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We have been working steadily on our USA landmarks and symbols unit study. This is a unit that doesn’t lend itself as well to pictures since I have pulled it together using history resources I have on hand. The kids each have a notebook and we’ve been adding to it steadily. Funny enough, LD has said he LOVES history and has been really into this unit. That amazes me a bit because it has been less project-oriented than many of our units have tended to be (and involves a lot more writing on his part).
We’ve read and done sheets about the USA, the American flag, George Washington, the Thirteen Colonies, and the Liberty Bell. We also read about some landmarks out west such as the Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde and Arches.
I read a review on Wright on Time at Almost Homeschoolers and decided this might fit in well with our unit study.
The kids like the fact that the kids in this book were homeschoolers. This first book mostly focused on the two kids as they explored a cave out in Arizona. We were lucky to be traveling when we read this and had the opportunity to visit our own cave!
They had colored lights, but the scene was still pretty, if not entirely natural
Okay–so back to our unit–we did more reading and worksheets, sang lots of US songs (Yankee Doodle, My Country Tis of Thee and the like).
We’ve done quite a bit with US geography.
We’ve been playing lots of rounds of Mad Dash. This is a geography game I’ve had for years. We play it as a one-team game competing against our previous scores. We get 25 cards and then start the timer. The object is to place the state cards in a row (states have to touch their neighbors) trying to make it across the country as far as possible. The cards have a certain number of points and after the time runs out you add up your points. The more neighbors a state has, the fewer points it’s worth.
We’ve been using the landmark and symbols cards I made last summer regularly and lay them out on a big map we have.
We talked about the Statue of Liberty and did a couple crafts:
My sister-in-law gave us the map when we were traveling across the country. It came with crayons so the kids could mark their route. Sorry I don’t know where she got it.
My sister-in-law gave us the map when we were traveling across the country. It came with crayons so the kids could mark their route. Sorry I don’t know where she got it.
[…] you will find the 50 States License Plates and the Passports that we plan to use. Liesl over at The Homeschool Den created this wonderful free printable a while back to practice landmarks and […]
[…] you will find the 50 States License Plates and the Passports that we plan to use. Liesl over at The Homeschool Den created this wonderful free printable a while back to practice landmarks and […]
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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.
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how do I start homeschooling
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History Units
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Science Units and Packets
What science topics could I teach my 5-7 year old - Homeschool Science Curriculum
Science Units
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Below is just a small sample of the packets and resources we have available on our blog.
Earth Science Bundle
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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:
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Dozens of posts about how to create a homeschool writing workshop.
Montessori Addition Sheets with Regrouping (Free)
Dragon Math Packet
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Multiplication Packets
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Rocks and Minerals Unit
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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
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Ancient China Packet (Free)
German Store
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Free-Homeschool Planner (100+ Pages)
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These are great resources. Thank you. Where did you get your large U.S. map?
My sister-in-law gave us the map when we were traveling across the country. It came with crayons so the kids could mark their route. Sorry I don’t know where she got it.
These are great resources. Thank you. Where did you get your large U.S. map?
My sister-in-law gave us the map when we were traveling across the country. It came with crayons so the kids could mark their route. Sorry I don’t know where she got it.