When Play is More Important Than School
I started to call L4 to come and do a little school work, but when I saw him I changed my mind.
Thursday, October 02, 2008 10:55 AM in » Homeschooling Academics, Homeschooling Activities | 4 Comments
Archive of ‘Homeschooling Academics’
Christopher Paolini and Homeschooling
Christopher Paolini on tour
http://features.csmonitor.com/books/2008/09/24/christopher-paolini-on-tour/
“Paolini who was homeschooled by his mother, wrote ‘Eragon,’ the first book in the series when he was only 15. Today, he still lives and writes at his parents’ home in Montana and is intensely private about the details of his life although he has told interviewers that he loves to hike in the mountains, practice woodworking, and make the chain mail used in medieval armor out of interlocking metal rings.”
“The things he likes to do, he acknowledged to CNN in an interview, ‘are not the things everybody in this country is doing.’”“And yet that may well be the secret to his success. Paolini himself gives the credit to homeschooling. ‘A lot of kids get traumatized in school and get beat down for being different,’ Paolini says. ‘When I went out in public, I was not afraid. I was never afraid to pursue my interests because of what other people would think.’”
Wednesday, September 24, 2008 1:09 PM in » Books, Movies, Television, Homeschooling Academics, Homeschooling Activities | 1 Comment
Books on Order
Grade 2
Writing Poetry with Children ~ Jo Ellen Moore
The Kingfisher Atlas of the Ancient World ~ Simon Adams
A Place for Zero ~ Angeline Sparagna LoPresti
Multiplying Menace: The Revenge of Rumpelstiltskin ~ Pam Calvert
Grade 5
Voyage to Freedom ~ David Gay
Pilgrims Then and Now ~ Gary L. Marks
Duel in the Wilderness ~ Karin Clafford Farley
Squalls Before War: His Majesty’s Schooner Sultana ~ Ned Bustard
Some Extra Materials for this Year
Kindergarten 4 (K4)
Felt Uppercase Letters
Felt Lowercase Letters
Sandpaper Upper Lower Case
Sandpaper Numerals
Exploring Geometric Solids
Complete Geometric Solids
Grade 2
Einstein Math Tutor #2 DVD
Einstein Math Tutor #3 DVD
Math/Flash Flashcards Multiplication
Math/Flash Flashcards Division
Math War Multiplication Game
Saxon Student Kit/Fact Card Math 3
Daily Math Practice Grade 2
Daily Math Practice Grade 3
The Boxcar Children The Ghost in the First Row ~ Gertrude Chandler Warner
The Boxcar Children The Mystery in the Snow ~ Gertrude Chandler Warner
The Boxcar Children The Mystery on Blizzard Mountain ~ Gertrude Chandler Warner
The Boxcar Children The Mystery at Snowflake Inn ~ Gertrude Chandler Warner
The Boxcar Children The Mystery Cruise ~ Gertrude Chandler Warner
The Boxcar Children The Black Pearl Mystery ~ Gertrude Chandler Warner
The Boxcar Children The Mystery in the Mall ~ Gertrude Chandler Warner
The Boxcar Children The Box that Watch Found ~ Gertrude Chandler Warner
Grade 5
Dragonlight ~ Donita K. Paul
Grade 10
Tuesdays with Morrie ~ Mitch Albom
The Subtle Knife ~ Philip Pullman
The Amber Spyglass ~ Philip Pullman
Family
Resurrection Eggs (for Easter)
Passion of the Christ DVD
Nativity Story DVD
Parents Should Have Choice
Low Incomes, High Standards
Can private schools make a difference for low income families?
http://www.fraserinstitute.org/commerce.web/product_files/LowIncomesHighStandardsChildrenFirst2008.pdf
Inexpensive Private Schools Better than Public Schools: The Fraser Institute
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/jun/08062505.html
“‘The parents surveyed reported lower incidences of bullying, fighting, drug use, and racism in inexpensive private schools compared to public schools. They also found their children did better academically and had improved social skills.’”
“The families with children in private schools reported that their children’s academic performance improved and behavioural problems decreased, while a large proportion of families with children at public schools reported that the child’s academic performance, social skills and behaviour had worsened.”
“‘We were astounded to see that small independent schools make such a difference for disadvantaged children, particularly considering that these schools cost, on average, 45 per cent less than public schools.’”
“‘The survey results strongly show that parents of limited income who make the sacrifice to send their children to independent schools, whether or not they do so through a Children First grant, are much more satisfied with the academic and social environment of their children’s school than the parents whose children attend public schools.’”
“Similar results were found with the problems of bullying, fighting, drugs, cheating, racism, and stealing.”
“Three times as many parents with children in public schools said these behavioural problems were serious issues in their schools, with bullying being the most reported issue, compared to parents with children attending private schools.”
The Organized Homeschool
I love to organize. I love to organize books the most. I have been collecting homeschool materials for the past twelve years, and I have always wished to have nice bookcases. My dream has come true this past spring.
We have a fairly large homeschool library with literature, curriculum, and material that covers pre-school through grade ten+. We also have a few children homeschooling at different levels. Here are some things I do to make the books more organized.
I group most books according to subject in my bookcases. For example, I have shelves for science, history, Bible, Canadian history, writing, grammar, art, Latin, Greek, French, health, poetry, music, etc. Each of those areas is generally arranged in order of difficulty.
1st column Science / 2nd History / 3rd Bible / poster storage
1st bookcase
Logic, Omnibus, Law, Physics
Saxon Math
ABeka Math
2nd bookcase
Geography, Art, Poetry, Health
Writing, Creative Writing
Vocabulary, Spelling, Grammar/Language
(Behind doors - French, Greek, Latin)
3rd bookcase
Canadian History
Conservative Studies
Music
Large Children’s Books
I also have some bookcases full of “just reading books” which are arranged in order from beginners through grade ten+. This is where several of the shelves are layered with a second row in behind. There are also shelves for Tolkien books, all the J.K. Rowling books (which include two raggedy sets of all the HP books), and many other series that can be read in a variety of grades.
Literature - Pre-School through Grade Ten+
The smaller bookcase below is for beginner reader books like Bobbsey Twins, Boxcar Children, Magic Treehouse, and Great Illustrated Classics.
Beginner Reader Books
At the beginning of each school year, I prepare a bookcase for each child that holds the material for every subject that is expected to be covered during that grade.
B’s books (last year, grade four)
N’s books (last year, grade nine)
When I purchase a new book, I try to put a small little sticker on the binding that shows the grade(s) in which it is likely to be read. When this is begun with the oldest child, it makes things more efficient when I collect the books for the other children. It may seem time-consuming, but it prevents me from feeling overwhelmed by looking at tons of books and not having a clue what grade might be appropriate.
Each of the children is pleased to let me know when he or she finishes reading a book. We then write his or her first initial and grade on the inside of the back cover of that book. (That task is not always done that very minute, but we set them aside so we won’t forget.) For example, this past year, my nine-year-old would write B-4 because his names starts with B, and he was in grade four. (All our children’s names begin with a different letter.)
We write the inital and grade for a few reasons. It tells us if the child read the book (it is possible to forget) and the grade(s) in which it was read. It is helpful when collecting books for the next child. For good or bad reasons, it also creates a competitiveness for the younger children which may not be common in many homeschools. C6 began reading chapter books younger than her older brothers (math is another story), so when she looked at the back of a book and saw a B-2 or an N-3, she was pretty pleased to write C-1. (Meaning her brothers read it in grade two and three, and she read it in grade one.)
N read this book in both grade two and three.
(He has always tended to read books over and over.)
B read it in grade two.
C read it in grade one.
N read this in both grades four and nine.
B read it in grade four.
We usually stack the “just finished” books next to the computer. Each time a book is read, (in addition to the initial/grade in the back), I add the title to a list showing books that particular child read in that particular grade. (I usually have a little stack before I do this.) It serves as a helpful portfolio and a guide for the next children.
Since I am talking organization, here are the insides of four storage cabinets in the same room.
Little Kids Books (has doors with childproof lock)
Toys for Girls
My Little Ponies, Polly Pockets, dolls, stuffed animals
(More toys in behind)
I got rid of a lot of our little kid books and bought a big wicker rectangular basket that we keep in the living room for library books. We borrow at least 50 picture/story books every few weeks or so and store them in the basket. Since our home books are generally kept upstairs, they are less likely to get mixed up with the library books that are in the living room.
Toys for Boys (has doors with childproof lock)
Small Army Guys, Big Army Guys, Assorted
(More toys in behind)
(There is an identical cabinet for Lego and K’Nex in B9’s room.)
Little Kids Toy Cabinet (has doors with childproof lock)
Blocks, big Lego, play animals
Medium Lego, Little Tikes Toys, Fisher-Price Toys
(more toys in behind)
Craft Cupboard (has doors with childproof lock)
Balls and marbles, rock collection, tiny toys (pieces), shells, paints
Puzzles, base ten blocks, magic kit
Art bin, math bin, marble game, clay, play-dough, crafts
(more in behind)
Anyway, there are tons of things I am lousy at, but I won’t list them today. Organizing is not one of them. *grin*
Difficult to Supply the Demand
I gave B9 the go-ahead to begin reading his new grade five books as soon as he finished grade four. Big mistake. He read four books in the past day and a half. I am tempted to hide his new books, but I also want him to read as much as he likes. It is really difficult to supply the demand for literature around here.
Our two local libraries are VERY limited and inter-library loan gets complicated if you get more than a couple books, so that is why I have to buy a lot of books for our homeschool. Fortunately, books make wonderful hand-me-downs.
These are the books B9 just finished. C6 is reading the second book in the series.
More Homeschool Books On Order
Grade 10
Last Of The Mohicans ~ Richard Slotkin
Complete Poems ~ Walt Whitman
Legend Of Sleepy Hollow And Other Stories ~ William Hedges
Picture Of Dorian Gray ~ Oscar Wilde
Heart Of Darkness ~ Joseph Conrad
Red Badge Of Courage ~ Gary Scharnhorst
Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era ~ James M. McPherson
The Guns of August ~ Barbara W. Tuchman
Atlas Shrugged ~ Ayn Rand
The Sun Also Rises ~ Ernest Hemingway
Grade 5
Gentle Ben ~ Walt Morey
The Black Pearl ~ Scott O’Dell
The Book of Pirates ~ Howard Pyle
Prince And The Pauper ~ Jerry Griswold
Traitor The Case Of Benedict Arnold ~ Jean Fritz
Yankee Doodle Boy: A Young Soldier’s Adventures in the American Revolution ~ Joseph Plumb Martin
Swallows and Amazons ~ Arthur Ransome
Hero Tales from American History ~ Theodore, IV Roosevelt
Seaman: The Dog Who Explored The West With Lewis And Clark ~ Karwoski Gail
Guns of Thunder ~ Douglas Bond
Grade 2
Math 1-2 Deluxe Ed Ages 6-8
Math 1 On-Track CD-Rom
Math On-Track CD-Rom Gr 2
Addition & Subtraction Book Set W/CD
Einstein Math Tutor #1 DVD
Learning Math Facts
C6 (and L3 for that matter) has learned to skip count with this CD:
One Hundred Sheep: Skip Counting Songs from the Gospels CD
Now, she is (kind of) trying to learn her multiplication facts. She seems to understand the 4 groups, 3 in each group line of thought, but she has a long way to go in memorizing the facts. (She is only six.) We found this website yesterday, and it was the first time she “loved” doing math facts.
http://www.multiplication.com/flashgames/FairyFun.htm
Here is the main site:
Books N14 Read in Grade Nine
Books N14 read this past year in grade nine.
Veritas Press Omnibus III: Reformation to the Present
Semester 1 ~ Primary (5 days/week)
The Westminster Confession of Faith (Weeks 1,2)
The Pilgrim’s Progress ~ John Bunyan (Weeks 3-5)
Of Plymouth Plantation ~ William Bradford (Weeks 6-8 )
The Social Contract ~ Jean-Jacques Rousseau (Weeks 9,10)
Foundational American Documents (Weeks 11-13)
Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers (Weeks 14,15)
A Tale of Two Cities ~ Charles Dickens (Weeks 16-18)
Veritas Press Omnibus III: Reformation to the Present
Semester 1 ~ Secondary (3 days/week)
The New Foxe’s Book of Martyrs (Weeks 1,2)
Frankenstein ~ Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (Weeks 3,4)
Pride and Prejudice ~ Jane Austen (Weeks 5-7)
Gulliver’s Travels ~ Jonathan Swift (Weeks 8-10)
Autobiography of B Franklin (Weeks 11-12)
Autobiography of Charles G. Finney (Weeks 13-14)
The Pit and the Pendulum (Week 15)
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer ~ Mark Twain (Weeks 16-18)
Veritas Press Omnibus III: Reformation to the Present
Semester 2 ~ Primary
Reflections on the Revolution in France ~ Edmund Burke (Weeks 1,2)
Uncle Tom’s Cabin ~ Harriet Beecher Stowe (Weeks 3,4)
L’s Speeches (Week 5)
Slave Narratives (Week 6)
The Communist Manifesto ~ Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels (Week 7)
The Treaty of Versailles (Week 8 )
The Great Gatsby ~ F. Scott Fitzgerald (Weeks 9,10)
Mein Kampf ~ Adolf Hitler (Week 11)
Philemon (Week 12)
The Epistles of John (Week 13)
The Epistles of Peter and Jude (Week 14)
Nineteen Eighty-Four ~ George Orwell (Weeks 15,16)
Veritas Press Omnibus III: Reformation to the Present
Semester 2 ~ Secondary
Little Women ~ Louisa May Alcott (Weeks 1,2)
The Killer Angels ~ Michael Shaara (Weeks 3-5)
Christianity and Liberalism ~ J. Gresham Machen (Weeks 6-8 )
The Old Man and the Sea ~ Ernest Hemingway (Weeks 9)
Animal Farm ~ George Orwell (Weeks 10,11)
Death of a Salesman ~ Arthur Miller (Week 12)
Postmodern Times ~ Gene Edward Veith (Weeks 13-15)
How Should We Then Live? ~ Francis Schaeffer (Weeks 15,16)
Other Literature Read in Grade Nine
The Scarlet Pimpernel ~ Baroness Orczy
Les Miserables ~ Victor Hugo
The Count of Monte Cristo ~ Alexandre Dumas
Sackett’s Land ~ Louis L’Amour
The Princess and the Goblin ~ George MacDonald
The Nine Tailors ~ Dorothy L. Sayers
Animal Farm ~ George Orwell
The Bartimaeus Trilogy:
The Amulet of Samarkand ~ Jonathan Stroud
The Golem’s Eye ~ Jonathan Stroud
Ptolemy’s Gate ~ Jonathan Stroud
The Divine Comedy II: Purgatory ~ Dante
The Divine Comedy III: Paradise ~ Dante
Ascent to Love ~ Peter J. Leithart
Why America Doesn’t Work ~ Chuck Colson, Jack Eckerd
To Kill a Mockingbird ~ Harper Lee
Whose Body? ~ Dorothy L. Sayers
Watership Down ~ Richard Adams
The Man Who Was Thursday ~ G.K. Chesterton
The White Company ~ Arthur Conan Doyle
Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained ~ John Milton
Hornblower Beat to Quarters ~ C.S. Forester
The Deerslayer ~ James Fenimore Cooper
Knowing God ~ J.I. Packer
Waiting for His Coming ~ Lewis Neilson
The Sovereignty of God ~ Arthur W. Pink
The Great Divorce ~ C.S. Lewis
The Problem of Pain ~ C.S. Lewis
How Should I Live in this World? ~ R.C. Sproul
Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God ~ Jonathan Edwards
Everlasting Man ~ G.K. Chesterton
Exploring Creation with Biology
Scientists of Faith ~ Dan Grave
The Motley Fool Investment Guide for Teens ~ David and Tom Gardner
The Lively Art of Writing ~ Lucile Vaughan Payne
Story ~ Robert McKee
Professor Van Dusen The Thinking Machine ~ Jacques Futrelle
Saxon Advanced Math
French flashcards
Latin flashcards
Books B9 Read in Grade Four
Books B9 read this past year in grade four.
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer ~ Mark Twain
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn ~ Mark Twain
The Jungle Book ~ Rudyard Kipling
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood ~ Howard Pyle
King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table ~ Roger Lancelyn Green
The Hobbit ~ J.R.R. Tolkien
The Lord of the Rings The Fellowship of the Ring ~ J.R.R. Tolkien
The Lord of the Rings The Two Towers ~ J.R.R. Tolkien
The Lord of the Rings The Return of the King ~ J.R.R. Tolkien
The Story of the Amulet ~ E. Nesbit
The Railway Children ~ E. Nesbit
The Phoenix and the Carpet ~ E. Nesbit
The Enchanted Castle ~ E. Nesbit
The Story of the Treasure Seekers ~ E. Nesbit
DragonQuest 2 ~ Donita K. Paul
DragonKnight 3 ~ Donita K. Paul
DragonFire 4 ~ Donita K. Paul
The Story of Rolf and the Viking Bow ~ Allen French
Where the Red Fern Grows ~ Wilson Rawls
The Ides of April ~ Mary Ray
The Apprentice ~ Pilar Molina Llorente
The Door in the Wall ~ Marguerite De Angeli
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ~ Roald Dahl
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiller ~ E.L. Konigsburg
The Twenty-One Balloons ~ William Pene du Bois
Eragon ~ Christopher Paolini
Sugar Creek Gang The Swamp Robber 1 ~ Paul Hutchens
Sugar Creek Gang The Killer Bear 2 ~ Paul Hutchens
Sugar Creek Gang The Winter Rescue 3 ~ Paul Hutchens
Mandie and the Dangerous Imposters 23 ~ Lois Gladys Leppard
What Katy Did ~ Susan Coolidge
What Katy Did at School ~ Susan Coolidge
What Katy Did Next ~ Susan Coolidge
The Door Within ~ Wayne Thomas Batson
The Rise of the Wyrm Lord ~ Wayne Thomas Batson
The Final Storm ~ Wayne Thomas Batson
The Dark is Rising Over Sea, Under Stone ~ Susan Cooper
Leven Thumps and the Eyes of the Want ~ Skye
Dangerous Journey The Story of Pilgrim’s Progress (Eerdmans)
The Aesop for Children
Aesop’s Fables
Madeline Takes Command ~ Ethel C. Brill
Space and Beyond
The Castle of No Return
Bruno and Boots The War with Mr. Wizzle ~ Gordon Korman
The Story of Helen Keller ~ Lorena A. Hickok
Helen Keller’s Teacher ~ Margaret Davidson
Mary Poppins ~ P.L Travers
Mary Poppins Comes Back ~ P.L Travers
Mary Poppins in the Park ~ P.L Travers
South Sea Island Rescue ~ John G. Paton
(and more)
Show Me Thy Ways Grade 4 ~ Gertrude Hoeksema
Window on the World ~ Daphne Spragget with Jill Johnstone
Christian History The 100 Most Important Events in Church History
The Victor Journey through the Bible ~ V. Gilbert Beers
A Child’s History of the World ~ V.M. Hillyer
The Middle Ages A Watts Guide for Children ~ editor William Chester Jordan
Cultural Atlas for Young People The Middle Ages ~ Mike Corbishley
Famous Men of the Middle Ages ~ John H. Haaren LL.D. and A.B. Poland Ph.D. (Shearer)
Famous Men of the Renaissance and Reformation ~ Robert G. Shearer
Augustine The Farmer’s Boy of Tagaste ~ P. De Zeeuw, J.Gzn
Monks and Mystics Volume 2: Chronicles of the Medieval Church ~ Mindy and Brandon Withrow
Luther the Leader
The Life of John Calvin ~ Theodore Beza
Viking Life ~ Early Civilizations
Viking Adventure ~ Clyde Robert Bulla
Usborne Who Were the Vikings?
Usborne Viking World
Dominion of Canada ~ Suzanne LeVert
The Story of Canada ~ Janet Lunn and Christpher Moore
A.D.S. Canadian Workpac 309
Canada “From Sea to Sea” Series Discover ___ ~ Bill MacDonald
Canada’s Electoral System
Prime Ministers of Canada 1867-1980
How Canadians Govern Themselves
ABeka The History of Our United States
ABeka Understanding God’s World Science Grade 4
The Usborne Science Encyclopedia
ABeka Developing Good Health Grade 4
ABeka Read and Think Skill Sheets 4
ABeka Oral Language Exercises ~ William A. Kappele
Easy Grammar Grade 4
From Lesson 65 of Saxon Math 7/6 to Lesson 84 of Saxon Math 8/7
Some Read-Alouds
Bridge to Terabithia ~ Katherine Paterson
Rowan of Rin ~ Emilu Rodda
Where the Red Fern Grows ~ Wilson Rawls
Prince Caspian ~ C.S. Lewis
(and more)
Books C6 Read in Grade One
In the first grade, C6 read many, many picture books and early reader books. She began reading chapter books in January. She finished the first grade by reading a whole Bobbsey Twins book in one day.
This list only includes “chapter” books and school readers that she read independently.
Books C6 read this past year in grade one.
The Boxcar Children 1 ~ Gertrude Chandler Warner
The Boxcar Children Surprise Island 2 ~ Gertrude Chandler Warner
The Boxcar Children The Yellow House Mystery 3 ~ Gertrude Chandler Warner
The Boxcar Children Mystery Ranch 4 ~ Gertrude Chandler Warner
The Boxcar Children Mike’s Mystery 5 ~ Gertrude Chandler Warner
The Boxcar Children Blue Bay Mystery 6 ~ Gertrude Chandler Warner
The Boxcar Children The Woodshed Mystery 7 ~ Gertrude Chandler Warner
The Boxcar Children Schoolhouse Mystery 10 ~ Gertrude Chandler Warner
The Boxcar Children The Mystery in the Sand 13 ~ Gertrude Chandler Warner
The Boxcar Children Bicycle Mystery 15 ~ Gertrude Chandler Warner
The Boxcar Children Mystery Behind the Wall 17 ~ Gertrude Chandler Warner
The Boxcar Children Bus Station Mystery 18 ~ Gertrude Chandler Warner
The Boxcar Children Benny Uncovers a Mystery 19 ~ Gertrude Chandler Warner
Bobbsey Twins Merry Days Indoors and Out 1 ~ Laura Lee Hope
The Bobbsey Twins’ Wonderful Winter Secret ~ Laura Lee Hope
The Bobbsey Twins’ Secret at the Seashore 3 ~ Laura Lee Hope
The Bobbsey Twins On a Bicycle Trip 48 ~ Laura Lee Hope
Magic Treehouse 1
Heidi Great Illustrated Classics ~ Johanna Spyri
Ducktails
Laura and Nellie ~ A Little House Chapter Book
Because of Winn-Dixie ~ Kate DiCamillo
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle ~ Betty MacDonald
Junie B. Jones 1-5, 8, 9, 12, 17, 18, 19, 24 ~ Barbara Park
The Littles ~ John Peterson
Classic Tales from the Magic Kingdom
(and more)
McGuffey’s Primer
McGuffey’s First Eclectic Reader
Nursery Rhymes
ABeka Fun With Pets
ABeka Tip Toes
ABeka Stepping Stones
ABeka Secrets and Surprises
ABeka Animals and the Great Outdoors
ABeka Kind and Brave
ABeka Down by the Sea
ABeka Aesop’s Fables for Young Readers
The Young Reader’s Bible
Precious Moments Bedtime Stories
Ruth the Harvest Girl
Hannah The Mother who Prayed
Esther The Brave Queen
Jesus Is Alive The Amazing Story
Saul The Miracle on the Road
Sarah and Abraham The Wonderful Promise
Miriam The Big Sister’s Secret
Noah Rescue Plan
Samuel The Boy Who Listened
Jesus The Promised Child
Martha and Mary Friends of Jesus
Joshua The Brave Leader
Daniel The Praying Prince
Rebekah The Mother of Twins
Mary Mother of Jesus
John the Baptist
David The Fearless Fighter
Joseph God’s Dreamer
Peter The Fisherman
Elijah God’s Miracle Man
Jonah The Runaway Preacher
Nehemiah God’s Builder
Paul Journeys of Adventure
Simon Peter The Disciple
ABeka Health, Safety & Manners 1
ABeka Discovering God’s World Science 1
The Berenstain Bears’ Big Book of Science and Nature
ABeka Social Studies K
Some Read-Alouds
Bridge to Terabithia ~ Katherine Paterson
Rowan of Rin ~ Emilu Rodda
Where the Red Fern Grows ~ Wilson Rawls
Prince Caspian ~ CS Lewis
(and more)
Another Order of Homeschool Materials
Hopefully this will be the last book order in preparation for homeschooling next year, although there are a couple more things I would like for the second term. See the far right sidebar for general outlines for specific grades and subjects. Next month, I will post complete lists of the books the children read this year in grades one, four, and nine.
Grade Ten (or later - not sure yet)
The new Veritas Press catalog is finally ready. As I mentioned before, they do not have the Grade 10 Omnibus completed for this coming year, but they expect it will be ready the following year. I think N14 will study Omnibus Grade 10 when he is in Grade 11 and Omnibus Grade 11 when he is in Grade 12, so that means he will read many of the books they recommend for Grade 12 next year (in grade 10).
Of Mice And Men ~ John Steinbeck
Leviathan ~ C. Macpherson
Wealth Of Nations Books 1 To 3 ~ Andrew Skinner
Ethics ~ Stuart Hampshire
Critique Of Pure Reason ~ Marcus Weigelt
Democracy In America ~ Isaac Kramnick
The Scarlet Letter ~ Nathaniel Hawthorne
Amusing Ourselves To Death ~ Neil Postman
Brave New World ~ Aldous Huxley
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich ~ Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
Beyond Good and Evil: Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future ~ Friedrich Nietzsche
Citizen Soldiers: The U S Army from the Normandy Beaches to the Bulge to the Surrender of Germany ~ Stephen E. Ambrose
Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics That Will Be Able to Come Forward As Science With Kant’s Letter to Marcus Herz, February 27, 1772: The Paul Carus Translation ~ Immanuel Kant
Apologetics to the Glory of God: An Introduction ~ John M. Frame
Reasons of the Heart: Recovering Christian Persuasion ~ William Edgar
Treatise On Human Nature ~ David Hume
Grade Five
The Dark Is Rising (Boxed Set): The Dark Is Rising, Greenwitch, Over Sea, Under Stone, Silver on the Tree, The Grey King ~ Susan Cooper
Drawing For Older Children And Teens ~ Mona Brookes
Grade Two
Journeys Through Bible Lands ~ Tim Dowley
Latest Orders of Homeschool Materials
Here is a combined list of my latest three orders of homeschool materials from Amazon.ca
This post is unlikely to be helpful to you as it is certainly incomplete. During the next month or two, I will collect the titles of ALL the materials my children will be using in each grade and post them under the appropriate homeschooling grades and subjects topics in the far right sidebar.
Since we already have an extensive home library for grades 9 and under, I need to mostly concentrate on collecting materials for my oldest child. I am very thankful for hand-me-down clothes. Hand-me-down books are even better!
Disclaimer: I should say that I have not examined all of the following books, so after receiving them, I may decide they are not appropriate.
Grade 2
(We already have a ton of literature for this level. I plan to post the complete list later. The idea here was to throw in a few “girl” books, and some other books we didn’t have. The complete list of grade two materials will be here http://parentingfreedom.com/grade2.)
The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup and a Spool of Thread ~ Kate Dicamillo CDN$ 8.15
Princess Academy ~ Shannon Hale CDN$ 8.95
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle ~ Betty MacDonald $5.99
Matilda ~Roald Dahl $6.99
Madeleine Takes Command ~ Ethel C. Brill $9.99
Junie B. Jones First Boxed Set Ever! ~ Barbara Park CDN$ 17.49
Gooney Bird Greene ~ Lois Lowry CDN$ 7.43
Mr. Popper’s Penguins ~ Richard Atwater CDN$ 7.99
Indian in the Cupboard ~ Lynne Reid Banks CDN$ 8.99
Rufus M. ~ Eleanor Estes CDN$ 7.00
The Egypt Game ~ Zilpha Keatley Snyder CDN$ 9.29
Easy Grammar Grade 2 Workbook ~ Wanda Phillips $11.99
The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name ~ Sally Lloyd-Jones $12.99
60 Bible Verses That Rock The World 3 CD Set $15.99
Addition Songs CD
Multiplication Songs CD
Division Songs CD
Grade 5
(We already have a ton of literature for this level. I plan to post the complete list later. The complete list of grade five materials will be here http://parentingfreedom.com/grade5.)
Rowan and the Travelers 2 ~ Emily Rodda CDN$ 7.99
Rowan and the Keeper of the Crystal 3 ~ Emily Rodda CDN$ 7.50
Rowan and the Zebak 4 ~ Emily Rodda CDN$ 7.99
Rowan and the Ice Creepers 5 ~ Emily Rodda CDN$ 7.99
The Witch of Blackbird Pond ~ Elizabeth George Speare CDN$ 8.36
Old Yeller ~ Fred Gipson CDN$7.50
Show Me Thy Ways, Grade 5 Textbook ~ Gertrude Hoeksema $16.99
Show Me Thy Ways, Grade 6 Textbook ~ Gertrude Hoeksema $16.99
Vocabulary from Classical Roots Book A (Grade 7) ~ Norma Fifer $9.99
Easy Grammar Grade 5 Workbook 2007 ~ Wanda Phillips $12.99
States And Capital Songs CD ~ Kathy Troxel $12.95
Grade 10
(Unfortunately, the Veritas Press Grade 10 Omnibus will not be ready for this year, so I have to come up with my own literature list. The following is incomplete. They are not necessarily appropriate either, until we examine them. The complete list of grade ten materials will be here http://parentingfreedom.com/grade10.)
Penguin Classics Crucible ~ Christopher Bigsby CDN$ 15.00
Penguin Classics Grapes Of Wrath ~ John Steinbeck, Robert Demott CDN$ 15.33
Flowers for Algernon ~ Daniel Keyes CDN$ 8.99
Only The Names Remain: The Cherokees and The Trail of Tears ~ Alex W Bealer CDN$ 9.99
The Dark Frigate ~ Charles Boardman Hawes CDN$ 12.59
Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman ~ Richard Feynman CDN$ 14.60
Tomorrow Series #1: Tomorrow, When the War Began ~ John Marsden CDN$ 10.79
The Giver ~ Lois Lowry CDN$ 8.36
The Broken Blade ~ William Durbin CDN$ 7.43
The Golden Compass ~ Philip Pullman CDN$ 9.29
Unnatural Death ~ Dorothy L Sayers CDN$ 9.99
Lord Peter : The Complete Lord Peter Wimsey Stories ~ Dorothy L. Sayers $10.88
2001 Space Odyssey ~ Arthur Clarke CDN$ 9.89
A Canticle for Leibowitz ~ Walter Miller CDN$ 9.29
Summer of the Monkeys ~ Wilson Rawls CDN$ 8.36
The King’s Fifth ~ Scott O’Dell CDN$ 7.95
Three Men in a Boat ~ Jerome K. Jerome CDN$ 5.62
C.S. Lewis Space Trilogy ~ C.S. Lewis $29.99
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Other Poems: Dover Thrift Editions ~ Samuel Taylor Coleridge $1.19
In Search of Honor ~ Donna Hess $6.29
Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery ~ Eric Metaxas $10.99
Ivanhoe ~ Walter Scott, Graham Tulloch $7.99
The Law ~ Frederic Bastiat $9.99
Fallen Angels ~ Walter Dean Myers $6.99
Ideas Have Consequences ~ Richard M. Weaver $13.50
The Conservative Mind: From Burke to Eliot ~ Russell Kirk CDN$ 17.61
Real Change: From the World That Fails to the World That Works ~ Newt Gingrich CDN$ 18.02
America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It ~ Mark Steyn CDN$ 13.51
America: The Last Best Hope Volumes I & II ~ William J. Bennett $31.49
100 Best-Loved Poems ~ Philip Smith CDN$ 1.75
The Student’s Hume: A History of England from the Earliest Times to the Revolution in 1688 ~ David Hume CDN$ 35.43
What Color Is Your Parachute For Teens ~ Richard Bolles CDN$ 14.24
Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist ~ John Piper CDN$ 14.59
Rosetta Stone V3 French Level 3 Personal Edition CDN$ 259.00
Oxford-Hachette French Dictionary ~ Oxford CDN$ 40.92
The Feynman Lectures on Physics: Volumes 1-2 ~ Richard P. Feynman CDN$ 50.09
The Feynman Lectures on Physics Volumes 3-4 ~ From Crystal Structure to Magnetism and Electrical and Magnetic Behavior ~ Richard P. Feynman CDN$ 50.09
The Feynman Lectures on Physics ~ Richard Phillips Feynman $63.69
Vocabulary from Classical Roots Book E (Grade 11) ~ Norma Fifer $9.99
100 Words Every High School Graduate Should Know ~ American Heritage Dictionaries Editors $4.99
High School Essay Intensive: SAT Preparation & College Application Essay Strategies (4 DVDs & CD-Rom) $79.00
Secrets of Great Communicators: Simple, Powerful Strategies for Reaching the Heart of Your Audience, Teaching Kit ~ Jeff Myers $47.99
Lifepac Electives: Essentials of Communication, Complete Set $27.96
Home Study Kit ~ Saxon Calculus, Second Edition $55.49
For grade 9 this spring: How Should We Then Live?, DVD ~ Francis Schaeffer $49.99
I ordered these two Canadian workbook sets from ADS.
Grade 5 - School of Tomorrow (ACE) Canadian Social Studies Complete Set $72
Grade 10 - ADS Canadian Social Studies (History and Government) Complete Set $57
In addition to those mentioned in previous posts (see Homeschooling Academics), my oldest will also be studying these Canadian history books in grade 10:
Canada A National History ~ Margaret Conrad, Alvin Finkel
Readings in Canadian History Post-Confederation ~ R. Douglas Francis, Donald B. Smith
Canada - A Nation ~ Lower & Chafe
This is the Physics book that follows Saxon Calculus that my oldest will be using in grade 10. I ordered it from a used book dealer.
The Mechanical Universe Introduction to Mechanics and Heat (1985) ~ Olenick, Apostol, Goodstein
I picked up some books at Costco.
Grade 5 - The Spiderwick Chronicles (Books 1-5)
Grade 9 - The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens ~ Sean Covey
I want to get this DVD set from IEW.
IEW Advanced Communication Series $60
Another wish would be the Latin 2 and 3 from Rosetta Stone.
Once we finally get the new 2008-09 Veritas Press catalog, I will make the last order. Then I will organize the lists together properly.
I Admit, Homeschooling is Not Always Perfect, There Can Be Days Like This
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBuPQgV8yBM
Hat Tip: http://thatmom.wordpress.com/
Another Homeschool Order
I just ordered The Institutes of Christian Religion, Part I and II for N14’s grade ten theology course next year.
Ordering More Homeschool Materials
This is all I am ordering from ABeka for next year. We use some other ABeka materials, but they are non-consumable. Remember, ABeka has free online shipping (over $50) for the month of April.
K4
54437 ABC-123 $11.50
26506 Readiness Skills K4 $8.75
26476 ABC Writing Tablet K4 Cursive $9.45
60089 ABC Writing Tablet Manuscript $9.45
63339 K4 Bible Activity Book $9.45
Grade 2
95842 Letters and Sounds 2 $12.75
95656 Language 2 $12.75
95672 Writing with Phonics 2 Cursive $12.75
Grade 5
65013 Language B $13.50
59692 Read and Think 5 Skill Sheets $6.75
Grade 9
76228 Grammar and Composition IV $14.25
Where the Red Fern Grows, Our Tears Flow
Do you remember watching Anne of Green Gables The Sequel, where Anne was reading to her class of girls, and they were all sitting there sobbing and then left the room crying?
I was reminded of that scene this morning in our homeschool when I read the last few chapters of Where the Red Fern Grows aloud to C6 and B9.
Looking at this book in relation to my “issues”, it mentioned a few instances of the boy being whipped or switched by his mother, although it obviously didn’t change his behaviour (which reminds me of the Israelites). These quotes stood out:
“I wasn’t scared of him [his father], for he never whipped me. He was always kind and gentle.”
“I could scold them [his dogs] a little, but I could no more have whipped one of them than I could have kissed a girl. After all, a boy just doesn’t whip his dogs.”
I also found the recurring themes of answered prayer and predestination to be interesting.
Tuesday, April 08, 2008 3:39 PM in » Books, Movies, Television, Homeschooling Academics | Comments Off
ABeka has Free Shipping in April (over $50)
FREE SHIPPING on all A Beka Book textbook orders over $50 placed online in April 2008
http://www.abeka.com/
I haven’t seen their latest catalog yet, but I always make an order each year. I’ll have to get busy to see what we need from ABeka this year.
What? Public School Books?
I’ve sunk to an all-time low in homeschooling. For the first time ever, I ordered school books used in the public school system!!
N14 will be studying Canadian Law in high school. I was happy to find this textbook, even though it is used in the public schools. One chapter every two weeks will provide the basics of a full-year high school Canadian law course.
http://www.pearsoned.ca/school/secondary/law/
During our years of homeschooling, it has been very difficult to find quality materials about Canadian history. A few books exist for the early grades, but finding Canadian history books at the high school level is next to impossible. I decided to order a couple textbooks that are used in the public system. I am returning one, but this one seems okay. Since it only covers modern Canadian history, I am still searching for materials about earlier Canadian history. Any suggestions?
When I called the Pearson Canada number, I was told the listed prices were for SCHOOLS, so I would have to pay at least $15 more per book! I mentioned how it was unfair, and she gave me the sob story about how the schools don’t have much money anymore. I told her that our local schools are given $6000 per child per year, and even though we pay taxes, as homeschoolers, we have to buy our own curriculum.
I noticed the online store had the lower prices and mentioned the words “teachers” AND “parents”, so I decided to try to order there instead. Fortunately, I paid the lower prices on two of the books. Since one of the books was not listed in the online catalog, I still had to order it on the phone and pay more. Discrimination! Who outside of the system would even want their books besides homeschoolers?
Back to Canadian history for high school… I am considering these workbooks for grade ten, even though I would prefer books.
https://www.ads-academic.com/ResourceDetail.asp?id=2466
I just ordered this book which examines the lives of fifty-two men and women who helped shape the spiritual heritage of Canada.
If you are aware of high quality Canadian history books, please let me know the titles.
Reading Contest Spanning the Years
When my oldest son was nine years old, he read the Lord of the Rings trilogy in three weeks. Five years later, my second son decided he could beat his brother’s record. He just finished reading the three LOTR books in 15 days, also at nine years of age.
Great Books Reading List
This is a helpful link in preparing for homeschooling high school.
Great-Books Reading List: Western Canon
http://optimates.us/Greatbooks.htm
C6 ~ Officially Reading
My daughter, C6, just finished reading her very first chapter book. She is ever so proud of herself and was excited to get her initials written at the back of the book showing that SHE finished it in grade one while her two older brothers read it in grade two. She was thrilled when I handed her the second in the series.
In our homeschool, each child is taught phonics in kindergarten and grade one and is officially declared a “reader” as soon as he or she completes a chapter book. We continue to practice phonics. Boxcar Children and Bobbsey Twins books are great beginner chapter books. Others include the Magic Treehouse series and Great Illustrated Classics.
I highly recommend the ABeka phonics and reading program, especially after successfully using it to teach three children to read.
http://www.abeka.com
These are my favorite materials for teaching reading:
Large Alphabet Flashcards
https://www.abeka.com/ABekaOnline/BookDescription.aspx?sbn=42226
Basic Phonics Flashcards
https://www.abeka.com/ABekaOnline/BookDescription.aspx?sbn=40517
Clue Word Cards
https://www.abeka.com/ABekaOnline/BookDescription.aspx?sbn=41998
Handbook for Reading
https://www.abeka.com/ABekaOnline/BookDescription.aspx?sbn=94927
