Hurricane Katrina – lessons to learn
Hurricane Katrina is truly a tragic natural disaster! Although are girls are all under 5 years old, there’s many lessons to learn:
1. Geography: We started learning from the Rookie Read-About Geography series
2. Science. How and where hurricanes form, weather differences between coastal states and where we live in Toledo, Ohio. We used internet search. How New Orleans is below sea-level and what this means.
3. Current Events. I used Yahoo! News and we reviewed the news videos, pictures, and breaking new stories.
4. Charity, Compassion and Humanity. We discussed many issues of the refugees, lotting, and all their basic needs.
5. History. Hurricane Katrina is the worse natural disaster/hurricane in over 40 years.
6. Techonology: The issue of the levy’s and how we need to build an entire city from sewer systems, electricity, etc. from the “bottom-up”. We were on our walk last night and our kindergartener saw the sewer drain and she yelled “Mama, this is what they have to fix in New Orleans, right!?”
7. Reading & Research: We just picked up Children’s Encyclopedias and Dictionaries at the library. We’re learning how to find certain words in alphabetical order.
These are just a few of the lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina. Please offer us more ideas and thoughts by sharing your comments below.
May God bless all the families directly affected by Hurricane Katrina, and may God guide all of us to help those suffering.
Recommendations for Beginning Readers
So, everyone rants and raves about the Bob Books, by Bobby Lynn Maslen , but the girls and I are not taking too well to them.
So, through trail and error…here’s what we came up with as our recommended starting points for Beginning Readers.
Please share your opinions and recommendations in the comments section below…we’re open to trying everything and anything.
Please keep in mind, our girls are now 2, 4 and 5 years old, they each have different attention spans, interests and learning styles…so, since we just logged in our 30th hour of reading today at the library (and we just started July 5th) we’re avid readers at this house.
1. Dora the Explorer Phonics: 12 Book Reading Program
2. A recommendation for Mem Fox, such as ‘Time for Bed’
One warning: I read her books first, becuase a couple of them have some pages that I wouldn’t want my girls to read or even “joke” about.
For example, in her Boo to a Goose
We love Harriet, You’ll Drive Me Wild!
3. I just came across Cathryn Falwell
I read she resides in my home state capitol of Hartford, CT, with her husband, 2 sons and their dog who inspired her to write “P.J. & Puppy”.
Ohhh….do I miss home. Being a native to my beloved Hartford (my home during grad school and when I was the City’s Deputy Health Director)…hits my heart passionately.
Geez…I’m such a “girl”!
4. Last but not least…the imfamous Dick and Jane books
Our eldest and I read Books 1-3 at Barnes & Noble today…and she actually READ Book 4…all by herself. I pointed to the earlier books, showing her the pictures and themes to remember the previous words she just learned…but, honestly she READ Book 4 by herself!
Well, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
So, these series and authors are what we’re sticking with for awhile.
Oopps. (5) I’m reading American Girls (TM) books to them…just as FTI (For Their Information).
[Disclosure: we read anything and everything that crosses our path (such as newspapers, magazines, junk mail, etc. Therefore, these recommendations are for phonics, vocabulary building, and our reading lessons. I wholeheartedly agree with Mem Fox when she promotes reading aloud to children (babies) as much as possible.]
Happy Reading!
It’s a Girl-Thang!
As I absolutely love blogging…I had to find a whole new voice, direction, and focus for us, as we make our “official” first-year’s journey through homeschooling here in the state of Ohio. ..Toledo to be more specific.
As I see huge difference in my raising girls than I would if I had boys…this changed our sub-title to “It’s a Girl-Thang! Homeschooling girls: tips, tools & resources…from birth and beyond (on a shoestring budget).”
The truth be told: my husband and I have been homeschooling our girls the moment they were born, and I don’t envision us stopping any time soon…that’s how I came with “from birth and beyond”.
Starting anew, will allow me to write naturally, and I’ll feel more comfortable that I have targeted opinions, tips, tools and resources for those looking for girl-thangs!
Don’t get me wrong…we plan on raising very worldly girls, so I will not be writing “girlY-things” per se.
It’s just that in raising them and letting them lead some of their education, interests, activities and desires…I realize that we will always have a “Girl-Thang” going on at this house. At least until a little dude comes around…if ever 
Examples of “It’s a Girl-Thang”:
- As our eldest spent 2.5 hours at Safety Town each day for the past 9 days, she always shared her “new girl friend’s stories”. When asked if she has any friends who are boys, a quick “no” jumps out of her throat.
- As we walk down the aisles at the library or bookstores…you ONLY hear “Dora….princesses…Strawberry Shortcake!”
- When we shop for clothes, and in various tones of high-pitches you hear “awww….ahhh….howww cuuuute….ohhhh”.
That’s the “Girl-Thang” I’m talking about.
So, after a month of incredible swimming lessons, tomorrow’s graduation planned for Saftey Town…we’re planning a nice relaxed August before we start our long awaited dancing lessons in September.
Leotards and tutus are already hanging in our closets…and the girls are impatiently waiting for their very first ballet and tap shoes fitting.
To all homeschool girl…young and old–I, too, am a Girl-at-heart–we, Sabra Girls, are here for ya!
Peace-out!
Mama
P.S. While I’ll obviously share Toledo and Ohio-specific resources, hopefully these posts will empower you to find similar resources in your area, and cause you to still stick around. Afterall, our tone will always be from one (or 4) girl(s) to another! 
P.P.S. We’re sticking to a shoestring budget too…utilizing the world wide web at our fingertips. Share your tips and resources often.
Toledo has the Best Summer Reading Program!
Toledo Public Library has the best Summer Reading Program.
Since we’re 2 weeks behind from our vacation, we’re quickly catching up on lost tracked-time.
We constantly read…even during vacation, but I didn’t think of tracking the hours, books and their authors.
Nonetheless, we finished 5 hours each for the week and got our coupon sheet (we already cashed in our free McDonald’s hamburgers), dragon tattoo, and twistable eraser.
We were spoiled with so many books from Grandma and Grandpa, that I am literally reading ALL day long to one or all three to them at a time.
The past 3 nights, I’ve read from 1-2.5 hours alone in bed. I’m surprised I didn’t lose my voice yet.
Library Movies and DVDs
Should public libraries charge for the rental of movies and DVDs?
Check out the debate: Libraries increase DVDs stacks, add fees for movie watchers.
Now are some people just chosing to be cheap…and not renting elsewhere, taking away from the public’s right to free educational and entertaining resources of those who can NOT afford the luxury of movie rentals?
As a movie renter, I honestly do not turn to the library for New Releases…hence, I do not expect or want public libraries to start actively carrying them…just to cater to a movie frenzy and spending dollars I’d rather see them spend on educational materials for my homeschool girls, and the general public at large.
I grew up utilizing the vast educational resources of the public libraries and raising my girls the same way.
No doubt, I don’t just rent educational videos and DVDs. We get Disney full-featured films too…so, there is a place of entertaining videos…as books are the source of creativity, the arts and where true entertainment lies in the imagination of our own minds.
Please, let’s invest wisely.
