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My family’s web presence:
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Kiwikids

Distracted 9yo

My 9yo boy gets distracted doing workbooks, cleaning his room, doing all sorts of chores and tasks around home, but sit him in the middle of his lego or brainbox circuitry and he’s focussed for ages! So, I know he can focus in. (He’s a dreamer. I love him dearly.)
I set the stove timer beeper [...]

WW : Object Lessons

At 8+10 years old, my children still like object lessons.
Object lessons are Bible stories and deeper concepts taught by something real they can see. Jesus used parables or stories with several layers of meanings. And so realia, or real tangible objects, help to express ideas and character qualities to everyone – not just the younger [...]

ThTh : Church?

I was brought up to go to Church on Sunday. That’s the first call on your time each Sunday. I have wholeheartedly believed this – til the end of last year.
Factors that have contributed to changes in my thinking about what church (small ‘c’) is, include:

multiple migraines (and not wanting to endure teenage angst, weak songs, and [...]

WW : 10 things about NZ Maori

Kia ora!  
1.
History overview : http://www.newzealandnz.co.nz/maori/
2.
Culture – protocols  (on marae etc) : http://www.maori.org.nz/ - overview
http://www.newzealand.com/travel/about-nz/culture/culture-maori-culture.cfm

3.
Te Reo – language : http://www.nz.com/new-zealand/guide-book/language/maori/
http://www.korero.maori.nz/
4.
Iwi – tribes : http://www.library.auckland.ac.nz/subjects/maori/guides/iwi_map.htm
5.
Waiata – songs : http://folksong.org.nz/waiata.html
Stick game with music : http://folksong.org.nz/epapa/index.html 
6.
Unit Study overview : http://asterix.ednet.lsu.edu/~edtech/webquest/maori.html 
7.
Whale Rider :
http://www.moviemusicuk.us/whaleridecd.htm  -   music
The haunting sound in the movie is made by synthesizer but mimics in part a Maori woodwind instrument.
http://www.aotearoa.co.nz/neptunes/putatara.htm   
http://www.carving.co.nz/puoro.html
movie synopsis  -  http://www.filmeducation.org/filmlib/WhaleRider.pdf
8.
Google images [...]

WW : Kiwi Home Educators’ Blogs

 New Zealand home educators are online.
Here’s some that I found: (expanded & republished)
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/AngtheFLYingKiwi/ - Ang
http://momentsofwhimsy.blogspot.com/ - Cate
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ChrissyShads/ - Christina
http://thenewunschooler.blogspot.com/ - Colleen
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/KiwiSmithFamily/ - Craig Barbara
http://www.cynthiahancox.com/blog/ - Cynthia 
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CynthiaH/ 
http://wonder-mints.blogspot.com/ - Darnia
http://3kiwihomeschoolers.blogspot.com/ - ‘J’s Mum’
http://kiwidigitalscrapbooking.blogspot.com/
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/kiwimumoffive/ - jaybee
http://homeschoolingdiary.wordpress.com/ - Jen 
http://banquet.homeschooljournal.net/ - Johanna
http://lapbooking.wordpress.com
http://katekiwi.blogspot.com/ - Kate
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/kiwigirl/
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/atTheGoodLife - Leanne
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/OurSchoolingJourney/ - Maree
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mlaktin/ - Marilyn
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/wisdomspearls/ - Melody
http://www.rachel-larkin.com/ - Rachel L, Ak
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/LittleSchoolHouse/ - Rachel L, Chch
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/4kiwigirls - Rachel R
http://www.xanga.com/Rabbits_Nest - Raewyn, top SI
http://weblog.xanga.com/Rabbits_Nest
http://watercolourdreams.blogspot.com/ - Sandra
http://sharonnz.blogspot.com/ - Sharon
http://unschoolersanonymous.blogspot.com - Shell, Wn
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/KuraKainga/ - ‘Sherena’
I shall keep looking [...]

FF : Home Educators’ YearBook

Home Educators Yearbook
Before the year ends, here’s one way to have a record of your Homeschool year :

Buy a small-medium photo album
Check there are plain cards slightly smaller than the sleeve in each sleeve. This keeps pages firm, esp if no photos.
Grab a camera and do some catch-up photo-taking. Capture people and places on film [...]

FF : Kiwi Home Educators’ BlogRing

Hello fellow Kiwi bloggers,
Would you like to join a Kiwi Home Educators blog ring?
Your blog doesn’t have to be about homeschooling (exclusively).
But live in or be from New Zealand – and have home educated.
www.ringsurf.com/ring/nr96/ – view – Kiwi Home Educators – just new
www.ringsurf.com/netring?action=addform&ring=nr96 – sign up
 

The best code to copy and paste for the [...]

ThTh : Light Hearted HS

Who said that ‘thoughtful’ can’t be tongue-in-cheek?
http://www.teachinghome.com/newsletters/newsletter207.cfm
April Fool’s light hearted approach to homeschooling
Here’s the Headers:
Top 10 Tips for April 1st
10.  How To Make Your House Clean Itself
  9.  P.E. Can Work Out for You
  8.  Hands-on History
  7.  Lazy Science
  6.  999 Ways To Teach the Multiplication Tables
  5.  Free Math Manipulatives
  4.  Short [...]

WW : Unit Studies

Unit Studies
can take less than a week or as long as you like.
We thought one month was a good time, but that seems to draw out to a term (10 weeks) with all the usual homeschooling “interruptions” like trips to Grandma’s, swimming lessons for a week, or …

Choose a topic – define it. Learn about mind [...]

MM : Recycle 2L Ice Cream Containers

CHILDREN

Store small toys in them. These tubs are great for set of Lego, matchbox cars, beads, Barbie clothes, and baby rattles. Label with a permanent marker or draw/stick picture.
Cut shapes in lid and place back on box - good as posting box for under 2s. Tie several long skinny bits of fabric of different colour/texture/weight together [...]