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2015 Year Around Homeschool Planning Schedule

October 4, 2014 | 8 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

When possible, I always like to give a couple of color choices for most all of my forms. Who doesn’t like choices? So today, I have a second color choice for the 2015 Year Around Homeschool Planning Schedule.

Here are some of the ways you can use this form:

This form works if you live in a country where your school year begins with the physical year.
This forms works 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 if you pull your children out mid-school year and want to start planning.

Download 2015 Year Around Planning Schedule Pink Smudge Luv Here.

Sometimes you know you just need a do-over too. So many times, I have used this form if my academic year got off to an unplanned rocky start and I wanted a do-over. We can do that you know in homeschool.

Too, if you missed the first color choice I shared a few months back, I have it for you below because I haven’t put it up on STEP 5a. Choose Unique forms JUST for You! yet. But since you are following me, you are not missing out.

Download the 2015 Year Around Homeschool Planning Schedule here.

Remember, if you need calendars they are found on STEP 2. Choose Calendars/Appointment Keepers.

One more last thing since I have been behind in updating my Curriculum Planner pages under each step on my blog because of my move and all, I wanted to be sure you had grabbed the Field Trip Reference Chart.

With all the beautiful weather lately, do not wait to start planning and taking field trips. I have listed field trips by seasons and my page is called Beyond Museums & Zoos Homeschool Field Trip. It will help you to think beyond those two places when planning your year.

Download Homeschool Field Trip Reference Chart Here.

Okay, you know I love ya and enjoy,

Linking up @ these fabulous places:

3 Easy Fixes to Recharge Your Homeschool Routine

October 2, 2014 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Because our living location is temporary right now and our homeschool routine not so routine because of our recent move to South America, I thought I would share 3 easy fixes to recharge your homeschool routine.

These are things that I keep in mind when I have a big change in my life.

Recharge Your Homeschool Routine

Too, it doesn’t take such a huge thing as a move overseas to feel defeated. Some days when the boys were all very young, just a move from their bed to the living room was enough for chaos to follow and my well planned routine go out the window.

You hope as they get to the teen years that it gets better. Okay, you do get a break, but even as teens they need a recharge for their routine.

If you are feeling a bit defeated in your new routine, try these easy fixes to bring some peace back into your day.

The Challenge

Easy Fix 1.
Try a new location.

If there is anything that can breathe life into your day, it is changing where you and your kids do school.

The old kitchen table has stood the test of time, but sometimes we just need to pull back from it.

Maybe you’re a rocking chair and porch type of girl.

Give yourself some room to enjoy spending part of the day where you like to be. Especially this time of the year when the weather is a bit cooler, you can start part of your school day outside.

Then, when you do come inside to the kitchen table, everybody will be much more relaxed.

If you have teens, you know they want to be in their room for part of the day. But if you have homeschooled them from the beginning or as you do, you will find that teens still look forward to spending some of their day with you. When Mr. Senior 2013 had those moments, we would move to the living room to read together.

Here is our new and temporary location until we find a home. It is just a small space in our apartment that I set up to suit them. Tiny loves sitting on the floor to do his school anyway so he thinks this set up is just perfect..

And then moving a few tables around in the apartment, I have set up a place for Mr. Awesome do some of his online classes. The key is we are together and embracing a new change.

Push Back When Your Routine Gets Crowded

Easy Fix 2.
Stick with a Set Time To Begin Your School Day.

Though I thrive with having a set time to start school, I have a lot of fellow feeling for those that feel jailed when they hear the words “time management”.

My simple advice is this: There is nothing more important in your day than your children.

Though I love all my family and homeschool friends, I try to remember that my children’s education has to be first in the day and not the musings of my family or friends.

And guess what? Instead of thinking that your not a close friend or “be there for them daughter”, your family and friends, whether they support your homeschool decision or not, will respect the priority placed on time with your children.

Easy Fix 3.
Stop and Reorganize.

Without adding homeschooling to our day, this world is enough to make us think that if we stop one moment to plan or reorganize that we will waste a time. It is kind of funny in a way though we may not see it at the time.

I think about all the focus we put on curriculum and not enough on the help we will get with supper, clothes washing or bill paying.

One of my back to school chores includes emptying my pantry or kitchen cabinets

One year, somehow I had ~~hoarded~~ collected 9 pie plates. Not in any dinner I make would I ever make 9 pies to go with it.

But the fact, they were taking up room in my cabinets was taking up space in my mind and weighing me down.

It was completely stressful and a waste of time in making dinner when I would have to reshuffle those 9 pie pans each time to get the pans I needed to actually start supper with.

Why do we do put up with tiny time zappers that turn huge over time?

You may have another room bothering you. For me, it’s always the kitchen that I make time to organize so that I save time.

A homeschool routine is not about scheduling every block or minute, but only the important ones. Not everything on your list for the day is urgent. It’s important, but there is a difference.

Whether you have temporary circumstances like me right now or you are feeling a bit defeated, push back when your routine gets crowded.

Instead of planning your whole day, plan to get started. It is so worthwhile.

Hugs and love ya,

We Arrived in South America!!!!

September 27, 2014 | 9 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

First, I have missed you! But after a year or more of planning, packing and selling our junk stuff for months on Craig’s List, we have arrived in Ecuador, South America. I have tons of photos coming your way today.

We are at an altitude of 8,400 feet here in Cuenca, Ecuador. Going from dungeon sea level in Texas to a mountain altitude, we were expecting a bit more sickness. Thankfully, none of us have had any of that sickness. Sure, we get winded quicker, but are still taking it slow. But I just couldn’t wait to get an internet connection to start sharing our journey with you.

Since we had to fly out of Florida, we made a quick stop in Orlando to check out Universal Studios.

Then after a few more sprints to the local drug store in Florida for altitude sickness medicine, we were on our way. Well not so fast. The flight started off a bit wonky when we were all ask to deboard because one of their crew members did not show up. Uhmm, it was the copilot. Of course that didn’t go over well in calming our nerves, but soon they got another copilot and it was smooth sailing.

Since we wanted to see a bit of the Ecuadorean countryside, we decided to fly into Guayaquil, which is on the coast and so it’s sea level and then drive to Cuenca. It would give the Mr. a chance to rest up some before we had the 4 hour drive and also we would be able to see more of the countryside.

(Guayaquil, Ecuador airport) (Holiday Inn Guayaquil/Airport was super nice!)

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Guayaquil which had some beautiful showcases showing the heritage and products of South America. We didn’t have to go far to start learning and have a “field trip”.

Then of course, not to be missed is the chocolate here. Oh my goodness, it is the most fresh and organic (it’s true) to die for chocolate. I have to put it away when the Mr. brought some to our apartment because I am trying to not add to my rotundness. I am trying to lose weight here with all the walking.

Then, we headed up to the mountains of Cuenca on the third day.

Guayaquil is more industrial and does not have quite the quaint and colonial feel that Cuenca has, but then again it has more modern hotels and a big mall. Okay, well Cuenca has a huge mall too.

(banana plantation) (a drive “in the clouds”)

It did give us a chance to see where some of the fruit like the banana trees are grown. I tried to take the picture of the banana tree as we were riding in the van so that you could see a bag wrapped around the bananas. We have so much to learn but we read that the bag protects the bananas from insects and from ripening too soon.

Soon we left the industrial city of Guayaquil and headed for the “city in the clouds” or at least we felt that way as we headed to Cuenca. The day was clear but as we climbed higher and higher, more clouds covered the road. A few places along the road were nail biters because the clouds completely covered the road and we had a drop off on one side and could hardly see but a few feet in front of us.

Thank goodness, the driver we hired was a local and use to the area but we still had claw marks on the seats. Next time, we will fly to Cuenca from Guayaquil though without the drive we might have missed this beautiful scene.

I also took this picture as we were driving and it reminds me of a post card. Such stunning views of majestic mountains as we kept driving up and climbing in altitude. Though the culture, food and climate are different, we have already began to fall in love with this country.

Some local expats call this area “eternal spring” and I couldn’t agree more.

The Mr. and I have both been so weary with the hot Texas weather that we both wanted a change and in just a few short days I am elated. There is no a/c in the apartment because none is needed.

Sleeping with the windows open to let in the 40 to 50 degree weather at night with a cool mountain breeze to the almost perfect day weather of 70 degrees is beyond refreshing. We probably have about 2 or 3 hours of what I call hot, but nothing that a small fan won’t cure and then it’s cool again for the evening.

Here are a few pictures of the 2 bedroom apartment we are staying in on the third floor while we house hunt and the view we have of very old colonial architect.

Our apartment is a L shape and so I am hanging out one window shooting a picture back at the other side. Of course this is all roof top and we still have people’s patio above us.

And then of course, the night lights so far have been breathtaking and it doesn’t hurt to see the beautiful mountain ranges too.

We have only been here just a few short days and can’t wait to explore the museums and history here along with of course finding a place to live. I will be creating pages on my blog to give some tips too for living abroad, homeschooling and finding a place to live.

So many things I want to share with you as we get our school year started and try to concentrate on it while we learn all about the culture of the many Latin American countries around us.

Missed ya, hugs and love ya,

Trail of Tears Indian Removal Act Minibook

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

The next part of our unit study is the Trail of Tears Indian Removal Act minibook, which I have ready today.

We are eager to get our homeschooling booted back up after having a much needed break with our move overseas. I have to admit though we have been a bit sidetracked as we have arrived in Cuenca, Ecuador because we have so many new places to explore and learn about. But we are going to finish our Trail of Tears Unit Study first because our interest was piqued and we need to cover a wee bit more U.S. history too.

So this next minibook is a bit about the Indian Removal Act and how it affected not only the Cherokee, but the Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek and Seminole. Too, you know my dislike for a blob of blank pages a blank page because it doesn’t give any help when you may be running short on teacher prep time.

So I always try to include a few facts about the topic on most of my minibooks where possible. This one is no different. Of course, you don’t have to use the facts or inside page we researched. You can add your own research.

More Trail of Tears Activities

How to Get the Free Trail of Tears Lapbook

Now, how to grab the free lapbook. This is a subscriber freebie.

That means when you sign up to follow me, you get access to my subscribers library and this freebie.

However, not all my freebies are in the library (wink).

I like to keep up to date with what is valuable to you so I can give you more, some freebies you must sign up again on the form below even if you are already a follower.

And it’s the only way I have of freely delivering them to you. Just follow the steps below.

► 1) Sign up on my list.
► 2) Go to your inbox and confirm your email from the automatic reply I sent you. If you’re already a confirmed subscriber, you will not have to do this. You’ll receive the freebie instantly.
►3) Last step. look for my reply AFTER you’ve confirmed your email.

Dynamic Reader Question-How to Begin Notebooking?

September 19, 2014 | 4 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

You know I love answering your questions and when I get one that I think others can benefit from, then I like to share with you. The dynamic reader question-how to begin notebooking is one I want to share today.

Look at Karen’s question:

I realize this may sound silly, but I have thought of using notebooking pages in the past and have never really understood how to go about it. Now my kids are 6th grade and 9th grade, I feel we need a drastic change. If it’s not too late to start notebooking…can you suggest how do we begin? What and how do you decide to use these wonderful printables? How would I incorporate notebooking into high school?

It’s not silly at all. As creative teachers, we want to push ourselves outside of what we feel comfortable with when it comes to teaching.

Not only will your children love this, but you might discover some hidden talents among you and your children.

Notebooking Needs to Be Tweaked for Your Family

Notebooking is a tool, which means we decide how it best suits our family. Often, I am told that notebooking is for older kids and lapbooking is for younger kids, but I don’t hail to that thinking. I think each tool can present challenges and win-win situations.

I think one of the best ways to describe notebooking is to tell what it is not. It is not a worksheet. Oh you can make it a worksheet, but notebooking is about your student showcasing his work in a format that is easy to understand.

Some homeschool moms encourage just writing or text on the page. I do not. Each of my sons are different learners which means the page needs to be suited to meet each of my son’s needs.

Notebooking is about making the page come alive and organizing content in a way that your children understand. For example, other things like drawings, sketches, collections (examples like leaves and shed skin of a snake my son collected) can go on the notebooking pages.

Each child is different in how they best recall information learned or how they want to showcase mastery of it. Your job as the teacher is to help them (as needed) to organize it in a way they understand, not you.

Do not limit what your child wants to include from printable board games to minibooks.

How to Begin Notebooking?

Basically, notebooking is about your child taking charge of the way he wants to remember his information. While he is young, there is nothing wrong with you helping him to lay out his page.

For example, part of the page can be writing, part of it may be illustrations. Depending on the ages of your children, the page may look more like a drawing.

To begin notebooking and keep it easy, use pages created by others. There are so many free notebooking pages found on homeschool blogs and websites that you want to use them to save time and utilize work by other hardworking moms. Also, the basics of any notebooking pages are just boxes or shapes which contain bits of information.

If you have the basic skills to use any program like Word or other free document creating software, you can create a few boxes on topics your family chooses to learn about.

Really, with the ages your kids are, just let them create boxes, circles or graphs depending on what you are studying.

Also, my sons remember key points best by funny sayings or mnemonics. We used divorced-beheaded-died-divorced-beheaded-survived to remember the fate of the wives of Henry VIII. So sayings like this can be added by your children as a way to remember information.

What and How Do You Decide Notebooking Printables?

I like to use notebooking pages or lapbooking pages as much as possible though it takes more work. I view notebooking and lapbooking as a significant return on our learning efforts. Paying upfront so to speak by taking more time in prepping pages equals a huge return later because the pages are something we can visit and use year after year. They can always be added to as your child grows and learns.

I like to use the pages too when I want the boys to remember something important or when they find something that interests them. Because they do take longer to do, it also means that your child has a tool that can be used over and over again to study.

Studying something your child prepares allows him to take ownership for learning instead of memorizing boring worksheets created by others.

Try to remember that less means more sometimes. The public educational system would have us think at times that “more” equals productivity. It may mean more busywork and not meaningful productivity.

Making the notebooking pages meaningful and focusing on the delight of the topic at hand will make your children masters of their page.

Master of their pages and content is your ultimate goal and not a mass of pages that have no meaning to your children.

The pages can include photographs of experiments and activities. You can see that it not only becomes a valuable and fun way to memorize information, but a great way to keep a portfolio of your child’s work each year.

Because notebooking pages can be decorated by them, (or not) they take ownership of it. Some kids thrive on being crafty, others do not find satisfaction that way.

Again, this is an advantage of notebooking because their page reflect personality in style and set up.

How Would I Incorporate Notebooking into High School?

Notebooking is especially good in high school when note taking becomes more important. Doodling should be permitted on notebooking pages because if it helps them remember a key point, then it’s important.

The rule is there is no rule for how a page should be set up at this age. As they enter adulthood, they need to hone in on the best way they learn information and it is an art on how they should lay out information on a page. Too, I know many adults who do not know how to easily convey their thoughts and ideas to others.

High school becomes a time when they not only learn how to review their notes and organize thoughts but how they articulate it to others.

At first, it may seem strained or take time to refine information to a page, but after you have done notebooking for a while, you see the freedom in creating pages either like a timeline page, illustration page, text page or even an art page.

In high school give them superior resources to choose from to add to their unique pages. The pages may include timelines, bits of information from primary sources and include their own feelings about perceived injustices on certain controversial topics like government and religions.

A lot of high school students, including mine, struggle with how to streamline content. Notebooking reminds me a bit like outlining because your students have to decide how to narrow down the key point to remember.

There could be no more important skill to learn in high school than to streamline content AND more importantly to be able to look at their visual set up and recall critical information.

I have one son who wants more text and one who wants less when creating their pages. We have successfully used notebooking when I have sat down with each of my sons and spend a bit of time creating with them to suit their learning style.

A bit of guidance in the beginning helps the highschooler who wants clear guidelines of what they are doing. Once they understand that notebooking is about helping THEM recall and display information learned instead of meeting your requirements, they feel the freedom.

Also, you can use notebooking for your expectations and grading. They will be called on plenty of times in college to manipulate information and present it in a clear, concise and organized manner.

Really, college bound or not, honing in on key points when explaining to others is a valuable communication skill for any adult.

Free Resources for Homeschool Notebooking, Any Ages!!!

I think the queen of notebooking is Jimmie Lanley at Notebooking Fairy. You need to scoot by her site and check out her free pages for all ages. You will love how easy she makes notebooking for all ages!

Check out some of these other free notebooking pages. I listed just a few and a variety of them so that you can see what you can find on line for any homeschool subject.

http://harringtonharmonies.com/2013/06/free-state-notebooking-pages-2.html

https://www.tinasdynamichomeschoolplus.com/world-wars-to-today/geography-country-studies-timelines-2/

http://www.livingandlearningathome.com/2013/09/animal-kingdom-science-notebooking-pages.html

http://thesetemporarytents.com/2013/09/11/wassily-kandinsky-notebooking-study/

http://www.brightideaspress.com/2013/01/amelia-earhart-pages/

http://imanshomeschool.wordpress.com/2013/09/30/human-body-notebooking-pages-5/

http://museofthemorning.com/homeschool/2014/02/07/free-basic-notebooking-pages/

http://practicalpages.wordpress.com/free-pages/free-sonlight-world-history-pages/

http://ourworldwideclassroom.blogspot.com/2013/03/m-is-for-monkey-printable-notebooking.html

Don’t forget to check out my blog category for my free learning printables.

https://www.tinasdynamichomeschoolplus.com/category/1-my-learning-printables-any-topic/

And finally, remember that minibooks are part of notebooking too which is why I think lapbooking and notebooking overlaps so much. Minibooks can be glued on any page.

When you glue minibooks on pages, the variety of setups are then endless: minibooks with part text, minibooks with part graphics, all minibooks and no text, minibooks and nature drawing or minibooks and shapes.

Don’t make notebooking boring and your kids won’t be bored with it!!

Give it a try!

Hugs and love ya,

Welcome

2015 Year Around Homeschool Planning Schedule

3 Easy Fixes to Recharge Your Homeschool Routine

Recharge Your Homeschool Routine

The Challenge

Easy Fix 1.
Try a new location.

Push Back When Your Routine Gets Crowded

Easy Fix 2.
Stick with a Set Time To Begin Your School Day.

Easy Fix 3.
Stop and Reorganize.

We Arrived in South America!!!!

Trail of Tears Indian Removal Act Minibook

More Trail of Tears Activities

How to Get the Free Trail of Tears Lapbook

Dynamic Reader Question-How to Begin Notebooking?

Notebooking Needs to Be Tweaked for Your Family

How to Begin Notebooking?

What and How Do You Decide Notebooking Printables?

How Would I Incorporate Notebooking into High School?

Free Resources for Homeschool Notebooking, Any Ages!!!

Categories

Archives

Welcome

Recharge Your Homeschool Routine

The Challenge

Easy Fix 1. Try a new location.

Push Back When Your Routine Gets Crowded

Easy Fix 2.Stick with a Set Time To Begin Your School Day.

Easy Fix 3.Stop and Reorganize.

More Trail of Tears Activities

How to Get the Free Trail of Tears Lapbook

Notebooking Needs to Be Tweaked for Your Family

How to Begin Notebooking?

What and How Do You Decide Notebooking Printables?

How Would I Incorporate Notebooking into High School?

Free Resources for Homeschool Notebooking, Any Ages!!!

Footer

Categories

Archives

Easy Fix 1.
Try a new location.

Easy Fix 2.
Stick with a Set Time To Begin Your School Day.

Easy Fix 3.
Stop and Reorganize.