When my youngest was in second grade, we did a Creation-based dinosaur unit study that led to some amazing rabbit trail learning! What started out as a great “boy topic” to end the year with a bang, turned into so much more. Without my pre-planning, it even gave him a great foundational understanding of events leading up…
In our home, summer break has always been an opportunity for more reading rather than less. With the obligations of regular school lessons on hold for a while, we often get lost in a stack of picture books or chapter after chapter from a current read-aloud (or two). There are lots of components to summer…
Did you know March is National Reading Month? Because living books are so very good, every month is all about reading in our house! But in honor of this annual celebration of reading, I thought I’d take some time to share some of my best tips for raising readers. 11 Tips for Raising Readers Not only…
Do you have a child who began reading well at three or four years old? A child who reads far above grade level? Early readers who soak in more books in a year than you’ve read in your entire life? Do you wonder what to do with all that advanced ability? Just how do you…
When you think about swans what comes to mind? Do you picture graceful birds floating on a pond or scrawny babies that don’t look graceful at all? In the living books about swans that I am sharing with you today, you’ll meet bird characters that are graceful, some that are not, and everything in between….
Our family’s favorite picture book authors earn “forever spots” on our bookshelves. Those spots don’t just go to any old books. Nope. To earn a coveted spot on our shelves, a book has to be pretty special. While bunches and bunches of authors have found a space or two on our shelves, there are only a…
What is a friend? Webster’s 1828 Dictionary of the English language defines a friend as, “One who is attached to another by affection; one who entertains for another sentiments of esteem, respect, and affection, which lead him to desire his company.” I can easily apply that definition as I make friends with books and I…
Who doesn’t love a painting grandma? This Grandma Moses artist study will help you get to know the sweet lady who didn’t begin painting until she was 77 years old. What an inspiration! In our homeschool, we study one artist for a month at a time, typically working on it one day per week during…
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 students…
If you know a child or teen who loves books, this list of gifts for bookworms is just what you’re looking for! Whether you want book suggestions or unique gift ideas, you will find something to excite the readers in your life. Gifts for Bookworms One of my children was (and still is) an extreme…
This hands-on, literature-based math activity will help your younger students concretely understand the concept of standard measurement. 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 an in-depth understanding that…
Picture books for middle school? Shouldn’t older students have moved on from picture books years ago? Not necessarily. Many of the best living picture books include amazing stories with rich language that big kids are finally able to read and enjoy on their own. Additionally, some of the picture books we have on our shelves…