Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Activity, Change, Progress

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Mini Volcano Book and Label Layers of Earth Mini Book

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

We are finally getting caught up on our Earth’s Structure lapbook.

So today, I am sharing two more minibooks that go in our latest lapbook.

They are the mini volcano book and label layers of earth mini book.

What is a Volcano

Earth's Layers

Free Homeschool Lapbook – Earth’s Structure

Also, I am using the free Focus on Earth Science textbook

Unit Three: Plate Tectonics and Earth’s Structure and Unit Four: The Shape of Earth’s Surface are the chapters that I hone in on to prepare these minibooks and they are the ones your child will need to focus on when researching to find the answers to the minibooks.

Additionally, like most of my minibooks, I give you some facts that you can add to the minibook or like I mentioned, you can add your own from your research.

The volcano is a simple fold minibook and the label earth’s layer book is an open faced page.

Minibooks/Topics in the Earth Science Lapbook

  • Why Are Beaches Sandy
  • Summer Beaches Versus Winter Beaches
  • What is a Natural Hazard
  • Energy Sources for Natural Hazards
  • Features of Rivers & Streams
  • Plate Tectonics trifold book
  • Earth Structure Lapbook Cover
  • What is a Volcano
  • Earth Layers Book
  • Extreme Winds
Free Earth Science Lapbook & Unit Study Ideas

Next, add some more of these earth science activities.

Earth Science Hands-on Activities

How to Get the Free Earth Structures Lapbook

Now, how to grab the free printable. It’s a subscriber freebie.

When you sign up to follow me, you get access to this freebie.

 1) Sign up on my email list to follow me and get this freebie and many others.
 2) Grab the printable.
3) Last, look for my emails in your inbox as a follower. Glad to have you.

You’ll love these other earth science activities!

Finally, check out:

Middle School Homeschool Science 50 Free Spring Activities

Free Middle School Science Curriculum and Magazine

Mini Volcano Book and Earth's Layers Mini Book @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

15 Hands-on History Ideas for Kids Studying the French and Indian War

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

Today, I have rounded up 15 hands-on history ideas for middle school kids studying the French and Indian War of 1754 – 1763. Hands-on history not only sparks excitement for continuing to study a topic, but learning sticks because your child is doing and making a connection to the past. Also, look at my page homeschool middle school for more fun tips.

15 Hands-on History Ideas for Kids Studying the French and Indian War

Too, it is always my aim to continue to flesh out my unit studies and add more hands-on history activities as I find them.

Okay, I actually have more than 15 hands-on history ideas for studying about the French and Indian War.

This topic is not an easy one to teach at lower levels and most resources are at the high school level.

French and Indian War

However, I am tickled to share this free resource from the National Park Service which I came across after I completed our first study of the French and Indian War.

It has several downloads and you want to be sure and grab each unit because they are awesome.

french and indian war

Look at each download below. {Source Don Troiani, www.historicalprints.com}

Teacher Background

Unit 1: Who Were the People Involved?

Unit 2: What Were they fighting For?

Unit 3: How Did the Conflict Begin?

Unit 4: How did the War Progress?

Unit 5: How Did the Conflict End? What Were the Consequences?

Unit 6: How Did the French and Indian War Set the Stage for the American Revolution?

Unit 7: Biography Cards

Unit 8: Primary Documents and Artifacts

The ideas for these hands-on activities come from the background information on the free downloads.

15 Hands-on History Ideas for Middle School Kids

One and Two.
Bio Bingo – This free download at NPS has a Bingo game about key events and your student can create biography cards on major characters.

Three.
Nearly everyone in the army would carry flint and steel for starting fires. Check out how to make a flint & steel fire starter. (adult supervision)

Four.
Baskets were made by woman and had many uses. Check out how to make a coiled bowl.

Also, we love the hands-on ideas from Home School in the Woods.  Look at their American Revolution hands-on unit which covers the French & Indian War.

Five.
Europeans gave pipe tomahawks as gifts to Indian leaders. With adult supervision, this tomahawk could be made, by an older teen, but there is also an easy cardboard tomahawk . Great activity for a younger learner.

Six.
A compass was an important tool for navigating in North America. Check out my post – homemade compass.

Seven.
Learn about powder horns and create your own.

Eight.
Check out these French and Indian War images which can be used for a fun writing activity.

Nine.
How To Make An Easy Ink pot & Quill Pen with Berry Ink.

French and Indian War Kids Activities

Ten.
Make a tricorn hat.

Eleven.
 Learn how to make a beaver hat.

Twelve.
Make a leather pouch. Even though this link is a puzzle pouch, I like it because it has a template for the pouch.

Then here is an easier pouch for a younger child.

Thirteen.
Make an authentic turtle rattle and then there is another version on this same site for a younger child too.

Fourteen.
This is cool to build a fort fence at your house.

The Seven Years War Hands-on Ideas

Fifteen.
Create your own Iroquois wampum belt with string and beads.

And MORE fun things to bring this topic to life!
grab my free French and Indian War lapbook too.

French and Indian War Lapbook | Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Also, prior to The French and Indian War, the Iroquois Confederacy was formed and tried to stay neutral for most of the war.

To flesh out a study on The French and Indian War, be sure to check out my Iroquois Confederacy Unit Study and Lapbook.

Have your student memorize some of the George Washington’s Rules of
Good Behavior close to 1746 , read the story of Mary Jemison who was captured by Indians amidst the war between the British and the French and read the speech of Chief Pontiac of the Ottawa tribe addressing a gathering of Ottawa, Huron, and Potawatomie Indians, May 5, 1763.

Here is a printable crossword puzzle on the French and Indian War. Click printable .pdf at the bottom. Be sure to the answer key too.

Make a bear claw necklace.

Look at this older site, the Fort at No. 4 for postcards to print for a writing exercise or to make it art, learn about colonial money, colonial tools, do an acrostic poem, and a map of the area.

15 Hands-on History Ideas for Kids Studying the French and Indian War

Hope this round up will help you to find some hands-on history activities for this time period and to keep it fun.

Also you’ll love these other hands-on history activities:

15 Hands-on History Ideas for Middle School Kids Studying The French and Indian War @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

World War II Free Resources For a Middle School Unit Study

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

I rounded up some World War II free resources for a middle school unit study because I plan on tackling this tough part in American history soon with Tiny. Also, look at my page homeschool middle school for more fun tips and World War II Hands-On History – Make Ration Cakes.

This certainly is not an easy topic to study with younger kids and it’s still pretty hard with middle and high school kids.

World War II Free Resources For a Middle School Unit Study

However, it is easier to explain the issues and ideology on both sides when your kids are a bit older.

You know too I like having plenty of time to plan, think about some of these activities, and gather them in one place before we start.

World War II Activities for Homeschooled Kids

Look at these ideas for hands-on history, free lesson plans and resources.

World War II Uniforms

(Picture copyright Home School in the Woods and used here for illustrative purposes only.)

Grab the free sample lesson download at the bottom of the page at Home School In the Woods.

It has some soldier paper dolls (for lack of better words) in color showing the soldiers for both sides and I think it’s an easy way of identifying whose who in the war.

Video from NeoK12 about World War II. Letters are read from that time period about how people felt.

These letters or excerpts are a great free primary resource to use.

A free lesson plan on the Navajo Code Talkers.


In 1943 Eleanor Roosevelt helped start a Victory Garden movement that ended up making a substantial contribution to feeding the nation in wartime. You’ll love reading about it here along with learning about period posters.

World War II Victory Soup Recipe

So you could either plant a garden or have a Victory Garden Meal as you studied this topic.

Look at this recipe that I have included below that is in one of our kids history magazine that would make a fun edible project.

Victory Garden

Ingredients.
1 of each of the following:
potato, onion, celery, turnip, tomato
1/2 cup corn
1/2 cup peas
Small amount of any leftover cooked vegetables in your refrigerator
2 Tablespoons flour
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Cups tomato juice
1 Cup water
½ Tablespoon salt
Pepper to taste
¼ Cup small pieces of macaroni or any type you prefer

Directions.

Peel the potato, cut in cube and boil in water for 15 minutes. Peel the carrot and turnip. Chop the onion and celery in small pieces. Slice the carrot.

Dice the turnip and tomato. Mash the potato in the cooking water.

Melt the butter over medium heat in a soup pot. Then, add the onion and celery and cook over low heat for about five minute, stirring frequently.

Next, add the flour and stir for one minute. Add the tomato juice, water, salt, pepper and macaroni. Add the potatoes, carrots, turnips, corn, peas and tomato. Cook over medium heat stirring.

When soup begins to boil, lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. During the last five minutes, add any leftover vegetable.

World War II Free Resources For a Middle School Unit Study

The purpose of the study is to identify historic places that best represent the wartime mobilization that occurred  in the United States and its territories and possessions between 1939 and 1945 to assist in identifying whether any of these places should be considered for potential inclusion in  the National Park System.

In other words, it makes a nifty guide for identifying key places and obtaining back ground information.

WWII FashionClosed due to coal shortage World War II
hist_nazi_ideology

Use this Nazi party infographic to help your child understand their ideals.

More World War II Unit Study Hands-on Activities

World War II Free Resources For a Middle or High School Unit Study

Hands-on History for Kids

INF3-104_Food_Production_Lend_a_hand_on_the_land_Whatever_your_front_line_job_Artist_ShowellINF3-118_Forces_Recruitment_WAAF_-_And_help_the_RAF_Artist_Little

Then, some free coloring pages:

spotter_cards2_s
(Picture Attribution Ames History )

Spot an air craft activity. Check out these deck of cards from that time period that has different air craft pictured to learn about.

During war time, kids would spot air crafts and try to identify them.

I have some more ideas for hands-on history that I’ll share when we start our project, but I wanted to share these ideas today so you can starting sorting through them too.

World War II lapbook and homeschool history unit study.
World War II Free Resournces for a Middle School Unit Study

Middle School Hands-on Science : Extreme Winds + Free Minibook

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

Today, in sharing middle school hands-on science: extreme winds, I wanted to kick off our unit study with an easy hands-on activity and to use materials I already had in the house. Also, look at my page homeschool middle school for more fun tips.

You know I told you we were using a free middle school earth science book.

Too, since I like to always flesh out what Tiny is studying about, I add in enrichment, which of course are our lapbooks or notebooking pages and add in some of my own hands-on activities too.

Wanting to expand more on Tiny’s study of the earth’s structures, we honed in on studying about extreme winds.

Middle School Hands-on Science : Extreme Winds + Free Minibook

Look at this short list of supplies that you probably have around the house too that gives an easy visual about weird weather or extreme winds.

  • shoe box
  • plastic wrap
  • scissors
  • tape
  • 2 short candles if you have a regular shoebox or 2 taller candles if you have a taller shoe box like I had.
  • matches
  • sharp knife (to be used by mom or dad only)

Extreme Winds: Hands-on Activity

Start by gathering the supplies above.

Extreme Winds 1Extreme Winds 2

I had a bigger shoe box, but a smaller shoe box works just as good.  Depending on what kid of shoe box you have, either cut off the front or take off the lid.

If you have a normal size shoe box, turn it long way with the opening facing toward you.

Then cut 3 holes in it.

One hole is on the top (No. 1 on the right picture above) and one hole is on the inside bottom (No. 2 on the right picture above) and you cut them about 1/4 of the way over from the right edge and cut them about 2 inches wide.

You want them big enough for your candle to fit through.

Then cut a hole on the left side (No. 3 on the right picture above) about halfway about and about 2 inches wide as well.

Extreme Winds 3Extreme Winds 4

Next, cover and seal the opening with plastic wrap.

Be sure to tape it real well so no air can escape, but be sure to not cover any of the holes.

Then light one candle and place the box hole on the bottom gently over the top of the lit candle.

*Be sure the flame does not touch anything.

Extreme Winds 5Extreme Winds 6

Light the other candle and move it slowly over to the left side where the hole is.

Get the candle as close as you can to the hole without the flame touching the box.

Middle School Homeschool Science

Look at the picture above right where the flame on the left is already being pulled toward the right or toward the heat that was building up inside the box.

Middle school hands-on science: extreme winds science activity, I wanted to kick off our unit study with an easy hands-on activity and to use materials I already had in the house. We’re using a free middle school earth science book. Add this to the Free Earth Structure Lapbook. #middleschoolhomeschoolscience

What causes the air to move and the wind to blow? The point is to notice the second candle. When it’s lit, the flame is straight up.  But as you place it near the hole, it will move toward the hole.

When the first candle was lit, it heated up the inside. As the air was heated, it rose and of course became light.

When you blow out the second candle, the smoke moves in toward the hole, across the box and out the top. I didn’t put a picture of it because it was harder to capture the smoke, but be sure you watch which way the smoke goes after the candle is out on the left side.

So cooler air is also pulled in.  Just like the sun’s rays heats the earth and water.

Warmer air starts to rise. Because some of the earth’s surface is more heated than others, like over a desert, then some of the air rises faster.

The Santa Ana, shamal and sirocca winds all form over deserts.

Also, look at this mini weather station.

Middle School Science Activities

Look at these various winds and their easy definitions:

  • The Santa Ana winds in southern California are strong, hot winds that blow from the desert to Santa Ana Pass and out into San Pedro Channel beyond Los Angeles.
  • The Shamal winds are summer winds that blow over Iraq and the Persian Gulf.
  • The Sirocco winds are warm winds that blow over the Mediterranean Sea from the Sahara Desert.
  • The Gregale wind is a strong and cold wind that blows from the northeast in the western and central Mediterranean area mostly in winter.
  • Haboob is a strong wind that occurs primarily along the southern edges of the Sahara in Sudan and is associated with large sandstorms and dust storms.
  • Matanuska is a strong, gusty, northeast wind which occasionally occurs during the winter in the vicinity of Palmer, Alaska.

Grab my free minibook on our newest unit study on the earth’s structure.

Middle School Hands-on Science : Extreme Winds + Free Minibook

You’ll love these other posts

Middle School Hands-on Science : Extreme Winds + Free Minibook

Minibooks/Topics in the Earth Science Lapbook

  • Why Are Beaches Sandy
  • Summer Beaches Versus Winter Beaches
  • What is a Natural Hazard
  • Energy Sources for Natural Hazards
  • Features of Rivers & Streams
  • Plate Tectonics trifold book
  • Earth Structure Lapbook Cover
  • What is a Volcano
  • Earth Layers Book
  • Extreme Winds

How to Get the Free Earth Structures Lapbook

Now, how to grab the free printable. It’s a subscriber freebie.

When you sign up to follow me, you get access to this freebie.

► 1) Sign up on my email list to follow me and get this freebie and many others.
► 2) Grab the printable.
►3) Last, look for my emails in your inbox as a follower. Glad to have you.

Middle School Science Hands-on Science Extreme Winds @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus-1

Middle School Homeschool Science 50 Free Spring Activities

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

I’ve collected middle school homeschool science 50 free spring activities. Also, look at my page homeschool middle school for more fun tips.

Instead of starting on our next unit study, we have been waffling about whether or not we want to do a spring unit.  We have the itch to make a switch.

So today, I gathered middle school homeschool science 50 free spring activities to give Tiny a round up to choose from.

Middle School Homeschool Science 50 Free Spring Activities

Some of the ideas are free printables, some are hands-on activities and others serve as a springboard (ha ha, I know, corny pun) to do your own spring unit study.

I even love the free quality coloring book on wildflowers even though Tiny wasn’t a bit interested in coloring wildflowers.

The funny thing is that he is my kid that loves to color the most and especially at the middle school age.  I know, I know, it’s because they’re flowers but I couldn’t convince him that flowers are for manly men too.

Oh well there are still plenty of other ideas to choose from.

50 Free Spring Activities for Middle School.

50 Free Spring Activities

Springtime fun is not just for your young kids. Keep your
middle school kids having fun by doing one or more of these springtime
activities.

You’ll love some of these fun activities too:

Spangler Science

Enjoy and Happy (almost) Spring!

Middle School Homeschool Science 50 Free Spring Activities

Check out these other posts for middle school:

Hugs and love ya,