Langer's Feature Family

Early this year we were contacted by Langer's Juice Company to become the next family farm/grower featured on their juice bottles.  Our cranberries are used in Langer's Cranberry Juice Cocktail and juice blends.  If you're interested in seeing the label or buying juice:

Cranberry Juice Cocktail

Cranberry Apple Cocktail

Using Science Kits for Homeschool (and my reviews)

We are three weeks into our 36 week homeschool year and we've been using science kits again in the younger grades.  I really like science kits for many reasons:

1)  Everything is in one box ready to go.

2)  Readers can complete these on their own, allowing mom (or dad) to conduct other lessons.

3)  Relatively inexpensive.

4)  Fun (the good ones are).

5)  Often spurs the imagination to try out other experiments with the remaining supplies.

I'm going to share with you some of the science kits we've used and give you my (hopefully) brief review.

Candy Chemistry - age 10+

Sam is currently working through this kit.  The kit is complete except for the food items needed.  It definitely screams fun with the word candy in the title, but it starts off pretty slow with volume, temperature and heat transfer.  It looks to be picking up intensity because he asked if I'd help with the next experiment, making hard candy.  He's a little nervous about how quickly sugar can burn.  This kit has a lot of extra science info in the instruction booklet.  I noticed he was only reading the experiments so I did read over the science lesson portions and we discussed the vocabulary used.  This kit has proven to keep his interest so I'll give 5 stars.

Snap Circuits - age 8+

We started with the Junior kit and Sam had so much fun we added the Extreme kit for this year.  This kit teaches about electrical circuits while kids build systems with motion, lights and sound.  5 stars.

Bath Bomb Factory - age 8+

This had potential for science instruction, but was mostly for fun and the bath bombs didn't want to stay together very well.  Nothing like the pictures.  Even so, Amber still had a lot of fun with this one a few years back and used up all the supplies.  4 stars.

Lab in a Bag - Test Tube Adventures - age 8+

This was a total disappointment.  Very babyish.  Upon completion (not much worked or amazed) everything went in the trash. 1 star.

Young Scientist Series - age 5-12

This is a series of about 10 sets.  Each set comes with 3 kits.  Each kit is a different topic.  Both Amber and Sam have used and enjoyed these kits over the years.  What I like is that most everything needed is included in the box and the direction booklet has a section specifically addressing the child making it very easy to understand.  What the kids like is that the experiments actually work.  Last year Sam did one kit where the yeast was old so it didn't work, but once we used fresh yeast it worked.  One of Sam's favorites was the owl pellet dissection.

Professor Ein-O Egg Science - Egg-stra-ordinary - age 8+

This isn't the egg-zact kit we used last year, but it's very similar; it might be the updated version.  This was super fun, entertaining and engaging.  Give a boy a few raw eggs, let him know he might be breaking them, and you have the recipe for a fun science hour.  This gets 5+ stars.

This is just a snippet of the kits we've used over the years.  I know there have been many others I've forgotten.  However, if you're considering using science kits in your homeschool or thinking up gift ideas for a youngster, try one of these kits.  Learning should be fun.

HAPPY EXPERIMENTING!!

Cranberry Harvest....and so it begins

We just began our HyRed harvest.  HyReds are a variety of cranberries that color early, therefore we get a head start on the harvest with this variety.  I'm going to be sharing lots of information on cranberry harvest, cranberry recipes, and the fun and woes of cranberry harvest.  Stay tuned over the next month for more, lots more.  

This is the old style of cranberry harvesting using a hand rake.  This is back breaking work if done all day so Warren only rakes a box or so this way.  I can't imagine the harvesters of yesteryear doing this all day usually earning a few cents for each box filled.  As you can see the cranberries are in water for harvesting, but they do not grow in water.  Throughout the year the cranberry beds are basically dry, except during irrigation.  I guess I'm getting ahead of myself.  I'll be sharing more about this and some pictures later this week.

Homemade Pancake Mix

For some reason when I'm up to my eyeballs in canning (perishables), I seem to think I should stock the pantry with homemade mixes, too, which really could be done anytime like when the wagon loads of tomatoes are put up and the endless boxes of apples are sauced.  I'm not sure if it's the prepper in me or maybe I'm part squirrel.

Here we go with another recipe that comes in handy on busy mornings and makes for a quick lunch, too.  Whipping up an individual batch of pancake mix isn't hard, but it takes minutes that sometimes I don't have.  So instead of pulling out the dry ingredients for just one batch, I like to mix up a big batch all at once.  Then all I have to do is add the wet ingredients and warm up the griddle when we're craving pancakes.

I like to line up the dry ingredients with the appropriate measuring cup or spoon.  I set my empty pancake mix container on the right and then add the ingredients as if I was making only one batch.  I give it a quick whisk and then add another batch, whisk, repeat.  Kind of like the directions on the shampoo bottle.  Does anyone waste shampoo by actually washing and repeating?  Just scrub harder the first time.  Back to pancakes.  You might notice I do not have a measuring spoon for the salt, that's because I eyeball it.  And since you only used the measuring cups and spoons for dry ingredients, give them a quick wipe on your apron and put 'em back in the drawer.  No need to wash dishes that don't need washing.

Homemade Pancake Mix (one batch)

2 1/4 cups flour
1 T. sugar
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt

My container holds 5 batches.

When ready to use, measure out 2 1/2 cups mix and add 2 c. buttermilk, 2 eggs, and 3 T. melted butter or oil.  Stir, leaving a few lumps and fry on hot griddle.


Linking up with Raising Homemakers for their Homemaking Linkup.

Encouragement for the Mom of a Reluctant Reader

So much is out there about teaching reading, whether it be in a school setting to a group of kids or at home to only one child at a time.  Most of the info provides similar tips for teaching reading.

> read aloud beginning at an early age
> teach the alphabet song
> teach the letter sounds
> teach sound blending using 3 letter, short vowel words
> read p̶a̶i̶n̶f̶u̶l̶l̶y̶ ̶b̶o̶r̶i̶n̶g̶ appropriate early readers
> continue adding sounds and blends
> encourage child to read aloud to you or siblings
> watch them catch on to the reading thing by 2nd or 3rd grade

Most of the time this works for most kids.  Therefore, sometimes this doesn't work for some kids.  What if you happen to have kids in the latter category?  Well, you probably feel frustrated and discouraged.  Maybe angry, maybe sad, maybe like you don't know what you're doing.  I happen to have children in both categories so I know just what it looks like and feels like to have kids who pick up on reading following the general path listed above and kids who don't follow that path.  Now I know what to look for....the clues in the early years that help me know if they are going to be quick learners or struggle with reading.

But I didn't always know.  When we began this journey of homeschooling I assumed I would use Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons and we'd be done - they would be readers, period. done.  That didn't happen.  We did 100 Easy Lessons, Bob Books, Teaching Reading Through Literature, Happy Phonics, Starfall and probably others I've forgotten.  Obviously, she didn't just catch on, but, my stubborn attitude paid off this once because I never quit.  We just kept reading and reviewing and finally she became a reader.  Of course, now she reads for enjoyment more than any of her younger siblings.  After teaching two more who followed the typical path, I believed that I just got better at teaching reading and that was why it went so well.  Wrong!  When it was time to teach reading yet again, it was like reliving those early days all over again.  Really?  Had I lost all ability to teach reading in just a couple short years?  Of course not.  So I started researching and found out that I have a couple of kids who struggle with dyslexia.  It meant that they could indeed learn to read, but the path would take a different route.

This post is turning out to be more of a memoir than encouragement.  Sorry.  Anyway, if you find yourself frustrated or discouraged with teaching reading to your child please, please, please don't blame yourself OR your child.  Seek out a solid reading program proven to work with dyslexic or other struggling readers and stick to it.  I've been using All About Reading for the last few years and it is a solid reading program.  Peter who is 3 is already showing signs of being an early reader (he'll be the first) and I can't take all the credit.  The All About Reading Pre-Reading program has been terrific for Joe and Pete.  They love Ziggy Zebra (puppet) and they love the alphabet posters.

Most importantly, don't give up on your child if they are struggling or reluctant to read.  Search out info on dyslexia, it's more common than you might think.  Remember that your instruction is only half of the equation; the other half being your child and their readiness to begin learning to read.

Signs of Dyslexia

Encouragement for Teaching Reading to Struggling Readers

To learn more about the All About Reading and All About Spelling programs please click my affiliate link below.  Thanks.