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Giveaways

Hands On History Kit–South America Unit Study

October 31, 2013 | 35 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

SP @  Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Art In History Kit

When I was planning our hands on activities for our South America unit study, I realized that not so many were fun and age appropriate.  So I was tickled when we got a chance to play with review a fun hands on history kit from Art in History. We chose the Incan empire food vessel kit.

So you know how Tiny got his mom’s lack of art creativity, but it has never hindered us from schooling on the wild side when we set out for an art adventure. The Incan Empire Food Storage Vessel kit helps all novice and expert art adventurers alike because it contains everything you need in one sweet box for each child.

Here is what came in our kit:

  • A replica of a jar from the Incan Empire.
  • Paintbrush, sponge, paint pallet, acrylic paint pods AND
  • FREE lesson plan with background information on the Incan Empire.
World History Ancient Egypt - King Tutankhamun Tomb Frieze (1333- 1324 BC) Middle Eastern Studies - Omani Majmar (100-Present) French Revolution - Limoges Style Tabatiere (1769-1324)
American History Mission of San Antonio De Valero - Alamo Fresco Tiles (1718-1793) American Revolution - Colonial Teapot (1763-1788) English Colonial - Slipware Plate (1650-1800)

 

With so many choices of art projects for world history and American history plus the fact that we can have another excuse to study history longer made us excited about this craft.

We spent several days poring over the lesson plan and tying it in to what we learned so far on our South America unit study.  It is hard to focus on the background information with all the art and craft supplies waiting for Tiny’s itching little hands.

Even though the lesson plan didn’t come with questions and answers or vocabulary words, I am glad because the teacher in me would have been tempted to have him complete all of that before we started.  If you tend to be relaxed on the days you do hands on projects like I am, then you will like the background information provided in the lesson plan and can use it as a read through.

We did an oral narration after we read through it because I wanted our focus to stay on the delight of doing something hands on. After we read it together, I made sure too that Tiny had some kind of idea of how to plan his design which is geometrical for the Incans. Hands on History Kit - Incan Empire South America

The 12 page free lesson plan (wow) has an ample amount of information in it including a color map and color samples (thank you) of how to paint the jar.  Next time when I get a kit, I will hold back the art part of the kit and use the free lesson plan to build our unit study so Tiny doesn’t know about about the art. We stalked our mail man on this one, but I will keep it a secret next time because I didn’t know the free information would be so very helpful in building my unit study.

Discovery Through Creativity

If you wanted to build a more in depth unit study from the free lesson plan received with your kit, you could use the information in several ways:

  • locate the Incan Empire on the map for geography;
  • prepare a vocabulary word puzzle with some of the terms for language arts;
  • create more hands on activities like a quipu (a special knotted string) for art history;
  • focus on understanding the areas like Cuzco and Machu Picchu for history;
  • include some science on understanding the spread of disease like small pox which was introduced to the Incans from the Europeans; and
  • I could see some nature sketches because the Incan people liked to use natural landscapes and simple forms on their pottery.

Regarding the art part of this kit, I loved the fact that the kit comes with the acrylic paint colors that would be used in that time period. Each pod is just the right amount to complete the project and believe me Tiny had to paint it several times or just so until his standard was met.

Warm tones of brown and sepia make up this kit and if you look  at the website, for Art in History you can see that other appropriate colors for that time in history are matched up to to each product.

Of course, you can never go wrong with step by step painting directions too. We need them at our house, but you are probably more artsy than we are.

Hands on History Kit  for Unit Study History Kit

I do like the fact that I was not scrambling to locate all of our art products or pulling buckets tubes of paint that have either gone bad or having to buy new ones because I didn’t have the “right” color in the house at the moment. Just a dab will do you on paint as we have learned over the years so the paint pods are just the right amount and size.

Incan Food Storage Incan Food Storage

The tips such as using a rubber band around your jar and sketching your design first on paper, I found very helpful.

Tiny made his own pattern on paper first too, which consisted of diamonds, circles and lines. Then instead of line drawing on the jar, he painted free hand onto his jar. He didn’t want to use the rubber band or pencil lightly on the jar because it “it might mess it up” according to him.

Our children have different standards for their work at different ages.  And, I have found that the delight is in the process of learning, creating and doing it his way.

But isn’t that what counts? When they are delighted with the end project. (Don’t tell anybody, but Tiny actually put some food in there to see if he could get it out.)

Interdisciplinary Learning – What?

I have to let you know one more thing which has the unit study loving teacher in me excited and that is Art in History has expansive teacher’s guides for unit studies. You know unit study providers which has content laid out can be limited at times. It can be daunting to plan and why reinvent the wheel when we can spend our time doing something else we enjoy. So that is why I am tickled about this new company because their unit studies are laid out in a 4 – 5 day lesson format.

Check out the teacher’s guides at Art in History that are for an in-depth unit study.

This project is a big hands on hit in our home.  Here are some of our other hands on projects too.

Negrinho a Dessert From Brazil

Salt Dough Map

How to Make an Easy Roman Shield & Free Set of Wings

Product Facts a Glance

PLEASE NOTE: All historically correct paint colors are included with purchase of
Artifact(s). Paint colors may vary depending on monitor variations.

Product Name: Incan Empire Food Storage Vessel

Website: Art in History

Prices: $9.95. Plus shipping/handling

Type of Product: Physical Art project kit for one child.

Customer Service: I had a question about their products and my question was quickly answered  by customer service.

Social Media Links:

Facebook

Twitter @artinhistory

Pinterest

YouTube

Hugs and love you

2012Tinasignature Should Homeschool History Be Covered in Chronological Order?

 

 

 

35 CommentsFiled Under: Giveaways, Hands-On Activities, History Resources, Product Review, Sponsored Posts Tagged With: hands-on, review

Have you Ever Been to a REALLY Big Homeschool Convention? + Giveaway

October 24, 2013 | 38 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

This Giveaway is Now Closed. The winner is posted at the end of this post. Please remember to follow me here at the blog too to keep with updates.

 

This is a sponsored post and I am proud to be partnering with Great Homeschool Conventions this year because I LOVE their convention philosophy and because I love freebies.

The first time Kelley and I went to a convention alone in San Antonio, Texas, it was a mini vacation. No kids, no husband, no eating, no sleeping, okay…maybe just a little bit of that because we were ready to look shop ALL day.

I can tell you that an online event though helpful especially if you live in no-where-ville doesn’t even come close to attending an event in person if you get the chance to.

It’s almost like trying to spot another homeschool family when you are out during the day. Am  I on the only that does this? You know how sometimes you can tell that they just look like a homeschool family. Its not just because their kids are with them, but something about how they really enjoy being with each other. That is what attending a convention is like except that you have confirmation that everybody there feels the same way you do about homeschooling.

The loud talking, the passing out in aisles because of the sheer volume of curriculum and books that are waiting for me to put my hands on and the amount of curriculum gurus in one area is almost too much for me to take.

Great Homeschool Conventions has more key speakers and more curriculum in one spot than I have ever seen. They are HUGE.

You don’t want to miss out on going to one. It is well worth planning to attend and make it a family vacation. Only homeschoolers would plan their vacation around a homeschool convention.
GHC Registration

But this is not about me today, it’s ALL about you.

So what do I have for you?
Great Homeschool Convention is giving away a family registration.  Here is what the giveaway includes:

1 Family Registration

(& 2 passes to the Family Comedy Night + 1 pass  to the Teen Track)

You decide which location you want to attend. Click on the graphic above to check out each location.

Yes, for the family!!!!

One new thing on their website is that soon a convention will be coming to Texas! Talk about feeling like passing out, I am SO excited. It says not until 2015, but WOW, I can’t wait.

Don’t think you won’t have a chance to win. It can’t hurt to comment and try.

My RULES. Easy, always easy.

Up to 2 Entries. Giveaway ENDS Wednesday, October 30, 2013 @ 9:00 a.m. CST.

You must comment here on this blog post and I have already linked you to this post here. Remember that though I love you mucho, emails to me don’t count. You must comment on this blog post.

I will select a winner using random.org

(Lastly, because we can’t be a once in a lifetime email reader, the winner has 24 hours to claim his/her prize or I will pick another winner.)

That’s its!

I hope you and your family wins! What a great vacation if you do.  I can’t wait to choose the winner. You have until next week to enter this giveaway, so don’t forget.

Hugs and love you,

2012Tinasignature Woo Worthy Big Calendar by NeuYear

 

Winner is Comment Number 33. Catrina and HER family! Congratulations Catrina!

Catrina
Oct 26, 2013 @ 14:53:28 

Wow! That would really be an awesome blessing to win! We would choose the Cincinnati location. Thanks so much for giving us the opportunity to win!

 

Random Org Winner Number 33

Update 11.2.2013. Sadly, I did not hear back from Catrina within the 24 hour time. I even allowed one more day or more for just in case as life happens. However, as per the rules of the contest, I need to select another winner now.

Winner 3 of GHC

My new winner is Comment Number 3. Sonja. Congratulations Sonja!

Sonja
Oct 24, 2013 

I am so excited by this giveaway! I’ve never been to a large homeschooling convention. Our state one is pretty small, and our first year was pretty fun, but the one we went to after that was a little different and we haven’t gone back.

38 CommentsFiled Under: Giveaways, Sponsored Posts Tagged With: greathomeschoolconventions

Woo-Worthy Big Calendar by NeuYear

September 10, 2013 | 36 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Big Calendar

Even when life throws me a few curves, I always have time to drool over new organizing tools for our homeschool area. Because I can never get enough of organizing, I jumped at the chance of reviewing an academic year big wall calendar by NeuYear.

Psssst…. because I don’t want you to miss it, I want you to know right away that I will be hosting another giveaway and it will be for these calendars.  As always at the end of this post, I will give you the details.

Woo-Worthy Big Wall Calendar

First though I have to tell you what I love about this woo-worthy big wall calendar.  I tend to fuss be picky because I want a wall calendar that is not only pretty, but practical.

Then a lot of the big wall calendars that I have used before tend to be bulky and heavy. It’s almost like having another honey do project because I normally can’t hang one by myself.  The wall calendar I will end up using the most will be one that is a DIY when it comes to hanging it.

Right away when I received my shipment in a nice sturdy container tube, I could see that it was not only lightweight, but durable and laminated to use with dry erase markers. That was the first sign that this calendar was a keeper.

Too, you know I told you my house is almost upside down because we are making some changes. So my command center or area that I had in the kitchen is not there anymore. I was kind of suffering withdrawal from not having one organized spot in my home at the moment.

How To Be a Transient Organizer

On top of that I am trying to line out classes for Mr. Senior 2013,  juggle doctor’s appointments for the Mr. and keep our school going so I was feeling a bit defeated in looking over my whole plan at a year’s glance until I got this calendar. I knew right away what I wanted to do with it and how I wanted to use it to organize. I would create a temporary command center so that everybody can see at a glance what is planned.

003
Temporary Command Center @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool PLus

I grabbed some gift wrapping paper I had and covered a foam board. Then I used some  washi tape and covered some clothes pin.  It took literally 15 minutes to make a temporary command center and bring some instant organizing awwww to my homeschool and life for the year.

I love, love the fact that the calendar is so lightweight that I can just use clothes pins to hold it up, not to mention that I am using lightweight foam board as my backdrop. I have put this in my school area for now, but I can pick it up and move it to another part of the house as I make changes in my home.

Of course, it helps that my new NeuYear calendar is a smokin’ hot color because I love turquoise/aqua, any shade of it and gray.  The beauty of the NeuYear calendar lies in how simple, but elegant and uncluttered the design is. I don’t want the design to compete with whatever design or colors I may want to use in my area.

I know you have seen those calendars with tons of heavy designing and graphics. I tend to steer clear because sometimes what you see online is not how it looks when it arrives. With this calendar, what you see is what you get.

Too, a command center is a place for the whole family to glance at without being overwhelmed by design clutter or heavy color.  The doctor’s appointments, our homeschool routine, field trips and our classes should stay center stage as the appointments are what is important to focus on. It is easy to find my appointments because they stay clear and sharp with NeuYear’s clean and chic design.

Why I Love the NeuYear Big Wall Calendar

Review of NeuYear Calendar 2 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

But I have not even gotten to the best parts of  this calendar. You would think a calendar is just a calendar, but there are several reasons I am loving this one and taking time to tell you about it.

  • Besides being lightweight, this calendar can be placed either  vertical or horizontal. Yes, it’s double-sided. Does that mean it’s like getting two calendars for the price of one? I am using it vertically, but I love knowing I have options when I decide to give it a permanent resting home.
big calendar Neu Year
  • The next thing that has me loving this unique design is that there are no spaces or gaps in between the months. Yes, NO wasted space or date confusion.
  • The grid is nice and big enough to write in. I received the laminated calendar to use with dry erase markers which I prefer instead of the paper one. You may like their other calendar which is a regular paper surface.
Big Calendar
  • The other thing I like about this laminated calendar and tell me if I am the only one that does this, but I use post it notes/sticky tabs for some of my recurring events or appointments. I just move the tabs like hubby’s Dr. appointments as I need to instead of always writing in the space. So I am tickled that the boxes are just the perfect size and not too big for my tabs.
Review of NeuYear Calendar 4 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus
  • When it comes to long term planning, appointments and deadlines, I have learned something new about myself with this review and that is how much I love this big wall calendar. My command area in my kitchen was on my kitchen bar. It was small, but had a  decent size  calendar to lay on my countertop.  I realized how much the boys have been coming to this and glancing at it rather then flipping open my family calendar.  Too, I love everything about looking at our school year at a glance and knowing that my boys don’t have to crack open my curriculum planner that I prefer to just keep as mine. Hubby can see what is going on with us too.

Using the right tools to make every day an awwww organizing day even on a temporary basis without being tedious is not an easy feat. If you want a simple but elegant, clutter free calendar, then NeuYear calendars are a perfect option.

For all those organizational gurus and techies, I list below the measurement and facts at a glance for you. Also, remember to sign up for their newsletter to see their latest updates. I have that below too.

NeuYear Calendar

Product Name:Academic Year Wall Calendar Laminated (Dry Erase)

Website: NeuYear.Net

Prices: Dry erase $24.00 Regular Paper $19.00

Type of Product: Physical Giant Wall Calendar

Size of Wall Calendar: 27” x 39”. Turn landscape or portrait.

All prices are good as of the date of this review.

Hugs and love ya,

2012Tinasignature South America Unit Study resources

36 CommentsFiled Under: Giveaways, Product Review Tagged With: product review

A Tisket, A Tasket a Back To School Basket Giveaway & Blog Hop

July 15, 2013 | 604 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THANK YOU FOR VISITING MY BLOG AND CHECK OUT MY FREEBIES ON MY SIDE BAR & ON MY PAGES.

 

{This post contains affiliate links because I am proud to partner with these companies that have products that I use in my homeschool.}

iHN-Back-to-School

35 Homeschool Bloggers have  joined together to provide this WONDERFUL giveaway! Enter as many giveaways as you like, there is no limit.
(1) Back to School Toolkit from Milk and Cookies
(2) Back to School Toolkit from These Temporary Tents
(3) Back to School Toolkit from Spell Outloud
(4) Back to School Toolkit from Great Peace Academy
(5) Back to School Toolkit from Gricefully Homeschooling

……

(6) Back to School Toolkit from Raising Lifelong Learners
(7) Back to School Toolkit from WriteShop
(8) Back to School Toolkit from Preschoolers and Peace
(9) Back to School Toolkit from Starts at Eight
(10) Back to School Toolkit from Joyful Mothering

……

(11) Back to School Toolkit from Harrington Harmonies
(12) Back to School Toolkit from Ponder the Path
(13) Back to School Toolkit from Forever, For Always, No Matter What
(14) Back to School Toolkit from Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool Plus
(15) Back to School Toolkit from Habits for a Happy Home

……

(16) Back to School Toolkit from Curriculum Choice
(17) Back to School Toolkit from See Jamie Blog
(18) Back to School Toolkit from Beautiful Motherhood
(19) Back to School Toolkit from Sam’s Noggin
(20) Back to School Toolkit from This Reading Mama

……

(21) Back to School Toolkit from Teaching Mama
(22) Back to School Toolkit from Adorable Chaos
(23) Back to School Toolkit from The Pelsers
(24) Back to School Toolkit from Hodge Podge
(25) Back to School Toolkit from Sallie Borrink

……

(26) Back to School Toolkit from The Kennedy Adventures
(27) Back to School Toolkit from Flourish
(28) Back to School Toolkit from Our Journey Westward
(29) Back to School Toolkit from Meet Penny
(30) Back to School Toolkit from On Faith and Coffee

……

(31) Back to School Toolkit from Our Abundant Blessings
(32) Back to School Toolkit from Holistic Homeschooler
(33) Back to School Toolkit from The Encouraging Home
(34) Back to School Toolkit from Motherhood on a Dime
(35) Back to School Toolkit from The Homeschool Scientist

……

Back-To-School-Basket-Giveaway-Blog-Hop-Beginning-July-15.png

The basket I am giving away is a history lover’s basket.

Tina-Robertson-Tinas-Dynamic-Homeschool-Plus-Back-to-School-Basket-6.28.2013-300x300_thumb.jpg

It is filled with many of my favorite history products. It contains:

Ancient Egypt Treasure Chest, Native American History for Kids, Fandex Family Field Guides of Explorers, Hands on Activities for History and one of my favorite pop up book artists, Robert Sabuda’s book  Castle and a book Hands-On History Projects.

CurrClick5GiftCardCurrClick Open House

Also though I am proud to include in this giveaway a $5.00 Gift Certificate from Curr Click.  Be sure to check out Curr Click’s  Fall Open House.

But for everybody that visits here, I also have a FREE  science book for you to download  from my favorite science provider, Super Charged Science.

401 Science Activity Manual and Video Collection ($30 value)

science-guidebook-sq

Cool science experiments! Did you know that you can bend light to make objects disappear? Make the fourth state of matter in your microwave? Build a speaker from a plate? You can do all these activities and more in our free Science Guide!

Simply click here to download a copy of the Homeschool Science Activity Manual & Video Guide. Save it to your computer – it’s in PDF format.

Are you ready to enter the contest? Call me old fashion or I don’t know, I just love seeing all of your comments. So I am not using Raffle copter or some other mod looking give away tool, I just like plain old comments. Simple for me.

Giveaway Ends Friday July 19 at 5:00 p.m. CST. The winner will be selected using random org and will be notified afterwards.

Add your comments now.

My rules are always simple.

You can have up to 2 entries.

1 . Comment here on the blog for your 1st entry. Remember, though I always love getting your emails, you won’t be entered in this giveaway if you send me an email.

2. Comment here again on the blog for a 2nd entry to let me know if you will be able to attend CurrClick’s Live Open House .  All that is needed for entry is an RSVP.

That’s it! Let’s keep this give away easy peasy and fun.

Are you ready to HOP?  Then hop on over and get started by clicking on the blogs above after you enter my giveaway.

Hope you win!

Hugs and love ya.

604 CommentsFiled Under: Giveaways

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