Here's Céad Míle Fáilte to friend and to rover
That's a greeting that's Irish as Irish can be
It means you are welcome
A thousand times over
Wherever you come from,
Whosoever you be
Welcome to the
Blarney Edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling.
Today, we mingle a bit of Irish culture with our contributors’ wisdom.
Enjoy!
Scientific Wisdom
Click here to learn more about famous Irish Scientists.
Ryan at Children’s Activities 2-12 Years provides an activity to help children classify vegetables and fruits.
GrrlScientist at The Scientific Life shares an interesting video clip of scientist/magician Robert Friedhoffer who teaches children about scientific principles through magic.
Gel Ant Farms tells us about the space age technology of gel ant farms that has been tested by NASA when traditional, space-bound ant farms previously failed.
The Science Mouse, a science e-zine for children, encourages creativity with instructions for baking and decorating a solar model cookie. No word yet on what happens if you give a science mouse a solar cookie. However…
The Mouse on the Barroom Floor
Some Guinness was spilled on the barroom floor
when the pub was shut for the night.
Out of his hole crept a wee brown mouse
and stood in the pale moonlight.
He lapped up the frothy brew from the floor,
then back on his haunches he sat.
And all night long you could hear him roar,
'Bring on the [expletive] cat!'
Book Smarts
Visit the Princess Grace Irish Library for a wealth of information.
At No Fighting, No Biting, Katharine reviews the book, Understood Betsy, written by Dorothy Canfield Fisher and published in 1917. Fans of children’s classics will enjoy this tale about a little girl who discovers the joy of learning.
Dana at Principled Discovery answers criticisms of the homeschool movement leveled by Doris Anne Beaulieu in her book The Torments of the Modest Secluded Farm Life. Alasandra tackles the same subject.
Kathy at Homeschool Buzz reviews the book Sigmund Freud: Giants of Science.
Homeschool Bytes discusses and reviews Parents Guide to Teaching Reading by Jessie Wise.
At Wild About Nature, Kimberly reviews the book, One Wolf Howls by Scotti Cohn.
Planning…and Procrastination
You’ll never plough a field by turning it over in your mind.--Irish Proverb
Click here to find information about the Irish Potato Famine.
Henry at Why Homeschool confesses yet another reason he is thankful for homeschooling: free Spring-cleaning help!
Twinkle Mom at Sunflower Faith shares tips on how she organizes a homeschool filing system. Organization and preparation are the keys to careful planning.
Tru at Adventures at Home is already thinking about next school year and lists the curricula resources she is using for 1st and 2nd grades.
Taryn at Hayes Happenings has a different problem: managing time so that she can get things done. She blames the Internet.
Nerd Family hopes that today’s children will be prepared to deal with the rapid changes in tomorrow’s technology.
Lose an hour in the morning and you’ll be looking for it all day. --Irish saying
Jimmie at One Child Policy Homeschool declares that art supplies don’t count. Like water and air, they are a necessity to life that should not require rationing.
Yarn Spinning
Click here to find out more about some of Ireland's most famous writers.
Dave at Home School Dad writes in praise of a website called Home School Kids Write, where children are given a writing assignment and an opportunity to post their work. Dave shares samples of his own children’s work from the site, which is both helpful and adorable. Goodbye, Samwitch.
Michelle at Lionden Landing explains her family's love of dry erase markers.
The Reluctant Homeschooler shows readers how to use tandem storytelling to encourage creative writing.
At Evolution, Cyndi encourages us to do more than just “try” to improve our communication skills and Ian spins a story about “swimming” against the crowd.
The Way We Tell a Story
(Pat McCarty 1851-1931)
Says I to him, I says, says I,
Says I to him, I says,
The thing, says I, I says to him,
Is just, says I, this ways.
I hev', says I, a gret respeck
For you and for your breed,
And onything I could, I says,
I'd do, I wud indeed.
I don't know any man, I says,
I'd do it for, says I,
As fast, I says, as for yoursel',
That's tellin' ye no lie.
There's nought, says I, I wudn't do
To plase your feyther's son,
But this, I says, ye see, says I,
I says, it can't be done.
Human Resourcefulness
May you live as long as you want, and never want as long as you live. --Irish blessing
Stephanie at Stop the Ride! tells the story of her children’s money saving efforts to buy their own gaming system and the inherent lessons they are learning in The Wii Fund.
ChristineMM at The Thinking Mother explains how being helped motivated her to help others in her life.
Nancy Neighbor at Recession Depression Therapy invites us to try our hand at sourdough bread making, both as a money saver and a homeschool history lesson.
Beth at Apples and Jammies outlines her method for creating a theme unit as her family embarks on a unit about birds.
Jimmie at One Child Policy Homeschool declares that art supplies don’t count. Like water and air, they are a necessity to life that should not require rationing.
Cage-free Monkeys blow off steam with a P.E. activity that includes jumping into a giant pit of foam.
At Karen’s History Project, Karen reviews a website called Picturing US History, noting its “fascinating” Lessons in Looking page.
Hot Topics, Current Events and Divisive Issues
Click here for a timeline of Irish wars.
The Family at Once Upon A Family laments the standardized testing law in her state and explains why she thinks it is a waste of time.
Vjack at Atheist Revolution wants to know if non-believers in the homeschool community share his concerns about atheist homeschooling.
In The Expanding Life, sgeissert disputes David Brooks’ recent article in the NYT and asserts that classrooms should be more like a picnic.
TutorFi.com explains the benefits of one-on-one tutoring and how it differs from teaching in a large classroom. These same arguments can also be used to support home education.
Tori at We Keep Choosing Us wants to know What Kind of Homeschooler are YOU? She also describes her homeschooling philosophy and shares her own experiences in teaching her girls at home.
Concerning Kids posts strategies for dealing with school yard bullies.
Timothy and Tonya at Sometimes I’m Actually Coherent share advice on how to get started with home education.
Susan at Corn and Oil informs us of an Illinois bill that seeks to legislate when parents “engage only in non-teaching duties” at home.
Jennifer at Guilt-free Homeschooling extols the virtues of “quitting” a school system that isn’t working in favor of home education in her post Becoming a Successful and Proud Quitter.
This concludes our Blarney Edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling! Thank you to everyone who contributed.
May love and laughter light your days,
and warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours,
wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world
with joy that long endures.
May all life's passing seasons
bring the best to you and yours!
--Old Irish Blessing
Next week’s CoH will be hosted by Gary Davis at Homeschool Buzz.
Labels: Carnival of Homeschooling
Got the Gift of Gab? Then send your entry to the upcoming Blarney Edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling to be published here on Tuesday, March 17. The deadline for all contributions is
6:00PM PST on Monday, March 16.
Due to time constraints,
late submissions will not be accepted. Please attempt to send your post before the deadline to expedite the production and aid in the sanity of your host. Visit Why Homeschool for information about
where to send submissions. And don't forget to wear your green!
Labels: Carnival of Homeschooling
