Martha's Homeschool Info

Monday, July 16, 2012

Curriculum and Classes in a Click

I think this site is worth checking out. All you need is a printer to be able to print off the things that you would like. Their fees are quite reasonable. They have curriculum, lapbooks, & homeschooling resources. CurrClick

They have

Subject

Live Classes

and things for

Special Needs

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Canadian Homeschool Laws Province By Province

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

A Three-Stick Kite

When the fresh spring winds begin to blow, you and your friends want to get out to an open field and fly your kites. Part of the fun of kite flying is making ones own kite. A standard three-stick kite is easy to build. It is also a good flyer.

How to do it: You need three 1/2" dowels or thin wood sticks, newsprint or some other thin paper for covering, string, scraps of cloth, and white glue. Cross two 36" long dowels and a third one 30" long (see A, B, and C in the drawing below). Tie them together at the center joint. Cut a notch in both ends of each stick and stretch string between the notches to outline the shape of the kite. Wrap string around the ends of the sticks to keep them from splitting (see drawing). Lay the frame on the paper and draw an outline 2" bigger than the frame. then fold the paper over the string and glue it in place. Fasten a length of string from one end of stick A to the other end. Fasten two other strings between the ends of sticks B and C. At the point where these three strings cross, fasten a ball of string for flying the kite. For a tail, tie a length of string between the ends of sticks A and B and at the center point fasten a 36" string to which cloth strips have been tied.

Decorated Paper Pinwheels

Here is an awesome summer art project for younger children.

Pinwheels are happy things. They are bright and whirl gaily in a breeze or when you blow on them. Another nice thing is that they are really easy to make. Even children who haven't started school yet can make them with a little help.

What you need: Stiff poster paper is best to use because it doesn't tear easily, but you can also use heavy construction paper. Decorate your pinwheel with a crayon, poster paint, or felt pen designs. You will need scissors, a straight pin, scotch tape, a small cardboard circle about a half inch wide, and a stick for a handle.

How to do it: Draw a square 6" by 6", cut this square from a piece of stiff paper. Make sure to mark the letters B on the upper left corner, A on the upper right corner, C on the lower left corner, and D on the lower right corner. Mark a dot in the middle of the square. Also, draw the lines that go almost to the middle, then cut along these lines with your scissors. Now bend (DON'T FOLD) the points marked A,B,C, and D to the middle dot and tape them together. Push a straight pin through the center of the small cardboard 1" - 2" circle, then through the taped points, and into a stick (an eraser of an unsharpened pencil, or a straw). Then blow and watch it spin!

Monday, June 18, 2012

Dyslexia

Are you finding some difficulty in teaching your child with dyslexia how to read and spell? Need some advice form other parents on what helped them achieve a good balance for their child? If you have some concerns on this subject please post your comments here to share. Maybe you have taught a child how to read that had dyslexia. Please post your comments here also on what worked for you and what didn't work for you. All children are so different and learn in so many different ways, maybe what someone else has to share will help you in your journey to success. I found a website on this topic that some of you might find helpful. http://www.dyslexia-teacher.com/t6.html
Here is another website that you may find helpful also. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002379/
I had a brother that had lots of difficulty learning to read, as far as I know he was never diagnosed with dyslexia. I recall how angry and upset he became with the "SPECIAL" classes and "SPECIAL" teachers having to be in a "SPECIAL" room with only one other child. Teachers sometimes make the mistake of separating children with dyslexia from the rest of the class. It might be for reasons of less distractions or some other reason I'm not sure. If you are a teacher in a school system could you please clarify this for the rest of us? I believe that a child with dyslexia would greatly benefit from being home schooled. For one thing the child wouldn't feel quite so pointed out, so to speak, because the child's day would not differ from his/her siblings.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Home Schooling Provincial Support

Home Schooling Provincial Support Contacts

Manitoba Education Home Schooling
www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/sdds/indsch/home_sch.html

John Shaw, Liaison for Home Schooling
Southern and Western Manitoba
Rivers Office:

Box 250
Rivers, MB R0K 1X0

Telephone: 1(204)328-5408
Toll-Free: 1-866-550-4818
Fax: 1(204)328-5404

E-mail: homeschooling@gov.mb.ca

Debra Parker, Liaison for Home Schooling
Winnipeg, Northern and Eastern Manitoba
Winnipeg Office:

507-1181 Portage Avenue
Winnipeg, MB R3G 0T3

Telephone: 1(204)945-8138
Toll-Free: 1-800-282-8069 ext. 8138
Fax: 1(204)948-2154

E-mail: homeschooling@gov.mb.ca

Other Provincial Support Contacts

Manitoba Text Book Bureau

Box 910, 130-1st Avenue West
Souris MB R0K 2C0

Telephone: 1(204)483-5040
Toll-Free: 1-866-771-6822
Fax: 1(204)483-5041

Website: http://www.mtbb.mb.ca/

Independent Study Program (ISP) - Grade 9-12 curriculum based courses

555 Main Street
Winkler, MB R6W 1C4

Telephone: 1(204)325-1700
Toll-Free: 1-800-465-9915
Fax: 1(204)325-1719

E-mail: distance.learning@gov.mb.ca
Website: http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/dl/iso/index.html

French Support Services
Huguette Dandeneau, directrice,
Direction des ressources educatives fracaises

Education, Citoyennete et Jeunesse Manitoba
200, avenue de la Cathedrale, local 0140
Winnipeg (MB) R2H 0H7

Tel.: 1-204-945-1342/8594
Telec.: 1-204-945-0092

Courriel: dref@gov.mb.ca
Site web: http//dref.mb.ca

Instructional Resources Unit
Library

Main Floor - 1181 Portage Avenue
Winnipeg, MB R3G 0T3

Telephone: 1(204)945-7830
Toll-Free: 1-800-282-8069 ext. 7830
Fax: 1(204)945-8756

Website: http://libinfo.merlin.mb.ca

Manitoba Association of Christian Home Schools Inc. (MACHS)

P.O. Box 283
St. Vital. MB R2N 3X9

Telephone: 1(204) 256-5675

E-mail: info@machs.mb.ca
Website: http://www.machs.mb.ca

Hearth Families Incorporated
Box 1555
Winkler, MB R6W 4V4

Telephone: 1(204) 362-2455
Fax:1(204) 331-3297

E-mail: hearthfamilies@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.hearthfamilies.com

Manitoba Association for Schooling at Home (MASH)

P.O. Box 48022 RPO Lakewood
Winnipeg, MB R2J 4A3

Telephone: 1(204) 255-4712

E-mail: mashmichelle@gmail.com
Website: http://www.theworldismyschool.com

Alberta Learning Resource Centre - Grade 1-8 curriculum based courses

Product and ordering information is available at:
Website: http://www.Irc.education.gov.ab.ca
Ordering: www.Irc.education.gov.ab.ca/pro/gen/

E-mail: Irccustserv@gov.ab.ca

Phone: 1(780) 427-5775 (selection Option 1)

Manitoba Home Educator's Association (MHEA)

P.O. Box 427
Kleefeld, MB R0A 0V0

Telephone: 1(204) 377-4808

E-mail: peladeau@mts.net

Event Horizon Planning Inc.

E-mail: eventhorizonplanning@gmail.com

Telephone: 1(204) 255-4712

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Used Textbooks Available

I do have some used Textbooks, Teacher Manuals and Answer Keys available. If anyone is interested please let me know. I am only willing to ship textbooks out if all the shipping and handling charges are also paid, otherwise we would have to make arrangements on them being pick up. I have them periodically advertised on http://www.pembinavalleyonline.com/ and http://winnipeg.kijiji.ca/ both are Canadian sites. I will be posting which ones are available on here also. Just to help you all out.

Here are some Curriculums

Here are some Curriculums that you might find that you like;

Core Curriculum of America they are mainly textbook based and looks like they are a Secular Curriculum both of which I prefer. And they have some of the textbooks that I am currently using. Prices look like the are a little more affordable.

Very easy to use,
For grades K-12,
Includes all materials for every subject plus they offer hundreds of other electives,
Includes schedules and record-keeping,
Materials selected from over 180 of the finest publishers and manufacturers,
Includes computer software and CD-ROMs for students,
Associate accredited private school available.

Calvert Home School also looks to me like they are a Secular Curriculum seems to require an enrollment and prices are a bit higher, but also seems to offer instructional support. They offer a variety of enrichment courses including audio-visual courses in art and music. You may also be interested in their curriculum for students with language-based learning differences (like dyslexia, dysgraphia and other differences) and an online middle school. I find I really like both of these, the matter of price would win in the end for me.

Easy to use,
For grades Preschool-8,
Includes all materials for every subject,
Offer a Textbook Exchange,
Verticy for struggling readers,
Offer virtual Public and Academy School.

Sonlight is a Christian Curriculum, and looks to be reader based also price seems to be a little higher than the Core Curriculum, and they also have some of the textbooks that I am currently using. A Canadian website is being set up by the looks of things. There are many other awesome home school curriculums that could very well fit your style and your child's learning style that aren't specifically thought of as a secular home school curriculum. We found that we could tailor the existing curriculums we were using, some by Christian publishers to suit our own values. I would encourage you to find out what your style is and what your core values are.

Look to be easy to use,
For grades Preschool-12,
Includes all materials for every subject plus they offer other electives,
Include Instr. Guides,
Single age or multi-age cycle styles of studies by the looks of things,

BJU Press Homeschool Curriculum are a Christian Curriculum and seem to be textbook based also. They have some textbooks that we are currently using also. BJU Press Homeschool Curriculum seems to stand for the “old-time religion”, Bob Jones University Press has a commitment to traditional Christian beliefs and strong academic standards. Textbooks contain a lots of colorful photographs, illustrations, graphs and content that fully integrates a biblical worldview with academic life.

Very easy to use,
For grades Preschool-College,
Includes all materials for every subject plus they offer other electives,
Include Teacher Manuals that have a lot of additional information and some include CD-ROMs and tips that are very helpful,
Student Log Book and Daily Record Keeping are available,
Associate accredited private school available. As far as I can tell, don't quote me on that one though.

My Fathers World Curriculum is a Christian Curriculum and also seem to be textbook based. Prices seem to be on the lower side also. As I have just found this curriculum I do not know much about it.

Look to be easy to use,
For grades Preschool-12,
Includes all materials for every subject,
Include Teacher Manual,
Single age or multi-age cycle styles of studies,
Offer Workshops on CDs
Offering a Work and Training Internship in 2012

A Beka Book are Christian Curriculum and seem to be textbook based. Prices seem to be the lowest that I have found so far. As I have just found this curriculum I do not know much about it.

Look to be easy to use,
For grades Preschool-12,
Includes all materials for every subject,
Include Teacher Manual,
Associate accredited private school available. As far as I can tell, don't quote me on that one though.

There are many more curriculums available. I will try and add as many as I come across. If you would like to see certain curriculums posted that I have not posted please let me know, and I will do some research on them also. And get them posted asap, or post a comment with the curriculum name and all the information of the curriculum. Thank you.

Books I Find Helpful

101 Crafts Under $10.00
Canadian Red Cross First Aid & CPR Manual
Drawing Textbook by Bruce McIntyre
Favorite Poems Old and New by Helen Ferris Illstr. by Leonard Weisgard
Fit To Print The Canadian Student's Guide to Essay Writing by Joanne Buckley
Geography Province to Province by Donn Ward & Marj Cassidy
How To Write Clearly by Ruth Beechick
Let the Authors Speak by Carolyn Hatcher
Sunset CRAFTS for CHILDREN ages 5-12
Symbols of Canada by Canadian Heritage
The Jumbo Book Of Art by Irene Luxbacher
The Kids Book Of Aboriginal Peoples
The Kids Book Of Black Canadian History
The Kids Book Of Canada
The Kids Book Of Canada At War
The Kids Book Of Canada's Railway
The Kids Book Of Canadian Exploration
The Kids Book Of Canadian Firsts
The Kids Book Of Canadian History
The Kids Book Of The Far North
The Writer's Toolbox by BJU Press
WOW CANADA! by Vivien Bowers

In terms of teaching curricula, in Manitoba Parents have three different routes;

1. Independent study Option

The Independent Study Option offer course materials and marking services for grades 9-12. Print based courses can be taken in one of two ways: by courses materials set out on a lesson by lesson format with marking services or resource packages without marking services. For further information, call toll free 1-800-465-9915. Parents wishing to order materials for grades 1-8 should order them from the Learning Resource Centre in Alberta @ 1-780-427-5775 or www.Irc.learning.gov.ab.ca

2. Christian-Based Curricula

There are a number of Christian-based curricula being used by home schooling parents (e.g., A Beka, Alpha-Omega, School of Tomorrow and more). Most programs are laid out in a lesson-by-lesson format. Some programs offer external marking services, while others do not. If you would like to discuss this option further, you may wish to contact the
Home Schooling Office, the Manitoba Association of Christian Home Schoolers, or Hearth Families Incorporated.

3. Child Centered Instruction

Parents may also use a child-centered approach. In these cases, parents may elect to use print and non-print materials from a variety of sources. They may also supplement their teaching with a variety of personal experiences and activities that occur at appropriate times during the child's education. Some parents who choose this method elect to use the curriculum guides available from the Manitoba Textbook Bureau. (Toll-free 1-800-305-5515). Parents wishing to follow this option may wish to contact the Home Schooling Office, or the Manitoba Association for Schooling at Home.

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