Christianbook.com Homeschool Blog

OK, this will be a quick one since I’m almost out the door for a weekend in NYC, where there will be window shopping, a visit to the MET, and meals in cute little bistros!

Sales are coming and going right-and-left!
Today is your last chance to save 35% on Saxon Math, as well as 27% off Explode the Code.

However, beginning on August 1st you’ll be saving:

30% off Apologia Science during our August Apologia Sale! (Upper-level kits, Elementary Textbooks, and Elementary Notebooking Journals)

and 25% off Wordly Wise 3000 from August 1-17th.

And don’t forget our Reduced Rosetta Stone prices:

Be sure to check our new article up by Jane Claire Lambert, Nature Journaling: Finding your Own Way.

With all the discounted admissions, free days, special library passes, and summer-time museum specials going on, it seemed almost foolish not to take advantage of at least one of them!

I’d known that the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston had free admission Wednesday nights from 4:00-9:45, but never had time to take advantage of it before this week.  Yesterday I took a half-day off from work and hopped on the commuter rail to Boston, did just a bit of shopping, and then made my way over to the MFA!

What a reminder of how powerful and utterly irreplaceable REAL art is. There is, in fact, a difference between a reproduction and a painting that’s yards long and so tall you have to stand back in order to see all the details…only to have to walk up-close to see how detailed it really is. And the history! European “classics”, American craft art, pottery, furniture, masks, sculpture…so many kinds to be exposed to!

I saw two of Monet’s water-lilies paintings, Renoir’s Dance at Bougival, Degas’ “Little Dancer of Fourteen Years” statue, pieces by Mary Cassett, Manet, Van Gogh, lots more Monets, Diego Rivera, artists from the Hudson River School, and many other master-painters. After seeing so many in art book after art book, it gives a jolt to see the “real thing”—and it struck me how I had so wrongly assumed sizes to all of them! Renoir’s Dance portrait was HUGE, while Monet’s Water Lilies were only about the size of a regular, large portrait. And the famous impressionist brushstrokes, all those colors, the dabs of paint somehow adding up to make a whole…pretty spectacular.

I know many homeschoolers take advantage of programs and keep a look out for good deals like these—they’re definitely worth it if you haven’t been to your local museum. Plus, they never grow old! It’s difficult enough just getting through to see everything, never mind remembering what you’ve read. Each time I go back to a museum, something new strikes my fancy, I read something else I want to research at home, I discover some new method or artist. Especially with growing children, the interest levels vary extraordinarily from year-to-year and season-to-season. So, my bit of encouragement for the day: Make Time! If only for a few hours (before feet start hurting)…even a little bit can be enough to rekindle or discover a new love or appreciation for art!

Decided to go with Switched-On Schoolhouse? Perhaps wanted to try Lifepac workbooks? You’ve got a one-day-only chance to save!

On July 30th ONLY, all Alpha Omega is 20% off; get what you need at the best prices you’ll see!

Switched-On Schoolhouse
Lifepac
Horizons
Weaver

If you’ve got senior students starting this year—congratulations! It’s an accomplishment for everyone, whether it’s your first graduate or your last. And while there’s a palpable sense of relief, there’s often an underlying stress as the realities of college applications, SATs, ACTs, campus visits, choosing a major and transcript compilation begins.

The first deadline most seniors encounter is the fall ACT & SAT dates: The SAT is held on Oct. 10th this year, and your registration must be postmarked or submitted by September 9th. The first ACT deadline is even earlier: registration must be completed by August 7th, and the test date is September 12th.

While some colleges don’t require test scores any more, and despite the anti-test emphasis that surfaces in the HS community, it’s still more than a good idea to take it, especially as a homeschooler. While the whole process has certainly become friendlier, test scores provide that nice objective measure of success that no one can argue with. You should be looking for what your college requires for SAT II tests; really look at the fine print–some colleges don’t require any SAT IIs except from homeschoolers! If you’re at all unclear, call them up and check—when it’s too late, it’s too late.

When it comes to the often-unpleasant topic of studying for the SATs; the advice offered within the multitudes of guides is sound, and pretty much the same: you can’t cram for the SAT, eat breakfast, get your ID/calculator/etc. ready before the day of the exam, etc. etc. etc. No surprises there.

However, when dealing with testing strategy, it pays to find, lend or buy an up-to-date guide; things can change, and with something as important as test scores/college/rest-of-your-life, this is probably not the area to skimp in. Have your student look through its pages somewhat first; the style, structure, and organization will appeal differently to everyone, even if the information is in itself similar. I was a huge Princeton Review fan–others love The College Board books. Whatever works. There is also a good amount of practice material online at the College Board and ACT websites—a natural starting point.

Try to get a guide with a practice exam CD, or at least take some of the available practice tests online; they’ll give you a chance to get a picture of how well your studying is going, can identify weak spots, and provide a chance to practice all that new strategy.

But above all, get the dates on the calendar (and early enough so that you can take it again if you want), and study early, if you haven’t started already. Study, Study, and don’t just stick to the prep-books; if you’re weak in algebra, go through some review books; if your writing lacks necessary elements, work on that!

College Store

Testing Center

It’s utterly ridiculous how fast weeks fly by! It seems like I was just creating last week’s post a few days ago, at most.

This week’s highlights include:

*The continuation of our Saxon Sale and our Explode the Code Sales…remember, these end next week July 31st!

*Lowered Rosetta Stone prices!
The Rosetta Stone Level 1-5 Kits are now going for $599.00 and the Level 1-3 kits are going for $429.00–a pretty nice bundle of savings!

Jonathan Park Vol 6 is in-house and ready to ship.

Our weekly article is by Rea Berg: Literature, Liturgy, Language, and Leisure:
Capturing Charlotte Mason’s Philosophy of Life.

BJU Hard Drive Kits are now available at CBD, and they’re in-stock! We’re in the process of getting video samples up so you can get a nice taste of what the lessons are like…they’re a great change of pace in that it’s an actual teacher teaching–not just a whiteboard.

Like so many other homeschoolers, I grew up with at least some interest in the “homesteading arts”, which often sporadically resurfaces with a vengeance.

So when I started thinking about making my own soap as part of my spring cleaning, I went all out researching. Looking at all the books we carry, I loved Storey Publishing’s simple, easy-to-understand manuals:

Their authors often interject realistic advice, or recount other stories they’ve heard; and since they have a naturalistic emphasis, you end up learning more about herbs, milk, skin care, the history of soap, and a good deal of other relevant information. They also seem willing to accommodate learners of all “levels” as it were–you could build a mold out of plywood, or you can line a box. Whatever works.

While the goal of making soap still is on my list for the summer, I’ve started learning at least how to start:

*Pick up CHEAP enamel/stainless steel pots & pans, glass bowls, rubber/silicon spatulas/spoons and other “soap-only” supplies at yard sales, discount stores, dollar stores…I’ve been thrilled at how much you can save—and at the selection & sizes available!

*Keep an eye out for interesting shapes for molds! While you have to know what materials you can and can’t use, an interesting mold can become a unique dècor accent.

*Google wholesalers for more unique ingredients like coconut oil, which you can buy in bulk at much cheaper rates than the grocery-store sized bottles.

*Read ALL the instructions before getting started. I normally don’t do this…and when I was reading through the first couple chapters, all I could think was “I’m REALLY glad I’m reading this all first!”

Learn about soap-making.
Frugality Store

Well, the big news this week is our Explode the Code sale! Everything is 27% off (the retail price) through the end of the month; purchase it now and save!

Our weekly article is “The Love and Lure of Nature Walking” by Jane Claire Lambert (of Five in a Row).

Beyond that, my week was filled with my normal work of writing descriptions for lots & lots of products—maybe not too splashy, but necessary!

Have a good weekend!

After weeks and weeks of whipping winds and wild rain, summer (or really, rather spring-like) weather seems to have finally come around, and it seems to be sticking around for the weekend. I’m traveling up to the way-north regions of Vermont (as in, “Oh look, I see Canada!”), where I plan to spend a good deal of my weekend wandering off in the woods and identifying trees with the help of my Audubon tree guide. Funny how that self-directed learning sticks with you…

But before that, here’s a quick review of this week’s highlights at Christianbook.com!

Check out our Calvin’s 500th store; now’s the time to get better acquainted with this influential reformer (It’s his actual birthday today—July 10th).
New DVDs from Franklin Springs Media are available for ordering.

The Science: Out of This World series has been updated, and now includes Book-with-DVD sets!

Our weekly article “Safely in His Arms” encourages single homeschooling moms; a topic often overlooked, and sorely needed.

For you sale-watchers, be sure you’re on our email list–we’ve got another one starting next week, in addition to our Saxon Sale!

And lastly, the American Girls historical series is back at Christianbook.com! It was probably these books more than any other that gave me such a lasting love of history as a child, and I can easily remember all the days I spent at the library looking up information on World War II (because of Molly), slavery & abolition (because of Addy), and horses (because of Felicity). Written for girls around age 9 or so, if you’ve never encountered them, check them out at the library or borrow them from a friend—you might find a new favorite series!

Born in Noyon, France July 10th (today!) in 1509, Calvin grew up to have an almost incalculable affect upon the Christian church. After receiving his Master of Arts and law degrees, Calvin learned about the translation of the Greek New Testament into Latin by Erasmus (The Vulgate), heard Martin Luther’s ideas, came to the conclusion that the Roman Catholic Church was mistaken, and converted to Protestant Christianity. Eventually fleeing to Switzerland to escape persecution, he published his famous Institutes of the Christian Religion when he was only 26 years old, preached thousands of sermons in Geneva, and worked tirelessly to advance the glory of God.

Teaching our children about God—or theology, really—remains one of the primary reasons many of us homeschool, and is one of the greatest freedoms we have. Pick up some living books on the Great Men of the faith; short overviews on the Reformers; or the works themselves for older students…break free from simplistic summaries and short overviews! Spend a day, a month, or a year diving into the complexities that make up the modern evangelical landscape, or stay within history and learn about the vast network of Reformers. Christian history is so rich, and a “celebration” year like this one is a unique opportunity to study the same subject with thousands of other Christians all over the world. With many sermons being preached, articles written, and resources filling the blogosphere, it’s the perfect time to learn about Calvin, his doctrine, and the way in which God has used his life down through the ages.

John Calvin Store

Every town seems to have a “thing” to do during the summer—here on the North Shore of Massachusetts, beaches are everywhere, but whether you live by a coast, a lake, a zoo, or the mountains, you’re living in a place where other people have lived before you.

Try taking a weekend “vacation” to explore the historic elements of your town that you probably pass by and don’t think about, or maybe just know the barest facts on.

*Create a marker-monument hunt as you actually READ all those historic markers and statue-base inscriptions; and when you get home, read up on those people/events some more. Visit the Historical Marker Database to get started, or set out for some you’re already aware of.

*Visit your local historical society; they’re run by dedicated historians and volunteers—you just might end up making good friends, discover a fun place to volunteer, or find a valuable source for local information.

*Create a list of important historic persons who lived their whole lives in your town, and head off to the cemetery! Check off the people you’re able to find, and photograph their headstones (if allowed–check your local rules). Even besides from the dates (rather obvious, there!), you can learn about the time a headstone was created in by the material that was used, the images that are on it (cherub? skull? floral?), and other aspects.  An excellent guide that features a number of things to look for and questions to ask, can be found here (.pdf file).

*Find out what Native American nation lived in your area, and discover what issues they’re facing today. Was there migration? Were they able to stay there?

*Have any archaeological excavations been done in your area? Try contacting your state archaeologist’s office to see if there’s any sites you could tour or even volunteer at.

*Notebook or Lapbook it, and record the research you’re able to do all over the state! Pull over when you spot markers, Google historic houses, and record all that you’ve learned with photographs and short essays; keep adding to it, and soon you’ll be experts in local lore & history!