This week's Carnival of Homeschooling: Logistics of a Homeschooling Family edition is happening at No Fighting, No Biting! Please stop in to the carnival and check out some of this week's submissions!
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
Ay-yi-yIrene
Irene decided to visit us. Luckily, she was downgraded to a tropical storm right before she decided to plow through our county, north of New York City. I didn't sleep much, since she arrived in the evening and slowly meandered through overnight. It wasn't until the next day that we were able to see the result of a flash flood that went through the lot near our yard. The lot covers a catch-basin that was built to prevent erosion from a small stream that runs along the side and back of our property. I have only seen a flash flood once here, in the 10+ years we've lived in this house. When there is too much rain, flood waters can jump the roadway, dumping the water at the corner of my neighbor's fence. This is the result.
If you look closely, you can see the tomatoes still tied to the fence with their roots dangling where the dirt used to be. The dirt and rocks went that-a-way...
...into the tall grass. At least, it was tall grass. Now it's flattened grass. I imagine the force of water that can move cinder blocks and large stones and I'm just very thankful this was where the water went, rather than under our house. This was as bad as the storm got for us, except for the wind scaring the bejeebers out of me by swaying the tall trees surrounding our house. There was some incredible flooding in low lying areas the next town over. Family of our neighbors had to evacuate because of flooding, and they had raised their house five feet after damage from Hurricane Floyd several years ago. The flood waters came with a foot of their house. I'm very thankful that we came out of Irene without any major damage, and I hope all of my readers who weathered this storm are okay as well.
If you look closely, you can see the tomatoes still tied to the fence with their roots dangling where the dirt used to be. The dirt and rocks went that-a-way...
...into the tall grass. At least, it was tall grass. Now it's flattened grass. I imagine the force of water that can move cinder blocks and large stones and I'm just very thankful this was where the water went, rather than under our house. This was as bad as the storm got for us, except for the wind scaring the bejeebers out of me by swaying the tall trees surrounding our house. There was some incredible flooding in low lying areas the next town over. Family of our neighbors had to evacuate because of flooding, and they had raised their house five feet after damage from Hurricane Floyd several years ago. The flood waters came with a foot of their house. I'm very thankful that we came out of Irene without any major damage, and I hope all of my readers who weathered this storm are okay as well.
Friday, August 26, 2011
What I've Learned This Summer
It has been a long summer.
At times, it has been a bit too long.
But all things come to an end, even action-packed--activity-packed--summers. And I'm starting to realize that this is not the exception for us, it's the norm. That is one of the many things I've learned this summer. Because learning isn't just for kids. I plan to keep on learning--and relearning--until the end. So allow me a moment to muse over the a few things I've learned over the summer months. And feel free to tell me about something you learned in the comments!
~Volunteering can be a double edged sword. Even triple edged. I'm helping out the friends of the library sorting donated books for the upcoming book sale. I've learned that volunteering can feel a lot like having a job, without the money. I'm probably partly to blame for this. I have an overdeveloped sense of responsibility, so if I say I'm coming in, I come in, even if it means coming in after I've spent the morning at an emergency veterinarian appointment. Which leads to another learning moment...
~Take the vacation when you can. You may not think you can afford the money or the time to give up two or three days to celebrate your twentieth anniversary, but do it! Because you might come home and find yourself in one crisis after another. I never knew how much I needed that break until I came home to a cat who was wasting away because she developed gum disease and it hurt to eat. Then Sierra got a bean stuck in her ear. Not as easy to get out as the first time. This time it took a doctor, a specialist and then a hospital visit for anesthetic. We took care of that and my car's check engine light went on. Our credit cards have been heating up this August, and not because of the weather! So rest when you can. Sometimes you need to recharge first, before you get thrust into the fray. I no longer feel guilty about taking a couple of days to be alone with the man I love.
~Do what you love every day, even if you can only give yourself a few minutes. I have spent August giving myself fifteen minutes a day or more for writing. It isn't always the same writing. I'm not that focused. I've got two projects going, one that I hope I can take to the next stage soon, and the other just for fun, because sometimes stories tug at your shirt like a child and ask for attention. I hope that doesn't sound too cryptic. I'll be sure to let you know if I get either to a stage where I want to try to share it!
~LEGOs work with Duplo blocks! I'm shocked! I never knew this. (Yes, yes, it's right there in the instructions, but when was the last time you needed instructions to use LEGOs?) We found out this fun fact on a trip to the Bronx Zoo, where they have had master LEGO builders creating animal sculptures this summer. The master builder we met complimented my son's small LEGO build. This was a thrill for me, since Chase tends to belittle his talents. I like having a non-mom opinion of his skill whenever possible.
~My kids are growing up! When did that happen? Even though I've always homeschooled, I feel these precious days slipping away. We are dealing with college headaches of canceled classes. We are teaching Marina to drive. She registered to vote. And yet I can still see her as my little curious girl, demanding every sign to be read to her, afraid she might miss something important. As cliche as it sounds, I blinked and she grew up. Not to be outdone, Chase had his first job this summer, helping some kids make costumes. With the money he earned, he was finally able to buy the iPod he's been saving for since last Christmas. Sierra has been helping me with book sorting at the library, impressing many adults with her ability to assemble, label and pack a box. And when we left them in charge of the house for our anniversary getaway, all three did a great job of taking care of the house and pets. It's good to know we can depend on them to keep it all together.
At times, it has been a bit too long.
But all things come to an end, even action-packed--activity-packed--summers. And I'm starting to realize that this is not the exception for us, it's the norm. That is one of the many things I've learned this summer. Because learning isn't just for kids. I plan to keep on learning--and relearning--until the end. So allow me a moment to muse over the a few things I've learned over the summer months. And feel free to tell me about something you learned in the comments!
~Volunteering can be a double edged sword. Even triple edged. I'm helping out the friends of the library sorting donated books for the upcoming book sale. I've learned that volunteering can feel a lot like having a job, without the money. I'm probably partly to blame for this. I have an overdeveloped sense of responsibility, so if I say I'm coming in, I come in, even if it means coming in after I've spent the morning at an emergency veterinarian appointment. Which leads to another learning moment...
~Take the vacation when you can. You may not think you can afford the money or the time to give up two or three days to celebrate your twentieth anniversary, but do it! Because you might come home and find yourself in one crisis after another. I never knew how much I needed that break until I came home to a cat who was wasting away because she developed gum disease and it hurt to eat. Then Sierra got a bean stuck in her ear. Not as easy to get out as the first time. This time it took a doctor, a specialist and then a hospital visit for anesthetic. We took care of that and my car's check engine light went on. Our credit cards have been heating up this August, and not because of the weather! So rest when you can. Sometimes you need to recharge first, before you get thrust into the fray. I no longer feel guilty about taking a couple of days to be alone with the man I love.
~Do what you love every day, even if you can only give yourself a few minutes. I have spent August giving myself fifteen minutes a day or more for writing. It isn't always the same writing. I'm not that focused. I've got two projects going, one that I hope I can take to the next stage soon, and the other just for fun, because sometimes stories tug at your shirt like a child and ask for attention. I hope that doesn't sound too cryptic. I'll be sure to let you know if I get either to a stage where I want to try to share it!
~LEGOs work with Duplo blocks! I'm shocked! I never knew this. (Yes, yes, it's right there in the instructions, but when was the last time you needed instructions to use LEGOs?) We found out this fun fact on a trip to the Bronx Zoo, where they have had master LEGO builders creating animal sculptures this summer. The master builder we met complimented my son's small LEGO build. This was a thrill for me, since Chase tends to belittle his talents. I like having a non-mom opinion of his skill whenever possible.
~My kids are growing up! When did that happen? Even though I've always homeschooled, I feel these precious days slipping away. We are dealing with college headaches of canceled classes. We are teaching Marina to drive. She registered to vote. And yet I can still see her as my little curious girl, demanding every sign to be read to her, afraid she might miss something important. As cliche as it sounds, I blinked and she grew up. Not to be outdone, Chase had his first job this summer, helping some kids make costumes. With the money he earned, he was finally able to buy the iPod he's been saving for since last Christmas. Sierra has been helping me with book sorting at the library, impressing many adults with her ability to assemble, label and pack a box. And when we left them in charge of the house for our anniversary getaway, all three did a great job of taking care of the house and pets. It's good to know we can depend on them to keep it all together.
Home Spun comic strip #648
I hope everyone has a relaxing weekend! If you are in the path of Hurricane Irene, please stay safe. I'm a complete coward for winds, so I'm hoping the storm goes further east than it's predicted now!
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Carnival at Our Curious Home
The latest Carnival of Homeschooling: The Tell Me Summer isn't Almost Over edition is now up at Our Curious Home. Please stop in and enjoy some of the latest end of summer reading from homeschooling bloggers!
Monday, August 22, 2011
Friday, August 19, 2011
Home Spun comic strip #645
Just a note: I don't ask for the craft supplies to stay perfectly neat. That would truly be impossible in our house. I just ask for better aim when returning things to the shelf. And tightly capped glitter containers.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Are We Back to School Yet?
I can always tell when summer is waning. Back to school advertisements fill the paper and the airwaves. Even the newspaper comics make mention of the annual ritual. And as much as our society would like this to be a positive experience, I'm often left wondering. Many of my favorite strips, past and present, have poked fun at the return to school after summer freedom. Just today, Zits had Jeremy imagining a torture chamber as his father asks his opinion on school supplies. In Rose is Rose, Pasquale warns his cousin that there isn't much time left to by school supplies, sending the cousin into a panic, and not about buying school supplies. Incidentally, Pasquale is often portrayed as being an odd duck among other children in the strip, since he loves going to school. One commercial for back to school shopping mentions, "They might not want to think about it yet..."
Every year, parents diligently spend their hard earned dollars on school supplies. This has become such a boon to our consumer-driven society that stores consider it as important as the Christmas season. You "need" to get them the coolest binders and folders, the latest fashions, the best gadgets. I tend to shake my head at it all. I think I bought a few pens and a couple of spiral notebooks for my college student. As a homeschooler, I'm not only taking funding from teachers, administrators, and other school staff, I'm probably destroying all of the secondary businesses, from test generators to textbook manufacturers to department stores, that make their money from students and parents.
And yet, in spite of the good cheer of parents, I don't know of many children who are excited at the premise of giving up their summer freedom for school. Especially since summer freedom isn't what it used to be. Around here, we see kids out playing the first couple of weeks of summer vacation and then again--maybe--the week before school starts. Many parents have their kids enrolled in so many programs during the summer, they never experience the true freedom of doing nothing. In our area, camps begin signing up in January or February. If you wait until May or June, it is likely you won't find any openings anywhere. There are summer enrichment programs, music and arts programs, nature programs...the list goes on. All are designed to make sure your child does not have too many idle days. Could this purposeful? If you have a tight schedule in the summer, are you less likely to balk at returning to the school routine? Are parents worried the universe might implode if a child has nothing to do?
Our own summers are only slightly less busy than the rest of the year. Marina is responsible for most of our scheduled activities, because of work and college. Chase and Sierra keep busy between meeting with friends, reading and projects. Chase is works with his cardboard and duct tape creations, practices taekwondo in the yard, or designs characters for his online games. Sierra has been on a crafting spree with various media, helps sort books with me for the library's annual book sale, and spends lots of time outside looking at plants and spiders and birds. If they get bored, it wouldn't bother me, but I have yet to hear them say the are bored. Usually, they complain they don't have enough time to do all they want to do.
Back to school seems to imply there is a beginning and end to the effort of learning. The end is something children celebrate, while the beginning of a new school year is often met with a sense of sadness. Perhaps Pasquale is right to find that kind of thinking backwards. Because when children are given the freedom to learn in their own way and according to their own schedule, amazing creative things happen.
Every year, parents diligently spend their hard earned dollars on school supplies. This has become such a boon to our consumer-driven society that stores consider it as important as the Christmas season. You "need" to get them the coolest binders and folders, the latest fashions, the best gadgets. I tend to shake my head at it all. I think I bought a few pens and a couple of spiral notebooks for my college student. As a homeschooler, I'm not only taking funding from teachers, administrators, and other school staff, I'm probably destroying all of the secondary businesses, from test generators to textbook manufacturers to department stores, that make their money from students and parents.
And yet, in spite of the good cheer of parents, I don't know of many children who are excited at the premise of giving up their summer freedom for school. Especially since summer freedom isn't what it used to be. Around here, we see kids out playing the first couple of weeks of summer vacation and then again--maybe--the week before school starts. Many parents have their kids enrolled in so many programs during the summer, they never experience the true freedom of doing nothing. In our area, camps begin signing up in January or February. If you wait until May or June, it is likely you won't find any openings anywhere. There are summer enrichment programs, music and arts programs, nature programs...the list goes on. All are designed to make sure your child does not have too many idle days. Could this purposeful? If you have a tight schedule in the summer, are you less likely to balk at returning to the school routine? Are parents worried the universe might implode if a child has nothing to do?
Our own summers are only slightly less busy than the rest of the year. Marina is responsible for most of our scheduled activities, because of work and college. Chase and Sierra keep busy between meeting with friends, reading and projects. Chase is works with his cardboard and duct tape creations, practices taekwondo in the yard, or designs characters for his online games. Sierra has been on a crafting spree with various media, helps sort books with me for the library's annual book sale, and spends lots of time outside looking at plants and spiders and birds. If they get bored, it wouldn't bother me, but I have yet to hear them say the are bored. Usually, they complain they don't have enough time to do all they want to do.
Back to school seems to imply there is a beginning and end to the effort of learning. The end is something children celebrate, while the beginning of a new school year is often met with a sense of sadness. Perhaps Pasquale is right to find that kind of thinking backwards. Because when children are given the freedom to learn in their own way and according to their own schedule, amazing creative things happen.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Home Spun comic strip #643
Note: I didn't include empty water bottles. They usually don't fit in my bag. And I did miss other seed pods and pine cones. I would have had to write much smaller, which would have been hard to read. You're welcome.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Monday, August 8, 2011
Home Spun reprint: Making Time for Mom #1
This is from a set I made for a magazine article back in April 2008. Enjoy!
Friday, August 5, 2011
Home Spun Vignette #19
I suppose it says a lot about how crazy this week has been that I forgot to post the comic for today! I am going to take a little break next week, but I will post reprints for you. Have a great weekend!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Carnival of Homeschooling: The Hand-Crafted Education
Welcome to the Carnival of Homeschooling: The Hand-Crafted Education edition!
Our family happens to love arts and crafts. Each person expresses their creativity in their own unique way. I find this is true of home educators as well. Whether we are homeschooling from a box curriculum, creating our own curriculum, making it up as we go along, or unschooling all the way, we all add our own individual flair to our educational choices. So break out the craft supplies, grab the scissors, glue and tape, and get ready to enjoy the activities, ideas and thoughts of this week's submissions.
~And if you really want to start from scratch, you can make your own Homemade Glue. Once Upon a Family shows you how!
Inner Self: Charcoal Sketch by Marina
We have had many summers of chalk drawings across the front walk. I suppose it shouldn't surprising how easily Marina took to charcoal in her first sketching class. She really gets into her work too. She comes away from it looking like she should be dancing to Chim-Chim-Cheree.
~Adventures in Mama-Land uses chalk pastels in a Meet the Masters Project: Mary Cassatt Hats.
~Chalk is a wonderful medium for a child. And I've found that it doesn't lose its charm now that I'm an adult. I remember how much I enjoyed the feel of chalk when I was a kid. Sometimes it's nice to get down on a child's level to see the world. Just ask Parent at the Helm. Want to be a Better Parent? Think Like a Kid.
~Sometimes the lines blur when you use chalk or charcoal. Lines can also blur when a book is banned because it is not age appropriate. Why Homeschool enters the debate with Book Banning or something else?
Artist Trading Card: Eye by Marina
One of our favorite tools is the pencil. The non-committal pencil is easy to erase when mistakes are made.
~One nice thing about sketching things out is that it sets a guideline for more permanent media, like ink or paint. Sometimes homeschoolers need guidelines, especially when they are starting out or switching styles. The Common Room offers a Charlotte Mason Education, a Basic Tutorial for those interested in trying Mason's techniques.
~Another good use for a pencil is to write memories down to Save Moments in a Memory Jar. Laura Grace Weldon shows you how!
Of course, sometimes a pencil isn't just a pencil. We love our colored pencils and the versatile watercolor pencils as well (just brush on water!)
~Eclectic Education shows versatility in scheduling for the school year. Check out Back to Homeschool--More Planning!
Artist Trading Card: Guitarist by Chase
For those who are braver (or draw cartoons), pens offer a bolder line. When I use a pen, I don't always follow my sketched pencil lines. I also add finer details that the pencil won't necessarily catch.
~Sometimes homeschoolers start with guidelines, but adjust and tweak to personalize their children's learning. It's a Boy's Life shows several ways to accomplish this in Balance: Teaching Without Textbooks.
Top by Marina
It always amazes me how Marina can take a long, straight line of fiber and create the most awesome toys and wearable art.
~One of the things I love about Marina's knitting is that it is so useful. In the words of Practical Pages, "Handicrafts and life skills are much more than hobbies and creativity ." Read how her daughter used her skills to start a business in How Handicrafts and Life Skills Become Great Assets.
Pushing Daisies-inspired Pie Hat by Marina
~Homeschoolers can do marvelous things with a shoestring budget. Introducing the World shares how she stretched her budget by knitting together a wonderful homeschooling plan for her four children for under $100! Read about it in Shoestring School Year.
Flowers by Sierra
I admit it. I would rather have the kids take out pencils and markers than paint. Paint can be messy. Not only for the paint itself, but also because the water jar is almost always forgotten in clean up...until it spills. But paint is also beautiful. It flows according to how wet it is, either slowly and carefully following the paintbrush, or quickly spreading across the page. Paint is special.
~Sometimes homeschoolers have special needs. Their flow changes based on those needs. Special Needs Homeschooling knew it was Time to Think Outside of the Box! when a hospital bed became the newest piece of furniture in the living room.
Sierra at LEGO Day
For model building, LEGOs can't be beat. My son has been using them for three dimensional art since he picked up his first Duplo block and built a dinosaur.
~LEGOs happen to be a wonderful way to form friendships. Find out how and other tips for Providing New Friendship Opportunities for your Children at Homeschool Reviews Just 4 You.
~For a child, phonics can be the building blocks toward a future full of books and a lifelong love of reading. God Made Home Grown discusses the pros and cons of phonics in Why I Use Phonics to Teach my Children to Read.
Beaded Tree on Clay base by Sierra
~Noticing patterns always puts me in mind for math. Our Curious Home also saw some patterns, in watermelons and ovals. Read about it in Phew! We did do some math.
~For a more rigorous math workout, CTK Insights has this summer activity, Proizvolov's Identity as an Exercise. (I'm still figuring this one out, myself)
~Just as there are many ways to work with beads, there are many approaches to math. Sometimes it helps to look at math in historical perspective. Ever wonder what it would be like to work in Roman numerals and then switch to a new way of calculating? Let's Play Math has a Review/Giveaway and Fibonacci puzzle for those interested in the history of math!
Dragon Gauntlet by Chase
My son is the king of duct tape in our house. Like Marina with yarn, he can take this flat, sticky material and form it into the most interesting things.
Duct Tape Anchor, Chain and Belt by Chase
~Nothing says "guy" quite like duct tape! With this magical roll of stickiness, they are ready to hold it all together. Whether we are talking about a hole in the family room couch or bringing home Apollo 13, duct tape is the "go to" tool for men. For those of you with teenage sons, you might want to read Barbara Frank's article How Parents Can Help Their Young Men Learn to Work for Themselves.
Girl by Sierra
It squishes between your fingers. It presses into the exact shape you want. We have used everything from homemade clays to oven-baked Sculpey, Play-Doh, to Model Magic to bring ideas into 3 dimensions.
~Isn't it wonderful how a lump of clay can be molded into anything? Topics can be like that too. A study of animals can end up giving a full day's supply of activities in various subjects. Crack the Egg gives wonderful ideas about How to Homeschool at the Zoo: A Mini-Unit Study.
Angel by Sierra
Speaking as the mom, not my favorite crafting supply, but I have to admit, it adds pizazz. It can give an ordinary project a wonderful sparkle!
~Achievement is another kind of sparkle. Corn and Oil highlights some of the accomplishments of homeschoolers in an article that makes a point about exploring alternatives to public school-- Making Educational Choices: Regarding Homeschooling.
~I always prefer that glitter be used for special occasions, that way I feel more willing to do the extra work involved in cleaning up. As homeschoolers, we even find lessons in the work we cause for ourselves. Blah, Blah Blog shares a number of Pool Side Lessons.
Glittered Mask by Marina
~As a mom of two daughters, I know how essential glitter is to the creative process. Essential is a fancy word for important. Read Aloud Dad reviews Fancy Nancy: Phenomenal Picture Books and learns there is more to (Fancy) Nancy Clancy than meets the eye.
Thank you for visiting the Carnival of Homeschooling! I hope we have inspired you in your own creative homeschooling life! Next week, the carnival will be hosted by Janice Campbell: Taking Time for Things that Matter. You can submit an article to the next carnival here!
Our family happens to love arts and crafts. Each person expresses their creativity in their own unique way. I find this is true of home educators as well. Whether we are homeschooling from a box curriculum, creating our own curriculum, making it up as we go along, or unschooling all the way, we all add our own individual flair to our educational choices. So break out the craft supplies, grab the scissors, glue and tape, and get ready to enjoy the activities, ideas and thoughts of this week's submissions.
~And if you really want to start from scratch, you can make your own Homemade Glue. Once Upon a Family shows you how!
Chalks and Charcoal
Inner Self: Charcoal Sketch by Marina
~Adventures in Mama-Land uses chalk pastels in a Meet the Masters Project: Mary Cassatt Hats.
~Chalk is a wonderful medium for a child. And I've found that it doesn't lose its charm now that I'm an adult. I remember how much I enjoyed the feel of chalk when I was a kid. Sometimes it's nice to get down on a child's level to see the world. Just ask Parent at the Helm. Want to be a Better Parent? Think Like a Kid.
~Sometimes the lines blur when you use chalk or charcoal. Lines can also blur when a book is banned because it is not age appropriate. Why Homeschool enters the debate with Book Banning or something else?
Pencil
Artist Trading Card: Eye by Marina
~One nice thing about sketching things out is that it sets a guideline for more permanent media, like ink or paint. Sometimes homeschoolers need guidelines, especially when they are starting out or switching styles. The Common Room offers a Charlotte Mason Education, a Basic Tutorial for those interested in trying Mason's techniques.
~Another good use for a pencil is to write memories down to Save Moments in a Memory Jar. Laura Grace Weldon shows you how!
Of course, sometimes a pencil isn't just a pencil. We love our colored pencils and the versatile watercolor pencils as well (just brush on water!)
~Eclectic Education shows versatility in scheduling for the school year. Check out Back to Homeschool--More Planning!
Markers, Pen and Ink
Artist Trading Card: Guitarist by Chase
~Sometimes homeschoolers start with guidelines, but adjust and tweak to personalize their children's learning. It's a Boy's Life shows several ways to accomplish this in Balance: Teaching Without Textbooks.
Yarn
Top by Marina
~One of the things I love about Marina's knitting is that it is so useful. In the words of Practical Pages, "Handicrafts and life skills are much more than hobbies and creativity ." Read how her daughter used her skills to start a business in How Handicrafts and Life Skills Become Great Assets.
Pushing Daisies-inspired Pie Hat by Marina
Paints
Flowers by Sierra
~Sometimes homeschoolers have special needs. Their flow changes based on those needs. Special Needs Homeschooling knew it was Time to Think Outside of the Box! when a hospital bed became the newest piece of furniture in the living room.
LEGOs
Sierra at LEGO Day
~LEGOs happen to be a wonderful way to form friendships. Find out how and other tips for Providing New Friendship Opportunities for your Children at Homeschool Reviews Just 4 You.
~For a child, phonics can be the building blocks toward a future full of books and a lifelong love of reading. God Made Home Grown discusses the pros and cons of phonics in Why I Use Phonics to Teach my Children to Read.
Beads
Beaded Tree on Clay base by Sierra
Who doesn't love beads? You can create patterns that turn into beautiful jewelry, or use it in wire sculptures.
Tree of Life Pendant by Marina
~For a more rigorous math workout, CTK Insights has this summer activity, Proizvolov's Identity as an Exercise. (I'm still figuring this one out, myself)
~Just as there are many ways to work with beads, there are many approaches to math. Sometimes it helps to look at math in historical perspective. Ever wonder what it would be like to work in Roman numerals and then switch to a new way of calculating? Let's Play Math has a Review/Giveaway and Fibonacci puzzle for those interested in the history of math!
Duct Tape
Dragon Gauntlet by Chase
Duct Tape Anchor, Chain and Belt by Chase
Modeling Clay
Girl by Sierra
~Isn't it wonderful how a lump of clay can be molded into anything? Topics can be like that too. A study of animals can end up giving a full day's supply of activities in various subjects. Crack the Egg gives wonderful ideas about How to Homeschool at the Zoo: A Mini-Unit Study.
Glitter!
Angel by Sierra
~Achievement is another kind of sparkle. Corn and Oil highlights some of the accomplishments of homeschoolers in an article that makes a point about exploring alternatives to public school-- Making Educational Choices: Regarding Homeschooling.
~I always prefer that glitter be used for special occasions, that way I feel more willing to do the extra work involved in cleaning up. As homeschoolers, we even find lessons in the work we cause for ourselves. Blah, Blah Blog shares a number of Pool Side Lessons.
Glittered Mask by Marina
Thank you for visiting the Carnival of Homeschooling! I hope we have inspired you in your own creative homeschooling life! Next week, the carnival will be hosted by Janice Campbell: Taking Time for Things that Matter. You can submit an article to the next carnival here!
Monday, August 1, 2011
Home Spun Vignette #17
I'm busy finishing up the Carnival of Homeschooling for tomorrow, so only quick comics this week!
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