Enjoy the magic of Christmas with this precious literature-based lesson, which includes a special service project for your family to do together. You’ll love the Silver Packages book activity so much that it might even become a Christmas tradition. Traditions help families build relationships and give children peace and security. Because they are so meaningful,…
This fun activity using Christmas glyphs will spice up December homeschooling. You’ll be glad to know it also counts as a living math lesson! What is a glyph? A glyph, as it relates to math, is a pictorial representation of data. That sounds like a pictograph because it is. Rather than putting pictures in the…
Have you ever thought of spider webs as Christmas decorations? You might change your mind after listening to this No Sweat Nature Study Podcast episode! Cobweb nature study is more fun than you might imagine. Learn about the Theridiidae spiders, often called cobweb spiders, and the tangled webs they create. These messy but fascinating webs…
Is Christmas nature study really a thing? Are we truly worried about nature study during, arguably, the busiest month of the year? Yes, and yes! During the colder months, we often forget the importance of fresh air, sunshine, and exercise. This can lead to combustible behavior from cooped-up kids (and parents). When you add busyness to…
I’m all about giving purposeful gifts for Christmas. Not everything has to have a grand purpose, but I don’t want to waste my money on frivolous things that will never be touched again either. That’s why I spend some time each year coming up with a list of educational Christmas gift ideas. I keep the…
Since the Christmas season can bring along busy days and sometimes cold weather, it can be challenging to incorporate nature study into your homeschooling routine. I’ve created a list of Christmas nature study books that will help you bring new and inviting ideas to the table without much effort. Each book description gives you an…
This cranberry nature study is perfect for families who enjoy hands-on learning. The topic works well for your science lessons about the harvest season, Thanksgiving, or Christmas! In this No Sweat Nature Study Podcast episode, your children will explore the surprising science behind cranberries and why they float. Mrs. Cindy uses simple yet effective descriptions…
During the elementary and middle school years, our history studies – for the most part – take place as unit studies. In a relatively short amount of time, we can cover SO much material in fun and interesting lessons. And this unit was no exception! Colonial History Unit Study Over the course of about six…
These exponential growth activities offer an excellent way to blend literature and math! Gather the books One Grain of Rice: A Mathematical Folktale by Demi and The King’s Chessboard by David Birch. The activities below offer hands-on experiences with exponential growth to help children visualize the rapid expansion of doubling numbers. Your children will love…
With each new school year, I always find renewed energy and vision for homeschooling. Rather than wait until Thanksgiving or when the blahs of winter kick in (when it seems to make sense to write a post about why I’m thankful for homeschooling), I thought I’d harness this joyful beginning-of-the-school-year energy to list all those…
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. Yet others really have nothing to do with Thanksgiving, in particular, but focus on a spirit of gratitude that’s such an important…
Corn isn’t just tasty; it comes in a rainbow of colors! Discover why corn kernels can be yellow, white, purple, red, and even blue in this No Sweat Nature Study Podcast episode. Your family will learn how natural pigments, like carotenoids and anthocyanins, create these vibrant shades in corn and other plants, such as carrots…