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Welcome

School Year 2024-2025 Homeschool Planning Schedule Seafoam Color Beautiful Form

December 30, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today I have the second color choice for the 2024 to 2025 homeschool planning schedule for your homeschool planner ready.

Besides, my homeschool planning schedule allows you to plan your year whether you homeschool year-round or not.

As you can see the planning schedule begins July 2024 and ends June 2025.

School Year 2024-2025 Homeschool Planning Schedule Seafoam Color Beautiful Form

In addition, even if you started in August or September, you can use the schedule because it is twelve months.

Remember, I create both academic and physical year calendars.

Although the homeschool planning schedule calendars may seem similar to plain calendars, let me assure you they are not.

Three Different Homeschool Calendars

And I create three different types of calendars each year.

The three different types of calendars I prepare each year are.

  1. Regular calendar for reference. I normally put two or three in my planner.
  2. A planning schedule like I have today which I create both an academic and physical year.
  3. Then the two page per month calendar for tracking appointments.

Also, you need at least one of each type of calendar in your homeschool planner.

School Year 2024-2025 Homeschool Planning Schedule Seafoam Color Beautiful Form

However, you want to know best how to use it.

Homeschool Planning Schedule

Here are some features and sections it has.

  • First, 12 months on one page so if you school year round, you can still track;
  • is a calendar where highlight weeks you plan to homeschool and mark out weeks you take off;
  • is used to track each day and total weeks by writing down; and

Next, it has a comprehensive key box at the bottom of the form for you to note things like first day of school, holidays, quarters, and goals for days and weeks to homeschool.

Look at my samples below in how to use the planning calendar.

School Year 2024-2025 Homeschool Planning Schedule Seafoam Color Beautiful Form

Look at these other homeschool planner products that I know you’ll love!

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More Homeschool Planning Resources

Look at the free forms for each STEP. Be sure to go to each link to get the free printables offered at each step.

  • STEP 1. Choose a Pretty Front & Back Cover.
  • 2. Choose Calendars & Appointment Keepers
  • 3.  Choose Goals & Objectives
  • 4. Choose Lesson Planning Pages Right For YOU!
  • 5a. Choose Unique forms JUST for You!
  • 5b. Choose More Unique Forms
  • 2024 New Year Homeschool Goals FREE Printable (Get it Together Girl)
  • School Year 2024-2025 Homeschool Planning Schedule Sky Color Beautiful Form
  • Beautiful and Colorful Physical Year 2024 Two Page Monthly Calendar
  • Free Pre-Homeschool Year Planning Checklist For Your Homeschool Planner
  • 31 Popular and Free Homeschool Planner Printables
  • 32 Free Beautiful Homeschool Planner Cover Pages
  • Homeschool Planner Supplies – Organizational Eye Candy
  • 4 Colorful and Editable Homeschool Lesson Plan Templates
  • Homeschool Planner Stickers
  • 3 Free High School Planner Cover Designs
  • 5 Beautiful and Detailed Planners for Homeschool Moms
  • More Reasons a Paper Planner Is Better Than a Homeschool Online Planner
  • The Ultimate and Beautiful DIY Homeschool Unit Study Planner
  • Gorgeous 7 Step Free Homeschool Planner You Build
  • 6 Ways a Homeschool Daily Planner Beats a Weekly Planner
  • A Unique Flexible and Beautiful Preschool Homeschool Planner
  • 4 PRE-Homeschool Year Planning Pages (and tips to use them)
  • How to Create A Homeschool Lesson Plan in 7 Easy Steps
School Year 2024-2025 Homeschool Planning Schedule Seafoam Color Beautiful Form

How to Get the Free 2024 to 2025 Homeschool Planning Schedule in Seafoam Color

Now, how to grab the free printable. It’s a subscriber freebie.

When you sign up to follow me, you get access to this freebie.

► 1) Sign up on my email list to follow me and get this freebie and many others.
► 2) Grab the printable.
►3) Last, look for my emails in your inbox as a follower. Glad to have you.

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Homeschool Planner Tagged With: curriculum planner, curriculum planner. homeschool., homeschool curriculum planner, homeschool planner, homeschool planning, homeschoolplanner, lesson planner, planner, planning

11 Best Science Fiction Books For Middle Schoolers

December 29, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Are you looking for the best science fiction books for middle schoolers? Also, you’ll love my pages How to Successfully Homeschool Middle School and Science Fiction for Middle School Fun Jurassic Park Quick Unit Study (DIY Insect in Amber) to round out your day.

Science fiction books encourage reading and are also great options for reading aloud.

Too, they are great for encouraging imagination and curiosity in the reader.

11 Best Science Fiction Books For Middle Schoolers

It also opens the door for discussions on the benefits and drawbacks of futuristic ideals of society, technology, and sciences.

Besides that, it is just fun sometimes to step away from reality and wonder what if in the form of an entertaining story.

What exactly is the difference between science fiction and fantasy?

Simply put, science fiction is based on reality. It has exaggerations and possibilities of what could be and is set in futuristic times.

Living in space, time travel, and dystopian societies are often the main plot and settings of Science Fiction

Fantasy is rooted in the impossible but fantastic possibilities.

And is often based on an equivalent time in past human history.

More Middle School Resources

  • Free Middle School Science Curriculum and Magazines
  • 11 Best Science Fiction Books For Middle Schoolers
  • How to Choose the BEST Homeschool Middle and High School Language Arts Curriculum & Options
  • 10 Best Science Movies for Middle School
  • The Best Eighth Grade Homeschool Curriculum | Tips and Recommendations

If you have a middle schooler who loves fantasy or a reluctant reader who might be drawn into reading fantasy, I have a list with a variety of classic and newer science fiction books to choose from.

11 Best Science Fiction Books For Middle Schoolers

Besides January 1st is National Science Fiction Day.

So, I thought it was a great time to share my top 11 best science fiction books for middle schoolers.

Common Sense Media is a great place for you to check reviews and get a little more detail on the themes and language in books; choose for yourself what is appropriate and what is not for your family.

SCIENCE FICTION CRAFTS

  • How to Make a Time Travel Craft Inspired by The Time Machine Book

Best Science Fiction Books For Middle Schoolers

11 Science Fiction Books for Middle School

Your kids will love reading one or two of these science fiction books or them to add to your unit study.

Image for The Wild Robot (Volume 1)

The Wild Robot (Volume 1)

This newer addition to sci-fi is an absolute delight and is part of a series of 3 books following robot Roz as she navigates her accidental life on a wild remote island. We adored this first selection as a read-aloud. 

Image for The War of the Worlds

The War of the Worlds

So begins The War of the Worlds, the science fiction classic that first proposed the possibility of intelligent life on other planets and has enthralled readers for generations. This compelling tale describes the Martian invasion of earth. When huge, tireless creatures land in England, complete chaos erupts. Using their fiery heat rays and crushing strength, the aliens just may succeed in silencing all opposition. Is life on earth doomed? Will mankind survive? A timeless view of a universe turned upside down, The War of the Worlds is an ingenious and imaginative look into the possibilities of the future and the secrets yet to be revealed.

Image for Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: Force Collector

Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: Force Collector

This is probably one of the best book versions of Star Wars ( in the opinion of a teen fan) but it is not based on familiar characters in the Star Wars universe rather it is a new storyline and new characters in familiar locations. This is a stand-alone story with no sequels as of now

Image for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: The Illustrated Edition

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: The Illustrated Edition

It’s an ordinary Thursday morning for Arthur Dent . . . until his house gets demolished. The Earth follows shortly after to make way for a new hyperspace express route, and Arthur’s best friend has just announced that he’s an alien.After that, things get much, much worse.With just a towel, a small yellow fish, and a book, Arthur has to navigate through a very hostile universe in the company of a gang of unreliable aliens. Luckily the fish is quite good at languages. And the book is The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy . . . which helpfully has the words DON’T PANIC inscribed in large, friendly letters on its cover.Douglas Adams’s mega-selling pop-culture classic sends logic into orbit, plays havoc with both time and physics, offers up pithy commentary on such things as ballpoint pens, potted plants, and digital watches . . . and, most important, reveals the ultimate answer to life, the universe, and everything.

Image for The Time Machine

The Time Machine

Embark on an extraordinary time-travel adventure with H.G. Wells. Explore fascinating future worlds and dystopian societies. Witness the implications of human evolution and societal decay. Engage with thought-provoking questions about the nature of humanity. Experience the brilliance of H.G. Wells’ visionary storytelling.

Image for The City of Ember Deluxe Edition: The First Book of Ember

The City of Ember Deluxe Edition: The First Book of Ember

The city of Ember was built as a last refuge for the human race. After two hundred years the great lamps that lights the city are beginning to flicker, and two friends fight together to save the city in this first of 4 in the series. It is listed as recommended for grades 3-7 but it really is an enjoyable story for even older grades.

Image for Last Day on Mars (Chronicle of the Dark Star, 1)

Last Day on Mars (Chronicle of the Dark Star, 1)

This part 1 of a 3-part series has stunning visual imagery and impossible situations like life on the red planet, when even that is threatened the few humans left must travel to yet another home on a distant star unlocking mysteries about time and space,

Image for Ender's Game (The Ender Saga, 1)

Ender's Game (The Ender Saga, 1)

This is the first of Orson Scott Card's Cards Ender's Saga, to date there are 5 novels and one novella in the Ender series based on the government breeding child geniuses and training them as soldiers against alien attack.

Image for The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games

Even if They have already seen the movies I highly recommend assigning your middle schooler this series. It gives a lot of material for discussions of moral choices, allegiance to your government at all costs, friendships, how a future like this could come to be, and more

Image for Divergent (Divergent Series, 1)

Divergent (Divergent Series, 1)

Similar to Hunger Games this is the first in a 4 part series of a dystopian world where everyone is split up into 5 factions—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent) splitting families and friends and pitting them against one another.

Image for Ready Player One

Ready Player One

If you have a teen who loves gaming and the 80s along with science fiction they are really going to enjoy this one that is set in 204 but filled with pop culture references from that totally awesome decade

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Reading Lists Tagged With: book lists, books, reading, science, science fiction

How to Make a Kid’s Paper Bag Native American Vest

December 28, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

If you want to know how to make a kid’s paper bag Native American vest, you’ll love this fun craft. Also, you’ll love my page Native Americans The Plains Indians Unit Study & Lapbook.

Plains Indians are made up of many tribes.

For example, they are the Arapaho, Assiniboine, Blackfoot, Cheyenne, Comanche, Crow, Gros Ventre, Kiowa, Lakota, Lipan, Plains Apache (or Kiowa Apache).

Also, the Plains Cree, Plains Ojibwe, Sarsi, Nakoda (Stoney), and Tonkawa tribes.

How to Make a Kid's Paper Bag Native American Vest

These tribes made their homes among the grasslands between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains.

Too, they made homes in the modern-day provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan in Canada down through the present-day state of Texas in the United States.

As development and colonies continued to push to the west around the 19th century many plains Indians adopted some of their style of dress, like vests.

But early on vests were made with Native American traditional buckskin and lots of seed beading for decoration.

Before we make a simple paper bag native American vest to wear ourselves, complete with faux beading, learn more.

Let’s learn about the Great Plains Indians and how the detail in their beadwork evolved throughout their history.

Children’s Books about Native Americans

First, you’ll love to add some of these living books to your list to read about Native Americans.

16 Books About Native Americans

You’ll love these books about various Native American tribes and how they lived and their rich history.

Image for The Winter People

The Winter People

Saxso is fourteen when the British attack his village. It’s 1759, and war is raging in the northeast between the British and the French, with the Abenaki people Saxso’s people by their side. Without enough warriors
to defend their homes, Saxso’s village is burned to the ground. Many people are killed, but some, including Saxso’s mother and two sisters, are taken hostage. Now it’s up to Saxso, on his own, to track the raiders and bring his family back home . . . before it’s too late.

Image for In Their Own Words: Sitting Bull

In Their Own Words: Sitting Bull

In Their Own Words: Sitting Bull tells the exciting story of Sitting Bull's life using real drawings, letters, and speeches from him and from his friends and family.A warrior I have been. / Now, it is all over. / A hard time I have.With these words, Sitting Bull surrendered to the U.S. government on July 20, 1881. Sitting Bull spent most of his life trying to protect his people. A proud father and brave warrior, Sitting Bull wanted the Lakota Sioux to continue hunting buffalo and roaming the Plains. Although he lost this battle, Sitting Bull is remembered for his brave actions and notable accomplishments.

Image for Blackfeet Indian Stories

Blackfeet Indian Stories

Here are the great stories of the Blackfeet, recorded by the famous conservationist and ethnologist, George Bird Grinnell, who became a tribal member in 1885. The Nizitapi, or Real People, as they call each other, were people of the buffalo. They originated on the plains of today’s southern Alberta, western Saskatchewan, and central Montana. Famed frontier artist George Catlin called the Blackfeet “the most
powerful tribe of Indians on the continent.” Like many native people, the Blackfeet have stories and legends that originated centuries ago, perhaps thousands of years ago, and were passed down from generation to generation through an oral tradition.

Image for The Double Life of Pocahontas

The Double Life of Pocahontas

In a story that is as gripping as it is historical, Newbery Honor-winning author Jean Fritz reveals the true life of Pocahontas. Though at first permitted to move freely between the Indian and the white worlds, Pocahontas was eventually torn between her new life and the culture that shaped her.

Image for The Buffalo and the Indians: A Shared Destiny

The Buffalo and the Indians: A Shared Destiny

Countless herds of majestic buffalo once roamed across the plains and prairies of North America. For at least 10,000 years, the native people hunted the buffalo and depended upon its meat and hide for their survival. But to the Indians, the buffalo was also considered sacred. They saw this abundant, powerful animal as another tribe, one that was closely related to them, and they treated it with great respect and admiration.

Image for Hidden Roots

Hidden Roots

"Hidden Roots" focuses on the greater impact that the generations of Abenaki that followed had to deal with. Readers will learn about the loss of identity, history and culture;lack ofself worth and fear that Abenaki people were feeling, and still feel today. Middle grade readers love to see life as "being fair", and will totally understand that life is not fair in this story. This is a book that should be read in every middle school class, so that this history will not be forgotten, and never be repeated.

Image for Children of the Longhouse

Children of the Longhouse

When Ohkwa'ri overhears a group of older boys planning a raid on a neighboring village, he immediately tells his Mohawk elders. He has done the right thing—but he has also made enemies. Grabber and his friends will do anything they can to hurt him, especially during the village-wide game of Tekwaarathon (lacrosse). Ohkwa'ri believes in the path of peace, but can peaceful ways work against Grabber's wrath?

Image for Thunder Rolling in the Mountains

Thunder Rolling in the Mountains

Through the eyes of a brave and in­dependent young woman, Scott O'Dell tells of the tragic defeat of the Nez Perce, a classic tale of cruelty, betrayal, and heroism.

This powerful account of the tragic defeat of the Nez Perce Indians in 1877 by the United States Army is narrated by Chief Joseph's strong and brave daughter.

When Sound of Running Feet first sees white settlers on Nez Perce land, she vows to fight them. She'll fight all the people trying to steal her people's land and to force them onto a reservation, includ­ing the soldiers with their guns.

But if to fight means only to die, never win, is the fight worth it? When will the killing stop?

Image for Black Hawk

Black Hawk

Before dying, Pyesa, Black Hawk’s father and chief of his people, commanded his son to defend their land from whites, who were trying to force the tribe off their land. Black Hawk, however, has no taste for killing and scalping and goes through great internal conflict. The story of this great-hearted leader shows how some whites and Native Americans were peaceful and kind, while others were not. Based on true events, this powerful book teaches about a difficult time period and shares profound, unique messages about love, faith, mercy, humility, friendship, forgiveness, and faith. Recommended for ages 13-18/Grade 7-12

Image for Moccasin Trail (Puffin Newbery Library)

Moccasin Trail (Puffin Newbery Library)

Jim Keath has lived for six years as a Crow Indian when he learns that his two younger brothers and a sister are journeying west to take up land. Although Jim finds it difficult to fit in with the family he hasn’t seen since childhood, and though they are wary and distrustful of him, Jim feels his duty is at their side. But slowly, as they survive the dangerous trek west, the perils of frontier life, and the kidnapping of their younger brother, Jim and his family realize that the only way to survive is to accept each other and truly reunite the family.

Image for The Pueblo Indians,: Farmers of the Rio Grande

The Pueblo Indians,: Farmers of the Rio Grande

Young hawk lived over 400 years ago, but the civilization of the pueblo indians, already well advanced before any white settlers came into their land, has changed very little since his day.

Image for Sacajawea

Sacajawea

Captured by her enemies, married to a foreigner, and a mother at age sixteen, Sacajawea lived a life of turmoil and change. Then, in 1804, the mysterious young Shoshone woman met Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. Acting as interpreter, peacemaker, and guide, Sacajawea bravely embarked on an epic journey that altered history forever. Hear her extraordinary story, in the voices of Sacajawea and William Clark in alternating chapters, with selections from Clark’s original diaries.

Image for The Birchbark House (Birchbark House, 1)

The Birchbark House (Birchbark House, 1)

She was named Omakakiins, or Little Frog, because her first step was a hop.

Omakakiins and her family live on an island in Lake Superior. Though there are growing numbers of white people encroaching on their land, life continues much as it always has.

But the satisfying rhythms of their life are shattered when a visitor comes to their lodge one winter night, bringing with him an invisible enemy that will change things forever—but that will eventually lead Omakakiins to discover her calling.

Image for Naya Nuki: Shoshoni Girl Who Ran (Amazing Indian Children Series)

Naya Nuki: Shoshoni Girl Who Ran (Amazing Indian Children Series)

After being taken prisoner by an enemy tribe, a Shoshoni girl escapes and makes a thousand-mile journey through the wilderness to find her own people

Image for Squanto, Friend Of The Pilgrims

Squanto, Friend Of The Pilgrims

Tells of the adventurous life of the Wampanoag Indian,Squanto.

Image for Plains Indians (First Nations of North America)

Plains Indians (First Nations of North America)

This title teaches readers about the first people to live in the Plains region of North America. It discusses their culture, customs, ways of life, interactions with other settlers, and their lives today.

Great Plains Indian Beadwork

Next, learn about some of the beadwork by tribes on the Great Plains.

Plains Indian men typically wore shirts, loincloths, hip leggings, and bison robes.

While the women wore two-piece dresses, leggings, and bison robes.

Moccasins were typical footwear for both men and women.

Beading was very important and early on beadwork consisted of a very simple design using large beads in a couple of colors.

It was most prominent among the Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes.

Great plains Indians lived a nomadic life, which meant that they needed to be able to move the entire village at a moment’s notice.

They would escape enemies and the government as well as follow wild game around.

So they focused on putting their artwork on items that were carried around easily with them- utensils, tipi, and of course on their clothing.

When the Great Plains tribes were conquered by the American Army, during the “reservation period” they no longer lived a nomad life.

And their beadwork became more advanced and detailed.

How to Make a Kid's Paper Bag Native American Vest

Through barter, they acquired steel needles, commercially tanned hides, cotton thread, even looms, and a wider variety of beads which led to the beadwork evolving into more elaborate designs.

Also, look at more Native American activities.

Native American Crafts and Resources

  • How to Make A Spin Drum | 10 Native American Crafts for Kids
  • 13 Easy Native American Crafts for Kids & Make a Cool Arrowhead
  • Daniel Boone Explorer Facts And Make a Fun Birchbark Canoe Craft
  • Native American Activities For Kindergarten Create A Fun Cradleboard Craft
  • Make a simple DIY Moccasins Craft to go along with your vest, wonderful for dramatic play.
  • Native American Crafts for Kindergarten How to Make a Kids Pinch Pot
  • Build a Wigwam with this How to Make a Wigwam Craft for a Fun Native American Unit Study.
  • Grow” your own colorful corn –Geronimo Stilton Field Trip to Niagara Falls Summary And Fun Corn Craft.
  • 100 BEST Hands-on Free Native American Resources
  • National Native American Heritage Day Make a Fun Kids Iroquois Bracelet
  • Texas Native American History Quick Unit Study (Middle School)
  • Plains Indians Free Writing Prompts. For Elementary, Middle and High School Homeschooled Kids
How to Make a Kid's Paper Bag Native American Vest

Finally, look how to make a kid’s paper bag Native American vest.

How to Make a Kid’s Paper Bag Native American Vest

You will need:

  • Paper bag
  • Scissors
  • Craft paint
  • Masking tape
  • Craft paint
  • Paintbrushes
  • Pencil
How to Make a Kid's Paper Bag Native American Vest

First, lay your bag out flat with the folded bottom face down on the work surface.

Use a pencil to draw oversized armholes and a neck hole.

How to Make a Kid's Paper Bag Native American Vest

Cut out the holes you drew through both sides of the bag.

How to Make a Kid's Paper Bag Native American Vest

Cut a straight line up the front of the bag from the bottom to the neck hole.

How to Make a Kid's Paper Bag Native American Vest

Flip the bag over and tape down the fold that is the bottom of the bag if it were opened with a line of masking tape.

How to Make a Kid's Paper Bag Native American Vest

Carefully turn the bag inside out so that the tape is inside. This will give you a smooth unprinted surface to work with on the outside.

Kid’s Paper Bag Native American Vest

Then you want to push the sides of the bag out and cut off the little odd piece that is still left in the armhole on both sides, you can see I cut it off on the left side.

How to Make a Kid's Paper Bag Native American Vest

Reinforce the shoulders by taping a couple of layers of masking tape over them, shoulders usually tear out first as your child puts the vest on and off. 

How to Make a Kid's Paper Bag Native American Vest

With the slit you cut facing you, fold the sides of the vest inward to make it smaller.

You might need to try it on them a few times to get it right. I like to trim off some of the excess and then connect the centers back together with masking tape in a couple of layers to reinforce it.

How to Make a Kid's Paper Bag Native American Vest

Now you can leave the base color as is or give it a wash with a lighter color and then let it dry.

Next, lay out your “beadwork” design with a pencil. Look on Google or in your reference books for examples of Plains Indian beadwork.

How to Make a Kid's Paper Bag Native American Vest

To create a bead look without the weight or expense use a pencil eraser or the end of a paintbrush to create little dot “beads” over your design.

How to Make a Kid's Paper Bag Native American Vest

To make fringe cut a strip of paper bag scrap and make little slits across leaving a small amount uncut, and glue down to the vest.

How to Make a Kid's Paper Bag Native American Vest

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, Native Americans, nativeamerican, nativeamericans

How to Make a Felt Mountain Craft | 7 Andes Mountain Facts For Kids

December 27, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Read up on these Andes Mountain facts for kids while you complete this felt mountain craft that is fun to create and beautiful to display anywhere in the house. Also, you’ll love my Free South America Printable Lapbook and Fun Hands-on Unit Study Ideas.

The Andes Mountains are a massive range that extends throughout a lot of South America and have attracted millions of visitors over the years.

Tourists come to see Machu Picchu, Cotopaxi, La Raya Mountain Range, Lake Titicaca, and Rainbow Mountain.

When searching for an idea for a neat hands-on activity to go along with learning about the Andes Mountains we got caught up in the beautiful stretch of Rainbow Mountain, part of the Andes of Peru.

How to Make a Felt Mountain Craft | 7 Andes Mountain Facts For Kids

Rainbow Mountain is layered with the most colorful ribbons of sediments in turquoise, lavender, gold, red, and more.

It is known as Vinicunca, or Winikunka, and also called Montaña de Siete Colores which means Mountain of seven colors.

So, I wanted to focus our project here on these colorful peaks.

But I have lots of great information, facts, and resources to make your study of the Andes mountain range fun and full of learning.

Books About South America

First, look at some of these books about South America. We gravitate toward living books.

13 Resources for a Study of South America

Add some of these fun books and resources to your study of South America.

Image for South America (Rookie Read-About Geography: Continents)

South America (Rookie Read-About Geography: Continents)

An incredible variety of climates and biomes span the territory of South America. As a result, the continent contains some of the greatest biodiversity on Earth.

Rookie Read-About: Continents series gives the youngest reader (Ages 3-6) an introduction to the components that make each continent distinctive and exceptional. Readers will get to know each continents' geography, history, and wildlife. In this book readers learn about the continent of South America, including the geography, native animals, people and more.

Image for Ancient Civilizations: Aztecs, Maya, Incas!: With 25 Social Studies Projects for Kids (Explore Your World)

Ancient Civilizations: Aztecs, Maya, Incas!: With 25 Social Studies Projects for Kids (Explore Your World)

A full-color, compelling book for ages 7 to 10 offers a deep dive into the three sophisticated ancient civilizations of Mesoamerica―the Aztecs, Maya, and Incas― through hands-on STEAM projects, essential questions, and loads of fascinating facts!

Why were there more than 3,000 steps built at Machu Picchu? Why did the Aztecs roam Mexico for nearly 200 years before finding a place to settle? How did the Maya study the movements of the stars and the planets? Ancient Civilizations: Aztecs, Maya, Incas! With 25 Social Studies Projects for Kids takes kids ages 7 to 10 on a guided tour to experience the history, culture, economics, and daily life of the Aztecs, Maya, and Incas.

Image for Biblioburro: A True Story from Colombia

Biblioburro: A True Story from Colombia

A man, his burros, and his books bring joy to children in remote Colombian villages in this inspiring book based on a true story by celebrated picture book creator Jeanette Winter.Luis loves to read, but soon his house in Colombia is so full of books there’s barely room for the family. What to do? Then he comes up with the perfect solution—a traveling library! He buys two donkeys—Alfa and Beto—and travels with them throughout the land, bringing books and reading to the children in faraway villages.

Image for Secret of the Andes (Puffin Newberry Library)

Secret of the Andes (Puffin Newberry Library)

An Incan boy who tends llamas in a hidden valley in Peru learns the traditions and secrets of his ancestors. 

Image for My Mama's Little Ranch on the Pampas

My Mama's Little Ranch on the Pampas

In the sequel to On the Pampas, the author recalls her first year on the small Argentinian ranch purchased and managed by her mother, in an account that includes a visual dictionary of the Spanish words and geographical terms used in the text.

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Tales from Silver Lands

Atmospheric woodcuts illustrate this Newbery Award–winning collection of 19 South American folktales. Charles J. Finger heard the tales firsthand from native storytellers, whose fables of talking animals, witches, giants, and ordinary people in supernatural settings provide remarkable insights into regional values and culture. The first of the stories, "A Tale of Three Tails," tells of an age when the rat had a tail like a horse, the rabbit had a tail like a cat, and the deer's tail was plumed like the tail of a dog. "The Magic Dog" recounts an act of kindness to a stray animal that helps overcome a witch's curse. In "The Calabash Man," the creatures of the jungle assist a suitor in winning his bride, and in "El Enano," a greedy troll's insatiable appetite leads to his downfall. Packed with adventure and full of surprises, these and other stories emphasize the importance of hard work, courage, and loyalty.

Image for Turn Right at Machu Picchu: Rediscovering the Lost City One Step at a Time

Turn Right at Machu Picchu: Rediscovering the Lost City One Step at a Time

In 1911, Hiram Bingham III climbed into the Andes Mountains of Peru and “discovered” Machu Picchu. While history has recast Bingham as a villain who stole both priceless artifacts and credit for finding the great archeological site, Mark Adams set out to retrace the explorer’s perilous path in search of the truth—except he’d written about adventure far more than he’d actually lived it. In fact, he’d never even slept in a tent.

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Journey to the River Sea

With the memorable characters and plot twists she brings to her best-selling fantasies, acclaimed author Eva Ibbotson has written a hair-raising novel, set in turn-of-the-last-century Brazil.Accompanied by Miss Minton, a fierce-looking, no-nonsense governess, Maia, a young orphan, sets off for the wilderness of the Amazon, expecting curtains of orchids, brightly colored macaws, and a loving family. But what she finds is an evil-tempered aunt and uncle and their spoiled daughters. It is only when she is swept up in a mystery involving a young Indian boy, a homesick child actor, and a missing inheritance that Maia lands in the middle of the Amazon adventure she's dreamed of. Readers of every generation will treasure Ibbotson's lush historical adventure that harkens back to the beloved classics of Frances Hodgson Burnett and Louisa May Alco

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This Place Is Wet

Can you imagine living in a place where there is so much water some houses need to be built on stilts to protect them when the river rises? Or where it is so wet that some plants can grow on the sides of trees with their roots gathering water from the air? In This Place Is Wet, you'll find out all sorts of things about what it's like to live in the rain forest of Brazil. Try to imagine living there!

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Bolivar: American Liberator

It is astonishing that Simón Bolívar, the great Liberator of South America, is not better known in the United States. He freed six countries from Spanish rule, traveled more than 75,000 miles on horseback to do so, and became the greatest figure in Latin American history. His life is epic, heroic, straight out of Hollywood: he fought battle after battle in punishing terrain, forged uncertain coalitions of competing forces and races, lost his beautiful wife soon after they married and never remarried (although he did have a succession of mistresses, including one who held up the revolution and another who saved his life), and he died relatively young, uncertain whether his
achievements would endure.

Image for Ada's Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay

Ada's Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay

Ada Ríos grew up in Cateura, a small town in Paraguay built on a landfill. She dreamed of playing the violin, but with little money for anything but the bare essentials, it was never an option...until a music teacher named Favio Chávez arrived. He wanted to give the children of Cateura something special, so he made them instruments out of materials found in the trash

Image for Mayans Aztecs Incas Coloring Book: Coloring Pages of Ancient Mexico Civilizations for Adults and Teens

Mayans Aztecs Incas Coloring Book: Coloring Pages of Ancient Mexico Civilizations for Adults and Teens

Mayans Aztecs Incas Coloring Book – Fun And Education For Adults and TeensMake the perfect gift for anyone who loves coloring! Enjoy this Mayans Aztecs Incas Coloring Book for Adults and Teens. Click the cover to reveal what’s inside!About this book:

  • 40 original pages drawings of Symbols, Warriors, Masks and Mandalas.
Image for The Inca Empire (A True Book: Ancient Civilizations) (A True Book (Relaunch))

The Inca Empire (A True Book: Ancient Civilizations) (A True Book (Relaunch))

Explore the Inca empire, including how the Incas survived in the mountains, how the empire was built, and why it disappeared.

A True Book: Ancient Civilizations series allows readers to experience what makes each ancient civilization distinctive and exceptional as well look at its influence on the some of the practices of the modern world. This series includes an age appropriate (grades 3-5) introduction to curriculum-relevant subjects and a robust resource section that encourages independent study.

7 Andes Mountain Facts For Kids

  1. The Andes Mountains are the longest mountain chain in the world at 5,530 miles long and stretch through 7 different South American countries- Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina
  2. They were formed due to the tectonic activity between the South American and Nazca plates, simply put it means that two tectonic plates pushed together and one lay above the other, disrupting the Earth’s surface.
  3. The majority of Andean peaks are volcanic with an estimated 150 to 160 active volcanoes along the Andean Volcanic Belt.
  4. Did you know that the Aruba, Curacao, and Bonaire islands in the Caribbean are the peaks of an extensive submerged continuation of the Andes?  In Patagonia, many islands are also part of the mountain chain. 
  5. The Amazon River originates in the Andes mountains at an elevation of 5,598 miles, less than 100 miles from the Pacific Ocean.
  6. The summit of Mount Chimborazo in the Andes is the highest point of elevation on Earth when measured from the Earth’s center.
  7. The Andes are a very biodiverse system, if you were to take a trip through the mountains you might see many of the over 3,700 species of animals that live there, including alpaca, chinchilla, llamas, mountain tapirs, guinea pigs, spectacled bears, and more.
How to Make a Felt Mountain Craft | 7 Andes Mountain Facts For Kids

Next, look at more Andes mountain facts for kids and South America resources.

More Mountain Facts for Kids and South America Activities

  • Try this Torn Paper Mountain Landscape Art Tutorial for another unique mountain project.
  • How To Make A Blue-Footed Booby Bird Craft
  • 7 Facts About the Inca Empire & Make a Fun Incan Ruins Model
  • A good resource can be used for more than one specific theme, Mountain Ranges of the World contains information on mountains and how they are formed as well as artistic views of ranges including the Andes and more
  • 9 Free South America Country Reports for Kids Notebooking Pages
  • Galapagos Islands Animals Fun and Simple Watercolor Flamingo Tutorial

Finally, look how to make a felt mountain craft.

How to Make a Felt Mountain Craft

You will need:

  • Cardboard
  • Colorful craft felt
  • Hot glue, tacky, or school glue
  • Scissors
How to Make a Felt Mountain Craft | 7 Andes Mountain Facts For Kids

First, cut whatever size span of mountains you want from cardboard, corrugated cardboard is nice and sturdy and this is a great upcycle for old Amazon boxes.

How to Make a Felt Mountain Craft | 7 Andes Mountain Facts For Kids

Next, you want to cut a lot of very thin strips, with some size variations out of the colors of felt you have chosen. You could also use yarn if you have that on hand instead.

How to Make a Felt Mountain Craft | 7 Andes Mountain Facts For Kids

“Paint” your cardboard mountains with a thick coat of glue all over. Originally, I was going to use hot glue but it dries quickly.

Plus, I wanted to allow for building time. An older child could hot glue a piece at a time if they want a quicker drying project.

How to Make a Felt Mountain Craft | 7 Andes Mountain Facts For Kids

Begin pressing your strips of felt into v patterns on the mountain.

Starting from the outside or inside, whatever they prefer. Let the excess hang off the sides, you will fix that when it’s dry.

How to Make a Felt Mountain Craft | 7 Andes Mountain Facts For Kids

Continue until your mountain(s) are completely covered.

Allow it to dry overnight and then trim off the excess along the edges of the mountains.

If you are layering mountains instead of making just one you can attach them to one other.

Leave it at that or mount them on a larger piece of felt glued to another piece of cardboard to give it a background.

How to Make a Felt Mountain Craft | 7 Andes Mountain Facts For Kids

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: earth science, earthscience, hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, mountains, south america, The Andes

How to Paint a Cardinal Bird With Kids

December 26, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

This is a how to paint cardinal bird tutorial from someone who is not an artist but rather a homeschool mom who knows a few simple tricks. Also, look at my page Beautiful Winter Bird: Northern Cardinal Lapbook & Fun Unit Study.

You don’t have to be an artist to create and teach your child to create simple beautiful and easily identifiable art projects. 

The best technique I have found is to start with simple shapes and then build on that to get details that make it your own style of art.

Cardinals do not follow a migratory pattern like many other birds do.

Rather they stay close to home all winter long so you have a great chance of spotting them throughout the entire year.

How to Paint a Cardinal Bird With Kids

While there are 9 subspecies of cardinal bird we are focusing on the bright red Northern Cardinal for our painting.

There is a reason that the bright brilliant red cardinal is so popular, what other backyard bird catches your eye the way that flash of red does?

Let’s create a version of this bird that will never fly away and makes a pretty decor piece anywhere in your home while we learn about this winged beauty.

Books about the Cardinal Bird

12 Northern Cardinal Bird Books and Resources For Children

Add a book or two to your unit study or to your learning day. Cardinals are fun to study anytime of the year.

Image for Wild Bird Guide: Northern Cardinal

Wild Bird Guide: Northern Cardinal

Packed with information, the writing is clear and direct and accessible to bird watchers at every level.

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Backyard Birding for Kids

With bird facts, an identification guide, and how-to instructions, this is a perfect children’s introduction to bird-watching.

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Albert

The morning begins like any other. Albert reaches out the window to check the weather. But from the moment a twig lands in the palm of his hand, life is never the same

Image for Nature Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of the Natural World

Nature Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of the Natural World

One of my go tos for nature study.

Explore the anatomy of a jellyfish, the inside of a volcano, monarch butterfly migration, how sunsets work, and much more.

Rothman’s whimsical illustrations are paired with interactive activities that encourage curiosity and inspire you to look more closely at the

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Toy Bird Figures Kids

Because children's thinking is more visualized, the intuitive demonstration of the model can better help children construct in the brain. This birds playset can help children get a more direct understanding of real birds world and stimulate their interest in exploring nature.

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Why Evergreens Keep Their Leaves

One autumn evening, Little Redbird settled down for one last sleep before flying south for winter. As he slept, a strong gust of wind shook him from his cozy nest . . .

. . . Little Redbird hurts his wing and misses his chance to fly south for the winter. As he searches for a new home amongst the trees, he begins to realize that not all trees are fit for the winter cold. As more and more trees refuse him shelter, too preoccupied with their preparations for the frost, Little Redbird fears the worst. That is, until he comes across a friendly bunch of evergreens.

In the spirit of Oscar Wilde's The Happy Prince, Why Evergreens Keep Their Leaves is a timeless story of kindness and why the fir, spruce, and juniper trees are evergreen all winter long. 

Image for Backyard Birding Flashcards: 100 Common Birds

Backyard Birding Flashcards: 100 Common Birds

The Sibley Field Guide to Birds is now transformed into 100 easy-to-reference cards housed in one handsome pull-drawer gift box. Divided into one stack of 50 common Western and Eastern North American birds, and one stack of 50 common birds found across North America, each card features precise illustrations and text concerning habitat, behavior, and voice description necessary for easy identification.

Image for Attracting & Feeding Cardinals

Attracting & Feeding Cardinals

The vibrant red of the male Northern Cardinal is stunning any time of year—and nothing is more beautiful than the early spring duets of cardinals singing their hearts out. You love these beloved birds, and you want to see them visiting your backyard or garden. Professional naturalist and award-winning author Stan Tekiela teaches you all that you need to know about cardinals.

Image for Cardinals (Backyard Bird Feeding Guides)

Cardinals (Backyard Bird Feeding Guides)

The vibrant red of the male Northern Cardinal is stunning any time of year. And nothing is more beautiful than the early spring duets of cardinals singing their hearts out.

Image for Authentic Bird Sounds, Northern Cardinal, American Goldfinch, Chickadee

Authentic Bird Sounds, Northern Cardinal, American Goldfinch, Chickadee

Kids and adults of all ages love these birds, and are captivated by their sounds. They also make great baby toys, and sensory toys for kids any age.

Includes 3 Realistically designed bird toys that produce authentic bird calls from the Cornell lab of ornithology archives of bird recordings.

Image for The Burgess Bird Book for Children

The Burgess Bird Book for Children

The Burgess Bird Book for Children (1919) is a classic nature book by Thornton Burgess, who introduces young listeners to the subject of bird life by means of a series of interviews within a story. Peter Rabbit and Jenny Wren interview Slaty the Junco, Redwing the Blackbird, Melody the Wood Thrush, Spooky the Screech Owl, and many other common birds to learn about their appearance, their eating, mating and nesting habits, and their songs and calls. The text remains popular as an exceptional combination of information and entertainment.

Image for Cardinals (Backyard Birds)

Cardinals (Backyard Birds)

Whos that singing in the backyard? Its a cardinal! Find out where cardinals live, what they eat, and how to identify the birds and their eggs.

Learning More About The Colorful Cardinal Bird

Northern Cardinals are known for their bright red feathers and the little crest at the top of their head, they are easily one of the easiest to spot and identify of all the backyard birds.

While most abundant in the southeast they can be spotted in most parts of the US east of the Rocky Mountains.

One thing you may not have known is that whenever you see this bright red color it is a male, females are a duller brown with a bit of red flush on the crest, wings, and tail.

Like some other birds- flamingos, Blue Footed Boobies, Cedar Waxwings, and a few others, Northern Cardinals get their eye-catching red plumage from the foods they eat.

While they are typically granivorous (grain and seed-eating) cardinals also eat insects and a wide variety of wild fruits like grapes, dogwood berries, and mulberries.

Fruits like these are full of carotenoids that create red, orange, yellow, and pink in bird feathers.

These beautiful birds are so popular that they are the state bird for 7 US States- Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia.

They are an inspiration for a lot of artwork, have come to stand as a symbol for many things and of course, they inspire unit studies.

Northern Cardinal Resources

You may just want to learn a simple how-to paint a cardinal bird technique, and I have that for you.

But if you are looking to add a little more to it to create a mini study here are some fantastic resources to add to your art project.

  • Do not miss out on this Beautiful Winter Bird: Northern Cardinal Lapbook & Fun Unit Study to create a fun and full unit.
  • If you need a reference book for PreK-Kindergarten pick up a copy of Cardinals Backyard Birds.
  • I use these Safari Ltd. Toob Birds often in dioramas, to introduce a new unit, with playdough and slime, tucked with blocks to inspire play, and as an art inspiration.
How to Paint a Cardinal Bird With Kids
  • If you are looking for more art ideas you will also enjoy this Cardinal Birds in Winter and Birch Trees Easy Watercolor Kids Activity.
  • Watch All About Cardinals Backyard Bird Series on Youtube.

How to Paint a Cardinal Bird

You will need:

  • Watercolor, linen textured paper, or a canvas
  • Acrylic craft paint-red, black, orange, blue, white, brown
  • Paintbrushes in several sizes

Paper plate or paint palette

How to Paint a Cardinal Bird With Kids

First, determine how large you would like your cardinal to be on your surface.

Mix a tiny bit of light blue paint into white so that it has just a touch of color. I like to use a paper plate as a paint palette because they are inexpensive and always in my craft stash as well as easy to clean up.

Paint an oval on the page slightly larger than you intend for your cardinal to be.

How to Paint a Cardinal Bird With Kids

You can lighten your light blue a bit or leave it as is and paint the remaining surface around your “white” circle to create a sky background.

How to Paint a Cardinal Bird With Kids

Use a flat brush to paint a big fat teardrop shape in red for the body of the cardinal.

How to Paint a Cardinal Bird With Kids

While the paint is still wet, wipe the excess paint off the brush and starting at the top of the head create a little crest by flicking the brush upward.

How to Paint a Cardinal Bird With Kids

Add a little red paint to your brush and paint a little spikey tail with the same technique but going downward.

How to Paint a Cardinal Bird With Kids

Paint on a little branch nestled up against the bottom of the bird from one side of the page not quite across to the other side.

Easy Cardinal Bird Painting Tutorial for Kids

Create wings by making a curve from the shoulder to about where the tear-drop body of the bird begins to narrow off again on the sides, repeat to thicken paint if needed.

How to Paint a Cardinal Bird With Kids

Pick up a little black paint with a small brush after it is dry or while the red is still wet and make a few strokes down the wings and on the tail to add some dimension and detail.

Paint small feet wrapping around the branch.

If you add too much just remove a bit with a dry brush and work some red back in.

How to Paint a Cardinal Bird With Kids

Let the body of the bird dry.

Once dry paint on an upside-down triangle for the beak and carefully surround it with black to create the distinctive cardinal mask.

You can let this dry naturally or use a hair dryer on low to speed it along.

How to Paint a Cardinal Bird With Kids

Add white dots for eyes with large black pupils inside.

How to Paint a Cardinal Bird With Kids

Use a clean paintbrush to add dots for falling snow, you can also flick it to get more natural shapes as well.

How to Paint a Cardinal Bird With Kids

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: birds, cardinal bird, hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, life science, painting

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