Not Back to School {HSMJ}

In my life this week…
This week has been busy and fruitful here.  On Friday we enjoyed the annual tradition of the Not Back to School Party along with 350 other home educators.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…

• Win a full year of Sonlight Curriculum for you AND a friend in the MOM to MOM Curriculum Giveaway.
• Read more about Science at Home {Poppins Book Nook}  
• This week you can read more about Fine Arts {Art Appreciation, Art, Composer Study Hymn Study} for 2015
• Are you looking for some art or craft ideas to do with your children ?  Have you seen the wonderful ideas to be found in this weeks Virtual Fridge collection ? If you have any craft or art ideas please come and add them to the link up
• Are you an Australian Homeschcooler with a blog ?  If so did you know that there is a Facebook group for Australian Homeschool Bloggers ?  If you would like to know more then fill in this form:  Australian Homeschool Bloggers Group

In our home school this week…

• Nathaniel and Paul have started reading Jungle Doctor On the Hop by Paul White.
• We started reading the original works of Hans Christian Anderson in the Companion Library.
• Enjoyed the Not Back to School Party at he Geelong Adventure Park.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

• We enjoyed the company of a homeschool friend for a day while his Mom went to a special ballet presentation.
• The Not Back to School party at the Geelong Adventure Park along with 350+ other home educators. 

 Things I’m working on…

• Not Back to School Blog Party in which I introduce Nathaniel to you.  If you blog I would love to meet your family.  Please come and link up with us.  
• I'm really enjoying Motivate Your Child.  I'm learning how to train INTERNAL motivation and to recognise when I'm using behaviour modification.
• You can meet the rest of my family here and see what they're doing this year.

 On the WWW I’m reading…

• A Journey through Charlotte Masons Principles
• I'm blog hopping and meeting other Sonlight Homeschool Families at the Sonlight January Blog Party.
• Suspended and sent for 'equality training' - Christian magistrate who said: 'Adopted child needs mum and dad - not gay parents'
• This was so cute Surprise Baby Announcement
• When Bread Bags Weren't Funny

 I’m cooking…

• I want to give this a try when it warms up later this week PB&J Milkshake
• This is seriously good to eat and super easy to make Keto Chocolate Roll Cake
  

 A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

Pixel Stick painting at The Powehouse in Geelong

Blessings
Chareen

Connect with me

 

Linking to

Photo collages made with: Photoscape a FREE photo editor


A Week In Review Link UP

Join Lisa and I each week and share your week in review.  We look forward to reading about your

• Week in Review
• Field Trips
• School Work 
• Homeschool projects
• And anything homeschool related.

Here is a button for your post.

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An InLinkz Link-up

Not Back to School Party Time

We had loads of fun at the annual Not Back to School Party yesterday.  We spent the day at the Geelong Adventure Park along with 350+ other home educators. 

This week also marks the beginning of the Australian school year and Kylie from over at Our Worldwide Classroom's annual Not Back to School online party. 

This year I will be co-hosting the with Kylie so please be sure to pop on over and say hello.  Kylie's blog is choc full of homeschooling goodness with FREE printables,  Australian Study information and much much more.

Nathaniel

Meet Nathaniel he is my youngest child and the only one enrolled in our homeschool.

• He is nine years old and loves to deconstruct items that no longer work and are about to be recycled.  
• Nathaniel is passionate about all things in the film industry but his first love is airplanes.
• He is currently designing a Jumbo-class plane and E4D (this is an improved home theater system). 
• He loves to develop products and is also developing the Solifuge (a new type of vehicle).  
• He is my test drive homeschool products and helps me to review home school products

You can read more about my family (Paul, Tim and Jane)  and what they are doing in my Meet My Family post from earlier in the week.

Best way to start a new school year!

We have three more weeks of the NBTS blog hop.  Next weeks topic will be Your Curriculum, plans for the year and resources.

If you have a blog and have blogged about your family please add your link here. Here is a button for you to add to your post so others can find us.

<a href="http://everybedofroses.blogspot.com/2015/01/not-back-to-school-party-time.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk224/realworldlearners/NBTSButton125px.jpg" alt="Our Worldwide Classroom" /></a>

If you do not have a blog then I'd love to know more about your family please share in the comments below.

Blessings

Chareen

Winter Glove Puppets {Virtual Fridge}

This Week

This was such an easy craft to do and I'm really pleased we did it.

All you need is a glove, pompoms,wiggly eyes and some fast drying craft glue.

Featured This Week

Crawling Colors! A FUN Science Experiment in Color Mixing over at Parenting Chaos.  This is an excellent step by step tutorial that is super easy to do and can be accomplished with what you have at home.

Your Turn

I invite you to take some photo's of your children's artistic pursuits put them in a post and link up with me I would love to come over and see the wonderful art your children have enjoyed doing.

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Blessings
Chareen

Connect with me

 

The Virtual Fridge a weekly art meme where we can hang our children's art on a virtual fridge. This meme was started by Jennifer over at A Glimpse of our Life who kindly invited three other bloggers to co-host this weekly meme.

Your hosts are

Win a full year of Sonlight curriculum - for you AND a friend!

Sonlight are celebrating 25 years this year. They have a year long party happening.  You can find out about the events here: EVENT DATES.

 Along with this they are gifting us the chance of winning a FULL YEAR of Curriculum for you and a friend.

All YOU need to do is spread the word.  To read more click on the picture below or pop on over to MOM to MOM Curriculum Giveaway.




- See more at:
Mom to Mom Curriculum Giveaway
The links to Mom to Mom giveaway contain a referral link.  When you use my link there is NO cost to you,  There is NO PURCHASE made all I receive is an entry into the Mom to Mom giveaway.

Science at Home {Poppins Book Nook}

This months theme for the Poppins Book Nook is To the Laboratory!

I don't know about you but when I see the word laboratory I see lots of dollar signs and dead things to dissect ...  I do NOT like dissecting things (I am very grateful for a husband who is willing to step in and help me do this ) and as a single income family dollars are very precious.

Today I would like to share with you some of the books we use to explore science at home.

Books we enjoy

•  Pasteur's Fight Against Microbes
• Space 
• First Encyclopedia of the Human Body 
• See How It's Made 
• What Makes You Ill? 
• Science Activities, Vol. 1 
• The Magic School Bus at the Waterworks 
• Why Do People Eat? 
• The Usborne World Of Animals 
• Night Animals

As you can see from this list we really enjoy using Usborne science books here.  They are twaddle free and the illustrations serve to enhance our learning.

Sonlight has produced a fun DVD ( Discover & Do Level 1 DVD ) which Nathaniel really enjoys watching and I find useful for the days when I really don't want to get hands on science in my kitchen.

Magic Schoolbus books are a wonderful addition to your science book library. Join Miss Frizzle for many fun filled scientific journeys.

We have also enjoyed The Berenstain Bears' Big Book of Science and Nature

Topics covered

•  Almanac (seasons, weather, and astronomy)
• Nature Guide (plants, animals, and earth science),
• Science Fair (machines, matter, and energy).

On the WWW

• Science in the Kitchen on Pinterest
• Cooking with Kids on Pinterest
• Make a Gingerbread House for the holidays. {Part 1, Part 2, Part 3}
• 7 tips for cooking with kids over at Crayon Freckles
• 16 Kitchen Safety Tips for Children over at Just Mommies
• Kitchen Science Experiments over at About.com
• Kitchen Science over at The Naked Scientists
• Home Science Tools The Gateway to Discovery 
• Teaching Kids Science in the Kitchen: Tips to get talking about Science

On YouTube

•  Smarter Every Day Channel.  The very first clip we saw was Mystery of Prince Rupert's Drop at 130,000 fps. Destin covers really interesting topics covered and explained in layman's terms and if he uses scientific jargon he is careful to explain it.
• For fun we visit the Slo Mo Guys.  On this channel, Gavin Free and Dan Gruchy take a $150,000 high speed camera to show you the world hundreds of times slower than you can see with your own eyes. .  One of our favourite videos is Giant 6ft Water Balloon

Our Microscope

You do not NEED a microscope to enjoy science at home but if you are able to save up and purchase one it opens up a whole new world for you and your children to enjoy.    A few years back I spent a long time researching microscope options and settled on the Sonlight's Variable Voltage Microscope. You can read all about it's technical specifications and watch a YouTube walk through.

If you are living in Australia you can not order in science specimens they will not be allowed past customs.  If you are wanting to purchase dissection specimens you can order them from Southern Biological in Melbourne.  They also stock a full range of items for science use at home and they also ship to New Zealand.

In the USA I highly recommend Sonlight's science resources and the resource kits from Rainbow Resources.

If you are looking for something to keep in your handbag then have a look at the Discovery Scope.

FREE for You
Jill from over at Enchanted Homeschooling Mom has made this FREE Poppins Book Nook pack for you To The Laboratory Theme.

• An official interactive Poppins Book Nook bookmark for this month’s theme
• This month’s Passport pages to add to your lapbook
• Several lapbook elements centered around The Laboratory.
• Reading response writing prompt

We have enjoyed the company of our science resources this month.  You are invited to blog and share one of your book adventures on the theme of To the Laboratirt! and join in our link up below.

Looking forward to reading your adventures
Blessings
Chareen

Your Poppins Book Nook Co-hosts

Enchanted Homeschooling Mom ~ 3 Dinosaurs ~ To the Moon and Back ~ Planet Smarty Pants ~ Farm Fresh Adventures ~ Growing in God's Grace ~ Chestnut Grove Academy ~ Learning and Growing the Piwi Way ~ The Usual Mayhem~ Preschool Powol Packets ~ Monsters Ed Homeschool Academy ~ Adventures in Mommydom ~ Teach Beside Me ~ Life with Moore Babies ~ Kathy's Cluttered Mind ~ Are We There Yet? ~ Our Crafts N Things ~ Hopkins Homeschool ~ ABC Creative Learning ~ Joy Focused Learning ~ P is for Preschooler ~ Laugh and Learn ~ A Mommy's Adventures ~ Inspiring 2 New Hampshire Children ~ World for Learning ~ Ever After in the Woods ~ Golden Grasses ~ Our Simple Kinda Life ~ A glimpse of our life ~ Journey to Excellence ~ Happy Little Homemaker ~ Little Homeschool Blessings ~ Simplicity Breeds Happiness ~ Raventhreads ~ Water on the Floor ~ Learning Fundamentals ~ Tots and Me ~ As We Walk Along The Road ~ Stir the Wonder ~ For This Season ~ Where Imagination Grows ~ Lextin Academy ~ The Canadian Homeschooler ~ School Time Snippets ~ Peakle Pie ~ Mom's Heart ~ A Moment in our World ~ Finchnwren ~ At Home Where Life Happens ~ Suncoast Momma ~ The Library Adventure ~ Embracing Destiny ~ Day by Day in our World ~ Our Homeschool Studio ~ A "Peace" of Mind ~ Thou Shall Not Whine ~ SAHM I am ~ eLeMeNo-P Kids ~ Simple Living Mama

Poppins Book Nook Clip Art by Melon Headz

Connect with the Poppins Book Nook at

1. Enchanted Homeschooling
2. Facebook
3. Pinterest

Connect with me

 

Fine Arts {Art Appreciation, Art, Composer Study Hymn Study} for 2015

This week's Virtual Curriculum Fair hosts are

1. Susan @ Homeschooling Hearts & Minds
2. Lisa @ Golden Grasses

Seeking Beauty: the Arts and Everything that Brings Beauty to Our World---includes any of the arts, handicrafts, but really ANYTHING at all that adds beauty to your homeschool.

This year I would like to continue exploring delight direct education and a Charlotte Mason approach.  My aim is to attempt to do something art inspired each week.  Our ideas and yours are shared each week in the Virtual Fridge Meme on Thursdays.  I would love for you to join us and share some ideas we can do with our children at home.

What is Fine Art
Definition of FINE ART

1. art (as painting, sculpture, or music) concerned primarily with the creation of beautiful objects —usually used in plural b : objects of fine art 
2. an activity requiring a fine skill

For 2015

• We will continue using The World's Greatest Composers by Confessions of a Homeschooler.
• The Classical Kids Collection Vol 1 & 2. These are produced by The Children's Group and cover the lives of eight famous composers.
• Classical Composers Monthly as a supplement to whichever composer we are studying.
• We will continue with The World's Greatest Artists Vol 1.  We have already studied Claude Monet {FREE Resource List} and will continue and learn about the other seven artists in the unit.
• We did Shipwrecked earlier in the year and really enjoyed it so we will work our way through Bible Stories by See the Light
• In an ideal world I would love to do some Hymn study too.  I have not settled on anything.  I think we might alternate Composer Study with Hymn Study.
• We will be meeting up with a family each week where we will continue to learn to play the recorder as well as work our way through drawing lessons from the Drawing Textbook.
• I am also in the process of reseaching the Charlotte Mason philosophy on the Fine Arts.
• This year we also intend on attending a few MSO concerts and a ballet concert.

What others are saying
Please visit my fellow homeschool bloggers as they share how they explore their world with fine arts

• The Art of Organization or How Clutter Almost Ruined My Homeschool by Susan @ Homeschooling Hearts & Minds
• The Shadow of Divine Perfection by Lisa @ Golden Grasses
• Relaxed Homeschooling: Fine Arts in the Early Elementary Years by Brittney @ Mom's Heart
• F
• Adding Sparkle to Home Education by Sarah @ Delivering Grace
• And All the Extras by Christy @ Unexpected Homeschool
• Teaching Art Using the Bible by Tauna @ Proverbial Homemaker
• Art In Every Subject by Kym @ Homeschool Coffee Break
• Letting Art Just Happen in Homeschool by Amy @ One Blessed Mamma
• Missing Art? by Kristen H. @ Sunrise to Sunset
• Do YOU Have Time for Extracurriculars? by Michele@ Family, Faith and Fridays
• Fine Arts in Our Classical / Charlotte Mason Homeschool by Sharra @ The Homeschool Marm
• The Science of Beauty for a Delight-Directed Daughter by Susan @ The Every Day of Education
• Seeking Beauty: How we Tackle the Arts in our Homeschool by Joelle @ Homeschooling for His Glory
• Learning To Appreciate Beauty With Fine Arts Resources@ As We Walk Along the Road by Leah@ As We Walk Along the Road

On this Blog

Books we love
(Libraries are an excellent resource to teach for FREE)

• The Usborne ART Treasury
• Finger Print Drawing Book
• Global Art
• The Usborne Book of Famous Paintings 
• Katie and the Waterlily Pond  
• Katie and the Mona Lisa
• The Children's Book of ART 
• Handel: At the Court of Kings  

It's your turn
Got a post that fits this week's theme? You can link it up here!

Meet my family

Sonlight is 25 years old and this year they are hosting a year long blog party.  It's been a while since I've posted about the family so I've decided to join in the fun.

You can meet other Sonlight Homeschool Families at the January Blog Party.

I am Chareen and I'm a South African born, New Zealander living in Australia!

I have been married for 23 years and home educating for 17 of those. I have home educated in New Zealand and Australia.  Our very first year of homeschooling was with Sonlight Kindergarten  in 1998.

My favourite time of the year is when the new Sonlight catalog comes out.  I spend a few days happily curled up on the lounge chair with a cup of tea and catalog reading and discovering all the wonderful new books and items available.

You can read more about my home education journey here: Timeline of my Journey.  These are some of the Sonlight Cores I have used during my journey.

 

I am passionate about supporting and encouraging homeschoolers, homeschooling and books as well as great encouraging fellowship.

I am also a homeschool curriculum review blogger and enjoy using social media to share my homeschool journey and you can find me on these platforms


Paul is my Zoo Keeper husband who has the amazing privileged of looking after serval at Werribee Open Range Zoo.  He is a passionate wild life photographer and you can follow his adventures on Instagram (@servalpaul) Paul is in the middle of self publishing a photographic bird guide book and will be blogging this year at Bush Tales by Paul

Tim turned 21 last year and is currently studying a Cert IV in Web Based Technology.  He has a long term goal of Game Development. At present he is also exploring his creative side via photography.  You can see some of his work on Facebook.

Jane is 19 and is working full time.  She graduated in 2012 with a Cert III in Children's Services.  Over the last three years she has also completed a Cert II in Retail and last year did Cert IV in Human Resources.

Nathaniel is the main feature of the blog.  He is 9 years old and loves to explore the world around him.  Sir N is passionate about all things in the film industry but his first love is airplanes and he is currently designing a Jumbo-class plane and E4D (this is an improved home theater system). He loves to develop products and is also developing the Solifuge (a new type of vehicle).  He helps me to review home school products.  One of his all time favourite things to do is to deconstruct items such as our old microwave and recently our old DVD computer drive.

To help celebrate Sonlights 25th year they are giving us the chance to win a full years curriculum.  You can read more about it here: Mom to Mom Curriculum Giveaway


- See more at: Mom to Mom Curriculum Giveaway
I'd love to hear more about your family! If you have a blog and have shared there please leave a link in the comments for me.  If you don't have a blog please tell me more in comments.  

Blessings
Chareen

This post is linking to

• Australian Not Back to School party
• Sonlight January Blog Party