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…
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…
In my last post about teaching narrative writing, I mentioned how the subject of writing tends to be a thorn in the side of many homeschoolers. It doesn’t have to be that way, though! In this little series of posts, I hope to encourage you that teaching writing styles to your middle and high school students…
Do you have a girly girl in your life? My daughter can muck the dirtiest of stalls in her Carhartt coveralls then settle in with Jane Auten and hot tea with girlfriends a few hours later. I’m not sure whether to call her a girly girl or not, but I do know that she’s enjoyed…
If you know a child or teen who loves books, this list of gifts for bookworms is just what you’re looking for! Whether you want book suggestions or unique gift ideas, you will find something to excite the readers in your life. Gifts for Bookworms One of my children was (and still is) an extreme…
If you haven’t read part one, Discovering Dishonesty, click over to read it first. This is part two about instilling integrity in children who are caught cheating or lying in schoolwork. I had to run errands, so I had my son come with me to discuss the infraction when I discovered dishonesty. With a house full…
“Hey, come help me move this couch. I want to clean under it really well.” As I impatiently waited for one of my sons to appear and help, I saw a small piece of paper folded up in the cushions. Upon further inspection, I knew immediately what it was and my heart sank. It was the assignment that had…
Do you need to know how to teach high school dissection? I did! When my oldest daughter took biology, we were blessed with a wonderful co-op teacher who specialized in dissection and I gladly turned the job over to her. When my son took biology last year, dissection was all on me. I wasn’t at…