Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Premier's Reading Challenge

The link for this is as follows:

https://products.schools.nsw.edu.au/prc/rules.html

Introduction to Spalding Webinar

http://homeschoolblogger.com/webinar/homeschooling-teaching-a-love-of-reading/

This link is purely for my own reference purposes. I would love to teach my six year old the 'Writing Road to Reading' and intend on doing the ten hour online homeschoolers course.

Friday, July 9, 2010

Compare Prices of Books - Great Site!!!

The designer of this site says:
"Booko is a site with a very simple goal - to find the cheapest place to buy books & DVDs in Australia. This site started out as a personal itch and has slowly grown into a very handy site, slowly adding more shops for comparison and more features to make it easier to use."

Have a look here:

http://www.booko.com.au/

Enjoy!!!

Friday, April 2, 2010

What Captain is Reading

His growing list:

March 2010
Five Children and It, by Edith Nesbit
The Phoenix and the Carpet, by Edith Nesbit
The Story of the Amulet, by Edith Nesbit

April 2010
Astreix Omnibus
Pannikin and Pinta by Colin Thiele
almost the whole series of Geronimo Stilton

May/June 2010
Kingdom series by Chuck Black:
Kingdom's Dawn
Kingdom's Hope
Kingdom's Edge
Kingdom's Call
Kingdom's Quest
Kingdom's Reign

Captain says: I like it because its set in medieval times with many sword battles and its based on bible stories.

The First Deltora Quest series by Emily Rodda:
The Forests of Silence
The Lake of Tears
City of the Rats
The Shifting Sands
Dread Mountain
The Maze of the Beast
The Valley of the Lost
Return to Del

Captain says: I like it because they find gems for a belt that keeps
Deltora safe from the Shadow Lord.

Dragons in our Midst series by Bryan Davis:
Raising Dragons book 1
The Candlestone book 2
Circles of Seven book 3
Tears of a Dragon book 4

Captain says: I like the two people that have dragon powers so they are fully dragon and fully human - they call them anthrozils. Billy is able to breathe fire and Bonnie has wings.

The Second Deltora Quest series by Emily Rodda:
Cavern of the Fear
The Isle of Illusion
The Shadowlands

Captain says: I like how they go to the Shadowland Arena and they look for the pirran pipe. Pirra is now the Shadowlands.

Captain and his dad want The Deltora Quest to be made into a movie...they love it.

July 2010
Gone-Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright
Return to Gone-Away by Elizabeth Enright

Captain says: Both books are really exciting because they found lots of old houses and they got to live in one. And then they get to see some people who used to live there when it was a lake - but now its a swamp.

Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

Captain says so far: I'm enjoying reading it because he goes and lives on an island, and find some murderers.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Fully Rely on God

I am hoping every day to do this, in everything I do.

I'm so amazed at the way the Lord works all around us.

Looking into a microscope and glimpsing wonders beyond what we normally see, shows me how great God is. He created stuff that the naked eye can't see, for His own sheer pleasure.

How did He create language for instance? After studying phonics and grammar, and seeing some of the 'roots' of our language is again getting out the magnifying glass on what God has created, revealing how intricate and wonderfully it has been put together. WOW. Only God could work out how the giant puzzle of languages fits together.

This gives me hope. It helps me realise that God is interested in our lives and the minute details going on within our hearts and minds. Thank you Lord.

I have just finished reading Treasures of the Snow to my 6yo dd. The author, Patricia M St John prompts the reader to open their door to God - or rather open up their lives to Him. I love the book, as it gets into heart issues and is especially encouraging little ones to make a commitment to the Lord.

My daughter said yesterday that her teacher really cares for her class, because she said if anyone would like to open their hearts to Jesus, who hasn't yet, then please come and see her and she would pray with them. My daughter came home and made a card which has on the cover...

I opin my dor for you Jesus

And on the inside...

Dere God I pray that in wat eva I do I mak you happy amen.
I Love you so much Jesus. I opin my dor for you Jesus.

I am so thankful. I asked her if she had recently opened her 'door' to Jesus, and she said, no, that she did about a year ago, and that she opens it every day to Him.

This same teacher encouraged all the parents to pray for our children, because prayer does work!

And again yesterday, a lovely home schooling mother phoned and reminded me that it was the Lord who was responsible for the children's education. I need to rest in Him, that He has it all worked out down to the intricate details.

Trust and obey Him. And pray. Because prayer DOES work! Pray, pray, and pray some more!

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Map Work Idea

I have this idea from Dianne in Texas...
She uses:
http://www.worksheetworks.com/
Here you can print out a map with labels and also a blank one.
She says:
Right now, we are doing the oceans. I have one world map printed out that labels the oceans only and one map that is blank. I just have them copy the oceans on their blank map by looking at the labeled map. We do that once a week. After a few weeks, I will take away the labeled map and they will have to fill out their blank map from memory. I will continue this with continents, states, countries, etc. and build on what they've already done. So, hopefully, one day they will know the world map from memory!

Thursday, March 18, 2010

How Do I Choose the Right Children's Book?

Jeanne has put together a great list for us on the fourth issue of Literacy Lava. Scroll down to page 7 and you will find a great list of resources on the right hand side for your search.
Thanks Jeanne!

http://www.susanstephenson.com.au/Literacy_Lava.html

For example:
Ambleside Online
1000 Good Books List
Simply Charlotte Mason

and more!

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Children Learn What They Live

If a child lives with criticism,
She learns to condemn.
If a child lives with hostility,
She learns to fight.
If a child lives with ridicule,
She learns to be shy.
If a child lives with shame,
She learns to feel guilty.

If a child lives with tolerance,
She learns to be patient.
If a child lives with encouragement,
She learns confidence.
If a child lives with praise,
She learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with fairness,
She learns justice.
If a child lives with security,
She learns to have faith.
If a child lives with approval,
She learns to like herself.
If a child lives with acceptance,
and friendship, she learns
to find love in the world.

Author Unknown

Learning the Books of the Bible Made Fun!

Monday, January 25, 2010

Learning French

I read a while ago now about some homeschoolers who had been learning French with Rosetta Stone, and were surprised at how little it prepared them for actually living in France. They have since found (whilst living there) a couple of ideas which have really helped them:

http://www.biendire.com

and

http://www.speakalanguage.com/french-speak-in-a-week.html

We may try this out ourselves!

Tea Parties

I love Juanita's idea (which she posted on a Yahoo group for AmbleRamble or Ambleside Online)-

"We started having "tea time" in the afternoons instead of snack time.

Besides having the tea, talking with each other, and trying extra hard to be polite...I read poetry, and turn on classical music. I am going to add a narration from each of them, and post our artist prints beside the table..."

We'll give this idea a go this term,too! Sounds so lovely.