Making Homeschooling Hands-On, Engaging, Meaningful & Memorable! Be inspired by all the possibilities!! Check out our unit studies, packets and printables!
Homeschool Den / Kindergarten / Science / Science: Simple Machines Unit
by Liesl - Homeschool Den · Published November 15, 2013 · Last modified August 3, 2018
We started with… a plain old screw!! The kids spent time trying to screw it into an old board: We have been reading the book, Archimedes and the Door of Science along with this unit. What a terrific book and what a remarkable man Archimedes was! The book talks about the Archimedes screw as well as lots of other topics — astronomy, math, geometry and more. We loved the...
Kindergarten / Science / Science: Simple Machines Unit
by Liesl - Homeschool Den · Published November 12, 2013 · Last modified April 6, 2019
The wedge is a pretty easy concept to remember, but we still took the opportunity to have some fun with wedges! We spent some time outside at the wood pile using real wedges to split wood (plus, we got some wood ready for the woodstove!!) This is a tool call a “Smart Splitter.” Even the kids can split wood with it. They simply lifted the weight and dropped it down...
Science / Science Experiments / Science: Simple Machines Unit
by Liesl - Homeschool Den · Published November 6, 2013 · Last modified August 12, 2021
We started a unit on Simple Machines several weeks ago. I thought I’d share the first set of hands on activities we did on levers and the three classes of levers. We started our unit going over the six types of simple machines. Since I have kids of varying levels I made several sheets (matching, tracing and fill in the blanks). In the end, this turned out to be useful...
Science / Science Experiments / Science: Physics Unit
by Liesl - Homeschool Den · Published April 13, 2012 · Last modified July 18, 2018
We have been gearing up for these activities for a long time. Back in January I mentioned the kids read the Physics, Pre-Level 1 (Real Science-4-Kids) book. LD read it on his own while I read it together with DD. I thought it was a wonderful introduction to some basic physics concepts. Then as you’ve seen we did some background activities on Newton himself (the geography of England/Britain/UK; the Black...
Homeschool Den / Science: Vertebrates - Invertebrates
by Liesl - Homeschool Den · Published March 7, 2024 · Last modified April 9, 2024
Our Cicadas Unit includes worksheets, notebook pages and a lapbook about the cicada life cycle, the differences between annual and periodical cicadas, and information about the cicada broods. There are newly updated notebook pages about Broods XIII and XIX as well! Some facts about cicadas: Did you know that there are over 3,000 types of cicadas? While most insects live less than a year, cicadas can live as long as...
Ages 2-6: Preschool at Home / Ages 2-6: Preschool for ED - Fall 2011 (age 3 1/2) / Homeschool Den / Kindergarten / Science: Dinosaurs Unit
by Liesl - Homeschool Den · Published October 24, 2022 · Last modified January 16, 2024
Newly Updated 100+ page Dinosaur Packet! Our Dinosaur Unit is a multi-age packet for 3-8 year olds. It is now well over 100 pages and include a wide variety of activities including games, worksheets, notebook pages (with tracing or fill-in-the-blanks), foldables and other activities for 3-8 year olds. I have added in over 40 new pages of notebook-style pages and worksheets with basic information about the Mesozoic Era, dinosaur information...
Science: Earth Science Unit / Science: Weather Unit
by Liesl - Homeschool Den · Published March 24, 2022
I wanted to let you know that I added a few new worksheets to the Layers of the Atmosphere Packet. The Layers of the Atmosphere unit includes several interactive notebook activities, sorting cards as well as notebook pages and worksheets. If you purchased this unit or the Earth Science BUNDLE, be sure to check your PayPal email address for the update email with your download link. If you need help,...
Science: Earth Science Unit / Science: Rocks and Minerals
by Liesl - Homeschool Den · Published January 24, 2021 · Last modified October 17, 2022
100+ page Rocks and Mineral Packet We studied Rocks and Minerals again this semester and I have just released a new Rocks and Minerals Packet. The Rocks and Minerals Unit is well over 100 pages! This Rocks and Minerals Unit includes worksheets, notebook activities, booklets on rocks & minerals and the rock cycle, hands-on activity ideas, a lapbook/interactive notebook activity on the three types of rocks. Below I will share...
Homeschool Den / Science: Energy Unit / Science: Physics Unit
by Liesl - Homeschool Den · Published November 2, 2020 · Last modified February 22, 2021
This 100+page Energy Unit covers a range of topics from energy and force, kinetic and potential energy, the types and sources of energy, power grids, to fossil fuels, the carbon cycle and more! You’ll find the link to purchase this packet down below or in Our Store. I am SO excited to share this with you! This is a unit that I’ve been working on for well over a year!...
Ages 2-6: Preschool (Age 4) / Homeschool Den / Kindergarten / Science: Human Body Unit / Science: The 5 Senses
by Liesl - Homeschool Den · Published April 19, 2020 · Last modified February 6, 2022
Five Senses Packet This 100+ page Five Senses Unit has dozens of hands-on activities and detailed, colorful worksheets for learning all about the five senses – sight & the eye, hearing & the ear, taste & the tongue, smell & the nose, touch & the skin. Five Senses: Hands-On Activities Our family just loves hands-on activities and this Five Senses Packet will keep your kids engaged and excited! The Five...
Ages 2-6: Preschool and Toddler Activities / Ages 2-6: Preschool at Home / Ages 2-6: Toddler/Preschool Activities / Homeschool Den / Kindergarten / Science: Dinosaurs Unit
by Liesl - Homeschool Den · Published January 20, 2020 · Last modified October 25, 2022
I have just done a huge update of our Dinosaur Unit! This is a multi-age packet with roughly 75+ pages for ages 3-6 and 80+ pages for ages 7-9. This packet is perfect for homeschool families with mixed age students! There are lapbook & notebook pages, plus math games (for addition or multiplication), Montessori 3-part cards, activities, and more! I added in quite a number of new activities to Dinosaur...
Homeschool Den / Science: Simple Machines Unit
by Liesl - Homeschool Den · Published April 6, 2019 · Last modified May 16, 2023
Simple Machines Unit – Now 50+ pages! I have just added a new activity to the Simple Machines Packet! This is a booklet all about the six types of simple machines: lever, wheel and axle, inclined plane, wedge, pulley and screw. It also covers the three classes of levers. Kids can trace the key words and color in the pictures. The simple machines booklet is 14 half-pages. (Directions on how...
Homeschool Den / Kindergarten / Science: Chemistry Unit
by Liesl - Homeschool Den · Published May 13, 2018 · Last modified March 18, 2019
In this post, I wanted to highlight some of the amazing science experiments that we did when my kids were younger and share several free resources we have here on the blog. These are some of the activities that really impressed my kids when they were younger!! I usually tried to weave the science experiments into topics we were learning… in this case some basics about chemistry. When the kids...
by Liesl - Homeschool Den · Published February 20, 2018 · Last modified May 16, 2023
I wanted to let you all know that I added a new interactive notebook activity to the Simple Machines Packet. This Simple Machines Interactive Notebook activity covers all 6 types of simple machines (levers, inclined plane, wedge, pulley, screw, wheel and axle). It also reviews the three classes of levers. It might be a really good way to wrap up (or review) this material! You will find it on pages...
Do you believe education can be exciting, inspiring, and full of joy? We do too!
I love the quote by William Butler Yeats, "Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." It's about getting the kids involved, engaged, and fired up about learning (while juggling the rest of life too!)
A bit about me: I have my Master's from Brown University. I have more than 20 years of teaching experience. I was a high school teacher for many years both in the U.S. and internationally and also taught for the University of Maryland before leaving to homeschool my 3 wonderful kids.
To read more about us CLICK HERE.
Click on the image to find out more about the units and packets we have available.
This post has links to dozens of posts and resources both for new and veteran homeschoolers for everything from finding homeschool curriculum to general homeschool advice and encouragement.
Click on the image above to see the History Units we covered in our homeschool.
What science topics could I teach my 5-7 year old - Homeschool Science Curriculum
Click on the image above to see the Science Units we covered in our homeschool from elementary through middle school (and beyond!).
A list of the books we've used most in history, science, math, language arts, etc.
Click the image to check out our packets on Earth Science, Rocks and Minerals, the Atmosphere, Weather, Energy and More!
Units are also sold separately.
This is one of our most popular units. It covers the Layers of the Earth, Plate Tectonics, Earthquakes, Volcanoes and More! It is included in the Earth Science Bundle (see the picture/link above).
Click the image to see our Biology Units on Animal and Plant Cells; the Biology Unit on Biomes, Food Chains, Symbiosis; Scientific Classification & Taxonomy (Domain/Kingdom/Phylum/Class, etc.); Botany - Plant Kingdom and Oceans and Oceanography.
Click on the image to see our Animal Bundle - including the Animal Unit, Life Cycles, the Rainforest, Winter (Polar Animals) & Hibernation, Chameleons, Wolves, Cicadas and more!
The Human Body Systems, Skeletal, Digestive, Circulatory, Muscular, Nervous, Endocrine Systems and More (with lots of hands-on activity ideas)! We usually study a different body system each year.
Click on the image to see our units on the States of matter, Properties of Matter, Electricity & Circuits, and the Chemistry Unit (Get to know the Periodic Table in a fun way!)
This is a free checklist I put together of the various science units I hope to cover in the elementary and middle school years.
Do your kids know the 4 largest countries? Which countries have the most people? The longest river? This packet covers basic world and U.S. facts and also covers geographic features and land forms.
Click on the image to check out our 100-page unit on World War I.
We have used AAS for 6 years! AAS is an affiliate link.
Dozens of posts about how to create a homeschool writing workshop.
Click on the image to check out all of our fun K-2 Math Packets.
This is one of the best values we have... more than 20 PDFs with games, activities and worksheets to learn/practice the multiplication facts ($7.00).
Click on the image to discover some of the pages, posts and homeschool resources within our blog that might be the most useful for you including a long list of our freebies!
Click on the image to check out our 100+page Rocks and Minerals Unit.
This is a fun, hands-on unit for early elementary students!
How the body is organized from cells to tissues... organs to body systems
Click on the image to check out some of the Spanish worksheet bundles we have available!
Click on the image above to check out our German worksheets.
Click on the image to find out more about our units and packets.
