Author Archives: Betty Jo

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.

To Homeschool or Not

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“To homeschool or not to homeschool” that is the question that many parents are asking themselves. Most homeschool groups, private and public schools start in August, so now is the best time to be making that decision if your children are school age.

My first piece of advice is not to “cave in” to pushy advocates on either side of the education debate. You MUST do what is right and best for your family. And only you can determine that. Period.

With that being said, I’m definitely a home educating advocate (for many different reasons). I’ve been homeschooling for a while (about to start our 16th year). I’m part of the leadership team for our local homeschooling support group. I’m an admin for Homeschooling Around the World https://www.facebook.com/groups/567122276640599/?notif_t=group_r2j and Schoolin’ Swag https://www.facebook.com/groups/210519735725683/. You would be welcome at either or both groups.

For months I’ve been hearing daily of families who are considering home education (for many different reasons) and have some questions or are seeking a little advice. If this is the case for you, then I recommend you just ask a homeschooler about it. Homeschoolers love to talk about homeschooling (both the good and the not so good). In fact it’s our favorite conversation.

If you have made the decision to home educate, of course I have some advice for you on how to start this adventure (oh yeah, it will be an adventure). Here is my top 5 list explaining what I think should be done first.

1 Pray for wisdom and patience.

2. Understand your state laws: http://www.hslda.org/laws/ or http://www.nhen.org/home.html

3. Check out a local homeschool support group or co-op. If you’re not aware of one, this link may help you find one http://www.home-school.com/groups/

4. Figure out your teaching method and your children’s learning styles. This link has a free assesment for both you and your children if you are unsure. http://www.mardel.com/ Hover the mouse over “Homeshool” on the header. From there click “Resource Center” and “Currently Homeschooling”. There you will have the choice of “Learning Style” or “Teaching Method” assessments.

5. Remember that you want your child to love homeschooling so plan some fun and interesting learning activities and plan for unexpected learning opportunities.

For links to my posts containing advice on home education click here https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/homeschooling-advice/

Please know that I welcome your questions and comments. Like I mentioned above, homeschoolers love to talk about homeschooling.

betty jo

The Liberty Bell

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“Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof” Leviticus 25:10

The Pennsylvania State House bell was rung to summon the people of Philadelphia to gather for the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence on July 8, 1776. Though the bell wouldn’t be called the Liberty Bell until years later, the bell’s message of liberty certainly rang that day.

The Liberty Bell and the mystery of it’s crack will be our homeschool/summer school lesson of the day. Below are the links we will follow for this brief study.

For starters we will take an up-close look at the Liberty Bell in this short virtual tour.

Next, we’ll read some famous quotes about the Liberty Bell. http://www.ushistory.org/libertybell/quotes.html

I like these Liberty Bell themed notebooking pages for copywork and journaling. http://notebookingfairy.com/2011/05/liberty-bell-notebooking-page/

I’ll also print off a detailed coloring sheet from Activity Village http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/fourth_of_july_colouring_pages.htm

And while we are coloring we will be listening to The Liberty Bell March. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6Dd0EaEbqg

There is Liberty Bell curriculum available for free from the National Park Service. We will read a few of the articles and I’ll be asking the discussion questions that it suggests in the lesson plans. https://www.nps.gov/inde/learn/historyculture/stories-libertybell.htm

betty jo

Fireworks

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These photos were taken at our city’s riverfront last night. It was our family’s second year to attend their annual event. A few of the families in our neighborhood have been celebrating Independence Day all week and we have seen some beautiful fireworks and heard some BOOMS. Z has been excited and J has tried to be tolerant. They have had some questions. My answer is the same for each of them, “Let’s google it”. Our search resulted in our homeschooling summer school lesson of the day and covers the subjects of history, science, and because we use the internet, computer lab gets a “check”. We have a community service project also. (There is quite a bit of firework trash to be picked up in the neighborhood yards and street.)

Below are J’s and Z’s questions and the links to the answers.

“Where do fireworks come from?” “The birthplace of fireworks is generally recognized as China, with the first explosive mixture found being black powder, during the Sung dynasty (960-1279)” For the rest, click this link to the brief article, The History of Fireworks http://www.pyrouniverse.com/history.htm

“Why do we celebrate the 4th of July with fireworks?” According to Slate, that answer is , “Because John Adams wanted us to. Before the Declaration of Independence was even signed, he envisioned fireworks as a part of the festivities. In a letter to Abigail Adams on July 3, 1776, he wrote that the occasion should be commemorated “with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.” The first commemorative Independence Day fireworks were set off on July 4, 1777.” You can link here for the full article. http://www.slate.com/articles/life/explainer/2012/07/history_of_fireworks_in_america_why_do_we_celebrate_fourth_of_july_with_fireworks_.html

“What makes fireworks explode in different colors?” According to a post from the Interactive Technology Experience Center’s Facebook page, “Sodium produces yellow/gold colors. Barium creates green, copper compounds produce blue, strontium salts give you red and titanium metals give you silver coloured sparks.
Other commonly used chemicals are carbon which provides the fuel, oxidizers which produce oxygen for burning, magnesium which increases the overall brilliance and brightness, antimony that gives you a “glitter” effect and calcium which deepens the colors.”
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Interactive-Technology-Experience-Center-iTEC/115400341904918

“How do fireworks work?” We found the answer in this video from Science Kids and The Franklin Institute. http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/videos/chemistry/fireworks.html

“Can we make some fireworks?” We don’t have to google this answer, I already know it, “NO!”

betty jo

Happy Birthday America

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Even though today is a holiday, it is not going to be a day off from homeschool/summer school. The learning possibilities are too numerous to pass up by not having some lessons.

We will be starting here with a slide show of a trip across America on the Google home page. https://www.google.com/

I download the freebie, Why We Celebrate the 4th of July, from Simple School and Currclick yesterday for J and Z. We got started on it and I think it is very nice. It contains some historic information and copy work, It even has a couple of things the older kids can use, too. http://www.currclick.com/product/48874/Simple-Schooling-Why-We-Celebrate-the-4th-of-July?it=1 (You will need an account to get the free download. If you don’t already have one, I highly recommend you getting one and sign up for their e-mail newsletters and updates. This is my favorite resource site.)

Also, Activity Village is offering some free 4th of July printables that we’ll be using. http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/fourth_of_july_activities_for_kids.htm

Quiztree has an interactive art and history activity that we will take a look at. I think this is very cool. You hover the mouse over each person in Trumbull’s famous painting, The Declaration of Independence, and the name of the person appears at the top of the screen. http://www.quiz-tree.com/Declaration-of-Independence-Trumbull.html

We’ll follow this link for music appreciation http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1801-1900/1st-performance-of-samuel-f-smiths-america-11630412.html?utm_source=This%20Week%20in%20Christian%20History%20-%20Christianity.com&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=07/03/2013

Movies are are the planner for today also. E suggested we watch The Patriot, and she and B can, but that’s not suitable for my younger boys. We all can watch this episode of Liberty’s Kids though.

Finally, we’ll end up our studies in the kitchen. We’ll be making this simple angel food cake, blueberry, strawberry, and whipped cream layered dessert.

We even have a community service project tonight. We will be passing out mosquito repellant bracelets with our church at our city’s fireworks display.

Have a safe and happy Independence Day!

betty jo

Just Joking

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Years ago, at the family visitation before my daddy’s funeral, we were sniffling and dabbing our teary eyes, when my mom spoke up, “I wish your daddy was here, we could use a joke!” My father would have had just the right one to tell.

My dad knew the art of telling a joke, eye contact, expression, dramic pause. Some he made up, some he read or heard. None were ever rude or offensive. Though as a teen I would groan and roll my eyes when he told one, I would repeat it I first chance I got. Whenever I see someone that knew my dad, they always say something about his sense of humor.

According the my special days calendar, International Joke Day is celebrated on July 1. This is a day to tell jokes not play jokes (pranks). The purpose of this day is to make as many people as possible laugh or at least smile. Our homeschool/summer school calendar lesson of the day will be language arts focused. We’ll be reading, writing, and telling jokes. And sense Proverbs 17:22 says, “A cheerful heart is good medicine”, I suppose it can count as a health class credit, too.

I try to include jokes into our homeschooling lessons from time to time. They make fun copy and memory work. They also lighten things up when the studying gets serious or boring. Jokes are good public speaking practice, and I think something humorous should be included in most oral presentations. Jokes and riddles also make cute additions to our lapbooks.

These are a couple of library books we checked out for homeschooling on International Joke Day.This is my favorite site for kids jokes, riddles, and printables (we especially like the holiday list) http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/kids_jokes.htm

These free blank comic book style printables make an interesting way to copy jokes or riddles and illustrate. http://www.printablepaper.net/category/comics

Because it’s good to laugh at ourselves sometimes…

“How does a homeschooler change a light bulb?”

“First, mom checks three books on electricity out of the library, then the kids make models of light bulbs, read a biography of Thomas Edison and do a skit based on his life. Next, everyone studies the history of lighting methods, wrapping up with dipping their own candles. Next, everyone takes a trip to the store where they compare types of light bulbs as well as prices and figure out how much change they’ll get if they buy two bulbs for $1.99 and pay with a five dollar bill. On the way home, a discussion develops over the history of money and also Abraham Lincoln, as his picture is on the five dollar bill. Finally, after building a homemade ladder out of branches dragged from the woods, the light bulb is installed. And there is light.” ~Author Unknown

For my list of July’s special days click here https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2013/06/28/julys-special-days/

betty jo

Bicycle Lessons

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On 26 June 1819, W. K. Clarkson, Jr. of New York was granted a patent for a new and improved velocipede (“bicycle” was not a word yet) . This is the first bicycle made in the USA.

Inspired by this wonderful invention, bicycles will be our homeschool summer school lesson of the day. We will learn/review the parts of a bicycle, their proper names, and perform some maintenance checks before taking ride.

Below are the links we will follow for our bicycle study.

Timeline history of bicycles, virtual museum tour, and more http://www.bicyclemuseum.com/index.html

Fun bicycle facts here http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/stories/morestories/ten-things-about-bikes/

Bicycle Safety Activity Kit downloads http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/bike/bskitboth/3152bskit/pages/section1/section1toc.html

Care, Maintenance, Repairs http://www.kidzworld.com/article/5696-bike-repairs-and-maintenance

Because the kids like to watch stunts, we will some view some BMX tricks.

In case you’re wondering, I will be enforcing the “DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME” rule!

betty jo

Log Cabin

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According to my special days calendar, June 25 is Log Cabin Day, a day to appreciate the historic importance of log cabins. And it’s a day to remember what life was like a couple of hundred years ago when things weren’t so easy. Log cabins will be the topic of our homeschool/summer school lesson of the day.

We will go here for some general information and history about log cabins. Western Expansion: Log Cabin

Make a pretzel and graham cracker log cabin! https://www.marthastewart.com/272922/presidents-day-log-cabin

Milk Carton and Stick Craft http://www.dltk-kids.com/usa/mcabin.html

Check out these Dream Home Log Cabin Photos! https://loghome.com/articles/category/home-tours/

E, B, and I will watch an episode of Frontier House, a PBS documentry from a few years ago. It featured modern families who agreed to try homesteading like the pioneers would have in the 1800’s. (Some of the dialog may not be appropriate for younger children, so I’m hoping to distract Z and J with their Lincoln Log set.)

betty jo

Faries vs Aliens

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Sometimes this homeschooling mamma finds herself in a dilemma over lesson plans. For our homeschool/summer school we cover one subject per day usually chosen from my special days calendar and June 24 is both International Fairy Day and UFO Day.

Honestly, I’m not thrilled with either topic, but know my kids will have fun with them. Though I try to encourage creativeness, I realize that too much fantasy or imagination is not good. Before anyone has the opportunity for their imaginations to run away with them, we will have a Scripture based discussion of the dangers of too much imagination and how we are to think about such subjects as fairies or UFOs;

Jeremiah 7:24 “But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.”

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 ^”(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”

With those Bible verses in our minds and hearts we will explore these unusual topics. E will want to do a study on fairies, while B, J, and Z will want to study UFOs. I suppose the best way to handle this is to let them have separate lessons (just this once).

I found a wonderful listing of links about fairies for E http://www.squidoo.com/fairyday#module159488057.

She has been wanting to design a fairy garden on the tree stump in the back yard, so International Fairy Day would be the perfect time for this type of project. She can transplant some of our flowers which are overcrowded in pots.

These are the links the boys can follow.

UFO facts for kids http://www.kidskonnect.com/component/content/article/15-educational/science/107-ufo.html

UFO photos http://www.alien-ufo-pictures.com/ufo_pictures4.html

UFO interactive game http://www.primarygames.com/arcade/skill/ufojoe/

betty jo

Considering the Moon

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Psalm 8:3^“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have set in place,”

Sunday, June 23 is the date for the Super Moon and an excellent opportunity to “consider the moon”. .

According to NASA, “The Moon will reach its closest distance to the Earth at exactly 7:32 am EDT (4:32 am PDT) on 23 June, but because it will be peaking in the early morning hours, both 22 June and 23 June will put on similar shows. So either day will be a good opportunity to see the larger-and-brighter-than-normal Supermoon.

This year the Supermoon will be up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than a typical Full Moon is. This is a result of the Moon reaching its perigree – the closest that it gets to the Earth during the course of its orbit.”

You can link to the full NASA article here http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/display.cfm?News_ID=44049

If interested in a moon unit study, I recommend the free lapbook resources Sun, Moon, and Stars. We used these last summer when we studied the moon missions. http://www.homeschoolshare.com/space_lapbook.php

For teachers and older students I recommend this article, The Moon: A Faithful Witness in the Sky. http://www.icr.org/articles/view/150/344/

This site has 200 “moon” related learning links! http://watchknowlearn.org/SearchResults.aspx?SearchText=moon&page=1

And for something a little silly and active try this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EEynvjfljU

betty jo

The Great American Backyard Campout

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June 22 is the Great American Backyard Campout! This event is organized by the National Wildlife Federation. Thousands of families across America will be camping out and connecting with nature and each other.

I really have no desire what so ever to sleep on the ground. But, we will set up our tent so Z , J, and their friends can play in it. And if they can talk B into staying out with them, then they can spend the night backyard camping. However, I am in favor of campfire roasted hot dogs and s’mores and have volunteered to help with the campfire cooking.

As a homeschooling mom, I tend to make every thing a learning opportunity. I found these links to follow as we learn “camping”.

Tips, songs, recipes, campfire stories, and more at the Great American Backyard Campout site http://www.nwf.org/Great-American-Backyard-Campout/Get-Ready.aspx

Free camping activity pack from the coolest nature resource website http://www.naturedetectives.org.uk/packs/camping_pack.htm

Last summer, the week before the Great American Backyard Campout, we made this camping lapbook from http://www.homeschoolshare.com/camping_lapbook.php It was neat looking back over it. It is also a great reminder of what Z and J are going to be needing for their backyard campout this year.

betty jo