Resources
Where is the human nature so weak as
in the bookstore?
--Henry Ward Beecher
The ALWAYS Incomplete Resource Guide
The number one resource you simply can't live without is The ALWAYS Incomplete Resource Guide published by Lifetime Books and Gifts. Tina Farewell has absolutely the most wonderful gift for recognizing great resources that are truly beneficial to use in educating children. Bob is a Civil War re-enactor who loves history so this is the place for you history buffs. The 405 page catalog with full descriptions cost $5 but is well worth every penny. If you feel guilty buying a catalog, throw in one of these books for encouragement to justify placing an order!
The Elijah Company Catalog
My other favorite catalog is published by Chris and Ellyn Davis of the Elijah Company. The introduction explains the basic types and philosophies of homeschooling better than anything I've ever read. It also offers incredible insight about what comes after high school. Ellyn's forte is science so they include plenty of practical science resources your children will just love. The Davis family lives the life they speak about and are a solid source of encouragement.
~~~Resources for a General Overview~~~
MAKING WISE DECISIONS ABOUT COLLEGE AND LIFE AFTER HOME SCHOOL
In Making Wise Decisions about College and Life after Home School,
Doug Phillips explores the options of college and apprenticeship and the
calling of God on the lives of our children and how we can help them accomplish
that calling. He also explores the true purpose of education. This is a set
of two audiocassettes.
SEMINAR TAPES by THE ELIJAH COMPANY
One of my favorite tape sets that keeps me focused on the big picture of where I am going is my dear friend Chris Davis' six-tape series called Seminar Tapes by The Elijah Company. Included are:
* How Not to Teach Like the Public Schools (Filling Buckets or Lighting
Fires)
* When Mothers Teach Resistant Children
* There is a Bigger Picture
* Turning the Hearts of the Fathers
* Identity-Directed Homeschooling
* The Seven Habits of Successful Homeschoolers
Also included is a reading list of their absolute minimum choice of nessary
reading for any parent interested in homeschooling.
CHRISTIAN HOME EDUCATORS'
CURRICULUM MANUAL
Cathy Duffy's Christian Home Educators' Curriculum Manual (one for
elementary grades and one for junior and senior high school) will help you
discover which learning styles your children have and offers curriculum suggestions
for each.
3R's SERIES
Dr. Ruth Beechick has written books which are the best I've seen on how to teach the basics of education using a Lifestyle of Learning method. The 3R's Series includes three little booklets and a two-sided wall chart for teaching arithmentic and phonics. A Strong Start in Language, A Home Start in Reading, An Easy Start in Arithmetic will guide you with with your children from kindergarten through third grade.
YOU CAN TEACH YOUR CHILD SUCCESSFULLY:
Grades 4-8
Her book You Can Teach Your Child Successfully: Grades 4-8 continues
where Dr. Beechick left off with THE 3 RS and will get you through eighth
grade.
WILD DAYS
One of my favorite books is Wild Days: Creating Discovery Jounals by Karen Skidmore Rackliffe. In this inspiring little book, she tells about what she does with her children on days when nothing seems to be going well. They pack up their art supplies, binoculars and field guides, throw in some snacks and make a day of it in one of their "Wild places." We try to do this on a regular basis. It helps maintain sanity to spend an afternoon at the creek down in the woods.
~~~Improving Memory~~~
MEMORY SKILLS
When we studied math with Mr. Subbiah Natarajan for a few years, he constantly encouraged us to improve our ability to memorize claiming that it would help us in all other areas of academic study. He was right. He taught us that memorizing is fairly easy when a system is employed. I looked and looked for a book to use with my children and finally discovered Memory Skills by Usborne Books. The methods taught in that little book are exactly what Mr. Natarajan had us doing in our weekly class.
~~~Early Education~~~
BABY WISE
Since homeschool families often have a baby in the house and since I am convinced that early education begins in the first year of life, my favorite book for babies is Baby Wise. This book explains a simple and practical way to set a child's internal clock, by establishing routine that meets the child's needs as it provides order for him or her and the family. The baby learns that he or she is a welcome addition to an already existing society that he is not the center of.
BABYWISE II
Babywise II: Parenting Your Pre-Toddler 5-15 Months will help you raise a morally responsible toddler who can learn to communicate through sign language before he or she can speak.
FIVE IN A ROW
One of the most popular programs available for homeschoolers is Five in a Row, which focuses on reading one real book once a day for five days in a row while learning to study different aspects such as art, history, science, languagae arts, and grammar, along the way.
Rod and Staff Preschool Workbooks
If your 3- and 4-year-olds enjoy having "school books" of their own, Rod and Staff has a set of five very cute books my children have all loved.
Reading is the basic element of all study. Although there continues to be a debate between those who advocate the whole word method and the phonics method, it seems they are two sides of one coin. Knowing the parts seems to be necessary for deciphering a whole word. The following resources focus on phonics.
SING, SPELL, READ AND WRITE
We used Sing, Spell, Read and Write which incorporates workbooks, cassettes, cards and gadgets. We invested in this rather expensive program because we had several children we knew we would pass it down to. We have hit a few snags, like on the ferris wheel, but overall it has worked for us. Students are taught to write as they are learning to read. I love anything that kills two birds with one stone!
READING MADE EASY
My good friend Valerie Bendt who has taught her five children to read, has recently published a new book that I would use if I didn't already have a program. Reading Made Easy is phonics based, 108 easy lessons, 3 lessons per week, less than 30 minutes a day, fully scripted, contains Christian content, original stories and poems, introduction to capitalization and punctuation, hands-on activities, writing and drawing activities, and is homeschool family tested. It concludes with an original 12-chapter short story, Gideon's Gift. Best of all, she has the child reading a real book every day!
Of course, the best way to encourage a student to read is to read to him and to have him enjoy reading. Even older children love to be read to. There are several resources available which recommend great literature.
WHO SHOULD WE THEN READ?
Who Should We Then Read? by another dear friend Jan Bloom is a great collection of titles and authors with biographies included of books for young people to read. It's just the right size to tuck into your purse for those days when you get to go book shopping. She recommends highlighting the titles already in your personal library so you don't purchase duplicates (which I often do.)
Jan writes a monthly newsletter that is informative, funny and that often offers great deals on very hard to find books. Click here to subscribe.
ALL THROUGH THE AGES
All Through the Ages is a compilation of suggested books from many books that have been published in the past, such as Books Children Love, Honey for a Child's Heart, Great Books of the Christian Tradtion, Great Books of Western Civilization, Let the Authors Speak, and Robinson Curriculum. It also includes Landmarks, Newbery and Newbery Honor Award winners, and Pulitzer Prize winners.
Just as phonics is the basis of reading, spelling is the basis of writing. If a student can confidently spell and use individual words, he or she will be a more confident writer.
SPELLING POWER
There are several philosophies about the best way to learn spelling. For years, I looked for a comprehensive list of words to study that a student could use from year to year that would provide a consisten track to run on. Spelling Power arrived just in time. It is a giant list of words beginning with very simple two-letter words and continuing through high school level with the 5,000 most commonly used words. Activities in the back of the book offer tons of hands-on ideas for those wiggly little boys who would rather write their words on the sidewalk with colored chalk than sit in a desk.
Charlotte Mason recommended taking unfamiliar words from a student's daily reading and writing to use for concentrated study. To learn more about her methods, A Charlotte Mason Companion: Personal Reflections on The Gentle Art of Learning by Karen Andreola is full of wisdom and practical advice.
The secret to successful writing is to find what works for each student and being consistent.
Speaking properly is the most important activity a family can undertake to encourage the use of good grammar. But when a guide is needed to name and explain the parts of speech and other aspects of the subject, we found that Easy Grammar worked well.
EASY GRAMMAR
The purple Easy Grammar book was written for late elementary or junior high students. The red Easy Grammar book was written for high school students. Daily Grams are workbooks full of review sheets designed to offer daily review once the student has completed the course in one of the main books. These may be necessary for some students but we have lived without them quite fine.
LEARNING GRAMMAR THROUGH WRITING
Many followers of Charlotte Mason use Learning Grammar Through Writing, a book of the rules of grammar, to incorporate learning grammar with everyday reading and writing. This is a great tool for those who incorporate spelling and grammar with composition.
EDITOR IN CHIEF
One of the neatest new workbooks we've found to use in learning how to edit is called Editor in Chief and comes in three different levels. Each book has a list of grammar rules to refer to and stories with a specific number of mistakes in each. The directions explain which types of mistakes to look for, including those in content. Lessons are designed to be used weekly instead of monthly and can be used with a variety of other grammar or spelling programs.
~~~Composition~~~
LANGUAGE ARTS THE EASY WAY
Another dear friend of mine has created a book with another approach that is sweeping through the homeschool world like wildfire. Cindy Rushton's Language Arts the Easy Way explains how Charlotte Mason, an English educator, prepared and encouraged her students to write. Cindy shares how her own children became writers as they implemented this method of instruction. Tina Farewell says, "If I were to recommend two books on Language Arts, they would be the booklet by Ruth Beechick and this book! It is so practical, simple, and easy to implement!"
EXCELLENCE IN WRITING
A fairly new program available now is Excellence in Writing. It is a video program taught by Andrew Padua and provides wonderful instruction and encouragement for moms who are overwhelmed with the thought of teaching writing.
MATH-U-SEE
We have used a variety of math programs throughout the years and have recently discovered Math-U-See. Not only is the workbook based on using manipulatives so the student can actually "see" the concept before him, but it also comes with videos to provide instruction for the teacher (which the child watches too.) I personally appreciate having a man of character such as Steve Demme standing before my children occassionally as he demonstrates his love for math.
The KEY TO SERIES
If you need help with specific areas such as fractions,the Key To Series focuses on subject areas.
SAXON MATH
If your students prefer a more formal textbook, Saxon Math offers a comprehensive program.
For higher level math, such as Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus, Saxon also provides textbooks at affordable prices.
~~~History~~~
TRUTHQUEST HISTORY
I've never been a lover of history until just recently. I always thought it was boring. But once you discover how to use real books, real history comes to life. Michelle Miller is a librarian who knows children's books. She has developed a history program utilizing real books that is the answer to every moms dilimma. Truthquest History is published in guides which provide a reading list for the historical period with comments that tie everything together. This is all you need for history. Start with American History for little people since it is relevant to their lives, then start back at the beginning and work your way chronologically forward at your own pace. Your kids will love it!
Click here for help with planning your history program.
THE BOY'S GUIDE TO THE
HISTORICAL ADVENTURES
OF G.A. HENTY
For readers who love to learn as they entertain themselves, G.A. Henty wrote
a series of historical books for young men. Use the guide The Boy's
Guide to the Historical Adventures of G.A. Henty to choose titles appropriate
for the time period you are studying.
OUT-OF-PRINT SERIES
There are many series that are out-of-print that young people enjoy reading even while they are learning to read. Landmarks, published by Random House, We Were Theres, and Childhood of Famous Americans are just a few.
THE WALL CHART OF WORLD HISTORY
The Wall Chart of World History is an 18' chart that dipicts history through the cultures and helps put everything together in a framework.
Science was always one of my favorite subjects. I just marvel sometimes at how many earthly systems work together so well. Learning about the world and how it functions is one of the most interesting things we study. Using real books always makes any topic interesting. We've found: you've got to find what works for you.
The following recommendations for science texts appeared in Lifetime Books and Gifts e-newsletter, Lifetime Treasures. To subscribe, click here.
SCIENCE: THE SEARCH
by David Quine
Science: The Search, Books 1-4 are an excellent choice for science. In Science: The Search, God has not been removed from His handiwork, but instead this hands-on science curriculum helps your child "observe God's creation through experimentation."
Science: The Search: Book 1 Scientific Properties is designed for K through 4th Grade and will introduce your child to the skill of scientific classification. This is a great one for teens to teach to their younger siblings.
Science: The Search: Book 2 Interaction and Systems is designed for 2nd Grade through 7th Grade. The focus is upon science topics such as gears, electricity, and discovering how things work.
Science: The Search: Book 3 Cause and Effect is designed for 3rd Grade through 8th Grade. Children work independently with minimal help learning the scientific method.
Science: The Search: Book 4 Scientific Theories is designed for 4th through 9th grade. Children work independently with minimal help. The scientific method is applied as they build a working model of the heart, the lungs, and much, much, more! Suggested research and readings are also given for older children. This course would serve as a General Science high school credit.
APOLOGIA MINISTRIES
by Dr. Jay Wile
Dr. Jay L. Wile, a Christian physicist and homeschool father
from Anderson, Indiana, has authored this entire series, which is designed
specifically for homeschooled students. He recommends that
younger students use a more relaxed, unit study method of learning science,
such as we have suggested above. Labs are included but are not necessary for
course completion. The two-volume sets include the student text and the solutions
and tests manual. Laboratory kits may be purchased separately.
You might want to begin your studies with A Reasonable Faith: The Scientific Case For Christianity. It is a concise, easy-to-read book that outlines the scientific evidence that supports the Christian faith. It highlights the physical, chemical, and biological evidence indicating that the world was designed.
Exploring Creation with General Science is designed to be a systematic introduction to science and covers many topics in broad terms. The course is not intended to be a focused study of any particular topic but simply an introduction. Dr. Wile recommends it as a 7th Grade course. However, if your student was recently in public school, he or she might need to wait until 8th Grade to use it.
Exploring Creation with Physical Science covers the atmosphere,
hydrosphere, weather, structure of the earth, environmentalism, physics of
motion, Newton's laws, gravity, and
astrophysics. It is designed for 8th Grade.
Exploring Creation with Biology is designed to be the first high school science ourse for homeschoolers. Dr. Wile recommends it be taken during the year the student takes Algebra I. The text contains student exercises (with detailed solutions), experiments designed to be done in the home, and tests (with detailed solutions). Written in a conversational style, the course is taught wholly from a creationist viewpoint, with emphasis on the incredible design features apparent throughout God's Creation.
Exploring Creative with Chemistry is designed to be a first-year high school chemistry course and gives the student a rigorous foundation in chemistry, in order to prepare him or her for a college-level course. To be able to understand this text, the student needs to have completed Algebra I. While the laboratory experiments available in the LAB KIT are designed for the home, some of them are easier with specialized equipment. Chemicals used in this course consist of household materials such as table salt, baking soda, dish soap, vinegar, etc.
Exploring Creation with Physics - In order to understand this text, the student needs to be comfortable with the sin, cos, and tangent functions along with their inverses, which are covered in Saxon's Algebra II course. Dr. Wile recommends that the student take chemistry before physics. No special laboratory equipment is necessary.
Advanced Cheminstry in Creation is designed to be a second
high school chemistry course. This course "fills in the gaps" of the first
course giving the student the equivalent of the first year of college chemistry,
that is, an "advanced placement" or "AP" course. The student must have completed
Algebra II and first year chemistry. Laboratory equipment required is the
basic equipment plus the chemical science project set, making it different
from the set used for first
year chemistry.
DRAWING TEXTBOOK
I found quite by accident that children can draw before they can write. We have used Bruce McIntyre's Drawing Textbook with our children as young as age 3 and have discovered they enjoy being able to do "school" along with the older children even though they can't read. The main thing to do with young people is to give them lots of paper, pencils and art supplies and let them go.
Barry Stebbings has a variety of books that incorporate history of art with the technical disciplines of it as well.
~~~Foreign Language~~~
Power-Glide Language Courses
At our house, Power-Glide Language Courses have worked for us. The book and cassettes come in a variety of languages.
* French
* German
* Japanese
* Latin
* Russian
* Spanish
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