Elementary

  • 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!

  • Cove Springs Nature Walk

    While we love simple nature walks around our home, we also love taking the time once a month (sometimes more often) to go somewhere interesting for nature study.  This post highlights our autumn walk through the wetland trails of Cove Springs in Frankfort, KY.  What a beautiful afternoon! We were blessed to have my parents…

  • Early Fall Nature Studies

    Early Fall Nature Studies are FUN! Early autumn is such a wonderful time of the year for nature studies!  The crispness in the air keeps walks comfortable, while the scenery abounds with exciting treasures to find. Believe it or not, the photos in all of the collages were taken during only one short woodland walk! …

  • KY Field Trip Frenzy

    We have an unwritten tradition of starting our school year off with a field trip or two.  Sometimes the field trips are more like vacations – like when we went to Virginia.  Other times, it’s an overnight stay somewhere or a few simple day trips.  This year, we had so much fun kicking off the…

  • August Nature Study

      (This post contains links to my business website, Shining Dawn Books.) August Nature Study Anytime is the perfect time for nature study, but late summer is especially wonderful! All the photos above were taken during nature walks over the last two weeks.  So, just what topics do I recommend studying right about now? Animal…

  • Nature Walk Clipboards

    While school supply shopping at Walmart the other day, I ran across some clipboard storage boxes in several fun colors.  I remembered Maureen from Spell Out Loud mentioning using these nature walk clipboards with her family, so I put three in my cart.  Wow – they have been a wonderful addition to our nature walks!…

  • Weekly Lesson Notebooks

    (This post contains affiliate links.) Better lesson organization is one of my main goals for the upcoming school year.  Having a high school student, middle school student and a kindergartener, I have no choice but to be more organized – or feel flustered and fall behind too often like I did last year when I…