Writing: latest issue of mater et magistra

I just got my copy of the Summer 2009 mater et magistra issue down here in the wilds of Virginia and I'm very impressed and proud to have a part in bringing out such a great magazine!

The articles are great ... the theme this issue is preparing for college and beyond and there are some great articles about choosing a Catholic college, getting to college in an unconventional way, going to conservatory instead of college and (the one I wrote) about sending them off with hand-crafted items to help them remember hearth and home.

There is also an amazing unit study, put together by Alicia vanHecke (who manages the amazing website Favorite Resources for Catholic Homeschoolers), about Norman Juster's Phantom Tollbooth . Alicia's unit study, the pull-out in the center, pulls in many different resources (videos, books and games) to help the kids really understand the concepts covered in Juster's classic. All of this is done in such a fun and interesting way, the kids won't even know they're learning about math concepts, science and grammar!

What more could you ask for?

Check it out ... I'm sure you'll be impressed. And if you don't subscribe to THE only Catholic homeschool periodical available, go on over to the mater et magistra website and subscribe! It's well-worth every penny!

Homeschool: Free or cheap homeschool ideas ...

I saw this (via Elizabeth's sharing) on Two Thirds Unschooling and it looks like a great list/resource. Before looking at this list and spending hours (and tons of money) printing out everything you see: PLEASE, PLEASE use discretion ... sometimes it's cheaper to find a hard-copy of these resources, or some of the information on these pages is erroneous or doesn't agree with your world-view. Please use discretion. If there are any sites that you know of that are free or inexpensive, please let me know and I'll add them. In this economy (especially if you dh work for the Catholic Church) free or cheap is a real bonus!

Early Learning:
1. Starfall - Teaches alphabet and early reading skills. www.starfall.com
2. Brightly Beaming Resources - Letter of the week, sound of the week, science of the week, etc. This is a good all-around site for early learning.http://www.letteroftheweek.com/
3. Rhyme a weekhttp://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/g....htm#This_Week
4. Enchanted Learning - Not really free, but a lot can be accessed without paying (membership is $20 donation/year per family)http://www.enchantedlearning.com/Home.html
Whole Curriculum:
1. Ambleside Online - Charlotte Mason. Wonderful resource that includes lots of info and is really a full curriculum option. Great booklist!http://amblesideonline.org/index.shtml
2. An Old-Fashioned Education - Another really complete option. LOTS of stuff to look at and use here!http://oldfashionededucation.com/
3. Puritans' Home School - I have heard good things, but have never used this. VERY religious site, but it does appear pretty complete.http://www.puritans.net/curriculum/
4. Core Knowledge lesson plans - Tons of lesson plans on lots of subjects from PK-8. I have not used this, but it looks really good.http://www.coreknowledge.org/CK/resr...sons/index.htm
5. About.com Homeschooling section (not really a whole curriculum, but TONS of stuff)http://homeschooling.about.com/
6. Tanglewood Educationhttp://www.tanglewoodeducation.com/
7. The Baltimore Projecthttp://www.cstone.net/~bcp/BCPIntro2.htm
8. PASS Materials (FL)http://www.pass.leon.k12.fl.us/default.aspx
9. Paula's Archiveshttp://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/
10. EdSITEmenthttp://www.edsitement.neh.gov/
11. Mater Amabilis (Catholic Charlotte Mason Curriculum)http://materamabilis.org/
Unit Studies:
1. Homeschool Share - Lots and lots and LOTS of projects and unit studies. http://www.homeschoolshare.com/
2. A Journey Through Learning Inventor unit study and lapbook. Click on Free products http://ajourneythroughlearning.com/
3. H.I.P. Pocket Change. Several Lesson Plans revolving around money
http://www.usmint.gov/kids/teachers/lessonPlans/
4. Homeschool Helperhttp://www.homeschoolhelperonline.com/units.htm
5. Oceanographyhttp://www.currclick.com/product_inf...roducts_id=243
6. SCORE Cyberguideshttp://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/cyberguide.html
7. Eyeshttp://www.aaofoundation.org/what/heritage/
8. Birds Notebooking pageshttp://www.currclick.com/product_inf...ers=0_0&free=1
9. Nature Studyhttp://handbookofnaturestudy.blogspot.com/
10. Canadahttp://www.knowledgequestmaps.com/canadaunit.htm
Math:
1. Ray's Arithmetic - 1885 math book on google books. Thorough and "back to basics". (click on the icon on the page and scroll down to read/print)http://books.google.com/books?id=eop...age&q=&f=false
2. CSMP materials - K-6http://ceure.buffalostate.edu/~csmp/...ram/index.html
3. First Lessons in Arithmetic - 1878 math texthttp://www.donpotter.net/math.htm
4. NC public school math program K-2http://community.learnnc.org/dpi/mat...s_k2_resou.php
5. Centre for Innovation in Mathematics Teaching (UK) - AKA MEPhttp://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/projects/mep/default.htm
6. Living Math History (lessons on right)http://livingmath.net/LessonPlans/C1...S/Default.aspx
7. Pearson Scott Foresman K-5http://pgcounty.scottforesman.com/
8. Geogebra (Algebra and Geometry)http://www.geogebra.org/cms/
9. Oakes Mathhttp://dorioakes.bravehost.com/Math.html
10. Eduplace printable workbooks
http://www.eduplace.com/math/hmm/practice/lp_1.htmlhttp://www.eduplace.com/math/hmm/practice/lp_2.htmlhttp://www.eduplace.com/math/hmm/practice/lp_3.htmlhttp://www.eduplace.com/math/hmm/practice/lp_4.htmlhttp://www.eduplace.com/math/hmm/practice/lp_2.htmlhttp://www.eduplace.com/math/hmm/practice/lp_3.htmlhttp://www.eduplace.com/math/hmm/practice/lp_4.html http://www.eduplace.com/math/hmm/practice/lp_5.htmlhttp://www.eduplace.com/math/hmm/practice/lp_6.htmland activities that coordinate with this programhttp://www.eduplace.com/kids/hmm/
11. Middle/High school mathhttp://go.hrw.com/gopages/ma-msm.html
12. McDougal Littell Math Coursehttp://www.classzone.com/cz/books/ms...e.htm?state=MNhttp://www.classzone.com/cz/books/ms...e.htm?state=MNhttp://www.classzone.com/cz/books/ms...e.htm?state=MNhttp://www.classzone.com/cz/books/pr...e.htm?state=MNhttp://www.classzone.com/cz/books/al...e.htm?state=MNhttp://www.classzone.com/cz/books/ge...e.htm?state=MNhttp://www.classzone.com/cz/books/al...e.htm?state=MN
13. Missouri Schools program (including TM/answers)http://www.glencoe.com/sec/math/msma...e/index.php/mohttp://www.glencoe.com/sec/math/msma...e/index.php/mohttp://www.glencoe.com/sec/math/msma...e/index.php/mohttp://www.glencoe.com/sec/math/prea.../index.php4/mohttp://www.glencoe.com/sec/math/alge.../index.php4/mo
14. Glencoe Workbookshttp://www.glencoe.com/sites/georgia...workbooks.html
15. Public Schools of NC math program http://community.learnnc.org/dpi/mat...s_k2_resou.php
Math Drill:
1. Math Magician Gameshttp://resources.oswego.org/games/ma...cathymath.html
2. Printable math worksheetshttp://www.mathfactcafe.com/
3. Math U See (online)http://mathusee.com/drill.html
4. Math worksheets to create and print (some portions pay)http://themathworksheetsite.com/
5. Timez Attack (multiplication video game - way cool) - basic is freehttp://www.bigbrainz.com/indexd.php
6. Harcourt activities http://harcourtschool.com/menus/math2002/na/gr1.htmlhttp://harcourtschool.com/menus/math2002/na/gr2.htmlhttp://harcourtschool.com/menus/math2002/na/gr3.htmlhttp://harcourtschool.com/menus/math2002/na/gr4.htmlhttp://harcourtschool.com/menus/math2002/na/gr5.htmlhttp://harcourtschool.com/menus/math2002/na/gr6.html
7. Learn to play chess (I guess this is math...haha)http://chesskids.com/
Phonics:
1. Word Masteryhttp://donpotter.net/PDF/Word%20Mastery%20-%20Typed.pdf
2. Starfall (learn to read online)http://www.starfall.com/
3. Blend Phonicshttp://www.donpotter.net/Blend%20Phonics.htm
4. Sadler-Oxfordhttp://www.sadlier-oxford.com/phonics/student.cfm
5. Progressive Phonicshttp://www.progressivephonics.com/
6. Society for Quality Education http://www.societyforqualityeducatio...stairway2.html/
Literature/Reading Guides and Units:
1. Novel Study Guides for the Classroom Teacherhttp://www.nt.net/~torino/novels3.html
2. Reading Units by Gay Millerhttp://www.mce.k12tn.net/units/units_with_books.htm
3. Garden of Praisehttp://www.gardenofpraise.com/lesson.htm
4. Glencoe Literature Guideshttp://www.glencoe.com/sec/literature/litlibrary/
5. Literature Activity Guides by Nancy Polette - These are samples, but are in depth enough to test if your child understood the story.http://www.nancypolette.com/litguides.asp
6. SCORE Cyberguides (California schools)http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/SCORE/cyberguide.html
7. Dangerous Journey (Pilgrim's Progress for kids version) study guidehttps://www.visionvideo.com/pdf/DangJourney.pdf
8. Course in nature study: for grades one and two - Detroit Public Schoolshttp://books.google.com/books?id=i8EOAAAAMAAJ
9. Nature-study: a manual for teachers and students http://books.google.com/books?id=C4EWAAAAIAAJ
10. Readquarium (mostly games)http://www.gamequarium.com/readquarium/index.html
11. Harcourt GuidesGrade 1http://harcourtschool.com/menus/trophies/grade_1.html
Grade 2http://harcourtschool.com/menus/trophies/grade_2.html
Grade 3http://harcourtschool.com/menus/trophies/grade_3.html
Grade 4http://harcourtschool.com/menus/trophies/grade_4.html
Grade 5http://harcourtschool.com/menus/trophies/grade_5.html
Grade 6http://harcourtschool.com/menus/trophies/grade_6.html
12. National Park Servicehttp://www.nps.gov/history/
Free Books:
1. Classical Education Libraryhttp://www.classical-education.net/
2. Kids4Classicshttp://www.kids4classics.com/
3. Project Gutenberghttp://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/
4. Online Library of Libertyhttp://oll.libertyfund.org/index.php...icxt&Itemid=29
5. Google Bookshttp://books.google.com/books
6. The Baldwin Projecthttp://www.mainlesson.com/main/displ...icle=christmas
7. Planet eBookhttp://www.planetebook.com/
8. 19th Century Schoolbookshttp://digital.library.pitt.edu/nietz/
9. Librivox - Free online audiobookshttp://librivox.org/
10. Storynory - Free online audiobookshttp://storynory.com/
11. Free Books onlinehttp://www.wowio.com/
12. Magic Keyshttp://www.magickeys.com/books/
13. Fun Brainhttp://www.funbrain.com/brain/Readin...dingBrain.html
14. Interactive Story Bookshttp://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch...nlinestory.htm/
15. Stories about American Heroeshttp://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi
Art:
1. Dick Blick Lessonshttp://www.dickblick.com/lessonplans/
2. Meet the Mastershttp://www.getinvolvedineducation.co...ram-manual.pdf/
3. A Lifetime of Colorhttp://www.alifetimeofcolor.com/main.taf?p=1
4. Teach Art at Homehttp://www.teachartathome.com/FreeProjectCurrent.html
Teacher helps (planning/support):
1. Donna Young - Tons of planning stuff, including some things like handwriting masters.donnayoung.org
2. Homeschool Inc. - Online planning software (very versatile)http://home-school-inc.com/
3. Homeschool Tracker (planning software - basic free, full pay)http://homeschooltracker.com/
4. Online Lesson Planner, Scheduler, and Trackerhttp://www.homeschoolskedtrack.com/H...isplayLogin.do
5. Super Teacher Worksheets. Lots of well done worksheets for all subject areas. Grade level 1st-4thhttp://www.superteacherworksheets.com/index.html
6. Free Formshttp://www.oklahomahomeschool.com/forms.html
7. Freebie of the dayhttp://www.homeschoolfreebie.wholesomechildhood.com/
8. Currclick. They feature a free product once a week to download. It usually changes Monday afternoonshttp://www.currclick.com/index.php
9. Freely educate. Lots of great links herehttp://www.freelyeducate.com/
10. Hoagies Gifted. Tons of Free high school curriculum linkshttp://www.hoagiesgifted.org/online_hs.htm
11. Education Worldhttp://educationworld.com/
12. Internet Activities to coordinate with each grade and subjecthttp://www.gsc.amdsb.ca/
13. Scholastichttp://www2.scholastic.com/browse/learn.jsp
14. Softschoolshttp://www.softschools.com/
15. Videos (creationist site -- have not used)http://www.answersingenesis.org/kids/videos
16. Worksheetshttp://www.worksheetworks.com/miscel...rganizers.html
17. Charlotte Mason stuff (not all free)http://simplycharlottemason.com/
18. FossWeb by Delta Education. Click on the subject, then teacher resources. You will then have to click on Teacher Prep videos for the lessons. Everything else on the page supports the lessons. There are games, worksheets, and many additional resources listedhttp://www.fossweb.com/modules3-6/index.html
19. Higher Up and Further In bloghttp://higherupandfurtherin.blogspot.com/
20. Pioneer Woman bloghttp://thepioneerwoman.com/
21. Well-Trained Mindwelltrainedmind.com/forums/
22. Teacher Tubehttp://www.teachertube.com/
Science:
1. Engineering for kids ages 8 and up. Single subject lesson plans. Nicely done and easy to understandhttp://www.welltrainedmind.com/forum...ree+curriculum
2. Earth Awareness Curriculum for Middle Schoolershttp://cygnus-group.com/use-less-stuff/NSTA.html
3. Life Science Curriculumhttp://www.eequalsmcq.com/Thank%20yo...%20Science.htm
4. Otter’s Sciencehttp://www.guesthollow.com/homeschoo...ence_main.html
5. K-12 Sciencehttp://www.msnucleus.org/curriculum/curriculum.html
6. Take a Cloud Walk (Cloud unit)http://www.takeawalk.com/cloud-walk/
7. Science plans for 6th grade based on the "Prentice-Hall Life Science" bookhttp://www.smithlifescience.com/
8. Hands-On Technology Programhttp://www.galaxy.net/~k12/
9. NASA for educatorshttp://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/index.html
10. Science Songshttp://www.acme.com/jef/singing_science/
11. Invitations to Science Inquiryhttp://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/eri...0/1e/27/27.pdf
12. Science Videoshttp://www.teachersdomain.org/
13. Animal Unitshttp://www.scribd.com/people/documen...06/folder/1072
14. Animal Activity Packshttp://www.kidszoo.org/education/zaps.htm
15. Videos that demonstrate experiments for every element on the periodic tablehttp://www.periodicvideos.com/
16. Click on the element and then on the microphone to hear about the elementhttp://www.webelements.com/
17. Inventor's Timelinehttp://inventors.about.com/od/timeli...Nineteenth.htm
18. BODIES, the exhibition ~ includes educator guides for various grade levels from Carnegie Science Center. Even if you aren't interested in the exhibit or pictures of the preserved bodies, there is good info in the guides that can be used for lessons:http://wheresciencehappens.org/bodiesguide.htm
Computer Science:
1. Blender 3D animation creationhttp://www.blender.org/
2. Computer Programming Coursehttp://www.alice.org/index.php
3. Computer Training Courseshttp://www.gcflearnfree.org/computer/
4. Computer Animating and Designhttp://scratch.mit.edu/
Typing:
1. Online typing Coursehttp://www.goodtyping.com/
2. Dance Mat Typinghttp://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/
3. Touch Typing (Online)http://www.sense-lang.org/typing/
4. Kiran's Typing Tutorhttp://www.kiranreddys.com/products/typing.html
5. Learn2Typehttp://www.learn2type.com/
Foreign Language:
1. BBC Languageshttp://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/
2. Elementary/Middle School beginning Spanish. The first book listed is a free download.http://nflrc.iastate.edu/pubs/units/unitsList.html
3. Greek and Latinhttp://www.textkit.com/
4. FSI Language Courseshttp://fsi-language-courses.com/default.aspx
5. Live Mocha - This is a social site, so you may want to monitor your kids closely on this one.http://www.livemocha.com/
6. OFS (Online free spanish)http://www.onlinefreespanish.com/
7. Spanish Unlimitedhttp://www.spanishunlimited.com/
8. Latin Resourceshttp://www.cdacademy.com/class/2007/...-games-online/http://www.gettingstartedwithlatin.com/http://hungryfrog.com/classics.htmlhttp://homeschool.online.program.lat...lyfishfun.com/http://www.memoriapress.com/help/Latin.htm
9. French Resourceshttp://www.poissonrouge.com/http://lexiquefle.free.fr/learn-french.htm
10. Boca Beth (Spanish)http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...rch_type=&aq=f
11. Salsa (Spanish)http://www.gpb.org/salsa/term/episodes
12. Mommy Teach Me Spanishhttp://www.youtube.com/results?searc...rch_type=&aq=f
13. In the Beginning Greekhttp://www.inthebeginning.org/
Home Economics/Life Skills:
1. Future Christian Homemakers (Have not used or looked into this)http://www.futurechristianhomemakers...sonsindex.html/3
2. Notebooking Pageshttp://www.notebookingpages.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=76&products_id=223&zenid=8aa27600566a8377555bc3631269ff94
3. Health and Nutrition:1. http://www.nutritionexplorations.org/educators/lessons-main.asp
Virtual Field Trips:
1. Take a field Triphttp://www.uen.org/tours/fieldtrips2.shtml
2. Meet Me at the Cornerhttp://www.meetmeatthecorner.org/
High School/College (have not used these or looked closely at them):
1. HippoCampus Free Courseshttp://www.hippocampus.org/
2. Mixed Courses in many subjectshttp://www.free-ed.net/free-ed/
3. Printable Courses in all subject areas. Not sure who funds this one, but I like how the curriculum is laid outhttp://www.pass.leon.k12.fl.us/Speci...t%20Areas.aspx
4. University of Berkley Courses. Tons of Free Courses available herehttp://webcast.berkeley.edu/
5. Yale University Open Courses. Nicely done and easy to access IMOhttp://oyc.yale.edu/
6. University of Washington free courseshttp://www.outreach.washington.edu/openuw/
7. M.I.T. open Courseware. Tons of completely free courses in many subjectshttp://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/web/courses/courses/index.htm

August ... already?

It seems like we just moved in and we're already in August ... a month where we lose our favorite cook (dh) to school assignments, Kotch goes off to college and the really hot days don't help with trying to plan school.

We've done so much since we moved in on June 25th ... we've cleaned, and scrubbed, and built, and painted, and cleaned some more, and generally beaten this house into shape. The real blessing occured yesterday when we got our gas grill hooked up to the HUGE propane tank for our fireplace so we can enjoy the "dog days" with a barbeque and not worry about the tank! WHEW! We still have the appliance guys coming Monday to move our washer/dryer into place ... no we haven't been using a rock to do laundry around here, just really poor efficiency appliances left by the previous owner and I miss our washer and dryer. Those will be hooked up Monday.

Then we have a couple of weeks of doctor/dentist/eye doc appointments and shifting things to get Kotch ready for college (leaving August 27th) and dh ready for school (starts planning meetings on the 24th).

So August is fraught with planning, and more planning, moving and shifting and changing and general mayhem till September 1st rolls around and we're in a grove again for a while ...

I'll be posting my curriculum plans over the next few weeks ... for Lego Maniac (5th grade!), String Bean (4th grade, but needs help with reading and confidence building) and Bam Bam (1st grade who really doesn't understnad WHY he needs to be kept back when he really should be in high school -- or so he thinks!).

Prayers for all my dear readers and their planning for next year, and their finishing their summers with a bang, and just generally for their well-being.

God bless you all!

Hospitality: visit from a couple of wonderful ladies ...

... Dominican sisters in full regalia!

I'd LOVE to be able to say this basket is full of our bounty that we gave to our guest. No such luck as we haven't even planted our garden. No, the lovely sisters brought these sumptuous (and spicy!) fresh and ripe veggies to us. We had the squash and zucchini tonight stir-fried and the tomato with mozarella as a side. The orange pepper (below the bell pepper) is just called "HOT" ... we can't wait to try that one! There are also home-grown jalapenos and the yellow grape-like veggies are tomatoes that ripen yellow! YUMMY!

These are two of the sisters who have been praying for us for the past 14 months: praying that we would sell the house in Denver ... and praying that we would be able to buy a house here in Virginia ... and generally, well, just praying for us!

Only two of the Dominicans living in Northern Virginia were on the road today ... but they spent more than an hour chatting and borrowing books and teaching and learning from us all at once! They were on the way to their Motherhouse in Nashville -- a wonderful, blessed spot -- for their annual retreat and guess who is right on the route?

So we loaded them up with coffee, bagels/cream cheese, fresh cherries and books for the 10-hour drive across the mountains and into Tennessee. One of the books is a copy of my In His Image for another dear sister and fellow knitter, Sr. Thomas More -- altho I believe they'll delve into the prose on the road.

God bless these wonderful women and their cohorts ... and prayers for a safe and fruitful retreat and a safe drive back (with maybe another stop at Hilltop on their way back in?).

Serendipity does it again!

I just wrote up a blog post on a very cool creative idea I found this morning. Check out Nurturing Creativity to read more about Serendipity's new curriculum plans for tweens -- girls 11-15 -- with everything (except math) integrated into a solid Catholic package that helps the girls "at the bend in the road" love, live and learn ... and thoroughly enjoy the journey as they go!

I'm excited to begin collecting the resources over this next year and then using it for my String Bean for next year. She is so not the canned curriculum kind of kid ... Lego Maniac is and Bam Bam probably is, but NOT String Bean. This one looks right up her alley as it's creative, nurturing, lots of beauty and truth ... just what I've been looking for!

Are you going to join the journey with your girl(s)?

Prayer: please pray for a couple of guys ...

... who really could use the prayers:

First, my 20yos who "somehow" fell 10 days ago and fractured ribs 7-9, breaking rib 10. He can't work until he heals ... which means he's going through the money saved this summer for school to live while he waits to get back to work. Please pray that he quickly heals and that during this time of rest and recuperation he is able to discern God's will for him!

Second, a week ago, my bil Ben was in a car accident -- broke his foot in about four places, compressed some discs in his back and broke his right hand. Pray that he continues to heal and improve and that he doesn't drive the hospital staff and his friends and family nuts while he is on bed-rest (for up to 3 months!) while his back heals. Also, pray that if he needs us to head down there, that he has the humility to ask us to come down and help out.

God is so good ... and sometimes all we have to do is ask! Please join us in prayer for these two guys!