World geography projects are a fantastic way to make learning meaningful, hands-on, and engaging for homeschool students. Instead of simply memorizing maps and facts, children deeply understand different countries’ cultures, histories, and geography, making personal connections along the way. When students research, write, and present their findings, they develop critical thinking, communication, and creativity—all while…
What kid wouldn’t love a break from the regular schedule of homeschooling to enjoy a funschooling day full of candy heart lessons??? Mom, I promise that your day won’t be wasted, and you’ll be able to check off almost every box in your lesson planner! Teaching with Candy Hearts Grab a big bag of candy…
I love living math—so much that I even wrote a book about it: Loving Living Math. It’s special for many reasons, but I’ll focus on one today. Living math offers opportunities for real-life, meaningful, hands-on learning. One of my favorite methods is using math manipulatives to help children understand concepts and think mathematically. In this post,…
I first published this post of early elementary homeschool curriculum picks a few years back, but I’m still a super-fan of everything listed below. My little fella is steadily moving on in school. He’s reading real books and working on real math problems. He builds amazing Minecraft structures and plays basketball better than I do. And he loves…
Do you remember when Eli and I took a short detour from our regular Story of the World studies to learn more about Vikings? We detoured again – this time with a mini pirate unit study. Should I have been shocked? What boy (and many girls) wouldn’t love extra time to hang out with pirates? This…
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? Spice it up and make sure he dives deep! Over the years, our family has followed a four-year history cycle. By the time high school rolls around,…
Brain training activities are good for everyone because they build neuron connections. Who couldn’t use a few extra neuron connections, right? A previous article shares the what, why, and how of brain training. You can read it to understand the concept of brain training and learn how it improves cognitive skills for ALL learners. This…
Middle school kids are a fun, unique sort, aren’t they? Caught between childhood and something greater, it can sometimes be difficult to buy gifts for them. But even for middle schoolers who quickly become star-struck with trendy clothes and high-dollar electronics, I’m still a big believer in giving at least a few educational gifts. The…
Logic and critical thinking easily meet science in this bean classification activity. Using a simple 16-bean soup mix, middle and high school students can develop their own systems of classification. It’s such a great way to practice classification and re-classification strategies based on debatable characteristics. Speaking of debate, the activity provides a great opportunity for…
Books are incredibly effective tools for teaching. Charlotte Mason homeschoolers certainly understand that fact as it pertains to subjects like history and science. But, did you know the math and literature connection can be just as powerful? It’s true! One of the best tools I’ve used over the years to help my children understand math…
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…
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….
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