Homeschool Showcase #21

Welcome to the April 20, 2009 edition of Homeschool Showcase, where we spotlight all the the encouraging, inspiring, hands-on, and just plain fun ways that homeschooling families live, learn and enjoy life together. I hope you'll enjoy the collection of posts that have been submitted this week and find some great ideas and tips you can use.

This week's featured post is an idea that may just revolutionize my personal library book policy. I've gotten pretty stingy with how many books I'll let the kids check out since I'm tired of them bringing home books that get forgotten and returned without being read, or, worse, returned late without being read. However, Amida has a fantastic -- not to mention aesthetically pleasing -- solution to what well may be a universal homeschool library book problem, saying, "Every homeschooler I know has at least a laundry basket worth of library books. We now have a drop off point to keep track of ours!" Visit Journey Into Unschooling to read Amida's solution in her post, The Home Library.

In her post, Eco Action, Mountaineer Country shares the many activities that her daughter did to earn her scouting Eco-Action Junior badge. Wow! Her daughter did a phenomenal job and learned a lot in the process. Be sure to visit Mountaineer Country to learn more about the project and pick up some tips that you can use in your homeschool. Personally, I love the nesting bag. I think my kids and I may try that one, along with some of the others.

Cindy, of Our Journey Westward, shares another of her kids' "project weeks," which are always impressive to me. This week, they put on a Chemistry Show to demonstrate what all they've learned this year. I challenge you to visit Cindy's blog and not be able to find a tip you can use. I know I always pick up a useful tidbit or two from her posts.

You're going to love Momma Snail's spring-themed Handmade Word Family Game! It's adorable...and much more fun than plain old word lists. Visit Momma Snail at The Snail's Trail for all the details.

Barbara shares her experiences with a kinesthetic son and the exercise ball that allows him to move while keeping him focused. I've read of lots of homeschool families seeing great success with the exercise balls. After reading "His Wonderous Ball" posted at Blue Skies, you may find yourself in the market for a new piece of exercise equipment.

Aliall shares her daughter's self-motivated creation of multi-seasonal head wear in her post A Hat for All Seasons posted at Fun out of the Box. You've gotta love those creative kid moments that come without any prompting from Mom.

Once again, Jolanthe of Homeschool Creations has created a fabulously creative craft with her kiddos. I love that it looks simple enough for the younger set to do mostly independently. Whether you're studying trains, learning the sound of the letter T, or just want a fun way to recycle all those empty toilet paper rolls, Jolanthe's Chugga Chugga Choo Choo craft is sure to be a hit.

Besides "algebra" and "physics," there are few words that strike fear in the hearts of homeschooling-through-high-school parents like the word, "SAT." Nate Desmond offers his review of a book designed to alleviate those fears and give parents and students the information and tools they need to prepare for the new SAT. If you have a student who will soon be taking the SAT or PSAT, be sure to check out Nate's Book Review: The New SAT posted at Debt-free Scholar.

Providing those fortunate enough to have a way cool iPhone with another academically useful app, Sarah Scrafford presents 50 iPhone Apps to Help You Learn a New Language posted at Online College Degree. Hey, you might as well be doing something useful while you wait at the doctor's office or in the grocery store line, right?

Since I've recently been convinced to give Facebook another chance, I guess I'll have to check out Erika Collin's list of 100 Awesome Facebook Apps for Productivity and Learning posted at Select Courses.

Spanish Kit presents Basic Conversation Skills - Spanish to English Translations posted at Learn Spanish Blog, saying, "When you're learning a new language, practicing conversations with other students - or better yet native speakers - is a great way to improve your fluency."

I think that's a very accurate statement. When I was taking sign language classes in college, I was unable to arrange time to practice with other students after class because I also worked full time. I could tell a huge difference in the speed with which they picked up on the signs and their fluency when compared with mine. Conversely, I still remember how much easier it all come to me when I began communicating with a friend's deaf sister. Of course, that was a few years after I'd given up the idea of earning a degree as a sign language interpreter.

That concludes this edition of Homeschool Showcase . Submit your blog article to the next edition, scheduled for May 4, using our carnival submission form. If you're new to the Homeschool Showcase, please read the carnival guidelines. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.