One thing I love about nature study is its ability to make connections across so many subjects. Without a far stretch, it’s easy to connect art, language arts, math, history, and geography. As a teacher, I’m always on the lookout for perfect opportunities to join two subjects. That’s what’s happening in the idiom nature study…
It’s long been a saying that we have to crawl before we can walk, walk before we can run, and run before we can race. Development is typically easy to track and anticipate as a child builds upon previous skills, a steady line sloping up. Gifted kids, though, develop much differently. Instead of a straight…
Cranberry science experiments are fun to include in your homeschool during November or December. You’ll love these super easy ideas. All you need is a bag of fresh cranberries and a few simple kitchen supplies. For extra fun, I’ve added a few books to kick-start the learning. They are some of my favorite Thanksgiving and…
These Thanksgiving and gratitude living books have been favorites around our house for years. Some help explain the history of our Thanksgiving celebration, while others are just sweet stories with a Thanksgiving theme. And, yet others really have nothing to do with Thanksgiving, in particular, but focus on a spirit of gratitude that’s such an…
Middle school kids are a fun, unique sort, aren’t they? Caught between childhood and something greater, it can sometimes be difficult to buy gifts for them. But even for middle schoolers who quickly become star-struck with trendy clothes and high-dollar electronics, I’m still a big believer in giving at least a few educational gifts. The…
Welcome to another wild and fascinating science topic! We’re diving into the extraordinary lives of beavers, those adorable, yet fiercely independent builders of the wild. I hope your entire family enjoys this beaver nature study! Beavers, nature’s master builders, create entire worlds with their incredible skills. Without tools or machinery, they use their ever-growing front…
Time and again, research and anecdotal evidence have proven that creativity is as vital a trait as resilience or wit. Often creativity can be considered a skill, but it’s such a broad concept that it’s difficult to explain just how to practice such a skill. This list of art and handicraft gifts will help! Creativity…
Reading engaging picture books about supply and demand is a great way to introduce children to topics about economics. Teaching economics is more important than you might think and much easier than you might imagine. Choose from the books below to start learning! This post contains affiliate links. What are Supply and Demand? Supply and…
There are definitely stereotypes when it comes to gifted kids. For instance, people might picture an awkward child with glasses who plays chess and cello and snorts when laughing. Parts of that may be true for some gifted kids, but they’re often not at all like people expect. Some have glasses and some play instruments….
Logic and critical thinking easily meet science in this bean classification activity. Using a simple 16-bean soup mix, middle and high school students can develop their own systems of classification. It’s such a great way to practice classification and re-classification strategies based on debatable characteristics. Speaking of debate, the activity provides a great opportunity for…
We’re venturing into a slightly spine-tingling topic on the podcast this week. Are you ready for myriapod nature study? The creepy appearance of centipedes and millipedes makes this topic perfect for a mid-October science lesson! As your family listens to the podcast episode, you’ll be encouraged to picture a serene autumn forest. Amidst the rustling…
I am so excited to share this unique nature study freebie with you! I think you’ll love using autumn play dough mats in your elementary homeschool for all sorts of meaningful fun and learning. Play dough mats provide a variety of benefits. At the most basic level, molding and sculpting dough helps to exercise fine…
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