Homeschool curriculum can get expensive. One way to save money is to reuse your curriculum with your younger children. If I want to reuse a workbook that my older child is currently using I have them complete the assignments on a separate piece of paper. This technique does not work as well with younger kids who sometimes get mixed up with the questions when they are using a different sheet of paper.
For my little kids I use a piece of transparency film
or a page protector
and place it over their worksheet page. They use a marker to answer the questions on the film and then I check their work and record it. When they are finished they clean off the page and use it again the next day.
The only problem with this technique is that you have no record of their work. Depending on your state, you might need to show a portfolio at the end of the year. If that is the case you can use the method for worksheets you will not be submitting with the portfolio. You could also have your child use this technique for worksheets but take the tests on a regular piece of paper so you have a record.
This idea works great for math facts pages and handwriting practice.
The Eastern Wind Academy is offering some great math helps for one of my readers.
These products are all available for immediate download from Currclick, one of my favorite resources for homeschool unit studies.
I’m partnering with 15 awesome bloggers to bring you some of the best homeschooling tips on the web! Be sure to visit these brilliant women in this 10 days adventure between February 7th-18th!
- 10 days of socialization for mom | The Homeschool Chick
- 10 days of classical education | Milk & Cookies
- 10 days of large families | Chocolate on My Cranium
- 10 days of special needs | Special Needs Homeschooling
- 10 days of struggling learners | Homeschooling the Chaotic Family
- 10 days of homeschooling girls | Homegrown Mom
- 10 days of homeschool enrichment | Confessions of a Homeschooler
- 10 days of building a spiritual legacy | Mommy Missions
- 10 days of Charlotte Mason | Our Journey Westward
- 10 days of unschooling | Homeschooling Belle
- 10 days of organization | Confessions of an Organized Homeschool Mom
- 10 days of getting started | Blog, She Wrote
- 10 days of homeschooling boys | The Tie That Binds Us
- 10 days of homeschooling Montessori | Fruit in Season
- 10 days of preschool | Delightful Learning
sara sevnic says
Hi,
I would love to win this! This is our second term of homeschooling and we’re short on supplies, so winning this would be wonderful.
Ps. I love your blog!
Sara
sara sevnic says
BTW, I’m not sure if my email will be visible to you, so here it is aquarius_zss@yahoo.com
Kimberly says
These would be awesome! I could get started teaching my son math at such an early age :)!
v says
nice! Thanks for this!
Allyson @ a Heart for Home says
I’d love to win those!
Tim says
Looks like some great resources to add to our library.
Amy C says
Great tip. I know missionary friends that do the same at the school where they work.
Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!
Jami says
I am loving your Frugal Homeschooling post. Thanks so much, you have some great ideas and this one is the best.
Alicia says
Would love to win this.
Thanks
Jodie says
would love to win!
Kim says
Great tips. I have loved this series. Thanks.,
Kathryn says
Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!
Jen says
Thanks for the great tips!
Erin M. says
Enter me please! Thanks so much!
Julie says
What great resources! Thanks for the chance to win.
heartscribblings--formerly southeastcountrywife says
We used ACE to homeschool. Halfway along the line, my mum started removing the staples from the PACEs, cut them down the middle along the fold, then put each page into its own sleeve/protector–the ones that go into a spiral-bound folder. Three PACEs usually fit into one folder and then a sticker was put on the spine to label the number. The folders were colour-coded for subject (eg, red folders were all English). It makes each PACE entirely reusable and the work is recorded until the next child reaches that level. On being issued a new PACE, somebody would just need to get tissues and methylated spirits to do a wipe-out job on the whole PACE (or the slack ones would do it as they go, lol). ACA (Aussie branch for homeschoolers) gave permission to reprint the tests so they would get photocopied before being used so that an actual hard-copy test could be mailed to headquarters. Other than us and our friends, I’ve never seen somebody come up with an idea like this or yours. I just thought I’d share ours (thought up by a friend).
Wilson Family Adventures says
You could always scan the page or take a picture of the page protector and workbook page for your records.
Angela C Brown says
Just a thought…as for a record, take a digital pic or scanning before wiping? 🙂 Just a thought
TheHappyHousewife says
Great idea Angela!
Christine says
Thank you for the wonderful tip! I would have never thought of that, but it is great! I am a home schooling mom of four, so the prize package would be great!
Christine in Ohio
Heather says
Love the idea!
These resources would be great, I would love to win 🙂
Gretta says
What a great idea to use transparency paper so that books can be used over & over again. As a Mom to 4 kids, I needed this idea to help us conserve our workbooks. Thanks! I would love to win your giveaway as well. Thanks for the chance to enter.
bamagv at aol dot com
Jennifer G. says
I am just starting out with homeschooling so I would love to get some freebies to get me started. I love all the ideas too!
Angela C says
I love this idea!
I use page protectors as much as possible, the same way the lady described with the PACES. But there are some books that you can’t take apart easily, so the transparencies would be great for those books.
Amy says
Thanks for the giveaway! I just found you through another blog- I can’t remember anymore how I got here a few weeks ago, but I am enjoying each post. Keep it up! God bless!
Kristen Jones says
I love things like this and I’d love to win!
nicole says
I would love to win! I am just starting my homeschooling adventure with my daughter!
Claire says
Winng is so much fun!
Katie Nix says
Looks like a great giveaway. Thanks.
Rebecca G. says
Hi there,
I’ve either laminated or placed several workbooks in sheet protector and then binders. I have some math and phonics in the sheet protectors. I also have rubrics as master pages to be copied like for writing and responding to reading. These last ones are good to have handy when you want to teach essay writing and you have the graphic organizers handy. You just make copies of them.
Rebecca
http://bloggingwithgoodlyintentions.blogspot.com/
Tanya says
Great giveaway! We could sure use these! Thanks for the chance! 🙂
stampedwithgrace says
this would be great for my 5 yo 🙂
Anna says
I would love to win!
Nicole Franks says
Question regarding the workbooks, when purchasing curriculums are you able to just purchase another workbook? Or do the cirruclums get outdated? I am just gathering materials for kindergarten, and am curious how that works. Thanks.
Kim says
Sounds like a great giveaway!
Hope says
Good idea about the workbooks! I would be happy to win your giveaway!
Sunnie says
Thanks for posting these, I have been sending them to my home school frineds!
Angela says
I am so happy I found your site! I am starting informally homeschooling my 3-year-old, and this site is such a wealth of good information! The workbooks would be wonderful, as I’m just starting out.
Amy says
LOVE CurrClick for their great curriculum! Thanks for sharing the idea about the transparancies and sheet protectors! With lots of kids, it is always helpful to have good ways to stretch our curriculum and curriculum dollars!! Blessings!
Tina Savasuk says
Thanks for the tips and the oppurtunity to win. Would love to win.
Jessica L says
I am thrilled to have found this site. I have one first grader and two pre-K . I am overwhelmed most days both with the opportunity and the challenges of homeschooling. We have engaged in more hands on learning and love it so far. I love that I have found a place to glean advice from more experienced moms. Thank you for all the wonderful resources!
Patty Thompson says
We have used this for a couple of subjects. And though we do need to have a portfolio, I find that it really isnt’ all that hard to find a worksheet online or other item to print out that corresponds to the portfolio needs. Great post! 😉
Snapstermama says
I have always taken the pages out of the workbook and put them in clear plastic page protectors… I think your idea is much easier. I may start doing that instead. Thanks for your advice 🙂
Jenny says
Beautiful site! I hopped over from Special Needs Homeschooling. I LOVE your page protector idea–thanks for sharing! We are newbies, so any prizes are a great help. Thanks for the chance to win!
SonShine says
I would TOTALLY appreciate winning these. My 3rd grader is Still working to Remember Addition Facts.
Jenn says
What great ideas on being resourceful!
Katherine says
These would be so cool to use in our homeschool.