No! Not the Educational Gift!

Todd Wilson from Familyman Ministries is a homeschool dad. He is also a guy who captures the daily homeschool life through humor that makes you laugh so hard you spit the red pen out of your mouth. I like to think Todd and I have a professional connection since we both write for Homeschool Mosaics. We don’t. He doesn’t know I exist. I almost met him when he came to my homeschool co-op to speak. We didn’t. Sick child. Todd still doesn’t know I exist. But we are colleagues just the same. In a sense, from a distance, if you … Continue reading →

Winter Craft: Terracotta Pot Snowman

Craft: Terracotta Pot Snowman Ornament Age Recommendation: 5 and up Supervision: Moderate Prep Time: Minimal to Moderate Difficulty: Easy Expense: Under $5.00 per ornament Supplies: terracotta pot (a size small enough to hang on your tree or a size fit for a mantle or other display area of choice) White acrylic paint Black acrylic paint Orange acrylic paint Acrylic paint in your choice of colors for scarf Pipe cleaner in color of your choice (2) pom poms in color of your choice Scissors Hot glue gun Optional Supplies: Google eyes (instead of black paint for eyes, but you will still need … Continue reading →

7 Things to do for the Christmas Season in your Homeschool

Study the history of Christmas. Engage your children with the history of Christmas such as a look into the background of Christmas carols, the history of the candy cane, history of Santa, the biblical story of Christ’s birth. Study Christmas celebrations around the world. Start with the country of your family and move on from there depending on interest. Perhaps you could enjoy a traditional meal of a particular country? Practice giving. There are so many ways to share the Christmas spirit with your children and those around you. The best way is to demonstrate giving. Donate toys to a children’s … Continue reading →

How to Teach About Electricity for Ages 8-13 {Review}

Book: How to Teach About Electricity for Ages 8-13 Written by: Susan Kilbride Published by: Funtastic Unit Studies Price: $2.99 {Kindle} Subject: Science Use: For parents and teachers to learn how to teach electricity. Homeschool Method: Any Grade Recommendation: 3rd-8th Book Synopsis: If you liked Susan Kilbride’s Science Unit Studies for Homeschoolers and Teachers, you’ll love this electricity unit. It is written in the same easy to understand format with fun activities to help kids master the concepts. Susan’s goal with her science units is to make teaching science easy for parents and teachers, and fun for kids. My Thoughts: … Continue reading →

Living Math

Math is used every day. Living math is an aptly put term for teaching math through the every day uses of math. Children are taught how to solve real life math problems using real life scenarios or hands on manipulatives or simply through play. Push the worksheets and textbooks aside and see the equations you solve daily. A child will learn to understand math when he sees the connection to the physical world around him. Real world math scenarios to consider: Doubling a recipe. Cutting a recipe in half. Calculating change before the cashier hands it back. How much money … Continue reading →

Frugal Homeschool Field Trip Tips

A field trip does not have to be costly or extravagant to serve its purpose. The purpose behind a field trip is to give kids a real world experience and a change of scenery. A change is good to allow lessons to sink in and draw a connection to the world. Lessons are sometimes best when they jump off the page. With a little creativity and research you can have a homeschooling journey that does not break the bank. Library: Check your local library for special events and classes. Most will be free or have a small fee. You may … Continue reading →

Reading Color Words PDF Download

Product: Reading Color Words Published by: Little Apples School Format: PDF download Ages: preK-2nd Grade Special Education: Dyslexic friendly font, and method of teaching effective for struggling readers. Homeschool Use: Supplement for learning color words. Where to buy: CurrClick Brief description: Uses Comic Sans Font on color cards to make it dyslexic friendly. This system of teaching my dyslexic child color words worked! So, I want to share it with others. The system is set up like a memory game where the child matches color words in color to color words in black and white and to color cards and … Continue reading →

Christmas Gifts for Homeschoolers

Zoo Memberships: A local zoo membership is a great idea for a homeschooling family. It will offer the family a year’s worth of field trips and learning. It is also a gift the entire family will adore. Covering one family with one gift is brilliant. Gift Subscriptions: Subscriptions are my favorite gifts because it gives all year long. There are so many wonderful educational magazines, clubs, and activities you can give all year long. Many companies offer subscription services that would benefit a homeschooling family. Educational magazines, Kiwi Crate, Little Passports, and Little Scientist’s Club, and more! The homeschooling family … Continue reading →

Have “A Christmas Adventure”

Book: A Christmas Adventure Format: PDF Download Cost: $9.99 but on sale now for $6.99 Where to buy: CurrClick Uses: Holiday unit study, supplemental, Christmas history Synopsis: “A Christmas Adventure” will take your family on a adventure through the symbols and customs of Christmas, teaching you the meaning behind the symbols to help you focus your celebration on Christ. Each day from December 1 – 25, discover the story behind our holiday customs and how it relates to the birth of Christ. You’ll even learn about customs from other countries and find recipes to make their traditional Christmas treats! Why … Continue reading →

Homeschool Co-op Fairs

Fairs are a time to show what you know or give a visual representation of the progress of your study. It is a way for children to learn to present their ideas and to prepare for a public appearance. Here are some ideas to incorporate in your homeschool co-op. Science Fair: The classic fair that every child should participate in at least once. I love science fairs because it has a wow factor for the adults and the children. Even the classic volcano is still a hit at the fairs. You can have a fair with a winner or not. … Continue reading →