Science for Homeschoolers What do the mating habits of crickets, hydrochloric acid, and Jupiter all have in common? Science! So why do we teach science anyway? I have good news for you who fear science. Science is simply curiosity. It is important to explore scientific topics with your children so that their minds are stretched and they become problem solvers. Do not get hung up on trying to figure out which areas to focus and what ideas need to be learned. Simply explore your world from a scientific perspective. Be prepared to dig deeper where there is interest. Short list of Science topics to explore: Scientific Method The human body Plants Animals Gardening Survival Techniques Electricity and Magnetism Atoms and Elements Weather Planets and The Universe Creation vs. evolution Health Forensic Science Natural Medicine Light If you can think of a topic, there is a scientific question to be answered! Science Resources: The Scientific Method Science buddies Dancing popcorn Creation Science Marine Biology Thanksgiving Science Experiments (Good any time of year) Electricity and Magnetism Science notebooking and journal pages My Opinion: God is a scientist! When we teach our children to be curious, they want to learn more. The incredible thing about studying science is that the deeper you explore, the more God reveals Himself to us. What a delight to look for a scientific answer and to discover the brilliance of our God!
History for Homeschoolers History resources, deals, tips, and encouragement. This page is continually updated with new resources! Why do we teach history and geography? History repeats itself! We want to equip our kids to make wise choices based on history. By studying cultures, events, and people of the past we can teach our children to pattern their lives, “based on history”. History gives us an endless supply of examples of wise and stupid decisions of people that have walked this world before us. Let’s teach our children to look for examples in the lives of those who have gone before us. More Important than studying any ONE particular person, event, invention, or time period, is teaching our kids to be natural investigators of the past. “Do you know about the Pony Express?” After asking all four of my sons the same question I beat myself up a bit. It turns out that NONE of them knew anything about this piece of history. I began thinking about all the different things, people, events, and inventions I haven’t made sure my kids have learned. And then I remembered the BIG truth. It doesn’t matter if we miss events, people, and inventions from history… It matters if we don’t pass on a HUNGER for historical knowledge to our kids. I’m not saying we should neglect teaching history. My kids NEED to know about the Pony Express, who wrote the first epic novel, and random and weird history like Knockers-up. Before there were alarm clocks, there were “knockers-up”, who were hired to shoot dried peas from a blow gun at people’s windows in order to wake them up in the morning. We can learn a lot from history! But we have to ask the right questions! {Click here for Free download} Short List of History Subjects: Biblical History Archaeology Ancient Civilizations (They were brilliant!!) Medieval History Renaissance Dark Ages Colonial America Civil War American Revolution Industrial Revolution Cold War World War I and II Native American History Westward expansion Geography! This world is a fascinating place! and more, much more Get your free History Topic Ideas and Questions to ask when studying History before you go… My Opinion: God is the ultimate historian! Read your Bible with your children and research history mentioned. There is so much to learn about God and the character of a follower of Christ wrapped up within the subject of history. You could spend an entire lifetime studying any one area of history. When exposing your children to important historical events, be prepared to pause and dive deeper into an area of interest! Anything that is important to God is important to us and therefore worthy to teach to our children.
Math for Homeschoolers Why do we teach math? Math is everywhere! Whether your child will grow up to be a mechanical engineer or a stay at home mom, kids need to learn their math facts. Basic Math Skills necessary for life: adding/subtracting multiplying/dividing measuring to the nearest 32nd of an inch, or millimeter (English and metrics) Basic geometry: shapes and solid figures (cone, sphere, prism) finding area and perimeter. My Opinion: God is a mathematician! Anything that is important to Him is important to us and therefore worthy to teach to our children.
Homeschooling Resources and Encouragement Homeschooling is a living breathing thing. Just when you think you have it all figured out, your kids change on you. Life keeps you on your toes this way! Homeschooling moms can lead pretty isolated lives at times. Homeschooling can be challenging, and sometimes downright difficult. We all need encouragement, creative idea boosts, and sometimes a swift kick in the pants (That one is for me). We need to be learning and growing right alongside our children. We need to model good learning and studying habits. There all kinds of “how to homeschool” and curriculum guides out there. This is where I will share my own resources or years of homeschooling experience and wisdom. Click on these links: Start Here! Where do I begin? Homeschooling is a Beautiful thing! Teaching with Toddlers and Babies Why is it “A Better Way to Homeschool?“ Amazing Notebooking Templates for Journalling
Bible for Homeschoolers Why Teach Bible? The easy to read version of Isaiah 55:11 says it best, “In the same way, my words leave my mouth, they don’t come back without results. My words make the things happen that I want to happen. They succeed in doing what I send them to do.” Reading The Bible is like drinking pure natural spring water. Not only will it wet your whistle, it will bring much needed minerals to support your body. It is also an excellent springboard for studying history! Bible 101 for Homeschoolers: Read the Bible together Read from different versions (Choose an easy to understand version for young children) Read the Proverbs of the day (There are 31 Proverbs. Look a the calendar. If today is the 5th, read Proverbs 5. If today is the 29th, Read Proverb 29) Study the history of the Bible. You could spend your lifetime studying Biblical history and comparing it to what you read in “school books”. Choose Bible focused Curriculum. Pray together. Listen to Worship music. Write hymns as creative writing assignments. Use Bible verses as copywork and handwriting exercises. Focus on great Bible stories (like David and Goliath, or Ester) read the stories, draw pictures about the events. Read a Bible story and then enjoy a movie that correlates to it. (Joseph King of Dreams, Veggie Tales, Prince of Egypt, etc) Compare and contrast the biblical account and that of a movie or book. Creation Science Resources Homeschooling through the Holidays Advent Ideas My Opinion: My husband and I are Bible believing lovers of Jesus. We believe the Bible is the written word of God and can be trusted as completely accurate and applicable. If you have never read a bible before, or even do not own one of your own, you can access scripture at Bible Gateway for free. Not sure where to begin? Try the Book of John and Proverbs!
Arts and Crafts for Homeschoolers Art resources, deals, tips, and encouragement. This page is continually updated with new resources! Why do we teach and explore art? Francis Bacon said, “The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery.” Art is beauty, majesty, and creativity. Monet said, “Colour is my day-long obsession, joy and torment.” Explore art. Create art. Share Art. Do not make the mistake of pushing this critical area aside! If you need help, find some art classes! Short List of Mediums of art: Drawing with crayon, pencils, colored pencils, colored markers Finger paint Pudding painting water color oil pastel cutting and pasting sculpting with paper clay Bread dough sculptures woodcarving soldering needle-work crocheting mosaics *studying the art created during the period in History you study together. jewlry making welding music dance Click on the following links for Art Resources: Subscribe below. New links and activities are posted all the time!e Hand Paining Projects Footprint Art Subscribe here so you do not miss any new resources