Graduation!

A little late... I've already posted about the upcoming wedding! haha!

My daughter and niece graduated this year, and put together their own graduation dinner and ceremony.  It was a lot of work, but looked really beautiful.  =)

The graduates - cousins, best of friends

awwww!

gift/display table

The graduates... and my future son-in-law Caleb Moore =)

The Hawks Trio ♪♫

my flowers from Rebekah :')

My sister-in-law wrote 2013 on all the invitations -- She's awesome! =)

*Some* people are working on invitations.... look at that grin
on Rebekah's face... guess just WHO she is texting! Ahh, love... ♥

my Rebekah ♥

Abigail & Rebekah

and here they go...

hehe

sMiLeS,

This was fun!

I love algebra!  Seems I've forgotten quite a bit since I graduated (ahem!) 23 years ago... but it's still fun, and I love re-learning it.
And some I don't even remember learning at all, lol!

Today was especially fun:

Graphing Linear Equations with Slope-Intercept (videos)

(About the block of wood the dry erase board is sitting in.)

sMiLeS,

Anita Renfroe - The Mom Song! =D

sMiLeS,

My Favorite Block of Wood

My Dad made me this block of wood when I began homeschooling 12 years ago.
It is a very useful 8 x 5.5 x 1.5 block of wood.

This is what it can do:

For kids to copy and label.

Yes, I used a ruler.  =D

The dry erase board props up books so kids can copy & label drawings.

Isn't my Dad really smart!?!  =)

The block of wood, the clipboard, and the dry erase board all store neatly on a bookshelf.
I have a rolling bookshelf that I pull over to the table during lesson planning or during school, so it's handy to grab my block of wood at any time I need it.

In case you are interested:
►I got my dry erase board at dryerase.com.  I've had it for about 10 years, I think.  Check out the FAQ's!
►Here's how to solve that algebra problem (videos #1, 2, & 3 teach Solving by Graphing).
►The block of wood measures 8 x 5.5 inches.  It is about 1.5 inches thick.  The back of the slot is about 1.25 inches from the edge and is about 3/16 of an inch wide.  It's at a 70º angle.  (or 110º, depending on which way you look at it.) 
At the front of the slot, there is a little of the edge cut off so the top of the opening is wider, making it easier to slide in the board.

Several years before he gave me mine, my Dad had made a bunch of these blocks of wood when my Mom was teaching a computer class at the Christian school I had attended.  She used the blocks of wood and clipboards to hold a brief typing assignment the students had to do immediately upon entering class.  I think it was usually something like a verse from Proverbs and an inspirational saying.  After being typed, it had to be printed with their name on it and placed in their folder.  No goofing off; just straight to their assignment.  If all assignments (not just the initial typing one) for the week were in their folders and accounted for, on Friday there was some free time for games.
My Mom is smart, too!  =)

sMiLeS,

Homeschooler's Resources on facebook

You can now follow Homeschooler's Resources on facebook.
Each time I post to Homeschooler's Resources, I'll also post the link on facebook.

sMiLeS,

Happy Pi Day!

Pi day is March 14.
3.14
Pi  

Would you share some Pi with me?  =)

Pi (3.14) is used to find the circumference or area of a circle.
Pie is round, like a circle, but Pi are square.  πr² 
To find the area of a circle, use πr² (3.14 x radius x radius).
To find the circumference of a circle, use πd (3.14 x diameter).

The original recipe for Pi is 22/7, and no one has ever found the last digit of pi.  So it is an irrational number.
But an extremely smart person might be alleged to have discovered the last digit of Pi!  =)

Here is just a small slice of Pi.
3.14159265358979323846264338327950288419716939937510582097494459230781...

But that's not the whole Pi!
To see more Pi, like the first 100,000 digits, click here.
Here's the history of making Pi.

Playing with Pi -- what it sounds like:

►Explanation by Lars Erickson who composed and performed the Pi Symphony in 1992.
How Lars Erickson perfected his Pi in calculus class.

Don't worry, there is plenty of yummy Pi to go around.
No one has ever gotten the last slice yet.  =D

sMiLeS,

"5 before lunch"

Would you like a method that will get kids to go on to another subject even if you're busy with his/her sibling?
I mean, if Mama is helping one child, and it's taking a bit, and is not available when you get stuck on #11, um...  you do not have to sit staring at #11 or daydreaming for 10 minutes.  Please can you go do typing or silent reading?  Or times tables?  Or even listen to Bible online?  
Or maybe Mama isn't looking, so you go into a sibling's room and then the two of you goof off...
10 minutes here and there can quickly add up to an hour or more.....

Well, that has not been happening here for awhile (not too much anyway). 😁

I decided to assign point values for each subject, depending on how long it should take to complete.
The kids have to get 5 points before lunch, and if they're done early, they get to take break/lunch early.
If they somehow have not gotten 5 points, they still get lunch, but not quite as much break as they would have.

We usually start around 9:00, and have at least a 1-hour break/lunch around 12:00 if necessary, but usually before.
(My kids are all teens, so they can go longer w/out a break than little ones can.)
As soon as they get 5 points, they can take break early if they wish, and still have break until 1:00.
They usually get to 5 points before 12. 😊

If they only have a little left, they might decide to work a little longer, or break only for lunch, knowing they can have a longer afternoon. Sometimes they start school early if they are planning to go somewhere w/ Grandma or cousins, etc.

I give 1 point for subjects that take around a half hour, give or take. The kids don't really know my system, so they don't argue if they think something should be worth more. They do see that harder subjects have more points.  They don't read my blog. 😁

So spelling, typing for 15 minutes, and silent reading (for dyslexic ds) are each ½ point.
History is 1 point per lesson for the twins (they do a block schedule and do 2 lessons a day), English is 1, math is 1½, Bible is usually 1, Dd16's Biology is 1 or more, Spanish is 1, Practicing piano is 1, etc.
Remember though, these are not all exactly half an hour.

Also for one child, practicing piano for X number of minutes is worse than practicing a song X number of times.  Once we switched, it was much easier.
Sometimes I change the number of times depending on the difficulty.

Sometimes it takes them a little longer for a subject, but unless it is obviously harder, I don't change the point value.  Occasionally if 2 or 3 subjects all seem to be just a little longer, I might grace them an extra ½ point completed.
Sometimes math is super easy, and I change it to 1, but they know this ahead. But only if it's really super easy. I try not to lower points if possible. Don't want to discourage them if they think they're nearly finished, then have an extra ½ point to make up.
►(I remember the story of a lady whose kids got up early, worked hard and got their work done early nearly every day. Another hs mom observed and suggested they do more work since they were able to get it all done so early. Um... way to unmotivate them??)
If it's harder, I'll change math to a 2. Usually it stays at 1½, though.
(But not if they take an hour and a half because they like to talk a lot. lol.)

We do kind of have a schedule of what order we do them in, but if something gets off a little (disruptions, etc.) they know they can fill in with another subject and still get their required amount done before lunch.
No one is sitting waiting, because they know they get their break as soon as they get 5 points.

This just helps keep things moving along.

And a subject is not DONE until all work is corrected, and I say it is done.
It has to be crossed off MY copy of their weekly schedule. 😊
And after lunch, the "light at the end of the tunnel" (or any activity they plan to do) encourages them to finish up. 

One other thing:  I've learned that doing math first causes it to take longer.
What?
Yep, it really does.  Math is The Dreaded Subject.
The long school day looms ahead, stretching out into infinityyyyyyy.....  "And this is just my FIRST subject??? sigh....."
So we do it last before lunch.  Remember that light at the end of the tunnel!
And after lunch, depending on the child, any other Dreaded Subject is last as well.

sMiLeS,

Studying...

A friend and I were talking about ideas for studying and school in general.  I told her of a couple of things I had read recently, and she said, "I'd better write this down."
So I decided someone else may like these ideas.

Taking Notes with a Twist
Have you tried in vain to get your child to take thorough notes? 
I read somewhere that some parents let their child use their notes when they are taking quizzes and/or tests.
Wow.
This may seem like letting them cheat, but it will greatly encourage them to take better notes!
They will begin to realize that taking notes is one of the best ways to study.
Seeing, writing, thinking as they write, recall as they look back at the text to make sure what they wrote is correct...
The main thing is that they learn, right?  Not that they can do a quiz without looking back.  Many teachers have open book quizzes, so this is like that.
I've been doing this with my kids for Biology, and it's working great.

Notebooking and Lapbooking
Notebooking or Lapbooking is an illustration of what your child has learned.  This is for the child to do, and it is a way of taking notes, but usually with drawings, maps, diagrams, labeling, etc.   For lapbooking, it is usually like a fold-out scrapbook made with one or more colored file folders (to fit on a shelf), and is more crafty.  Pictures, fold-out "books", pockets to put things in, etc.  Lapbooking examples here.  
I am focusing mainly on notebooking here since my kids are teenagers, and none of them are scrapbooky type of people.  =)
Notebooking examples here.
►Here are links to some notebooking how-to's.
Notebooking Exhibit
Make Your Own
Lapbooking vs. Notebooking
►For math, notebooking can be explaining a rule, and illustrating it with math problems.   Drawing and labeling (geometry), etc.  It can be writing out a chart.  We have done some of this even before I knew what notebooking was.  We usually do ours rather simply, and just write in the regular math notebook on whatever page they are on, although I can see the benefits of having all the "rules" in one place.  Also, for younger children, they enjoy looking back at their creations, and by looking at it again, are reinforcing what they've learned.
Here are some examples of math notebooking.

Here is the same site, but at the top.  Scroll down a little to "Contents at a Glance."  There are a few free notebooking pages too!
►I can see how this would also work for grammar, diagramming, punctuation rules, etc.  Just think, "What would I put on a bulletin board in a classroom?"  Ask your child what s/he would put on one.  Find cute little illustrations online to print out.
►Here is a link to science notebooking.  Scroll down for ideas for pages and for example pages, as well as a few links to printable pages.  Keep scrolling!  There are more freebies!  One site has lots of free ones.  Scroll a little further and find the labbooking pages for Chemistry and Physics.  These can be revised for notebooking if you want. 
►Notebooking pages for Bible.  Drawing, illustrating Bible stories, a fold-out timeline, some free printables.  These look great for younger kids.  Some would be good for older ones, as well.
On this site, there are many links to other sites.  Some free and some not.  Bookmark your favorites!  =)

Learning on their own
If your child is old enough, let them do their own research to find, for example, a good, labeled map of Europe.
By the time they have looked thru several to find the best one, they are already learning.

I let my oldest daughter look up videos to help her do her algebra.  I have her tell me when she finds a good one so I can save it.  By the time she's sifted thru several with the same concept and finds a good one, she has gleaned little things here and there from each instructor.

If you have any great ideas, I'd love to hear them!  =)

Are you a Homeschool Blogger?

Are you a homeschool blogger that would like to find other homeschool bloggers?
You can!  Beginning today, blog links are being added at Homeschool Blogger's Update , and you can even have your own blog added!

Just leave a comment here with (1) your blog link, and (2) what name you want added to your blog title.  For instance, if you frequent any homeschool forums, you can add your screen name so that others will recognize who you are.  You can include your first name too, if you wish.  (See blog links at HSBU for examples.)
Just let me know in your comment here.

I'd also like to know how you found my blog and a little information about yourself.

Non-homeschool blogs will not be added.  This does not mean you have to post only about homeschool.  It means that we will not post the cooking or coupon blogs of homeschoolers, for example.  It needs to be a family-type blog, and it should be evident on your blog that you do, indeed, homeschool.

Questionable blogs will not be accepted, or may later be removed later from HSBU if I see the need.

Your blog needs to be viewable by the public.  If at a later date I see a blog has been changed to private, I will need to remove it.  If yours has ever been made private then back to public, check to see if your blog needs to be re-added to Homeschool Blogger's Update.

Just trying to eliminate spammers or unsavory people, etc.  =)
sMiLeS,

Sahm-I-Am ♥

That Sahm-I-Am, that Sahm-I-Am...
       I like the kind of Sahm-I-Am.

 We have three kids whom I homeschool.

Some deem that to be uncool.

But my kids like it, though because

They sometimes go to grandma's and pa's.

If Dad is off of work one day,

The kids all know they get to play.

They love their Dad; I can't say nay.

We'll make up work another day...

They're not enrolled in formal sports,
We do other things of sorts.

Like go to church; the girls sometimes sing.

Of Jesus Christ -- He is our King!

God and family - those things will last;

While sports careers will soon be past.

When my kids are old and gray,

The Word of God will with them stay.

Sharing the Gospel, learning God's will,

These are important; these are real. 

Dad knows what to prioritize,

Pressing toward that Godly prize.

~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~

We start our school at 9 am,

That time seems to work for them.

Bible, English, history;

Next is lunch and break, yippee!

Algebra and science I like best.

I'm aware some think I jest,

Or think I'm strange, and that is fine, 

All have their favorites -- these are mine. =)

We generally do our school at home; 

But sometimes take work when we're gone.

At piano, dentist, or while we ride, 

Work while waiting; learning applied. 

Spanish, writing, spelling rules,

Exponents, square roots, reciprocals,

Colonies, politics, Congress, wars;

Fungi, DNA, cells, and spores.

~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ 

I don't require my kids to dress,

As long as they don't look a mess.

I don't avoid the video games,
I let my kids play in the rain. 

I don't do Latin; don't do French;
I would not progress one small inch.
I would not do them here or there;
I would not do them anywhere!

When asked if I do arts and crafts,

I said no, and then I laughed.

But we aren't dull; No, we have Fun.

We all play jokes on everyone!

Hunting, camping, staying up late,

They sew, do crafts; I think they're great!

They play piano, violin, and bass,

And even learned how to tat lace.

I L♥ve homeschooling; I'm never bored.

Watching them learn is a great reward.

If you don't think you can school this way,

Try it and you may, I say.  =)

That Sahm-I-Am, that Sahm-I-Am;                                                      
I kind of like the Sahm-I-Am.♥                                                      

Homeschooler's Lunchtime

Checkers and potato soup (made from yesterday's leftover broth).

Something to think about....

You doubt that 2=1?  Consider the following:

     a = x            [true for some a's and x's]
   a+a = a+x          [add a to both sides]
    2a = a+x          [a+a = 2a]
 2a-2x = a+x-2x       [subtract 2x from both sides]
2(a-x) = a+x-2x       [2a-2x = 2(a-x)]
2(a-x) = a-x          [x-2x = -x]
     2 = 1            [divide both sides by a-x]

So then, 2=1, right?  =D

Impossible!  So where is the mistake? Think about it.
You may not like the first step (a=x). But we do this kind of thing all the time in Algebra. It's true for plenty of a's and x's. Assume that a is the number of ears on my head, and x is the number of ears on your head.  In that case a=x.  (if a is not equal to x, forgive me for mentioning it)
Anyway, all of the steps are perfectly legal except for the last one, dividing both sides by a-x. What is a-x? Well, a=x (step 1), so a-x=0. In the last step, we divided by zero. That's not allowed. And this puzzle is a good example of why it is not allowed.  =)

Friends and Family! What a Blessing.

Ladies' Meeting

My kids have had an extremely busy summer!
The girls started singing with their cousin about 2½ years ago, and this year have really started singing often at surrounding churches. They even got to sing with Kay Chandler!
Bethany keeps a calendar, and highlights the days of the month that they are singing. I have flipped through that calendar, and have often seen 5 or 6 highlighted days in one month.
Many times when we go to one revival, another preacher will hear them sing and ask them to come sing at his church, too. Sometimes they are asked to come back and sing again during the week in the same revival. We end up attending more services than just the ones where they sing.

Also there has been camp and many Bible Schools this summer, as well as several ladies' meetings the girls and I have attended.

Now school has started, but the weekends are still staying full. Today my husband and the kids have gone off with a church group, and also will be going to a youth service tonight. We didn't know about this too far ahead of time, and I'm staying home to clean and cook for company tomorrow.  My son is supposed to go shoot paintball in a few weeks, and there is an upcoming hike we need to check the dates on.  

My kids are homeschooled, and some say hs'ers are unsocial.
Really? We are busier than ever!

Going to Dollywood

Because of singing and being at church, my kids have made tons of friends and have been invited to lots of places, including a trip to Dollywood. They sing in a youth choir group comprised of teens from local churches, they go to prayer meetings on Saturdays, and sometimes there is a choir practice there.  They get invited to go swimming at one church's pool (girls together, or boys together) that also has fishing and watersliding.  They get invited to cookouts, various youth outings, and so much more.

I'm so thankful that my kids have so many friends!
And I'm thankful for a husband who really wants his kids to be in church and serve the Lord.  What better friends could we have than those in the Lord's Family?  =)