5 Days of Homeschool Essentials: The Unconventionals

This week, the members of The Old Schoolhouse Review Crew have been participating in a Homeschool Essentials Blog Hop. Today, as we wrap up the last day of the hop, I would like to talk about our unconventional homeschool essentials.

When we first began homeschooling 6 years ago, I was a traditional textbook-er. Other approaches intimidated me, so I went with what I knew at the time. It didn’t take long to begin to re-evaluate my stance. Nowadays, I absolutely love to mix up different resources and learning approaches. And most of all, I love using unconventional methods for teaching and learning.

Legos

What child doesn’t love Legos? We actually use them a lot in our homeschool. One subject in which we use Legos is history. Studying Egypt? Have your kids build the pyramids out of legos! For older children, choose a more difficult statue or historical building to construct with legos. And history isn’t the only class in which you can use legos. Why buy expensive math manipulatives when legos will work? Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, decimals, and percents are all concepts that can be easily presented using legos. They really are perfect for the tactile learner.

Minecraft

While we are talking Legos, we should also mention Minecraft. Everything we are able to do with Legos, we can do to the extreme in Minecraft. History can definitely come alive by recreating scenes in Minecraft. For those who need ideas for implementing Minecraft in the homeschool, you can check out some Minecraft Homeschool Classes in which your child can participate, with building assignments and challenges.  The Skrafty Minecraft Server, sponsored by When You Rise Up, is another great resource, offering a safe place for homeschoolers to create together. They offer some fantastic Minecraft classes as well, including some science classes, so I highly recommend checking them out.

Netflix

Netflix is our number one unconventional history resource. There are so many great documentaries to be found, and new titles are always coming into rotation. In our homeschool, we use the documentaries in conjunction with notebooking pages. That way, my kids can take notes and illustrate on their pages while watching the documentary, which helps to reinforce what they’re learning. This has helped tremendously in allowing history to “come alive” for my sons. Netflix also has some great science documentaries, as well as some biographies, so the benefits definitely don’t stop at history class alone.

Youtube

Youtube is another great source for videos. We are able to pull up some shorter history videos, when all we need is a brief overview of certain time periods or civilizations. Occasionally, we can find full-length documentaries there as well, which often differ from those we can find on Netflix. Videos are constantly being added to Youtube, so there is always something new to be found.

Another subject in which we use Youtube is science. Sometimes, we don’t have all the supplies for lab experiments, or we lack the time. And sometimes we just want more or different experiment ideas. Whatever the case, Youtube is a fantastic resource for experiment videos. It is simply a wealth of new ideas.

Youtube is also an amazing source for music, so why not use it for music appreciation? When we are doing our composer study, we don’t have to worry about trying to find (or buy) countless pieces of music for each composer being studied. We can find them all, often with many variations, on Youtube.

Finally, Youtube can be used for math class. While you may not be able to find an entire math course on Youtube, you can certainly find video demonstrations of a number of various math concepts, from the basics all the way up to the most complex. This is perfect for those who learn best by watching someone work out a problem before trying it on their own.

I hope you enjoyed reading about some of our unconventional homeschool essentials. Please take a few moments to visit a few of my team members to learn about some of their Homeschool Essentials as well!

Tabitha @ The Homeschool Four

LaRee @ Broad Horizons

Gwen @ Tolivers to Texas

Amy @ Counting Change. . .  Again

Jacquelin @ A Stable Beginning

Gena @ I Choose Joy! 

Adena @ AdenaF

Stacie @ Super Mommy to the Rescue

Jen @ Happy Little Homemaker

The New Answers Book 4 – Book Review

I am pleased to bring you another review today, for The New Answers Book 4, edited by Ken Ham from Answers In Genesis, and published by Master Books, a division of New Leaf Publishing Group. This book covers many questions concerning creation and evolution, and their Biblical answers. The book contains over 30 common questions relating to the origins of our earth and its inhabitants. With each question receiving its own dedicated chapter, answers are provided from both scripture as well as scientific research and observational data.

What Questions are Answered in The New Answers Book 4?

The Q&As in this book cover a wide range of topics, including astronomy and the origins of the universe, the origins of man as intelligent beings, geological evidence of a young earth, the fossil record, the development of languages, environmental changes throughout time, and so many more. There are also a number of chapters on atheistic views of such topics, and how to recognize them and then refute them.

How We Used the Book

Not only did we enjoy this book as recreational reading for the inquisitive minds in the household, but we also used it to supplement our homeschool curricula, mainly in the areas of history and science. Our science curriculum is already from a young earth creationist point of view, so this book was mainly used for reinforcement of prior learning. We did, however, find some chapter subjects particularly interesting, such as those relating to living fossils (meaning those species found in the fossil record that are still found in the same unchanged form today) and the fossil record’s lack of transitional forms (basically, missing links in the evolutionary chain).

History, we have found, is an especially difficult subject in which to find resources from a creationist perspective. Most history books are full of evolutionist theories rather than showing the true origins of man. I found this book particularly useful in helping my sons to affirm our beliefs in God’s creation and the Biblical timeline of man. The chapters we found most helpful in this capacity were those discussing the intelligence of early man versus typical “caveman” assumptions, various cultural legends concerning creation, global flood, and the development of languages, and geological evidence proving that the earth itself is much younger than commonly accepted, so man’s existence must be much shorter as well.

Our Final Opinion

We have thoroughly enjoyed this book, and have found it to be an excellent supplement in our homeschool. I was very glad to find that a number of the questions that my own children have asked me concerning the topic of evolution were included in this book. I appreciate having one single source to turn to for our answers to so many of our common questions on the subject. We also like that the book presents opposing views and false claims of evolutionists. I believe that from a young age, children need to be taught about the worldly views that they are going to be up against, and how they will defend their opinions against them. This book, which is written clearly with thoroughly researched scientific support and explanations, can help them do just that. I would recommend this book not only just to fellow homeschoolers, but to all Christians seeking answers to their questions on creation versus evolution.

Last Week’s Wrap-Up

A nasty stomach bug hit our family at the end of the week, so once again, our wrap-up post has been delayed. I didn’t want to skip it all together, though, since we had an excellent week in our homeschool.

We had originally intended to start a new Bible study this week, but as we were finishing our review of the Mere Christianity Journal, (review post coming soon) the boys REALLY started getting into the material, which spurred some pretty deep discussions and scripture studies. So, that more than covered Bible study for this week.

As far as our other subjects, we revamped a LOT this past week. We implemented a curriculum called TRISMS, which is a chronological, history-based, research-focused curriculum. It incorporates several subjects all together, giving it an almost unit study feel.

We actually used TRISMS in conjunction with the Classical History we were already doing, which has worked out extremely well. For writing, we were already using IEW, which is the writing program integrated into the TRISMS curriculum, so the kids already had a good feel for what would be expected in their writing, with the added benefit of the writing assignments woven right into the curriculum.

Science and math are a part of the curriculum as well, but only to the extent of noting developments or important persons in the field. So, we will continue with our Apologia for science and Life of Fred for math.

Overall, the boys are really loving the way everything is woven together. It makes each subject more meaningful, since they can see how it all fits together. The curriculum also allows them to further research areas that are especially interesting to each of them. Another thing they really love is that, overall, school takes a LOT less time, since there is a lot less skipping from one subject to the next. I am also seeing a great increase in their amount and length of focus.

In other words, we are all loving this curriculum, and we had a pretty fantastic homeschool week.

Chronicles of Dinosauria – Book Review

I finally pried my kids’ hands loose from this book long enough to provide my review of The Chronicles of Dinosauria: The History & Mystery of Dinosaurs and Man, written by Dave Woetzel, Illustrated by Richard Dobbs, and published by Master Books, a division of New Leaf Publishing Group.

This is a relatively short read of only 8 chapters and 88 pages, but don’t let those small numbers fool you. This book is jam packed with evidence to support the fact that dinosaurs are not only much younger than their supposed “millions of years old,” but that they also roamed the earth alongside man.

Topics covered in this book include:

Chapter 1 – The Creation and the Dinosaurs

Chapter 2 – The Flood and the Dinosaurs

Chapter 3 – Fossil Evidence of Dinosaurs and Man

  Chapter 4 – Historical Evidence of Dinosaurs and Man

Chapter 5 – Artistic Evidence of Dinosaurs and Man

Chapter 6 – Cryptozoology Evidence of Dinosaurs

Chapter 7 – Biblical Evidence of Dinosaurs and Man

Chapter 8 – Apologetics and Conclusion

This book was fascinating. It appealed to my older son, whose favorite subject is history, because it explained how the art and folklore found  found in various cultures throughout history all points to the fact that man, at some point, walked the earth with dinosaurs, which then gave rise to stories of dragons and creatures of the deep, as well as artistic expressions of such creatures.

My younger son and I, being science nerds, especially loved the scientific evidence presented throughout the book, such as the detection of carbon 14 still present in dinosaur bones, as well as the prevalence of unfossilized soft tissue found within the bones. Both of these findings support the youthfuless of dinosaur bones, since both carbon 14 and soft tissue would have deteriorated well before now, had dinosaurs actually lived “millions of years” ago, as commonly believed.

 

My children and I have read this book time and again. Not only is it beneficial in our homeschool for reference purposes, but it is a book we enjoy for recreational reading as well. Though very young children might not understand all the topics within this book, I highly recommend it for parents and children alike.

Disclaimer: I was provided a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions and review. I received no compensation.

Weekly Wrap-Up: Nov. 4-8

This week, we made our return to Apologia science. Big G began General Science, while M began Chemistry & Physics. Honestly, all it took was one little experiment on buoyancy…

…and I knew we had made the right decision to come back to Apologia. I made some notebooking pages for both boys, and they actually had a lot of fun documenting their findings.

We also began our new history this week. We decided on Ancient Civilizations and the Bible, by Diana Waring (available through AIG.) The first week introduces the material and we listen to audio stories. Knowing that neither of my boys are auditory learners, I decided to let them do their personal timelines while listening, which worked out VERY well.

Our last new thing this week was the beginning of our trial of Time4Learning. This being only a couple of days into our trial, the verdict is still out, but the boys do seem to be enjoying some of the activities.

We also concluded our first week of our Spirit of Thankfulness study, so we will start week 2’s focus on Monday. Until then, a long, lazy weekend is in order. Blessings to you all.

Memorization Versus True Learning

When we decided to revamp our curriculum choices yet again this year, I thought that a more traditional textbook approach seemed like a great option. We all thrive on a more structured layout and routine. On the surface, things are great. The boys do a section of history per day, reading the passage, and answering questions at the end. At the end of each chapter is a review, which we use as a quiz / test of sorts. The guys cooperate, comprehend, and complete their assignments.

What’s the problem, then? First, is the matter of retention. They memorize the facts and dates long enough for the assignments, but then the information seems to get lost in the shuffle. Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, is the lack of joy. The guys are not excited about learning, and often cannot wait to “just get it done.” They have forgotten how fun learning can be.  I do not want to train test takers. I want to educate and develop life-long lovers of learning. What I have now are 2 guys who are beginning to resent not only their history class, but school altogether.

So, we have collectively decided to switch to a history-based unit study of sorts. We still want the order of going in chronological order, but we will do so in an activity-based way. This may mean starting back over AGAIN from the beginning of time, but we can spend less time on those periods with which we are familiar, and hopefully this time the guys will enjoy studying those periods again, since we will do more interesting activities and projects this time around.

I really learned a lesson here, and that is to avoid the test trap. The guys are not test-takers, they are learners. I am not a programmer, I am a teacher. We need to keep school an interesting and joyful experience. My kids are the best indicators of what works, not tests and standards. I just need to keep listening. Thank you, Lord, for keeping me aware.

The Tower of Babel Book Review

I was chosen as part of the review team for a wonderful book, The Tower of Babel: The Cultural History of Our Ancestors by Bodie Hodge. The book is published by Master Books, a division of New Leaf Publishing Group.

More about author Bodie Hodge can be found on his bio page at the New Leaf Press web site.

The book begins with some of the common questions asked, and debates concerning the belief in the literal interpretation of the Book of Genesis, and thus, the story of the Tower of Babel. The author presents these differing viewpoints, and then provides Biblical evidence of the truth. This theme continues throughout the book, as questions are presented and answered, then objections are explained, and then refuted. This apologetic style works well in engaging the reader and keeping interest high throughout the book.

Some of the information I found most interesting :

(Chapter 5) Genesis 10 tells of people having multiple languages, yet Genesis 11 says that people were all of one language. Is this a contradiction, as some claim? Not at all. Genesis 10 gives the end result, and Genesis 11 goes back and tells the story leading up to it.

(Chapter 6) The continental split occurred at the time of the flood (as evidenced by the ark’s landing on the mountains of Ararat, which did not exist prior to the flood) so the division of the earth in the days of Peleg (Genesis 10:25) was a reference to the division of languages, rather than of the land itself.

(Chapter 12) Could all of our languages spoken today possibly come out of the language confusion at Babel? Yes. This is a fascinating chapter that tells just how the root languages of Babel have developed, over time, into all the many languages spoken today. From the approximate 78 languages to come out of Babel, considering time, distance, and intermingling of languages, it is definitely possible to develop our almost 7,000 current languages from then til now.

(Chapter 29) The relevance of understanding this division of languages is to realize that there is One who can bring us all back together. The gospel is our universal language, and our belief in the one true God unites us.

There is so much more fascinating information in this book, that I couldn’t possibly mention it all. I think Mr. Hodge did an excellent job of presenting the information in such a way that it not only informs, but engages the reader by answering many common questions concerning the events of Babel in a clear, understandable way. It further equips the reader with the means to refute those who might disagree with the literal interpretation of these events.

Whether or not the reader is a Biblical history expert, I think the book will definitely hold anyone’s attention. It is not just a list of ancestry, but an interesting, thorough explanation of how the Biblical account of the differentiation of languages and cultures is the only true historical account.

Disclaimer: I was provided a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions and review. I received no compensation.

Reed Gold Mine

Today we went on an awesome field trip to Reed Gold Mine. The day began with a viewing of a short film about the history of the gold mine. Dated as the movie was, it did have some interesting historical facts. Of course, some antsy little boys definitely wanted to move on to something more hands-on.

So, from there, we went on to the indoor exhibits, which included information concerning how gold is formed within the earth, as well as the methods and machinery used to mine it.

And then, we were actually able to take a tour of the mine itself. Our tour guide told us all about the working conditions of the miners, the dangers they faced, and the difficult methods they had to employ in order to mine the gold.

Once we emerged from the mine, it was time for a group shot with our fellow homeschoolers. We took the picture at the top of one of the original mine shafts, complete with one of the old kibbles used to raise and lower material and miners up and down the shafts.

 

After that, we headed over to do some panning for gold. Of course, we all came up empty handed, but it sure was fun trying.

This field trip was a LOT of fun and extremely educational. We will definitely be headed back again soon. I highly recommend a visit!

Notebooking Binding

We love notebooking. Even before we became familiar with the term notebooking as it applies to homeschooling, my kids had always enjoyed making their own little books about whatever interested them at the time. In those days, their books were made from stapled pieces of paper. Well, now that we notebook for many of their school subjects, we are becoming 3 ring binder hoarders. And honestly, I hate the mount of extra space those bulky things can occupy.

So, I researched possible binding alternatives until finally settling on a traditional comb binding. Ease of use, multiple size options, and availability of supplies were among the deciding factors. After researching many machines, I settled on the Combbind c75 manual binding machine

 

This thing is really a snap to use. All you do is load your paper, then push down the ginormous handle to punch the holes.

 

Then you put one of the plastic combs in the top prongs. Then, pull the handle down again and lock into place so it stays open. Then, you load the paper into the comb.

 

Then just release the lock to close the comb and voila! An awesome custom notebook without the bulk of a binder.

This appeals not only to our creative sides, but to our “organization fanatic” sides as well. Definitely the best non-curriculum purchase for our homeschool EVER!

History Timeline Project

The Mystery of History curriculum encourages the use of timelines for reinforcement. We started out this year with each of my kids making his own timeline, kept in their history notebooks. Honestly, it was just becoming too time-consuming to keep up the separate timelines, so we recently decided to make one master timeline to put up on the wall. We couldn’t find all the materials suggested in the text without driving far out of the way, so we had to come up with another solution.

We finally came up with a very easy (and cheap-yay!) alternative. We bought a roll of brown craft paper (found at the dollar store as shipping paper for a buck a roll,) some colored printer paper, and one sheet of black poster board. We had previously bought the set of timeline figures available from the bright ideas press website, so that was no additional expense.

We cut the poster board into strips for the lines. We then printed out the titles on regular printer paper, and backed those with the colored paper. Thenall we had to do was unroll the craft paper and start gluing our title and lines down, then add our figures. I love the fact that, because we used a roll of paper instead of a hard piece of cardboard, we can keep expanding the timeline as far as we need to.

I think it turned out pretty good. The kids are already having a much easier time in referencing some of the topics we have covered, since now they don’t have to flip through a bunch of pages in their notebooks to find something. And at less than $5, not including the timeline figures, it’s definitely worth it!