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Tina Robertson

Day 2: Homeschool Roots Matter and New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Homeschool roots matter because without knowing roots, you can’t appreciate how precious your choice is. So in Day 2. of the 31 Day Free Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers savor the homeschool lifestyle by understanding how it got started.

For instance, I did a unit study with my children on the American Civil War or as my grandmother called it The War Between the States,

I added in lesson plans on our family genealogy during the Civil War because we had a family member who fought in the war.

Day 2 Homeschool Roots Matter Free 31 Day Free Boot Camp for New Homeschool Educators at Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus
Civil War Overview Lapbook
Civil War Lapbook

Looking at the war through the eyes of past family members heightened the feelings of my children for the sensitive issues on both sides of the war.

Homeschooling is no different.

Understanding the history and struggle of pioneer homeschoolers builds appreciation for the depth and value of teaching your children at home.

New to Homeschool

Taking time to understand your homeschool roots and heritage gives your journey meaning and richness beyond focusing just on a new math or history program.

When the time comes for struggling, you can take heart that thousands and thousands of homeschoolers have gone before you.

They not only pioneered the way, but in the process homeschooled, nurtured and cared for their family.

You too can do this by taking time to look at some of these homeschooling pioneers, past, and present.

Do you know these homeschool pioneers?

{From left to right, Dr. Ruth Beechick, Dr. Raymond S. Moore, standing: Charlotte Mason, John Holt, Mary Pride.}

JOHN HOLT

One name written large in the history of homeschooling is that of author, relentless education reformer, and respected social critic, John Caldwell Holt.

Certainly, a pioneer in the homeschooling world, he is the author of Growing Without Schooling started in 1977.

It is no longer in print, but several of his articles can be found on-line and are worth poring over for encouragement. But also check out any books he wrote that you can.

Look at this link to grab some homeschooling roots and immerse yourself into the thinking of the past.

Click here to read Growing Without Schooling Resources.

CHARLOTTE MASON/CHARLOTTE MASON APPROACH

An 18th century British educator and a popular method of education that a lot of homeschoolers follow. She believed that education is “an atmosphere, a discipline, and a life.”

Some of her methods include narration, use of living books, short lessons and nature studies.

Click here to read Simple Charlotte Mason

New Homeschooler

DR. RUTH BEECHICK

Dr. Ruth Beechick was a former teacher, professor, and curriculum developer. A respected pioneer in the homeschooling world and now retired.

She writes for homeschoolers whom she sees as the greatest hope for the future of our society.

There are too many excellent books and curriculum to list here. You will want to add most of her books to your homeschool library.

MARY PRIDE

Because there were not many books in the 80’s on homeschooling, Mary Pride’s work is considered pioneering.

She is also considered a curriculum guru in the homeschooling world. Founder of Practical Homeschooling magazine, her books are still considered some of the very most informative. In addition to a long list of books she wrote on homeschooling, we have to mention she did all this with nine children.

RAYMOND MOORE

Often referred to as the “Grandfather of Homeschooling”, he authored Better Late than Early.

The Moore formula of homeschooling can be summed up as follows; high success comes when you pay attention to the individual needs of the student, follow their interest and allow them to mature at their own rate.

This is NOT a complete list by any means of pioneers or those that paved the way. 

Look at the National Home Education Research Institute Left, Right, and Online: A Historic View of Homeschooling.

By avoiding the “I’ll-give-homeschool-a-year ” attitude you are on the road to understanding that homeschooling is so much more than choosing curriculum or taking it for a test run.

Day 2 Homeschool Roots Matter Free 31 Day Free Boot Camp for New Homeschool Educators at Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

It is a lifestyle change and it takes longer than a year to adjust to any major change in your life.

Absorb the gems and pearls of thoughts from the minds of the past and the present and be determined to stay the course by watering your homeschool roots.

Other Resources for New Homeschoolers:

Day 2 Homeschool Roots Matter. 31 Days of New Bee Homeschooler Blog Boot Camp
Day 2: Homeschool Roots Matter {31 Day Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers}

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Geronimo Stilton The Curse of The Cheese Pyramid Barbie Mummy

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Geronimo Stilton The Curse of The Cheese Pyramid is another fun book in the series of Geronimo Stilton books. It is the second book in the series.

Elementary students will love taking their favorite Geronimo Stilton book and turning it into a mini unit study with a few hands-on activities.

The Curse of the Cheese Pyramid is another adventure for Geronimo Stilton. He is off to Egypt to the Great Cheese Pyramid.

Geronimo Stilton The Curse of The Cheese Pyramid Barbie Mummy

So, this hands-on activity I am sharing with you today, mummifying a Barbie gives kids a little bit more understanding of the mummification process.

And you can easily tie in science and history perfectly with the fun book The Curse of the Cheese Pyramid. Matter of fact most of the books highlight some kind of geography or history.

Even if your kids are older like middle or high school the same activity can be altered to make it a bit more challenging so that the whole family can join in.

Books Of Geronimo Stilton

If you don’t know about Geronimo Stilton books let me give you a quick little overview. The fun series is aimed at early readers or ages 7 to 10 years old

And they follow the many and varied adventures of Geronimo Stilton editor and publisher at The Rodent’s Gazette.

Too, they read similar to a graphic novel.

For instance, the words are highlighted in different fonts, sizes, and colors. The series make it an engaging read for kids.

They are silly and outlandish which makes it especially great for reluctant readers.

Geronimo Stilton The Curse of The Cheese Pyramid Barbie Mummy

Another point about the different fonts and colors of words are that some are for emphasis.

However, quite a few make great lessons for vocabulary, spelling words, and introduction to the eight parts of speech.

So be sure to make note of the words for several chapters.

And have your child look up the words and make flashcards to round out this mini lesson.

Geronimo Stilton The Curse of The Cheese Pyramid Barbie Mummy

You certainly can use this fun book as a spine for language arts. Too, you can use this spine as independent reading or for a read aloud.

Ancient Egypt Mummifying a Barbie Craft

However, one of the best parts of each book is that you can add hands-on activity as Stilton is always on a globe-trotting adventure.

Today, since Stilton is off to Egypt, we learned about mummies in Ancient Egypt

Look at this short list of supplies to make a Barbie mummy.

  • A Barbie or similar doll (we grabbed a cheap one from Dollar Tree)
  • Gauze
  • Cooking oil
  • Salt (we used Epsom since we had that)
  • large dish big enough for the body to lay in
  • Essential oils
  • Scissors and construction paper

First, we made a death mask from construction paper and laid it aside.

Your kids can get elaborate with this part or keep it simple.

Then we made simple canopic jars by drawing them on paper.

Geronimo Stilton The Curse of The Cheese Pyramid Barbie Mummy

After drawing the jars, we cut them out and taped them into a tube shape. 

Geronimo Stilton The Curse of The Cheese Pyramid Barbie Mummy

A quick google search will show you what each of the four gods, Hapy, Imsety, Duamutef and Qebhsenef looked like and which housed which organs.

We also used our TOOB Organs to examine the organs closely,

Then, we laid them out and talked about each function as the kids pretended to extract the organ and place it in the canopic jars.

Barbie Mummy

Next, this portion of the activity can be done or finished while you read aloud.

Have your child finish the death mask. And let your child draw them with whatever art medium they choose. We used markers.

First, the brain was pulled out through the nose, but considered unimportant in ancient Egyptian times, it was just tossed out. 

Then, the stomach, intestines, lungs, and liver were extracted and placed in the correct jar.

The heart stayed in place in the body. Use tweezers for this part and let them pretend they are extracting each part.

Geronimo Stilton The Curse of The Cheese Pyramid Barbie Mummy

Next, Egyptians would cover the body in salt to remove all moisture, this would take weeks but for the sake of time we waited just a few minutes.

We used Epsom salt as we had a ton on hand already.

And then we placed our prepared body in a large tupperware container and covered it in salt as well as we could.

Geronimo Stilton The Curse of The Cheese Pyramid Barbie Mummy

Finally, the body would be anointed with oils and wrapped,.

If you have some on hand add essential oils to a little bit of cooking oil to add to the sensory experience, pour over the entire body. 

We tightly wrapped our Barbie head to toe and then affixed her death mask with a bit of tape.

Geronimo Stilton The Curse of The Cheese Pyramid Barbie Mummy

Obviously, you know your child best and can include the parts that you would choose and gloss over those that might be too much for a younger child.

For example, for older children you can add ideas like labeling the organs, give them spelling and vocabulary words like sarcophagus, hieroglyphic, and etc.

Too, you can extend the lesson by having them give a presentation in front of the whole family on the mummification process.

Geronimo Stilton The Curse of The Cheese Pyramid covers everything from mummies to pyramids as well as mentions of camels, pharaohs, and the eye of RA, giving you a large base for a unit study.

I can’t wait to dig in a little deeper and share more hands on activities with you! What do you think? Are you going to add this to your list of hands-on activities?

Geronimo Stilton The Curse of The Cheese Pyramid Barbie Mummy

Other Resources You’ll Love

Super Easy and Fun Aquarium Jar Craft For Summer Activities for Middle Schoolers

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Your kids will love this fun aquarium jar craft for summer activities for middle schoolers. Whether you’re diving into a study about the oceans or doing a shark unit study, hands-on activities are the way to go. Also, look at my page homeschool middle school for more fun tips.

Either use an upcycled jar or a mason jar from Dollar Tree. This easy aquarium craft for summer activities for middle schoolers is a multisensory approach to learning.

Not all middle schoolers are at the same level of maturity, so a hands-on approach is effective at getting information in.

Super Easy and Fun Aquarium Jar Craft For Summer Activities for Middle Schoolers

In addition, no matter how easy of a project, it can help the information stay in little growing brains.

When we study a particular topic I like to include as many hands-on activities as possible and they range from super simple to more involved.

In addition, with shark week looming I started brainstorming fun and easy ways to learn about sharks and other ocean creatures in a unique way. 

Besides, this is easy enough to make for a fun summer activity or to use for a homeschool summer co-op.

Craft For Summer Activities for Middle Schoolers

First, I gathered up some of our favorite books to fit the theme.

We really enjoy the illustrations and the way the information is provided in simple little nuggets.

Next, before introducing the mini aquarium jar craft learn a few facts about the ocean.

For example, start with the fact that the ocean is a vast and mostly unexplored part of our Earth.

And it is filled with many beautiful and at the same time frightening creatures.

Super Easy and Fun Aquarium Jar Craft For Summer Activities for Middle Schoolers

Encourage your child to be a marine biologist if just for the day.

Learn about a couple of creatures, their habits, feeding, characteristics, and what part they play in the oceans ecosystem.

Ocean Craft for Tweens

Have your middle schooler go through your ocean themed books. And the pile of plastic ocean animals. Choose just two to learn about. Here are the easy stipulations.

First, the animal had to fit in the small plastic mason jar from the Dollar Tree.

Second, the animal has to be one that your child is interested in learning about . This way he can research and learn about the animal for the rest of the assignment.

Although you may school year round, you can use assignments like this in summer to keep writing to a a minimal while sneaking in some learning through summer crafts.

Next, look at this easy list of supplies.

Super Easy and Fun Aquarium Jar Craft For Summer Activities for Middle Schoolers
  • A smooth upcycled jar or plastic mason jar from Dollar Tree
  • Gravel or sand
  • Plastic ocean animals
  • A Hot glue gun
  • Distilled water
  • Essential oil or hand sanitizer   

How to Make a Simple Jar Aquarium Ocean Craft

Begin by using a smooth upcycled jar or mason jar from Dollar Tree.

Sometimes the empty name brand jars have a good amount of writing and raised designs.

However, jars like spaghetti and pickle jars are good choices. Once you soak the label off they are usually smooth.

I pick up a couple of these plastic mason jars from Dollar Tree every so often because they are great for not only storage but also crafts.

Super Easy and Fun Aquarium Jar Craft For Summer Activities for Middle Schoolers

Start by putting hot glue on the bottom of a piece of coral or plastic aquarium plant.

Press into the bottom of the jar. 

And if you don’t have one in your plastic animals you can easily make some with craft foam.

They will stand upright and hold up to being soaked in water.

Next, add a layer of gravel or sand, just a bit to cover the bottom.

Super Easy and Fun Aquarium Jar Craft For Summer Activities for Middle Schoolers

Next hot glue some of the animals in place.

We didn’t want our animals floating upside down or all piled up on the bottom.

And the glue shows very little through the jar.

We chose a giant squid and whale shark

Add just a tiny bit of hot glue and press them into place.

Super Easy and Fun Aquarium Jar Craft For Summer Activities for Middle Schoolers

Once glue is cooled and hardened slowly add distilled water to ⅛” from the top of the jar.

You can add a bit of blue food coloring if you like too.

But previously we found that it made it too cloudy to see well.

Super Easy and Fun Aquarium Jar Craft For Summer Activities for Middle Schoolers

Additionally to keep the water from going bad you can add a couple drops of antibacterial essential oil . Hand sanitizer works as well.

Super Easy and Fun Aquarium Jar Craft For Summer Activities for Middle Schoolers

Add a bit of hot glue to the threads on the lid, Then, screw into place to keep it from leaking.

Finally, you can add quite a bit to this activity by watching a documentary.

Watch a document while your child puts the jar aquarium together

Too, create the mini aquarium during read aloud time with an ocean themed book keeps wiggly learners interest.

A few more ideas to make this fun are to use chalk pastels. Sketch your chosen animals for a fresh art piece.

Chalk pastels are more intriguing than everyday crayons. Also, have your child create a large model of their animal with paper mache.

What ocean crafts do you like doing during summer with your middle schoolers?

Other Ocean Crafts for Middle Schoolers

How Homeschool Learning Styles Helps You to Accept Each Child’s Differences

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

When I first heard about homeschool learning styles was when my first child was 5 years old. I wanted all the Homeschool Learning Styles tips I could get.

And 20+ years later there is still mixed science about how much difference learning styles really makes.

Today, I’m sharing how understanding homeschool learning styles of not only my children, but myself was a positive experience.

How Homeschool Learning Styles Helps You to Accept Each Child's Differences

Besides, the brain is such a fascinating machine and there is much to know about we learn.

Nobody can really be labeled with one hundred percent accuracy. We’re always learning and changing.

So, I will share how learning styles helped me to accept differences in my children.

And now that my children are young adults, I’m glad I trusted what I know about my children and educated myself about learning styles.

Further, I will help you to sort out terms because it’s not necessary to speak educationalese to have a starting place.

MORE HOMESCHOOL LEARNING STYLES TIPS

Homeschool Style

First, this is the biggest point that helped me to understand learning styles.

And that is to move away from what a lot of educational institutions as well as universities identify as learning styles.

Without making this overly technical, a lot of professionals will write and speak about modalities.

It simply means how children or adults prefer to take in information.

Then, scientist and researchers have classified learners into kinesthetic (hands-on learner), auditory or visual.

How Homeschool Learning Styles Helps You to Accept Each Child's Differences

Also, some of that long standing research has changed to include one more group which is reading/writing. It is called the VARK model.

It stands for Visual, Auditory, Reading/ Writing, and Kinesthetic modalities for learning by (Fleming and Mills, 1992). 

However, the three major ones focused on for years are visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. As you can see right away this may or may not be helpful.

Because I was not a public-school educator prior to homeschooling, it was not helpful.

Beginning Point for Types of Homeschool Styles

Hence expanding on how these learning modalities help us teach at home is more important than understanding all the scientific in/outs.

So, instead of focusing on just the components of modalities, focus on your child’s learning personality. What is his learning personality?
This expanded view opened a whole another view of how to teach.
Switch from just learning style to learning personality. Again, this encompasses all the things that make your child unique.

In other words, look below on how I expanded the profile of each of my children to go beyond modality.

  • What is his interest?
  • Is he an introvert or extrovert?
  • Does he naturally flock toward others or prefer long periods alone?
  • Are interests nature based (not because you expose them to him), technologically oriented, or just prefers to read a book about all of it?
  • Does he prefer to just build instead of talk about it?
  • Is he competitive almost defiant?
  • How about inventing? Is that all that matters? His inventions?

These are a few of the questions I started asking myself about each of my children. I added these to their preferred way of taking in information or learning style.

In addition, I examined how I learned and taught my children. With my first child, I had no problem teaching him.

However, my second son came along and all that changed.

I wasn’t sure I was cut out to teach him because none of my tips with my first child seemed to work with him.

Then started my research to learn how to expand learning styles to learning personalities.

One of the best books to this day although it’s older is Discover Your Child’s Learning Style: Children Learn in Unique Ways – Here’s the Key to Every Child’s Learning Success.

Identifying Your Homeschooled Child’s Learning Personality

Finally, after years of putting the pieces together, I have created an online self-paced course on how to identify your homeschool child’s learning personality.

This course will give you solid beginning points and look what you will learn.

YOU WILL LEARN:

  • How to understand the way your child prefers to learn so that you can teach him in a way that he enjoys learning;
  • How to pinpoint your child’s learning personality;
  • A starting point in understanding (barring any special learning challenges or disabilities) and accepting your child’s preferred way of taking in information;
  • Understanding when the learning personality emerges; and
  • Teaching tips for each learning personality to stop the head-butting.
How Homeschool Learning Styles Helps You to Accept Each Child's Differences

And look at these other resources about learning styles

How to Plan Your First Homeschool Year When You Don’t Know How To Start

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I’m sharing 4 tried and true ways how to plan your first homeschool year when you don’t know how to start. And having the right homeschool planner for your first-year matters.

You’ve left traditional school and your planning should now reflect your new homeschool life you’ve adopted.

However, your first year of homeschooling can be daunting for many reasons.

At the top of the list of concerns are how to find curriculum and how to plan.

How to Plan Your First Homeschool Year When You Don't Know How To Start

Also, knowing what is important now to plan your new homeschool year and what can wait matters.

In addition, you’ll want to make changes throughout your first year.

Why? Now that you’re 1:1 tutoring you will have an excellent grasp on what your children truly know and don’t know.

Homeschool Planning

First, this is the BEST piece of advice although some do not want to hear it.

How to Plan Your First Homeschool Year When You Don't Know How To Start

Do not buy curriculum – yet.

Not only do I want you to have an incredible start, but want to help you save hundreds if not thousands of dollars too.

So before you can choose curriculum, you need to understand where to find it and how to choose it.

The point I’m making is that it’s just as important to know what not to do.

So, don’t let doubts, fears, and misconceptions keep you from making your first homeschool year memorable for the right reasons.

Too, it will take time to not only learn where homeschoolers hang out at, but to understand the new lingo.

After you grab the lingo to understand terms in the homeschool world, look at these 4 best ways to begin your year.

4 BEST Ways to Plan Your First Homeschool Year

First, know your local law, but also know how to meet it.

It’s one thing to read it but quite another thing to homeschool with the nuts and bolts of it each day.

Too, some homeschool laws are very relaxed and a first-time homeschooler may want more details.

However, know that with relaxed laws comes much homeschool freedom.

1. Know Your Local Law AND How to Meet It.

On the other hand, some states have very strict laws. Again, be familiar first with your local state law.

You can find out your state law in two ways;

  1. Find your state’s laws on this page with HSLDA and/or
  2. ask me right here or email me at tinahomeschools at gmail dot com. I’ve helped HUNDREDS get on the road to homeschooling and stay on it. I can help you too.

Next, it won’t take long to understand what is deschooling.

I know you’re eager to get started, but taking just a few days to make your foundation strong will benefit you your whole journey.

How to Plan Your First Homeschool Year When You Don't Know How To Start

Not only do I have a wonderful video for you, but I have this post

2. Don’t Set Up Your Home Like a Public School Classroom. Deschool Next.

Taking your kids out of public school one day and begin homeschooling the next day is a common rookie mistake.

At this point, take time to change to a relaxed mindset and clearly understand how a homeschool method is VERY different from a traditional public school approach.

If you don’t want to repeat the same mistakes at home that weren’t working in public school, you need to know how to deschool.

Thereafter, you want to move quickly to understand how homeschool curriculum is organized.

3. Save yourself HUNDREDS of dollars by knowing how curriculum is organized in the homeschool world.

Having a basic grasp of the top 5 approaches, new homeschoolers can conquer overwhelm and tame the curriculum beast.

And my post Top 5 Homeschool Approaches New Homeschoolers Need to Know will help you get started.

Also, look at my online self-paced course Teaching the Stages of Homeschool. You’ll learn From PreK to High School, Learn at a Bird’s-Eye View of What Subjects to Teach & When to Teach Them

Finally, the best way to begin with choosing curriculum is to begin with free to inexpensive curriculum.

4. Begin teaching your children with inexpensive curriculum until you know how your children learn best.

As I mentioned the outset, you’ll have a better pulse on how your children learn best, but until you tutor you don’t know their strengths and weaknesses.

Also, I have my first time homeschooler kickstarter course.

Moreover, here are more posts t0 help you.

How to Plan Your First Homeschool Year When You Don't Know How To Start

Resources in How to Plan Your First Homeschool Year