If you have a cooperative extension service in your community, you've hit the homeschooling jackpot. What's a cooperative extension service? It's a cooperation between communities and universities that provides training and services to the community on the topics of agriculture, horticulture, homemaking skills, and homesteading skills. 4-H is the most well-known program that cooperative extension services provide for children. Beginning in 4th grade, the 4-H program offers an incredible array of opportunities in agriculture, healthy living, science, handicrafts, life skills, sportsmanship, service, civic engagement, and leadership. A Homeschool 4-H Club Historically, where we ... Read More
Sneaky Summer Learning Library
In our home, summer break has always been an opportunity for more reading rather than less. With the obligations of regular school lessons on hold for awhile, we often get lost in a stack of picture books or chapter after chapter from a current read-aloud (or two.) I don't necessarily plan for learning during all this extra reading time, but living books tend to have a way of making one impression or another that's long lasting. I recently took part in a challenge with some friends on Instagram to choose five of my very favorite sneaky summer learning books for five different subjects. Because I know how much we all love booklists, I've gathered those 25 suggestions into this post for ... Read More
Get Your Free I’m Bored Activity List to Save Sanity This Summer
Do you take a long summer break from homeschooling? If so, you NEED the I'M BORED Activity List! Because we live on a farm that requires a lot of attention in the summer, it's always been necessary to take a "traditional" long break from school. Even though we stay busy with farm, mowing, and gardening tasks, there is still plenty of time for children younger than 13 to say, "I'm bored!" While I certainly appreciate reading good books aloud on the porch swing and playing board games under a shade tree, I don't have time to be the constant director of activity or playmate for bored children. Many years ago, I started creating a yearly list of 100 activities that my children could ... Read More
How To Teach High School History with Literature Easily
I love using living books in our homeschool. If you've been around here any time at all, you know that living literature is a key tool I use across all ages and all subjects. Using literature to teach high school history works especially well. There are so many nuances of an event or era that can be understood through books. Living books also have a unique way of drawing students in and placing them smack-dab in the middle of a time period to meet important people, experience meaningful events, and feel real emotions. Just talking about all the benefits of literature makes me want to go grab some historical fiction right now! I received Modern U.S. and World History for free ... Read More
French and Indian War Unit Study
My 6th grader just finished a mini French and Indian War unit study that was a great pit stop in our regular history studies. I just love the slow and steady pace we're taking to go through the Story of the World curriculum this time around. I used to follow pretty strict 4-year cycles in history, but with this 3rd child of mine, I'm confident that moving at a slower pace and savoring certain events is as good a way to learn as any. As we read through the Story of the World and something strikes our fancy, we take some time to dig deeper. Sometimes through extra reading or a documentary. Other times through mini unit studies. The mini unit studies give Eli a chance to practice ... Read More
24 Wonderful Picture Books for Nature Study
There is not one teaching resource I treasure more than picture books. The good ones have such a masterful knack for laying out factual information in the midst of wonderful storylines. The illustrations, of course, help our children put pictures to names and places and ideas. When my children were younger, one of the best things I did was use picture books for nature study. There are so many wonderful picture books that can inspire a deep interest or understanding of nature! Sometimes, we would pack along a picture book and a blanket and actually read as part of the nature walk. This mid-walk reading might have the purpose of a cozy rest time or a specially planned inspiration to ... Read More
The Mission: To Broaden the Vision of Nature Study
Nature study is certainly a big deal in the homeschool community at large - even outside of Charlotte Mason circles. For that, I am very excited! But, I still get the impression that many view nature study as a fun extra to their regular homeschooling. "Yes, it might bring a little more goodness into the week, but it isn't a make-or-break subject." I'm on a mission to broaden the vision for nature study. This post contains affiliate links. I've written before about how much real science is at the heart of nature study. It's so true. Whether nature study is used as the full science curriculum, or it serves as extension lessons to the "regular" science curriculum, or even if it stands ... Read More
Language Arts is the Mission in Grammar Galaxy
I finally had a chance to take a peek at the Grammar Galaxy curriculum to see what all the buzz is about. Teaching doesn't get much better than using stories to impart serious language arts skills - and enticing children into those stories through exciting missions. The author, Dr. Melanie Wilson, is a dear friend of mine, but I don't want you to get the impression that I'm saying nice things about Grammar Galaxy because of our friendship. She has truly written an engaging elementary language arts program! This post contains affiliate links. What is Grammar Galaxy? Grammar Galaxy is a language arts program for 1st-6th graders that uses stories and missions to teach language ... Read More
A Quick Leonardo da Vinci Unit Study for Your Homeschool
I have always loved teaching a Leonardo da Vinci unit study because it covers just about every single academic subject easily. The Renaissance, various science topics like inventions, simple machines, & the human body, and art & artist study are all easy topics to cover while learning about da Vinci. Add some fun research-based learning activities and good books and you have yourself a really fabulous unit study! Get a printable copy of this unit study below. Leonardo da Vinci Unit Study Taking two or three weeks to study the life and impact of da Vinci just might inspire your kiddos to dream big and do hard things. His incredible inventions, discoveries, critical thinking, and ... Read More
How To Take the Stress Out of December
I never like to admit when I'm barely treading water, but it happens almost every year as Thanksgiving approaches. The moment the leftover turkey is put in the fridge, it seems that December and its giant to-do list overwhelm me. Besides the regular crazy that we call our day-to-day around here, December kicks it up more than a notch or two. We celebrate a birthday in December, practice for and attend several special Christmas programs and parades that my children and husband participate in, and the colder weather means daily feeding of the cattle on top of regular jobs. And of course, there's all the home decorating, shopping, and general memory making that December seems ... Read More