Christie Coffey & Teacher of One are one in the same.... I have messed up my gmail accounts and am trying to separate them... hope it works without loosing everything. grr

Little Professor Science Kits

One purchase from Convention which I am excited about is the Little Professor Science Kits from the Academy of Science for Kids. As I mentioned in my purchase post, the price of these kits caused me to hesitate. These kits run for $95 plus shipping and because of their size the shipping runs 15-20$. So why would I take the leap for these kits....

*No shipping at convention, even for the one that was not produced yet and they had to mail later.

* Just Add Water. That is it. No looking for cups, beakers, markers or crayons... everything you need for each experiment is included in the box. I love that!


*Each experiment is placed in a labeled baggie... I don't even have to dig through the box for the needed supplies. Talk about making it easy. Thank you!


*Besides supplies the box includes a journal with instructions and lab space, a small science fair display board, online assessment and credits you can earn to trade for science merchandise .

*A year subscription to Discovery Education!!! We do not belong to anything that gives us access to they pay areas of this amazing site. I have wanted to get a subscription for years but could not justify $265. For $95, I got a years subscription plus the kit. That is what really sold me.

The two kits I purchases were Matter and Food Science.

Books: Seedfolks

I read this lovely little book today while G worked on his school work. It is so simple and sweet. You could use it to study immigration, community, gardening, urban area, first person... Each chapter is written in the voice of a person in a Cleveland neighborhood. It is a depressed, drug ridden area. One day a girl plants a few lima beans in a vacant lot in remembrance of her deceased father. This small act causes a ripple effect resulting a huge community garden. I enjoyed this book so much and G was amazed that I could finish it before he finished his work.

Grammar-Land

It amazes me how much G enjoys this book. He asks for it to be read and applies what we have covered to other areas of school. You can buy a copy of this 1877 book from Amazon and other retailers as well as read it online at Google Books. I would like to thank Jessica, whoever you are, for creating worksheets to go with each chapter. You can find those sheets here.

Convention 2011:Purchases

I did not need a lot of new curriculum this year, we are going to be straddling years with what we have on hand. So I took this years convention as a chance to find some fun learning items.

We really enjoy the Opal Wheeler composer series. We are reading Bach right now and G is learning one of the included Minuets in piano lesson. I chose Brahms and Schubert to compliment our Story of the World studies.

I always stock up on Jim Weiss Cds that will enhance our history study.

We purchased these stop motion movies from the homeschool creators. I hope they will give G some new ideas.
I have had this book wish listed on Amazon for quite a while. I opened it up and really think it will be some real world fun. Zaccaro was the only speaker I wanted to see that I didn't get to this year.
I hope these EMA board games are as fun as they look... if not now them they will be a great resource later.
Daddy had never seen one of these chess sets... he wanted this more than G. giggle

I thought this simple game looked really fun but was worried G wouldn't think so. I was so wrong. He enjoyed it as soon as the vendor taught him how to play.

G loves look and find puzzles... this game fills that love.
Another game I hope it is as fun as it looks. I got it on good authority that it is great family fun.

The price tag of this science kit really threw me off but the benefits won me over. Won me over so much I actually bought 2! I plan on doing a post just on this product soon.


A bag full of OOOHS and AHHHHHS! We are putting up the chemistry text for the rest of the year and using this kit. 70 experiments! This one gets it's own post too. I got a great convention deal from Timberdoodle for $25!

Batter Up 2011

Jose Feliciano & Daryl Hall - The Little Drummer Boy

Merry Christmas Every One! From our school to yours!

Games Games Games

I just wanted to share a couple of new games that we are really enjoying.

1. Numbers League

Rainbow Resources had a free shipping special last week so I looked into a couple of math games. I bought Equate... which I don't think will be "please please can we play it!" type game but I hope it makes math practice a bit less torturous. The other game was Numbers League: an Adventure in Addiplication. Your goal is to create a team of super heroes to capture villains. G loves it! It's not even like doing math! he said. LOL I was really impressed with how his mental math improved after a few rounds.

2. Lego Harry Potter
We are a fan of the new build it yourself Lego Game boards. First we got Minotaurus this summer, which we play often. Then for Christmas, we've been having family parties for 2 weeks now, G got the Harry Potter version. It is a bit more difficult to build initially but it all stays together when you are finished. I always imagine those stair cases moving on me when I read the books and daydream... well here they do.

What are you playing in school this winter?

Fieldtrip: Cats

After watching Cats on TV, we were excited when their upcoming tour was announced to stop close by. Now I have seen Cats a bazillion times so I knew just where I wanted us to sit... down front. We were lucky enough to sit on the second row just a couple seats from the aisle. G got lots of up close views of the felines. He's still amazed how one batted her paw at him.

In front of the stage before the show.

Looking for Cats after the show... not really.

If you have seen Cats in the past, I would like to know when they cut "The Aweful Battle of The Pekes and the Pollicles" from the show?



I have to say our Grizabella looked like Helena Bonheim Carter as Bellatrix Lastrange but her voice was one of the best I have ever heard.

Fieldtrip: Conner Prairie

This beautiful 10/10/10 Sunday, the family spent the day at Conner Prairie. Conner Prairie is an Interactive History Park. This was the first time G has ever attended a museum where the docents play the part of the time period... he didn't quite know what to think.

First we rode the 1859 Balloon Voyage. G did not want to go but to be honest... I made him. There are certain things, like this balloon ride, like his first kiddie roller coaster, that I make him do. I don't want him to miss an opportunity. And I don't make him go if I am not willing to do it too. I only do this maybe once a year. He still was scared but talks about the view as being really neat.

350 feet in the air.

Indiana in October from 350 feet in the air

Once back on the ground we entered the Lenape Camp, the Conner's Farm, and Prairietowne.

Silver pieces like the English & the Indians Traded

G Creating a paper replica of the silver

Discussing trade with the Delaware

Learning how wool was dyed

Collecting kindling to pay for his half of the bed for the night. 12 1/2 cents

The Inn keeper telling us about how the Spanish Reales was used.

Trying to hold a rifle made by the Carpenter.

Crushing Sage

Playing a real piano forte!

Forging a nail, which G got to keep

Watching the Potter throw

Pretending to throw

Playing Farmer in the Dell

Fieldtrip: Metamora

Metamora is a small village in Indiana platted in 1889. We attended their homeschool day last month. Activities included rug hooking, cooking, rope making, visiting the gristmill, and riding the canal boat.Learning about the Grist Mill

Boarding the Canal Boat

Making a rope

Tuning the boat around.... the horses pull the boat and have to be reattached to the other end of the boat so we can go back.

Fieldtrip: Stone Mountain, GA

We had never heard of Stone Mountain but the day before we left for Florida, I received my prize book from Live the Adventure. As I perused the 500 locations I came across this location near Atlanta… hmm we have to go through Atlanta. So we decided we would stop on the way back home. We are so glad we did. We only looked at the carving and took the train around the base but we plan to go back and partake in all of the activities and watch the laser show.

Fieldtrip: Disney

This trip to Disney was short & sweet. We only went for three days and only went to two parks. We spent our time at Magic Kingdom seeing sites we had skipped in our other two visits and our day at Epcot helping Kim Possible capture villains. So much fun! We only waited for photographs and autographs we had never received… what a time saver!

Learning to spin plates in China

Dreaming to see the real deal

"The Bakery is Open!"

Goofing in MexicoDancing in Germany

Vikings in Norway

Playing Guess the Character M&Ms

Princess Tiana & Prince Naaven
Jesse & Woody

Jasmine & Aladdin

Beauty & Beast

Mary Poppins & Burt