In with the new...

Well, I'm finally, finally FINALLY, finished with my EMT training. It seemed like it took forever! Our homeschooling was pretty much put on hold for the last 4 months - we would do school like once a week, or a few worksheets here or there....but with my having to focus so totally on the training, plus work, it was just too much......so starting Monday we're starting the 'year' over again. The kids have been 2 to 3 grades ahead of their peers anyway, so no biggie.

The boys are excited to start school again - mainly because Santa brought them cool electronics that will make HS even more fun then normal! DJ got a Nintendo DS - for which I made sure we got a Spelling and a Geography game. Xman got both an VTech EReader and a Leapster Explorer. So the EReader (and let me say how wrong it is that he has an e-reader when I haven't gotten a Kindle yet!!) will help make him more comfortable with reading aloud - as he gets shy in front of anyone other than I. The Leapster Explorer I made sure to get a spelling and another geography so both kids can utilize their 'toys' for the same subjects. Although the Explorer is pretty awesome as you can get these great educational downloads (as you can hook the Explorer up to your computer) so even the most 'non' educational seeming game is really educational...if that makes sense..lol! For instance, he got a Ben 10 game from his Grandma....I thought it was just a silly game but then he was playing it today and came to interrupt me telling me "DNA comes in chromosome pairs!" (Not bad for a 6 y/o!) Then later he came and told me that the Sahara was the hottest desert in the world! LOL. So, I highly recommend the Explorer.

Now we can get back on track. The kids know that they'll have twice the work at first to get caught up on our curriculum, but they are still excited. We'll see how long that lasts!

The Real 1st Thanksgiving

One of my HS mom's pointed me toward this great link. Let your child become the historian - pulling together historical facts in order to compile an accurate idea of the 1st Thanksgiving


Plymouth.Org

Contraction Practice

One of my mom's asked me for some links or games to help her child practice doing contractions. Here are some fun ones I've come up with!


Contraction Pages
Contraction Quiz
Treasure Trove
Teacher Ideas
Working with Contractions
K - 2 Contraction Games
Fly By Contractions
Contraction Concentration Game
Spelling City

New Foreign Language Resource

OMG -- you know how I'm always searching for resources, well another HS mama just pointed me in the direction of this great webpage!

Know It All

New Site

Alright, if you have an older child and want some online courses for History, Religion, American Government, Psychology, Science (physics, environmental sciences & biology), and Math (algebra, calculus & statistics) - then you HAVE to Check out -

www.hippocampus.org

Creatiity

I have to say one of the most common things I hear from new or perspective HS mom's is, "But I'm not really creative!"I love setting a pile of junk on the floor in front of the kids and telling them to go to town creating whatever strikes their fancy. Here's a site that helps kids with creating automobiles!!

East Toy Car Making Crafts for Kids

Kids Know It

Check out this great site another HS mom told me about - thousands of free educational games and matl's


kidsknowit