Think back to your younger years. Do you still have that one song that sticks in your head no matter how many years go by? That one that taught you your days of the week in French, or how to multiply by two, or simply the catchy ABC song we now share with our own children? This concept of using music to enhance learning situations is nothing new and is one we should embrace as we go back to the basics of early childhood learning experiences. 

There is the cry to return to the nursery rhymes of long ago. To drop the Leap Pad and the computer games and simply share your lap with a child who will listen to and real along with those rhyming gems of long ago. A strong connection between learning and rhythm was discovered and built upon years ago, and now we can bring global learning to our children through this same theory. 

Take a song, best if it is one you and your child both know the melody of, make up some new words that introduce the new language right next to your native language. This type of made up song is called a Piggyback Song. Need an example? Okay, here is a simple one. Take the tune Mary Had a Little Lamb and sing about shapes by injecting words like these: 

A circle is rolling by, rolling by, rolling by,
A circle is rolling by, a circle is a circulo.
A circle is a circulo, a circulo, a circulo,
A circle is a circulo. I know my shapes. 

It is so easy to then bring in the words for square, rectangle, triangle, heart and so on. In this example, we did English and Spanish. Use your imagination and use any new target language you would like to introduce right along with the native language of your children.  

Learning a second language has never been so easy! A child learning this way, in what is called a bilingual format where his native language is sung right alongside his native language, will actually read sooner than monolingual children who are not receiving this type of musical, bilingual instruction according to Dr. Ellen Bialystok and her team of experts at York University. The study conducted by this team also showed that children receiving instruction in two languages will experience advanced cognitive development and problem solving skills and higher test scores on certain sections of standardized tests. 

As a mom and as a teacher that is important to me as I know it is to you. Not only can we prepare our young children for a very global economy, one that will require the command of more than one language in order to excel, we can also provide them a fun and engaging manner in which to gain knowledge in a second language, skills in math and the ability to read early in life.

You cannot carry a tune? You have not even the slightest inclination as to where to start? You have not one creative bone in your body to begin writing your own Piggyback Song that might introduce French to your newborn? No worries amigas, amigos, friends. Remember the internet? Remember those search engines? They will help drive you to a plethora of web sites meant solely for giving you some affordable, sometimes free and most often very practical tools and tips on how to jump start your motivation and creation of these bilingual songs. 

Feel the beat! Think creatively! Have fun, and before you know if you and Junior will be on a journey where the only required things in your backpack will be water to quench your thirst after all of your singing and some musical shakers to keep the beat as you sing, dance and play your way to a second language.

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 About the Author: Beth Butler is the founder of the BOCA BETH Program - a fun and easy way to introduce Spanish to your children.  Scoop them up on your lap and sample the BOCA BETH bilingual music and movies for free at http://www.bocabeth.com  Then order online with your 'herd' discount code for 30% off any CD or DVD.  Call toll free at 1.877.825.2622

Me: Well, I think it’s time you leave.
Sam: Leave where?
Me: Anywhere…outside.
Sam: Nah, I feel like staying inside.
Me: You don’t have a choice. I am kicking you out of the house.
Sam: What!? I’m just a kid.
Me: Exactly. 

Yes, I did. I kicked my eight-year-old out of the house…well, for the afternoon.  

In 2004, a University of Illinois study found that children with ADHD experience “significant symptom abatement” after the children spend time outdoors. In 2005, a study conducted by the California Department of Education showed students improving Science test scores by 27 percent after taking week-long classes outdoors. And in 2006 Connecticut launched a state initiative to get kids outdoors and in the state parks. In fact, the US Forrest Service funds dozens of programs designed to get kids off the couch and outdoors!  

Studies after study are being conducted to show what our parents and grandparents have known for ages. Being outdoors is good, very good. And not just for us parents. Some children with allergies and asthma actually breathe better outdoors than inside. Over- active children seem more relaxed and less agitated when outdoors – I have witnessed this first hand on many occasions. And when I recently asked friends and colleagues to describe the activities they are most relaxed doing, their responses were no surprise: Golfing, fishing, jogging, gardening, hiking, swimming, and walking.   

Yet, most of us and our children spend most of the time watching television, chatting online, or playing video games inside.    

A case could be made by my son that I just wanted him out of the house because I need peace and quiet, because I want uninterrupted time to talk with my wife about the past week’s events, or because I need time to finish writing an overdue article. But the research is in - and it all points to the overwhelming health, behavior, and mental benefits of being outdoors.  

Our system has been so absorbed with “no child left behind” that they failed to see that “no child should be left inside”. Many school districts are even doing away with classroom pets. No fish, red-ear sliders, or birds. No hermit crabs, hamsters, or snakes. Not even ladybugs. Ladybugs!! Why do we home-school our kids again?  

Maybe the policy-makers and administrators need to get outside too. We are so connected to our cell phones, computers, and electronics that we have become disconnected with the great outdoors and all she has to offer. It’s time we switch things around, pull the plug, and disconnect from the indoors. No parent and definitely no child should be left inside!        

I could go on and on but I too need to disconnect, get some fresh air, and make sure my son hasn’t left to join the circus.

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Seth Prezant is the founder and Bugmaster of www.CoolBugStuff.com . His award winning web site was created to help promote fascination and education in science using nature’s most abundant creatures…Bugs! Seth is a true EEE (Education & Entertainment Entrepreneur) providing educational and entertaining nature shows for schools, camps, aftercare programs and home school groups all around South Florida. The Bugmaster can be reached @ seth@coolbugstuff.com

You can find many more easy parent/child projects to do together on Seth's website www.coolbugstuff.com.

First, pick a theme and a destination. If destination is first, plan your theme around it. If your theme is first, pick a destination that will be the grand finale of the theme. For example if you are headed to Florida you may want to take advantage (as a theme) of the many marine biology experiences along the coast. Maybe even throw in some history by putting yourselves in the drivers seat of the settlers; creating learning adventures along the way as you explore why people moved South, what enabled them to do so, the roads, transportation, climate, natural resources, etc.. Your imagination is the limit. 

Planning is THE most important element of any road-trip in which you hope to produce a fun educational experience. THE most important part of any plan is a map. A good map will show you where to begin (point A), where you want to arrive (point B), and everything in-between. Although you could struggle through pre-printed paper maps, something interactive will help you to produce a much better plan. Yahoo and Google mapping will do for free, but a small investment in Microsoft Streets and Trips will help to create the best experience every time. It quickly displays the best route. Then you can decide if you want to show gas stations, restaurants, hotels, camp grounds, parks, points of interest, or about twenty other topics along the way. You can also create your own clickable push-pins to enter your own data. New in March we will be adding the many road trip resources to our web-page “Travel Tools”. 

Now that you have a destination, a theme, a general time-line, and a birds-eye view of your journey; mark your path of travel about every 3-4 hours of road time (I like to use those electronic push-pins for this). Three hour segments are recommended, four hours of non stop road time should be the max. It is at these intervals in which you will be plugging in elements of your theme. If you find yourself struggling for ideas at a certain location, go to that town’s (or surrounding) actual website. I think you will be amazed at the treasures in each one that may fit your needs. 

Relative to making those 3-4 hours segments in the car more exciting, let’s pretend we are going to Disney. Say we live in the Midwest. Keep in mind the best rolling classroom you can have is equipped with a DVD player, CD player, plenty of room, and headphones for each child. If your vehicle has none of these, consider a rental in your budget; it’s that important. In this case Disney will be the destination and the theme. Gather all of the material you can find on the history of Walt Disney, Mickey Mouse, cartooning, or maybe even Guinness Book records on amusement park rides. Pack books, audio, video, and interactive items. Ask questions. Draw out pieces of the journey that will appeal to your child’s interest (history, art, environment, engineering, etc...)

Don’t forget the brain breaks… also known as the road games. Digital photo scavenger hunts while driving having always worked for us. Google “games to play on road-trips” and pick something from the 2,000,000 results that will suit your family best. Remember to plan the road-trip home with an extra amount of leisure learning (Arts, crafts, games) Our kids usually take up two 3 hour blocks on the trip home by simply scrap-booking the photos we took throughout our journey, while listening to music. We have a digital camera so we are able to send our photos to a Walgreens Store before we leave the hotel. On our route home we pick them up.

If you remember only 3 things from this article please let it be Planning, Planning, and Planning. See you next month. To view past segments of this series visit the Home Educators Classroom

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John Bizelli is a Geospatial Information Systems Analyst and a home-educating father of 3 teens. So it was only fitting that he and his wife Pamela would start a travel company with an emphasis on education. Visit www.MyGetawayPlan.com  and click on “Education Travel” to find out more about accredited education programs at sea such as “The Scholar-Ship”, an academic program hosting both undergraduate and postgraduate students on semester-long voyages around the world. Also if you’re a Doctor, Nurse, Lawyer, or Dentist you will want to find out about our CMEs - Continuing Education Accreditation while traveling.

You should balance the nature of the route you are considering with the skills and aspirations of your child. The younger or less experienced your child is, the more important it is to find routes that are non-motorized or lightly traveled by cars. The miles between services should be kept at a manageable distance and make sure that water and other important services are available throughout the day. The way that you choose to travel - self-contained or supported - will influence your need to maintain access to resources. Seriously consider riding the route yourself prior to bringing your child - or take a well-researched bicycling route such as those offered by the Adventure  Cycling Association, or one taken with a  tour company  that maps out the route. 

After you and your child have dreamed up the basic details of the tour, you need to choose a specific route. Consider:
1. Route shape, including a loop, out and back, or point-to-point tour, each of which may involve a start and/or return shuttle
2. Availability of overnight locations (this gets more challenging as group size increases)
3. Route quality, including safety, rider’s skill level, scenery, and services
4. Topography because big elevation gains and/or high elevations may mean that it is best to ride fewer miles that day. 

Planning a suitable route is crucial to ensuring your child has a safe, positive experience. There are many route options closed to motor vehicles, such as rail-trails and river paths. Some well-known examples include the Burke-Gillman Trail in Seattle, the Prairie Path in suburban Chicago, and the Katy Trail in Missouri. The Rails to Trails Conservancy catalogs most such trails in the US. The Katy Trail runs for 225 miles across nearly the entire state of Missouri. The trail follows Lewis and Clark’s route 150 miles, with numerous historic sites.  

For shorter trips, greater detail is often necessary at the onset of route planning, while for a multi-week trip, some flexibility in a route is helpful. For each day, consider: 

 • Start and finish locations
 • Mileage
 • Elevation change/terrain
 • Road characteristics
    o Surface
    o Traffic volumes
    o Shoulder width

• Name, location, and contact information for overnight accommodations

• Services (needs vary greatly on the type of tour)
    o Grocery store
    o Water stops
    o Laundry facilities
    o Bike shops
    o Universities

 • Activities
    o Museums
    o Hikes
    o Parks
    o Community service

 • Emergency contacts

 • Cumulative wear on the riders, especially on longer trips. Did you just bike twelve mountain passes, and need a few easier days to recover? 

A bicycle trip with your child will more like be about the quality of miles, not the quantity. Daily and total mileages can vary greatly, depending on your child's age, fitness, goals, terrain, and the style of touring you choose. Get a sense of your child's abilities during pre-trip rides, and you need to continue to gauge their capabilities throughout the trip. 

In addition to lowering miles for bicycle travel with your child, you will also generally lower mileage even more for self-supported tours. On a longer tour, the distance your child can comfortably cover in one day will increase over time, and maintaining flexibility for this variability is important. In considering total mileage, remember to factor in layover days, off-the-bike activities, and travel to and from the tour. We recommend at least one day a week of no bicycle travel. This can be a pure rest and relaxation day, combined with a hike or other adventure, or it can be used for errands and tasks, like laundry. Have something planned for the rest day, but keep it flexible to accommodate your child's needs. Your child may want quiet relaxation, or may be looking for some off-the-bike adventure. Whatever you choose to do, make sure you plan enough to keep your child busy. Down time around camp is when children often get hurt. 

Map Types

• Standard state road maps - free, and good for planning your overall trip and showing major towns and roads
• Regional/county road maps - show detailed routes and areas of local interest
• Topographic maps - helpful for learning topography, but can be big and bulky to carry
• Special bike maps - can be very detailed
• General bike routes - found in ride books or brochures 

“Micro maps” are detailed bike maps like the ones that Adventure Cycling Association produces. They have mile-by-mile route details with high resolution, and they’re the ones you want to carry in your map case or keep at hand. It is also great to bring along a state map or national map. This helps to put your route in perspective. The National Bicycle Route Network is a collection of over 37,210 miles of bicycle touring routes in the United States and Canada.

There are many resources available to show you cyclist-friendly routes. Governments and private mapping companies have mapped out cycling routes in their regions and created either bicycle maps or standard maps with bicycle routes on them. There are hundreds of books that explore all kinds of bicycling travel. Many tour books describe individual routes that include directions, mileage, difficulty, basic maps, and services along the way. It is a good idea to consult with a club or shop in the region in which you are planning on cycling because many have found local routes that they find safe and enjoyable. Maps, clubs, tour books, and DOT state coordinators are listed in The Cyclists’ Yellow Pages. 

Practice reading these maps with your child. Have them identify as many things as they can that will help them find their route. Teach them how to read topographic lines and have them figure out elevation gains and losses. You can even have them figure out average road grades on detailed maps. 

Planning your route is a very exciting process and your child will have the opportunity to learn more about maps, geography, and how to create a successful adventure for themselves.  

Throughout this series of articles, we will be referring to the vast cycling resources that already exist in North America. The articles should be supplemented with other resources that address bicycle safety, camping skills, and group dynamics if you are traveling with several kids. Happy bicycle travels!

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Becky Douglas is the Outreach and Education Coordinator at Adventure Cycling Association. Thanks to Kerry Irons for his help in writing this article. The mission of Adventure Cycling Association is to inspire people of all ages to travel by bicycle. They help cyclists explore the landscapes and history of America for fun, fitness, and self-discovery. Becky is the administrator of the Pedal Pioneers Program, which aims to inspire and empower adults who are taking kids on overnight bicycle adventures. She is also the author of Pedal Pioneers: A Guide to Bicycle Travel with Kids and can be reached at outreach@adventurecycling.org.

1. Know the rules for each section ahead of time.  he rules for each section of these tests always stay the same so learn them       long before the real SAT and PSAT/NMSQT. This not only saves time, but students will know what to expect in each section. 

2. Create a similar test environment. Many students don’t realize that these tests are very long and require mental endurance to finish them without running out of steam. The SAT itself is around 3 ˝ hours long. One way to prepare for this academic marathon is to practice just like the real test. By creating a test environment like the real test, this can eliminate any surprises and help with test success.
Practice like this: 
1. Start the practice test around 9:00 am.
2. Take only a five minute break in-between sections.
3. Use the same watch and calculator that will be used at the real test.
4. Make sure the testing area is free of distractions.
5. Time each section correctly.
6. Use a watch with a chronometer or set a second-hand watch at 12:00 for each section.
7. Keep several sharpened pencils nearby. 

3. PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE!
The key to doing just about everything well is to practice. Someone who plays a sport or learn an instrument cannot expect to win a game or perform their best concert without practicing. The same applies with these standardized tests. After learning the test-taking strategies, students should practice with actual College Board practice tests. The more they do this, the quicker they can find the recurring patterns and the faster they can answer the questions. The students, who usually score the highest, have made practicing a priority; they have put at least three to fours hours a week into practicing, over the entire year, and a few months leading up to the real test, they have treated it like a marathon. 

4. Take PSAT/NMSQT for practice in both freshman and sophomore years.
The score will not count but it will help familiarize students with the test and they will get their test booklet back in the mail. It usually arrives in the spring after the October test. The test score arrives later. When you receive it, go over your mistakes and find the patterns that were missed. Students can also use the booklet to retake the test later and see how much they’ve improved. (Retaking it can be beneficial since most students forget the questions.) 

5. Take the PSAT/NMSQT in your junior year when it counts.
Many guidance counselors and teachers have mistakenly told their students that this test is not a big deal and should only be used for measurement on how well they might do on the SAT test. This one test can give students amazing scholarship offers from colleges all over the nation. If a student scores in the semi-finalist range, they can literally get a full ride to numerous colleges because they are in the top 1% of the nation. This test only counts in their junior year or the third year they take it. 

6. Take the SAT many times.
There are no penalties for taking the SAT many times, so students should take it until they get their desired score. Colleges do not average the tests but take the highest scores. Many colleges will even take the highest score from each section from different tests to get the student’s best overall score. Every college is different when it comes to their desired entrance score as well as entry level for starting scholarships, so make sure you check with the college(s) of your choice. 

7. Test Day Success
The day of the test can be a successful experience with some keys preparation tips.
            1. Avoid any SAT work the day before.
            2. Wake up early-eat a light breakfast.
            3. Have the correct driving directions and leave early
            4. Take the appropriate items to the test.
                        a. registration ticket
                        b. several sharpened pencils
                        c. same calculator & watch used in practiced
                        d. dress in layers (rooms are often cold)
                        e. bring a snack-earplugs if easily distracted  

Test-taking fear can stop students in their tracks. Stress can also hinder a student’s performance because of the undo pressure on them. But preparation long before the actual test is the key to lessening the anxiety that students face. They can not only become a “good test-taker” but also get the “good” scores.

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 For more information visit www.collegeprepgenius.com or contact Jean Burk at info@collegeprepgenius.com   Also sign-up for our free No Brainer Scholarship Newsletter.

Hopefully our kids will be successful and able to hire a maid if they like, but meanwhile we don’t have time to be the housemaid, nor is that our job. The most difficult task we face is teaching our children the little lessons of life; how to finish what they start, meeting deadlines, accepting responsibilities. We all must work in the world, so don’t shield your children from work. They may be moaning and groaning, but if you let them skate away from their jobs, you are not doing them any favors in the long run.   

Another Mom once told me the most common mistake parents make is to underestimate their children’s abilities.  Some kids at six years old cannot tie their own shoes; some can do it at three. One way to ensure chores are age appropriate is to teach children how you want the job done, then watch to see if your child can handle it easily; then give him more advanced chores. You may be quite pleasantly surprised by how much they can do.  

Kids need responsibilities; when time is short of course we help them, but then they must help us or their siblings. Children forget that life is give and take, and working together is part of life. Helping each other means everyone can get finished and go play.

In real life we always have jobs we don’t like, some things that are just not the favorite. (I know you really do love hauling out the trash.)  My kids used to hate helping me weed the garden, but I made them do it anyway. At least they now know what it takes to grow food, and can tell a weed from a tomato! They may complain, but when you teach your kids to be cheerful no matter what they are doing, you are giving them the gift of joy in their lives. This will bring them smiles long after you are out of the picture, even if the smiles are at the thought of the tomatoes they uprooted! 

How can you be cheerful even if you are rushed and this is truly a “chore”?  Try varying the order of work, or find a new way to do it. Routine is wearing, and even small changes can give relief. Allow children to perform certain chores as they wish.  They can make whatever lunch they want, within your guidelines. In their own room they could dust as they please, not moving anything, just going around each object (they already do this, right?). Kids could rearrange items in their room, or decide how to go about cleaning it.  The biggest chore should be first, while they have a lot of energy, and smaller jobs are not so hard when one is getting tired. But if kids pick a different big job, so what; letting them choose gives children the privilege of being in charge to go along with the responsibility of having to do the work. These choices make work varied and take away some of the drudgery.

While doing chores with your child, talk about what you’re doing, and why it’s done this way. Ask kids if they know a better way to do it, so next week the job will go faster. How would they rearrange items in the drawer so they can find what they need quickly when they get ready for lessons? How can they arrange their clothes so that they are easier to put away?  Give it a try; if their idea doesn’t work they can come up with a better way next time. 

If you think your child cannot focus long enough to stick with a chore, then hand her a Game Boy and watch the clock. It is the rare child who cannot play for at least ten minutes, and most will go for as long as they are allowed.

Take a look at the world around our kids and you will see that much of a child’s world is chopped into short snippets of time. Commercials on radio and TV are commonly 15 seconds, where they used to be one minute. Computer games are quick, speed is often more important than content. Some elementary schools have kids in different classrooms for each lesson; where formerly there was one teacher all day, now many children have different teachers every 45 minutes. A home-schooled child may have a better chance to concentrate on one subject for a longer time.

Children need us to teach them to complete the job at hand, and keep their attention in the present moment. Yes, they must learn to look ahead to the consequences of their actions, but nowadays kids have so many activities they barely have time to stop and see what’s right in front of them. While we teach our children to zone in on what is happening now, we are also doing a bit of de-stressing ourselves.

Maybe a reason so many kids are into computer games is that they can lose themselves in the game.  It is its own little world, just as a book or a board game is, as school subjects can be. Kids can be taught to focus as completely on a chore or assignment as they do on the Game Boy.  

How do we teach children to finish the chores they begin, to stay and complete the job?  If the kids don’t finish, send them back. If it takes an entire Saturday for a child to clean her room, so be it. It is hard on parents to make the child go back to the bedroom the tenth time, and kids are great at messing around, doing nothing, laying on the floor staring at the ceiling bemoaning the fact they must pick up two articles of clothing. But are you going to teach them to do this today, or are you going to have this same battle until they grow up and leave home? Or worse, will you just give up and clean their room for them, thereby teaching them to complain louder next time so you will do their work sooner?

Consistency in parenting was one of the most difficult aspects I had to learn when my kids were small. It is no easy task to listen all day to a moaning child! But if they are whining about being given one job, then give them another. I told my kids they must not have learned how to be cheerful about tasks, and obviously needed more practice.  One child learned that lesson in about two weeks, and the other one took six years! Yes, each child is different! I am glad that they learned how to clean their rooms, though. Then they went to college…oh dear!

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Diane Spoehr is a 3rd Dan Degree Black Sash in the ancient Korean Martial and Healing Art of Hwa Rang DoŽ, with 10 years of experience teaching children and adults of all ages. She has taught many children and their parents how to develop self-discipline, demonstrate courtesy, and achieve their goals. Diane Spoehr is the Head Instructor and Owner of the Hwa Rang Do School of Jacksonville, located in Mandarin and Julington Creek.

Website: www.hwarangdofl.com
Email:   hrdjax@bellsouth.net

Americans can learn something from this philosophy. We take the privilege of driving for granted. We don't take the time to properly train our young drivers and we're paying a very high price - the lives of our young people.

A quote from Driving Dynamics:
"The best safety device you can install in a car is a trained driver. "

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Maria Wojtczak is the owner of DrivingMBA and is responsible for marketing and the operation of the organization.  DrivingMBA is a unique driver tutoring program geared towards better preparing teenagers for the responsibility of driving.  To learn more about DrivingMBA visit the web-site www.drivingmba.com.    Before Maria and her husband Richard, opened Driving MBA Maria worked as a consultant for over 20 years in the field of organization development working with a wide range of organizations.  In addition to the use of traditional organization development techniques, she is highly skilled in large systems change and organization learning, with formal training in both specialties. She has extensive experience in the field of adult learning concepts, and in the design and facilitation of adult learning experiences. 

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Are You Planning a New Literature Program?

Planning a new literature program can be daunting and time-consuming; at the same time it can be energizing and exciting.   There is a degree of freedom when one decides to let go of the familiar and embrace a whole new area.  Whether you are taking on this challenge by yourself or with a group, many questions will surface as you move forward.  What decisions do you  need to make and how do you get started will require your immediate attention.  In responding to these questions, planning is the key word.  What follows reflects some ideas for you to consider when addressing the why to, how to, and where to in the planning process.  

Why to plan a literature program

      There are many reasons why one decides to plan a new literature program, the most important one might be it’s time for a change and maybe time for a planned program.  When connectivity and cohesiveness are central to your child’s instructional needs, it becomes apparent that selecting related titles may provide a better rationale for an integrated  literature program.  In this case the question is how to integrate or connect literature with other areas, such as history themes.  For example, if you plan to focus on a particular genre such as historical fiction, then you need to find historical fiction titles that relate to your history units of study.  What better way for young readers to appreciate the literary elements of a genre while learning more about the Revolutionary War or the Civil War than through reading My Brother Sam Is Dead or Across Five Aprils.  Perhaps you want to focus on a particular theme or topic that interests you child, such as fanciful worlds with talking animals, as in The Wind in the Willows and The Mouse and the Motorcycle, to future worlds filled with humans confronting robots and other forces as in The White Mountains and A Wrinkle in Time, and many more.  Knowing the why to create a new a literature program provides the foundation upon which you will build as you advance to the next step—the how to implement you plan.  

How to implement your plan

    Now that you have decided what you want to accomplish, the next step is to select the best titles to meet the goals of your plan.  This is the research phase and one that will take you beyond recommended reading lists. At literatureplace.com, we learned quickly that our list of 150 titles arranged alphabetically was of little use!  Our users wanted more help from us, specifically they wanted the core list of 150 titles to be presented to them in categories that would be helpful in the title selection process.  Their requests formed the basis of our five online and offline Planning and Purchasing Guides.  Each guide can be used offline to select titles and online to research each title. 

                                                                     Genre Collections 

                                                                     Theme Collections 

                                                                     Level Collections 

                                                                    Top Ten Collections                                             

                                                                    Special Collections 

  .   You may want to explore the guides online to see the kinds of information provided for each title in a collection.  The Learn More link takes you to the book’s title page where you will find information about genre, author, story summary, activities list, and more.  This is just one example of the kinds of information you need to help you to create a list of titles that best supports your literature plan.  After you complete the selection of titles, it becomes necessary to search for resources.      

Where to find literature-based resources

    Most people start their search with the Internet where you will find a variety of resources.  The nature of the resources that will best serve your child’s needs depends on the goals you set.  For example, if  your child enjoys working independently, you might consider student-directed activities that relate to the book:  language arts activities, research and report activities, or activities in music and art.  If your child needs more directed instruction with more attention to comprehension skills, then you might consider chapter-related questions and vocabulary activities.  Whatever resources you choose, they should meet both the needs of your literature plan as well as your child’s instructional and interest level.

                                                       www.literatureplace.com 

We welcome you to visit and take advantage of our online and offline Planning Guides.  We wish you good speed in achieving the highest goals you set for your child’s literature program. 

 

 

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Creekside Academy - Florence, Alabama

Welcome Homeschool Group - Prescott, Arizona

St. Michael's Home Schoolers - Cherokee Village, Arkansas

CHIL - Lodi and surrounding areas, California

Christian Family Educators - Northwest Louisiana; Shreveport/ Bossier City

Homegrown at the Grove Homeschool Co-Op - Leonard, Michigan
Olive Branch Homeschoolers - Flint, Michigan
Christian Home Educators Parents Association - Western Wayne County (meet in Canton), Michigan
Oakland Homeschool Music - Oakland County, Michigan
Mid-Michigan Christian Home Educators (MMCHE) - Saginaw, Tuscola, and Northern Genesse Counties, Michigan
Adventurers Homeschool Association - Ypsilanti/ Washtenaw County, Michigan

Plymouth Area Homeschoolers - Plymouth, Minnesota

Living Room Learners - Medusa, New York

M.A.C.S. Homeschool (Moms and Children Socializing) - Iredell County, North Carolina

Grace Home Learning Connection - Homerville, Ohio

HCentralSA - San Antonio, Texas

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