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18 No Nonsense Tips For New Homeschool Moms To Find YOUR Family’s Groove

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

I have tips for new homeschool moms. Also, I have a 31 Day Free Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers page.

Welcome to the world of homeschooling.

And in my many years of helping new homeschoolers, the most important point for you to know is that you have to find YOUR family’s groove.

Besides, why do you want to repeat at home what you left behind in public school.

18 No Nonsense Tips For New Homeschool Moms To Find YOUR Family’s Groove

You’ll get a lot of homeschool advice and because I’ve homeschooled well over 20+ years I want you to sort fact versus myth.

Moreover, homeschooling is not just an educational choice.

Beginning to homeschool is a lifestyle choice.

That is something that some new homeschoolers don’t fully appreciate when they start.

Tips for New Homeschool Moms Resources

Also, I’ve rounded up some books which may help you get started homeschooling.

5 BEST How to Homeschool Books

I've rounded up some of the best books to help you get started homeschooling.

18 No Nonsense Tips For New Homeschool Moms To Find YOUR Family’s Groove

Also, look at more tips on how to homeschool.

More How to Homeschool Tips

Now, look at these tips for new homeschool moms and dads which will help you to succeed your first year.

18 No Nonsense Tips for New Homeschoolers

  • Deschool. Avoid the huge mistake of jumping into homeschool and not doing a detox of sorts.

Watch my video below.

  • Don’t recreate public school at home. You’re a family not a public school.
  • Be patient with your kid and with YOU. Beginning to homeschool is more than an educational choice, it’s a significant lifestyle choice.
  • Finding your own groove means to find what interests your child. Go beyond teaching the basics of learning and make homeschooling fit what your children’s passions and interests are.
  • Learning is a rite of passage, not EVER a race. So, slow your roll girl!

  • Spend more time finding your way than explaining you way or choice to others who do not appreciate your choice to homeschool.
  • Remember there is ALWAYS time for fun. Just because your kids are having fun doesn’t mean they are not having meaningful learning. Fun is part of learning.
  • Don’t compare yourself with others. You have to DO YOU. Homeschooling is about embracing the unique.
  • Curriculum is a help NOT the tutor. You’re the tutor. So, completing a curriculum does not equal mastery. Use what you need to teach and move on.
  • Take time to figure out your child’s learning style. Do not just pick up curriculum and expect it all to turn out well if you don’t know how your child learns best. What Are The 5 Learning Styles to Know to Form a Powerful Homeschool Foundation

18 No Nonsense Tips for New Homeschoolers

  • Unless a child has special needs, there is no behind in homeschooling. There is just beginning where your child is.
  • Find a routine which suits your family. I don’t agree with the bad rap schedules get. The negative part of schedules is when you create them unrealistic. Having a schedule your child can follow is essential to success. Just don’t make it the task master.
  • When you leave public school don’t look back to it to set your learning standard. You homeschool to exceed public school goals NOT meet them.
  • True some subjects you’ll have a weakness in teaching. Embrace it and learn alongside your child. If you still need help, the homeschool world offers plenty of help from videos, to online teachers, to 1:1 teaching by tutors and a homeschool co-op.
  • The only scary part is taking the leap. I promise!

  • Be willing to let go of what you think is education. My confession is that I was quite judgmental thinking educating my children meant strict days. There is a HUGE difference between relaxed and lazy. They are not even close.
  • Your homeschool family and children are one of a kind. Embrace that and be willing to learn from others but make your homeschool journey unique.
  • Read, read, and read. Embrace the challenge to be a well-educated educator. Look at my online courses for new homeschoolers at my sister site How to Homeschool EZ.
18 No Nonsense Tips For New Homeschool Moms To Find YOUR Family’s Groove

Take your first year one day at a time.

Keep in mind, unlike public school you have plenty of time to change what you’re doing and reteach what you don’t think your kids get.

However, you only have one first time.

So make your first year memorable for the right reasons. Get to know your children and savor the freedom of homeschooling.

Free Coral Reef Printable Lapbook and Fun Hands-on Unit Study Ideas

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

I have a free coral reef printable lapbook. Grab more ideas on my Coral Reef, lapbook ideas, and on my best homeschool unit studies pages.

My coral reef lapbook is a fun one to do anytime of the year.

Besides a coral reef being an ecosystem, you’ll want to learn about the organisms which live there.

Free Coral Reef Printable Lapbook and Fun Hands-on Unit Study Ideas

The Great Barrier Reef is so vast it can be seen from space.

At one time it was thought coral reefs were only in shallow depths, but scientists are discovering that some are as deep as 19000 feet.

However, most coral reefs are found at 150 feet where sunlight penetrates.

What Is Coral

Coral reefs are formed by colonies of tiny coral animals.

It is formed from the hard outer skeletons of tiny animals called polyps.

When the tiny animals die, the old skeletons remain, and new coral animals grow over them.

That is how coral reefs grow.

Too, coral can only grow in warm water because polyps only eat algae.

Moreover, living polyps are what give the coral color. If they die, the reef bleaches. It becomes white or loses it color.

Coral is a type of animal that lives in colonies. Each animal consists of a polyp that is the size of an ant.

Polyps have stinging tentacles which they use to catch small plankton as they drift by.

Coral reefs have a symbiotic relationship with tiny algae called zooanthellae.

The algae live inside the polyp tentacles.

Two Main Types of Coral

There are two main types of coral. One is hard coral with an outer skeleton made of calcium carbonate and soft coral which have bits of calcium carbonate inside their bodies.

Then, add a few of these words to your coral reef unit study and lapbook.

Coral Vocabulary

  • algae – a plant like organism that turns light into energy but does not have leaves or roots
  • coral reef – have been described as underwater gardens and coral polyps have the unique ability to thrive in nutrient poor water
  • ecosystem – a community of plants and animals relying on each other to survive
  • habitat – the place where an organism or group of organisms live
  • polyp– it’s a tiny animal that looks like an upside-down jellyfish and comes in many sizes and shapes
  • phytoplankton – a type of plankton that gets its energy from the sun through photosynthesis
  • zooplankton – tiny ocean animals like some jellyfish

Next add hands-on ideas.

Free Coral Reef Printable Lapbook and Fun Hands-on Unit Study Ideas

Look at these hands-on ideas to study about coral reefs.

Coral Reef Hands-on Ideas

Coral Reef Unit Study Resources

Add some of these coral reef unit study resources to your unit study.

More Lapbook Ideas

Additionally, grab these other free homeschool lapbooks.

Free Coral Reef Printable Lapbook and Fun Hands-on Unit Study Ideas

Coral Reef Printable Minibooks

Also, look at these minibooks which come in the free coral reef lapbook.

  • 1 Color Cover for outside of the file folder
  • 1 Black and White Cover for outside of the file folder
  • 3 Main Types of Coral
  • Anatomy of Coral Polyp
  • Layers of a Reef and Soft and Hard Coral
  • How Fast Do Reefs Grow, Where Do They Form and How Many Formations Can You Name
  • Life At The Reef
  • What is a Coral Reef – Plant or Animal and What is Coral

How to Get the Free Coral Reef Lapbook

Now, how to grab the free lapbook. This is a subscriber freebie.

That means when you sign up to follow me, you get access to my subscribers library and this freebie.

However, not all my freebies are in the library (wink).

I like to keep up to date with what is valuable to you so I can give you more, some freebies you must sign up again on the form below even if you are already a follower.

And it’s the only way I have of freely delivering them to you. Just follow the steps below.

► 1) Sign up on my list.
► 2) Go to your inbox and confirm your email from the automatic reply I sent you. If you’re already a confirmed subscriber, you will not have to do this. You’ll receive the freebie instantly.
 ►3) Last step. look for my reply AFTER you’ve confirmed your email.

100 Easy & Fun Ancient Civilization Hands-on Projects (Free List)

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

Today, I have 100 hands on history ancient civilizations projects. Also, look at my Ancient Civilizations and Ancient Civilizations II pages.

Whether you’re studying about the Ancient Phoenicians, Ancient Sumer and Mesopotamia or Ancient Egypt and Greece, you’ll love this round up of 100 easy and fun Ancient Civilization ideas.

100 Easy & Fun Ancient Civilization Hands-on Projects (Free List)

I’ve included the following Ancient Civilizations in this awesome roundup.

  • Ancient Sumerian and Mesopotamia
  • Ancient Phoenicia
  • Ancient Babylon & Assyria
  • Ancient China
  • Ancient Greek
  • Ancient Roman and
  • Ancient Vikings.

EASY HANDS-ON IDEAS FOR ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS

Also, add some of these fun hands-on resources to your study for the day.

13 Ancient Civilization Hands-on Resources and Books

Add some of these fun resources to your unit study or study for the day of Ancient Civilizations.

Moreover, look at more of these hands-on ancient civlization posts.

1OO Ancient Civilization Hands-on History Projects. Learning shouldn't be hard, but it should be meaningful. Grab these 100 ideas over at Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

So, on my 10 Days of Diving Into Unit Studies by Creating a Unit Study Together, I show you step by step how to create a unit for a topic you choose. It’s not so hard if you have a pattern to follow.

Also, don’t forget to check out Home School in the Woods. It has been one of our favorite Ancient Civilization hands-on history resources for years.

Ancient Empires

Ancient Egypt

Another easy way to bring Ancient history to life is through fun coloring pages. These pages can be added to any unit study, lapbook or notebooking page or can be used alone.

Grab them below!

How to Get the Free 100 Hands-on Ancient Civilization Ideas

Now, how to grab the freebie. This is a subscriber freebie.

 1)  CLICK HERE ON THIS LINK TO SIGN UP ON MY EMAIL LIST & TO GET THIS FREEBIE.
2) Grab the freebie now.
3) Last, look for all my emails in your inbox. Glad to have you following me!

This blog hop is organized by iHomeschool Network, a collaboration of outstanding homeschool bloggers who connect with each other and with family-friendly companies in mutual beneficial projects.

Learning about history shouldn't just be fun, but meaningful. And meaningful shouldn't mean stressed out for you as you plan Ancient Civilization hands-on projects. My standard for hands-on is always the same - EASY. Grab this AWESOME round up of over 100 Hands-on Activities for learning about Ancient Civilizations. Click here!

How Do Sharks Float STEM Activity Free Shark Unit Study & Notebooking Pages

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

I have a shark unit study, an easy shark STEM activity, and free shark notebooking pages. Also, grab more ideas on my best homeschool unit studies, Oceans Unit Study and Lapbook, and Coral Reef pages.

A shark unit study is a fun way to learn about these creatures of the deep even if you don’t live near the ocean, I would prefer not to study them up close anyway.

We can get up close and personal through videos, hands-on activities, fun facts, and fantastic books.

Did you know that, unlike many other bony fishes, sharks do not have a swim bladder that gives them buoyancy?

How Do Sharks Float STEM Activity Free Shark Unit Study & Notebooking Pages

To help overcome their tendency to sink there are large amounts of oil in their liver that is less dense than seawater.

 Also, sharks are made of cartilage rather than bone which is considerably lighter.

To demonstrate why that helps sharks float we are going to create a couple of sharks and perform a fun STEM Experiment.

First, look at some facts for your shark unit study.

Shark Unit Study Shark Facts

  • There are over 500 species of sharks.
  • Shark skin feels very similar to sandpaper.
  • The fastest shark is the Shortfin Mako Shark, clocked at 31mph with short bursts of speed up to 46 mph.
  • The largest shark is the Whale shark while the smallest is the Dwarf Lantern Shark.
  • Prehistoric sharks were called Megalodons.
  • Sharks are found in almost every ocean habitat from coral reefs to the arctic sea.
  • Sharks do not sleep as humans do, but instead, they have active and restful periods.

What are Sharks

Sharks are the ocean’s ultimate predators. Some sharks live in the cold polar waters and others prefer the warm tropical seas.

And a shark is a fish because it swims with fins and has gills.

However, it is a cartilaginous fish and not a bony fish.

Shark Food

Additionally, sharks vary in their diet and in the way they hunt prey.

For example, the tiger shark is famous for eating, anything even license plates.

And the white-tipped shark stays in deep water and is famous because it ate shipwrecked sailors during World War II.

In addition, sharks have larger brains than other fish and can have advanced hunting techniques.

Too, many sharks rely on camouflage and being able to sneak up on their prey.

Moreover, others are filter eaters. They swim with their mouth open, suck in water, and filter the food from the water.

Their meal consists of tiny animals and plants called “plankton” floating in the water.

Also, here are some shark vocabulary words.

  • pup – baby shark
  • dorsal fin – a fin on the back of a fish.
  • caudal fin – the tail fin.
  • pectoral fin – paired fins toward the front of the shark
  • cartilage – tough connective tissue which is not bone
  • marine biologist – a scientist who studies marine (ocean) organisms
  • cartilaginous fish – skeletons are made of cartilage like sharks, rays, and eels
How Do Sharks Float STEM Activity Free Shark Unit Study & Notebooking Pages

Next, unit studies are best remembered by doing hands-on activities.

Shark Unit Study Hands-On Activities

Homeschool Shark Unit Study Resources

Add one or two of these fun shark books and resources to your study about sharks.

Too, I have some fun free shark notebooking pages.

How Do Sharks Float STEM Activity Free Shark Unit Study & Notebooking Pages

So, look at the title of these 4 notebooking pages.

  1. Sharks – What Are Sharks and About Shark Senses
  2. What Do Sharks Eat
  3. Shortfin Mako and White-Tipped Sharks
  4. Great White Shark and Tiger Shark

In addition, here are more homeschool unit studies.

More Best Homeschool Unit Studies

MORE SHARK ACTIVITIES

Finally, look at this fun sharks float STEM a;ctivity.

Shark Unit Study – How Do Sharks Float STEM Activity

You will need:

  • 2 water bottles.
  • Craft foam
  • Sharpies
  • Vegetable oil
  • Water
  • A large container.

Fill two water bottles with the exact same amount of liquid – one with water and one with vegetable oil.

How Do Sharks Float STEM Activity Free Shark Unit Study & Notebooking Pages

Decorate the bottles if you’d like to make them look more like sharks.

Use craft foam to make teeth and fins and then you can draw the details like eyes with a permanent marker.

Use hot glue for a quick secure drying adhesive but apply it to the foam rather than the plastic bottle and avoid touching with the metal nozzle.

How Do Sharks Float STEM Activity Free Shark Unit Study & Notebooking Pages

Once everything has dried on your “shark“ you’re ready to test them out in the water.

A large storage tote is perfect for this experiment, fill it halfway full of water and drop in your sharks.

How Do Sharks Float STEM Activity Free Shark Unit Study & Notebooking Pages

Now it’s time for observation and determining the results. What did you notice? 

While the one with water stays somewhat afloat it is more weighted, the oil field shark floats much more effortlessly.

How Do Sharks Float STEM Activity Free Shark Unit Study & Notebooking Pages

Pop in some plastic sharks and turn your tub of water into a fun sensory play activity as well.

How to Get the Free Shark Notebooking Pages

Now, how to grab the free shark notebooking pages. This is a subscriber freebie.

 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!

Fun Kids Hands-on Egg Carton Sea Turtle Life Cycle Activity

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

Today I have a hands-on way to show a sea turtle life cycle activity. Add my fun From Egg to Sea Turtle Nature Unit Study & Lapbook to make it for multiple ages.

This sea turtle life cycle activity lets your child create a unique art project while also including some marine science in their lessons. 

Gather up a few supplies including a book or two and sit down with your little ones to create the full life cycle and then use it as a tool to teach as well.

Fun Kids Hands-on Egg Carton Sea Turtle Life Cycle Activity

Ocean Anatomy gives a simple overview of different types of sea turtles as well as their life cycle, and some conservation information.

It is a great book to add to your library for all its wonderful content.

Fun Kids Hands-on Egg Carton Sea Turtle Life Cycle Activity

7 Facts about Sea Turtle Life Cycle Activity

  1. Baby turtles use a small tooth called a caruncle to break out of the shell before heading to the water.
  2. Once they are fully grown, they go back to where they were born to mate and start the cycle all over again.
  3. The female sea turtle climbs ashore, digs a body pit and nest (or egg chamber), lays her eggs, and then covers the nest with sand.
  4. It takes about six or seven weeks after being laid for the hatchlings to emerge and then head to the water.
  5. Most species nest several times during a nesting season, every 2-4 years.
  6. While it is not known exactly how long sea turtles live in the wild, scientists believe that their life span may be as long as a century.
  7. There is not much known about their first few years. During the time they head to sea as newly hatched babies until they return to coastal shallow waters, up to 20 years. They are called the lost years because not much is known about this period in their life cycle.
Fun Kids Hands-on Egg Carton Sea Turtle Life Cycle Activity

Then add a few more resources to your marine life study.

Resources to Study the Sea Turtle Life Cycle

10 Sea Turtle Resources

Add some books about sea turtles and hands-on resources to your lesson or unit study to bring it to life.

Next, look at these videos

More Sea Turtle Resources

Also, add more hands-on learning ideas.

Fun Kids Hands-on Egg Carton Sea Turtle Life Cycle Activity

Sea Turtle Life Cycle Activity

You will need:

  • Cardboard egg carton
  • Green and white craft paint
  • Green cardstock, construction paper, or craft foam
  • Black permanent marker
  • Scissors
  • Hot glue or craft glue

Cut out 5 cups from your egg carton (more if you want several eggs for the “nest”).

Paint 3 cups with various shades of green to make them unique, let your child add spots, etc.

Paint the remaining two cups white.

Fun Kids Hands-on Egg Carton Sea Turtle Life Cycle Activity

Allow all the paint to dry completely. While you are waiting, cut out 3 sets of 4 fins from green paper making them in 3 different sizes.

Fun Kids Hands-on Egg Carton Sea Turtle Life Cycle Activity

Set 1 white one to the side and leave it alone, this is an unhatched egg.

Cut one of the green cups down to a little more than half its size and glue it into the other white cup to create a hatching baby. You can even distress the egg a bit to show he is breaking it open.

Fun Kids Hands-on Egg Carton Sea Turtle Life Cycle Activity

Draw on little black eyes with a marker and glue the smallest fins as if he is pushing his way out of the egg.

Fun Kids Hands-on Egg Carton Sea Turtle Life Cycle Activity

Cut the second green cup down by about ⅓” and glue the medium-sized paper fins into place beneath the cup and add eyes. This is your juvenile turtle.

Fun Kids Hands-on Egg Carton Sea Turtle Life Cycle Activity

Finally, add the largest fins to the largest green cup and add eyes for your adult sea turtle.

Fun Kids Hands-on Egg Carton Sea Turtle Life Cycle Activity

They are ready to be a cute part of your lessons.

Fun Kids Hands-on Egg Carton Sea Turtle Life Cycle Activity

To give a better understanding of the life cycle you can use blue and beige paper or even sand if you have it placed on a tray to represent the water and sand.

Fun Kids Hands-on Egg Carton Sea Turtle Life Cycle Activity

Once you have that set up it is easy peasy to demonstrate the life cycle of sea turtles.

Fun Kids Hands-on Egg Carton Sea Turtle Life Cycle Activity

Share how sea turtles lay their eggs on the beach then head back to the water, then the babies hatch and head for the water until they are grown, and the cycle starts all over again.

Fun Kids Hands-on Egg Carton Sea Turtle Life Cycle Activity