MERRY CHRISTMAS! (To those that celebrate)…a special gift for you!!

And if you don’t celebrate…A special treat for you too!! Many of the things discussed can work on non-holiday occasions too!

The Moms discuss how they like to de-stress during the holiday season, and share some of their family’s holiday traditions.

Watch a favorite Christmas movie: (as needed, or 1 or 2 nightly!)

* Charlie Brown Christmas* Rudolph* Year Without a Santa Claus* Elf* Santa Claus is Coming to Town* It’s a Wonderful Life* Miracle on 34th St (original black/white)* A Christmas Story (Peter Bilingsley)* Scrooge (the musical with Albert Finney)* Frosty the Snowman* The Santa Clause (all 3)* Christmas Chronicles (new favorite)* The Muppet Christmas Carol* The Polar Express* White Christmas* How the Grinch Stole Christmas (original)* One Magic Christmas

Listen to favorite Christmas music:

* John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together* The Kingston Trio: The Last Month of the Year* A Very Special Christmas 1 & 2* Glee Christmas albums* Manheim Steamroller Christmas albums* Christmas with the Rat Pack* Putumayo’s Christmas Around the World* Celtic Christmas* The Stars Come Out for Christmas* Amy Grant: Home for Christmas* Elmo & Patsy: Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer (the whole album!)

Other ideas this episode:

* Eat comfort foods (Tina likes a piece of fudge at the bottom of her bowl of popcorn, a family tradition, Beckie likes hot cocoa.)* Go see Christmas lights.* Go for a drive in the country/visit nature.

What’s your favorite way of de-stressing? Let us know in the comments below!

And from our families to yours, we wish you all a VERY HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON!!

This episode is sponsored by:

Moving Beyond the Page – homeschool curriculum for hands-on, creative, and gifted learners. Learn more at www.movingbeyondthepage.com.

Math Mammoth – Publisher of student directed math worktexts that all the Savvy Homeschool Kids use. Learn more at www.mathmammoth.com.

Pandia Press – Publisher of REAL Science Odyssey and History Odyssey.

Check out their fantastic Try Before you Buy! Learn more at www.pandiapress.com.

In this episode, the moms talk about their long absence and share what resources they are using this school year with their children.

Links in this Episode:

MaevedragonCreations.com (Maeven’s website, taken down for until further notice)

Homeschool Moms’ Depression/Anxiety Support

Homeschool Moms with ADD/ADHD

Weepyking (Aaron’s website!)

DeviantArt (Aaron’s art)

YouTube channel (Aaron’s videos)

Red Bubble (Aaron’s products)

I Need Some Space

Fresno Music Academy & Arts

The Animation Course

Innoved

Forestiere Underground Gardens

Resources we are using:

Tina

Homeschool Planet w/Brave Writer Lifestyle Plan

Tyren (7th Grade)

Language Arts: Brave Writer: The Writer’s Jungle (Now retired…replaced by a new product called “Growing Brave Writers), Boomerang, Sequential Spelling online, copywork, journal, blog

Math: Math Mammoth, Splash Math, Speed Game, Right Start Math Games, other math games

Social Studies: Civil War,

In this episode, the moms review their 2016-2017 curriculum choices, and revisit homeschooling legally in California.

Links in this Episode: 

Noodle Homeschool-Now Tina’s Learning Adventures

Homeschooling with perimenopause

Tina’s Adventures–Now Tina’s Learning Adventures

Wacom Intuos Pro tablet

Some of Maeven’s art work she’s created with her tablet…most of these are still works in progress:

Project-based learning

Reggio Emilia

constructivism

Lori Pickert’s Facebook group: Project Based Homeschooling

The Tech Museum of Innovation

Monterey Bay Aquarium Homeschool Day

Wacom Digital Drawing Tablet

FullMoonWolf37 Dani’s YouTube Channel

Dani’s DeviantArt Account 

RaddishKids, DoodleCrate and Tinkercrate

2016-2017 Curriculum Choices:

Maeven (10th) –

English – Brave Writer: Help for High School (Interview with Julie Bogart Part 1, Interview with Julie Bogart Part 2)

Earth Science – CK12 Earth Science Concepts for High School

Algebra 1 – Elementary Algebra by Harold Jacobs

World History – Crash Course World History with The Great Courses (if needed)

Intro to Business –

(Show recording is at the bottom of the page)

In this episode, the moms share the final part of their 2 part Secular Science Resource series, with an interview with Pandia Press author and scientist Blair Lee: Why Neutral Science isn’t Neutral.

Links in this Episode:

Beckie’s new pencil sharpener

Why the earth is heating so fast

Blair Lee’s Blog

Blair Lee’s Facebook page

SEA Homeschoolers Facebook page

SEA Homeschoolers Blog

Home|School|Life Magazine

REAL Science Odyssey

Info from this Episode:

Secular science curricula and programs present the accepted facts, principles, models, and theories explaining how the natural and physical world works as recommended by a majority of practicing experts in that area of science. Science curricula and programs should not exclude or misrepresent scientific facts, principles, models, or theories that are considered core ideas in the field.

Specifically, science curricula and programs will not be reviewed if they do the following:

Minimize, misrepresent, or omit accepted scientific facts, principles, models, or theories

Incorporate religious philosophy into the curriculum or program

Politicize science issues in a way that misrepresents the issues

What to look for in science courses

The inclusion of evolution

Is the word design used in place of the word evolution

Is the word created or creation used when discussing how organisms, the universe, or matter came into existence? Organisms evolved; they were not created.

Know your definitions –

Science theory – A scientific theory is a widely accepted explanation of something observed in science. Theories are based on experimentation, observation, and reasoning—the scientific method.

Scientific model – A scientific model is a simplified representation of a real system. Scientific models make it possible to study large, complex scientific principles and systems. Scientific models use the scientific method.

Books in this Episode:

Tina:

Together ~

Rick Riordan books:

* The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson #4)

* The Last Olympian (#5)

* The Lost Hero (Heroes of Olympus #1)

* The Son of Neptune (#2)

* The Mark of Athena (#3)

(Show recording is at the bottom of the page)

In this episode, the moms are joined by Blair Lee, homeschool mom, and author of REAL Science Odyssey Biology 2 and Chemistry 1, from Pandia Press, as they talk about secular science resources.

Links in this Episode:

Prodigy (math game)Homeschool Group Buys (Meg Groom’s group)–no longer existsRogue FestivalThinking PuttyEarhooxSlow Cooker Facebook groupNoodle Homeschool–Now Tina’s Learning AdventuresTina’s New and Improved Country ReportSEA Homeschoolers

Tina’s son Tyren as Tweedle Dee

Tina’s SCICON Reunion line dancing:

(Tina: My son was SO into this! LOL! That’s him in the foreground, with me.)

(That’s Tyren, Tina’s son, helping lead in the front there.)

Blog post by Tina about her SCICON trip

Secular Science Resources:

Websites:IFL ScienceKids Who ThinkBill Nye’s official websiteProject WildProject WetProject Learning TreePhysics Central PhysicsQuestSteve Spangler ScienceScience BobOLogySmithsonian KidsScience Sparks

Articles:Why Neutral Science isn’t Neutral by Blair Lee10 Awesome Science Courses You Can Take Online for FREE!

(Show recording is at the bottom of the page)

In this episode, the moms catch you up on what they’ve been up to lately and share three new Day in the Life Interviews including one homeschooling Dad!

Links in this Episode:

Math Mammoth.

Math Mammoth page about algebra 1 Tina mentions 

Interactive notebook for WWI 

http://www.lynda.com

Noodle Homeschool is now Tina’s Learning Adventures

https://gamestarmechanic.com/

http://www.myjoyfilledlife.com/2014/04/24/homeschooling-planning-resources-free-weekly-assignment-printable/ *religious content warning

Deborah Marcus’ GoodReads Review of Divergent The Bitter Homeschooler’s Wish List by Deborah Marcus

Books in this Episode:

Tina:

Together: The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson #1) by Rick Riordan, The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson #2), The Titan’s Curse (Percy Jackson #3), currently reading The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson #4)

Maeven (age 15): started The Dragonet Prophecy (Wings of Fire #1) by Tui T. Sutherland again

Tyren (age 10): The Story of the First World War by Paul Dowswell, The Maze of the Beast (Deltora Quest #6) by Emily Rodda, The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis by Barbara O’Connor, The Valley of the Lost (Deltora #7), Return to Deltora (Deltora #8), The Taken (Foxcraft #1) by Inbali Iserles, Mark of the Thief (Mark of the Thi...

In this episode, the moms share the second, and final, half of their interview with Julie Bogart of Brave Writer (language arts and writing curriculum.)

Tina’s son Tyren’s drum performance. Tyr is the one on the right, playing timbales (with the braid).

Links in this Episode:

Homeschool Day at the Monterey Bay Aquarium

Beckie’s Katch Account with Periscopes from the Monterey Bay Aquarium-no longer exists

Homeschooling Thanksgiving in a Culturally Sensitive Way Pinterest board

Noodle Homeschool

Spotted Towhee

Cursive First by Liz FitzGerald

Podcast Interview with the author of Cursive First, Liz FitzGerald (Home School Support Network Podcast, Christian content)

Brave Writer Links:

Poetry Teatime

Blog Posts about Poetry Teatime

Poetry Teatime Pinterest Board

About Peter Elbow

Writing Without Teachers

Writing Power

The Wand has moved

Sample of Jot It Down

Getting Started with Brave Writer

Julie’s Katch.me (for archived Periscopes)-no longer exists

Julie’s Coaching Page

https://www.facebook.com/bravewriter

https://twitter.com/bravewriter

https://www.pinterest.com/bravewriter

Brave Writer podcasts

In this episode, the moms talk about what they’ve been up to since last they recorded, and share the first half of their interview with Julie Bogart, founder and owner of the language arts and writing curriculum, Brave Writer.

*Audio player is at the bottom of this page.*

Links in this Episode:

Savvy Homeschool Moms episode about Homeschooling with the Amazing Race

*NOTE FROM TINA: Savvy Homeschool Moms episode about Noodle Homeschool mentioned in this episode–doesn’t exist. WOOPS! Apparently I’ve never even explained Noodle Homeschool fully on the show so I’m going to have to do that in the next episode! SO SORRY! Check out the link for info for now.

Tina’s blog post about Periscope

Homeschool Periscope Facebook Group

longer exists

https://hourofcode.com/us

GeekMom Hour of Code

Carnegie Learning

Brave Writer Links:

Poetry Teatime

Blog Posts about Poetry Teatime

Poetry Teatime Pinterest Board

About Peter Elbow

Writing Without Teachers

Writing Power

Sample of The Wand

Sample of Jot It Down

Getting Started with Brave Writer

Julie’s Katch.me (for archived Periscopes)-no longer exists

Julie’s Coaching Page

https://www.facebook.com/bravewriter

https://twitter.com/bravewriter

https://www.pinterest.com/bravewriter

Brave Writer podcasts

In this episode, the moms check in with how the beginning of the school year is going and how they are adapting to the new year’s schedules.

Links in this Episode:

Boogie Board E-Writer

History of Us

Fresno Ideaworks

Adobe Illustrator

Lynda.com

Noodle Homeschool Amazing Race course

Dance Mat Typing

Books in this Episode:

Beckie

Together –The Story of Mankind by Hendrik Willem Van Loon, Flyte by Angie Sage..

Dani (For all intents and purposes 13) – Dork Diaries Series

Jack-Jack ( age 9) – The Flash Master of Mirrors by Laurie Sutton

Me – Still working on Galilee by Clive Barker, Armada by Ernest Cline,

Tina

Together – Finished Story of the World volume 2 and 3 and currently working on 4 by Susan Wise Bauer, Secret of the Andes by Ann Nolan Clark, The Call of the Wild by Jack London, Sparks Fly Upward by Carol Matas

Maeven (age 14.5yrs) – By Tui T Sutherland: The Dragonet Prophecy, The Lost Heir, The Hidden Kingdom, The Dark Secret, The Brightest Night,

In this episode the moms catch listeners up on their summer and discuss gearing up for the new homeschool year.

Please note: The podcast player is now at the bottom of the page.

Links in this Episode:

The Great Summer Purge and Clean

Tina’s son Tyren (the boy with the braid) performing Ozzy Osborne’s “Crazy Train” at the end of drumming camp, as mentioned in the show.

Savvy Homeschool Moms episode on Homeschooling with Chronic Illness 

Scholastic Warehouse Sales

Doctor Who Character Encyclopedia by Jason Loborik

Tina’s Planning Process blog post

Symbaloo

Planned Spontaneity E-Book

Moving Beyond the Page

History Odyssey

All About Reading

All About Spelling

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Books in this Episode:

Tina:

Tyren (age 10) — The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis by Barbara O’Connor

Together — finished Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Lowji Discovers America by Candace Fleming, The Story of the World Volume 1: The Ancient Times by Susan Wise Bauer, The Story of the World Volume 2: The Middle Ages, Silk Umbrellas by Carolyn Marsden, and currently reading Secret of the Andes by Ann Nolan Clark

Me — The Girl Who Came Home by Hazel Gaynor, Anne of Green Gables by L.M.