Inktober art fun -- and learning fun -- is here! If you’re not familiar with Inktober, it’s a challenge to improve one’s drawing skills. As the name implies, it’s drawing with ink each day in October, following 31 specific Inktober prompts. (You can quickly find the prompts by entering "Inktober 2024" online.)
You can also create your own Inktober prompts, and find loads of learning ideas through them, too.
If drawing with ink is too messy or intimidating, use whatever medium works for each of your children, be it crayon, pencil, marker, watercolor paint, etc.
Sketching each day is a great way to create a daily art habit that results in fun, joy, and a sense of accomplishment for everyone.
Plus, many educational ideas can be gleaned from the daily drawing prompts, as well.
For instance, Inktober prompts for October 2024 include topics such as Backpack, Discover, Hike, Horizon, Journal, Rhinoceros, Expedition, Scarecrow, Violin, Landmark.
As children sketch these topics, think of the educational ideas that can grow from them!
Here are a several learning ideas:
Using the “Backpack” drawing prompt, what “educational materials” might be inside the Backpack your children sketch? A Math Book? Draw a Math Book along with the Backpack. Then, from this idea, have fun with Math -- such as Online Math Games, or play Math Board Games, or engage in Mental Math Challenges with each other. What other learning ideas might be inside that Backpack?
With the “Discover” Inktober prompt, your children might draw a picture of something new they Discovered recently, thereby sketching and capturing that new knowledge on paper. Or maybe they’d want to draw an illustration of a Discovery made by explorers or inventors. This could lead to a world of learning and perhaps even encourage them to try their own inventions.
The “Hike” drawing prompt could take children anywhere in the world. This could involve educational subjects such as Geography and Social Studies (hiking to different areas, learning about mountains and forests or different cultures). Plus Math and Science skills could be practiced, by using logic to map out the time required for making the Hike, along with math calculations for determining the distance covered in the Hike.
With the “Expedition” prompt, research “Famous Expeditions” or “Historic Expeditions” (see Historical Expeditions). These are full of learning ideas for Social Studies, Geography, History, Science, Math, and more. Or plan the logistics of your own Expedition as field trips or day trips in your area. Then sketch your local Expeditions and discuss how much you learn through these trips.
For drawing prompts like “Rhinoceros” see photos of Rhinos online, read any of the many books about Rhinos, and learn about why some species are endangered. Go on an Expedition or field trip to your local zoo to see the rhinoceros and learn about their habitat, savannas, and grasslands. Make sketches of their environment, too, or sketches of any other animals or areas in the zoo.
Whether using the specific Inktober prompts – or using 31 or more of your own family’s ideas – imagine the numeours ways you can expand learning opportunities, simply based upon the fun, engaging activity of drawing, sketching, and creating!
It’s a form of daily learning that your children will enjoy and always remember! And imagine how much fun and learning your children would have if you created prompts like this for each day of every month!
It’s so enjoyable that I've set up my own Art Studio (see Misty Glow Studio) for embracing art inspiration and experimenting with creativity. Perhaps your children can, too!
Happy homeschooling!
Monday, September 30, 2024
Tuesday, August 13, 2024
Year’s Worth of Free Learning Ideas + Weekly Lessons and Fun Activities
August is often the beginning of the homeschool year for many families.
If you’re not quite ready or you’re struggling for ideas, this “Free Curriculum Guideline” can provide a year’s worth of educational ideas for the coming weeks and months.
Subjects Areas, Topics, and Sub-Topics are all outlined in an easy-to-view format for each grade level from Kindergarten through Elementary, Middle School, and High School.
For weekly lessons based on the subjects and topics outlined, you and your children can select books from your local public library. The more interesting the books are to your children, the better they’ll learn, too!
Online resources, activities, and experiments are also plentiful for complementing the subjects and topics outlined. The more “hands-on” the activities are, the more your children will enjoy learning. We have hundreds of activities listed here on our blog for weekly learning, too.
The “Curriculum Guideline” is provided by World Book and is titled "Typical Course of Study."
You’ll see all the core subjects areas (Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Science) plus Arts, Technology, and Health and Safety, with topics and sub-topics listed for each subject area on the guidelines. It's a great resource and is available free at this link:
https://www.worldbook.com/typical-course-of-study.aspx
We’ll be providing learning ideas and educational activities once again in the coming weeks. Be sure to check the labels below for Math, Science, Language Arts, Social Studies, Weekly Homeschool Lessons, and more!
Happy Homeschooling!
If you’re not quite ready or you’re struggling for ideas, this “Free Curriculum Guideline” can provide a year’s worth of educational ideas for the coming weeks and months.
Subjects Areas, Topics, and Sub-Topics are all outlined in an easy-to-view format for each grade level from Kindergarten through Elementary, Middle School, and High School.
For weekly lessons based on the subjects and topics outlined, you and your children can select books from your local public library. The more interesting the books are to your children, the better they’ll learn, too!
Online resources, activities, and experiments are also plentiful for complementing the subjects and topics outlined. The more “hands-on” the activities are, the more your children will enjoy learning. We have hundreds of activities listed here on our blog for weekly learning, too.
The “Curriculum Guideline” is provided by World Book and is titled "Typical Course of Study."
You’ll see all the core subjects areas (Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Science) plus Arts, Technology, and Health and Safety, with topics and sub-topics listed for each subject area on the guidelines. It's a great resource and is available free at this link:
https://www.worldbook.com/typical-course-of-study.aspx
We’ll be providing learning ideas and educational activities once again in the coming weeks. Be sure to check the labels below for Math, Science, Language Arts, Social Studies, Weekly Homeschool Lessons, and more!
Happy Homeschooling!
Monday, October 9, 2023
Monday Homeschool + Weekly Learning Ideas
What do we do on Monday when our weeks become overly busy or we face unexpected difficulties?
Some weeks, everything flows smoothly. Other weeks, things are more challenging.
Life doesn’t always go smoothly. This, in itself, is a good homeschool lesson. Having the ability to cope, to be flexible, to change directions, to adjust, to laugh at life’s lemons and to smile at simple joys – these are skills that make life and homeschool easier.
Yet, we still have to Do Something on Monday when facing a busy week. What do we do when we haven’t had time to think of activities or lesson plans?
What Do I Do Monday? is a book by John Holt, who has provided momentous ideas on education and learning. Mr. Holt was a homeschool pioneer, whose thoughts, beliefs, and writings on homeschooling and unschooling were ahead of his times.
Prior to writing numerous books on how children learn (and how they fail), John was a school teacher. But as a teacher, his focus was primarily on observing learning processes in children, rather than forcing a curriculum on them. As a result, his views often conflicted with those of school administrators.
So John turned his attention to helping parents and teachers. He shared first-hand experiences, insight, and details on children actively engaged in learning. He spent years with students and with families, closely observing how children learned best, then documenting and sharing his findings.
Some of John’s books include How Children Fail, How Children Learn, the previously mentioned What Do I Do Monday?, Freedom and Beyond, and others. His books can be found in libraries or online, and are especially inspirational to homeschooling and unschooling families.
Here are some learning ideas and quotes, courtesy of John Holt:
* “I believe that we learn best when we, not others, are deciding what we are going to try to learn, and when, and how, and for what reasons or purposes.” – John Holt
* Ask your children: “What would YOU like to do Monday?” If they can’t think of anything, try a 10-minute brainstorming session on what could be interesting, new, different, fun, etc. Then allow them to decide what they'd like to learn, and when and how, and give them the freedom to pursue those ideas this week.
* Make lists of favorite things during the day, the weeks, and in the months to come. Keep a running list in a notebook or journal. Encourage everyone in the family to keep his or her own list. Then review your lists for learning ideas each week.
* Examples: Here are some examples of "favorite things" from John Holt.
1. Places you like. These can be big places, or they can be little places, and you can like them for different reasons. Put them on your list, as many as you can think of, then learn more about those places.
2. People you’d like to know. Jot down the names of people who interest you, then learn more about them. They can be people from the past, people in the news today, people in your community, or even ancestors in your family.
3. Books you’d like to read. One favorite book can lead to another. Keep a list of books you’d like to read online or check out from the library. Write down favorite authors, too, and read other books they’ve written.
4. Paintings, sculptures, or other artwork. Keep a running list of art projects or techniques you want to try. Learn about different art movements or styles, such as Cubism, Pointillism, Futurism, Pop Art, etc., and try your hand at them.
5. Things you like to do. These can be trivial (simple) or not so trivial (more complex). Ideas could include cutting-and-pasting paper shapes, making castles from boxes, building structures with construction kits, writing skits or plays to perform, learning to play an instrument, making doll clothes, building a bookshelf, creating a computer program, etc.
In just these 5 ideas listed above, there could be weeks of learning ideas, hands-on activities, and new knowledge and skills gained through them.
Tip: An “Idea Jar” is an alternative, or a complement, to list-making. Have kids jot ideas on paper, then cut them apart, fold them up, and drop them into the Idea Jar. Each Monday, have them draw a few ideas from the jar, and there’s your learning ideas for the week!
Continue adding to the jar or to your lists as often as possible. Then you'll always have learning ideas at your fingertips each Monday!
Happy homeschooling!
Some weeks, everything flows smoothly. Other weeks, things are more challenging.
Life doesn’t always go smoothly. This, in itself, is a good homeschool lesson. Having the ability to cope, to be flexible, to change directions, to adjust, to laugh at life’s lemons and to smile at simple joys – these are skills that make life and homeschool easier.
Yet, we still have to Do Something on Monday when facing a busy week. What do we do when we haven’t had time to think of activities or lesson plans?
What Do I Do Monday? is a book by John Holt, who has provided momentous ideas on education and learning. Mr. Holt was a homeschool pioneer, whose thoughts, beliefs, and writings on homeschooling and unschooling were ahead of his times.
Prior to writing numerous books on how children learn (and how they fail), John was a school teacher. But as a teacher, his focus was primarily on observing learning processes in children, rather than forcing a curriculum on them. As a result, his views often conflicted with those of school administrators.
So John turned his attention to helping parents and teachers. He shared first-hand experiences, insight, and details on children actively engaged in learning. He spent years with students and with families, closely observing how children learned best, then documenting and sharing his findings.
Some of John’s books include How Children Fail, How Children Learn, the previously mentioned What Do I Do Monday?, Freedom and Beyond, and others. His books can be found in libraries or online, and are especially inspirational to homeschooling and unschooling families.
Here are some learning ideas and quotes, courtesy of John Holt:
* “I believe that we learn best when we, not others, are deciding what we are going to try to learn, and when, and how, and for what reasons or purposes.” – John Holt
* Ask your children: “What would YOU like to do Monday?” If they can’t think of anything, try a 10-minute brainstorming session on what could be interesting, new, different, fun, etc. Then allow them to decide what they'd like to learn, and when and how, and give them the freedom to pursue those ideas this week.
* Make lists of favorite things during the day, the weeks, and in the months to come. Keep a running list in a notebook or journal. Encourage everyone in the family to keep his or her own list. Then review your lists for learning ideas each week.
* Examples: Here are some examples of "favorite things" from John Holt.
1. Places you like. These can be big places, or they can be little places, and you can like them for different reasons. Put them on your list, as many as you can think of, then learn more about those places.
2. People you’d like to know. Jot down the names of people who interest you, then learn more about them. They can be people from the past, people in the news today, people in your community, or even ancestors in your family.
3. Books you’d like to read. One favorite book can lead to another. Keep a list of books you’d like to read online or check out from the library. Write down favorite authors, too, and read other books they’ve written.
4. Paintings, sculptures, or other artwork. Keep a running list of art projects or techniques you want to try. Learn about different art movements or styles, such as Cubism, Pointillism, Futurism, Pop Art, etc., and try your hand at them.
5. Things you like to do. These can be trivial (simple) or not so trivial (more complex). Ideas could include cutting-and-pasting paper shapes, making castles from boxes, building structures with construction kits, writing skits or plays to perform, learning to play an instrument, making doll clothes, building a bookshelf, creating a computer program, etc.
In just these 5 ideas listed above, there could be weeks of learning ideas, hands-on activities, and new knowledge and skills gained through them.
Tip: An “Idea Jar” is an alternative, or a complement, to list-making. Have kids jot ideas on paper, then cut them apart, fold them up, and drop them into the Idea Jar. Each Monday, have them draw a few ideas from the jar, and there’s your learning ideas for the week!
Continue adding to the jar or to your lists as often as possible. Then you'll always have learning ideas at your fingertips each Monday!
Happy homeschooling!
Monday, September 25, 2023
5 Secrets for a Fun, Educational Homeschool Week
Here's 5 Secrets a Homeschool Family shared with us:
5 Subjects – 5 Days. Or one subject per day.
This homeschool family shared "5 Secrets" about their interesting homeschool schedule. A typical homeschool day for them revolves around one subject per day (or five subjects per week).
And best of all, their schedule is flexible, depending on how they’re feeling each week.
Here’s an example from one of their recent weeks:
1. Monday - Language Arts / Literature: Selecting favorite books to read and using them to recognize nouns, verbs, and all parts of speech. Then creating and writing sentences, paragraphs, and their own stories, while focusing on using descriptive parts of speech, new vocabulary words, and proper spelling.
2. Tuesday – Science / Experiments: Using the Scientific Method to test ideas or hypotheses when contemplating a variety of experiments. The experiments they choose can last the entire day, from morning till night, and Mom said Science Day is their favorite day of the week. The kids eagerly record their ideas, experiments, predictions, test methods, and results in their Science Journals at the end of Science Day, too.
3. Wednesday – Social Studies / History: Currently they’re reading the “Who Was?” series of historical biographies, which include over 200 books, such as Who Was Ferdinand Magellan?, Who Was Sacagawea?, Who Was Albert Einstein?, Who Was Amelia Earhart?, Thomas Edison, Ben Franklin, Mark Twain, Martin Luther King, Maria Tallchief, John Kennedy, Louis Armstrong, The Beatles, etc. The kids are enjoying the format, and the topics cross over into Literature, Science, the Arts, as well as providing social issues to discuss and their impact on today’s culture.
4. Thursday – Math / Technology: Since Math Day lasts all day, they sometimes start with reviewing math facts, such as using Multiplication and Division Flash Cards and timing the kids on how quickly they can get the answers. Then they move on to Math Games, such as Swat, Splat, or Math Bingo. They might also use manipulatives or toys such as Math Fidget Toys, Tubo toy, or Montessori-type math items to practice Math skills. Soon they’re creating with Marble Run sets, Mazes, Lego blocks, Construction sets, Bridge-Building kits, etc. These use mathematical planning, reasoning skills, logic, creative thinking, and critical thinking skills. At some point during the day, they’ll do some math worksheets, which usually focus on solving word problems.
5. Friday – Cultural Arts / Music: This is another favorite day for the kids, according to Mom. The kids get to choose the types of art, craft, and music activities they want to do on Fridays. Mom also said she found it interesting that if the kids read a historical biography such as Who Were the Beatles?, they were interested in playing Beatles music that week. Or if they read Who Was Pablo Picasso?, the kids were engrossed in creating their own versions of Picasso art.
Although each of the days above has a designated subject, this family finds that topics and subject areas often overlap.
So even if Monday is Literature Day, they could find themselves thinking about Math if they’re reading The Phantom Tollbooth, or Science and Time Travel if reading A Wrinkle in Time.
Or if Wednesday is History Day, they could be covering Geography or Science or Math or Art or Music, depending on the type of Historical Biographies they’re reading.
Also, there’s flexibility in this family’s schedule. If they don’t “feel like” Social Studies on Wednesday or Math on Thursday, they’ll switch things up.
Or if Mom realizes the kids are getting overwhelmed by too much Math one day, they’ll switch to doing something else, even if it’s unrelated to Math.
Maybe they’ll take a field trip to a local museum or library, or go on a picnic and a nature hike, or bake or cook favorite recipes, or bring out tubs of craft items and create something off the top of their heads. They often find that Math works its way into whatever they’re doing, anyway.
Overall, they’ve found this homeschool schedule fun, interesting, educational, flexible, and a great way to provide a well-rounded pool of knowledge and learning activities. It’s something your family might enjoy experimenting with, too.
Click any of the Labels below for more ideas for all subjects areas.
Happy homeschooling!
5 Subjects – 5 Days. Or one subject per day.
This homeschool family shared "5 Secrets" about their interesting homeschool schedule. A typical homeschool day for them revolves around one subject per day (or five subjects per week).
And best of all, their schedule is flexible, depending on how they’re feeling each week.
Here’s an example from one of their recent weeks:
1. Monday - Language Arts / Literature: Selecting favorite books to read and using them to recognize nouns, verbs, and all parts of speech. Then creating and writing sentences, paragraphs, and their own stories, while focusing on using descriptive parts of speech, new vocabulary words, and proper spelling.
2. Tuesday – Science / Experiments: Using the Scientific Method to test ideas or hypotheses when contemplating a variety of experiments. The experiments they choose can last the entire day, from morning till night, and Mom said Science Day is their favorite day of the week. The kids eagerly record their ideas, experiments, predictions, test methods, and results in their Science Journals at the end of Science Day, too.
3. Wednesday – Social Studies / History: Currently they’re reading the “Who Was?” series of historical biographies, which include over 200 books, such as Who Was Ferdinand Magellan?, Who Was Sacagawea?, Who Was Albert Einstein?, Who Was Amelia Earhart?, Thomas Edison, Ben Franklin, Mark Twain, Martin Luther King, Maria Tallchief, John Kennedy, Louis Armstrong, The Beatles, etc. The kids are enjoying the format, and the topics cross over into Literature, Science, the Arts, as well as providing social issues to discuss and their impact on today’s culture.
4. Thursday – Math / Technology: Since Math Day lasts all day, they sometimes start with reviewing math facts, such as using Multiplication and Division Flash Cards and timing the kids on how quickly they can get the answers. Then they move on to Math Games, such as Swat, Splat, or Math Bingo. They might also use manipulatives or toys such as Math Fidget Toys, Tubo toy, or Montessori-type math items to practice Math skills. Soon they’re creating with Marble Run sets, Mazes, Lego blocks, Construction sets, Bridge-Building kits, etc. These use mathematical planning, reasoning skills, logic, creative thinking, and critical thinking skills. At some point during the day, they’ll do some math worksheets, which usually focus on solving word problems.
5. Friday – Cultural Arts / Music: This is another favorite day for the kids, according to Mom. The kids get to choose the types of art, craft, and music activities they want to do on Fridays. Mom also said she found it interesting that if the kids read a historical biography such as Who Were the Beatles?, they were interested in playing Beatles music that week. Or if they read Who Was Pablo Picasso?, the kids were engrossed in creating their own versions of Picasso art.
Although each of the days above has a designated subject, this family finds that topics and subject areas often overlap.
So even if Monday is Literature Day, they could find themselves thinking about Math if they’re reading The Phantom Tollbooth, or Science and Time Travel if reading A Wrinkle in Time.
Or if Wednesday is History Day, they could be covering Geography or Science or Math or Art or Music, depending on the type of Historical Biographies they’re reading.
Also, there’s flexibility in this family’s schedule. If they don’t “feel like” Social Studies on Wednesday or Math on Thursday, they’ll switch things up.
Or if Mom realizes the kids are getting overwhelmed by too much Math one day, they’ll switch to doing something else, even if it’s unrelated to Math.
Maybe they’ll take a field trip to a local museum or library, or go on a picnic and a nature hike, or bake or cook favorite recipes, or bring out tubs of craft items and create something off the top of their heads. They often find that Math works its way into whatever they’re doing, anyway.
Overall, they’ve found this homeschool schedule fun, interesting, educational, flexible, and a great way to provide a well-rounded pool of knowledge and learning activities. It’s something your family might enjoy experimenting with, too.
Click any of the Labels below for more ideas for all subjects areas.
Happy homeschooling!
Sunday, September 10, 2023
September Learning Ideas
September has 30 days, and that’s 30 new things to learn about this month.
Here’s some tips and ideas to get you started:
* Fall begins this month – find out when and why.
* Track the time of sunrises and sunsets this September. Compare the differences between the times in early September and the times in late September. How does this affect your daily activities?
* Record the high and low temperatures in early September and in late September. How much do they vary? Why might it be cooler in late September, compared to early September?
* Start creating fall crafts on the 1st day of September and continue each day of the month. By the end of the month, you’ll have armloads of decorations to make your room and your home “fall festive” and “fall welcoming.”
* National Hummingbird Day occurs in September. Provide extra nectar for them, or make sugar-water. That will give them energy for their flight south in a few weeks. Where do they go each fall? Research this and create a report on hummingbirds, complete with maps and illustrations.
* National Wildlife Day is September 4. Read books on wildlife, such as Rewilding: Bringing Wildlife Back Where It Belongs; Wildlife Ranger Action Guide; Animal Habitats; Homes in the Wild; and similar books to enjoy and discuss.
* Cheese Pizza Day is September 5. Make your own cheese pizza – and add any toppings you like!
* Read-a-Book Day is September 6. Start a reading log and try to read a book a day. At the end of this year, add up the total number of books you’ve read!
* Share Your Care Day is September 9. Do you remember Care Bears, or do you still have one? You don’t need one, though, to show you care about someone. Think of all the ways you can show others you care about them.
* National Grandparents Day is September 10. This is an excellent day to show your grandparents how much you care about them, too!
* Ants on a Log Day is September 12. Have you ever made Ants on a Log? If not, this is the day to do it! See how creative you can be, making delicious treats like this. Or create new treats and give them a new name.
* Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day is September 13. See recipes for kids at this link (https://cookingwithkids.org/recipes/) or check out some library books on kid cooks, such as Kids Can Cook Anything; The Big, Fun Kids Cookbook; The Recipe-a-Day Kids Cookbook; and others.
* National Parents Day Off is September 14. When kids take over the kitchen on the 13th, have them prepare a meal for the 14th, when parents “have the day off.” Since this day is also National Live Creative Day, have kids plan creative learning activities for today, the 14th, while parents take the day off!
* As Fall approaches, paint or sketch the trees and scenery outside your window. Then, in a few weeks, paint or sketch the same scene again. Have the leaves begun to change colors? Why is this? Paint the scene again in October or December. How is it different, and why?
* Take a September Field Trip to your local library and see the books they’ve displayed there this month. Try books, such as Heroes: September 11, 2001; Goodbye, Summer, Hello, Autumn; Apple Pies and Hayrides; Why Do Leaves Change Colors; and more.
See the September calendar here for more ideas this month:
https://nationaldaycalendar.com/september/
For more September activities, see these:
https://www.whereimaginationgrows.com/kids-activities-for-september/
You’ll see ideas for working parents, families, stepfamilies, pets, dogs, autumn equinox, fall crafts, gymnastics, outdoor activities, pirates, hobbits, creating diaries, creating comic books, magic, apples, orchards, apple math, apple drop, fall foliage, fall tree art, fall wreaths, and more!
Turn the ideas into fun learning adventures!
Happy homeschooling!
Here’s some tips and ideas to get you started:
* Fall begins this month – find out when and why.
* Track the time of sunrises and sunsets this September. Compare the differences between the times in early September and the times in late September. How does this affect your daily activities?
* Record the high and low temperatures in early September and in late September. How much do they vary? Why might it be cooler in late September, compared to early September?
* Start creating fall crafts on the 1st day of September and continue each day of the month. By the end of the month, you’ll have armloads of decorations to make your room and your home “fall festive” and “fall welcoming.”
* National Hummingbird Day occurs in September. Provide extra nectar for them, or make sugar-water. That will give them energy for their flight south in a few weeks. Where do they go each fall? Research this and create a report on hummingbirds, complete with maps and illustrations.
* National Wildlife Day is September 4. Read books on wildlife, such as Rewilding: Bringing Wildlife Back Where It Belongs; Wildlife Ranger Action Guide; Animal Habitats; Homes in the Wild; and similar books to enjoy and discuss.
* Cheese Pizza Day is September 5. Make your own cheese pizza – and add any toppings you like!
* Read-a-Book Day is September 6. Start a reading log and try to read a book a day. At the end of this year, add up the total number of books you’ve read!
* Share Your Care Day is September 9. Do you remember Care Bears, or do you still have one? You don’t need one, though, to show you care about someone. Think of all the ways you can show others you care about them.
* National Grandparents Day is September 10. This is an excellent day to show your grandparents how much you care about them, too!
* Ants on a Log Day is September 12. Have you ever made Ants on a Log? If not, this is the day to do it! See how creative you can be, making delicious treats like this. Or create new treats and give them a new name.
* Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day is September 13. See recipes for kids at this link (https://cookingwithkids.org/recipes/) or check out some library books on kid cooks, such as Kids Can Cook Anything; The Big, Fun Kids Cookbook; The Recipe-a-Day Kids Cookbook; and others.
* National Parents Day Off is September 14. When kids take over the kitchen on the 13th, have them prepare a meal for the 14th, when parents “have the day off.” Since this day is also National Live Creative Day, have kids plan creative learning activities for today, the 14th, while parents take the day off!
* As Fall approaches, paint or sketch the trees and scenery outside your window. Then, in a few weeks, paint or sketch the same scene again. Have the leaves begun to change colors? Why is this? Paint the scene again in October or December. How is it different, and why?
* Take a September Field Trip to your local library and see the books they’ve displayed there this month. Try books, such as Heroes: September 11, 2001; Goodbye, Summer, Hello, Autumn; Apple Pies and Hayrides; Why Do Leaves Change Colors; and more.
See the September calendar here for more ideas this month:
https://nationaldaycalendar.com/september/
For more September activities, see these:
https://www.whereimaginationgrows.com/kids-activities-for-september/
You’ll see ideas for working parents, families, stepfamilies, pets, dogs, autumn equinox, fall crafts, gymnastics, outdoor activities, pirates, hobbits, creating diaries, creating comic books, magic, apples, orchards, apple math, apple drop, fall foliage, fall tree art, fall wreaths, and more!
Turn the ideas into fun learning adventures!
Happy homeschooling!
Saturday, August 26, 2023
Free Worksheets for Math, Science, Language Arts, Social Studies
If your kids enjoy worksheets, here are Hundreds of Free, Printable Worksheets for Math, Science, Language Arts, Social Studies.
But if your kids do NOT enjoy worksheets, these links provide a multitude of topics to explore and learn more about throughout the year.
These sites are especially easy to browse and easy to download or print worksheets.
MATH:
* Math Worksheets Grades 1 – 6:
Here’s free, printable Math Worksheets for each week of the year, on Numbers, Patterns, Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division, Measurement, Money, Mental Math, and more for Grades 1 – 6:
https://www.mathworksheets.com
* More Math Worksheets Grades K – 7:
Here’s more free, printable Math Worksheets, focusing on Math Skills, Math Puzzles, Money, Measurement, Roman Numerals, Fractions, Decimals, Venn Diagrams, Bar Graphs, and more for Grades for K – 7:
https://www.futuristicmath.com/worksheets.html
* Even More Math Worksheets Grades K – 8:
Here’s even more free, printable Math Worksheets, focusing on Math, Geometry, Algebra, Equations, Percentages, Measurement, Statistics, Logistics, Trigonometry, Calculus, and more for Grades K – 8:
https://www.mathworksheets4kids.com/math.php
SCIENCE:
* Science Worksheets Grades K – 6:
Here’s free, printable Science Worksheets, focusing on Insects, Plants, Animals, Life Cycles, Classification, Human Body, Matter, Mixtures, Force, Motion, Heat, Chemical Changes, Earth, Solar System, and more for Grades K – 6:
https://www.ecosystemforkids.com/worksheets.html
* More Science Worksheets Grades 1 – 7:
Here’s more free, printable Science Worksheets, focusing on Plants, Insects, Animals, Dinosaurs, Herbivores, Food Chain, Human Body, Five Senses, Weather, Electricity, Machines, Magnetism, Periodic Table, and more for Grades 1 – 7:
https://www.mathworksheets4kids.com/science.php
LANGUAGE ARTS:
* Language Arts Worksheets Grades K – 12:
Here’s free, printable Language Arts Worksheets, focusing on Reading (Story Elements, Comprehension, Literature); Spelling (Word Lists by Grade); Vocabulary (Dictionary Skills, Word Roots, Prefix, Suffix); Grammar (Parts of Speech, Sentence Structure); Composition (Writing, Editing); and more for Grades K – 12:
https://www.k12reader.com/reading-worksheets-by-main-subject/
* More Language Arts Worksheets Grades 1 – 8:
Here’s more free, printable Language Arts Worksheets, focusing on Phonics, Alphabet, Vocabulary, Sentence Structure, Writing Prompts, Grammar, Comprehension, Cause and Effect, Metaphors, Similes, Idioms, Alliteration, and more for Grades 1 – 8:
https://www.mathworksheets4kids.com/language-arts.php
SOCIAL STUDIES:
* Social Studies Worksheets Grades 1 – 6:
Here’s free, printable Social Studies Worksheets, focusing on Colonial America, Fifty States, Map Skills, Continents, Oceans, Landforms, Explorers, Presidents, Famous Men, Famous Women, and more for Grades 1 – 6:
https://www.mathworksheets4kids.com/social-studies.php
* More Social Studies Worksheets Grades 1 – 8:
Here’s more free, printable Social Studies Worksheets, focusing on Explorers, Map Skills, Landforms, Notable People, Native Americans, Early America, American Revolution, Branches of Government, the Wars, States and Capitals, and more for Grades 1 – 8:
https://www.superteacherworksheets.com/full-social-studies.html
FUN LEARNING ACTIVITIES:
Hands-On Activities, Unschooling Ideas, Science Experiments, STEM Projects, and hundreds of FUN learning activities are available here on our site. Just click the labels below. And remember to Subscribe to our Weekly Newsletter in the column at right.
Happy Homeschooling!
But if your kids do NOT enjoy worksheets, these links provide a multitude of topics to explore and learn more about throughout the year.
These sites are especially easy to browse and easy to download or print worksheets.
MATH:
* Math Worksheets Grades 1 – 6:
Here’s free, printable Math Worksheets for each week of the year, on Numbers, Patterns, Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division, Measurement, Money, Mental Math, and more for Grades 1 – 6:
https://www.mathworksheets.com
* More Math Worksheets Grades K – 7:
Here’s more free, printable Math Worksheets, focusing on Math Skills, Math Puzzles, Money, Measurement, Roman Numerals, Fractions, Decimals, Venn Diagrams, Bar Graphs, and more for Grades for K – 7:
https://www.futuristicmath.com/worksheets.html
* Even More Math Worksheets Grades K – 8:
Here’s even more free, printable Math Worksheets, focusing on Math, Geometry, Algebra, Equations, Percentages, Measurement, Statistics, Logistics, Trigonometry, Calculus, and more for Grades K – 8:
https://www.mathworksheets4kids.com/math.php
SCIENCE:
* Science Worksheets Grades K – 6:
Here’s free, printable Science Worksheets, focusing on Insects, Plants, Animals, Life Cycles, Classification, Human Body, Matter, Mixtures, Force, Motion, Heat, Chemical Changes, Earth, Solar System, and more for Grades K – 6:
https://www.ecosystemforkids.com/worksheets.html
* More Science Worksheets Grades 1 – 7:
Here’s more free, printable Science Worksheets, focusing on Plants, Insects, Animals, Dinosaurs, Herbivores, Food Chain, Human Body, Five Senses, Weather, Electricity, Machines, Magnetism, Periodic Table, and more for Grades 1 – 7:
https://www.mathworksheets4kids.com/science.php
LANGUAGE ARTS:
* Language Arts Worksheets Grades K – 12:
Here’s free, printable Language Arts Worksheets, focusing on Reading (Story Elements, Comprehension, Literature); Spelling (Word Lists by Grade); Vocabulary (Dictionary Skills, Word Roots, Prefix, Suffix); Grammar (Parts of Speech, Sentence Structure); Composition (Writing, Editing); and more for Grades K – 12:
https://www.k12reader.com/reading-worksheets-by-main-subject/
* More Language Arts Worksheets Grades 1 – 8:
Here’s more free, printable Language Arts Worksheets, focusing on Phonics, Alphabet, Vocabulary, Sentence Structure, Writing Prompts, Grammar, Comprehension, Cause and Effect, Metaphors, Similes, Idioms, Alliteration, and more for Grades 1 – 8:
https://www.mathworksheets4kids.com/language-arts.php
SOCIAL STUDIES:
* Social Studies Worksheets Grades 1 – 6:
Here’s free, printable Social Studies Worksheets, focusing on Colonial America, Fifty States, Map Skills, Continents, Oceans, Landforms, Explorers, Presidents, Famous Men, Famous Women, and more for Grades 1 – 6:
https://www.mathworksheets4kids.com/social-studies.php
* More Social Studies Worksheets Grades 1 – 8:
Here’s more free, printable Social Studies Worksheets, focusing on Explorers, Map Skills, Landforms, Notable People, Native Americans, Early America, American Revolution, Branches of Government, the Wars, States and Capitals, and more for Grades 1 – 8:
https://www.superteacherworksheets.com/full-social-studies.html
FUN LEARNING ACTIVITIES:
Hands-On Activities, Unschooling Ideas, Science Experiments, STEM Projects, and hundreds of FUN learning activities are available here on our site. Just click the labels below. And remember to Subscribe to our Weekly Newsletter in the column at right.
Happy Homeschooling!
Wednesday, August 16, 2023
40+ STEM and STEAM Activities
Create your own STEM Academy! We hear a lot about STEM School or STEM Academy or STEAM Projects.
STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Math.
STEAM includes Art, so it's Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math.
Here are 40+ STEM and STEAM Activities to start your own STEM Academy!
Note: If you keep Lesson Logs, these activities fall under Science, Math, Technology, Language Arts, Reading, Writing, Social Studies, History, Arts, Research Skills, and Life Skills. Take the ideas and run with them!
40+ STEAM and STEM Activities with links to projects:
* Bubble Flute (Click here)
* Rainbow Colors Experiment (Click here)
* Musical Glass Xylophone (Click here)
* Kite Creation (Click here)
* Bridge Building (Click here)
* Skyscraper Construction (Click here)
* Dome Building Project (Click here)
* Miniature Furniture Creations (Click here)
* Sailboat Creations (Click here)
* Snack Pulley Project (Click here)
* Solar Race Cars (Click here)
* Solar Leaf + Art Projects (Click here)
* Battery Potato Clock (Click here)
* Radio from Bottle (Click here)
* Motor Construction (Click here)
* Tiny Dancers Creation (Click here)
* Magic Wand Creation (Click here)
* Spectroscope Construction (Click here)
* Coding Card Game (Click here)
* Coding with Hotwheels (Click here)
* Coding Unplugged Activities (Click here)
* Flappy Bird Coding Game (Click here)
* Food Color Fireworks (Click here)
* Color Separation Experiment (Click here)
* Slippery Slime Creations (Click here)
* Glow-in-the-Dark Slime (Click here)
* Glitter Slime (Click here)
* Modeling Clay (Click here)
* Glue from Milk (Click here)
* Colorful Candy Crystals (Click here)
* Ice Cream in a Bag (Click here)
* Soda Bottle Explosion (Click here)
* Volcano Variations (Click here)
* String Art Creations (Click here)
* Math Art Projects (Click here)
* Math LEGO Tessellations (Click here)
* 3D Art Tessellations (Click here)
* Marble Course Creations (Click here)
* LEGO Maze (Click here)
* Colorful Cardboard Maze (Click here)
* Math Infinity Fun (Click here)
* Magic Squares Math Practice (Click here)
Remember to discuss and review the projects together. Take photos and record the experiments and activities. Have kids write descriptions of their experiments and their thoughts on them.
Brainstorm ways to build upon the activities or create variations of them. Then plan future projects for more STEM and STEAM fun and learning!
Happy homeschooling!
STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Math.
STEAM includes Art, so it's Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math.
Here are 40+ STEM and STEAM Activities to start your own STEM Academy!
Note: If you keep Lesson Logs, these activities fall under Science, Math, Technology, Language Arts, Reading, Writing, Social Studies, History, Arts, Research Skills, and Life Skills. Take the ideas and run with them!
40+ STEAM and STEM Activities with links to projects:
* Bubble Flute (Click here)
* Rainbow Colors Experiment (Click here)
* Musical Glass Xylophone (Click here)
* Kite Creation (Click here)
* Bridge Building (Click here)
* Skyscraper Construction (Click here)
* Dome Building Project (Click here)
* Miniature Furniture Creations (Click here)
* Sailboat Creations (Click here)
* Snack Pulley Project (Click here)
* Solar Race Cars (Click here)
* Solar Leaf + Art Projects (Click here)
* Battery Potato Clock (Click here)
* Radio from Bottle (Click here)
* Motor Construction (Click here)
* Tiny Dancers Creation (Click here)
* Magic Wand Creation (Click here)
* Spectroscope Construction (Click here)
* Coding Card Game (Click here)
* Coding with Hotwheels (Click here)
* Coding Unplugged Activities (Click here)
* Flappy Bird Coding Game (Click here)
* Food Color Fireworks (Click here)
* Color Separation Experiment (Click here)
* Slippery Slime Creations (Click here)
* Glow-in-the-Dark Slime (Click here)
* Glitter Slime (Click here)
* Modeling Clay (Click here)
* Glue from Milk (Click here)
* Colorful Candy Crystals (Click here)
* Ice Cream in a Bag (Click here)
* Soda Bottle Explosion (Click here)
* Volcano Variations (Click here)
* String Art Creations (Click here)
* Math Art Projects (Click here)
* Math LEGO Tessellations (Click here)
* 3D Art Tessellations (Click here)
* Marble Course Creations (Click here)
* LEGO Maze (Click here)
* Colorful Cardboard Maze (Click here)
* Math Infinity Fun (Click here)
* Magic Squares Math Practice (Click here)
Remember to discuss and review the projects together. Take photos and record the experiments and activities. Have kids write descriptions of their experiments and their thoughts on them.
Brainstorm ways to build upon the activities or create variations of them. Then plan future projects for more STEM and STEAM fun and learning!
Happy homeschooling!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)