The easiest way to teach your kids analogies is with some games!
You can sit and explain how a heart is like a bike pump, with blood instead of air.
Or how a birds wings and an airplane wings are similar for a reason.
But...that doesn’t mean your explanation was a good one OR that your kids will get you?!
They may just think you have gone off the homeschooling Mom deep end!LOL
Plus there are different versions of an analogy! There is the analogy comparison where this is like that and why.
There is also the biological analogy as to why things that are similar like a butterfly, moth and fly all have wings but have evolved differently. They are similar, yet different!
Confused yet?!
This means that finding some good analogy games online is probably your best bet.
And while you are at it...you get some good research done AND might just stumble upon other great homeschooling sites along the way! WIN-WIN!
So, if an analogy or how to present an analogy confuses you.... don't sweat it! Hop online the internet highway and google analogy games and/or analogy definitions and see where it takes you!
Hey....I just compared the internet to a highway....guess what....THAT is also an analogy!LOL
I'm a poet and didn't even know it!
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Evolving with Evolution!
I am a firm believer in evolution! I believe we came from amoebas, and evolved to fish, then to reptiles, and to mammals, etc.
I think that dinosaurs and birds are cousins, there are too many factors to say not, IMHO.
I believe in strata layers showing that the earth was once covered in water, lakes were in the middle of the USA, that Pangaea existed and that we are kissing cousins of apes!
And as the Mom of 2 teens, 8th and 9th grade...we are at the age where explaining evolution to my homeschoolers is understandable!
My youngest son has ALWAYS been into dinosaurs and both of them are rockhounds like me...so they already have a good base for this!
Now...how do we go about it?
My favorite version is the shirt that Sheldon on Big Bang Theory wears! LOL
But....just showing them a shirt isn't really teaching! LOL Though it would make my life easier!
So...that being said....
There are LOTS of different versions out there...depending on how you see it!
Deciphering WHICH version is right for you is 100% up to you!
Research it! Go online, chat with other homeschooling parents!
Then see if you have helpful online assistance or hit the internet looking for books to help you out!
Which version or combo of them works for you...is up to you!
Just remember, studying evolution will help you EVOLVE as a homeschooler!
I think that dinosaurs and birds are cousins, there are too many factors to say not, IMHO.
I believe in strata layers showing that the earth was once covered in water, lakes were in the middle of the USA, that Pangaea existed and that we are kissing cousins of apes!
And as the Mom of 2 teens, 8th and 9th grade...we are at the age where explaining evolution to my homeschoolers is understandable!
My youngest son has ALWAYS been into dinosaurs and both of them are rockhounds like me...so they already have a good base for this!
Now...how do we go about it?
My favorite version is the shirt that Sheldon on Big Bang Theory wears! LOL
But....just showing them a shirt isn't really teaching! LOL Though it would make my life easier!
So...that being said....
There are LOTS of different versions out there...depending on how you see it!
Deciphering WHICH version is right for you is 100% up to you!
Research it! Go online, chat with other homeschooling parents!
Then see if you have helpful online assistance or hit the internet looking for books to help you out!
Which version or combo of them works for you...is up to you!
Just remember, studying evolution will help you EVOLVE as a homeschooler!
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Looking for a New Writing Curriculum....
Well, we are mid-year and I know one thing that is DEFINITELY going to change for next school year!
WRITING!
Why....because the program my Mom is using for their writing program, just isn't cutting it anymore! The boys at 8th and 9th grade are beyond worksheets, beyond cursive practice, beyond dictionary work! Not bashing the wonderful writing program my Mom came up with for them! It has worked the past 3 years! Love you MOM!!!
But....they are tired of it! I am tired of fighting them on it! They get bored easily and are doing sloppy work. Therefore, Grandma is tired of fighting with them on it. And since she lives 6 hours away...it isn't exactly easy for her to pop over to deal with it.
So, together....she and I are on a mission to find something that works and works well!
For EVERYONE!
Right now we are checking into a homeschool online writing curriculum! We have several things in mind! These would be tied in with physical writing as well! Never want them to forget pen and paper!
So....guess what I am saying is....my faithful readers.... do you have a writing program for your older kids that you like? One you dislike and warn people from?
I am looking for input!
WRITING!
Why....because the program my Mom is using for their writing program, just isn't cutting it anymore! The boys at 8th and 9th grade are beyond worksheets, beyond cursive practice, beyond dictionary work! Not bashing the wonderful writing program my Mom came up with for them! It has worked the past 3 years! Love you MOM!!!
But....they are tired of it! I am tired of fighting them on it! They get bored easily and are doing sloppy work. Therefore, Grandma is tired of fighting with them on it. And since she lives 6 hours away...it isn't exactly easy for her to pop over to deal with it.
So, together....she and I are on a mission to find something that works and works well!
For EVERYONE!
Right now we are checking into a homeschool online writing curriculum! We have several things in mind! These would be tied in with physical writing as well! Never want them to forget pen and paper!
So....guess what I am saying is....my faithful readers.... do you have a writing program for your older kids that you like? One you dislike and warn people from?
I am looking for input!
Homeschooling Middle School and Beyond....
In this house....I am constantly busy! Not only are we homeschooling but as some of you may or may not know...I run a childcare, I write for a living and am basically a SAHM as well! Constant chaos, constantly busy but content!
The time we spend on learning is almost 24/7 and it never is dull! Why you ask? Well....because I homeschool my 2 boys....1 in middle school and 1 in high school. Plus I run a preschool program for the daycare kids. 2 different programs in use at the same time! Time 4 Learning is what we use for Preschool and Middle School homeschooling because it covers PreK-8th grade and incorporates EVERYTHING! We love, love, love it!
Our High School program this year is a new one for us called eLearning and we are just getting used to it.
We are on our 4th year homeschooling and we started homeschooling Fall 2008 when my oldest son was in public middle school and we ended up with many issues and decided it wasn't worth the stress and aggravation and to give homeschooling a try!
We love it! We are homeschoolers for life!
Was I scared to start homeschooling in middle school! Yep! Not gonna lie! The first month was misery! For both my son and I as I basically relearned a lot of MY schooling!LOL But, once we worked out the kinks and got on the right track...it was GOLDEN!
Would I do it over again, given the choice! YEP! Except this time around we would start them homeschooling from the very beginning!
What do I tell people when they ask me about homeschooling?
Well, it isn't right for everyone! Try it out! You may be surprised how well it fits you, your child and your family!
Happy Homeschooling!!
The time we spend on learning is almost 24/7 and it never is dull! Why you ask? Well....because I homeschool my 2 boys....1 in middle school and 1 in high school. Plus I run a preschool program for the daycare kids. 2 different programs in use at the same time! Time 4 Learning is what we use for Preschool and Middle School homeschooling because it covers PreK-8th grade and incorporates EVERYTHING! We love, love, love it!
Our High School program this year is a new one for us called eLearning and we are just getting used to it.
We are on our 4th year homeschooling and we started homeschooling Fall 2008 when my oldest son was in public middle school and we ended up with many issues and decided it wasn't worth the stress and aggravation and to give homeschooling a try!
We love it! We are homeschoolers for life!
Was I scared to start homeschooling in middle school! Yep! Not gonna lie! The first month was misery! For both my son and I as I basically relearned a lot of MY schooling!LOL But, once we worked out the kinks and got on the right track...it was GOLDEN!
Would I do it over again, given the choice! YEP! Except this time around we would start them homeschooling from the very beginning!
What do I tell people when they ask me about homeschooling?
Well, it isn't right for everyone! Try it out! You may be surprised how well it fits you, your child and your family!
Happy Homeschooling!!
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Being a Secular Homeschooler...
Who is a secular homeschooler....WE ARE!
What is a secular homeschooler? It is someone who homeschools but NOT for religious reasons, nor do they want or need religious content IN their studies!
That is us!
Finding strictly secular curriculum online is not as easy as it sounds!
I do mind the word "God" in something, I am not as STRICT for the secular as some people but I do not want my boys to have religion or religion based in their learning.
Luckily, we have found a great Secular Homeschool Forum as well as AWESOME online schooling that is Secular with Time 4 Learning!
We have a wonderful group of people that help us find places to go, things to do, answer questions we have, make suggestions to curriculum, create awesome and funny blogs about their secular adventure, etc.
I am not bashing a religious homeschooler, that is their preference and their thing. Good for them, not for us.
So....if you are a secular homeschooler and willing to spend a little bit of time weeding through the amass of online curriculum, you will find that there is actually a lot of secular learning!
What is a secular homeschooler? It is someone who homeschools but NOT for religious reasons, nor do they want or need religious content IN their studies!
That is us!
Finding strictly secular curriculum online is not as easy as it sounds!
I do mind the word "God" in something, I am not as STRICT for the secular as some people but I do not want my boys to have religion or religion based in their learning.
Luckily, we have found a great Secular Homeschool Forum as well as AWESOME online schooling that is Secular with Time 4 Learning!
We have a wonderful group of people that help us find places to go, things to do, answer questions we have, make suggestions to curriculum, create awesome and funny blogs about their secular adventure, etc.
I am not bashing a religious homeschooler, that is their preference and their thing. Good for them, not for us.
So....if you are a secular homeschooler and willing to spend a little bit of time weeding through the amass of online curriculum, you will find that there is actually a lot of secular learning!
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