November
10, 2005
Dear
OKHS Subscribers,
Hello
everyone. I'm sorry I'm late with this issue. It's been a
hectic month, but fun.
Part
2 of my interview with Homeschool Talk Radio
aired on October 3. You can listen to the taped version by
going to: http://www.homeschooltalkradio.com/.
 I
taught a workshop entitled, Homeschooling
Simplified, in Shawnee, Oklahoma, on November
5, 2005. I had a wonderful time there with Vicki Mason and
Jerry Johnston. Their church, El Shaddai, is the MOST HOSPITABLE
church in the country! The workshop went well (except for
some minor technical problems) and I enjoyed visiting with
those of you who came. Afterwards my husband and I took a
mini vacation to Red Rock Canyon State Park and Roman Nose
State Park. (You can see some pictures on my blog: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/EmptyNestMom/41865/)
I also want to tell you about The Old Schoolhouse
Magazine. This is a beautiful, full-color, 200-page,
quarterly magazine filled with lots of information for homeschool
moms and dads. The magazine is available at local bookstores
or online at: http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com/
Finally,
don't forget to cast your vote for the best homeschool speaker
of the year and best curriculum of the year here: http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com/excellence_awards/nominate.php
I
hope you enjoy this issue of the Oklahoma Homeschool newsletter.
Have a great November!
Cindy
Oklahoma
Homeschool Newsletter, November 2005 (Oklahoma Edition)
Index:
What's
New on the Oklahoma Homeschool Website?
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Oklahoma
History Resources:
1. Hiking the Wichitas, Now You can Find it! by Alan Thode.
A Pocket Guide to hiking in the Wichita Mountains.
This guide is well worth it if you like to hike. All ages.ISBN
1585972592.
2
. I added a Mammoth Coloring Page and Buffalo Coloring Page
to Oklahoma History Online course.
Also some new pictures in the Oil Boom unit showing an oil
well currently being drilled in Edmond and an oil pump.
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Book
Reviews:
1.
Review of Blackline
Maps of World History
by Terri Johnson (Knowledge Quest). This resource
will help you teach the geography of the world to your children
in grades 1-12. You can use it as a stand-alone map study,
along with a unit study, or as a supplement to a textbook.
There are four books available: The Ancients (5000 BC - 400
AD), The Middle Ages (400-1600), The New World (1600-1850),
and The Modern World (1850-2004). The complete set includes
lesson plans and maps that cover the time period from 5000
BC to 2004 and permission is given individual purchasers to
reproduce the maps for noncommercial, individual use.
The
lesson plans include instructions for completing the map exercises
and several questions to answer. Your children may have to
research the answers in an atlas, a history book, or on the
Internet. Doing so will help them learn important information
about the country or historical event being studied. As Terri
says in her book, "It only makes sense to study geography
alongside history. In history, we learn about times, places,
and people. Each aspect of historical study is important in
its own right, but they cannot be studied exclusively of one
another. For example, when you study the Norman Conquests,
you learn that it took place between 1066 and 1087 AD and
that it was the Normans of France who crossed the English
Channel to conquer Britain. After reading about this event
in history, why not have the student look at a map or globe
to find out where it took place? Better yet, have him label
and color a map drawn specifically of that region and for
that time period in history. When children have visual cues,
it helps to cement fact into their minds."
I
LOVE the CD version! It includes everything in the book version,
but is in pdf format. (You will need the latest version of
Acrobat Reader to use it. This is free software that you can
download off the Internet.) What I love about the CD is that
it is convenient and stores easily. You simply insert the
CD, open the file to the Index, click on the chapter you want
to study, and you're instantly there! Now, you can print out
the lesson plan and the maps you need for the day's lesson
and then put the CD back on the shelf. How easy can it get?!
For
those of you who like to put together your own course of study,
this resource is a must! It will go exceptionally well with
The Checklist.
It's in timeline sequence, as is The Checklist.
As you cover the history portion of The Checklist,
you can use this resource for your children's map studies.
After they complete their study, check it off on The
Checklist as a record of what your children have
covered.
I highly recommend this resource! Also available from Knowledge
Quest is Blackline
Maps of American History which includes 80 maps
of US history (America's founding and development) as well
as historical maps that depict battles and expansion, etc.
and state maps which include capital, date of statehood, state
bird and flower, and other important facts. I haven't seen
this one, but it should be just as well done.
2.
Review of The Elements. Most
homeschool moms that I know are not particularly fond of teaching
science. I guess it's a girl thing! But today, there are so
many great resources that make teaching science easier that
it should become more and more "girl" friendly!
Here's one of those resources: The Elements published by EDGEucation
Publishing. This resource is a fun way to teach your children
about the 109 elements. Your children will be introduced to
each element through a funny character to color and a short
bio. The workbook includes test sheets and stickers to reinforce
what is learned. A great introduction to the elements for
all ages. Also available is The Elements Flash Cards. Colorful
flash cards help children to memorize the names and facts
about each of the 109 elements. For more info, check out their
website at: http://www.edgeucationpublishing.com/
or email: EDGEucationPublishing@coxinet.net.
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Teaching
Without Textbooks:
1.
Log It. Log It helps motivate kids to become, and
remain physically active, by allowing them to log their daily
physical activity steps or miles. In addition to recording
their steps or miles, they can participate in a virtual hike
across the USA with their class, be involved in class competitions
vs. other classes, set daily goals, view their own personal
step log, and compare their steps with other kids of the same
age and gender. Teachers can print certificates for their
students. To enroll or for more info: http://www.peclogit.org/logit.asp
2.
U.S. States Flash Cards (pdf document): http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf-JAVA/actCtrAttach/c00453179.pdf
3.
Free Christmas Unit
by Cindy Downes.
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Free
Forms:
1.
History & Science Unit Planning Form - works
especially with with The Checklist but can be used with any
scope and sequence. Plot your history and science units on
this form that covers 1-12th grade. Keep in your portfolio
as a handy guide to what topics you have covered and what
topics you need to cover.
2.
This is the time of year you need to remember this form for
your friends who are thinking of homeschooling: Should
I Homeschool - simple test
To
access these forms, go to: http://www.oklahomahomeschool.com/forms.html.
Scroll down the list to the appropriate title. You must have
the free Acrobat Reader software (available at www.adobe.com)
installed to print these forms.
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The
Checklist & Multi-Level Teaching:
1.
If you would like to see the notes from my Shawnee workshop
- Homeschooling Simplified, you can download
a pdf version from this page: http://www.oklahomahomeschool.com/speaking.html
or directly by clicking on: http://www.oklahomahomeschool.com/Shawnee.pdf
2.
Are you doing a Dinosaur Unit? Try some of these dinosaur
activities/books on your boys (and girls). http://www.oklahomahomeschool.com/dinosaurUnit.html
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Internet
Resources:
1.
Book Activity Ideas: This is great! A list of activities
to do while reading children's book. Books are listed by grade
level. http://www.theteachersguide.com/bookactivities.html
2.
60 Ways to Practice Spelling - I love this! http://teachers.net/gazette/DEC02/spelling.html
or http://www.meridianschools.org/schools/elementary/Silver-Sage-Elementary/elementary-news/336/
Please
feel free to forward this on to anyone who may be interested
in subscribing. 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 2005
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 Oklahoma Homeschool.com.
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Have
a great day!
Cindy
--------------------------------------------------------
Cindy
Downes
OKLAHOMA
HOMESCHOOL
Website:
http:www.oklahomahomeschool.com
Email:
cindy@oklahomahomeschool.com
Cindy's
Blog: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/EmptyNestMom
Oklahoma
Blog: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Oklahoma/
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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