Figuring out Science curriculum

I've been having a difficult time figuring out what Science curriculum to teach my boys. We are Creationists, so I don't want Science curriculum that focuses on Evolution as the origin of life. I found some good Christian curriculum that is Creationist, but it's SO EXPENSIVE and I'm on a strict budget right now. And I'm not a Science person. Never have been. Any form of Science, forget it. I barely passed the subject, I highly doubt I could effectively TEACH the subject.

So imagine my pleasant surprise when I decided to browse the online store at the Institute for Creation Research. I found a Science curriculum that I can use with both of my boys for only $25.

The Origin of Life curriculum includes a CD-ROM that is packed with K through 12 reproducible classroom activities and PowerPoint presentations, and a teacher's manual. It's designed to work within your current Science curriculum, so I'm going to have to purchase it and look over it to see if I NEED another Science curriculum, but I think it would be a good start to our Science curriculum until I can start purchasing other items.

I found a book called Building Blocks in Science that would be an excellent accompaniment to Origins of Life, especially for Christopher. It's a Biblically-grounded evolution-free look at early man. The author explores some of the most interesting areas of science: fossils, the errors of evolution, the evidences for creation, all about early man and human origins, dinosaurs, and even "races." Dr. Parker's lively discussions of DNA, Neanderthal art, Darwinian thought, and the scriptural evidence for creation present both a physiological and philosophical picture of God's intent for our existence on planet earth.

I want our first Science studies to be about the Creation of humans, how we are awesomely and wonderfully made, so I think Building Blocks in Science would be a good book to start with. I feel that is the most important factor in teaching children about God. When they realize just how wonderfully they are created, it gives them a foundation of developing a strong relationship with God.

I found a LOT of other books to use in our Science studies. Altogether they would end up being quite expensive. But I don't need all of the books at once, and I can afford $32 a month. My wish list at ICR is quite large now. And I was only looking in the store for 20 minutes. But the store was so awesome to me, I think I may have added everything they have in their store to my wish list. If not everything, most of it.

Homeschool Blog Hop

Today at the Home School Blog Hop,

we're doing something very fun!

The Theme for the Week: Random Questions!

Join in!  These are easy and not embarrassing--

Thanks, Kylie!! Our Worldwide Classroom is hosting!

1. What time is it right now?
7:05pm...or 1905 for you military types. ;-)

2. What are you wearing?
Black sweat pants and black t-shirt. And white shoes. lol

3. What is your mood?
I'm actually quite content. Did some baking today, and apparently it is more fun than I thought. Starting some crochet projects after dinner (I just started learning in January). Life is good.

4. What is one thing your children learned today?
That two halves equal one whole. And two quarters equals one half. And that two 1/2 teaspoons equal 1 teaspoon and four 1/4 teaspoons equal 1 teaspoon. We worked on some fractions and measurements while doing our baking. ;-)

5. What did you make (or are you having) for dinner?
Well, we're actually taking the lazy way out tonight. I didn't get a chance to wash all the baking dishes, and I don't feel like washing them tonight, so we're ordering pizza.

6. What's one book you are currently reading?
Right now I am reading a book called Patriarchs and Prophets, and actually rather enjoying it. I avoided it all throughout high school, and now I'm wondering why.

7. What behaviour (in people) is the most common but also the rudest?
It depends on if we're talking about online or irl. IRL I have to say interrupting other people. I've been dealing with that issue with my children for the last few weeks and it's DRIVING ME INSANE!

8. What can you see out of your nearest window right now?
My back yard. That needs cleaned. Hopefully within the next couple of weeks it will be trash free and green.

9. What are you currently praying for?
Right now on my mind the most is my friend, Lori. Lori recently gave birth to a beautiful baby boy who has had to have surgery twice now since his birth. And now her Mother is dying of cancer. It's only a matter of time. So I've had her in my prayers a LOT the last few months, especially.


I'm also praying for the ladies I have met through my child/pregnancy loss groups. Some of them are pregnant with Rainbow babies, some are trying to get pregnant but can't. It's a vicious trail to walk down.

10. What is your favourite hot beverage?
Chai Tea. It used to be coffee, but when I quit smoking I also quit drinking all caffeinated beverages. I miss my coffee, but the Chai (decaf, of course) satisfies a hunger.

Tim Hawkins - A Homeschool Family

"I Will Survive" for the Home Education Family

Januray 26, 2010

Third week of school. This week would be our monthly week off, but because the boys' Dad is working serious overtime at two jobs and didn't have the ability to have visitation last week, we just took last week as the week off just in case he gets some time off this week and he wants to spend some time with them. It doesn't look like he will be able to, but that's okay. Just in case.

The first two weeks of January we did our basics, Math and Grammar (and of course, Bible), in addition to a Martin Luther King, Jr. Unit Study. The study went rather well. Next year we'll see about going into more detail and extending the unit study past MLKJr Day, maybe for the entire month of January, and getting more into slavery or women's rights. Although now that I think about it, isn't there a Women's Rights Month? I'll have to research that. If there is, I know what we'll be doing then. ;-)

Our Soul Food Dinner turned out alright. We didn't invite extended family, it was just us. Cooking took ALL DAY. The boys helped out as much as they could, which isn't really much since I haven't REALLY taught them how to cook. .But we did get a little Math in in the form of fractions and measurements. Started cooking at 9am, didn't get done until 6:30pm. I was exhausted that night.

Here are the pictures of the food we prepared for our Soul Food Dinner: (click on the picture to be taken to the recipe)

Sour Cream Cornbread

I honestly don't know that I've ever had cornbread quite so moist and delicious! Which is actually saying a lot because I LOVE cornbread! It was a sweet cornbread, which I do prefer. Next time, though, I'm going to replace the sugar with agave nectar.

Collard Greens (modified recipe)

Becasue we don't eat pork, and it's near impossible ot find turkey or beef bacon that is as fatty as pork bacon, I had to modify the recipe a little bit. Instead of using smoked pork bacon, I used smoked beef brats. I don't know what traditional collard greens are supposed to taste like, but these were pretty darn good. For cooked veggies, anyway. Not something we'll make on a regular basis, but once in a while perhaps.

Sweet Potato Pie

MMmmmmmm.....Sweet Potato Pie. The kids didn't like it, but they don't like sweet potatoes. Which is interesting. They ADORED mashed sweet potatoes when they were babies and starting to eat "solids". *shrugs* That's okay. Just means more for me. ;-)

Corn Pudding

We may or may not try this again. IF we do, we'll eat it after it's been out of the oven for about 15-20 minutes so it's still warmish. Eating it cold is....well, gross.

Batter-fried Chicken

They couldn't wait long enough for me to get a picture of a FULL plate of fried chicken. It was enjoyable, except the batter tasted burned to me. Mike didn't think it did, though. Next time, I'll use boneless chicken instead of whole chicken so that the frying doesn't take as long and the batter is less likely to taste burned.

Seems I forgot to take a picture of the Apple Crisp. I could have sworn I took one. Maybe it's on my memory card (that's not in my camera because my camera took it's final nose dive. I did get my replacement today from Fed-Ex though, so maybe I can post the Apple Crisp later.

This week we're simply doing the basics for education, Math and Grammar. At least until I can get the stuff needed for our Winter Olympics Unit Study in honor of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. Christopher's best friend is doing that right now. His Mom suggested it to me, it sounded good, so we'll see what we can do. I want to, because even *I* get bored with just the basics all the time. We have a Netflix subscription so we'll probably "rent" a video pertaining to the original Olympic games, and possibly do a lapbook. Along with other potential activities.

Whatever I can do to make their education more interesting.

They do seem to be doing very well. Math is still giving Christopher a little bit of a hard time, but he's finding it easier to learn the information, whereas before he couldn't even get to the point of understanding. I think it's the lack of pressure to get it done that's helping that issue. I do need to find the information I got from the SOESD about who to go to in order to get a PDP developed for him. Standardized testing time is coming up for us (we need to get it done by September) and I know that traditional testing doesn't work for either of my boys, but especially Christopher. He's working on it, but he still has a difficult time understanding the question when he has to read it himself, which means the wrong answer. If someone else reads it to him, he understands it better. If I can get a PDP created for him that will specify that someone needs to read the test to him, he'll probably do a lot better. We'll just have to see.

The boys' Dad told Micheal on the phone the other night that Oregon is trying to do away with the right to home school. Something to do with the public school system not having enough funding because people are pulling their kids out and homeschooling them so they want to do away with Oregon homeschooling so the schools can get more money. Poor Micheal almost died. He hates the idea of that possibility. He almost cried when he asked his Dad why they want to take away home school.

So I had to explain to Micheal some things. First, I explained to him that people still pay taxes, and a portion of those taxes goes to the school system. Yes, the school system isn't getting enough of the taxes, but that's another thing entirely. I also explained to him that MOST of the people pulling their kids out of public school aren't homeschooling their kids, they're sending them to private schools. So what is the government going to do? Deny private education as well? That's not going to happen. So he doesn't have to worry about not being able to home school. They may try to regulate WHO can home school, like Washington does by allowing only those who have at least a two-year degree be the educator, but even if they do something like that we will figure it out. Grandma and Grandpa have two year degrees. Grandma has home schooled before...she home schooled my little brother (who is now 22). It'll be taken care of. And even if we can't home school, I'll send him to private school before I send him back to the public school system that failed him and his brother.

So that's our life in a nutshell....up to now, anyway. I hope everyone's school year is going well.

I have a favor to ask of you.

I have a friend who is a single mom to two beautiful girls, ages 3 and 6. Because she is a single mom, she is the sole breadwinner for the family, and she works a full-time job.

She wants very much to home school her girls. Unfortunately, she doesn't have that much of a support group. Her family doesn't think she can do it. Not because they are against homeschooling, but because she is a single mom working full-time.

What I would like for you to do is link me to any and all blogs, anywhere on the internet, managed by the single working parent. I'd like for her to have that kind of support network, even if it is via internet. I'd like for her to be able to see that being a single working parent doesn't mean she can't home school. I'd like for her to have these people at hand so she can ask them any questions she has about how they manage to do it.

I want to help her succeed in any way I can. She lives many states away, or I'd support her by helping her home school. But I can't do that, so this is the next best thing.

So please, if you know of any good, active single parent blogs, TELL ME!

Martin Luther King, Jr, Unit Study (part two)

I've finished the preparations for the unit study next month for Martin Luther King, Jr day. I picked the books (now to go to the library and get them) and found the soul food recipes.

Books

• Martin Luther King, Jr
• March On! The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World, by Christine King Farris
• Dreams: The Story of Martin Luther King, Jr, by Peter Murray
• The Day Martin Luther King, Jr Was Shot, by James Haskins

• Women's Suffrage
• You Want Women To Vote, Lizzie Stanton?, by Jean Fritz
• The Day the Women Got the Vote, by George Sullivan
• Women Win the Vote, by Betsy Covington Smith
  

Soul Food Dinner

• Batter Fried Chicken
• Collard Greens^{(recipe calls for bacon, but either I'll leave that out or use turkey or beef bacon)}
• Mashed Potatoes
• Sour Cream Cornbread
• Corn Pudding
• Sweet Potato Pie
• Apple Crisp

Not exactly the healthiest meal, but once in a while an unhealthy meal isn't going to kill you. Though with my arteries, and Mike's, this meal just might. ;-) I think what we're going to do is get the house really clean between now and then, and then invite our family over for dinner. We'll have to see, though. It's still a couple weeks away, so I have some time to see if we can get it all done (the house cleaning, I mean). I'll probably send out e-vites to everyone requesting an RSVP.

Since I work on Mondays, and really shouldn't request it off, I've divvied up the recipes and decided what can be made the day before and what should wait until the day of to be made. I've got it all written out in my planner. So now the Martin Luther King, Jr Day Unit Study is complete. The next holiday is President's Day. I don't know if I'll be doing a unit study this year on President's Day, though. Maybe next year.