by Erica Johns | Apr 29, 2021 | Facebook Party
If you are looking for STEAM-themed science kits, you are going to want to check out RATATAZ!
This comprehensive science program has done all the sequencing for you in a way that integrates science concepts across disciplines, so information makes sense and becomes more memorable.
The RATATAZ focus is on teaching kids how to think and not what to think. They believe strongly in helping students develop critical thinking skills, and to foster the natural curiosity that kids have.
Every RATATAZ unit includes a reading, writing, and hands-on experiment section. They integrate reading and writing strategies into science education. One key focus is teaching students how to strategically use opened ended questions to gather more information, just like scientists do. These open-ended questions leaves plenty of room to explore concepts beyond the RATATAZ science kits. This is where real inquiry and exploration begins. It also comes with an NGSS outline guide, so you can easily identify what concepts have been covered in each unit.
Each subscription box comes complete with the supplies needed for each unit and requires very little setup and prep time.
These kits are designed for student-led activities and facilitation. This decreases parent workload while increasing student comprehension.
Follow RATATAZ on Facebook!
by Erica Johns | Apr 29, 2021 | Facebook Party, Uncategorized
If you are looking for some fun and engaging books, activity guides, and lapbooks for your children ages 6-11, you will want to check out Circle C Adventures! These Wild West themed novels offer exciting literature and language arts learning that your kids will love.
Free E-paper dolls! Six-year-old Andi Carter and her friend Riley, along with their animal friends from the Circle C ranch in 1874. Great for narrating the stories in the Circle C Beginnings series of first chapter books.
Click here to get your FREE paper dolls!
Special Offers! Circle C Adventures is offering an awesome “Library Special,” which is usually only offered at in-person vendor halls. This year you can get the same deal online. You can get all 35 of the Circle C and Goldtown books for only $190. The regular retail price of this collection is $268, so that’s a savings of $78! You even get free priority shipping for your new collection! Click here to check this deal out.
Coupon Code: Use code BUNDLE2021 to take an extra $10 off the already discounted year-long curriculum bundles. Click here to check those out.
Coupon code: Use code BOOKSETS2021 to get free shipping on the discounted book sets found here. Clickety-click!
by Erica Johns | Apr 29, 2021 | Facebook Party
Are you wondering how to teach about the racial conflicts going on now in America? This book could give you a good springboard for discussion, especially using the free discussion questions provided by the author, a veteran homeschooling mom.
You will want to check out a new novel called The Long Shadow by Phyllis Wheeler. This is an anti-racist time-travel tale for kids ages 12-14.
Fourteen-year-old Richie, from white suburbia, thinks it is a good idea to run away from his guardian – until he finds himself whisked back 50 years, fighting to survive a freak storm, and afraid to accept help from a black man.
“Part survival story, part exploration of racial justice in America, part journey of self-discovery, and wholly engaging and memorable. A well done and powerful story. It is certainly stuck in my head.”—Joe Corbett, school librarian, St. Louis
“A powerful message wrapped in a page-turner.” —Cherie Postill, author, speaker, and mentor for teens at the St. Louis Writers Guild
“Heartwarming and heartbreaking, Richie’s story is a shining example of how taking a chance on unlikely friendships is the best way to break down the barriers we build.” —Jill Williamson, award-winning author of the Blood of Kings trilogy
“Sometimes we need to escape our own time and place to walk a few miles in someone else’s shoes. Phyllis Wheeler’s The Long Shadow will open your eyes, rend your heart, and take you on an invaluable journey.” —Wayne Thomas Batson, bestselling author of The Door Within Trilogy.
Wheeler’s sensitivity reader, St. Louis writer LaShaunda Hoffman, finds that the black characters are portrayed with dignity: “It was a good history lesson without being offensive to anyone.”
Why did the author feel impelled to write this book? “I grew up in a variety of mostly white neighborhoods in various places,” says Wheeler. “I moved to highly segregated St. Louis. Then, soon after we married, my husband and I decided to buy a house in a black neighborhood. We lived there twenty years and raised our four children there. We had black neighbors who folded us into their lives, their community.”
Living in a black neighborhood is not something most white people have done. “I wrote this book, hoping to encourage more people of any color to reach out to get to know someone different,” says Wheeler.
Published by Elk Lake Publishing Inc., an award-winning Christian publisher. Find out more about the book here.
This book will be available starting June 1, 2021.
FREEBIE: You want to bring up booklovers, but you’re also wondering how you can pre-read all those books in the library. Phyllis and Sarah at Bringing Up Booklovers are here to help! Find their middle grade book reviews for homeschoolers on Youtube at Bringing Up Booklovers.
Today we have a special freebie for you: get their Top Ten list of middle grade books. Click here to go get yours. ($10 value)
P.S. There’s also ANOTHER freebie you can sign up for. It’s a short story that’s great for middle schoolers. Click here to go get yours.
by Erica Johns | May 12, 2019 | Facebook Party
Sarah Mackenzie is so passionate about the power of reading to your children that she started Read Loud Revival, as well as her book The Read-Aloud Family. In this book Sarah encourages parents to read to their kids, both as an investment in family connection, and a way to help them prepare for success later in life. Whether your kids are young, or can easily read on their own, you’ll find this book full of information and encouragement to help you along the way!
Teaching from Rest is Sarah’s message to mothers about how they can embark on the sometimes daunting task of home education in a way that is restful, while also excellent.
Giveaway is over. Winner is Bliss.
One winner will be chosen on May 23, 2019 to win a copy of both The Read-Aloud Family AND Teaching from Rest!
US Addresses only.
by Erica Johns | May 12, 2019 | Facebook Party
Anybody who has followed me for awhile probably knows that I’m a superfan of Julie Bogart and Brave Writer. Well, she has done yet another wonderful thing with her new book, (affiliate link) The Brave Learner. Although I’m coming down the end of the homeschooling road, I got the audio version on pre-order and enjoyed every single bit of it.
Why? In short, because it heartened me to know that there is a book like this, giving good, solid, wise, relatable, compassionate, and realistic advice to a new generation of parents.
Yes, it’s for homeschooling parents, but any parent will benefit from Julie’s warm, caring, and sage approach to life, love, and learning within a family. For your sake, for your children’s sake: Read it. Please.
I am very happy to say that Julie has agreed to send one lucky winner a copy of (referral link) The Brave Learner!
One winner will be chosen on May 23, 2019.
US Addresses only
Giveaway is now closed. Winner is Janna S.
by Erica Johns | May 12, 2019 | Facebook Party
Finally, an affordable, easy solution for all of your homeschool printing needs!
The Homeschool Printing Company makes it so simple to get all of those print jobs done without a hassle. You can send them your digital curriculum files, or any printing jobs at all, and they’ll do a wonderful job in record time, at a very low price. I use their services for curriculum, for all of our Printed Fine Art Pages collections, for invitations and party favors, for weddings, and more. I love working with them and you will, too.
Giveaway is now closed. Winners are Susanna, Tracy, Autumn, Heather, and Shannon.
One winner will be chosen to receive a $100 printing credit at The Homeschool Printing Company.
Four more winners will be chosen to each receive a $25 printing credit at The Homeschool Printing Company.
5 winners will be chosen on May 23, 2019
US addresses only
