FREE WORKSHEETS!!

Did you know that for over a year we have had loads and loads of free worksheets on our site? We have chapter tests and vocabulary tests for Charlotte’s Web, A Series of Unfortunate Events (books 1-3), and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The unit studies do not have to be purchased to use these worksheets. We just thought you would like to have helps even if you are just reading the book. We LOVE books, we LOVE reading to our children, we LOVE when our children can learn new words………..this could go on and on! Use the worksheets……they are simple in concept, but some days you require simple and forthright.

Here is the link that will take you right to the unit studies. Click on the one you want, and you will see a button for free worksheets relating to that subject. Pass the word on!!

http://www.fortunatelyforyoubooks.com/new-unit%20studies2.htm

Blessings,

Shannon

Happy New Year!!

  We are enjoying our holiday and hope you are too. We will be back soon with new Pockets of Time and Pockets of Copywork for you to start the year with. Enjoy the last few days of the holiday season!

Blessings,

Kelly, Heidi and Shannon

6. Shannon’s History Faves

I love to try new history programs, books, lessons, unit studies…….Come spring Jesse and I are going to study Lewis and Clark in depth. I am SO excited for that. My favorite from this years catalog order is from Homeschool in the Woods. I have used Amy’s timeline set for past history lessons, but this new line she has is wonderful. I bought the American Revolution cd. I do need to get moving faster on it if I want to be done soon though. We can’t do every activity, so I pick the ones Jesse would favor the most.

       http://www.homeschoolinthewoods.com/HTTA/TTS/

~Shannon

This is my all time favorite though….the books can now be ordered with an audio cd. That is great for the auditory learner. Nice, simple acitivity book. We used the color pages mostly, as the boys colored while I read the story. We have outgrown the activity book, but I will continue to use the readers with the audio cd’s for jesse next year. Story of the World- LOVE it.

    http://www.peacehillpress.com/

6. Kelly’s Favorite History Programs

I LOVE history.  I love any kind of history.  You’ll catch me watching the history channel quite regularly!  Right now I am using Abeka.  It takes you through US history with a Biblical world view and I appreciate that so much!  It also teaches patriotism and a love for our country.  This I believe is something that is truly lacking in schools.  We have the chance to make good citizens and patriots as we teach!  I know I don’t take this lightly and we try to learn our history with as much enthusiasm as I have in my heart!!!  The reading can get boring for my kids so it is important to use Abeka with something creative and fun!  I will be combining “Time Travelers: Colonial Life” with Abeka when Christmas Break is over and we are all so excited!  Time Travelers will help us to be “Active” in history if you will.  We get to create newspapers and crafts for that period.

                     

I have used other programs such as “Story of the World”.  This is good material for World History and comes with worksheets and activities that will help you implement the history.

A tip from me:  When I was in school I went through 10 grades without even liking History, in fact, I hated it!  It took a teacher who LOVED history for me to appreciate it!  He taught with such enthusiasm that it bubbled over into the rest of us!  I believe everyone got ”A’s” that year in history, I know I did!  Teach history with that enthusiasm and wonder and your kids won’t be able to help but love it as well!       

~Kelly   

6. History Favorites

We hope you are enjoying our product reviews. We hope to save you money so that you have more to buy from OUR line of timelines for literature!!!!  History is nothing more than watching the hand of our Great God move through time. Do not think that all that has happened in the past did so without the approval of the Master. When using your Biblical worldview, looking at history can be a tool that draws your children closer to Him. Sometimes it takes stepping back and seeing the past in a large timeframe. Other times we learn from people who have lived before us. Either way, the hand of God can be seen if you study and learn with the idea of history being HIS-STORY……

* Check Out the New Products Page

Look at the new page that showcases our products! Jesse just completed the POT for How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Check it out and be sure to enjoy this Pocket as part of your ending to the month’s work.

7. Math Favorite of Shannon’s

 

Saxon, Saxon, Saxon!!!!  Have always used it, always will…..It works the best for all my sons. They seemed to find comfort(okay, I am REACHING for a word here- comfort and math should not belong together) in the repetitiveness. They know what is coming….the format never changes. Saxon feels militant in style. By that I mean there is nothing colorful, nothing to make math wonderful…just the basic DO IT technique. Facts and formulas are presented, sample problems given to see if the understanding is there. This math is not an independent study program….or it hasn’t been for us. Using this program is a commitment of time, patience and even some late night studying for mom! Your child may not ever use the advanced math these lessons teach, but they WILL use the dedication and the skills they get from this program on a daily basis. It definitely is a hard math course. Here is the home site for Saxon math:

 http://saxonpublishers.harcourtachieve.com/en-US/saxonmath_home

I have called the help line many times when teaching my oldest. They are very helpful and the solution manual is worth the money as it show you HOW you get the answer. You can find Saxon on a lot of used sites.

My own method of using this math is if the boys made an 85% or higher on test, then they could do even problems only on one day, odd problems the next, they can use a calculator only one day a week, and they can have a short lesson one day a week (only the problems from THAT lesson). Score under 85% and you do all 30 problems everyday until you test again (after 5 lessons is a test). It has been an excellent incentive.

~Shannon

7. Heidi’s Math Favorites

I have to second everything thing Kelly just mentioned.  I am using the same curriculum and feel the same way!  I just don’t understand why Abeka can’t put all the teacher information into ONE manual!  It is very frustrating to have to search through different books and have all those manuals spread out on the kitchen table.  However, I do love the math, so it’s a trade off. 

I won’t go on about that any more.  I thought it would be nice to give you a great website to use for reinforcing math skills and it’s perfect for “fun Fridays”.  It’s Rainforest Math: http://www.rainforestmaths.com/.  This is a great site!!  It covers many grade levels, as well as a wide variety of skills.  It’s laid out so nicely and not to mention that it’s a very colorful site that has immediate appeal.

7. Kelly’s Math Favorites

As a mother whose home gets invaded by aliens A LOT (hahaha) I’ve been through several different Math programs trying to find that balance between challenging but not over the head.  Easy to teach but NOT difficult to learn.  etc..etc…  I know you’ve been there!  I have used Alpha Omega, Saxon, and am now on Abeka.  Abeka is now my favorite by far, as it challenges my children but not to the point of frustration.  It is colorful and appealing to the eye, which most children tend to respond to.  I do have one complaint about Abeka which is the different manuals you need for everyday!  The test/timed trial book AND the teacher book.  The Abeka main book for kids and the teachers Grade book.  Then you need a teachers manual to help you teach the lesson!  I wish they were all in one as I really despise going through 3 different books to get an answer and having 5 books per kid out on the table!!!  BUT it is about the content and not my OCD for having a semi-organized table. 

                     

The content is wonderful, my kids have learned more in math this year than with any other program I have tried and I am only 1/2 way through the year!  I am impressed with what it teaches and even more impressed that my kids GET it….well most days when the aliens haven’t invaded!!  I cannot say for certainty that I would keep Abeka forever as I may find something else worth while and PERFECT for my kids AND me!  Don’t laugh, I haven’t given up hope!!

~Kelly

7. Favorite Math Stuff

In my experience, it is either a very good day in math, or aliens have invaded, snatched away the beloved child’s brain and replaced it with what I can only imagine is a bowl full of jello. We had jello yesterday. Jake forgot EVERYTHING……….he even asked ” what does add mean?”. Ok, he is TENTH grade!! You can’t ask that in TENTH grade!!!! This one class can have the potential to make you rethink everything you ever considered important, like homeschooling (am I helping them or hurting them?), and discipline(can I send them to their room for 5 years?) to even having children(WHY, oh WHY did I do this?). ha. JUST KIDDING on that last one….. I don’t think there is anything out there that gives you the perfect math class everyday for everychild. Math was PURELY designed for character development and exposing the weak links! We will give you the best that we have found thus far and hope it helps.