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Homeschool Curriculum Review

7 Budget-Friendly Language Arts Curriculum to Pair with Unit Studies (with printable)

March 27, 2017 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Through the years, I've given the same long-standing advice. Spend first what money you have budgeted for curriculum on the core subjects because they are essential to a well-rounded-out education. Reading in the younger grades, literature in the older grades, 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. Click here to read about how to save money when you buy individual components. | Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

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.


Through the years, I’ve given the same long-standing advice. Spend first what money you have budgeted for curriculum on the core subjects because they are essential to a well-rounded education. Reading in the younger grades, literature in the older grades, 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 from Homeschool Buyers Co-op, which I’ve used and another one I am eyeballing to add.

Mapping Out the Components of Language Arts

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.

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 2013 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.

When the online version came out, I was tickled to use it with my next two boys. Wordly Wise 3000 online version of the award-winning vocabulary curriculum for grades 2–12 saves you 89% and that is a sweet discount.

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.

►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.

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

I would even unfasten the literature guide so I could add just the pages that my boys needed to do for that year. I was tickled when pdf formats came out because it meant no waste. I printed what I needed that year with one son, and printed a different page or pages needed for another year.

Progeny Press Literature Guides are in an enhanced pdf format now, are for grades K-12 and the best part is you save 35%.

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.

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.

Homeschool Buyers Co-op does give you free shipping. Any savings helps when you want a thorough grammar program.

►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.

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.

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.

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.

You’ll like getting the discount for shipping on this so worth it writing curriculum.

►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.

With living history literature by Bethlehem Books, grades PreK-12, you save up to 50%.

Remember, since this is living literature the vocabulary is not simplified and it may be harder for some kids. Too, Bethlehem Books chooses books based on moral value, which I like.

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 Bethlehem 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 and saves you 25%.

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

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 Streaming Plus, for grades K-12 and saves you 60% is the one I’m about to pull the trigger on because we love media with our unit studies.

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. It’s probably the most extensive and feature-rich educational video streaming service in the world.

It’s much like having the entire DVD selection of your local public library available to you from the convenience of your home, 24/7/365.

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.

The Homeschool Buyers Co-op has an award-winning selection of language arts products, including curriculum for phonics, reading, writing, vocabulary, spelling and grammar.

Language Arts curriculum – Savings up to 93% (compared to regular price outside of Homeschool Buyers Co-op).

Look at this free from below, which is Unit Study Goal and Objectives. Download it to give you a starting point for your ideas for each grade.

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.

Download here Unit Study Goals & Objectives.

How to Buy It and Get the Savings!

Website: Homeschool Buyers Co-op
Products:
►Grammar: Analytical Grammar for grades 4-12.
►Literature Guides: Progeny Press Literature Guides, pdf format, grades K-12 and save 35%
►
Vocabulary: Wordly Wise 3000 Online version of the award-winning vocabulary curriculum, grades 2–12 and save 89%
►Composition or Writing: Institute for Excellence in Writing, grades K-12
►
Review and Enrichment:
Video Streaming: Discovery Education Streaming Plus, grades K-12 and save 60%
Language Arts Review: IXL Language Arts Practice, grades K-12 and save 25%
►Reading or Literature:
Living History Literature: Living History literature by Bethlehem Books, grades PreK-12 and save up to 50%


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}.

Hugs and love ya,

Signature T

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.

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Choose Curriculum, Homeschool Curriculum Review, Homeschool Simply, Homeschool Teens _ From Teen to Graduation, Homeschooling, Middle School Homeschool, Product Review, Sponsored Posts, Teach Homeschool Language Arts, Teach/Which Subjects to Teach/Cover EVERYTHING Tagged With: language arts, languagearts, reading, reasonstohomeschool, spelling, writing

High School Elective:Peek at Principles and Precepts of Economics

March 22, 2017 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

High School Elective. A Peek at Principles and Precepts of Economics Homeschool High School Curriculum @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus
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 for sure I will always tell you what is on my mind. Not every product will get a positive review. Too, 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.


After just graduating high school, one of my most memorable adventures was staying with friends who lived in Belize. They had just purchased a house and planted trees, which produced the most delicious avocados and mangoes. When night came though, they would have to guard their new orchard as some of the Belizeans would jump the fence and raid their fruit. One local man justified the actions of his fellow countrymen by saying, “The fruit was for the whole of we.” Knowing the history of British influence on the dialect, we all understood the meaning of his reply. Whatever work you did in that country was to benefit the whole country. My friends and I got schooled that night about economics from one local view which was very different than what I learned about high school economics. Economics is about learning the history of what shaped people to think about their system of trading. So I was thrilled when I had the chance to teach my high school teen about economics using Principles and Precepts of Economics from Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum. 

When I learned that Principles and Precepts of Economics course is taught through history, I was hooked. Isn’t that what really affects how people from different countries view the economy? The past history and the present and future goals of a country shape today’s modern world. Look here at the scope and sequence of what each book covers so you can get an overview.

Understanding economics then at the high school level needs to begin with the ideas of the founding fathers and Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum (PAC) has done a solid job in presenting a foundation for a country’s trading system while presenting both good and bad ideas.

The course has three components: three soft-cover texts (chapters), three student activity books and a teacher resource book, which we put in a binder for ease of use.

The ease of use for PAC is one of its strongest features for a homeschooled home school teen | Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Look at the 15 topics that come in each chapter (soft-cover text) so you can see the key teaching points and how Principles and Precepts of Economics unfolds.

 15 TOPICS STUDIED IN EACH SOFT BOUND (Chapter) TEXT BOOK.
Chapter 1

►Introduction to Economics
1. Defining Economics
2. An Economy Based on Biblical Principles
3. A Bad Experiment
4. Economics and the American Colonies
5. Tyranny of the Crown
►From Revolution to Prosperity
1. Liberty or Death!
2. War!
3. The Constitution and Bill of Rights
4. Land of Opportunity
5. Prosperity vs New Ideologies
►Modern Economic Issues in America
1. The Progressives
2. Change Comes
3. New Economies Part I
4. New Economies Part II
5. Return to Greatness

Chapter 2

►The Early Years – Seeds of Economic Liberty
1. Fleeing Tyranny in England
2. An Economy Based on Biblical Principles
3. A Bad Experiment
4. Economics and the American Colonies
5. Tyranny of the Crown
►From Revolution to Prosperity
1. Liberty or Death!
2. War!
3. The Constitution and Bill of Rights
4. Land of Opportunity
5. Prosperity vs. New Ideologies
►Modern Economic Issues in America
1. The Progressives
2. Change Comes
3. New Economics Part I
4. New Economics Part II
5. Return to Greatness

Chapter 3

►Family Economics
1. Budgets
2. Banking
3. Insurance
4. Investing
5. Government Considerations
►Starting a Small Business
1. Freedom vs. Punching a Clock
2. Personal Interest + Demand = Profit
3. Resources (Help Is Available)
4. Profit and Loss
5. Use It Wisely
►Education and Economic
1. Considerations
2. College
3. Trade Schools
4. Military Service
5. Other Options

As you can see the Chapter 2 book builds on the history of Chapter 1. The Chapter 3 book we really liked too because it gave practical value to learning economics. For example, Mr. Awesome and I had to make some decisions about a 401K in his upcoming job. After covering Chapter 3, Tiny knew what we were talking about because he really liked the sections about family economics and business ownership.

Let me back up first though because Chapter 1 is a fast and surprisingly comprehensive overview of world history including some religious views and some about the background of the Bible.

This was unexpected by us at first because I’ve used curriculum from PAC before and prefer to add in our own worldview. It is easily done by this curriculum.

Too, we understood the context in which those ideas were being introduced. For example, to understand capitalism is to view it through the eyes of the founding fathers. It was based on individual liberty and belief in inalienable rights bestowed by a Creator.

Through the course it was clear that principles, precepts and different theories were going to be introduced. At this age, I’m wanting to be sure Tiny is introduced to other worldviews.

Chapter 1 covers from Ancient history, including Rome to the Awakening to the Middle Ages. As each world power is introduced, vocabulary words and ideologies are explained.

The layout of the book is what makes the books so easy for a middle or high school student to do independently.

Look below at one 2 page layout.

Self-teaching is promoted because everything the student needs to learn is right on the page without researching a lot of external resources.Vocabulary words are clearly defined through simple, but not busy illustrations which makes the teaching points or message memorable.

Another feature Tiny really enjoyed was the use of video throughout the book.

If you don’t know what QR codes are, I know your teen probably does. That was another unexpected very useful interactive tool we liked.

How to Easily Teach High School Economics

You can download the free QR reader scanner here at iTunes. Note this one is for an iPhone. You can also get one for an iPad which we already had downloaded.

Look at these easy directions below.

High School Elective. A Peek at Principles and Precepts of Economics Homeschool High using QR codes | Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Find the QR code links in the books, use your device to scan the code (tell your teen to clean his screen for the fifteenth time, okay, okay) and then wait for the video to load on your device.This video was one learning about different types of business structures and it was my business-minded teen’s very favorite.

10 Things You Should Know About Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum

Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum (PAC) may be a good fit for your family:

►If your high school student prefers to work independently.
►If your middle school student is ready for high school level work.
►If, like me, you need to keep up with high school credit then this is one-half credit (.5) or semester long program.
►If you have a middle school or high school teen that loves history, then he’ll appreciate covering economics from a history slant.
►If you want to use this as an elective or a required course in social studies.
►If you don’t want to use an online high school. Simply choose which subjects you want your child to do and form your syllabus. Grade and track your child’s grades.
►If your teen gets easily overwhelmed with all the clutter in digital only formats, then the clean and simple black and white illustrations keeps the points being taught straightforward and challenging but clear.
►If you want something affordable and prefer to use consumable products.
►If your teen prefers activities like fill in the blank, matching concepts, marking answers true and false and circling the correct answer.
►If you want to still feed your teen’s mind with character building concepts, he’ll savor the tiny nuggets of motivational sayings or Life Principles at the end of each section.

I do have to let you know about a part I didn’t agree with. Understand too that I realize at the high school senior level parents vary about how much control they want over their young adult’s content.

I still very much feel it’s my job to shape my child’s thinking and I’ve always preferred secular resources so that I can instill my own Biblical content.

One the other hand, I’ve never objected to my teens being exposed to conflicting thoughts and views because my job is to prepare my teens for other views. But I want views to stay as that, just opinions or perspectives.

The authors write on the left side column of the page:

Evolution, as it is taught today, has itself evolved since Darwin published his tome; but the book inspired collectivists to promote their theories. While the intention of this course is not to delve deeply into scientific matters, we need to examine the evolution perspective so you can see its impact on public policy, including economics and politics. (Chapter 1, page 43. Bold emphasis mine.)

Then on the right side column of the same page the authors write:

Evolution’s counterpart, creationism, or intelligent design, was (and is today) ridiculed by collectivists as unscientific, and thus unworthy of inclusion in modern science text and classrooms. However the success of capitalism is a strong argument in support of economics based on individual liberty and belief in inalienable rights bestowed by a Creator.

In reality, both evolution and creationism are unprovable, from a purely scientific standpoint. Science observation and experimentation are necessary parts of the scientific method, neither evolution or creationism can be proved scientifically. If creationism is true, nobody alive today was around to watch it happen, and if evolution is true, no one can live millions of years to observe it happening. Likewise if God created everything in the distant past, we cannot recreate that in the lab. Neither can one recreate evolution in science labs. (Chapter 1, page 43. Bold emphasis mine.)

Whether I agree or not if evolution or creationism cannot be proved scientifically, I would have preferred that the second paragraph on the second column above not be included.

I feel this would have been more in line with the authors’ intention of not delving deeply into scientific matters because I want to be the one helping my teen determine our scientific standpoint.

Overall it was an excellent course for the number of lessons covered and that part didn’t hold us back from covering the rest of the very useful and practical information.

Too, I think you’ll love how all of their courses are useful and practical to use. We’ve had an overall positive experience using them. Look at my post where we used Paradigm Accelerated World History Curriculum.

Then don’t forget to use the coupon code below for such a well-laid out course.

Follow Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum.
Facebook|Twitter|Pinterest|Join their Mailing List

How to purchase it.

►Product Name: Principles and Precepts of Economics. Full course kit which includes texts, activities and teacher’s resource kit.
►Website: Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum – Principles and Precepts of Economics.
►Suitable for grades:
7th to High School.
►Formats:
Print version, audio enhanced and digital download.
►Worldview:
Secular friendly and easy to implement your own worldview.
►Cost: $59.55 print version.

Also, check out 14 Fun and (maybe Frugal) Homeschool High School Electives, Successful Entrepreneur-3 Best Homeschooled Teen Resources and Homeschool High School–How to Log Hours for High School.

Hugs and love ya,

Signature T

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.

2 CommentsFiled Under: Graduate a Homeschooler, Homeschool Curriculum Review, Homeschool Teens _ From Teen to Graduation, Middle School Homeschool, Product Review, Sponsored Posts, Teach/Which Subjects to Teach/Cover EVERYTHING Tagged With: entrepreneur, high school, high school electives, middleschool, teachingmultiplechildren, teens

5 BEST Books To Create An Around The World Unit Study | Easy Hands-on Ideas

March 15, 2017 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

It’s possible to create a world unit study with a few great books. Also, look at my page Best Homeschool Unit Studies for more free unit studies.

The best way to learn about other parts of the world is through a book.

A book tells stories full of suspense, adventure and discovery.

Events that happened in a geographical area, at a certain time, or as they unfolded through the life of characters in history engage kids.

5 BEST Books To Create An Around The World Unit Study | Easy Hands-on Ideas

{Warning: Picture overload. This post has tons of pictures so you’ll be scrolling. These books are so beautiful and worth every penny so I want you to see lots of pictures!}

I was given these books 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 for sure I will always tell you what is on my mind. Not every product will get a positive review. Too, because I carefully sort through numerous offers for reviews, it usually means I’m giddy about the product when I do accept it. Read my full disclosure here.

  • The books are
  • Cleopatra Queen of Egypt,
  • Marco Polo History’s Great Adventurer,
  • Archie’s War – My Scrapbook of The First World War,
  • Into the Unknown – How Great Explorers Found Their Way by Land, Sea, and Air and
  • John Muir America’s First Environmentalist.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study

Look at the list below and then look at the unit study ideas below as I break down each book.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study

I can’t wait to show you 5 best books to create an around the world unit study easily through stories by Candlewick Press.

Cleopatra: Queen of Egypt (Historical Notebooks)

The story of Cleopatra’s life has captured the imagination of countless writers and artists for centuries. As one of history’s most enduring figures, much lore has obscured the real woman behind the myth. Was she a beautiful and heartless schemer who stopped at nothing to get what she wanted? Or was Cleopatra a tragic victim of her own heart? This next volume in the acclaimed Notebook series offers a fascinating look into the world of one of Egypt’s most notorious leaders. Featuring a fictional journal that invites us into Cleopatra’s inner world, this is an exquisite guide bursting with gorgeous illustrations and packed with fun interactive extras such as flaps featuring historical facts and pop-culture references. This is a riveting volume rife with battles, passion, and even murderous intrigue — an exclusive look into the legendary queen’s dramatic life.

Marco Polo: History's Great Adventurer (Historical Notebooks)

Immerse yourself in this interactive introduction to one of the greatest explorers ever known.Travel along the Silk Road to medieval China with Marco Polo as your guide. Meet the warlord Kublai Khan and sail through pirate-infested seas in search of riches beyond measure. Including booklets, foldouts, and maps, as well as excerpts from The Travels of Marco Polo, this beautifully illustrated volume illuminates the adventures of history’s greatest storyteller.

Archie's War

Marcia Williams captures the Great War through a child’s eyes with a fascinating fictional scrapbook including real mementos of the day.Meet ten-year-old Archie, his family, and best friend in a scrapbook Archie has made himself, full of comic strips and plenty of other memorabilia. The year is 1914, and as the Great War begins, Archie’s scrapbook reflects the war’s impact on his life and on those who write back from the front. Marcia Williams retains her humor and energy as she employs a new collage style to present an intimate and compelling view of the
First World War and its era.

Into the Unknown: How Great Explorers Found Their Way by Land, Sea, and Air

Ready to relive some of the most daring voyages of all time? Unfold these spectacular cross sections and explore fourteen historic journeys, with the help of dramatic storytelling and sidebars that highlight key concepts, places, and technology. Presented in a larger format to make these exciting journeys even more accessible and engaging.Back matter includes an index, a glossary, and sources.

John Muir: Candlewick Biographies: America's First Environmentalist

John Muir loved the land. Born in 1838, he was a writer, a scholar, an inventor, a shepherd, a farmer, and an explorer. But above all, he was a naturalist. John Muir was particularly devoted to the high cliffs, waterfalls, and ancient giant sequoia trees that, through his careful influence, were set aside as Yosemite, one of the first national parks in America. Here is the life story of the man who, moved by a commitment to wilderness everywhere, founded the Sierra Club in 1892, a conservation group that carries on his crucial work to this day. Back matter includes an epilogue, a bibliography, and information about the Sierra Club.

The first book Cleopatra Queen of Egypt is for ages 8-12 .

It is for grades 3 -7 which makes it a useful book for teaching multiple ages.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

That is one huge advantage that attracted me to these books.

Strive for a middle age when choosing books.

Why? Because you can create a unit study for multiple ages without being so time intensive when planning.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Moving up or down from a middle point to plan age appropriate activities.

That is less stressful at a middle grade level.

Starting off your adventure, your kids can read about Ancient Egypt.

Then learn about Ancient Rome through the life of Cleopatra.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

I also pulled out a game I had created when we studied Ancient Egypt before.

Look here for the Free Ancient Egypt Mehen Printable Board Game (Hands-on History).

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

What I appreciated most about the book was that it had both positive and negative things to say about the life of Cleopatra.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Whether true or not, many things we’ll never know about her.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

But your kids can learn about life during that time through the pull out maps in the book and lift flaps.

Other topics in the book that you want to cover are Roman numbers for math, Cleopatra’s relatives which were Greek-speaking aristocrats, Egyptian religion, Julius Caesar, Egyptian hairstyles, Egyptian jewelry, festivals and temples.

How to Teach About World Cultures Through Children’s Books

Also, learning about how the Egyptians were accustomed to female pharaohs wielding power, but the Greeks and Romans were not gives your kids a glimpse into the government.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Look at some of these hands-on ideas while learning about Ancient Greece, Ancient Egypt and Ancient Rome. They round out a world unit study.

Grab this free Ancient Lapbook and unit study here.

We studied Greece numerous times and here is a second lapbook for Ancient Greece.

To understand the background of Ancient Egypt also download this free Pharaohs and Queens Ancient Egypt lapbook.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Grab this free Ancient Rome lapbook and make this fun easy Roman helmet and shield.

Just to be sure you have more than enough hands-on history activities to bring the reading of this book alive.

Here are several more Hands-on History Activities for Learning about Ancient Civilizations you don’t want to miss. This post gives you more ideas for other civilizations in this world unit study.

Then on to the next adventure with the book Into the Unknown – How Great Explorers Found Their Way by Land, Sea, and Air.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

The reason I chose this book is that when you look at the table of contents, it has a mix of 14 different adventurers from Pytheas the Greek to Tenzing Norgay.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

And Edmund Hillary who scaled Mount Everest in 1953 to Umberto Nobile who flies across the Arctic in 1928.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Some kids get bored covering history and geography in a chronological order and need some breathing room to skip to other areas of the world about topics that intrigue them.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

How to Use Children’s Books to Teach History Units

The beauty of this book is that through the courageous and thrilling trips of the explorers, your child can learn about many different places.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Just some ideas to take away from this book are to learn about how Apollo II rockets in space, Leif Ericksson reaches the coast of America and how John Cook maps the Pacific Ocean.

This book too is for ages 8-12.

And through the colorful maps, detailed drawings and double spread pull out page, it was hard for Tiny to put this one down.

Not only can you can bring this book alive by studying the different parts of a ship, your child can learn how explorers found their way using different navigational tools.

From ancient to modern places, your kids have their choice of where to start. Here are some hands-on activities to pique their interest.

  • Make a simple and easy compass.
  • Make a quadrant using this free template.
  • Do a Viking Lapbook.
5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)
  • Free unit study and lapbook about the Arctic.
  • Appreciate the exploration of Christopher Columbus by 5 Days of Learning Printables:The World of Columbus and Sons Day 5 For Middle and High School.
  • Add in studying some science and learn about the Ocean with this free unit study.

Awesome Literature to Teach World History

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Moving on to understand about China and the Silk Road through the eyes of Marco Polo, we loved reading Marco Polo History’s Great Adventurer.

Like the Cleopatra Queen of Egypt book, this one too has beautiful bright fold outs with background information about medieval China.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Additionally, look at my Free Marco Polo Unit Study, Lapbook, and Hands-on Ideas.

One reason I chose this book is because it can be hard to find resources that don’t just focus on Medieval Europe  without including what’s happening in the rest of the world during that time.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Topics like the Maya city of Chichen Itza (by the way, we went there on our honey moon, okay, okay) the Soninke Empire of West Africa and the Silk Road are equally engaging and important.

Yes it was fascinating to read about the discoveries along the way but other topics like understanding the geography also helps your child to appreciate the rugged terrain.

Including deserts, mountains and the silk making process make for fascinating topics while studying about Marco Polo.

Learning about deserts, your child can create desert sand art, make a hygrometer and make a sand clock.

Picture Books Brings Learning to Life

Also, I have a huge Marco Polo unit study where your child can make a mythological map, an interactive extend a timeline book, terracotta warriors, an artful mosaic and salt dough map.

My next choice is Archie’s War – My Scrapbook of The First World War.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

This book is full of comic strips with a collage or scrapbook style.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Although war is not a comical matter, I’ve always struggled with teaching my boys about wars and this book gives a picture of what life would have been like in World War I in an entertaining way.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities)

Through letters, drawings and through collages articles from that time period, your kids can appreciate the emotion of the time period.

Also, because it is about World War I, your kids can read about snippets going on in other parts of the world along with an easy timeline.

How rationing begins and how life is never the same again is a message that is gently weaved through the newspaper headlines, letters and diary like quotes throughout the book.

One of the best things I didn’t realize about this book is that some of the things are actual mementos of the time period. This is one period that Tiny and I are wanting to focus more on.

Be sure to grab my free World War II lapbook and learn to make ration cakes as a follow up to this book.

The last book John Muir America’s First Environmentalist is the perfect book for an outdoors adventure.

From Muir’s birthplace in Scotland to Florida and California, John Muir was the ultimate nature adventurer.

Sketching natural journals while learning about the local flora and fauna your child can love nature and appreciate it through his fascinating life.

How to Use Picture Books to Merge Academic Subjects

Learning about Yosemite National Park and Muir’s love to preserve the wilderness, this book has us researching for hours about songbirds, Sequoia, Canada and the Aurora Borealis.

Look at this free spring unit study about John Muir where we did several hands-on activities.

One we did was to learn how ice affects mountains.

If you’re looking to use one book with all of your children to learn about far away places from the comfort of your chair, you’ll swoon over the choices.

We easily have several more unit studies planned.

What do you think? Ready to put together your own world unit study?

How to purchase them.

►Product Names: Cleopatra Queen of Egypt, Marco Polo History’s Great Adventurer, Archie’s War – My Scrapbook of The First World War, Into the Unknown – How Great Explorers Found Their Way by Land, Sea, and Air and John Muir America’s First Environmentalist.
►Website: Candlewick Press.
►Suitable for Ages:  8 to 12 or grades 3 – 7.

5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities). When you use picture books for multiple ages of children they have a way of bringing homeschool unit studies to life. If you are looking to cover geography and history, grab these books and the easy and fun hands-on homeschool ideas @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

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Leave a CommentFiled Under: 1. My FREE Learning Printables {Any Topic}, Do Unit Studies, Geography, History Resources, Homeschool Curriculum Review, Lapbooks, Middle School Homeschool, Product Review, Science Tagged With: geography, hands on history, hands-on activities, handson, highschoolgeography, history, history resources, historyspine, middleschool, unit studies

Switzerland Homeschool Geography Unit Study (and Lapbook)

January 31, 2017 | 3 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have a Switzerland unit study. Also, look at my page Best Homeschool Unit Studies.

Covering the history and geography of European countries has been light this year.

So I leaped at the chance to use CASE OF ADVENTURE travel series unit study, Destination Switzerland, The MEGA Travel Activity Pack and Cuckoo Clock Secrets in Switzerland. 

Also, Destination Switzerland unit study has many valuable parts to this unit study which makes it very convenient if you’re pressed for time or if you’re inexperienced in putting one together.

Switzerland Homeschool Geography Unit Study (and Lapbook)

It is a hands-on geography and history study, has an easy (always my standard) huge lapbook, includes videos and background information for each chapter of the living book, Cuckoo Clock Secrets in Switzerland (it has a christian worldview) and is laid out.

Do you know how hard it can be to find all those features in one unit study? Our new Switzerland unit study was just too irresistible to pass up.

Switzerland Homeschool Geography Unit Study (and Lapbook)

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 for sure I will always tell you what is on my mind. Not every product will get a positive review. Too, because I carefully sort through numerous offers for reviews,  it means I’m giddy about the product when I do accept it. Read my full disclosure here.

Did I mention the book is about a homeschooling family that travels? We can so relate to that having lived overseas.

Even if you or your family have never traveled overseas you’ll love how Cuckoo Clock Secrets in Switzerland makes learning about Switzerland come alive.

Solving a mystery about an ancient coin while learning about geographical features and landmarks like the beautiful Matterhorn, cheese making, the culture of the Swiss people and of course cuckoo clocks not to mention yodeling, your kids will love this unit study.

Having used unit studies that required information based just on web links, which may be outdated, it was a breath of fresh air to have background information about the country of Switzerland that we could read about in Cuckoo Clock Secrets in Switzerland.

How to Learn About Switzerland In 12 Lessons

If you begin the unit study by printing the teacher’s guide which is suggested to do first, you can track which activities you want your children to do while reading the mystery novel.

Switzerland Homeschool Geography Unit Study (and Lapbook)

The teacher’s guide, which I had coil bound has three parts.

Preparation, read-aloud and virtual travel and activities and craft are the different sections and from there you can choose which material you want to cover for the day.

Like most unit studies, it is not necessary to cover all of the material or print off all of the activities. A lot of the activities are geared toward younger kids like the fun Discovery Agent Clue cards.

One of the best parts we loved about the unit study was that you can learn about Switzerland in just 12 lessons.

Unit studies can drag on and details can becoming boring if you try to cover a huge amount of information.

Unit studies don’t have to last a month or bore your child if they’re not interested in certain sub-topics within the unit study.

Flexibility is the key to a well-written unit study. So if you want to learn at a slower pace, each lesson can easily be adapted into a two day study. Your unit study about Switzerland can last for a month if that is your pace.

Another way we have covered unit studies is to turn the 12 lessons into a unit study for the quarter. If your kids are especially young, all under 7 years of age, then covering the 12 lessons by doing one lesson per week keeps the unit study from overwhelming your young learners.

Geography Activity Packs

So what I’m saying is that there is enough activities to make Destination Switzerland unit study a quarter unit study or twelve weeks when you include the The MEGA Travel Activity Pack.

The MEGA Travel Activity Pack contains fun things like printable money, journals and airplane packs which really make the virtual traveling part fun.

Hands-on activities, not clicking numerous links are the heart of a well-planned out unit study and Destination Switzerland unit study has activities for both older and younger children to choose from.

Tiny really loved making Zopf, a Swiss style bread while we read about our adventure for the day.

Switzerland Homeschool Geography Unit Study (and Lapbook)

Then, having created many unit studies, which include lapbooks and doing my series 10 Days of Diving Into Unit Studies by Creating a Unit Study Together with you, you know I love simple and uncomplicated lapbooks.

About Switzerland

Unless you’re working on your kids fine motor skills, having to cut every minibook and fill out every minibook can become monotonous though many homeschool moms continue to make their kids do that. Don’t forget that some of the prep work can be done when you help cut out the minibooks.

Switzerland Homeschool Geography Unit Study (and Lapbook)

There are many lapbook minibooks to choose from along with information that your child can glue inside the books instead of a bunch of blank useless pages. Again, because I’m short on time, I prefer lapbooks that have back ground information that my child can glue in especially when we don’t have time to research every topic.

CASE OF ADVENTURE may be a good fit for you and your kids:

  • If you don’t like to have to gather a lot of materials and you want background information at your fingertips.
  • If you want to cover literature, history, geography and have hands-on ideas laid out for you.
  • If you don’t want a complete unit study and prefer to add in some of your other subjects like math, grammar, a list of vocabulary words and spelling.
  • If you’re like me and have multiple ages of children, you want the option of choosing hands-on activities for younger and older kids.
  • If you don’t want to lesson plan and write out your lesson plan ideas each day.
  • If you want the ability to cover the unit study in broad strokes, then do it in 12 lessons or if you want to expand it, then take two or more days, weeks or even a quarter to cover the unit study.
  • If you like easy lapbooks like I do. My lapbooks are not lessons in how to color and cut. You can do that if you want to, but I want the emphasis on hands-on fun, not drudgery. Look at my post Beware of the 3 C’s of Lapbooking.
  • If you want unit studies that use living books.
  • If you want living books that follow a series. This is her first book and unit study. More are coming.
  • If you don’t mind printing all of your material.
  • If your children like to watch videos instead of doing research papers.
  • If you’re inexperienced at unit studies and need one that is laid out.

About Switzerland

What I would like to see change.

There are some features that I feel could make this unit study more helpful.

Try to remember that I value organization because my time is limited. So some of these things I’m going to mention may not bother you, but I think they are worth mentioning.

It would be helpful if the Teacher’s Guide had hands-on activities, printables for hands-on activities and lapbook printable separated under each chapter.

Sections in the teacher’s guide for each chapter of the novel can be Read-Aloud, Hands-on Activities, Lapbook Printables and Media Content. This would help me not to have to take so much time sorting through them.

This would allow me to see the flexibility for each chapter. For example, one time we may not want to do a lapbook and may want to read and do just hands-on activities. The next time we cover Switzerland I may want to print out the lapbook.

It keeps all the content easily organized when you can see all the choices at a glance for each lesson.

Also, receiving two emails up front about how to print made it a bit confusing. Receiving setting up and printing instructions would be less confusing if they were only in the download. Then, it’s all in one place at my fingertips on my laptop instead of having to flip back to read my email while reading on my laptop.

Tightening up the places to go to read about how to do the unit study keeps it from being too heavy on instruction and more importantly gives you one place to read for set up and printing.

I know these are just organizational and cosmetic preferences. They don’t really affect the content which is really more important.

Switzerland Unit Study and Lapbook @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

How to purchase it.

  • Product Names: Destination Switzerland Unit Study, MEGA Travel Activity Pack, and Cuckoo Clock Secrets in Switzerland (Case of Adventure Travel Series Book 1) .
  • Website: CASE OF ADVENTURE
  • About the product: Cuckoo Clock Secrets in Switzerland is Book 1 of the CASE OF ADVENTURE Travel Series. “There was a cracking noise and the crumbling of mortar. Rome put his Swiss army knife to work and carefully ran it around the edge of the stone, scraping away the plaster. He
  • signalled to Ren, who pulled harder. Suddenly the whole stone came away from the wall. Together, they slid it out and gazed at the gaping hole that was left behind.” Dive into adventure with Ren, Rome, Jake, Libby and Tiffany as they discover an ancient coin and a mystery connected with a cuckoo clock
  • which takes them to the beautiful land of Switzerland. In their quest to solve the puzzle, they unearth some fascinating history and recover a lost fortune.
  • Suitable for Ages: Younger (5 to 7 years old) Older (8 to 13 years old)
  • Formats: Grab the book, Cuckoo Clock Secrets in Switzerland (Case of Adventure Travel Series Book 1), in Kindle or paperback and visit CASE OF ADVENTURE to purchase the Destination Switzerland Unit Study and the MEGA Travel Activity Pack.
  • Worldview: The novel has a Christian worldview, but the unit study can be tweaked to add your view. The novel mentions Bible study and prayer. If you want a strictly secular view, it’s possible to purchase the lapbook which comes with the video content and not read the novel.That would be the best way to tweak it. Again, the novel is about a Christian family and there is a mention of a Christian life style in the novel, but the curriculum is not a Bible curriculum.

You’ll find helpful my post How to Grade a Homeschool Unit Study for an Older Child (& high school assessment) and Ultimate Homeschool Unit Study Planner – Which Lesson Planning Pages to Use.

Hugs and love ya,

Signature T

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.

3 CommentsFiled Under: Geography, History Resources, Homeschool Curriculum Review, Lapbook, Lapbooks, Product Review Tagged With: geography, hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschoolgeography, lapbook, switzerland, unit studies

Free 2017 Year Round Homeschool Planning Form

August 27, 2016 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

2017 Year Around Homeschool Planning Schedule Mist Color Option @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

I’m excited to have this free 2017 year round homeschool planning form ready. It is the second color choice option for those who follow a physical year for their homeschool.

Remember to visit my Curriculum Planner Category here on my blog to see all the latest printables. Sometimes I don’t always have them up on each  STEP (or page) they normally go on because it takes me some time to get them up.

Also, remember that I offer this homeschool planning form 2 ways. One way is following the academic year from July to June and the other way is the physical year from January to December.

Curriculum Planner Pages

I named this color choice Mist. If you want to grab the first color choice, which is waves, then grab that Free 2017 Year Round Homeschool Planning Form here.

Download Here 2017 Year Around Homeschool Planning Schedule Mist Color Option @ Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Also look at these beautiful forms that you can use to mix and match to build your planner.

2017 Year Around School Dreaming 600x @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Doodle Curriculum Planner Cover Store 1 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus 600x
Doodle Curriculum Planner Cover Store 1 @ Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool Plus 600x

  • Doodle Curriculum Planner Cover Store 1 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus 600x

    Doodle Coloring Curriculum Planner Cover

    $1.75
    Add to cart

Important: READ THIS FIRST if you purchase an item.

Before you email me asking where your download link is or tell me that it is not working, read this to ensure that you get your pretties timely and that you don’t pay for something and not get it.

  • All my products are digital. You will not receive a physical product for anything in my store. A digital physical year calendar does not mean a physical product or calendar.
  • Downloads are INSTANT. When you pay, you will receive an email with a download link INSTANTLY. Depending on your internet connection, the email could be just 30 seconds or so, or a bit longer. The point is it will be soon, not a week later,etc.
  • The email with the download link will go to the email you used for paypal. If you used your husband’s paypal, your downloads will go to that email. Please check that email and your spam before emailing me telling me you can’t find it.
  • Hotmail and AOL can sometimes flag my email as SPAM no matter what you do. Though your order will be complete, your email provider can block my email from my store. You can create an account on my blog and download your order that way too.
  • Links are TIME SENSITIVE, meaning you need to download right then AND save to your computer. Please do not email me a week, two weeks or a month later telling me the “link is not working” because it has expired or because you did not save it to your device. I will not respond to those emails.
  • If a link is not “clickable” when you get your product download email, then copy/paste the link in your browser and your digital product will open.
  • Please put my email tina @ tinasdynamichomeschoolplus dot com in your address/contact list so that your product does not go to spam.

MY GUARANTEE: To treat you like I want to be treated which means I know at times technical problems may cause glitches, so I will do everything possible to make your experience here pleasant. I value your business and value you as a follower. I stand behind my products because they are actual products I use and benefit from too. Though I cannot refund purchases after you have been given access to them, I will do what I can to be sure you are a pleased customer.


Begin Building Your Unique Planner!

7 Easy Steps – “Tons of Options & Pretty Color”

Step 1. Choose a Pretty Front/Back Cover

Step. 2. Choose Calendars/Appointment Keepers

Step 3. Choose Goals/Objectives

Step 4. Choose Lesson Planning Pages Right For You!

Step 5a. Choose Unique forms JUST for You! Not a kazillion other people

Step 5b. Choose MORE Unique Forms JUST for You!

Step 5c. Choose MORE MORE Unique Forms Just for You!

Step 6. Personalize It

Step 7. Bind it! Love it!

Hugs and love ya,

Signature T

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2 CommentsFiled Under: 2. My FREE Organizing Printables {Any topic}, Curriculum Planner, Homeschool Curriculum Review Tagged With: curriculum planner, homeschool curriculum planner, homeschoolmultiplechildren planning forms, homeschoolplanner, homeschoolplanning, lessonplanning

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