Fifteen Great Home School Ideas for Fall

It's that time of year when there's a nip in the air in the morning, and soon the leaves will begin their annual art show.  Here are some great ideas to do with your kids!

We always loved September and October when the kids were smaller.  The weather was still fairly warm and sunny, and the local park was usually empty during the weekdays.  Then, as the leaves began to change and drop, we still found ways to embrace Nature's bounty.  These were some of our favorites:

1. Collect the leaves.  Even if you do nothing else with them beyond walking around and picking them up, you are giving your kids a chance at some gross motor and fine motor skill use.  Gross motor is using big muscles, like your legs.  Fine motor is small muscles, like your fingers.
2. Press those leaves.  I still find leaves from who knows how long ago in our big books and dictionaries.
3. Use the leaves to make rubbings.  Just place a piece of paper over the leaves, then rub with a crayon. Also fun to do on the bark of the tree.  Use compare/contrast words like rough and smooth.
4. Make leaf "stencils" onto dark construction paper with chalk.  I found packages of black construction paper for a pretty reasonable price at my local teacher's store.  Place your leaf on your dark paper, then rub over the whole paper with white or light colored chalk.  Lift the leaf, and admire your stencil. Try this with other flat objects, too.
5. Measure your leaves, and the trees they came from.  Use a ruler for the leaves, and a string and yardstick for the tree trunk.  See if you can guess how tall each tree is using a child as a unit of measuring.  For example, "I think this tree is 4 Bubbas tall" or "Wow!  That's a big one!  I'll bet it's 4 Dads high!"
6. Make leaf suncatchers.  Cut a large rectangle from an old brown paper grocery bag, by cutting down one long edge, then removing the bottom.  Cut 2 pieces of waxed paper big enough to cover each leaf and leave a little around the edges for a border.  On your ironing board, lay the brown paper flat, then set one piece of waxed paper on the brown paper.  Set your pressed leaf on the waxed paper, top with the other sheet of waxed paper, and fold the brown paper over the top of all, like a big leaf sandwich.  Press with a hot iron for about 30 seconds, just to melt everything together.  Allow to cool for about a minute, then carefully, peel back the brown paper.  You can trim the edges using fun scissors, like scalloped or pinking shears.  You can find these scissors for a very reasonable price in the scrapbooking section of your local craft store.  Want to make it even more fun?  Add crayon shavings over the leaf.  Use a plastic knife and CAREFULLY scrape down the side of a crayon.  Sprinkle the little bits on the leaf and/or empty waxed paper space.  Melt as described above.
7. Nature hikes - and LOTS of them!  Here's your chance to take advantage of the beautiful weather, get some good exercise, fresh air and sunshine, and have a blast!  Choose parks in your area that you usually don't visit.  State parks are particularly fun, because they usually encompass very specific ecosystems.  What a great opportunity to discuss those ecosystems, food chains, plant and tree identification, and bird/animal identification.  And speaking of birds...
8. Find out who migrates through your area, and put out bird feeders.  Better yet, make some of your own with pine cones, peanut butter and bird seed.  Grab a bird identification book, and learn TOGETHER with your kids how to use it.  Learn some big vocabulary like migrate, flyway, adaptation, transient and resident, and many many more.  Keep a bird journal to practice writing skills and observation skills.
9. Plan your garden for next year, and lay it out.  What a great math activity - measuring, calculating square feet for planting and cubic feet for filling the space with soil.  And while you're at it...
10. Start a Lasagna Garden bed.  Read Lasagna Gardening by Patricia Lanza WITH your kids, even if it's just looking at the diagrams and photos and reading the captions.  Save your newspapers (and ask the neighbors to save theirs, too, if you need more), top them with lawn clippings and fallen leaves, and let them rot over the winter to create the garden space you planned together in number 6.
11. And start a compost pile.  Fill it with fallen leaves and those last minute lawn clippings to get a head start on some great plant food for next spring and summer.
12. Rake leaves.  Good exercise, fresh air and sunshine, and of course the best part - JUMPING INTO THE GREAT BIG PILES! Have leaf fights - throwing leaves back and forth at each other. Build leaf forts, or even a maze. Better yet, volunteer to rake for elderly and shut in folks you know who may not be able to do this for themselves.
13. Star gaze.  On a clear night, find some dark space, and just admire God's handiwork in the heavens.  Learn the constellations TOGETHER.  Read the Greek myths that correspond to each of those constellations.  Find out how to tell which way is north, using just the stars.  See if you can find the constellation for your horoscope sign.  Then, learn about stars and all things cosmic.
14. Find an apple orchard or pumpkin patch.  Learn about why apples and pumpkins are so nutritious, then make some yummy healthy treats from the items you bring home.  This is also a great opportunity to discuss and practice kitchen safety, and by all means, find a way to let the little ones help safely somehow.  The more engaged they are, the more they'll learn, especially if they can eat the results!
15. Come up with your own new family tradition.  Create memories that will last a lifetime!

Embrace and enjoy this wonderful time of year!

Lesson Planning with Boy Scout Merit Badges

Now that Fair Season is pretty much over, it's time to get ready to hit the books!

It's no secret that I'm very frugal.  Probably not as frugal as Hubby would like, but I watch my pennies pretty carefully.  As a single income household, we have to stretch our budget as far as it will stretch and then some.  Especially when it comes to homeschool materials.

For some reason, the companies who make supplies, whether books or otherwise, see us coming a mile away.  And for some other reason, some of them seem to assume I have the budget of a state-reimbursed school district.

That's why, when both of my kids entered scouts, I felt like I had stepped into a dream world.  When Princess was in Brownies, her book set was $20.  That's right - 2 books for $20.  So let's split the cost evenly and say her Try-It Book was $10.  The book had 57 try-its in it.  Yep, 57 little unit studies.  For $10.  And you better believe we worked that book as much as we could!  We also used requirements for Council's Own try-its from around the country.  More unit studies on everything from volcanoes to hurricanes to the Statue of Liberty.

Then, when it was Bubba's turn to get involved in scouts, we used his Cub Scout books.  He's been in scouts since he was a Tiger Cub, and will soon be working on his Eagle Scout project.  Now, the badges are obviously getting harder and harder.  However, he is getting more mature every year, and I would rather have him working on material that's slightly challenging for him.

If you are new to homeschooling, or more experienced and looking for something new, scout merit badges are really the way to go.  And of course, being involved in a scout troop is a great way to let your kids make new friends and develop leadership skills.  Among many other benefits.

So let's look at what's up for us this year...

On the agenda are the 4 "American" badges (American Heritage, American Cultures, American Labor, and American Business).  In our state, students typically study American History in 8th grade, so these make a perfect substitution.  Also, for science, we will be working from a science book and supplementing it with Weather, Chemistry, and Astronomy.  Oceanography is getting added to the mix as the educational part of a special upcoming trip.  Bubba will also complete Animal Science and Soil and Water Conservation, which he started recently at a merit badge workshop day.  As other merit badges become available through workshop or field trip opportunities, we take full advantage of them.  For physical education, Bubba just completed his Cycling merit badge, and will be working on Hiking and Scuba Diving.

To lesson plan all of this, simply decide which requirements you want your student/scout to work on when and have a completion date in mind.  For example, we're breaking our school year up roughly into quarters for history, so for first quarter, Bubba will work on American Cultures.  Second quarter will be American Heritage, and so on.  We'll tie the science badges into the regular work scheduled with the text book.

The merit badge books are available online for @$5.  Which is really very inexpensive considering the quality of material.  Our local library carries a complete, current set of the merit badge books, which we take full advantage of.  You can also get workbooks online, which are worksheets the scout can use in the process of completing a badge.  The website linked here carries worksheets for all current badges, as well as materials for younger scouts, Venture scouts, and more - be sure to check it out.  Oh, and did I mention, these are FREE!!!!

And even better - you don't have to be a boy scout to use any of the materials.  If you have a daughter, or son who just isn't interested, you can still put these awesome activities into your lesson plans.

The bottom line here:  these are practically giveaways for your homeschool and they make wonderful substitutes or supplements.  By using the worksheets, you automatically have documentation of your work.  What more can you ask for?!

Happy planning!

Homeschool Book Shelf

It's already THAT time of year!  Where did the summer go?!

The main expense of homeschooling is definitely books.  Art supplies are a close second, but books definitely hold that number one position.  So I thought I'd share with you how we've managed to save a few bucks on books over the years.

First, use your public library.  Check out at the 'brare instead of checking out at the store or online.  Your taxes already cover the cost of this service, so take advantage when you can.

Then, realize that the library may not carry every book you need.  Interlibrary loan may be an option, but the title you seek may not be available or may not come in for several weeks or even months.  There may also be a fee associated with getting a book from another library.  So, in this instance, think about a purchase.

Never buy new when used will do - check thrift stores, garage sales, Craigslist, eBay, Half.com, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.  Look high.  Look low.  You'll be surprised what you can find if you only look hard enough.

Another option:  have a book swap with other homeschoolers.  If you are in a group or co-op, this can be especially helpful for all involved.  We are not, but I know of a few different groups that have exchanges quite successfully.

When all else fails, buy new.  If possible, only purchase when you have a cartful, and can take advantage of free shipping.  Don't be afraid to compare several online sites to find the best price.  Sadly, sometimes, you'll only be able to find what you want in one location, and have to pay full price and shipping.  When this happens, take solace in the fact that you literally did EVERYTHING possible to reduce your costs.

What to do with all those books when you are done?  Save the ones you like for younger siblings if possible (I have our favorites packed away for future grandchildren).  Sell the rest.  If you fail to find a buyer, donate the books to a local charity.  Get a receipt for your donation, and deduct your donation from your taxes.

Here's an example of the full circle:
Several years ago, my kids were using Saxon Math quite successfully.  I had previously ordered Saxon 6/5, 7/6, 8/7 and Algebra 1/2 used on eBay.  I think the least expensive of these was the Saxon 7/6.  It wasn't in the best of shape, but it was certainly usable.  If memory serves, I believe I got it for about $7.  Total.  Including shipping.

When I was offered free shipping on any order over $35 from one of my favorite vendors, I knew I had to take a serious look through their catalog and their website.  This same company was also the only place I could find the entire homeschool kit for Algebra, Algebra 2, and Geometry.  So I ordered these materials.  Well, it turns out that Saxon Geometry was not a good fit for us.  The book has barely been used, the solutions manual and test book never opened.  So, these were perfectly sell-able.  And the successor - Algebra 2?  Still in the shrink wrap it came in. I sold these 2 programs to Amazon today, and will be popping them in the mail tomorrow.  Amazon is paying for the shipping, and will be adding a tidy sum to my gift certificate account (to be used for future school book purchases).  I listed a few other books on my seller's account on Amazon, and put the rest on eBay.  Whatever doesn't sell will go to a local charity.

So you see, you don't have to spend a small fortune to educate your kids at home!  Happy Book Shopping!

Six Ways to Take Advantage of the Hot Sunny Days

Been doing a few of these in my house lately, and thought I'd share...

Let's face it - it's ugly hot outside these days.  Use the summer sun and heat to your advantage!

These are all things we do at my house or have done over the years when the teenagers were smaller.  Here's my list - give them a try!

1. Clean the burners, burner plates and knob of your stove with ammonia.  Simply place them into a large zip top bag with about a cup of ammonia.  Set outside in the sun.  I put mine out early in the morning, and brought them in the next morning.  Rinse well with warm soapy water.  You'd be amazed at how much grease, grime, and other yucky stuff will come off!  Because I actually cook, I've had stuff boil over onto the stove that I thought had actually fused itself into the enamel on my burner plates.  My stove looks like new!  By the way, when you dump out your ammonia, keep it away from tender plants.  I poured mine on the wood mulch in one of our flower beds that seems to attract the neighborhood cats, racoons and possums.  You can also put used paper towels into the liquid in the bag, and throw it away.
2. Fry an egg.  This is a great one to do with kids.  Prove that it is actually hot enough to fry an egg on the pavement.  All you need is an egg and some nonstick cooking spray.  Wait until about 3 in the afternoon, find a really hot spot on your driveway or sidewalk, and hit it with some cooking spray.  Drop your egg on the hot spot, and watch and wait.  This is a great exercise in scientific observation.  If you really want to get technical, do two eggs - one as a control, and one with a clear glass lid over it (like a greenhouse).  Which one cooks faster?  By the way, don't eat the eggs - just throw them away.
3. Make sun tea.  Another great science observation project, and this one you can drink.  I have a large, gallon-size jar, and to this jar I add 16 tea bags and one gallon of water.   Place on the porch or patio, and wait for a few hours.   I especially like chai tea, then drink it iced with milk and honey.   One year, I actually made homemade root beer syrup with herbal tea I had made as sun tea.  This is a delicious way to stay hydrated!  
4. Make sun prints.  You don't even need the expensive paper - just use dark construction paper, like black or blue.  Just a note here - since this is not the fancy photo-sensitive paper, use objects that have simple shapes.  The details won't show up as well, but it's quick, easy and inexpensive.  Simply place your paper in a very sunny area, set an object on your paper, and then wait for about an hour.  Not happy with your results?  Vary the amount of time - another fun science project!
5. Make a pie plate crayon.  Start with a small aluminum pie pan, add some old crayons, then set them in the hot sun all day.  Allow your crayon to cool, and color to your hearts content.  Feel free to mix and match or sort by color (a great preschooler activity).  If you buy the shaped tins (baking aisle), you can get a head start on Christmas ornaments by inserting a straw near the top of your shape.  Be sure to place the straw far enough down that the crayon won't break if hung on a tree.  You can also do hearts to set away for Valentine's day fun next year, and make stars on the 4th of July.
6. Stay in and learn some card games.  We all complain that our kids spend way too much time plugged in, and this is a great way to get them unplugged.  Card games teach math and logic skills, such as counting, sequences and strategy.  Card games teach social skills, such as good manners like dealing cards to others before yourself.  Oh yeah, and they're fun.  Crazy Eights and Old Maid are perennial favorites.  Feel free to move up to something simple like UNO for the younger ones, and then work up to rummy-type games, where the players have to make books (all one number) and runs (sequential numbers in one suit).  A favorite in our house is Five Crowns.  It's a rummy-type game with five suits and wild cards that change each round.  Buy it on Amazon.  When teaching a new game to players of all ages, we've found that it's best to play the first few hands/rounds with everyone's cards showing.  Then, Parent/Adult can help.  Also, don't be afraid to play and NOT keep score.  Just play for fun.  You'll make all kinds of fun memories.

Garden Party - Worm Composting

We have new pets!

This was the hands-on activity at the end of my composting class.  Inside are dozens of red wrigglers, happily munching on a couple of banana peels and some leftover tea bags.

Worm composting is not only great for the environment by helping to limit the amount of trash we send to the dump, but the castings (aka worm poop) are PHENOMENAL fertilizer for your garden.  And, BONUS - keeping a worm bin is also a great educational activity for your kids!

So how do you make a bin?  My bin is a plastic storage container, 15" long by 12" wide by 9" deep.  You can see the holes in the lid - three rows, roughly equally spaced 1/4" holes that were drilled.  There's also one row around the top edge of the container itself.  About 5 holes per long side and 3 on the short sides.  No holes on the bottom.

There are loads of other worm bin designs online, along with other information about how to start them, etc.

Mine was started with about 1/3 of the container filled with moist shredded newspaper.  Moist like a damp, wrung out sponge.  If you squeeze it, only a drop or two of water should come out.  On top of the moist paper, my worms were added with some of their "native" soil.  More shredded moistened newspaper on top of that, then a solid layer of moistened newspaper.

We are on week 2 of this grand experiment.  I brought them home on a Saturday, and last Saturday, I added a couple of peels from bananas that had gone bad.  I've also added a few tea bags throughout this week.

If you'd like to try this experiment at home along with us, here are some really great links:

http://www.wormfarmingsecrets.com/blog/

http://www.sfenvironmentkids.org/teacher/lesson_plans/Worm%20Diner%20K-4%20July2010.pdf

http://www.sfenvironmentkids.org/teacher/lesson_plans/worm_bin.pdf

http://www.sfenvironmentkids.org/teacher/lesson_plans/worms.pdf

http://www.recycleworks.org/compost/wormcomp.html

Hope you'll join us!

Everyday Science and Bird Watching

As a homeschooler, I love what I call “Everyday Science”.  It’s the science that’s all around us, all the time...

**THIS IS A COMPENSATED POST***

***ALL IDEAS EXPRESSED ARE COMPLETELY MY OWN**

One of my favorite “Everyday Sciences” is bird study.  We live in an area that is semi-wooded, with mature trees, so we see lots of different birds all year round.  Our first foray into this wonderful world of winged creatures was simply learning to identify the birds that we would see in our trees, or on our walks around our town.  We have since graduated on to looking at migration and habitat maps, and also keeping track of who’s here when.

Speaking of keeping track, a cherished activity that is under this umbrella is participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count through the Audubon Society and The Cornell Lab of Ornithology.  Simply set up a bird feeder in your backyard, or on your deck or balcony, then identify who visits and how many friends they bring with them.  What a great math activity, too!

What’s that?  You don’t have a bird feeder?!

Backyard Chirper is an excellent resource for you.  They have a huge selection of bird feeding products, and also bird baths, bird houses, and other fun gardening accessories.

One of the greatest parts of the website is their learning center.  Maybe you’ve never bird watched a day in your life.  I didn’t before we lived in this house.  Now you’d like to share in the joy of learning with your children.  The resources here are just so helpful!  You can learn how to attract many different bird species, the importance of bird baths, and also about butterfly gardens.  Backyard Chirper also carries DVD’s and CD’s as well as birding guidebooks.

Whether you need help with a purchase, have questions about an order, or just need information about their products, their friendly staff is knowledgeable about their product line and can help you pick the perfect product for your home.  In fact, they offer a 30-day money back guarantee (some exclusions apply – see website for details).

Use the warm summer days to explore the feathered friends in your neighborhood.  Visit Backyard Chirper today, and get started on a new adventure – bird watching!