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Kids Fun Glue and Watercolor Fall Pumpkin Unit Study

August 26, 2022 | 1 Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Your kids will love this glue and watercolor pumpkin to include in a pumpkin unit study. Too, you can add this activity to my huge fall unit study.

Besides loving unit studies, I love watercolor as a medium for art.

I put the two together to give you a start for your own pumpkin unit study. 

Kids Fun Glue and Watercolor Fall Pumpkin Unit Study

Watercolor is forgiving. And whether child or adult, you don’t need to be an artist to make wonderful images to display.

If you are hesitant but want to give it a try, then, today’s tutorial is the place to start.

This fall watercolor painting goes great with a pumpkin unit study.

And besides the simple tutorial I have some great ideas for you to create your own study.

Pumpkin Art

This dramatic pumpkin watercolor painting is great on its own as a simple art project.

One easy way to create contrast and drama in a simple watercolor picture is to make the outlines black and raised.

We do this with school glue colored with black craft paint.

The other way to make the watercolor stand out is to cover the entire page and leave no white space.

We are doing both of these today.

First, to make your own pumpkin unit study, always start with a couple of books that draw in your kids.

The Anatomy Series by Julia Rothman is great for so many studies.

They are worth the investment

Here is a beautiful page from Farm Anatomy to research the different varieties of squash.

Kids Fun Glue and Watercolor Fall Pumpkin Unit Study

They make for great art inspiration as well.

For younger children Pumpkin Jack is a great read aloud, but also teaches about the life cycle of a pumpkin.

Hands-on Activities for a Pumpkin Unit Study

  • Make a pumpkin watercolor
  • Pumpkin Experiments
  • Taste pumpkin in different ways-fresh, canned, seeds, pie, muffins,etc..
  • Bake a pumpkin pie
  • Roast pumpkin seeds

  • Use pumpkin seeds as manipulatives for math.
  • Measure, weigh, and compare pumpkins.
  • Label the parts of a pumpkin-stem, ribs, pulp, tendrils
  • Visit a pumpkin patch and talk to the farmer.
  • Test the density of pumpkins and seeds

  • Draw the pumpkin life cycle
  • Write a poem about a pumpkin
  • Give pumpkin related journaling prompts
  • Make a list of questions for your child to research online or in books
  • Create a fall bucket list – great writing practice

In addition, have your child research about pumpkins. Look at these questions below.

Research Facts about Pumpkins

  • How many different things can be made from pumpkins?
  • What state produces the most pumpkins?
  • How long do pumpkins take to reach maturity?
  • What vitamins do pumpkins contain?

Finally, gather up all your items and enjoy your delicious pumpkin themed unit study.

Begin with this fun watercolor painting.

How to Do A Pumpkin Watercolor Painting

You will need:

  • Watercolor paper
  • Watercolor paints
  • Brushes
  • Spray bottle of water
  • Black craft paint
  • Craft glue
Kids Fun Glue and Watercolor Fall Pumpkin Unit Study

You can create any pumpkin design you like- an entire patch, a side view of a large pumpkin, or a close up view of the top of a pumpkin.

Today, I’m giving you step by step directions for the top view.

Start by drawing your design in pencil until you like the general shape. 

I started with a stem.

Easy Fall Art

Then drew the ribs of the pumpkin starting from the stem and working my way out all the way to the edge of the page.

Keep the curve moving in the same direction all the way around.

Kids Fun Glue and Watercolor Fall Pumpkin Unit Study

Now we are going to create a dramatic black outline and give it some texture.

You want to start with a bottle of glue that is no more than ⅔ of the way full.

This is a great way to use up those partial bottles.

Add black paint and shake the glue and paint up. If need be use a craft stick to stir it a bit more.

Kids Fun Glue and Watercolor Fall Pumpkin Unit Study

Once it is mixed well trace the drawing you made in pencil with the black paint, allow it to dry completely.

Kids Fun Glue and Watercolor Fall Pumpkin Unit Study

Once the glue is dry, lightly spritz the tray of watercolors as well as the entire page with water.

This is a trick I learned that helps the color spread better easier and allows you to layer color. This will create some dimension.

Next, mix orange watercolor and a little brown, black, or red with it.

This will make it a little darker than the rest of the pumpkin.

Go along each of the ribs with this darker color to create shading.

Make sure you do it on the same side of the ribs all the way around so it looks like the light is coming from one direction.

Kids Fun Glue and Watercolor Fall Pumpkin Unit Study

Fill in the rest of your pumpkin with color, adding water as needed.

Once the painting is dry add some more watercolor with less water to deepen the color.

Kids Fun Glue and Watercolor Fall Pumpkin Unit Study

Dry the remaining of your painting and it’s ready to share.

Kids Fun Glue and Watercolor Fall Pumpkin Unit Study

What do you think? Are you read to get started on a fall themed unit study?

Kids Fun Glue and Watercolor Fall Pumpkin Unit Study

Other Fall Unit Study Resources

  • Fall Homeschool Learning Resources For Middle School
  • Fall Y’all:Pumpkin Pie in a Bag (Easy Homeschool Co-op Idea)

1 CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: art, fall, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschoolscience, life science, pumpkin, science

Geronimo Stilton Adventures The Journey Through Time #2: Back in Time (Colosseum Craft)

August 25, 2022 | 1 Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Geronimo Stilton adventures abound. And your kids will love the Geronimo Stilton book, The Journey Through Time #2: Back in Time for the next time travel adventure.

Too, I have a hands-on history Ancient Rome Colosseum craft idea for this book.

Not only is this activity a great way to use up some of those Amazon boxes, but it is a great hands-on way to study one of the most famous historical landmarks and Ancient Rome.

Geronimo Stilton Adventures The Journey Through Time #2: Back in Time (Colosseum Craft)

Your child can learn about the advanced building techniques, the events, the people, their homes, clothes, and more through eyes of that fun loving mouse, Geronimo Stilton.

As you peek into ancient Rome through the eyes of Geronimo Stilton in The Second Journey Through Time, he travels to Ancient Rome in the year 45 BCE.

Hands-on History Activity

While the Colosseum wasn’t built until later than is depicted in this Geronimo Stilton story, you can hardly talk about the incredible architecture of Ancient Rome without mentioning the Colosseum.

This gives you the perfect opportunity to talk about when each building was created and perhaps even make a timeline to help make it more concrete. See how naturally a unit study grows from a topic of interest?

Geronimo Stilton gives a colorful and interesting view into the Circus Maximus, Roman mythology, a great visual of Roman attire and a Roman House.

Geronimo Stilton Adventures The Journey Through Time #2: Back in Time (Colosseum Craft)

These would all make great unit study topics taken from The Second Journey Through Time.

The books are thorough on the topics they cover and pull kids in with pictures and words. This is just part 1 of 3 parts of the book.

Also, Safari Toobs are a great addition to hands on homeschool activities.

They can be added to simple or complex sensory bins, used in dioramas, or as art inspiration.

And the toobs set can be a visual for people and landmarks of those times or even to make our cardboard Roman Colosseum come alive.

Ancient Roman Colosseum Facts

Next, look at some Ancient Roman Colosseum facts to share while you’re teaching this hands-on cardboard history craft.

  • The Colosseum was originally called the Flavian Amphitheater
  • It was completed in the year 80 AD
  • In medieval times the colosseum was used as a church
  • The Colosseum is made of travertine stone and thousands of iron clamps.
  • It’s oval not round as it tends to look in photos.
  • Beneath the Colosseum is the Hypogeum, a complex network of tunnels that animals, gladiators, and prisoners were kept prior to events.
  • The last record of gladiator battles in the Colosseum are from the year 435.

These books also make fantastic supplements to an Ancient Rome Unit Study and round it out nicely

Geronimo Stilton Adventures The Journey Through Time #2: Back in Time (Colosseum Craft)

Look at these other books.

Easy Books about Ancient Rome

Where is the Colosseum?  Perfect for read aloud or independent reading time.

Tools of The Ancient Romans – This has some fantastic information as well as hands on activities for the time period.

Again, they make great add-ons for this unit study and to compliment the Geronimo Stilton adventures.

How to Make An Ancient Rome Cardboard Colosseum

Finally, here is what you will need to build your own Cardboard Roman Colosseum:

  • Corrugated cardboard boxes
  • Packaging tape
  • craft paints
  • Straight edge cutter
  • Baking soda
  • paint brushes, sponge brush

You will need a larger box or several to join together to create the largest piece

First, slice your cardboard into a large strip.

Because mine had flaps already on it, I just left one that I trimmed down rather than cutting it off and reattaching it to create the taller portion of the Colosseum.

Geronimo Stilton Adventures The Journey Through Time #2: Back in Time (Colosseum Craft)

I found that if you cut the bottom flaps off the box from the inside so that your hand/knife rests on the bottom it is much easier to cut a straight line.

Peel off as much of your tape and labels as you can.

If some doesn’t come off its okay, the textured paint will help cover these up.

Score from the top to the bottom down the inside the long piece about every 4-6”.

Geronimo Stilton Adventures The Journey Through Time #2: Back in Time (Colosseum Craft)

Make sure you just go through the first layer of cardboard as this will make it easier to create the curved shape of the exterior.

Geronimo Stilton Adventures The Journey Through Time #2: Back in Time (Colosseum Craft)

Paint a basecoat of white all over the box template.

Allow to dry on one side and then repeat on the other. Allow to dry partially before moving on to the next step.

Create a mixture of 3 parts paint to 1 part baking soda. This combo gives a great texture like limestone or plaster to make it a little more realistic.

Ancient Rome Project

I added a little bit of brown to mine to dull the brightness of the white as well. 

Paint this on thickly, tap with brush and do some areas thinner and thicker to create an aged effect.

You only need to paint this on the outside of your structure but you can do both if you like. Allow to dry completely.

Geronimo Stilton Adventures The Journey Through Time #2: Back in Time (Colosseum Craft)

Draw on the many windows with a pencil and then paint them in.

This technique is easiest and the best choice for younger children. You could make it even easier by using a paint pen or just a black sharpie to color in the windows.

For older children you may choose to pencil in the windows and have them cut them out with a sharp blade.

Geronimo Stilton Adventures The Journey Through Time #2: Back in Time (Colosseum Craft)

Another option is to cut out a bunch of hte rounded windows and let your child glue them into place.

Curve your cardboard template into a circle shape and tape the back seam, you can use clear packing tape or box tape on the inside.

Geronimo Stilton Adventures The Journey Through Time #2: Back in Time (Colosseum Craft)

Other Geronimo Stilton Adventures:

  • The Race Against Time Geronimo Stilton Activities: Fun Edible Spine
  • Geronimo Stilton Adventure The Journey Through Time #2: Back in Time (Mayan Craft)
  • Geronimo Stilton The Curse of The Cheese Pyramid Barbie Mummy
  • Easy and Fun Who Is Geronimo Stilton Rodent Notebooking Page
  • 10 Fun Things You Can Teach Using Geronimo Stilton Books

1 CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: book lists, books, Geronimo Stilton, hands on history, hands-on activities, history, history resources

Day 8: Organize Your Home – Then School and New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

August 24, 2022 | 7 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

How to organize your homeschool is our next topic. Today is day 8 organize your home of the free 31 Day Free Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers. 

In my dreams when I embraced the homeschool world, I had thoughts of my children sitting in glass jars on my shelves.

They wouldn’t have any needs and my house would stay tidy while I had time to learn all I could about the homeschool world.

Back to reality, I soon realized that I needed a plan for our learning and living space before I could crack open a book.

Day 8: Organize Your Home - Then School and New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

A well laid out house helps you to successfully accomplish all of your well laid out lesson plans.

Many homeschoolers have tried to ignore the fact that we must have our house in order first before we school only to find out later it weighs heavy on their minds.

Tears and fears follow because the day to day grind of homeschooling has finally set in, but the needs of our family does not stop.

Organize Your Homeschool

The time to declutter and set your house up for a lifetime of learning is now.

Before you visualize ideas of homeschoolers’ homes that look like Martha Stewart, I want you to understand that homeschooling organization is not the same as organization for the whole world.

Sure, there are lot of concepts that can be used from the volumes of books that exist on organization but reality is that homeschoolers have unique needs.

Along with unique needs comes equally unique solutions.

Your view of organization affects your success. The definition can weigh us down or inspire us.

We normally fall into one of two groups when it comes to organization.

And that is those that obsess over it or those that are indifferent toward it.

A balance attitude about organizing our home is needed.

Organization is in its most simplest form means a “place for everything. If you don’t assign it a spot, it could either turn to clutter or weigh you down. There is joy in assigning the things in your home a place.

I will talk about setting up a learning area and organizing your routine over the next few days, but I want you to focus on that “mental to-do” list you have in your mind for your home and routine.

New to Homeschooling

Look at this chart at a few of the things you will want to assign a place for the week or month. What can you add to this list?

time to schooltime for heavy house cleaningtime for light house cleaning
time for meal planning time for meal cookingtime with your spouse
time to organize lightlytime for self-caretime to lesson plan
time to work in or outside the hometime to buy groceriestime for baking
time to run errandstime to homeschooltime to pay bills
time to care for aging parent/
family members with special needs
time to train children to be organizedtime for exercising

I wish I knew each of you individually and could come into your home and get to know you over a period of a year like I did with a lot of my new bees, but that probably won’t happen.

3 Easy Ways to Prioritize Homeschooling

What I can do is share with you what has worked for hundreds of new homeschoolers which I have helped.

1. Focus on the area or rooms that stress you now.

Nope, it is not the school room for a lot of homeschoolers who answer me genuinely, but a lot of times it  may be your bedroom or even the kitchen.

It could be the kids’ rooms that have built up clutter over time with toys, t shirts and tee ball equipment. Spend time now making those areas inviting.

Day 8: Organize Your Home - Then School and New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

When I started homeschooling, I had a huge clean out of my kitchen and pulled a good amount of “pretty” items  off my table because there was no way I had counter space to do those upcoming science experiments.

Plus did I really need 9 pie containers in my kitchen taking up valuable space? I needed to make room for upcoming supplies that I would need.

So this has everything to do with homeschooling because the adage is true if momma is not happy, not much gets done, including homeschooling.

Did I mention how liberating it is to throw away clutter? I lost 10 lbs in 5 minutes. Okay, it just felt that way.

Day 8: Organize Your Home - Then School and New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

2. Think NOW – How will my children store their short term {papers done today) and long term {after one or two months?

I took time to set up color coordinating notebooks for my children. One color per child.

By labeling the notebooks or labeling and using a file folder if you have younger children that cannot open a notebook, you are requiring that your children practice organization right from the start by putting away their material for the day.

For long term storage I started off using expanding folders and now that I have homeschooled for many years, I have a tote in our attic, but it is organized by year. In addition, I have pictures and school work on external hard drives.

Day 8: Organize Your Home - Then School and New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

Take pictures of what you want to throw away and keep what you can’t part with for the sake of memories.

3. Begin to Set the House Up for Learning and Living

When I first started schooling I shared with you on Day 3: What is NOT Homeschooling how I had brought in a small couch and changing table to the school area. 

I also made snacks ahead of time and kept them on the bottom shelf of my refrigerator so that all the kids could reach them if I was helping another child.

I also got rid of things that would require a lot of time dusting. True, a lot of things were not down on tables because I had a young household, but then again I didn’t create work for myself by cluttering it up with lots of things that took time to dust.

Cleaning out your pantry and your refrigerator, having a well stocked pantry and even something as small as having cleaning supplies in each bathroom instead of tromping back/forth to the place you keep most of them will save you precious minutes and energy each time you have to clean.

Also, addressing how and where you will store homeschool supplies well before you start school allows ample time to focus on the way you prefer your home to be laid out.

It can be stressful to try to shove all the curriculum and supplies in your home when you may be swamped with teaching later.

Our view of organization makes a difference. Do we view it as a straight jacket and no fun or the calm we feel after a goodnights rest? Take baby steps.

New Homeschooler

Throw away 5 things and then do the same thing tomorrow. Since our homes are an intrinsic part of ourselves and our family.

The secret to any significant change is to be consistent and take small steps. Failure is okay, it is just a learning experience and a tiny step in our journey. What counts is continuing the journey despite failures!

Instead of following the routine of another homeschooler, have a “visual tracker” of your family’s rhythm for the day and then assign a “place for everything”. You’d be surprise at what you find out from just tracking a week.

After you track for a week, ask yourself:

  • Am I really getting out of bed at the time I think am?
  • When am I really  folding laundry?
  • How much T.V. are the kids really watching?
  • Without being overboard and taking away all their devices, where in my day am I going to allow math time and then afterward some game time?
  • Am I running to the grocery store too often because I am unorganized?

Did you miss the first week?

Day 8: Organize Your Home - Then School and New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

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

  • 1 Learn The Lingo and New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp (& free glossary)
  • 2: Homeschool Roots Matter and New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp
  • 3 What is NOT Homeschooling and New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp
  • 4: Confronting Relatives & Naysayers and New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp
  • 5: The Wheels on the Bus Go ‘Round & ‘Round – So Get Off! And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp
  • 6: Homeschool Hangouts & Socialization Situations And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp
  • 7: Tied Up with Homeschool Testing? And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

Organize Your Home - Then School - 31 Day Homeschool Boot Camp
Organize Your Home - Then School - 31 Day Homeschool Boot Camp

7 CommentsFiled Under: 31 Day Blog Bootcamp for New Homeschoolers, Home, Organization Tagged With: new homeschooler

Kids Fun Pumpkin Catapult STEM Challenge for Medieval Unit Study

August 23, 2022 | 1 Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Your kids will love making this fun pumpkin catapult stem challenge where you’re doing a fall unit study or medieval unit study.

This pumpkin catapult stem challenge will incorporate science, technology, engineering, math, and history into one fun activity.

This is a cool activity that will definitely earn you a lot of cool mom points.

A medieval times unit study is the perfect time to try out this hands-on activity to teach weaponry that was used during the period as well as those STEM skills.

Kids Fun Pumpkin Catapult Stem Challenge for Medieval Unit Study

You don’t have to make yours as large as this one, but I found this pack of huge craft sticks at Hobby Lobby.

So, I thought they would put a fun twist to it.

Instead of using little marshmallow pumpkins, we were able to launch larger decor pumpkins (they are just inexpensive stuffed ones from Dollar Tree).

Also, if your child enjoys history, consider adding the Kingfisher History Encyclopedia and Usborne Encyclopedia of World History.

They both contain wonderful illustrations and information that is easy for children to understand.

And they are a great addition to round out any unit study. 

Medieval Catapult Facts

Before, after, or during your activity give your child some of the research questions below to find in books or online.

  • What are the 4 Types of catapults? trebuchet, mangonel, onager, and ballista.
  • What were catapults used for in Medieval Times? Siege, vaulting things over castle walls
  • What time period is considered Medieval/Middle ages? 500 to 1400-1500 CE
  • What event marked the beginning of the Middle Ages?  The fall of Rome 476 AD
  • What is the hierarchy of feudal society during this time? Monarchs, Lords/Ladies (Nobles), Knights, and Peasants/Serfs

Vocabulary Words for Medieval Unit Study

Then, here are a few vocabulary words for this unit.

Kids Fun Pumpkin Catapult Stem Challenge for Medieval Unit Study
  • Projectile
  • Force 
  • Fulcrum 
  • Lever
  • Peasant
  • Vassal
  • Furlong
  • Squire
  • Clergy
  • Plunder
  • Troubadour
  • Guild

Catapult Science

Next, learn about some of the science of the catapult.

When you draw back the craft/popsicle stick, potential(resting) energy is being built up.

After you release it, it becomes kinetic (moving) energy.

Finally, gravity pulls the launched object back down.

This stem activity shows Newton’s three laws of motion.

Newtons 3 Laws of Motion

  1. Newton’s law of inertia– An object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an external force.  
  2. Newton’s law of force and acceleration– When an external force acts on an object, it produces an acceleration (change in velocity) in the object in the direction of the force.
  3. Newton’s third law- The law of action and reaction states that every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

You can try using different objects with different sizes and weights.

Change the thickness of the fulcrum to achieve different results.

And add a measuring tape or yard stick to figure out the various distance. Then, record your information.  

Here is how to put together your own pumpkin catapult stem challenge. You will need:

  • Jumbo craft sticks
  • Rubber bands
  • A large metal or plastic lid 
  • E6000 or hot glue
  • Pumpkins
Kids Fun Pumpkin Catapult Stem Challenge for Medieval Unit Study

If you want to add these fun knights and horses you can grab these Safari Toobs.

They are also great to use in diorama, sensory bins, as models for drawing, and in dramatic small world play.

How to Make a Medieval Catapult

You can paint or use markers to color your popsicle sticks if you like as your first step or keep them natural like this one.

Just be sure to let them dry thoroughly before putting it together.

Starting by making a stack of craft sticks.

I ended up using 14 of the jumbo sticks to create more leverage for the catapult, placing rubber bands securely on each end about 1 ½” from the end.

Kids Fun Pumpkin Catapult Stem Challenge for Medieval Unit Study

Stack two jumbo craft sticks and place a rubber band only over one end, 1 – ½” away from the end.

Kids Fun Pumpkin Catapult Stem Challenge for Medieval Unit Study

Open the two craft sticks that are banded at one end and slip the large stack of sticks through, pushing them about ¾ of the way up close to the rubber band.

Kids Fun Pumpkin Catapult Stem Challenge for Medieval Unit Study

Next, take a larger rubber band and crisscross it over a few times where your two stacks of sticks intersect.

Kids Fun Pumpkin Catapult Stem Challenge for Medieval Unit Study

Use hot glue or something like e6000 (which will take longer to set) to affix your lid to the end of the top craft stick. 

Kids Fun Pumpkin Catapult Stem Challenge for Medieval Unit Study

Press it in place firmly and let it dry all the way. Be sure that you use plenty of glue so that it is very secure to the craft stick.

Kids Fun Pumpkin Catapult Stem Challenge for Medieval Unit Study

To launch you just need to press down on the back and release, 

Let the launching fun begin!

Kids Fun Pumpkin Catapult Stem Challenge for Medieval Unit Study

You are ready to lay siege and launch objects over castle walls ( or at least over the ottoman) in a battle for riches and power.

Add a few more items to your study to really give it some hands-on fun like this 3d Puzzle Castle or these knight decorations to kick off a new Medieval unit study.

Other Fall Unit Study Resources

  • Fall Homeschool Learning Resources For Middle School
  • Fall Y’all:Pumpkin Pie in a Bag (Easy Homeschool Co-op Idea)
  • Fall Unit Study (Includes Apples, Sir Isaac Newton, Art, and Appleseed)

1 CommentFiled Under: Teach Homeschool Science Tagged With: fall, hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, history, history resources, homeschool, medieval homeschool history, middle ages history, science

Day 7: Tied Up with Homeschool Testing? And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

August 22, 2022 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

What about standardized testing for homeschoolers? Today tied up with testing is day 7 of the free 31 Day Free Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers. 

If there is one pointed question I get repeatedly in my workshops, it is how do I go about testing my children?

My knee jerk answer to this question would be WHY?

Thankfully, I have never responded that way.

However, there should be a purpose for everything you choose to do in homeschooling.

Day 7: Tied Up with Homeschool Testing? And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

You can’t decide if testing is right for your family unless you think about your goals and have some background information on testing.

Instead of focusing on explaining the myriads of tests and how to do it, I feel as a new homeschooler you need to have time to decide if you want to or not.

I will, however, put links at the bottom to explain some of the them, but again I encourage you to pause and focus on the fact if it would benefit your family or not at this time.

Determine Your Purpose for Testing

Some homeschool parents just assume that you have to test when you start to homeschool.

Until I started homeschooling, I did not think that testing could be used for any other reason than to measure one child against another.

From my public school experience as a student that is all I remember. There are many reasons to test and some of the more main streamed ones are:

  1. To diagnose areas of weakness or strengths in your children.
  2. To evaluate what is age-appropriate knowledge.
  3. To place for entrance into colleges or to determine scholarship money.

I have used testing for the reasons listed above.

But also for something not so mainstream and that is for memory retention purposes. I have used old tests put out by the state of Texas to test my children. The tests are free and I printed them and administer them in a test environment.

Seeing what was on the test help me to determine if I wanted to cover other concepts in math and other areas of history.

Though we left public school so that we do not have to stay in sync with it, there is nothing wrong with getting an expanded view of what other children who are the same ages as yours are learning.

I have created our unit studies based on a question we saw on a test because I realized we wanted to know more about that subject.

Other parents want their children familiar with the environment of a test no matter how much anxiety their children have.

Tips for When Testing is Appropriate

If you live in a state that requires accountability, then you will need to test.

However, you can ease testing anxiety by perhaps using another homeschool mom to test your child in a more homeschool friendly environment.

Tension can be eased somewhat because the child is familiar with the other homeschool children and teacher.

Up until high school, a lot of homeschool parents choose to test informally.

The Scholastic Assessment Test or SAT is just really a “readiness test” that tests logic and critical thinking skills.

Although it’s an important test if you want your child to go to college and get scholarship money, your high school teen can still prepare for it.

A SAT test can be important to prove mastery of material for college admissions.

Testing

Testing Can Be Harmful

Many times I have seen parents who plan to fail homeschool their first year.

Unintentionally, they have a “what if we go back to public school mentality” that they do not let go of when they start to homeschool.

On Day 3: What is NOT Homeschooling and New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp I talked about what is not homeschooling.

Adding to that list of what is not homeschooling, I add that it does not mean to keep pace with the public school.

One of the greatest inhibitors to letting go of the way the public school does things is fear.

If you commit more time to making homeschooling work for you instead of thinking one day you will return to homeschool, you’ll have a more meaningful year.

I don’t say this lightly because I am one of “those” homeschoolers who thought that the public school would offer my sons something better than I could. At first, I did not plan with eternity in mind.

Testing your child constantly to keep up with his peers to prepare for the what if is living in fear.

My mind-set changed because I viewed my sons as gifts that were given to me.

I thought back to the day that I held my first born. Just because sleepless nights, constant rocking and probably over parenting followed, it never crossed my mind to give up or give him back. 

Too, I’m going to switch gears here on you.

Who is Tina Robertson

But before you can appreciate how I can help you here are are a few things about me. Sure, this free new homeschooler boot camp is all about you.

However, you need to know that I’m not new to the homeschool world. It has been several years since I wrote this series and I want to update you on my successes. And I’ve helped HUNDREDS get on the road to homeschooling.

Too, I have 3 homeschooled grads. So I’m well past having my oldest kid being 10 years old.

But the best part is that what I have for you works.

Also, look at a few other things about me.

  • I am the author of the book Homeschooling 31 Day Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers: When You Don’t Know Where to Begin

And I have a detailed self-paced online homeschool Kickstarter course. It is a detailed comprehensive course for first time homeschoolers.

That is enough about me.

This new homeschoolers free boot camp is about you. I’ve not only been helping new homeschoolers in person, but here at my site for years.

Do you view your homeschool year as a trial period or for the duration? Your view of your lifestyle change affects how you will view testing.

Testing can be a valuable tool if you wield it to benefit your family or it can undermine a child’s self confidence. I do know that a test will never be able to measure all that we have learned along the way and it can never identify the uniqueness of each child.

Don’t be tied up with testing. Become familiar with the various types of testing, then determine if it will work for your family.

Homeschool Testing Resources

  • Homeschool Testing Service
  • Choosing Standardized Tests
  • Testing and Evaluation
  • Edinformatics
  • Released tests by Texas which can be used for any measuring you need.
  • BJU testing
Day 7: Tied Up with Homeschool Testing? And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

Days 1 – 6 of the 31 Free Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers

  • 1 Learn The Lingo and New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp (& free glossary)
  • 2: Homeschool Roots Matter and New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp
  • 3 What is NOT Homeschooling and New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp
  • 4: Confronting Relatives & Naysayers and New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp
  • 5: The Wheels on the Bus Go ‘Round & ‘Round – So Get Off! And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp
  • 6: Homeschool Hangouts & Socialization Situations And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp
Day 7. Tied Up with Testing? 31 Days of New Bee Homeschooler Blog Boot Camp

Leave a CommentFiled Under: 31 Day Blog Bootcamp for New Homeschoolers, Begin Homeschooling Tagged With: new homeschooler

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