Sunflower Unit Resources

Sunflowers make me happy. There is something just so cheery about them that just warms my heart. My family and I planted some mammoth sunflowers this year in our garden and have very much enjoyed watching them grow. 

We recently had fun measuring them.

This activity prompted me to find sunflower resources for my daughters to learn more about them. I wanted to share my finds with you. Enjoy! 

I can't wait to try my hand at making ALL NATURAL, HOME MADE TOASTED SUNFLOWER SEED BUTTER. 

FREE - All About Sunflowers - Printable PDF

Toilet Paper Roll Sunflower Stamp Craft

$0.50 - All Sunflowers! A Fun Study! - Lapbook PDF

Sunflower Journals - Journal Pages FREEBIE

Sunflower Labels - FREEBIE

FREE - Sunflower Graphic Organizer

 write about sunflowers by using this graphic organizer

FREE- Sunflower Daily Journal

make observations and log findings

FREE LESSON - Oil Pastel Sunflowers Inspired by Vincent Van Gogh

Build a Sunflower House

Sunflower Facts - PDF

National Sunflower Association 

Sunflower Pattern - PDF 

Make a 15 Minute Sunflower Peep Cake

Fun with Sunflowers - PDF 

Sunflower Facts for Kids

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We hope you enjoyed the resources. :) 

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How to Homeschool For Mostly Free

Is it possible to homeschool for FREE?

I'm not going to sugar coat anything. Homeschool for absolutely free, as in not spend a penny....NO! In my opinion, it just isn't possible. The truth is, it costs money to have stuff and do stuff. I say this because when you homeschool you should know that you are indeed going to be spending money on one thing or another. This could be gas for a vehicle, paper and ink for a printer, that one book you just couldn't find for free, homeschool supplies, or perhaps homeschool co-op fees. The list could go on. I will say that I believe it is possible to be extremely thrifty and find free materials.

Below are some tips to be able to homeschool for mostly free.

1) Visit the Library - The library is a fantastic resource and one that I believe every homeschooling family should have access to and use. 

2) Take a Walk - Gas prices these days are ridiculous! If it is possible, walk to your destination. Walks are great for not only health but also wonderful for nature and community studies. 

3) Share With a Friend - Does a friend have a curriculum or book you would like? Perhaps you have one they would like. Make a swap. 

4) Find Resources on the Internet - Google, Pinterest, homeschool blogs, and many other sites are filled with fun ideas, worksheets, and freebies. Type in what you need and you might just find it. 

Here are a couple favorite sites of ours

•  Free Homeschool Deals
•  How to Homeschool for Free
•  The FREE List: Homeschooling Links

My Crew Friends have some wonderful homeschooling blogs. 

5) Make Your Own Curriculum - This does take time, but I have found it to sometimes be the best fit for my family. It is very possible to find freebies and put them together to build your own studies. 

6) Download Free Kindle Books and Apps - Okay, so the Kindle cost money but the books and apps don't have to. I have been able to find many free books and apps that have aided us in our homeschooling journey. 

• Free Kindle Books - Free eBooks: Collections
• Free Kindle Apps - Kindle Fire Apps - Homeschool

7) Visit Youtube - Private lessons can be costly. Does your child want to learn to crochet or maybe play an instrument? Visit Youtube. My daughter has learned to both crochet and play the guitar using this amazing resource.

8) Have a Sale - Do you have books and curriculum you are no longer using? Sell those items and use the money to purchase what you need. 

9) Re-purpose - Empty coffee cans make great supply holders, pallets can make great book shelves, and dish racks can hold files and folders. There are a ton of things a person can reuse in homeschooling. Pinterest is great for finding these ideas. 

10) Take a Free Field Trip - Visits to your local police and fire departments can be great field trips. Perhaps you can arrange to visit a local farm. Some areas even offer free museums. Fields trips don't have to be expensive to be fun and educational. Don't feel like leaving home. That's fine as well. Virtual field trips are a fun way to learn and explore the world as well. 

11) Save Here, Spend There - Cut cost in one area to use for homeschooling. For example: I've been known to call companies and ask for a lower rate or discount. Sometimes we have saved a lot and other times we haven't. You just have to try. The point is, if you are freeing money from one area you can use it in another.

12) Plant a Garden - Food costs money and when you are providing three meals a day, everyday, it can get costly. While planting a garden isn't completely free, it can be low cost and eventually save you money. Gardening is very hands-on and educational.

13) Start a Micro Business - Micro businesses are simple and fast to start up. They are generally home-based and and can be started debt free. Running a business can provide extra income that can be used towards your homeschooling experience. The best part of all is you can learn while earning. My daughter recently started a micro business and has done well with it.

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Friends, I hope you found some ideas for homeschooling mostly free. If you have ideas, freebies, or just want to share a story, we would love to hear from you. You can leave a comment below.

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Library and Educational Services ~ Go Science ~ Review

Science is important and in my opinion should be fun for students learning it. I'm really not that great at teaching it and have many times thought it would be super nice to have a science teacher available for my daughters and I. That's exactly what I felt I received when we recently reviewed Series 2 of the Go Science DVDs from Library and Educational Services.

What is Library and Educational Services?

Library and Educational Services is a small family owned business, that has been operating for 35 years. They are wholesale distributors that sell to libraries, schools, homeschools, re-sellers, specialty stores, churches, missionaries, daycare centers, and ministry leaders. What I love the best is the materials they distribute are carefully selected to ensure they are in harmony with Christian values and morals. I feel this is very important and something that I'm very thankful for. 

What are the Go Science DVDs?

The Go Science DVDs are a series of 7 DVDs that feature fun and educational science demonstrations hosted by a gentleman named, Ben Roy. Mr. Roy is a science teacher at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and is the former director of a science program on television. His high-energy, fun teaching methods, and love for God truly make watching the DVDs not only educational but also highly entertaining. At the end of each demonstration, Mr. Roy says "Every time we learn something about science, we learn something about our Creator, God!" How true and powerful is that statement? I knew after watching the first demonstration that these DVDs were exactly what I wanted my girls to be watching. They are recommended for ages 4-12. We had the opportunity to pick 2 out of the 7 offered for our review. 

Volume 1: Sound, Gravity, Space

Volume 2: Life Science, Weather

Volume 3: Air

Volume 4: Motion, Friction, Electricity, and Light

Volume 5: States of Matter, Water

Volume 6: Chemistry

Volume 7: Engineering, Design, Flight

We choose Volume 1: Sound, Gravity, Space and Volume 2: Life Science, Weather.

How we used Volume 1: Sound, Gravity, Space

There is a lot offered in Volume 1. My daughters had a blast watching it and often paused to recreate demonstrations they were watching. We had some giggles and some "Ah ha" moments while watching. We found that the demonstrations were quick but always on point. Mr. Roy has a gift of being able to teach science in such a fun, engaging way. I'm going to break down each demonstration offered and explain how it impacted us. 

Sound:

• Piano - In this video my daughters were able to visually see how the strings on a piano worked. We loved this one. We have a piano and my daughters thought it was neat to learn what was happening as they push down a key.

• Screaming Pop Can - My daughters absolutely loved this one. They had so much fun trying to get pop cans to scream. I had a blast watching as they attempted and even tried it myself. 

• Balloon with Nut - My daughters had to try this one and rushed around trying to find a balloon and a nut. In this video Mr. Roy takes a balloon and nut and is easily able to create a buzzing sound. The girls thought it was neat how the sounds would vary depending on the speed they were twirling the balloon. 

• Simple Telephone - This is the classic string and cup demonstration. One that we had done before, but one they were eager to try again. My daughters have always been fascinated by this one and I'm glad it was included. 

• Reuben's Tube - One of our favorites! We had never heard of a Reuben's tube prior to watching this DVD. I'm so glad this was included. Mr. Roy did a fantastic demonstration. Watching this one, prompted us to do more research about it.

• Breaking Glass - Of course, I'm sure we have all heard of a lady singing and breaking glass. Have you actually seen it done? Well there was no singing, but definitely some high pitch sounds that did indeed cause glass to break. We didn't try this one, but we really thought it was neat. 

• Organ Pipes - In this demonstration organ pipes are blown through to hear sound and one is attached to a balloon filled with helium. The girls paused and had fun discussing what they felt would happen. 

• Stick with String - This was fun and one that my girls also tried. Making sound with a string and stick by twirling it around. 

• Water Whistle - In this demonstration Mr. Roy creates a fun water whistle. My girls also tried this one and I thought it was pretty entertaining watching them. 

Gravity:

• Candle SeeSaw - In this demonstration it was fun to see how the wax from a candle can cause a seesaw motion. Another one we didn't try, but I'm sure we will in the future. 

• Drop Book with Paper - If you place a paper on a book and drop it, will it fall at the same rate? I paused this one to ask my girls their opinions. It was fun to hear what my girls thought would and wouldn't happen. 

Space:

• Sun Golf Balls - In this video the girls were amazed to learn the size of the earth compared to our sun. Mr. Roy does a fantastic job using golf balls to demonstrate. 

• Solar Bag - We didn't get to try this one, but we really want to. In this video Mr. Roy took a very long bag and tied one end closed. He then runs with one end and it fills with air to float in the sky. It was so big and very impressive to my daughters. 

• UV Beads - Another favorite. My daughters wanted to try this one really bad. I hope to be able to soon. In this video UV beads harness the power of ultraviolet rays to change colors right before your eyes.

• Bang Barrel - Another we couldn't try at home, but wonderful as well. In this video Mr. Roy has taken a 2-liter bottle and filled it with liquid nitrogen so that it will explode. A barrel is placed on top and the barrel flies into the air. Very cool!

As you can probably tell, we truly enjoyed watching Volume 1: Sound, Gravity, Space and couldn't wait to watch Volume 2. 

How we used Volume 2: Life Science, Weather

Another great DVD that offered a lot in the way of science demonstrations. I knew from watching Volume 1 that this was also going to be a wonderful DVD and was trilled to again be watching with my daughters learning fun, engaging science. Once again, I'm going to break down each demonstration and try not to give away to much. 

Life Science:

• Flashlight-Animal Eyes - Have you ever been driving down the road and your headlights meet the eyes of an animal? This is what is taught in this demonstration. The girls learned how spider eyes work along with many other insects and animals. I loved how he explained that God created them that special way. 

• Animal Skulls - My daughters were able to see the skulls of a beaver, bear, and bob cat. They learned about the position of the eyes in relation to being a prey or a predator. 

• Bobby Pins - This was about sense of touch and the ability to feel pressure on your hands and other parts of the body. He used the tips of bobby pins to apply pressure. The children had their eyes closed and had to guess whether one or two points were touching them. We gave it a try. It was neat to the girls, that they weren't able to get it right all the time. 

• What Are You Looking At? - Did you know that when you look at someone you tend focus only on the eyes and mouth? My girls didn't until this demonstration. Mr. Roy showed a picture and the children were easily able to identify who it was until it was turned. The reason being, because the eyes and mouth were upside down. My daughters really liked this one. 

• How Much Do Your Lungs Hold? - In this demonstration Mr. Roy was able to show how much air a persons lungs could hold by using an aquarium, a tube, and a jug of water. My daughters were surprised to learn just how much air a persons lungs could actually hold.

• Eating Nails for Breakfast - We loved this experiment! Mr. Roy took a bag of cereal flakes and placed them in a bag with a small amount of water. He mashed it up and placed a magnet inside. He then removed the magnet and washed it off and placed little iron pieces on a plate to show everyone how iron is in our food and how God has designed our bodies to need certain minerals, like iron. It was very neat to see this and the girls were surprised that we have iron in our food. 

• Naked Eggs - In this demonstration Mr. Roy shows how vinegar reacts with the calcium in the shell of an egg and how the vinegar slowly dissolves the shell.  He also showed how after seven days, the shell is completely gone. I loved how he explained that calcium in our bones is needed to keep our bones good and strong. We had tried this experiment before and it was neat to see it done again. 

Weather:

• Fire Tornado - This one was pretty neat. Being from Oklahoma we have seen our fair share of tornadoes. However, we had never seen a fire tornado. He explained to the children how fire fighters have to fight fire tornadoes sometimes. He also explained about choosing our words because we don't want them to get out of control like a fire tornado. 

• Ping Pong Cannon - Another great one! In this experiment Mr. Roy used a pipe, a can, and a ping pong ball to show how a ping pong ball can go through a can. Mr. Roy vacuumed the air out from the pipe to make this experiment work. Then he put a hole in the end of the ping pong ball using a pair of scissors. The pressure of the air launched the ping pong ball with force. He joked with the children about being able to find money while vacuuming. This in turn made my daughters want to vaccuum. Wow! My girls were learning science and wanting to do chores! Yay, Mr. Roy! Pretty amazing for sure.

• Liquid Nitrogen Cloud - This one was my daughters favorite. My oldest said "Mom! That was awesome!" Mr. Roy created a huge cloud using liquid nitrogen, a storage container, and hot water. The ending result was simply amazing for sure. 

• Cloud in a Bottle - In this demonstration Mr. Roy pumped air pressure into a bottle. The pressure heats up the air molecules. He was able to make a cloud form inside the bottle when he removed pressure and then made it disappear by pumping more pressure. He explained how it was like our water cycle. We plan on trying this one soon. 

• Garbage Can Vortex - In this experiment Mr. Roy filled a trash can that had a circle cut out on the end with fog. He had the children tap the bottom to create rings of smoke. They tried again, but this time using one that had a square on the end. My daughters thought a square smoke ring would appear. Mr. Roy explained how a square is not a strong structure in nature. He also explained how God made things round. The girls were intrigued to learn that a circle is the strongest shape in nature.

Our Final Thoughts 

We absolutely loved the Go Science DVDs. I'm so thankful we had the opportunity to review them. These are DVDs that can be watched over and over. I love that we can use them again, when we cover something in the future. I also loved how God and a Christian lesson are included in every science demonstration. It was also great that we could participate in some of the experiments at home. I didn't have to purchase anything, because most items could be found at home. However, some of the experiments were more elaborate and not safe to try at home. We sure loved being able to watch them though and learn why a certain process was happening. Science truly is fun! 

What do the Go Science DVDs cost?

They are available to purchase for just $8.97 each. This is a fantastic price in my opinion. I feel that the amount of information and fun experiments make these well worth the price. 

Want to connect with Library and Educational Services?

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/libraryanded

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Not everyone on the crew received the same DVDs.
Click below to read more reviews from the Schoolhouse Review Crew. 

Random 5 On Friday - June 20

1) I love sunflowers. Our sunflowers are getting so big. We have one that is almost 10 foot tall. My daughters think it is so neat. 

2) I attended a car show with my hubby last Saturday. It was pretty fun. I forgot to bring the sunscreen so we spent a good amount of time sitting in the shade under trees. My poor hubby still got a pretty bad sunburn. 

3) I found the coolest volcano kit for $2.50 the other day! I couldn't pass it up and the girls absolutely loved putting it together. 

4) I should always listen to my hair stylist! Yes, always! I tried to apply a red to my really dark hair. Not good! It colored my roots the brightest red and didn't even touch the rest of my hair. I wore a hat until I could get it fixed. I don't like hats, but I loved them that day! :) 

5) I'm buying a house! Talk about stressful, but I'm finally going to be a home owner. I'm pretty excited!

I'm linking up at The Pebble Pond. Click below to check out other great Random 5 on Friday posts.

Random Five on Friday ~ June 13th

1) It's over! The chemical stress test that was scheduled for Monday. I have to admit, it wasn't as bad as I expected. It still wasn't pleasant but I suppose it could have been worse. The best part though, my results came back NORMAL! Yay! It makes me so happy to know it's not my heart causing problems. Now to just figure out what is the problem.

2) I decided to clean out closets today. We now have about 4 huge bags of clothes to donate.

3) We had tacos for supper today! I love tacos!

4) Planning a family vacation is very stressful! It shouldn't be, right!? So many choices, so little time.

5) My hubby has asked me to go to a car show tomorrow. I like car shows, but what I really like is taking pictures of all the beautiful cars. Stay tuned for those pictures.

I'm linking up at The Pebble Pond. Click below to check out other great Random 5 on Friday posts.

Grandma's Apron

A few years ago I walked into a house, I used to call Grandma Dee's, to help some aunts and my father remove some items. I was tense and unsure what memories the experience would bring to the front of my mind. I spent a lot of time as a child in that house. I knew that there was going to be some sad moments, but what I didn't know was how an apron could bring me so much joy. I was sitting in the kitchen when I spotted it. An apron my grandma wore, even if she was just putting waffles into the toaster. Funny story about waffles and grandma. One day she certainly saved me from impending doom, when I decided to use a butter knife to pry out a stuck waffle from the toaster. I was probably 7 at the time but I can still remember the gut wrenching scream she let out.  Anyhow,  I was suddenly brought back to the late eighties and early nineties, in my mind. Reminiscing the many times I saw grandma grab her apron and slide it over her dark curls, so that it would cover her blouse. I'm a lot like my grandma, in the fact that I can't ever seem to keep a shirt spot free. She joked many of times about wishing she could wear her aprons to restaurants. Now every time I drop something on my shirt, I can laugh and understand her frustration. She loved her aprons and she had many. It was the first thing she would grab when she walked into her small kitchen to prepare a meal. I asked my father if he minded that I have it. He of course didn't and I was pleased to know that I could bring the apron home. For many months the apron hung in my kitchen, almost as if it was a decoration. I didn't use it, because I certainly didn't want anything to happen to it. It wasn't until one day that my youngest daughter was in the kitchen preparing to help her sister make muffins, when she grabbed the apron to put it on. I was hesitant and wanted to tell her to put it back but I didn't. I watched as she slid it over her blonde little curls and almost started to shed a tear. There was joy and the tears certainly would have not been sad tears. I didn't cry though, instead I choose to embrace the moment with a smile. I mean aprons are meant to be used and this apron should be no exception. An apron that held many memories for me, was now going to be an apron that could hold many memories for my children. I'm also sure that grandma would have approved. 

I've never been big on wearing aprons, but a couple years ago my mother-in-law hand made me the cutest apron. I'm looking at the apron in a whole new light lately. 

That's my grandma on her wedding day. She was so beautiful!

An apron doesn't have to be just an ordinary apron, but instead can be looked at as a special memory making apron. Who knew that what one could describe as a simple apron could be turn out to be so special.

How do you remember aprons? Was it grandma's apron or mom's apron? Do you wear an apron now? We would love to hear from you.

My grandma passed away when I was 15 after a battle with breast cancer. Breast cancer affects many lives and it saddens me very much. If you would like to donate to breast cancer research you can do so below.

Want to try your hand at making an apron? Check out a great resource below. You never know, one day that apron could be very special to someone. 

FREE Apron Patterns

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We Choose Virtues Parenting Cards ~ Review

Hello friends, I've always found teaching good character to be one of the most important things I could do for my daughters. I'm sure as a parent or teacher you will agree just how important it is. I was recently blessed by a recent review that helped me and my daughters immensely. We just recently had the opportunity to review KJV Parenting Cards and a Download Bundle from We Choose Virtues. We have been using them several times a week and my daughters and I absolutely love them. The recommended age is 3-11.

What are the Parenting Cards?

The Parenting Cards are 13 double sided, high quality cards and measure 8.5' x 5.5' in size. These wonderful cards are loaded with helpful tips on introducing and demonstrating the 12 virtues. They include a virtue user challenge, "What to say after 'I'm sorry'", a virtue catchphrase, antonyms for the virtue, the name of a "Virtue Kid" with an inspiring story, and a wonderful bible memory verse.  I love that they are made so well, because I can use these for years to come. I also loved that you could lay them out or hang them up to be displayed on a wall. I had ever intention of hanging them up, but never did get around to it, because we liked being able to change them out and focus on certain ones more in depth. We also had fun picking a virtue of the week and displaying it on our refrigerator. 

What is the Download Bundle?

The Download Bundle is packed with wonderful tools that are sure to help in teaching the 12 virtues. The bundle includes a handy teacher's handbook, a family character assessment sheet, very cute coloring pages, butterfly awards, and sing-along song sheets.

How did we use this wonderful tools from We Choose Virtues?

We started by filling out the Family Character Assessment sheet that was included in the Download Bundle. I noticed immediately that we had areas to work on and decided to start with the virtues cards and tools from the Download Bundle that would benefit our family most. The best part about these awesome tools, was being able to tailor them to our families needs. Being able to be flexible with the tools helped us address areas of individual need while also learning and working together. It also lead to wonderful discussions about each virtue and how we could help each other. Each Parenting Card features a character with an adorable name and story. My daughters absolutely loved hearing the stories and my youngest daughters favorite activity was coloring the characters.  I'd love to give you an example of one of the cards. A particular card we covered one day was the "Kind" card. This card features a cute character named Kettle Gretel. We went over the Virtue User Challenge and read all the stories, tips and bible verse. One activity was making a kindness poster. Each of my daughters made a poster that had two sections. One section said "Please don't" and the other said "Please do". They wrote things that they didn't want, for example, one daughter said "Please don't say rude things to me." This activity allowed each sister to understand the needs of the other. We hung the posters on our refrigerator and referenced them during the course of our review. I loved this activity and felt that it gave my daughters the opportunity to list some things that were bothering them and also lead to discussions on fixing issues and being kind to each other.

The teachers handbook also found in the Download Bundle is filled with lots of great information and ideas on how to teach each virtue and enrich your character studies. I found that it was nice to print and reference when looking for fun, workable ideas. There is no need to print it if you don't want to though. It can also be read and referenced from the file.  

Also used during the review were the sing-along songs. They were so fun to sing and my daughters had a blast learning them. I even heard them singing them out loud at later moments. It was fun to hear. The songs are sang to the tune of familiar songs, such as B-I-N-G-O. This made learning them even easier for my daughters. 

The bundle also includes Butterfly Awards that can be printed as many times as needed. These awards are to be giving after a child is caught using their virtues. I remember a similar idea when I was growing up called "Caught You Award".  It was an award that a teacher would give us in school, when we were caught being nice or helpful. I always loved receiving them. My daughters thought these were neat also. I will admit, that I didn't originally print out as many as I should have, but that's the great thing about having them in the bundle. I can print as many as I need when needed. 

I think we did very well with the KJV Parenting Cards and the Download Bundle and I would recommend them to every parent and teacher. I loved that my daughters had fun with them and it didn't feel like I was forcing them to participate, but rather they wanted to because they want to have good character. We Choose Virtues has definitely created wonderful learning and teaching tools and I'm glad we had the opportunity to review them.

What do they cost?

Parent Cards ($38.49) 

Download Bundle ($7.99)

Right now thorugh June you can use Promo Code BIG50 for 50% off their amazing set of 12 11x17 Kids of VirtueVille Posters! This is the first time they have ever offered these posters at this price. They are great for school classrooms, Kids Church, or your homeschool room. 

Also, through August, you can use Promo Code BTS20 and save 20% on anything in the We Choose Virtues Store.

Want to connect with We Choose Virtues?

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/wechoosevirtues

Pinterest – http://www.pinterest.com/WeChooseVirtues/

Blog -- http://www.wechoosevirtuesblog.com/

Click below to read more great reviews from the Schoolhouse Review Crew

Random 5 on Friday - June 5

1) The girls found this cute little dude in our garden. :)

2) We have been having much more relaxed school days. Even though we are still doing school, I don't feel a lot of pressure lately for some reason. Not sure why, but it sure is nice.

3) We have been fishing a bunch the last few days. I still haven't caught anything but my hubby and daughters have. Below is a picture of my youngest catching her first catfish of the year. She was having quite the struggle, so daddy and big sis rushed in to help.

4) I absolutely love taking pictures. I literally have a camera with me almost everywhere I go. Recently, I took some pictures of our local lake that I just adore.

5) I'm scheduled for a chemical stress test for my heart next Monday. I'm stressed about the stress test. Aghhh! Seriously not a good feeling. I should have never googled stories about the test either. That certainly didn't help matters none. I am thankful the doctor recently gave me some Lasix for the edema I have been dealing with. It has helped a bunch.

I'm linking up at The Pebble Pond. Click below to check out other great Random 5 on Friday posts.