How well does your child know Dad? Their cute answers will really make Father’s Day special. Father’s Day is Sunday, June 18th. Are you looking for a gift that is unique and really honors Dad? What about finding out just what the kids know about Dad and writing down their answers?! We started doing this when the kids were Tots and we all get such a huge kick out of...
I love looking back at the year and everything we managed to accomplish! Sometimes in the short-run it can feel like we’re not getting much homeschooling done, but when I step back to look at the bigger picture, I’m amazed at what we managed to cover. This year my kids were in Grades 8, 6, and 3. We do our science activities together. Sometimes I focus a little more on...
Like so many of you, I have been busy planning for next year. I think I have things mapped out enough to write a post and share our (tentative) plans! My oldest, LD, will be in 9th Grade in the fall. SCIENCE: The first big decision for us (for me and LD) was to look at science in the coming years. We want to follow a more traditional model through...
Animals of the 7 Continents (World Animals Unit) When my kids were roughly 3-7 years old or so, we spent time learning about the 7 continents and animals of each continent. At the time, I made some Montessori 3-part cards of the World Animals: It was time to update this file and I added in more than 50 pages. It’s now has well over 60+ pages of activities! How to...
We live nestled down in the woods. We come across a lot of critters and sometimes those add a bit of excitement to our lives. I wanted to share a couple of stories… First – a creepy one!! The other night I had turned off the lights and was listening to music on my ipod-mini. I leaned over to my side to take out my hearing aid (long story...
Homeschool Vision Planner (This 30+-page pdf is currently FREE to download!) For many of us the school year is coming to a close and we’re thinking about next year. We’re tossing around ideas and trying to determine just what subjects and units we’ll be covering next fall. I thought I would share the process I go through… and also will share the planning pages that I’ve been using the past...
Today, I’m going to share our 50+ page Amazon Rainforest Packet. It includes notebook pages, animal and insect identification pages, animal and insect Montessori 3-part cards, layers of the rainforest worksheets and other activities. The Amazon Rainforest is fascinating! It is the largest rainforest in the world and represents over half of the planet’s remaining rainforests. The Amazon has the largest collection of plants and animals in the world. There...
When we are doing history units, I’ve always tried to bring in a rich selection of literature. Historical fiction is a powerful way to make readers feel more connected to that period. A book like Johnny Tremain (affiliate link) has a rich cast of memorable characters that helps the period, in this case the American Revolutionary period, come to life. We have brought in a wide selection of books for...
30+ Preschool and Kindergarten Resources You Don’t Want to Miss! When my kids were younger, we did a wide range of activities. Along the way, I made a number of Montessori 3-Part cards and other resources for them. I wanted to highlight some of those printables for you today. Below, you’ll find more than 30+ printables. Many of them are free. Enjoy! ~Liesl Free Montessori Sorting Activity: Living Nonliving...
Today, I have some notebook pages to share with you about the English Reformation. (They are currently free; be sure to get them now!) In the 1500s, the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope. It was during the reign of Henry VIII that Protestantism took hold in England. Henry’s marital problems and desire for a male heir led to a turbulent (often bloody) time in...
Are you teaching your kids a foreign language in your homeschool? I put together a free checklist of topics and units you might want to cover… no matter which language your student is learning. As I was polishing up the Curriculum Resource Guide for middle school ages (Grades 6-8), I got to the section on foreign languages. I thought it might be useful if I put together a checklist of...
Over the past year, I have made lots of fun math packets for my daughter to learn her multiplication and division facts. My daughter is polishing up all of her multiplication and division facts at the moment. I made this new practice packet for her to review her multiplication and division facts – 2s through 9s. Our latest multiplication/division packet has 25 pages of worksheets. I usually let my daughter...
Today we have a free set of worksheets you about the planets of our solar system. These will work for a wide range of ages – PreK to Grade 5 or so. Here what is included: Solar System Poster Inner – Outer Planets fill-in-the-blank page – Fun Clipart Remembering the Planets – Mnemonics Inner – Outer Planets fill-in-the-blank answer page Our Solar System – Fun Clipart – Tracing Page Solar...
In our culture, we seem to reward and admire those who put in long, hard hours at work. Even school districts have succumb to the notion that longer school days and less recess will improve student performance. But scientifically that doesn’t make sense. When you are truly working hard, your brain needs a break. The brain represents 2% of the body’s weight, but requires almost 25% of its oxygen. If...
