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…
Do you love bears? I know lots of kids who are huge fans of bears of all types. In this black bear nature study, children will learn scientific facts about American black bears and their forest habitats. While we often think of bears as cute and cuddly, they can be quite dangerous. If you’ve ever…
This fun chromatography with leaves experiment will teach both the amazing chemistry of chromatography and the botany of why deciduous leaves change colors in autumn. This post contains affiliate links. What is chromatography? It’s simply a big name that means separating mixtures. Or, in this case, separating pigments. As complicated as the word sounds, experimenting…
I’m a big believer in homeschool logic and critical thinking here at Our Journey Westward. It’s been such a fun and important addition to our homeschool! When I come across new (to me) resources that are really good, I love sharing them with you. Finding logic and critical thinking resources isn’t as easy as finding curricula for the…
In this George Washington Carver nature study, learn about a botanist whose love for plants led to many important scientific inventions that we still use today. It might seem strange, but George Washington Carver used things in nature to make the world a better place. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, he was busy…
I’ve talked a lot about using picture books to help teach good character qualities here at Our Journey Westward. For that matter, I’ve talked a lot about using picture books to teach, well, everything. In this post, we’ll focus on Bill Peet character lessons as you read through his wonderful picture books. There’s something special…
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…
Once upon a time, there was a homeschooling mom who didn’t have a lot of money. She heard about homeschooling cheaply – or even for free – and decided this had to be the way to go… I like homeschooling on the cheap just like everyone else. In fact, I’ve been able to homeschool very frugally…
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….
Have you heard of macroinvertebrates? That’s a mighty big scientific word to describe small animals without backbones that are visible to the naked eye. While the group of macroinvertebrates is huge, the word is often associated with animals in freshwater ecosystems. This macroinvertebrate nature study will help you learn more about them. Some common types…
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