Category: Homeschool: Planning and Preparation

Homeschool Organization - Dealing with our Homeschool Stuff 0

Strategic Homeschool Organization!!

We all hear a lot about getting organized and keeping the clutter down.  But today I want to talk about becoming organized in a strategic way… a way that helps our homeschool day run smoothly.  It’s not really about making the pencils and markers look pretty and organized, though that definitely has its appeal.  It’s about making sure our days flow smoothly. That the kids have some sense of what...

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Back to Homeschool Challenge – Day 1

Up until the last minute, I knew exactly what our first challenge would be… You know it, I know it… We should discuss organization, right?  It’s at the core of keeping things running smoothly during the year.  But then much to my surprise, an idea popped into my head.  I realized there was something more important to tap into first… and this post kind of wrote itself! Cartoon graphic purchased...

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10-Day Back to Homeschool Challenge Starts Next Monday, August 8th

Hi Everyone, For those in the northern hemisphere, I hope you’ve been having a restful, relaxing, rejuvenating summer!  Time is flying by quickly and maybe you — like me — are wanting to make sure we’re ready for the new school year!!  The Back to Homeschool Challenge starts next week… 10 days of small daily tasks to make sure we’re ready for a fabulous new homeschool year!! Join us each...

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Upcoming Homeschool Mastermind Group! (It’s coming soon!)

I’ve hinted this summer about a Homeschool Mastermind Group… It’s going to happen!! I’ve been working hard to iron out the details and plan out a really great course. It’ll be a 14-week discussion group that will delve deep into how we can make our homeschool extraordinary! What is a Mastermind Group?  It’s a group of experts who come together to get support, inspiration, advice and encouragement from others who...

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Starting to Homeschool – Where to Start!

Over on Facebook, a reader said, “trying to figure out how to homeschool my 7th grade daughter any advice would help…” For those who are new on their homeschool journey and/or new to our blog I’ll share some resources with you that will hopefully help you as you embark on your own journey to find curriculum, resources, and to make this educational adventure an amazing one for your family!! I...

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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...

Science Homeschool Year in Review 0

Science Year in Review 2015-2016

Today I’m going to talk about the science units we covered in our homeschool this year AND what we didn’t get to because we ran out of time!!!  My plans are always a bit more ambitious than what we actually cover, but even so it felt like we accomplished a lot! 🙂 This year the kids were in Grades 2, 5 and 7, but below you’ll also find some resources...

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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 Thoughts: Spending Time Reviewing

One topic that I don’t hear discussed much in my homeschool circles (or online) is taking time for review. My guess is that it’s not quite as exciting to talk about going backwards (so to speak) as finding new topics and new curriculum. But I find it important to review some of the topics and units we’ve covered in the past. We do that on a daily/weekly basis (with cards...

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Homeschool Science in Early Elementary (K-2): Video Post

How do I start teaching science to my kids?  This is a very different answer if your kids are K-2 than if they are a bit older.  Here are some of the science topics you might want to consider if your kids are in early elementary. I put together a video of some of the activities we did when the kids were in early elementary. Some of these activities my...

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Homeschool Science Units – Video Post

This is a video post about Homeschool Science in the Elementary and Middle School Years.  It highlights some of the activities and experiments we’ve incorporated in our science units over the years. How do we know what science units to cover?  I created a homeschool science checklist that I think about as we move from unit to unit.  I have a general goal of what I’d like for the kids...

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10 Ways to Overcome Homeschool Burnout

Most every year around mid-semester, I wrestle with some of the same problems. Maybe you’ve noticed this too: Being tired Feeling overwhelmed Letting things slide Having too many commitments Feeling like the kids aren’t “doing” enough Feeling doubt Feeling really critical or cynical, irritable or impatient Feeling frustrated or anxious I find myself reaching for education and teaching books, hoping to find the perfect motivational nuggets to get me through...