Karin | Heart of the Matter

April 1, 2010 By Karin 2 Comments

Debra Bell is a former public school teacher who homeschooled her children from Kindergarten through high school. Her book, The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling (Apologia Press;2009) contains 506 pages of resources and tips she has learned over the years.

Section topics include:

Is homeschooling right for you?
Choosing a curriculum
Organization and planning
Preventing burnout
What to teach-when and how
Homeschooling teens
Computers in the homeschool
Creative solutions for toddlers and other blessed challenges
Measuring your success

Also included is a resource guide with homeschooling organizations and publications, recommended suppliers and products, and Academic/Athletic contests and competitions.

My only criticism would be chapter 21, Subject by Subject Guidelines, which is a very generalized chapter (understandably, since it could actually be the subject of an entire book). Be prepared to do more research on your own after reading this chapter, although Debra does point you in a few directions.

I read this book with a highlighter and appreciated Debra’s clean writing style, large font and well organized content. Its not often that you run across a book that is useful to homeschoolers of varied levels of experience, however I think this book has more than a few useful nuggets for everyone.

Karin Katherine is a proud stay-at-home mother of four who feels blessed to be the mother of 5 year old fraternal twin boys and two daughters, ages three and 10 months. You are invited to follow her homeschooling adventures at www.PassportAcademy.com and her adventures as a mother, wife, homemaker, decorator and organizer at www.MommyMattersBlog.com

March 10, 2010 By Karin Leave a Comment

Steady Days: A journey toward intentional professional motherhood is artfully written by Jamie C. Martin, mother of 3 and author of the popular blog, SteadyMom.com.

Steady Days is divided into forty readings, presented in short digestible chapters.

We live in a world that places a high value on organization and many of us were picture perfect examples of what that looked like before we had kids. So what happens after we have kids? Organization is a blessing to our family. So why is it so hard to get motivated? Why are simple things, such as getting dressed and looking presentable put to the back burner after we become mothers? You know the joke about the mothers who live in their pajamas or sweat pants with their hair piled on top of their head in a messy bun or ratty ponytail. Is this really the image we want to project about motherhood?

A prepared mother looks professional. Why are we walking through life doing the most important job in the world while looking the least professional?

Steady Days is about sharpening your skills and parenting with purpose and intention. If you’ve never been organized, you owe it to yourself and your children to question everything and begin to make small changes toward greater good.

It is possible to develop a plan for your day that allows you to juggle the many hats that you wear as a mother and homemaker, while still spending creative and flexibly structured time with your children.

Jamie Martin offers practical ideas for busy mothers that are thoughtfully challenging but not overwhelming. Her book offers encouragement and helpful tips for those struggling with organization and implementing manageable routines in their home.

Steady Days is a quick read that will get you on the path towards professional parenting and less harried days.

February 28, 2010 By Karin 1 Comment

I first learned about Wordly Wise while I was standing in an enormous line at our state’s annual homeschool convention. I felt like I was the only one in the line not holding a Wordly Wise workbook and even worse, I had never heard of it. What kind of Review Specialist did I think I was? Out of curiosity I purchased a workbook and I’ve been hooked on the program ever since!

What is Wordly Wise?
In a nutshell it is a systematic, sequential vocabulary program that develops the critical link between vocabulary and reading comprehension. Flexible lesson plans allow for lessons to be completed in 20-25 minutes, 3-4 times per week.

In books K–1 students are introduced to vocabulary through a carefully sequenced
progression of exercises that develop sophisticated oral vocabulary. Books 2–6
incorporate the use of context clues, word study (Greek and Latin roots, prefixes, and suffixes), reading comprehension, and writing. Students in grades K–6 will significantly build the vocabulary they need in order to successfully comprehend content area texts.

Why start a vocabulary program so soon?
We all know that toddlers understand more words than they can say. Children can also understand a greater vocabulary orally than they can read or spell independently.

There are 120 key vocabulary words selected for instruction in the Kindergarten book and 150 in the first grade book.

How does it work?
-Children are taught each word directly and then shown how it works in a meaningful context.

-It focuses on connections between words and concepts, as well as prior knowledge, instead of just memorization of meaning.

-Children interact with words in a variety of ways to gain fluency.

- The word lists are developed by literacy experts and are age appropriate. The words are carefully chosen to be challenging but are still developmentally appropriate.

Although the program is written to be used in a traditional classroom, I find it is easily implemented in the home.

Program Components and Features:

Colorful student books provide a variety of vocabulary building activities that reinforce key vocabularly concepts.

A section called, “My Word Lists” at the back of each student book provides a place for children to collect and categorize vocabulary words they have mastered. Words can be words that were learned through stories in the book or words they already know or read elsewhere. There is also a page for them to write any words they wish.

Concept cards and picture cards help introduce key concepts and vocabulary words for each lesson and help show words in different contexts.

The Teacher’s Resource book provides lesson plans and a script for introducing each lesson and vocabulary word, as well as ideas for extending the lesson. The lesson plans are clearly outlined and easily adaptable into shorter or longer lessons. The back of the book contain reproducible black line masters that can be used for review.

At Heart of the Matter we evaluate curriculum programs in their entirety, in the manner they are developed to be used, with the understanding that each family should and will adapt them to fit their own individual needs. With the Wordly Wise program I have noticed that some homeschoolers only use the workbooks without the teacher’s guide or other supplemental materials. I really feel that all of the components are valuable to the program and should be strongly considered.

While I’m not usually a fan of “instruction scripts” in Teacher’s Guides, I gladly follow the scripts in Wordly Wise and my children are none the wiser.

Here are a few sample scripts:

Picture Card 27: decay Say: Decay means rot. You know it’s important to brush your teeth so they don’t decay, but sometimes, decaying is useful. When dead leaves and other plants decay, they turn into soil. Then new plants grow in the soil. Look at these pictures. The y show how dead leaves and grass slowly decay and become soil. Let’s say decay together.

Picture Card 29: skeleton Say: What do you see in this picture? Yes, it’s the skeleton of a dinosaur. A skeleton is made up of all the bones that support the body of a person or an animal. Let’s say skeleton together.

Wordly Wise provides vocabulary programs for grades K-12 and are available from a variety of resources, including Rainbow Resource.

Downloads:
K-6 program overview
Grades 6-12 program overview
K-12 Vocabulary word list

Karin Katherine is a proud stay-at-home mother of four who feels blessed to be the mother of 5 year old fraternal twin boys and two daughters, ages three and 10 months. You are invited to follow her homeschooling adventures at www.PassportAcademy.com and her adventures as a mother, wife, homemaker, decorator and organizer at www.MommyMattersBlog.com

January 16, 2010 By Karin 3 Comments

Sonya Haskins, author of The Homeschoolers book of lists, has written a new book that will show you how your one-of-a-kind family can make homeschooling and real life work.
Homeschooling for the rest of us (Bethany House, 2010) is an easy and informative read for new homeschoolers. Exactly the type of book anyone seriously considering homeschooling for the first time should read. Offering no “right” or “wrong” way, Sonya takes the reader on a contemplative journey through the major facets and concerns with homeschooling. Sonya shatters the cultural myths surrounding homeschooling, sharing practical wisdom and insight on homeschooling and parenting along the way without offering a one-size-fits-all solution.

The flexible strategies for dealing with common homeschooling concerns or problems are both useful and refreshing. This is a great book for anyone dipping a toe into the homeschooling pond cautiously.

January 16, 2010 By Karin 1 Comment

Do you have an animal lover (or two or three) in your midst? Why not use your child’s love of animals to teach them to love and understand the Lord more deeply? The Big Book of Animal Devotions has 250 daily readings about God’s amazing creation developed right from God’s own imagination. No mattter where, when or how, animals can be great teachers on everything from caring for ourselves and our families, to surviving even the worst conditions.

When Jesus Christ taught, He used fish, lilies, sparrows, and foxes to help us remember. When Paul wrote about anger he reminded us of the sun. Ezekiel called the Pharaoh a bubbling crocodile. In this book we use the Bible and nature to teach about God, ourselves, our feelings, and our friends.
William L. Coleman
The Big Book of Animals Devotions

This gentle devotional combines biblical truth and scripture with fun, factual and fascinating facts about God’s awesome creation. If you or your children are ready for fresh new devotional for children that doesn’t water down the lesson or influence of God, this should be your next purchase.

October 12, 2009 By Karin Leave a Comment

Parents and home educators who are familiar with the Family Math Equals series will immediately notice the connection and theory behind Family Science by Portland State University (1999; ISBN 9780876781142). Although not written specifically for home educators the book is written to encourage and foster learning experiences between parent and child in the study and exploration of science. Research has clearly shown over the years that children who do activities with their parents, build close relationships, and learn together will be happier, more self-confident in their own learning, and demonstrate a high level of emotional well-being.

Family Science is full of inexpensive, hands-on activities that encourage cooperative problem-solving, highlight multicultural contributions and career opportunities for all learners, and help reinforce a child’s science experiences. Anyone can be a scientist, and Family Science activities illustrate that much needed fact to our youth. By participating in simple scientific investigations with their child, parents can have a positive influence on children who may think that science is too hard, too abstract, boring or beyond their capabilities.

Family Science makes science more accessible by offering:

-Hands-on approach to learning scientific processes, concepts and themes.
- Cooperative learning activities that develop problem-solving, questioning, and communication skills.
-Strategies for encouraging students to pursue scientific study
- Opportunities to participate in group science activities.

The activities contained in the book are suitable for families with children ages 5-13 and are created to not only illustrate a specific scientific concept but to promote problem solving and independent thinking. There may also be more than one solution to the proposed problem.

Within this book your family can explore: how to cut an opening in an index card large enough to fit over a a family member head to toe (Great Openings, page 44), create experiments to illustrate explanations of common findings such as “light travels in a straight line” or “friction produces heat” ( evidence please, page 89), explore looking through a water drop (page 116), and many others. There are over 50 Family Science Activities to choose from divided by section including: Science Openers, Science at work, Using the Language of Science, Observing your world, The Physical world, and Design and Technology. A separate chapter is devoted to assisting you in starting your own Family Science co-op or event.

While this is not a science curriculum package, it is a wonderful way to bring science to life and engage your child. Homeschool co-op or support group leaders should consider using the book to create a Family Science mini co-op midway through the school year.

For more information and product availability please visit the Family Science website or download the brochure.

October 8, 2009 By Karin Leave a Comment

Spelling Success (World Teachers Press) is a reproducible spelling book program for grades 1-7. Each book covers one year of instruction and includes additional activities to further extend the workbook lessons with games, group or partner activities. The program focuses on taking students back to basics when learning to spell. Through the lessons, students are encouraged to discover for themselves the patterns, rules, similarities and differences within each word list.

Detailed explanations and program outlines are included for the teacher in the beginning of each workbook along with dictation sentences for testing.

Pros:
The words used for this program are similar to words that children would encounter with First Grade Readers which allows the spelling program to integrate nicely with the students reading.

Black and white illustrations are not distracting yet grab the students attention. Coloring the pictures after the workbook portion is done is an added treat.

Cons:
The reproducible journal page could have been designed better. It is a good exercise that could also transfer to include handwriting practice.

Conclusion:
Although this program is written for the classroom teacher, most of the additional activities are easily adaptable to smaller groups or individual children. Because there is no written script, parents should feel free to create their own activities that incorporate the spelling program with their existing language arts or reading program. Each workbook ends with a preview of the next book in the series (3-4 sample lessons).

Where to purchase:
Available from Didax for $7.95 per book (at time of publication)

October 8, 2009 By Karin 3 Comments

The Sequential Spelling program is based upon the concept of teaching children to spell the same way many of them learned to read—through word families, or “rimes.” Although there are other spelling programs that build off of this belief one of the most important differences in the AVKO (Audio-Visual-Kinesthetic-Oral) approach is that the workbook or tests are used as the learning device and not as a method of evaluation. In using this program children will correct their own mistakes when they make them (not hours, days or weeks later), so that they can learn from them.

The 7-year program does not require students to learn spelling rules or memorize word lists. Instead, through the daily10-minute tests the student can see and learn the patterns and proper spelling for themselves.

The multi-sensory approach allows students to:
Hear the words given by their teacher, in a sentence.
See the words when the corrected spelling is shown by the teacher
Write the word family’s patterns repeatedly as different examples of the word family are given Repeat the word after the teacher.

Each level is its own individual teacher’s guide. A Student Response book may be purchased separately or students may use a ruled spiral notebook.

Please note:
The volume levels do not correlate with grade levels. Students who can read and spell at the 2nd grade level can begin using Sequential Spelling Level 1.

Homophones and heteronyms are included but are to be taught at the teacher’s discretion.

A DVD program of Sequential Spelling level 1 has been released which will allow the student to learn with minimal direction from the parent teacher. The video may be viewed on a television or computer and is comparable to the book version although with the DVD parents will not need to come up with their own word sentences to accompany to the lessons.

This is a very well thought out and researched spelling program that has proven to be especially effective with dyslexics. The AVKO website provides a wealth of information and support for instruction.

For more information:
You may download the first 8 lessons of Sequential Spelling Level 1 for free.
Download the Sequential Spelling Scope & Sequence (levels 1-7) and evaluation tests.
Watch instructional videos by creator Mr. McCabe
Purchase Sequential Spelling Program & Accessories direct from AVKO

October 8, 2009 By Karin Leave a Comment

This month, our review roundup features educational products useful in teaching Geography.

Learning Resources U.S.A States & Capitals Bingo
A great way to learn about the United States names, capitals and abbreviations. A fun way to drill and review. Bingo cards are double sided. One side features state names (outlines of state and state name) and the other side features abbreviations (state outline with abbreviation). Four different versions of play available. Suggested for children ages 8+
$7.99

Geo Safari Talking Globe

Is geared toward younger elementary students and can be used with one to three players. The variable subject selection lets you adjust the game to focus on learning: continents, countries, oceans or US states. The 12″ globe is appropriately detailed for young children with easy color coding. There are two game modes that include random quizes.

Imaginetics USA Map
Includes a magnetic board with outline of the United States and individual magnetic states featuring symbols that indicate the products, materials and landmarks that can be found in that state. In addition, the capital (marked with a star) and largest city (marked with a dot) is identified on each state.
Also available from Rainbow Resources for $6.50

Beginning Geography: Continents & Oceans (volume 3)

Available from Evan-Moor Publishers, this reproducible book for grades K-2 contains: Teacher Resource pages, reproducible cards, 2 full-color posters (showing continents & animals of continents) and reproducible activity pages. The reproducible pages are perfect for notebooking and the book helps children become familiar with the continents and major bodies of of water.

Beginning Geography: How to Use a map (volume 1)

Also from Evan-Moor Publishers, this reproducible book for grades K-2 contains: 2 color maps, and reproducible activity pages for individual and group use. Students will:

-gain an understanding of various types of maps and how to read them and use them
-learn about the symbols on a map
-name directions on a map
-locate various continents, areas, bodies of water and states on a map

Beginning Geography: Landforms and bodies of water (volume 2)
Part two in the series from Evan-Moor Publishers, this reproducible book is appropriate for K-2 graders.
Topics covered in the reproducible book include:

-islands
-mountains
-lakes
-ponds
-peninsulas
-oceans
-glaciers
-volcanoes
-plains
-valleys

The 17″ x 22″ two-sided, full-color pull-out poster has labeled land and water forms on one side and a “Name It” exercise on the other side. Ideas for extending the lesson are included.

Leapfrog Explorer Smart Globe
A popular interactive learning globe!

September 7, 2009 By Karin 1 Comment

Journey with Jesus (Gospel Light; 2006) is a thirteen session course for preschool & elementary age children, that may be used independently or in a co-op or group setting. The ‘journey’ is a tour through the 13 cities where Jesus’ ministry came alive.

Outlines are provided with suggested schedules for 45-90 minute class sessions which are based on learning center activities. Learning centers include: Bible story center, game center, art center, worship center and coloring/puzzle center. The program is adaptable to each family or group’s individual tastes or needs. A Journey with Jesus music CD is included in the guide and may be copied for each child to take home (if you choose to do a co-operative).

For those who desire to partner with others in this study you will be pleased to know that the guide includes everything you need to know about recruiting parent teachers and promoting the class as a co-op, to class preparation and instruction information. A full scope & sequence is provided on page 11.

Each lesson is carefully laid out and includes:

Teacher’s Devotional
This section provides the background information for the lesson and proposes ideas for you to ponder to help the section come alive for both you and your students.

God’s Word
A bible memory verse and alternate paraphrased verse for younger children. Plus the key point, such as lesson one, which is “God’s promises always come true.”

Planning Page
Overview of the learning centers listed above.

Lesson information:
Detailed ideas and instruction for each of the learning centers listed above plus bonus theme ideas which can be used at any time during the session as an additional activity center, to extend the session to fill time, or just for added fun.

You may download 14 sample pages here.
Journey with Jesus retails for $39.99

Heart of the Matter

Connect With Us

Sponsors

Recent Posts

Announcements

HOTM on Facebook

Archives

What You Are Saying