In the spirit of Thanksgiving and the fall season, I thought it might be fun to learn the fascinating history, geography and science of a beloved holiday food in this unit study: cranberries! You will notice underlined words with hyperlinks to family friendly videos and websites to inspire further learning.
Pumpkin spice coffee, pumpkin scented candles, pumpkin desserts, and various gourd assortments flourish as cooler temperatures invade. Ah, pumpkin, nothing says autumn like pumpkin! Whether the abundance of pumpkin causes delight or dismay, our unit study this month will inform and entertain, and may help you fall more deeply in love with this beloved fruit.
Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on the many blessings we have experienced over the year. It is also a time that we set aside to teach our children the historical meaning behind this great day. In this unit study, I invite you to expand on the holiday with a hands-on exploration of favored holiday foods.
In central Illinois, our local farmers have been busy planting with their tractors and equipment. By May, the fields already have a tinge of green. People are planning their home gardens, too. Around our office you hear talk of trying new vegetables and there are more than a couple seed catalogs in...
The beginning of May brings many bright colors, new life springing forth, birds chirping merrily, and exuberant Mariachi music! Wait, what!? On the fifth of every May, many Mexicans celebrate the commemoration of the Battle of Puebla. This holiday is conveniently called Cinco de Mayo (5th of May)....
As a homeschool parent, there are a lot of things clamoring for your attention – the kids, the house, the schooling, outside family, work, friends, pets, church, sports, and… you get the idea! Quite frankly, we start carrying more than we can handle and it affects us. When Mama ain’t happy,...
When a student approaches a perceived challenge in a school subject, it can often lead to critical reflection in both our students and in ourselves. In these moments, it's important to identify the “why” behind the challenge and find ways to navigate through it. What is making this task “not fun”?...
I am amazed daily by what we can learn: all the opportunities for learning and discovery available and accessible to us. This is something to intentionally instill in our children: the importance of looking for those opportunities and looking forward to learning new things. Is it just me, or does...