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7 Best Budget-Friendly Homeschool Language Arts Curriculum

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

I have 7 best budget-friendly homeschool language arts ideas to pair with your unit studies.

Through the years, I’ve given the same long-standing advice. Spend first what money you have budgeted for curriculum on the core subjects. They are essential to a well-rounded education.

7 Best Budget-Friendly Homeschool Language Arts Curriculum

This is a sponsored post for Homeschool Buyers Co-op and I was paid for my time. However, paid for my time does not mean paid off. All opinions are my own and for sure I will always tell you what is on my mind. Read my full disclosure here.

And its reading in the younger grades and literature in the older grades. Too, grammar and writing are vital pieces of a homeschool language arts program.

And it can become expensive quickly when you’re implementing the unit study approach using an all-in-one language arts program.

So, I was excited to share some budget-friendly homeschool language arts curriculum options.

Breaking down the language arts components worked best for me because like most kids, they are ahead in one subject and may need more time on another.

Mapping Out the Components of Language Arts

Picking and choosing the individual parts of a homeschool language arts program gives you a customized curriculum.

It’s a better match for your child’s learning style and a better value when you have a limited dollar amount to get exactly what you need.

►VOCABULARY

For vocabulary, I always try to pull words from what we’re reading about in our unit studies. Reading words in that context and using them in everyday speech is the best way to master them.

But I used the printed version of Wordly Wise 3000 with Mr. Senior to be sure I exposed him to word study as a way to enhance our unit studies. Kids can master more words than we think they can, and to cripple their vocabulary with limited vocabulary instruction can be detrimental.

Lessons don’t have to be long, but they should be comprehensive. Using Wordly Wise 3000, I can expand lessons or cut back according to each son’s need.

    1. WORDLY WISE

    Although I know Wordly Wise 3000 touts that the audio feature is great for struggling readers, I think it’s great for independent learners. I don’t have to supervise my sons to see if they are correctly pronouncing a word.

    I know you’ll love it if you’re looking for an interactive vocabulary program that is not boring.

    2. LITERATURE ADVENTURES FOR KIDS

    Then, literature adventures for kids is my VERY favorite stand-alone self-paced online language arts program. Pair a great book with your unit study.

    Are you a busy, sweet, overwhelmed homeschooler craving a consistent, dependable language arts curriculum that adds a little enchantment to your homeschool? We help homeschoolers just like you reclaim their time and reduce stress with our open-and-go courses that turn every lesson into an adventure

    ►READING OR LITERATURE

    When I started making my own unit studies, I would get a gallon size ziploc bag and put the book and literature guide together in one bag.

    3. PROGENY PRESS LITERATURE GUIDES

    Then, I would mark the reading level on the bag and organize them for the year, and I started off using printed versions of Progeny Press Literature Guides.

    7 Best Budget-Friendly Homeschool Language Arts Curriculum

    Too, I would even unfasten the literature guide so I could add just the pages that my boys needed to do for that year.

    HOMESCHOOL LANGUAGE ARTS

    I printed what I needed that year with one son, and printed a different page or pages needed for another year.

    Now, the guides are interactive which means you don’t have to print; a child can type his answers directly into the document. That is a nifty time-saving tip for a high school teen with a rigorous academic load or a reluctant writer. But sometimes we like to hold our paper in hand so we print. And I still like pairing specific lessons on pages to themes in my unit studies.

    Look at a few things they offer:

    • FOUR LEVELS – Lower Elementary for Grades K-4, Upper Elementary for Grades 3-5, Middle School for Grades 5-8, and High School for Grades 9-12
    • 100+ TITLE CHOICES – We’ve put together SIX different 5-pack bundle choices for you! YOU CHOOSE your wish list from OVER 100 TITLE CHOICES! Choose from excellent reading titles such as Beowulf (*NEW*), The Eagle of the Ninth (*NEW*), Charlotte’s Web, Anne of Green Gables, The Island of the Blue Dolphins, The Secret Garden, The Hobbit, Julius Caesar, Macbeth, Pride and Prejudice, The Screwtape Letters, To Kill A Mockingbird, and MANY, MANY MORE!

    ►GRAMMAR

    Grammar is a tool to best apply while writing so I’ve always kept it a separate subject. But grammar is also just the rules of any language. Teaching rules shouldn’t be complicated. Short lessons are best, which is why Analytical Grammar works.

    4. ANALYTICAL GRAMMAR

    In my beginning years, I used a grammar program which combined complex writing assignments with grammar.

    After homeschooling another 5 years, I realized that a grammar program should focus only on explaining grammar rules without time-consuming composition assignments as the only way to learn them.

    Yes, writing assignments are a great way to illustrate grammar rules, but shorter is better.

    Besides, I needed a grammar curriculum which would give me the flexibility to pull writing themes from topics that piqued my boys’ interest in our current unit study. More important, I wanted a program that helped us to use words in a way that conformed to the rules of grammar. I wished I would have used Analytical Grammar, for grades 4-12 earlier, but I’m glad I hopped on board when I did.

    ►WRITING OR COMPOSITION

    Next, identifying a writing program which was engaging for my sons and took them incrementally through the writing process was not easy. Institute for Excellence in Writing, for grades K-12 was our answer.

    Melding Homeschool Language Arts and Unit Studies

    It was a huge load of stress off after separating grammar and composition when I started using Institute for Excellence in Writing, grades K-12.

    7 Best Budget-Friendly Homeschool Language Arts Curriculum

    As you can see in the picture above, the boys were working on our FBI unit study. Dad was helping the boys make a crystal radio after they wrote about it.

    However, their essay followed the writing model learned in Institute for Excellence in Writing or (IEW). IEW makes it easy to choose your own topics to write about or they have writing topics for your children to choose.

    What I liked the most is that although grammar and writing are inextricably linked, it’s important to not overwhelm beginner writers.

    5. INSTITUTE FOR EXCELLENCE IN WRITING (IEW)

    The veteran teaching tip is to make one skill or the other the focus at different times. IEW explained grammar while keeping the focus on writing and modeling to my sons how to compose their ideas.

    7 Best Budget-Friendly Homeschool Language Arts Curriculum

    Here is how IEW works: It takes a unique approach provides the structure that students need to develop confidence in the writing process, while gradually guiding them toward greater independence and creativity.

    They will learn nine structural models (note taking, writing paragraphs, stories, simple reports, writing from pictures, research reports, creative writing, essays, and critiques) to help them organize any type of composition.

    ►READING OR LITERATURE

    Then, buying living history literature guides gives me a two for one deal.

    Not only do I use living literature in my unit studies as a topic or theme, but it counts as the reading or literature aspect of the three Rs. Buying living history literature helps me to keep homeschooling affordable.

    6. BEAUTIFUL FEET BOOKS (HISTORY & LITERATURE)

    With living history literature by Beautiful Feet Books.

    Remember, since this is living literature, the vocabulary is not simplified, and it may be harder for some kids.

    Though I school for Biblical reasons, I don’t think you have to teach about it in every book.

    I do try to choose living history books which have a good story line, are intriguing, have a challenging reading level, include details about the time period, and can be easily implemented in a unit study which builds character without feeling preachy.

    It’s a lot to ask for in a book. I’m selective, but I love starting with Beautiful Feet Books.

    ►REVIEW AND ENRICHMENT

    Then I hear about the fear of gaps when doing unit studies. Having a way to fill in gaps or shore up weaknesses is a great feature of IXL Language Arts Practice, which is for grades K-12.

    You probably heard of their math, but their language arts is equally practical.

    7. IXL LANGUAGE ARTS PRACTICE

    Look at what they offer: IXL makes the world of words come alive with fun visuals and interactive questions. Build great writers through playful skills that pique students’ curiosity about language!  

    Then this next deal, which is Discovery Education, for grades K-12 is the one I’m about to pull the trigger on because we love media with our unit studies.

    8. DISCOVERY EDUCATION

    But did you know it’s so much more? It covers every content area.

    Look at what you get:

    It’s easy to see why homeschoolers rave about Discovery Education Streaming Plus and probably the most extensive and feature-rich educational video streaming service in the world.

    But it’s not just a collection of videos that you can watch from beginning to end. This library has been organized into useable video clips, organized and categorized, close-captioned, and supplemented with lesson plans, teaching guides, interactive simulations, images, audio resources, and other resources and materials that you can incorporate into virtually every aspect of your homeschool curriculum.

    What a comprehensive way to enrich a unit study with so many features like audio books, self-paced training, images, games and the ability to customize lessons at your fingertips.

    When you’ve chosen curriculum which gives your child a solid foundation in language arts and covers the significant areas, you can spend more time planning the fun part of unit studies.

    MORE HOMESCHOOL LANGUAGE ARTS RESOURCES

    How to Buy It

    Products:

     ►Grammar: Analytical Grammar for grades 4-12.

    ► Self-Paced Language Arts for all grades: Literature Adventures for Kids

    ►Literature Guides: Progeny Press Literature Guides, pdf format, grades K-12

    ►    Vocabulary: Wordly Wise 3000

    ►Composition or Writing: Institute for Excellence in Writing, grades K-12

    ►    Review and Enrichment:

    Video Streaming: Discovery Education grades K-12

    Language Arts Review: IXL Language Arts Practice, grades K-12

    ►Reading or Literature:

    Living History Literature: Living History literature by Beautiful Feet Books

    Also, look at these other homeschool articles to help you.

    5 Best Resources to Start a Homeschool Unit Study in a Few Hours, 24 Borderline Genius Ways To Relieve Language Arts Boredom and Unfolding of a Homeschool Unit Study – An Easy Mnemonic { I-SIP}.

    Don’t forget to follow BOTH of my Pinterest accounts for AWESOME pins.

    Visit Tina Robertson’s profile on Pinterest.


    Visit Tinas Dynamic Homeschool ‘s profile on Pinterest.

    Free Homeschool High School Planning Sheet (and pssst help for high school too)

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

    Today, in sharing a free homeschool high school planning sheet, I am sharing a much needed update to that form and sharing a tip or two when planning so that you too can see how easy peazy homeschooling high school can be. Also, look at my page How to Homeschool High School.

    Homeschooling high school can be a scary time, but I created forms that helped me to successfully graduate two of my children and put some of my fears to rest.

    Free Homeschool High School Planning Sheet (and pssst help for high school too)

    I used my original high school planning forms found here on STEP 5a of my free 7 Step Homeschool Planner. It saved me countless hours of stress because I could plan.

    Try to remember too that planning sheets are just that, a plan and not what will probably end up being the final goals.

    MUST HAVE BOOK FOR HOMESCHOOLING HIGH SCHOOL

    Also, I included some high school resources you may like.

    How to Homeschool High School Books & Resources

    How to homeschool high school can be daunting at first. With a little help and these great resources, you’ll be a homeschool pro in no time.

    Life will affect how you and your teen think, your teen will grow into a young man or lady, complete with very strong feelings of what they want to do and the job market and college scene will change.

    However, it is better to plan because it gives you goals to shoot for and I find that putting my plans down in writing cements what we are aiming for.

    For this year, I also stuck my editable high school transcript in my planner because it is my blue print of what I am looking for Tiny to do.

    By the way, I did that for each year when I had a son reach the high school years.

    I would add the transcript and carry the credits from the previous year. Since it’s editable, I updated it and added it to my planner and a few years I wrote my thoughts right on it.

    No-Fail Homeschool High School Tricks

    Look at these 3 easy tips to remember too as you kick off the high school years.

    • Though you may start off doing most of the planning, your teen needs to be involved more so now in the planning. It’s not that he will have so much feedback about what to do, but you are training him to see this as his responsibility.
    • Also, remember when you include another person, it means you need to be flexible and not insist on everything you want for high school. You are molding your teen to be a unique individual, not a miniature you. (I know, hard to remember because you are spectacularly awesome and they are part of you, but you want your teen to find their awesome, unique self.)
    • Don’t go overboard and step back from all supervising. There comes a point when you feel like you don’t recognize your child and that is because they look like a grown man or woman walking around in your house. They may be pretty independent by now too. Remember, they are not grown yet and more than ever now needs your supervision more closely.

    Focus on the end because it comes faster than you want it to and you’ll be planning an awesome graduation party. Read my 10 days of How to Plan a Graduation Party.

    MORE HOW TO HOMESCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL RESOURCES

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

    HOW TO GET THE FREE HIGH SCHOOL PLANNING SHEET

    That means when you sign up to follow me, you get my emails in your inbox and you get this freebie.

    1) CLICK HERE ON THIS LINK TO SIGN UP ON MY EMAIL LIST & TO GET THIS FREEBIE.

    2) Grab the freebie instantly.

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

    Don’t forget to follow BOTH of my Pinterest accounts for more AWESOME pins.

    Free Homeschool High School Planning Form @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

    Visit Tina Robertson’s profile on Pinterest.


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    How to Teach Science Through A Story – Middle & High School

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

    When you teach science through a story that is powerful. Using storytelling as a powerful teacher is not a new concept to homeschoolers. Also, look at my page Homeschool Middle School,  How to Homeschool High School and How to Choose the Right Homeschool High School Science pages for more fun tips.

    Not only do we love reading stories but we understand their power to captivate and convince readers.

    How to Teach Science Through A Story - Middle & High School

    I stalked the mailman waiting for these books from Beautiful Feet Books. I was given this product free, and I was compensated for my time. However, paid for my time does not mean paid off or that a company will receive a glowing review. I don’t roll that way. ALL opinions are my own and for sure I will always tell you what is on my mind. When I do accept a product it’s because I’m giddy to tell you about it. Read my full disclosure here. Now on to the fun stuff!

    However, until I started using Beautiful Feet Books I wasn’t so confident that teaching science through a story or through biographies would benefit my kids all the way through to high school.

    First, I need to back up and explain what curriculum we’ve been poring over.

    For the past couple of months, it has been a delight to use the History of Science. (update: This curriculum has now been retired but the approach is timeless.) I leave my thoughts here for you.

    I knew it was geared toward the 3rd to 7th grade level.

    But we were over the top excited to ditch the science textbook and learn the history of science through living literature.

    Besides, science biographies can be used for older kids.

    History of Science Living Literature

    In addition, I had already figured out that my worksheet approach, as academic and bookish as it sounds, didn’t work because my boys retained lessons better using a learn-by-doing approach.

    Next, early on in my homeschooling journey, I had stumbled upon Early American History with my then first kindergartner.

    After using it with him, I learned that other equally important elements which stir a child’s thinking are living literature and absorbing history through a story.

    There has not been a more enriching way to teach him or my other sons to high school than a literature-based approach.

    What I’m saying is that storytelling, learning-by-doing, and living literature are inextricably linked.

    Using those same elements while teaching science are the same ones used in teaching the History of Science and used for teaching an older child.

    7 Creative Ways to Adapt Curriculum for Older Homeschooled Kids

    Learning how to adapt a multiple age curriculum for upper grades can be challenging, but look at some ways I did this with the features of History of Science.

    They are the same tips I used with my sons all the way through middle school and into high school.

    How to Teach Science Through A Story - Middle & High School
    • With a yearlong program geared toward 3rd to 7th grade, there is a lot of room to allow exploring topics in more depth. Using a yearlong program is key.
    • Even though the biographies are geared toward a lower reading level, they are likable by an older child. Many essay points can be gleaned from each biography. For example, previous to studying this curriculum, we hadn’t researched much about George Washington Carver. Reading about this American Pioneer and his many uses of peanuts made for a fun rabbit trail or research project. Even though your younger kids can join in the project to list the many uses of peanuts, I had Tiny delve deeper into this since it piqued his interest. I required that he explain the history of the peanut. I had questions like what is the history of the peanut, why was Carver encouraging farmers during the American Civil War to break away from cultivating just cotton, and explain the growing process of the peanut. For example, he had to know that it wasn’t a peanut at all but a seed and understand that the boll weevil could devastate cotton crops.
    • Another fascinating point to glean from the History of Science is understanding and seeing science through the eyes of great scientists. We use this concept for history all the time. We want to learn history through the eyes of a character who lived in a particular time period. Learning science through biographies of Archimedes, Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo, Sir Isaac Newton, Marie Curie, George Washington Carver, Wright Brothers and Albert Einstein keeps kids equally inspired to learn about the wonders of science instead of dry, boring facts.
    How to Teach Science Through A Story - Middle & High School
    • In addition, with many notebook pages, vocabulary words, and hands-on ideas the study guide is just that. It’s a springboard for you to use and add your own ideas.A guide on the other hand gives me a nudge or jump to another teaching concept that my son is interested in.
    • After I abandoned my wrong and stereotypical view that hands-on learning means no learning at all, I’ve been touting for years how hands-on learning needs to be used through to high school. The best books have been culled through and selected for easy hands-on activity that can be used for a variety of ages. Not only did we start our science portfolio notebook, but we did many hands-on learning activities like this one Day 4. Ancient Greece (Hands-on Science) 3 EASY Activities, ice cutting, and writing the Greek alphabet.
    How to Teach Science Through A Story - Middle & High School
    • One more fun way to engage older kids through a story is to let them learn through a timeline. A timeline is a visual and natural way to learn. Kids can race ahead and place figures on a timeline while they read about scientific discoveries, events, and biographies. This is another key benefit to this curriculum. The timeline can stand on its own. It can be used completely separate. Instead of quickly placing the key events or scientists in order, challenge your older kids to learn about them before seeing the dates. Which significant event happened first, next and so on? Your middle school kids can memorize the events in order. It’ll give your kids foundational pegs as they fill in with more information with each time period.
    • Another tip that makes this curriculum especially useful to me is that it has scientists from different time periods. It’s organized into 3 parts that coincide with history, which are Ancient Scientists, Medieval & Renaissance Scientists, and Modern Scientists. I can easily add one section in depth this year and come back to this resource another year to focus on a different time period.
    • One last tip I do is to completely turn the teaching guide and everything over to my older kid. When you’re finished with the younger kids, let your middle or high school kid work through the lessons at their pace or at their will. For example, Tiny skipped all over the place when it came to reading and what interested him. That is such a liberating feeling for any learner and it’s the way to encourage independent learning. A lot of Beautiful Feet Books curriculum can be used that way, which is why I’ve been a user for a long time and couldn’t be more pleased.

    The last thing I know you want to know about is whether it’s Christian or secular. I guess that depends on your definition of those two concepts.

    It’s easier to tell you that it’s very friendly toward both type of views which I appreciate.

    10 Resources to Teach Science Through a Story

    Books of any level can be read and used in depth to create a science curriculum. Adding hands-on resources like a timeline and activities help too.

    While it has some parts that ask your child to write a Bible verse, you can leave it, use it, or add your own. That part shows they support a Christian view.

    However, their goal with their curriculum is to leave it up to you as the parent to add your worldview.

    Using storytelling as a powerful teacher is not a new concept to homeschoolers. Not only do we love reading stories but we understand their power to captivate and convince readers. However, until I wasn’t so confident that teaching science through stories works for all ages of my kids. Click here to read 7 creative ways to teach older kids!

    I can say it’s more easily done with this curriculum than many I use which saturate their curriculum with their Christian or secular worldview and makes it almost impossible to tweak.

    If you’re wanting to use curriculum that teaches science through storytelling with a focus on hands-on learning by using a part unit study approach and part Charlotte Mason, you’ll love this curriculum like I do.

    Read about the other curriculum I’ve used here at Early American and World History which is not available anymore, but it is now two separate levels and revamped, the Medieval History Sr. High levels and Medieval Intermediate Pack.

    How to Purchase It.

    ►Product Name: History of Science
    ►Website: Beautiful Feet Books – BFBooks
    ► Don’t Miss: The Getting Started page. It’s been such a helpful guide for me through the years.
    ►Type of product: These is a physical product but the study guide is available as a digital download too. From their site: Our newly revised and updated History of Science is a popular and exciting read-aloud approach to the study of science! Rebecca’s course uses biographies to tell the life stories of famous scientists like Archimedes, Galileo, Leonardo da Vinci, Marie Curie, George Washington Carver, Einstein, and others as well as hands-on experiments to prove the scientists’ theories and test their discoveries. An enriching way to introduce biology, chemistry, and physics. For grades 3-7, this one-year study will cover basic scientific principles and the history of scientific study beginning in ancient Greece and continuing through the 1990s. Contains 85 lessons, dozens of experiments, lab reports, and much more.

    How To Make An Ancient Phoenicia Alphabet Clay Tablet & Free Chart

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

    The study of ancient civilizations is one of the most interesting parts of history to me, especially Ancient Phoenicia. Also, look at my page Free Ancient Phoenicia Lapbook For Kids Who Love Hands-on History I’ve enjoyed teaching about Ancient Civilizations and their contributions that have led to some of the great inventions and resources that we still use today.

    In this lesson, kids can learn about the ancient Phoenicians and the alphabet that they developed as well as creating their own clay tablet with Phoenician writing.

    How To Make An Ancient Phoenicia Alphabet Clay Tablet & Free Chart

    Phoenicia was actually a group of city-states. It was established in the area that we now know as Syria, Lebanon, and northern Israel.

    These city states began forming around 3200 BC and around 1500 BC, Two of it’s most well-known city states were Tyre and Sidon.

    In Scripture, Phoenicia is the area known as Canaan.

    The Phoenicians were an ocean people.

    ANCIENT PHOENICIA RESOURCES & BOOKS FOR KIDS

    Then, look at a few of these resources.

    7 Ancient Phoenicia (Modern Day Lebanon, Syria & Northern Israel) Books or Set In Ancient Phoenicia

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

    Phoenicia was a very popular place for trading and manufacturing. They worshiped many gods and goddesses.

    About the Phoenicians

    One was their god of the sea- Yamm, and they put horses heads on their mighty ships to honor him. They were known for the manufacturing of the powerful ships, for glass-making, and for the making of their famous purple dye.

    The name Phoenicia comes from the Greek word for purple. In fact, they were sometimes called the “purple people” because the dye they made would stain their skin purple.

    The famous historian Herodotus gives Phoenicia the credit for the invention of the alphabet.

    They supposedly brought the alphabet to Greece sometime before the 8th century BC.

    Hands-on Ancient Phoenicia: Alphabet Clay Tablet Craft. Your kids will love this easy hands-on history craft if you’re looking to study the Ancient Phoenicians.

    Most of the western languages that we know today came from the Phoenician alphabet.

    And the Phoenician city of Byblos where papyrus was manufactured and traded gave the Bible its name- through the Greek words Ta Biblia, “the books”.

    The Phoenician Alphabet

    The Phoenician alphabet that was later passed on to other countries and cultures developed around the 15th century BC. Before that, the Phoenicians used a form of cuneiform writing.

    The alphabet spread so rapidly and to so many places because the Phoenicians were such avid traders and sailed around trading with many different peoples.

    Most of the writings that have been discovered from the Phoenicians have to do with trade and business.

    The alphabet had twenty-two letters. It was read from right to left in diagonal lines. The shapes of the letters came from an earlier Egyptian form of hieroglyphics.

    Their shapes came from the meanings of the symbols. For example, the first letter- aleph– means ox. And it’s shape looks a little like the head of an ox.

    All of the letters in the Phoenician alphabet are consonants. The vowel sounds were added in when the language was spoken.

    The Phoenician alphabet was different from other systems of writing that came before because instead of having a symbol to represent every word, the symbols actually represented letters that were put together to make words.

    Occasionally- but not always- the Phoenicians put a straight line in between words to separate them.

    This is what the Phoenician alphabet looked like.

    Ancient Phoenicia Alphabet Craft

    Clay Tablet With Phoenician Writing

    Although the Phoenicians often wrote on papyrus, they also occasionally wrote on stone tablets or gold panels and later on parchment and wax tablets.

    When they wrote in clay, they used a stylus to inscribe the letters into the clay. In our activity, we’re going to use clay to write on and a wooden dowel as our stylus. So we’ll create a clay tablet with Phoenician writing.

    Ancient Phoenicia Alphabet Craft

    Materials Needed:

    • Clay- You can use a variety of clay types, but you want a clay that is going to dry and maintain its shape- not just crumble like playdough. Modeling clay works well or a homemade clay that will dry out well without crumbling.
    • Wooden dowel or toothpick to write with
    • Phoenician alphabet chart – (You can grab it at the bottom by adding your email and downloading it instantly.)
    Ancient Phoenicia Alphabet Craft

    Procedure:

    Roll out your clay and shape it into a rectangle- or as close as you can get. We tried for a rectangle because we wanted our clay tablets to look “authentic.”
    Ancient Phoenicia Alphabet Craft
    Use your wooden dowel or toothpick to copy the letter shapes from the chart onto your clay. You can also use the tip of a broken pencil. (We like to adapt and use what we have.)
    Remember that this alphabet only contains consonants, so you won’t use the vowels of your name.
    Ancient Phoenicia Alphabet Craft
    See what other words you can write using the alphabet. Because there are no vowels used, you can write words and see if others can decipher what you’ve written. Although this alphabet is supposed to be read diagonally from right to left, we used the traditional straight across left to write because it was easier.
    Also, I wanted to let you know about this. If you’re looking for more hands-on history, we love using Home School in the Woods.
    Once you’ve written the name or message you want to keep, let your clay tablet harden over night. If you use a colorless flour-based clay, you could paint your tablets as well. I use an all-natural dough that comes in earthy colors, so we didn’t paint ours.
    Ancient Phoenicia Alphabet Craft
    Most historians agree that the most important legacy that the Phoenicians left behind was their alphabet. It’s been changed and added to, but it is the basis for the alphabet that we still use today.

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

    HOW TO GET THE FREE PRINTABLE PHOENICIAN ALPHABET CHART

    That means when you sign up to follow me, you get my emails in your inbox and you get this freebie.

    1) CLICK HERE ON THIS LINK TO SIGN UP ON MY EMAIL LIST & TO GET THIS FREEBIE.

    2) Grab the freebie instantly.

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

    You’ll love these other activities:

    Written by Leah from As We Walk Along the Road

    Hands-on Ancient Phoenicia: Alphabet Clay Tablet Craft. Your kids will love this easy hands-on history craft if you’re looking to study the Ancient Phoenicians.

    How To Make A Fun Intertidal Zone Diorama

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

    I am going to show you how to make a fun and easy intertidal zone diorama that helps your child understand the makeup and creatures of the shoreline. Also, look at my page Seashore Beach Watching Unit Study and Seashore Lapbook.

    The intertidal zone is one of the most unique ecosystems on Earth. It is the area along the shoreline that is underwater during high tide and exposed to air during low tide. Because the tides change every day, the environment in the intertidal zone is constantly changing.

    How To Make A Fun Intertidal Zone Diorama

    The animals and plants that live here must be able to survive the crashing waves, salty water, bright sunlight, strong winds, and changing temperatures. Despite these challenges many organisms still thrive in this habitat.

    To create my intertidal zone diorama, we used paper mache made from toilet paper- inexpensive, and always easy to find. It is a great art medium.

    FUN SEASHORE BOOKS FOR KIDS

    And adding books to your day can make this a full unit study or science outside day.

    Next, add some of these books to your home library.

    7 Seashore & Beach Books for Kids Who Love to Read and Be Read To

    Choose a few of these seashore themed books to go along with your study of the beach and seashore. Whether you're looking for a spine for a unit study or literature, you'll love this roundup.

    We also included plastic sea animals.

    CREATURES OF THE INTERTIDAL ZONE

    And some made out of air-dry clay and paint to show you that you can use one or all of these to fill in your sea creatures and plants.

    CRABS

    One of the most common animals in the intertidal zone is the crab. Crabs are crustaceans with hard exoskeletons that protect them from predators and rough waves. They move sideways quickly and often hide under rocks or inside crevices to stay safe and moist when the tide goes out. Many crabs are scavengers, meaning they help clean the ecosystem by eating dead plants and animals.

    STAR FISH

    Sea stars use hundreds of tiny tube feet on the underside of their bodies to grip rocks tightly and avoid being swept away by waves. They are predators that feed on mussels and clams by prying open their shells. One amazing fact about sea stars is that they can regrow lost arms if they become injured. Some species can even regenerate an entirely new body from a single arm.

    BARNACLES

    Barnacles are small animals that permanently attach themselves to rocks, docks, and even whales. At first glance, they may look like shells or rocks, but they are actually crustaceans related to crabs and lobsters. Barnacles protect themselves with hard outer plates that close tightly during low tide to keep water inside their bodies. When the tide returns, they open and use feather-like appendages called cirri to catch tiny plankton from the water. Large groups of barnacles often form crowded colonies along rocky shores.

    MUSSELS AND CLAMS

    Mussels attach themselves to rocks using strong, thread-like fibers called byssal threads. These threads help them stay anchored even during strong waves. Clams, on the other hand, bury themselves in sand or mud for protection. Both mussels and clams are filter feeders, meaning they filter tiny food particles and plankton from the water.

    SEA ANEMONES

    Soft-bodied animals related to jellyfish and corals. They may look like underwater flowers, but they are actually predators. Their tentacles contain stinging cells used to capture fish and small marine animals. Sea anemones are commonly found in tide pools where water remains trapped during low tide. Some species can survive out of water for short periods by keeping moisture inside their bodies.

    SEAWEED AND ALGAE

    Seaweed provides shelter and food for many marine creatures. It is flexible, allowing it to bend with waves instead of breaking. Some seaweeds also contain air bladders that help them float closer to sunlight for photosynthesis. Different colors of algae grow at different tide levels depending on how much sunlight and water they need.

    OYSTERS

    Shellfish, found in some intertidal zones, especially in estuaries and coastal wetlands. Oysters attach themselves to rocks and to each other, forming large oyster reefs. These reefs provide shelter for fish, crabs, and other marine animals. Oysters are filter feeders and can clean large amounts of water every day by removing algae, dirt, and pollutants.

    SEA CUCUMBERS

    Soft-bodied marine animals related to sea stars and sea urchins. They move slowly along the ocean floor using tiny tube feet. Sea cucumbers are important because they help clean the ecosystem by eating decaying matter and organic material found in the sand. After digesting the nutrients, they release cleaner sand back into the environment. Some sea cucumbers can even defend themselves by releasing sticky threads or parts of their internal organs to distract predators.

    How To Make A Fun Intertidal Zone Diorama

    SEA SPONGES

    Sponges attach themselves to rocks and remain in one place for their entire lives. They survive by filtering water through tiny holes in their bodies and collecting microscopic food particles. Sponges provide shelter for small fish, shrimp, and other marine creatures. Even though they may look like plants, sponges are actually animals and are very important for keeping ocean water clean.

    IDEAS TO EXPAND THE INTERTIDAL ZONE DIORAMA

    Next, look at more activities to add to this study.

    HOW TO MAKE A FUN INTERTIDAL ZONE DIORAMA

    You will need:

    • Toilet Paper
    • Water
    • School glue
    • Plastic ocean animals- crab,
    • Clay
    • Bowl
    • Strainer
    • Craft paints/brushes
    How To Make A Fun Intertidal Zone Diorama

    Use a scrap of cardboard from a leftover box as a base.

    How To Make A Fun Intertidal Zone Diorama

    Soak the entire roll of toilet paper in a bowl of water until soaked through then remove the center. Depending on the size of your diorama you may need two or more

    Squeeze out excess and allow it to drip in a strainer until the majority of the water is out.

    How To Make A Fun Intertidal Zone Diorama

    Tear toilet paper into small pieces and place them back into the  bowl (without the water) and then mix in about one cup of white glue. Stir the mixture until it forms a thick pulp.

    Use your pulp to recreate the ocean floor at the shoreline, creating a gentle slope at one end by laying it on thickly and then adding less paper as you go. I included some dry paper at the start to help as filler, the water and glue will bind it all together.

    How To Make A Fun Intertidal Zone Diorama

    Use a roller to squeeze out excess moisture and press everything together so it sticks well.

    How To Make A Fun Intertidal Zone Diorama

    To smooth everything out a bit better I finished with a layer of dry toilet paper and pressed it into the wet.

    How To Make A Fun Intertidal Zone Diorama

     After shaping the design, allow it to dry completely, which may take one or two days.

    After your ocean floor is dry you can paint it to resemble sand and allow that to dry for an hour or two.

    How To Make A Fun Intertidal Zone Diorama

    Now you are finally ready to add your ocean creatures. While everything is drying it is the perfect time to gather your plastic sea creatures, make some from leftover paper mache, or clay and finish them off with paint. This is great for sea weed, sea cucumbers, sponges, and to create the body of a hermit crab

    We were also able to incorporate shells that we had from previous beach trips to make a hermit crab, a snail, and even an oyster with a pearl.

    Place everything where you would like it and you have a simple intertidal zone diorama model.