Elementary

Planning a Small Unit Study

We’re finally into some practical posts in my series about unit studies! In my first post, I wrote about how I design unit studies for our homeschool. In the second post, I wrote about incorporating project-based learning into the units. Now, I’d like to share a very short and simple study we completed on magnets….

Project-Based Learning Ideas

I’m a huge believer in project-based learning! Keep reading to learn why and to get tons of project-based learning ideas for your homeschool! Just what is project-based learning? Quite simply, it’s a learning method in which your children dive into a subject and complete a project to show what they know.  Projects can really be…

Hands-On Volume Lesson

  (This post contains affiliate links and links to my business website, Shining Dawn Books.) Target Age Range: 3rd-7th Skills Covered: volume, length, width, height, formulas, 2-dimesional shapes, 3-dimensional shapes Snap cubes are great for teaching perimeter, area, and volume in a hands-on way.  This lesson focused on volume and understanding the formula for finding…

Economics for Kids blog image with Pancakes book and economic book report in the background.

Economics for Kids: Productive Resources

(This post contains affiliate links and links to my business website, Shining Dawn Books.) Target Age Range: 3rd-8th Skills Covered: economics, productive resources, natural resources, capital resources, human resources, sorting Last January, I took a professional development class on incorporating economics into your classroom.  Yes, apparently homeschool parents can take professional development classes…they knew I…

Bead Classification

  Target Age Range: PK-2 Skills Covered: sorting, classification, attributes Classification is both a math and science skill.  The ability to classify objects also develops organizational skills which are helpful for writing and general “life” organization. This activity is super simple to pull together.  Simply gather a variety of beads (or buttons, cereal, rocks, beans…)…

Graphing: Facebook Birthdays

  Target Age Range: 4th-12th grades Skills Covered: gathering data, graphing, technology, keyboarding When I used to teach in a classroom, it was easy for my students to gather large amounts of data for graphing…there were 24+ people in the room at all times.  As a homeschooler, it takes a little more creativity to gather…

Popcorn Math Activity

  (This post contains affiliate links and links to my business website, Shining Dawn Books.) Target Age Range:  3rd-8th Skills Covered:  estimation, capacity measurements, multiplication, calculator, collecting data, making comparisons, cooking Food motivates my children and I suspect it might motivate your children, too!  It just happens to be a bonus that this food inspired…

Fun with Patterns

  Target Age Range: PK-6th Skills Covered: finishing patterns, growing patterns, symmetry, naming patterns, area, perimeter, charting, relationships between patterns, number patterns, problem solving PK-2 Activities Top Photo: Begin a simple pattern (using any manipulative you like) and ask your child to continue the pattern. To help young children begin to understand what a pattern…

Living Math Series

Beginning next week… October 15-26… a series full of practical ideas for incorporating more living math into your school days! Join me here daily!  Better yet, add my feed to your feed reader so you’re sure not to miss a post!