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A Net in Time

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The Fun Parts of Homeschooling

January 29, 2018 By Annette1 16 Comments

Welcome to, what I think, is the last week of the Virtual Homeschool Fair hosted by Susan. Last week I spelled out the curriculum that we use.   You may remember week one of Homeschool Reason: Bullies and More, and Week Two of Give Us... As I’ve finished this series I realize that I have forgotten two important parts of our schooling: Do it Differently Fridays, Cultural Events, Field Trips and the few odds and ends that pop up. 

The Fun of Homeschooling with the Virtual Homeschool Fair. Field trips, coop, sports and more.

Do it Differently Fridays:

Fridays we drop everything we’ve been doing and do things differently.  No Friday is ever the same.   Sometimes the lad uses the day to get caught up if it’s a been a crazy week, but most of the time he works on a research project (for example Caribou, CN Tower) or a Tinker Crate (for example 3d Viewer, DaVinci’s Clock).  Sometimes we’ll read tons of books as everyone needs a book reading day, or other times we’ll play around with our lego (Lego Pulleys and Castles).   The point is to learn and think differently. 

 

 

C0-op:

Coincidentally, Co-op Days always falls on Fridays.  So six weeks every spring and fall co-op days happen.   Days filled with art, phys ed, science, history and so much more.   The lad almost always has a great time and the learning mostly goes smoothly.  They also host other events such as Lego Nights, Teen Events, and Project Fairs.  

Field Trips:

We haven’t done as many of these lately as I would have liked to have done, but sometimes life intervenes with overall plans.   We still try to stay involved in learning about our world and the community, encouraging things like Culture, and Museum visits. 

Critters:

We have a fair host of critters running around our place.  They all provide ample opportunity to learn new skills like animal management, kindness and compassion, reading body behaviour, conduct research and so much more.  Currently we have ants in our cold storage hibernating, a new cat learning to mind her manners, rabbits earning us dollars, a snake that entertains and more.  Life is fun!  🙂

Art Lessons: 

A former member of our co-op group regularly teaches art classes. WaterColours, Acrylics and more.   It’s always fun and very interesting.

Outside of homeschooling my son picks up things like Karate classes, Archery and Cadets.   

And in the midst of it all..   I find a lad playing minecraft and making games to share with friends.   Time for snowball fights and sledding.  Walks and theatre and times to read and relax. It’s a good life this homeschooling life don’t you think?

 

This is the final week of the 7th Virtual Homeschool Fair. Our topic is:  Enriching Our Learning.

Note: All posts will be live after 8 am EST on Monday, Jan. 29th.

Celebrating 7 Years of Homeschool Support & Encouragement by Susan @ Homeschooling Hearts & Minds

All of the Extras by Christy Schaefer @ Unexpected Homeschool

How To Explore Special Interests In Your Homeschool by Jeniffer @ Thou Shall Not Whine

Learning outside of the box by Dana @ Life Led Homeschool

Putting the Heart Back into our Homeschool by Brittney @ Mom’s Heart

Adding in the Fun by Michele @Family, Faith and Fridays

The Electives We Use in Our Homeschool by Amanda @ Hopkins Homeschool

The Fun Parts of Homeschooling by Annette @ A Net in Time

How we add in the fun stuff. by Kim @ Good Sweet Love

Running – for fitness & fun by Lizzy @ Peaches@Home

Adding in the Extras by Jen @ A Helping Hand Homeschool

What About the Fun Stuff? by Laura @ Four Little Penguins

And the Learning Goes On, And On, And On by Lori H @ At Home: where life happens

Let’s See What’s Out There! (Electives and Extras) by Kym @ Homeschool Coffee Break

Filed Under: Homeschooling Tagged With: homeschool, VCF

Give us ……

January 15, 2018 By Annette1 12 Comments

So this is actually a hard post to write…how do I talk about what homeschooling looks like when we haven’t schooled all week?   It’s the subject of this week’s virtual Curriculum fair hosted by hosted by Susan @ Homeschooling Hearts & Minds.   Last we we talked about our reasons to homeschool.

What does homeschooling look like?   I suppose it depends on the week.

 

Give us a household illness and homeschooling looks like three people supporting each other as we recover from the flu which has left us with no brains and little stamina.

Give us a field trip and you’ll find three people out of the house, taking pictures and making notes as we learn this history of our past, the how-to’s of how a business works, ask questions of how plants grow, experience the wonder of the world God created.

Give us a computer and we learn engineering, math, science, history, language arts, and so much more.  Give us the power of youtube and ant farms are built, history is learned, science is experienced and geography broadened. 

Give us a work book and we know we can move on page after page, writing, journaling, equating, documenting, filling in spaces, learning, growing, becoming someone more…

Give us books to read and our lives are filled with imagination, questions, wonder, knowledge and so much more.

Give us a co-op and you’ll find anger and laughter, learning and teaching, friendship and fun, stretching and growing and being more than we already are. 

Give us a messy house and you will find us cleaning, working, renovating, tidying, rearranging, selling, boxing, and decluttering.

Give us bunnies and you will find us undertaking animal management, biology, compassion, building, carpentry, gardening, growing, blogging and all things rabbity.

Give us people and friendships will be made, toleration achieved, opinions challenges, games played, feelings hurt and felt well in abundance.  Cooperating, challenging, growing, helping, healing, and fellowship deepening. 

Give us a blog and research, and joy, and friendships will blossom. 

Give us publication companies and reviews, reading, sharing of opinions and joy will abound. Frustration and learning how to be nice when something appeals not in the least. Commitments and timetables learned and mastered. 

Give us the world…. and you will be totally surprised where it takes us.  

Give it to us and we’ll fit it into our learning and our lives. 

What will YOU give us?

Do you want some help on your homeschooling journey?

Right now SchoolhouseTeachers.com is on sale.  I KNOW!   AND it’s on for a great price.  You need to use this code NEWYEAR18 for a $90/year subscription or MONTHNEWYEAR18 for the $9.95 /month subscription.   More than 350 lessons for the entire family covering all your homeschooling needs.

What do my fellow homeschool bloggers have to say about their Homeschool Method? Go visit them to find out!

Note: all posts will be live after 8 am EST on Monday, Jan. 15th.

How Our Academic Co-op Completes Our Eclectic Homeschool by Susan @ Homeschooling Hearts & Minds

A Method to Our Madness by Michele @ Family, Faith and Fridays

Finding Our Homeschool Method by Christy @ Unexpected Homeschool

How We Homeschool by Amanda @ Hopkins Homeschool

Give Us…. by Annette @ A Net in Time

A day in our Home by Sarah@DeliveringGrace

Lit-Based Education: How We Homeschool by Debra @ Footprints in the Butter

Overhauling Our Homeschool – Adjusting our “How” to fit our “Why” by Sabrina Scheerer @ Kids, Crunch, and Christ

A Day in the Life of a Homeschooler: Expectation Vs. Reality by Leah @ As We Walk Along the Road

How Charlotte Mason Transformed Our Homeschool by Brittney @ Mom’s Heart

Captain’s Log, Supplemental – Our Homeschool Days by Kym @ Homeschool Coffee Break

How we get it done. by Kim @ Good Sweet Love

How to Organize Daily Curriculum with the School Cart by Jeniffer @ Thou Shall Not Whine

Learning For LIfe by Lori H @ At Home: where life happens

Eclectic Homeschooling: When It All Comes Together by Jen @ A Helping Hand Homeschool

A Typical Day? by Lizzy @ Peaches@Home

This is the Way We Do Our School, So Early in the Morning by Laura @ Four Little Penguins

A Little of This and a Little of That: Eclectic Homeschooling by Laura O @ Day by Day in Our World

Still Classically Educating After All These Years by True North Homeschool Academy

So what exactly is Life Led Homeschooling? by Dana @ Life Led Homeschool

The way we learn ~ 2018 Virtual Homeschool Fair by Jacquelin @ A Stable Beginning

Our Homeschool Routine by Joelle @Homeschooling For His Glory

Homeschool Methods – 8 Tips for the Journey by Kristen @ Sunrise to Sunset

Filed Under: Homeschooling Tagged With: homeschool, Organization, Teaching Methods

Review: Lesson Planning for Middle School Physical Education

January 11, 2018 By Annette1 2 Comments

So I’ve reviewed Lesson Planning for Highschool, and Moving with Words and Actions, today I have for you the middle school version.   Lesson Planning for Middle School Physical Education is a great book for the teacher of middle school physical education, covering the gambit of the what and why, to the how and where.  Filled with instructional tasks, and the break down of a variety of middle school physical activities, to make teaching easier and in line with the national standards. 

Shape American, along with Human Kinetics, has come out with a thorough treatise on teaching middle school students their physical education requirements. 

What do you get?

Lesson Planning for Middle School Physical Education is a 778 page well written manual on teaching physical education to your middle school students.  It is broken down into 11 chapters divided into two sections.


1. Planning to Student Success in the Middle Grades.
+ The Importance of Teaching for Student Learning in the Middle Grades.
+ Teaching to Standards.
+ Meeting the National Standards and Grade-Level Outcomes in Middle School.

2. Lessons Plans for Middle School Physical Education
+ Applying Students’ Skills and Knowledge to Dance and Rhythm
+ Applying Students… to Invasion Games
+ Applying Students… to Net and Wall Games
+ Applying Students… to Fielding & Striking Games and Target Games
+ Applying Students… to Outdoor Pursuits
+ Applying Students… to Physical Participation
+ Applying Students… to Program Design and Fitness Assessment

I like how even in middle school we are encouraged to help our students plan out their physical education even outside the classroom.  Isn’t it great when they want to be involved with something?   I look at my lad and his interest in Karate.  This is Shape America is all about… helping our youth make wise decisions.   They start in the classroom with the encouragement to take it beyond the doors. 

Ergo introducing a wide level of sports/physical fitness options that you might not have considered before.  Such as dance, handball, something called ultimate .. where the student needs to show proficiency in a wide range of activities: catching, throwing, defense and more, learning disc golf, in-line skating, biking, backpacking and more just to name a few.  I have to admit, as I read through the list I wondered… where is ice skating?  I suppose though it would be impossible to list every activity that youth can engage in (as they don’t have karate either). 

Each lesson accredits the teacher who designed the program, as I looked through, they came from all areas of the United States. Each lesson has a number of tasks it is broken down into.  For instance, Pickleball as 8 separate tasks from how to hit the ball, learning game play, playing with a partner and more.  The authors have endeavored to make this treatise and ready to use as they can. 

My Thoughts: 

A great resource for the physical education teacher of middle school.  Broken down into different grade levels this is a wonderful aid to helping your students learn some of the many ways that physical education can take place. I love how each lesson is broken down into smaller tasks to ensure the sport is taught well. 

Lesson Planning for Middle School Physical Education
 - Meeting the National Standards & Grade-level Outcomes.
Strategies for designing student lessons, plus 22 modules
   and 176 Lesson plans
Robert J. Doan
Lynn Couturier MacDonalad
Stevie Chepko
Shape America
Trade Paperback, 178 pages, resource, middle school, 
physical education

Reviewed for Human Kinetics. 

Where to find it?  Amazon Link.

Filed Under: Homeschooling, Reviews Tagged With: homeschool, Middle School, Physical Education, resource

Homeschool Reasons: Bullies, Faith and More

January 8, 2018 By Annette1 23 Comments

The reasons people homeschool are as broad as the ocean you know?   Some to cover spiritual matters more easily, others to better meet the needs of their differently-abled offspring, and more.    This post isn’t about why others homeschool though, but why “I” homeschool.  What are my homeschool reasons?   Pre-determination, bullies, faith and lifestyle.

Let me share with you my thoughts.

Homeschool Reasons: A pre-determination

We knew (hubby and I) that we wanted to homeschool before my son was even born.   I knew I could do it, hubby was sure I could, so we were set long before we even needed to think about it.  We both knew homeschoolers in real-life as well which made it an easier decision.

Homeschool Reasons: Bullied!

I was bullied in school.  Hated it.   Hubby had a bully for a teacher.  Almost turned him off the love of learning.  When we first got married I started a job at a local fast food joint.  Enjoyed the work for the most part.  BUT… was bullied by a gal who gave me the silent treatment and pushed me around whenever she could because.. I DIDN’T KNOW as a newcomer to this town that she and her family were part of the founding members of the town.  I asked her (after she revealed this information) why she would do that.  “Because it was fun”.  We worked past it, I told her it was unacceptable, and we managed to mostly get along after that.   This situation though, helped cement my desire to homeschool.  Why would I want to send my five year old to a school were people would bully him for something he couldn’t possibly have known?

Homeschool Reasons: Faith

As people of faith it matters to me what my boy learns about God.  On the playground we would meet a variety of children from all walks of life.  When talking with them I often heard “because teacher says so”.  I wanted more for my boy than that.  To not parrot what teacher says … to be able to say things like “the bible says” or “I learned this on youtube” or “my dad taught me this.”   I want him to have a good grounding in his faith so he can talk about it and share it with others.

Homeschool Reasons: Lifestyle

As much as these things things, a predetermination, bullying and faith were the founding reason why we chose to homeschool, now I simply wouldn’t do it any other way unless my son convincingly tells me why he wants to do it differently.  I love having him around (honestly… about 90% of the time).  We all have moments when we want to be alone to do our own thing, or we’re having a difficult day or….  you know.  🙂   But having him in the house all day, talking to me, coming to me with things he’s learned and what not.  I LOVE IT!  And I simply wouldn’t have it any other way.   He’s my boy…and a delightful one.

 

The Virtual Curriculum Fair is hosted by Susan.  You can find her here. 

Now, let’s see what my fellow homeschool bloggers have to say about The Reasons We Homeschool.

Note: all posts will be live after 8 am EST.

5 Reasons to Homeschool High School by Susan @ Homeschooling Hearts & Minds

Weird Homeschoolers by Kim R. @ Good Sweet Love

How We Make Homeschooling a Lifestyle by Jeniffer @ Thou Shall Not Whine

Our Ever Evolving Homeschool Story by Christy @ Unexpected Homeschool

5 Reasons You Will Want to Homeschool by Michele@ Family, Faith and Fridays

How Our Homeschool Came To Be (and why we continue) by Sabrina @ Kids, Crunch, and Christ

Home Education – 10 Reasons we keep going…even when it’s hard by Lizzy @ Peaches@Home

So… Tell Me Again Why You Homeschool? by Leah @ As We Walk Along the Road

Virtual Homeschool Fair 2018 – Week 1 – Why do I Homeschool  by Joelle@Homeschooling For His Glory

Homeschool Reasons: Bullies, Faith and More by Annette @ A Net In Time

In Pursuit of Purpose by Laura @ Four Little Penguins

A Long Time Ago . . . Why We Decided To Homeschool by Kym @ Homeschool Coffee Break

The Why Behind Hopkins Homeschool by Amanda @ Hopkins Homeschool

5 Reasons We Love Homeschooling by Brittney @ Mom’s Heart

Why We Homeschool – It’s What We Do by Kristen H @ Sunrise to Sunset

Why we Home Educate and Extra Benefits by Sarah@Delivering Grace

Homeschooling: The Big WHY? by Lisa @ True North Homeschool Academy at Golden Grasses

Regaining Your Homeschool Focus by Jen @ A Helping Hand Homeschool

Why do we homeschool? by Dana @ Life Led Homeschool

Our “Homeschool” Why by Jacquelin @ A Stable Beginning

It’s Worth it! Why We Homeschool, Even After All These Years by Hillary @ Walking Fruitfully

Because Life is Precious by Lori H @ At Home: where life happens

1998 vs. 2018: Why We Homeschool by Debra @ Footprints in the Butter

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Homeschooling Tagged With: faith, Family Life, homeschool, VCF

Oh Baby It’s COLD outside

January 5, 2018 By Annette1 6 Comments

Cold… it is SO cold outside right now. It’s been really cold for a good solid couple of weeks. So as I contemplate this word I am sitting in my lazy boy wrapped in a cuddle blanket and coat, sipping some hot chocolate. I wonder, what I can write for this post?

I was brought to mind of my bunnies, and how caring for them right now is a real chore. As in HARD work. There  is the thawing the water bowls, the scraping the pans, the checking the babies, and the feeding. It’s always harder when it’s really cold out as your hands quickly become icicles even with gloves on.  The toughest job is scraping the pans as everything is frozen and difficult to remove.  Keeping the buns clean and healthy is of paramount importance. 

There is one aspect to this really cold weather that I honestly don’t mind a whole lot.

It’s the bringing of my wee babies into the house. To see those vulnerable young ones sleeping so soundly. Squeaking and rooting around when I pick them up to check out them. It’s makes my heart melt every single time. I love the wee ones.. holding them in my hands, checking them over, getting them used to the scent of people. It’s a great thing to do eh?

Baby it’s Cold Outside

Snuggled quietly
Indoors
Blankets 
Hot chocolate
Keeping me warm

Bitter cold
Pans frozen hard
Water turned icicles
Bunnies are hungry
Work to be done

Scrape those pans
Bash them
Nudge them
Shake it loose
Poop and Pee in the bin

Bunnies are thirsty
Hot water is waiting
In go the bowls
Ice pucks floating
In new water goes

Brush off the snow
Grain in the pail
1/4 scoop each
Bunnies are munching
Happiness

Ooh... wee babies born
all snuggled in close
Oh mind this little one
Has got chilly toes
Concern sits close

Into the house
Little ones come
Covered with teatowel
Prying kitties avoid
Warmth seeps in

No Chilly Toes
Bunnies a wiggle
Squeak and they squawk
As they look for dinner
Saved from the cold

Filed Under: Homeschooling, Poetry Tagged With: Animals, homeschool, Poem

Review: Dinosaur Atlas

December 13, 2017 By Annette1 2 Comments

Imagine that you could travel around the world seeing history unfold…. welcome to the Dinosaur Atlas.  A wonderful book of unfolding pages and lift that flaps to delight and inform.   This is seriously a great book for the dinosaur lovers among us, it is so packed with information.

The Dinosaur Atlas comes with facts to amaze you, fold-out maps, lift the flaps curiousities and life-size fossils.  Lonely Planet Kids worked to make this an informative book to delight as you walk your way through the pages.  In the middle of the book we are treated to a photograph containing the actual size jaws of a Anhanguera which lived in Brazil.

Each of the pages folds out to present even more information, and the pages are printed on a heavy stock paper… thte quality of board paper.   Sometimes they included lift the flap pages.  Regardless of how the information is presented, you’ll be surprised at the sheer amount you learn… like did you know there were dinosaurs who shrank due to living on a small island?  Or that there were dinosaurs that had scales and feathers?  Or even that dinosaurs have been discovered in Madagascar?  I KNOW.. tons of information, some of the facts caught me off guard, others were like old friends reminding me of their presence.

Maps contained through the book told the story of where these dinosaurs came from.   Dinosaurs have been found on every continent… even Antarctica!

Though many of the drawing were illustrations, some photos are included as well.  Dinosaurs and all the information surrounding them are brought to life.

d Dinosaur Atlas

Reviewed for: Raincoast Books.

ON Amazon.

Filed Under: Homeschooling, Reviews Tagged With: Animals, Geography, homeschool

Christmas Books To Enjoy

December 4, 2017 By Annette1 16 Comments

 Over the years I’ve read a few books at Christmas, some that became favourites and others well…not so much.  🙂  And since this is my blog I don’t have to share those books I didn’t enjoy not so much eh?

So I’m going to throw up pictures of books, if they are ones that I read for a review I’ll link up the review, if they are just books that I like well.. you’ll just get a picture eh?  And perhaps some comments about the book.

We will start off with some off favourites:

 Alabaster’s Song…. This just a lovely book by Max Lucado.  I’m not big into angels, but this book..this I liked, and my lad was captivated. 🙂

 

My boy has been into cats ever since he was wee little, and this book about The Christmas Kitten was one of those “read it again” books.   I think if I wanted to I could tell this story off by heart.  🙂  

You know how most lift the flap books you look through once and you are done with them.  The mystery is all gone?  Not when you are wee little!  Boy, my lad liked this book.  I had a hard time posting it for sale this fall as it brings back such memories and is still in really good condition.   Hoping I can find a child to bless with it this Christmas.

My Good friend Lori has this book now.  I really liked this book and had it LITERALLY for years.  I got it when I was still single and read it to countless numbers of children who in turn, fell in love with it.  I hope her youngsters love it as much as my lad did and all those children before him.

And then move on to some newer favourites:

oh…these two books… just so lovely.  Really.  

See if you can find them this winter season and just enjoy them.  They are particularly “Christmas” books, but they are seasonal books that are well worth reading.

Sing a season song.

This was an absolutely gorgeous book. Seeing the seasons change and slip away one into another.  The animals, the plants, the scenery.

Just a gorgeous book that as a parent you will probably appreciate before your children do, but once they catch the wonder and beauty, you’ll be able to savour the words as you go through the pages.

 
Not biblically accurate, but in truth…not a lot different from most Christmas stories and plays that are around nowadays.

This was a sweet soft-cover book that found it’s way into a new home last year with a young lady.  One you might want to check out just for the pictures!  🙂

This book is hilarious.  My lad loved it oh my… 

It’s a great paroday of the “Night before Christmas”.  

All I can say is get it, read it, and laugh along with three very silly knights…all before Christmas.  

You’ll find a broader review here.

Oh…I mustn’t forget Oskar…and the night of broken glass. 

Such a quietly delightful book full of meaning.

Just go read it with your children, learn something, and be quietly blessed for your journey through it.

I’ll finish with one I just met the other day:

I don’t normally recommend Santa based books, but I thought this one well done with good truths for children to pick out as they enjoy the beauty and kindness of Christmas.

Anyways, this is just a glimpse of the many Christmas books that have passed through our house, perhaps they’ll be a blessing to you and yours.

This post may contain affiliate links – using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool – thank you! ©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time . We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Christmas, Elementary, holidays, homeschool

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