Eclectic Homeschool Online Newsletter, September 16, 2006
BevK September 19th, 2006
With this update, we’re introducing a site renovation. We’ve done a bunch of behind the scenes shifting about and updated our interface, so you the reader should have a more enjoyable experience at EHO. At this point all internal links should be working. I won’t say 100%, because that never seems to work out. We’ll be working on cleaning up our external links over the next few months. If you have comments, concerns, or find something that needs fixing, please let me know at editor@eho.org. We appreciate all input. Even telling us about typos.
Our focus for this update is creativity. What makes one person seemingly more creative than another? How can we foster creativity in our children?
Release the Creativity
According to Scripture, man was created in the image and likeness of God. (Genesis 1:26) This means that man, every one of us, whether we believe it or not, is designed by God as a creative being. If God created us in His likeness – or to be like Him – then we should walk in creativity just as we should walk in love or any of the other attributes that help us be “like” Him. I especially appreciate how Alice Bass expresses it in The Creative Life: “…each one of us has the nature of our Creator woven into our DNA. When you come to Jesus, you can expect redemption of your imagination and a continual flow of the expression of Christ through your creative life.”
http://eclectichomeschool.org/articles/article.asp?articleid=507&resourceid=141&topicid=18
Science Department
http://eclectichomeschool.org/department/department_manager.asp?deptid=7
Backyard Birding
Attracting birds to your backyard is as easy as putting up the right bird feeder with the type of seed that attracts the kind of birds you want to watch. From inspiration to information, this unit study resources article will provide you with the basics for starting your own backyard bird watching program.
http://eclectichomeschool.org/articles/article.asp?articleid=508&resourceid=108&topicid=4
Science Spot
Clues to ancient Mexico
A stone slab bearing 3,000-year-old writing previously unknown to scholars has been found in the Mexican State of Vera Cruz, and archaeologists said Thursday that it was an example of the oldest script ever discovered in the Western Hemisphere.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/09/14/news/stone.php
Focus – Creativity
Encouraging Creativity
Creativity has many forms. It includes the small child building castles in the sandbox, the young boy setting up toy soldiers in strategic positions on the family room floor, and the teenager putting together a power point presentation on the computer. All of this involves a creative mind and a child using his or her imagination.
http://eclectichomeschool.org/articles/article.asp?articleid=483&deptid=1&resourceid=38
Art, Creativity, & Invention
The more I research, experience and study in the field of education, the more I believe art education, when taught correctly is the most important catalyst for creative thinking and problem solving. Many of our greatest thinkers of all time were artists.
http://eclectichomeschool.org/articles/article.asp?articleid=69&deptid=11&resourceid=38
Gifts on a Shoestring: Creative Containers Part 1
Every year American households purchase consumable packaged products, which are emptied and thrown away. Rather than sending these to landfills, we can recycle these and make them into useful and practical gifts. With some paint or decorative paper, these can be transformed into charming gifts. Take a look at the potential gifts in your pantry or laundry room and try out one or more of these gift ideas.
http://eclectichomeschool.org/articles/article.asp?articleid=296&deptid=12&resourceid=133
Gifts on a Shoestring: Creative Containers Part 2
It amazes me the number of items my family discards. It always seems a shame to throw out containers that are reliable enough to see a product to market, if they can be used to make a useful household item or gift. Try these projects and see if you can fool your family and friends. They may never know you didn’t get it from the mall!
http://eclectichomeschool.org/articles/article.asp?articleid=309&deptid=12&resourceid=133
Drama Activities for Children
Children can begin developing their acting skills at home by using any of the following activities to sharpen their imaginations.
http://eclectichomeschool.org/articles/article.asp?articleid=163&deptid=11&resourceid=48
Reviews
* Creative Life, The: A Workbook for Unearthing the Christian Imagination
http://eclectichomeschool.org/reviews/individual_review2.asp?revid=410
* Challenging Projects for Creative Minds
http://eclectichomeschool.org/reviews/individual_review2.asp?revid=662
* Love to Write!: Activities to Sharpen Creative Writing Skills
http://eclectichomeschool.org/reviews/individual_review2.asp?revid=146
* Doing the Days: A Year’s Worth of Creative Journaling, Drawing, Listening, Reading, Thinking, Arts & Crafts Activities for Children Ages 8-12
http://eclectichomeschool.org/reviews/individual_review2.asp?revid=717
Resources
* The Successful Homeschool Family Handbook : A Creative and Stress-Free Approach to Homeschooling
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0785281754/eclectichomescho/
* Creative Home Schooling for Gifted Children: A Resource Guide
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0910707480/eclectichomescho/
* Creative Perspective for Artists and Illustrators
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0486273377/eclectichomescho/
New Reviews
http://eclectichomeschool.org/reviews/newreviews.asp
* Arthur (The Time Soldiers Series, Book 4)
* A Bombus Creativity Book
* A Companion CD to: Sebastian Bach: The Boy from Thuringia & Mozart: The Wonder Boy
* Dear Tooth Fairy
* Igniting Your Writing
* Igniting Your Writing II, Intermediate/Advanced
* Maisy, Charley, and the Wobbly Tooth
* Math Facts Addition 1-4 Lapbook (ebook)
* Patch (The Time Soldiers Series, Book 3)
* Rex (The Time Soldiers Series, Book 2)
* Rex 2 (The Time Soldiers Series, Book 2)
* Sebastian Bach: The Boy from Thuringia
* Sebastian Bach: The Boy from Thuringia Study Guide
* Writers Inc School to Work
* Xavier’s Music Hall: Treble (DVD)
EHO Resource Center
http://eclectichomeschool.org/store/
Our September Featured Resource
Home School Heroes: The Struggle & Triumph of Home Schooling in America
by Christopher Klicka
$10.19 – 32% Off
Home School Heroes: The Struggle & Triumph of Home Schooling in America covers the history of the modern homeschool movement, with many stories of God’s faithfulness to homeschool families fighting in court for the right to educate their children. It is a book that can be read by older kids and adults alike to give them an appreciation for all the sacrifices of homeschool families to win the freedom we enjoy today. Home School Heroes concludes with a call to readers to always remain vigilant and active in protecting our precious freedom to teach our children in God’s ways.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0805426000/eclectichomescho/
New Resources
http://eclectichomeschool.org/store/newbooks.asp
A Nest Full of Eggs
by Priscilla Belz Jenkins, Lizzy Rockwell (Illustrator)
This first look at robins follows a full year of growth and change: how the birds develop inside their egg during the spring, how they mature from chicks into fledglings in the summer, how they learn to fly in the fall, and how they leave for warmer climes in winter—only to return when spring comes around again.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0064451275/eclectichomescho/
The Audubon Backyard Birdwatcher: Birdfeeders and Bird Gardens
by Robert Burton, Stephen W. Kress
Discover how to create a backyard bird sanctuary with the expert guidance of the National Audubon Society. Your backyard will come alive by applying these feeding and gardening techniques. Includes a photographic guide to the birds of North America, as well as the trees and plants that attract them. The ultimate resource for anyone interested in creating a bird-friendly habitat.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1571451862/eclectichomescho/
Find more new resources about birds in the Eclectic Homeschool Resource Center
http://eclectichomeschool.org/store/topic.asp?subcatid=108&catid=10&subsubid=463
We’ve also added a new Electronics & Educational Tools section the Homeschool Resource Center. There are sections for binoculars, microscopes, and calculators.
http://eclectichomeschool.org/store/category.asp?catid=34
Microscopes
We have five Celestron microscopes available from a beginner scope for your younger children for just $64.95 to a high school level scope for just $108.83 and stereoscopes and an advanced biological scope. These are scopes commonly purchased by schools.
http://eclectichomeschool.org/store/subcategory.asp?subcatid=408&catid=34
Binoculars
We’ve focused on binoculars that will be inexpensive and easy to use for those with or without glasses. The Eagle Optics Energy Ocean 8×21 Binoculars would work best for those who want to hike with their binoculars. At $39.95, it’s a good price for a quality pair of binoculars. We’ve also stocked 8 x 25 and a 10 x 25 pairs that are highly recommended for bird watching. The Bushnell Falcon 10 x 50 is ideal for night sky watching.
http://eclectichomeschool.org/store/subcategory.asp?subcatid=406&catid=34
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