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May
1 ,
2007
Dear
Oklahoma Homeschool Subscribers,
I'm
sure you're looking forward to the end of the school
year and taking time to just smell the roses. Can you believe
it's so close? It's also homeschool convention time. I
heartily recommend that you attend a homeschool curriculum
fair in your area. They're fun and informative and well
worth the money (See The
Value of Homeschool Conventions.)
Be sure to go prepared though or you'll spend a mint! Here's
a list of
conventions
by state from Ann Zeise.
Lot's
of news at my house. After looking and looking for a new
home, we finally decided that we are staying in Broken
Arrow. We just can't bear to pay the higher prices and
real estate taxes of homes in Tulsa. The homes that we
could afford didn't suit. The ones we liked, cost too
much, especially since my husband and I are semi-retired.
So, I am in the process of unpacking again! Didn't I do
this last year?!
Keep
my husband Bill in your prayers. He has developed cone
dystrophy, a heritary disease of the eyes. The good news
is that he will not go completely blind; however, he is
losing his central and night vision. We are going to a
low vision specialist this week to see what technology
is available to help him deal with this condition.
Another
News Flash - My
daughter and I are going back to college together! I finally
decided to go back and finish what I started and my daughter
decided she would, too. (I'll be 62 when I graduate!)
I sure hope this old brain can handle it. The first three
thing I have to take is College Algebra - UGH!
My
husband and I are
also new care group leaders at our church, St.
James United Methodist, in Tulsa. If you live in Tulsa
and don't have a home church, join us on Wednesday
at 6:30 pm. We're going to do a five-week Bible study on
the Tabernacle in the month of May. Because of that, I've
included some resources you can use to teach Bible
to your children. I
hope it is helpful.
Finally,
my article, Travel Your way to
a Good Education, is in the Spring issue of the Old
Schoolhouse magazine. In addition to my article, there
are bunches of other great articles including a Life
on the Farm unit study, writing tips from Ruth Beechick,
an article from Ken Ham on sheltering kids, and much more!
You'll love this issue and you can purchase it locally
at Barnes & Noble or Borders bookstores.
Have
a wonderful spring!
Cindy
Downes
Oklahoma
Homeschool Newsletter, May 2007
Index:
What's
New on the Oklahoma Homeschool Website?
 NEW!
Cindy's Mini Stores - So many of you
on this list do unit studies that I decided to put
together some mini-stores based on unit study topics.
You can either get ideas from these mini stores and
borrow from the library or feel free to purchase from
my website. I do get a small referral fee on anything
that you buy from my stores, but the prices are still
discounted for you. Thanks for your support!
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Curriculum/Book
Review:
I
cannot, of course, write a review of my own book and
be objective, but I can give you some information. If
any of you that have purchased the book would like to
write a review, please email it to me. I'd love to post
it in my newsletter and on my website.
Oklahoma
Scrapbook: A Travel Guide, Learning Tool, and Memory
Book by Cindy Downes. If
you are planning a trip in Oklahoma this summer, why
not make it a fun "school day" also! It's easy
if you know how to do it. Before you go, read some books
related to your trip, do some research on the place you
visiting, and don't forget to sprinkle in a few activities
to spark their interest.
For
instance, let's say you are going to go to the Express
Clydesdales Center in Yukon. Topics to discuss/study before
going could include:
- Clydesdales
- Blacksmith
- Horse
Anatomy
- Horse
Care
Some books that would be fun to read are:
- Clydesdales
(Majestic Horses) by Pamela Dell
- The
Blacksmith's Gift: A Christmas Story by Dan T. Davis
- Galloping
Across the U.S.A.: Horses in American Life by Martin
W. Sandler
- The
Mystery Horse (Boxcar Children Mysteries) by Gertrude
Chandler Warner
And
these activities would be fun to do:
- Write
a report about Clydesdales.
- Put
together “The Visible Horse” by Craft
House, available at education stores.
- “Parts
of a Horse” quiz
- Learn
horse care with: My Horse Coloring Book (Dover Coloring
Book) by John Green.
- Make
a horse
treat and feed it to your favorite horse.
If
you like these ideas, you'll love Oklahoma Scrapbook by
Cindy Downes. This resource includes more than 150 travel
destinations in Oklahoma along with book and activity
suggestions for each destination. There are also places
to put photos of your trip!
Here's
a review from one Oklahoma Scrapbook customer:
I love this resource. It's well laid out and and easy
to use. I like the fact that you group the destinations
geographically. That way when we go to an area like the
Tulsa area and want to stay a few days we have several
places we can go. We used it today for the first time.
We visited the Old Red Barn in Arcadia. I'm not much of
a picture taker, but since having this resource I actually
took my camera and found myself taking several pictures.
I'll let my kids pick the ones they want to put on their
pages. I'm very excited to be using this resource. Great
work! Melissa Kamm (Edmond)
For
more information and to see sample pages, go to Oklahoma
Scrapbook.
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Teaching
Without Textbooks - Bible Study Resources 
Bible Study:
Reading
Suggestions:
Free
Unit Studies:
Videos:
- Science
Videos: You can now buy my favorite science
videos on DVD! I've been recommending Moody Science
Adventures and The Newton's Workshop for
a long time, but they've been very difficult to find.
Now Moody has reissued them as DVD's! They also offer
free study guides for The Newton's Workshop at www.MoodyVideo.org.
For
more like these, see my
Bible Curriculum Recommendations.
Don't
forget! When you're done, be sure to add what your children
did for Bible study to your copy of The
Checklist!
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FREE
Forms:
1.
Bible
Character Study Worksheet. Here's
a form to use when studying a particular Bible
character. (pdf document)
2.
Creation
Thematic Paper:
I've included this resource before but since we're talking
about Bible studies, I thought I'd mention it again.
3. Tabernacle
Worksheet. Use this worksheet to talk about the various
parts of the Tabernacle and how they apply to Christians
today.
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Oklahoma
Centennial Events:
1.
Centennial Events for June.
-
Magnolia
Festival of Oklahoma .June 1, 2007 - Jun 2,
2007, Durant. Durant has officially been recognized
by the Oklahoma State Legislature as the Magnolia
Capital of Oklahoma. The annual Magnolia Festival
is the weekend following Memorial Day and is attended
by tens of thousands of people each year and has
a wide variety of family-oriented activities.
-
Oklahoma
Pioneer Exposition. Jun 1, 2007 - Jun 3, 2007. Cleveland
County Fairgrounds, Norman. This celebration of traditional
agricultural events features a variety of farming
demonstrations including tractor pulls, power parades,
quilt making, bread making, canning, blacksmiths,
etc.
-
Red
Earth Festival 2007. Jun 1, 2007 - Jun 3, 2007. Oklahoma
City. This festival represents nearly 100 tribes
throughout North America. Visitors can sample the
artistic spirit in the festival's juried art exhibition.
The dance competition is a rare occasion when dancers
from northern and southern tribes of the U.S. are
seen together in one venue.
-
Yukon's
Chisholm Trail Roundup. Jun 2, 2007 - Jun 3, 2007.
Numerous re-enactors from the Old West, candle making,
weaving, spinning, lace making, quilting, Dutch oven
cooking, chuck-wagon cooking, beadwork, hatchet throwing,
civil war battles, gunfights and native American
dancing, are a few of the two-day roundup events.
Activities include craft tents for kids, live musical
entertainment, craft show, children's petting zoo,
and more.
-
Okmulgee
Pecan Festival. Jun 7, 2007 - Jun 9, 2007. A three
day festival of activities including carnival, live
music, arts and crafts, the 'Nutin' But Fun' kid's
tent, food, and the world famous Okmulgee Pecan Pie.
The pie will measure over 40 feet in diameter. Free
admission.
-
Vici's
The Great Western Trail Drive. Jun 7, 2007 - Jun
9, 2007. Vici. A three day event with paid riders
helping cowboys drive 100 head of cattle approximately
13 miles each day along the original Western Trail
used during 1874-1886. Each evening is filled with
home cooked meals and entertainment reflecting the
old west, such as Indian dancers, old country music
and historical accounts from authors.
-
Muskogee
Centennial Festival. Jun 9, 2007. A day long
festival will be held at Spaulding Park. The coming
of the Missouri-KA-TX Railroad in 1872 helped put
the town of Muskogee, Indian Territory, on the map.
This festival will include historic scenarios both
static and theatrical, music and food from civic
organizations and the schools.
-
Plymouth
Belvedere Time Capsule Exhumation, June
15th, Tulsa. In June of 1957, a ’57 Plymouth
Belvedere was buried as part of the Tulsa’s Golden
Jubilee Week during Oklahoma’s 50th birthday.
The car served as a time capsule and was buried near
the southeast corner of the Tulsa County Courthouse.
The car was filled with numerous items that reflected
the culture and society of the time. Participants
entered guesses as to what Tulsa’s population
would be in the year 2007. On June 15, 2007, the
car will be unearthed as a part of the Centennial
events. Go to www.BuriedCar.com for more information.
Contact: Paula Hale – 619-6098
-
Pawnee
Bill Wild West Show. Jun 16, 2007 - Jun 30, 2007. Pawnee.
In 1907, Pawnee Bill, to celebrate the birth of Oklahoma,
gave a special “Statehood” Wild West
Show in Pawnee. The show will be patterned after
the 1907 Statehood Wild West Show. It will feature
cast members from the original show and acts that
were performed in the 1906-07 show season. Contact
Person: Ronny Brown, 918-762-2513. Shows are performed
on June 16, 23 and 30 2007. Click here for complete
information.
-
Perkins'
Oklahoma Celtic Music and Heritage Festival,
Jun 16, 2007 - Jun 17, 2007. Public festival celebrating
Celtic heritage (Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Brittany
and Galicia.) Strong emphasis on first families in
Oklahoma. Living history, pictorial history reflecting
Payne County and early Oklahoma. Live Irish, Scottish
and Welsh music, demonstrations and workshops.
-
Waurika's "Let's
Celebrate!",
Jun 16, 2007. The celebration will include an art show,
exhibits from various periods and activities of Oklahoma
life, arrowhead and spear tip knapping, gun fighters,
Chickasaw dancers, buffalo soldiers and crafters. A
western one-act melodrama follows.
-
Clinton's
National Route 66 Festival. Jun 21, 2007 - Jun 24,
2007. Improvements to the city's infrastructure is
necessary to accommodate the tens of thousands of visitors
attending the festival. Clinton was chosen as the
host for the Annual National Route 66 Festival to
honor the state's Centennial. Activities include
a golf tournament, classic drive-in movies, and a
trade show. Highlighted is a large car show, art
exhibit and a formal banquet dinner.
-
Colbert's
Golden Harvest Days. Jun 23, 2007.Annual demonstration
of antique farm machinery in the era of 1930 - 1950
includes combine wheat, thresh wheat, pick corn, chop
corn into silage, bale hay, plow, disc, run a rock
crusher and saw mill. Also includes tractor and horse
demonstrations and free wagon rides.
-
Duncan's
Grand Opening of Foreman Prairie House. Jun 23, 2007.
Open House/Grand Opening of the Prairie House will
have Miss Oklahoma in attendance. The Duncan Little
Theatre will re-enact the 1907 mock wedding of the
Twin Territories. "Made
in Oklahoma" products
for sale and free lemonade for all. Square dancing
exhibits and Indian and Celtic displays.
-
McLoud's
Blackberry Festival. Jun 29, 2007 - Jul 1, 2007,
McLoud. The festival began in 1895 when the town was
founded and by 1945, McLoud was hailed as the blackberry
capitol of the world. The event includes a parade,
carnival, ball game, tractor show, car show, arts and
crafts, music and dance, queen and princess contest,
and features McLoud famous blackberry cobbler, blackberry
ice cream and blackberry jellies.
-
Chickasha's
'School Days', Jun 30, 2007. A forty minute, I Act
Play depicting 'school days' from the 1920's through
1930's and what a rural African American school was
like in Oklahoma. The play will demonstrate how lessons
were taught, lunch time procedure, and recess games
and activities. Performed at the site of the Verden
Separate One Room School.
-
Tinker
Air Force Base Annual Star Spangled Salute.
Jun 30, 2007 - Jul 7, 2007. Tinker Air Force Base.
Families will enjoy military static displays, air
demonstrations from rare and unique aircraft, live
musical entertainment and children's activities.
At night the sky becomes a masterpiece of breathtaking
fireworks, creating one of the largest patriotic
displays in Oklahoma. Free admission.
2.
Workshops of Interest to Homeschoolers near the
Tulsa area. These
workshops are taught by local teachers at the Apple
Tree educational store on 41st between Memorial and
Sheridan. I chose to tell you about these topics
because they look very interesting and could be adapted
for homeschool. Just remember that
the teachers are going to gear these for a classroom.
Go for the ideas and forget the classroom stuff.
-
100
Ways to Celebrate Oklahoma! (Gr 2-5) Monday,
July 23 (9:00-3:00) $37.00. Dr. Debbie Landry & Dr.
Linda Wilson. Join Debbie and Linda for an energetic,
lively trip through Oklahoma! Discover activities
and links to every content area - at least 100 ways
to celebrate Oklahoma. The life and times of Oklahoma
- where we came from and where we’re
going!
-
Western
Art & Gilcrease Museum. (Gr K-12) Tuesday,
June 26 (9:00-3:00) $32.00, Cathy Ambrose. Come and
learn about the great American artists Frederic Remington
and Charles Russell. Learn a simple way to draw horses.
At noon we will drive to Gilcrease and have a picnic
lunch on the grounds (bring a sack lunch & quilt).
After lunch we will tour Gilcrease to see the original
works of these great artists. Please be aware that
you will be traveling off-site to the museum. The Apple
Tree, Inc. accepts no liability for any activities
away from its facility at 7204 E. 41st Street.
-
Simple
Science, (Gr. PK-1), Wednesday,
June 27 (9:00-11:30) $20.00. Jill Davis. You don’t
have to be Einstein to introduce your little ones to
science! This workshop will focus on cheap and easy
ways to integrate science into your centers, group times,
and outdoor activities. Bring your make and take supplies
and a camera.
-
Writing
a Research Paper, (Gr. 4-7), Thursday,
June 28 (9:00-11:30) $20.00. Pam O’Halloran.
Pam will provide a variety of ideas and techniques
to help students develop the skills to write a research
paper to complement their scientific studies. Coordination
of English and Science curriculums along with specific
techniques will be presented.
-
Have
Your Math & Eat It, Too! (PK-3), Wednesday,
July 11 (9:00-11:30) $24.00. Teressa Blair & Dr.
Debbie Landry. Delicious “hands-on,” edible
math activities will keep your students engaged and
leave them wanting more. This workshop will cover everything
from one-to-one correspondence, sorting and patterning
to addition, subtraction and fractions. This is a repeat
of a past workshop with lots of new activities added.
-
Teaching
the Kinesthetic Learner (K-5), Thursday,
July 19 (9:00-11:30) $17.00. Frank Blair. Eighty-five
percent of school age children are natural kinesthetic
learners, but most lessons are taught auditorily
or visually. This workshop will provide activities
for teachers to use in their classrooms to reach
those children who are constantly in motion and learn
best while moving. This class got rave reviews in
the past 5 years, so we asked Frank to repeat it...You
won’t want to miss it!
-
Got
Science??? (2-5), Tuesday,
July 24 (9:00-3:00) $32.00. Lisa Iten. Explore physical,
life, earth and space sciences in a day of projects
and experiments. Topics include simple machines, matter,
plants, animals, rocks, erosion, and much more. Lots
of student samples. Bring your make and take supplies.
-
For
a full list of classes, go to the Apple Tree website
at: http://www.appletree-inc.com/newsletters/appletree-workshop-summer-2007.pdf.
3.
For discount coupons and more info about these events,
check TravelOK.com.
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Internet
Resources: 
1. Blue
Backed Speller. Free download of the Blue
Backed Speller.
2. Iraq
War for kids.
3. CAST
Book Builder. Create digital books that
build reading skills for children, ages 3–10.
4. A
new resource for printable
worksheets from FamilyEducation.com.
5.
Free Bible Worksheets
6. DLTK's
Bible Activities
7. Children Bible Studies
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Quote:
"Man
is made by his belief. As he believes, so he is." — Gita
Bhagavad
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Please
feel free to forward this to anyone who may be interested.
Please forward in it's entirety.
If
you'd like to be added to the Oklahoma Homeschool Newsletter
mailing list, please email back with "Subscribe"
in the subject line, along with your city and state or country
and how long you have homechooled.
COPYRIGHT
NOTICE: This newsletter is ©Copyright 2006
by Cindy Downes. All rights reserved.
PRIVACY
POLICY. Your name and email address will always remain
completely confidential. I do not sell, loan, or share any
subscriber or customer information for any reason. Your information
will never be used for any purpose other than delivery of
my e-newsletter and to occasionally inform you of updates
to http://www.oklahomahomeschool.com.
If
you want to be removed from this mailing list, please
send a blank email with the word "unsubscribe" in
the subject line.
Have
a great day!
Cindy
Cindy
Downes
OKLAHOMA HOMESCHOOL
Website: http:www.oklahomahomeschool.com
Email: cindy@oklahomahomeschool.com
Blog: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/EmptyNestMom
Have
you seen The Checklist? It's
an assessment tool, lesson planner and K-12 Recordkeeper created
for Christian Home Educators: http://www.oklahomahomeschool.com/checklist.html
Oklahoma
History Online is
now available! Check it out at: http://www.oklahomahomeschool.com/okhist.html
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K-6