Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Door prize


Be sure to put your name in the fish bowl for a chance at this door prize, to be given away at our Stuff Sale. From Shirley's Pre-packaged Crafts, we have two boxes of goodies to give away, one for older kids and one for younger kids. They include 12 different seasonal activities. We'll be drawing names at 2 p.m. Everyone, including people entering names in the fishbowl after 2 p.m., will be entered into our database for Three Sisters' monthly newsletters.

The Stuff Sale now includes seven gals selling their used home learning materials with a lot of great stuff. A partial listing can now be found in our blog's sidebar. Take a look now.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

New Vendor Signed!

Julia's Attic Used Books will be at our Home Learning Resources Sale. Located in West Des Moines, she carries used curricula, books, and other educational material. You can see her inventory at her website to get a feel for what she may bring to the Sale.

Workshop Schedule

'WHO WE ARE'

Home Learning Resources Conference

Keynote 8:30 - 9:30 a.m.

"We are doing what is right for our children" -- Maureen Stone

Maureen draws on her years of experience, from the pioneering years of homeschooling in Iowa to the present day, to encourage you to educate your family at home, even when difficult situations arise.

VENDOR SESSION ~ 10:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.

Go Political! -- Katy Diltz, HAIL www.HAIL-iowa.org Room 1

Let your representatives and other elected officials know you homeschool. How to find out who your representatives are, approaching them about homeschooling, building a friendly relationship with them, and working to gain support for homeschooling in your community.

Teaching Multiple Ages with Success -- Sheryl Maxey, Usborne Books www.UsborneReaders.com Room 2

How can I do school with a toddler underfoot and a babe in arms? With 18 years of experience, Sheryl gives practical advice on successfully creating a home learning environment where everyone wins.

Latin and Greek in the Homeschool -- Peter Sipes, Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers www.bolchazy.com Room 3

To be announced

Beginners Workshop/Legal Options -- Mary Lynn Carvour, Room 4

You want to homeschool. Now what do you do? Mary Lynn, a certified teacher and veteran homeschool mom and consultant, shows you how to file paperwork and match your lifestyle to one of three legal options.

SESSION 1 ~ 11:00 - 11:45 a.m.

"We Teach Science on a Shoestring" -- Mary Lynn Carvour, Room 1

Excite your younger elementary students about health, chemistry, geology, and more in this practical workshop. All of Mary Lynn's ideas have been tested in the classroom and the home.

"We Are Taking College Classes" -- Maureen Stone, Room 2

High school students can take college classes during high school on the school district's tab by using the Post-Secondary Enrollment Option (PSEO). Maureen gives advice and history as the mom who brought this opportunity to the homeschool community.

"We are exploring Waldorf" -- Kristi Karima Burns www.DreamAngels.com Room 3

You've heard about the Waldorf philosophy, but exactly is it? Kristie explains how to bring Waldorf ideas into the home school.

SESSION 2 ~ 12:45 - 1:30 p.m.

"We Are Using Charlotte Mason Methods" -- Debi Zahn, Room 1

Step into a day in the life of Debi's family of twelve kids to see how Charlotte Mason methods help her teach her children in a natural, literature-based, kid-friendly style. See what a living book is, how nature study can be done, and what to do about grammar.

"We Are Unschooling" -- Amy Graber, Room 2

How in the world can unschooling work? Amy, mother of two, reveals how everyone can make unschooling work through detoxing, building a "curriculum" that includes math, reading and other subjects, complying with the law as an unschooler, and how to approach the assessment options as an unschooler.

"We Are Crafting Through History" -- Mary Lynn Carvour, Room 3

Easy ideas for every day emerge in this hands-on workshop. Younger and older children and their parents will benefit from Mary Lynn's enthusiasm.

SESSION 3 ~ 1:45 - 2:30 p.m.

"We Are Connecting" -- a circle discussion led by Cathy and/or Julia www.homelearningresources.com Rooms 1 and 2

If you have general questions or specific needs, you can ask here. Everyone will be safe, respected, and "there are no stupid questions!" Veteran and new homeschoolers attending the conference can answer questions about co-ops, support groups, curriculum needs, park days, field trips, and more. Make new friendships as the founders of Three Sister moderate this discussion.

KEYNOTE 2:45 - 3:45 p.m.

"We Are Looking to Our Future, Remembering Our Past" -- Ed Dickerson website here Rooms 1 and 2

Ed gives insight to the future of homeschooling in Iowa. As the current lobbyist for HAIL, he is keen to the pulse of the statehouse, and can lend historical information as to why our laws are the way they are -- how 0.6 funding for HSAP's was determined before 0.3 funding was chosen, why we have the portfolio, and much more.

Updated list for Stuff Sale

The LIST now includes the following. Prices revealed at the sale.

Saxon Math Algebra 2, third edition homeschool set (hardcover text, not the consumable text) + DIVE CD
Exploring Creation with General Science, plus the Solutions and Tests Manual, by Dr. Jay L. Wile
Science and Living in God's World, Gr. 6, w/ Tests and Answer Key
Easy Grammar, Gr. 4-5, Teacher's Manual, Answer Key, and Student's Reproducibles in one book.
Saxon Math 5/4, 2nd edition, Homeschool Kit w/ Tests and Solutions
MCP Level E Student's Book and Teacher's Book, never used
Set of 12 "Highlights Mathmania" workbooks, only slightly used
"Highlights Which Way USA" workbooks, set of 50 states, very slightly used
Power-Glide Children's Spanish w/ 2 sets of workbooks I, II, and III, Parents' Guide and set of 8 CD's. (Workbook I with some writing in it, II and III never used.)
Latina Christiana I and II Pronunciation CD's.
Famous Men of Rome, Roman History, Student and Teacher's Books
Veggie Tales videos and music CD's

EZ Grammar

1001 Ways to Explore Science and Nature

Math Wheel Addition/Subtraction Flash Cards

What Your Third Grader Needs to Know

Harcourt 6th Grade Grammar Practice Book - Teacher's Edition with reproducible student pages

complete set of “The Incredible World of Wally McDoogle” books

Hooked on Phonics

Bible on cassette

toy cash register with “How to Count Money” booklet

Dear America Video Cassettes

Judy Blume A Box of Fudge (box set of four books)

Easy Science Activity Journals (grades 3 – 6)

idea book for teaching hands-on math concepts to junior high kids

a lot of K - 1 books for science and math

Bob Books

Abeka readers


Friday, March 20, 2009

What I heard

Heads up for some brand new stuff at hand me down prices! I heard that speaker Mary Lynn Carvour will be applying for space at our Stuff Sale. She used to own a retail educational supply store in central Iowa's metro area. -- JULIA

Monday, March 16, 2009

New stuff to list for the Stuff Sale!

Exploring Creation with General Science, plus the Solutions and Tests Manual, by Dr. Jay L. Wile
Science and Living in God's World, Gr. 6, w/ Tests and Answer Key
Easy Grammar, Gr. 4-5, Teacher's Manual, Answer Key, and Student's Reproducibles in one book.
Saxon Math 5/4, 2nd edition, Homeschool Kit w/ Tests and Solutions
MCP Level E Student's Book and Teacher's Book, never used
Set of 12 "Highlights Mathmania" workbooks, only slightly used
"Highlights Which Way USA" workbooks, set of 50 states, very slightly used
Power-Glide Children's Spanish w/ 2 sets of workbooks I, II, and III, Parents' Guide and set of 8 CD's. (Workbook I with some writing in it, II and III never used.)
Latina Christiana I and II Pronunciation CD's.
Famous Men of Rome, Roman History, Student and Teacher's Books
Veggie Tales videos and music CD's

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

News bit

Just thought I would pop in here to clarify that Three Sisters is finding vendors for its Home Learning Resources Sale in West Des Moines only. We are not working other events in other cities or DM metro this year.

We feel that there is a large need for admission-free homeschool conferences and sales, and will continue to hold such events as a way to promote homeschooling in a friendly manner.