40% Off ALL Nature, Insect, and Shakespeare Unit Studies during April!

Spring has definitely sprung and to celebrate nature coming alive all around us, we are offering a super deal on all of our nature and insect unit studies! And, because April is the month of Shakespeare’s birthday, we have a special discount on our Shakespeare unit study to help you celebrate “The Bard’s” birthday! These 40% discounts last only until the end of April! So stock up now!

Using Nature Study, Nature Journals, and Poetry Through the Year - Regularly $14.95, NOW only $8.97

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Spring Nature Study and More - Regularly $6.50, NOW only $3.90

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Having Fun with Shakespeare for Kids and Teens - Regularly $14.95, NOW only $8.97.

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Insects – A Unit Study using Charlotte Mason Methods and More - Regularly $9.95, NOW only $5.97.

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Summer Nature Study and More – Regularyly $6.50, NOW only $3.90.

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Autumn Nature Study and More - Regularly $6.50, NOW only $3.90.

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Winter Nature Study and More - Regularly $6.50, NOW only $3.90.

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Beat spring fever and get outside to enjoy this beautiful time of year, while learning about science through nature!

2012 Presidential Election Notebooking Pages only $1.00

Saying that this is an election year would be an understatement! We have a great offer for you of a brand new ebook hot off our computer to help you cover the elections, learn about the issues being discussed in today’s world, and learn about the election process!

Make Your Own ABC Book About …The 2012 Presidential Election

We have some entertaining and educational book recommendations and a list of interesting and informative websites to assist you in your research about these topics to save you time!

Your kids can write their own political dictionary or a current history of the 2012 presidential election, describing the important issues being discussed in the daily news. No matter what slant or emphasis you take with this writing assignment, it is a great learning experience of our election process, government, and discussion of current events!

Each letter of the alphabet has 5 different notebooking pages from which to choose with different size lines, letter fonts, and borders – all with a biological “feel”. Also included are some ideas in how to use the pages and in making your own books.

Your whole family will enjoy learning, discussing, and writing about this important time in all our lives! And when your kids are finished, they will love their own published book! What a keepsake for prosperity to look back on when they are older, a true piece of history in the making!

Thank you for your purchases in the last year! And we hope you will find something in our new products this year that will continue to assist you in your homeschooling!

Buy Now    Only $1.00!

Educators connected with Harvard Suggest More Play for Kids

I just finished reading a very interesting article about the benefits of play from the perspective of two educators connected with Harvard University. Their opinions in the article connect the lack of play during learning affects students’ abilities to communicate and interact effectively with others, even into college. I found their experience and observations surprising that they would be able to make this connection based on what they have observed in Harvard freshman students.

Here is the link to the article: http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/12/29/christakis.play.children.learning/index.html

Feel free to share your opinions and thoughts about this article.

High School Grad to Walk but School Board withholding Prom and Senior Trip

The Carrollton School Board decided Monday afternoon, 24 hours before a scheduled meeting Tuesday night (tonight) has decided to allow Austin Fisher to walk across the graduation stage. However, there are still withholding other Senior priviledges, such as prom and a senior trip.

A meeting is scheduled tonight in Carrollton, OHIO to continue and decide on this debate. Another petition has been started to show support for Austin in granting him all of his Senior priviledges.

Here is the link to that petition http://www.change.org/petitions/carrollton-high-school-school-officals-allow-austin-fisher-to-attend-both-graduation-prom

High School Student Taking Care of Mom with Cancer is Denied Graduation Walk

I was recently made aware of a news story in about a young man in OH, a senior in high school, who has been taking care of his terminally ill mother with cancer while keeping up his grades, holding a part time job, and participating sports, who now has been denied the right of the “Graduation Walk” due to too many absences.

If you agree that this seems unfair, please read the following petition letter and click on the link to sign the petition. This website is a “social change” organization, so while I do not agree with a number of the issues that they promote, there is an issue now and then that I do totally agree with. And, this is one of them.

Here’s the story:

Austin Fisher spent his senior year of high school getting good grades, playing for the baseball team, holding down two part-time jobs, and serving as caretaker for his mom, who has breast cancer. Now, Carrollton High School officials say that Austin can’t walk at his graduation because taking care of his mom caused too many absences.

Austin’s mom, Teresa, has had breast cancer for six years, and last year they found out that she was stage 4 — terminal. So Austin started acting as caretaker for his mom. “I missed a lot of school … running her to cancer treatments, staying home when she was in bed — it’s just me and her at the house,” Austin says.

Tammy White graduated from Austin’s high school, and she thinks it’s wrong that her alma mater would prevent Austin from walking at graduation just for taking care of his mom. So Tammy started a petition on Change.org demanding that the Carrollton school board allow Austin to walk.

There’s not much time — the school board meets tomorrow and could decide Austin’s fate then. Click here to sign Tammy’s petition.

Carrollton’s attendance guidelines are in place to prevent kids from cutting school, but Tammy thinks the school should take a look at how its rules affect kids like Austin, who take on extraordinary responsibilities outside school.

“He’s been my hero,” Austin’s mom Teresa says. “My rock.”

So far, more than 10,000 people have signed Tammy’s petition, and Austin’s story has been reported by CNN, FOX, and Yahoo! Sports. Carrollton’s school board is meeting tomorrow — with the support of thousands of people, Tammy hopes that Austin’s school will allow him to attend his graduation, honoring a kid who went above and beyond to help his sick mom.

Here’s the letter:

Allow Austin Fisher to walk and graduate with his 2012 class

Greetings,

I just signed the following petition addressed to: Carrollton Exempted Schools.

—————-
Allow Austin Fisher to walk and graduate with his 2012 class

I have included a copy of a letter written by Angela Howard to my hometown paper, www.freepressstandard.com

To the Editor:
The class of 2012 deserves some recognition for all of their support and compassion for a fellow student who will not be permitted to participate in graduation ceremonies in May. His classmates have rallied around him, offering their support. They have even gone as far as to circulate a petition asking that he be allowed to join them as they walk across the stage.

Austin Fisher is not a troublemaker nor does he have failing grades. This brave young man missed too many days of school caring for his sick mother and taking her to cancer treatments. Not every family has outside support.

The school board could learn a lot from these young men and women from the class of 2012. Board members were elected because we felt they could make good and right decisions for our school and its students. How is this decision right? Put yourselves in this family’s shoes. If you were the sick parent and your child missed too many days caring for you, wouldn’t you still want to see your child walk across the stage, especially after everything your family went through? Wouldn’t that give you something to look forward to?

The community needs to get behind this issue. It does take a village to look after our children. High school graduation is a once in a lifetime achievement and Carrollton Schools is taking this joyous and proud moment away from a cancer-stricken family who has already suffered so many hardships this year. It is just wrong.

Bless this family and please “Let Fish Walk.”

Angela Howard
Bowerston, OH

PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION TO HAVE MY ALMA MATER ALLOW THIS COURAGIOUS STUDENT TO GRADUATE WITH HIS CLASS. HE INDEED DESERVES IT REGUARDLESS OF MISSING A FEW DAYS. HE IS AN OUTSTANDING STUDENT , WITH GOOD GRADES, AND A BIG HEART.
—————-

Sincerely,

[Your name]

Here is the link to the story and where you can click and add your reason and signature to why you think he should be allowed this opportunity.

http://www.change.org/petitions/allow-austin-fisher-to-walk-and-graduate-with-his-2012-class-after-caring-for-his-sick-mom?utm_campaign=peeNdltoLY&utm_medium=email&utm_source=action_alert

Oops! Our 40% Off Sale is Now Up and Running!

We apologize to everyone for the confusion and inconvenience with our links to the special discounts on our unit studies. It appears we had a glitch. The links to the special discount prices should now be fully operational.

If you run into any problems, please let me know. Thanks!

Looking for Pi Day activities?

Looking for ways to celebrate Pi Day on 3/14? We’ve go you covered!

Try these ideas from an earlier post on our blog!

March 14 is coming quickly! Make your plans now to celebrate math with Pi Day using some of these neat resources, books, and ideas. We have links to tons of websites with activity suggestions for all grades. We also have a list of books that you can read and follow up with notebooking pages or lapbooks.

We have started out our day with headbands. On the front of the headband we attached a triangle resembling a slice of pizza pie or a circle resembling a whole pie. The kids colored in their favorite pizza or pie. Then wrote the word “Pi”, underneath that “3.14″, then “(the pi symbol).” We wore our headbands for the rest of the day, so that whenever we looked at one another, the “visual” learners had a reminder of Pi throughout the day.

We read a variety of stories involving the use of measuring a circle and all its measurements. At the same time, we happened to be studying ancient Egypt, so that we were reading a book about Archimedes at the time. Here is a list of books that relate to the study of Pi:

  • Sir Cumference and Dragon of Pi by Cindy Neuschwander
  • Sir Cumference and the Isle of Immeter (diameter of a circle) by Cindy Neuschwander
  • Sir Cumference and the First Round Table (circles) by Cindy Neuschwander
  • Sir Cumference and the Sword in the Cone (cone’s dimensions) by Cindy Neuschwander
  • Archimedes and the Door of Science by Jeanne Bendick (the chapters near the end of the book look at Archimedes’ mathematical studies)
  • Piece of Pi: Wit-sharpening, Brain-bruising, Number-Crunching Activities with Pi by Naila Bokhari (activity book)
  • The Joy of Pi by David Blatner (middle to high school range)
  • A History of Pi by Petr Beckmann (high school) (reference to million years old earth on first page)

Part of our day we read books, writing a notebook page summarizing what we learned about Pi on the bottom half of a notebook page and on the top half, drawing diagrams and examples of using Pi in a formula. My younger son had a worksheet with a table to fill in as he measured the circumference, diameter, and radius of objects around the house. My older son had a similar table to complete, but had an extra column where he had to use Pi to calculate the different dimensions of various circular objects around the house. Some Pi activity worksheets can be found at http://search.enchantedlearning.com/cgi-bin/uncgi/search?key=pi and edhelper.com.

To obtain different notebooking pages to write your findings of Pi, go to http://www.notebookingpages.com/index.php?page=free-lined-paper-pages.

Other Pi activities can be found at the following websites:

http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson/lesson335.shtml

http://schoolwires.henry.k12.ga.us/1516101031153910823/blank/browse.asp?A=383&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=0&C=68630

http://www.mobot.org/education/megsl/pi.html

http://www.exploratorium.edu/pi/

http://www.teachpi.org/activities.htm

If you want to have your kids do a Pi lapbook, join Live and Learn Press’s Yahoo group and receive a free wonderful lapbook at liveandlearnpress.com.

You can end your Pi Day celebration like we did, by making a pizza (or ordering one) and taking its measurements using the formula. Enjoy your day making memories no one will forget!

Like the Pharisees or like Jesus?

I’ve been noticing more and more lately how adults either interact with one another or with kids when it comes to resolving or handling situations when human imperfections come into play. I feel from my observations, that there are generally (and I say that broadly- because no two people are all alike) two categories of characteristics that can be displayed in which a “learning” situation occurs. And this can be between adults, children, or an adult and a child. It could be between Christian homeschool moms or it could be between a homeschool parent and his/her child.

Those two categories could be labeled “The Pharisee Way” or “The Jesus Way”. As we know, the Pharisees were the lawyers in the Bible. Rules are rules, laws are laws, and all should be obeyed to the letter and when they are not, the rule breaker or the person in error, should be given the facts of the case and the error of their ways should be pointed out to them and of course the rule or law is reviewed, and then a consequence is given. (Similar to a court of law, huh?)

The other category is “The Jesus Way”. Did Jesus teach the people the way to go? Did he get his point across in an effective manner where people who were listening learned something and then went on their way? Did he show mercy, grace, and love while he was doing it? Was it unbending in a way that was cold or hard or stern? Was it convicted, yet gentle and guiding? To be like Jesus is not to be a “pushover” or a “weak” parent or someone unconvicted in what is right or wrong. It is to guide or parent with love, a gentle and patient manner, and to show grace. Should there be instances of consequences. You betcha! But before, while, and after those consequences are doled out, love, grace, and kindess can still be displayed.

And that goes, for everyone, I think. As a parent, while worrying about how your children will turn out and if you are doing a good job in your parenting task, it can be easy to slip into the role of the Pharisee. But that’s worry that’s taking precedence. Or, as a teacher, we want to make sure we have the respect of the class and we need to maintain structure and class management or whatever group the adult is in charge of. So, we don’t want to appear weak, so we stick to the rules to the organization and split hairs over how the rules are going to be applied.

When we do this, what are demonstrating to our children? That people should not consider the situation and apply rules accordingly and use our common sense? Or, that no compassion or understanding should be shown to the person who has acted “human” and has made an honest mistake? Or, that we shouldn’t give people the benefit of the doubt and automatically assume that a person is “trying to do their best and they just aren’t perfect?”

I think I’ll go with “the Jesus way”, at least I’m going to try my best. I know I’ll make mistakes, but I hope those around me will show me grace.

Great Bargains on Used Curriculum

I’m cleaning those shelves as we progress onward and upward and approach that spring buying season for new curriculum! Take a look at all of the neat things I am selling at very low prices! I just want to get them off my shelves and hope someone else can get good use out of them.

There are two groups – K-4 All Subjects and 4- High School All Subjects

I will accept Pay pal. If you are interested in any of the following items, let me know how you would like that mailed and I will calculate the shipping costs based on the weight of the items and how much the post office will charge. Thank you.

You can email me at katieshomeschoolcottage@yahoo.com

I am asking for a lot less than half price on these items.

Grades K – 4

Social Studies

Macmillan, McGraw-Hill Regions Near and Far, 4th gr. social studies textbook (hardcover)$4

Mega-Fun Map Skills, Grades 2-3, includes 4 colorful interactive posters, 100 reusable stickers, 37 reproducibles, activities and games by Scholastic, very good condition, asking $3.50

Boys and Girls of Colonial Days, Christian Liberty Press, like new, asking $5

Totline Books, Multicultural Snacks, Great recipes kids will love from lots of different cultures and countries, $2

Fun and Easy Multicultural Snacks, primary grades, good condition, asking $2.50

Sarah Morton’s Day, A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Girl, paperback, very good cond, $1.50

Adventures in Colonial America series, The Farm Life in Colonial Pennsylvania, very good cond, asking $1

The Josefina Story Quilt, level 3 gr. 2-4 An I Can Read Boo, very cond, $1.50

Read-Aloud Plays The Middle Ages, 8 Short Plays for the Classroom with Background Information, Writing Prompts, and Creative Activities grades 4-8, asking $4

 

Science

Volcanoes and Other Earth Wonders, Stickers, Games, and Fun Facts wkbk (age 6-9), new $2.50

Earth Explorers, Rainforest Explorer, nice large paperback book with beautiful pictures and photos, like new, $3

Teacher Created Materials workbook, Body Basics, gr. 1-5 (great worksheets and organ print outs) good cond, Plus Bones and Hearts and Other Parts, by the Wild Goose Co. lots of activities with corresponding sheets, ages 8+, selling both for $5

4-H Skills for Life, Animal Science Series, (in order from elem to high school), Dog 1 Wiggles and Wags Dog Youth Activity Guide, Dog 2 Canine Connection Dog Youth Activity Guide, Dog 3 Leading the Pack Dog Youth Activity Guide, Dog Helper’s Guide, Dog Group Activities, new, sold separately $2.50, all four books for $8

Scholastic Space, Quick and Easy Internet Activities, 20 Fun web-based activities with reproducible graphic organizers that enable kids to learn the very latest information on their own,gr. 3-6, like new, asking $3

 

Language Arts

I Can Practice Writing Cursive, workbook, Grades 2-4, new, $2.50

Scholastic Teaching Writing , A Workshop Approach, gr. 2-6, like new, $4.50

Scholastic The Best Research Reports Ever, easy mini-lessons, strategies, and creative formats to make research manageable and fun, gr. 4-8, great cond, $4

Scholastic Teaching Strategies, Easy Steps to Writing Fantastic Research Reports, gr. 3-6, like new, $5   Scholastic 24 Nonfiction Passages for Test Practice, grades 4-5, like new, asking $4 http://www.amazon.com/Nonfiction-Passages-Practice-Ready-Reproducibles/dp/0439256097#_

Houghton Mifflin Reader Surprises, hardback basal reader for early first grade, new condition, Asking $5   Learning Resources Gameboard Books Phonics, 6 games for Grades 1+, Like New http://www.educationallearninggames.com/game-board-books-phonics.asp Asking $5.00

Reading Activities, gr. K-4, Like New, Hard Cover book filled with assorted hands-on activities in assisting learning to read. Asking $8.50.   Bob Jones Book Links Literature series Gr. 4 (ages 9-12), Like new. Each book set has the chapter book, a literature Teacher guide, and an activity folder ¡V Here are the titles: Mountain Born and Medallion http://www.bjupress.com/category/Book+Links Asking $8.00 for each set. Originally $20.50 each.

A beka Reader, Pilgrim’s Progress, gr. 3.8. Like New, asking $6.50.

Gr. 1-3, Evan-Moor, How to Write a Story, new condition, Asking $7 http://www.teachersparadise.com/c/how-to-write-a-story-grades-13-p-44002.html

Scholastic Journal Activities That Sharpen Students’ Writing,gr. 3-5,  new, asking $2 http://www.amazon.com/Journal-Activities-Sharpen-Students-Writing/dp/0439488109/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1290387454&sr=1-1

Usborne Word Detective Words and Sentences for Beginners, fun way to introduce and practice parts of speech with lots of pictures and examples, very good, $2.50

Evan-Moor How to Write a Story, gr. 4-6, excell cond, $5

Evan-Moor Writing Fabulous Sentences and Paragraphs, gr. 4-6, great cond, $5

Scholastic Paragraph Writing Made Easy, gr. 4-8, great cond, $5

Reach for the Stars Let Your Imagination Soar, Young Author’s Fiction Workbook by Susan K. Marlow Media Angels Publi., like new, $6

 

Art and Crafts

Awesome Art Activities Around the Year, Scholastic, gr. 2-5, New, asking $5.50.

 

Foreign Language

First Words Sticker Book – Italian, asking $2.50.

Latin – Minimus Secundus, Moving on in Latin, very good,. $10

 

Math

Learning Wrap-Ups, like new, asking $6.00 each I have Multiplication and Fractions

A Balanced Approach to Math Grade 4, McGaw-Hill, workbook, like new, asking $2.50 http://www.amazon.com/GRADE-4-Brian-Enright-Dr/dp/0768204933/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1290387212&sr=8-1

Frank Schaffer Publications, Math Minders, gr. 4 Word Problems activities to stretch young minds, new, $2.50

 

OTHER

Scholastic Follow the Directions…and Learn, Dozens of ready to go pages that help kids learn to follow directions independently, gr. 4-6, excell. condition, $3

 

Grades 4 – High School All Subjects

History/Social Studies

If You Lived at the Time of the Civil War, Scholastic paperback, Brand New (I accidentally bought 2 copies), Asking $4

Bertie¡¦s War by Barbara Tifft Blakey, Kregel Publications, chapter fiction book for ages 10-14 about a young teen girl during the Cold War, 1962, New condition, Asking $3

Crispin, The Cross of Lead by Avi, Middle Ages living chapter book, hardcover like new, asking $5

Boys and Girls of Colonial Days, Christian Liberty Press, like new, asking $5

Teaching the Fives Themes of Geography for Middle and Upper Grades by Frank Schaffer Publications, very good condition, asking $4.50

Read-Aloud Plays The Middle Ages, 8 Short Plays for the Classroom with Background Information, Writing Prompts, and Creative Activities grades 4-8, asking $4

The Millennium and Beyond How the Past Points to the Future, grades 6-8, activity book, like new, asking $2.50

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to American History, Fifth edition, paperback, cover wrinkled but pages in very good shape, $3.

Learning Through History Magazine Colonial America edition, new costs $7, very good cond, $3.50

BJU History of the World in Christian Perspective, third edition, paperback, inside great cond, cover a bit rough, $4.50

Everyday Life:Revolutionary War with Cross-Curricular Activities in each chapter, gr. 4-8, Chronicles struggle for independence thru stories of everyday people, reproducible activity pages for math, vocabulary, reading comprehension, critical thinking, geography, writing, drama, arts and crafts, GREAT for a UNit STudy about the Rev. War, great cond, $5

 

Math

Learning Wrap-Ups, like new, asking $6.00 each I have Multiplication and Fractions

Abeka Arithmetic Tests and Speed Drills Grade 5, new and never used, asking $4.50.

Frank Schaffer Publications, A Balanced Approach to Math – Developmental Steps to Success, Gr. 4, asking $3.50

Fraction Dice Games activity book, grades 3-6, like new, asking $3

Score Kaplan, Learning Adventures in Sports, Engaging activities to provide thorough review of critical math, science, and language skills, very good cond, $4

Frank Schaffer Publications, Math Minders, gr. 4 Word Problems activities to stretch young minds, new, $2.50

Teaching Textbooks Math 7 Student book and Answer book, (no disks), $25

 

Language Arts

James P. Stobaugh Literature, American Literature Teacher’s Edition with DVD (never opened) and Student Edition, very good shape, $25

My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell, paperback book to accompany Lightning Literature Gr. 8 program, pages inside great cond, front cover and front page wrinkled, $4.50

Scholastic 24 Nonfiction Passages for Test Practice, grades 4-5, like new, asking $4 http://www.amazon.com/Nonfiction-Passages-Practice-Ready-Reproducibles/dp/0439256097#_

Abeka Reader Adventure Lands, 6th grader (good condition with paperback cover curled on corners) Asking $3

Scholastic Teaching Strategies, Easy Steps to Writing Fantastic Research Reports, gr. 3-6, like new, $5

Scholastic The Best Research Reports Ever, easy mini-lessons, strategies, and creative formats to make research manageable and fun, gr. 4-8, great cond, $4

Scholastic Teaching Writing , A Workshop Approach, gr. 2-6, like new, $4.50

Scholastic, Journal Activities That Sharpen Students’ Writing, Gr. 3-5 Asking $4

The Winston Grammar Program, good condition with writing on a couple of student workbook pages in pencil, cards, student workbook and teacher’s guide in a vinyl case, asking $10.

Bob Jones Book Links Literature series Gr. 4 (ages 9-12), Like new. Each book set has the chapter book, a literature Teacher guide, and an activity folder ¡V Here are the titles: Mountain Born and Medallion http://www.bjupress.com/category/Book+Links Asking $8.00 for each set. Originally $20.50 each.

Scholastic Independent Reading Management Kit: Genre, Reproducible, skill-building packs that engage kids in meaningful and structured reading and writing in a variety of genres, very good condition, asking $3.50

Scholastic Teaching the Novels of Gary Paulsen, Reading comprehension and discussion questions, graphic organizers, vocabulary activities, writing prompts, literary respons projects for “Hatchet”, “Dogsong”, “Brian’s Winter”, “The River”, “Woodsong”, very good condition, asking $4

Scholastic 35 Learning Tools for Practicing Essential Reading and Writing Strategies, grades 4-8, like new, asking $3.50

My First Dictionary – 4000 Words and Meanings for Young Readers from Harper Collins Publishers, Nice younger kids hardback beginner dictionary, asking $4 (because of the weight, it will cost a little extra for shipping)

I Can Practice Writing Cursive, workbook, Grades 2-4, new, $2.50

Houghton Mifflin Reader Surprises, hardback basal reader for early first grade, new condition, Asking $5   Learning Resources Gameboard Books Phonics, 6 games for Grades 1+, Like New http://www.educationallearninggames.com/game-board-books-phonics.asp Asking $5.00

Reading Activities, gr. K-4, Like New, Hard Cover book filled with assorted hands-on activities in assisting learning to read. Asking $5.

A beka Reader, Pilgrim’s Progress, gr. 3.8. Like New, asking $5

Mosdos Press Literature, Jade level, 2 Volume Spiral paperback Teacher’s Edition ($10), 1 hardcover STudent text($10), 1 paperback Student activity workbook ($5), $25 for whole lit set.

Evan-Moor How to Write a Story, gr. 4-6, excell cond, $5

Evan-Moor Writing Fabulous Sentences and Paragraphs, gr. 4-6, great cond, $5

Scholastic Paragraph Writing Made Easy, gr. 4-8, great cond, $5

Reach for the Stars Let Your Imagination Soar, Young Author’s Fiction Workbook by Susan K. Marlow Media Angels Publi., like new, $6

 

Science

Christian Liberty Nature Readers Book 5, softcover by Christian LIberty Press, very good condition, asking $4

Scholastic Space, Quick and Easy Internet Activities, 20 Fun web-based activities with reproducible graphic organizers that enable kids to learn the very latest information on their own,gr. 3-6, like new, asking $3

BJU Biology Third Edition, Teacher’s Edition Lab Exercises, spiral paperback in excell. cond, $6.50

BJU Biology Third Edition, Teacher’s Edition Textbook, Volumes A and B, very good to excell. cond, both $17.50

Men, Microscopes, and Living Things by Katherine B. Shippen, discarded hardcover library book, good cond, binding a bit loose in front, but pages great, GREAT Living Book for study of Biology,$3.50

 

Others (For kids’ use)

McGraw-Hill Children’s Publishing, Character Education Teaching Values for Life, gr. 7-8, excell. shape, various worksheets, activities, suggestions for child interaction about trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, citizenship

Learn to Play Keyboards by Emma Danes and Katie Elliott by Scholastic (not the cartoon series kind), very good cond. $2.50

Awesome Art Activities Around the Year, Scholastic, gr. 2-5, New, asking $4.

Internet Made Easy 80 Internet Mini-Scavenger Hunts, grades 4-8, Scholastic, very good, asking $3

First Words Sticker Book – Italian, asking $2.50.

4-H Skills for Life, Animal Science Series, (in order from elem to high school), Dog 1 Wiggles and Wags Dog Youth Activity Guide, Dog 2 Canine Connection Dog Youth Activity Guide, Dog 3 Leading the Pack Dog Youth Activity Guide, Dog Helper’s Guide, Dog Group Activities, new, sold separately $2.50, all four books for $8

Critical Thinking Company, A Case of Red Herrings, A2, Solving mysteries through critical questioning, good cond, $3.50

Scholastic Follow the Directions…and Learn, Dozens of ready to go pages that help kids learn to follow directions independently, gr. 4-6, excell. condition, $3

Others (For Mom or Dad’s use)

Teacher Created Resources Portfolio Planner, A Step by Step Guide to Portfolio Assessment, Like New http://www.oblockbooks.com/shoppingcart/html/pages/TeacherCreatedResources_tcr546.htm Asking $4.00

How to Keep Your Kids from Driving You Crazy, excellent condition, asking $5 – orginally $14.95

Women Who Do Too Much, very good condition, asking $4

Boys! Shaping Ordinary Boys to Extraordinary Men!, back cover worn, but insides great, asking $3

(MOPS) Busy Moms, Boredom Busters (for Kids),great condition, asking $3 Thanks for looking!

Thanks for looking! Let me know if you have any questions!

Katie

New Study by National Home Education Research Institute

The National Home Education Research Institute released a new study on January 4, 2012 entitled 2.04 Million Homeschool Students in the United States in 2010. If you have not read previous reports, this report is the quintessential study to which homeschoolers can refer to either “just feel good about what they are doing” or to collect substantial data to argue that homeschooling works. (New Hampshire homeschoolers used references from previous documentation when attempting to block new restrictive legislation being added to their homeschooling laws.)

This report is shorter than past reports as it only examines the recent growth in the national homeschool population.

Other reports are more complete and thorough in their attempts to document the demographics and student assessment results of “reporting homeschoolers” to give a clear indication of the end-result of homeschooling. I say “reporting homeschoolers”, because some states do not have that requirement, while others have other means of assessment than standardized test scores or no mandatory score reporting.

So, yes, homeschooling continues to grow – in some states more than others. And, yes, the test results of those students tested and reported surpass those results of the public school system.

Enjoy some leisurely reading or if you need a boost at this time of year to affirm or reaffirm that you are doing something worthwhile, read the population report here.

Read the more comprehensive reports here.

Any comments are welcome! :)

Notebooking Pages Winter Sale Event!

Debra at Notebookingpages.com is having a Winter Sale Event, now through January 13, 2012, HUGE E-gift Packages, Prizes, and Extended Memberships. Once you purchase a membership, you have access to all of her pages from now until your membership expiration – that includes all new ones she develops and puts on her site until your expiration! And you get to keep all of it forever!

What a bargain is that? Purchased individually, these notebooking packages would cost about $600! But with her membership offer and then the 25% discount she is offering, all of those same packages come to $56.21!

And she has 19 free ebook gifts to offer you with your purchase! They are great too! There are also monthly prize drawing opportunities that you will be entered into.

Take a look at Debra’s site to see some samples and download some free pages to try them out! I love her pages and use them frequently with my kids! You will too!

Remember to use the special code to receive this offer!  NOBUSYWORK

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