Quote from Forum Archives on August 7, 2001, 9:59 am

Posted by: homenews <homenews@...>

Dear Hope Chest friends,

I thought you might enjoy this home school newsletter by Leslie Schauer.
She hasn't been able to publish it for a long while, so it's a treat to
see it back again!

Crusader News - members.aol.com/usteach/

CRUSADER NEWS ONLINE
Fall 2001

In this issue:
Verse of the Month
New & Tidbits
Experiment of the Week
Words to Think On
Lick N Stick Glue Recipe
Curriculum Review
Recipes
Math from Josh Rappaport
Interview With a Homeschool Graduate
Dollar Stretcher
Quote of the Month
Website Reviews
Trading Post
Dating: Training for Infidelity
Did You Know
Homeschoolers Find Vindication in Contests
THE KING JAMES VERSION BIBLE BASEBALL GAME
Unit on the 7 Wonders
Contests & Scholarships
Humor in the Day
Teaching Helps by Kathryn Stout
CALL TO DEFEND HOMESCHOOLING

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hello!
Many of you have been wondering what happened to the newsletter and to
me!
Due to several family events the newsletter has been on hiatus for a year
now. We have gone through two layoffs for my husband this past year – one
in August 2000 and one in April 2001. We also have just added a new arrow
to our family with the birth of our new baby girl here in June! Please
welcome Brianna Rose, who was 9lbs 15ozs. As you can see, our family has
been a bit preoccupied!

Things haven’t slowed down but at least they are a bit more organized! I
am happy that I am able to return to put out this fall newsletter for you
all. As far as future issues are concerned, I do not want to promise a
schedule for the newsletter but rather on a “as I can” ability. I am
sure
that you all understand and I figured an occasional newsletter is better
then none at all.

IMPORTANT Newsletter Membership Info!
After using Listbot for over 3 years to send out the newsletter I am
forced to change over to another listing service. Listbot is ending their
free service here in the next few days. This will be the last newsletter
sent out with their service. My choice for another service was Onelist
(through yahoo groups), MSN communities or Cool list.. For just the
email
newsletter I choose cool list because it is very similar to listbot. I
also created a community at MSN for free chat capabilities, and the free
message board to post items for sale or wanted to buy. Archived
newsletters for the past year will be sitting at the MSN community.
(Which
will be helpful if you say, accidentally delete your newsletter!) To
continue to get the newsletter you will have to sign back up.

Please use this link to stay on the newsletter list:
homecrusaders.coollist.com/subscribe.html
Enter ‘HomeCrusaders’ and your email address to join.

Please use this link to access chat, msg. boards, and archived
newsletters.
communities.msn.com/HomeCrusaders/join

For those of you concerned about privacy, as always, all members
belonging
to the newsletter are protected, never shared and never sold.

In Him,
Leslie
-------------------------------------------------------
VERSE OF THE MONTH
=======================
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him,
so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13
--------------------------------------------------------
NEW & TIDBITS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Homeschool Day at Legoland, CA
www.lego.com/legoland/california/home.asp
They have 2 homeschool days scheduled for 2001
$15 for everyone, advance tickets required
call Legoland at (760) 918-KIDS for more information

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NASA Space Center Houston Homeschool Day
Houston, Texas
October 19, 2001
www.hern.org/~spacectr/homeschool.html

Special astronaut presentations, spacesuit demonstrations, educator
resources for homeschool teachers, IMAX films, and TRAM tours! Plus this
fall has a special focus of space spin-offs. Check out the website for
more details.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Leslie’s Field Trip Tip!
Want to go to a large museum, aquarium, zoo, or science center but you
can’t afford it? Call the place you are interested in going and ask if
they have a free day. When we visit grandma in Chicago we managed to see
everything for free by attending on all the free days! Many places also
have educator/teacher days where the admission is greatly reduced or free
as well. Write and tell me where you went, cost, free day, etc. so we can
share with all my readers!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Six Flags Home School Day
www.sixflags.com
August - September , 2001

Check for other homeschool days at a park close to you because the dates
are be different! Example: The St. Louis Park’s Homeschool Day is August
17 while Chicago is August 31! Join us for a private party with fun for
home schoolers. The park is closed to the public. No email reply on the
price but the group rate posted is $28 versus $39.99 for adults.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dollywood 4th Annual Home School Day at the Park
Friday, September 21, 2001
www.dollywood.com/Group_HSchool.htm

Join Home School Families for a Special Day of Fun & Education!
Enjoy 22 thrilling rides, 75 Master Craft Showcases, World Class
Attractions,40 Spectacular Shows & The New Tennessee Tornado Spiroloop
Coaster!

Special Craft Tours will be conducted Friday, September 21, 2001 just for
homeschool students and their families. The tour will end at our Eagle
Mountain Sanctuary where you will enjoy an educational and entertaining
Birds of Prey Show conducted by The American Eagle Foundation. Tour size
is limited and offered on a first-come, first-serve basis

Plus Just for Home School Day:
Exclusive Craft Workshops - Special Admission Pricing - Meal Values
Throughout the Park
Call Toll Free 1-888-428-6789
[email protected] or visit our
Web site www.dollywood.com to register online.
To adequately prepare for Home School Day, we ask that you register by
9/2/2001.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Colonial Williamsburg
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

I am very sad to inform everyone that they are no longer doing the
homeschoolers days. Since this really is such a great place to visit, I
am
including the contact info here in hopes that some of you may be able to
put together a group and get a discount. Perhaps a flood of emails asking
WHY the homeschoolers day was dropped would be in order?

Lodging is available at the Official Resort Hotels of Colonial
Williamsburg (see website for list and rates). To receive special rates,
please call 1-800-HISTORY and identify yourself as a participant in the
Educators program.

www.colonialwilliamsburg.org/
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Group Sales Department
P.O. Box 627
Williamsburg, VA 23187-0627
Phone: 1-800-228-8878
Fax: 1-757-220-7708
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The National Gallery of Art offers a catalogue of resources free for the
borrowing. These include videos, films, color slides, and teaching
packets--on art, of course! Video titles include goodies such as The
Christmas Story in Art, The Treasures of Tutankhamun, and Adventures in
Art. Films include In Search of Rembrandt and The Eye of Thomas
Jefferson.
Among the slide collection, you'll find topic categories such as Art
Surveys and Technical Aspects of Art. The 10 or so teaching packets
include Matisse in Morocco and The Inquiring Eye Series. All you pay for
is return postage. And, organizations that serve large numbers of viewers
may become 'affiliate distributors', whereby they may have materials for
an extended time--usually a year. Order a catalogue from Department of
Education Resources, Education Division, National Gallery of Art, 4th &
Constitution Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20565.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How is coal formed?
What are the three main kinds of coal? What careers are available in the
coal industry? Teachers and students can explore these questions and
others with the teacher's packet about coal from the American Coal
Foundation. You'll receive samples of peat, lignite, bituminous coal, and
anthracite coal; colorful posters; and booklets with activities about the
formation, exploration, extraction, and transportation of coal. For
grades K-6 or 6-12. Coal samples, lessons, and a fact sheet. TO ORDER:
Call (800) 325-8677; visit www.wgcn.com/acf.htm or e-mail your name,
school name, address, phone number, and grade you teach to
[email protected].

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Free US MAP
Now you can use the power of photography to meet national curriculum
standards. The Fujifilm Photopals: "Get The Picture: My WORLD" program
can
make it happen! You'll receive a U.S. wall map with ideas for weaving
photography into standards-based language arts, social studies, science,
and math lessons, and a discount coupon for a Fujifilm QuickSnap
one-time-use camera. Do the activities in your classroom or sign up to
get
paired with another class to share what you have learned. For grades 3-6.
Lessons using photography and other curricular subjects. TO ORDER: Call
(800) 817-2200 or visit www.scholastic.com/photopals

-------------------------------------------------------
Robert Krampf's Experiment of the Week!
www.krampf.com

This Week's Experiment - #162 Fluorescent Blues (and Yellows)

Hello from Rockford, Illinois. I have had a wonderful weekend of shows
at
the Discovery Center Museum (www.discoverycentermuseum.org) and
have two more days of school shows before heading south to the Lakeview
Museum in Peoria, IL (www.lakeview-museum.org) for 5 days of
electricity, lightning and fire shows.

This week's experiment is one that I have been playing with for quite
some
time. It is something that I first noticed when I was a child in school.
Way back then, we watched educational movies sometimes in class. There
were no VCRs or video tapes. Instead, the film was on big reels and fed
through a movie projector. When the movie was over, you would rewind the
film back onto the reel, and as the reels were spinning quickly, you
could
see bands of yellow and blue light, like the spokes of a wheel on the
reels. Since then, I have found several other ways to see these blue and
yellow bands. For this demonstration, you will need:

a fluorescent light
aluminum foil

Tear off a piece of foil about 3 inches wide and as long as the roll of
foil is wide. Fold this strip in half, with the shiny side out, so that
it is 1.5 inches wide. Then fold it in half again, and again, so that
you
have a long, thin wand of foil. Place it on a hard surface and rub your
finger over it to make if very smooth and shiny.

Hold the foil wand about a foot or more under the fluorescent bulb.
Swing
the wand back and forth very quickly, watching carefully. You should see
bands of yellow and blue light reflecting on the foil. Not all
fluorescent bulbs will do this, but most do. If the one you are trying
does not work, try a different one.

Why do you see the bands of color? It has to do with the way a
fluorescent light works. Most fluorescent bulbs have had the air inside
removed and replaced by a small amount of mercury vapor and argon gas.
These gases are at very low pressure. The inside of the glass tube is
coated with a white powder, called the phosphor.

When you turn on the light, a burst of electricity causes the gas mixture
to give off blue and ultraviolet light. Your eye cannot see the
ultraviolet light, but when it hits the phosphor powder, the powder glows
brightly. If the electricity was constant, you would not see the bands
of
color, but the electric current is alternating current. The electricity
flows one way, stops, flows the other direction, stops and then back in
the original direction again. The electricity in your house alternates
back and forth 60 times each second. (50 times per second for some
countries.) While the electricity is flowing, you see mostly the blue
light from the argon gas. When the electricity stops, you see the
residual glow from the phosphor powder, which is yellow. The colors
change
so quickly that your eye combines the two colors. If you mix blue and
yellow paint, you get green. If you mix yellow and blue light, you get
white. Yes, that is not a typo. White. Just like the white light you
see from the fluorescent light bulb.

****************************************
Get volume 1 of the Experiment of the Week postings in book form! To
order, send $9.95, plus $3.00 postage and handling to:

Robert Krampf
5 Willard Dr., Suite 610
St. Augustine, FL 32086

If you would like to be on the free email list, just send me an e-mail at
[email protected], asking to be added to the Experiment of the Week List.

-------------------------------------------------------
Words to Think On
@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Never buy a coffee table you can't put your feet on.

Believe in miracles, but don't depend on them.

Don't forget that we are ultimately judged by what we give, not by what
we get.

When you hear a kind word spoken about a friend, tell him/her so.

Don't work for recognition, but do work worthy of recognition.

Start the standing ovation at the end of school plays.

When someone lets you down, don't give up on him.

Ask yourself if what you're doing today is getting you closer to where
you
want to be tomorrow.

Remember that nothing important was ever achieved without someone's
taking
a chance.

When a friend is in need, help him without his having to ask.

When someone gives you something, never say, "You shouldn't have."

Remember that cruel words deeply hurt.

Remember that loving words quickly heal.

Frame anything your child brings home on his first day of school.

Seek respect rather than popularity.
Seek quality rather than luxury.
Seek refinement rather than fashion.

Never be too busy to meet someone new.

Remember that when your mom says, "You'll regret it," you probably will.

Never let the odds keep you from pursuing what you know in your heart you
were meant to do.

To help your children turn out well, spend twice as much time with them
and half as much money.

Remember that life's most treasured moments often come unannounced.

When you see someone sitting alone on a bench, make it a point to speak
to
her.

Be willing to accept a temporary inconvenience for a permanent
improvement.

Protect your enthusiasm from the negativity of others.

Remember, it's not your job to get people to like you; it's your job to
like people.

Rebuild a broken relationship.

-------------------------------------------------------
Lick N Stick Glue
The standard recipe for lick-and-stick glue is 2 parts white school glue
to 1 part white vinegar. Mix well, brush it on the paper and let dry.
Also, you can add some peppermint extract to make it taste better.

I also found a different recipe at Frugal Moms
<www.frugal-moms.com/kids/artsupplies.shtml>

-------------------------------------------------------
New Curriculum REVIEW:
Not me this time. This review by Josh Rappaport, our math expert!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
THE GROUNDWORKS SERIES
by Creative Publications

You know how it is when you find something so great that you just have to
recommend it to your friends? Well, you all being my mathematically
curious friends, I have something I just have to share.

As you all know, I have for a long time been talking to all of you about
my feeling that children should start developing algebraic thinking long
before they have to take formal algebra in eighth or ninth grade I've
pointed to studies that demonstrate the need for this, and I've applauded
the new standards of the National Council of Mathematics that promote
algebra as a strand of the curriculum from kindergarten through 12th
grade.

But until now, I've seen very little that actually does promote algebraic
thinking for younger students. That is, until now, until I found out
about
an innovative program from Creative Publications, a company that creates
such great products you all should check them out in any case!

What Creative Publications has done for algebra is truly wonderful. They
have put out a series of workbooks that promote algebraic thinking in a
host of creative and fun ways - and the best thing is that the series
covers the all the grades from first grade through seventh grade. (If you
have kindergartners, don't fret; I've done the 1st grade workbook with
many kindergartners, and there's usually a lot they can understand in
it).

The series is called Groundworks, and you can learn more about it by
visiting: www.creativepublications.com (While you're there, make
sure you request a free catalog to find out about all the cool products
the CP has to offer).

But let me give you just a little taste of what you'll find in the
Groundwords series.

Each workbook has many sets of problems that cover some of the key
aspects
of algebra.
the aspects covered are:
representation
proportional reasoning
balance
variable
function
inductive and deductive reasoning

For each of these aspects, the workbooks provide between two and four
sets
of problems that allow children to explore the big idea through problems
and puzzles.

The text is written at an age-appropriate level, and the problems are
challenging and fun.

I use the workbooks with children I tutor, and I have never heard any
child complain about doing the work.

Let me give you a few examples of the kinds of problems you'll find in
the
workbooks.

Representation:
Children look at charts and graphs and answer questions about the
information displayed. Also, children see a set of pictures of a nearly
identical looking woman, and they have to work through a series of clues
to figure out who is the real "Mrs. Millimop."

Proportional Reasoning:
Children look at different store offerings and have to figure out which
of
the two is the better deal.

Balance:
Children look at an out-of-balance scale with various weights hung upon
it, and they have to figure out where to hang a weight to make the scale
balance. This is a great activity to do with a real balance scale, too.
You can find such math balance scales in many educational catalogs. I
myself use the "EquaBeam" Balance, which I got through ETA. More
information on how you can get such a scale in this issue's
"Quick-and-Easy Lesson Plan" below. (SEE Math from Josh later in the
newsletter)

Variable:
Children do a host of problems in which they solve for the missing
number.
The missing numbers are in shapes like squares, triangles and circles,
and
same shapes always stand for the same number. In this way, Groundworks
gets young children solving systems of two equations with two variables,
only kids would never guess they're doing anything that sounds so
daunting.

Function:
Children see functions as machines that have an input ledge and an output
ledge. They see examples of something going in as an input, and they see
something coming out as the output. Based on those examples, they have to
figure out what the function machine does, and then they need to figure
out outputs when given inputs, and inputs when given outuputs. Lots of
creativity in these sections.

Inductive and Deductive Reasoning:
Here children look at patterns of shapes which grows according to some
pattern. One example is that of a train that keeps adding more cars. Then
they try to figure out the pattern and predict, for example, how many
wheels the train will have when it has 10 cars.

The Groundworks books are a series of worksheets, and all answers are
provided, along with descriptions of how different children might arrive
at the answers.

The only thing I wish Creative Publications had added were some algebraic
activities in which children can get up and move around and do math in a
more active way. Perhaps they'll do something like that in a future
product.

Note that Creative Publications does not sell in stores, so to get their
products,
you have to order by phone, email or by mail using their catalog order
form.

Here's how you can contact them to get the information:

By phone: 800/624.0822 or 708/385.0110

By fax: 800/624.08212 or 708/385.9550

Website: www.creativepublications.com

If you do order, you might tell them that you were referred by the
AlgebraWizard.

My rating system:
xxxxx = must have
xxxx = fine product
xxx = of some benefit
xx = probably not worth the money
x = don't buy

Groundworks gets a five x rating.

Way to go, CP, and thanks for providing
all math educators with such a great product.

----------------------------------------------
FALL RECIPES
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Honey Peanutbutter Cookies

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup Honey
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1 beaten egg
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix shortening, honey, brown sugar, peanut butter, and egg together well.
Sift all dry ingredients together, and stir into peanut butter-honey
mixture. Chill dough several hours. Roll into walnut-size balls, and
place
three inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Flatten and crisscross
with a fork dipped in sugar. Bake until set, for 10-12 minutes, at 375°.
Makes sixty two-inch cookies.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Honey Peanut Butter Pie

1/3 cup margarine, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup Honey
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 egg yolks
6 Tablespoons flour
pinch of salt
2 cups milk
1 cup peanut butter
8-inch graham cracker crust (may substitute Oreo cookies for graham
crackers)

Cream margarine, sugar and honey. Add vanilla and mix well with wire
whip.
Stir in egg yolks, flour and salt. Add milk and stir well again.
Microwave
on high for 5 to 6 minutes. Be sure to mix with a wire whip every couple
of minutes. Add peanut butter about halfway through cooking time (when
mixture is hot) mixing in well. Mixture should be pudding consistency
when
finished cooking. (May need to microwave 2 or 3 minutes longer.) Spread
into small size graham cracker crust and chill. To dress it up, add
dallops of Cool Whip, sprinkle with chopped peanuts and drizzle
chocolate.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How to Substitute Honey in Your Recipe.....

*Replace up to one half of the granulated sugar called for in any recipe
with honey. With a little experimenting, honey can replace all the sugar
in some recipes.

*Reduce the liquid called for in the recipe by 1/4 cup for each cup of
honey used.

*Add 1/4 to 3/4 teaspoon baking soda for each cup of honey used in baking
goods. Reduce oven temperature by 25degrees to prevent over-browning when
honey is added.

-------------------------------------------------------
Math from Josh Rappaport
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
www.mathkits.com
QUICK-AND-EASY LESSON PLAN # 29

In this issue, I'd like to present some fun and hands-on lesson ideas
that
you can use in one of the first days of your algebra class. It's a great
opener for algebra.

To present this lesson most effectively, I suggest that you get a
physical number balance for math, like the one suggested you get in my
review of Groundworks. (SEE Josh’s Review earlier in the newsletter.)

Some sources for these balances are:
ETA/Cuisenaire: 800/445.5985.
They sell the "EquaBeam" and another balance
called the Math Balance.

Delta Education: 800/442.5444
They also sell the Math Balance.

These products cost about $30.

These balances have two arms and a fulcrum, and each arm has a series of
numbers starting with 1 next to the fulcrum and going out to 10 as you go
further and further away from the fulcrum. At each number there is a peg,
and one each peg you can hang any number of weights. Each weight weighs
the same. Note that at each number there are actually two pegs: one in
the
front and one in the back. I find this useful when teaching the idea of
subtraction in equations, as you'll see below.

Here's how the mathematics of the scale works. When you put a weight on,
say the 2 peg on the left, that weight has a value of 2 because it is two
units away from the fulcrum. Consequently the scale will tip to the
left.
In order to make the scale balance, you need to put a value of 2 on the
other side. You can, of course, do this by putting one weight on the 2
peg
on the right. But you could also do it by putting two weights on the 1
peg
on the right.

To give a more complicated example:
left side has one weight on the 2, and two weights on the 4. That gives a
sum of 10, since (1x2) + (2x4) = 10.

If you put one weight on the right side at 10, then the balance balances.
Or you could put two weights on the 5 on the right side, and the scale
will still balance since 2 x 5 = 10. You can see that you can get as
creative as you'd like to get 10 on the right side: six on 1, and two on
2
would also give you 10.

Now the way I use this scale is to introduce the idea of solving
equations. I do this in a number of ways, and I'll describe a few here to
get you going. As you come up with some neat techniques of your own, feel
free to pass them along, and perhaps I'll share them
in an upcoming issue.

#1: To start out, I'll write down an equation like 5 + x = 7. Then I'll
ask the child if he can set this up on the scale. With a little help,
they
usually see that they put one weight on the 5 on the left side, and one
weight on the 7 on the right, and they see that their challenge is to
find
out where they need to hang one weight - for the x whose value they need
to find- on the left side, in order to make the scale balance. It usually
doesn't take long till they realize they hang the one weight on the 2.
It's always a good idea to give children a bunch of practice problems to
reinforce a concept before going on to the next level.

#2: Next I give them an equation like
2 + 3x = 17.
First they set up the 2 and the 17 (the 17 by hanging one on the 10 and
one on the 7 - or some other combination, like a 9 and an 8).

In this problem they need to realize that 3x means that they have to hang
three weights on the same peg on the left side, and find out where these
three weights go in order to make the scale balance. Sometimes children
use trial and error when presented with this kind of problem, but in any
case, after they figure it out, you can ask them why putting the three
weights on the 5 will make it balance. Usually they'll tell you that 5 +
5
+ 5 = 15, and 2 more makes 17, and that's why it balances. Then give
children a bunch of practice problems at this level.

#3: Next I often introduce the idea of subtracting in equations. To
introduce this idea, I first hang one on the left 7 and one on the right
7, and children see that of course it balances. Then I hang on on the
back
peg of the right 3, and of course, the scale tips down to the right. I
ask
children why, and usually they say, "Because you have more on the right
than on the left."

I ask if hanging the weight on the front or back peg makes any
difference,
and let them test this out by hanging one on the front 3 on the left
side.
When they see that it makes no difference, I use the language of "power"
to describe what's happening. I explain that when we put the weight on
the
back of the 3 on the right side, we could view it as adding power to the
right side. Then I say that we could also view doing this as taking power
away from the left side. Usually children have no problem seeing it both
ways.

I then introduce the notion that if we want to subtract a number from the
left side, we'll show it by hanging a peg on the back of the right side.
Then I put up an equation like 2x - 3 = 9, and I ask if anyone would like
to represent this on the scale. With a little help kids can figure out
that they put one on the front peg of the 9 on the right, one on the back
peg of the 3 on the right, and that their job is to figure out on which
peg to hang two weights on the left side to make the scale balance.

Now here's the nice thing: with the visual model of the scale right in
front of them, children can usually see very quickly that the right side
adds up to 12, and so they need to make 12 on the left side too. Since
they need to put two weights on the same peg, they must put them on the
6.

This is what I love about using the scale. It gives a visual and dynamic
model of equations. Children get engrossed in figuring out the puzzles,
and they actually ask me if we can "play with the scale." In doing so,
they are learning algebraic thinking.

#4: Before I sign off on this lesson, I want to give one last example of
something you can do with this kind of scale. I give children a problem
like: 2x + 3 = x + 7

They set up one 3 on the left and one 7 on the right. As they watch the
balance tip to the right, they realize they must figure out on what
number peg they need to hang two weights on the right and one on the left
to get the scale to balance. Most children I've worked with must use
trial
and error to get the answer, but a few have surprised me and figured it
out mentally.

In any case, when they see that they must hang two on the 4 of the
left,and one on the 4 on the right, I always ask children to explain
either their reasoning (if they got it mentally) or why it works (if they
got it by trial and error).

After doing a bunch more problems like this, children start to develop
the
ability to solve such problems mentally.

So if you want to have some fun on those difficult first days of school -
or if you just want a fun way to introduce the idea of solving equations
to your children, I can think of no better way than a math balance. Try
it
and see for yourself.

For information about the Algebra Survival Guide,
now the recipient of an honor from the Parents' Choice
Foundation, go to: www.algebrawizard.com

You can now download two chapters of the book
for free to check it out. The page for downloading
the chapters is: www.algebrawizard.com/sample.html

-------------------------------------------------------
Interview With a Homeschool Graduate
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Are you a recent homeschool graduate? Our readers want to hear from you!
I
will make you famous! (Okay, how about a little famous? hehehe) Please
drop me a note and I will send you out the email interview! Thanks for
your time in advance! Leslie, [email protected]

1) Please share your name, city/state, how long were you homeschooled and
how old are you now?
I am now a 19 year old male. My name is Jesse Heinsen, I was
homeschooled
for 6 years and I graduated at the age of 18.

2) What type of curriculum did you use in high school and why did you get
a GED versus a HS diploma?
I used a variety of curriculum including ACE, Bob Jones, A Beka, and
local co-op classes. I got a High School diploma with Home School Legal
Defense.

3) Name the top 3 things that you most enjoyed about being homeschooled:
1# The ability to have a job and work any hours they needed. 2# More
freedom with my class choices. 3#The ability to adjust my school schedule
to fit in extracurricular activity.

4) Name things that you wish you had or hadn't done during your high
school years in relation to homeschooling? :I wish I had started taking
co-op courses earlier, and more of them.

5) How and when did you apply to college and what is your major?
I applied to college by sending in an application like anyone else. I
applied during the 1st quarter of the year prior to the year I wanted to
attend. I will be a premed and Bible major after I complete the year at
Bible School I am currently in.

6) Did you take any standard achievement tests such as the ACT, SAT,
etc.?
Yes, I took the ACT

7) What advice would you give to a new homeschooler who is older, i.e.
starting to homeschool in their teens to adjust to homeschooling?

Find a good Home school group in your area, and participate in their
activities. Get a part time job, it is a great advantage, as a lot of
colleges look for well-rounded individuals, and not academics alone. Do
some volunteer work, libraries, schools and hospitals are always looking
for volunteers.

8) What advice would you give to the parent for the above scenario in
question #7 who is bringing home a high school aged kid to homeschool?
Make sure it is the best choice for the teen to be going into
homeschooling that late, it may not sound great to other homeschoolers,
but it is not for everyone. Try to find other parents to help and to
learn
from. Make sure that the teen has friends, and that they do things
together.

9) What can you share with other homeschooled teens regarding testing,
college admittance, doing college work etc.? Some of the best things you
can do are taking the PSAT and PACT. They help give you an idea of what
you will be up against. Most of the colleges that I looked at required
these tests. As to doing the work, I found college a much more structured
environment, and that most Homeschoolers have to be ready for a definite
shock, at least at first.

10) Please share with us what you consider to be excellent resources for
preparing yourself for college and working?
The book of Proverbs is a definite plus. A short-term missions trip is
good to help give something of a greater idea of how large our world is.

11) Do you have siblings and did/do you help your mom with their studies
now that you are older?
I have 3 younger brothers and 1 younger sister and I helped out whenever
I
could with their work.

During my last couple of years in High School I tutored a Junior higher
in
math and helped sign language translate for a local preschool. These
helped give extra variety to life experience.

-------------------------------------------------------
D O L L A R S T R E T C H E R
””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””
www.stretcher.com
Hello to all my Frugal Friends!

This week's Dollar Stretcher column looks at which debt should be paid
off
first. The article runs 906 words and is called "Pay Me First". .It's one
of the most common questions I get so I hope your readers find it
helpful.
All the Best!

Pay Me First
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman

I have a 30 year loan on my townhouse with 7% interest. I paid $75,500
and three years later I owe $73,000. My only other debt is a 6 year new
car loan with 12.6% interest. I paid 23,770 and have not made my first
payment yet.

If I have extra money each month to pay towards one of these debts, say
$400, which one should it go to? Things to factor in: property values
seem to have dropped the value of my house by about $10,000. I might live
there forever but I might sell it in a couple of years even if I take a
loss. What is the best thing for me to do and how much money would it
save? I tried to calculate everything but ended up over my head with
numbers. I am only 27 and have money currently going into retirement and
investments. I want to get all of my debt paid off. Thank You!!
Christine K.

Christine asks a good question. When there's some extra money at the end
of the month, which debt should be paid off first. When you start to
factor in home prices and possible moves, it can be confusing.

There's probably no one universal 'right' answer. With this type of
question you can always come up with some unlikely situation that would
favor one answer over another. We'll deal with the possibilities that are

most likely to occur.

Let's take a look at the home mortgage. With a 30 year, 7% mortgage,
Christine will be paying off between $60 and $70 principal each month. As
time goes on the interest payment drops and the amount applied to
principal increases a little. With 27 years to go on the mortgage she
won't have a mortgage burning party until 2028. And she would have paid
over $105,000 in interest over the whole life of the loan. So she'll make
$180,000 in payments to pay for her $75,000 home.

What happens if she puts that $400 each month towards the mortgage.
She'll
have the mortgage paid off much sooner. In fact, it will only take ten
years to have her home free and clear. And she'll reduce her interest
expense to only $28,000. A significant difference.

Next, let's look at the car loan. As Christine said, it's a 6 year loan.
Payments should be about $475 each month. Of that, about $225 is going to
principal now. And, just like the home mortgage, each month a little more
of her payment goes to reduce the loan balance.

If she doesn't prepay the loan she'll pay a total of $10,000 in interest.
So the car will actually cost her a little less than $34,000. If
Christine
adds $400 to each car payment, she'll have the loan paid off in less than
3 years and reduce the amount of interest paid to $4,400.

So which is the better deal? Under most common circumstances she'll come
out ahead by paying off the loan with the highest interest rate first.
How
do we know? Let's create a test. We'll see what Christine's debts will
look like in two years under each strategy.

Begin with a scenario where she doesn't prepay anything. In two years
she'll still owe $17,730 on her car and $73,910 on her home. Or a total
of
$91,640 in debts.

Now, let's suppose she used the $400 each month to prepay her mortgage.
In
that case two years from now she still owe $17,730 on her car. But her
mortgage balance would be reduced to $63,638. So the total owed would be
$81,368.

OK, so what happens if she applies the extra $400 to her car note? Then
she'd still owe $73,910 on her home, but her auto loan would show a
balance of $6,877 for a total debt of $80,787.

So she's $581 ahead by putting the extra money on her car loan. The
longer
she does that the bigger the difference.

There's one other advantage to paying off the car loan first. If she
doesn't prepay it she'll almost certainly be 'upside down' in the car for
years to come. So if she needed to sell it in a couple of years she'd
actually have to pay to get someone to take over her payments.

What happens if Christine sells her home in a couple of years? Or if it's
value decreases? Most likely, nothing. The only time she would have a
problem is if she wanted to sell the home and it's value was less than
the
balance of her mortgage. And while that's possible, it's not too
probable.
Especially if her down payment was 10% or more.

But doesn't she lose the advantage of prepaying if she sells? No. When
she
sells her home she'll have to pay off the mortgage. So any prepayments
that reduce the balance of the mortgage will increase the size of the
check she would get when she sells. So she wouldn't lose anything.

One warning for Christine or anyone else making principal repayments.
Make
sure that any prepayment is applied to principal. Some lenders have a
nasty tendency of applying extra money to your next month's payment. And
that will drastically reduce the effectiveness of any prepayment.

A final comment. The same process could be used if Christine had credit
card debts. Barring really unusual circumstances, it's always best to pay
off the highest interest debt first.
______
Gary Foreman has worked as a Certified Financial Planner and currently
edits The Dollar Stretcher newsletter.

-------------------------------------------------------
Quote of the Month

Albert Einstein said "There are only two things that are infinite, the
universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the universe."

-------------------------------------------------------
Website Reviews
***************

National Geographic Lesson Plans
www.nationalgeographic.com/education/
Cable in the Classroom link
www.nationalgeographic.com/tv/channel/cic.html
Take advantage of student-centered programming and an innovative
Teacher's Guide. Enhanced with educational segments, a
commercial-free edition of National Geographic This Week airs
Sundays at 9 a.m. ET on the new U.S. National Geographic Channel.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A&E Biography Teacher Guides
www.aande.com/class/bioproject/study_guides.html
Go here to find the complete listing that they have.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
www.KnowledgeRush.com
Supplies post-copyright text to the public. All content on the site is
free. In addition, we offer a dictionary, author profiles, author photos,
and an easy-to-read HTML format and text as well. We have over 400
authors
and almost 3000 books online. In the near future, we will accept
self-published material.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gas Price Watch
www.gaspricewatch.com/USGas_index.asp
Find the best price for gas close to your home! Just enter a zip code and
state how far away you want to search, i.e. 5 miles, then it will pull up
the list of gas stations and the price!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Flags of the World - Grades 4-12
www.earthpage.com/fotw/flags/
For younger students, this site has flags for just about any place you
can
imagine, along with an alphabetical index that's fairly easy to use. For
older students, there are extensive notes on the history and evolution of
many of the flags shown, along with discussion on how they should and
should not be used. This is a great place if you need a flag!

----------------------------------------------
TRADING POST
@@@@@@@@@@@@
This is the last trading post until the fall. If you will be having books
to sell or are looking for curriculum, please visit the Home Crusader
Trading Post message board. Also see previous issue where I listed all
the
used book sites and boards. Happy Shopping.

***FOR SALE***

BJU English 9 TE
In 3 ring binder - no pages missing...
Full price is $29.95, asking $21 ppd

ABeka 8th grade Grammar & Composition II Teacher's Manual
This is the 1992 edition and is in good condition.
Retails for $17.45 and I am asking for $12 ppd

ABeka 7th Grade Science TE
Order & Reality
Retails for $25.10 asking $20 ppd

If you are interested in any above, please write me directly.
Thanks
[email protected]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
***WANTED TO BUY***
nothing posted….
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

END of Trading Post

----------------------------------------------
Dating: Training for Infidelity
By Mike Farris
homeschool.crosswalk.com

There is one societal problem, which is largely unrecognized, but I
believe it is the most significant cause of divorce these days. This
problem is early dating. The whole concept of dating as well as the
environment and habits it creates, are habits of heart and mind which
lead to marital dissatisfaction, infidelity, and ultimately divorce. The
'wonderful world of dating' creates the atmosphere and expectations of
boy-girl relationships far earlier than is appropriate.

The purpose of a romantic relationship between a man and a woman is to
provide one of the key elements of a joyful marriage. It is simply absurd
for boys and girls to be involved in romantic relationships years,
sometimes more than a decade, before they will be ready to be married.

If a young person starts 'falling in love' at 13 or 14 years old,
emotional commitments are made and inevitably broken. Pieces of one's
heart are given away. After a while, emotional entanglements lead to
physical activities. So-called minor activities are first. The activities
get more and more intimate as the months and years drag on. After one
has
been a part of the dating scene for three, four, or five years, the
natural physical response to romantic love -sexual intercourse - is
tantamount to inevitable.

The Jocelyn Elders 'condom lobby' argues that all kids are having sex,
it's unavoidable, so let's just give them condoms. Most Christian
conservatives argue that full sexual intimacy is not inevitable between
unmarried teens. Conservatives assert that we should set high standards
for physical purity (which is usually defined as no sexual intercourse
before marriage) and we should expect our children to live up to this
standard.

Don't get me wrong. I am all for this standard of purity (and a
whole
lot higher standard as well). But I think there is a certain element of
truth in Jocelyn Elder's cynical and evil arguments. If we allow our
children to be involved in a series of emotional relationships, if we
permit a certain degree of physical relationships long before they are in
the season of life where they are ready to be married, what can we expect
but broken marriages when these children become adults? Early physical
relationships are the underlying reason that society has gone in this
direction.

It's this simple. If you want to have your kids involved in pre
marital sex, let them get involved in emotional romance well before they
are ready to be married. Sex follows love. Premature, immature
romantic love leads to premature, illicit sex. If you want to encourage
your children (sons as well as daughters) to walk the aisle of their
wedding as a virgin, then help them develop the commitment that they will
await until the season of life when they are prepared for marriage,
before
they will even begin to investigate a romantic relationship.

Compilations ©2000 Crosswalk.com, Inc. and authors. Permission granted to
forward/repost without charge, if left unmodified and in its entirety,
from this line and above. Thanks!
----------------------------------------------
Did You Know. . .

If Earth were the size of a quarter, the sun would be as large as a
9-foot
ball and would be located a football field's distance from Earth.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Home-schoolers find vindication in contests

By Noreen S. Ahmed-Ullah
Tribune staff reporter
May 16, 2001
www.chicagotribune.com/news/metro/chicago/article/0,2669,ART-51825
,FF.htm

Last year, home-schoolers startled the educational establishment when
they
swept the top three places in the prestigious Scripps Howard National
Spelling Bee, nailing words such as "phrontistery" and "sphingine."

Just a week earlier, home-schoolers took four of the top 10 spots at the
national geography bee.

This month, students who are taught at home -- just 2 percent of all
school-age children -- will again make up more than 10 percent of the
national spelling bee's participants and an even higher proportion at the
National Geographic Bee, sponsored by the National Geographic Society.

Their success is no accident. Parents who home-school, often on the
defensive about the quality of education they provide, are looking to
these contests for vindication.

Some are spending thousands of dollars on specialized dictionaries,
atlases and computer programs, and untold hours training their children
for these high-profile proving grounds.

Critics argue that teaching to compete successfully in bees is more about
gamesmanship than lasting educational achievement. But in a climate that
puts a premium on the results of standardized tests, the bees give
home-schoolers their own flashy scorecards to show the rest of the world.

"Clearly it makes a point that home-schooled parents can do the job,"
said
Richard Jefferson, spokesman for the Home School Legal Defense
Association. "For years, people were not convinced that home-schoolers
were really up to the job of teaching our own children. So we've had to
fight extensively in the public arena just to make sure people understood
that we can do it. If another school system produced winners, what would
they say? They would say, 'See our school system works.'"

Home-schoolers in the Chicago area have four of their own spelling bees,
whose winners go on to compete with schoolchildren in higher rounds. The
geography bees have a similar structure.

Mom starts a bee

Laura Yates of Antioch started a home-school spelling bee in Lake County
after hearing about a home-schooler winning the national competition in
1997. For her, it was a way to offer her children academic competition.

Since then, she has amassed a library of books on word stems and
etymology
and thick dictionaries to help find difficult terms. She has fed her
kids'
appetite for new words by visiting bees at neighboring schools and
purchasing word games on compact disc or tapes with strange
pronunciations
of equally curious-looking terms found in the Scripps Howard paideia, the
spellers' bible of 3,600 words.

Along with math on the living room couch, science at the lake in their
back yard and gym on a neighbor's trampoline, the Yates children have
spent five to eight hours a day learning to decipher obscure spellings.

Lindsey, 15, qualified for the nationals last year, finishing 118th.
Elliott, 13, came in third at the Chicago Tribune's suburban spelling bee
,in March. They both attribute it to home-schooling.

"It gives you so much freedom," Lindsey said. "If I was in school, I
don't
know how I'd study for it because I'd be so worn out with homework and
sports. It allows me to focus in on something I enjoy."

Linda Bolt, of South Bend, Ind., has created flash cards and stuck word
lists on windows and mirrors throughout the house to help her son, Erik,
13, study for the spelling bee. She entered him in the geography bee
after
learning about a home-schooler winning it in 1999 and reading about the
bees in a home-schooling magazine.

This year, the national geography bee, with a $25,000 scholarship at
stake, will be held in Washington, D.C. Tuesday and May 23. The national
spelling bee, with its $10,000 prize, will be held May 29 through 31.

Home-schoolers reached the nationals of the spelling bee for the first
time in 1992, and 27 did it last year. This year, 25 of the 248
competitors are home-schooled. The geography bee started seeing similar
trends in the mid-1990s. A record eight home-schoolers are among 55
eligible contestants this year.

Image-conscious

Over the years, the Home School Legal Defense Association has helped
improve the public's image of an estimated 1.2 million home-schoolers
across the nation by emphasizing high standardized test scores. A 1998
study commissioned by the association showed that children taught at home
typically score between the 70th and 80th percentiles in national tests.

The association also highlights the bee results, which Penny Beihl of
Saluda, S.C. -- a former private elementary school teacher -- believes
are
important to changing public perception.

"I'll be checking out of a store and people will ask the kids, 'Where do
you go to school? And they find out and say, 'How do you know they're
learning anything?'" she said.

Beihl grills her sons daily on world facts and has compiled a
geography-version of the "20 Questions" game for the dinner table. Her
son, David, 15, won the national geography bee in 1999, and now her
second
son, Tommy, 13, will be in the national spelling and geography bees this
year.

"I think obviously they must be learning something," Beihl said. "This is
my job. If my (son) wants to do it, I'm going to help him achieve it."

A little Greek, Latin

The kids often drive the process. George Thampy of suburban St. Louis,
the
2000 spelling bee champ, developed his own list of 3,000 words from
dictionaries and via Internet Web sites. He dabbled in a little Greek and
Latin.

The 13-year-old also came in second in the geography bee last year. This
year, his sister, Mallika, 12, will be in the national spelling bee.

"I think one of the obvious benefits of a home-school education versus
any
other trend is you can focus on specific needs and interests in your
education," said Paige Kimble, director of the Scripps Howard National
Spelling Bee. "Children in other types of schooling follow a set program
regardless of whether they are interested or need that program."

Public educators don't think the bee victories mean much.

"I think they can prove that home-schooling is a viable alternative
without using that as an example," said Paul Houston, executive director
of the American Association of School Administrators. "If I was in the
home-schooling movement, I'd say, is that the way you want kids to spend
their time, sitting around all day and memorizing lists of spelling words
or facts.

"Education is not 'The Weakest Link' or 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.'
You're not an educated person because you can memorize pages of esoteric
words. That's why you have spell check on your computer." Jefferson
dismisses the criticism. "What is wrong with memorizing?" he said. "How
else do we learn Spanish or another foreign language? How else do I know
how to drive? Memorizing, we all do it."

-------------------------------------------------------
THE KING JAMES VERSION BIBLE BASEBALL GAME

The people gathered (Numbers 11.32) to see the battle (1 Sam.14.28) and
sat down to eat and drink (Ex. 32.6) old corn...and (Joshua 15.12) sweet
water. (James 3.11)

Eli sat upon a seat by a post (1 Sam.1.9) and he stretched himself (1
Kgs.
17.21) that he may see good. (Ps. 34.12) So the people shouted (Joshua
6.20) "Where are the nine? (Luke 17.17) Let the young men now arise and
play before us." (2 Sam. 2.14)

The first came out (Gen. 25.25) and went into the field (Num. 22.23) and
stood every man in his place. (Jdg. 7.21) And Peter called, (Mk. 14.72)
whether it be good or bad. (Lev. 27.12) As one mocketh, another do (Job
13.9) with loud voices (Lk. 2323) "Thou art blind!" (Rev. 3.17) And he
stooped to (1 Sam. 28.4) make clean...the platter. (Lk. 11.39) And the
trumpeters sounded (2 Chron. 29.28) "Kohath shall pitch." (Num. 3.29) And
Samson went and caught. (Jdg 154)

David was up (2 Sam. 24.11) on the left side (Eze. 1.10) and he struck it
into the pan (1 Sam. 2.14) foul. (Matt. 16.3) The second was offered;
(Jdg. 6.28) he striketh-- (Job 34.26) he missed! (1 Sam. 20.18) On the
third (Gen. 22.4) he struck him out! (2 Sam. 20.10) So Levite went in;
(Jdg. 17.10) he stood and measured the earth; he beheld, and drove (Hab.
3.6) for an homer. (Hos. 3.2) And all the people shouted with a great
shout. (Ezra 3.11) And Noah went in, (Gen. 7.7) and did fly (2 Sam.
22.11)
into the field. (Num. 22.23) And Jotham ran away (Jdg.9.21) and looking
back (Lk. 9.62) gathered it. (Isa. 62.9) And Aaron went in, (Ex. 5.1) and
he worketh it (Isa. 44.12) two and two. (Gen. 7.9) And Samson said (Jdg.
15.3) "Strike it!" (Ex. 12.7) And Aaron spake (Ex. 4.30) "A good man
would
(Rom. 5.7) be not one of them that strike." (Prov. 22.26) And the man
refused to smite. (1 Kgs 20.35) And Aaron took, (Numbers 16.47) and he
walked. (1 Kgs. 15.3) Amon sacrificed (2 Chron. 33.22) and Aaron ran
(Num.
16.47) into the second, (Heb. 9.7) and overran! (2 Sam. 18.23) And with
the bag (Micah 6.11) afar off-- (Gen. 22.4) a good man out. (Matt. 12.35)

And it came to pass on second (Lk. 6.1) Job caught (Job 38.5) the line (1
Kgs. 2.28) and threw (2 Sam. 16.13) at the first; (Gen. 13.4) Therefore
David ran and stood upon (1 Sam. 17.51) the first, (Gen. 13.4) put forth
his hand, and caught (Ex. 4.4) the toss. (Jer. 5.22) This is the second
death. (Rev. 20.14) Then Joseph could not refrain himself, and he cried
(Gen. 45.1) "Goodness, if thou continue in (Rom. 11.22) going down, (Gen.
15.12) our hope is lost (Eze. 37.11) and my garments (Isa. 63.3) and
job."
(Job 32.3)

And Abram went up (Gen. 13.1) and Abram drove (Gen. 15.11) into the air
(Acts 22.23). And Judah came in (Gen. 38.8) under it, (Dan. 4.14) and
through idleness of the hands (Eccl. 10.18) the fly (Isa. 7.18) droppeth
through (Eccl. 10.18) giving him a double. (Lev. 21.17) Abraham took wood
and (Gen. 22.6) caught hold of (2 Sam. 18.9) an hard (Matt. 25.24) and
high (Rev. 21.12) delivery (Isa. 26.17) and smote it (Jdg. 7.13) into
left. (Lev. 14.15) Thus and thus (Jdg. 18.4) Israel fought against (Josh.
10.29) the Philistines (1 Sam. 19.8) till the ninth. (Lev. 25.22) For
each, one (Num. 7.3) in the first, (Jer. 25.1) and seven times (Lev.
25.8)
after that they (Eccl. 9.3) gathereth eggs. (Isa. 10.14)

In the ninth, (1 Kgs. 25.1) Israel went out (1 Kgs. 20.21) in a row, (1
Kgs. 7.3) and none came in. (1 Sam. 18.13) He sent divers sorts of flies
among them (Ps. 78.45) And they caught them every one. (2 Sam. 2.6) The
first man (1 Cor. 15.45) for the Philistines (1 Sam. 28.15) drew the
third, (Rev. 12.4) and the fourth (Dt. 28.20) came to the outside; (Jdg.
7.19) he walketh. (Job 22.14) The pitcher (Eccl. 12.6) climbed up upon (1
Sam. 14.13) the mount (Dt. 1.7) and pitched. (Ex. 19.2) And Moses put it
on a pole (Num. 21.9) for an homer, (Hos. 3.2) and Israel was beaten. (2
Sam. 2.17)

And behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his
side,
reported the matter (Eze. 9.11) and wrote it in a book. (1 Sam. 10.25)

(courtesy: t. wilkerson)

-------------------------------------------------------
Unit on the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
For my readers out there who are using and enjoying the unit studies,
please send me suggestions for the coming year! If you have any good
links
to share send those to me as well. Thanks! [email protected]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Links:

Seven Wonders
ce.eng.usf.edu/pharos/wonders/

FAQ’s List
ce.eng.usf.edu/pharos/wonders/faq.html

Discovery Channel Lesson Plans – good site
school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/sevenwondersoftheworld-s
implythebest/index.html

CNN Virtual Tour
www.cnn.com/TRAVEL/DESTINATIONS/9705/seven.wonders/

Printable Worksheet w/answers
<a href="http://socialstudies.com/c/@_3Plvi9zjZyHA/Pages/article.html?article@seve">socialstudies.com/c/@_3Plvi9zjZyHA/Pages/article.html?article@seve
nwonders1+af@donn

Time Traveler Tours
Click on the wonder link on the left side…good info
unmuseum.mus.pa.us/wonders.htm

7 Wonders Brief Intro with pictures
www.fgsd.winnipeg.mb.ca/vmc/swaweb/cc/ccswow1.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Vocabulary Words
statue
lighthouse
Zeus
Colossus
Rhodes
Greece
tomb
garden
mausoleum
Halicarnassus
earthquake
pyramid
Babylon
temple
marble
goddess
Artemis
Nebuchadnezzar
burial
Egypt
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Study Questions
Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

1. How tall is the Great Pyramid at Giza?
2. How many blocks of stone are in the Great Pyramid?
3. Why was the Great Pyramid built?
4. Where were the Hanging Gardens of Babylon?
5. Why were the gardens built?
6. Who built these gardens?
7. Describe these gardens.
8. Look at the picture of the Statue of Zeus. Compare the size of the
people. predict how tall you think the statue was.
9. Where was the statue located?
10. Describe the statue. What was it made of?
11. Why was the statue built?
12. Where was the Temple of Artemis built?
13. Why was the temple built?
14. Describe the temple.
15. Where is the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus located?
16. Why was the mausoleum built?
17. What caused its first destruction?
18. Describe the mausoleum.
19. What word do we have in our language because of this wonder and what
does it mean?
20. Where was it built?
21. What famous American monument did this wonder inspire?
22. Describe the Colossus of Rhodes. What was it made of?
23. Why was it built and whom does it honor?
24. Where was the Lighthouse of Alexandria located?
25. Why was it built?
26. Describe this wonder. What was the mirror used for?
27. Choose a Forgotten Wonder. Describe it.
28. Choose a Modern Wonder. Describe it.
29. Choose a Natural Wonder. Describe ir.
30. Of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, which is your favorite?
Why?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BOOKS
Check these out from your library!

Muller, A. (1966), The Seven Wonders of the World, Five Thousand Years of
Culture and History in the Ancient World, McGraw-Hill.

Romer, J., and Romer, E. (1995), The Seven Wonders of the World, A
History
of the Modern Imagination, Henry Holt and Company, Inc.

Thomas, L. (1956), Seven Wonders of the World, Hanover House.

Banks, E.J. (1916), The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, G.P. Putnam's
Sons.

Brodersen, K. (1997), Die Sieben Weltwunder Munich: C.H.Beck, 2nd
edition,
ISBN 3-406-40329-8.

Clayton, P., and Price, M. (1993), Editors, The Seven Wonders of the
Ancient World, Routledge.

Morris, Neil Wonders of the World Atlas (Atlases)

DK - Wonders of the World
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FUN STUFF

Doodle Art Seven Wonders Super : Color Your Own Poster! (Doodle Art)

-----------------------------------
HUMOR IN THE DAY
********************
The following came from an anonymous mother in Austin, TX (poor woman)
(This was from a previous newsletter but I had to repeat it.)

Things I've learned from my children (Honest and No Kidding):
1. A king size waterbed holds enough water to fill a 2,000 sq. foot
house 4 inches deep.
2. If you spray hair spray on dust bunnies and run over them with
roller blades, they can ignite.
3. A 3-year-old's voice is louder than 200 adults in a crowded
restaurant.
4. If you hook a dog leash over a ceiling fan, the motor is not
strong
enough to rotate a 42 pound boy wearing Batman underwear and a superman
cape. It is strong enough, however, to spread paint on all four walls of
a
20X20 foot room.
5. You should not throw baseballs up when the ceiling fan is on.
When
using the ceiling fan as a bat, you have to throw the ball up a few
times
before you get a hit. A ceiling fan can hit a baseball a long way.
6. The glass in windows (even double pane) doesn’t stop a baseball
hit
by a ceiling fan.
7. When you hear the toilet flush and the words "Uh-oh", it's already
too late.
8. Brake fluid mixed with Clorox makes smoke, and lots of it.
9. A six-year-old can start a fire with a flint rock even though a
36-year-old man says it only happens in the movies. A magnifying glass
can start a fire even on an overcast day.
10. Certain Lego's will pass through the digestive tract of a
four-year-old.
11. PlayDoh and Microwave should never be used in the same sentence.
12. Super glue is forever.
13. No matter how much Jell-O you put in a swimming pool you still
can't walk on water.
14. Pool filters do not like Jell-O.
15. VCR's do not eject PB&J sandwiches even though TV commercials show
they do.
16. Garbage bags do not make good parachutes.
17. Marbles in gas tanks make lots of noise when driving.
18. You probably do not want to know what that odor is.
19. Always look in the oven before you turn it on. plastic toys do not
like ovens.
20. The fire department in Austin has a 5-minute response time.
21. The spin cycle on the washing machine does not make earthworms
dizzy. It will however make cats dizzy and cats throw up twice their
body weight when dizzy.

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CONTESTS & SCHOLARSHIPS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Got Milk Contest
www.got-milk.com/tshirt.html
New contest coming soon!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Home School Student Essay Contest.
The theme for the contest is the question,
"What Do I Expect From A College Education?"
Visit www.collegeguide.org/ for complete contest information,
or email [email protected]

______________________________________
Helping Children Learn to Read
by Kathryn Stout
www.designastudy.com/

There are a variety of good reading programs available, yet many
children
progress more slowly or with more difficulty than expected. Here are a
few hints that may help.

1. Read aloud to your children regularly. Include stories that use rhyme
for the young or those struggling. This maintains their interest in
reading, contributes to their language development, and builds their
comprehension skills.

2. Label items all over the house. Children are usually able to memorize
these sight words quickly, giving them a sense of success.

3. Children should be able to discriminate between sounds before learning
letter sounds. Give them opportunities to identify a variety of every day
sounds by listening only: a ringing telephone, clapping hands, a vacuum
cleaner, a lawn mower, running water, etc. Then work on more subtle
sounds: whether or not words rhyme, begin with the same sound, or have
the
same sound in the middle.

4. Choose a phonic-based reading program that will appeal to your child.
Young children especially prefer colorful programs with music and games.
If the pace is too fast, simply add practice from other reading
resources,
choosing items at the appropriate level.

5. Provide plenty of opportunity for children to go from reading lists of
words to reading simple stories. These stories should use the words they
are learning phonetically along with a few necessary sight words (the,
is,
a). Library books usually have too many difficult words for beginners to
use for this type of practice. Many programs include these books, but not
all. They are available as separate purchases from several companies.

6. As children move forward, use the reading books from earlier lessons
for extra practice. Reading words that they now know well helps them
develop fluency and expression.

7. Provide a variety of types of practice, saturating the students in
reading-related experiences. Look for opportunities to involve all the
senses as much as possible—seeing, hearing, doing. Choose materials such
as software, videos, games, and audio-tapes, not just workbook pages.

8. While a lesson may be as short as 20 minutes due to the limited
attention span of young children, there should be several reading-related
lessons or practice periods throughout the day. Aim for two to two and
one-half hours daily.

9. The student should read aloud as part of daily practice throughout the
phonics program. This is necessary to develop fluency and expression, as
well as to be certain that children are not skipping difficult words and
guessing at meanings instead of actually comprehending what has been
read.

10. Learning to read well takes time. In the public school system
students
begin with readiness skills in kindergarten and spend first through third
grade covering phonics. If progress is steady but slow, be patient.

11. For older students struggling with reading, first increase the total
amount of time spent with various reading activities each day and use a
multi-sensory approach. If this doesn't help, arrange for hearing and eye
exams. If those areas are okay, have his eyes examined by someone trained
in vision therapy. This has to do with the muscles and the ability of a
child to focus and follow the written word. If this area is weak, he will
be given exercises to train those muscles. If there are still problems,
have the child tested by a child psychologist for learning disabilities.
The younger the child when problems are identified, the less frustration
the child will encounter. If there are learning disabilities in the
family, you may want to have the child tested even before they begin
learning to read.

12. For older children still reading below grade level, use resources in
other subject areas that do not require the student to read. This will
allow him to work at his intellectual, not reading, level. Use videos,
books on tape, or read to him. Then, for his reading practice, choose
books appropriate for his age, but at his reading level. These are
available from High Noon Books, www.HighNoonBooks.com or phone
1-800-422-7249 for a catalog.

All children can succeed. Hopefully, the hints listed here will not only
help remove a few obstacles, but also make learning to read more
enjoyable.

**Teaching Help is a monthly teaching tips column by Kathryn Stout.
Kathryn desires to help homeschoolers find out how to keep their entire
family excited about learning, how to turn their kids into thinkers and
doers, and how to make it all run smoothly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CALL TO DEFEND HOMESCHOOLING
Insulting homeschool t-shirt sold by JCPenney
This was sent to me on Tuesday, July 31, 2001

HOMESCHOOLING MOMENT: I was HORRIFIED to find that our local JC PENNEY'S
was selling t-shirts that said "Homeskooled" and had a picture of a
trailor on them! I took one over to the counter and asked if there was a
manager on duty and wha-lah she was standing right at the counter with
some clerks.

I held up the shirt and said with a smile "We are homeschoolers, and this
is offensive. My family won't
be shopping here until these shirts go away."

And y'know what, the manager sent the clerks over to gather up the shirts
and sent them back! 😀 Then the mgr and clerks all asked me about
homeschooling! (The typical FAQs) I told them that there are over 100
hs-ing families in our county. (I don't know how many live in trailors,
but my dad lives in one and I sure didn't like the negative
implications.)

Anyhoo, my kids were impressed with how polite the mgr was and that she
took immediate action. So check your local Penney's store and see if
these
shirts are in your area. (They were in the teen male area)

These t-shirts are distributed by:

Coastal Concepts
1200 Avenida Chelsea
Vista, CA 92083
800-448-7844

www.coastalconcepts.com/

click at the main website, and another smaller window
appears. Click on "men's" then "novelty" and you can
see the tshirt.

HOME SKOOLED
#766-A01
FRONT ONLY---WHITE/RED
RINGER

email address: [email protected]

Please visit your local JCP and see if these are being sold there. If so,
demand that these insulting t-shirts be removed.

-------------------------------------------
Coming Next!
I will be sending out a few things for a holidays issue. Some things that
I am working on are reviews of ‘Wow the Dow’, ‘Editor In Chief’, and a
few
other goodies. Until then have a blessed, safe, happy end to summer and
start to fall. Please send me any goodies you might want to share such as
reviews, something new you found, teaching tips, recipes, etc
([email protected])
In Him,
Leslie

-------------------------------------------------------
Crusader News is sent out through the typical school year by donation
only
and is put together solely by me and my family. Donations of only $5 a
year is asked per family to assist with online expenses of this
homeschooling ministry. Please send your donations to: Leslie Schauer, PO
Box 15252, Fort Wayne, IN 46885. Thank you for your encouragement and
support!
God Bless,
Leslie, Greg & family