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 lunchroom. It seems everyone is “itchin’ to grow” something, and planting season is a perfect time to take advantage of a learning opportunity with your children!
In my previous artilcle, we considered the benefits—both practical and experiential—that cooking together as a family offers. Let’s take this a step further and consider how we, as parents, can breathe life into our history and science lessons using the power of food!
Rainbow Resource Center is located in the heart of the Midwest, and staff members experience the beautiful season of fall with cool temperatures and colorful trees. It is a favorite time for families to enjoy harvest parties, hay rack rides, bonfires, orchards, smores, and caramel apples. Nature hikes include crunching around in the newly fallen leaves and collecting many different vibrant colors. These outings present a great opportunity to explore or discuss science with your students!
It’s November and we are soon approaching Thanksgiving and Christmas. I know life seems to always be busy, but this time of year it becomes even busier. This is exactly why I thought it would be timely to talk about being thankful, thinking positive, and showing gratitude. Thankfulness. Positivity....
Besides being home educators, many parents also join homeschool co-ops and have to teach in a classroom. And if you haven’t had much experience as a teacher, it can be overwhelming to suddenly be in charge of a roomful of students! So how do you begin when you’ve been assigned to teach a co-op...
Remember that beautiful homeschool plan you made in August? The carefully chosen curriculum, the schedule that looked completely doable, and the vision of everyone happily getting their work done each day? And then the school year started. In August, we make plans based on what we think our...
You made an important decision to homeschool your children, and with it comes a lot of changes. Walking away from the rhythm and structure of the school day might leave you a little overwhelmed. But take heart, even though there are big changes, the blessings will be plentiful! Many years ago, my...
Reading aloud equips your children with a personal toolbox they’ll use throughout their lives as readers, learners and communicators. In our busy and demanding home school lives, though, making time for this activity can be a challenge. In Part 1, we discussed the Why of reading aloud to all ages....
