Another great homeschool week here.  The new schedule is still working out well. I’ve had a straggler a couple of mornings, but since he’s 11, I’ll let him sleep if he needs it. We actually are having a harder time  sticking to the bedtime schedule than the morning schedule.

We started a couple of new books and/or online curriculum. They’re review items, so I’ll let you know what they are and how they work out later.

The kids worked on another episode of The Geek Show this week. That’s what they named their show. lol Abby decided to make banana bread for a segment of the show.

That’s a black hanging up. lol The banana bread turned out great! I didn’t eat any, but the kids ate the whole loaf in a couple hours time. Abby arranged it very nicely for the final shot.

The kids have been on a walk every day this week. They usually are out for about an hour. Lot’s of great PE time.

This is a section of our road. Isn’t it nice and peaceful? Until my kids go walking! lol

 

Here are a few links I found interesting and helpful:

Homeschool Freebies
Favorite Read Aloud Books for Boys
Free online history games
Geography, State Facts

Why Homeschoolers Will Dominate – interesting article…
How to Make a Volcano with Hydrogen
Virtual Surgery and Dissection
8 Recipes for Disaster – lots of cool projects the kids will love

 

To see more homeschooling posts, visit Weekly Wrap Up.

Last week was Sabbath week, so this was our first week back. To make things extra exciting, we started a new schedule this week, too. Of course, my kids didn’t think it was so exciting. lol But they have adjusted well.

They had the hardest time with having to have their morning list done by 9. That would include getting dressed, putting clothes in the hamper, making their bed, eat breakfast, and an assigned chore or two. Then school started at 9.

Sounds great, right? Well, for them to be able to have all that done by nine, they have to be in bed by 10, especially the 11 year old. So going to sleep at midnight meant some late starts. Overall, though, the new schedule is a help. Even though they would rather start school later, they do enjoy having the majority of the afternoons free. Lots of pool time!

So now were back to school for another 6 week term. With only a couple of scheduled days off. We weren’t going to take time off from school other that our Sabbath weeks. However, July is shaping up to be busy. One week is Sabbath Week, another week, three of the kids will be going to church camp Monday through Friday. And the Olympics start. We always do an Olympics Unit Study, which this year, we are starting before the Olympics actually start. So with all that going on, I think it would be better for us to take the month of July off.

Shhhhh…….Don’t tell the kids!

I’ve posted a couple of reviews for the Old Schoolhouse Review Crew in the past week. Head on over to those posts and read what I thought about Heritage History and CapJaxMathFax. The crew recently voted on all the products reviewed this year. See all the TOS Homeschool Crew Blue Ribbon Awards.

 

Here are a few links I found interesting and helpful:

Public School is Not a Childs Ministry – Awesome article! Definitely worth the read, includes several videos.
Free Algebra Tutorial Program Download for Homeschoolers
Using Summer Break to Get Things Back in Order

Kindergarten Sign Language Alphabet File Folder
Stealth School
Free Lapbook Templates You Can Type On
Memorize the Presidents Easily – video

100 Awesome Engineering Projects for Kids
Wycliffe Online Bible Quiz
Addition War Card Game to make

To see more homeschooling posts, visit Weekly Wrap Up.

This has been a Sabbath week for us. We work for 6 weeks, then take the 7th week as a Sabbath week. A vacation from school work if you will.

The kids were very happy that Sabbath week coincided with vacation Bible school at our church. VBS, combined with sleeping in a fort they made on the back porch with a cousin, has made it a whole party week. lol

Here’s a video I took of their fort.

So the kids had the week off, except for regular chores. And a little work in the garden. I, on the other hand, didn’t get off from schoolwork. I worked on transcripts this week.

They really aren’t that hard. You just take the work, grades, extra curricular activities, etc, from 4 years of school and condense it down to a couple of pages. It sounds overwhelming, but it’s not.

And there is lot’s of help available.

The Home Scholar has a ton of information for preparing your student, and their transcripts, for college. She even has webinars that you can attend. I attended one and it was great. I highly recommended them. And so far, they have been free! She does have special packages and offers that she charges for.
Homeschool Skedtrack – FREE & has transcript by subject that I like.
Calculating Grade Point Average

Keeping Track of Homeschool
Learn Boost – Free management software for home schools.
Notebooking saves time at the end of the year

College Without Compromise – Your guide to homeschooling through college.
The Coming Meltdown in College Education Why the Economy Won’t Get Better Any Time Soon – This was a very interesting read.

 

To see more homeschooling posts, visit Weekly Wrap Up.

We had a pretty low key week this week. Nothing major to report.  Which makes for a nice week!

The kids did their book work, of course. Abby is doing 2 or 3 math lessons a day so she can finish and get extra time off this summer. Extra vacation time is a great motivator. lol The kids are slowing finishing books. Since we school year round, they work until they finish, then start another book. We have a pretty low keyed transition to the next grade.

3 of the kids spent time swimming in our pool this week. 1 was smart enough to stay out of the freezing cold water. lol

Zach was out walking by the creek the other day, and found a frog. He came running in to get the camera and here’s one of the pictures he took. He did a great job taking this picture!

Next week is Sabbath Week! Which means we are on vacation next week! We do have a couple of reviews for the Review Crew we have to work on, though. While the kids are enjoying a week off, I will be working still. I will be working on transcripts. I do believe I will be quite busy!

 

Here are a few homeschooling links I found interesting and helpful:
10 Reasons to Try Lapbooking in Your Homeschool
The Bad News About Homeschooling
Homeschool Organizer

Free Civil War Curriculum – elementary, middle and high school curriculums
Borrow free dissection tools – I haven’t used this, but it sounds cool.
Homeschool Crew Blog Cruise: Record Keeping
Book It Program – It’s time to sign up for next school year. We’ve done this in the past, and the kids love to get their own pizzas.

 

To see more homeschooling posts, visit Weekly Wrap Up.

 

Save the date! The CHEK Family and Homeschool Conference 2012 is being held in Louisville, June 22-23 at Valley View church! This year’s theme is “For such a time as this . . . “.

 

If you are a homeschool family, a family thinking about homeschooling, or you just care about homeschooling, you’ll find tons of information, encouragement, and refreshment at this year’s CHEK Conference!

 

Speakers include:

 

Rick Green from Wallbuilders. WallBuilders has been recognized nationally for its work in education, history, law, and public policy, integrating the elements of faith and morality throughout all aspects of American life and culture. Much of the uniqueness of WallBuilders message stems from its massive collection of original documents from early American history, affirming George Washington’s declaration that, “Of all the habits and dispositions which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.”

 

Israel Wayne is a homeschooled graduate who is leading his generation in defending the Christian faith and developing a Biblical worldview. He is the author of the book Homeschooling from a Biblical Worldview. Israel is a regular columnist for Home School Digest and Brush Arbor Quarterly, published by Wisdom’s Gate (www.WisdomsGate.org), where he currently serves as the Marketing Director. He is also the site editor forwww.ChristianWorldview.net.

 

Carol Topp, CPA (www.HomeschoolCPA.com)is the author of The IRS and Your Homeschool Organization and Homeschool Co-ops: How to Start Them, Run Them and Not Burn Out,as well as several ebooks and magazine articles helping homeschool leaders. Carol runs a home-based accounting practice specializing in tax preparation, small/micro business accounting, and nonprofit accounting.

Malia Russell is an author, speaker, the joyful wife to Duncan, and homeschool mother of five children. In addition to her duties at home, Malia is the director of Homemaking 911. Her most requested talks are: Chaos to Order: Bringing Organization to Your Home, Freezer Cooking 911, and Teaching the Difficult Child.

 

The vendor list is growing daily! Popular vendors include:

 

A Beka Book

BJU Press

Teaching Textbooks

Answers in Genesis

Lego Education

Rod & Staff

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine

Pilgrim Institute

Shining Dawn Books

See the Light

YWAM Publishing

Memoria Press

Usborne Books

and many more!

 

To see the full list of speakers, workshops, and vendors OR to register for the CHEK Family and Homeschool Conference (free for CHEK members, $50 for non members), click over to the CHEK website.

 

The Conference is also free for Pastors, Associate Pastors, and Missionaries. Please share about the Conference with your church staff! If you live in another state (IN, OH, TN, MO, WV) and are already a member of your state homeschool association, you may also come to CHEK for free.

 

For more information, Like CHEK on Facebook, and Follow CHEK on Twitter.

 

 

 

Another busy week here! The highlight of our week was Zach’s State Bible Drill competition. He is now a state winner! Congratulations Zach!!

Abby’s been singing with a group of youth from church. They sing in our church and have been visiting other churches. She has sung at different churches several times this week. She’s doing great singing with them and learning a lot.

Oh, yes, there was plenty of work book done also!

 

For more homeschool posts, visit Weekly Wrap Up

Hannah and Zachary both competed in Bible Drill competitions last weekend. Hannah competed in the high school age group. She is a Kentucky State Bible Drill winner! AND she got a perfect score! Congratulations Hannah!

Zach competed the 4-6 grade Association Drill. He is an Association Bible Drill winner, and will go to the state competition next Friday. Congratulations Zach! And study hard for state!

Hannah made an apple pie this week. Isn’t it beautiful?! she also made homemade whipped cream to go with it. yum!

The kids wanted to play volleyball, so made their own net. Yes, that is a pool ladder. Yes, those are branches on the other side! lol

Don’t worry. I bought them a real net! We set it up last night. By the time we finished, it was dark. They played anyway! lol

Well, they played until too many of them got hit in the face with the ball. lol

Lots going on around here, but of course, they did get their book work done. Pictures of kids doing math are just not as exciting as pictures of homemade volley ball nets. lol

We also did some science experiments recently. You can see some of them in my review of Amazing Science Volume 1, a review I did for The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew.

 

Here are a few homeschool links I found interesting and helpful:
How to Fit in All the Extras
Help, I Can’t Teach Calculus
Are You Sure You Can Afford Your Homeschool?

Homeschool Garden
Your State or Your Choice?
Pronto Lessons

 

For more homeschool posts, visit Weekly Wrap Up