Author Archives: Betty Jo

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About Betty Jo

I'm Betty Jo, a wife to my knight in (not so) shinning armor for nearly 22 years. We have 5 kids and another one that currently lives with us. We have been Christian home educators for 18 years with 8 more (at least) to go.

Learning Resources for Special Days in January, 2015

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january_3499cThere are many learning opportunities using January’s calendar!

Below is a collection of online learning resources for January studies.  A big “Thank You” to all   (social media group members and blogging friends)  who are sharing your resources.  We wouldn’t have a list like this without a lot of help!  This month has grown to have a resource for almost every day!

Special Days in January  –  List of January 2015 themes, holidays, and historic dates  https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2014/12/30/special-days-in-january-2015/

January Prayer Calendar  –  http://cherigamble.com/2014/12/29/january-2015-prayer-calendar-for-children/

January Writing Prompts  –  http://www.theteacherscorner.net/daily-writing-prompts/january/

January Science Calendar  –  http://thehomeschoolscientist.com/january-2015-science-calendar-2/#.VKjAVXuP_sg

January Themed Math  –  http://www.yummymath.com/

January Themed Coloring and Activity Printables  –  http://www.apples4theteacher.com/

Snow is a wonderful study theme for January.  This was one of our family’s favorites!  –  https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2014/02/07/snow-week/

President’s With January Birthdays  – This is how we study/review the presidents https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2014/02/14/resources-for-presidents-day/

  •  Millard Fillmore born Jan. 7, 1800
  • Richard Nixon born Jan. 9, 1913
  • Wm. McKinley born Jan. 29, 1843
  • Franklin Roosevelt born Jan. 30, 1882

More January Birthdays –  Read biographies, printables, and online activities  –  http://gardenofpraise.com/index.htm

  • Isaac Newton  –  Jan. 4, 1693
  • Joan of Arc  –  Jan. 6, 1412
  • Albert Schweitzer  –  Jan. 14, 1875
  • Ben Franklin  –  Jan. 17, 1706
  • Mozart  –  Jan. 27, 1756

Resources for January’s Daily Specials:

1  –  New Year’s  –  Learning Resources  –  https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2014/12/31/learning-resources-for-new-years/

3  –  J.R.R. Tolkien Day  –  Read about the author, book reviews, events,  and more from his fan club, The Tolkien Society  –  http://www.tolkiensociety.org/

4  –  Jacob Grimm 1785  –  Read Brothers Grimm fairy tales  –  http://www.familymanagement.com/literacy/grimms/grimms-toc.html

5  –  Bird Day  –  Make one or more of these bird feeders  http://happyhooligans.ca/32-homemade-bird-feeders/  and learn some bird calls  http://www.enature.com/birding/audio.asp

6  –  Bean Day  –  Bean resources and activities  – http://www.franw.com/2015/01/bean-resources.html

7  –  Old Rock Day  –  Find geology facts, experiments, and games –  http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/geology.html

8  –  Joygerm Day  –  https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2014/01/08/happy-joygerm-day/

9  –  Static Electricity Day  –  This is Z’s all time favorite experiment  –  http://www.sciencebob.com/experiments/staticroll.php

11  –  Grand Canyon National Monument dedicated 1908  –  Take a virtual tour  –  http://www.grandcanyonvirtualtour.com/

13  –  Poetry Break Day  –  Reading and Writing Poetry resources  –  http://42explore.com/poetry.htm

16  –  Appreciate a Dragon Day  –  Fast Facts and resource links  –  http://www.kidskonnect.com/subjectindex/13-categories/animals/439-dragons.html

18  –  Winnie the Pooh Day  –  http://www.just-pooh.com/

19  –  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day  –  https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2014/01/17/teaching-resources-for-martin-luther-king-day/

19  –  Edgar Allan Poe born 1809  –  Research Project  –  http://www.franw.com/2013/10/edgar-allan-poe-research-project.html

20  –  Draw a Dinosaur Day  –  Try  these step-by-step instructions  –  http://www.dragoart.com/google_search.php?cx=partner-pub-6207428572838690%3A2440456717&cof=FORID%3A10&ie=UTF-8&q=dinosaur

21  –  Squirrel Appreciation Day  –  Huge list of unit study resources  –  http://lastingthumbprints.com/free-squirrel-resource-unit/

23  –  Handwriting Analysis Week begins  –  Learn about the forensics analysis of handwriting  –  http://science.howstuffworks.com/handwriting-analysis.htm

24  –  Talk Like a Grizzled Prospector Day  –  How about a Yosemite Sam cartoon?  –  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PO4JcgD3vq0

25  –  Burns Night  –  Robert Burns born 1759  –  http://activityvillage.co.uk/burns-night

25  –  Super Bowl  –  https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2014/01/31/the-winter-olympic-games-but-first-the-super-bowl/

26  –  Australia Day  –   http://activityvillage.co.uk/australia-day

27  –  Author Lewis Carrol born 1832  –  Study guide for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland  – http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/alice/

29 –  Patriot Thomas Paine born 1737  –  Watch the Common Sense episode of Liberty’s Kids –  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awlBeITstkE

30  –  Yodel For Your Neighbors Day  –  How to Yodel Instructions, Videos, and some historic facts  –  http://wordbone.com/learn/how-to-yodel-instructions-for-beginners-kids-and-celebrity-singers/

31  –  Inspire Your Heart With Art Day  –  When looking for an art project, this is my usual “go to” site.  No matter what subject you’re studying, this link has something to tie art in with it!  –  http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/craftsbytheme.html

And remember to check out what’s available at your local libraries.  Ours usually has  themes for reading contests, and book suggestions.  We picked up 2 bags of books to go along with our first couple of weeks of Special Days in January studies.

Happy January Learning!

betty jo

A New Word for the New Year

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WHATS-THE-WORD

Instead of resolutions or goals for 2015, I’ve decided to have a “focus word” again (you can read about this idea from last year here https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2013/12/31/resolutions-goals-and-a-word/ ).

My word for the new year is (insert drum roll, please)….”LESS“!

Some of my thoughts about “LESS” are personal, others are more family oriented:

Spend Less, Worry Less, Doubt Less, Fear Less, Less Mess/Clutter, Less Screen Time, Less Anger, Less Complaining, Judge Less, Yell Less, Less Stress, Argue Less, Use Less (gas, water, electricity), Less Junk Food, and even Less Caffeine!

“Less” –  At first, it sort of seems like a negative word. But, apply it to the “Laws of Physics” (yeah, that’s how my train of thought often goes, but bare with me, this makes sense)

“Newton’s third law is:

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

The statement means that in every interaction, there is a pair of forces acting on the two interacting objects. The size of the forces on the first object equals the size of the force on the second object. The direction of the force on the first object is opposite to the direction of the force on the second object. Forces always come in pairs – equal and opposite action-reaction force pairs.”  (Source – http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/newtlaws/u2l4a.cfm)

So, all of my “LESSES” (a new word ?) are going to equal out into a lot of “MORES“!  More Peace, More Quality Time, More Money, More (better) Health, More Quiet, More Self Control, More Happiness….

But LESS homeschool?  NOT A CHANCE!  However, “less planning” is a potentially good thought. It seems like sometimes I spend more time planning –  researching, gathering materials, etc – . than we spend actually learning or doing an activity. Not to mention all the times that plans fizzle out because of lack of interest , change of interest direction, or something unexpected comes up instead.  “Less Planning” – It’s a consideration, for sure.

And of course, a “LESS” application for my spiritual growth and relationship with my Savior,  “Less of me = More of Him”!  John 3:30 – “He must become greater; I must become less.”

Less cooking, cleaning, and laundry?  –  Well, a girl can have dreams for the new year, too!

What’s your resolution, goal, or focus word of the new year?  Whatever it is, I wish you the very best with it.

Have a Happy and Blessed 2015!

betty jo

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http://benoitacademy.com/2015/01/06/geeky-educational-linkup-15-create-a-vision-for-the-new-year/

Learning Resources for New Year’s

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new-years-day-2013-9

It’s been a wonderful holiday break from homeschooling for us, but it’s time to get back into the swing of lessons and learning.   New Year’s celebrations will be our last lesson focus of 2014 as well as our first lesson focus of 2015.  Below are the online resources we’ll be using for our study.

New Year Countdown Interactive Map  –  http://www.timeanddate.com/counters/newyearmap.html

Traditions, recipes, games, poetry, and how to say “Happy New Year” from Around the World  –   http://www.fathertimes.net/traditions.htm

And Year Review and Resolution printables  http://www.modernparentsmessykids.com/2014/12/free-family-new-years-resolution-printable.html

And New Year’s themed art and craft ideas  http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/newyearscraftsactivitieskids.html

A hands-on Bible Study with a New Year’s object lesson and playdough  http://www.christianitycove.com/new-years-lesson-committing-to-gods-hands/6281/

Times Square Ball math lesson  –  http://www.yummymath.com/2014/evolution-of-the-times-square-ball/

Photos of Celebrations Around the World  –  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/31/photos-new-years-world_n_6402768.html

How to Make Fireworks is an interesting science article and with the noises we’re hearing from around our neighborhood, an appropriate New Year’s science lesson  –  http://blogs.howstuffworks.com/brainstuff/how-to-make-fireworks.htm

The top news/current events from 2014  –  http://www.ourlittleearth.com/

Wishing you a wonderful year of learning!  Happy 2015!

betty jo

Learning Christmas with Countdowns

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countdownfull_thumb%255B1%255DAre you extra busy this time of year?  We are!  Our calendar is filled with Christmas program rehearsals, a holiday workshop, caroling, and parties.  We’re decorating, crafting and baking.  And of course, there’s light displays to drive by, extra shopping, and gifts to wrap and deliver.  Oh yeah, there’s homeschool lessons, too.

Not only are we counting the days down until Christmas, we’re counting the days left in our semester.  I know some homeschooling families that take off the month of December, as nice as that sounds, it isn’t for us. We keep on learning through December, and we have about two more weeks of homeschooling before we’ll be ready for a break .   However, with the added busy-ness, regular lessons won’t give us the time we need to pursue the activities that make this time of year so special.

Below are  the online links to Advent and Christmas countdowns that we are using for quick lessons that are helping us check off our daily subjects.  Not only have the kids been liking these (probably because it’s extra computer time and the studies are short), I like them too.  It’s wonderful to have a break in lesson planning and to devote my “teacher time” to all the activities December brings.  It’s fun knowing that we have surprises waiting for us to learn about each morning.  And since these resources are brief, we have the afternoons for all those extras.

For Bible references and a little related trivia each day until Christmas – http://www.jamtrust.org/resources/adventcalendar/AdventCalendar.html

Learn Something “Christmassy” every day for 25 days  –  http://www.whychristmas.com/adventcalendar/

Countdown with Math –  secondary grade levels (6-12)  –  http://nrich.maths.org/11330

Countdown with Math – primary grade levels (1-5)  –  http://nrich.maths.org/11078

For Science, a Chemistry Countdown  –  http://www.compoundchem.com/2014advent/

Unlock a New Game Each Day Until Christmas  – http://www.santagames.net/calendar/index.htm

World Geography and Cultures  – Read about Christmas traditions around the world  (We used this as a study link last year and it’s great!)  –  http://projectbritain.com/Xmas/calendar/index.html

Liverpool Museum has a historic display to share each day – http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/christmas/advent/

For even more Christmas Advent and Countdown resources

I hope you enjoy your final learning days until the holiday break.  I wish you Merry Homeschooling!

betty jo