Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Activity, Change, Progress

Welcome

Finishing Strong – Homeschool Link Up Party {Homeschooling Middle & High School Years} #23.

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

Finishing Strong – Homeschool Link Up Party {Homeschooling Middle & High School Years} #23.

 

Finishing Strong Link Up Tinas Dynamic Homeschool Plus thumb Finishing Strong – Homeschool Link Up Party {Homeschooling Middle & High School Years} #22.
Welcome to Finishing Strong

Finishing Strong ~ Homeschooling the Middle & High School Years #23

Today we’re highlighting some of our favorite posts related to middle & high school science. Although they cover different topics, one thing they have in common is a focus on interactive, experiential learning. What a great way to get kids excited about science!

Do you have any posts about homeschooling older students (any subjects)? Add them below.

Hands-on Science Fun

Chemistry: Lesson 1 Matter from All Things Beautiful

Project Based Learning: Microbes – Fungus from Angelicscalliwag

Entomology- The Science of Insects from Blog She Wrote

The Ins & Outs of Science Fairs from Eva Varga

Homeschool Middle School Adventures from Homeschool Creations

Nature Study: Fossil Walk and Follow Up Fun from Our Journey Westward

How to Approach Science in High School from Sweetness & Light

Next week we’re going to feature some of our favorite middle school posts.

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.

Follow Me Linky Party Finishing Strong

Blog Button Link Up Pinterest Button Link Up Google Plus Link Up

Twitter Link Up You Tube Link Up

Follow Group Boards Linky Party Finishing Strong

Pinterest Button Link Up-1 Google Plus Group Link Up

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!
Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus
Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

How To Fake Homeschooling

| 3 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Mouth the words fake education and whatever issues homeschoolers disagree about are quickly forgotten as they mount a united assault.

Good thing I will only be sharing tips today about how to fake homeschooling.  No, I am not talking about counterfeit homeschooling, but about improvising when you need to. You know, those days when the public school is looking really good is when you need to dig deep to find a solid routine.

Fake Homeschooling

Improvising or creating homeschool days spontaneously without preparation is an area I struggle in constantly.

Admiring artists who improvise and create while painting and musicians who have mastered the art of improvisation, I think about them often when I have to homeschool through times when my plans might not work.

How To Fake Homeschooling - Can we do counterfeit homeschooling?

I have learned that my love for lists, planners, schedules and well-laid out lesson plans can be more of a hindrance than help at times when homeschooling is challenging.

Reminding myself of homeschooling beliefs that I hold dear to my heart and wanting to fend off any feelings of being defeated as we get ready to embark on our huge move across the continent, I want to share a few of my tips today.

Improvise = At One’s Pleasure

Too,  I am hoping you come away armed, encouraged and with a real can-do attitude if and when you have big changes in your homeschool routine.

Nobody does it better than you.

While easier to combat later on in your journey when you have tiny little successes along the way, the thinking that returning your child to public school is the solution can haunt you at anytime in your journey.

At first, I didn’t even have to have a hard year before I thought somebody else could do a better job of instructing my child.  Along the way I learned that when I stopped “talking shop” or worrying all the time about curriculum, quit researching on all the material to cram in a year to avoid big gaps in learning and being behind, I could focus my energy on asking other homeschoolers how they found a curriculum that fit their family, how to use my time wisely to strengthen weak academic skills and to accept the level my child is on.

Yep, nobody does it better than you.

Learning is not a small window of time that quickly closes.

Accepting the fact that I will not be able to school many days in the upcoming months or that it may not look like it does now, I have learned that learning is not a small window of time that is permanently sealed and all is lost.

Avoiding a common pitfall that children will not learn or pick up material previously not mastered is the release to beginning a creative and individualistic education.

For example, as we leaving our co-op and friends here in Texas, my heart is heavy on one hand because Tiny will not have the same homeschool experiences my older sons have had in our group.  However, I am sure my older boys will not experience to the same depth the rich culture, very individualized, extensive field trips and hands-on learning we plan for Tiny in South America.

As mom, I hope all my sons will appreciate the uniqueness of the country, but as a homeschooling teacher I know Tiny’s time for learning more is a wide open window.

Be patient with yourself as you learn how to create out of the box lesson plans and plan on the spur of the moment.

Even the most organized loving homeschooler needs to embrace the wild side to homeschooling.  There is no denying that our children can be powerful learning machines.

Sometimes we overthink the process of learning instead of accepting teachable moments that come up in life.  When I moved away from scripted lesson plans and embraced more of a unit study approach my homeschooling year came alive.

Thinking now as we prepare to move overseas, which is something I never dreamed could happen, I have those same feelings I had when I left scripted lesson plans.   Excitement, mixed with worry, mixed with a huge dose of anticipation have to be all normal feelings.

Even if things only work out for just a few short months due to the Mr.’s health, I will not have regretted this change in our homeschooling adventure.

I’m still working on mastering the quality of patience as I hope to add more spontaneous and spur of the moment days as I learn how to fake homeschooling during our move.  But right now, I say: “Pinch me, am I dreaming?”

Look at these other tips:

Hugs and love ya

Signature T

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

| 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:

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.

1 TOC

2 TOC

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.

August-2014-gift-baskets

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!

Winner Of Explorers Basket

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

Winner No 158

2015 Year Around Homeschool Planning Schedule

| 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!

Omnibus Day Bundle

Linking up at these fabulous places:

Hip Homeschool Hop |

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

| 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.

Follow Me Linky Party Finishing Strong

Blog Button Link Up Pinterest Button Link Up Google Plus Link Up

Twitter Link Up You Tube Link Up

Follow Group Boards Linky Party Finishing Strong

Pinterest Button Link Up-1 Google Plus Group Link Up

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!
Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus
Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus