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Homeschool Curriculum Review

How Animals Cope With the Cold (Easy Nature Study)

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

I was given this product free because I asked for it and couldn’t wait to use it. 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!

Winter is a wonderful season for learning about animals with kids. Animals go through so many different behavioral changes to adapt to cold temperatures and, when you can study those changes in your own backyard, it really makes scientific concepts come alive.

So I was excited to try the NaturExplorers ebook “Coping With the Cold”. I’ve been wanting to add in nature studies to our homeschool but didn’t need anything that requires a lot of fuss.

Winter is a wonderful season for learning about animals with kids. Animals go through so many different behavioral changes to adapt to cold temperatures and, when you can study those changes in your own backyard, it really makes scientific concepts come alive. Click here to grab this easy nature study!

NaturExplorers ebook “Coping With the Cold” is a Charlotte Mason-inspired nature study program for learning about how animals adapt to winter temperatures. And it’s loaded with simple DIY projects, science activities, and plenty of notebooking pages too!

Take a look at what all is included in this excellent science curriculum!

NaturExplorers Review: Coping With the Cold

Since NaturExplorers is a Charlotte Mason-style program, the curriculum includes plenty of nature study activities and hands-on learning ideas for studying winter animal behavior.

Nature Explorers Coping With the Cold

And, along with all the printed activities for kids to complete, there are loads of notebooking pages and drawing prompts so they can record what they observe outdoors.

Nature Explorers Winter Animals Notebooking Pages

Winter NaturExplorers 1080x1080 (Instagram)
What I really like about NaturExplorers is that the program encourages kids to spend plenty of time outside in nature, finding out what animals do for themselves.

Nature Explorers Migration Activity

For example, the activities about bird migration were really informational and geography-based too.

Did you know that birds actually follow “flyways” – a version of bird highways? I didn’t!

Migrating Animal Research Planning Page

This migrating animal research planner was such a neat idea, because it’s a great way to help children plan a research topic, organize their ideas, and outline an essay.

This is an excellent activity for middle school language arts.

Studying Winter Animal Adaptations

By the way, these are just some of the notebooking and journaling activities in the program!

Easy Nature Study!

Winter Animal Observation Sheets

Charlotte Mason strongly encouraged art and journaling and NaturExplorers does a fantastic job of prompting kids to draw what they see and note what it tells them about animal behavior.

It’s art and science in one activity!

Winter Adaptations Research Activity

And, because I always love to encourage reading, I was thrilled to see that the program featured an activity for kids to complete using a nonfiction book about winter animals they choose from the library. (My favorite place!)

Winter Adaptations Art Activity

Even if you can only observe one or two different kinds of animals (depending on where you live), the idea of adaptations is so thoroughly covered that kids will be able to spot other adaptations in animals they read about.

Migrating Flocks Observation Sheet

Some of the other notebooking pages include questions for kids to answer, based on their own observations, and charts for them to fill out.

Studying Winter Animal Behavior

I also loved that NaturExplorers is so open-ended. There’s no weekly schedule or layout included, so you can pick up and pause as you need to. It’s a very relaxed curriculum and you adapt it to your own schedule.

Perfect for us eclectic homeschoolers!

I’ll be sharing a few of the NaturExplorers activities in upcoming posts, but – trust me – this is a fabulous winter nature study program that you’ll love as much as the kids do!

How to Purchase It.

►Product Name: Coping With the Cold.
►Website: Our Journey Westward.
►Type of product: Ebook instant download.
►Ages: Multiple grades 1st to 8th grade.
►Price: $12.00

Winter is a wonderful season for learning about animals with kids. Animals go through so many different behavioral changes to adapt to cold temperatures and, when you can study those changes in your own backyard, it really makes scientific concepts come alive. Click here to grab this easy nature study!

See even more ways to include hands-on science in your homeschool!

Hugs and love ya,

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 and how to homeschool high school page for more fun tips

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

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.

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 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!

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.

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.

And when you have a guide any study can be fleshed out for older grades. It was a great guide.

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. Your time is valuable and by using a curriculum that is laid out for a year, you have more than enough ideas in place to use as a springboard for all the ages of kids you’re teaching.
  • 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. I really love how the guide is laid out because if it was totally scripted it’s hard to use that for older kids or younger kids. 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.

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.

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 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 Teach Homeschool Art Like a Pro (When You’re Not)

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

I was given this product free from Atelier Homeschool Art and I was compensated 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. 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!

Knowing that it requires both skill and creativity to be a successful artist, I’ve spent years looking for a homeschool art curriculum which teaches both concepts. There is a reason I’m using Atelier Homeschool Art again this year. It teaches both concepts easily to a novice student and teacher.

Atelier Homeschool Art is video-based teaching. So it not only frees up my time to teach, but it also gives me teaching tips in the parent/teacher’s manual.

I like to be selectively controlling when teaching art. What I mean is that at certain times, I want to learn alongside my son while teaching him. Other times, when I have minimal to no teacher prep time, I want art lessons laid out so that it’s pick up and go.

Before I go on I just have to let you know one important thing and that is you don’t want to miss the SWEET surprise at the end of this post!

Kids Art Lessons

Teaching homeschool art use to be a subject that intimidated me.

(Creative expression can be learned by following a model.)

When I first started homeschooling, I was lopsided in my teaching. I was overly focused on skill subjects or the three Rs. Little did I understand that art feeds a child’s mind and that a creative imagination is the beginning to a lifelong love of learning anything.

Let me back up though because I want you to understand how Atelier Homeschool Art is laid out.

Homeschool Art Lessons

Look at these quick facts about how Atelier Homeschool Art makes it easy for me to teach art.

  • They offer 8 levels and because the levels overlap several ages it gives me more wiggle room when I had to choose a skill level.
  • The subscription is a full year of visual art lessons which you get for 3 years. More on that in a minute. However, there is no need to plan when lessons are ready for the year.
  • It is also a family subscription. I wouldn’t be wrong in saying you could use it for all of your kids but the subscription allows you to learn art too. It’s not just for multiple ages of children, but mom and dad can join in on the fun because the program is not baby-ish. The teaching and material are top-notch produced.
  • Not only is the art program offered online, but the DVD program is the same content. Let’s face it. There are still some places that don’t have a fast internet connection and there is no need to have to settle for mediocre art curriculum. I do love that Tiny can use his iPad and then I can look at his lessons on my laptop.
  • Another super help to me is that they offer art kits for just about 80% of the lessons. No need to guess which products you need. However, I also like the fact that prior to each lesson you are given a list for supplies. Why is this important to me? In teaching children to be independent, they need to receive proper instruction. If we don’t have art supplies in the house for the next lesson, Tiny needs to review ahead to let me know what supplies he needs. Yes, I love that Atelier Homeschool Art teaches independence even in art study. It’s Tiny job to gather his supplies and be ready for the next art lesson.
  • I mentioned that art is about having skill and creativity. Some kids have natural talent in that area and some need a model to follow. Either way, those skills can be taught or reinforced which is why the scope and sequence is important to me. We are working on Level 8 this year and look at what we’re learning. Students will build and develop a foundation of skills by learning and working through the essential elements and principles of art including: line, color, space, shape, texture, pattern, and balance. Level 8 also includes art-history, media exploration, creative self-expression, cultural appreciation, and much more.
  • It is a well-rounded art curriculum and allows plenty of time for free expression.
  • Then something else that really helped me as a beginner when teaching art is learning insider’s tips and tricks of the trade. I left the penciled grid lines on the beautiful art above that Tiny did while learning about Michelangelo. I wanted you to see that trick. Not only did he learn art history but he learned pro tips like making a grid line on his page when doing really larger pieces of art. It may seem like a small thing if you’re experienced at art, but if you’re like me, you appreciate all the seemingly insignificant, but important pro tips. Too, it makes Tiny really proud of his work instead of ending up with a small scale picture that he worked so hard on, but that only takes up about 1/4 of the page.
  • It helps us to look at art through the eyes of an artist. Tiny tends to be more like me in expecting perfection of himself. Sad, but true that the kid got that quality from me. This means we need more encouragement to let go of that expectation, but we still want to have guidance and drawing aids. That is another huge benefit of each lesson. Not only are teacher instructions included, but drawing aids are made available for download. We also appreciated the visuals used in each class as the art instructor explains what she sees in concrete objects. Again, helping us to see art through her eyes.
  • Although I mentioned the teacher’s guide, it’s important for you to know that not all teacher’s guides are designed equally. I have a high standard for a teacher’s guide and especially for one about a subject that I’m not an expert at teaching. This teacher’s guides exceeds my expectations because of the content and helpful how-tos. The teacher’s guide is 184 pages. It includes background information on how to teach art and how to grade it. It has a scope and sequence along with a glossary of terms and objectives. It is truly comprehensive.

Teaching Art While at the Museum

However, there is one more benefit that really sets this curriculum apart and that is the digital art prints along with the Art Print Guide.

It is already comprehensive but this nifty feature just makes it overflowing with ideas on how to incorporate art into every day life.

Make visiting an art museum come alive when you discuss the series of 10 digital prints. We have started a notebook with these prints and are covering them slowly since the guide has questions (with answers) along with activities to extend learning.

Each print has artist background information along with information about the artwork.

This could easily count as a fine art credit for a middle or high school student or half-credit depending on how comprehensive you want it to be.

Having multiple options when buying is appealing to me.

Included with each family package for the online Great Art Appreciation Program are 10 Great Masters Art Images and the Discussion Guides.

But if you choose the enrichment option, you get at least 90 artworks.

The enriched family package option also includes the Great Masters Virtual Museum. This virtual museum contains at least 90 artworks displayed in 7 galleries, along with discussion guides for each artwork. It is designed for those families who wish to include an enriched art appreciation and art history component with their studio art lessons.

Teaching homeschool art use to be a subject that intimidated me. I didn’t give up trying to teach it because I feel so much emphasis is always give on academics and not enough time to power up a child’s creativity. Look at easy it can be to teach homeschool art. Click here to read the tips!

Hands-down this is by far the best homeschool art program I’ve used and I’m PROUD that Atelier Homeschool Art is part of our curriculum!

updated products facts at a glance

How to Purchase It.

►Product Name: Atelier Online – Level 8 (ages 12-16) Levels 1 through 8 are available, which can be used for ages 4 to 16.
►Website: Atelier Homeschool Art
►Try it for Free: Click here for free sample lessons.
►About the product: All Atelier art lessons are presented on video, and reinforced by lesson plans. Not only are the videos a rich source of creative ideas and inspiration, it also clarifies the objectives, materials, techniques and procedures of each lesson. Abundant instructional coverage, as well as that of students in a virtual art class performing the lesson and displaying their finished artwork, consistently produces exceptional student results and learning, regardless of the art background of the parent-teacher.
►Formats: This program is not only available online, but the same materials can be purchased in dvd format too.
►Type of product: Online video-based.
►Art Supply Kits: We had many of these art materials, but did have to purchase some of them. If you’re like me and want things easily laid out, then you may like the Atelier Art Supply Kit which includes approximately 80% of the supplies needed for a complete level.
►Price: 140.00 for each grade level BUT that is for 3 years. Did you think I would forget to tell you about this? Why is it for 3 years? Because Atelier Homeschool Art knows that to truly master skills it takes years.

So to find the true cost. Divide 140.00 by 36 months (3 years) and that equals $3.88 per month. What a value for beautiful art curriculum.

Like I mentioned before, each lesson has drawing aids. Last year, Tiny picked one drawing aid to work on one skill and this year Tiny chose a completely different drawing aid. However, he is still working on improving the same concept in align with his maturity level.

But if you have a stricter budget that you need to stay in, you’ll love their newest option to buy. You can buy just individual modules.

You’ll love these other tips!

4 Shortcuts to Teach Hands-on American History in Half the Time

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

 Here are 4 shortcuts to teach hands-on American history in half the time.

For years I’ve fought my tendency to just stick a worksheet in front of my sons and call it American history.

Knowing that learning by doing is effective, but creating uncomplicated hands-on projects are two different things for me.

I tend to complicate and over-analyze the details of a history activity.

Next thing you know, and much to my kids’ disappointment, I’ve completely deleted any kind of fun learning activities from our day.

Can you relate?

For years I've fought my tendency to stick just a worksheet in front of my sons and call it American history. Knowing that learning by doing works but keeping hands-on ideas uncomplicated are two different things for me. I tend to complicate and over-analyze the details of a history activity. Next thing you know and much to my kids' disappointment, I've completely deleted any kind of fun learning activities from our day. Can you relate? Click here to read 4 shortcuts to teaching hands-on American history activities that are no fuss, no stress, and literally no preparation!

For review purposes, I was given these products for free and I was paid for my time. However, paid for my time does not mean paid off. All opinions are my own and I will always tell you what is on my mind. Not every product gets a positive review. But because I carefully sort through numerous offers for reviews, it usually means that I’m giddy about the product when I do accept it. Read my full disclosure here.

So when I found out about the chance to use 8 family-friendly hands-on American history activity books from Dover Publications, I was tickled to check them out.

Key Benefits of Uncomplicated Hands-on American History

Having activities that an older and younger sibling can work on together is one sanity-saving tip.

When all of my children are engaged in learning together, they are more motivated while we do simple and fuss free hands-on American history activities.

The second tip I’ve learned is that sometimes I need activities that have little to no teacher prep time.

This doesn’t mean that I always want activities for my kids that take little time.

I want to maximize learning time while minimizing my time.

In addition, when needed, I want my kids to be able to self-teach, self-check or learn independently.

It seems like a lot to ask for, but I’ve had to widen my scope of what is a hands-on activity.

Adopting a view that hands-on American history crafts have to always be over the top is extreme.

Besides, my kids’ are always delighted when I’m not stressed out when we do simple activities. 

Look at these 4 simple shortcuts for learning American history with no fuss, no stress, and literally no preparation.

ONE/ Learn American history through using museum-quality coloring books.

When I started homeschooling, my house was full of useless coloring books.

As I attended more field trips, I found educational quality coloring books in museums.

Shortly thereafter, when I taught American history I used Dover Publications coloring books because of their educational value of events, people or objects.

  
Museum quality coloring books are books that make learning about events in American history come alive.

While studying the details of an accurately portrayed person or event, a child is engaged.

His imagination is stirred to think about a time period back in history.

For example, while coloring the pictures of each president, we researched about time period clothing and objects.

Reading the short captions about the presidents while looking at events on each page from a president’s term easily cements important American history events in my son’s mind.

Museum quality coloring books are a fascinating way to rekindle a child’s love for learning about history. And the best part is that there is no teacher prep.

Too, if you have a kid who prefers to color his way through learning the states rather than drawing them in a notebook or creating a lapbook, he’ll love completing a United States Coloring Book.

A younger kid can grab an atlas and locate each state as he reads information about the state motto, the state tree, and the date each state entered the Union.

Facts about the past then become something that is relevant today.

As your child researches about the plants and trees of each state, coloring to match the details of the flora and fauna of each state becomes a valuable teaching tool.

Paying attention to details when coloring and fostering the child’s natural desire for creativity leaves a lasting impression of what is learned.

TWO/ Build a Paper Model of the White House.

This next project, the whole family got in on because it was just plain fun.

Admittedly, my kids have spent way more time on digital devices than I have wanted them to.

How to Easily Turn an American History Research Topic into a Hands-on Learning Project

It’s been a struggle to find projects that are educational much less finding one that focuses on American history.

We were delighted to build the paper model of the White House.

Looking at pictures of the White House and noticing details he hadn’t paid attention to prior to constructing the paper model of the White House was a relaxed way to learn about the nation’s capital.

Not only did Tiny have to read directions carefully in putting together all the small paper pieces, but it took patience to glue them.

An unexpected benefit of building the paper model was learning the fundamentals of engineering.

THREE/ Use Activity Books to Teach American History.

For an older child there is no more engaging way to review the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution than to do a fun decoding activity in the U.S.A. Constitution Activity Book.

I wished I had introduced the Preamble in this way to my sons when they were younger instead of having them memorize it or fill out a worksheet.

Fun activities like crossword puzzles, mazes, finding hidden objects in a picture and comparing two pictures to see what is missing are relaxed and informal ways to teach facts about the nation’s capital.

If you have a younger child who needs help in fine motor skills, he’ll love being able to do mazes instead of having to color.

When the boys were real little, we did mazes a lot because I read about the benefits of learning how to problem solve.

Looking ahead in a maze and seeing what will work and not work is a fun way to learn problem solving skills.

The beauty of having a variety of activity books is that each child can choose what he loves to do the most.

The best part of activity books are that most of the solutions or answers are found in the back of the book. Again, no teacher needed.

FOUR/ Create Historical figures – the easy way. Use Paper Figures.

Unlike the White House paper model, which requires patience and wit to methodically put together, the historical paper models are easily punched out and glued.

It’s a great project for a younger kid who wants to be involved while you teach older kids.

One of the reasons teaching American history can be boring is that we wait until high school to teach it and then we do it through a dry textbook.

Raising a budding history lover begins with introducing him to historical figures of the past and present through imaginative play.

In addition, while reading about George Washington, the American Civil War, or any other historical person or significant time period, a younger child will have a way to act out events which your older kids are learning.

Until a child is old enough to understand how American history affects us today, he needs concrete learning tools. Stand Up Presidents gives him a chance to hold and touch history. (Sadly this is out of print right now, sometimes they come back .If they do I’ll do a link).

But here is another cool one which is George Washington and His Family Paper Dolls in Full Color.

You’re already aware of the benefits of using puppets for a young child to discover the joy of a story.

History is just one continuous story. And paper puppets draw in a young child and lets him be part of telling the story of our history.

Learning History Through Playing

Too, activity books are great for other reasons:

  • they can revive a child’s love of learning,
  • they can be used to take a break from formal learning,
  • they can be used on sick days,
  • they can be used for family bonding time,
  • they can help you to teach a subject like American history, which your child may not like,
  • they normally require just a few supplies to complete like pens, map coloring pencils, and glue,
  • and the best part is that all of your kids, regardless of age can learn together because of the wide range of activities offered in activity books.

Remember hands-on American history activities shouldn’t stress you out, cost a lot, or make a big mess for your child to retain the information. Grab one or two activity books and relax.

You’ll love the activity books from Dover Publications.

You’ll also love these other resources:

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.

How to Shake Up STEAM With Geography For Middle School

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

Science intimidates me, but I’ve always managed to teach it through one of my other strengths. I had a chance to shake up STEAM with geography. I used a country crate about Poland and used it to teach STEAM with geography, history and hands-on activities as a unit study. I love pick up and go resources that have everything in a crate that makes teaching STEAM and geography easy. Click here to read about it and grab it!

I stalked the mailbox waiting for this country crate. For review purposes, I was given this product for free and I was paid for my time. However, paid for my time does not mean paid off. All opinions are my own and I will always tell you what is on my mind. Not every product gets a positive review. But because I carefully sort through numerous offers for reviews, it usually means that I’m giddy about the product when I do accept it. Read my full disclosure here.

Science intimidates me, but I’ve always managed to teach it through one of my other strengths. So when I had a chance to shake up STEAM with geography by receiving a country crate about Poland from STEAMworld, I jumped at the chance. I can’t wait to tell you about the country crate, tell you what you get in one, and how I used it.

First, though, I don’t want you to miss both the sweet discount and giveaway at the bottom. Don’t forget to enter the giveaway and use the discount code.

After reading recently that STEAM jobs are on the increase, I’ve been looking for easy ways to incorporate science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics in my unit studies, but that takes a lot of time.

Too, nothing takes the steam (corny pun – I couldn’t resist) more out of a hands-on project then missing items to do them with.

Knowing that the crate comes with everything that we need in it to learn about Poland is a huge time savings tip.

Right now 3 countries are available: Poland, Japan, and Morocco with more coming!

(Confession – the paper and template for the rooster are missing in the picture because Tiny couldn’t wait to get started.)

Look at what you get in each crate:

  • materials for a math project,
  • materials for a science project,
  • materials for an art project,
  • materials for an engineering project,
  • one student activity book, which includes instructions for all STEAM projects, and
  • one country scrapbook style guide, which includes back ground information, fast facts and landmarks about a country.

What you do not get in a crate are items you normally would have in your homeschool room like rulers, pens, pencils, scissors and glue.

One of the things I like most about the crate and ideas for each subject is that they were uncomplicated and not lengthy.

It has just the right amount of laid out activities without telling you what to do each day.

If you’re new to unit studies, you may want a unit study that is more comprehensive, but that can also be overwhelming.

Right now in this season of my homeschooling, I want the freedom and wiggle room to learn at our pace without day to day lesson plans.

For example, for the first week and half or so we worked on the art project.

Look at my post Polish Paper-Cutting (Wycinanki): Day 10 Hands-on Learning.

The student activity book, or guide, has one or two pages of explanation with a hands-on project.

After reading the art activity, we took our time working on the art project. After learning about the beautiful art of polish paper cutting, we researched art patterns as well as read about the history of Poland.

In addition to the 8-page student activity book, the 4-page scrapbook style country guide has background information and quick facts about Poland.

Then, we took another couple of weeks watching a few YouTube videos and reading books from the library.

Both guides are springboards if you want to research and read longer about a topic like we did.

What I also like is that each project your child can work on independently. While I love teaching my kids at the middle school and high school level, I know it’s important to choose resources that support a child’s natural desire to learn independently.

Having each day’s lesson plans laid out is not exactly the way to do that.

Instead, giving your child guidance, some background information, and bringing the information together under a geography topic gives a middle school or high school student a beginning point.

Having an idea for each subject in a geography unit study also keeps your geography study balanced. Following a unit study approach means that you normally want some starting point for subjects about a topic and it means to introduce it in a balanced way.

I know I’ve been guilty of being unbalanced while covering unit study. While there is nothing wrong with digging deep on a topic you and your kids are excited about, a few subjects could be overlooked.

Using STEAMworld, gave us not only ideas to cover more in-depth, but hands-on projects for each subject.

I’ve confessed that when the boys were little that I took a hands-off approach to teaching because it either intimidated me or sounded like a lot of work for maybe a little return.

After homeschooling longer, you learn that kids retain information better when they are engaged and through hands-on projects. However, the next mistake in learning how to teach unit studies is that you can complicate hands-on projects. It’s almost enough to make you quit unit studies.

That is another reason I’m tickled to use the the country crates. Simple, but meaningful projects while learning about Poland keeps unit studies from being either boring or overly complicated.

However, the best reason I love STEAMworld is the focus on STEAM.

When it comes to geography and history it’s our first love; I can easily add in more content. But my boys have always loved science and want more ideas when we are doing unit studies.

STEAMworld may be a good fit for your family:

►If you love STEAM and want to include a framework for geography and history with it.
►If you love STEAM and want to fold it into your unit studies.
►If you want all the important supplies for hands-on projects at your finger tips and not have to worry about gathering all of them.
►If you love in-depth geography and history and prefer to add it yourself while having ideas for STEAM.
►If you prefer to have a beginning point and an easy hands-on idea for each subject in STEAM.
►If you want to encourage your kids to work more independently in unit studies, the guides are not bulky, but helpful and simple.
►If you prefer to do your own in-depth planning and don’t need to be told what to do day to day.
►If you don’t want to come up with a hands-on idea for Science,Technology, Engineering, Art or Math. An idea is provided for each subject tied to the country you’re studying.
►If you have multiple ages of children and want them to work together on a topic, but not necessarily on the same lesson. There is enough wiggle room in the guides to allow each child to work on a sub-topic that may interest each one.

I think you’ll love these country crates and I can’t wait to see the other country crates that are released.

What I love too is when a company is generous and hosts a sweet giveaway in addition to giving you a discount.

Be sure to enter the giveaway because there will be two winners and you have several chances to win. You never know; you may win. Don’t forget to use the coupon, as well as to share with your friends.

Hope you win!

How to purchase it.

►Product Name: STEAMworld Country Crates. Includes everything needed to do the activities. Materials included for science, math, art and engineering. Basic homeschool supplies like scissors, glue, tape and pencils are not included in the country crate. There is a duo option for extra material to include siblings.
►Website: STEAMworld Learning.
►Suitable for grades: 4th to 8th, but so it’s  so flexible to include all of your children.
►Format: A physical product that will be shipped to you.
►Cost: $39.95. Remember to use the code: steam2017 for a discount.

You may also love reading 5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities), Geoscavenge – A Rock and Mineral Hunt: Day 6 Hands-on Learning and 11 AWESOME Ways to Learn Geography (Other Than Labeling a Map).

Hugs and love ya,

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