Homeschooling High School Is Worth It!

Y’all.  Homeschooling high school is so much better than you could ever imagine.

I just graduated my first who will go on to follow her equine passions in college this fall and I can tell you unequivocally that homeschooling was worth it.  Every minute – the good, bad and ugly – was worth it.  Notice I didn’t say every minute was blissful or easy, but I am so very glad we made the journey to the end.

Not only do we have great memories of doing life together, we’ve also had awesome opportunities to grow together in Christ, in learning, in trials and in triumphs.

As I prepare for the 10th grade year with my second child, I already see some of the frustrations that might come our way – like battling upper level math dragons and helping him see the benefit of buckling down in foreign language studies.  I know there will be struggles, but I also know that working through those struggles together will make us stronger.  I know that homeschooling through high school means my son will have a much better chance to rise above the status quo of teenagers these days.  I know that in his “rhetoric stage” mind, we still have much work to do to build worldviews and prepare him for his Kingdom work and I’m so thankful for that time.

During these years of amazing opportunity, I’ll keep blogging about our adventures to encourage you (and me) that we CAN do it!

Since this page will automatically update when any new high school post is written, you might like to pin it for quick reference.  Blessings on your journey!

Homeschooling High School: A Quick Reference to Our Journey Westward Articles

How To Enjoy a Favorite Author Study in Your Homeschool

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…

56 Unique Gift Ideas for Gifted Kids

This great big list of gift ideas for gifted kids will keep your spunky learners busy with satisfying activities for multiple interests. Gifted kids are a wonderful, unique breed. They’re sure to keep you on your toes with their wit, intensity, and just how different they can be. And while no child comes with an…

Unique Art and Craft Supplies for Kids and Teens

Art and craft supplies for kids and teens seem pretty standard, but I’m excited to introduce you to some unique ideas that will help your children create in new ways. This post contains affiliate links. It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of incorporating art into my homeschool. Artist studies and museum visits, of…

Why the Homeschool “Extras” Matter

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….

Help! My Child is Devouring Homeschool Curriculum!

Almost nothing gets a homeschool mom’s heart racing like the sight of a brand-new curriculum, stacked clean and neat, ready for a new year of learning. We’ve done the research, placed the orders, and planned out the next several months, complete with themed weeks, finale projects, and even a few well-timed field trips. The butterflies…

Rough Day Homeschooling? Take a Sensory Walk.

No matter how long you’ve been homeschooling or how old your children are, some days just don’t go as planned. A craft doesn’t work out the way you’d hoped, anxiety sneaks in and sets kiddos on edge, siblings bicker, headaches happen, and fatigue creeps up and whispers for a break. Societal pressure (and our own…

Easy Summer Field Trips for Your Homeschool

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…

How To Use Summertime to Strengthen Life Skills for Kids

The glorious days of summer are here! We’ve all worked so hard homeschooling for so many months, and now it’s time to rest, relax, and enjoy a few months off from work… right? Maybe if we weren’t homeschool parents. The truth is that while we do get a break from the quizzes, the textbooks, and…

8 Tips for Homeschooling a Child with Dyscalculia

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. Dyscalculia goes…

Nature Study is a Good Fit for Gifted Kids

There are definitely stereotypes when it comes to gifted kids. For instance, people might might picture an awkward boy or girl with glasses who plays chess and cello and snorts when he or she laughs. Parts of that may be true for some gifted kids, but they’re often not at all like people expect them…

15 of the Best Group Games for Families

These group games for families are perfect for any special gathering! Games have always been the go-to activity when family or friends get together because they are so much fun and keep everyone actively involved in the party. We don’t have a giant extended family, but every holiday or birthday celebration will find the 10…

Great Gifts for Horse Lovers

Horses are a lifelong love for my daughter. She has always gasped at the sight of horses grazing in a pasture, cleared the local library’s shelves of all the horse-related books, and covered her walls with posters of wild stallions and prancing ponies. Gift giving occasions have never been great mysteries for anyone who knows…

Why Logic and Critical Thinking Matter in the Homeschool

Yes, logic and critical thinking really do matter. A lot, in fact. We all want children who can stop and think before they act, right? That takes logic and critical thinking. And, I bet at least one of your homeschooling goals is to raise a well-rounded child who can transition into successful adulthood? Well, that…

40 Games to Teach History in the Homeschool

Do your children love history or do you hit walls every time you try to teach it? I hated history as a child, mostly because the textbooks were horribly boring, the teachers were dry as a crust of day-old bread, and those long lists of dates were entirely frustrating. Given the opportunity to teach homeschool…

How To Help Gifted Children Who Need Foundational Skills

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…

Why Audubon Are the Best Field Guides for Homeschoolers

Homeschoolers who want to enjoy serious nature study often ask me, “Which are the best field guides?” I do have favorites and I’ll be sure to tell you in just a minute, but first you should know that you have lots of really wonderful options. Most likely, you won’t go wrong if you choose field…

6 Tips To Develop Better Social Skills in the Homeschool

We’ve talked a lot about brain training for cognitive skills here at Our Journey Westward. Closely related to cognitive skills are social skills. This article focuses on some easy ways to improve social skills in the homeschool. Don’t get “social skills” confused with “socialization”. One of the biggest thorns in the side of any homeschooler…

Instilling Integrity in the Christian Homeschool

If you haven’t read part one, Discovering Dishonesty, click over to read it first. This is part two. Enjoy! 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 of people, sometimes the quietest space we can find is the car. …

Discovering Dishonesty in the Christian Homeschool

“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 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 gone missing…

Why the History Revealed Curriculum Works Well for Us

After a successful year of history with Ancient Civilizations and the Bible from Diana Waring’s History Revealed series last year, we are back at it with Romans, Reformers, and Revolutionaries. History Revealed works well for our unit study, project-based learning, literature-based loving family. In fact, it’s been a perfect transition for my older kids to…

Our Student-Led High School Equine Course

This post was originally published a few years ago, but I’ve seen a surge of questions and interest in how to plan student-led courses in high school. As you take a peek into the planning process of our high school equine course, I hope to help you cast a vision for developing your own course…

High School Homeschool Curriculum: Top Picks

Ah…high school. Why do I love homeschooling high school so much? Mostly because my teens don’t need my constant attention and instruction anymore! Ha! While I’m not kidding about the independent learning thing above, there are other reasons I really enjoy the high school homeschool: We have great discussions. My children can (finally) logically defend issues that are…

Planning Homeschool Bible Time

We homeschool for many reasons, but one of them is more important than all of the others combined. It’s our desire to pass on a bold Christian faith that finds our children seeking God with all their hearts and sharing Him with others from here to eternity. While I know it’s God who does the work…

100 Educational Games for Homeschooling

During my workshops about creative homeschooling and living math, I often talk about incorporating games into the school schedule. If your family has an established game night, you probably already know how educational many board and card games really are.  Math, language, history, science, logic and so much more can be practiced without your kiddos…

Brain Training: FUN Ways to Build Stronger and Faster Brains

At the IAHE Conference  (Indiana Association of Home Educators), I taught four workshops. While they were all well-attended and well-received, one of the sessions sparked an emotional reaction like none other. My brain training session was the last on my schedule and one of the last of the weekend. I fully expected a low turnout…

How To Teach High School History with Literature Easily

I love using living books in our homeschool. If you’ve been around here any time at all, you know that living literature is a key tool I use across all ages and all subjects. Using literature to teach high school history works especially well. There are so many nuances of an event or era that…

What’s Growing in Your Homeschool? Bacteria Science Experiments

Ah, fall. Beautiful weather, fun festivals, football…and the beginning of “sick season.” It’s the perfect time of year to teach middle and high school students about germs through some cool bacteria science experiments! I’ve harped to my son for years about the importance of hand-washing to prevent illness. Now that he has actually seen bacteria…

How To Easily Plan Monthly Homeschool Field Trips

For years, we’ve taken at least one homeschool field trip each month of the school year. They have created some of our best memories and always almost supply us with wonderful learning opportunities. It may sound overwhelming to plan monthly field trips, but it’s really not that hard at all when you’re organized – and…

How To Make Real-World Gifted Homeschooling a Reality

Book smarts are important, but they aren’t the only things that matter for gifted learners. It’s incredibly important to make common sense connections through real-world gifted homeschooling, too. One of the challenges I hear often from parents of gifted kiddos is that sometimes brilliant-minded children don’t always make those common sense connections. It can be…

Boyschooling Homeschool Curriculum for 5th and 12th Grades (2017-18)

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’m boyschooling a 12th grader and 5th grader. These boys keep me so busy with music lessons, sports, and more that I…

Living Literature Booklists

If you asked me to name a few things that have made THE most impact in our homeschool over the years, one of the answers I would give without hesitation is living literature. Many precious hours have been spent together around books. Those moments have built strong bonds between us, created warm memories, and sparked…

How to Teach Out-of-the-Box Homeschool High School Chemistry

We veered off the “typical homeschool path” this year to teach out-of-the-box homeschool high school chemistry instead. This isn’t the first time we’ve chosen a different path for our son, who is a smart kid but doesn’t thrive in the textbook world of science. Do you remember how we chose an out-of-the-box biology course last year? Because…

Using Picture Books to Teach Expository Writing

Why would anyone use picture books to teach expository writing? Because picture books are written by master authors who can teach us clearly through their examples. Not to mention, it doesn’t take long to read through most picture books, so you can share examples and get right to the work of writing. What is expository…

Your Favorite Posts from 2016

As I sat down to plan what to write about this coming year here at Our Journey Westward, I took a peek to see what your favorite posts of 2016 were. As you’ll see below, it’s pretty clear you like living literature and creative teaching ideas. And, since I love those things, too, I’m happy…

12 “All Boy” Gifts Your Son Will Love

Do you have a rough and tumble son? Me, too. Two of them, in fact. It’s always been hard on this momma to watch them “do what boys do” without cringing. While I certainly would rather keep them perfectly safe, my husband has convinced me that boys really do need to “be boys” so they…

Using Picture Books to Teach Text Structure

It’s time for another post in my series about using picture books to teach writing to middle and high school students!  Today’s topic is using picture books to teach text structure. What is text structure?  It’s how the information written in a text is organized.  Learning to identify text structure as a reader can greatly improve…

A Cemetery Scavenger Hunt Makes a Great History Lesson

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,…

2016-17 Homeschool Curriculum and Schedule for 4th and 11th Grades

Well, these children of mine keep getting older and I find myself with a sophomore in college, a high school junior and a 4th grader.  My homeschool became a boy school last year – and I’ve come to enjoy planning with active boys in mind!  Take a peek at our homeschool curriculum and slightly improved schedule……

How To Teach High School Dissection

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…

When Your Plan for High School Science Isn’t Working

Homeschooling works.  It just doesn’t always look the same from one child to the next. Sometimes even the best intended plans fail and adjustments need to be made. Our latest major adjustments were made in the subject of science and I’ve shared our success story here in hopes that you will be encouraged not to give…

7 Tips for Starting a Nature Club

Whether you currently enjoy nature study time with your children or not, being part of a nature club is a great motivator and provides hours of fun learning time! 1. What is a nature study club? Quite simply, it’s a small or large group of homeschoolers who meet together for the purpose of studying nature…

Brain Training Activities for Auditory Attention

Does your child seem to have, um, selective hearing? You tell him (or her) to do this or that and you’re very lucky if one little smidgen of it gets done? Yeah, that can be infuriating to a momma. Ask me how I know. It turns out that there can be an honest-to-goodness reason and maybe,…

Brain Training Activities for Visual Attention and Visual Processing

Brain training activities are good for everyone because they build neuron connections.  Who couldn’t use a few extra neuron connections, right? I’ve gone into some depth about the what, why and how of brain training before, so I’ll spare you the details about all the cognitive skills brain training improves and how it helps ALL…

How To Teach High School Economics

Economics.  It’s about earning and spending money.  It’s how businesses grow.  It’s using resources to satisfy needs and wants.  It’s taxes and interest rates and credit cards and savings accounts.  It’s in everything from local production to global trade. The study of economics is as important for the “average person” as it is for the…

Using Picture Books to Teach Voice in Writing

Voice.  It’s in every good piece of writing, but it’s a tad elusive when it comes to defining and teaching. Writing that connects with readers has voice.  Writing that makes you feel emotion has voice. Writing that comes to life has voice.  Writing that sounds unique or comes from the heart has voice.  Voice is…

Brain Training with Dyslexia Games

You know how near and dear brain training is to my heart, right?  It’s been such a game-changer in our homeschool that I take it very seriously.  We do some sort of brain training every. single. school. day. One day might find us playing a quick card game to building working memory.  Another day might…

Why the Jotham’s Journey Series is NOT to be Missed

What do you get when you mix historical fiction with lots of adventure then add daily devotionals for Advent?  The Jotham’s Journey series of books!  These books are simply NOT to be missed. This post contains affiliate links. Wow. That’s the best word I can think of to describe these page-turning, spine-tingling adventure stories meant…

High School Science for the Horse Lover

I hope this high school science overview helps you develop a plan that fits your passionate learner perfectly! My daughter’s first college mid-terms are upon her and I’m happy to report that she is both loving equine studies and doing splendidly!  You might remember she’s been my “horse girl” for the last 10+ years –…

Using Picture Books to Teach Writing Styles

I {heart} picture books for so many reasons.  One giant reason is their ability to teach so many in depth concepts in such non-intimidating ways that students often don’t see fear in the lessons that follow.  One such example is writing. I can’t tell you the times I’ve been asked by homeschooling parents to tutor…

Using Picture Books To Teach Biography Writing

Living literature isn’t just for reading – it’s also great for teaching writing styles!  Serious writing lessons don’t start in our homeschool until middle and high school, but believe it or not, I use picture books quite often to help me teach. Since picture books can be read in one sitting, they are perfect examples…

Guitar Lessons With or Without a Teacher

I can teach music theory.  I can teach voice.  I can teach at least a little piano.  I cannot teach guitar.  And, when you can’t find a steady guitar teacher, that makes life hard on a kid who really wants to learn the instrument. My Caleb has been learning to play the guitar for a…

Picture Books to Teach Literary Techniques

I’ve been sharing a little series of posts about how to use living literature to teach writing – specifically, narratives and persuasive pieces.  In this post, I’m focusing less on a particular style of writing and more on writing with style – otherwise known as literary techniques. No matter the age of your children, you…

Picture Books That Demonstrate Persuasive Writing

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…

Homeschooling a Horse Lover

My little horse lover is all grown up.  This year she will graduate our homeschool and head off to college where she will major in equine science. Before her passion for horses blossomed, we knew her heart held a soft spot for animals in general – and all the jobs that come with those animals. …

Picture Books That Demonstrate Narrative Writing

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, and I see questions about it all over the internet. This post contains affiliate links. People are often surprised when I tell them I don’t formally teach writing…

Chronological American History in High School

What do you do with a high school student who has been through two cycles of American history and thinks a third cycle would just be boring and unfruitful?  Well, I spice it up and make sure he dives deep! I get his frustration.  I really do.  Over the years, we have followed a four-year…

Ultimate Guide to Living Math Activities

I’ve been touting the benefits of living math for quite some time now.  Why?  Because living math makes sense to kids.  It builds concrete understanding of abstract concepts.  It touches real-life, giving math meaning and purpose.  And, it’s fun! This post contains affiliate links. To make your life (and mine) easier, I decided to pull…

Standard Deviants Accelerate: High School Lessons Online

(I received a complimentary subscription to Standard Deviants Accelerate and was compensated for my time preparing this review.  As always, all opinions are strictly my own.) My 9th grader is a visual/auditory learner who doesn’t like to waste time in school.  Well, let me rephrase that last part.  He does like to waste time in…

Organizing the Unorganized Learner

(This post contains affiliate links.) The Unorganized Learner Do you have an unorganized learner?  Here are just a few hints that you might: Pencils (or any necessary school supply for that matter) can never be found. When pencils are found, they aren’t sharpened and it takes 15 minutes to find a pencil sharpener. You’re always…

Amamos Español! Homeschool with Mango Languages

(I received a subscription to Mango Languages for free and was compensated for my time spent writing this review.  As always, my opinions are strictly my own.) Homeschool with Mango Languages Truth time.  I’ve not been the best about teaching foreign languages up to this point.  A little Spanish here, a little Latin there.  Even…

Student Planner: Homeschooling with A Plan in Place

(I received a free student planner from A Plan in Place and compensation for this post.  As always, I only present my honest opinion about anything I post.) Homeschool Organization: A Student Planner If you haven’t guessed it by now, I love organized homeschool plans.  During the summer, my children and I spend time thinking…

Sweet Blessings: A Handicrafting Service Project

(This post contains links to my products.) Blessed to be a blessing Serving others is important to our family.  We’ve looked for unique opportunities from the time my children were very young.  Luckily, we’ve never had to look far because needs are all around us. One of the most fun projects we’ve done this year…

Do Homeschoolers Ever REALLY Vacation?

I cannot even begin to tell you what a wonderful vacation our family was blessed to take in early October.  Indian Rocks Beach, Florida-  just south of Clearwater – on the Gulf of Mexico is just gorgeous in October.  While the leaves spent time falling from the trees in Kentucky, Florida offered us a second…

Algebra Help for the Hopeless Homeschooler

(This post contains affiliate links and links to my business website, Shining Dawn Books.) Do you need algebra help?  I did, too. You mean the writer of Loving Living Math needed algebra help?  Why, yes.  Yes, I did.  There’s nothing to be ashamed of when you run into a brick wall in a homeschooling subject!…

10 Living Books for Christian Teen Boys

Teen boys.  Future leaders.  Future husbands.  Future fathers.  Hard workers.  Capable shiners of Light. Those descriptions can put a lot of pressure on the parents raising precious teen boys for Christ’s Kingdom.  Never fear, God has provided all we need through His Word!  I’ve found a good church family and some really great living literature…

10 Living Books for Christian Teen Girls

Raising Christian teens isn’t so hard when you have a little help.  The Bible, a supportive church and great living books for Christian teen girls are three of my greatest tools!  I’ve read many of these books with my sweet teenage daughter and I’m always amazed at her growth and understanding on topics of growth…

Growing Hearts

(This post contains affiliate links.) Growing Hearts and Minds James 3:13-17 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny…

Homeschooling High School: Student Led Curriculum

My Mahayla is a junior now.  (Where does the time go?)  Being homeschooled with a Charlotte Mason style education her whole school career has not only taught her loads and loads of real knowledge, but given her a passion for learning.  She especially loves history, literature and horses/farming. Homeschooling High School and Following a Student’s…

Online Writing Course: Rock Star Essay

(I received this course for free in exchange for an honest review, and I was compensated for my time.  This post contains affiliate links.) Don’t Be Afraid of High School Writing I have a secret to share.  I hate to teach writing.  Yep, really.  I like when my children are good writers, but I don’t…

High School Modern History Course

There is so much goodness to learn about during a modern history study. We loved our living literature-based approach. This post contains affiliate links. Modern History For us, modern history goes from 1860 to the present.  That’s a lot of territory with a lot of happenings to cover in one school year!  Here’s our plan…

Our American Lit Selections

(This post contains affiliate links.) High School American Lit I love meeting the particular needs and interests of my children in our homeschool studies.  Once my children reach high school, the same philosophy applies.  Thus, the reason I’m pulling bits and pieces of various American Literature courses and adding some of my own choices in…

Philosophy Adventure Review

(I received a preview copy of Philosophy Adventure: Pre-Socratics in exchange for my honest review.) Christian Philosophy: Isn’t That An Oxymoron? For most of us who studied philosophy in high school or college, yes, our classes were anything but Christian.  Misleading, worldly, tempting, humanistic and me-centered are just a few of the words I would…

Homeschooling High School Science

(This post contains affiliate links and links to my business, Shining Dawn Books.) Is Homeschooling High School Science Intimidating? Yes, it can be.  I’ve found so many wonderful resources to make it easier, though! Apologia We now have two years under our belt using Exploring Creation with Biology and Exploring Creation With Chemistry from Apologia. …

My Favorite Logic Resources

Is it really important to add logic studies in your homeschool from PK-High School?  Yes! Our children need to know how to think.  With the ability to think, almost any topic at any time can be learned and/or thought about critically.  Christian children who hope to defend their faith in the world absolutely MUST be…

Homeschool Service Projects

I’ve written about the importance of adding service projects to your homeschool before, but I want to reiterate how BIG making time to help others can be in the life your family. Setting up for our homeless guests at church I’m constantly amazed at the spiritual growth I see in my children as we take…

Economics in the Homeschool

Sadly, the formal study of economics is left out of most of the curricula I’ve run across in my 11+ years of homeschooling.  An understanding of economics is EXTREMELY important as our children grow up to care for a family, learn to tithe and give, and become the financial leaders of our country. Unless we…

Project-Based Learning Ideas

I’m a huge believer in project-based learning! Keep reading to learn why and to get tons of project-based learning ideas for your homeschool! Just what is project-based learning? Quite simply, it’s a learning method in which your children dive into a subject and complete a project to show what they know.  Projects can really be…

Central KY Field Trips for Homeschoolers

If you live in Central Kentucky, you are blessed when it comes to homeschool field trips right outside your door! Besides the oodles of places you can visit right around the corner, there are several fabulous opportunities within a reasonable driving distance, too. Some of our best homeschooling moments have happened on field trips.  In…

Play Dough Geometry

Learning math with play dough geometry is so much fun! Middle and high school students like to play, too, and this series of lessons gives them a great, hands-on overview of beginning geometry. Concrete learning (actually touching, building, and manipulating things) is so important to solidify a real understanding of otherwise abstract concepts. Play dough…

Jim Hodges {G.A. Henty History Audio Books} Giveaway

In our Charlotte Mason homeschool, we LOVE living literature.  So much so, that our “to read” lists are always way longer than what we can actually read.  In order to make time for more living literature over the years, we have always been fans of audio books.  Boring car time is often transformed into other…

Nature Walk Clipboards

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!…

Weekly Lesson Notebooks

(This post contains affiliate links.) Better lesson organization is one of my main goals for the upcoming school year.  Having a high school student, middle school student and a kindergartener, I have no choice but to be more organized – or feel flustered and fall behind too often like I did last year when I…

Unique Ideas for Middle and High School Co-op Classes

Many homeschool moms who teach co-op classes develop their own curriculum.  Me, too, for the most part.  However, I’ve found it a little more difficult to design a thorough, engaging curriculum for middle and high school co-op classes that doesn’t leave me studying and preparing for hours. As a curriculum reviewer, a lot of great…

Bean Classification

(This post contains affiliate links.) Bean Classification Remember the candy classification post from a couple months ago?  My logic classes at co-op did a similar activity with 15-bean soup mix. Talking About Taxonomy Before jumping into the bean classification activity, we talked about plant and animal classification.  I showed them a pictorial example of how…

Co-op Logic and Critical Thinking Class

At co-op this year, I have the privilege of teaching two logic and critical thinking classes – one for high school and one for middle school.  We’re having a great time together!  I promised a little look inside that class, so here goes. This post contains affiliate links. The Main Content I’m doing similar things…

Renaissance Festival

I’ve wanted to attend the Ohio Renaissance Festival for years.  Since this is our last medieval history cycle with Mahayla (boo hoo), visiting the festival was now or never.  What a fun experience!  (A little gypsy-like at times, but fun nonetheless.) We attended on their special school/homeschool day.  While I didn’t like dealing with the…

In-Depth Nature Study for a High School Student

Nature study doesn’t have to stop once high school rolls around! In fact, we’re enjoying it with more depth than we ever have before.  Simply think of nature study as one of the most perfect “labs” available for experiencing and understanding high school science concepts. Take last week for example…We’ve been learning about the plant…

Lichen vs. Moss

It can be difficult during a nature walk to identify lichen vs. moss. These simple descriptions and pictures should help you learn the differences between the two. Lichen vs. Moss: What’s the Difference? Through the course of our nature clubs and writing the NaturExplorers studies, the following question has come up several times. “What’s the…

Practical Life Skills and Nature Study

*Although this post is about home vegetable gardening, you’ll notice some of the pictures are from a field day class my children and I took from the University of Kentucky School of Agriculture. I wanted to encourage you that even those of us who have been gardening for years have room for growth. Your local…

Cleopatra Exhibit

Every once in a while, blogging has nice perks.  As a blogger in the Greater Cincinnati area, my children and I were invited to tour the traveling exhibit, Cleopatra: The Search for the Last Queen of Egypt, at the Cincinnati Museum Center.  We just so happened to be finishing up Ancient Greek history and moving…

National Missionary Convention

Another field trip bites the dust.  More than a simple field trip, though, this one was life changing!   The National Missionary Convention was held this past weekend in Lexington, and because our church registered, we were able to attend for free.  You know me and field trips, I wasn’t about to pass up a free…

Favorite Games for Homeschooling

(This post contains affiliate links and links to my business website, Shining Dawn Books.) Games for Homeschooling? During my workshops about creative homeschooling and living math, I often talk about incorporating games into the school schedule. If your family has an established game night, you probably already know how educational many board and card games…

Ancient Civilizations and the Bible Unit 1

We are absolutely LOVING Ancient Civilizations and the Bible by Diana Waring!  There is SO much to choose from for every single learning style.  We’re only skimming the surface of the depth that could be reached with this curriculum, and we’re still diving way deep into Biblical world history! Here are some photos from our…

KY State Fair

We love the State Fair!  This year was our first time being more than spectators and we had a busy, but exciting blast.  The big kids showed goats two nights in a row, which left two days full of exploring all the sights and sounds. Some kind friends hauled our two goats to the fair…

Vacation Highlights Part 6 – Charlottesville, VA

Our last night of hotel life in Virginia led us to Charlottesville, home to Monticello – Thomas Jefferson’s homestead.  We got into town late and were led by our hotel clerk to Charlottesville’s historical downtown mall for dinner.  We ate outdoors and enjoyed their weekly Friday night music – this place was hopping and quite…

Vacation Highlights Part 5 – Yorktown, VA

As with every single aspect of our vacation, we were completely impressed with the quality and child-friendliness of the Yorktown Victory Center.  Hands-on exhibits, actors, camps, films and indoor walk-through museums made this yet another wonderful stop. In the Revolutionary War camp, we watched as a cannon was fired… plotted our war strategy… wrote journal…

Vacation Highlights Part 4 – Jamestown, VA

Hang in there, I only have six parts in this series.  On our whirlwind tour of Virginia, we visited Jamestown and Yorktown in the same day.  In order to share several pictures from each tour, I’m writing two posts. Jamestown, VA has two attractions (each requiring their own ticket), Historic Jamestown and the Jamestown Settlement. …

Vacation Highlights Part 3 – Colonial Williamsburg

One entire day of our vacation was spent in Colonial Williamsburg.  This is a WONDERFUL walk-through town of real and replica buildings that house in-costume craftsmen who are working their trades… and allow you to help sometimes. Actors gather in the streets to reenact Revolutionary events… and play various parts as you tour magnificent buildings….

Vacation Highlights Part 2 – Norfolk, VA

Norfolk, Virginia houses the largest US Naval Base in the world – and it’s huge!  Just about everything in Norfolk seems to revolve around the navy including shipyard after shipyard similar to the picture above. We only spent one afternoon in Norfolk, but easily could’ve stayed longer if we had the time.  Our main purpose…

Vacation Highlights Part 1 – VA Beach

We took a MUCH needed and long awaited vacation to Virginia last week – and it was SO much fun!  We soaked up a lot in seven days, so I’m going to post a short series of highlights over the next few posts. First stop – Virginia Beach!  This was the first trip to the…