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A Tisket, A Tasket, An Explorers Back To School Basket Giveaway

August 1, 2014 | 551 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

This Giveaway Is Now Closed. After the winner has been drawn, I will post the name at the bottom of this post.

I love to splurge on you and make your back to school special this year. So with lots of planning and with appreciation for my sponsors too, I am proud to be joining with Bright Ideas Press and Rainbow Resource to again be hosting a giveaway for a back to school basket.

This year my theme is an Explorers Basket. I think the theme fits both with what I luv and how I feel right now since we are heading off on a new exploring journey of our own.

Look at this GIGANTO list of goodies in my basket for the love of exploring.

Hold your breath! Okay, maybe not.

Da Vinci Machines Series – Paddleboat A cool craft because Da Vinci was a true explorer! $16.99

The Global Puzzle. A challenging 600-piece puzzle of the world that has individual pieces shaped like the world’s countries. An explorer needs to know his way so I added a puzzle that is not easy to solve. Keep it long term to add to part of your geography curriculum. $14.44

National Geographic Student Atlas of the World Be still my beating heart you mentioned atlas and I go weak at the knees. I love so many atlases but chose this one to include in my basket. $9.32

And then the following books that tell about some early navigators, explorers and those with a spirit of adventure.

If You Lived With The Iroquois. $5.71.

If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon. $5.71

If You Sailed on the Mayflower in 1620. $5.71

If You Lived at the Time of the American Revolution. $5.71

Great Minds Set of 5 Puzzles Compendium. We fell in love with this puzzle. Guaranteed sure way to keep your explorers using their noggin while they take a break from exploring. $25.95

Fandex Family Field Guides: Explorers You know my love for these fandex guides. $8.95

Cavallini Notebook, Vintage World Map, 144 lines And then a place to record all of an explorer’s thoughts and dreams. $16.66

And that is not all.

Bright Ideas Press has contributed a digital download of their newest geography program, North Star Geography, which I am loving ALONG with a digital download of Wonder Maps for a $90.00 value.

Rainbow Resource has contributed a $50.00 gift certificate AND a downloadable Four-Week Unit Study, Grades K – 12 about Pioneers.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

Begins NOW: Friday, August 1st and Ends: Friday, August 8th at 9:00 a.m. CST.

The winner will be selected using random org and will be notified afterwards. And also because you can’t be a once a month email reader, if my winner does not respond to my email within 24 hours, I will choose another GIGANTO winner.

Easy Rules. They always are.

There will be only one BIG GIGANTO WINNER TAKE ALL!
U.S. residents only.
Do as many of the options below for entry or as few of them as you want. I want to give you every chance to win, so I have 7 options.

7 OPTIONS FOR ENTRY

A lot of my followers don’t like complicated widgets, so I won’t use one. Easy commenting on this blog post is how you will comment for each entry.

Follow the instructions carefully on each entry because I will check before I announce the grand prize winner.

1. You have to follow by email. Commenting on this blog post letting me know that you are an email subscriber is your first easy entry.

2. Comment on this blog post letting me know what you want to see more of on my blog, i.e more lapbooks, more unit studies, more printables on ?, more how to’s on ? or something completely different or you may just like the pace fine.

This is your chance to let your voice be heard on why you are following me.

By the way, I will have a hard time restraining myself to talk to you because if I comment I mess up the numbers for entry. Please know I luv your comments and value each one.

3. Re-share this giveaway from my personal Google Plus profile page Tina Robertson (not my Google Plus Page Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool Plus). Here is the link to that post.

https://plus.google.com/100106612701846128040/posts/Lh6pzK9QFuu

This is how to re-share a post: Click the forward arrow at the bottom of the post. The arrow is pointing to the right and when you hover on it, it says “Share this post”.

Click, comment and share. I will be notified automatically when you do.

Don’t forget to come back to this blog post and comment on this blog post saying that you did that.

4. Share this giveaway on Pinterest AND post the link of your pin in your comment on this blog post. Don’t say “Shared this” when you comment on this blog post saying that you did. Do say “I shared this and here is the link (insert link).”

To get the link for the exact pin, click on the Board you pinned it on and then click on the picture/pin and then you will see the exact link in the browser. A repin counts too. Here is my pin:

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/138767232243595866/

Don’t forget to come back to this blog post and comment on this blog post saying that you did that.

5. Share this giveaway on Twitter AND post the link in your comment on this blog post. Don’t say “Shared this” when you comment on this blog post saying that you did. Do say “I shared this and here is the link (insert link).” A RT counts too. Here is my tweet:

Explorers Basket Giveaway|Aug 1 – 8. Time for some fun! @brightideasteam @RainbowResourc1

http://t.co/F99482UNLj pic.twitter.com/Oe3YTNhoJy

— Tina Robertson (@TinasHomeschool) August 1, 2014

6. Comment on Bright Ideas Press Google Plus page

https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/102612999875880635044/+Brightideaspresscurriculum/posts

saying something to the effect “that you would like to win the explorers basket on Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool Plus Blog”. Then, post on this blog post letting me know that you did.

You don’t have to give me the link to your Google Post unless you know how to do that, but DO give me the DATE that you commented on Bright Ideas Press Google Page.

Also, if you know how to +1 me on Google Plus, please do so at +Tina Robertson. If not, this entry is not contingent on doing the +1 or giving me the link. It is a qualified entry though when you give me the DATE you commented on their pages and when you say that on your post on this blog post.

7. Comment on Rainbow Resource Google Plus page

https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/102612999875880635044/+rainbowresource/posts

with the same instructions just like you did above in option number 6 for Bright Ideas Press.

(Note though I luv ya, I don’t use facebook anymore, so posts on a facebook account do not count as an entry.)

That’s it. I hope you win!

But I have something else I have to tell you about that is hot right now and that I am so excited about.

Today is the release of The Big Book Of Homeschool Ideas. I am a co-author of a couple of chapters in this great resource and I still am not finished reading it yet though I got it early because it is a WHOPPING 562 page download chock full of goodness.

55 moms share 103 topics about homeschooling. Don’t you want to peek at the topics? You can.

Look at a few pages of the table of contents I snipped for you below.

Purchase here The Big Book Of Homeschool Ideas or click on the big graphic above.

{Just so you know: When you get a link on that page, download INSTANTLY. Coming back later, even weeks later to download something you purchased will not guarantee that the link has not expired and that you will not get your purchase. Download your product and save it instantly to avoid problems of downloading later.}

Guess what? That is not all. This is a blog hop.

28 homeschool bloggers have joined together to provide one massive back-to-homeschool basket giveaway! Take a peek around these 28 sites and enter to win as many baskets as you like. Each blogger is conducting her own giveaway, so you never know…you may end up winning more than one!

Click Here to go iHomeschool Network Main Page for the Back to Homeschool Baskets.

Want to read some more?

Homeschool Curriculum Keepers Part 1

Homeschool Attendance Forms

30 Fun Resources for Learning About Daniel Boone

Congratulations to Comment/Winner Number 158!

Congratulations to Crystal Cook – Our GRAND Prize Winner Take All!!

2015 Year Around Homeschool Planning Schedule

July 30, 2014 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Yikes! I have been in a panic mode since it has been full speed ahead for moving out of our home. So knowing that I will be traveling soon, I went ahead and prepared the 2015 Year Around Homeschool Planning Schedule form.

Remember this is NOT a calendar. Okay, well it is, but it isn’t. Just calendars are kept on STEP 2. Choose Calendars/Appointment Keepers.

This is a planning form. There is a fine difference. A calendar is for a reference and a planning schedule is for planning school noting important things that come up in your life which will affect your school.

Since year around homeschooling is an option and it is about planning too, these types of forms are kept on STEP 5a. Choose Unique forms JUST for You!

Forms on Step 2, which are calendars, are a must-have for your planner but the forms on Step 5 are option forms. This fine difference between the two steps or calendars helps you to stay organized as I always want you to have control over how you put your planner together.

Also, just to remind you of the uses of this form because I have new faces following me, look at these options:

This form works for you if you live in a country where your school year begins with the physical year.
This forms works for you if you prefer to follow the physical year instead of the school year. By the way, I did this for many years and I loved it. I wouldn’t have all the school hype for changing grade levels during a busy time and it seemed prices were cheaper too on some curriculum during mid-winterish.
This forms works for you if pull your children out mid-school year and want to start planning.

Do you have any other ways you use this form?

Download the 2015 Year Around Homeschool Planning Schedule here.

Don’t forget to check out my other forms I made.

Also, don’t Forget – Click on the Graphic Below to Scoot by & Check out the Great Homeschool Sale. I am SO proud to be part of it each year!

Linking up at these fabulous places:

Hip Homeschool Hop |

Finishing Strong – Homeschool Link Up Party {Homeschooling Middle & High School Years} #22.

July 30, 2014 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Thank you for joining us this week at Finishing Strong Homeschool Link Up Party that focuses on middle & high school students.

Welcome to Finishing Strong!

Today is all about history, so we’re highlighting some of the best history posts that have been shared with us over the past few weeks. There are plenty of unique ideas to get you thinking as you consider how you’ll be studying this important subject during the coming year.

History can be a boring subject for some students, especially if they think it’s all about memorizing dates. Hopefully you’ll take some of these hands-on ideas and strive to bring history to life in your home school.

Let’s Have Fun with History

Teaching About Independence Day in Your Homeschool from 7Sisters Homeschool

The Angelicscalliwag Homeschool : Why History? from Angelicscalliwag

Project: Middle Ages History & Fashion from Blog She Wrote

History of the Ancient World and Tapestry of Grace Year 1 from Classically Homeschooling

The Liberty Bell: Timeline & Trivia – FREE Printable from Education Possible

How To Help Your Kids Love History and Save Money on History Curriculum from Family, Home, Health

3 Homeschool Co-op History Resources Worth Exploring from Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Next week we’re going to look at some exciting ideas for learning about science. Hopefully you’ll join us!

Don’t forget to check out all of the co-hosts – Aspired Living, Blog She Wrote, Education Possible, EvaVarga, Milk and Cookies, Starts at Eight, and Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool Plus.

Easy Details to Remember & Even Easier Guidelines.

The link up party goes live at 5:00 a.m. CST each Wednesday and stays open until the following Tuesday at 11:55 p.m.
Each week we will pick our favorite links as features and share them.
You can link up to 3 posts. Please do not link up advertising posts, or other link ups, or parties. I will remove them. Homeschool related reviews are permitted and of course all topics related to homeschooling middle to high school students.
Grab a button to add to your post after you link up and if you were featured, grab an “I was featured” button.
By linking up with us, you agree for us to share your images and give you credit of course.
That’s it! Glad to have you here and let’s party!

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An InLinkz Link-up

Homeschool Curriculum Keepers Part 1

July 27, 2014 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

It’s true. The longer you homeschool the more picky you become about what your homeschool curriculum keepers are for a year. I find that sometimes I need less and other years I want an abundance.

This year will be the less is more motto. Knowing that we will be moving by the end of August (yikes) from place to place, room to room, country to country and hotel room to hotel room, I tried to narrow down what I was going use this year for Tiny.

One thing I did was to go ahead and bite the bullet and put Mr. Awesome in an online high school program. He will not be doing all online but it helps me to focus on Tiny because I need to take more physical books for him. I have tried to reduce to as many eBooks as I can too, but I don’t want to be floundering around trying to find a printer either when we need a lesson plan.

I will be taking physical books in our suitcases. Here are two things for my minimalist plan so far and I am thinking it may be my only list this year.

My first curriculum keeper is Horizons Math. I linked to one grade level so you can see it.

I have used many different math programs. Here are some that I can remember: Calvert Math, Teaching Textbooks, Rod and Staff math, Modern Curriculum Press math, Key to . . . Series, Saxon, Math U See and Singapore Math. Guess what? I have loved each one of them because they each had a purpose matched with a need for one of my sons.

Horizons is my choice of math medicine for Tiny. It has been a good fit for him. As I have learned, math does not have to have boring black and white pages to be rigorous. Horizons has colorful pages along with detailed boxes that explains each lesson. The lesson explanations in the student workbook are very helpful and the teacher’s manual contains not only the answer but some helpful tips. It is not a comprehensive teacher’s manual though which I don’t need now. I prefer programs to be comprehensive in the student’s book though as they grow older because it promotes more independent learning. Horizons Math does this, which I like because it gives the helpful explanations built into the workbook instead of relying on the teacher’s manual. Because the workbook has good detail along with the worksheets, there is no hard back or large bulky textbook either. It is a 2 book series and soft bound. It has been a delight to teach math with this series and I don’t say that lightly because you know I run from math.

However, my boys love math so I stick around to teach it.

I have used lots of wonderful language arts programs too. Classical writing, Bob Jones, Calvert, Rod and Staff, Write Shop, Five in a Row, Institute for Excellence in Writing, English for the Thoughtful Child, Jump In, Writing With Ease and Learning Language Arts Through Literature are some I can remember. Again, I have loved just about everyone because they each had an option matched to a need at the time.

My next choice for this year, which is Growing with Grammar, I have to thank my close sweet friend Cynthia for a gentle nudge in that direction. I linked to one grade level for you too.

Cynthia is one of my dearest friends and she always understands the way I enjoying teaching and knows what a change it has been as we have been getting ready to move. Sometimes you need a nudge from a friend to get that moment of clarity as to which program will be beneficial at a certain time. Using Growing with Grammar this coming year is a return to one of my previous luvs in my early years of homeschooling.

This past year has been a struggle for us because some days as I was packing, I needed Tiny to be more independent in doing his work. When a lesson plan is all tied together, it’s hard to move ahead on the lesson plan until you have it all done. Most years, I have wanted curriculum that is more tied together or related because it does make sense. We love Bob Jones and it worked good for us up to this time. This past year it was not an advantage for us though because Tiny could not scoot ahead when I needed him to or when he needed to.

Also, learning can come in waves and trickles at time. There is a time when your child spikes in some areas and wants to stay on grade level in other parts of language arts. We had one of those years. Because I need something that he can work on more independently without holding up the whole lesson plan waiting on me and more importantly so he can move on when needed and stay on one level when he needs more review, Growing with Grammar is the answer. It is just a fantastic program anyway.
Growing with Grammar allows you to separate the components of language arts to tailor make your curriculum. So you can pick the grade level of each component.

By the way, Growing with Grammar is secular and I never have a problem with secular curriculum as long as it doesn’t bash the Bible. Growing with Grammar is really just religiously neutral and that is a nice perk if you want to teach your worldview. Again, the most important reasons I have chosen it though are because the lessons are compact, short, straightforward, easy to understand and the writing process is broken down into manageable bites with review at each step. This is what Tiny needs this year.

I know these two key curriculum resources are going with us and I have a few more pieces to squeeze into the suitcase that we have to have. I’ll tell you about them in the next part.

Have you started narrowing down your curriculum choices for this next year?

Hugs and love ya,

**A Tisket, A Tasket, A Back to School Basket Giveaway **

5 Days of Clever DIY Hacks for Your Homeschool Spaces Day 5 Things the Teacher Luvs

July 26, 2014 | 5 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Homeschooling is not all about the kids. Okay, well maybe it is. Today though it’s all about you and in 5 Days of Clever DIY Hacks for your Homeschool Spaces, Day 5. Things the Teacher Luvs, I rounded up some things to keep the teacher happy.

Whether it’s eye candy, a cute printable or how to make a diy magazine holder (swoon), I have to be excited about the new school year too. Besides creating my 7 Step Homeschool Planner, I try to create a teacher space that I want to be at each day too.

Sometimes it’s a small thing like a new pen or a new chair. One year, I got tired of looking at my lamp shade and knowing that a little coral color loving doesn’t hurt anything, I painted my lampshade. Adding a little chic to your homeschool spaces will keep you excited about the new school year too.