meantime?

The topic is hot and worth a chat with our Teen homeschoolers. It's an issue that will touch them sooner than later. Let's start talking choices.

CAMPING IN THE RAIN

2008-10-03T15:33:00.001-04:00

Our family went camping the weekend before last. We hit our local KOA and rented a cabin. We have a pull behind 30 foot camper but we've left it in Kentucky at my parents home for the winter. (and all last summer) LOL We just didn't have that camping spirit this year for some reason. But I digress...

We rented a cabin at the KOA on the rainiest weekend of the year. I'm not talking about a little downpour every so often throughout the weekend. I'm talking about the weekend when all the hurricanes were hitting the southern coasts and the rain was pushed up, up, up all the way to Michigan! It rained THE ENTIRE TIME! All of the time, without ceasing. We're talking the beginning days of Noah only it stopped long enough for us to pack up our things Sunday morning and hop on the highway home a day early.
Sheww...

The Kids, however had a ball. There were kids all over that park riding bikes. They had mud slung up their backs, into their hair and all up their legs. It was a kids DREAM Camping Experience! You have no idea! They didn't want to come in! LOL AND the pool was open. Who knew!?

So, as I swung on the porch swing of our little rustic cabin our boys played in the rain. Anyone who knows me well knows that I Love the rain. If it is raining outside I try to go walk in it at least once. I would rather walk in the rain than the hot sun any day of the week. There is just something about rain that makes me smile. Oh my goodness and if I'm shopping and I come out of the store and it is raining...Oh My Goodness...I get such a high from walking to my car. LOL

I just had a brain blast! I need to find some rainy day activities for the boys. I can incorporate this into our homeschooling days! Ahh!! I'm so excited!

KAZZ GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL LAST WEEK...WHO KNEW?!

2008-09-04T15:40:00.003-04:00

Many people believe that homeschooling families stop homeschooling when their children reach High School age. They believe this because "Everyone knows" that if we don't enroll our children into an "accredited" school then they will not have high school credits logged onto their "permanent records." Oh my! (snicker) What's more is that we will not have a choice to enter them into the 10th grade or 11th or 12th because they "need" to have credits logged or the schools will not accept them!! Good Gravy!! Sakes Alive! (rofl)

Truth: Some public schools will not accept high school, homeschool credits. There are Many schools both in person and online that WILL accept homeschool credits and allow students to graduate their senior year with an accredited diploma if, for some reason, the family feels the need to forgo a perfectly legal, acceptable and REAL homeschool diploma.

For those of us who do not feel the need to follow the same road that the vast herd is following however, we hop over to that narrow road where we homeschool all the way through High School. We take the road less traveled and sing along the way. (Some of us whistle)

Sometimes, when walking a road less traveled, we bump into things that the ordinary Joe has never seen. Sometimes we experience an out of the ordinary life altering taste of the world that makes us smile and yes, even laugh at the normalcy we have escaped. We run...WE RUN...to find a living soul that will listen to our experience. We SPRINT to tell all we know so that others can wake up, feel, taste, and ENJOY the NEW WORLD we have discovered!

I sit here, panting. I've run to find you! Excuse me, I need to catch my breath! Will you sit with me? Listen to this that I have found.

Something very odd happened on my narrow road last week. I was walking the path, minding my family, when I stumbled upon a college door and opened it. Going about my motherly duties I entered the college counselors office with my 16 year old son at my side. He, traveling his own narrow road, met me at the intersection and sat with me to listen. Since his 14th year of life, he's attended college classes, you see. He has been experiencing all there is to offer on his journey. This, however, was a new sight to behold and the joy is that we got to experience it together. We both wondered what could be so new that we were called into the counselors office after all this time.

Then the college counselor spoke...

"Kazz, you need to declare a major. You will be graduating next year."

I sat upright. "He is not graduated from High School yet!" I said, from the depths of my still brainwashed soul.

She turned to look at her computer screen, then turned to me and said,

"He's on the Dean's List."

My thoughts raced. I didn't understand. 'What does that have to do with anything? WHAT does that have to go with ANYTHING AT ALL?! What is she saying? I'm lost. I 'm lost on my path. The weeds and brush are too high to see over. I can't get through! Where's that dog gone machete!?'

She turned to Kazz as I faltered in my mind. She asked, "Kazz, What is your major?"

I could hear my son. My young, narrow road traveling son, sat upright, looked her in the eye and said, "I'm a business major."

Without Pomp or Circumstance, and with a few... only a few strokes of the counselors keyboard, one of my children, My First Baby, is graduated from High School. He is no longer a school aged boy. He has his college ID, his driving license and his name placed on the Dean's List. His name, unknown to any of us, was on that list when he was Fifteen.

As we walked out of the college, the machete had done it's job. I could see the path clearly. In an instant, I understood completely what the counselor was trying to say to me. She too was trying to cut through the weeds and brush that blocked my path.

Do you see it?

"He's on the Dean's List" paraphrased means...

"You have finished what you started, my friend. He has arrived."

Can't I have just a few more homeschooling steps? I'm not quite ready to head to the next phase of his life....of my life.

HOMESCHOOL FREEBIES: VIRTUAL ART GALLERY

2008-08-14T23:21:00.002-04:00

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE IS...

Wahoo Art

This website is a virtual museum featuring European painting and sculpture from the 12th to mid-20th centuries. Use the searchable database to find artwork by particular artists including Boticelli, Cezanne, Dali, DaVinci, Gauguin, Manet, Michelangelo, Picasso, Rembrandt, Renoir, and more.

Parents should PREVIEW this site to determine suitability of content. It is art. There may be nudes and what-not so you're going to want to be at your child's side when viewing this site.

Artworks by topics

- Acrobats Amsterdam Angels Animals Autumn Baths Bets Birth Boats Body Bridges Café Cars Castles Characters Children Church Cities Dance Dinners Drawing Dream Egypt Family Fields Fishing Floral Florence Flowers France Gardens Girls Grece-Athens Horses Houses Interior Lakes Landscape Legend London Love Magic Men Mens Mill Mother Mountains Music Mythology Naked New York Nude Olive Paradise Paris Park Peasants Portrait Railway Religious Restaurant Rivers Roads Royalty Scene Scene Of The Life Sea Seascape Sky Spain Spring Stars Still Life Summer Tahiti Trees Vegetables Vineyard War Warrior Water Mill Weaver Winter Women Wood

HAPPY FREE HOMESCHOOLING!

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: PRESIDENTIAL RECORDINGS

2008-08-10T14:17:00.002-04:00

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE...

PRESIDENTIAL RECORDINGS

The Presidential Recordings Program at the University of Virginia's Miller Center of Public Affairs, makes the recordings of six American Presidents from 1940-1973 available online for scholars, teachers, students, and the public."

These secret sound recordings of meetings and telephone conversations conducted by U.S. Presidents. The recordings bring to life any study of modern U.S. history, government, and social studies. There are on-screen transcripts that highlight the text as it is spoken to improve clarity. Historical photographs illustrate the transcripts.

HAPPY FREE HOMESCHOOLING!!

AMERICAN HISTORY: OVERVIEW OF AMERICA

2008-08-02T13:43:00.005-04:00

These are interesting lessons detailing the beginning of America. They are about the founding of America and how the government came to be made. It delves into how federal and state govenment differ and how they are supposed to work in the system that was created. I want to thank Melissa's Homeschool for highlighting these lessons. They are a wonderful find.

COMMUNITY SERVICE OPPORTUNITY: ALZHEIMER'S WALK

2008-07-21T23:06:00.002-04:00

My aunt has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Her daily struggles are hard to watch and the hope for a cure is lost in her lifetime. The hope is that our children will not have to face this disease. The actions they take now can help them in their future and leave a legacy for their children.

If your teen would like to organize an Alzheimer's Memory Walk please click the link to help them take the first step to achieve this community service opportunity. Their actions today can make all the difference.

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: GEOGRAPHIA

2008-07-21T19:56:00.002-04:00

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE IS...

Geographia

This website offers virtual guides to the geography, culture and history of countries in the following areas of the world such as Africa. Asia, Europe, Caribbean and Latin America.

This site is designed as a travel guide however there are oodles of educational content to be seen here.

HAPPY FREE HOMESCHOOLING!

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: NON-DESTRUCTIVE SCIENCE TESTING

2008-07-14T20:00:00.004-04:00

Today's Homeschool Freebie is...

Science of Non-Destructive Testing

Non-Destructive Testing is a method of testing and inspecting industrial parts and materials without damaging them. NDT technicians and engineers test for material conditions and flaws that might cause planes to crash, reactors to fail, trains to derail, pipelines to burst, etc. Through
methods such as radiology, NDT allows inspection without interfering with a product's final use. NDT inspectors use the sciences of:

*Electricity
*Magnetism
*X-Rays
*Sound

This website provides free, interactive lessons in all four of these sciences for students in middle school and high school.

HAPPY FREE HOMESCHOOLING!

HOMESCHOOL GEAR: NIKON BINOCULARS

2008-07-09T00:03:00.002-04:00

We are homeschooling and raising 5 sons so the average school gear does not exactly apply to our family. When we buy gear we buy books and paper like the average bear but we also buy a lot of outdoor gear as well.

I'm always on the lookout for the best deals and this year is no different. This year we are using The Dangerous Book For Boys as our homeschool curriculum resource this year, so I am looking for all things boyhood.

I found an EXCELLENT deal on the Nikon Monarch ATB binoculars. These are the cream of the crop and usually sell for quite a pretty penny. Right now OpticsPlanet has them priced at only $50.00 with FREE UPS Shipping!

Whether you need a pair of Binoculars for Hunting, Bird watching or Sport viewing, this Nikon deal is an unbelievable value. They are 100% waterproof, fog proof and shockproof. They are rubber-armored and have the roof-prism design with the extended eye relief and central focus for viewing. The lenses are fully multi coated to boot!

I'm going to look around their site to see what else OpticsPlanet carries because they say the have the lowest prices guaranteed with Free UPS shipping. I love a deal!

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: LITERATURE

2008-07-08T23:56:00.005-04:00

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE IS...

Adam Smith Academy

This website has animated literature content. It has an emphasis toward a Middle and High School aged audience. The selection is currently very small and includes...

The Fox and the Crow by Aesop
An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce
The Boarding House by James Joyce
Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne
The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe

There are also some college lectures on economics and philosophy as well. This may become a paid site so use it FREE while you can.

HAPPY FREE HOMESCHOOLING!

A LESSON IN ECONOMICS...sorta

2008-06-30T23:45:00.003-04:00

Some may say that this has nothing to do with homeschooling, but I disagree. This is a lesson in, "People will buy anything. Don't be a sucker." LOL I give you the next great business chair. Enjoy!

HOMESCHOOLERS IN HALLOWEEN COSTUMES

2008-06-23T15:19:00.002-04:00

Halloween is only 4 months away! I know you may be thinking that I've lost my mind but it takes time and planning to pick the best Halloween costumes. We have, many times, dressed as a theme in our family. One year we all went trick or treating as characters from the movie Toy Story. I was little bo peep, Brian was the toy soldier, Kazz was the muscle man, Brise was Buzz Lightyear. That year we only had 4 people in our family to attire. Now that there are 7 of us it takes planning to get our act together.

I begin surfing the net for ideas way before the weather turns hot, let alone when allowing the leaves to change for the fall season. By then it's too late because my mind is fixated on Christmas!!

Oh yes, I'm THAT kind of mom.

This year I'm thinking a pirate theme may be in order. The boys are all adore pirates, boats and the like so it seems that will be our Halloween Costume theme. I can just see Brian in the Captain's Suit!

Too bad I don't have any girls or we would go the route of Princes and Princesses. Isn't Dakota Fanning the cutest in her little Snow White costume?! Homeschooled she is matey! See even actresses who dress up all the time like to have fun on Halloween!

I'm hoping to hold a halloween party this year also. We did this a few years ago. We had a haunted crawling maze, old fashioned bobbing for apples, pin the witch on the broom and other activities. We stopped doing that when the twins were little but this year they will be nearly 5 years old so I think it's high time to pull out the scary faces, whip out the halloween music and do the Monster Mash! I'm so excited!

HOMESCHOOLING THRU HIGH SCHOOL

2008-06-20T19:45:00.002-04:00

It's no secret that we are homeschooling thru high school. Though, in the past many homeschoolers have chosen to send their teens to high school after homeschooling their elementary and middle school years, the new homeschooling family is using the teens years to get a jump start on college education. The teenager of the past, is now the young adult of today.

For more information about how to homeschool thru high school check out HSLDA online or read our story.

Happy Homeschooling!

TODAY'S SAVINGS TIDBIT: DEALKING AT&T PHONE

2008-06-16T18:13:00.002-04:00

TODAY'S SAVINGS TIDBIT IS...DEALKING.COM!

Here is a phone offer from DealKing.com that sounds reasonable. They are offering $20 cash back when you purchase an AT&T prepaid no contract phone through a DealKing.com.

There are so many great deals on this site that this really goes above and beyond.

DealKing.com is a product price comparison engine that not only shows the product's lowest prices, but it also displays valuable coupons and cash back rewards available for each item and store. This feature is unique to Dealking.com and takes comparison-shopping to the next level.

We post coupons, sales, and special offers for many of the top retailers such as Walmart.com, Buy.com, Overstock.com, and hundreds more.

That's my savings tidbit for today!

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: TIDEPOOLING

2008-06-16T18:07:00.003-04:00

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE IS...

The Sense of Wonder Site: Tidepooling

This site is all about Tidepooling. There are videos, tips and ideas throughout the site. It was inspired by the book, "Sense of Wonder," by Rachel Carson.

Some of the videos include...

Photosynthesis	Explorations	Sea Anemone	Hermit Crab	Octopus	Electric Eel	Sea Snails	Barnacles on Crabs
Sea Stars	Sculpin	Jellyfish	Sea Urchin	Sand Dollar	Clam	Harbor Seals	Birds
Sea Slugs	Food Chains

HAVE FUN LEARNING ABOUT TIDEPOOLING!

HAPPY FREE HOMESCHOOLING!

BUGS IN HOUSES! ALL ABOUT TERMITES

2008-06-13T19:42:00.004-04:00

HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE!

Here is a neat site for those who are future entomologists. All the information you could ever want to know about termites is presented in an easy to follow guide on this site. It covers everything from the look of termites to the damage a termite infestation can cause to the structure of a home.

It also delves into the different termite insecticides that are used to get rid of infestations.

There are a range of question and answers on the site that will help you easily make a quiz or test from the class.

HAPPY FREE SCHOOLING!

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: AMERICAN AND WORLD HISTORY

2008-06-10T22:10:00.003-04:00

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE IS...

A BOOK IN TIME

Historical fiction & nonfiction for kids & teens! The history reading
guide is in chronological order & lists both World and American
History. Each book selection has a suggested grade level and a short review.
See About the Books for details.

HAVE FUN FREE LEARNING!

FREE HOMESCHOOL WEBSITE: AUSTRALIA

2008-06-09T00:22:00.003-04:00

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE IS

INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIA

This site explores Indigenous Australia through storytelling, cultures and histories. It includes Stories of the Dreaming, teachers' resources and content for students. You can also use this site to find out about the Indigenous

Australia exhibition at the Australian Museum.

Be sure to check out "Stories of the Dreaming"

HAPPY FREE LEARNING!

BUSINESS 101: CALL BACK YOUR WEBSITE READERS

2008-06-08T21:12:00.005-04:00

I recently decided to buy a couple of blog names for a project we are doing in our homeschool. It is usually a painless process as we use blogger.com. They have a cheap and easy way to switch from their blogger domain name to whatever domain you choose. It is USUALLY quick and easy, however this time something went awry during the renaming and we are now sent to an error page for one of our project blogs.

I've tried to call Google, to no avail, and I've tried to e-mail them but only get a recorded reply. What I would love for them to have is the ProCallback by Mercia Networks.

Web Callback is a technology where a person can enter his or her telephone number onto a web site. The company who owns that web site will then receive the Web Callback request and will call the person who made the request back on the number they entered. Wouldn't that be nice?! I could actually speak to a human being.

Mercia Networks has released a new service which allows business websites to easily add web callback boxes to their site that match the look and feel of their existing site. When a user fills in the box, and clicks the 'call' button, the website owner gets a mobile phone text message. The website owner can then immediately call the website visitor. The system has been proven to enhance both website sales and customer relations, at very little cost.

I'll tell you what, that is one handy business tool. What a professional way to do business. I give it an Mercia Networks an A+ for their new tool. They deserve it.

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: PERIODIC TABLE COMICS

2008-06-08T21:05:00.003-04:00

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIES IS...

WebElements Periodic Table and The Periodic Table of Comic Books

These two sites are written by the same authors. The Chemists who write them decided to mention every Comic Book that notes information from the Periodic Table.

We all know there are a LOT of them because of all the gene slamming and element trading that goes on to become a Super Hero.

The sites are informative, funny and fun. Comic Book readers and Super Hero fans will love them. There is even a Yahoo site to join for more information sharing.

HAVE FUN FREE LEARNING SUPER HEROES!

SITE OF THE DAY: HOBBIES AND POLICE GEAR

2008-06-06T00:03:00.005-04:00

My brother in law is a police officer in the Metro Detroit area. I often wonder where they actually get the tactical gear to do their jobs well. Today I found my answer. I was browsing the Internet and found a site that has hobby related items like binoculars, night vision scopes, telescopes and flashlights. I got a little deeper into the site and found a Riflescope, laser sights and even radar guns!

Who knew that a lay person could buy these items?!

This is an interesting site for a lesson in what it takes to be an officer or even serve in the armed forces. It is a great place to explore to learn about various hobbies and find the best gear to suit specific needs for various jobs in our community. If nothing else it is fascinating to see the sheer number of items available.

Check it out and let me know your thoughts. I was fascinated.

VACATION!

2008-06-04T21:52:00.004-04:00

We haven't fallen off the face of the earth. We're on Vacation!

I'll be posting more Freebies and a few vacation pics when we return.

For now we are enjoying our 6 bedroom, 8 bathroom, inground pool in the basement..."Cabin."

Ahhh...life is good. :-)

RAP AND HIP HOP LYRICS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

2008-05-29T18:16:00.005-04:00

Here's a nice site that parents and kids alike will really enjoy. RapArtists.com is your one stop resource for finding rap and Hip Hop Lyrics for all of your favorite artists...and even those you don't enjoy.

They make it super easy to search a huge selection of the latest artists. They've compiled a list of lyrics consisting of songs from old school Rap Artists to the freshest and newest released Hip Hop Artists.

You can easily search the database by entering keywords by the artist or search by album or song title.

This is a great resource for kids who want to sing the songs and parents who want to know what they are singing.

Enjoy!

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE

2008-05-29T18:07:00.002-04:00

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE IS THE...

Smithsonian National Zoo: Animal Cams

Take a virtual field trip to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park where you can see many animal exhibits streamed live through web cams. In addition to viewing the web cams, you'll find Fact Sheets and Photo Galleries that you can explore to learn more about the animals featured on these web cams.

When you get to the site you'll see a menu of WEB CAM exhibits on the left side of your screen that include:

Amazon River Fish

Black-footed Ferret
Cheetah
Fishing Cat
Flamingo
Gorilla
Kiwi
Lion
Octopus
Orangutan
Panda Bear
Tiger
...and more

HAPPY FREE HOMESCHOOLING!

CAN YOU MAKE THE NEXT GREAT SELLING ICE CREAM?! (AGES 13 - 19)

2008-05-29T10:50:00.003-04:00

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FUN IDEA...

Alright teens! Do you think you've got what it takes to create your own Signature Creation Ice Cream and get your friends to buy it? Put your skills to the test in the iMix America Awesome Coldstone Contest! This fun contest offers $30,000 plus in prizes.

All you have to do it come up with your own ice cream creation using the ingredients offered at any Cold Stone Creamery. Each initial first bracket contestant will be required to create their own “signature” ice cream creation (the “Creation”) with the assistance of a local Cold Stone store. Then pick a cool name for your yummy masterpiece of a creation and enter it into the contest.

Then get your friends, family and neighbors to try it and vote for it online!

How fun is that?!

The creation with the most votes moves on to the next rounds until the voting deadline of December 31, 2008. The winner will be announced on January 2009.

Have fun!! Let me know if you've entered and I'll post about it to boost your chances of votes!

HAPPY HOMESCHOOLING FUN!

HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: AUDIO BOOKS AND VOLUNTEERING

2008-05-29T10:30:00.004-04:00

Today's Homeschool Freebie is Audio Books and an opportunity for teens to volunteer to read books for this site.

Librivox's Free Human-Read Audio Classics for Children

"Quote from site: LibriVox volunteers record chapters of books in the public domain and release the audio files back onto the net. Our goal is to make all public domain books available as free audio books. We are a totally volunteer, open source, free content, public domain project."

Audio books are great for those kids who like to be outside or for parents who would like to teach while on the go. Kids can ride in the car or mow the grass while listening to a book. Is that safe...use precautions but my boys do this. LOL Some kids like to fall asleep listening to books.

There are titles for every age on this site from Aesop's Fables to Beatrix Potter to Mark Twain. Click any title to see a brief synopsis before downloading and listening.

You can request that a favorite book to be recorded, and
older students can volunteer to help record or proof-listen. This is a great
community service as well as excellent language arts practice.

Note: There is an overlap between these books and the ones you would find in
Project Gutenberg or Archive.org. This is because Librivox allows both of
these sites to house their entire collection of completed works. However,
Librivox maintains the best-catalogued and most easily searchable list of
these titles. Also, only Librivox itself includes a brief synopsis for each
completed title, lists the works currently in progress, allows you to
request email notification upon completion of desired books in progress,
allows you to request specific titles, and allows you to participate in the
recording and editing process and their lively forum as well.

Additional Note: This review focuses on the "Children's" page. The rest of
this site is not specifically geared for children, so parental preview and
guidance is, as always, advised.

Books are continually being added to this collection, so bookmark it and
return often.

HAPPY FREE HOMESCHOOLING!!

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: BIOLOGY

2008-05-28T00:54:00.004-04:00

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE IS

THE ONLINE BIOLOGY BOOK

This highly visually appealing online resource contains a multitude of references and links. It has a glossary of terms and some chapters include a list of learning objectives and review questions."

On-Line Biology Book: Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION: THE NATURE OF SCIENCE AND BIOLOGY (REVISED 3/12/07)
CHEMISTRY I: ATOMS AND MOLECULES (REVISED 3/12/07 )
CHEMISTRY II: WATER AND ORGANIC MOLECULES (REVISED 3/12/07)
CELLS I: ORIGINS (REVISED 3/12/07)
CELLS II: CELLULAR ORGANIZATION (REVISED 3/12/07)
TRANSPORT IN AND OUT OF CELLS (REVISED 3/12/07)
CELL DIVISION: BINARY FISSION AND MITOSIS (REVISED 6/21/01)
CELL DIVISION: MEIOSIS AND SEXUAL REPRODUCTION (REVISED 3/12/07)
LAWS OF THERMODYNAMICS (REVISED 6/20/01)
REACTIONS AND ENZYMES (REVISED 6/20/01)
ATP AND BIOLOGICAL ENERGY (REVISED 3/12/07)
CELLULAR METABOLISM AND FERMENTATION (REVISED 3/12/07)
PHOTOSYNTHESIS (REVISED 6/24/01)
INTRODUCTION TO GENETICS (REVISED 6/21/01)
GENE INTERACTIONS (REVISED 6/21/01)
DNA AND MOLECULAR GENETICS (REVISED 3/12/07)
HUMAN GENETICS (REVISED 6/21/01)
PROTEIN SYNTHESIS (REVISED 3/12/07)
CONTROL OF GENE EXPRESSION (3/12/07)
PLANTS AND THEIR STRUCTURE (REVISED 3/12/07)
PLANTS AND THEIR STRUCTURE II (REVISED 3/12/07)
FLOWERING PLANT REPRODUCTION: Flower Structure (REVISED 6/22/01)
FLOWERING PLANT REPRODUCTION: Fertilization and Fruits (REVISED 6/22/01)
PLANT HORMONES AND NUTRITION (REVISED 6/22/01)
ANIMAL CELLS AND TISSUES (REVISED 3/12/07)
ANIMAL ORGAN SYSTEMS AND HOMEOSTASIS (REVISED 3/12/07)
THE INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM (REVISED 6/21/01)
THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM (REVISED 3/12/07)
LYMPHATIC SYSTEM AND IMMUNITY (REVISED 6/21/01)
THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM (REVISED 3/12/07)
THE NERVOUS SYSTEM (REVISED 6/22/01)
THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM (REVISED 6/20/01)
THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM (REVISED 3/12/07)
THE MUSCULAR AND SKELETAL SYSTEMS (REVISED 6/21/01)
THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM (REVISED 6/24/01)
THE EXCRETORY SYSTEM (REVISED 6/21/01)
DEVELOPMENT OF EVOLUTIONARY THEORY (REVISED 6/20/01)
THE MODERN VIEW OF EVOLUTION (REVISED 8/8/01)
PALEOBIOLOGY: FOSSILS AND TIME (NEW 9/27/01)
PALEOBIOLOGY: THE PRECAMBRIAN: LIFE'S GENESIS AND SPREAD (NEW 9/27/01)
PALEOBIOLOGY: THE EARLY PALEOZOIC (NEW 9/27/01)
PALEOBIOLOGY: THE LATE PALEOZOIC (NEW 9/27 /01)
PALEOBIOLOGY: THE MESOZOIC, AGE OF CYCADS AND DINOSAURS (NEW 9/27/01)
BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY: CLASSIFICATION (REVISED 6/20/01)
BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY: VIRUSES (REVISED 3/12/07)
BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY: BACTERIA AND ARCHAEANS (REVISED 3/12/07)
BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY: PROTISTS: STEM EUKARYOTES (REVISED 6/18/01)
BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY: FUNGI (REVISED 6/18/01)
BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY: NONVASCULAR PLANTS AND NONSEED VASCULAR PLANTS (REVISED 6/18/01)
BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY: SEED PLANTS (REVISED 6/18/01)
BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY: ANIMALS I (REVISED 6/18/01)
BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY: ANIMALS II (REVISED 6/18/01)
BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY: ANIMALS III (REVISED 6/18/01)
HUMAN EVOLUTION (REVISED 6/21/01)
POPULATION ECOLOGY (REVISED 6/22/01)
COMMUNITY AND ECOSYSTEM DYNAMICS (REVISED 3/12/07)
THE BIOSPHERE AND MASS EXTINCTIONS (REVISED 3/12/07)
GLOSSARY (REVISED 8/8/01)
DIVERSITY IN BIOLOGY (REVISED 12/5/01)

HAPPY FREE HOMESCHOOLING!!

SUBWAY BANS HOMESCHOOLERS!

2008-05-25T10:47:00.002-04:00

NO HOMESCHOOLERS ALLOWED!!

SUBWAY COMPLAINT AND COMMENT LINE
1-800-888-4848

Subway...the sandwich shop, is banning homeschooled families from participating in their writing contest! The contest is open to ALL FAMILIES EXCEPT Homeschooling Families!

The rules:

"ELIGIBILITY. Contest is open only to legal residents of the United States who are currently over the age of 18 and have children who attend elementary, private or parochial schools that serve grades PreK-6. No home schools will be accepted."

**The rules actually ASK THE PARENT TO HELP THE CHILD write the paper!**

What is this saying about their sense of community? We eat there too!

Let me rephrase that...We USED to eat there too.

Where do they get off banning families from a children's writing contest? What next...No Asian families, No Christian families, No Vegan families?

Who are they targeting next?! Where does their prejudice end? When did it become okay in America, to ban a particular group of people from anything?

What could they possibly be afraid will happen?

MY Children are banned from their contest. This contest if for general public families!

MY children CANNOT participate! Why?

Is it because we exercise our right to choose? It is because we like to travel with their father when he has to work out of state? Is it because we pay our taxes to the local schools but don't use the services? Is it because we want to be together as a family?

Why are we EXCLUDED?!

Have you ever tried Quiznos Subs? They are so good!!

click*Quiznos has LARGE subs for $5!*click

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE

2008-05-24T16:58:00.003-04:00

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE IS...

MARKERONI!

Markeroni: A friendly, informal and light-hearted online community where history fans, treasure hunters and travelers log their visits to historical markers and historic landmarks.

If you are a history buff, road traveler or treasure finder, this site is your paradise. Thank you Raven's Roads for this AWESOME find!

HAPPY FREE HOMESCHOOLING!

BLACK FRIDAY SHOPPING

2008-05-24T16:43:00.001-04:00

I grew up with Aunts who absolutely made it a family ritual to shop on Black Friday. They would plan their strategies for months! They got up before the crack of dawn, swapped lists with each other and stood in lines at random stores, lists in hand, to buy the items that would be on sale the day after Thanksgiving. Each Aunt was assigned a store so they could buy for each other and get the "good" sales.

I cannot STAND shopping in that kind of atmosphere. I think that the first time a person took something out of my hands I would have to tackle them. I just don't get a warm, cozy feeling in the midst of that kind of chaos.

Today I found a website that allows people to forego that hassle. This site allows people to purchase Black Friday items at major department stores online without the hassle of having to stand in line at the store at 5am! Just imagine! Black Friday without the stress!

They also offer email alerts that let you know when new black Friday ads have been posted. They really go out of their way to make it a consumer friendly site for planning your holiday shopping.

Happy Homeschooling...shop online and save the gas! :-)

HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: SCIENCE, ELECTRICITY, EXPERIMENTS AND MORE!

2008-05-24T01:45:00.002-04:00

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE IS...

The Cabinet of Curiosity blog by Robert Krampf.

Videos, Experiments, Science Blog and more!

During his thirteen years at the Memphis Museum, Robert Krampf wrote and taught classes in geology, biology, chemistry, archaeology and physics. It was during this time that he became interested in electricity.

In 1987, Robert decided it was time for a change. He put together a traveling, high voltage electricity show, centered on a one million volt Tesla coil. Determined to show students and adults that science can be both fun and understandable, he began an exciting, educational adventure...read more here...

HAPPY FREE HOMESCHOOLING!

FREE AND LEGAL MUSIC DOWNLOADS!

2008-05-23T00:13:00.002-04:00

Can you really get free music downloads legally? Yes you can! Get Free Music From MPFree.com

I know you are skeptical but all you have to do is complete any of our hundreds of offers and get free music for each one. Offers include entering a sweepstakes, requesting product information, completing surveys, trying new products and more. Choose from more than 750,000 free songs, including the latest hits from today's hottest artists. All songs are by the original artists on original labels.

MPFree.com pays royalties to the artists for every song, so it's 100% legal! But because MPFree is advertiser-supported, our members never pay for their music downloads.

What are you waiting for?! Head on over to MPFree.com. There's a world of free music to discover.

ENTRECARDERS AND SERIOUS BLOGGERS

2008-05-22T03:06:00.000-04:00

Serious Blogger ADlog members who are also Entrecarders can now join the EASY Droplist for Serious Bloggers on Ringsurf. Just click the link under the Ecard at the Serious Bloggers ADlog.

If you are a Serious Blogger feel free to add your name to the list. You will be added to the Serious Bloggers ADlog where your AD will remain Forever!

Then you will be able to join the Entrecard Serious Bloggers Droplist also.

Happy Dropping, Advertising and Networking!

HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE COMING SOON: ONLINE MUSEUM

2008-05-22T00:19:00.004-04:00

The Stark Museum of Art in Orange, Texas, houses one of the nation’s most significant collections of American Western art. This museum struck me as interesting because The Stark Museum of Art provides lesson plans to help teachers combine the arts into their curriculum. These lessons will soon be available online and will be updated as new lessons become available.

The Stark Museum is located in Orange Texas and is closely related to the Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation. Lutcher and Nelda spent their lives collecting American Western art and fostering the love of this art in others. The Stark Foundation was established as a non-profit corporation in 1961 by the two, to be operated exclusively for charitable and educational purposes. The mission now, for The Stark Foundation is to improve the quality of life in Southeast Texas by encouraging, promoting and assisting education, the arts, and health and human services.

The collections of Western Art, American Indian Art, Decorative Arts, and Rare Books and Manuscripts is bar none the most comprehensive in the nation. Their museum is a must see family vacation attraction for those exploring Texas.

Explore the site, wait for the lessons to appear and then go see the real thing. What a way to take a class.

Happy Homeschooling!

HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE

2008-05-21T19:48:00.003-04:00

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE IS...

GO TO SCIENCE FROM MOJAVE HIGH SCHOOL... There are so many science pages complete with General Science and AB Biology Syllabus and Lesson Plans, calculators, converters and so on and so on...

There's so much that my head is spinning.

Check it out if you need science. It's worth the time.

HAPPY FREE HOMESCHOOLING!

SEE IF YOU CAN WIN!

2008-05-21T01:06:00.004-04:00

Classic style is subjective to most people. They think of that and maybe think, little black dress or knee length dresses, but I think Khaki pants. More specifically, I think Dockers.

From as far back as I can remember Dockers have been the number one staple for any wardrobe, young or old, woman or man.

Trends come and go, as we all know; remember the calf length pants? Oh my! But rarely will we find a style that is as timeless and Classic as Dockers pants.

From Crocket and Tubbs in the 80's to the latest fashion models, Dockers Khaki pants have been there.

Even I, the woman who has nil to no style of her own, know that I must have Dockers in my wardrobe for the days when I have to look "put together."

A man in nice pants, for instance, knows he is is looking "hot" on that particular day but a man in Dockers

...well, not only is he looking great now, he will look great 20 years from now when we look back at pictures. Dockers are timeless.

We just know that dressing well makes our personality pop and heads turn. We all love it. Dockers clothes; they are timeless. They have been around for many years and will be here for our children and their children.

If you want to test that theory, pull out the video camera and enter the Dockers contest going on right now. The videos that have been uploaded so far are alright but I know WE can do better!

I challenge you to enter the Dockers contest. (Yes, you...right there reading these words.) I challenge you! You know you want to win, so let's give it a try. What do we have to lose? This is going to be fun! :-)

SOCIALIZATION...

2008-05-21T00:50:00.003-04:00

As funny as that cartoon is, I will say that I don't believe it is true. Most kids, homeschooled or otherwise, are on an even keel speaking with one another.

I think that people who ask me about socialization are really asking me how our children are going to experience the things we did in public school. They are voicing their knee jerk reaction that somehow, homeschooled kids will miss out on being a kid.

Some of our favorite memories took place while we were in school you know. That first peck on the cheek, the first playground friend, the first crush. For many, if not most people, all of that took place at school.

I understand the knee-jerk "socialization" question. What they really want to know is if our kids will be able to have the neat experiences we all had in school.

To that I say, Yes. Our children will have that first peck on the cheek. Some of my boys already have. Yes, they will have that first crush and make those close friends. BUT...they won't be in a classroom or attending school when it happens.

In reality, we all had those experiences as happenstance in a school setting. No matter if we are at home, on a field trip, at our neighbors home, at park day, at a sports outing or even at the mall...our homeschooled kids get to be children and experience all the ups and downs of friendships and crushes just like "schooled" children. They just do it elsewhere.

Don't fret. Our kids get to be kids too. :-)

GET DAD THE NATION'S BIGGEST HDTV!

2008-05-21T00:30:00.003-04:00

I don't know why I'm telling you this because I'm entering this contest for my own father. I'm about to drum up some competition for myself, but I'm just that nice I suppose.

I know that every dad wants to be able to say that he owns the nation's biggest HDTV. I know that most dad's want that more than they want a tie or that gift card to the hardware store.

There's just something about being able to say, "I have the nation's largest HDTV" that trumps a tie any day.

Do you want to help your dad experience this Father's Day in HD! I know you do, because you know your dad would love it too! Who's dad wouldn't?

If you want to try, you can actually register here to give your dad that chance! After you register you will be able to submit a brief essay answering the question:

“Why does your dad deserves the nation’s biggest HDTV?”

If your father lives in a qualified Charter Communication serviceable area, he can be entered to win the nation’s biggest HDTV with the best Charter HD service and The Charter Bundle™ FREE for life. Enter to win by June 8th or dad's out of luck.

Check out the Sweepstakes Rules

One lucky dad will receive the Grand Prize:

• HDTV
• FREE Charter HD service and The Charter Bundle for life
Other prizes for runner-ups include:
• Charter’s Biggest Bundle, FREE for a year
• FREE Charter HD service for a year

Good luck! ...but not as much luck a me. :-)

HOMESCHOOL VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP

2008-05-21T00:25:00.002-04:00

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE AND VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP IS...

Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage -
Trip to Viet Nam... Mekong Lifeways

This is an online photo albu of traditional lifestyles of people in the Mekong Delta region of Viet Nam. Ages 11 and up can enjoy looking at the photos. There are pages with coloring pages on them.

This Site explains the trip and describes the entire length of the Mekong River (not just Viet Nam).

HAPPY FREE LEARNING!

BE ON TV! ENTER THE DOCKERS VIDEO CONTEST!

2008-05-20T00:47:00.002-04:00

I think we can all agree that for the most part, that our lives are pretty ordinary. In the grand scheme of life, we get only a few chances to participate in something that is above and beyond the norm of our hum drum day. It is for this reason that when an opportunity to do something fun and exciting comes along, I like to grab that chance by the horns and ride it until I see it through. That's what life is about; taking chances and living to tell the tale!

I have found just such a chance today. There is a new Dockers contest. They have opened an opportunity to the general public to submit an original commercial into their Dockers contest!

Whoever wins will get to see their ad during the Tonight Show on NBC! Yes, "THE" Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

This is a no-brainer. This is an opportunity worth grabbing because it's exciting and gives us a chance to get our creative juices flowing! John Melendez aired his commercial on Jay Leno and it was a hoot!

HOWEVER I really like the one titled, "Historically." Something tells me those "plonderhosen" pants were nothing like our beloved Dockers!

I can't wait to see more videos! This is going to be fun.

If you enter, please let me know and I'll link to your video so we can vote!

HAVE FUN!!

OUR HIGH SCHOOL HOMESCHOOL BLOG

SYLLABUS: WRITING POETRY

What is Poetry (Reading/Vocabulary lesson)

Writing a poem

UPDATE ON OUR FAMILY HOMESCHOOLING LIFE

ENGLISH: 11TH GRADE SYLLABUS EXAMPLE

GEOLOGY CURRICULUM *FREE* (old earth/Christian slant)

SIGN LANGUAGE

MICHIGAN HOMESCHOOL PROM CRUISE!

DO ANIMALS FEEL LOVE?

HOMESCCHOOL FREEBIE: COMPUTER PROGRAMMING

HOMESCCHOOL FREEBIE: ART LESSONS AT ARTYFACTORY

HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: INTERACTIVE GEOMETRY and more...

WE'RE NOT PERFECT. WE'RE PARENTS...

HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: The American Summer Guide

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: TEACHING MATH CONCEPTS

THE STONEHENGE MYSTERY SOLVED

A DIABETIC DIET QUEST

.

EDUCATING IN THIS ERA

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: JOHN PHILLIP SOUSA!

WORKBOOKS FOR THE YOUNGER GRADES

HEALTH: DOES YOUR CHILD HAVE A DIRTY NECK OR DIABETES?

TEACHING HISTORY THROUGH CLOCKS

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: MATH DRILLS

FUN AND FRUGAL HOMEMADE GIFTS

MICHIGAN HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

How democratic was colonial America?

FREE CURRICULUM PRESCHOOL THRU PRE-MED!

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: OPERA CD'S AND TEACHING MANUAL

Welcome to the OperaGlass home of Opera for Everyone

STUDY SKILLS: FREE FLASHCARD GENERATOR

HOME EDUCATION STATS

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: LONGLEAF ALLIANCE VIRTUAL TOUR

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: ORGANIZATION AT IT'S BEST

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL EXPERIMENT: RAW OR BOILED EGG

MY FELLOW BLOGGERS LINKY MEME!

TODAY'S FRUGAL GIFT IDEA: VISA GIFT CARDS

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: HOW ALUMINUM IS MADE

HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: PRINTABLE RULER

YES, I DO THIS TOO...

IF YOU CAN GET IT TO WORK...PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT WENT WRONG

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE IS...GEOGRAPHY ...A WHOLE LOT OF GEOGRAPHY!

FINDING THE BEST SCHOOL AND DEGREE FOR OUR CHILDREN

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: PERIODIC TABLE OF VIDEOS

CONSTRUCTION PAPER CHRISTMAS

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: THE NATIONAL GALLERY FOR AMERICA'S YOUNG ARTISTS

OUR FAMILY PHOTO

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE SITE

I WANT A GREAT LAWN IMMEDIATELY

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: The Cabinet of Curiosity

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: THOMAS JEFFERSON'S MONTICELLO EXPLORER

FEED A FAMILY OF 4 - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Snack FOR $45 for ONE WHOLE WEEK!

HOMESCHOOL TOPIC: THE AMERICAN DREAM AND THE MONEY SPENT TO HAVE IT

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: VIRTUAL BODY

BEFORE THEY LEAVE THE NEST, WE NEED TO TALK INSURANCE

HOW MUCH TIME DO WE ACTUALLY SPEND CONVERSING WITH OUR CHILDREN?

SUPER MAN IS THE BEST...AND HALLOWEEN ADVENTURE HAS HIM!

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: LIVEMOCHA LANGUAGE LESSONS AND WORLD CONNECTIONS!

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: GEOGRAPHY QUIZZES

ONLINE COLLEGE EDUCATION

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: SHAKESPEARE ONLINE

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: "NOVA" PROGRAMS ONLINE

Find by Interest

STUDYING THE INCAS

THE TOPIC OF HEALTH CARE

CAMPING IN THE RAIN

KAZZ GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL LAST WEEK...WHO KNEW?!

HOMESCHOOL FREEBIES: VIRTUAL ART GALLERY

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: PRESIDENTIAL RECORDINGS

AMERICAN HISTORY: OVERVIEW OF AMERICA

COMMUNITY SERVICE OPPORTUNITY: ALZHEIMER'S WALK

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: GEOGRAPHIA

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: NON-DESTRUCTIVE SCIENCE TESTING

HOMESCHOOL GEAR: NIKON BINOCULARS

TODAY'S HOMESCHOOL FREEBIE: LITERATURE

A LESSON IN ECONOMICS...sorta

HOMESCHOOLERS IN HALLOWEEN COSTUMES

HOMESCHOOLING THRU HIGH SCHOOL

TODAY'S SAVINGS TIDBIT: DEALKING AT&T PHONE

GEOLOGY CURRICULUM FREE (old earth/Christian slant)