Tina Robertson

Day 15: Discovering Learning Styles and New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

September 20, 2022 | Leave a Comment
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Discovering Learning Styles is our next topic. Today is day 15 discovering learning styles for the 31 Day Free Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers.

You will find an overwhelming amount of information on learning styles that is free and there exist volumes and volumes of scientific research galore too.

My desire is to whittle down this information into terms that we all can understand.

First, it’s important to realize that unless you have tutored your child up to this time, you may not be fully aware of his abilities, strengths and weaknesses.

Day 15: Discovering Learning Styles and New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

True, from helping your child with his homework, you have an idea of his weak subjects, but it is quite another thing to be the full time teacher now.

What is a Learning Styles

Many homeschoolers come home to school only to realize that their bright and gifted child struggles with some concepts they feel should have been mastered in the lower grades.

On the other hand you may sense frustration because your child may have mastered some previous concepts. So now he finds learning tedious and boring drills a time waster.

It takes time to get to know your child.

1:1 tutoring is so much more comprehensive because you are now discovering his learning style.

Again, MANY definitions exist on the internet, but a learning style is the way a child prefers to learn.

It is easy to understand and talk about them like personalities than it is to talk about learning modes. Most references refer to auditory, visual and kinesthetic learner.

While it’s important to understand modes because it goes along with learning personalities, it is easier and more practical to understand their learning styles or personalities.

Cathy Duffy is queen of understanding learning styles.

Prior to the time she wrote the 100, 101, and 102 Top Picks For Homeschool Curriculum, we identified learning styles by quirky names like Golden Retriever or Concrete – Sequential.

In her book she uses terms like Perfect Paul, Competent Carl, Sociable Sue and Wiggly Willy to help you identify certain traits or characteristics.

I prefer to leave labeling alone, but information and knowledge on personality quirks can help you make a better choice in curriculum and it also helps to promote closer relationships with your children.

Unlike adults, children cannot articulate why they prefer to move when they learn math.

But if you make them think that something is wrong with them because they need to move, you may be heading toward problems and burnout.

Flexibility is needed to avoid the we-have-to-be-in-strait-jackets-before-we-can-learn thinking.

Day 15: Discovering Learning Styles

Another example is if you are a mom that enjoys doing projects in your home and you do not mind a fair amount of clutter, but your daughter is wilting away because she does not have an organized place to do school, then your stress factors are multiplied.

Educating yourself now as to all of your children’s learning style and yours too can help you to bring peace and calm to your home.

Insight into their weaknesses in one or more subjects will help you not just teach with excellence in mind, but to nurture your children.

Also, I have created an easy course where you don’t have to wait to learn about learning styles.

As you homeschool longer, it will be to your advantage to embrace differences and to understand them.

For example, I think about all the beautiful women and mothers whose personalities are opposite of mine.

We complement each other and use that strength for the benefit of our children when we meet together for a co-op.

Overlooking faults is a beautiful thing and finding the good in each personality, even your children sets them up to be the best at whatever they are capable of doing.

There is no one better than the other. We all have strengths and weakness.

New to Homeschooling Start with the Basics

Days 1 – 7 of the 31 day Free Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers

Days 8-14 of the 31 day Free Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers

Discovering Learning Styles in Homeschool

Pregnancy Belly Female Study of Human Anatomy Kids Fun Craft

September 19, 2022 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

The human body is a fascinating study and so is the pregnancy belly. Today, in my female study of human anatomy I’m sharing a fun craft. Also I have this Human Body Crafts page for more fun ideas.

Coming soon is a Human Reproduction and Development Free Unit Study for Big Kids homeschool lapbook that I know you’ll love.

To begin any study of human anatomy, it can be easier to talk to your kids by letting them make a hands-on craft.

Whether you want to cover a full anatomy unit study, or it is time to talk deeper about sex and reproduction you’ll want a relaxed approach.

Pregnancy Belly Female Study of Human Anatomy Kids Fun Craft

Plus, I never shy away here from important topics for our kids.

So, if you’re teaching about puberty, pregnancy, conception, reproduction or similar topics, this hands-on activity makes it incredibly easy to understand.

And makes it a bit more real for your kids.

This project gently introduces the beauty of babies and female development.

It can easily be adjusted to your comfort level, your child’s maturity, and what you want to cover.

How a Baby Grows Resources

To give your middle schooler a little better idea of where and how a baby grows during pregnancy and how the body changes you can provide them with a fun activity.

It takes a little of the pressure off you both.

Even a too cool for school middle schooler will enjoy the relaxing and fun break from worksheets to dig into playdough.

Here are a few books you can add to this activity to round out the reproduction unit study.

If you don’t already have some of your own that you like, these books can be used for more than just a reproduction topic.

So, your kids will get a lot of use out of them.

Basher Science Human Body book has a small section in the beginning on several good terms such as man and woman, baby, sperm, egg, cell, stem cell, and DNA.

The series is a good reference tool for covering the topic. While the books are a little silly they are recommended for ages 10 and up and make a great addition to a middle school bookshelf.

The Fascinating Human Body Book may be a little young for your middle schooler.

However, depending on the maturity level it may be just right.

It covers small chunks of many different topics and has great illustrations.

Finally, the Anatomicum book is great anytime you are doing a study of any part of anatomy.

It is a handy reference book to add to your shelf permanently because it has beautifully illustrated diagrams on male and female.

Human Body Crafts

Reproduction Female Study of Anatomy

Next, look at this easy hands-on pregnancy belly craft. It requires a few easy ingredients.

Playdough in several colors
A Paper and pen
Plastic mini baby or tiny doll.

We got a bag of these adorable lifelike babies to use in our unit study. They were a little pricey, but we plan to use many of them in different ways.

Start by looking up photos of the female reproductive system and recreate the female reproductive organs with playdough.

You could then have your child label the various parts like fallopian tubes and uterus. Be as detailed or as general as you like.

Use this opportunity to demonstrate the path of the egg with a pointer (or pencil) and how a period is your body’s response to an egg not being fertilized.

Next research Google photos or a book of a cross section for a basic outline of the female body.

Have your child draw a basic outline of a pregnant female body. This gives them a rough shape to work on and helps to create a visual of where organs and systems are in relation to each other.

I found it easy to start by making the outline of the uterus and making sure our little baby fit inside it first then worked my way out with the other organs.

Roll playdough into snakes and coil to make the small and large intestines. Then bunch them up.

Too, you’ll want to add these other human body or anatomy resources.

Other Anatomy and Human Body Resources

Then continuing with the craft. Your child can make each system a different color if he or she likes. That makes for a great visual overall for all the systems of the body.

If your focus is just on reproduction, just make those organs a particular color and all others something else.

Be sure to show how as the baby grows and the uterus expands organs are shifted and pressed affecting everything.

Everything doesn’t have to be in proportion.

You just want them to understand the general makeup of the body and where it is in relation to each other as well as how and where the baby grows.

You might also have them recreate a sperm and egg with playdough as you talk about the job of each.

In addition, understanding X and Y chromosomes are a very important part of reproduction.

If you are at the point of teaching it, you could also demonstrate how the baby’s head eventually turns downward.

And explain the path it takes as it is delivered demonstrating how the body opens and adjusts naturally to allow this to happen.

Human reproduction and development are not easy subject to talk about with kids of any age.

It’s an amazing and complex process which leads to the birth of a human being.

And I hope having this easy hands-on lesson will help you to make this topic a little easier to teach to your kids.

What do you think?

Fun Apple Lapbook and Hands-on Unit Study for Multiple Ages

September 18, 2022 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

This fun apple lapbook and hands-on unit study for multiple ages is another one to add to your lineup of lapbooks for the fall season. Don’t forge to look at my apple unit study and lapbook here too.

Besides, studying about apples doesn’t have to be a lapbook just for young children.

When we studied apples the first time, I included my middle and high school kids.

So when deciding what to include in your multiple ages apple lapbook, you can decide if it is one lapbook for multiple ages or one lapbook per child.

Fun Apple Lapbook and Hands-on Unit Study for Multiple Ages

And include a fun field trip like apple picking or do apple activities like baking applesauce, make apple pie or make apple butter.

It makes for such a fun and memorable time.

Add in a few apple books too like Farm Anatomy and Food Anatomy which have a couple of pages on apples to learn from.

Apple Unit Study Ideas

Next, add some topics to make this apple unit come alive for multiple ages.

Look at these ideas for a science apple unit study.

Science about Apples

For ideas on science cover these topics.

Cultivating, Harvesting and Storage of Apples
Is it a Deciduous or Conifer Tree
Important to the Apple Tree label page
Isaac Newton and His Apple
3 Laws of Motion
Life cycle of an apple
Sir Isaac Newton – Father Of Modern Physics Notebooking Page
Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation

History and Geography Apple Themed

Also, include some geography and history ideas.

Learn about Johnny Appleseed and the states he toured.

John Chapman American Pioneer Notebooking Page
John Chapman Orchardist Notebooking Page
Johnny Appleseed Minibook

Too, include some fun language arts.

Language Arts Apple Themed

I have some gorgeous pages for your Prek kids to learn the alphabet on how to make an apple pie
Do acrostic for older kids
Write about Jonny Chapman’s life and contribution as a nurseryman and define what it means to be an American Pioneer.
Understand what it means an Apple a Day Minibook
Read and do copywork for Proverbs 25:11 Quote Minibook

Also, I created some notebooking pages for writing prompts

Signs of Autumn Coloring/Notebooking Pages
Signs of Autumn Textbox Notebooking Page
Spectacular Recycling Process Notebooking Page

Lastly, besides crafts add in learning about apple themed art and artists.

Art about Apples

Here are some art ideas and artists

Apples and Oranges {Paul Cézanne}
Apple Tree {Gustav Klimt}
Portrait of young man with apple or Portrait of Maria della Rovere – {Raphael}
Virgin and Child under an Apple Tree {Lucas Cranach the Elder}

For math ideas, cooking is a great life skill to do here.

In addition, notebook pages can be used by older children.

Notebooking Pages About Apples

In addition, not all kids love lapbooks.

For your older kids, use my free notebooking pages which I include in this one free huge download.

Remember that any worksheet can be turned into a fun minibook printable.

So if you find a worksheet your child wants to include in this apple lapbook or apple unit study, look at how to do it below.

Easily turn any minibook into a treasured keepsake by following the 4 steps above and glue the back of the minibook anywhere on your file folder.

Other Apple Resources

Adding more hands-on ideas will round out your apple unit study and lapbook.

Too, gardening ideas can be added if you make this lapbook more science based.

Lastly, ALL of the above topics have been turned into ONE 48 page download with the following minibooks and notebooking pages.

Cultivating, Harvesting and Storage of Apples Minibooks
An Apple a Day Minibook
Proverbs 25:11 Quote Minibook
Apple Art/Artists W/Pocket
Apple Pie Alphabet Sheets
Deciduous or Conifer Tree minbook
Important to the Apple Tree label
Isaac Newton and His Apple/3 Laws of Motion Minibook
John Chapman American Pioneer Notebooking Page
John Chapman Orchardist Notebooking Page
Johnny Appleseed Minibook
Life Cycle of Apple Tree Minibooks
Sir Isaac Newton – Father Of Modern Physics Notebooking Page
Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation
Signs of Autumn Coloring/Notebooking Pages
Signs of Autumn Textbox Notebooking Page
Spectacular Recycling Process Notebooking Page

Free Apple Lapbook and Notebooking Pages

This free printable is a subscriber freebie.

This is how you get access quickly.

1) Sign up on my list.

2) Grab the freebie now.

3) Last, look for all my emails in your inbox. Glad to have you following me!

Exploring Space and Astronomy Free Unit Study for Multiple Ages

Free Colorful and Beautiful 2023 Printable School Calendar on One Page

September 17, 2022 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today I have the colorful and beautiful 2023 printable school calendar on one page for your homeschool planner.

The 2023 printable calendar one page form today is used for reference purposes.

And the homeschool planning calendars are to be used for tracking your homeschool days and week

The last type of calendar which is the 2 page per month appointment keepers are the two pages per month.

Free Colorful and Beautiful 2023 Printable School Calendar on One Page

They have bigger boxes for writing appointments.

Because the reference calendar today is used for everything in your planner like planning and referencing you’ll want to print a couple of these for your planner.

Homeschool Calendar

I print one or more in the front of my homeschool planner and I print another one or two toward the back.

This allows me to easily put my hand on the calendar.

Other Homeschool Planner Products

Other Planner Tips

Next, look at these other planner tips and resources:

Again because it’s a reference calendar, you want to print several and place it throughout your planner.

How to Get the Free Printable Calendar

This free printable is a subscriber freebie.

That means when you sign up to follow me, you get access to my Exclusive Subscriber’s Only Library and you get this freebie too.

This is how you get access quickly.
► 1) Sign up on my list.
► 2) Go to your inbox and confirm your email from the automatic reply I sent you.
►3) Look for the automatic reply giving you the password to the private subscriber’s area. You should have it soon.

Apples Unit How to Make a Fall Kids Garland Apple Craft

September 16, 2022 | 1 Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

If you’re doing an apples unit, your kids will love making this fall garland craft. Add this hands-on craft to my fall unit apple study for a study for multiple ages.

Bring some nature into your learning space or for home decor while your child works on fine motor skills.

Too for an apple unit your child can work on artistic expression and just have fun learning about apples and all of fall’s wonderful aromas.

Apples, cinnamon, and pinecones are some of the warmest and coziest symbols of fall.

They make you immediately think of cooler temperatures, crunchy leaves, and nature walks.

The natures colors are a perfect way to usher in fall.

Apples Unit How to Make a Fall Kids Garland Apple Craft

Incorporate the fall garland apple craft into a simple fall unit study or create it as a stand-alone fall craft with your kids.

Middle schoolers will easily be able to do the entire craft on their own.

Younger kids will need a bit more help with the oven, knife, and hot glue gun.

Add other fall items like leaves, acorns, twigs, or similar items from your fall nature walks if you like.

12 Things to Make From Apples

While making your fall garland apple craft, talk about all the various things that you can make from apples.

Here are 12 things to make from apples. You can easily stretch this unit study to a full cooking unit.

Apple cider vinegar
Apple pie
Apple dumplings
Candied apples
Dried apple rings
Apple crisp
Apple turnovers
Apple Sauce
Apple Butter
Apple juice
Apple cider
Apple muffins

Expand learning by having a taste test and try as many of the above apple forms as you can.

Have your child rate the flavor of each one, take a poll of the family, friends, and neighbors to see what is their favorite apple treat.

Then, create an apple graph for a bit of math.

Also use both Farm Anatomy and Nature Anatomy have a couple of pages on apples and make great books to keep in your home library for many topics.

They are known for their pretty illustrations and fantastic information on a wide variety of themes within a topic.

How to Make a Fall Garland

Next, make a fun fall garland. Here are some supplies:

Apples. Gala and Granny Smiths are a favorite for baking.
Pinecones. If you aren’t able to harvest them locally you can get a bag at the craft store.
Unfinished wood beads.
Cinnamon Sticks- in the grocery or seasonal aisle at craft stores.
Twine.
Lemon juice.
Salt.

Even using some fall colorful wooden beads would be pretty to add to it.

First, dry your apples.

Preheat your oven to 200℉.

First, you are going to want to slice your apples.

Instead of cutting them horizontally across the apple the way we did in our dried apple slice recipe we are going to cut these vertically down through the top.

Start on either side of the stem so you get a good cross section view.

Fill a bowl with cold water, add 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of table salt.

And soak your slices for 10 minutes.

Lay the apple slices on a metal rack then place it on a baking sheet.

Bake for 2-4 hours or longer until completely dried.

Once your apples are dried you can begin to create a pattern on your twine.

Decide how long you want it to be.

Place your first piece all the way to the end of this length by sliding it over the twine through a hole, hot glue in place, or tie a knot around it.

Continue the pattern all the way to the end until your garland is as long as you like it to be.

Other Fall and Apple Unit Study Crafts

Then, add some more fun fall and apple unit study crafts.

What do you think? Add a few of them to your learning area and you’ll have the smell of fall year long.

Tina Robertson

What is a Learning Styles

Day 15: Discovering Learning Styles

New to Homeschooling Start with the Basics

Days 1 – 7 of the 31 day Free Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers

Days 8-14 of the 31 day Free Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers

How a Baby Grows Resources

Human Body Crafts

Reproduction Female Study of Anatomy

Other Anatomy and Human Body Resources

Apple Unit Study Ideas

Science about Apples

History and Geography Apple Themed

Language Arts Apple Themed

Art about Apples

Notebooking Pages About Apples

Other Apple Resources

Free Apple Lapbook and Notebooking Pages

Homeschool Calendar

Other Homeschool Planner Products

Glam It Up Package

2. Ultimate DIY Homeschool Unit Study Planner

Editable Homeschool Lesson Planning Pages – Mink Over You

Editable Weekly General Planning Page

Dynamic and Fun Human Body Lapbook for Multiple Ages

Doodle Coloring Curriculum Planner Cover

Sunkissed Curriculum Planner Cover

0. Westward Expansion History Fun 10 Coloring Pages

00. Ancient Civilization History 20 Coloring Pages

1. The Best Undated Dynamic Daily Homeschool Planner

Awesome Reading Aloud Tracking Time Homeschool Form

Editable Front Cover – Coral Inklings

Other Planner Tips

How to Get the Free Printable Calendar

This free printable is a subscriber freebie.

12 Things to Make From Apples

How to Make a Fall Garland

Other Fall and Apple Unit Study Crafts

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