Getting dinner on the table after a homeschool day

Getting dinner on the table is easy with this cookbook!

I first heard about this cookbook from The Minimal Mom, and immediately went to my library's app to reserve a copy. Unfortunately, I was number 146 on the wait list so I went ahead and bought it on Kindle. Wow, was this book worth the price!




Cook Once Eat All Week gives you three easy and flavorful dishes that can be prepped in about an hour once a week.

Tonight we're having a baked dish with a base of polenta that is topped with kale, then shredded beef and topped with caramelized onions. Yum! This is our third round of using Week 15 of this cookbook. A total of 26 "weeks" are included, but I prefer to have some repeats!

What about modifying these recipes for a hot homeschool lunch? This week we took the Barbacoa-Stuffed Poblanos (we substituted green bell peppers) and split it into two pans, which is the perfect portion for two homeschool lunches. We ate one pan on Tuesday and another today.

Curious about my new favorite cookbook? Click here to get a printed copy or digital copy on Amazon. 

How do you handle meal planning as homeschoolers? I'd love to hear your suggestions in the comments!

What we're reading May 2017

We're wrapping up A6's kindergarten year and preparing for the next roadschooling adventure, so our library pickings are slimmer than usual. I only have 27 items checked out right now, and here are some of our favorite picks:

Nadia, The Girl Who Couldn't Sit Still and Peanut Butter and Cupcake

There's a school teacher in Montana who blogs about her 1st and 2nd grade classroom; I check out her blog every few weeks and get terrific ideas! Her class had "March Book Madness," which I didn't notice until May, but the book recommendations were still helpful! We checked out these two picture books: one is a biography of Nadia Comaneci and the other is a silly tale where peanut butter and jelly finally find each other at the end (please click on the book cover images below; these affiliate links help support our church preschool).







Thornton Burgess' The Bird Book for Children

Somehow I came across a science curriculum from Simply Charlotte Mason (not an affliate link; I just really am excited about this book!) that uses two Thornton Burgess titles as a spine. How did I not know about Thornton Burgess until now? Have I been hiding under a rock? Now that I have been informed, it feels like his name is everywhere! Usually in May I like to preview some resources that we'll use during the upcoming school year, so I read aloud the first two chapters this week. I learned something about wrens and the kids are captivated!






Ed Emberly's Wings on a Flea, A Book About Shapes

This book came in a kit from the library about two-dimensional shapes; we also got some shape bean bags (diamond, square, hexaon, circle, rectangle).

What are you reading this month in your homeschool?

What we're reading now

We're gearing up for a week of road-schooling, so this is probably the first time I haven't used up all my library hold allowances (our library system lets us put up to 15 books on hold at a time) in a long time. We're reading the rest of what we have checked out to return before our trip; some books and audio books will join us for the journey.

Here are some of the highlights from last week:

If I Ran the Horse Show
I'm glad I bought this book on Amazon instead of borrowing it from the library, because it will take us a while to learn all the horse facts it includes. Oh, how little I knew about horses! There are seven of these Cat In The Hat science books on our bookshelf, and all have been terrific so far. I am using these books as "spines" for A5's kindergarten science plan.

 

The History of Counting
I heard about this picture book on one of Pam Barnhill's podcasts. It's a great read, and I'm learning alongside the boys. The pages have many words, so even though it's only 45 pages long, I think it will take us two weeks to read it.

 

BOB Books Set 3
A5 sure does love these easy readers. I plan to continue through all of the sets.


 

 Count on Math
This math guide for teachers of kids ages 3-7 is one I revisit frequently. I want to get more deliberate with R2's early education as he gets closer to his 3rd birthday. It's good for me to re-read this and plan for R2. The first eight weeks or so for him will be about exploration of materials.



This is My Home, This is My School The hilarious illustrations make this book such a worthwhile read. I think this is a good one to bring out every year as friends go "back to school" to celebrate how our family chooses to educate.



Those are the highlights from last week. More to come!

Summer Reading 2

The kids are tracking as many reading minutes as possible for our library's summer reading program. It's the final week of the program, and our bin full of library books is overflowing. Here's a link to some of what we read last week.

Here are some books we are enjoying this week:

How Do Apples Grow?

On a whim I bought one unit of Deana Jump's Guiding Readers on TPT. We're skipping to the fourth book, How Do Apples Grow?, and will read it as much as he wants before we go apple picking in a couple of weeks.





The Snatchabook

The kids picked this out themselves, and it was an entertaining bedtime read.





School Bugs

Our librarian gave this book to A5 since he is starting kindergarten, and the pop ups really are impressive! Am I the only mom who is scared to buy pop up books? The only one I have is What Makes a Rainbow, but the paper pop-ups don't seem like they'd hold up around R2.





The Green Ember

We're finally starting this book that, it seems, everyone is talking about. I'm reading a chapter at a time to C18 and N18.





Fast-To-The-Freezer Cookbook

I'm re-reading this book of make-ahead meals. This week I have plans to make three of her recipes. I haven't done a freezer cooking session all summer and I'm completely out of freezer meals!



Those are some of our library and Amazon picks for the week. It's almost time for traditional schools to start back in our area, so we'll be adventuring more to our favorite parks and museums as the weather cools and crowds shrink.

Summer Reading

The kids are tracking as many reading minutes as possible for our library's summer reading program. It's awfully hot outside this month, so we're going outside in the morning and evenings. The middle of the day is for playing with wooden trains, painting, and snuggling on the couch for read alouds. Here are some books we are enjoying this week:

You are a Lion And Other Fun Yoga Poses

R2 loves to act out books as we read, and that's encouraged with this beautifully-illustrated book. Easy yoga poses are compared to animals, and I enjoyed participating with the boys as I read aloud. 

Henri's Scissors

This was on my list of books to borrow from the library, but I don't remember where the recommendation came from! The story of Henri Matisse is one I didn't know, and now we are eager to learn more about him. Warning: have scissors and construction paper ready. Kids are sure to be inspired to create their own art after reading this story book. 

Press Here

This one never gets old! This is my new favorite book to give to little kids for their birthday. 

100 Cupboards

The big boys, C18 and N18, are listening to this audiobook and already ordered the next in the series. 

Bb and Dd reversal

Handwriting without Tears (and All About Spelling) uses strategies to help prevent Bb and add reversals, but A5 still sometimes gets them mixed up. Since he's not yet ready for AAS, we're supplementing our favorite handwriting program with an iPad app called BD Bakeoff. 

Oh is this game fun! 

There is a practice activity where b, d, p and q get put away in their correct kitchen cupboards. 

Then two players can compete to build the best looking cake by tapping the correct letter (choose b, p, d and q) and the fast pace makes for great drilling. 

Two kids focusing on different letters can till compete, choosing their own letter or "cake."

The sound effects are slightly annoying now, but not to A5. He finds the bakers comments hilarious. And he's improved the Dd/Bb reversal in a short amount of time. 

Search for BD Bakeoff By Teacher Tipster in the App Store. These strategies from All About Spelling can also help. His big brothers use AAS. Even though A5 isn't ready to begin All About Spelling level one, their website is a terrific resource for free articles and ideas about common spelling and reading struggles. 

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. 

Planning for a new TOG unit (Year 4 Unit 3)

We are wrapping up week 18 and I'm still trying to carve out quiet blocks of time for planning. Each unit of Tapestry of Grace gets easier to prepare, now that we have completed Year 1 (Ancient Times), Year 2 (Middle Ages), Year 3 (the 1800's) and soon the first half of Year 4 (1900-today). 

I'll post more about how I plan a unit of TOG later, but for now, here's my favorite way to print the Teacher's Guide. Since I also use my iPad to view Teacher's Notes each week, I only print the "Threads" pages and Reading Assignments pages. I print two pages on each sheet of paper and staple each Week separately. In this photograph I'm just getting started, highlighting items and making notes (about ways to involve A5 and R2, field trip ideas, resources that can be added).  

Tapestry of Grace, self-described as an educational "buffet," can seem daunting, with thorough Teacher's Notes and assignment suggestions for all four learning levels. I'm glad to discover this curriculum as a digital edition, without those 4" binders I've seen other moms use! Printing just the "threads" and reading assignment pages, and viewing the rest online or on the iPad, makes planning a little easier for me. 

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?

Hatching dinosaur eggs

We can now add dinosaurs to the list of things A4 is obsessed with: super heroes, his tire swing and pirates.

He's learning that dinosaurs were reptiles, and reptiles hatch from eggs. He acts this out by putting himself inside a cardboard box, making squeaky sounds then "hatching out" of the box. 

We also did an activity at a children's museum where kids "hatch" dinosaurs out of eggs.

Really it's just water frozen inside a balloon with a miniature plastic dinosaur stuffed inside. The balloon helps keep an egg-like shape in the freezer, then I just cut open the balloon and put the ball of ice in a bowl. 

He uses salt and warm water to melt the ice away and collect the miniature dinosaur. Obviously this isn't really how an animal would hatch but it's fun for him. He's done it about a dozen times in the last few weeks at home. 

How do you do All About Spelling?

When I first considered using All About Spelling, I looked at approximately 3,258 blogs to see how other families stored and used the letter tiles that are a big component of the spelling program. So many great ideas are out there! Many moms use 2' by 3' marker boards (link to AAS tips about marker boards), either permanently or temporarily on their walls. Others use sheet metal with a decorative frame, or even an oil drip pan.

These are all wonderful ways to use the letter tiles, but right now I just didn't want to buy any new stuff to put on the walls.

So, I just used my fridge. 

The letter tiles are obviously magnetic, so this works well. 

But, you're probably wondering how we write on my black fridge. 

Being able to practice words with a dry erase marker isn't mandatory for the AAS program, but it is helpful. I have two solutions! 

The magnetic sentence strips I bought from Rainbow Resources, but a similar product is available on Amazon. 

The neon dry erase markers were purchased from Amazon. Little A4 uses these same bright, chubby markers to color and practice writing letters on the lower part of the fridge. 

If you're wondering what letter tiles are, please visit the All About Spelling site. They'll explain he The letter tiles are a key component of the Interactive Spelling Kit.

How have you set up your All About Spelling letter tiles? Please share your link below!

This site contains affiliate links. 

Preparing for a new year of homeschooling

What to do about all the old curriculum materials... That's the big topic this week in my homeschool supply closet!

Here are some options for getting rid of old books and homeschool materials to prepare for the new year:

1: Send a message about items for sale to your local homeschool email list

I'm a member of a local Yahoo Group and our group allows us to sell homeschool materials to fellow subscribers. I always post "For Sale" and the item name in the subject line, then post a description in the body. I disclose the condition of the books, that the items are from a non-smoking home and include my email address, so no one accidentally hits the "reply all" button. This can be a great way to make friends with other homeschool families. Several times I have met new homeschool moms who I can encourage, and seasoned homeschool moms who have great ideas to share!

2: Use the Amazon Trade-In Program

You won't always get top dollar for books this way, but it sure is easy! They also pay in my favorite currency: Amazon gift cards. Amazon will pay shipping costs. and you can print the label from home. It's definitely worth looking at what they'll offer for your items, especially older or more obscure titles. Click on this link and enter the exact title of the book you're curious about, and they'll give you an estimate of what it's worth in their Trade-In Program.



3: Post high-value items on EBay

Items that have held a lot of their value, like IEW and Math-U-See, can be good to sell on EBay. The best way to see if your item is worth going to the trouble of posting is to search for similar items. What are they selling for?

4: Bless another homeschool family

If you ask around at church, a homeschool group, or on your local homeschool email group, you're sure to find someone who would love free materials.

5: Attend a curriculum swap

I've only been to one curriculum swap, and some moms got together at a playground and swapped teacher guides, reference books and more at a picnic table while the kids played.

What's for lunch? Homeschool edition

A hot lunch is perk #643 on a list of a thousand reasons why I love homeschooling. Who doesn't love a hot lunch? Now don't be impressed, because I'm not going to any trouble in the kitchen; I'm embracing the crock pot and casserole dish.

Here's a list of my go-to recipes for easy, inexpensive hot lunches at home:

Cheesy Polenta in the crock pot:
This dish is gluten-free for those avoiding gluten, and any leftovers can be stored in the fridge then sliced and heated up in a skillet. Cheesy polenta is good both ways! Top with leftovers from the dinner before,

Breakfast casserole:
This dish is for breakfast, lunch or dinner in my house. I've altered the recipe a dozen ways, adding broccoli or spinach, substituting ground beef for sausage... but I always use a full dozen eggs.

And any other four-hour-or less-crock pot recipe from this book...




Add some veggies with yogurt dip or hummus, and lunch is served!

PSAT just two months away

It's hard to believe August is already here. I'm looking at our calendar and many weekends are already booked through the fall. How did we get so busy? One event that is on the calendar is the PSAT for my 16-year-olds.

PSAT/NMSQT test dates for the next two years are:

• 2014: Wednesday, October 15 and Saturday, October 18
• 2015: Wednesday, October 14 and Saturday, October 17

The PSAT is offered only in October, and since it's inexpensive and easy to find a testing location, it's a test my big boys will take. Some families skip this practice version of the SAT, but my plan is to have the boys take it and then evaluate what they need in orders to prepare for the big test. 

Info for homeschoolers on the College Board site

C16's SAT vocabulary practice 

Khan Academy free SAT prep

I'll let you know how it goes!

An All About Spelling giveaway!

I've been a bad, bad blogger this summer, haven't I? Hopefully this fantastic giveaway link will help you forgive my absence until I add a new post: All About Spelling is hosting a giveaway until August 5.

This multi sensory spelling program is something I wish I had discovered on day one of homeschooling. Click on over and enter their drawing if you like!

C16's 9th grade curriculum 2013-2014

Wrapping up our fourth year of homeschooling, I finally feel ready to share our homeschool curriculum choices and my position on different topics. I didn't want to lead anyone astray before! The truth is that every family is different and the beauty of homeschooling is that we don't all have to agree on the same curriculum, schedules, etc.

C16 has worked hard to get on track to complete high school in 3 more years and begin university studies. For example. In 2010-2011 he completed Gamma, Delta and Epsilon levels of Math-U-See. 

Science - Elemental Science: Biology for the Logic Stage He will take the final test of this 36-week biology program tomorrow. Though it is written for the 6th grade, the author shares ways to make it work for younger and older grades. I beefed up this program to make sure he can earn a high school credit for Biology. 

History, Geography, Literature - Tapestry of Grace We're starting week 22 of Year 2 on Monday. We're a little "off" a normal schedule because I found out about Tapestry of Grace during the middle of a school year and switched. We continued through the summer and will begin Year 3 in late-September. He does the Dialectic assignments and will move to Rhetoric in Year 3. There are so many reasons why I enjoy TOG and would recommend it highly, but I'll just share one feature here: it's so easy to adjust a child's level and workload within the program. You buy the curriculum per 9-week-long or year-long unit, and all four levels (Lower Grammar K-3, Upper Grammar 3-6, Dialectic 6-9 and Rhetoric 9-12) are included. This year he is completing each Government (at the Rhetoric level) and Fine Art. Next year I will probably add in the Writing assignments, or perhaps start incorporating IEW (Institute for Excellence in Writing). 

Math - He is currently on Lesson 24 of Math-U-See Algebra and, while higher level maths are a challenge for him, he only wants to use this program. Steve Demme is a great teacher! He watches the video for a lesson then we both use the teacher guide book when he has questions. 

Writing - This one was our biggest struggle, but each month is easier than the last. He is working through Voyages in English (I bought the program used from a friend) and completes loads of writing assignments for other subjects, like Tapestry of Grace and Biology.

 

Our 2013-2014 curriculum for a 16-year-old playing catch up

Wrapping up our fourth year of homeschooling, I finally feel ready to share our homeschool curriculum choices and my position on different topics. I didn't want to lead anyone astray before! The truth is that every family is different and the beauty of homeschooling is that we don't all have to agree on the same curriculum, schedules, etc.

My dear son N16 is catching up to his same-age peers and I couldn't be more grateful for our right to homeschool. Though some days are tough, I stand by my decision to homeschool him, with no regrets. This was the right move for him. 

He's all over the map with his "grade level" and when someone asks him what grade he's in, it takes him a moment to think before he finally just answers "9th."

I'm not claiming that this is is the exact program I would recommend for any and every 9th grade boy, I'm just sharing what works for him in hopes that it will encourage others who have kids with "special needs."

Science - Elemental Science: Biology for the Logic Stage We're almost through with this 36-week biology program. Though it is written for the 6th grade, the author shares ways to make it work for younger and older grades. I have been very happy with this simple program and I'm glad I bought the teacher guide and two of the consumable Student Guides (for N16 and his twin brother, C16). Each week there is a hands-on experiment or demonstration. Next year we will study earth science and Astronomy; I'm not sure if we will stick with Elemental Science or try another program. I'd love your input!

Why I Don't Loathe Standardized Testing

The words "standardized testing" can fill any mom with dread, but, now that we are homeschoolers, I don't think the big bad end-of-grade tests must be so cringe-worthy!

It seems in traditional schools that end-of-grade tests are the hottest topic for teachers all year long. All. Year. Long. Oh, how I don't envy those teachers!

For me, it's just not a big deal.

I'm paraphrasing here, but C16 shared with me after a homeschool conference session that he attended without me something that made me say "aha!" The speaker compared standardized testing in traditional schools to "the tail wagging the dog" instead of "the dog wagging its tail." Now that analogy makes a lot of sense to me and I agree whole-heartedly.

1. I don't let it consume me, my students or my school.
   Testing takes a couple hours a day for one week a year and that's it. In previous years I had them practice with an inexpensive test prep workbook, but I don't think they need to do that every year.
2. In my state I get to choose the test we take (Iowa Test so far), when we take it (usually July but this year they took it in April) and what grade level to test at.
3. My kids need to learn how to take a test... how to fill in a bubble sheet, how to pace themselves, how to skip a problem that is tricky and come back to it later, how to make a best guess when unsure of an answer... because testing, whether we like it or not, is part of life.
4. I don't want my kids to hate tests... to be afraid of them... to think they aren't good at tests... because, well, why make something miserable when it can be tackled with confidence?
5. I enjoy seeing their progress day to day, year to year, by working alongside them in their schooling, but it's also nice to get an annual core card to see how we are doing.
   I'll admit that I look forward to getting those score sheets back in the mail each year.
6. Test results might reveal strengths and weaknesses that I might overlook.I expected the first round of tests to reveal that my boys were were strongest in science and math, but it turns out that, while they do fine in those subjects, they're rock stars at vocabulary. I don't think my boys and I would have noticed just how much they excel at that one subject if it hadn't been pointed out to me. Spelling, however... well, it's a good thing we discovered All About Spelling to help with that subject!

The PSAT will be on our calendar for October, then the SAT is soon to follow. Drivers license tests will be coming shortly as well. I want to prepare my kids to take an occasional test, but it does not take over our homeschool. 

Testing is not the most important part of my homeschool, but it does matter a little. 

What are your thoughts on standardized tests?

Whack! And giggle!

I wish you could hear little bambino's uncontrollable laughter while A3 "whacks" letters with his Do-A-Dot markers!

I've managed to avoid Chuck E Cheese this far, but last week we went to a birthday party there and my arcade-free streak was broken. Little A3 *loved* playing a Whack-A-Mole type game, so I tried to recreate that as well as I could with a little activity at home this morning with Do-A-Dot markers (Amazon affiliate link).

It goes something like this:

"Find the letter that says "ffff"" I prompt...

"Whack" with the do-a-dot by A3...