How does a Charlotte Mason education mesh with busy kids – or inquisitive gifted kids – or minds that jump from one thing to another in seconds? Actually, pretty well. Charlotte Mason and active kids can be a match made in heaven! Quite naturally, many of the methods of Charlotte Mason’s style work alongside children…
Yes, logic and critical thinking really do matter. A lot, in fact. We all want children who can stop and think before they act, right? That takes logic and critical thinking. And, I bet at least one of your homeschooling goals is to raise a well-rounded child who can transition into successful adulthood. Well, that…
How is it possible to enjoy an Amazon Rainforest nature study when most of us will never travel to South America for a nature walk? It’s easy. Not every nature study topic has to be experienced outdoors. When a nature walk isn’t possible, the next best thing is to study from afar. This episode of…
Book smarts are important, but they aren’t the only things that matter for gifted learners. It’s essential to make common sense connections through real-world gifted homeschooling, too. One of the often-mentioned challenges about gifted children is that sometimes brilliant-minded kids don’t always make those common-sense connections. It can be infuriating for the parent and embarrassing…
The study of astronomy with my 7 and 10-year-old children was surprisingly fascinating! As usual, we used bits and pieces of this and that, with lots of living literature, a field trip, and projects to learn tons about our solar system. I hope you find something useful to add to your astronomy unit study! This…
Do you prefer pancakes or waffles? It’s a tie for me! Of course, the best part of either one is the sweet maple syrup drizzled over top. Where does that delicious maple syrup come from? Believe it or not, maple syrup comes from maple trees. In this episode of the No Sweat Nature Study podcast,…
A light and sound unit study works well in a homeschool physics science rotation. Packed full of meaningful activities, experimentation, and exploration, this unit study is perfect for 3rd-7th-grade students! Great informational books and biographies set the stage, while project-based and research-based activities allow for deeper learning on certain topics of interest. Get a downloadable…
I’m so excited to share these free winter play dough mats with you! They can help elementary students learn nature study observation skills through hands-on play. You might think play-based learning is mostly for the preschool crowd, but there are still plenty of benefits of playing in the elementary years. Learning through play is more…
Math is so much fun and means so much more to little ones when it concretely builds understanding. So many times, we skip over “the tough stuff” because we think our little people can’t handle it. Below are a few activities I have done with my five-year-old to begin building two of the “tough” concepts – division…
It may seem odd to consider delving into a nature study about simple machines. That topic seems to fit better into the study of physics than biology or earth & space science. Surprisingly, though, it’s not as far-fetched as it sounds to connect physics to nature study. Enjoy this simple machine nature study! In the…
Are math lessons monotonous this winter? These FREE Valentine’s Day math printables should help to inspire some fun learning! Candy motivates kids and these lessons use candy hearts to bring sweet smiles to elementary students. Candy Heart Valentine’s Day Math Lessons Hands-on math connects concepts in a child’s brain. By building patterns and practicing measurement…
No matter what has changed in our homeschool over the years or how old my children have grown, one thing has remained constant… read-aloud time. My children still remember so many of the books we’ve enjoyed as a family – and so do I! Sometimes snuggled under blankets on the couch, sometimes lounging on a…