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…
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…
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…
Get ready to take a little journey through the treetops as we learn about gliding mammals. Some people think they’re cute, while others think they look creepy, but either way gliding mammal nature study is interesting! What does it mean to glide? That’s an important word to understand when you discover that gliding mammals don’t…
Eeeewww! A cemetery scavenger hunt? Are you serious? Yes! Believe it or not, this is a REALLY cool activity because cemeteries are chock-full of history! We’ve visited several cemeteries over the years as we’ve studied our state’s history. And, you might remember the times we’ve utilized our beautiful cemeteries for science purposes like winter nature walks, conifer studies,…
Books are incredibly effective tools for teaching. Charlotte Mason homeschoolers certainly understand that fact as it pertains to subjects like history and science. But, did you know the math and literature connection can be just as powerful? It’s true! One of the best tools I’ve used over the years to help my children understand math…
Do you love bears? I know lots of kids who are huge fans of bears of all types. In this black bear nature study, children will learn scientific facts about American black bears and their forest habitats. While we often think of bears as cute and cuddly, they can be quite dangerous. If you’ve ever…
This fun chromatography with leaves experiment will teach both the amazing chemistry of chromatography and the botany of why deciduous leaves change colors in autumn. This post contains affiliate links. What is chromatography? It’s simply a big name that means separating mixtures. Or, in this case, separating pigments. As complicated as the word sounds, experimenting…
I’m a big believer in homeschool logic and critical thinking here at Our Journey Westward. It’s been such a fun and important addition to our homeschool! When I come across new (to me) resources that are really good, I love sharing them with you. Finding logic and critical thinking resources isn’t as easy as finding curricula for the…