Tools for the Homeschool Handy-Mom
Sometimes you just have to see it in action. If this describes your child, you might enjoy this free interactive abacus. Most children go through a manipulative mode of thinking, working with real objects to help them understand math. That is why you often see them counting beans or place settings, M&M’s or simply their [...]
It’s been around since 1998 (about the time we started homeschooling!) and it has only gotten better over the years. DonnaYoung.org is the go-to site for forms of all types and is a must-visit for the DIY homeschool mom. Donna Young has graduated her children, but continues to update and maintain the website. Let’s take [...]
On this day, May 26, 1864, President Abraham Lincoln signed the act that created the Territory of Montana which 25 years later became the 41st state in the union. The land was originally purchased from the French as part of the Louisiana Purchase, at that time being inhabited by many Indian tribes including the Crow, [...]
We all want to keep our homeschooling expenses down, particularly in the current economy; however, few of us want to sacrifice our child’s education to do so. There are several considerations we need to address, the first being the tenancy to equate “good education” with dollars. Look at the statistics of any public school these [...]
Rain: A Complete Unit Study by Paula J. Miller was originally published in Home School Enrichment Magazine. This free unit covers math, Bible, reading, science, research, vocabulary, and writing. The unit is set up in a question/answer format that leaves the student to research and answer the question prompts, and learn for himself!
Whatever your method or approach, you’ll appreciate these free printable U.S. state maps. Clicking on the state label pulls up a .pdf map that includes state boundaries, bordering states, rivers, the state capitol and major cities within the state. These printables make great notebooking additions to go along with any book study, history lesson, state [...]
John Gnagy was a self-taught artist who began giving art lessons via his television program in 1946. You can watch 10 12 of the original ten-minute broadcast lessons: R.F.D. America Boy Sledding Canadian Geese Chinese Junk Grist Mill Harbor Scene Old Oak Tree Ocean Liner Mountain Lake Circus Clown Bucking Bronco Peaceful Harbor Update: You [...]
On May 19, 1910, Halley’s Comet produced quite a stir when the earth passed through the tail of the comet. To some, this was to be the end of all that breathed, killed by poisonous gas in the tail. Obviously, we survived the event. According to the latest theory on comets, comets aren’t always so [...]
Do you find the thought of drawing realistic animals daunting? Have you tried only to find that something just doesn’t look quite right? Here are five suggestions that will make your sketches accurate and full of life. Study animal anatomy. Pay special attention to the skeleton and the muscles. They make up most of the [...]
If you are interested in pursuing nature study with your children, hopefully you found at least one or two useful ideas in our post, 10 Helps for Nature Study. But sometimes you just have to see something in action to understand how to implement it. If this describes you, you might enjoy Pocketful of Pinecones: [...]
If you are looking for ways to help your child practice his skills, you’ll appreciate these free worksheet generators. Using the free tools, you can create the following forms: Multiple choice quiz – up to 8 questions Word search – can be used for vocabulary or spelling words, or with thematic units Sentence writing worksheet – [...]
Memorial Day, May 30, 2011 We have updated our Memorial Day Holiday Helps page. You will find history, information, and activities to help you and your family make this Memorial Day a day of remembrance.
On May 12, 1812, Edward Lear was born. His most famous poem, The Owl and the Pussycat, was written in 1867, and the term “runcible spoon” has been finding its way into dictionaries ever since. Lear has been considered second only to Lewis Carroll in coining nonsense words, but he was second to none in [...]
Resources to keep at hand when developing a better thinker: Latin Vocabulary Logic Copybooks Notebooking Current Events Writing Literature Memorizing Musical Instruments New Skills Nature Study
One of the most difficult things to get a handle on when we start educating our children at home is our schedule. There are only so many hours in a day. Along with our duties as wives and mothers, we add curriculum planner, tutor and a host of other duties related to our homeschool. How [...]
Considered one of the most scholarly encyclopedias published, the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica is available free online. Topics are covered in much more depth than we are used to seeing in an encyclopedia. The bibliographies at the end of articles are also helpful for continuing research.
“Head of the army,” Napoleon Bonaparte whispered as he breathed his last on May 5, 1821. His health had failed rapidly over the last few months of his exile on Saint Helena near the west coast of Africa. British physicians had attended him, but there was little they could do. In his will Napoleon had [...]
Whether your child decides to work for a corporation or chart his own entrepreneurial course, he will need a variety of “soft skills” outside of those quantifiable academic skills he graduates with. One of those valuable skills is the ability to learn anything for himself. Here are a few ideas that can help us mentor [...]
Even younger students can learn the scientific method. A look at how the scientific method can be incorporated at three stages (ages 2-4 pre-writing, ages 5-7 learning to read and write, and ages 8-10) and free printable worksheets. Example provided. Perfect for creating a science notebook!
Ten favorite How-Tos from the archives: Learn How to Play the Harmonica 10 Ways to Use Notebooking 7 Ways to Mark a Book 10 Steps to Build a Better Speller 5 Ways to Develop a Better … Continue reading →
