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Middle School Homeschool

Fun Homeschool Unit Study Egg to Sea Turtle Lesson Plans & Lapbook

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

I have some sea turtle lesson plans and sea turtle lapbook today. Grab more ideas on my lapbook ideas page. Also grab more ideas on my best homeschool unit studies page.

We made a detour on finishing up high school for a quick nature read about sea turtles.

From Egg to Sea Turtle Nature Unit Study & Lapbook

I chose Our Sea Turtles as a spine and we weren’t disappointed.

Today, in sharing from egg to sea turtle nature unit study and lapbook, I’ve rounded up some awesome links and ideas for you.

Also, I created a fun lapbook for about upper elementary to middle school for your kids.

From Egg to Sea Turtle Nature Unit Study & Lapbook

Of course, you can decide what ages to use the lapbook for because I never make my lapbooks baby-ish.

Using cursive font and avoiding baby-ish or goofy looking clip art the best I can, I create my lapbooks for all ages.

From Egg to Sea Turtle Nature Unit Study & Lapbook

Sea Turtle Unit Study & Lapbook

First, let me show you how much we loved the book Our Sea Turtles.

It is a 282 page reference book with beautiful color pictures on each page.

It has several sections, including:

From Egg to Sea Turtle Nature Unit Study & Lapbook
  • The Species, Sea Turtle Form and Function,
  • Life Cycle and History, Ecology,
  • Our Sea Turtles on Land,
  • Sea Turtles in Water and
  • Saving our Sea Turtles.
From Egg to Sea Turtle Nature Unit Study & Lapbook

One thing we learned right away that we did not know was that not all turtles in salty waters are sea turtles.

They are truly marine animals and one of the things that makes them different is their shell.

Moreover, sea turtles don’t really have the ability to pull in their head and limbs inside although they can still withdraw their neck.

Although we know that sea turtles are mostly herbivores, we did learn that they won’t pass up some easily captured prey.

From Egg to Sea Turtle Nature Unit

Additioally, we learned about some of the predators of the sea turtle.

The Northern raccoon, ghost crab, fire ants, laughing sea gull, bobcat, fish crow, dolphinfish, crevalle jack, tiger shark and bull shark are a few of the sea turtle predators.

From Egg to Sea Turtle Nature Unit Study & Lapbook

What was really interesting was learning what was inside an egg. Sea turtles have an amniotic egg.

The features of a sea turtle egg include a papery eggshell that protects but is porous (to air and water vapor), and an allantois (fetal membrane) which facilitates respiration and helps with waste.

The yolk sac supplies nutrients for the embryo and it shrinks as the turtle grows.

What we didn’t know was that the amniotic sac is like the equivalent to the placenta in mammals.

Sea Turtle Lesson Plans, Guides, and Background Information.

Along with reading the book  Our Sea Turtles I really loved a lot of these resources. Too, look at some sea turtle lesson plans.

  • Journey of Survival educators guide I found super helpful and used a lot of the information from here to do the lapbook. You can read it online.
  • 22 page pdf educator’s guide has a great roundup of vocabulary words.
  • Grab this fun coloring page with crossword puzzle activity.
  • You love this Sea Turtle Inc. site for great hands-on ideas like make a sea turtle habitat, make a magnet sea turtle for older kids (cool), and a template to create your own hatchling for younger kids. So cute.

Then here is a free discussing and activity guide to use with the book Sea Turtle Science which is also good to add to your sea turtle lesson plans.

Sea Turtle EASY Hands-on Ideas and Activities

Easy Hands-on Math Build a Geometric Turtle @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus
Our Journey Westward

In addition, look at some of these books.

10 Sea Turtle Resources

Add some books about sea turtles and hands-on resources to your lesson or unit study to bring it to life.

Sea Turtles

Sea turtles are fascinating. Hatched from eggs smaller than a baseball, some can grow to weigh over a thousand pounds. Once adults, they can live to be around 100 years old. And when it's time to nest, they migrate more than 1,000 miles. With colorful, clear illustrations and straightforward text, Gail Gibbons introduces the eight kinds of sea turtles living in the ocean today. Learn the similarities and differences with labeled diagrams and experience the hatching of the tiny turtle babies with detailed illustrations. This updated edition now includes the most up-to-date information about these beloved reptiles, as reviewed by an expert vetter in the field of herpetology.

I'll Follow the Moon

Celebrating the love between mother and child comes an achingly beautiful story that has captured hearts around the world. Written by a new mom, by accident, when she sang a little song to her fussing newborn, I'll Follow the Moon proudly donates proceeds to charity: every book saves a turtle.

Ocean Anatomy: The Curious Parts & Pieces of the World under the Sea

Follow Rothman’s inquisitive mind and perceptive eye along shorelines, across the open ocean, and below the waves for an artistic exploration of the watery universe. Through her drawings, discover how the world’s oceans formed, why the sea is salty, and the forces behind oceanic phenomena such as rogue waves. Colorful anatomical profiles of sea creatures from crustacean to cetacean, surveys of seafaring vessels and lighthouses, and the impact of plastic and warming water temperatures are just part of this compendium of curiosities that will entertain and educate readers of all ages. 

National Geographic Readers: Sea Turtles

Who could resist celebrating sea turtles? They may seem like lazy ocean reptiles drifting with the oceans’ currents, but they are actually long-distance swimmers that spend their entire lives searching for food and a mate. What’s more, they come with their own built-in GPS, returning to the exact beach where they were born to lay their own eggs. Kids will learn all about these tranquil and mysterious animals through brilliant photography and illustrations, plus the trusted and distinctive content you love from NG Kids!

Tammy Turtle: A Tale of Saving Sea Turtles

A book that tells how turtles survive with the help of protection programs.

Our Sea Turtles: A Practical Guide for the Atlantic and Gulf, from Canada to Mexico

The book's pithy, well-organized sections are lavishly illustrated. It is a guide for anyone who is the least bit curious about these fascinating marine animals. Bite-sized installments harmonize with multiple images on each page to make this book a unique and entertaining resource. The story it tells covers understanding, experiencing, and saving our sea turtles, with descriptions of how these endangered animals contribute to our happiness and why they deserve a helping hand.

Sea Turtle Scientist (Scientists in the Field)

The mother turtle has a vital job to do: dig a nest in which she will lay eggs that will hatch into part of the next generation of leatherbacks. With only one in a thousand of the eggs for this critically endangered species resulting in an adult sea turtle, the odds are stacked against her and her offspring. 

4 PCS Sea Turtle Life Cycle

Children can see how animals change and grow. Realistic detail showing a different stage in the development of animals.

Uniquely molded textures and richly painted details bring them to life and help inspire creativity for kids.

It is a great way to expand the growth with children through physical science.

Follow the Moon Home

A triumphant story of environmental activism, community, and friendship: Acclaimed activist Philippe Cousteau and renowned author Deborah Hopkinson team up to offer a story of the powerful difference young people can make in the world. Meet Viv, who has a new home and a new school by the sea and follow her as she finds her way in a new place and helps bring together a whole community to save the sea turtles of the South Carolina coast.

The Life Cycle of a Sea Turtle

Describes the life cycle of sea turtles discussing reproduction, birth, and adult life.

Sea Turtle Media

Fun Homeschool Unit Study Egg to Sea Turtle Lesson Plans & Lapbook

Then also, our unit study reminded us of the co-op we had where my sister brought a turtle shell Native American craft made by one of her Native American friends.

From Egg to Sea Turtle Nature Unit Study & Lapbook

I love when we have a tie in to what we learned before in one of our co-ops.

The Basement Workshop Store
From Egg to Sea Turtle Nature Unit Study & Lapbook

Then of course a family visit to the ocean is a great field trip.

The Galveston coast near us had these new and beautiful benches that are part art and part bench.

From Egg to Sea Turtle Nature Unit Study & Lapbook

Local schools got to decorate them with facts about the marine life that live in the ocean.

It not only makes for a beautiful enhancement to seawall, but a fun way to learn facts.

From Egg to Sea Turtle Nature Unit Study & Lapbook

I think doing a mosaic like this would make a great art project too.

Next, here is my lapbook.

Grab this FREE Sea Turtle Lapbook | Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

The minibooks include:

What Makes a Turtle a Sea Turtle?
7 Species of Sea Turtles layered book.
What Are the Sea Turtle Parts?
The Anatomy of a Sea Turtle.
Sea Turtle Tagalongs trifold book.
From Egg to Sea Turtle Life Cycle Circle book.
The Struggle to Survive.
Predators petal book.

If you’re looking to do any spring nature studies, you’ll want to get a few of the NaturExplorers. I love those studies for multiple ages.

How to Get the Free Sea Turtle Lapbook

Now, how to grab the free lapbook. The lapbook is a subscriber freebie.

 1) Sign up on my list to get my emails.
 2) Download your freebie.
3) Glad to have you following.


Look at these other links:

The Basement Workshop Store
From Egg to Sea Turtle Nature Unit Study & Lapbook. Grab this fun sea turtle lapbook for your middle school kids and these easy hands-on activities and ideas to bring your homeschool science to life! CLICK HERE to grab it!

You’ll also love these other nature studies:


How To Homeschool Middle School – Why Eclectic Of Course!

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

Whether you’re utterly excited or fear that you’re woefully inadequate to homeschool middle school, one thing is for sure. Homeschooling middle school can be some of the best years to homeschool. Look for more tip on my how to homeschool page.

From homeschooling a 6th grader who is still so full of eagerness to a 8th grader who is ready to debate on a moment’s notice, there are no dull moments in the middle school years.

Besides watching the unfolding of a young child into a teen, it’s also the time your child is still flexible.

How To Homeschool Middle School - Why Eclectic Of Course!

It’s the perfect time to try an out of the box approach.

First, let me back up a minute. When I approached the middle school years I had thought it was my time to have it easy as the teacher.

Knowing that kids are more independent at this age, I wanted relief in the way of a boxed curriculum.

3 VALUABLE TIPS WHEN TEACHING HOMESCHOOL MIDDLE SCHOOL

However, as each son entered the middle school years, I learned several valuable lessons,

  • one was that the eclectic homeschool style approach was needed now more than ever before;
  • that I shouldn’t have listened to naysayers who said we needed to give up hands-on learning like games or lapbooks;
  • and I should have dabbled more into life skills and high school credits.

From teaching Mr. Senior 2013, I learned that subjects like the three Rs are the mainstay of these grades too.

Subjects don’t change significantly in middle school, but the approach to how you choose curriculum does.

For example, just because you used one math program with your child up to this point doesn’t mean it is the right one for middle school.

You need to take more time choosing curriculum and subjects.

Here is a very valuable piece of seasoned advice.

Up until middle school, you should choose curriculum based on your teaching style because you are wearing the teacher hat exclusively. Now, you need to choose curriculum based on your child’s learning style.

Beginning in about sixth grade you want to gently turn over the teaching reins to your child.

I can’t recall an exact moment with each of my sons where I could unequivocally pinpoint a time and say, “This is the exact moment my sons were independent.”

Middle school independence is a gradual process.

This is the time to explore alternative options.

Don’t wait until high school for out of the box elective where you don’t have as much flexibility to change courses in midstream.

HOMESCHOOL MIDDLE SCHOOL SUBJECTS GUIDE

Look at these subjects and options for curriculum that worked for us or that we currently like.

Homeschool Middle School Reading

Kids in the middle school are at varying maturing abilities.

Unlike the early grades where you focused on phonics, at about the fourth grade a child should be ready to move away from direct phonic instruction.

Don’t worry if your child is not, I just want you to have a rule of thumb. I had two that were ready to move away and one not so ready.

Look here at How to Transition a Child From Reading to Literature.

I focused on about 3 or 4 books with direct reading instruction. This means we delved deeply into them.

On their own, my sons read way more from my list, but about 4 books was all I could do each year where I questioned them significantly.

Remember there is a difference between a child narrating back a story and learning the elements of fiction and figures of speech.

Understanding where I was headed in the middle school grades helped me to see what teach in reading.

For example, in high school your child will be focusing on certain authors and literature in specific time periods.

In middle school, focus on learning genres and the basics of elements of fiction. This tool he will use as lens to pull up close and examine literature in high school.

Look at what you want to zero in on and use the free pages which explains a bit about each one and other literary elements.

  • Plot
  • Setting
  • Character
  • Theme
  • Style
  • Point of View

The point I’m making is although it’s important for them to read at this age, it’s equally important to delve deeply into a book and expose kids to a variety of genres.

How To Homeschool Middle School - Why Eclectic Of Course! Whether you're utterly excited or fear that you're woefully inadequate to homeschool middle school, one thing is for sure. Homeschooling middle school can be some of the best years to homeschool. Click here to read these tips!

Homeschool Middle School Writing

If you chose to teach cursive writing like I did, then you’ll want your child to practice daily.

Writing journals, hands-down has been the best tool I’ve used to encourage writing. The focus is on writing creatively and free from a judgmental eye.

Most of the time my sons chose to share their daily sentences or paragraphs with me, but I didn’t ask or didn’t grade them, only praise them.

Composition is quite a different thing. For example, although we may brainstorm one day and not do much handwriting on our current topic, writing in their journal each day ensured continued practice.

Again, the best way is to mix and match curriculum to suit your child’s strengths and weaknesses.

Resources prepared and used by other homeschool teacher moms is another secret at this age.

If I’m going to start handing over the teaching reins to my child, I needed resources by homeschool families who understood my need.

We loved using WriteShop because it’s written specifically with homeschoolers in mind. But also we loved Essentials in Writing and Institute for Excellence in Writing.

Not only did it have lots of teaching background notes for me, but it was the first top notch writing curriculum my first middle school son used on his own.

Homeschool Middle School Arithmetic

Don’t get discouraged if your middle school kid is behind in math. I had one like this and two ahead at their grade level.

For the one son behind, I added in straightforward practice.

Although math apps can be helpful for drills, my struggling math guy needed to write and see the work.

The Key to . . . Math Series have been some of the best no fluff straight forward practice books I’ve ever used. They’re such timeless helps.

The books are a set of consumable non-overwhelming books on one math topic, like fractions, which progress from the easiest concept in Book 1 to the hardest concept in the last book.

Some packets have 10 books others are smaller.

Middle school was the year I switched from Teaching Textbooks, which I thought was ahead of Math U See, and back again to Math U See. Teaching textbooks was not ahead in my experience from K to 12th grade math.

Although Teaching Textbooks explained step by step, mastery is my goal and Math U See taught mastery. I guess the main difference is that Math U See does not go by grade level but by concept. That is my preferred way of teaching.

Choose what is best for your child at each grade. I didn’t use MUS or Teaching Textbooks at the lower grades.

Also, remember to add in fun hands-on math to teaching. Kids this age can still be cuddly and cute. (ha, ok.)

Look at Making Math Count for Middleschool When You’re Not the Math Mom and 25 Creative and Tasty Edible Math Activities that Keeps Learning Fun.

And then living math is one of the best ways to incorporate it into every day learning.

Kids want a reason for why they have to learn math. Don’t make it boring and humdrum.

Grab an idea from this living math book below from another talented homeschool mom which makes teaching middle school a cinch.

And one of the BEST parts of homeschooling middle school is the time to explore and even get credit in middle school. Yes electives are something fun and doable at this age, so explore them.

Middle school is also the time to narrow down what your middle school kids may want to jump into deeper in high school. The only way to do that is to do a wide range of fun and practical skills.

Give them time to explore while making it practical. For example, teach your child how to write out a check.

Yes, my young adult kids still need to use a check once and a while and remembering how to do it can be a struggle.

It’s easier to use a debit card, but that’s not always great for record keeping. How to change a tire and check a vehicle’s oil are important skills to teach them as they approach driving age.

We also love to explore different types of art. We love doing chalk art.

Art for All Ages Bundle

We’ve used another resource by a homeschool mom which is Chalk Pastel because of the variety of books and teaching helps she has on her site.

Even cooking has been added as part of our science and history.

It gives us a set of life skills from A to Z. Now is the time to learn this stuff before your kids tell you they know everything.

I wanted to give you this quick glance at the middle school years. Soon, I’ll be adding more specific posts to help you.

What are you wrestling with right now in middle school?

Other How to Homeschool Middle School Resources

How To Homeschool Middle School - Why Eclectic Of Course!

Hugs and love ya,

How To Homeschool Middle School - Why Eclectic Of Course! Whether you're utterly excited or fear that you're woefully inadequate to homeschool middle school, one thing is for sure. Homeschooling middle school can be some of the best years to homeschool. Click here to read these tips!

Science Fiction for Middle School Fun Jurassic Park Quick Unit Study (DIY Insect in Amber)

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

Today is national science fiction day and we’re doing a science fiction for middle school fun Jurassic Park unit study. You can find more about fossils on my Amber – Freezing Gold Lapbook and Unit Study and for tips on homeschool middle school.

Besides science and suspense make for a fun unit study.

And we’re science fiction lovers here whether it’s Dr. Who, Star Trek or Battlestar Galactica, remember that?

Science Fiction for Middle School Fun Jurassic Park Quick Unit Study (DIY Insect in Amber)

In addition, a science fiction unit study unlike a fantasy study delves into the possibilities of what if and may not stay in the realm of imagination like fantasy.

One more thing, most of my unit studies I create for multiple ages and still target one age group.

So, although this is targeted toward middle school, I have activities for all ages since we learn together.

Because science fiction is a mix of science and what can be possible in the future, it makes for a fun day of learning or is that bantering with middle schoolers?

First, look at the topics that can be covered in a Jurassic Park unit study and then I have some hands-ideas and resources below.

15 Jurassic Park Unit Study Topic Ideas

And whether you choose to read the book or watch the fun movies, you’ll have different topics.

For example, here are 15 topics to study while watching or reading Jurassic Park.

  • Can you clone dinosaurs from fossilized mosquitoes in amber?
  • Too, what is cloning and what are scientist so fascinated by the topic and why the controversy?
  • Understand about dinosaurs and their behavior.
  • And dive deep into understanding velociraptors and pterodactyl
  • Explain biotechnology and the pros and cons.

  • How is DNA recovered and what is DNA?
  • What is fragmented DNA?
  • How do amphibians reproduce?
  • Describe the geography of the island and the types of trees and plants on the island.
  • Learn what is amber and how it’s formed.

  • Discuss different scientific theories. For instance, chaos theory, gene theory, and Darwinian theory. This leads to a great discussion of adding your world view.
  • Investigate about Steve Spielberg and what it means to be a successful director and producer.
  • How to explain what is a fossil?
  • Focus on how organisms are classified.
  • Define what is a paleontologist and how they work.

Next, here is some information about the study of dinosaurs.

Facts and Resources about Dinosaurs

Moreover, talking about dinosaurs gives you time to share your worldview and to separate what is fact from fiction.

And that is what makes it fun to teach this unit study because some questions may just be unanswered.

In addition, look at some hands-on ideas about dinosaurs.

And here are some hands-on ideas for science.

Park Quick Unit Study (DIY Insect in Amber)

Or science fiction for middle school kids.

Hands-on Ideas for Science and Science Fiction for Middle School

Further, look at these fun resources to add to your Jurassic Park Unit Study.

10 Jurassic Park Unit Study Resources

Add one or more of these fun resources to your study to bring it to life.

1. Jurassic World: The Ultimate Pop-Up Book

Featuring explosive, pop-off-the-page depictions of the Tyrannosaurus rex, Velociraptor, and other prehistoric favorites, this deluxe pop-up book traces the evolution of the Jurassic Park and Jurassic World sagas across three decades of major motion pictures. Presented in a dynamic 360-degree format that allows fans to view and participate in the action from all sides, Jurassic World: The Ultimate Pop-Up Book also includes interactive pull-tabs and hidden surprises.

2. Jurassic Park

HD. Steven Spielberg brings dinosaurs to stunning life in this thriller about an island theme park where the star attractions go on a rampage.

3. Jurassic World Magnetic Activity Book Set

Jurassic World Magnetic Activity Book Set - Jurassic World Bundle with Interactive Reference Book and Jurassic Park Stickers for Kids, Boys, Girls (T-Rex Dinosaur Activity Book). This activity book bundle comes with 1 Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Meet the Dinosaurs magnetic fun activity book with 10 pages and magnetic dinosaur figures. Each page of this Jurassic World dinosaur reference book contains fun facts about all your favorite dinosaurs and features magnetic play scenes, perfect for placing your dinosaur magnets on the page to create fun scenarios

4. Jurassic World Adult Coloring Book

This book features forty-five original, line-art images depicting the lush environments and heart-racing action from the hit film, including all of your favorite dinosaurs, the Indoraptor, Baryonyx,
Stygimoloch, and fan favorites T. Rex, Mosasaurus, and Blue, for you to color however you wish!

.5. Dinosaur Blanket for Boys Girls

Throw Blanket with Dinosaur Pattern Gifts for Dinosaur Fans, Lightweight Flannel Fleece Blanket for Bed Sofa Couch

6. Jurassic World Dinosaur Field Guide

Dinosaur Field Guide, written by two noted paleontologists and illustrated in big bold colors, is a
kid-friendly nonfiction guide that uses simple text to describe over 100 dinosaurs! Kids will learn tons of awesome facts about the most well-known dinosaurs and some of the newest discoveries.

7. Jurassic World: The Official Cookbook

Designed to look like an in-world souvenir sold at the park, this colorful cookbook features approachable at-home recipes for treats and dishes that celebrate the different regions of the iconic park and the miraculous dinosaurs that live there

8. Dinosaurs in the Wild! (Jurassic World Dominion) (Step into Reading)

Step 3 readers feature engaging characters in easy-to-follow plots about popular topics for children who are ready to read on their own.

9. Dinosaur Fossil Digging Kit for Kids, Dinosaur Eggs Excavation Kit

3 KINDS OF DIFFERENT DIGGING FUN: 1. Dinosaur head fossil: Child can excavate 5 real dinosaur fossils including 2 tyrannosaurus tooth, 1 tyrannosaurus claw & 2 lava stones! 2. The dinosaur bones inside Brick can assemble 3D T-rex skeleton. 3. 6 pieces Dino Eggs Dig Kit & discover 6 unique dinosaur designs. Feel like a real paleontologist excavating up unique toy dinosaurs from 3 digging
styles.

10. Six Piece Jumbo Dinosaur Toys for Kids

13-17 Inches 6 Pcs Jumbo Dinosaur Set includes the following mighty dinosaurs: T-Rex, Pterodactyl,
Triceratops, Brachiosaurus,Giganotosaurus and Velociraptor Blue . This jumbo dinosaur set includes realistic, colorful dinosaur figures that are durable and made from high-quality material.

EDUCATIONAL DINOSAUR FIGURES:Kids will Enjoy Hours of Imaginative Play with These Jumbo Realistic-looking Dinosaurs!Fun and Educational for Both Boys and Girls Alike.Just Right for a School / Dinosaur Science Project or Report.

Now let’s try creating our own insect in amber for an amazing hands-on activity and keepsake from this exciting unit study.

DIY Insect In Amber Activity

You can make a pendant to be worn or a ball of amber to display.

Park Quick Unit Study (DIY Insect in Amber)

This is a very fun activity that will interest older kids who may have done fossil impressions one too many times and would like something that is more of a challenge and not babyish.

Supplies Needed: You will need epoxy resin and supplies.

After quite a bit of research this kit seemed to offer the best combination of variety, price, and reviews.

It was very easy to work with and included everything a beginner needs to get started with epoxy including gloves and a silicone mat to protect your surfaces.

Science Fiction for Middle School Fun Jurassic Park Quick Unit Study (DIY Insect in Amber)

First, create a small insect from craft clay, we attempted a mosquito.

But it came out looking a bit more like a fly and that’s okay.

DIY Insect In Amber Activity

We are not going for perfection with our kiddos. If you prefer you can grab some small plastic insects to use.

Science Fiction for Middle School Fun Jurassic Park Quick Unit Study (DIY Insect in Amber)

Mix epoxy resin parts A and B according to directions.

From what I can tell they pretty much all call for equal parts A and B but from a lot of comments and research the general buzz is to add slightly more B (hardener) to get better results.

Add a small amount of the mica powder to the mixed resin. 

Then, use a toothpick to add a tiny dot or two of yellow and maybe a bit of a rusty red color to get close to an amber shade.

You will be able to see from the final images that we went a little too dark on our first attempt.

So, you want it to be mostly translucent and remember you can always add more color but not subtract it.

Science Fiction for Middle School Fun Jurassic Park Quick Unit Study (DIY Insect in Amber)

Pour a very thin layer of resin in the bottom of your silicone mold and then place your insect in the bottom.

Carefully pour resin mixture over it to fill it to the top of mold.

The kit I linked is self-leveling and the air bubbles will come out on their own.

However, if you are using a different type, follow manufacturer directions.

Science Fiction for Middle School Fun Jurassic Park Quick Unit Study (DIY Insect in Amber)

Place the mold on a hard flat surface and leave it undisturbed for 24 hours until completely hardened.

Gently unmold your creations and marvel at how perfectly preserved your “specimen” is.

Science Fiction for Middle School Fun Jurassic Park Quick Unit Study (DIY Insect in Amber)

If you made a pendant now is the time to make a necklace by stringing elastic cord, fishing wire, or other thin fiber through the hole.

Science Fiction for Middle School Fun Jurassic Park Quick Unit Study (DIY Insect in Amber)

Otherwise, your insect in amber is ready to put on display.

We may have gotten a little carried away, making pendants preserving feathers and dried flowers as well.

Science Fiction for Middle School Fun Jurassic Park Quick Unit Study (DIY Insect in Amber)

How to Create Easy Back to School Basket Ideas for Middle School (Anatomy)

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

Easy back to school basket ideas for middle school is not only a great craft idea, but it gets your students excited about the new homeschool year. And check out more tips on my page homeschool middle school.

Do you use learning baskets in your homeschool?

Homeschoolers have been using baskets for a while now but unlike a morning basket, these themed back to school baskets can be used throughout the entire day, week, or even month.

How to Create Easy Back to School Basket Ideas for Middle School (Anatomy)

A learning basket is a basket full of fun educational material all based on one topic of interest.

It’s a unit study in a basket.

If you are a relaxed homeschool family, unit study family or even follow the unschooling approach, baskets can be prepared ahead and left for your child to explore at his own pace.

Back to School Craft

Too, back to school baskets fosters independence.

While gaining independence in their homeschool choices children can still benefit from direction and guidance,

Also, baskets full of materials of one themed topic are a fantastic way to inspire, encourage, and develop a love of learning by inviting children to explore a topic.

Whether you teach traditionally, are a unit study family, or are an unschooler these baskets will work and add to your homeschool.

They are like putting a fun unit study in a basket and letting your child drive.

Look at these ideas below for putting together an anatomy themed basket for a middle school child.

Anatomy Back to School Basket Idea for Middle School

Do you have a child that is looking to be a nurse or has an interest in anatomy or the medical field?

Then start with a core curriculum, spine, or living book based on his or her interest.

How to Create Easy Back to School Basket Ideas for Middle School (Anatomy)

If you are doing a core curriculum include the student book for your students to work through at their own pace.

How to Create Easy Back to School Basket Ideas for Middle School (Anatomy)

We are using Campfire Curriculums Through the Eyes of: ER LIFE.

I have a review coming soon, but these pictures will give you a glimpse now of what is going in the basket.

How to Create Easy Back to School Basket Ideas for Middle School (Anatomy)

This Anatomicum book makes a perfect addition to our study.

It is such a beautiful book, with gorgeous illustrations., makes for great reference, and inspiration.

How to Create Easy Back to School Basket Ideas for Middle School (Anatomy)

And here we are using it for tracing the photos as well. Needless to say, it will be added to our library.

How to Create Easy Back to School Basket Ideas for Middle School (Anatomy)

Be sure to include a pack of tracing paper with it.

Human Body Unit Study Resources

I also included my lapbook Dynamic and Fun Human Body Lapbook for Multiple Ages for some hands on learning.

It is easy to customize, picking and choosing which parts you want them to focus on.

Or let them choose on their own. It is a great supplement to any kind of anatomy study.

How to Create Easy Back to School Basket Ideas for Middle School (Anatomy)

Next, include some support books like Basher Human Body.

I love the silly photos in these books, even for middle schoolers.

How to Create Easy Back to School Basket Ideas for Middle School (Anatomy)

They help take a complicated topic and turn it into easy little snippets of information.

Basher has quite a few books to cover different topics. Again, the images are cute.

However, they relay the information in an easy to understand way.

And that appeals to a variety of ages probably early elementary to middle school is best.

How to Create Easy Back to School Basket Ideas for Middle School (Anatomy)

I found this copy of Gray’s Anatomy at the Goodwill for just over $1 and had to include it in the basket.

While it usually used by doctors and medical students, I thought it would make a great reference book.

More Back to School Craft Ideas

Hands-On Human Anatomy Resources

After you have a few great books picked out, include a game or two.

Cytosis is great for gameschooling and a great way for kids to learn about cell biology.

How to Create Easy Back to School Basket Ideas for Middle School (Anatomy)

A couple of other games that would fit this topic perfectly for this age range are:

  • Anatomy Fluxx. This is a card game that is action filled and teaches about everything from bones to blood vessels.
  • Pandemic. Great for learning about viruses, how they spread, and how they are eradicated.

Also, the Bones Book and Skeleton makes a great little table top skeleton for learning how the body itself is put together.

How to Create Easy Back to School Basket Ideas for Middle School (Anatomy)

Additionally, it can be used for labeling bones later on.

Next is Gross Anatomy create your own squishy human body.

I think that making it multi sensory and hands on really creates that connection that will help them retain what they are learning about.

Another is Know Your Blood Type so they can test themselves or a family member to find out blood types.

How to Create Easy Back to School Basket Ideas for Middle School (Anatomy)

Finally, Safari Toobs Organs can be used as a model for drawing or painting.

They help your children to visualize the shape of organs and you can put them with flashcards to match up and learn the names of the basic organs.

How to Create Easy Back to School Basket Ideas for Middle School (Anatomy)

Include some play dough as well ( or modeling clay) for them to recreate their own copies of organs from the model.

What do you think? Are you going to give this a try? What are your themed learning basket ideas?

Fall Homeschool Learning Resources For Middle School

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These fun fall homeschool learning resources for middle school make for a fun free fall unit. Too, you’ll love my free fall season Fall Unit 1 {Pumpkins, Leaves, Corn, & More} unit study. Also, look at my page homeschool middle school for more fun tips.

Today I will be sharing fall homeschool learning resources for middle school students. 

And of course, I have some fun fall activities for their younger siblings too.

Adding to my growing list each year of things that I love, and free is one of them, I have listed some resources that keep learning fun for our middle school students.

In my experience, middle school kids have a great sense of humor and still want to do out of the box activities when the temperatures fall and the leaves stir.

For us the fall season is not only about studying some things that bring the scent of fall to our day, it is about adding an out of the box twist to our subjects too. 

Last fall season, I shared a few of my resources for embracing the cooler weather.

Free Artist-in-Art-Cards-with-Pocket @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus
So be sure you grab the Artist in Fall with pocket memorization cards. 

Just cut, fold in half, store in the pocket for memorization of autumn landscapes.  Autumn-Art.pdf

vivaldi

Too, I have rounded up some really useful and free teacher resource kits for learning about Vivaldi and The Four Seasons (Grade 4 – 8) and Let’s Go Mozart (Grade 4-8). 

Look what else is free on the page –  Complete Composers’ Life and Times: Guide to Beethoven, Guide to Gershwin, Guide to Handel, Guide to Haydn, Guide to Ravel, Guide to Stravinsky and Guide to Tchaikovsky.

Free Fall Lesson Plans

I love  free and especially when the guides are packed full of tidbits and great ideas.

Timeline composers

Each guide is color and has great background information on each composer and has a nifty helpful timeline like the one above I snipped from the guide.

Be sure you check out the whole page. Focus on all of the music and composers or just on the ones that bring in the crisp fall season.

Next, the subject about pollution and acid rain can be a controversial subject, but certainly one that middle school students can appreciate. 

Whatever the culprit is of the death of the trees, it can be a good time to introduce the devastating effects of acid rain to the trees.

Here is another great free resource for teaching our middle school kids about acid rain along with tons of hands-on experiments like learning about how to measure ph and soil buffering. 

Acid Rain A Teacher's Guide for Grades 6 - 8
Fall Homeschool Learning Resources for Middle School | Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

A lot of the activities can be done easily at home because they use supplies most of us have around the house or have added to our science list as our kids have grown older.

Here is the guide: Learning About Acid Rain Teachers Guide. Grades 6–8, and here is the description of it from the site. “This guide is designed to help students better understand the science, cause and effect, and regulatory and citizen action that are part of understanding and addressing acid rain.”

This next resource, Project Wild, is about bringing the classroom outdoors and fall is the perfect time to do that.

pay to play 

Free Fall Unit

Check out the free educators guide Project WILD K-12, which has free printables like learning about tracks.

trackshabitat rummy

Have to love free prepared curriculum.

journey of wayne dropjourney of wayne drop 2

This next site is The Journey of Wayne Drop to the Everglades (Elementary/Middle School Level).

From the site: “Find lesson plans and resources for teachers at all levels to help you teach about the Science Behind the Restoration” including information on the endangered Florida panther, Florida black bear, white-tailed deer and Wild Turkey”.

It is a study about the everglades and the endangered animals like the panther, black bear and wild turkey. 

In addition to the prepared lessons, there are fun printables and great background information on the Florida everglades.

Learning about the Florida Everglades

Florida Habitat Mobile

Check out the free printables for the younger kids and the mobile idea when you are over there. 

This is a fun way to to include the younger kids too in your study. (Note: I’m still working on finding the broken link to this mobile. it’s just too cute.)

And yes, middle school kids love crafts too. 

Don’t give up crafts for them because you think they don’t have time for them now as you are trying to get them to write those longer composition papers. 

A little bit of fall in their day will push them a bit to do some of the other everyday things they have to learn.

Crafts for Middle School Kids

baked-apples-make-a-silhouette-portrait-lamp-shade-

{Pic. Attribution}

Check out this easy, yummy baked apple.  Mix, measure and eat.  

Then look at this cool create a cameo portrait lamp shade.

paint-monochromatic-secondary-colorshow-to-make-an-ethernet-cable-

{Pic. Attribution}

Teach about secondary colors doing monochromatic painting for the budding painter in them and then your middle school kids can get their geek on by assembling an ethernet cable. 

How cool is that?  I know I joke about it a lot, but I have a slight geeky side and this is a way cool project for adding a twist to the day.

Free Fall Printables | Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Then here are a few of my other printables for some easy fun writing. 

Look at my unit Apple Lapbook and Apple Unit Study.

Free Apple Lapbook @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

 And then because there are TONS of resources for the younger kids, but not an apple lapbook for the middle school kids, I created one last year for them.

Fall Homeschool Learning Resources For Middle School

Go here to Fall Unit Study {Pumpkins, Leaves, Corn, & More}.

 Free Fall-Pumpkin-Lapbook @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus
And I didn’t forget the younger sweeties. 

Rounding up these fun resources early, your crew will have a fun head start on the changing weather.