Making Homeschooling Hands-On, Engaging, Meaningful & Memorable! Be inspired by all the possibilities!! Check out our unit studies, packets and printables!
by Liesl - Homeschool Den · Published August 17, 2019 · Last modified October 10, 2020
The second Spanish BUNDLE for kids is now available. It covers Spanish Basics Numbers, Shapes, Pets, Numbers – colores, formas o figuras, mascotas, numeros. In this unit, students will learn the colors in Spanish and then will go on to be able to describe and count different shapes and many different types of pets. This program builds progressively from unit to unit, so students continue to use, practice and build...
Homeschool Den / Science: Chemistry Unit
by Liesl - Homeschool Den · Published August 16, 2019 · Last modified March 20, 2023
We are starting off the year with this middle school chemistry unit on the physical and chemical properties of matter. I have done an extensive update to the original Properties of Matter Packet, adding in dozens of pages of materials! This packet is well over 50 pages and includes various hands-on activities and all the teacher-notes/answer pages (bringing it closer to 100 pages in all!) Note: If you ordered the...
Homeschool Den / Homeschool Encouragement / Homeschool: Organizing and Cleaning / Homeschool: Our Homeschool (what our day is like, curriculum choices, etc.) / Homeschool: Planning and Preparation / Homeschool: Random Thoughts / Homeschool: Useful Resources (websites books etc) / How to Start Homeschooling / Starting to Homeschool
by Liesl - Homeschool Den · Published June 3, 2019 · Last modified May 29, 2019
As homeschoolers we wrestle with a lot of questions, issues, and challenges: planning, preparing, organizing, scheduling, juggling, managing (moods/squabbles) AND getting things done. Plus, we have the added challenge of having our kids watching us and learning from us every moment of the day! “Who dares to teach must never cease to learn.” ~John Cotton Dana As we look at a new year (or even when we look at the...
Today, I’m sharing the free homeschool conference hand-outs I made for the conference I’m speaking at this weekend (Friday & Saturday). I also wanted to share some of the helpful homeschool resources we have here on the blog. Welcome to those of you from the conference and/or are stopping by for the first time!! It’s been so fun to meet and talk with so many of you!! To my long-time,...
Free Curriculum Resource Guides / Free Homeschool Planner / Homeschool Den / Homeschool: Planning and Preparation
by Liesl - Homeschool Den · Published March 9, 2019 · Last modified November 2, 2022
Free Homeschool Planner! (Newly Updated!) I have updated our (free) yearly homeschool planner to include a step-by-step guide on the homeschool planning process. This 50+ page packet is not as much a traditional Homeschool Planner as a tool for planning out the coming year. It includes some of the questions to ask yourself (and your kids!) as you start planning out the coming year. It has you consider how the school...
by Liesl - Homeschool Den · Published March 5, 2019 · Last modified March 3, 2021
I just created a new page with a couple of really fun free printables that challenge kids to think critically. Creative Thinking Questions: The first set includes some creative thinking questions I once compiled. I thought it would be fun to start off the day with something a little different for the kids… some off-the-wall creative thinking questions. The kids had fun with this and I know some other homeschooling...
by Liesl - Homeschool Den · Published March 4, 2019 · Last modified August 21, 2022
Learning about the major Human Body Systems Each year, usually in the spring semester, our family has learned about one of the major Human Body Systems. We started studying the human body when the kids were in elementary. We’ve circled back around to study these units again and I’ve added updates to each of these packets as my kids have gotten older (so as with many of our packets, these...
Homeschool Den / Science: Animal Characteristics / Science: Taxonomy Scientific Classification / Science: Vertebrates - Invertebrates
by Liesl - Homeschool Den · Published March 1, 2019 · Last modified February 23, 2024
This week I created a new Animal Classification Activity. This covers the 5 animal groups as well as some of the better-known invertebrate groups such as flatworms, annelids, arachnids, cnidarians (critters that sting) and echinoderms (spiny critters like starfish). I check in with the kids pretty regularly to see if they remember various topics we’ve covered. My youngest said she could use some review of some of animal classification (which...
Ages 2-6: Preschool and Toddler Activities / Ages 2-6: Preschool at Home / Ages 2-6: Toddler/Preschool Activities / Kindergarten / Montessori (general info) / Science: Animal Characteristics / Science: Vertebrates - Invertebrates
by Liesl - Homeschool Den · Published February 21, 2019 · Last modified February 22, 2022
Herbivore Carnivore or Omnivore? I have added a new 20-page section on herbivores, carnivores and omnivores to the Animal Unit. This new section includes notebook pages, sorting cards and a herbivore, carnivore and omnivore sorting mat, as well as identification worksheets. Kids will not only learn the basics: Herbivores eat plants. Carnivores eat meat. Omnivores eat both plants and meat. but will also learn about some of the adaptations that...
by Liesl - Homeschool Den · Published February 17, 2019 · Last modified September 24, 2023
Carnivorous Plants Worksheets, Notebook Pages, Lapbook/Interactive Notebook I just added a new 20-page mini-unit on carnivorous plants to the Botany Packet! This packet includes a booklet, notebook pages, writing paper and lapbook/interactive notebook pieces so students can do their own research and writing. The booklet and notebook pages give an overview about carnivorous plants: Why do carnivorous plants eat insects? How many different species of carnivorous plants are there? What...
Freebies / History: American History / U.S. Presidents
by Liesl - Homeschool Den · Published February 14, 2019 · Last modified February 10, 2021
U.S. Presidents Activity, highlighting 14 Presidencies I hope you enjoy this printable booklet that highlights some of the well-known Presidents including Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Jackson, Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Wilson, Hoover, FDR, Truman, Eisenhower, JFK, George W. Bush and Trump. I chose some of the Presidents who had some significant historical events that occurred during their Presidencies. How to Use These Pages: These are booklets. You need to print these out...
Homeschool Den / Homeschool Encouragement / Homeschool: Random Thoughts / Homeschool: Useful Resources (websites books etc) / Homeschooling in the News / How to Start Homeschooling / Starting to Homeschool
by Liesl - Homeschool Den · Published February 5, 2019
As people begin to look into homeschooling, they want to find out some basics: How many homeschoolers are there? What are the benefits and challenges of homeschooling? Will my child be able to get into college? How will my kids do if they haven’t been to a formal school? What about socialization? Will they have enough friends? Let’s dig in to some of these common homeschool questions! How many homeschoolers...
20th Century History / Homeschool Den / World War I
by Liesl - Homeschool Den · Published January 29, 2019 · Last modified September 21, 2023
100+ Page World War I Packet We have just finished our huge study of World War I and I am finally ready to share this 100+page WWI unit with you! Our World War I Unit starts with a study of imperialism and nationalism, dives into the causes of World War I with a close look at militarism, territorial disputes, and the complicated secret alliances of this period. We talked about...
Freebies / Science: Astronomy Unit
by Liesl - Homeschool Den · Published January 20, 2019 · Last modified February 21, 2022
Are your kids learning about the Solar System? Here are two fun projects my youngest daughter did recently. I have added directions and related printables to our free Solar System Packet. Plus, I also added in a couple of new solar system worksheet pages. You’ll find our 25-page FREE Solar System Unit down below. 🙂 The first project was to create the planets to scale with play dough. We made...
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.
Click on the image to find out more about the units and packets we have available.
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.
Click on the image above to see the History Units we covered in our homeschool.
What science topics could I teach my 5-7 year old - Homeschool Science Curriculum
Click on the image above to see the Science Units we covered in our homeschool from elementary through middle school (and beyond!).
A list of the books we've used most in history, science, math, language arts, etc.
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.
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).
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.
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!
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.
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!)
This is a free checklist I put together of the various science units I hope to cover in the elementary and middle school years.
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.
Click on the image to check out our 100-page unit on World War I.
We have used AAS for 6 years! AAS is an affiliate link.
Dozens of posts about how to create a homeschool writing workshop.
Click on the image to check out all of our fun K-2 Math 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).
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!
Click on the image to check out our 100+page Rocks and Minerals Unit.
This is a fun, hands-on unit for early elementary students!
How the body is organized from cells to tissues... organs to body systems
Click on the image to check out some of the Spanish worksheet bundles we have available!
Click on the image above to check out our German worksheets.
Click on the image to find out more about our units and packets.
