Category: Homeschool: Useful Resources (websites books etc)

Homeschool Science Curriculum Grade 2-3 2

Creating Your Homeschool Curriculum: Grades 2-3, Resource Guide

How to Create Your Own Homeschool Curriculum: Gr. 2-3 One of the things I hear a lot about our blog is that there is so much to take in, it can be overwhelming.  That is especially true if you are a new homeschooler, just starting out.  I’ve dragged my feet about creating a resource like this is because so much of what we covered is not “grade” or “age” specific....

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The Power of What you Do Each Day!

In homeschooling and education in general, we can’t always see spectacular results from one small snippet of our day. Our homeschool activities are like a small drip of water rolling down the ceiling and falling to the ground.That water droplet seems pretty inconsequential.  It doesn’t appear to make much of a difference. What it has left behind seems almost insignificant. With the passage of time, you start to notice the...

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Last Day of the Back to School Challenge – First Days of School!

We’ve done it — we’ve talked about our systems, routine, and chores. We’ve double checked that we have the books and supplies we need.  We’re primed and excited for the new school year.  Now… just one thing left… to be ready to jump right in!! Have you decided how you want to mark the first day of school? Will you take back to school photos? Write a time capsule letter...

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Sick Days for Home Educators!!

Right now you’re healthy, you’re excited, you’re energized… Motivation is at an all-time HIGH.  But let’s be realistic… there are times when we don’t feel up for homeschooling.  It might be because of a seasonal cold. It might be because we have a series of errands/appointments that fill up the morning. It might be because we’re downright *tired*!! So what do you do when you feel it coming on? When...

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Technology Tools and Websites to Facilitate Learning

This summer I am spending some time looking at some education apps, tools and websites. I thought I’d talk about a few that I’ve heard other educators mention so that you have a chance to look at them before the school year starts as well. 🙂 These look like they might be a fun way to incorporate a bit of technology in those “checking for understanding” moments. I don’t know...

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5 Things you Can Do This Summer to Get Ready to Homeschool

For many of us it is mid-summer. Homeschooling seems far away still, though we know it’s lurking around the corner. We don’t want to be caught completely unprepared, right? Here are some things that we can do now to make the transition easier when we return: 1) Turn in your Notice of Intent (if your state requires one) – Get this done and turned in so you don’t have to...

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10 Step to Take When Planning for a New School Year

Someone once asked me, “How do you plan for your school year?” Here are 10 steps you can take to figure out what next year’s homeschool will look like for your family.  These are some of the questions I ask myself as I try to determine what we’ll cover and what skills the kids need to develop. Remember, your path as a homeschooling family will be completely different from anyone...

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Standardized Testing

This week our family is doing Standardized Testing to fulfill the requirements of our state (to show “proof of progress.”) For our family, doing testing is easier than creating a portfolio of work or meeting with a certified teacher. I know that I would spend endless hours pulling together a portfolio… and meeting with a teacher to discuss the kids’ work doesn’t appeal to me again because I know I...

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Homeschool Science: Year in Review and What’s Coming Up

When I think about all we’ve done this past year in 2015 in science, I’m really pretty amazed! It’s been a fun, full year!  This post has links to dozens of our science experiments, printables and hands-on activities. You’ll find direct links to the posts in the table below. We managed to squeeze in various engineering (STEM) type activities here and there. In January of 2015 we were in the...

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Challenging and Inspiring Students without the Overwhelm or Fear of Failure

We all want those things in our homeschool or classroom, right?! In this series, Thoughts on Teaching, I’ve been diving into some of the deeper issues we have as educators. How do we create an environment that helps students blossom and reach their full potential? Today I’m going to talk about the fear of failure and the struggle that can create for some students. In some ways, I notice that...

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Thoughts on Teaching: Meaningful Teaching Activities

Have you noticed that the longer  you talk, the more the kids’ attention wanders? People’s brains stay sharply focused only for short periods… I think I’ve read figures of between 10 and 20 minutes for average kids. But of course, the more interested  you are in a subjects, the better able you are to sustain attention. The key to education then is transforming students from passive receivers of information to...

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Homeschool Days in September and October: Jamestown, Yorktown, Colonial Williamsburg, Mt. Vernon, Nat’l Aquarium and more

Fall is an amazing time to take homeschool field trips.  The weather is gorgeous and there are often special programs and discounts for homeschoolers! I’ve highlighted some Homeschool Days from along the east coast: Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Ohio, New York… even the Kennedy Space Center has a special Homeschool Day event! I noticed that this next week in particular has a huge number of Homeschool Days. (If you...

Summer Activity Ideas - Patches Projects 0

350+ Summer Activity Ideas

I typed up a list of more than 350 activities, projects, trip ideas, and patches  the kids can work on this summer. When I handed these pages to the kids you should have seen them pour through the list! Their eyes nearly popped out of their heads, they were so excited!  Each of the items on this list have patches that scouts (and others!) can earn. But let’s face it, it’s just...

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High Standards and a Nurturing Atmosphere

I am drawn to books and stories about amazing teachers and inspiring mentors who help their students achieve greatness. What are great teachers teaching students along the way?  To love learning. To learn and think for themselves. And to work hard on the fundamentals.   The common thread among many of the inspiring books I’ve read is that great teachers set high standards for all of their students. They believe in...