After the last couple of living math posts, I promised to share some of our non-textbook lessons. Here are some of the fun things we’ve been doing/have planned to do this winter on our living math days. My hope is to encourage you that…. 1.) Living math really is thoughtful, meaningful math. 2.) Living math isn’t hard to…
Last week we finished up a short, but successful unit on our state. I think all involved liked the change of pace this time around. Mahayla practically completed her readings, worksheets and projects on her own, while Caleb and I tackled his work at our own pace. Here are just a few highlights. Kentucky Notebooks Using several…
Our Middle Ages unit is going to be so much fun! This is one of my favorite time periods to study, and I have to admit that it’s going to be hard to tame the fun down to a manageable unit. Here are the books I’m using as I plan our activities. Two helpful websites: A…
(This post contains affiliate links.) Cheating Just a Little Okay, so my Charlotte Mason friends may raise their eyebrows to this post. I can get overwhelmed with all the “stuff” that’s out there to teach. Good stuff like artists, composers, Latin…. Things that just seem to slip by the wayside sometimes when the phonics and…
Our toys are in jail. They have visitation rights, but very limited. You see, since I couldn’t lock the messy children up, the toys had to be the ones to suffer. They’ve been in jail for almost a month now and the time apart from the children seems to be doing everyone well. We took…
Mammoth Cave is the most amazing site! As the longest cave system in the world, there are many tours offered to cover miles and miles of underground beauty. We chose the easiest tour because of Eli, but it also happens to be one of the most beautiful tours as well. The Frozen Niagra tour is one of…
Well, I never realized just how old 36 is. Or should I say, I never realized just how old my children think 36 is. After my son’s comment, I’m feeling like they think Fred Flinstone and I could’ve easily hung out together. The kids found a typewriter in the basement and carted it upstairs with…
A friend from Singapore asked this question recently: I have a 6y+ son who just started public school in Singapore. He can read pretty well but he can’t spell. He has simple spelling list from school which he has problems learning. Do you have any advice? Many children need hands-on or movement-based lessons when they…
Yep, the season for burnout is upon us. Better days are ahead for those who hang in there. I’m hoping this is one blog you can disregard because everything is joyful and sweet in your homeschool. If not, I hope some of these ideas will perk up your blahs. Symptoms of Burnout fatigue impatience lack…
Have you ever heard of Warm Fuzzies for Cancer Patients? I hadn’t either, but our 4-H extension agent did some research and found this wonderful program for us to take part. Groups (or individuals) make fleece lap blankets and donate them to cancer centers. So, that’s what our 4-H group did this week. Our blankets…
A peace place. A place for my children (or myself) to go when we are not being peaceful. A time-out of sorts, but focused on God and His desires for us. A quiet and comfortable place for us to reflect on why we haven’t been peaceful and to ask forgiveness. A place to rid ourselves of frustration,…
(This post contains affiliate links and links to my business website, Shining Dawn Books.) I hated math when I wad a kid. Hated it. It didn’t make much sense to me, I had a hard time memorizing facts, and my teacher’s didn’t spend much time helping me to understand. I remember my poor dad spending…