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You are here: Home / Archives for K-8th Grade

K-8th Grade

24 Ways to Make Learning about Verbs Creative, EASY, and Fun

INSIDE: Fun and  Easy Action Verb Activities for teaching verb tenses 

I was browsing Pinterest this morning over a cup of coffee looking for a creative action verb activities.

I know, not your typical read-over-coffee topic.

But I’m tired of kids falling asleep or worse groaning when we begin talking about verbs and other parts of speech. “There has to be a verb game I can use to bring this area of learning to life!” I dreamed.

If verbs are really where all the ACTION is expressed in writing, then why can’t we find ways to make them jump off the page with our kids.

I took another big sip and started digging.

 

…

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Filed Under: blog, K-8th Grade, sticky Tagged With: future tense verb, how to homeschool, past tense verb, present tense verb, teaching verbs, verb activities, verb craft

Homeschool and Delayed Reader

I spent about 30 minutes searching for my then 10-year old.

It was cold and rainy, so I doubted that he had adventured outside.

I looked everywhere.

We lived in a big home then, so it took me a while to go back and forth while calling his name.

Silence.

I couldn’t find him anywhere.

I walked faster toward the back door so I could begin looking outside.

Movement caught my eye as I called again from the kitchen.

The little squirt was hiding in plain sight, as still as a statue, curled between a black bean bag and our fluffy black and white dog.

“What the heck are you doing?” I asked.

He lifted a Magic Tree House Book in the air without making eye contact.

I almost spit out my gum.

The boy’s reading!!!!

Did you catch that he was 10-years old?

That’s old enough to thoroughly enjoy the sight of me walking right by without seeing him.

It’s also way beyond the “normal” reading age.

I get messages from frantic mama’s often about:

  • how to teach their 4-year olds to read
  • What language curriculum to buy for their kindergartener
  • and suggestions for chapter books for 5-year olds

Meanwhile, my own kids took their sweet time learning to read.

As my son grew into the, “I’m starting to wonder if I am the right teacher for this child” age I began to leave him hanging in a story.

My goal became leave him begging for more…

And you know what? It worked.

We never stressed about his lack of reading skills (out loud).

We just kept reading.

All five of our sons were delayed readers.

Our youngest was the most delayed.

His brain had too much going on to be troubled with the task of decoding the dancing syllables on the page.

This extra busy, brilliant, and wiggly son couldn’t be bothered until that day he disappeared in plain sight.

So how did I get him to read?

I didn’t.

I just kept reading to him.

I read his math instructions, his history and science lessons to him and marinated him in exciting read-alouds.

Sure, I pointed to words, tracked with my finger, and read slowly and carefully, but I kept reading without adding pressure on him.

That day he curled up in the beanbag with our dog and read his first chapter book launched him from not reading, to devouring books almost overnight.

Some may be tempted to roll their eyes.

A 10-year old reading Magic Tree House? Big Deal.

I think that’s where so many people miss the point.

The point is not to rush your kids through the easy readers and into the ocean of “Big Kids Books”, the point is to get your kids to love to read. 

I mean head over heels in love with reading, reading.

I make it a point to never roll my eyes at the book choices of my kids to their face.

Instead, we embrace the fact that they love to read.

Magic Tree House for Big Kids? You Bet!

My son burned through 1-3 books a day when he discovered he could read.

I even sat him down and picked his brain.

Together, we created learning activities to go along with the books he was reading.

Excited, overjoyed, and proud.

That’s how those silly little kid books made him feel.

Related: Don’t panic if your kids aren’t reading yet.

Just keep reading to them.

It will click eventually.

The goal is NOT when they read, but THAT they LOVE to read.

When that cold rainy day comes and you are frantically searching for them, just be sure to check the beanbag in the corner!

Do your kids love Magic Tree House Books?

Click here to grab some fun activities for books 1 and 2.


Print this free homeschool mom reminder.

This post comes with a free printable reminder list to help keep your heart focused on the heart of homeschooling. I always have the hardest staying focused. This printable simplifies it!

Here is a sneak preview…

the homeschool mom

Download Your Free Printable

  1. Download the checklist. You’ll get the printable, plus join 9,000+ homeschool moms who receive my weekly parenting tips and ideas!
  2. Print. Any paper will do the trick, but card stock would be ideal.
  3. Place it on your refrigerator as a helpful reminder.
the homeschool mom

Filed Under: blog, K-8th Grade, sticky Tagged With: popular

How to Homeschool: Quick Start Videos to Rescue


“Help! We just decided to homeschool our kids and I’m freaking out!”

I’ve received various translations of the same message from so many family members, neighbors, friends, and readers that I’m, putting all the answers on one page. –>THIS ONE.


Homeschooling is like eating and elephant, you’ll have to do it one bite at a time.

Pages: Page 1 Page 2

Filed Under: blog, k-2nd, K-8th Grade, sticky Tagged With: how to homeschool

Yes, Your Child’s Mind is POWERFUL and Creative !

Do you try to make handwriting sound a whole lot more fun than we both know it is to your kids? Yeah, my kids saw through that plan too.

Kind of like the time I tried to hide carrots into a cake, but neglected to make the bits small enough to get by my little veggie detector.

I know, you worry that your child’s only prospect for future employment is in the medical field. Surely, you are staring at at a doctor’s handwriting page. Right?

…

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Filed Under: blog, k-2nd, K-8th Grade, sticky

71 Easy Adorable And Inexpensive Mothers Day Crafts

Inside: A treasure for you to tuck away for your kids’ teenage years.

She gave you heartburn while you were pregnant. 

She gave you heartburn, but you loved her to the moon and back.

photo by Inna Lesyk

He ran you ragged for hours on end when he was three.

…

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Filed Under: K-8th Grade, sticky Tagged With: arts and crafts, Holidays, homeschool freebies, mom, Mother's Day, Mother's Day Activity, popular

Renewable Energy Freebie

This is a free SAMPLE of my Renewable Energy Unit.

Included:

  • Solar power
  • What can be powered by the sun?
Renewable Energy Worksheets

Looking for more?

…

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Filed Under: blog, K-8th Grade, Shop, sticky

Homeschool Math: Grab your Roadmap to Success

BEFORE you spend a moment worrying about math curriculum, let me share a secret.

 

I didn’t understand where I was supposed to go until I’d been on the road almost 20 years.

It’s crazy that it’s taken me almost two decades to truly understand this thing we call MATH.

…

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Filed Under: blog, K-8th Grade, sticky, Teens and High school Tagged With: homeschool math, math, math curriculum

Thanksgiving Scattergories

What better way to let that turkey dinner digest than with a game of Thanksgiving Scattergories?

Great for kids of all ages (who know their alphabet or on a team with someone who does!)

Each game of Scattergories consists of three rounds. Before the start of the game, choose three lists which will be used during the rounds.

Pass each player/team a folder, and clip the three lists inside in the order in which they will be played. Make sure that all players have A) the same lists, and that B) the lists are in the same order.

Includes:

  • Alphabet tiles
  • 8 Thanksgiving Themed Lists

Get Yours here


More Thanksgiving FUN!

Build a Turkey Game and Activities!

kindergarten fall worksheets
Thanksgiving kindergarten activities
Thanksgiving kindergarten activities
Thanksgiving Kindergarten activities
kindergarten fall worksheets
Thanksgiving scattergories, Christmas Scattergories

How about some Christmas FUN?!

color by number Christmas
winter writing kindergarden
snowman worksheets
snowman worksheets
Toddler Worksheets Scissors Skills Fine Motor Practice
Christmas worksheets kindergarten
math fun worksheets
advent activities

Filed Under: K-8th Grade, Preschool Homeschool, sticky

Ant Farm Kits: An Easy Science Lesson for Multiple Ages


Our boys exchange names every year for Christmas and then are blessed to buy gifts for their selected brother. This year, our youngest picked out an Ant Farm for his brother.

Not only is this an excellent gift for the animal lover of our family, but it has turned into an amazing “cross-grade” science lesson. 

…

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Filed Under: blog, K-8th Grade, sticky Tagged With: ant farm, ants, insects, science, Uncategorized

No Prep Thanksgiving Activities for Elementary!

If you need awesome fun Thanksgiving themed activities for your kids, you’ve come to the right place. Just print and go!

These activities have very little prep time and are sure to delight your elementary age kids!

thanksgiving activities for elementary

Thanksgiving Math Activities Included in this pack:

  • Addition: “Owl” Show you my facts!
  • Multiplication: “Owl” Show you my facts!
  • Round to the nearest 10
  • Round to the nearest 100
  • Round to the nearest 1,000
  • Addition: Color by SUM
  • Who, who, who is first? (ordinal number practice- 2 3rd Grade Math: A-Mazing Turkey
  • Game: What’s the Number?
  • EASY-Color by Number- Number Recognition
  • Medium-Color by Number Multiples of 2, 3, 4, 5 ,6, 10

Thanksgiving Reading and Writing Activities:

  • Thanksgiving BINGO (4 game boards, 7 pages game pieces)
  • Thanksgiving Scattergories!
  • Reading for Facts! It’s all about the turkey!
  • Reading: Color by Sight words
  • Thanksgiving Acrostic
  • Thanksgiving Nouns
  • Thanksgiving Verbs
  • Thanksgiving Adjectives

Thanksgiving Science Activities:

  • Thanksgiving/Pumpkins
  • Life Cycle of a Pumpkin (2 pages: booklet and labels)
  • Life Cycle of a Thanksgiving Turkey
thanksgiving activities for elementary

Additional Thanksgiving and Christmas FUN

kindergarten fall worksheets
Thanksgiving kindergarten activities
Thanksgiving kindergarten activities
Thanksgiving Kindergarten activities
kindergarten fall worksheets
Thanksgiving scattergories, Christmas Scattergories
color by number Christmas
winter writing kindergarden
snowman worksheets
snowman worksheets
Toddler Worksheets Scissors Skills Fine Motor Practice
Christmas worksheets kindergarten
math fun worksheets
advent activities

Filed Under: blog, K-8th Grade, popular, Shop, sticky

Fall Jokes Solved with Single Digit Multiplication

If you need awesome multiplication practice for your kids, you’ve come to the right place. Just print and go!

With all of my youngest kids in high school math now, I can assure you that one of the foundational skills your kids need to master is their math facts.

I like to make learning these fun with hands-on games, jokes, and fun activities.

Math mastery for the win!

Fall Multiplication worksheet
fall multiplication worksheets

Additional Math FUN

kindergarten fall worksheets
math fun worksheets
classifying numbers
budget project math

Filed Under: K-8th Grade, popular, sticky Tagged With: Thanksgiving, worksheets

Toddler Worksheet: Christmas Cupcake Fun

These adorable activities will delight your Preschoolers!

These are perfect to add to your toddler and preschool activities file!

toddler worksheets

Cupcake themed Activities Included:

  • Easy Memory Game
  • Challenging Memory Game
  • BINGO!
  • Roll and Color!
  • Connect the PAIRS
  • Punch and Lace Fine Motor Skills
  • Follow the path scissors skills

Christmas Cupcake Fun!

You May Also Like:

  • All About Me: My Body
  • Turkey Color by Number
  • Letter D Activities
  • Kindergarten Printables: Fall and Thanksgiving
  • Scissors Skills worksheets and Fine Motor Practice: Winter
  • Snowman Math: Kindergarten
  • Winter Writing Booklet and Writing Prompts
  • 39 Fall and Thanksgiving Fine Motor Skills Activities
  • 30 Thanksgiving Activities, Crafts, and Activities
  • 21 Thanksgiving Math Activities for Kindergarteners

Print this free homeschool mom reminder.

This post comes with a free printable reminder list to help keep your heart focused on the heart of homeschooling. I always have the hardest staying focused. This printable simplifies it!

Here is a sneak preview…

the homeschool mom

Download Your Free Printable

  1. Download the checklist. You’ll get the printable, plus join 9,000+ homeschool moms who receive my weekly parenting tips and ideas!
  2. Print. Any paper will do the trick, but card stock would be ideal.
  3. Place it on your refrigerator as a helpful reminder.
the homeschool mom

Filed Under: K-8th Grade, Shop

How to Make Learning Fun: EASY!

She lays awake at night tossing and turning. She tries to rest, but when she closes her eyes she sees the slumped over image of her son burned into her memory.

“I failed again.”

She is confused. She read all the latest and greatest articles on how to teach her child, but when she tries to follow the advice, her son closes down and she becomes frustrated, discouraged and depressed.

“I’m messing up my kid!”

…

Read More »

Filed Under: blog, Homeschool Hacks, K-8th Grade, sticky

All About Bees Freebie

This is a Free Sample!

Insects cannot be explored without studying the queens of insects: honeybees!

…

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Filed Under: blog, K-8th Grade

ABW 9: Hands-on Learning Made EASY with Amy

What if there was a way to simplify learning, magnify time away from worksheets, and increase connections with your kids?

Would you sleep better at night?

I have GREAT news for you sweet friend…



There’s an EASY button!

…

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Filed Under: blog, K-8th Grade, sticky

Bible Object Lessons from Nature for Kids

God’s creation is so incredible, and He uses it to restore our souls and reach our hearts.

  • Our kids need this.
  • I need this.
  • Honestly, we all need this, right?

After an incredible vacation where my family stayed in a river house in Oregon, I’ve been inspired to create the most amazing, delicious, and inspiring creations studies possible.

…

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Filed Under: blog, K-8th Grade, Shop

Hebrew for Homeschoolers: Perfect Timing!

My kids informed me there are three weeks left of school this year.

Silly boys. Don’t they know the sun is shining?

We’ll be lucky to get that far!

In the summer, we always have everyone do some sort of self-study. Physical fitness, daily reading, yard work and friend time are all on the kids’ wishlist for their free time. But so is independent learning.

Hebrew! The kids want to learn Hebrew!

…

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Filed Under: blog, K-8th Grade, sticky

Elderberry Recipes and Printables: A Pretty Plant with Amazing Benefits!

Elderberries are on the rise thanks to their healthy and anti-inflammatory effects. Even though this is old news to our grandmothers, some of us (cough-cough) have only recently begun looking to this wonder berry.

Health Benefits of Elderberries

…

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Filed Under: blog, K-8th Grade, sticky Tagged With: elderberries

Typing for Kids Made Easy with the BEST Online Program

“MOM! This is so cool! The game knows where I am in the lessons and adapts to fit the keys I’m learning!”

I wasn’t looking for another thing for my sons to do every day.

Already busy with math, writing, sword fighting and Lego I didn’t think they needed another task to complete. But they asked so nicely…

…

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Filed Under: blog, K-8th Grade, sticky Tagged With: typing

Mitosis: Cell Cycle Flip Book

Inside: A Mitosis Flip Book for Kids

…

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Filed Under: blog, K-8th Grade, sticky Tagged With: cell cycle, cell cycle flip-book, mitosis, science, Uncategorized, video

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Hi, I'm Bekki,

A professional Nerf Buller Dodging Homeschool Mom of five sons!
My passion is to help homeschooling moms educate their kids from the inside out.
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