Books Alive!

I once cut out a comic that has a tiny little pastor sitting behind a small desk that has a looming book case behind it, towering above the pastor and the small lady he is talking to. We can only guess what she said, but he says,

“Books are not things of this world.” [Amen!]

Because of my love for books, I guess it was a no-brainer that when I got more experienced as a homeschool mom I branched out into literature unit studies with my kids. The year I did this the kids were in 9th, 7th, 5th and 1st grades, with a 3 year old thrown in for good measure! We did a study of animation and read biographies of Walt Disney and Bill Peet—and did some animation besides. We did a Robert Louis Stevenson study and read his biography and a few of his books—anyone for buried treasure? And we did a few other equally intriguing studies as well. WE all loved learning with living books!

But the planning about killed me. So, the following year it was back to textbooks. A few years later I discovered a curriculum that was literature based AND had daily lesson plans. Amazing! I mean, I literally wept for joy. And that started my love affair with Sonlight Curriculum.

There are a lot more literature based curricula out in the market place now, and people ask me all the time why Sonlight is better or how it is different. I am not an expert on all curricula, but I can tell you how Sonlight is unique.

~Reading Great Books inspires children to do their own hands on activities such as drawings, writings, making pyramids out of sugar cubes and constructing beaver dams out of sticks and mud and so on. After reading a book on Samuel Morse my kids actually made a working telegraph system that ran between their bedrooms! I stayed out of their way and was called upstairs to stand in amazement when they sent messages the 40 feet-from one end of their attic bedrooms to the other.

Many curricula have plans for moms to spend lots of time and money preparing coordinating hands on activities. And some people like that. But I believe we just need to provide a learning-rich environment and great books—that's all you need. The kids will take it from there.

~Sonlight's goal [and my personal goal] is that of creating Ambassadors for Christ that are equipped to reach THIS generation. With Sonlight's broad base of books and their detailed IG teacher notes, children are taught to "Seek first to understand, then to be understood."

I know with the well rounded education they get from Sonlight that our children have been prepared to go to a our state universities, sit with people of varying backgrounds; not be judgmental, but seek to understand where the person is coming from, then show Christ's love to that person--as an Ambassador.

I found many curricula try to advance their own agenda, but with Sonlight the information is given to you and then it is up to you to interpret it to your kids. The study notes constantly remind us to measure what this person or nation did by looking to God's word. The notes are very balanced and lead kids to learn how to think critically and not to believe something just because it is in a book.

~And, I think the thing that makes Sonlight head and shoulders above any other curriculum is the Instructor's Guides [IG]! If you are convinced that the literature approach is the way you want to go, look at Sonlight’s Instructor's Guides. They are amazing--and another benefit, you can get all the books from Sonlight so there are no fruitless trips to the library and/or the book store. The editions match the IG right down to the paragraph and page number. The IGs save you so much time, and are so complete, they are unparalleled.

And that is why if you love books, love creativity and want to raise ambassadors for Christ who can think critically, Sonlight is the perfect curriculum.

Take care,

Jill

[Pictures, top to bottom: A picture of the kids the year I wrote my own unit studies-here we are at Gettysburg; the other two pictures are ones I like of the older boys reading to the younger kids.]

History Making...

Please Go here to one of my official Sonlight Blogs on Making History

Take care,
Jill

Convention Time rolls around again...

 Bob and I got the truck loaded up early in the week do we wouldn't have to do it in the predicted rain. We have a big truck but it was packed pretty full.

Last year I wrote a little article about how I am a  homeschool carny and it was written during the take down phase. [I reprinted it at the link above.] I thought you might like to see the booth all set up this  year.

 Core D with the Mathtacular Educational Kit on the front table. I love Core D because I guess I have always loved American History and some of the books in this study--Witch of Blackbird Pond, Carry on Mr Bowditch and others are some of my favorite children's books.

 My back table was awesome! Everything you need to teach your Kindergartener...just add your student and a pencil and you are good to go. Lots of great books and hands on materials.

 This is hard to see, but the front table has Core 100, Sonlight's high school American History and samples from the preschool Cores.

 I had lots of math samples--something for every learning style.

And the front table, complete with sign in cards, brochures, peppermints and pens. I couldn't keep the peppermints stocked--they were very popular.

At the end of the weekend we had talked to a few  hundred people and given out over 300 peppermints and about 100 little magnifying glasses to the children.

It was a great weekend in Greenwood, Indiana.

Take care,
Jill

Tiny Libraries...

I read this very intriguing article in USA today a couple of weeks ago that I thought you might be interested in.

Tiny Libraries Have People Thinking and Reading Outside the Box.

This is such a neat idea--individuals are making little boxes, like a big mail box, and turning them into free libraries. They work on the premise of  "Take a book, leave a book," says Todd Bol the founder of the Little Free Library movement.

This idea has taken off and Little Free Libraries can be found across the world, spreading the love of literature far and wide. some of these little libraries with just a handful of books have a great turn over. In Madison, Wisconsin Jenna Hansen has a Little Free Library in her front yard. In the past year and a half she says that "literally thousands of books have been in and out of here."

I love this idea. We have a neat library system in our small town where books from the county library are delivered to our local "Library in a Box" which is like a block of 30 lockers. We can go online and chose our books and they are delivered to the box. We get a call when the books are delivered. then we punch in a code at the box, the door opens and we get our books and go home. It is a great system and I have increased my library usage considerably since it was set up a couple of years ago.

But, maybe you live in a place where a Little Free Library would be practical? Would you like to be a Little Librarian? You can go to Little Free Library to find out more information. I actually have a limited number of children's books and would be happy to donate a couple to get you started.

Take care,
Jill

New Drawing...Norman Rockwell Print

The Land of Enchantment. Comment here and on my blog. You get one chance to win for each post [two total per person]. This is a large print--
Full-color 12.75" x 23" print on heavy art stock and looks awesome anywhere.

Custom-printed with an extra-wide border. Perfect for the mat and frame of your choice!

You can't really see it from this picture, but this is probably my favorite story book print and for sure my favorite Norman Rockwell print. It has many, many  favorite storybook characters all in sort of a collage in the background and two boys reading in the foreground.

It is a challenge to find all the old familiar friends. I looked and looked for a long time before I finally found them all. I have one just like this framed in my office. It makes me smile.

If you would like to win one, just comment here and/or on my Paths to Learning Facebook Page on a favorite storybook character. Or maybe a character that your children love. If you post here and "like" me on FB, that is two entries. If you already like me on FB--Thanks!--and just post your favorite there too.

Some of the storybook characters  and books that are in this print are:

• Little Red Riding Hood, Last of the Mohicans, Aladdin, Knights of the Round Table, Old King Cole, Robin Hood, Rip Van Winkle, Rip Van Winkle, Hiawatha, Long John Silver, Cat the Fiddle, The Seven Dwarfs and more.

I have a nice supply of these prints, so for every 10 people that enter I will give away 1 print. I think you will love it.

So, what is your favorite Childhood storybook or storybook character?

[And, if you get a friend to "like" me on facebook, you will get an extra entry. Just comment on FB or here and let me know. I would love to get up to 50 likes in the next 5 days.]

What I learned today...

I don't have a smart phone but I hope to get one next year. As I prepare for my 2012 Homeschool Convention events I was encouraged to make a QR Code sign for my booth.  So, here it is, the QR code for my Homeschool Resource Library. I put this code on a table sign which will sit on the front table of my Sonlight Curriculum Booth.

I really wonder if anyone will use it. Do you ever scan any QR codes? If so, do you do it often? What makes it more likely  that you will scan one?

 I am really interested.

 I see them around, but don't really have a clue as to how they are used.

So, anyway. It"s true you learn something new every day. Whew! Now I can relax for the rest of the day, knowing I already learned something today.

Take care,
Jill

NEW Drawing on my Facebook Page

NEW DRAWING!

This one is for two bars of homemade Prairie Kari soap! One bar of Goat Milk Vanilla Cappuccino and one bar of Goat Milk Hyacinth.

 Drawing ends in two week, March 18th, winner announced the 19th!

You can enter on my Facebook Page Paths To Learning
Take care,
Jill

 

 

 

In Honor of Dr. Seuss... a past post...

In honor of Dr. Seuss and other wonderful storytellers, I am reprinted a blog post from 2009. 

Never Tease a Weasel-Part 2...

Yesterday I talked about the problems that I had trying to teach my children important character traits by reading books written specifically for that purpose. They just did not translate across to make an impact on my children. They might know to Never Tease a Weasel, but brothers were fair game!

I believe character traits are caught not taught! But, I think we can do something to make catching them a bit easier. It is somewhat of a secret, but I will share it with you....read real books! Not books designed to teach character--kids are too smart for that, but when you share real, living books with your children you will have many opportunities to talk about the characters in the books--what they did right, what they did wrong, what they should have done.

I remember when I read Little Britches to Kari and Scotty. That book is full to the brim of character lessons-most of them learned by the author, Ralph Moody when he was growing up in Littleton, Colorado around 1910. This autobiography is a wonderful account of growing up on a ranch--about responsibility and honesty and about the relationship between a father and son.

Ralph is an amazing storyteller who weaves his story like a fine tapestry. It is amazing how he remembers so well what it was like to be a child and the lessons Ralph learns in the book are as applicable today as they were 100 years ago. Whether you homeschool or not, this is a delightful book to read aloud to your children. It will make a lasting impression on the whole family.

And who can forget about the elephant who is "Faithful, 100%"? Horton Hatches the Egg is another story where you can talk about doing what is right, about responsibility and friendship, about love, adoption and what makes a good parent. This is a great read-aloud book that brings up many character issues for you to discuss with your young children.

There are so many wonderful stories with great story lines and characters worthy of emulation or of scorn. One of our favorite biographies was about Eric Liddell--the guy the story "Chariots of Fire" was based on. He was dedicated to running and to God, yet he had to make a choice between them. His story is inspiring and humbling--a great book to read-aloud to older elementary and middle school children.

And then there is great historical fiction like "Daughter of the Mountains," that teaches faithfulness and sticking with a job. There are bad guys you can talk about as well as those who are good and kind. This book, like many others, gives you, the parent, an opportunity to talk about those core beliefs that you want to pass on to your children.

Another book for younger children is "The Bee Tree." It not only teaches natural science, but also the value of reading and the wisdom of older people.

I could go on and on--and if you want more recommendations, let me know, but basically, pick out a good book and begin reading it to your children. Talk about the situations, the characters, their decisions and what they could have or should have done differently. What would you do if you were in their shoes?

So read a book to children,
Now there's some good advice...
You can talk about the characters
And whether or not they are nice!

Take care,
Jill

I am giving away a Kindle Fire....

I am getting excited about my conventions this year. They promise to be the best yet. If you live in the Midwest you may want to come to the Cincinnati "Great Homeschool Convention" in mid-April.

I will be having a drawing for a Kindle Fire this year! This is something I am personally offering. Just come by one of the two Sonlight booths and sign up. Not only will you get a chance at the Fire, but you will also be able to get a new 2012 catalog, a coupon good for $15 off an order of $50 or more and bring a friend and you can each chose a free book!

I will also have a daily drawing for a "Pamper Yourself Basket" which will be a Sonlight tote bag that has handcrafted soap, hand scented lotion, chocolate and other goodies.

You need not be present to win the Kindle Fire or the Pamper Yourself basket, but I will be awarding the baskets daily and the Fire on Saturday at 5:00 pm.

I will have lots of samples, several full cores, all the instructor's guides and a great team to help you with any questions you may have.

Bring a friend by and you can both chose a free book. You can follow me on Facebook by going to Paths to Learning and liking me. You may also want to check out my Homeschool Resource Library. Let me know if I can help you in any way. Email me at jevely@sonlight.com

PS: I will also be in Indianapolis at IAHE March 30-31.

Improved Stuff at Sonlight...

A note from Sonlight I thought you might be interested in.

Seventeen Sonlight moms [I was one of the seventeen] crowded around to hear about the 2012 Sonlight product line. Several had helped us design the changes. All were excited about what they saw. The conversation flowed with comments like, "Did you see how easy to use these Instructor's Guides are now?" "This just makes so much sense." "Our moms are going to love this!"

So what did they see? Big changes this year to serve your day-to-day homeschool needs. Enjoy your first peak at the 2012 improvements:

This year, your Sonlight Curriculum will give you:

• Enhanced and re-designed Instructor's Guides for Cores A - G
• More complete Core Programs
• Improved Language Arts instruction
• Enriched Bible instruction

Watch the video to learn more. Then stay tuned as we start to release more details next week. This improved curriculum goes live on April 2. 

More to come,
Tim Heil