Homeschooling on a Shoestring Blog http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:11:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 en hourly 1 Literature Based Themes http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/2009/06/15/literature-based-themes/ http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/2009/06/15/literature-based-themes/#comments Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:11:51 +0000 Jodi http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/?p=486 Literature Based Themes Wiki

Join Literature Based Themes at http://lbt.wikispaces.com/

LBT has thematic materials such as worksheets, activities, study guides and more to expand favorite Story Books and Childrens & Young Adults Literature.

For those on the old groups, I am combining the PreK-4 & 5-12 Literature Groups. The two groups will be closing as soon as everything is moved off YahooGroups. Any help you can give to migrate items over would be appreciated.

]]> http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/2009/06/15/literature-based-themes/feed/ 0 Free Bird Font http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/2009/04/27/free-bird-font/ http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/2009/04/27/free-bird-font/#comments Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:04:07 +0000 Jodi http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/?p=482 Birds of a Feather Font is a free to download font that you can use to make games. Find a color picture of the bird and match it to its silhouette, make a GeoSafari card to identify what each bird is and use them on a game board path.
http://www.dafont.com/birds-of-a-feather.font

]]> http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/2009/04/27/free-bird-font/feed/ 0 Pirate Lapbook http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/2009/04/09/pirate-lapbook/ http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/2009/04/09/pirate-lapbook/#comments Thu, 09 Apr 2009 13:00:41 +0000 Jodi http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/?p=480 Our Facebook group now has photos! Come join and view the neat Pirate Lapbooks done by Amanda & her kids (grade 2 & grade 5).
Homeschooling With Lapbooks and scroll to photos

]]> http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/2009/04/09/pirate-lapbook/feed/ 0 Free Online Math Textbooks http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/2009/04/03/free-online-math-textbooks/ http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/2009/04/03/free-online-math-textbooks/#comments Sat, 04 Apr 2009 03:21:15 +0000 Jodi http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/?p=476 Online Mathematics Textbooks, a link list to higher math texts
http://www.math.gatech.edu/~cain/textbooks/onlinebooks.html

Online Statistics Textbooks
http://www.isixsigma.com/st/online_textbooks/

Comprehensive listing of freely available online textbooks for undergraduated and graduate Mathematics and Physics
http://homepages.nyu.edu/~jmg336/html/mathematics.html

Online Math & Science Texts
http://spot.colorado.edu/~dubin/bookmarks/b/1240.html

Textbooks, Lectures & Tutorials in Mathematics
http://www.geocities.com/alex_stef/mylist.html

]]> http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/2009/04/03/free-online-math-textbooks/feed/ 0 Unit-Safari http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/2009/03/23/unit-safari/ http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/2009/03/23/unit-safari/#comments Mon, 23 Mar 2009 18:58:17 +0000 Jodi http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/?p=474 Unit studies are an integrated thematic approach to learning several subjects/concepts through a main topic. Topics or themes can be chosen by the child’s interests, experiences in family life, books, events in the news, etc. This method can be used with different grades at one time to incorporate all the children of a family.
Have you wanted to put together a unit study but not sure where to start? Join Unit-Safari and you won’t have to do it alone.
Unit-Safari is an online co-op where we put together unit studies as a group. It isn’t a site for lurkers, but for active participants. A topic is done every two weeks and our members send information to the list on that particular topic. At the end of that unit collection, the information is organized into a printable unit for members’ use by volunteers. These unit studies include Bible References, Learning Objectives, Vocabulary, Reference Books, Living Books, Movies, Websites, Activities, Worksheets, Games, Writing Assignments, and Evaluation Ideas.
We are voting on units to do this year so now would be a great time to join!

]]> http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/2009/03/23/unit-safari/feed/ 0 Solar System & DNA Kit Recalls http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/2009/03/20/solar-system-recall/ http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/2009/03/20/solar-system-recall/#comments Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:20:51 +0000 Jodi http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/2009/03/20/lead-paint-toy-recalls-photos-of-recalled-toys-cosmetics-and-childrens-jewelry-thedailygreencom/ CPSC issued on March 19, 2008 a recall on Educational Craft Kits by FloraCraft, specifically the Solar System Kits and DNA Kits. For the Solar System kit, it is the assembly wires that are on recall.

I was unable to find any infomation at FloraCraft’s website other than a picture of Solar System and a link on their front page to CPSC’s website for the recall info. I saw the DNA Kit pictured also but cannot access anything on their website at the moment.

Thanks to The Daily Green for posting Latest Toxic Toy Recalls: Educational Science Kits. They say that Floracraft will replace the wires. For information, call 866-775-8781. We have the Solar System kit. We hadn’t used it yet. You can leave a message with your phone number and they are to call you back. I did also leave them the model number from the bottom of the box. While writing this post, FloraCraft did just call back, so it’s quite a quick turn-around.

]]> http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/2009/03/20/solar-system-recall/feed/ 0 Happy Pi Day http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/2009/03/14/pi-day/ http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/2009/03/14/pi-day/#comments Sat, 14 Mar 2009 14:16:22 +0000 Jodi http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/?p=458 3/14 (Saturday) is Pi Day 3.14 and Einstein’s birthday. It is called Einstein’s Big Idea

http://mathforum.org/dr.math/faq/faq.pi.html
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/einstein/
http://www.piday.org/
http://www.wikihow.com/Celebrate-Pi-Day
http://www.pidayinternational.org/
http://charlottemasonhomeschooling.wordpress.com/2009/03/04/celebrate-pi-day/
http://search.enchantedlearning.com/cgi-bin/uncgi/search?key=pi
http://www.homefires.com/clickschool/archive.asp?d=2009/03/09
http://www.exploratorium.edu/pi/index.html

It includes articles, history, information, biography challenges and obstacles as well as achievements–called “Einstein the Nobody” before his discovery in 1905).

Also has a section with several physicists speaking of Einstein, E = mc2 etc. Visuals, of course, in all sections and audio in some. Relativity and the Cosmos portion includes clever and short animations. Einstein’s timeline may also be of interest–he was homeschooled and self educated part of his childhood. Also profound Einstein quotes are on the site and an interactive quiz with answer/explanations (Power of Tiny Things). It does have “teacher’s guide” with activities included.

The Live & Learn ladies are big fans of math. So much that have for their members to download – you can join free at
http://www.liveandlearnpress.com/join.php – A Learn ‘N Folder for Pi Day. How cool is that.

]]> http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/2009/03/14/pi-day/feed/ 0 Free Coffee at Panera 1/28/09 http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/2009/01/27/free-coffee-at-panera/ http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/2009/01/27/free-coffee-at-panera/#comments Tue, 27 Jan 2009 19:55:14 +0000 Jodi http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/?p=454 Free coffee and samples at Panera January 28, 2009
When you visit on January 28th for free coffee and delicious breakfast samples, we also invite you to donate $1 to support our Operation Dough-Nation Community Breadbox program. Participating bakery-cafes will match the amount raised, up to $250 per bakery-cafe, with funds going to support local programs that address community needs. See more info & terms and conditions on their website and to find a location near you.
http://www.panerabread.com/breakfast/index2.php?pf=coffeeflash

]]> http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/2009/01/27/free-coffee-at-panera/feed/ 0 Wordle http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/2009/01/21/wordle/ http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/2009/01/21/wordle/#comments Wed, 21 Jan 2009 16:36:50 +0000 Jodi http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/?p=450 I put this blog’s url into Wordle and got the cloud tag below. I hope I removed words like ‘and’, etc. Have you Wordle’d your blog?

Wordle: hoas

]]> http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/2009/01/21/wordle/feed/ 0 Pancake Day & FREE pancakes at IHOP http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/2009/01/14/pancake-day-free-pancakes-at-ihop/ http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/2009/01/14/pancake-day-free-pancakes-at-ihop/#comments Wed, 14 Jan 2009 16:46:52 +0000 Jodi http://homeschoolingonashoestring.com/blog/?p=448 Join IHOP to celebrate National Pancake Day February 24, 2009 from 7am-10pm. They ask that you consider making a donation to support local children’s hospitals through Children’s Miracle Network or other local charities.
http://www.ihoppancakeday.com/
http://www.childrensmiraclenetwork.org/
Short history on pancakes, celebration notes and recipes at
http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Batter-Up-Its-Pancake-Week/Detail.aspx
More history and pancakes around the world at Pancake Appreciation Society
Perfect Vegan Pancakes Every Time
Moby’s Vegan Blueberry Pancakes

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