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hands-on

Watermelon Play: How to Make a Fun Matching Letters Activity

July 17, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Enjoy some watermelon play with your preschooler through fun hands-on activities. Also, look at my post 4 Week Free Watermelon Unit Study & Best Hands-on Ideas. Too, see my page How to Homeschool Preschool for more ideas.

Grab my busy book summer preschool printable and a simple idea for paper plates to practice letter recognition.

Letter recognition and phonics instruction should be child’s play and using a few paper plates and some craft paint will make it be just that.

Watermelon Play: How to Make a Fun Matching Letters Activity

Watermelon isn’t just a delicious treat — it’s a wonderful way to learn about growing, cooking, and health.

Whether you’re counting seeds, matching letters, making a craft, or tasting a sweet slice, watermelon is a wonderful fruit for children to learn about.

It combines fun, education, and health — all in a single, delicious package.

WATERMELON BOOKS FOR KIDS

Next, look at these fun books for kids.

5 Watermelon Books & Resources

Add these fun books about seeds, gardening and watermelons. You can use them for a unit study or add to your home library.

Image for Watermelon, Watermelon

Watermelon, Watermelon

"Watermelon, Watermelon" is a delightful sing-along book by award-winning songwriter and music therapist Stephanie Leavell. Perfect for ages 1-7, this rhythmic and catchy story is based on Stephanie's beloved children's song. The book features bright, captivating illustrations by Sarah Pilar Echeverria, making it an engaging read that young children will request again and again.

Image for Food Anatomy: The Curious Parts & Pieces of Our Edible World

Food Anatomy: The Curious Parts & Pieces of Our Edible World

Julia Rothman starts with an illustrated history of food and ends with a global tour of street eats. Along the way, Rothman serves up a hilarious primer on short-order egg lingo and a mouthwatering menu of how people around the planet serve fried potatoes–and what we dip them in.Award-winning food journalist Rachel Wharton lends her expertise to this light-hearted exploration of everything food that bursts with little-known facts and delightful drawings

Image for The Watermelon Seed

The Watermelon Seed

Crocodile loves watermelon, but what will happen when his greatest fear of swallowing a watermelon seed comes to pass? Will vines sprout out his ears? Will his skin turn pink? Only one thing is certain: his wild imagination will have kids laughing out loud and begging for another read.

Image for Where the Watermelons Grow

Where the Watermelons Grow

When twelve-year-old Della Kelly finds her mother furiously digging black seeds from a watermelon in the middle of the night and talking to people who aren't there, Della worries that it’s happening again—that the sickness that put her mama in the hospital four years ago is back. That her mama is going to be hospitalized for months like she was last time.

With her daddy struggling to save the farm and her mama in denial about what’s happening, it’s up to Della to heal her mama for good. And she knows just how she’ll do it: with a jar of the Bee Lady’s magic honey, which has mended the wounds and woes of Maryville, North Carolina, for generations.

Image for Bananagrams Word-a-Melon: Family-Fun Word Search Game for Kids Age 6+

Bananagrams Word-a-Melon: Family-Fun Word Search Game for Kids Age 6+

  • WORDY-FUN: Word-a-Melon is the family-fun word search game by Bananagrams
  • FLIP THOSE TILES: Take turns rolling the die, flipping the cardboard letter chips and creating words with the overturned letters
  • USE YOUR MELON: Unused letters are flipped back over so players must be sure to remember where they are!

COOL WATERMELON FACTS

Before you get started share some share cool watermelon facts with your child:

  1. A watermelon is a kind of fruit that grows on a vine that trails along the ground.
  2. Watermelon starts from a tiny seed, then a vine grows from it, flowers bloom, and a small watermelon starts to form. The small watermelon grows and grows until it’s big enough to eat.
  3. The outside, called the rind, is thick and green with light green or yellowish patterns.
  4. Inside, the flesh is usually a rich red or pink color.
  5. It’s sweet and filled with water, in fact, watermelons are about 92% water! That’s how it got its name: water + melon.
Watermelon Play: How to Make a Fun Matching Letters Activity

Here are some great ideas to get you going with your watermelon play.

WONDERFUL WATERMELON PLAY IDEAS

  • Here you can learn How to Conduct an Exploding Watermelon Theme Experiment.
  • Older kids will enjoy making these DIY Watermelon Coasters.
  • Find out How to Make a Watermelon Sensory Bin for Play and Learning for an inspiring sensory experience.
  • Make 3 ingredient Watermelon Lemonade to enjoy on a hot summer day.
  • Your little learner will love to learn How to Make Fun Watermelon Seed Slime For Summer Learning.
  • Watermelon Seed Count-Using black beans or black pom-poms as “seeds”, children can practice counting by placing the correct number of “seeds” on a paper plate watermelon wedge labeled with a number.
  • Spend a whole month studying this tasty fruit with my 4 Week Free Watermelon Unit Study & Best Hands-on Ideas.
  • Seed Spitting Distance- For a messy but fun outdoor game, let kids spit actual watermelon seeds and measure who can launch theirs furthest.
  • Grab my busy book summer preschool printable that is full of watermelon and other fun summer themes to keep little hands busy all season long. It’s at the bottom of this post.

There are matching pattern activities, counting, sorting, letter recognition, life cycles, find it pages, and so much more.

To use the busy book summer preschool pages throughout the season you can laminate the pages and cut out the ones that say cut at the top.

 Use velcro dots if you like to attach the matching pictures as they work on them.

Use small plastic bags to hold the pieces and tuck everything inside a folder, alternatively, you can place your sheets inside 3 hole page protectors and keep them in a 3 ring binder.

 HOW TO MAKE A FUN MATCHING LETTERS ACTIVITY

You will need:

  • 10 paper plates
  • Red craft glue
  • Green craft glue
  • Black marker
  • Scissors
Watermelon Play: How to Make a Fun Matching Letters Activity

Start by painting or having your child paint the center of the paper plates red, you will need to do this on all 10 plates, you want to go pretty close to the ruffled edge of the plates.

Watermelon Play: How to Make a Fun Matching Letters Activity

Set aside and allow to dry.

Paint the outer edge of half of the plates green.

Watermelon Play: How to Make a Fun Matching Letters Activity

Allow this paint to dry and then stack the plates with only the red center painted on top of the fully painted plates.

Cut into 6-8 wedges, by stacking you are assuring they stay uniform.

Watermelon Play: How to Make a Fun Matching Letters Activity

Cut the white edge off of the plates that have just been painted red in the center.

Watermelon Play: How to Make a Fun Matching Letters Activity

Use a black marker to write the capital letter on the green rind of one piece and the lowercase counterpart on the red only slice.

Watermelon Play: How to Make a Fun Matching Letters Activity

To make it a bit more fun and playful keep the matching wedges a little more obvious by cutting “bite” marks or other shapes into the edges of them while they are stacked.

Watermelon Play: How to Make a Fun Matching Letters Activity

Store the pieces in a plastic bag and take them on the go too.

Watermelon Play: How to Make a Fun Matching Letters Activity

This activity is a wonderful way to practice letter recognition, matching, and phonics.

Here are a few more ideas to make it even more fun and helpful…

Say the letter aloud when you match it.
Say the letter’s name and its short or long phonics sounds.
 For example:
 “This is the letter B. B says /b/ — b, b, b — like in baby, ball, blue.”
 “This is the letter S. S says /s/ — s, s, s — like in sun, sand, sweet.”

Spend extra time practicing letters that look similar or often stump children like b and d.

HOW TO GET THE SUMMER BUSY BOOK

This is a 57 page pdf download for a simple summer busy book.

Here is what it contains.

  • Build the word
  • Summer months
  • Count the bees
  • What comes next
  • Which is different
  • Summer dress up
  • Let’s go for a picnic
  • Sandcastle puzzle
  • Count and mark
  • Create your own summer necklace
  • Summer sport matching
  • Summer season sorting
  • 10 frames and numbers
  • Trace the alphabet
  • Match the summer scene
  • Summer I Spy
  • Match the ice cream shadows
  • Match the color
  • Sort by size
  • Find the summer objects
  • Sort by size and color
  • Match the emotions
  • Trace by size
  • Watermelon life cycle
  • Ice cream scoop stacking
  • Count and match
  • Fruit matching
  • Match the patterns
  • Match the shapes

All my products are digital. You will not receive a physical product for anything in my store.

Downloads are INSTANT. When you pay, you will receive an email with a download link INSTANTLY. Depending on your internet connection, the email could be just 30 seconds or so, or a bit longer. The point is it will be soon, not a week later,etc.

Watermelon Play: How to Make a Fun Matching Letters Activity

The email with the download link will go to the email you used for paypal. If you used your husband’s paypal, your downloads will go to that email. Please check that email and your spam before emailing me telling me you can’t find it.

Please put my email tina @ tinasdynamichomeschoolplus dot com (take out the space and substitute the right symbol for dot) in your address/contact list so that your product does not go to spam.

MY GUARANTEE: To treat you like I want to be treated which means I know at times technical problems may cause glitches, so I will do everything possible to make your experience here pleasant. Also, you can email me at my personal email tinahomeschools at gmail dot com.

  • Dynamic Simple Summer Busy Book For Kids Who Love Learning

    Dynamic Simple Summer Busy Book For Kids Who Love Learning

    $3.75
    Add to cart

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: busy book, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool, kindergarten, preschool, science, summer, watermelon

Biology Science Curriculum For Elementary Students They Love & Tiger Craft

July 13, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

When you look for a good biology science curriculum for elementary students you want to look at how they approach the topics of living vs. nonliving, animals, plants, human anatomy, ecology, habitats, and life cycles. Also, look at my page How To Homeschool Elementary Students Like A Pro.

These are the main subcategories of biology that your elementary student will need to cover.

And you want to be sure that they build on each one and make it fun with plenty of hands-on activities. i have listed curriculum suggestions at the bottom of this post.

Biology Science Curriculum For Elementary Students They Love & Tiger Craft

Too when using a laid out curriculum you already have the planning done.

And you can either use it as is or skip parts of it.

By adding hands-on activities I have on my site here, you can tailor curriculum to suit your child’s needs.

Next, look at more how to homeschool elementary students tips.

HOW TO HOMESCHOOL ELEMENTARY STUDENTS TIPS

  • Exciting Summer Learning Activities for Elementary Students Who Love Hands-On
  • How to Make a Humpback Whale & More Zoology Activities for Elementary Students
  • 3 Dinosaur Stem Activities Elementary Kids Will Love
  • Fun Mosaic Art Lesson Plans Elementary | How To Make A Tray
  • Easy Praying Mantis Craft: Awesome Insect Projects for Elementary Students
  • Easy Art And Geometry Activities For Elementary Students
  • Biology Science Curriculum For Elementary Students They Love & Tiger Craft
  • Exciting Scavenger Hunt: Beach Theme Activities Elementary Kids Will Love
  • Easy Human Body Crafts For Elementary Featuring A Tongue Project
  • Best Homeschool History Curriculum Elementary: A Focus on Albert Nobel
  • Easy Diorama About The Civil War For Elementary Students
  • How To Create Elementary Geography Curriculum Using Living Books
  • Best Reading Curriculum for Elementary And Fun Reading Pointer Craft

Next, look at more benefits of using biology science curriculum for elementary students.

5 BENEFITS OF USING A SCIENCE CURRICULUM FOR STUDENTS

  1. It helps children build science vocabulary.
  2. Introduces basics of biology life science which will be built on more in middle and high school.
  3. And it encourages curiosity by listing questions.
  4. Can help you to connect topics sequentially if your child doesn’t like jumping around and learning different topics.
  5. It can build critical thinking skills by encouraging hypothesis and drawing conclusions.

Then look at more activities and tips to add to your biology science curriculum.

CRAFTS TO PAIR WITH SCIENCE CURRICULUM FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

  • Make Science Exciting: Free Human Body Homeschool Unit Study
  • 41 Easy Hands-on Faith-Neutral Science Activities for Kids
  • How To Do An Easy Science Pumpkin Study By A Rotting Pumpkin Experiment
  • 7 Science Garden Ideas and Make a Pizza Container Garden
  • Growing a Seed Activity For Kindergarten Science Kids Activity
  • Day 18 Teaching Young Children – Elementary Homeschool And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp
  • Look at my elementary science list I created on Amazon.
Biology Science Curriculum For Elementary Students They Love & Tiger Craft

Next, look at this fun tiger craft to go with a biology life science activity or when studying about Asia.

10 TERRIFIC FACTS ABOUT TIGERS

  1. Tigers are the largest of all the wild cats in the world.
  2. Each tiger’s stripes are unique, just like human fingerprints.
  3. Tigers love water and are excellent swimmers.
  4. They can run very fast, but only for short distances.
  5. And they mostly hunt at night because they have excellent night vision.
  6. Baby tigers are called cubs and are born blind and helpless.
  7. Tigers eat different animals like deer, wild pigs, and sometimes even fish.
  8. They live in different habitats like forests, grasslands, and swamps.
  9. There are currently 6 different types of tigers subspecies Bengal, Siberian, South China, Sumatran, Indochinese, and Malayan tigers.
  10. Tigers are endangered, which means there are fewer of them in the wild than there used to be.

EASY TIGER CRAFT

You will need:

  • Empty toilet paper roll
  • Orange construction paper
  • Black construction paper
  • Black pen/marker
  • Orange pipe cleaner
  • Glue stick

First, pinch the top of the toilet paper roll and tape or staple shut on one end.

Biology Science Curriculum For Elementary Students They Love & Tiger Craft

Cut a strip of orange construction paper to fit your toilet paper tube, you can cut some the same length but shorter to create tiger cubs if you like.

Have your child cover the empty toilet paper roll with glue from the glue stick then wrap the orange paper around it, pressing it firmly into the glue.

Biology Science Curriculum For Elementary Students They Love & Tiger Craft

Let your child rip black construction paper into long skinny strips.

Biology Science Curriculum For Elementary Students They Love & Tiger Craft

Cut and bend two orange and black striped pipe cleaners (or an orange one you have striped with a black permanent marker) into two ears and a tail.

Biology Science Curriculum For Elementary Students They Love & Tiger Craft

Attach the tail and ears with glue.

Biology Science Curriculum For Elementary Students They Love & Tiger Craft

Glue on the eyes and add mouth, nose, and whisker details with the black pen.

Biology Science Curriculum For Elementary Students They Love & Tiger Craft

Repeat the process as many times as you like to create multiple tigers, cutting some smaller ones for cubs.

Lastly, look at this biology science curriculum.

Biology Elementary Curriculum

Add some fun biology elementary curriculum and hands on to your science day.

Image for Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology (Young Explorer Series)

Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology (Young Explorer Series)

Take this in-depth journey into the anatomy and physiology of your body through Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology by Jeannie Fulbright and pediatrician Brooke Ryan, M.D. From the brain in your head to the nails on your toes, you and your students will encounter fascinating facts, engaging activities, intriguing experiments, and loads of fun as you learn about the human body and how to keep it working well. Beginning with a brief history of medicine and a peek into cells and DNA, your students will voyage through fourteen lessons covering many subjects, such as the body systems: skeletal, muscular, respiratory, digestive, cardiovascular, nervous and more! They'll study nutrition and health, how God designed their immune system to protect them, along with embryology and what makes them unique.

Image for Christian Kids Explore Biology *NOP

Christian Kids Explore Biology *NOP

This user-friendly, one-year science curriculum for elementary students includes teaching lessons, gorgeous coloring pages, hands-on time, memorization lists, review sheets, creative writing assignments, and an awesome supplemental book list! Written for 3rd through 6th graders, it can easily be scaled down for younger students, making this an excellent choice for teaching all your elementary-aged kids together. The schedule of 35 weekly lessons calls for teaching twice weekly, allowing a family time for projects, exploration of resource books, field trips, etc.

Image for Real Science-4-Kids Pre Level Biology Teachers Manual

Real Science-4-Kids Pre Level Biology Teachers Manual

The Pre-Level I Biology Teacher's Manual provides parents and teachers with the instructions for the ten hands-on experiments found in the Pre-Level I Biology Laboratory Workbook. The teacher's manual includes a material's list for each experiment, information regarding required set-up, and sample answers for both expected results and questions.

Image for Be Naturally Curious
Photo Credit: benaturallycurious.com

Be Naturally Curious

K–5  grade unit studies (downloadable PDFs)

Image for The Biology Coloring Book

The Biology Coloring Book

More than 50% of your brain is devoted to vision and movement. Use the unique and highly effective Coloring Concepts method to experience for yourself how the action of coloring allows for more complete understanding than passive reading. 

Allow yourself to be tutored step-by-step through the fundamental concepts of biology and the evidence and reasoning processes which lead to them, while the colors and your movements form strong mental associations which greatly improve comprehension and memory. 

Image for Great Science Adventures Discovering the Human Body And Senses

Great Science Adventures Discovering the Human Body And Senses

Provides multi-level teaching for Grades K-8. Consists of 24 lessons, with 2-3 lessons to be completed per week. There is a detailed explanation of all activities so you can jump in and teach! Pro

Image for Super Simple Biology: The Ultimate Bitesize Study Guide (DK Super Simple)

Super Simple Biology: The Ultimate Bitesize Study Guide (DK Super Simple)

A fantastic aid for coursework, homework, and studying for tests, this is the ultimate study guide to biology.From reproduction to respiration and from enzymes to ecosystems, every topic is fully illustrated to support the information, make the facts clear, and bring biology to life. For key ideas, "How it works" and "Look closer" boxes explain the theory with the help of simple graphics. And for further studying, a handy "Key facts" box provides a summary you can check back on later. With clear, concise coverage of all the core biology topics, Super Simple Biology is the perfect accessible guide for students, supporting classwork, and making studying for exams the easiest it’s ever been.

Image for Biology for the Grammar Stage Student Workbook: Third Edition by Paige Hudson

Biology for the Grammar Stage Student Workbook: Third Edition by Paige Hudson

Biology for the Grammar Stage provides a foundational survey of animals, the human body, and plants for the elementary student. The Student Workbook includes all the pages you need for the unit projects, narrations, lab reports, and student glossary, plus review sheets. Don’t forget the Teacher Guide which lays out the plans for this study of the living world, animals, the human body, and plants. To see this guide and more visit elementalscience.com.

Image for Biology: Life as We Know It!

Biology: Life as We Know It!

Nature's building blocks have never been more sociable than in this newest offering from the creators of The Periodic Table and
Physics. From cells to DNA, from viruses to mammals, from chlorophyll to flowers and fruit, and including the human body's parts and systems, Biology is a single volume BIO101 course. Distinctive characters, a creative pallette, and straight- forward text make it all clear―and fun!

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: elementary, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool

Easy Art And Geometry Activities For Elementary Students

July 11, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Geometry activities for elementary students can include plenty of fun hands-on ideas like an art project that reviews geometry terms at the same time. Also, look at my page How To Homeschool Elementary Students Like A Pro.

I am bringing you a simple art project.

In addition to lots of other fun geometry activities and terms to go over with your child, you can use them for the art project, make flashcards, and more.

Easy Art And Geometry Activities For Elementary Students

The other thing I really enjoyed about this art project is that it is very relaxing and encourages your child to focus and be intentional as they color in each space.

Geometry is all around us, it is the study of shapes, sizes, positions, and dimensions of things. 

It encompasses points, lines, planes, and solids, as well as more complex shapes, measurements, and relationships between them, perimeter, area, volume, and more.

Next, look at more how to homeschool elementary students tips.

HOW TO HOMESCHOOL ELEMENTARY STUDENTS TIPS

  • Exciting Summer Learning Activities for Elementary Students Who Love Hands-On
  • How to Make a Humpback Whale & More Zoology Activities for Elementary Students
  • 3 Dinosaur Stem Activities Elementary Kids Will Love
  • Fun Mosaic Art Lesson Plans Elementary | How To Make A Tray
  • Easy Praying Mantis Craft: Awesome Insect Projects for Elementary Students
  • Easy Art And Geometry Activities For Elementary Students
  • Biology Science Curriculum For Elementary Students They Love & Tiger Craft
  • Exciting Scavenger Hunt: Beach Theme Activities Elementary Kids Will Love
  • Easy Human Body Crafts For Elementary Featuring A Tongue Project
  • Best Homeschool History Curriculum Elementary: A Focus on Albert Nobel
  • Easy Diorama About The Civil War For Elementary Students
  • How To Create Elementary Geography Curriculum Using Living Books
  • Best Reading Curriculum for Elementary And Fun Reading Pointer Craft

BOOKS ABOUT GEOMETRY FOR KIDS

First, look at these fun math living books about geometry.

10 Living Math Books For Multiple Ages About Geometry

Geometry is a branch of math that deals with shapes, sizes, angles, and how things fit together in space.

Image for An Adventure in Geometry

An Adventure in Geometry

A "pictorial adventure" through which the author shows, in illustrations and text, how nature's forms and man's productions reflect the basic geometric structure of the universe.

Image for String, Straightedge, and Shadow The Story of Geometry

String, Straightedge, and Shadow The Story of Geometry

String, Straightedge, and Shadow: The Story of Geometry is a beautifully illustrated book that is a must-read for students learning geometry or for parents helping them through their first geometry course. Julia Diggins masterfully recreates the atmosphere of ancient times, when men, using three simple tools, the string, the straightedge, and the shadow, discovered the basic principles and constructions of elementary geometry. Her book reveals how these discoveries related to the early civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Greece.The fabric of the story is woven out of archeological and historical records and legends about the major men of mathematics. By reconstructing the events as they might have happened, Diggins enables the attentive reader to easily follow the pattern of reasoning that leads to an ingenious proof of the Pythagorean theorem, an appreciation of the significance of the Golden Mean in art and architecture, and the construction of the five regular solids.

Image for Mathematicians Are People, Too: Stories from the Lives of Great Mathematicians, Vol. 2

Mathematicians Are People, Too: Stories from the Lives of Great Mathematicians, Vol. 2

Looks at the history of mathematical discoveries and the lives of great mathematicians.

Image for Captain Invincible and the Space Shapes (MathStart 2)

Captain Invincible and the Space Shapes (MathStart 2)

Captain Invicible and the Space Shapes is perfect for teaching 3-dimensional shapes to first, second, and third graders. Captain Invincible and his space-dog, Comet, are on a perilous journey back to Earth! Throughout their mission, the fearless captain and his canine sidekick encounter asteroids, poisonous gas, and alien beings. But will their knowledge of three-dimensional shapes, including cubes, cones, and pyramids, help our heroes navigate past these obstacles—and make it safely home? 

Image for Basher Science: Algebra and Geometry

Basher Science: Algebra and Geometry

Can you figure out what algebra’s all about? Do you know what's key to geometry? There’s so much mathematical knowledge to discover with the fact-packed Basher Science: Algebra and Geometry.This compelling guide introduces a community of characters who make mathematics interesting. Meet Polygon and Plane, Reflection and Rotation, Odd Number and his buddy Even Number and the three pals Sine, Cosine and Tangent. Discover the secrets of their world!Perfect for home and school, this highly original book makes difficult concepts tangible and understandable. Chatty first-person text by Dan Green and stylish, vibrant character illustrations by Simon Basher give a voice, personality and story to each topic – an accessible way to communicate mathematical concepts.

Image for Circles And Squares Everywhere!

Circles And Squares Everywhere!

A highly colorful and geometrically enhanced book reveals how circles and squares can be found everywhere and teaches children how to recognize the patterns that can be found on buildings, automobiles, and other structures.

Image for Hamster Champs (MathStart 3)

Hamster Champs (MathStart 3)

Hamster Champs is perfect for teaching angles to second, third, and fourth graders. With a few blocks, a board, and a protractor to measure the angles, the hamster champs have built a ramp that lets them fly high! But will this stunt be good enough to outwit Hector the cat?

Kids will love the story and the illustrations by Pedro Martin. Parents and educators will love how the story and pictures make understanding the math concepts a breeze—as well as the concrete examples of how math works. The book contains activities for adults to do with kids to extend math into their own lives. 

Image for Mummy Math: An Adventure in Geometry (Matt and Bibi Math Adventures)

Mummy Math: An Adventure in Geometry (Matt and Bibi Math Adventures)

Matt, Bibi, and their dog Riley crawled through the tiny opening first. FWUMP! A secret door suddenly closed behind them . . .The Zills family is summoned to Egypt to help find the hidden burial chamber of an ancient pharaoh. But when Matt and Bibi get trapped in the pharaoh's pyramid, they stumble upon an even bigger mystery. With only each other, their dog Riley, and the geometric hieroglyphics on the walls to help them, the twins must use their math skills to locate the burial chamber―and the way out. Luckily, Matt and Bibi know their stuff when it comes to geometric solids, and so will the readers of this adventure in math!

Image for Vicious Circles and Other Savage Shapes (Murderous Maths) by Kjartan Poskitt (Illustrated, 18 Jan 2002) Paperback

Vicious Circles and Other Savage Shapes (Murderous Maths) by Kjartan Poskitt (Illustrated, 18 Jan 2002) Paperback

Image for Cloak for a Dreamer, Reader Grade 5: Harcourt School Publishers Collections

Cloak for a Dreamer, Reader Grade 5: Harcourt School Publishers Collections

In an entertaining introduction to the concept of geometry, a tailor's son attempts to create a cloak with only circles, with unfortunate results, and then works with his brothers to find a shape that works.

Next, I’ll give you a simplified breakdown of geometry terms to go over with your child that you can also use for the art project at the end to reinforce their familiarity with them.

GEOGRAPHY TERMS FOR KIDS

BASIC SHAPES

  • Circle- A round shape with no corners or edges, all points on the edge are the same distance from the center.
  • Square- Has four straight sides that are all the same length, has four corners called right angles (like the corner of a book).
  • Triangle- Has three straight sides, can have different shapes and sizes, but always has three sides and three angles.
  • Rectangle- Has four straight sides, two pairs of sides are the same length, has four right angles.

LINES

  • Straight Line- Goes on and on in both directions, is the shortest distance between two points.
  • Line Segment- A part of a straight line, has two endpoints.

ANGLES

  • Right Angle- Formed by two lines or line segments that intersect at a 90-degree angle. This 90-degree measurement is a fixed and defining characteristic of a right angle. Visually, a right angle often resembles the corner of a square or a rectangle, an L shape.
  • Acute- An acute angle is an angle that measures greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees. Think of it as a small or sharp angle.
  • Obtuse- An obtuse angle is an angle that measures greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees. It’s a wider or blunter angle than a right angle.

2D vs. 3D SHAPES

  • 3D Shapes- Solid shapes that have length, width, and height.Examples: cube, sphere, cone.
  • 2D Shapes- Flat shapes that have only length and width.Examples: circle, square, triangle, rectangle.

KEY TERMINOLOGY

Then, look at these geometry words to help you with terminology.

  • Shape- The outline or form of something.
  • Side- A straight line that makes up a shape.
  • Corner-The point where two sides meet.
  • Angle- The space between two lines that meet at a point.
  • Dimension- Measurement of length, width, or height.
  • Parallel lines- Two or more lines that are always the same distance apart and never intersect.
  • Perpendicular lines- Two lines that intersect at a right angle (90 degrees).
  • Point- An exact location in space, often represented by a dot. It has no size or dimension.
  • Intersecting- When two or more lines cross or meet at a point.
  • Transversal- A line that intersects two or more parallel lines at different points.
Easy Art And Geometry Activities For Elementary Students

Now, look at these geometry activities for elementary students.

GEOMETRY ACTIVITIES FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

  • Having Fun with a Geometry Map Project
  • While these are 7 Fun Geometry Hands-On Activities For High School several like the LEGO activity can be easily done with elementary students.
  • Geoboard Activity Cards {FREE Geometry Challenge}
  • This Hands-On Math: Fun and Easy Snowflake Geometry doubles as another art project as well.
  • A simple idea to learn some Geometry in The Real World.
  • Ancient Greece Unit Study Play Stomachion Like Archimedes {Explore Geometry}
  • Here are 5 simple but impactful Activities for Teaching Angles.
  • Here are some Learning Games with Geometric Shapes Board Games.

Finally, look at this fun geometry art lesson.

GEOMETRY ART

You will need:

  • Unlined paper
  • Ruler, protractor
  • Permanent marker
  • Pencil
  • Markers, crayons, or colored pencils
  • Small sticky note strips
Easy Art And Geometry Activities For Elementary Students

First, use the ruler and protractor along with a pencil to create lines all over the page, intersecting at different points, and creating different angles.

Easy Art And Geometry Activities For Elementary Students

Encourage your child to be intentional in creating different examples of the geometry terms such as intersecting lines, right angles, obtuse angles, parallel lines, etc.

Go back over the lines with a black fine line marker to darken and make the lines even more clear.

Easy Art And Geometry Activities For Elementary Students

Now have your child color in all the different shapes with whatever medium they like.

Easy Art And Geometry Activities For Elementary Students

Finally, make little labels with the small strips of sticky notes using the geometry terms above .

Easy Art And Geometry Activities For Elementary Students

Then have your child label them by placing the strip in the corresponding example, better yet have them make up their own labels to help increase their frequency of use of terms.

Easy Art And Geometry Activities For Elementary Students

You can make this project as simple or as complex as you need to based on where your child is in their learning.

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: elementary, geometry, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool, homeschool math, math

How To Create Elementary Geography Curriculum Using Living Books

July 10, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Create an elementary geography curriculum using living books for a more engaging and customized experience as unique as your child. Also, look at my page How To Homeschool Elementary Students Like A Pro.

And look at my page Homeschool Geography for hands-on and simple ideas and tips.

Geography can be tedious and uninteresting sometimes. Using living history books also introduces your child to other cultures, customs, foods, history, and even social issues.

Another great aspect of using living books to create your curriculum is that unlike box curricula, they are wonderful for a wide variety of ages.

How To Create Elementary Geography Curriculum Using Living Books

They can be used to teach multiple children by simply modifying your projects and activities for younger or older children.

If you are not quite sure what passes as a living book, watch and read Simply Charlotte Mason’s What a Living Book Sounds Like.

Next, look at more how to homeschool elementary students tips.

HOW TO HOMESCHOOL ELEMENTARY STUDENTS TIPS

  • Exciting Summer Learning Activities for Elementary Students Who Love Hands-On
  • How to Make a Humpback Whale & More Zoology Activities for Elementary Students
  • 3 Dinosaur Stem Activities Elementary Kids Will Love
  • Fun Mosaic Art Lesson Plans Elementary | How To Make A Tray
  • Easy Praying Mantis Craft: Awesome Insect Projects for Elementary Students
  • Easy Art And Geometry Activities For Elementary Students
  • Biology Science Curriculum For Elementary Students They Love & Tiger Craft
  • Exciting Scavenger Hunt: Beach Theme Activities Elementary Kids Will Love
  • Easy Human Body Crafts For Elementary Featuring A Tongue Project
  • Best Homeschool History Curriculum Elementary: A Focus on Albert Nobel
  • Easy Diorama About The Civil War For Elementary Students
  • How To Create Elementary Geography Curriculum Using Living Books
  • Best Reading Curriculum for Elementary And Fun Reading Pointer Craft

Next, look at these living geography books.

GEOGRAPHY LIVING BOOKS

13 Geography Living Books

Add some of these living geography books to your home library. All ages will love them.

Image for Paddle-to-the-Sea: A Caldecott Honor Award Winner (Sandpiper Books)

Paddle-to-the-Sea: A Caldecott Honor Award Winner (Sandpiper Books)

Follow the journey of a little turtle through all the great lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, not only covering; landforms but also dipping into science, and uses figurative language to help children think and understand the story better.

Image for Seabird: A Newbery Honor Award Winner

Seabird: A Newbery Honor Award Winner

A carved Ivory Gull tells of oceans all over the world and three generations of sailing families in America. 

Image for How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World

How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World

In more of a story book fashion we are led around the world to gather ingredients from all over to make an apple pie and it even includes a simple recipe for an apple pie.

Image for Tree in the Trail

Tree in the Trail

The history of the Great Plains and the Santa Fe Trail is told in text and pictures by focusing on a cottonwood tree and the events that happen around it.

Image for Complete Book Of Marvels

Complete Book Of Marvels

Explore the wonders of the world with America's foremost adventurer, Richard Halliburton. In the Complete Book of Marvels Halliburton takes you with him on thrilling journeys to countless wonders of the world, including natural features like Gibraltar, the Grand Canyon, and Mount Fuji, and famous or forgotten temples and ancient cities, and monuments bigger than life. He follows in the footsteps of Demetrius and traverses the Great Wall.

Replete with historical facts, maps, and a treasure trove of unique restored photographs of both well-known and hidden wonders, Halliburton journeys with the reader by his side to reveal the beauty and mystery of the world's greatest sights as if for the very first time. As a youth Richard Halliburton dreamt of seeing the many mysterious lands and exotic locales beyond the horizon, and by the time he was a teenager he set out to do just that. During his life, his voyages took him to an enormous variety of truly marvelous places, from familiar American landmarks to the far reaches of the globe.

Image for Where We Live: Mapping Neighborhoods of Kids Around the Globe

Where We Live: Mapping Neighborhoods of Kids Around the Globe

This fascinating look at 16 children’s neighborhoods around the world broadens readers’ understanding of global cultures. This unique illustrated map book explores the neighborhoods of 16 real children from around the world. Author Margriet Ruurs, who met many of these children in her travels, tells the story of each child’s neighborhood by highlighting the places that are important to them, such as where they live, go to school and play, as well as interesting facts about their lives, including the food they eat, their religious practices and the sights and smells they encounter every day. From big cities, such as Amsterdam and Beijing, to small communities, such as Salt Spring Island in Canada and the village of Komanyana in Zambia, each place is special to the children who live there.

Image for Minn of the Mississippi: A Newbery Honor Award Winner

Minn of the Mississippi: A Newbery Honor Award Winner

The history of the Mississippi River Valley is told in text and pictures through the adventures of Minn, a snapping turtle, as she travels downstream.

Image for National Parks of the USA (Americana, 1)

National Parks of the USA (Americana, 1)

Packed with maps and fascinating facts about the flora and fauna unique to each of the 21 parks portrayed, this lushly illustrated coast-to-coast journey documents in large format the nation’s most magnificent and sacred places—and shows why they should be preserved for future generations to enjoy. Explore Florida's river-laced Everglades, travel down the white water rapids of the Grand Canyon, trek across the deserts of Death Valley, and scale the soaring summits of the Rocky Mountains with this book that brings you up close to nature's greatest adventures. Divided by region (East, Central, Rocky Mountains, West, Tropics, and Alaska), a pictographic map at the start of each section shows the locations of the parks to be covered. Each park is introduced by a stunning, poster-worthy illustration of one of its scenes and a summary of its makeup, followed by individual illustrations of the animals and plants that make their homes there.

Image for Strawberry Girl by: Lois Lenski

Strawberry Girl by: Lois Lenski

Strawberries -- big, ripe, and juicy. Ten-year-old Birdie Boyer can hardly wait to start picking them. But her family has just moved to the Florida backwoods, and they haven't even begun their planting. Don't count your biddies 'fore they're hatched, gal young un! her father tells her.

Image for Wow Canada!: Exploring This Land from Coast to Coast to Coast (Wow Canada! Collection)

Wow Canada!: Exploring This Land from Coast to Coast to Coast (Wow Canada! Collection)

The multi-award-winning Wow Canada! has steadily wowed readers with its original, witty, and fabulously informative cross-country excursion. This thoroughly updated edition is filled with amazing facts, historical wonders, and descriptions, photos, and illustrations of Canada's most famous sights and hidden gems — it's the perfect accessory for that family car trip across Canada. Eleven-year-old Guy and his family travel from province to province —and even up to Canada’s territories! Guy is the ideal narrator, curious but cool and always armed with a wry comment. Incredible sidebar material offers moments of respite from the family’s high-speed travels, making Wow Canada! both the perfect car trip guidebook and a fantastic armchair travel book.

Image for How the States Got Their Shapes

How the States Got Their Shapes

Why does Oklahoma have that panhandle? Did someone make a mistake?

We are so familiar with the map of the United States that our state
borders seem as much a part of nature as mountains and rivers. Even the oddities—the entire state of Maryland(!)—have become so ingrained that our map might as well be a giant jigsaw puzzle designed by Divine Providence. How the States Got Their Shapes is the first book to tackle why our state lines are where they are. Here are the stories behind the stories, right down to the tiny northward jog at the eastern end of Tennessee and the teeny-tiny (and little known) parts of Delaware that are not attached to Delaware but to New Jersey.

Image for A Child's Geography of the World

A Child's Geography of the World

A Child's Geography of the World is a general course in geography for juveniles. Hillyer was headmaster at the famed Calvert School and wrote a series of books as part of the curriculum for his students. This title was the result of many years of teaching the subject to young children and of several more years in authoring it. The books is now considered in a classic in home schooling.

Image for Geography: An Illustrated A-Z Glossary: An Introduction To Earth's Geographical Features For Kids

Geography: An Illustrated A-Z Glossary: An Introduction To Earth's Geographical Features For Kids

Welcome to Geography: An Illustrated A-Z Glossary by B.C. Lester Books! This book takes you across the world's main landforms and biomes, each with a colorful illustration acWelcome to Geography: An Illustrated A-Z Glossary by B.C. Lester Books! This book takes you across the world's main landforms and biomes, each with a colorful illustration accompanied with a child-friendly definition.

What is a mesa? Or an estuary? What is the difference between a swamp and a marsh?

Covering over 100 geography terms, this book has all the answers! This book is a great, concise introduction to the natural features of Earth for children and is a nice way to spark or develop an interest in geography for kids accompanied with a child-friendly definition.

What is a mesa? Or an estuary? What is the difference between a swamp and a marsh?

Covering over 100 geography terms, this book has all the answers! This book is a great, concise introduction to the natural features of Earth for children and is a nice way to spark or develop an interest in geography for kids.

Then look at the benefits of using living books as elementary geography curriculum.

7 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD USE LIVING BOOKS FOR YOUR GEOGRAPHY CURRICULUM

Creating an elementary geography curriculum using living books offers a multitude of advantages that foster a deep and lasting understanding of the world.

1.Critical Thinking and Cultural Awareness: By presenting diverse perspectives and experiences, living books encourage students to think critically about the world around them. They learn to question stereotypes, challenge assumptions, and develop a more nuanced understanding of different cultures. This fosters cultural awareness and sensitivity, preparing them to become responsible global citizens.

2. Engaging Narratives: Unlike dry textbooks, living books breathe life into geographical concepts with captivating stories. This transports learners to different lands, immersing them in the sights, sounds, and experiences of diverse cultures.

3. Contextual Learning: Living books seamlessly weave geographical information into the fabric of the story. Instead of presenting isolated facts, they incorporate geographical concepts within the context of the story. This approach helps students understand the relevance and significance of the information, making it easier to retain and apply.

4. Emotional Connection: Stories have the power to evoke emotions, and living books leverage this power to create a deeper connection with the places and cultures being studied. When students experience the joys, sorrows, and struggles of characters from different backgrounds, they develop empathy and a greater appreciation for diversity.

REASONS TO USE LIVING BOOKS

5. Interdisciplinary Approach: Living books rarely confine themselves to a single subject. They often integrate history, culture, science, and even mathematics with geography, creating a richer learning experience. The interdisciplinary approach fosters a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of the world and encourages students to make connections between different subjects.

6. Rich Vocabulary: Living books expose students to a rich and diverse vocabulary, even picture books.  Through engaging narratives, they encounter words and phrases that they might not otherwise encounter in a traditional textbook.

7. Imagination and Wonder: Living books ignite the imagination and cultivate a sense of wonder about the world. Through vivid descriptions and compelling stories, they transport students to far-off lands, sparking their curiosity and encouraging them to explore further. 

How To Create Elementary Geography Curriculum Using Living Books

Finally, look at how to create the curriculum.

HOW TO USE LIVING BOOKS FOR YOUR GEOGRAPHY CURRICULUM

You want to start with an amazing living book as your base for everything else, once you have that you can choose games and activities to enhance the book.  I highly recommend cultivating your own library of them at home but you can also just check them out from the library.

How To Create Elementary Geography Curriculum Using Living Books

This National Parks of the USA is not only beautiful but makes a resource as a geography reference book you will use year after year.

How To Create Elementary Geography Curriculum Using Living Books

One of my favorite resources for elementary geography living books is Beautiful Feet Books. They cover US and World Geography through inviting stories.

For a list of engaging living books that can be used to create your elementary geography curriculum be sure to check out my list of 13 Living Geography Books For Kids Who Love Exploring.

LIVING BOOKS FOR YOUR GEOGRAPHY CURRICULUM

The next thing I recommend doing is having a good map and globe on hand. Before, after, and during reading your living geography books locate the place or places referenced in the book on maps and globes. 

I really like the scrunch maps and have used them since preschool/early elementary days. They are portable, straightforward, and don’t take up a lot of space.

How To Create Elementary Geography Curriculum Using Living Books

Find fun hands-on activities and art projects along the same theme, no basic worksheets  here, this is a great place to work in dioramas, paintings, paper mache sculpture of mountain ranges, watercolor maps, and so much more.

How To Create Elementary Geography Curriculum Using Living Books

Need some ideas? I am so glad you asked….

  • Studying oceans, lakes, and how they are connected? Check out The Fascinating World of Sea Geography | Paddle to the Sea Craft.
  • Are you traveling with How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World? Make a simple apple pie in a cup as you learn about where all the ingredients are sourced.
  • As you pour over and read the stunning book MAPS this Salt Dough Maps- Creative Geography Lesson  would be the perfect enhancement to lessons.
  • Reading Ashanti to Zulu? Learn How to Make An Embroidered African Map Fun Geography Craft.
  • Does your book take you through one or more of our beautiful national parks? Grab A Journey Through Famous National Landmarks: Download Your Free Printable.

Choose board games that supplement and reinforce the concepts you are learning in your books.

How To Create Elementary Geography Curriculum Using Living Books

Guess in 10 Cities Around The World can be used all throughout world geography lessons and pairs with many books.

For upper elementary you might choose something like Trekking The World to explore 48 magical destinations on planet Earth.

Let’s not forget the classic Oregon Trail as you discover westward expansion with your favorite living books.

Enjoy the journey, geography is much more than coloring a boring map!

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: elementary, geography, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool

Easy Diorama About The Civil War For Elementary Students

July 8, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

A fantastic way to learn about the Civil War for elementary students is through engaging hands-on activities that bring the topic to life. Also, look at my page How To Homeschool Elementary Students Like A Pro.

Too, look at my page War Between the States Unit Study and Lapbook for more ideas. While there are many facts to learn about the Civil War they don’t have to be learned through rigorous textbooks (at least not all of them).

Easy Diorama About The Civil War For Elementary Students

 If the Civil War is a topic you want to tackle this year let’s look at some great ways to keep it interesting while teaching solid information.

I have loaded up on facts, activities, resources, and even an easy diorama about the civil war to keep it fun and memorable for both you and your child.

After doing some reading about the Civil War and some of the battles, your learner can use their imagination to create a scene right in the middle of a battlefield as you learn about this pivotal time in history.

Next, look at more how to homeschool elementary students tips.

HOW TO HOMESCHOOL ELEMENTARY STUDENTS TIPS

  • Exciting Summer Learning Activities for Elementary Students Who Love Hands-On
  • How to Make a Humpback Whale & More Zoology Activities for Elementary Students
  • 3 Dinosaur Stem Activities Elementary Kids Will Love
  • Fun Mosaic Art Lesson Plans Elementary | How To Make A Tray
  • Easy Praying Mantis Craft: Awesome Insect Projects for Elementary Students
  • Easy Art And Geometry Activities For Elementary Students
  • Biology Science Curriculum For Elementary Students They Love & Tiger Craft
  • Exciting Scavenger Hunt: Beach Theme Activities Elementary Kids Will Love
  • Easy Human Body Crafts For Elementary Featuring A Tongue Project
  • Best Homeschool History Curriculum Elementary: A Focus on Albert Nobel
  • Easy Diorama About The Civil War For Elementary Students
  • How To Create Elementary Geography Curriculum Using Living Books
  • Best Reading Curriculum for Elementary And Fun Reading Pointer Craft

AMERICAN CIVIL WAR BOOKS FOR KIDS

Next, I’ve rounded up some resources to learn about the Civil War.

20 American Civil War Books & Resources

Your kids will love these resources and hands-on to learn about the American Civil War.

Image for Across Five Aprils

Across Five Aprils

In 1861, America is on the cusp of war, and young Jethro Creighton is just nine-years-old. His brother, Tom, and his cousin, Eb, are both of fighting age. As Jethro's family is pulled into the conflict between the North and the South, loyalties are divided, dreams are threatened, and their bonds are put to the test in this heart-wrenching, coming of age story.

Image for Guts & Glory: The American Civil War (Guts & Glory, 1)

Guts & Glory: The American Civil War (Guts & Glory, 1)

History comes alive for kids like no textbook can in this epic account of the American Civil War that's perfect for history buffs and reluctant readers!From courageous cavalry rides deep into enemy territory to harrowing covert missions undertaken by spies and soldiers, the events of the American Civil War were filled with daring figures and amazing feats. This exhilarating overview covers the biggest battles as well as captivating lesser-known moments to entertain kids with unbelievable (and totally true) tales of one of America's most fascinating conflicts.History buff, Civil War reenactor, and popular blogger Ben Thompson uses his extensive knowledge and vivid storytelling style to bring the Civil War to life in this first book in a thrilling new series featuring incredible people, events, and civilizations. Get ready to learn just how awesome history can be!

Image for Little Women (Puffin in Bloom)

Little Women (Puffin in Bloom)

Grown-up Meg, tomboyish Jo, timid Beth, and precocious Amy. The four March sisters couldn't be more different. But with their father away at war, and their mother working to support the family, they have to rely on one another. Whether they're putting on a play, forming a secret society, or there's one thing they can't help wondering: Will Father return home safely?

Image for Behind Rebel Lines: The Incredible Story of Emma Edmonds, Civil War Spy

Behind Rebel Lines: The Incredible Story of Emma Edmonds, Civil War Spy

Canadian-born Emma Edmonds loved the thrill of adventure and chasing freedom, so in 1861 when the Civil War began, she enlisted in the Union Army. With cropped hair and men’s clothing, Emma transformed herself into a peddler, slave, bookkeeper and more, seamlessly gathering information and safely escaping each time. This fictionalized biography about the daring exploits of a cunning master of disguise, risking discovery and death for the sake of freedom, will inspire readers for generations to come.

Image for Brother Against Brother Stories of the War Between the States

Brother Against Brother Stories of the War Between the States

Stories Of The War Between The States
Image for Rifles for Watie

Rifles for Watie

Earnest, plain-spoken sixteen-year-old Jeff Bussey has finally gotten his father’s consent to join the Union volunteers. It’s 1861 in Linn County, Kansas, and Jeff is eager to fight for the North before the war is over, which he’s sure will be soon.

But weeks turn to months, the marches through fields and woods prove endless, hunger and exhaustion seem to take up permanent residence in Jeff’s bones, and he learns what it really means to fight in battle—and to lose friends. When he finds himself among enemy troops, he’ll have to put this life on the line to advance the Union cause.

Thoroughly researched and based on firsthand accounts, Rifles for Watie “should hold a place with the best Civil War fiction for young people” (The Horn Book).

A strong choice for independent reading and for sharing in a classroom and for homeschooling. As a homeschool cooperative teacher commented: "The book has launched many discussions in our class. When a person is on one side of a conflict, it is important to remember that people on the other side are also people. Jeff is a perfect model for how treating people with respect can happen even in war." 

Image for Bull Run

Bull Run

In this brilliant fictional tour de force, which the New York Times called "a deft, poignant novel," Newbery Medal-winning author Paul Fleischman re-creates the first great battle of the Civil War from the points of view of sixteen participants.

Northern and Southern, male and female, white and black. Here are voices that tell of the dreams of glory, the grim reality, the hopes, horror, and folly of a nation discovering the true nature of war.

Image for Mr. Lincoln's Drummer

Mr. Lincoln's Drummer

Willie might be too young to be a fighter, but he's brave enough to be a drummer.Ten-year-old Willie Johnston is too young to be a soldier in Mr. Lincoln's army. So he joins as a drummer boy, instead. Part of Willie's job is rousing the troops in the morning with his drum—the other part is being the last to retreat in battles. In this true story, Willie shows he's brave enough to keep beating his drum, but will he be lucky enough to survive the war?"Scrupulously researched and overflowing with evocative detail . . . Willie's tale is authentic and engaging."—Kirkus Reviews

Image for Gentle Annie: The True Story of a Civil War Nurse

Gentle Annie: The True Story of a Civil War Nurse

A fictionalized biography of Anna Blair Ethridge, a Union Army nurse.

Image for Who Wore What?: Women's Wear 1861-1865

Who Wore What?: Women's Wear 1861-1865

Very popular among reenactors, this book explains what was worn, by whom, and in what combinations. With more than 300 photographs, it provides invaluable information on the dress styles and designs of women's clothing in the 19th century. It also includes descriptions of accessories and construction tips for those involved with reenactments and living history. Now in use extensively in the Hollywood film industry.

Image for Great Battles for Boys: Civil War

Great Battles for Boys: Civil War

Unforgettable History! Great Battles for Boys is the bestselling history series that sends young readers “into the fight.” Boys learn about the military leaders, weapons, and strategies that won—or lost—history's most important military battles.

Image for Boys of Wartime: Will at the Battle of Gettysburg

Boys of Wartime: Will at the Battle of Gettysburg

Twelve-year-old Will wants to be a drummer in the Union army, but he's stuck far from the fighting in his sleepy hometown of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Then the Union and Confederate armies meet in Gettysburg, and Will and his family are caught up in the ferocious fighting. From delivering important messages and helping captured slaves escape Confederate soldiers to even saving a young soldier's life, Will takes readers on a journey through one of the Civil War's most significant battles. And when the fighting is finally over, Will witnesses President Lincoln deliver his famous Gettysburg Address, and he knows firsthand the truth behind his words.

Image for Shades of Gray

Shades of Gray

The Civil War may be over, but for twelve-year-old Will Page, the pain and bitterness haven’t ended. How could they have, when the Yankees were responsible for the deaths of everyone in his entire immediate family? And now Will has to leave his comfortable home in the Shenandoah Valley and live with relatives he has never met, people struggling to eke out a living on their farm in the war-torn Virginia Piedmont. But the worst of it is that Will’s uncle Jed had refused to fight for the Confederacy. At first, Will regards his uncle as a traitor—or at least a coward. But as they work side by side, Will begins to respect the man. And when he sees his uncle stand up for what he believes in, Will realizes that he must rethink his definition of honor and courage.

Image for Freedom Train: The Story of Harriet Tubman

Freedom Train: The Story of Harriet Tubman

Born into slavery, young Harriet Tubman knew only hard work and hunger. Escape seemed impossible - certainly dangerous. Yet Harriet did escape North, by the secret route called the Underground Railroad. Harriet didn't forget her people. Again and again she risked her life to lead them on the same secret, dangerous journey.

Image for The Civil War: A Narrative: Volume 1: Fort Sumter to Perryville

The Civil War: A Narrative: Volume 1: Fort Sumter to Perryville

This first volume of Shelby Foote's classic narrative of the Civil War opens with Jefferson Davis’s farewell to the United Senate and ends on the bloody battlefields of Antietam and Perryville, as the full, horrible scope of America’s great war becomes clear. Exhaustively researched and masterfully written, Foote’s epic account of the Civil War unfolds like a classic novel. 

Image for Lee and Grant at Appomattox (Landmark Books)

Lee and Grant at Appomattox (Landmark Books)

Image for The Civil War for Kids: A History with 21 Activities (14) (For Kids series)

The Civil War for Kids: A History with 21 Activities (14) (For Kids series)

History explodes in this activity guide spanning the turmoil preceding secession, the first shots fired at Fort Sumter, the fierce battles on land and sea, and finally the Confederate surrender at Appomattox. Making butternut dye for a Rebel uniform, learning drills and signals with flags, decoding wigwag, baking hardtack, reenacting battles, and making a medicine kit bring this pivotal period in our nation’s history to life. Fascinating sidebars tell of slaves escaping on the Underground Railroad, the adventures of nine-year-old drummer boy Johnny Clem, animal mascots who traveled with the troops, and friendships between enemies.

Image for Civil War On Sunday (Magic Tree House #21)

Civil War On Sunday (Magic Tree House #21)

Cannon fire! That's what Jack and Annie hear when the Magic Tree House whisks them back to the time of the American Civil War. There they meet a famous nurse named Clara Barton and do their best to help wounded soldiers. It is their hardest journey in time yet—and the one that will make the most difference to their own lives!

Image for The Drinking Gourd (Rise and Shine) (I Can Read Level 3)

The Drinking Gourd (Rise and Shine) (I Can Read Level 3)

The stars of the Big Dipper have led a runaway slave family to Deacon Fuller's house, a stop on the Underground Railroad. Will Tommy Fuller be able to hide the runaways from a search party—or will the secret passengers be discovered and their hope for freedom destroyed?

Image for Harriet Tubman: The Moses of Her People (African American)

Harriet Tubman: The Moses of Her People (African American)

This simple, unvarnished account recalls the courageous life of Harriet Tubman, one of the best-known “conductors” on the Underground Railroad. First published in 1869 and privately printed to raise funds for “the Moses of her people,” Sarah Bradford’s memorable biography recalls the former slave’s grim childhood; her perilous experiences leading slaves into Canada; her efforts as a Civil War nurse, cook, and scout for the Union Army; and her post-conflict endeavors to aid and educate former slaves.

Finally, look at how to make this American Civil War diorama.

Besides. making a diorama doesn’t just look cool, it actually helps you remember what you learned better.

Easy Diorama About The Civil War For Elementary Students

When you make a diorama, you’re not just reading but you’re imagining what the scenes will look like.

EASY DIORAMA ABOUT THE CIVIL WAR

You will need:

  • Cardboard
  • Craft paints
  • Moss
  • School glue
  • Civil war figures
Easy Diorama About The Civil War For Elementary Students

You can use a box top with sides but the openness of just a big square of cardboard seems appropriate for a scene out in the middle of nowhere.

Draw out the main features you would like to have like sand, grass, water, buildings, walls, etc… with a pencil.

Think about what features would have been important during a battle- water for drinking, a bridge to get people and supplies over, trees and rock walls for cover, and things like that.

Easy Diorama About The Civil War For Elementary Students

Brush a generous amount of glue onto whatever area you are working on and press in sand, moss for grass, small pebbles or whatever material you like to cover, you can add additional glue and layers as needed.

Easy Diorama About The Civil War For Elementary Students

For water mix a bit of blue paint in your school glue and brush

Easy Diorama About The Civil War For Elementary Students

Use cardboard or make a simple footbridge out of sticks to create a bridge over the water.

Add your figures and any final details, a sticky playdough or something similar can hold your figures in place well without leaving permanent thick glue residue like hot glue would.

Create trees by hot gluing sticks to the base with moss or small leaves attached for greenery.

Easy Diorama About The Civil War For Elementary Students

Allow everything to dry well overnight.

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: elementary, hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, history, homeschool, homeschoolhistory

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