Teacher Pay Teacher Store- Love N Learn

A few years ago I found a great resource to use as a teacher. The Teacher Pay Teacher Site has thousands of teaching resources for every imaginable subject, created by teachers for teachers to use in their classrooms. I fell in love with all the well designed unit studies and used many of them in my classroom.

Since then I've piddled with uploading my own teacher created documents, offering many of them for free, as is the way of teacher pay teacher. As I've made things for my own kids I've uploaded them and have been pleasantly surprised that others have found them useful in any way. So,  if you're looking for a way to keep your preschool and elementary students from the summer slump of 2014, you might take a peak over there at my little store that is just beginning. Many items are free, with nothing in my store is priced over $2.00. I'm still learning all the ins and outs of the marketing side of all this...and honestly it feels a little weird to even be telling anyone about it. But I know teacher pay teacher is a great resource for teachers everywhere so I didn't want to keep it a secret...plus it earns this stay at home mom a little mad money.

So, take a peak, when you have time...and browse the site. It's a pretty neat little community.

Love N Learn is my store name...CLICK HERE to take a peak!

Or go directly to a few favorite pages:

Over the Rainbow Math Games

Popsicle Activities

Spring Math Combo

Or go to a few of my free downloads:

This one's been downloaded 1,654 times: Sequencing

This one's been downloaded 1,607 times: Greater than Less than Cards

This ones been downloaded 1,396 times: 1-50 number sequencing

Have fun browsing!

Curriculum Review

I can't say enough about this Bible Study for Kids. If you have an 8-12 year old and are serious about teaching them the Word of God, this is a great great great Bible study series. I have purchased 4 of them to do this year in school and we are LOVING them. We eased into school this year and the one thing the kids wanted to do everyday was their Bible lesson. This first book that we are doing is focused on teaching children how the Bible matches up ---Old and New Testament ---when it comes to creation and the validity of scriptures. It's inductive Bible study, where kids highlight different words that go together in context so that they can see how God's Word all fits together. The kids are in the Word digging out treasures for themselves. I'm just crazy about it! Kay Arthur also explains where certain words come from. Today in Bible Savannah learned the Pentateuch is the correct word for the first 5 books of the Bible and then in math learned about Pentagons (shapes with 5 sides) ....she knew exactly what pentagon meant because of what she had learned from dissecting the words during Bible class. I kinda like that ...a lot. Tucker enjoys the puzzles and word games that accompany each lesson. He also gets to draw and title a pictures that goes with each part of the Genesis story.

If you're looking for something a little more than storytime Bible time with your kids, then this might be just the thing. I sit with them and talk with them about the lessons, but for older kids they could certainly do these lessons independently. You don't have to be a homeschooler to want your kids to learn to study the Bible....so check this out...it might be just what you're looking for!

Here's the order information....should you decide to take a closer look.





Discover 4 Yourself, Children's Bible Study Series: God's Amazing    Creation (Genesis Chapters 1 and 2)

By Kay Arthur & Janna Arndt / Harvest House Publishers

This book takes kids through the first part of Genesis, focusing on the theme of creation in chapters one and two.  Young scholars will put on their archaeologist hats to help the book's main characters--inductive detectives Max and Molly--dig up the truth about how the world began.  Kids will discover who the world's creator is, how the heavens and earth were formed, what exactly happened in the beginning, and how the earth, the sea, people, and animals came into existence.  Great fun and wonderful Bible truths for kids with an insatiable appetite for the "whys" of life!

The Homeschool Schedule

A few people have asked about our schedule for the homeschool year. Here it is, for your viewing pleasure...Not gonna say it's permanent, because in our house...like your's, life happens, people need us, we need others, we get bored, we need a day away from each other....and the list could go on and on. But this is best case scenario. Here ya go:

Time	Subject	Name
8:00	Rise and Shine, Dress, Eat	Savannah and Tucker
8:30	Sweep Porches- M,W,F Vacuum-T,TH	Savannah
8:30	Take Trash Out- M,W,F Dust T, TH	Tucker
9:00	Bible - Kay Arthur for Kids	Savannah and Tucker
9:30	Math - Horizons and Xtramath.com	Savannah
9:30	Handwriting- Horizons	Tucker
10:00	Language Arts- LifePac	Savannah
10:00	Phonics and Reading - Horizons	Tucker
10:30	Independent Reading	Savannah
10:30	Math - Horizons and Xtramath.com	Tucker
11:00	Break	Savannah and Tucker
11:15	Piano Practice	Savannah
11:15	Stack the States/ Geography	Tucker
11:45	Science- BJU	Savannah
11:45	Journal, Flashcards & Independent Reading	Tucker
12:15	Lunch	Savannah and Tucker
12:45	Maps of the US and World YWAM	Savannah
12:45	ipad games	Tucker
1:15	Wii Fit or TKD	Savannah and Tucker
2:00	Quiet Hour (Read, Educational videos, puzzles, games...leave mom alone)	Savannah and Tucker

Reading, Writing, Arithmetic

Over the last six months I've poured over homeschool curriculum, wanting to make the best choices for the kind of learners my kids are. What I've learned is that if you want to homeschool, there's a curriculum for you! It's overwhelming and a little daunting, but in the end, I feel like we've made some good choices for our 2013-2014 school year.

Tucker and Savannah will both be using Kay Arthur's Inductive Bible Study Series for Children. We will be doing six, six week workbooks. Check them out HERE.

They will also be doing US and World Geography using Youth with a Mission (YWAM) curriculum.
You can take a look at their WEBSITE . They also have hundreds of biographies of Christian historical figures and religious heroes. It's an impressive collection. Both kids will be reading missionary biographies from this site.

Savannah will be using Alpha and Omega's Horizons Math again. We have found that this is a challenging curriculum and although I strongly considered changing to Math U See, I decided to keep her in something familiar.

Tucker will also be using Horizon's Math. He's done ABeka since PreK and I think this will be a pretty good transition for him.

For Language Arts, Savannah will be using Alpha and Omega's LifePACs. Of all the decisions I've made this is the one I'm most apprehensive about...so, I only ordered the first 4, to get us to Christmas and if it's not a good fit, I won't feel too guilty, since they aren't that expensive.

Tucker will be doing the Horizons Penmanship, which will introduce cursive during the second half of the year. He will also be doing the Horizons Reading and Phonics program, along with the phonics special sounds he has learned through his years doing ABeka.

I'm still searching for a science curriculum. The kids want to study Oceanography, so I'm looking for something along those lines, with a Biblical worldview. Suggestions? Leave a comment, please!

Along with the missionary biographies, Savannah will be reading the 10 book, Reel Kid's Adventure Series . These are books about young people who take the gospel to the ends of the earth. On their adventures Savannah will learn about people groups, geography and a broader worldview. She will also read Anne of Green Gables, The Brian Series by Gary Paulsen and anything else she can get her hands on! Tucker will be reading the TIME LIFE Children's Adventure books, The Happy Hollisters (yes, we are kickin' it old school) and the Ready Freddy series.

 We're planning on doing some cooking, library trips, field trips with friends, art and maybe some sort of cooking or baking class - plus keep up with piano and taekwondo.

Now, deep breath and enjoy the summer!

More from Download N Go!!!!

I wanted to let you all know that DNG has decided to offer a coupon code for 20% off multiple packs of the DNG units! Wow - 20%. The code is: DNG20PKS - just use that code at check out and receive 20% off any multiple pack purchase!

And then there's a contest!!!! This contest is geared toward Homeschooling moms - but does include Starbucks, Baskin-Robbins and Amazon.com gift certificates (that would appeal to non-homeschoolers too)!



THE PRIZE:


The Old Schoolhouse Magazine and Amanda Bennett Unit Studies have teamed up to celebrate the successful launch of Download N Go™ with a Sweet Treat Prize Package in The Adventure Begins ... Giveaway!
They're offering one lucky winner the SWEET chance to go EXPLORING this FALL!
The entire FALL curriculum lineup of Download N Go™ (Wow! That's 19 studies!).
A $25 gift certificate to Baskin-Robbins (yummy ice cream).
A $25 gift certificate to Amazon.com (for those back-to-school supplies).
A $15 gift certificate to Starbucks Coffee (a special treat just for the teacher).
A full year's subscription to The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine (encouragement and resources all year long).
A "sweet" blue and brown Homeschooling With Heart tote bag (THE must-have accessory for FALL!).

Contest will run May 24 and through June 12!

Enter HERE

Download N Go - Homeschool Curriculum Review

Recently I was approached to do a review/blog tour for Download N Go. I wasn't familiar with this curriculum before, but the concept of downloadable curriculum for unit studies was very appealing to me. So, I signed up and was delighted when a few weeks ago I received my Download N Go unit on wales.

I loved it! First of all, it was extremely easy to save and download. No computer mumbo jumbo that was difficult to understand. Secondly, the content was clear and child-friendly. There was plenty of color and up to date graphics. It's clear someone took great thought to create something that my 4-8 year old student would be happy to dive into. Thirdly, it's a unit study so there are various subjects covered, from art projects and Bible stories to reading and writing activities...Download N Go covers it all. There are also hyperlinks throughout the curriculum so if you decide never to print it out you still have computer generated reasons to follow the links to more valuable information.

At the end of the week they give you precise directions on how to design a lapbook with all the things your child has created during the unit study. There are extra hyperlinks with tutorials to show beginner lapbooking teachers how to assemble the book.

Overall, I'd give this two thumbs up!

Connect with them on Facebook or learn more about them HERE .

Searching for Curriculum

I've been looking on-line for homeschool curriculum for 2nd grade. I was disappointed to see Switch-On Schoolhouse doesn't start until the 3rd grade because I was thinking Savannah would really do well with something computer based. So then I came across Time 4 Learning and really liked their site. Anybody out there familiar with them?

Last year I used Saxon Math, but to be honest...all the repetition is a little much. By the end of the year Savannah was bored out of her mind! We used a Brain Quest workbook to supplement all subjects. We used a phonics dictionary for spelling and Horizon's language arts. We used an art based penmanship book. She read Horrible Harry books, Magic Treehouse, A Beka grade level books, the newspaper and anything else she could get her hands on. I think we read close to 200 books...she loves reading. Anyway, I'm feeling scattered and the need to be more structured for her sake and mine.

If anyone has any suggestions, please feel free to leave me a comment, let me know what has worked for you or what didn't! Let me know if you think going with one particular curriculum is better (like Abeka) or if you think mix and match works. Can't wait to hear from you. Thanks!

Our Homeschool Day

If you are a homeschooling family, I would really like to hear what you are doing and how you're doing it! Some days I feel we do a really great job in the learning department. Other days I worry that I'm not giving her enough. Today was a great day. This is what we did: 9please remember that I am also juggling the 3 year old who thinks he can do anything "DEET" can do)

Read Proverbs 12 from The Message
She picked out a verse to copy for handwriting practice
Math...subtraction intro and addition review
3 Worksheets and 1 Test
Run through of flashcards 2 times
Chapter book reading
Art
Cutting, Pasting, Tracing activities
Folding Towels (fractions)
Counting by 10's
Playtime outside
Computer game (educational)

This takes us about 3-4 hours to do. I struggle with keeping her busy for much longer than that most days. I am noticing that if I provide her with things to do in her down (not school) time she is grasping for more educational type things...books, computer, crafts and games. This makes me know that she is enjoying learning. Isn't that one of the most important things....that she is a lifetime lover of learning? I hope so!

So, no matter how much I second guess myself on this whole homeschooling issue, I know that it's what God has called me to do right now...for such a time as this.

Let me know what you're doing if you are a homeschooling family. I'd love to hear your ideas and strategies.