Resource: Audible

Have you discovered Audible yet? We have been members for over eight years and have an extensive library! I am always in the middle of an audiobook. I listen when I walk in the mornings, sometimes when I cook, and when I drive somewhere without the Lambies.   One of my favorites series has been the Riyria Chronicles by Michael J. Sullivan.  It's not for little kids, but is good reading for teens and up who love fantasy, sharp wit and adventure.

Audiobooks have been very useful in my schooling, especially with a certain child who was not learning to read easily.  I had him listen to stories while reading along with the printed book, and that seemed to help him a lot.

Many, if not most, Ambleside books are available at Audible, including H. E. Marshall books, including Our Island Story, James Herriot's Treasury for Children, Churchill's History of the English Speaking People, Homer's works, and an amazing assortment of classics of all kinds. It's really a great resource! 

You can listen to the narration before buying a book and the narrators are all professional!  I have tried Librivox, and just couldn't find readers that I could listen to and enjoy.  

If you are intrigued by the idea, you can try Audible for free, and get TWO books completely free! Just click the link below (which is an affiliate link) and sign up! I don't think you will regret it.

Try Audible and Get Two Free Audiobooks

You can get a 30 day free trial, get any two audiobooks you want from their extensive library. They are yours, even if you cancel your membership. Win-win!  

After 30 days, with the Gold membership, you get one book each month for $14.95.  Personally, we are Platinum members and get two books every month, along with other benefits.  You get 30% off any additional audiobook purchases and you can cancel any time. Again, all the books you have bought, you keep, even if you cancel. I love that my purchases are MINE!
   

All Through The Ages

Can I share one of my favorite resources with you? It's Christine Miller's outstanding work: 
"All Through the Ages".  

What a work it is!  All the living book titles you could ever want, organized in several different ways: all of them by grade level (1-3, 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12), and in chronological order and geographical history.  The histories of Science, Mathematics, Visual Arts, Music, Western Civilization and the Christian Tradition are also included.  

Planning units or read alongs is SO easy with this resource!  I wish I had found it earlier in my homeschooling career.  Please do yourself a favor and buy this book. It's one resource I think *every* homeschooling family should have on their shelves.   

Practical Education

So many things that kids learn in school are important and academic, but fail to prepare them for real life.  Do you know anyone comfortable talking about and performing higher mathematics, but can't maintain a savings account or pay bills on time? What about people who know ancient history backward and forward, but can't tell you how much is taken from their check in taxes each pay period?  One who can write a great thesis, but not check the oil in their car?  

Practical education is even more important than academic facts, in my opinion.  Any of these links will give you a starting point for a series of lessons about real life issues everyone should master! There are more skills, of course, that could be listed. What would you add?

Know God.  Life means nothing without Him. 

Get a REAL Education  (so good I printed off and read it before each school year)

The Joy of Practical Learning

Basic Life Skills Teens Need 

Cooking From Scratch

Basic Car Maintenance

Financial Education for a Lifetime of Money Management Skills 

Learn to Repair Anything in Your House

Small Engine Repair 

Very Basic Home Maintenance Tips 

Basic Survival Skills 

Basic First Aid  (please take a course from a professional)

How to Survive a Car Accident

Baby Care Basics 

Elder Care Checklist 

Disaster Preparedness (search for CERT Training in your area)

Reverse Engineering

My youngest son is all about engineering right now.  He wants to know how things work and why they work that way. He wants to be an inventor. He is a master of Lego and Minecraft.  To help him develop this interest, we are doing a course in "Reverse Engineering".  Each week I stop by a local thrift stores.  While there, I scour the shelves for mechanical items. 

He has a nice toolbox with a selection of tools already, so he just need the things to take apart.  The first thing he "Reverse Engineered" was an electric can opener. He took it apart as far as he could, then reassembled it and it did still work!  Then he took it apart and kept pieces like the cord and motor, screws and a few other parts.  He plans to eventually build something from all the useful parts he scavenges from these sacrificial projects. 

Lego is perfect for future engineers and their siblings. We spend was much time as possible with them. 

Reverse Engineering is even better when friends are visiting!  Here they are dissecting a food scale. Lots of learning happening and LOTS of fun!  I have a toaster ready for the next session and have my eye out for a rotary phone. I am also watching for a weed whacker or a lawn mower for small engine repair practice.  Next year, I hope he's ready for appliances! 

Practical skills are SO important in todays world! Seeing how things work is an integral part of practicality.  

Other resources:

The Way Things Work

The Way Things Work Now (on our wishlist)

How It's Made (I can't recommend this series highly enough!)

Thing Explainer 

Friedhoffer books (this one and others!) 

Engineering for Kids (I haven't used this yet, but we will watch this series this school year.)

Lego Technic (We watch for clearance sales and have even found some in garage sales!)

Lego Mindstorms (if I was rich! LOL)

Graduate 3!

So, I went a whole year without blogging here.

But here I am to announce the graduation of my oldest son!  This homeschooling thing is really a blessing. :)  What an amazing young man he is growing to be!

Graduate 2!

GirlofGod is officially a FREE ELF!  She graduated in May of 2015. This is one proud Momma.

Out of Retirement for Classic Units

I have mostly retired this blog, as perhaps, you may have noticed.  Some things have to fall out of the way when life gets busy.  I saw a link this morning on my Facebook wall, though, that called out to be blogged!  You know that I love classic children's books. I also love unit studies. They aren't exactly "Charlotte Mason", but I am not a strict sort of person. I am eclectic and love to pick and choose what works for us at the time!

Homeschool Share has put together a great list of links to unit studies based on classic books.  You'll find some familiar favorites, like Ferdinand and Corduroy, but some less common ones, too, like Harry the Dirty Dog, Maybelle the Cable Car and even Billy and Blaze!  This page will give you all the help you need to make a memorable summer program of reading for your preschooler or kindergartener!

Go take a look and choose one. Most of these books will be available at your local library, if you don't have them already. Each one is well worth investing in and keeping for your home library.  

http://www.homeschoolshare.com/blog/2014/04/free-unit-studies-based-on-classic-picture-books/