Carnival of Homeschooling- The NaNoWriMo Edition

Preface

Welcome to this hundred-and-umpteenth Carnival of Homeschooling! Because November is National Novel Writing Month (also known as NaNoWriMo or nano), and I’m over 10,000 words into the writing process (and can’t think of anything but writing, writing, and more writing), I thought it would be appropriate to format this Carnival as sections of a book. I even consulted the Chicago Manual of Style for an authoritative list of book parts!

Introduction

For me, homeschooling is first and foremost a heart matter. In Mangled Schedules and Grateful Hearts, an article I wrote for Home School Enrichment magazine, you can read how a father’s presence and influence can shape a family school. Enjoy!

Chapter 1: Planning

In Homeschooling Families: Getting Ready for a New Baby, Carletta at  Successful Homeschooling writes, “This is part 2 of my series on getting your home school ready for a new baby, and contains fun ideas for welcoming a new baby into the home.”

Alex presents Free Printable Calendar 2010 posted at Home Life Weekly. Use these free printable calendars to plan your home schooling for the next school year.

Carol J. Alexander presents Tip of the Day #9 posted at Everything Home…with Carol. This tip discusses the importance of having a flexible schedule, and is a perfect companion to the “Mangled Schedules…” article above.

Chapter 2: Things You Really Need to Know

In this “must read” article, Adam Faughn presents a list of 7 Things You Can Say to Harm a Child posted at The Faughn Family of Four. He has targeted the seven things parents (and others) need to avoid saying around children, and it’s a reminder that needs to be posted somewhere prominent!

In a bow to life’s realities, blogger Angela Mills suggests compiling a Homeschool Mom’s Survival Kit . You can read more at her blog, Angela Mills.

Susan Anadale reminds you to encourage your kiddos to follow their dreams:-) in Homeschooling Hearts and Minds: Sometimes it pays to go back… posted at Homeschooling Hearts and Minds.

In Yesterday was one of those days, Janine Cate writes about a typical day of homeschooling and life on the Why Homeschool blog.

In a timely reminder of common courtesy, ChristineMM presents Homeschoolers and H1N1 Swine Flu posted at The Thinking Mother. She shares our federal government’s CDC guidelines for H1N1 Swine Flu and discuses the responsibility that homeschoolers have to take to implement these recommendations.

Chapter 3: Unusual Teaching Ideas and Resources

Kristen Hamilton shares the recreation of a science experiment in Fooling the Senses posted at A Day in the Life.

Teacher Tom DeRosa shares an inexpensive way to get well acquainted with number concepts in Use Playing Cards for Unlimited Number Sense Practice on his blog, I Want to Teach Forever.

We’ve all heard of lapbooking, but Lynn presents Interactive Notebooks | Gather posted at Gather. She says, “An interactive notebook is a binder or notebook (themebook or composition book) that you fill with mini books like a lapbook.” What a delightful idea!

Kaye Swain reviews the Mighty Machines videos in Mighty Machines are Mighty Fun for Grandkids posted at SandwichINK. She says, “They’re fun and downright entertaining.They make an excellent addition to social studies classes for homeschooling programs. They’re Mighty Machines!”

Annette Berlin presents 101 Frugal Ways To Share Art With Kids posted at Craft Stew. Sharing art with children can be not only fun, but inexpensive as well. Here are 101 frugal (or free!) ways to help a child come to love the world of art and crafting as much as you do.

Ken Havelock presents Brain Teasers | Free Trivia | Buy Puzzles | Fascinating Facts posted at A Thinker’s Daily ChallengeTM. The best time to spark your child’s interest in geography, history, or the sciences is when that child is young! As a parent, it is your duty to see that your child gets the best start in life. Ignite that interest in geography, history, or the sciences with the help of A Thinker’s Daily ChallengeTM!

Chapter 4: The Learning Lifestyle

In Raising Cowboys, Lara DeHaven shares their wholesome family philosophy on man-building at Welcome to the Ranch!. Don’t miss it!

Amber’s children imagined a museum that reflects some of what they’ve been learning, and she shares the experience in Imaginary Museum posted at The Mommy Earth.

Tammy shares how her family is being properly trained in Horse’n Around, which is posted at Adventures On Beck’s Bounty. Did you know you can probably record homeschool equestrian studies on your student’s high school transcript if certain criteria are met? It’s all in the book;-).

Brenda unveils her new e-book, Creating an Atmosphere of Learning in I finally finished it! My First E-book posted at The Tie That Binds Us. It sounds wonderful, and she’s offering it at no cost.

Sometimes cooking is more than just meal preparation. Mommy’s Life offers suggestions on integrating learning in Cooking Up Math With Kids:Measuring posted at Mommy’s Life.

Chapter 5: Microbusiness as a Teaching Tool

How can a microbusiness help your children learn? Lara DeHaven show us how in Kyla Shines in the Pumpkin Patch posted at Texas Homesteader.

Chapter 6: Counting the Cost

We sometimes hear that it’s too expensive to be a stay-at-home mom, but in Can You Afford Two Incomes?,  posted at Fine Tuned Finances, Matthew Paulson runs the numbers.

How does 25 years of homeschooling look on a resume? Barbara Frank muses on the question of what kind of income she can expect in If Mom Goes Back to Work at Barbara Frank Online.

Chapter 7: Reasons to Be Glad You’re Homeschooling

In Homeschoolers Respond – Recap posted on Beverly’s Homeschooling Blog (About.com), she shares homeschooler stories of supporting each other and helping each other succeed. She invites us to “Enjoy these reader interaction links, then share your stories and tips too!”

Hall Monitor presents Florida teacher makes girl clean up classmates pee posted at DetentionSlip.org. She comments, “At least at home, you know whose urine it is.”

Alasandra presents Nominees for Best Homeschool Blog 2009 posted at Alasandra’s Homeschool Blog Awards. Just a few weeks left to nominate your favorite blog! [Janice’s note: I haven’t checked the list, but it would be nice to have this blog nominated. I’m just not going to do it myself;-).]

Chapter 8: Peripherally Related to Homeschooling

Party Games For Girls presents Clown Birthday Party posted at Party Games For Girls. I have found that homeschooled children can be more outgoing than children who go to regular schools. As such, they are usually more creative. This post provides an excellent chance for them to show their creative sides.*

Gracie Turner presents 10 Fictional Teachers We Wish We Had posted at Online Courses.org.*

Lisa Taylor presents 10 Places to Help Find a Home for Your Writing posted at Accredited Online Degrees.*

Chapter 9: Beyond High School

Barbara Williams presents 100 Great, Green Career Links for the Jobs of Tomorrow posted at Online Degree Programs.org.*

Robert Damone presents Highlighting 10 Creative Professors Teaching at Online Universities posted at Online University Data*

Epilogue

I hope you’ve enjoyed today’s Carnival. If you did, please share it with your friends and blog readers!

*These sites are not homeschool-related.