We have an unwritten tradition of starting our school year off with a field trip or two. Sometimes the field trips are more like vacations – like when we went to Virginia. Other times, it’s an overnight stay somewhere or a few simple day trips. This year, we had so much fun kicking off the…
(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…
(This post contains links to my business website, Shining Dawn Books.) August Nature Study Anytime is the perfect time for nature study, but late summer is especially wonderful! All the photos above were taken during nature walks over the last two weeks. So, just what topics do I recommend studying right about now? Animal…
As an eclectic Charlotte Mason homeschooler, nature study is near and dear to my heart – and the hearts of my children. We have learned SO much about our Creator and the sciences through our weekly nature walks, all while touching on bits and pieces of almost every other subject under the sun, too. You…
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!…
This fun, hands-on activity pairs perfectly with any study of early American history. Enjoy living math and mapping with Lewis and Clark. This post contains affiliate links. Lewis and Clark: A Quick Bio In 1803, President Jefferson wanted to find out if the Missouri or Columbia Rivers made for easy traveling (and potential trading)…
Wow. My eleventh official year of homeschooling lies ahead. Praise God from whom all blessings flow! I am ever-so-thankful for the time to be home with my children and I consider it an honor and a privilege to plan another full year of exciting learning. As I say every year…the plans below are SO tentative. …
(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…
It’s just about time for our new school year to start. I haven’t made many changes to our schoolroom since I last posted a couple years ago, but I am forever reorganizing and the room is just about ready to go! We are blessed to have a finished attic space that we use as a…
Where have I been this summer? Golly, my head is spinning and I’m not sure at all where I’ve been or what I’ve been doing. I do know that I haven’t had much time to sit down! And the garden is just coming on, so sitting down doesn’t look to be in my future for…
Have you been looking for a unique and engaging way to teach the Bible chronologically? Boy, have I found some goodies – What’s in the Bible? DVD’s! What’s What’s in the Bible? Created by Phil Vischer (of Veggie Tales fame), the What’s in the Bible? series uses puppets, animations and actors to clearly teach…
Art and Literature Connection Have You Seen Birds? by Barbara Reid is a fantastic book from which to pull an art lesson. Full of lovely clay collage illustrations created by Joanne Oppenheim, children can dabble in an art medium (and style) often neglected – clay collage. The illustrations in the book are detailed,…