D.I.V.E Math CD's for Your Homeschool Program

Each DIVE Math lesson is taught along with several practice problems per lesson. Lessons are short and interactive, which minimizes time spent staring at a computer screen.  Easily rewind, pause, and fast forward with the click of a mouse.  Easy access to previously taught lessons that have been forgotten. 

Free "Ask Dr. Shormann" email service.  Dr. David Shormann, instructor, has over 6000 hours of teaching experience in science and mathematics.  Dr. Shormann's Christian testimony is included on each CD, and several math lessons begin with an encouraging Bible verse.  ONLY $50 PER COURSE!!! 

Dr. Shormann's free guide gives step by step instructions on how to teach using his highly successful method.  If you are unsure which grade level is right, you can find a Saxon Math placement test at Saxon Homeschool.  DIVE is not affiliated with Saxon Publishers or Harcourt Achieve. 

Every lesson in Saxon 65 (3rd edition) is taught step-by-step on a digital whiteboard by Dr. Shormann, who has thousands of hours of experience teaching Saxon Math and Bob Jones Science. Students see and hear everything the instructor is writing and saying on a whiteboard on their computer screen. It is just like being in a real classroom, except there is no teacher in the way. Students learn by working practice problems that are similar, but not identical to the practice problems in the Saxon text. If students need more practice, they can work the problems in the text in addition to the DIVE problems explained on the CD. Easily re-wind, fast-forward, and pause with the click of a mouse. To view D.I.V.E. go here.

Homeschool Math Help

Homeschool Lessons from the Class - A New Way to Teach Math - The Magic Numbers
By Darren Michalczuk

There is a story, one of several stories, which actually changes how a student looks at math. Although is it an easy story to learn, it is very specific in design. It reaches auditory, kinesthetic and visual learners and includes mnemonic devices to make easy to remember. It can reach students that have struggled with math for years. It is actually more effective with younger students as it helps creates an understanding of math before bad habits like finger counting develop.

The story is simple: Your mother is chasing a spider around the house when she swings and accidentally breaks the window.

This story is one you can teach to a student anywhere such as in the car on your way to soccer practice, in the living room during a commercial or while taking a walk to the corner store. You can embellish the story and make it more personal, laughing about how much Mom freaks out about the spider. You can even have the student imagine the story in great detail, talking about how big the spider is and how loud it is when the window shatters. Although the core of the story can’t be changed, it is a story that will taught uniquely by each individual teacher who will add their own style and energy.

This story includes several mnemonic devices. Each image represents a specific part of a math fact, for example the number eight is represented by a spider which has a body that looks like and eight and eight legs. It includes personal connections (Mom), imagery (black spider), and actions (breaking window) which will make the story stick in both the short term and long term memory. It also uses tangible images like a golf club and a spider that can be remember more easily than abstract concepts. In short, it is a story that can be easily remembered.

The usual way for a student to learn eight times nine is to add nine together eight times. Not only is this time consuming, it is also boring. By nature this method creates confusion with other math facts as none are distinct from the others. It is easy to mix up seven times eight with six times nine. The traditional method of drill and practice takes many hours and often only reaches a few of the students in a class.

In contrast teaching math by using a vivid image of a memorable story will produce markedly different results. When asked what eight times nine is a student will recall the image for eight (a spider) and nine (golf) and the story that goes with them. They will easily remember that the house (the bigger image) represents seventy as the roof is shaped like a seven and the window (the smaller image) represents two. This connects all the numbers, making it easy to remember that eight times nine is seventy two. It will work for the reverse (division) just as easily. With less than twenty unique but specific stories to learn, learning the times tables can be a fun adventure.

With all due respect to the traditions that have been successful for many students, there is a way to reach those it hasn’t worked for.

Darren Michalczuk is the founder of the Brick School. He is an experienced classroom teacher who has developed many programs and resources for math, language and music. The Brick School offers quality educational posters, programs and worksheets online for elementary language arts, math and music. Materials are designed to promote effective learning strategies in an easy to understand, straight-forward format. They offer both practical solutions to learning problems and leading edge technology and techniques. It reaches both struggling students and those who need extra challenges in class.With the latest software and leading edge learning strategies, our materials are paving the way for learning. User-friendly porgrams give students instant feedback while they practice important basic skills. Lessons and study guides also include proven learning strategies and memories techniques. Please visit our website. [http://brickschool.ca] http://brickschool.ca/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?Homeschool-Lessons-from-the-Class--A-New-Way-to-Teach-Math---The-Magic-Numbers&id=600857

Free Informational Guide to Homeschooling

FREE GUIDE! Tammy Choleva has written this wonderful resource that we would love to share with you. If you would like to receive Walking the Narrow Path toward Freedom in Education: An Informational Guide to Homeschooling, you can sign up to receive it here - it's FREE! You will receive a download link by email shortly.

Cool Homeschool Science!

Ultra Cool Homeschool Chemistry Experiments By Aurora Lipper

Chemistry is an exciting subject for kids of any age, especially if you set up a natural discovery environment for them to safely explore in. Let's find out how to do this in your own home with your own kids. At the university, one of the first things you will learn about in your chemistry class is the difference between physical and chemical changes.

An example of a physical change happens when you change the shape of an object, like wadding up a piece of paper. If you light the paper wad on fire, you now have a chemical change. You are rearranging the atoms that used to be the molecules that made up the paper into other molecules, such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, ash, and so forth. There's an easy way to tell if you have a chemical change. If something changes color, gives off light (like the light sticks used around Halloween), or has heat absorbed (gets cold) or produces heat (gets warm). Some quick examples of physical...read full article here.
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Homeschool Art Contest!

The Blue Thistle Books art contest continues for your children ages 7-14. This contest will run through August 31st to allow time for your children to submit their artwork.

Rules: Any media will be accepted, however, if using oil or regular pastels, please scan and send your file as a .jpeg to prevent damage to the art work and my scanner!Rules: Please have your children draw or paint any subject they would like. The artwork must be submitted on 8 1/2 X 11 paper, of any type. Please send in a large envelope to prevent damage from bending. The submitted entries will not be returned, so if you want them back, please enclose return postage.

Please fill out and sign this form and send it with your child's artwork. This gives me permission for your child's information to be posted on our web site. We will only be using the child's first name, initial of their last name, their age and the state they reside in.

The winner will receive a $50.00 gift certificate and their art will be showcased on our front page throughout the month of October! Visit Art Contest for more information.