No matter whether you are new to homeschooling or a seasoned pro, there is a period of every year when the homeschooling parent must look forward to the next school year. Deciding on curriculum can be a daunting task. There are so many options: textbooks, living books, workbooks, video lessons, teacher-led, co-op led, etc. First,… Continue reading Things to Consider When Shopping for Curriculum
Adding in P.E. (Again)
(The included Amazon links are affiliate links. If you use the links to make a purchase, you help to support this blog. Thank you!) When school starts in the late summer, everything is fresh and new, including ideas for incorporating physical activity into homeschool. In previous years, we would do a nature hike or P.E.… Continue reading Adding in P.E. (Again)
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Simple Weekly Lesson Planning
Each year, about this time, I start thinking (i.e. planning) about next year. Big picture planning. Shopping for curriculum options. Scouring Pinterest. Dreaming big. The fun stuff. However, at the end of each week, I do a different type of planning. I grab my pencil and and a big eraser, and go to work making… Continue reading Simple Weekly Lesson Planning
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A Delicious DNA Model
I feel like we have had a little "model mania" in science lately. Today was a favorite though, mainly because it involved CANDY! Since we are learning about cells, I added in a lesson about DNA, even though our current unit is about classification and not genetics. First, we reviewed cell organelles and their functions… Continue reading A Delicious DNA Model
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Aprons with Iron-on Cell Diagrams
(The included Amazon links are affiliate links. If you use the links to make a purchase, you help to support this blog. Thank you!) Diagrams and models are important to science learning because it helps students visualize things that they cannot usually observe. If they can be involved in the creation of models and diagrams,… Continue reading Aprons with Iron-on Cell Diagrams
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Nature Study Monday: Rocks
Mondays are our Nature Study days. We usually go to a local area for a nature hike with a purpose of learning more about a specific topic. Topics may be from our Nature Notebooks, or we may pick our own topic and use some of the blank pages in the journal to draw, write, or… Continue reading Nature Study Monday: Rocks
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Friday Fun
(The included Amazon links are affiliate links. If you use the links to make a purchase, you help to support this blog. Thank you!) Mondays and Fridays are my favorite days of the week. Mondays are full of new week energy, and I feel rested from the weekend and ready to conquer my task lists… Continue reading Friday Fun
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Organizing Science Units from The Good and the Beautiful
We have been using science units from The Good and the Beautiful for two years now. Last year, we completed the units for Marine Biology (free), Chemistry, Human Body, Arthropods, and Into to Energy (this used to be 2 units, they have now been combined into one unit). This year, I scheduled fewer units for… Continue reading Organizing Science Units from The Good and the Beautiful
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Self-Directed Reading Lists
Every year, I start with the best intents of having well researched reading lists for the girls for their daily independent reading time. I have book lists from Mensa Kids, Read Aloud Revival, The Good and the Beautiful, etc. What usually happens is about this time of year, after Christmas when we are still trying… Continue reading Self-Directed Reading Lists
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Homemade Valentine’s Day Heart Pillows
Valentine's Day is still a month away, but given the nature of 2020 and 2021 so far, looking forward to the next bright, colorful, candy-laden holiday is just what we need. Over the past two years, I have made a real effort to decorate for more than just Easter, Halloween, and Christmas. So, this year,… Continue reading Homemade Valentine’s Day Heart Pillows
North Star Homeschool Resources 