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Standard Measurement with Play Dough

by Cindy 3 Comments

(This post contains affiliate links and links to my business website.) Target Age Range: K-2 Skills Covered: non-standard measurement, standard measurement, making comparisons, fine motor skills, reading Understanding measurement doesn't have to be hard for little ones.  In fact, teaching it early with concrete materials builds in-depth understanding that will last a lifetime! When teaching measurement to young children, always begin measuring things with "non-standard" tools.  That means you will supply crackers, paper clips, M&M's, counting bears, or whatever else floats your fancy for measuring things.  Give your child LOTS of experience measuring with non-standard measuring ... Read More

Last Updated: February 24, 2016 Filed Under: Charlotte Mason, Creative Homeschooling, Elementary, Living Math, Preschool Tagged With: early math, hands-on, literature-based lesson, living book, living literature, Math, math and literature, measurement, non-standard measurement, play dough, standard measurement

Yummy Shapes

by Cindy 1 Comment

  Target Age Range:  PK-1st Skills Covered:  shape names, cutting, fine motor, baking, creativity This living math lesson for little people is simple and motivating.  Who doesn't want a cookie break in the middle of the school day?? 1. Make your favorite sugar cookie dough recipe first and refrigerate it.  For a real living math lesson, I strongly encourage you to actually make the dough from scratch with your child! 2. Draw outlines of shapes onto card stock. 3. Either mom or the capable child can cut out each shape. 4. Roll out the cookie dough and place the card stock shapes on top of the dough. 5. Using a butter knife, your child should cut around the shape templates ... Read More

Last Updated: February 24, 2016 Filed Under: Charlotte Mason, Creative Homeschooling, Living Math, Preschool Tagged With: cookie math, early math, fine motor skills, Math, math with food, shapes

Bead Classification

by Cindy 3 Comments

  Target Age Range: PK-2 Skills Covered: sorting, classification, attributes Classification is both a math and science skill.  The ability to classify objects also develops organizational skills which are helpful for writing and general "life" organization. This activity is super simple to pull together.  Simply gather a variety of beads (or buttons, cereal, rocks, beans...) in a baggie.  For my kindergartener, I wouldn't add more than 50 objects to the bag.  Supply your child with small containers in which to sort the objects.  You will likely need to help him understand how to define attributes in order to begin sorting. For example, in the top right photo: I said, "Eli, ... Read More

Last Updated: March 14, 2016 Filed Under: Brain Training, Creative Homeschooling, Elementary, Living Math, Preschool, Science & Nature Tagged With: classification, critical thinking, early elementary, hands-on math, homesschool math, kindergarten, Living Math, logic, preschool, sorting

Living Math Series

by Cindy 1 Comment

Beginning next week... October 15-26... a series full of practical ideas for incorporating more living math into your school days! Join me here daily!  Better yet, add my feed to your feed reader so you're sure not to miss a post! ... Read More

Last Updated: March 14, 2016 Filed Under: Charlotte Mason, Creative Homeschooling, Elementary, Living Math, Middle School, Preschool Tagged With: hands-on, manipulatives, Math, math help, math that makes sense, multi-age learning, real life

Science Notebooking with Microscopes

by Cindy 1 Comment

(This post contains affiliate links.) Notebooking with kindergarteners??  Isn't that asking too much? No way...especially when it comes from authentic, meaningful experiences! We own a modest microscope and some simple prepared slides that made for a wonderful science notebooking lesson last week.  Just having these things sitting out was enough to spark an interest that lasted nearly an hour. Eli began the lesson by simply exploring the slides and how to work the microscope.  He kept telling me, "Mom, you've gotta come here and see this!"  Over and over again as each new slide came into focus he would say the same thing with such excitement in his voice. I asked if he would like to ... Read More

Last Updated: September 9, 2013 Filed Under: Nature Study, Preschool, Science & Nature Tagged With: homeschool, kindergarten, microscope, nature notebooking, Notebooking, preschool, science notebooking

Preschool Leaf Study

by Cindy 3 Comments

It's autumn and time to have a little leaf fun with your preschoolers and kindergarteners! The Colors of Autumn in Play Dough After observing the changing colored leaves on trees, let your little ones create their own autumn trees from play dough or clay.  You might even use some autumn scented play dough. Perimeter with Non-standard Measuring Tools Collect various shaped leaves to practice measuring perimeter.  Use any manipulative you like to place around the edges of the leaves.  Compare perimeters from one leaf to another. Area with Non-standard Measurement Tools Use the same leaves to measure area.  Of course, this method of covering the leaves isn't a perfect ... Read More

Last Updated: February 24, 2016 Filed Under: Living Math, Nature Study, Preschool, Science & Nature Tagged With: autumn, fall, leaves

Montessori in a Charlotte Mason Homeschool

by Cindy 14 Comments

  (This post contains affiliate links and links to my business website, Shining Dawn Books.) I'm sure I've never mentioned that I used to help in a Montessori preschool before my public school teaching days.  Some of the things I learned during that time impressed me so much that I've carried them into teaching my own children. What I Like About Montessori Style Learning purposeful work focus on independence practice of life skills early lessons that are sensory (engaging all the senses) a learning environment full of quality books and materials for art, science and more thinking logically focus on research skills as children get older building good ... Read More

Last Updated: March 20, 2016 Filed Under: Charlotte Mason, Preschool Tagged With: charlotte mason, eclectic homeschool, Montessori homeschool

Nature Walk Clipboards

by Cindy 5 Comments

(This post contains affiliate links and links to my business website, Shining Dawn Books.) I'm in love. While school supply shopping at Walmart the other day, I ran across some clipboard storage boxes in several fun colors.  I remembered Maureen from Spell Out Loud mentioning using these nature walk clipboards with her family, so I put three in my cart.  Wow - they have been a wonderful addition to our nature walks! Nature Walk Clipboards Make Me Happy We can pack all kinds of fun supplies inside and clip our papers to the outside.  Having a built-in hard surface to write or draw on is perfect.  They aren't too bulky and can even be wiped clean!  My entire family loves this new ... Read More

Last Updated: February 20, 2016 Filed Under: Elementary, High School, Language Arts, Middle School, Nature Study, Preschool, Science & Nature Tagged With: nature journals, nature notebooking, Nature Study, nature walk

The Letter W

by Cindy Leave a Comment

Preschool fun with the letter W (This post contains affiliate links.) Watery stickers fill in the letter W. Naming and sorting water animal cards. A watery poster for our wall made from blue construction paper and real-life ocean animal stickers. Learning about the waters of the world by jumping around on our fabric world map. Sorting animals of the water, land and air. Sorting wild vs. domesticated animals. Sorting weather pictures. Watercolors! He loved his easel - a giant box. A walk to pick wildflowers. A walk to find water. Amazon.com Widgets Amazon.com Widgets Rosie's Walk Big Blue Whale Wild Baby Animals Alphabet of Ocean Animals When Winter ... Read More

Last Updated: February 21, 2016 Filed Under: Preschool Tagged With: activities for the letter w, alphabet lessons, books for the letter w, preschool abc lessons

The Letter V

by Cindy Leave a Comment

Preschool Activities for the Letter V (This post contains affiliate links.) A volcano made from construction paper became our alphabet poster for the letter V. Sorting veggies from fruit doubled as a nutrition lesson. Valentine cookies are an easy recipe for preschoolers to help with - and yummy! Because it was pretty outside (and because I was unmotivated to come up with other activities this week), we went on a nature walk looking for anything having to do with the letter V.  All the photos below are from that walk. A "V" stick Violet colored flowers Evidence of a beaVer V in a tree A violet A vine We enjoyed these during our letter V week! Amazon.com ... Read More

Last Updated: February 21, 2016 Filed Under: Preschool Tagged With: alphabet lessons, letter v activities, letter v book, preschool abc lessons

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NaturExplorers Science Curriculum

NaturExplorers guides are perfect for the 1st-8th grade homeschool, co-op or classroom. This highly adaptable curriculum series uses nature study as the starting point for science lessons that reach into every other subject and meet all learning styles.

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