2012 Metzger Homeschool Schedule - Year-round with Multiple Grade Levels

I'm really enjoying our school schedule this year! Since we school year-round, taking a few breaks during the year and a larger break between Thanksgiving and New Years, our grade levels are "in between" for some of the children. They all go at their own pace and complete their school years at different times during the year. Below is how we have worked it all out! Hope it sparks some imagination in your own home school!

Kaitlyn (12 years, 9th Grade) 2012

Monday – Consumer Mathematics, Vocabulary Cartoons x 3, Oral Language Plus, American Literature, The Daily Spark, Music Theory Review, 4H Projects
Tuesday – Consumer Mathematics, The Daily Spark x 2, Choir/Theory, 4H Projects
Wednesday – Consumer Mathematics, Vocabulary Cartoons x 3, Oral Language Plus, American Literature, The Daily Spark, Online Geography, MOH, God’s Design For Life x 2 @ 4:30, Missions Reading/book report, 4H Projects
Thursday – Consumer Mathematics, Vocabulary Cartoon Review, The Daily Spark, Music Theory Review, 4H, Wilderness, 4H Projects
Friday – Community Service, Geography, 4H Projects, Read and Understand Science x 1

Ethan (11, 7th/8th grade) 2012

Monday – Pre-Algebra x 2, Typing, Reading, Oral Language Plus, 4H Projects
Tuesday – The Daily Spark, FFHA, Reading, 4H Projects
Wednesday – Pre-Algebra x 2, The Daily Spark, Oral Language Plus, Online Geography, MOH, Reading, God’s Design For Life x 2 @ 4:30, 4H Projects
Thursday – Pre-Algebra x 1, Silly Starters with Trey, Reading, typing, 4H
Friday – Community Service, Geography, Read and Understand Science x 1

Trey (9 years, 5th/6th grade) 2012

Monday – The Daily Spark, Math x 1, Typing, Reading, 4H Projects
Tuesday – Math x 2, FFHA, Reading, 4H Projects
Wednesday – The Daily Spark, Online Geography, MOH, Reading, God’s Design For Life x 2 @ 4:30, 4H Projects
Thursday – Math x 2, Silly Starters with Ethan, reading, typing, 4H
Friday – Community Service, Geography, Read and Understand Science x 1

Jake (7 years, 3rd grade) 2012

Monday – Math grade 3 x 2, Language 3, Typing, Reading, 4H Projects
Tuesday – Math grade 3x 1, FFHA, Reading, 4H Projects
Wednesday – Math grade 3x 1, Online Geography, MOH, Reading, God’s Design For Life x 2 @ 4:30, 4H Projects
Thursday – Math grade 3x 1, Language 3 x 2, Typing, Reading, 4H
Friday – Community Service, Geography, Read and Understand Science x 1

Julia (6 years, K5/1st grade) 2012

Monday –Math 1st grade x 1, Reading Advanced K5, 4H Projects
Tuesday – Math 1st grade x 1, FFHA, 4H Projects
Wednesday – Reading Advanced K5, Geography, 4H Projects, God’s Design For Life x 2 @ 4:30 Thursday – Math 1st grade x 2, Typing, 4H
Friday – Community Service, Geography, Read and Understand Science x 1

Ellie (Pre-K) 2012

Monday - Thursday: "Preschool" and Rod and Staff

Judah (Nothing formal at all, just 3 years old) 2012

Monday - Thursday: "Preschool" with his big sister so that he can learn how to count, address, phone number, birthday, days of week, months of year, etc. Workbook from Wal-Mart.

Eva (11 months...play, play, eat, nap, play) 2012

*FFHA is Fun and Fitness Homeschool Athletics (mainly P.E. and pick-up sports games)

*4H for our children includes: Veterinary Science, sewing, Robotics, Wilderness, Animal Sciences, (and in the past - Rabbits, Pre-Flight, Dogs)

*MOH is Mystery of History On the day we do that, we do 3 lessons plus work on our timeline!

*Science reading is nature, animal and Creation sciences that we read aloud. Experiments are also done at that time. Again, we will do two or three lessons at a time.

*Geography Video/Presentation is when one of our children chooses a country in a continent I choose. They find a YouTube video (with me by their side to "screen" them) or a Netflix video. They also do a presentation on that country and everyone learns to locate that country on the globe.

*Games are all educational in nature (money counting, math, geography, etc.)

*Community Service projects are like this and this and more in that section!

*Doubling Up! Our children double up on certain subjects on different days so that we can devote Fridays to more fun activities and to community outreach. Since we school year-round, some subjects are only done 4 days per week.

This plan is not set in stone and will probably be tweaked as the year goes forward! Ahhhh...the beauties of homeschooling!

Free - Prepare your HEART and HOME for Christmas!

Want more meaning in your Christmas this year, celebrating the real reason for the season?

Read our first issue of Kaleo about preparing your home and heart for Christmas! This is a great FREE online magazine from At The Well, where I write monthly devotionals and homeschool help articles. In this issue, my "article" is featured on the cover - the Advent/Activity Calendar. Enjoy! It's FREE! Click "FULL SCREEN" to see it.


Merry CHRISTmas!

The Importance of Developing a Philosophy of Education

Reposted from 2005

I think that developing your own philosophy of education is extremely important when making the decision to homeschool your children. It is needed for the best possible chance of succeeding at this sometimes tiresome job.

Below is the philosophy that we developed when we first decided to continue my family's tradition of homeschooling. Our homeschool support group actually requires that all of its members develop their own philosophy of education before they are "allowed" to join the group. At first, I thought it was a simple task and I didn't see the point of completing it. But now I do! For years I kept a copy of this posted on my fridge to remind me daily WHY I was doing what I was doing. What an encouragement that was! I hope that everyone out there takes the time to develop their own.

The Metzger Family’s Philosophy of Education

Heritage Christian Academy

Education is a life-long experience. We believe that our children’s education in childhood should be primarily directed by their parents. Parents know their child better than anyone and they know their specific needs. As I have learned through being homeschooled myself, homeschooling provides a great opportunity to mold your child’s scholastic education to meet your child’s individual needs. A homeschool teacher can tailor the school work to fit the child’s strengths and improve on their weaknesses to the best of their ability. There is no need to push the child beyond their limits and no need to hold them back from what they want to achieve. The sky is the limit! Homeschool provides an atmosphere for learning unlike any other. It provides a boost of confidence in what you can achieve.

We want our children to develop godly relationships with their peers through socialization. That is one of two main purposes for a homeschool support group. Support is valuable for the parental instructor, but also for the student. Socialization with peers and interaction with people of all ages is an important part of the educational process. Homeschool support groups also allow for the parental instructor to continue their own educational process by learning from other mom’s experiences and trading ideas and information.

We want our children to graduate, as homeschoolers, with self-confidence, a deep knowledge of God, a Biblical worldview and a superior and personalized education. We seek to enable them to become the godly men and women that God wants them to become. A firm knowledge and personal relationship with Jesus is the basis of an excellent education. Education is meaningless without Jesus! Parents enable their children to learn and, in turn, apply godly morals, values and principles. We seek to train our children up in the way that they should go, as said in Proverbs.

"Train up a child in the way he must go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6)

What's Your Homeschool Schedule with 9 Children? How do you do it?

The most-asked question our larger-than-average family gets is this: "How do you handle all those kids AND homeschool?" Well, to be completely honest, we probably get the "How many kids do you plan on having anyway?" one even more often, but you'll have to ask God for the answer to that one. :) I, however, will attempt to explain how we do all that we do with 9 kids, all while keeping the peace and order in our humble abode! So, here we go! Mark and I have 8 blessings on earth so far (and 7 in Heaven), ages: 18, 11, 10, 9, 6, 5, 3, 2 and a newborn.

Below is our usual schedule, but with a newborn and a preschooler and life in general, this can all change at a moments notice. Overall, I like having a schedule so that the kids know what to expect and when, but I do NOT let it rule me. It's just a guide. It helps tremendously that we school year-round! It allows for extended holiday breaks and breaks throughout the year when I feel "burnout" coming. :) I am also a firm believer that just because a schedule works well for one family it might not work well for another, so keep that in mind when trying to create one of your own!

Our Schedule

7:00 - wake-up, get dressed, make bed, tidy up rooms, put away night clothes and eat

7:45 or 8:00 - kitchen chores (95% done by children) and teeth brushed

8:15 - Preschool! The older kids teach younger ones preschool (it is really neat to have the older ones learn to teach their siblings...it develops their abilities in so many ways!)

8:15 - Schoolwork (math/English/spelling history/science/geography/typing - different requirements on different days). Annalise (graduated) blogs, Facebooks, keeps an eye on kids or bakes. To see our curricula that we use, click on Our Homeschool Tools (above).

12:00 - Everyone has finished school USUALLY.

12:00 or 12:30 - Lunch

After lunch - outside play time/educational games/reading/educational DVD's or YouTube unit studies (this varies according to my whim...ha)

2:30 - Judah naps until 3:30 or 4:00

4:00 - Kids are inside or start afternoon chores (feeding chickens, sweeping, weeding, sweeping/tidying garage, vacuuming stairs, cleaning bathrooms, etc.). Reading time begins when chores are completed.

5:00 - Get ready for Daddy's homecoming (vacuum, set table, ready dinner, etc.)

6:00 - Dinner kitchen cleanup by kids while Mark and I discuss our days (this is GREAT therapy for Mommy)

7:30 - Family Worship (Click Here to Read More)

8:00 - Bedtime for everyone, except Annalise. She will go downstairs to the boys' area/playroom and take a shower and read, blog, etc. until she goes upstairs to go to sleep.

When do you feel as though you've actually ACCOMPLISHED all that you need to accomplish?

I would say that I feel as though I have accomplished everything I needed to accomplish if I have homeschooled the kids, done at least 1 load of laundry, done some everyday chores (dusting, vacuuming, counter tops, general upkeep, etc.), prepared a good meal, had the kids learn life skills of some kind, and I have basically "worked at home" all day. It varies so greatly what I do each day that I would say that if I felt as though I have been a worker at home, according to Titus 2. I am to be loving my husband, loving my children and being busy at home. If I've done that to the best of my ability, then I've accomplished a lot. However, it can get monotonous and it can feel as though I haven't accomplished much, BUT drudgery is part of motherhood and that's all part of God's perfect plan. See this post! The Proverbs 31 is an ideal woman, accomplishing A LOT. I don't believe that any woman could accomplish all that she did every day, and we need to keep that in mind or we'll drive ourselves crazy! BUT Proverbs 31 is a GREAT outline to use overall!

Any organizing tips or secrets?

1. Never leave a room empty-handed. Always return something to its proper place.

2. 30 second rule....If it takes less than 30 seconds to put away, do it immediately!

3. Have pick up time before Daddy gets home and before lunch time!

4. Teach kids to do chores and to pick up as they go (30 second rule with them, as well)

Any tips on how to get the kids to clean up after themselves?

As I've mentioned time and time again, we are big on "chore training". My kids all have chores. We use this age appropriate chore list as a guide. Our kids have chores as soon as they can crawl and they will pass them on to a younger sibling when the younger sibling is ready. The younger sibling will become the "apprentice" and the older becomes the "master or teacher". The younger will watch the older do the chore between 2 and 5 times before they attempt it themselves. Then they move onto doing the chore themselves, with the older one watching and instructing PROPERLY (no bossing allowed...Mommy's listening in). After about 2-5 times of the younger doing the chore under the older's supervision and instruction, the younger will do that chore on their own. From that point on, Mommy checks up on them randomly to see if it was completed properly. If it was not, then Mommy instructs the younger on how to correct it. Of course, age is always factored in.....I don't expect my two year old to wipe the table the way I would. BUT, they should be doing it to the best of their ability.

How old should a child be when they begin having chores?

Our kids start chores as soon as they can crawl, and although it's tedious to Mommy in the beginning, I've found that it pays off BIG TIME in the long run!!! What does God think about chores?

Shouldn't kids just be kids?

Unfortunately, today's society has taught us that life should be easy, kids should be kids, take the easy way out in life, but in all reality I can't find where it says any of that in Scripture. In fact, Scripture says that LEADERS and SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE will work hard! Shouldn't we be training up the future leaders of tomorrow's familys and world? Using the below Scriptures when teaching children about chores and hard work will mold their spirits now and train them for their futures! This is why we believe that children should regularly contribute to household maintenance.

*Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and never succeed. Proverbs 12:24

*He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment. Proverbs 12:11

*All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. Proverbs 14:23

*Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:22-24

What are the consequences for not completing chores?

We have just recently (within the last year) paying for extra chores (not cleaning rooms or such as that....those are "normal chores" and do not receive payment. Nor do they receive payment for extra chores if their "normal chores" are left undone.). Right now "Extra Chores" are required to be done as follows:

Annalise (18) - Meal prep/cooking, Kitchen upkeep, cleaning and keeping organized the guest and children bathrooms (toilet, floors, door handles), mopping with Kaitlyn.

Kaitlyn (11) - Some meal prep/cooking, vacuuming the stairs twice a week, cleaning and keeping organized the guest and children's bathrooms (sinks, counters, mirrors), mopping with Annalise.

Ethan (10) - Tidying/organizing/sweeping garage (a little each day), collecting and taking out trash weekly or as needed, feeding and cleaning up after chickens.

Trey (9) - Sweeps all areas outside (a section each day...covered patio, front porch, walk to door, walk to storage shed, driveway), blow basketball "patio/court"off on weekends, feeds the dog and washes dog bowls once a week.

Jake (6) - Brushes dog weekly, puts towels on our dining room chairs prior to meals (to prevent stains on the fabric from the smaller children), helps Ethan with garage cleaning and upkeep, Swiffers under sofas when I vacuum.

Julia (5) - Folds two towels that go on our dining room chairs prior to meals after meals, cleans the fronts of appliances (dishwasher, fridge, microwave, oven).

Ellie (3) - Folds two towels that go on our dining room chairs prior to meals after meals.

Judah (2) - Collects cloth napkins after meals and puts them in or in front of the washer and puts away the dining room chair towels after meals.

More chores will be added soon or reorganized, as the children become proficient in the chores they've been given. These might not seem like a lot of chores, but this would not include regular chores (setting tables, clearing tables, cleaning rooms, making beds, vacuuming and dusting their bedrooms, doing their laundry, helping with "buddies" and doing seasonal/odd chores as requested by me).

This system has worked really well and, honestly, we rarely have an issue with attitudes or chore completion. They know that Daddy and I mean business. They also are used to having chores, because they start doing chores as soon as they can walk. In fact, the older ones are so used to doing their chores and do them with a proper attitude that the younger ones CAN'T WAIT to go into an "apprenticeship" under the older ones to learn the chores! Now, yes, chores get repetitious, but they do get done with correct attitudes and without being told (the majority of the time, anyway - no one's perfect).

I hope this was of some help and an encouragement to you! May you all be WORKERS AT HOME and follow God and His Word in all you do!

Historical Documentary List - Homeschool Through DVD's!

Reposted from 6/26/06

World History

Old Testament


Ancient Mysteries: Mysteries of the Old Testament
Ancient Secrets of the Bible
Bible's Greatest Heroes
Charlton Heston Presents the Bible
Greatest Heroes of the Bible
The Bible: Genesis
In the Beginning
Bible: Esther
Bible: Solomon
Bible: Jeremiah
Joshua
King David
Real Eve; The
Joseph and the Coat of Many Colors
Joseph: King of Dreams
Prince of Egypt
Exodus Revealed: Search for the Red Sea Crossing
Ten Commandments; The
________________________________________

Egypt

Ancient Civilizations: The Land of the Pharaohs
Ancient Civilizations-Cleopatra
Ancient Egyptian Civilization
Building The Great Pyramid
Cleopatra
Discovering Egypt
Egypt: Beyond the Pyramids
Egypt: Quest For Eternity
Egypt: Quest for the Lost Tomb
Egypt: Secrets of the Pharaohs
Imax: Mysteries of Egypt
Into the Great Pyramid
Mummies and the Wonders of Ancient Egypt
Mystery of Egypt
Nefertiti Resurrected

________________________________________

Greek & Roman Times

Ancient Civilizations: Athens
Discovering Greece
Empires: The Greeks- Crucible of Civilization
In Search of the Trojan War
National Geographic Beyond the Movie: Troy
Spartans; The
Helen of Troy
Jason and the Argonauts
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (O
Troy: Unearthing the Legend
The First Olympics: Blood, Honor, and Glory
Ancient Civilizations: Gladiators
Ancient Civilizations: Rome
Lost Ships of the Mediterranean
Rome: Power & Glory
Barabbas
Ben-Hur
Spartacus
Gladiator (R-rated)
In Search of Ancient Ireland
St. Patrick: The Irish Legend
Patrick
Little Buddha
Imax: The First Emperor of China

________________________________________

New Testament

Miracle Maker; The - The Story of Jesus (Claymation)
Children's Heroes of the Bible: Jesus
Greatest Story Ever Told
Jesus and His Times
Jesus Film; The
Jesus of Nazareth
King of Kings, 1927
Life and Passion of Jesus Christ
The Passion of the Christ (R-rated)
Life of Jesus
Life With Jesus
Story of Jesus: For Children
Ancient Evidence: Mysteries of Jesus
Messiah- Prophecy Fulfilled
Resurrection
Quest for the True Cross
Empires - Peter & Paul and the Christian Revolution
Great People of the Bible: The Apostle Paul
Mystery Of The Three Kings
Story of Paul The Apostle
Story of the Twelve Apostles
Charlton Heston Presents the Bible
Gates of Jerusalem: A History of the Holy City
Visual Bible: Matthew
Gospel of John

________________________________________

The Middle Ages in Europe

Crusades
Medieval Siege
Helena: First Pilgrim to the Holy Land
Braveheart (R-rated)
Camelot
Passion of Joan Of Arc; The
Joan Of Arc
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
Richard II (Shakespeare)
Silk Road
Henry V (MGM)

________________________________________

The Renaissance

Donatello: The First Modern Sculptor
Life of Leonardo Da Vinci; The
A Man For All Seasons (Henry VIII)
Six Wives of Henry VIII; The
Standard Deviants: Shakespeare Tragedies
Elizabeth R; w/ Glenda Jackson
Elizabeth; by David Starkey

The Reformation


Empires: Martin Luther
Luther
Rembrandt

The Age of Exploration

Ancient Civilizations: Fall of the Aztec
Imax: Mystery of the Maya
Imax: The Discoverers
Mexico Before Cortez
Pirates of the High Seas


Europe in the Age of Reason (1700's)


Amadeus (R-rated)
Japan: Memoirs of a Secret Empire
Les Miserables
Mission; The
Oliver!
Pride and Prejudice

________________________________________

Europe in the 19th & Early 20th Century

British Steam - The A To Z of Steam Railways
Bronte's of Haworth; The
Enigma of Kaspar Hauser
Far and Away
Fiddler on the Roof
How Green Was My Valley
Impressionists: The Other French Revolution
Irish Empire
My Fair Lady
Picasso- A Man and His Work Part 1 (1881-1937)
Shaka Zulu
Victoria & Albert
Zulu
Horatio Hornblower
Master and Commander
Leo Tolstoy's: War and Peace
Anna Karenina
Napoleon
Napoleon: The Epic Life
Scarlet Pimpernel; The
Count of Monte Cristo (time of Napoleon)
Secrets of the Titanic
Titanic PG-13
Titanic Expedition
Titanic: The Complete Story
Titanic: The Mystery & The Legacy

________________________________________

World War I Era

Archives of War
Complete History of the Battleship; The
Last Voyage of the Luistania
Lawrence of Arabia
All Quiet on the Western Front
Lost Battalion; The
October: Ten Days That Shook the World (Russian Revolution)
Soviet Union Chronicles: 1905-1924
90 Degrees South: With Scott to the Antarctic
Endurance; The (Shackleton; Antarctic)
Shackleton
South: Ernest Shackleton and the Endurance Expedition
With Scott to the Antarctic
Gandhi (first half of the century)
Inn of the Sixth Happiness (between the wars)
Winslow Boy
Flambards
Mussolini and I
Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years 1929-1939

________________________________________

World War II

Overview
WWII
World at War
World War II: (series)
Secrets of War (series)
Amazing Tales of Wartime Escapes
Great Escapes of WWII
Great Blunders of WWII
Last Days of World War II

Battles
History Channel: Pearl Harbor
In Harm's Way: Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor: 60th Anniversary
Pearl Harbor: Legacy of Attack
Pearl Harbor-Beyond the Movie
Remember Pearl Harbor
Battle of Britain
Finest Hour: The Battle of Britain
D-Day: Code Name - Overlord
D-Day: Down to Earth
D-Day: The Total Story
Battle of the Bulge
Battle For Midway: The Discovery of the U.S.S Yorktown
Battle of Midway
Great Battles of the Pacific:
Atomic Journeys: Welcome to Ground Zero
Hiroshima; why we dropped the bomb

Biographies & Units
General Douglas MacArthur
Patton
Churchill: Soldier/Adventurer...
Winston Churchill
Memphis Belle
Navajo Code Talkers
Fire On The Mountain
Thunder Birds of World War II
Band of Brothers
Green Berets
Tuskegee Airmen: They Fought Two Wars
Heroes of Iwo Jima


Hollywood
A Bridge Too Far
Big Red One
Bridge on the River Kwai
Casablanca
Empire of the Sun
Guns of Navarone
Longest Day
Midway
Scarlet and the Black, The
Schindler's List (R-rated)
South Pacific
The Great Escape
They Were Expendable
Tora! Tora! Tora!
Twelve O'clock High
War and Remembrance
Piece of Cake (RAF)
Broadway Theatre Archive: Incident at Vichy

Holocaust
America and the Holocaust: Deceit & Indifference
Anne Frank
Last Days (Holocaust)
Broken Silence (Holocaust)
Stories of the Kindertransport
Varian's War

Weapons
Great Fighting Machines of WWII
Great Tank Battles: World War II
Hitler's Lost Sub (Nova)
Victory at Sea - Complete Series
National Geographic - PT 109: Kennedy's Lost Ship
Dambusters Raid
American War Eagles: B-29

Misc
Walt Disney Treasures - On the Front Lines
Triumph Of The Will (Propaganda)
Sorrow and the Pity (Occupation of France)
Allies at War (Churchill & FDR)


________________________________________

The World Since 1945

Animal Farm
Cuban Story
Do You Believe in Miracles?: the 1980 U.S. Hockey Team
East Side Story (Cold War)
Fall of Communism
Lost Subs: Disaster at Sea
Secret KGB JFK Assassination Files
China in Crisis: Tiananmen Square
From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China
Faster Than Sound
Little Dieter Needs to Fly
Final Solution (South Africa)
Modern Warfare
The 50 Years War: Israel and the Arabs
________________________________________

U.S. History

Colonial Period

Keeping the Promise (Sign of the Beaver)
Last of the Mohicans; The
New York Episode One: 1609-1825
Pocahontas
They Came for Good: A History of the Jews in the US
________________________________________

The American Revolution

Benedict Arnold: A Question of Honor
Crossing; The (Battle of Trenton)
Founding Brothers
Founding Fathers
Madness of King George; The
New York: The Country and the City- 1609-1825
Thomas Jefferson: A Film by Ken Burns
1776
________________________________________

Early 19th Century

Ken Burns America Collection: The Congress
Moby Dick- The True Story
Roots
West Point: The First 200 Years

________________________________________

Westward Expansion & Frontier Life

Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West
Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery
Sacagawea: Heroine of the Lewis and Clark Journey
America's Historic Trails
Seven Alone (Oregon Trail)
Best of the Real West
Donner Party; The
Kentuckian; The
Little House on the Prairie
Sarah; Plain & Tall
Alamo; The
Remember the Alamo
Dances With Wolves
American Steam
America's Railroads

________________________________________
Civil War

Blue & The Gray
Blue vs. Gray: Killing Fields
Civil War Begins:
Civil War Combat: America's Bloodiest Battles
Civil War Films of the Silent Era
Civil War Journal
Civil War Life
Civil War Life: Shot to Pieces
Civil War Minutes
Civil War: A Film by Ken Burns
Guns of the Civil War
Last Days of the Civil War
Complete Battle of Gettysburg
Gettysburg
Gettysburg: Three Days of Destiny
Gods and Generals
Abraham and Mary Lincoln: A House Divided
Horse Soldiers
Great Locomotive Chase
Ulysses S. Grant: Warrior & President
Andersonville
Friendly Persuasion
Gone With the Wind
New York Ep 2: 1825-1865
Africans in America: America's Journey Through Slavery
Underground Railroad
________________________________________
US in the Late 19th & Early 20th Century

Indomitable Teddy Roosevelt; The
Teddy Roosevelt: An American Lion
Ken Burns: Mark Twain
Mark Twain Tonight!
Amelia Earhart: The Price of Courage
Ellis Island
Journey to Freedom: The Immigrant Experience
New York Ep 3: 1865-1898
New York Ep 4: 1898-1918
Newsies
Out of Ireland
Yankee Doodle Dandy
100 Years of the New York Yankees
Babe Ruth: The Life Behind the Legend
Baseball: A Film by Ken Burns
Eight Men Out (Baseball)
Yankee Immortals
Battle Over Citizen Kane; The
Citizen Kane
Hearst Castle: Building The Dream
Horatio's Drive (1903 cross-country trip)
In the Good Old Summertime
Singin' in the Rain
Time Changer
Adventure of Photography: 150 Years
Chicago: City of the Century
Inherit the Wind
Johnstown Flood
Ken Burns America Collection: The Shakers

________________________________________

US in the 20th Century Until World War II

20th Century Fox: The First 50 Years
American Cinema
Legends of Comedy: Volume 4 - The Golden Age of Comedy the '20s and '30s
Norman Rockwell: An American Portrait
Beyond Barbed Wire
Go Tell It On The Mountain
Ken Burns: Jazz
Mafia: The History of the Mob in America
Marcus Garvey- Look For Me In The Whirlwind
Great Gatsby; The
Hello Dolly
New York: Episode Five: 1919-1931
New York: Episode Six: 1929-1941
The Waltons
Of Mice and Men (Depression)
Grapes of Wrath
Our Daily Bread and Other Films of the Great Depression
Real Las Vegas; The
A League of Their Own

________________________________________

US After World War II

A Great Day in Harlem
A Raisin in the Sun
Jackie Robinson Story
Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?
To Kill a Mockingbird
West Side Story
Fabulous 50's
Frank Lloyd Wright
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
New York Ep 7: 1945 to Present
New York In The Fifties
Republicans: Ike
Truman
1964 World's Fair; The
All the President's Men
Archives of War: Volume Three - Korea & Vietnam
Battle of the X-Planes
Berkeley in the Sixties
JFK: A Presidency Revealed
Malcolm X
Men Who Killed Kennedy; The
Nixon: His Politics and the Presidency
Nixon: The Early Years
Primary (Kennedy)
Speeches Collection: Kennedy; ML King Jr; Ford & Reagan
Combat Vietnam: To Hell and Beyond
Combat Vietnam: To Hell and Beyond
Secrets of War: Vietnam
Vietnam: Lessons of a Lost War
Vietnam's Unseen War
We Were Heroes: Vietnam
America's Atomic Bomb Tests: Operation Hardtack
Atomic Cafe
Candidate
Day After Trinity
Apollo 11
Apollo 11: Men on the Moon
Apollo 13
Apollo 8: Leaving the Cradle
For All Mankind (moon landing)
From Earth to the Moon
NASA 25 Years
Nova: To the Moon
Project Gemini: A Bold Leap Forward
Race to the Moon
Right Stuff
Air Force One
Airborne
Miracle (1980 Olympic Hockey, US vs USSR)
Ronald Reagan: His Life and Times
Ronald Regan: An American Success
War With Iraq
Clinton Years
CNN Election 2000
World Trade Center

________________________________________

Multiple Time Periods

2000 Years of Christianity
Christianity:The First Two Thousand Years
Heritage: Civilization and the Jews
History of Britain
Lost Civilizations from Time Life
Russia: Land of the Tsars
Secrets of War
Timeline
War Letters
American Government (9-module series)
American President (PBS)
Bill of Rights (Gov't & Civics)
Living Constitution
Presidents Collection
Standard Deviants: American Government
20th Century; The
Encyclopedia of the 20th Century

Snow Days! Do you take off Homeschool?

Q. Since there's no missing the bus and no slippery and hazardous roads to avoid, do you still insist on having your children do their schoolwork on "southern snow days", since they are few and far between?

A. Nope...we take off! When I was homeschooled myself, my Mom let us take off, as well. Being southerners, who know that snow doesn't come that often in this neck of the woods, we take every opportunity to do "life school" on snow day! This "life school" would include the following!

Science Lessons

• Weather
• Earth science
• Making of a snow gauge (HERE)
• Capturing and studying of snowflakes (HERE)
• Learning about the water cycle (HERE)
• Research snow animals/hibernating animals
• Density of water, snow and ice (HERE)
• and more... (HERE)

Math Snow Lessons

• Figuring out Snow to Liquid Equivalent Conversion (HERE)
• Learning how to make a snow gauge (HERE)
• Graph the snowfall by the hour
• More winter math (HERE)

Geography Lessons

• Research what areas of country receive the most snowfall (National Snow and Ice Data Center)
• Research which area of the state recevied more snow this time and why (approach of the storm, air temps, elevation, etc.)

Survival Training

• Learn to build an igloo (HERE)
• Surviving in snow (HERE)
• Wilderness Survival (HERE)
• Building a lean-to (HERE)

Dramatic Arts/Creative Play

• Playing "fort"
• Pretending to be stranded in the wilderness
• Making snow forts, angels

Physical Education

• Running, jumping, hiking through snow, etc.
• Sledding
• Building snow forts
• Throwing snowballs

The Metzgers Eating Snow Cream (12/26/10)

Home Economics

• Planning snow attire the night before
• Gathering and laying out snow gear the night before in anticipation (this is a needed skill, especially in a large family)
• Learning how to organize and care for wet clothing/shoes (logical place for everyone to enter the house, where to place the boots/shoes, put wet coats and such in the dryer)
• Making snow cream (HERE)
• Making hot cocoa
• Planning for and making a hot soup for lunch or dinner
• Starting a fire (either gas or wood-burning)

As you can see this list could go on and on! The beauty about homeschooling is that you can do things like taking a day off to enjoy the beauty of God's creations, while learning through having fun! Since we school year-round, we also do not have the pressure to finish our lessons at a certain time of the year (although, even if you DON'T school year-round, you can tack on extra days as needed, as well). Try to break out from that school-timeline/schedule mindset and be free to utilize the resources that surround you every day! Take time and enjoy making memories by homeschooling "real life lessons" now and again!

What are your winter weather or snow day ideas for your homeschool?

Excellent (and inexpensive) Homeschool Science Online Courses!

I have found such an awesome resource for homeschooling! Since I am not very interested in teaching science, I am always looking for new and exciting (and easy) ways to teach science effectively and interestingly to my children. Well, I found another great resource!

Science Jim is just too cool! Right now he is offering (here) a Physics of Flight 4 week class for ages 8 and up via a live webcast on his website (links above). It's only $16 to bundle them OR you can choose which class(es) you want to take. I was really impressed by the video clips AND with what I've seen from him of Currclick! My children are so excited to be signed up for the Physics of Flight classes and are itching to watch the rest of the his Currclick bundle that I bought for $35!

When you go to Currclick, search for "Science Jim" and I really like this guy and the kids are so excited about science. Mommy is even more excited because someone else is doing the teaching and helping to conduct the experiments!! Woo-hoo! Not bad!

On another note....I would greatly appreciate it if you searched and bought any items from Currclick through this link, as I make a little off of your purchase (should you decide to do so). Check out their affiliate program at Currclick if you have a blog, as well, as every little bit helps to cut that budget! ;)

Enjoy!

Great Vision Forum Deals!

Homemaking Resources

Homeschool Resources

Family Resources

No school until 2011 - The Beauties of Year-Round Homeschooling

Ahhhh....no more school until January 3, 2011! Why such an extended break? Well, we school year-round and far exceed our states minimum requirements for 180 days of homeschooling. Instead of taking off school during the hot and unbearable summer months in the south, we choose to take our "summer" break (albeit not as long as government schools) in the beautiful fall, and then over Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years!

Benefits of year-round schooling are numerous. Let me see how many I can list....

1. To establish a consistent schedule, which is great for those who still have toddlers or preschoolers or those dealing with learning disabilities or ADHD. Everyone knows what to expect and there's no "getting back into the swing of things" quite like with a "regular school schedule".


2. No "summer break brain freeze" that kids experience when returning to school in the fall.


3. No brain freeze = we don't have much review when starting a new grade, so we can skip the first near 1/4 of the curricula.


4. No beginning of the grade review = getting ahead in grades each time we finish the previous grade.


5. Getting ahead in grade levels = graduating early; adding more electives in high school; taking college level classes in high school; more free time/break time during the school year.


6. Shorter school days, if you schedule correctly and work more (but shorter) days throughout the year.


7. Plenty of time during the school year to take a break when mom deems it necessary...when having or adopting a new sibling; to prevent burnout; to take vacations during the off-season; just because....

Think that this sounds like something you might be interested in doing in your homeschool? Do some research and weigh the pros and cons. Remember, each homeschool is vastly different, and no homeschool should be a cookie cutter replica of another homeschool! Research, Weigh, Pray...then step out and do what's best for your family!

Community Outreach - Letters, Linus and Helping Hands!

As I've shared before, our kids are taking on a weekly community outreach project in our homeschool! This has been a lot of work and a lot of fun, as well. It's very rewarding when we can see the fruits of our actions, as is often the case in our abortion mill family ministry, but that is not always the case with every community service project. Above is a photo of the children around a get well card that they composed to a man who underwent surgery to repair a torn rotary cuff. We became aware of him through our monthly support we send out via Samaritan Ministries, which is our family's healthcare provider. We plan on making this a monthly community service for our family, as our Christian brothers and sisters really do need encouraging words, especially in times of sickness!

Our girls (and even Judah!) were able to help sort a TON of baby clothes that were lovingly donated to Annalise's new ministry, Helping Hands Saving Lives, which helps enable those who minister at abortion mills to offer long term resources to moms who choose life! She hopes to be able to provide these moms who choose life for their babies with clothing and other items, that are much needed. From what she receives in donations, she also is able to donate to another ministry - Truth for Mercy and Life - that provides baby showers and 2 years worth of clothing and baby items to moms who chose life and would appreciate such items! This is such a wonderful blessing to see Annalise's ministry taking flight!

Another fun project the kids have done is when they made Linus Blankets! Project Linus provides love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteer "blanketeers."Above are photos of the children working on these blankets!

"You, my brothers, were called to befree. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love." ~ Galatians 5:13

A strange benefit to homeschooling....

Who would have known that I'd find such an odd reason to be grateful that I homeschool my children! Kaitlyn's homeschool choir was cancelled today due to an outbreak of lice at a local Christian school. So, another reason to homeschool.....no risk of the spread of LICE! Just keep them inside and cooped up during their school years and they will forever be lice-free! LOL!

The Reformation and Sola Scriptura!

Sola scriptura (Latin ablative, "by scripture alone") is the doctrine that the Bible is the only infallible or inerrant authority for Christian faith, and that it contains all knowledge necessary for salvation and holiness.

During this season where we remember The Heroes of the Reformation, find out how ther term Sola Scriptura relates to Martin Luther in the period of Church Reformation! More HERE...

How to Teach Science to a Large Family

My post on The Company Front Porch HERE!

Reformation Day Activities - Loads of ideas, projects & why some Christians don't celebrate Halloween

Our family does not take part in Halloween celebrations for many reasons (our views summed up here), but we do take part in Reformation Day, which is celebrated on October 31st. Our family plans for and looks forward to this day. If you, too, would like to learn more about this church holiday, below are some websites that will help you plan your own Reformation Day activities with your children. If you, too, choose not to celebrate Halloween and would like to explain to your children WHY you do this, here are 2 great books. Halloween - Is It For Real? and Mommy, Why Don't We Celebrate Halloween

Philippians 4:8 ~ Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

Matthew 5:14-16 ~ You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Websites with More Info

Reformation Day A history of Reformation Day
Print and Color a Picture of Martin Luther
Reformation Day Word Search Find the Reformers in the puzzle
Reformation Day Fair Activities A number of interesting ideas here for celebrating Reformation Day.
Reformation Skit (best for older students, probably grades 5 - 12)
A Unit Study on the Reformation This is from Core Knowledge and is for grade 5
Questions and Answers about Reformation Day
A Mighty Fortress is Our God The words and music are here
Reformation Day This is from sundayschoollessons.com
Luther's 95 Theses
The Life of Martin Luther
John Calvin
Reformation Day October 31st or December 10? An interesting article

Books

Book: Martin Luther: A Man Who Changed the World by Paul L. Maier
Book: The Pumpkin Patch Parable by Liz Curtis Higgs
Book: Mommy, Why Don't We Celebrate Halloween? by Linda Hacon Winwood

Devotional/Sermon/Teaching Ideas

Article: Halloween in Light of the Scriptures
Article: What Does the Bible Say About. . .?
Article: When Good People Disagree - uses Halloween as a case study in conflict
Ideas for Halloween Outreach (suggested only for teens, as the scary costumes can really frighten small children or "create appetites" for Halloween that are not biblical)
Article: Pumpkin Evangelism
Book: The Pumpkin Patch Parable by Liz Curtis Higgs (for children)
Leaflet: Halloween Leaflet - Light-Up-the-Night
Tracts: Halloween Tracts
Tracts: Chick Tracts: Turn Halloween Into a Night of Evangelism (ideas could be used with their tracts or other tracts)

History of Halloween

Article: A Christian Perspective on the Holiday: History Page
Article: Christians and Halloween: The Pagan Origin of Halloween
Article: The History of Halloween -- It's Probably Not What You Think

Satanism & Halloween

Article: The Dark Side of Halloween
Article: The Occult Connection
Cassette: Halloween: Invitation to the Occult? - Audiobook on Cassette by Chuck Missler

Christians Celebrating Halloween

Article: Christians and Halloween
Article: Halloween for Christians?
Article: Should Christians participate in the Halloween holiday?
Article: Happy Halloween? Is there any good reason for a Christian to celebrate it?
Article: A Look at Halloween
Article: Can Halloween Be an Entirely Innocent Practice?
Article: Saints, Symbols and Celebrations: A New Perspective on Halloween
Book: Halloween, Is It for Real? by Harold Myra

HERE are photos of how our family celebrates Reformation Day! Enjoy!

Who or Whom?

Who vs. whom. It can be confusing. But here is a tip...whom and him both end with the letter "M". When you're trying to decide whether to use who or whom, ask yourself, is the answer going to be he or him? If the answer is him--then use whom. It's easy to remember because they both end with the letter "M". To read more, please visit the Homeschool News!

Turtle Fun...An Eastern Box Turtle makes for GREAT Homeschool Science!

Kaitlyn found this box turtle by the chicken coop today, so we "adopted" it for a day or two and are learning LOTS about south eastern box turtles. Check out our photos of "Timmy" and the links below for more turtle fun!

General Information on Box Turtles:
Document Your TURTLE...Science fun!
Citizen Science - Survey a Box Turtle
Eastern Box Turtle Information Sheet
Wikipedia on Box Turtles
North American Box Turtles
North Carolina's State Reptile!
Science Fair Projects on Turtles
Follow someone's box turtle project

Arts and Crafts:
Ornate Box Turtle Coloring page
Turtle Craft
Paper Mache Turtle Craft
Turtle Magnet

Care of Box Turtles:
Box Turtles as Pets
Box Turtle Care
Box Turtle Care on Healthy Pet

Books on Box Turtles:
North American Box Turtles: A Natural History (Animal Natural History Series)
The Box Turtle Manual
The Guide to Owning a Box Turtle

Firefly Fun!

Be ADVENTUROUS this summer and explore the world of FIREFLIES! This activity is free and makes for GREAT family fun! Read about Firefly Fun HERE!

Large Family Scavenger Hunts!

Tips on keeping track of all the children, as well as great resources for having your own scavenger hunt! Read about Large Family Scavenger Hunts HERE!