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Fun Pharaohs and Queens Ancient Egypt Lapbook and Activities

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

Add this famous pharaohs and queens ancient Egypt lapbook to your history homeschool lapbooks for hands-on fun history.

If you’re studying about ancient Egypt, this ancient Egypt lapbook about famous pharaohs and queens makes a great addition.

Learning about pharaohs and queens helps kids to keep straight the different time periods in ancient Egypt.

Fun Pharaohs and Queens Ancient Egypt Lapbook and Activities

Use my other ancient civilization lapbooks to enhance your curriculum or use them stand alone.

About Ancient Egypt Pharaohs

The minibooks in this ancient Egypt lapbook contains some of these facts.

About King Menes

Menes was Pharaoh from 3100 b.c. – 3098 b.c. It’s the name of the Egyptian king credited with founding the First dynasty, sometime around 3100 BC.

Menes was seen as a founding figure for much of the history of Ancient Egypt.

Also, ancient Egypt was divided into Upper and Lower Egypt. Each kingdom has its own king. Menes was the king of Upper Egypt.

Egyptian legend credits a pharaoh by this name with uniting Upper and Lower Egypt into a single, centralized monarchy.

Menes was the first to wear the double crown.

About King Ramses II

Ramses II also known as Ramses the Great was the third Egyptian pharaoh of the nineteenth dynasty.

He is Egypt’s greatest pharaoh.

The early part of his reign he focused on building cities, temples and monuments.

When he died, he was buried in a tomb in the Valley of the Kings.

Then, his body was moved to a royal cache. And is now on display in the Cairo Museum.

About Tutankhamen

Tutankhamen was an Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th dynasty during the period of Egyptian history known as the New Kingdom. Tutankhamen was nine years old when he became pharaoh and reigned for approximately ten years.

As Tutankhamen began his reign at such an early age, his vizier and eventual successor Ay, his uncle, was probably making most of the important political decisions during Tutankhamen’s reign.

In 1922 Howard Carter discovered Tutankhamen’s intact tomb. Tutankhamen’s burial mask remains the most popular art of Ancient Egypt.

Look at this book Cleopatra: Queen of Egypt (Historical Notebooks).

About Ancient Egypt Queens

Next, learn about the queens of Egypt.

Nefertiti

First, Nefertiti was the Great Royal Wife of the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten.

In addition, Nefertiti and her husband were known for changing Egypt’s religion from a polytheistic religion to a monotheistic religion.

Nefertiti was made famous by a limestone bust of her, now in Berlin’s Neues Museum. The bust is one of the most copied works of ancient Egypt. It was attributed to the sculptor Thutmose, and it was found in his workshop.

Cleopatra VII

Cleopatra VII  was the last ruler to rule Egypt and is the most famous of all Egyptian Queens.

After she died Egypt became a Roman province. She formed a liaison with Gaius Julius Caesar that solidified her grip on the throne that she shared with her brother.

Too, she later elevated her son with Caesar, Caesarion, to co-ruler. After Caesar’s assassination in 44 BC, she aligned with Mark Antony in opposition to Caesar’s legal heir Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian (later known as Augustus).

Then after losing the Battle of Actium to Octavian’s forces, Antony committed suicide. Cleopatra soon followed suit, according to tradition killing herself by means of an asp bite on August 12, 30 BC.

Hatshepsut

Finally, Hatshepsut meaning Foremost of Noble Ladies  was the fifth pharaoh of the eighteenth dynasty of Ancient Egypt.

She is generally regarded by Egyptologists as one of the most successful pharaohs, reigning longer than any other woman of an indigenous Egyptian dynasty.

In comparison with other female pharaohs, Hatshepsut’s reign was long and prosperous. She was successful in warfare early in her reign, but generally is considered to be a pharaoh who inaugurated a long peaceful era.

Nobody knows for sure how she died. After her reign, her name and image were removed from every monument.

Fun Pharaohs and Queens Ancient Egypt Lapbook and Activities

Look below at the minibooks and pages this download includes.

Minibooks about Ancient Egypt

Here are the minibooks.

  • Cover
  • Cleopatra coloring page
  • Cuneiform-Hieroglyph
  • Coloring-
  • Pharaohs
  • Queens
  • Gods
  • Egyptian-Life
  • Map
  • A Second Front Cover Page
  • Symbol of Power
  • Hatshepsut-Fact-Card-lines
  • King-Tut-book
  • Mummies
  • Old-Middle-New-Egypt
  • Pyramids-of-Egypt
  • scarabs
Fun Pharaohs and Queens Ancient Egypt Lapbook and Activities

Ancient Egypt Crafts for Kids

Add these fun ancient Egypt crafts and you’ll have a fun unit study.

How to Grab the Free 26 page lapbook and freebies
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Exploring Space and Astronomy Free Unit Study for Multiple Ages

What Are the Homeschool Top Main 5 Learning Styles

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Knowing what are the homeschool main 5 learning styles is essential to success in knowing homeschool learning styles.

There are more learning styles, but today I’m focusing only on the top 5 homeschool learning styles.

Besides, understanding how a child learns is one of the best things we can do to empower kids to learn.

What Are the Homeschool Top Main 5 Learning Styles

Kids are born with an incredible desires to learn.

And we’re homeschooling because we want to be the best coach in helping our children understand themselves.

Most of us have either struggled with the way a teacher teachers or one or more subjects.

Barring the fact a special need exists, we could even think we may have a learning disability.

Worst yet, we may infer by our actions to our children that they may have a learning problem.

Styles of Homeschooling

It’s important to know the difference between preferences in learning style and special needs.

Because you are the only one to know if it’s special needs, I’m focusing on educating you about what is a learning style.

So, it’s important to understand what is a learning style or personality.

What Are the Homeschool Top Main 5 Learning Styles. Knowing what are the homeschool main 5 learning styles is essential to success in knowing how to homeschool. There are more learning styles, but today I'm focusing only on the top 5 homeschool learning styles. Besides, understanding how a child learns is one of the best things we can do to empower kids to learn. Kids are born with an incredible desires to learn. #homeschoolstyles

First, let me back up to share just a few points about the approach of the public school system.

You need to know that public school has only one way they approaching teaching your child.

And although they tout that they provide many different teaching styles, they do not.

No, I’m not going to clump all teachers together because nobody likes that done to them. There are wonderful caring public school teachers who try to focus on different approaches.

However, traditionally public school has only used one methodology and one environment.

This one size fits all obviously leaves out children who do not learn with the public school methodology.

Thinking about it, not much has changed in the public school system for abut one hundred years or since it’s institution.

Memorization and conformity are encouraged and individualism is minimized or kids receive discipline and labeled trouble makers.

Therefore, learning about homeschool learning styles will help you tap into the way your children learn best.

Besides, when you know the way your child learns best, you can choose curriculum matched to your child’s learning style.

Too, understand that homeschool approach is the best way to identify the learning style of not only you but your children.

It’s easier to identify the type of learner you have by the homeschool approach which fits your child.

Five Learning Styles or Homeschool Approaches

Look below at the 5 learning styles or homeschool approaches.

1. Unit Study Approach for Families Who Want Free Exploration

2. Workbook Approach for Families Who Want Memory Work and Workbooks

3. Classical Approach for Families Who Put Emphasis on Learning from Ancient Minds of the Past

4. Charlotte Mason Approach for Families Who Nurture a Love of Nature and Living Books

5. Unschooling Approach for Families Who Want Child-Led Learning Without Bounds

Look at these four ways to understand teaching styles.

4 Ways Understanding Homeschool Teaching Styles Makes You Successful

  • You can plan a successful course with your child’s strengths and weaknesses in mind;
  • Specific goals can be set and met because your leaner will know how to meet them;
  • There is individualized education; and
  • Your learner will be eager to learn lifelong instead of struggling with why he doesn’t understand some subjects as well as he does others.

Identifying Your Homeschooled Child’s Learning Personality

Finally, after years of putting the pieces together, I have created an online self-paced course on how to identify your homeschool child’s learning personality.

This course will give you solid beginning points and look what you will learn.

How Understanding Homeschool Teaching Styles Makes You Successful. Do you wonder why it seems like one child understands exactly what you mean when the other one seems clueless? You know it's not because that child is not trying to understand you. It can be frustrating and discouraging to feel like you're not getting your point across. So instead of focusing on trying to funnel all people to categories or labels, I focused on understanding learning personalities.

YOU WILL LEARN:

  • How to understand the way your child prefers to learn so that you can teach him in a way that he enjoys learning;
  • How to pinpoint your child’s learning personality;
  • A starting point in understanding (barring any special learning challenges or disabilities) and accepting your child’s preferred way of taking in information;
  • Understanding when the learning personality emerges; and
  • Teaching tips for each learning personality to stop the head-butting.

Tapping into the way a child prefers to learn is essential to success.

What Are the Homeschool Top Main 5 Learning Styles

Finally, look at some other learning styles resources below.

Other Learning Styles Resources

Day 18 Teaching Young Children – Elementary Homeschool And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

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

Teaching young children or elementary homeschool is our topic for the 31 Day Free Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers. 

Today, I’m sharing common mistakes to avoid when teaching elementary aged children.

This can be one of the hardest times of homeschooling because there is so much intensive training.

Elementary homeschool means not just teaching in the formative years but you’re going beyond academics.

When they are toddlers and preschoolers we understand they have a need to create chaos.

Day 18 Teaching Young Children - Elementary Homeschool And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

However, as they grow and move on to grades 3 – 6, we should be expecting other things of them.

The elementary homeschool years was a time that I worked hard. Not only was I teaching them how to read and write, but I was developing their character as well.

Explaining common mistakes, I am hoping you will steer clear of them.

3 Tips for Elementary Homeschool

First, look at these tips.

1. Don’t Push or Be Overly Ambitious

Yes, easier said than done.

I have had many new homeschoolers tell me that their first grader loved doing worksheet after worksheet for hours and they let them.

Maybe so, but by third grade you will have a resistant learner if you keep that pace.

I have heard it many times when parents say they have a gifted learner.

Maybe so, but even gifted learners are still young children.

Anybody that knows me can relate to the fact that when I started homeschooling, arts and crafts was something that I rolled my eyes at.

What a waste of time I thought.

Too, my poor first son survived my “drill and kill”. But I learned soon enough that learning should be fun.

And that valuable gross and fine motor skills are taught through such fun things.

So, while teaching, instead of thinking about going up in grade level because they are advanced, think about expanding out.

Think of how to enrich what you are learning now.

In addition, the load becomes more the higher the grade because more is expected of them.

Allow them to step pace in learning to one that makes learning a delight instead of a drudgery to be fulfilled just because they have the ability. Remember this is no race.

Why do this instead of going on to the next level? Curriculum is laid out and planned with a child of a certain age in mind.

Day 18: Teaching Young Children. {31 Day Boot Camp For New Homeschoolers on My Blog}

{Spending time with Mr. Senior 2013 in how to keep a room. At the time I remember thinking it was more important to teach him how to read so he wouldn’t be “behind”.}

2. Teaching Responsibility Now – Equals Freedom Later

As I mentioned earlier, homeschooling goes beyond the three Rs – reading, writing, and ‘rithmetic.

Also, I encouraged you in the beginning to focus on the 3 Rs of curriculum.

So, one more advantage to doing this is so that you have the energy to focus on developing their hearts and character.

Many days I had tears because it seemed like the messes never ended and then somebody needed me for something else.

However, taking the time to train them to put away their school supplies, pick up their toys, hang up their clothes and do chores around the house builds character.

It instills in your children a sense of caring for family and a pride in self-care.

Day 18 Teaching Young Children – Elementary Homeschool And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp. Teaching young children or elementary homeschool is our topic for the 31 Day Free Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers. I’m sharing common mistakes to avoid when teaching elementary aged children.This can be one of the hardest times of homeschooling because there is so much intensive training. Elementary homeschool means not just teaching in the formative years but you’re going beyond academics #newhomeschooler

{Cleaning of my book shelves for a new year was always inhibited by one “walking terror” or another. Here is Tiny as he end up being my last preschooler. }

Many days I felt it was easier for me to do all the cleaning because it was quicker and done  “right”.

But if I did that, then nobody would want to be around my sons when they got older because then I would be raising ungrateful and spoiled boys.

3. Don’t ONLY Cover the 3 Rs

No I am not telling you something different now, I want you to eventually grow.

When you first begin and when you are overwhelmed, it is okay to just focus on the 3 Rs as you teach elementary homeschool.

Because if a child gets behind in art for example ,it will not handicap him for the rest of his life.

If he struggles with learning how to read, it can.

Additionally, new homeschoolers need to find a balance between finishing ALL of what is planned for the day in the 3 Rs versus moving on to the more fun subjects like art, geography, history and science.

It is not healthy and you zoom right to the top of the list of burnout and sending your children back to public school when you insist that you go beyond the 3 hours or so in the morning that is allotted for doing the 3 R’s.

I hear of nightmare stories of children schooling ALL day from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and some yes even to 5:00 p.m. Nothing is accomplished this way.

Let me repeat, nothing ever has been accomplished except to have the child feel learning is drudgery. Instead of becoming a skillful, informative, well educated and loving teacher we have become a drill sergeant.

If attitude is the problem with your kids, I will share some tips on the rebels in your home on Day 26: Rebel or Resister – Are You the Cause?

Day 18 Teaching Young Children – Elementary Homeschool And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp. Teaching young children or elementary homeschool is our topic for the 31 Day Free Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers. I’m sharing common mistakes to avoid when teaching elementary aged children.This can be one of the hardest times of homeschooling because there is so much intensive training. Elementary homeschool means not just teaching in the formative years but you’re going beyond academics #newhomeschooler

I encourage you to MAKE time for the fun subjects or the science experiment that you never get because they are always “behind” in their language arts or math. Are you planning too much?

Homeschooling Elementary Aged Children

Remember that if they are doing history or science then more than likely some writing and math will be involved. Many times during my journey, I have had to first do the science experiment or fun thing that seems to keep escaping us and then start the 3 R’s.

I PROMISE if you will rein yourself in and STOP the 3 Rs right about noonish and take up fun activities after lunch, your home school journey will stay balanced, rigorous, hands-on, fun AND advanced.

Take comfort understanding that during the public school day, there are  just a very few hours of actual instruction time between recess, lunch, roll call and other interruptions.

Please don’t give up when the going is tough.

Yes, my sons are older now and I am here to tell you the blessings of enjoying teen boys that know how to clean my home, cook and buy groceries and take care of me when needed is a blessing I couldn’t see when they were very little and tears poured from my eyes.

Day 18 Teaching Young Children – Elementary Homeschool And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp. Teaching young children or elementary homeschool is our topic for the 31 Day Free Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers. I’m sharing common mistakes to avoid when teaching elementary aged children.This can be one of the hardest times of homeschooling because there is so much intensive training. Elementary homeschool means not just teaching in the formative years but you’re going beyond academics #newhomeschooler

(Mr. Senior 2013 & Mr. Awesome at my niece’s wedding last month along with much loved aunts and uncles on hubby’s side.)

Happy tears now stream as I see the handsome (I admit my obvious bias) and loving men they are becoming! Young children don’t stay young long, they do grow up.

Can you see the realization of your vision as you teach and LOVE your young children?

Day 18 Teaching Young Children - Elementary Homeschool And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

New to Homeschooling Start with the Basics

1 – 7 Start with the Homeschool Basics

8-14 Homeschool Organization 101 for Beginners

15 – 21 Best tips for New Homeschoolers Choosing Curriculum

Teaching Young Children @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Hugs

Native American Crafts for Kindergarten How to Make a Kids Pinch Pot

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

If you’re looking for Native American crafts for kindergarten, you’ll love this fun pinch pot. Besides this fun activity grab more on my page kindergarten homeschool curriculum.

I can clearly remember creating little pinch pots in early elementary school.

They were the perfect little art project when you were ready to move beyond crayons and paper.

Native American Crafts for Kindergarten How to Make a Kids Pinch Pot

No matter how imperfect they were they were perfect in your eyes. And I suspect your mother’s too.

When considering a simple Native American kindergarten craft, I immediately thought of these sweet little pinch pots.

Many tribes made their pottery in a similar fashion.

In fact, pinch pots are one of the oldest methods of making pottery.

About Native American Pinch Pots

Native Americans would usually gather their clay by hand from streams or hillsides.

It was a very labor-intensive process.

First, they had to extract the clay from the ground and then it had to be purified.

It was often mixed with plant fibers or sand to reduce shrinkage and cracking.

They would then create their clay pieces. Then, place them to dry in the sun and then heat with fire to be sure all moisture was removed.

For the most part these pots were used strictly as storage and for gathering.

Later on, they became a decorative item in many Native American homes.

Different patterns and designs mean different things to different groups.

Tribes like Pueblo, Navajo, and Cherokee are just a few of the groups that would have made pinch pots. Too, they would pass the skills of how to make them down to each generation.

Native Americans: A Visual Exploration had a great breakdown of maps, pictographs, and timelines.

The pictures are bright and offered a lot of information that can be shared with your child.

Native American Crafts for Kindergarten How to Make a Kids Pinch Pot

We are going to try out two different clay pot methods that were used by Native Americans

Sometimes these methods were even combined. 

Once done these are great little trinket holders for beads, barrettes, paper clips, or other small items.

How to Make a Native American Pinch Pot

Next, look at this short list of supplies for making this fun Native American pot.

You will need:

Native American Crafts for Kindergarten How to Make a Kids Pinch Pot

Roll a lump of air dry clay into a ball and how much is up to you.

You may start and decide your pot needs to be larger.

Just mush it up, add some more and begin again.

I had white on hand so that is what I used.

But you could also buy it in terra cotta color for a more natural mud look. And you can use the rest to mix and match pots for more Native American crafts for kindergarten.

Native American Crafts for Kindergarten How to Make a Kids Pinch Pot

Press your thumb or fingers into the center to create a large impression.

Be careful to not poke all the way through.

If you do, you can easily repair it by squeezing and pinching it together again.

Native American Crafts for Kindergarten How to Make a Kids Pinch Pot

Show your child how to pinch the sides and bottom to widen the bowl and thin the side.

You want it to have relatively the same thickness all over.

Native American Crafts for Kindergarten How to Make a Kids Pinch Pot

Press the bowl gently into a hard surface like the counter to flatten and level out the bottom.

Allow your bowl to dry overnight and then flip over. Let it dry for 24 hours.

Native American Crafts for Kindergarten How to Make a Kids Pinch Pot

Flip once more so that the bottom can dry and let it sit another 24 hours.

You can put your pot out in the sun to dry just like the Native Americans did.

Native American Crafts for Kindergarten How to Make a Kids Pinch Pot

Finally, it is time to decorate your pinch pot.

A good plan is to show your child Native American designs from books or online.

And let them try to replicate them on their pot with acrylic craft paint, watercolors, or markers.

Native American Crafts for Kindergarten How to Make a Kids Pinch Pot. If you're looking for Native American crafts for kindergarten you'll love this fun pinch pot. Besides this fun activity can be added to my tips in how to homeschool kindergarten. Native Americans would usually gather their clay by hand from streams or hillsides. It was a very labor intensive process. Tribes like Pueblo, Navajo, and Cherokee are just a few of the groups that would have made pinch pots.

Then, try the second method.

Native American Kindergarten Crafts: Coil Pot

Another method of creating pottery that is similar to pinch pots is a coil pot.

 Roll the clay out in coils and layer them to create your desired width and height.

Roll clay into snakelike coils.

Native American Crafts for Kindergarten How to Make a Kids Pinch Pot

Spiral the coil around itself until you have created a base as large as you would like it to be.

Gently pinch the coils together so that they hold to one another.

Native American Crafts for Kindergarten How to Make a Kids Pinch Pot

Start coiling around the outside edge and upward to create the sides of the bowl to the desired height.

Again press them gently together to remove cracks and gaps and help the coils stick together.

Native American Crafts for Kindergarten How to Make a Kids Pinch Pot

Let dry for 2-3 days until completely dry, flip every 24 hours.

What do you think? Are you ready to make a few?

Other Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum Resources

Additionally, look at these other homeschool kindergarten resources.

Other Homeschool Native American Unit Study Resources

Finally, here are some Native American unit study resources.

Native American Crafts for Kindergarten How to Make a Kids Pinch Pot

I know you can find an idea or two here.

Native American Crafts for Kindergarten How to Make a Kids Pinch Pot

Day 17 How to Choose a Homeschool Curriculum And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

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

Today for Day 17 how to choose a homeschool curriculum is our topic for the 31 Day Free Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers. 

Appreciating the fact that children come “pre-wired” helps you to be selective when it comes to choosing a homeschool curriculum.

And when you’re new knowing how to choose a homeschool curriculum can be scary.

But we accept the fact that we cannot change our children.

Instead of seeing our children for what we think they should be, we start accepting their personalities.

Day 17 How to Choose a Homeschool Curriculum And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

Also, instead of choosing A Beka, Bob Jones, Rod & Staff, Sonlight, or Tapestry of Grace because our best friend uses one of them and it seems to work for her, determine what are your needs as the priority.

And my experience after 20 years is that best friends or seasoned veterans find it hard to reach back to the time when they were new.

Much of the advice they give you is based on hindsight.

How to Choose A Homeschool Curriculum

While hindsight can certainly be of value, you will still need to experience the “newness” on your own.

I don’t want you to discount advice from seasoned veterans.

I want you to think about your needs. Following another homeschooler exactly is not your goal.

You came to homeschooling because you have unique needs.

5 Tips for Choosing Homeschool Curriculum @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

5 Tips for Choosing Homeschool Curriculum

Look at these five tips for choosing a homeschool curriculum.

1. In the beginning focus most of your time and energy on the subject your child struggles in.

There are free placement tests that will give you a better idea of what grade your child is in.

I have said this over again and that is please don’t assume that you take your child out of one grade and that he is in the next one up.

Even if your child places at a grade lower, it is better to have an easier year your first year instead of tears the whole year because you thought they would get behind. They will not.

Many homeschoolers can testify to the fact that children learn like an ebb and flow pattern.

They can move a couple levels ahead  one year and then one year they need longer to dwell on a subject.

But, most all of the families that struggled wished they would have taken the advice to choose something a little more relaxed the first year.

Focus your energy on the one or two things you want to accomplish. If it’s math, then spend extra time focusing on that right now and leave off science, history or art.

Though they may be fun and exciting, you have time to add those. The more children you have, the more time this takes.

Who is Tina Robertson

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

However, you need to know that I’m not new to the homeschool world.  

It has been several years since I wrote this series and I want to update you on my successes. And I’ve helped HUNDREDS get on the road to homeschooling.

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

Day 16 Practical Tips for Learning Styles and New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp 

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

Also, look at a few other things about me.

Day 16 Practical Tips for Learning Styles and New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp 

That is enough about me.

2. Purchase only the 3 R’s right now. Fold in Other Subjects Gradually.

With the growing number of subjects that you may want to teach, remember that the basics are the core of any year.

By spending your time focusing on math and language arts, you have time to purchase history or science after you boot up your school. Any routine needs a warming up period.

Forget pulling ALL your material out on Day 1 of your school and be stressed out by trying to get through it all.

Day 1 can include math and some writing and then glow in the fact that you got that done.

That is a simple doable two thing checklist for the day. Gradually, over the next few weeks fold in the rest of your subjects. You will LOVE this!

Be aware that there ARE differences between subjects in the order you should teach.

For example, when teaching a child to read, it is a natural progression to recognize the ABC’s, then to associate a sound with the letter and then to put those sounds together to make a word.

However, does it really matter the order if you study about the ocean versus the Amazon rain forest? Absolutely not. It does matter the order of the 3 R’s.

Again, lap up this time to learn to focus on making good choices for the 3 R’s for your children.

Don’t overload yourself in trying to purchase everything by August because there is no need to.

There is NO race. You have now gotten off the little school bus and guess what? Curriculum providers sell curriculum year around. tee hee hee

Actually there is a huge advantage to start homeschooling with just the core subjects because you can slowly read the teacher’s manual and get familiar with the schedule.

Your focus is not torn between trying to start the science experiment right away and getting in the core subjects.

Then after a few weeks or longer of doing your core or 3 R’s, you will be a little more discerning when choosing history, science, art and anything other subject that your family has a desire to learn.

You can now give those subjects your utmost attention and make better choices. Avoid beginning all your children on EVER Y subject on the first day.

There simply is need to do that and it is a first timer’s mistake. You are now becoming a little more experienced following this series.

3. If a Teacher’s Manual Makes You Feel Secure, Purchase One, Two or Three.

Most new homeschoolers that I have helped do not feel totally secure with their new found freedom. They derive some comfort from a teacher’s manual that has perhaps suggestions on scheduling and teaching.

I have often heard seasoned veterans recommend to new bees that they don’t need a teacher’s manual for teaching a subject.

While this may be true, you are the only one to decide if you need one or not.

However, one reason veterans may encourage you to not purchase a teacher’s manual is because it may only be an answer page and not really give you any background information or teaching tips.

It is important at this point to understand that not all teacher’s manuals are created equal. Some teacher’s manual have turned out to provide gold nuggets of information and others I have pondered why I purchased them.

One more factor to determine if a teacher’s manual is an asset for you is how much background information you have on the subject.

Maybe you are a public school teacher who formerly taught math. Obviously then, math is your strength and you will not need as much assistance.

To help you narrow down your favorite teacher’s manual, I have a printable check off list as you hunt through curriculum.

teacher's manual checklist @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Download below my Checklist for Purchasing Teachers Manuals. What to Look for!

teachers-manual-checklist-copyright-Tina-Robertson.pdf (2125 downloads )

Determine which subjects you need more help in and examine each teacher’s manual as you choose curriculum. They can really help or hinder your progress as a home educator.

4. Boxed Curriculum Can Help Boot Your School Up or Box You In

. Back on Day 1: Learn the Lingo – Then Go, I encouraged you to get familiar with the definition of a boxed curriculum. Just so that you don’t have to click back there right now I want to remind you that it basically is a “curriculum or grade in a box”.

The lesson plans are laid out day by day for you and the teacher’s manuals tend to be scripted. Every subject you need and every book comes in the grade level.

A lot of new bees find this comforting and there is value in having a pattern to follow as you learn to homeschool.

A mistake a lot of veterans make in the beginning is to feel the need to complete EVERY assignment. Instead of remembering that they are teaching a child and not trying to cross or mark off a check box for each day, they became a slave to the curriculum.

If you decide to use a boxed curriculum keep in mind that you ARE the teacher!

This means you can skip, yes SKIP and even THROW AWAY and yes – TEAR OUT pages that absolutely make no sense to do.

Boxed curriculum providers do provide busy work too. Avoid the I-am-only-on-Lesson-70-and-I-SUPPOSE-to-be-on Lesson-90 mentality.

There is no  suppose to be place, there is only where your children are suppose to be.

Balance is needed because boxed curriculum can provide relief when life is stressful and you do not want to lesson plan.

Following a well laid out lesson plan has its advantages because then as you move away from a boxed curriculum, you learn what a well planned day can feel like.

5. Does it fit the Approach You want to follow?

For example, if you decide that you feel more comfortable with laid out lesson plans then do not spend time on curriculum that requires you finding material and lesson planning.

You can give them a peek as you start to school.

This very simple tip will keep you from looking right now at EVERYTHING. Believe me when I say this, but you will have LOTS of time to swoon over books and curriculum and to feed your love of curriculum.

Right now, you need to focus on the 3 R’s and the subjects that your children struggle with the most.

Conserve your energy so that it lasts the whole year. Curriculum providers are ALWAYS ready to sell anytime of the year.

There are many approaches in how to choose a homeschool curriculum. 

You do not have to take an “all or nothing” attitude toward curriculum choices. In other words you do not have to be ALL textbooks OR ALL unschooling. P

ick and choose what you like in each approach and avoid an “all or nothing” thinking.

Finally, knowing how to choose a homeschool curriculum doesn’t happen overnight.

Focus on the elements of each approach and see what fits your family’s lifestyle and apply it.

Because we have different learning styles, we might be using multiple curriculum even within the same family. Be willing to adjust along the way.

The last thing I want to share is a quote from a book by Sally Clarkson Educating the Wholehearted Child that I really liked because of how much curriculum I had hoarded needed my first year:

It is nearly a rite of passage for new homeschooling families to buy curricula that ends up gathering dust on the shelf. Usually, it turns out to require more preparation and involvement than they are willing to invest, or it doesn’t fit their lifestyle. It becomes an investment in experience. What we all learn, though, is that any curriculum is only a tool — it doesn’t really “teach” anything. The attitude and commitment of the teacher is far more important than the tool. So if it doesn’t work, don’t worry. Put your unused used curriculum on the table with everyone else’s and buy real books next time. You’re experienced now.

Day 17 How to Choose a Homeschool Curriculum And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

New to Homeschooling Start with the Basics

1 – 7 Start with the Homeschool Basics

8-14 Homeschool Organization 101 for Beginners

15 – 21 Best tips for New Homeschoolers Choosing Curriculum

Day 17 How To Choose Curriculum Other Than the "Looks Good" Method