~ August 2012 ~

Dear Readers,

Our family has been homeschooling for over 17 years; since then, my husband and I have attended the state homeschool convention every year without fail. While there, we always run into other homeschoolers we know. Well, this time we were volunteering at a booth - and this year all of the people I knew there were also working as volunteers! Another thing I noticed - there used to be a disproportionate number of young families with babies, but now there are a large number of teens too. The homeschool kids are growing up, which means the homeschool movement has clearly come of age!

August is national “Family Fun Month,” and what better way to end the summer than by spending some quality family time together! As if you really needed an excuse to have fun as a family, right? But time flies and people with busy lives often do need a reminder to stop and rethink their priorities. So be sure to take time off during the month of August to watch movies, play games, go hiking and biking, have a picnic or campout, and enjoy some good old-fashioned family fun! Let this be the start of a habit to include regular family activities as part of your homeschool all year round.

Featured Article

It’s that time of year to stock up on school stuff while everything is on sale! Even year-round homeschoolers will appreciate having a brand new set of supplies when moving up to the next grade. Get your kids involved in the planning process. Then go to the store as a family and let your children choose what they want from the wide variety of styles and themes that are available. This way they can express their individuality, and they will be more likely to enjoy using those items that they had a say in picking out.

Essential school supplies will vary depending on the type of curriculum and grade level. In general, however, if you have school-age children it’s a good idea to always have the following basic supplies on hand: dictionary, thesaurus, pencils, pencil sharpener, erasers, paperclips, stapler, scissors, clear adhesive tape, masking tape, computer, printer, ink cartridges, paper.

Preschool to elementary students will need: pencils, crayons, pencil and crayon sharpener, eraser, washable markers, safety scissors, white glue, glue stick, colored construction paper, drawing paper, notebooks, pocket folders, lined penmanship paper, math manipulatives, chalk, lunch tote (for field trips), and magazines with colorful pictures to cut out.

Middle to High School will need: pens, mechanical pencils, colored pencils, No. 2 pencils, fine-line markers, highlighters, ruler, scientific calculator, graph paper, three-ring binders, spiral notebooks (one for each subject), lined loose-leaf paper, pocket folders, composition book, journal, calendar, wristwatch, bookbag or backpack.

You might think your pre-teen child has outgrown the crayons, markers, and other art and craft supplies, but older children still do research projects, science fair entries, book reports, skits and plays that require visual presentations. You don’t want to find out that your supply closet is empty the night before a project is due, so keep some poster board, construction paper, and colored markers in there.

One more thing - in addition to checking your inventory, this is a good time of year to have the kids test all of their glue sticks, white glue, markers, etc. to make sure these items haven't dried out just in case they need to replaced. There's nothing worse than being in the middle of a project and finding out that something doesn't work!

A long time ago I made a checklist of basic homeschool supplies that our family found useful, which you might want to download, print out, and adapt for your own use: http://www.knowledgehouse.info/HomeschoolSupplyList.pdf

Book of the Month

Check out the special package I’ve put together for you - save over 50% on my exclusive Back-to-Homeschool set! These books will be a source of refreshing encouragement and practical motivation throughout your school year.

Famous Homeschoolers

Did you know...? Two Pairs of Famous Homeschoolers Have August Birthdays!

William Clark and Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis & Clark Expedition were both born this month (August 1, 1770 and August 18, 1774, respectively). http://www.famoushomeschoolers.net/bio_lewisclark.html

Wilbur Wright was born on August 16, 1867, and his brother Orville was born on August 19, 1871. National Aviation Day is also celebrated on Orville Wright’s birthday. http://www.famoushomeschoolers.net/bio_wrightbros.html

Also, don't forget Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell in honor of National Inventors Month! Thomas Edison invented the electric light bulb as well as many other things. Alexander Graham Bell is most famous for inventing the telephone, but he was also a teacher of deaf people.

Reading Between the Lines

Well, a new school year is right around the corner! This is a perfect time to think ahead about how to make the most of those back-to-school days--especially if you homeschool.

The beginning of a school year is an exciting time of opening new curriculum, planning your upcoming schedule, etc. You want this to be your best year ever, right? So while you’re at it, why not write a homeschool mission statement!

How to Write a Homeschool Mission Statement is an easy-to-follow step-by-step guide that explains in practical terms how to create, utilize, and display a homeschool mission statement. It includes: Examples, Discussion Questions, Worksheets, Keyword List, Scriptures, Quotations, Mottoes, Things to Do, and more!

Download your copy of How to Write a Homeschool Mission Statement, a 36-page e-book for only $4.95! (WAS $8.50)

OR get this e-book FREE in my "Back-to-Homeschool" set!

Wish you had the perfect quote (or quotes) to provide support for your family's homeschool mission? Well, look no further! Educational quotations can be a source of inspiration throughout your homeschool journey. Learning for Life: Educational Words of Wisdom is the only book of quotations compiled specifically with homeschoolers in mind. In fact, you will be pleased to know how many famous people from the past to the present agree with your educational philosophy!

Learning for Life is a 420-page treasury of nearly 3,000 quotations by more than 1,000 people on teaching, learning, and the pursuit of knowledge. The quotes are categorized by subject, covering both traditional and nontraditional forms of education. Many of these quotations are from Christian sources, harkening back to our schools’ Christian heritage and reflecting a strong biblical perspective.

For more information, please visit my Learning for Life page: http://www.knowledgehouse.info/learningforlife.html

Learning for Life is part of my "Back-to-Homeschool" sale!

Learning Links

Summer Movies (Wind down the summer and celebrate Family Fun month with some popcorn, lemonade, and one or more of these movies. Some of them have summer themes and others just evoke the feeling of a summer adventure.)

Meteors (The Perseid Meteor Shower peaks on August 12.)

Meteorites (How to recognize a meteorite.)

Lemonade (August 20 is Lemonade Day.)

Monarch Butterflies (The Monarch Butterfly's fall migration generally begins around August 21.)

National Parks (The National Park Service was established on August 25, 1916.)

I Have a Dream (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave this famous speech on August 28, 1963.)

Labor Day (Labor Day will be on September 3 this year.)

Freebie of the Month

Do you have a blog, particpate in forums, do online banking, place orders at e-commerce sites, and the like? It's a good idea to use a different password for every website, but that also makes it easy to forget what they are. And what if - heaven forbid! - something should happen to you... would your spouse know how to log into your account if needed? These lists will help: Passwords | E-mail Addresses

Print out the above pages to keep in a binder. Throughout the year, I will supply additional printable household lists in each issue of this newsletter. Want to print out a matching cover for that binder? Click here: Household Notebook Cover

(Requires Adobe Reader: click here for free download.)

Quote of the Month

“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” ~Thomas Edison

A Note From Teri...

One of my Homeschooling Teen columnists contacted me a few days ago with some sad news. She's been trying to find homes for two Ukrainian special-needs orphans. One of the little boys was going to be adopted but the adoption process fell through. These children don't have much time left. Please read McKennaugh's urgent appeal and then spread the word on Facebook, Twitter and other social networks. We want as many people to see this as possible. Thank you!

Download a flyer to print out and distribute at church or in your homeschool group: http://www.homeschoolingteen.com/images/AugustArticleForHomeschoolingTeen.pdf

“And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.” ~Matt.18:5

Happy Homeschooling!

P.S. Did you like this month's newsletter?