Shout out for Times Tales...

Well - we have struggled with math for this past year. We started out the school year with our 2nd year in Singapore math but after much struggling on my part to effectively teach my 3rd grader where she could understand the concepts she was doing...I ventured to find something else that could help us that would not require as many tears on EITHER of our parts. ;-) Thankfully my good friend Laura Hecht recommended we try Math U See...it has been a TREMENDOUS asset to our homeschool curriculum. By the time we got the curriculum we were a year behind on math. We have thankfully gotten caught up and my daughter is LOVING math. She's been struggling with learning her times tables so I did some research and found this "strange" but awesome program called "Times Tales" which uses a mnemonic systems of memorization...while the stories are a bit strange...it has been fun and now she's spouting off her times tables without any problems...I would highly recommend this curriculum for any student struggling with their times tables!


Check them out at www.timestales.com it'll be the best $35 you spend!!!

I love to...

More flashcards, word scramble, crosswords, and hangman at StudyStack.com

My Father's World...it is...

Ok - so I went with My Father's World yet again this next year. I got to praying about it and realized that they have SO much of the ground work already done for me...as much as I dislike all the reading that we do...I also LIKE all the reading that we do...MFW has opened me up to books I would have never had an interest in before.

Curricula, Curricula, Curricula...THAT is the question!!!

I'm on the search for Curriculum...in Kindergarten we used a variety of workbooks which was good but I felt there should be a bit "more" for my dear daughter. For 1st, 2nd & 3rd grade we've used My Father's World...

I thought that I'd take a step "out" of the box and throw together a "variety" of curriculum again for 4th grade...unfortunately, when I got to the Homeschool Expo...I freaked out and froze...urgh - I just don't know WHAT I should do.

I like the fact that My Father's World has done the research, planning and dialog for me but there's SO much that they sell in their packages that we don't end up using.

I am THRILLED to death with switching from Singapore to Math U See for our math so there's nothing I want to change about that.

In Language Arts I'm considering Bob Jones English 4 or Rod N Staff.

In Bible I have a couple of Bible Study work books that look good and fun.

In History & Science I'm considering Mystery of History, Apologia, SOS, My Father's World or Heart of Dakota...Lord help me PLEASE!!!

Got any thoughts for me??? Email me kritterblogdesigns(at)gmail(dot)com

St. Louis Homeschool Expo

Attention St. Louis area homeschooling families...tonight starts the St. Louis Homeschool Expo at Evangelical Free Church on Carmen Road. Get in FREE tonight and shop til you drop or come watch the Talent show. Tomorrow & Saturday pay $10 to attend many seminars or more shopping. Log on to www.stlhomeschoolexpo.com and come join the fun!

Spring Break???

To "Spring Break" or "NOT to Spring Break"...THAT is the question!!! Our district is off the 13th & 20th but Heather's homeschool group classes is also off on the 17th - In all honesty...I'd love to take the ENTIRE week off of "official" school (you never STOP learning!!! :-) But since we are FAR, FAR behind...(thank goodness we have 12 months to complete our school year! :-)...I guess we'll go ahead and do school this week...urgh - bummer - just talked my self "in to" and "out of" a Spring Break!!!

Hey Homeschoolers...

Is anyone else out there in Homeschool/bloggy land concerned about Obama's motives concerning school? urgh - HELP God!!!