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Sunday, March 10, 2013

The Homeschool Mother's Journal: Easy Week

 

My weekend has flown by, but here is a brief view of what happened this week.

In my life this week…
Thankfully we had a low-key week. We had quite a few days of very nice weather (1), which makes is feel like spring is in the air. Unfortunately, I've experienced too many nasty Oregon springs and this is like the calm before the storm. Maybe this year God will have mercy on me and give us a warm spring!

I've been trying to work some exercise (6) in my life. We all went out Monday and walked, but then the life happened and the rest of the week exercise was forgotten. Ha, the story of my life.

In our homeschool this week…
This was our light week before getting ready Term 3. The kids didn't have as much work, but for some reason it seemed to take just as long to do their other work as usual. I'm not sure how that works. Maybe it was all the chess they were playing (4)

We basically worked on math and language arts. Chantry wrote some sentences out on the white board (3). For some reason that is easier than writing them on paper.

I reviewed Artistic Pursuits for the TOS Review Crew. Destini has been working on it and she is enjoying it (2).

For our Shakespeare studies (5) we are reading through The Tempest (Folger Shakespeare Library). For older kids I also recommend The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt which ties nicely with The Tempest.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…
Tuesday we headed to Portland to get the boys' haircut and then stopped at my all time favorite store, Exodus Books, where I could browse and ask questions for hours.

Things I’m working on…
Plans for the next term. I have Chantry and Destini's finished, but still have Caleb's to finish up. Procrastination is never a good thing, but I seem to thrive on it.

Some blog post for 5 Days of Teaching Creatively blog hop starting on Monday over at the Schoolhouse Review Crew.

I’m reading…


I’m cooking…
  • Spaghetti
  • Chicken & Rice
  • Potato Soup
I’m grateful for…
God's goodness.

I’m praying for…
God's will to be done for a situation in our life.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

Make sure you enter 5 Days of Teaching Creatively Blog Hop Giveaway here.





I am linking up:

Homegrown Learners

Saturday, March 9, 2013

5 Days of Teaching Creatively Giveaway - 3 Winners!

The 5 Days of Teaching Creatively blog hop will be hosted over at the Schoolhouse Review Crew blog starting on Monday, March 11. I will be participating most days and on days that I'm not I'll be hopping blogs to gather some great tips to help me where I am lacking! (The kitchen anyone?) I'd love to see you join me in this week of fun and learning.
 
 
On the eve of this exciting event I'm joining in with Marcy @Ben and Me and Sam @Sam's Noggin  along with a host of other bloggers to bring you this awesome giveaway during the 5 Days of Teaching Creatively Blog Hop, hosted by the Schoolhouse Review Crew! The Blog Hop won't begin until Monday, but we are starting the fun early by giving you the opportunity to win incredible bundles of books and homeschool resources!
 
 
 
 
There will be a total of 3 winners chosen -- one GRAND prize, a 1st RUNNER-UP and a 2nd RUNNER-UP! The contest will begin at 12am on March 9 and end at 12am on March 17.  Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter, but read the contest rules, found at the bottom of the widget, first. 


The GRAND PRIZE WINNER will receive ALL of the following -- a $525 value!

Geography Matters -- Profiles from History Package ($50 value) Looking for a way to help your students connect with history? The Profiles from History series is dedicated to telling the stories of people, whose lives are worth remembering. Whether they made a discovery, led heroically in a war, created a masterpiece through music, or art, used a pen to change the world, or impacted humanity with their bravery—they made a difference. We can learn so much by looking at those who came before us. Be ready to change your mind about history, with Profiles from History, Volumes 1, 2, and 3.




The Old Schoolhouse Magazine --  1-year membership to SchoolhouseTeachers.com, a new Print Issue of The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, and a Homeschooling with Heart Tote Bag ($90 value)
SchoolhouseTeachers.com is an online classroom and has more than 2 dozen expert teachers who cover 25 different subjects presented via teaching videos, ongoing lesson plans, worksheets, lapbooks & unit studies, writing prompts and other assignments to choose from, students can additionally interact personally with the teachers by asking them questions and gaining feedback.


Unit Studies by Amanda Bennett -- Passport Geography set, consisting of the Combos (K - 12) for United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Germany ($50 value) 
Taking an in-depth look at world geography with the new Passport Geography™(PPG) series by Amanda Bennett. These one-week studies use a cross-curricular approach (covering geography, history, science, etc.) to take students on virtual journeys around the globe. Each study is interactive, including daily lessons for both elementary grades and Jr/Sr High grades, with no prep required.

Shining Dawn Books -- Early Spring Bundle ($21 value)
Early spring is known for its wonderfully rainy weather, leading to lots of beautiful fungi. It’s also the season when animals busily go about their regular activities after the relative quietness of winter. This bundle will help you to explore each of these exciting aspects of the spring season in-depth.


A+ Tutorsoft -- 1-yr subscription to the online A+ TutorSoft math program -- winner's choice from    grade levels 1st-4th ($150 value)
A+ TutorSoft, Inc. provides Multi-Sensory Interactive MATH Full Curriculum products to help students improve their grades at all levels. Our Multi-Sensory Interactive MATH helps homeschooling families as well as public and private school teachers and students. A+ TutorSoft offers everyone a FREE 30 day trial on all products. Visit the top right corner of our website: http://www.aplustutorsoft.com/. And through 3/31/13 they are offering 50% off all products with code spoffer50!

Five in a Row -- Complete Digital Holiday book ($34 value)
A complement to any lifestyle of learning, this book is different from the Five in a Row manuals. It doesn’t give a specific book to study for each holiday, rather it is a treasury of traditions, memories and ideas for making your own! Each unit also includes calendar pages, blank pages for recording your own memories, and combinations of traditions and recipes, book and movie suggestions, quotes, decorating ideas, and more! 

Knowledge Quest -- Wonders of Old Timeline Book ($25 value)
Wonders of Old is divided into four historical time periods: ancient, medieval, new world and modern. Significant dates are listed at the conclusion of each section as a helpful reference. This hardcover book measures 9x12 and is printed on extra thick 70# paper for durability.




In the Hands of a Child -- 1-Year Super Membership ($75 value)
Super Memberships Save You Time and Money! Each month Super Members receive two free downloadable Lapbooks. These Lapbooks are always brand new and have not been released for sale to the general public. Super Members also receive:
  • 15% discount off all purchases of existing eBook Lapbooks.
  • A free Birthday
  •  Lapbook10.00 off the price of any custom ordered unit

Southern Hodgepodge -- A Simple Start in Chalk Pastels ebook ($20 value)
Looking for an easy way to add art to your days? With A Simple Start in Chalk Pastels ebook – just add chalk pastels and paper! Short lessons for a whole year, 100 pages of tutorials, art for all ages.

Tricia Goyer -- Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska ($13 value)
Singer Ginny Marshall is one signature away from the recording contract of her dreams—a deal that would guarantee success for the former foster child, who still struggles to bury the memories of her painful childhood. But When singer Ginny Marshall travels to the isolated town of Glacier Bay, Alaska, she is charmed by the town's colorful characters and stunning scenery. She discovers a box of old letters and is swept up in the love story between an early missionary to Alaska Territory and his accidental mail-order bride. Written by homeschool moms, Tricia Goyer and Ocieanna Fleiss.

Frontier 2000 -- No Regrets: How Homeschooling Earned Me a Master's Degree by Age Sixteen by Alexandra Swann and Looking Backward: My Twenty-Five Years As a Homeschooling Mother by Joyce Swann ($20 value)
No Regrets: The engaging story of Swann's experiences growing up as a Southern Baptist homeschooled child from New Mexico earning her education at a highly accelerated pace. At the age of fifteen she became the youngest student ever to graduate from Brigham Young University in its 111 year history.

Looking Backward: From 1975-2000, Joyce Swann homeschooled each of her ten children from the first grade through master's degrees by the age of sixteen. In this book, she discusses the methods she used to teach as well as the obstacles that threatened her success.

____________________________________________

The 1st RUNNER UP will receive ALL of the following -- a $225 value!

Geography Matters -- Cultural Geography Package ($50 value) Have you ever thought that geography was a boring subject? Then you've never used these books! Eat Your Way Through the U.S.A. and Eat Your Way Around the World are a taste buds-on approach to geography. Each state or country has its unique geographical features and agricultural products. These influence both the ingredients that go into a recipe and the way food is prepared. Why stop with only your taste-buds? Let's involve all the senses by adding Geography Through Art! This hand-son approach will supplement any study of geography, history, or social studies. Geography Through Art is sure to make a lasting addition to your home or school library. You'll find yourself reaching for this indispensable guide again and again to delight and engage students in learning about geography through the culture and art of peoples around the world.

Unit Studies by Amanda Bennett -- Discover the Senses Download N Go ($9 value) In this study, your child will investigate a new sense each day, learning what it is and how it works, as well as what it does for him. He will learn what impacts that particular sense. And he will meet some of history’s heroes, such as Louis Braille, who helped along the way. Each day, your student will explore and investigate, creating and adding more learning components to his Discover the Senses lapbook—building a wonderful reminder of all that he is learning to be enjoyed for years to come.
Shining Dawn Books -- Remarkable Rain ($9 value)
Quiet and peaceful, or wild and raging – rain comes in many forms. This NaturExplorers unit sets out to examine rain in all its beauty, observe its effects and make you look forward to the next rainy day!
A+ Tutorsoft -- 3-month subscription to the online A+ TutorSoft math program -- winner's choice from    grade levels 1st-4th ($50 value)
A+ TutorSoft, Inc. provides Multi-Sensory Interactive MATH Full Curriculum products to help students improve their grades at all levels. Our Multi-Sensory Interactive MATH helps homeschooling families as well as public and private school teachers and students. A+ TutorSoft offers everyone a FREE 30 day trial on all products. Visit the top right corner of our website: http://www.aplustutorsoft.com/. And through 3/31/13 they are offering 50% off all products with code spoffer50!

Five in a Row -- Set of Five Audio Files from Steve Lambert ($20 value)
We all need some inspiration from time to time! Steve and Jane Lambert have been encouraging homeschoolers on their journey since 1994. These Five in a Row audio files have been recorded at major state homeschooling conventions around the United States and Canada and have been chosen because we believe you’ll enjoy it for its wisdom, humor and encouragement shared by Steve. Including: Where do I Begin?I Can't Teach All the Grades at OnceMaking Your Children into World ChangersOn Becoming Great Teachers, and High School and Beyond.


In the Hands of a Child -- 6-Month Super Membership ($55 value)
Super Memberships Save You Time and Money! Each month Super Members receive two free downloadable Lapbooks. These Lapbooks are always brand new and have not been released for sale to the general public. Super Members also receive:
  • 15% discount off all purchases of existing eBook Lapbooks.
  • A free Birthday
  •  Lapbook10.00 off the price of any custom ordered unit

Southern Hodgepodge -- A Simple Start in Chalk Pastels ebook ($20 value)
Looking for an easy way to add art to your days? With A Simple Start in Chalk Pastels ebook – just add chalk pastels and paper! Short lessons for a whole year, 100 pages of tutorials, art for all ages.


Tricia Goyer -- Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska ($13 value)
Singer Ginny Marshall is one signature away from the recording contract of her dreams—a deal that would guarantee success for the former foster child, who still struggles to bury the memories of her painful childhood. But When singer Ginny Marshall travels to the isolated town of Glacier Bay, Alaska, she is charmed by the town's colorful characters and stunning scenery. She discovers a box of old letters and is swept up in the love story between an early missionary to Alaska Territory and his accidental mail-order bride. Written by homeschool moms, Tricia Goyer and Ocieanna Fleiss.


____________________________________________

The 2nd RUNNER UP will receive ALL of the following -- a $190 value!

Geography Matters -- Adventures of Munford Package ($35 value) Although he's just two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen, Munford is all adventure. He can be rain, snow, sleet, or steam. He has traveled the world in search of excitement. Throughout history, he has been present at some of the most important and world-changing events. Fun and educational, Munford will inspire your children to learn more about many of history's greatest moments. These readers make a great addition to your learning experience in areas such as history, geography, and science. This book series is written on an elementary reading level, but provides plenty of read-aloud entertainment for the entire family!


Unit Studies by Amanda Bennett -- Discover the Senses Download N Go ($9 value) In this study, your child will investigate a new sense each day, learning what it is and how it works, as well as what it does for him. He will learn what impacts that particular sense. And he will meet some of history’s heroes, such as Louis Braille, who helped along the way. Each day, your student will explore and investigate, creating and adding more learning components to his Discover the Senses lapbook—building a wonderful reminder of all that he is learning to be enjoyed for years to come.

Shining Dawn Books -- Remarkable Rain ($9 value) Quiet and peaceful, or wild and raging – rain comes in many forms. This NaturExplorers unit sets out to examine rain in all its beauty, observe its effects and make you look forward to the next rainy day!

A+ Tutorsoft -- 3-month subscription to the online A+ TutorSoft math program -- winner's choice from    grade levels 1st-4th ($50 value)
A+ TutorSoft, Inc. provides Multi-Sensory Interactive MATH Full Curriculum products to help students improve their grades at all levels. Our Multi-Sensory Interactive MATH helps homeschooling families as well as public and private school teachers and students. A+ TutorSoft offers everyone a FREE 30 day trial on all products. Visit the top right corner of our website: http://www.aplustutorsoft.com/. And through 3/31/13 they are offering 50% off all products with code spoffer50!


Five in a Row -- Volume 4 Digital Unit of Winner's Choice ($9 value)
Five in a Row was created by Jane Claire Lambert, a successful homeschool teacher with more than 17 years of experience. To use Five in a Row, just pick one of the 70 books used in Five in a Row, locate the corresponding lesson plan in your teacher’s guide, read the story aloud each day during the week and use Jane’s suggestions and lesson plans to lead your children on a wonderful learning adventure. It’s that simple! Each unit covers Social Studies, Geography, Language Arts, Applied Math, Science and Art in a way that causes children to fall in love with learning.



In the Hands of a Child -- 2-Month Super Membership ($45 value)
Super Memberships Save You Time and Money! Each month Super Members receive two free downloadable Lapbooks. These Lapbooks are always brand new and have not been released for sale to the general public. Super Members also receive:

  • 15% discount off all purchases of existing eBook Lapbooks.
  • A free Birthday
  • Lapbook10.00 off the price of any custom ordered unit


Southern Hodgepodge -- A Simple Start in Chalk Pastels ebook ($20 value)
Looking for an easy way to add art to your days? With A Simple Start in Chalk Pastels ebook – just add chalk pastels and paper! Short lessons for a whole year, 100 pages of tutorials, art for all ages.


Tricia Goyer -- Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska ($13 value)
Singer Ginny Marshall is one signature away from the recording contract of her dreams—a deal that would guarantee success for the former foster child, who still struggles to bury the memories of her painful childhood. But When singer Ginny Marshall travels to the isolated town of Glacier Bay, Alaska, she is charmed by the town's colorful characters and stunning scenery. She discovers a box of old letters and is swept up in the love story between an early missionary to Alaska Territory and his accidental mail-order bride. Written by homeschool moms, Tricia Goyer and Ocieanna Fleiss. 



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Friday, March 8, 2013

Artistic Pursuit Art Program Review (Middle School 6-8, Book One)

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I am excited to talk today about Artistic Pursuits Art Program which I have read great reviews about, but I had always been hesitant to try. Well, I am no longer hesitant and I want to share a few reasons why.

Artistic Pursuits, which has been newly revised, describes their program as:
A Comprehensive Art Program Designed to Involve the Student in the Creative Process While Developing Observational Skills.
It focuses on two groups of topics. The first being the elements of art and the second the principles of design. An introduction of these topics is presented in each unit which consist of four lessons. Each unit is presented in this order:
  • Lesson 1 - Builds a visual vocabulary
  • Lesson 2 - Talks about Art Appreciation and Art History.
  • Lesson 3 - Teaches technique.
  • Lesson 4 - The application of what has been taught. 

Before ever starting the lessons the students are given secrets that great artists share and are given a Ready, Set, Go approach to apply to their lessons.  There is also an objective listed in Lesson 1 of every unit, a student gallery, assignments for each lesson, and a reminder in Lesson 4 to look back over their picture for certain elements that had been taught.
 
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We had the opportunity of reviewing the Middle School 6-8 Book One for ages 11 & up, which Destini (13) used. The books are copied on nice paper with color photos, when necessary, for the Art Appreciation pictures. It is bound with a plastic comb binding and a sturdy clear plastic sheet over the cover page. This book covers such topics as space, line, texture, shape, etc. Destini did the recommend two lessons a week. 
 
The first unit was about space. In Lesson 1 they talked about what space was and she did an activity of writing her name in different ways on her paper. Lesson 2 covered Art Appreciation using Portrait of an Elephant, Dal Badal, Chasing His Attendant. (Artist Unknown) It also included information of the culture of the East and West and art in India. She then did an activity of making a quick sketch of the art print on a full sheet and 1/2 sheet of paper. Lesson 3 covered what a rough sketch was and understanding drawing pencils. She then sketched a rough draft. Lesson 4 completed Unit 1 with a story and then she drew an illustration of it.
 
 Drawing
 
One of my main reasons for recommending Artistic Pursuits is the ease of use. When we started I had Destini read through the beginning and then she took it from there. It was not hard to use this program at all. She didn't have any problems with understanding the assignments. Many times I would walk past her room and see her working away trying to get her project just right. A couple of assignments inspired her so much she did above and beyond what was called for. She told me that this was something she really liked doing.

 Finished drawing
(This book only uses drawing pencils, but Destini was excited about
her drawing and added colored pencils.)
 
My second reason is that this a great investment for an art curriculum. $47.95 for a years worth of non-consumable art curriculum is a fabulous deal! (I know this for a fact since I am paying for art classes for my oldest.) I found the art supplies readily available and I didn't break my pocketbook purchasing them. Art supply kits are also available through Artistic Pursuits for each book.
 
My third reason is that Destini is learning from this plus it is fostering a love of art. I think my hesitation in the past was if the program would really work. Can a child really learn from a book? After using this I would have to say yes. If you look through one of the books don't be fooled by it. There is a lot of depth and teaching there that at an initial glance might be missed. I also highly recommend reading more about their philosophy here.  This really helped me get a better grasp of the program.
 
I highly recommend Artist Pursuits books and am glad to see that it comes for all ages:
Preschool; Elemenatary K-3 - Book One, Book Two, Book Three; Elementary 4-5 - Book One, Book Two; Middle School 6-8 - Book One, Book Two; and High School 9-12 - Book One, Book Two. This
 will be something that will be added to my 'to buy' list for next school year for my children.
 
Check out more Artistic Pursuit reviews by clicking the button below.

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Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this product through the Schoolhouse Review Crew in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations.

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