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| Date: From: Subject: | 2/16/2012 4:11:40 PM Home School Legal Defense Association Toddlers to Tweens: Got the Winter Homeschool Blahs |
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- HSLDA's Homeschooling Toddlers to Tweens Newsletter February 2012 -- Got the Winter Homeschool Blahs ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---[ Did you know? ]-------------------------------------------------- You can hear from top speakers like Lou Priolo. Dianne Craft, and John Rosemond in your home, at your convenience. Check out HSLDA's @home e-vents! http://www.hslda.org/alink.asp?id=445 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Friend, Last month we gave you some HSLDA help http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=13701 to keep those New Year's resolutions! But maybe you're already in need of some motivation? Here are a few suggestions to help you avoid the mid-winter homeschool blahs. If you're having trouble getting back on track after the holidays, you may need to re-visit your daily routine. Many moms find that having a household routine http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=13702 and their daily learning goals or lesson plans http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=13703 in writing gives them accountability, as well as built-in reminders. Tamara Eaton http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=13704 suggests adding an exciting read-aloud to start off the morning, or some "penny math" drills to liven things up. If you overplanned or planned a little unrealistically, this is a perfect time to re-evaluate and make adjustments. http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=13705 Jill Dixon has some great diagnostic tools http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=13706 to help you determine if you are where you want to be, academically. Or maybe you had great plans at the start of the school year, but life broadsided your homeschool--there is help for those trying to re-establish "normal." http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=13707 If winter storms have kept the family inside, be sure to keep moving. A pedometer http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=13708 is a fun motivation for kids to measure their movement, and you can work on graphing and other math skills at the same time! Skip-counting videos or audios combine multiplication drills and aerobic exercise (and help burn a bit of that excess cabin-fever energy). Even letting the children progress up or down the stairs or across the room for each correct answer to an oral quiz or drill can be a productive physical outlet and change of pace. For more ideas on how to keep kids moving and learning, check out Carol Barnier's The Big WHAT NOW Book of Learning Styles. http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=13709 Speaking of winter storms: Consider organizing your own version of a family winter-Olympics-style competition http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=13710 . This can be a stand-alone event or part of an Olympics unit study. http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=13711 Getting cabin fever? Bring "the outdoors" inside! Creation Illustrated http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=13712 is a colorful, 68-page nature magazine for the whole family, with Bible-based nature lessons, activities and puzzles, plus a homeschoolers' instructional guide in every edition to help you teach character-building lessons from nature. Did you resolve to add some spark and fun to your learning lifestyle? Sign up your family to receive daily grammar nuggets http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=13713 , a vocabulary word of the day (elementary http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=13714 or junior high http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=13715 ), or homeschool freebies http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=13716 via e-mail. Plan a short, budget-friendly family trip or field trip http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=13717 to excite your children about an upcoming topic, learn with games in your homeschool,http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=13718 or focus a lesson or two on a holiday http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=13719 each month to extend that holiday anticipation and excitement throughout the school year. Be on the lookout for those daffodils--spring will be here before you know it! Blessings, Vicki Bentley HSLDA Toddlers to Tweens consultant www.hslda.org/toddlerstotweens Scripture 12 Extol the LORD, Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion. . . . 16 He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes. 17 He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can withstand his icy blast? 18 He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow. Psalm 147:12-18 (NIV) After you pop this stew into the crockpot, let the kids help you make some 60-minute dinner rolls or a few bread loaves http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=13720 (they can even shape them!). Then round up the troops for a family read-aloud. Need ideas? Here's my daughter's "winter favorites" list: > Little House in the Big Woods (Laura Ingalls Wilder) > The Long Winter (Laura Ingalls Wilder) > Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening (Robert Frost/Susan Jeffers) > The Snowy Day (Ezra Jack Keats) > The Missing Mitten Mystery (Steven Kellogg) > Owl Moon (Jane Yolen/John Schoenherr) Chill-Chasing Chicken Stew 2 uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes or smaller (or cut cubes from breast meat removed from the bone; in a pinch, use rotisserie chicken!) 6-8 cups water (depending on cooker size) 1 - 15 oz. can tomatoes with liquid (preferably petite diced, or crushed) 1 - 15 oz. can corn 2 cups frozen baby limas (or a 10 oz package) 1/4 to 1/3 cup honey barbecue sauce 1 onion, chopped 1 Tbsp vinegar (white or cider) 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 2 Tbsp chicken broth powder or 6 bouillon cubes 2 large potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (white or sweet, or one of each!) 1 cup brown rice, uncooked salt and pepper to taste 1/2 cup potato flakes or 1 cup leftover mashed potatoes (optional) Combine all ingredients except the potato flakes into the crock of the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. If stew needs further thickening before serving, stir in potato flakes. To pressure cook: Combine all ingredients but the potato flakes in 6-quart pressure cooker. Seal and bring quickly to high pressure; reduce heat but still maintain pressure for about 15 minutes. Depressurize using quick-release method. Stir in potato flakes to thicken slightly. Serves 8. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> How many of your friends would pay your legal fees? As a member of HSLDA, you have 80,000 families standing with you to protect and advance homeschool freedoms in the United States and foreign countries. More reasons to join HSLDA... http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1106 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of: Home School Legal Defense Association P.O. 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