High school math OnTheRoad

C18 uses Math-U-See for Algebra2, but when we go on a road trip, he takes a break from Steve Demme's videos and workbook, and instead uses his free Khan Academy account to watch videos and do online math exercises.

Our road trips are usually 2-4 weeks in length. Homeschool continues on the road, though most subjects, like math, happen differently.

With four kids in the van, every cubic inch of space counts. Our family is more comfortable along the ride if we minimize the stuff we bring, so even three math books and a DVD usually get left at home. His iPad and my wireless hot spot are already coming with, so C17 doesn't need any extra supplies for math. 

For about 45-60 minutes each day of roadschooling, usually on a boring stretch of highway, he can get in some math practice and pick up where he left off with Math-U-See when we return home.

Last Fall he was still wrapping up Algebra 1 when the school year began, so he needed a new plan to cram Geometry into three months. In order to be ready for the SAT on May 4, we agreed he must begin Algebra 2 the first of January. With no time to waste, he used Khan Academy to complete Geometry, and I only added two "math lab" sessions at the kitchen table each week.

Our most recent week-long road schooling session was in DC, and he spent most of the van ride each way and the little kids' nap time each day to watch Geometry videos and answer online math problems on Khan Academy.

For our next road trip, he'll simply take a Math-U-See break and schedule 45-60 minutes each day on the road to continue reviewing Algebra 1 and 2 skills online. 

A day at President Andrew Jackson's estate

A year ago I hoped that our family could wrap up Year 3 of the Tapestry of Grace history cycle with a trip out West. In April, my wish came true! Our first stop was the estate of our country's 7th president, Andrew Jackson.

At the end of this post I have included 7 tips for visiting The Hermitage with kids.

The museum is full of artifacts, and the big boys swooned over all the swords and coins.

The garden I enjoyed the most. There are signs posted throughout the property with numbers you can enter on the audio device (included with admission) to hear stories and facts. A4 was delighted to press the numbers himself and listen to the kids version, hosted by Poll the parrot.

C17 and N17 did the house tour without the little ones and me; I'm just not brave enough to take a wiggly toddler and preschooler inside the historic building. The little ones had plenty to explore while their big brothers participated in the guided house tour. 

7 Tips for visiting The Hermitage with kids:

Get there early (or buy online) and book the horse-drawn carriage ride right away. Otherwise, if your kids spot the wagon tour and want to ride, you'll have to walk back to the visitor center to buy tickets and probably wait a couple hours for the next available ride. We arrived about 30 minutes after the estate opened and booked the wagon tour when I bought admission tickets, and the first wagon tour available was at 11:30am, which worked perfect for us! The tour is $11, but kids under 5 ride free. 

Save your money on the upgraded "Presidents Tour" admission package. We didn't try the multimedia tour, so I can't comment on its value, but the audio tour included with the "Generals Tour" was plenty for us.

Pack lunch. There is an on-site dining option, which is probably a good choice as well, but the picnic tables were conveniently located next to the Visitor Center. 

Wear a hat or sunscreen if you go on the wagon ride. The wagon is uncovered and mostly in the sun. The breezy ride is pleasant, but sunburns, not so much. 

Use your AAA card to save on admission. 

Interact with the student interpreters. A school group was participating in a field trip, and pairs of costumed students were stationed throughout the grounds with scripted facts to share about Jackson and the estate. 

Plan to stay for 4 hours or more. 

Cool Andrew Jackson items from Amazon (affiliate links):

On the roads for less: Dinner on the road

We are part-time road schoolers, averaging two month-long treks and a handful of smaller trips each school year.

On the road, staying healthy, sane and on budget is just as important as it is at home. But, restaurant food is often overloaded with fat, sugar and salt. I'm all for the occasional splurge, but three restaurant meals a day won't work. So what do we do?

We often eat dinner in the hotel room. I say often, because sometimes we will eat an early dinner at a restaurant, like we did at Christiana Campbell's Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, but it's just too much work to keep the wiggly little ones still for a leasurely restaurant meal at the end of a big day. At the end of the day, I'm usually tired! So, we pick up frozen dinners that can be microwaved (a like Annie's Broccoli Cheddar Bake or an Evol bowl) and a bag salad, sometimes bread or fruit, and eat at the hotel. The little ones can wiggle all they want, and after dinner we can get on with R1 and A4's bedtime routine just like we do at home.

How do you do dinner on the road?

Last Child in the Woods & EE Week

I've been reading Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder. Have you heard about this book by Richard Louv?

I've been meaning to read this guide for some time; when I heard about it a few years back, I only skimmed a paperback copy while drinking a hazelnut latte at Barnes & Noble.



It's easy to think about nature and going outdoors this time if year, isn't? When the weather is glorious, when tomatoes need to be planted, when flowers start blooming... It's easy to say, "kids, lets go outside."

Just being outside has value, enormous value, no matter what we are doing... Playing with sticks, looking at clouds, walking across rocks...

Still, how can we as homeschoolers spend more time outside, educating our children? That's the question I was trying to answer early, early this morning when I skipped to the back of the book and looked at item #73 on Louv's list of "100 Actions We Can Take." Three website links are given under "green the K-12 curricula," and I will share these with you now.

How to involve Dad in your homeschool

A few months ago we discovered that history was the easiest subject for my husband to get involved with our homeschool, and we figured out the best tool to help him!

When planning for this school year, I figured that the most natural subject for him to do with C16 would be government. He enjoys learning about the topic, and knowledge about governments near and far, old and new will of course aid in understanding of current events. He and C16 already "talked politics," so I was so sure my plan was a good one! All he would have to do is skim the weekly Government Studies reading assignments that Tapestry of Grace assigns for C16, read the teacher's notes then hold a discussion. Sounds easy, right? Well, doing this regularly didn't work with my husband's irregular schedule, and he finds little time to sit down and read. 

The good news is, homeschooling is adaptable! My plan fizzled, then something even better took its place.

On The Road for Less: 8 tips

Here are eight tips for taking your homeschool on the road for less... less money and less stress:

1 Attend homeschool days
So many attractions, from museums to theme parks to historical sites offer special homeschool days throughout the year. These days often have extra activities and, almost always, deep discounts.

2 Use those museum memberships
ASTC (science centers), AZA and other groups have negotiated free or reduced admission for their members across the country, and sometimes internationally. We've often made turned these attractions into brief stops when traveling. For example, on the road to Legoland we usually stop at the Jacksonville Zoo to stretch our legs and take a break from driving along I-95. During cold or rainy weather pick an indoor attraction, like Dayton's Boonshoft Museum of Discovery, which was another diversion for us. Make the most of those memberships!

3 Coffeepot oatmeal
Free breakfasts are usually junk, but we still gobble up the whole fruit and oatmeal. If there isn't a free breakfast at your hotel, pack oatmeal to make in the coffee cups using hot water from your coffee maker.

Shopping at my first homeschool conference

I came home from my first ever homeschool convention road-trip with new friends made, ideas, to-do items and just a few purchases from the expo.

While it's entirely possible to homeschool for free or next to free, I just love buying curriculum. Some people have a shoe problem; I have a curriculum problem. If I won the MegaMillions jackpot, I would probably still drive my van with over 100,000 miles on it, but I would go on an enormous curriculum and school supply shopping spree. Then I'd need more storage shelves and cabinets. Then... Well... Maybe going overboard on school materials just isn't a good idea, regardless of funds.

Here's what I bought:

Math Detective A1 from The Critical Thinking Company
Though I didn't save much money buying it from the tradeshow booth, I did have a chance to meet a rep from The Critical Thinking Company who was extremely helpful. He recommended this series, and I'm excited to try it soon. We used Balance Math recently and even my husband and I worked out the problems. It might have gotten competitive...

Numbers from my first day of my first homeschool conference

Denim jumpers spotted: Zero 

Minutes A3 played quietly during the hour-long session he had to attend with me: 60 (Victory!!! Thank you "play foam," Kumon cutting workbook and lollipops!)

Dollars spent: Just $18, on a workbook from The Critical Thinking Company booth (10% off and, obviously, no shipping fees!)

Miles walked: Lots! I'm glad I wore comfortable shoes!

Nice families met: Tons! Everyone has been extremely polite and gracious. What a nice bunch to be around. 

Shots of espresso in my pre-convention Starbucks drink: 4

5 Field Trip Picks for Baseball Unit Study

Back when A3's first birthday was approaching, my dad was sent on a business trip to Louisville. My mom, on summer break from teaching, was talked into going along. When she said she was heading to the Louisville Slugger Museum, I shared that I had been wishing to take the boys there someday and made a request. I asked her to get our littlest guy a keepsake personalized bat for his first birthday gift (because, really, how many toys does a baby need?). She loved the idea and on his first birthday, he got the gift I hope he will keep forever: a good ole American-made tee-ball-sized baseball bat, complete with his name engraved on the end.

He was playing with it yesterday, and this reminded me that opening day is fast approaching for baseball season.

Before the twins were adopted I researched our school options and gobbled up so many books about education, including a best-selling book by Rafe Esquith: Lighting Their Fires. Among many other inspiring things, the author explained how any why he teaches his students about baseball. His point of view was compelling, and I jumped in and created a unit study for my twins, age 13 at the time.



Our oldest boys are definitely not athletes. If you ask them what their favorite sport is, they'll say "fishing." All things sport were foreign to them, and I wanted them to share a bit of my husband's enthusiasm for the all American pastime.

Our unit study was beefy and thorough - from the physics of the game, to scoring, to Jackie Robinson, to the locations of each MLB team; we consumed all things baseball for about two months. My boys never were inspired to the point that they wanted to join a team, but they were absolutely captivated when we finally did make it to the Louisville Slugger Museum for ourselves. Today little A3 is curious about the sport, an interest I'll jump on through library books, attending a minor league game and playing tee-ball in the back yard. This month if his curiosity keeps up, I'll teach him "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" and do some themed crafts and snacks. When he's older and an official student, I'll pull out more of my notes and items from our 2011 unit study.

 If you're inspired to bring a bit baseball into your homeschool, I'll share some resources over the next few weeks.

 For now, here's a sampling of baseball-inspired field trip ideas:


The Louisville Slugger Museum in Louisville, Kentucky
When we went in 2011 I spent most of my time chasing a toddler, but it definitely will be a trip to repeat.

The Shoeless Joe statue and Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum in Greenville, South Carolina
What a great story, and a reminder that being a terrific athlete isn't about having the best gear or flashiest uniforms.

Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York
I need to plan a road trip for this one!

Turner Field in Atlanta, Georgia
 Go for a game or just enjoy a guided stadium tour.

Field of Dreams in Dubuque County, Iowa
This one's on my wish list for a trip along the Mississippi River. BYO ball and bat.

If none of these are close by, just head to your local ball field next month and watch any given Little League game for free. Cheer on whoever is up to bat and encourage your kids to try and keep score.

 Have you studied baseball in your homeschool? I'd love to read your ideas! Leave a comment or join the LinkUp below.

  PS You can still enter to win a little SAT prep giveaway until the end of March!

An InLinkz Link-up

The best place to learn about caves is...

... Well, inside a cave, of course!

My original plan was to visit the famous Luray Caverns during a trip through the picturesque Shenandoah Valley, but discovered another nearby option through an Internet search: Grand Caverns.

We left our hotel with a plan to arrive around when the attraction opened at 10am (9am during the summer months) and I'm glad we did. The "Grand Caverns" are located inside a state park, and I wish we had planned even more time to explore the park's trails and, if it had been summer, I would have enjoyed the bargain-priced public outdoor pool ($4 per person 3 and up).

The tour begins up a hill inside a small museum (dated, not flashy, but my crew of boys enjoyed it) then a knowledgable guide gathers any tour guests on the hour. Courtesy jackets were available for anyone who forgot one because it is a chilly 54 degrees under ground!

Our guided journey, just over an hour in length, went far beyond the "this is a stalactite" and "this is a stalagmite" speech that I was expecting. Our guide was perfect, but the caverns themselves are absolutely captivating.

"Mommy I want to do cutting" Scissors Skills for the Little Ones

A focus for the early years is building fine motor skills, and for A3, using scissors is his favorite way to practice! 

Sometimes I will draw a simple shape on cosntruction paper for him to cut out, or he will cut strips of paper to weave or make into a garland. He'll also make confetti-like pieces to glue on art work instead of coloring or painting. But, by far, these Kumon Workbooks are the easiest way to go! 

This one, Kumon Let's Cut Paper! Food Fun, is his second cutting workbook. Some pages become puzzles, or interactive games (like the pan full of popcorn to open and close) and others get taped together to reveal a larger picture. "Daddy, I made you a hot dog!" 

I keep the workbook in a gallon-sized bag with his safety scissors and tape, so it's roadtrip-ready.

 This can also be an easy, low-mess activity for a waiting room or restaurant table. 

Our trip to Sochi, I mean, Atlanta

Going to Sochi wasn't a possibility for us, and honestly not something I want to tackle with a newborn and a 3-year-old! However, we did visit a past Olympics host City: Atlanta, Georgia.

If you want a taste of the Olympics beyond keeping your television set to NBC, I have several ideas to share!

In 1996, Atlanta hosted the summer games, and there are two excellent Olympics attractions remaining: Centennial Olympic Park and the Atlanta History Center's Centennial Olympics Games Museum.