This Years Homeschool Conference and Used Book Sale Finds!

Well this past weekend was our annual State Homeschool Conference. I truly feel like this year was my best planned year and I came out under budget and with things I am actually going to use. lol! If you have ever gone to a curriculum fair than you know what I mean about getting what you need. I think that a lot of moms have there experience with what I call a case of the "OHHH and AHH's" you see all that shinny new curriculum and gadgets and whatnot and you loose all sense of practical need and budget. lol! But this year with money being the way that is for my family like most other Americans right now I had to go in there with a rock solid game plan. I first made my list of what I needed for this coming year along with a back up choice. I also knew I wanted to spend the bulk of my budget at the Used Book Sale that they have at my Conference on the first day. I actually got my list from Donna Young's website. The form is called Curriculum Fair Battle Plan. Very well titled if I don't say so myself. I totally made out like a bandit in the Used Book Sale Hall. I spent $97 for items that has a retail value over $350.

We are starting formal writing this year, we are going into Earth Science and Astronomy, and we are heading into Asia for History and Geography so I tried to focus on getting this for these areas. Here is the list of what I ended up with:

Learning Resources Base Ten Starter Set

The M&M Math Book

The M&M Counting Book

Addition Facts Songs CD and book

Subtraction Facts Songs CD and book

Singapore Math 2B Home Instructors Guide

Singapore Math 3A Home Instructors Guide

Singapore Math 3B Home Instructors Guide

Singapore Math Intensive Practice 2A

Primary Language Lessons

Writing Strands Evaluating Writing

Writing Strands Level 2

Writing Strands Level 3

The Magic School Bus Out of This World( a book about space rocks)

Usborne Space

Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze by Elizabeth Lewis

Island of the Blue Dolphin by Scott O'Dell

The Chi- Lin Purse by Linda Fang

The House of Sixty Fathers by Meindert Dejong

Daughter of the Mountains by Louise Rankin

Dragon's Gate by Laurence Yep

Kingfisher History Encyclopedia

On top of what I found at the Conference I was able to gather some literature titles for my two youngest from a local Used Book Sale. I spent about $26 and got at least close to $100 worth of things. Here is a list of what we got there as well:

Wooden Abacus w/ movable addition set

Connect Cubes

Aesop's Fables Coloring Book

Aesop's Fables Storybook

Make Way For Ducklings

The Three Bears

The Three Billy Goats Gruff

The Story of Ferdinand

The Little Engine that Could

The Big Balloon Race

Wagon Wheels

The Drinking Gourd

Stone Soup





I also wanted to take a moment to count the Blessings that others have given to our homeschool as well this year. With the help of a friend and the Grandparents I was able to get a few more things as well. I got Apologia Astronomy from my friend who also uses a classical model and here kids are on a different cycle than mine so they already finished up with Astronomy for the Grammar Stage they won't be back on  for a few at least 2yrs I think. But she said I am welcome to have it for this year.That really saved me at least close to $90 I think.

And for the Grandparents I made a Amazon Wish List for when they got that grandparent urge to send a gift I told them to peel off this list. And so far Granddad has made a great dent in the list and I think my mom is going to add her gifts after she come back from vacation. I am so happy they are finally coming around to being supportive of our homeschool efforts. So he was able to get quite a few things as well:

First Language Lessons Level 3 Workbook
Ancient India
Gandhi
George Washington Carver
Mae Jameson
Galileo for Kids

Online Homeschool Conferences!

In my last post about Homeschool Conference I mentioned how to locate your local state conventions but I neglected to mention for those who cannot make those conference there are other options. There are two different annual online homeschooler conferences that are coming up. The best part about attending a conference online is that you can replay parts you missed you can usually download the audio to your computer. Also you don't have to worry about what to do with your little ones, or transportation, or any of the other things I mentioned in my previous post. Now although I do prefer to go in person to my local state convention and curriculum fair to browse the vendors booths I do know it can be very difficult to attend the seminars and hear the speakers with little ones in tow. So if you are unable to make a conference in person this year consider these two options.

The Ultimate Homeschool Expo

Homeschool Convention and Curriculum Fair Season !

I don't know if you guys are thinking about it yet but I am already mapping out my plans for this years state homeschoolers convention and curriculum fair. Last year was my 1st year of attending and I didn’t have any particular game plan. But this year I will have my list of curriculum that I need and a list of the workshops I want to see and there time slots already in place.
I think it is best to navigate these conferences with a through plan of attack or else you can end up doing one of two things: Getting this you really didn’t need or not getting things at all due to being overwhelmed. Here are some of my tips to successfully attending a Homeschool Convention and Curriculum Fair

1. Order Catalogs- It’s best to order all the curriculum catalogs before attending. Have a general idea of what you are looking to purchase so that you can spend your time on the exhibitors hall looking for the best price for your selected items and then check out the new and exciting things.

2. Meal Plan- Plan out your food for the family and making sure to have a change of clothes and shoes for each member of your family in the car. Most convention centers don’t want you to bring in outside food but you can still bring your food and take a designated lunch break at the car. They don’t mind you going in and out.

3. Baby Carriers- If you have small babies bring a carrier or wrap of some sort and a stroller. The stroller can be used as a storage device for all your handouts and curriculum and supplies.

4. Buddy System- Also if you have a large family pair a younger child with an older as a walking buddy. Train your child on what to do if they get separated like looking for information desk or security officer. Try to point those things out on the way in. For a very shy or non speaking child try putting on ID bracelets.

5. Little Ones- If you have all little ones I would try to get a baby sitter and go alone or only go to the exhibit hall and not the workshops cause you might not get much from the seminars if they get fussy.

I find that attending the Conferences can be a great encourage for a child who doesn’t have much contact with other homeschoolers on a regular basis. They get to see that there are many others in there state that get there education at home also. It’s also very reassuring and inspirational for the parents to be around other parents who take on the task of home education. A word about diversity at Curriculum Conferences is that I have found here in my state of Georgia (The South) it didn’t make me feel uncomfortable at all. And I actually found a few African American vendors as well as other ethnic groups in attendance.
Here is a link to how to find a Conference in your Area!

http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com/conventions/index.html