Making Homeschooling Hands-On, Engaging, Meaningful & Memorable! Be inspired by all the possibilities!! Check out our unit studies, packets and printables!
I feel like I haven’t written a long post about ED’s preschool work in forever. That’s because she’s been such an integral part of all our latest activities. She did all the owl crafts in our forest unit, did the dissection of the owl pellet. She takes notes and writes out her letters when the kids are taking notes on their science activities. She gets her own lapbook pages and carefully cuts things out. (I’ll be posting about our astronomy unit over the next couple of weeks.) She’s right in there doing all our experiments and INSISTS (I say with a smile!) on being a part of everything! She is right there snuggling with Mom to read during independent reading time. We tend to go over letters and letter sounds while snuggling (not as a separate activity at the moment) because we’re spending a lot of time “SMASHING” sounds together (with a dramatic clap… “kuh…”–“Aaaa…ttttt”” “CAT!”) All that makes for very dry posts I suppose!
So here is ED diligently writing out the answers on this science page. I tell her the letter (sometimes remind her what it looks like) and she writes them down!
Some of the time ED just finds her own things to do. At this moment I was playing Bump-Division with LD. ED took the erasers and carefully separated them all into different categories!
ED also has her own black notebook. She LOVES coloring pages and I keep that topped up (as much as I can!) with new pages. So, when the others grab their spelling, science or math notebooks, ED also runs over to check out what’s new in her 3-ring binder! I love the bright colors she uses. Below is a collage of some of her latest creations. In fact, just this morning she was coloring the two new “pokemon” coloring pages in the bottom left of the picture!
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Hi! I’m Liesl!
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.
Homeschool Den STORE
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Homeschool Teaching Strategies
Testimonials Page
how do I start homeschooling
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.
History Units
Click on the image above to see the History Units we covered in our homeschool.
Science Units and Packets
What science topics could I teach my 5-7 year old - Homeschool Science Curriculum
Science Units
Click on the image above to see the Science Units we covered in our homeschool from elementary through middle school (and beyond!).
Below is just a small sample of the packets and resources we have available on our blog.
Earth Science Bundle
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.
Earth Science Packet
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).
Biology BUNDLE
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.
Big Animal Bundle
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!
Human Body Systems Bundle
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.
Digestive System Packet and Activities (100+ pages)
Chemistry Bundle
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!)
Free Science Checklist – Elementary and Middle School
This is a free checklist I put together of the various science units I hope to cover in the elementary and middle school years.
Civics & Government Unit
American Revolution Packet
World Facts Packet
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.
Geographic Features & Landforms (also in the World Facts Packet)
Ancient Egypt Packet
Ancient Greek Gods and Goddesses
Middle Ages – Feudalism Packet
Slavery and the Civil War Packet
World War I Unit
Click on the image to check out our 100-page unit on World War I.
World War II Unit
Long A Sound Activities
ow-ou-oy-oi-aw-au Word Sort Activities
The spelling program we use:
We have used AAS for 6 years! AAS is an affiliate link.
Dozens of posts about how to create a homeschool writing workshop.
Montessori Addition Sheets with Regrouping (Free)
Dragon Math Packet
Click on the image to check out all of our fun K-2 Math Packets.
Multiplication 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).
Homeschool Resources
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!
Rocks and Minerals Unit
Click on the image to check out our 100+page Rocks and Minerals Unit.
Simple Machines Unit
This is a fun, hands-on unit for early elementary students!
Human Body Systems Worksheet Packet
How the body is organized from cells to tissues... organs to body systems
Five Senses Unit
Skeleton Worksheets and Lapbook Packet
Spanish Store
Click on the image to check out some of the Spanish worksheet bundles we have available!
Ancient China Packet (Free)
German Store
Click on the image above to check out our German worksheets.
Free-Homeschool Planner (100+ Pages)
Homeschool Den STORE
Click on the image to find out more about our units and packets.