By Crystal Hubbell
As the summer winds down, many of us are getting
our curriculum in place, making lesson plans, and notifying our
states of another new year packed with much adventure. I was thinking
of some things that I have learned in the past years that may be
of value to you as you start this coming year. There is so much
to do and to think about, I don’t want you to get caught up
in the hustle and bustle of it all and forget some key principles.
Some of the tips below I learned the hard way, some were given to
me by friends have helped our homeschool start off more smoothly.
I pray your new year is rich in learning and your children excel
beyond your wildest dreams. Blessings to all your families in this
coming year, and remember the Creator in your studies!
1. Plan Ahead: Take some time
to layout a plan or a grid for your daily studies. Even if it
isn’t detailed. You would be surprised how just a simple
guideline will keep you moving through the day. I do one for each
child and place the plan in a manila folder marked for that child.
Sometimes it is as simple as just naming the subjects we will
be doing and which lessons and pages. Other times I have gotten
more detailed and actually created some very detailed lesson plans…but
with 4 schooling children and a Bionic baby, mine will be mostly
list this year. Here are some great web sites for list and lesson
plan ideas.
http://www.donnayoung.org/forms.htm
http://www.homeschoolforms.jesusanswers.com/
http://www.eho.org/downld.htm
http://www.tipztime.com/schedules/freeschedules.html
http://www.crosswinds.net/~rozalski/Charts.html
http://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/
http://www.tipztime.com/chorecharts/freechorecharts.html
(nice chore chart)
http://www.digital-women.com/daily-planner/
2. Choose Wisely: Being in
the curriculum world, it is often overwhelming and taxing to choose
our curriculum. However as moms and dads, we are responsible for
our funds and the curriculum choices that we teach our children
with are fruitful. Take the time to find curriculum and games
that both you and your children will enjoy. Don’t buy because
your friends are buying, buy after you have prayed and considered
your children’s choices too. Let them be a part of your
curriculum choice. This is the beauty of homeschooling; you can
tailor it to your families needs. You can purchase your curriculum
in a number of places..obviously there are many to choose from,
but you can also use other sources. Don’t forget these resources
when looking at curriculum; Library, Internet, Used bookstores
and Homeschool support groups.
3. Don’t do too much too soon:
This is a biggie! We all want to jump right in there and get them
learning but as time will tell, it can be a big disappointment
when Tommy decides that he would now rather play after 6 weeks
of school than learn. This is ok. Tommy is only 4 and even 5 they
really do not need to be forced to sit long hours at a table doing
math facts and writing their name over and over. Our children
learn through many other methods other than just sitting and doing.
My 4th child seems so much farther along and I can probably count
the fingers on one hand of actual school we did when she was 4.
We call this “osmosis”. She picked it up from her
brother’s learning times. When you’re teaching the
older children, let your younger ones color or play blocks in
the same room. My 2nd grader is multiplying not because I taught
it, but because he has two older siblings he just has to keep
up with. Try to think more about group learning. You will be surprised
what they pick up. Try to get some of the books from the Moores,
they will help you control your desire to push too hard. http://www.homeschool.com/advisors/moore/default.asp#2
~ Home Grown Kids, or Better Late Than Early by Dorothy and Raymond
Moore.
Have FUN: This is my hard one.
I am so goal oriented that I forget that we should be having fun.
I have struggled with this and spend a lot of time praying for mercy
in this area. If you get intense like I do, take a break, go to
the park. You will get more learning done the next day than if you
are just going to be angry about how your day is going. Take a step
back and give it all to God. They are His children. Play Games,
Take field trips, cook or bake your lesson, crafts and science experiments
are just a few ideas for breaking up the monotony of sit down work.
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This Month's
Specials
 
Apologia Science CD-Roms
ON SALE ~ Only $40
Physical Science, Biology, Chemistry, and
General Science
 Apologia
Physical Science
On SALE! ~ only $59
The set includes a hard-bound student text and
a second soft-bound Solutions and Tests manual. The text contains
a complete set of physical science labs that require only household
items!"
Do we have some news for you!! I am so excited
to announce our new items this month. I have looked through all this
curriculum and will be using it myself. I can hardly wait.
 Galloping
the Globe
Word searches, mazes, maps and more…clues, puzzles, and animals
galore! What an enchanting way to learn geography – a unit
study/discovery learning resource entitled Galloping The Globe.
This geography based curriculum is geared towards the K –
4th grade children. It can be used from 1 – 3 years and covers
all 7 continents.
The lessons are designed to engage the children’s
hearts and minds through variety and interaction. Keeping the notebook
will only serve to encourage creativity as they become accustomed
to producing a lasting product while experiencing hands- on learning.
Most of the literature will be found at your local library, but
a few resources are recommended for purchase if you plan to complete
most of the suggested activities. This is a wonderful introduction
to world geography using a tried and true method of learning.
As I looked through this curriculum, I was continually
impressed with the good literature used in it. For instance, when
studying Africa, it suggest using stories form the Miller books.
The manual is easy to follow and right up my alley for use for the
younger ones. I will be using this right along side my Mystery of
History this year. Oh, and need some maps. Check out the new Uncle
Josh’s Outline Maps.
 Outline
maps are a foundational part of teaching geography and history.
Here are 100+ maps to use year after year, regardless of topic or
time studied. From drawing explorer’s routes to tracking hurricanes
to depicting the rise and fall of empires, it’s here! Includes
continents, ancient historical regions, important war arenas, each
of the fifty states, and more! Rivers are lightly shaded and surrounding
borders are visible . You’ve got the whole world covered in
this one-of-a-kind book! Reproducible, 112 pages.
Now also on CD ROM! Same great maps plus 21 additional
maps including shaded relief maps of the world and each continent
and also maps of each Canadian Province and Territory. Now you can
print from your own home computer! Mac and PC compatible.
 And
last but not least, we now have the Miller Books.
Check them out!
Please visit below, tell them
Lattemama sent you. I find this group of ladies and a few men, very
encouraging and a fun place to visit.
This month I wanted to highlight a Forum that
is an invaluable resource to us and many other homeschoolers. If
you just started or know someone who is. Send them to “The
Swap” This a wonderful resource for information on every subject
from Homeschooling, politics, animals, parenting and families, health
issues and cooking. You will feel right at home here as these wonderful
people are just like you and me. There is a forum to buy and sell
used curriculum as well. Come check them out.
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 Tim’s
Easy Science Experiments
Homeschool 101
~By Tim Hubbell~
Isolating DNA is really cool and easier than
you might think. It can be done in about a half-hour with ingredients
and equipment that you may already have in your kitchen.
Background:
DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) is the genetic
material in all living creatures. It is a very large molecule,
a long chain of code made up of smaller units called nucleotides.
DNA serves as the storage media for (most of) the vast amounts
of information needed for the structure and functioning of even
the simplest creature. Much has been made of DNA’s supposed
role in the origin and evolution of life, but recent studies suggest
that the real miracle is in how DNA interacts with the other parts
of the living cell. For example, DNA is normally stored tightly
coiled around proteins called histones. Other proteins are needed
to unwind, utilize, replicate, and splice the message coded in
DNA. It seems that living creatures are more than just the sum
of their parts.
Materials:
- A source of DNA. Green split peas are most
often used for this. (Why would you think that peas, a type
of seed, might have DNA in them?)
- Table salt , NaCl.
- Water
- Adolphs or other meat tenderizer. These
contain proteins called enzymes that hydrolyze (destroy) other
proteins.
- Liquid dish detergent, Palmolive for example.
- Rubbing alcohol. Both isopropyl and ethyl
alcohol (isopropanol and ethanol) will work. Use either kind.
- Test tubes or similar glass containers.
- A thin dowel or stick such as a wooden
Shish-Kabob skewer.
- Household measures: a measuring cup, 1/4
teaspoon, tablespoon.
- A blender and a strainer
Method:
- Add 1/2 cup green split peas, ¼ teaspoon
salt and 1 cup of water to the blender.
- Blend at high speed for about 20 sec.
- Pour the mixture through the strainer,
into your measuring cup.
- Read the volume of the liquid in the cup.
Record this amount.
- Figure out what 1/6th of your recorded
volume is. When you have an answer, add this much volume of
the liquid dish detergent to the mix. (At this point you will
be lucky if your measuring cup also has markings for the Metric
units, milliliters. This is a good illustration why scientists
use the Metric system. It is much easier to calculate and measure
out 1/6th of 200ml than it is for a ¼ cup) If the calculations
and units are not part of your lesson, 2-3 tablespoons of liquid
dish detergent will probably do.
- Gently swirl the liquid dish detergent
together with your strained peas. Let the mixture stand for
10 minutes.
- Carefully fill several test tubes 1/3rd
full with your mixture. Add a pinch of meat tenderizer to each
tube.
- Mix the meat tenderizer in very gently with
your wooden stick. (The long strands of DNA are coming loose,
as their associated proteins are hydrolyzed by the tenderizer.
The long DNA strands are very fragile at this point.)
- After a few minutes, tilt your test tube
at an angle, then slowly and gently pour alcohol on top of your
mixture. Try to make sure that that there is no mixing of the
two layers. Pour enough alcohol in the tube so it is about 2/3rds
full.
- The DNA will be drawn to the edge the alcohol
layer. It will look white and stringy. You can use the wooden
sticks to draw the DNA into the alcohol for closer examination.
You can actually see the long, skinny nature of the DNA!
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~Saving Time and Money~
By Crystal and Tim Hubbell
No Frugal Apple this Month! :(
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