July Winter has Arrived{HSMJ}

 In my life this week…

• I would love to do something like this with my best friends ... Welcome To “Bestie Row”: Lifelong Friends Build Row Of Tiny Houses In The Middle Of Nowhere.
• It's been really cold here in Melbourne this week.  Winter has arrived full force.
• We've nearly finished watching the BBC series Spooks.
• Enjoyed an evening of fun at Werribee Open Range Zoo 

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…

• A word on support Networks for Homeschooling Moms
• 31 Days of Storybook Learning 
• The Ultimate List of Online Music Education Games 
• 12 Habits of People Who Always Have A Clean Home 
• Making Ambleside Work: The Gory Details 
• This is What Happens When Satan Steals Your Motherhood 

In our home school this week…

• SCHOOL HOLIDAYS

My favourite thing this week was…

• I loved reading how this Doctor persevered with his incubators for babies.  Without his work my siblings would have died.  She lived in an incubator for two months!  Babies On Display: When A Hospital Couldn't Save Them, A Sideshow Did. I found this amazing article as well: Theme Park History: Dr. Martin Couney and the Coney Island 'Child Hatchery'
• I would love to see this church in real life:  4 years growing a church from trees
• So good to read this America Steps in BIG TIME to Help Oregon Christian Bakers

 Things I’m working on…

• A review on the Cursive Logic Workbook Love this program !  One of our favourites so far.

 On the WWW I’m reading…

• Please be ware of this highly toxic plant to people:  Dad Sees Strange Line Down Boy’s Back, Complete Agony Two Days Later Read more here: Giant Hogweed
• This is the saddest story I've read in long time Healthy 24-year-old woman to be euthanized in Belgium 
• An anonymous woman has sparked debate by asking pro-life advocates to donate $1.3 million to halt her abortion procedure  Oh my goodness ...
•  Muslim gymnast Farah Ann Abdul Hadi offends Islamists with ‘revealing’ leotard Why can't we just find balance ?
• Pandora's box continues to reveal it content ... Gay Man Files $70M Suit Against Bible Publishers Over 'Homosexual' Verses Read more about the biblical translations here: Homosexuality in the Christian Scriptures One of the "clobber passages" 1 Corinthians 6:9-10
• Do you agree with this? Kids of Helicopter Parents Are Sputtering Out  "The data emerging confirms the harm done by asking so little of our kids when it comes to life skills, yet so much of them when it comes to academics." 
• Well said:  This Guy Gets Real About Yoga Pants and Lust and Blows the Cover Clean Off Our Little Modesty Talks

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

Blessings
Chareen

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Cursive Logic Workbook {Review}

The ability to write is one of the greatest gifts we can bestow on our children and it's one that is full of amazing benefits.

Writing by hand is a painfully slow process for Nathaniel and I had been wondering how on earth I was going to teach him cursive?  He was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Visual Sequencing issues last year which complicates learning to write. Some of his friends are now writing in cursive and he had asked me to teach him how. After exploring the CursiveLogic website and hearing the back story of the development of the Cursive Logic Workbook I was inspired to try it with Nathaniel.

"For centuries, cursive handwriting has been an art. To a growing number of young people, it is a mystery." - Kate Zezima The Case for Cursive, New York Times.

What we received

• CursiveLogic
• Extra practice pages.  You have the option of accessing The Gettysburg Address or Writing the Psalms by subscribing to Cursive Logic.

How we used it
This beautiful high quality spiral bound work book contains a total of 97 pages.
The binding is along the top of the page which means that it will not get in the way of the writing hand of the student.

The first three pages are introductory notes covering important topics such as correct positioning of the hand and book to enable successful writing.

The next six pages of the book covers the method used in Cursive Logic to teach cursive.

This is followed by four separate sections teaching the fundamentals to each group of letters known as strings to be learned.  Each group of pages follows the same method of teaching which is really helpful as Nathaniel knew what to expect because they are presented in a logical colour coded manner.

Each lesson is broken down into basic steps:

• The letter group basic shape is introduced. Each string is colour coded which helps the student to clearly see the differences.
• A verbal chant is taught that accompanies the basic shape and flow of that particular string.
• Next they practice the completed letter strings.
• Complete words are taught straight away. This really helped Nathaniel see that he was able to write complete words quickly and with ease.  This in itself was an excellent motivator to learn the next shape.

The program has examples followed by your turn trace it sections.  These sections are beneficial in the the trace letters are hollow so the student is guided between two lines to complete the letters and not left to do it on their own too soon.

Once strings have been learned there are practice pages combining the different types of letters in a logical and easy manner.  Each practice session builds on the last.

Page 70 shows all the letters of the alphabet joined together in alphabetical order.  

At the end of the book there are a few pages with short notes on capital letters followed by a page on how to sign my name.

Upper and lower case practice pages.

The last two pages are laminated practice/review pages which can be used over and over with a dry erase marker.

Cost of Cursive Logic

• $29.00 per book.

Connect with Cursive Logic



Over All I thought ...
Nathaniel and I both love the simplicity and ease of Cursive Logic. I do not have to argue with him to practice and I am impressed with the way his handwriting has improved with this program.  Due to the simplicity and ease with which he is learning I have seen his confidence grow in leaps and bounds each week.   I highly recommend this excellent cursive program to anyone wanting to learn cursive regardless of their age.

If you have a special needs student this program is an excellent fit as it uses the different senses to reinforce what is taught.

Blessings
Chareen

Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful, for beauty is God's handwriting. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Werribee Zoo Wild Nights 2015 {Photo Journal}

Wild Nights Zoo After Dark 2015

One of the things I have enjoyed doing is creating traditions with Nathaniel.  One of our favourites is attending the Werribee Open Range Zoo winter Wild Nights.  For two weeks each year the zoo is open at night for you to explore with a torch. This year we enjoyed it so much that we went twice!

Werribee Open Range Zoo Entry 2015

Jess one of the Fire Bugs meeting guests at the entrance

Sam the Fire Man at the zoo entry

A Fire Bug Catching fire

Moat in front of the Gorilla island with the evening star

Glow Zone interactive play area

Playing in the glow zone play area

Beads for Africa in the Tourist Hut

Two planets converging over the Hippo Pools

Sam the Fire Man with a fire safety message

Jess the Fire Bug arrives

Fire Bugs arrive

Fire Bug play time

Meet the Fire Bugs

Fighting Fire Bugs

Meeting a Fire Bug

Laser Light Show

Laser Light Show

Laser Light Show

Laser Light Show

Laser Light Show

Laser Light Show

Laser Light Show

If you are ever in Melbourne during winter be sure to visit Werribee Open Range Zoo and enjoy Wild Nights with your family.

Blessings
Chareen

PS What are some of your family winter traditions ?