Language Arts

13 Colonies Lapbook/Notebook

We’re finishing up our Thirteen Colonies & Colonial Life Unit this week!  I’ll be posting soon about the biggest chunk of the unit, but I wanted to take a minute to highlight the 13 Colonies lapbook/notebook we put together using: I had to do the legwork of locating library books about each of the Thirteen…

Field Trip Journals

Remember the Field Trip Journals?  We’re still using them this year and I couldn’t be happier with them.  They are proving to make great writing assignments, and I’m finding the kids absolutely love looking through them for the memories.  I love to watch the kids sort through brochures, ticket stubs and pictures trying to decide what to include and how…

Library Scavenger Hunt

Library Scavenger Hunt

Enjoy Language Arts at the Library Here are some ideas for a scavenger hunt at the library that will build all sorts of academic muscle.  Questions can easily be altered for younger or older children.  This was planned for my 5th grader and it will probably take a couple trips to finish.  (By the way, the…

Spelling Ideas

A friend from Singapore asked this question recently: I have a 6y+ son who just started public school in Singapore. He can read pretty well but he can’t spell. He has simple spelling list from school which he has problems learning. Do you have any advice? Many children need hands-on or movement-based lessons when they…

Our Field Trip Notebooks

Our Field Trip Notebooks

Field trip notebooks are a great way to get in some sneaky writing practice and create an amazing keepsake. Field Trip Memories {and learning, too!} After coming back from a  trip to Michigan with 100 pictures, several brochures and tons of memories, I racked my brain for a practical way for my children to put…

Our First Newsletter

We are SO pleased with the first edition of the Westward Gazette!  I bought a $20 software program from WalMart called Perfect Pro Office that made our computer work simple.  (Word Perfect is the only office-type program that came on my computer and it stinks for projects.) The newsletter includes a story or journal entry from…

More Writing Ideas

If writing isn’t a natural passion for your child, it can be a subject full of drudgery.  Believe me, I know.  Up until this year Mahayla has fought me tooth and nail over any sort of writing assignment.  This year has been different, though.  I believe she’s enjoying writing partly because of maturity, but I’ve made…

Picture Prompts for Writing

Picture Prompts for Writing

(This post contains affiliate links.) Picture Prompts Inspire Writing Here’s a fun way to get your kids to write – and it’s VERY easy!  Use homemade picture prompts.  Simply cut out interesting pictures from magazines, old calendars, old books, etc. and paste them on card stock.  Let your child choose a picture, then write a…

Book Ball

My son loves baseball.  He’s also excited about his new interest in learning to read.  (Thank you, Lord!) So, we came up with a fun way to show his reading achievements – a “book”ball chart.  Everytime he reads a book by himself, we’ll add a baseball to the field.  We came up with the idea…

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