Activities for Preschoolers

Here is a link to keep some preschoolers busy while you're teaching your older children. Hope it helps!

The 1st Bug Movie

Here's a video clip to show those eager homeschoolers a bug hatching!

Create a Chore Chart

Here is a link for making a chore chart for your children. Try it out...it's free!

Egg in a Bottle

Check this neat experiment out and try it out!

Thanksgiving Ideas Galore

Here are some ideas for Thanksgiving projects. Enjoy!!

Sites for Teachers

Here is a site with links for you homeschool moms. Hope it helps

State History

Some specials if you want to study the states and their histories.

Homeschool Science Academy

Here is a link for Science classes online. It is helpful if you are no science-oriented and want your children to learn more science.

MORAL ABSOLUTES VS. RADICAL RELATIVISM = CONFUSION

Just a little study you can teach your children. Hope it helps!

Blessings,
Esther


MORAL ABSOLUTES VS.
RADICAL RELATIVISM = CONFUSION

"A Christian worldview incorporates a unique understanding of man's nature which includes moral absolutes and distinct juris-dictions. It is impossible for postmodernism, with its radical relativistic starting point, to consider morality in absolute terms and ethics as part of a transcendent law or to provide a firm, unchanging basis for jurisdictional distinctions; it can only project policy based on pragmatism, opportunism, utility, and power."

Ferdon, Dr Gai M. A Republic If You Can Keep It. Chesapeake: Foundation
for American Christian Education, 2008, page 238.

Definition of 'Confusion' — n.

1. In a general sense, a mixture of several things promiscuously; hence, disorder
2. Tumult; want of order in society. The whole city was filled
with confusion. (Acts 19)
3. A blending or confounding; indistinct combination; opposed
to distinctness or perspicuity; as a confusion of ideas.
4. Abashment; shame. O Lord, let me never be put to confusion. (Psalm 71) We lie in shame and our confusion covereth us. (Jeremiah 3)
5. Astonishment; agitation; perturbation; distraction of mind.
6. Overthrow; defeat; ruin. The makers of idols shall go to confusion together. (Isaiah 45)

GOD IS NOT THE AUTHOR OF CONFUSION.
1 CORINTHIANS 14:3

Organizing & Preparing Teaching Materials for Your Homeschool

Organizing and Preparing Teaching Materials for Your Homeschool

As you get familiar with your teaching materials, organize them so that you know where everything is. Here are some ideas that might help you with this task:

* Store materials for the upcoming school year grouped by student and by topic.
* Separate the materials that you will use from those used by your children.
* Make the materials that your kids will use easily accessible to them.
* When you organize the materials for a subject, keep any supplemental materials with the primary ones. Make sure that additional materials, such as special paper or tools, are also easily available when they will be needed.
* If the storage space in your classroom is limited, keep the materials you will need over the first couple of months in your active storage. Keep the other materials in your archive storage. As you move through the school year, you will need to shuffle materials so the materials you are using are readily available to you.
* Consider creating a catalog or listing of the materials you have. This is especially useful when you teach more than one child over a number of years. This list can help you keep your materials organized over a long period of time. Even after just a couple of years of homeschooling, you are likely to have quite a collection of materials and it can be hard to remember exactly what you have.

Developing a Curriculum for Homeschooling

Here is a link to help you put a curriculum together for your child.

The Disciples: Peter and John eChart

Here is a free eChart from Rose Publishing on the Disciples Peter and John. You can use it for your Bible class.

Blessings,
Esther

Creation Resource Books and Reviews

Here is a book review link for some good creation resources. Hope it helps!

Learning Styles

Understanding the learning style of your child can provide a map to success and a key way to avoid frustration.

Have you noticed that what works for one child, does not necessarily work for another? Each child seems to have his or her particular blend of techniques for mastering educational subject matter.

Experts have identified three basic learning styles:

* Auditory learners remember by talking out loud, like to have things explained orally and may have trouble with written instructions. Auditory learners may talk to themselves when learning something new.
* Visual learners easily remember visual details and prefer to see what they are learning. They prefer to write down instructions and may have trouble following lectures.
* Kinesthetic or tactile learners prefer activities that allow them to do what they are learning about. Tactile learners like to touch things in order to learn about them and like to move around when talking or listening.

The Crafty Classroom

Here is a site with many crafty ideas for your homeschool/classroom!

ABC Teach

Here is a link for some free worksheets. Hope it helps!

Apologia Elementary Science

Here's a link to the Apologia Elementary Science by Jeannie Fulbright. A new Anatomy, Physics and Chemistry are on the way! Great Science books!! They've worked beautifully for us.

Homeschooling Your Autistic Child

Here is another link which I hope is helpful. This page has lots of helpful information as well as other links with more information.

Autism Newsletter

Here is a free autism newsletter you can sign up for. It might be of help to some homeschooling moms out there with autistic children. I enrolled in honor of my nephew, who has autism.

Many Blessings!
Esther

School House Technologies

Here's a link (click on the title) where you can make word searches in seconds with a free word search creator. This can enhance your homeschool experience with exciting worksheets for your children!

Blessings to all!
Esther

SOUTHEAST REGIONAL WORLDVIEW CONFERENCE

Featuring Gary DeMar—prolific author and President of The American Vision

SCHEDULE:
SATURDAY, SEPT. 26:

6:00 PM - Session #1: What is a Worldview and Why it Matters
7:15 PM - Session #2: America's Christian History: Fact or Fiction?

SUNDAY, SEPT. 27:

9:15 AM - 30 minute sermon: God and Government
10:45 AM - 30 minute sermon: God and Government

4:30 PM - 60 minute session: Myths, Lies, and Hald-Truths
6:00 PM - 40 minute session: Why the Future Matters

LOCATION:

http://www.westsidebaptist.org/

Westside Baptist Church
10000 W Newberry Road
Gainesville, FL 32606
INFO LINE: (352) 333-7700

Basic Christian Education

Here is a Bible Based Homeschool curriculum. Hope someone finds it helpful!

Blessings,
Esther

Homasassa Springs

Florida State Parks are offering free entrance September 11-13 for Literacy Month. You need to have a Library card or a donation of an almost new library or family book (per person. Our church is planning to go to Homasassa Springs on Friday, Sept. 11. Hope to see you there!

Blessings,
Esther

Homeschool Tracker

Here is a Homeschool software that helps keep tract of your students, grades,...etc. You can download the BASIC EDITION for free and try it out. Hope this helps!

Blessings,
Esther

Courage

Definition of 'Courage' — n. [Fr. from cœur, L. cor, the heart;] Bravery; intrepidity; that quality of mind which enables men to encounter danger and difficulties with firmness, or without fear or depression of spirits; valor; boldness; resolution.

"Be strong, and of good courage." (Deuteronomy 31)


"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

Paul of Tarsus

Tell Me More Homeschool

Here is a Homeschool Language program which is very good. Check it out!
Blessings,
Esther

Florida Aquarium

Open house for Homeschool families is September 17, 2009 from 10 AM to 3 PM. Admission is $5 per person and $6 per car for parking in the Aquarium lot.

Fruits of the Spirit Study

Year-Long Study: Fruits of the Spirit

by Gayle Inge
We studied one of the nine fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23) during each month of our nine-month school year last year.
We chose a different fruit (e.g., apple, banana) to represent each character quality. I drew a picture of the fruit on a piece of colored construction paper and glued on verses that I wanted us to memorize and emulate. Then I put the page in a plastic sheet protector.
We purchased plastic fruit at the local dollar store and a "Fruit of the Spirit" tape from Majesty Music (Patch the Pirate). I also found a "Fruit of the Spirit" song in Growing Songs for Children Book 1 (Child Evangelism).
We recited Galatians 5:22-23 every morning and worked on memorizing the verses for the fruit of the month. To aid in memorization and for added fun, we used songs or motions with the verses whenever possible. Throughout the day, if the monthly character quality was demonstrated or lacking, we discussed applying it to our lives.
At the end of the school year, we had a "Fruit of the Spirit" party and had all nine fruits for a meal with Dad. We recited all the verses in front of the video camera.
Love: Apple (John 3:16; I John 4:19; I John 4:7-8).
Joy: Strawberries (Phil. 4:4; Psalm 30:5b; Luke 15:7b).
Peace: Lemon (we can have peace even when life is sour) (Psalm 4:8; Isaiah 26:3; Philippians 4:7).
Longsuffering: Banana (I Thess. 5:14b).
Gentleness: Orange (II Timothy 2:24; Titus 3:2).
Goodness: Grapes (Heb. 13:16; Eph. 2:10).
Faith: Peach (Heb. 11:1; Deut. 7:9; Luke 16:10a).
Meekness: Watermelon (Gal. 6:1; I Peter 3:15; I Peter 3:4).
Temperance: Pear (James 1:19; Prov. 23:1).


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The Teaching Home

Here is a link to "The Teaching Home" e-newsletter. You can sign up for free. Once you subscribe, they'll send you the e-newsletter straight to your inbox. Hope this helps!

Blessings,
Esther

Teacher Vision

Here is a link to help with your lesson plans. Hope you find this helpful!

Music Curriculum

We're looking at developing a music curriculum geared towards homeschoolers' needs and non-musical mothers. Please send a comment if you are interested in participating with a questionnaire and I will email you a copy. This would greatly help us develop this curriculum!

Blessings,
Esther

School Express

Just wanted to share this sight of free worksheet samples. Hope it helps some homeschooling families out there! Feel free to leave me a comment.

Happy Homeschooling!!

What Is the Ultimate Curriculum Test?

I received this email early today and thought I would share it...

     What really "sticks to the ribs" of our children in the learning feast that school should be?

     No matter how exciting our lessons, how well-planned or executed, no matter how innovative or hands-on, how scholarly or inspired—reality is that children remember best what they themselves "produce."

     Both teachers and students appreciate colorful, well-designed curriculum with high interest and appropriate expectations.

     However, the lesson that is teacher-produced has a short-term effect and very little staying value in the mind (let alone the heart) of the child.

     On the other hand, the lesson that engages the student and requires his response achieves a longer-term effect.  The degree to which the student is engaged determines the total impact on his life and heart.

     The mark of Principle Approach® curriculum is that it causes the student to produce his own learning through the notebook method and "4-R’ing" the subject.  The student handles the subject first hand:

     •  Defining the vocabulary

     •  Searching out the principles and leading ideas

     •  Identifying the subject on the Chain of Christianity®

     •  Relating the new understanding to a larger structure of truth—
         a Biblical worldview.

     All Christian education aims to form character and scholarship worthy of Christ.

     Principle Approach curriculum places the burden of learning upon the student, challenging his reason, causing him to research and relate, and thus impacting his life through the formation of Christian character.

     As a result, the Principle Approach student is able to articulate the subject out of his own thinking.

     A recent visitor to one of our schools asked students who had just presented a series of orations and other presentations why they didn't appear nervous before a group of adults.  The students replied nearly in unison, "Because we've been doing this since kindergarten!"  Their quick response verified their experience in a Principle Approach curriculum that impacts character thus producing leaders.

     The most obvious mark of the leader is the ability to speak confidently, even persuasively, and out of his own conviction before others.

     This should be the ultimate curriculum test:  resulting in a student who has the character and skill to fulfill the great commission—discipling the nations for Christ.

Master Gardeners Vegetable Garden Class

Today, my daughter, Rebecah, and I attended a Vegetable Garden class at the public library.  It was very educational and instructive.  It made me realize that there are many good resources in our community that are free.  For all the homeschoolers out there, check out your local library and inquire about programs or classes available in your area.  Happy New School year to all!!