Karin Katherine

Your family is…
Growing!!

Name 5 homeschool products you cannot live without.
laminator, color copy machine, Homeschool Tracker, computer, and Interactive Whiteboard

When you were little, what did you want to do when you grew up?
Be a mom and a vet

How many houses have you lived in?
16

Favorite Bible verse?
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Are you an introvert or extrovert? How do you know?
Introvert. I refuel by being alone. I was told that is how you can tell the difference. Extroverts refuel by being around people.

What kind of homeschooler are you?
eclectic!

Do you have an accent?
hmmm, I don’t know. Do I?

Favorite dessert?
anything with sugar is my favorite

What are you good at?
vacation planning & organizing!

What are you horrible at?
meal planning

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I’m going. Are y’all?

For many of y’all, the school year is wrapping up and your mind begins to fill with thoughts of staying in your jammies IN BED for a little longer than the usual bright-and-early.  Or maybe you school year-round like I do and hunker down with the books when the sun’s heat is most intense.

Either way, now is the time to spare a few minutes to think ahead to next year!

No really, I’m not kidding. What if I told you that YOU CAN STILL STAY IN YOUR JAMMIES? And even have chocolate for breakfast. At 11:00am. And not have to leave the comfort of your house– or even your bed if you are a lucky-ducky laptop owner?

I am super excited to announce that registration is now open for the 2010 Heart of the Matter Online Homeschooling Conference!

This year, the Conference will be August 9-13th.


Some people have said some very nice things about our past conferences, but this year’s conference will be even better!  We have switched to a new conference software and now you will even be able to see some of the speakers and hostesses via webcam.  Don’t worry, they won’t be able to see you– so your mismatched jammies, bedhead, and chocolate for breakfast secrets will remain safely guarded!

Trust me, you’ll WANT to hear what these great speakers and authors have to say!

  • Susan Wise Bauer, author of Story of the World and The Well Trained Mind
  • Sally Clarkson, author of Educating the WholeHearted Child and The Mission of Motherhood
  • Jeannie Fulbright, author of Apologia’s elementary science curriculum
  • Shelly Ballestero, author of Beauty by God
  • Lee Binz, founder of The HomeScholar
  • Dr. Stephen Guffanti, creator of the Rocket Phonics reading program
  • Israel Wayne, author of Homeschooling From A Biblical Worldview
  • Jonathan Lewis, editor of Home School Enrichment Magazine
  • Karin Katherine, author of Mommy Matters
  • Melinda Boring, founder of Heads Up Now!
  • Joyce Burges, founder of the National Black Home Educators
  • Heidi St. John, author of The Busy Homeschool Mom’s Guide to Romance

Not sure what to expect from an online homeschooling conference?  Click HERE to read some FAQ’s.

Encouragement, advice, fellowship, and fun– that’s what I am looking forward to the most. I can’t wait to see y’all there!  And maybe you’ll actually see me too… which may or may not be a good thing– yikes!

Marsha Drews is proud to be the Mrs. to David for 14 years and counting. They have been homeschooling their rowdy boys in the Lone Star State for the past 7 years. When she’s feeling like a slacker, you can find her drinking coffee, reading a book and writing at her blog — and sometimes all at the same time! You can find Marsha at Other Such Happenings.

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Review: The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling

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

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Review: Steady Days

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.

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

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March 2010 Edition: Focus on Reading

Photo Credit: Heidi, Mt Hope Academy

You can view our magazine in 3 ways:

  1. Click here to be taken to the flipbook version, where you can click and turn the pages as you would a print magazine. Be sure to turn your sound on.
  2. Click here to download the magazine in pdf format.
  3. Click here and scroll down to view the articles in blog format.

A Few Words from Janet:

Even before I had kids, I was scared of two important parenting tasks: potty training and teaching my children to read. As confident as I was in other areas, these two important milestones in a child’s life seemed out of the realm of something that I could teach. I often wondered what would happen if my fears came true and my kids never learned to do either. Now the rational side of me told me not to worry, but my rational side doesn’t hang around our house much.

And now here I am…seven years and four kids later. All four of my children are potty trained. My seven year old reads with ease and I am in the process of teaching my five year old to read. Each day I am amazed that the gift of reading truly is something I can pass on to my children.

As I have spent hours putting this magazine together I have had the privilege of reading the articles written by parents whose expertise and experience in reading far exceeds mine. It has been encouraging to read about different methods for teaching, encouraging, and helping readers of all levels. There is one common theme woven throughout these articles: the written word is a gift to all of us and it is our joy as homeschooling parents to hold our child’s hand and heart as we share the love of reading. I hope that all of you are as inspired as I have been.

In This Issue:

Reviews by Karin: Wordly Wise 3000 by Karin Katherine
How to Painlessly Add More Books to Your Reading Schedule by Jimmie
Look First, Learn First by Patty
5 Fun Early Learning Reading Games by Amy Stults
Vocabulary in Your Read Aloud Books by Jimmie
Homeschool Reading Is Superior by Dr. Ruth Beechick and Debbie Strayer
Lost and Found in Phonics Paradise by Cassie Simpson
For Moms: Reading the Classics by Ruthanne Genco
The Tools to Teaching Reading by Heather Laurie
Reading Aloud to Boys by Debra Anderson
Help for Struggling, Reluctant Readers by Max Anderson
Reading Recommendations from a Disgruntled 14 Year old Boy by Amy Fleeker
Cultivating Readers by Stacey Chik
Great Homeschools have Socratic Dialogue…or Maybe Not by Lee Binz
Getting Your Reluctant Reader to Love Reading by Leslie Valeska
Encouraging the Love of Literature by Yvonne Ferlita
Top 10 Sites to Download Free Children’s Books by Amy Stults
How We Teach Reading by the Heart of the Matter team

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Reviews by Karin: Wordly Wise 3000

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

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Review: Homeschooling for the rest of us

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.

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

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Review: The Big Book of Animal Devotions

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.

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

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Guess Who is Turning TWO!

Heart of the Matter is turning TWO!
What a fun adventure we’ve been through!

From baby to toddler, we started to crawl.
We took our first steps in front of you all.

Blessed by our writers and readers, it’s true.
Let’s celebrate with some gifts from us to YOU!

To enter the giveaways, please leave a comment below, telling us something about yourself or your family. We love getting to know our readers! If you are viewing this on Facebook, or any other website other than heartofthematteronline.com, please click here to be taken directly to the post to leave your comment. The goodies are numbered so be sure to include their numbers in your comment so we’ll know which prizes you are registering for.

The giveaways will close Friday, January 15th at 10:00pm EST. The winners will be notified via email by Monday the 18th and will have until Thursday the 21st to confirm with a mailing address.

$15 Starbucks giftcards (two available)

Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 16,635 stores in 49 countries! Starbucks sells drip brewed coffee, espresso-based hot drinks, other hot and cold drinks, snacks, and items such as mugs and coffee beans. Through the Starbucks Entertainment division, the company also markets books, music, and film. Your gift card may be used for an online purchase or in local store.  Goodie #1

$50 Target giftcard

Win a $50 gift card to Target, everyone’s favorite retailer! Shop one of more than 1500 local Target stores or online at Target.com for Furniture, Electronics, Toys, Men’s and Women’s Clothing, Gifts, Appliances, Video Games, Bedding and Shoes. Expect More. Pay less.  Goodie #2

Amazon.com Gift Card
Win a $25 Amazon gift card! Amazon.com is America’s largest online retailer. With your Amazon gift card, you can purchase movies, shows and documentaries on DVD, music CDs and MP3s, computer software, video games, electronics, apparel, furniture, food, toys, and certainly don’t forget the amazing selection of thousands upon thousands of BOOKS. You choose your own book(s) for your child or yourselfGoodie #3

Tickets to A Woman Inspired: An Efficient and Creative Life conference (5 available)
A conference you can attend in your jammies!! You don’t want to miss such speakers as Laura, of OrgJunkie; Sandy Coughlin, of Reluctant Entertainer; Meredith, of Like Merchant Ships; Rhoda, of Southern Hospitality; Jennifer Schmidt, of Beauty and Bedlam; Karin Katherine of Mommy Matters; Erin Chase of $5 Dinners.com and many more!!

You’ll learn how to:

  • develop your God given talents and gifts
  • push past creative blocks
  • further your education in the area of your choice (at no cost)
  • be more productive
  • be more focused
  • let your light shine!  Goodie #4

Life Cycles Collection by David M. Schwartz
The Magic of Growth & Change is featured in this stunning 12-book science series for beginning readers. (Creative Teaching Press)

Titles as follows: Monarch Butterfly, Ladybug, Jumping Spider, Green Snake, Bean, Sunflower, Wood Frog, Chicken, Horse, Maple Tree, Green Snake, Fighting Fish. Goodie #5

First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind by Jessie Wise
Parents can assure their child’s success in language arts with this simple-to-use, scripted guide. First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind uses picture study and other classical techniques to develop the child’s language study in those first two all-important years of school. Each lesson leads the parent, step-by-step, through the simple oral and written projects that build reading, writing, spelling, storytelling, and comprehension skills. Use this book to supplement school learning, or as the center of a home-school language arts course.  Goodie #6

Real Moms…Real Jesus: Meet the Friend Who Understands by Jill Savage
What does Jesus know about the peanut-butter-and-jelly life of a mom? Plenty! Jill Savage, founder and director of Hearts at Home, introduces the real Jesus to real moms. In chapters that examine key behaviors and decisions Jesus made during His life on earth, Jill brings those lessons right down to the laundry-filled, sticky-fingered days every mother knows.

Between the chapters are interactive vignettes that turn the concept of the book back around. If the meat of the content is looking at Jesus’ life on earth and understanding how to apply that in our everyday lives, these perspective vignettes are brief, refreshing glimpses starting with our own messy, busy lives. Jill continually reminds the reader that Jesus is not an unattainable deity, but a Friend who understands.  Goodie #7

Handwriting Without Tears: Letters and Numbers for Me
Letters and Numbers for Me is for kindergarten students or older students working at that level.

Students learn to write capital letters, lowercase letters, numbers, words and simple sentences.

Letters are taught in a developmentally appropriate teaching order.
Learning capitals and numbers is reversal free using the slate.  Goodie #8

Biographies that Build Character by Kathy Rogers
This book contains short biographical sketches of Jackie Robinson, Eleanor Roosevelt, Thomas Jefferson, Booker T. Washington, Albert Schweitzer, Abigail Adams, Robert E. Lee, Mohandas Gandhi, Albert Einstein, Sitting Bull, George Washington John Muir, Martin Luther King, Jr., Sacagawea, Abraham Lincoln, Cesar Chavez, Frederick Douglass, Dorothea Dix, and Mother Teresa. These are organized by character trait that is stressed in each story. There are four activities suggested at the beginning of the book that could be used with any story. Then, with each story is a teacher’s guide, the story itself, and a reproducible written activity.  Goodie #9

Building Christian Character by Robin Wolfe
This book contains 13 units, each unit focusing on a different value. Children will learn about honoring God, obeying rules, telling the truth, and other values that help to build Christian character. Each unit contains a teacher’s resource page that supplies ideas for games, crafts, object lessons, and simple songs. Complete, simple instructions for each activity, as well as illustrations, make teaching easy. A Bible story is provided to teach each value lesson. Questions at the end of the story will provide an opportunity for the children to think about what the story means and how to apply it.  Goodie #10

Economics: Concepts and Applications Student Text and Teacher Guide by Larry D. Hodge
This book covers the basic concepts of all parts of the economy ranging from personal, individual microeconomic issues to large-scale, global macroeconomic issues. It is divided into 7 units (18 chapters in total) and covers the following topics: introduction to economics; capitalism, communism, and socialism; America and free enterprise; money, banking, and investment; government and the economy, measuring economic performance, and trade. Although comprehension, vocabulary, and critical thinking activities are provided in the worktext, the answers are only available in the teacher’s guide. The teacher’s guide also includes additional skill builder lessons covering skills like reading a stock market report and comparing costs using the consumer price index. Unit reviews and a test are included in the teacher’s guide.  Goodie #11

Mommy Grace: Erasing Your Mommy Guilt by Dr. Sheila Shuller Coleman
Remember when you were younger and did not have children yet? Do you remember when you had it ‘all figured out’…marriage, finances, motherhood? Then reality set in and all that was believed to be figured out became question marks. Every step you took as a mother was tested and challenged and then it dawned on you: no one has the answers and the child in all of the child-rearing help books did not actually exist. Mommy Grace is about that process and how as mothers we carry the guilt that comes from daily parenting and we make mistakes.  We can be ‘redeemed, forgiven and loved‘ daily through Jesus Christ.  Goodie #12

Transforming the Difficult Child: The Nurtured Heart Approach by Howard Glasser, MA & Jennifer Easley, MA. Included: Transforming the Difficult Child: An Interactive Guide to the Nurtured Heart Approach by Howard Glasser, Joann Bowdidge, & Lisa Bravo

Tried all the other ‘proven’ methods of discipline only to find that they did not work on your child? These books help you re-evaluate those methods and help you develop a customized for-your-child approach.They provide solid tools for dealing with your child’s behavior and even gives predictable responses from your child and how to approach them from those situations. The workbook offers positive activities, not only for you and your child, but also for YOU! If you’ve tried all of the ‘best’ and gotten nowhere, don’t give up, give this book set a try!  Goodie #13

Montessori Today: A Comprehensive Approach to Education from Birth to Adulthood by Paula Polk Lilliard

Have you been thinking about trying the Montessori Method with your little one and don’t know where to start? This book will get the ideas flowing with practical tips and applying the Montessori Method to your child’s life. The author brings over a decade of experience as a Montessori teacher and administrator to this overview of Maria Montessori’s teaching methods which “balance freedom with responsibility in the classroom and also set high standards of intellectual and social development for children.”  Goodie #14

Teach Your Child to Read  in 100 Easy Lessons by Siegfried Engelmann, Phyllis Haddox & Elaine Bruner

A homeschooling favorite! This book guides you through the painstaking task of teaching your child how to be an independent reader. By applying the tried-and-true method of using phonics you can have your child reading in as little as 20 minutes a day. This is an added bonus for those who have children that are reluctant readers or have short attention spans. Goodie #15

I Spy Two Eyes by Lucy Micklethwait

Employing the same clever contrivance she used in I Spy: An Alphabet in Art , Micklethwait combines a favorite children’s game with a pleasurable exercise in art appreciation. On each left-hand page of this handsome book, a number appears, written both as a word and in extra large numerals. Along with it is the name of an object–1 fly, 2 eyes, 17 birds, and so on–to be spotted, then counted, in a reproduction of a fine painting found on the opposite page. Micklethwait has taken great care not only to find pictures that will challenge children (it’s no snap to find 12 squirrels in Abu’l Hasan’s “Squirrels in a Plane Tree” or 15 hands and feet in Fernand Leger’s “Divers on a Yellow Background”), but also to represent a wide range of art styles and subjects.  Goodie #16

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Review: Family Science

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.

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

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