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…
There are definitely stereotypes when it comes to gifted kids. For instance, people might picture an awkward child with glasses who plays chess and cello and snorts when laughing. Parts of that may be true for some gifted kids, but they’re often not at all like people expect. Some have glasses and some play instruments….
Logic and critical thinking easily meet science in this bean classification activity. Using a simple 16-bean soup mix, middle and high school students can develop their own systems of classification. It’s such a great way to practice classification and re-classification strategies based on debatable characteristics. Speaking of debate, the activity provides a great opportunity for…
Does your family have a favorite children’s book author? If you find yourself reading book after book from the same author, it’s pretty safe to say that your family may have a favorite! Why don’t you consider a favorite author study to celebrate that author (or illustrator) and learn a lot about the fundamentals of…
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,…
Voice. It’s in every good piece of writing, but it’s a tad elusive to define and teach. Using picture books to teach voice in writing can help, though, and that’s what you’ll learn here. Writing that connects with readers has a voice. Writing that makes you feel emotion has a voice. When it comes to…
If there’s one subject that seems to befuddle homeschoolers more than any other, it’s writing. I hear it during homeschool consultations and casually talking among homeschool friends. Plus, I see questions about it all over the internet. People are often surprised when I tell them I don’t formally teach writing until middle school. Really, I don’t. And here’s…
Homeschooling a child with dyscalculia can seem daunting, but it’s entirely doable. In fact, it can be one of the best decisions you make to help your child succeed! What is dyscalculia? Dyscalculia is a learning disability in math and can make math incredibly hard if children are not given the right support. It goes…
Please welcome Jen Vail, a regular feature writer here at Our Journey Westward! She’s here to encourage you that the homeschool extras matter – for your children AND YOU. If you enjoy the blog post, let her know in the comments! I have a confession to make: I do not homeschool all of my children….
I have another senior. How is that possible? It’s really, indescribably true when you hear that time flies and your kids will be grown in the blink of an eye. So, this year I’ve prepared boyschooling homeschool curriculum for a 12th grader and a 5th grader. These boys keep me so busy with music lessons,…
Summer field trips have been a consistent tool in my toolbox to beat boredom and get in some sneaky learning. Living on a cattle farm and having a library full of nature studies, you’d think boredom wouldn’t be an issue at my house, but all kids get bored here and there. A summer break from…
Let’s wrap up homeschooling for the year! I promise it doesn’t have to be stressful at all. No matter your homeschool style, I bet you’re staring down piles of workbooks, notebooks, lapbooks, projects, worksheets, and folders. The end of the school year comes with wonderful examples of your family’s hard work! I’ve been asked before…
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