Science Unit Studies for Homeschoolers Review and Giveaway

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Science Unit Studies for Homeschoolers is a part of my birthday month giveaway extravaganza. To enter, please sign up for email updates on the right menu.

This curriculum serves me well because I don’t really like teaching science. But having a well-organized, well-structured textbook with simple activities listed by age, helps a lot.

Sugar and salt containers

In one of the activities illustrating taste, one shows salt and sugar to students, asking them to identify them only by sight, feel or smell. Impossible, right? Once you allow them to engage their sense of taste, they get the answer.

Science Unit Studies for Homeschoolers and Teachers by Susan Kilbride contains 20 lessons, 10 for ages 4-7 and 10 for ages 8-13. The last chapter provides answers to tests and worksheets.

A homeschooling parent, Ms. Kilbride wanted to write a book that made science easy to teach for homeschooling parents. She also wanted to make learning science fun. She has succeeded.

Not only can you teach students of different ages at the same time, but you can do so regardless of your educational background. Personally, I need all the help I can get when it comes to teaching science. So I need a science curriculum which says, “point out to your students that…” and “tell your students that…” I know some homeschooling moms who don’t like scripted textbooks, but I don’t mind them at all.

Even though teaching science is still teaching science, Ms. Kilbride’s book makes it fun and easy. Get it now or sign up for email updates on the right, to be entered into the birthday month extravaganza. Your homeschool science classes can only get better with this curriculum.


Home Art Studio DVDs Review and Giveaway

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Home Art Studio DVDs for grades K-6th is a part of my birthday month giveaway extravaganza. Homeschooling can get a little rough around this time of the year. So I think a lot of homeschoolers should be interested in a curriculum that keeps the kids happily making art while mom can catch up on her work around the house. No textbooks required, no busy work, no power struggles.

Sculpey cinnamon buns and plate

We made cinnamon buns on a plate out of Sculpey, a clay one bakes in the oven before painting

But this award-winning art curriculum is more than just something to do to get over the winter blahs. During the school year, homeschool students can tackle one session a week and create different art projects in different media. Through painting, sculpting, drawing and coloring, children can express themselves while learning different techniques and even a bit of art history.

Home Art Studio DVDs K-5th plus holiday DVD

One lucky winner will receive all six grades plus the holiday DVD of this homeschool art curriculum

We have done five lessons so far from the Kindergarten set and our only problem is that once we get started, we don’t know when to stop. From a winter landscape to Van Gogh’s sunflowers, to a happy sun and sculpted cinnamon rolls on a plate, we had fun. That’s what it’s all about, right?

Van Gogh's Sunflowers, one of the projects on Home Art Studio DVD for Kindergarten

Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, one of the projects on Home Art Studio DVD for Kindergarten, as created by one of my children

I really like art but I would not know where to start and how to teach it. This DVD set does all the work for me and in a professional manner, too. I cannot say enough about how impressed I am with Ms. Volin’s relaxed, inviting teaching style.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the kindergarten curriculum. I only recommend curriculum we use in our homeschool. To enter the giveaway, please sign up for our quarterly e-newsletter on the right hand menu by March 1.


Alpha-Phonics and How to Tutor Review

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When it comes to the early grades, the 3Rs remain the focus of any schools, including homeschools. The 3Rs are Reading, ‘Riting and ‘Rithmetic. A few months ago, I discovered a curriculum that covers all three Rs effectively and does not break the bank, either: Alpha-Phonics and its predecessor, How to Tutor.

Samuel Blumenfeld, the creator of these programs, looked for ways to help tutors with their students in after-school programs. That’s how he put together How to Tutor. As the homeschooling movement took off, parents asked for the same program tailored to a homeschool setting. Alpha-Phonics was born.

Alpha-Phonics Textbook, Workbook, Readers and How to Tutor the 3Rs Set

One lucky winner will win the Alpha-Phonics Textbook, Workbook, Readers and How to Tutor the 3Rs Set

In the world of phonics curricula, one cannot find a more basic or straight-forward curriculum. The textbook contains no pictures to confuse the child and make her build word-picture-sound associations. The direct connection between the letter and its sounds establishes a solid foundation for reading.

Now that the phonics textbook is also available as a CD-ROM, which you receive at no extra charge when you purchase the paper copy, you can take this program with you anywhere and keep your homeschool going as you travel.

The program comes with 10 readers which follow along the textbook: five are pink and five are yellow. My son, who is a kindergartner reading on a fourth grade level, has enjoyed reading through them already. But they don’t have to be all used in kindergarten, obviously. They can be used as your student advances through the textbook.

How to Tutor offers a Cursive Writing Practice Book, too, for those of us determined to keep cursive alive.

A complete program that works at all ages, Alpha-Phonics and How to Tutor can teach you how to teach Phonics, Arithmetic and Handwriting. So, next time somebody asks you how you can teach without a teaching degree, you can tell them that you studied under a teacher of teachers, Samuel Blumenfeld.

Be sure to sign up for our quarterly e-newsletter on the right, so you can be entered in this giveaway which ends March 1. There will be four winners, each receiving a different homeschool curriculum.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the Alpha-Phonics and How to Tutor programs for review purposes. I only recommend products we use in our homeschool.


Birthday Month Giveaway Extravaganza

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March 2, 2014 update: emails have been sent out to four lucky winners. First come, first served. The quicker you pick your curriculum and answer the email, the more chances you have to win the curriculum you want.

Since February is my birthday month, I will give away four curricula, one for each week of the month. Sign up for email updates through March 1, please.

The drawing will happen on March 2, 2014. I will contact the winners by email. You have three days to claim your prize. First come, first served. Please check your emails on March 2. Then, I will announce the winners on the blog.

Next week, I will publish individual posts about each curriculum set, except Schoolhouse Teachers, which I reviewed back in December. In no particular order:

Please stay tuned for the reviews.

To participate, sign up for email updates in the menu on the right or click here. Bonus: upon signing up, you will receive my ebook, “21 Days to Jumpstart Your Homeschool.”

I send out a quarterly e-newsletter and an occasional email if I have news. Please sign up with an email address you check regularly. If you don’t claim your prize in three days, I will have another drawing.


And the Winner of “The 12-Week Year” Book Is…

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Very excited to announce the winner of “The 12-Week Year” book: her name is Geanina and she lives in Georgia. How cool is that?

Geanina from Georgia, a homeschooling mom of two teenage boys, with a third on the way. Congratulations are in order… twice!

One autographed copy of this New York Times bestseller coming your way, Geanina! Thank you for being a faithful subscriber to Homeschool Ways blog and newsletter.



And the Winner Is…

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… Mitzi Hendrich of Maryville. Congratulations, Mitzi! The Dollywood tickets are coming your way. Dollywood is a great homeschooling field trip – not just an amusement park. In some areas, it’s like stepping back in time 100 years. What a great way to learn American history.

Announcing the winner of a Dollywood ticket giveaway

In case you don’t know what I am talking about, I am giving away two Dollywood tickets to a blog subscriber. More information here.

Happy homeschooling!


Dollywood Tickets Giveaway

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I am excited to announce my very first giveaway. Please look on the right side menu or read below for details.

You can enter to win 2 Dollywood tickets ($114 value) by simply signing up for email updates from this blog. The offer ends October 7. The winner will be announced in a special blog post on October 8.

Giveaway

These tickets can be used through December 31, 2013. Check the Dollywood schedule here.

Please spread the word especially if you have other homeschooling friends who would like to visit Dollywood before the end of this year.