When I began researching homeschooling options way back when, I ran across Ambleside Online and was immediately intrigued. For various reasons, I ended up selecting another curriculum to begin with; however, Christmas found me lingering on the Ambleside Online website. By the New Year, we jumped into Year 1 and haven’t looked back since. Ambleside Online (AO) is a K (Year 0) through 12
Daily Grammar
Grammar is a subject near and dear to my heart. I know not everyone can (or will) admit to that, but there it is. Throughout my children’s elementary years, we explored several different grammar curricula, and all have had their good points. This year, however, I came across a FREE curriculum that is thorough and easy to use and free. (Did I mention that already?
More Historical Fiction Goodness from Susan Kilbride
I am a big fan of Susan Kilbride’s Our America series of historical fiction for middle graders (and up!). In my review of the first three books, The Pilgrim Adventure, The King Philip’s War Adventure, and The Salem Adventure, I said I was looking forward to more from this author. I’m pleased to say the next two books, The Revolutionary War Adventure and The Pioneer
Overwhelmed: Victorious Living In the Midst of Financial Uncertainty
No matter how financially secure we may feel, it only takes an unexpected crisis to threaten our security. Illness, job loss, and other circumstances can take a toll on our bank accounts as well as our peace of mind. And with financial stressors being the leading cause of marital discord, we can easily find ourselves in a downward spiral that’s beyond our control. But nothing
Middle Grades Historical Novels Bring the Past to Life
Don’t miss the information at the end! For a short time The King Philip’s War Adventure is available for free download at Amazon! I love historical novels both for myself and for my children – provided they are well written and accurate. Not only are they fun and interesting to read, they are also a fantastic way to learn about the past. So I was
Get In on the Fun of Birdwatching with BirdSleuth
Okay, I’ll just admit it right here and now. Nature study is not our strong point. We don’t go on nature walks, nor do we keep nature journals. But we have one saving grace in this department: we’ve been backyard birders for years. In fact, my eldest could identify four bird species before she was three years old. Birdwatching is simply part of our lives.
Traditional English Sentence Style Helps Prepare Students for College-Level Composition
Ask a college English professor and chances are he or she will tell you that most incoming freshmen are woefully unprepared for college-level compositions. Why? Consider this commentary from Dr. Robert Einarsson, professor of English at Grant Macewan University in Edmonton, Alberta: In the past, the carefully structured sentence was the medium for encapsulating and precision-stating our thoughts. Today, precision and structure seem to
Make Your Own Chocolate Kit Is A Hit at Our House
I am a dark chocoholic. For me, milk chocolate is for kids (although I’ll admit to savoring delicious milk chocolate in the UK), but dark chocolate is divine. In fact, the Latin name for the cacao tree is Theobroma cacao, which means “food of the gods.” This makes sense as the Aztecs believed that the god, Quetzalcoatl, brought the cacao tree to earth. Forget ambrosia.