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How To Use LEGO Maths to Teach Essential Foundational Skills

January 7, 2026 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

You can teach LEGO maths to make what might otherwise be a stressful subject fun and unique. Also, look at my page From Simple to Spectacular: Easy LEGO Ideas for Everyone.

Math doesn’t have to be worksheets and flashcards; it can be colorful, creative, and hands-on. One of the best tools for making early math fun is something you probably already have at home-LEGO bricks.

With just a tray, a few LEGO pieces, two dice, and some post-it notes, you can set up engaging math stations that teach addition, subtraction, fractions, greater than/less than, number recognition, and even how to read a simple clock.

How To Use LEGO Maths to Teach Essential Foundational Skills

LEGO bricks are perfect for math because they’re visual, tactile, and endlessly flexible.

Kids see the math come alive in 3D form, which helps concepts “click.” Using something familiar and fun keeps frustration low and curiosity high.

Plus, when kids use their hands, they’re engaging multiple areas of the brain, helping them remember what they learn. These 7 Simple LEGO maths ideas help create a wonderful foundation for future learning.

MORE EASY LEGO IDEAS

  • How To Use LEGO Maths to Teach Essential Foundational Skills
  • Create Your Own Masterpiece: The Scream – Easy LEGO Art Tutorial
  • 5 Exciting LEGO Science Activities for Kids Who Love Hands-On Learning
  • Craft Lego Mythology Sets – How To Craft The Powerful Titan Atlas
  • How to Make a LEGO Solar System That Educates & Entertains
  • How to Create a LEGO Duck Pond: Step-by-Step Guide
  • How To Make A DIY LEGO Turkish Design Craft
  • Easy and Creative LEGO Eye Anatomy Activity for Curious Kids
  • A Splash Of Fun: The Ultimate LEGO Minecraft Coral Reef
  • Crust to Core: How to Build LEGO Earth Layers
  • Unleashing Creativity: An Easy Guide to a LEGO Stonehenge Model
  • Crafting Connections: How to Design a LEGO Family Tree
  • Ancient Civilizations: The History & Significance Of The Simple LEGO Ziggurat

LEGO IDEAS FOR KIDS

Also, look at these other building ideas.

Lego Ideas for Kids

Use one of these LEGO ideas in your homeschool. Besides, LEGO are great hands-on crafts to teach with.

Brick Shakespeare: Four Tragedies & Four Comedies

Never before have Shakespeare’s plays been depicted in LEGO bricks, and now Brick Shakespeare: The Tragedies—Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, and Julius Caesar and Brick Shakespeare: The Comedies—A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest, Much Ado About Nothing, and The Taming of the Shrew are available in one extraordinary hardcover.With over two thousand color photographs depicting the most well-known scenes in some of Shakespeare’s most well-known plays, this bind-up is the perfect gift for your LEGO- and Shakespeare-loving friends and family!Fall in love with LEGO Juliet on her balcony as Romeo proclaims his love. See the full effect of Lady Macbeth’s manic “Out, out, damn spot!” in a whole new way. Laugh along with LEGO Puck as he mischievously hassles the lovers in the woods. Cast a storm with brick Prospero as he strands his usurping brother on his deserted island.

Brick Fairy Tales: Cinderella, Rapunzel, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Hansel and Gretel...

Enter the magical world of fairy tales retold through LEGO bricks! Filled with creative and whimsical settings built from this universally celebrated toy, this book presents an all-new retelling of the original Grimm’s fairy tales of Cinderella, Rapunzel, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Hansel and Gretel, and more! With one thousand color photographs, this inspired adaptation uses intricately designed brick sets to present some of the most cherished and widely told stories of all time.Watch the clock strike twelve as Cinderella leaves her glass slipper behind at the ball, and see just how long brick Rapunzel’s hair can grow as she waits in her tower. Watch the seven dwarfs plot against the evil Queen and her brick looking glass, and try to find your way home with Hansel’s path of brick breadcrumbs

Lego Tribute to Jules Verne's Books Set 40690, Creator Imagination Library, Book 1

LEGO 40530 Tribute to Jane Goodall

  • Dr Jane Goodall + Chimps

Also, look at more LEGO math activities.

6 MORE LEARNING LEGO MATH IDEAS

  1. How to Teach Multiplication & Division Using LEGO
  2. Build a LEGO Number Line
  3. Ancient Egyptian Mathematics: Build a LEGO Math Calculator
  4. Fun with Math! Probability and Graphing with LEGO® Bricks
  5. How to Build a LEGO Balance Scale
  6. Hands-On Place Value Math Activity with LEGO Bricks
How To Use LEGO Maths to Teach Essential Foundational Skills

Finally, look at how to use LEGO to teach basic math essentials.

HOW TO USE LEGO MATHS TO TEACH ESSENTIAL FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS

For each of these basic LEGO activities you will need the following supplies:

  • LEGO Bricks
  • A Tray
  • Post-It Notes
  • Dice
How To Use LEGO Maths to Teach Essential Foundational Skills

ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION LEGO

You will need: LEGO bricks, dice, a marker, and Post-it notes

How to play:

  • Draw a + or – sign on a Post-it note.
  • Place it in the middle of the tray and a blank one on the far side.
  • Have your child roll two dice to get their numbers.
  • Have them place the corresponding number of bricks on either side of the equation symbol.
  • Then they can work through the problem and write their answer on the blank post.

Learning extension:
 Ask your child to predict which tower will be taller before adding. You can even use different colors to represent each number for visual learners.

How To Use LEGO Maths to Teach Essential Foundational Skills

FRACTIONS LEGO

You will need: A variety of LEGO brick sizes, Post it notes

How to play:

  • Use bricks to show parts of a whole. For example, if an 8-stud brick is the “whole,” a 4-stud brick is ½, a 2-stud brick is ¼, and so on.
  • Write Whole, ¾, ½, ¼, ⅛ on post-it notes and arrange on the tray.
  • Have your child demonstrate which brick matches each value.

Learning extension:
Make a square “fraction pizza” divided into sections for further practice.

How To Use LEGO Maths to Teach Essential Foundational Skills

PATTERNS BY LEGO

You will need: LEGO baseplate, LEGO pieces

How to play:

  • Create simple AB, AABB, or more complex patterns with 2×2 LEGO bricks.
  • Place them on the LEGO base to hold them in place.
  • Provide your child with the same set of bricks that you created and encourage them to repeat or finish your pattern.

Learning Extension:

Create a more complicated pattern and have your child complete the next piece or leave several pieces as empty spots for your child to fill in.

How To Use LEGO Maths to Teach Essential Foundational Skills

LEGO CLOCK

You will need: A  tray, LEGO pieces, and Post-it notes

How to play:

  • Write various times on post-it notes to the hour, quarter hour, and half hour for beginners.
  • Use 12 LEGO bricks to represent the 12 numbers around the clock.
  • Add two long, slim bricks to the center for the hands.
  • Have your child move the “clock hands” to match the time you have written on the paper.

Learning extension:
Practice telling time by rolling a die twice, one for the hour and one for the minutes.

How To Use LEGO Maths to Teach Essential Foundational Skills

GREATER THAN AND LESS THAN

You will need: LEGO bricks, Post-It notes, dice

How to play:

  • Draw a V shape like an open alligator mouth on a Post-it.
  • Have your child roll the dice to get their two numbers.
  • Then have them place that many on the correct side of the Post-it note.

Learning extension:
Say the comparison aloud: “Six is greater than four.” Encourage kids to swap the numbers and restate the sentence.

How To Use LEGO Maths to Teach Essential Foundational Skills

BUILDING NUMBERS WITH LEGO

You will need: LEGO bricks, a tray, and Post-it notes

How to play:

  • Write numbers on Post-it notes and stick them to the tray.
  • Have your child build each number with LEGO.. They can either match the number of studs into a tower or build a structure shaped like the digit 3 to become more familiar with the shape.
  • For younger learners, match brick quantities to the number card.

Learning extension:
 Color-code your numbers, use red for odd and blue for even numbers.

How To Use LEGO Maths to Teach Essential Foundational Skills

LEGO TEN FRAME

You will need: a Tray, small LEGO bricks, a dice

How to play:

  • Create the outer border of a 10-frame with either 1 or 2 wide stud bricks, leaving 24 uncovered studs.
How To Use LEGO Maths to Teach Essential Foundational Skills
  • Make the individual boxes by placing 1×2,3’s, or whatever length bricks you have to form the grids, leaving 4 open studs in each box.
How To Use LEGO Maths to Teach Essential Foundational Skills
  • Set out 10 of the same colored 2×2 bricks if you have them; this helps keep it less confusing.
  • Roll a die and fill in that many spaces, then roll again to add or subtract.
How To Use LEGO Maths to Teach Essential Foundational Skills

Learning extension:
 Ask questions like, “How many more do we need to make ten?” or “What happens if we take away three?”

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

Fun Yarn Crafts And How To Make A Yarn Wrapped Cat

January 6, 2026 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Yarn crafts are easy to do and affordable. Not only do they nurture creativity, but they give you a chance to teach a themed lesson without a lesson plan.

And yarn comes in many colors, textures, and thicknesses, inviting kids to experiment and create.

So today, I’m showing you how to make this adorable yarn wrapped craft. Isn’t he adorable? Too, I have a free cat template which you can download at the bottom.

Fun Yarn Crafts And How To Make A Yarn Wrapped Cat

Adding craft and an animal a child loves is a great spin to science and animal husbandry.

In addition, look at these other ideas for a one day or full week unit study about cats. Art is color theory and texture, math is counting yarn or how many times it’s wrapped and discuss symmetry.

Language arts can be as simple as writing about your child’s favorite cat or pet cat. And science can be extended to include older children and discuss domesticated and wild cat habitats.

However, there are many other advantages to meaningful play which is what this craft encourages. For instance, for your younger children, wrapping the yard around the cardboard strengthens fine motor.

BOOKS ABOUT CATS FOR KIDS

First, add some of these fun books to your reading day.

Books About Cats

Add some of these fun books to learn about cats.

Millions of Cats

The book won a Newbery Honor award in 1929, one of the few picture books to do so. It is perhaps the oldest American picture book still in print. The hand-lettered text, done by the author's brother, tells the story of an elderly couple who live comfortably, but realize that they are very lonely. The wife wants a cat to love, so her husband sets off in search of a beautiful one to bring home to her. After traveling far away from home, he finds a hillside covered in "cats here, cats there, Cats and kittens everywhere."

The Catwings Complete Paperback Collection (Boxed Set)

Mrs. Jane Tabby can’t explain why her four kittens—Thelma, Roger, James, and Harriet—were born with wings. Whatever the reason, she’s grateful they can use their flying skills to soar away from the dangerous, busy city where they were born. But once the kittens escape, they learn that country life comes with its own difficulties—just as they learn that help and friendship can be found in even the most unlikely places.

Wildlife Anatomy: The Curious Lives & Features of Wild Animals around the World

In Wildlife Anatomy, Rothman captures the excitement and distinctive attributes of wild animals around the world. The book is packed with hundreds of her charming, original illustrations, detailing the unique features of animals of the rainforest, desert, grasslands, oceans, and much more. From lions, bears, and zebras to monkeys, mongoose, bats, elephants, giraffes, hippos, and much more, Rothman's visual guide covers all the key features, right down to the anatomy of a lion's claw and a wild horse's hoof. All the illustrations are accompanied by labels, intriguing facts, and identifying details, such as: When is a Panther Not a Panther? and What Makes Aardvarks So Odd? 

Dick Whittington and His Cat

The well-loved tale of the London waif whose cat's prowess as a ratter results in Dick's becoming a successful merchant and Lord Mayor of London.

Born Free: A Lioness of Two Worlds

Joy Adamson's story of a lion cub in transition between the captivity in which she is raised and the fearsome wild to which she is returned captures the abilities of both humans and animals to cross the seemingly unbridgeable gap between their radically different worlds. Especially now, at a time when the sanctity of the wild and its inhabitants is increasingly threatened by human development and natural disaster, Adamson's remarkable tale is an idyll, and a model, to return to again and again

Crenshaw

Jackson and his family have fallen on hard times. There's no more money for rent. And not much for food, either. His parents, his little sister, and their dog may have to live in their minivan. Again.Crenshaw is a cat. He's large, he's outspoken, and he's imaginary. He has come back into Jackson's life to help him. But is an imaginary friend enough to save this family from losing everything?Beloved author Katherine Applegate proves in unexpected ways that friends matter, whether real or imaginary

Library Lion

 A lion starts visiting the local library but runs into trouble as he tries to both obey the rules and help his librarian friend.

Little Bo: The Story of Bonnie Boadicea

After being separated from her brothers and sisters, a very small cat named Bo falls in with a sailor and becomes a ship's cat, having various adventures at sea.

National Geographic Readers: Lions

Roar with lions in this exciting reader. Through beautiful and engaging photos, kids will learn all about these majestic big cats. This level 1 reader is carefully leveled for an early independent reading or read aloud experience, perfect to encourage the scientists and explorers of tomorrow!

Also, look at more yarn crafts for kids.

YARN CRAFTS FOR KIDS

  • 15 Easy Back to School Crafts And Make A Yarn Wrapped Pencil
  • Yarn Wrapped Craft Stick Dolls
  • How to Make an Adorable Toilet Roll Snowman for Winter Crafts
  • Yarn butterfly craft
  • Easy Fall Crafts for Middle School: DIY String Pumpkin Art
  • Yarn Wrapped Blossoming Spring Tree Craft

Then look at crafts about cats for kids.

CAT CRAFTS

  • Paper plate curled-up cat
  • Color Your World: Free Romero Britto Cubism Coloring Pages Printable
  • Paper Roll Cat
  • Biology Science Curriculum For Elementary Students They Love & Tiger Craft
  • How to make cute origami cats
  • DIY Jumping cat
  • How to Make Cat Puppet Craft
Fun Yarn Crafts And How To Make A Yarn Wrapped Cat

HOW TO MAKE A YARN WRAPPED CAT CRAFT

List of Supplies

  • Cardboard or thick Cardstock paper
  • Different colored scrap yarns
  • Pencil
  • Craft glue
  • A pair of scissors

Step 1:

Download the free cat template at the bottom of this post by adding your email and you get it instantly.

Select thick cardstock papers of your choice or cardboard like we did and trace the provided template shape on the paper. Cut out the traced shape using scissors.

Fun Yarn Crafts And How To Make A Yarn Wrapped Cat

Step 2:

Turn the cat cutout to the other side. Select a strand of yarn and glue its open end near the bottom side of the current side of the cardstock cat shape.

Fun Yarn Crafts And How To Make A Yarn Wrapped Cat

Step 3:

Turn the cat to the front side and start wrapping the yarn around it.

Fun Yarn Crafts And How To Make A Yarn Wrapped Cat

Step 4:

Wrap the yarn 4-5 times and then draw the yarn to the back side of the cat shape again. Secure the open end with glue.

Fun Yarn Crafts And How To Make A Yarn Wrapped Cat

Step 5:

Take a different colored yarn strand and glue the yarn strand near the end of the first strand.

Fun Yarn Crafts And How To Make A Yarn Wrapped Cat

Step 6:

Similarly, turn the cat shape to the front side and wrap the current yarn 4-5 times with adjacent and even wraps.

Start a 3rd strand of different color or repeat the first color, however you like.

Fun Yarn Crafts And How To Make A Yarn Wrapped Cat

Step 7:

Wrap yarn strands until the body part of the cat shape is covered neatly. Secure the ends of the yarns using glue and allow the glue to dry completely.

Fun Yarn Crafts And How To Make A Yarn Wrapped Cat

Step 8:

Attach 2 googly eyes to the head part of the cat shape.

Fun Yarn Crafts And How To Make A Yarn Wrapped Cat

Step 9:

Use a black marker to draw the mouth and nose of the cardstock cat to complete the craft.

Fun Yarn Crafts And How To Make A Yarn Wrapped Cat

Now, how to grab the freebie.

HOW TO GET THE FREE CAT TEMPLATE

It’s a subscriber freebie.

That means when you click on the link or graphic below you get this template instantly and sign up for my newsletters.

1) CLICK HERE ON THIS LINK TO SIGN UP ON MY EMAIL LIST & TO GET THIS FREEBIE.

2) Grab the freebie instantly.

3) Last, look for all my emails in your inbox. Glad to have you following me!

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: cats, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool, life science, yarn

Free Journal For Farm Loving Kids & Learning Farm Activities

January 5, 2026 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I’m sharing some ways learning farm activities that can be fun and educational. Too, I have a free printable farmyard explorers farm discovery journal.

Paring this farmyard journal with hands-on activities makes learning about a farm meaningful. Let’s face it, many of us love chickens and goats maybe pigs too.

However, not all of us have a small farm outside our backdoor. This journal gives your kids a chance to explore and discover.

Free Journal For Farm Loving Kids & Learning Farm Activities

And one of the best reasons I love doing a farm study is that you can include multiple ages. Although I gear this printable toward the elementary grades, you can include other subjects for multiple ages.

For example, language arts can be a story of animals or a well-researched science paper on animals, plants, life cycles or seasons.

Science can be animal husbandry and math can be graphing, counting eggs or notice and drawing life cycles.

History and geography can include learning about early farming, how products support our community and helping kids understand where our food comes from.

RESOURCE & BOOKS FOR A FARM UNIT STUDY

Next, add some of these resources and books to your day for a fun farm unit study.

Too, I prefer living books when I can find them.

9 Farming Resources and Books

Add some of these fun books and resources to create your own curriculum about farming or for a homeschool unit study topic about farming.

Farm Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of Country Life

Learn the difference between a farrow and a barrow, and what distinguishes a weanling from a yearling. Country and city mice alike will delight in Julia Rothman’s charming illustrated guide to the curious parts and pieces of rural living. Dissecting everything from the shapes of squash varieties to how a barn is constructed and what makes up a beehive to crop rotation patterns, Rothman gives a richly entertaining tour of the quirky details of country life.

Charlotte's Web: A Newbery Honor Award Winner

Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words in Charlotte's Web, high up in Zuckerman's barn. Charlotte's spiderweb tells of her feelings for a little pig named Wilbur, who simply wants a friend. They also express the love of a girl named Fern, who saved Wilbur's life when he was born the runt of his litter.

Farmer Boy (Little House, 2)

While Laura Ingalls grows up on the prairie, Almanzo Wilder is living on a big farm in New York State. Here Almanzo and his brother and sisters help with the summer planting and fall harvest. In winter there is wood to be chopped and great slabs of ice to be cut from the river and stored. Time for fun comes when the jolly tin peddler visits, or best of all, when the fair comes to town.

Almanzo wishes for just one thing—his very own horse—and he must prove that he is ready for such a big responsibility.

Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer

Twelve-year-old Sophie Brown feels like a fish out of water when she and her parents move from Los Angeles to the farm they’ve inherited from a great-uncle. But farm life gets more interesting when a cranky chicken appears and Sophie discovers the hen can move objects with the power of her little chicken brain: jam jars, the latch to her henhouse, the entire henhouse.... And then more of her great-uncle’s unusual chickens come home to roost. Determined, resourceful Sophie learns to care for her flock, earning money for chicken feed, collecting eggs. But when a respected local farmer tries to steal them, Sophie must find a way to keep them (and their superpowers) safe.

Strawberry Girl

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.

Making the new farm prosper is not easy. There is heat to suffer through, and droughts, and cold snaps. And, perhaps most worrisome of all for the Boyers, there are rowdy neighbors, just itching to start a feud. The land was theirs, but so were its hardships.

The Farm That Feeds Us: A year in the life of an organic farm

Explore the workings of a small-scale, organic family farm and experience the rhythm of farm life. In the spring, visit the chicken coop, till the fields, and tour the farm machinery. When summer comes, plant corn, meet the pollinators, and head to the county fair. In the fall, make pies and preserves, harvest pumpkins, and put the fields to sleep. Winter activities include trimming and pruning the orchard, seed shopping, and baking bread.

In Grandma's Attic

A young girl delights in her grandmother’s stories of days gone by, sparked by keepsakes and simple questions, Grandma shares marvelous stories of mischief , discovery, and laughter, such as the time she accidentally lost the family buggy. Part of the bestselling Grandma’s Attic series, these charming tales—updated with delightful new illustrations—will whisk you away to another time and place.

Caddie Woodlawn

Caddie Woodlawn is a real adventurer. She'd rather hunt than sew and plow than bake, and tries to beat her brother's dares every chance she gets. Caddie is friends with Indians, who scare most of the neighbors—neighbors who, like her mother and sisters, don't understand her at all.

Veggie Farm Sorting Set

Fill bushel baskets with figures representing veggies, from corn and broccoli to onions and pumpkins

Playmat with farm signs includes images of essential colors and shapes

Additionally, look at some of these fun activities about farms.

LEARNING FARM ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

  • Fun And Easy Egg Carton Farm Animals: A Crafting Adventure
  • Tot School Milk the Cow..so cute!
  • Fascinating Science: Popcorn And Milk Experiment From Farmer Boy
  • Farmer Boy Unit Study and Make a Fun Hand Loom Craft
  • How to Create Homeschool Farming Curriculum and Adorable Clothespin Sheep Craft
Free Journal For Farm Loving Kids & Learning Farm Activities

Too, I have How To Make An Adorable Rocking Chick Easy Chicken Craft, Free Homeschool Chicken Unit Study and Anatomy of an Egg Felt Activity & Worksheet, and Free Chicken Life Cycle Worksheet For Kids & Hands-on Activity.

This is a subscriber freebie.

HOW TO GET THE FREE FARMYARD EXPLORERS FARM DISCOVERY JOURNAL

That means when you sign up to follow me, you get my emails in your inbox and you get this freebie.

1) CLICK HERE ON THIS LINK TO SIGN UP ON MY EMAIL LIST & TO GET THIS FREEBIE

2) Grab the freebie instantly.

3) Last, look for all my emails in your inbox. Glad to have you following me

Leave a CommentFiled Under: 1. My FREE Learning Printables {Any Topic} Tagged With: farm, farming, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool, life science, science

How to Make a Martin Luther King Jr. Bottle Buddy

January 3, 2026 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Creating a Martin Luther King Jr bottle buddy is a great project to go along with a unit on this key figure in the civil rights movement.

The MLK bottle buddy represents standing tall, just like Dr. King did, even when it was hard.

He stood up for fairness, equality, and kindness during a time when many people were treated unjustly because of the color of their skin.

How to Make a Martin Luther King Jr. Bottle Buddy

Through peaceful protest, powerful speeches, and strong faith, Dr. King helped change the laws and hearts of a nation.

As you create your Martin Luther King Jr. bottle buddy, think of it as a reminder that even ordinary people like teachers, pastors, parents, and students can do extraordinary things when they stand up for what is right.

BOOKS ABOUT THE 1960S

Then, add a few of these books about the 1960s.

6 Books About Events of the 1960s

Add a few of these books to your home library if you’re studying events of the 1960s. Use one or two for a unit study.

I Have a Dream: The Story of Martin Luther King

From his childhood encounters with racial prejudice to the Montgomery bus boycott and the Voting Rights drive, the private side of Martin Luther King's life and the historical events of the time are revealed

The Wednesday Wars

Seventh grader Holling Hoodhood isn't happy. He is sure his new teacher, Mrs. Baker, hates his guts. Throughout the school year, Holling strives to get a handle on the Shakespeare plays Mrs. Baker assigns him to read on his own time, and to figure out the enigmatic Mrs. Baker. At home, Holling's domineering father is obsessed with his business image and disregards his family.

As the Vietnam War turns lives upside down, Holling comes to admire and respect both Shakespeare and Mrs. Baker, who have more to offer him than he imagined. And when his family is on the verge of coming apart, he also discovers his loyalty to his sister, and his ability to stand up to his father when it matters most.

America and Vietnam: The Elephant and the Tiger

Fought in a small Asian country unfamiliar to most Americans at the time, the Vietnam War became a cause that divided the nation and defined a counter-culture. The first televised war, newscasters became a force creating the greatest anti-war movement in history, while American boys suffered and died in jungles and rice paddies against guerilla soldiers they rarely saw face to face.

Cracker!: The Best Dog in Vietnam

Winner of the Buckeye Children's Book Award (Ohio), the California Young Reader Medal, Emphasis on Reading Book Award (Alabama), North Carolina Children's Book Award, Parents' Choice Award, South Carolina Book Award, and the William Allen White Children's Book Award (Kansas)CRACKER IS ONE OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY'S MOST VALUABLE WEAPONS:  a German shepherd trained to sniff out bombs, traps, and the enemy. The fate of entire platoons rests on her keen sense of smell. She's a Big Deal, and she likes it that way. Sometimes Cracker remembers when she was younger, and her previous owner would feed her hot dogs and let her sleep in his bed. That was nice, too.  Rick Hanski is headed to Vietnam. There, he's going to whip the world and prove to his family and his sergeant -- and everyone else who didn't think he was cut out for war -- wrong. But sometimes Rick can't help but wonder that maybe everyone else is right. Maybe he should have just stayed at home and worked in his dad's hardware store. When Cracker is paired with Rick, she isn't so sure about this new owner. He's going to have to prove himself to her before she's going to prove herself to him. They need to be friends before they can be a team, and they have to be a team if they want to get home alive. Told in part through the uncanny point of view of a German shepherd, Cracker! is an action-packed glimpse into the Vietnam War as seen through the eyes of a dog and her handler. It's an utterly unique powerhouse of a book by the Newbery Medal-winning author of Kira-Kira.

Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11 (Richard Jackson Books (Atheneum Hardcover))

Brian Floca explores Apollo 11’s famed moon landing with this newly expanded edition of Moonshot!Simply told, grandly shown, and now with eight additional pages of brand-new art and more in-depth information about the historic moon landing, here is the flight of Apollo 11. Here for a new generation of readers and explorers are the steady astronauts clicking themselves into gloves and helmets, strapping themselves into sideways seats. Here are their great machines in all their detail and monumentality, the ROAR of rockets, and the silence of the Moon. Here is a story of adventure and discovery—a story of leaving and returning during the summer of 1969, and a story of home, seen whole, from far away.

What Was Woodstock?

On August 15, 1969, a music festival called "Woodstock" transformed one small dairy farm in upstate New York into a gathering place for over 400,000 young music fans. Concert-goers, called "hippies," traveled from all over the country to see their favorite musicians perform. Famous artists like The Grateful Dead played day and night in a celebration of peace, love, and happiness. Although Woodstock lasted only three days, the spirit of the festival has defined a generation and become a symbol of the "hippie life."

it just looks prettier this way

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR FACTS

  • Full name: Michael King Jr. (later changed to Martin Luther King Jr.)
  • Born: January 15, 1929, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Died: April 4, 1968, Memphis, Tennessee
  • Occupation: Baptist minister and civil rights leader
  • Won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day is celebrated on the third Monday of January
How to Make a Martin Luther King Jr. Bottle Buddy

Next, look at more about the life and achievements of Martin Luther King, Jr.

WHO WAS MARTIN LUTHER KING JR

Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia. He grew up in a loving family and learned early on about the importance of faith, education, and standing up against injustice.

His father was a pastor, and Martin followed in his footsteps, becoming a Baptist minister himself.

As a young man, King noticed how unfairly African Americans were treated, especially in the southern United States. Laws called Jim Crow laws enforced segregation, which meant Black Americans were forced to use separate schools, bathrooms, restaurants, and even drinking fountains.

Dr. King believed these laws were wrong, and he believed change could happen without violence.

One of Martin Luther King Jr.’s greatest beliefs was nonviolence. He taught that people could stand up to injustice without fighting, hurting others, or spreading hatred.

He was inspired by the teachings of Jesus and by Mahatma Gandhi, who used peaceful protest to bring change in India.

MONTGOMERY BUS BOYCOTT

One of the most famous events Dr. King helped lead was the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955. After Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a bus, African Americans in Montgomery, Alabama, stopped riding buses for over a year.

Dr. King became a leader of the movement, encouraging people to remain peaceful even when they were threatened or arrested. Eventually, the Supreme Court ruled that segregated buses were unconstitutional.

“I HAVE A DREAM”

In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his most famous speech, “I Have a Dream,” during the March on Washington.

Standing before more than 250,000 people, he spoke about his hope for a future where people would be judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

This speech helped inspire major changes in U.S. law, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which worked to end segregation and protect voting rights for African Americans.

MORE MARTIN LUTHER KING CRAFTS AND RESOURCES

  • Stronger Together Handprint Craft for MLK Jr. Day w/ Free Printable
  • Let Freedom Ring Bells l MLK Jr Craft
  • Grab one more of these free Martin Luther King Jr. Worksheets, Civil Rights Activities.
  • Who Was Martin Luther King JR?
  • How to Draw Martin Luther King Jr. – Easy Directed Drawing Lesson for Kids

And here is a post about other things in the 1960s The Vibrant World Of 1960s Tie-Dye: Fun Hands-On History Activities.

HOW TO MAKE A MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. BOTTLE BUDDY

You will need:

  • Any size plastic bottle
  • Foam ball
  • Craft felt-white, black, dark blue
  • Hot glue gun, glue sticks
How to Make a Martin Luther King Jr. Bottle Buddy

Clean and remove the label from a clear 2-liter bottle.

Add a generous amount of brown paint to the inside of the bottle. You can add a small amount of water to help thin the paint out.

 Shake the bottle until the entire inside is coated, place upside down on a cup to drain the excess until it is barely dripping.

How to Make a Martin Luther King Jr. Bottle Buddy

Dig enough of the foam ball out to fit it on top of the lid.

How to Make a Martin Luther King Jr. Bottle Buddy

Press it firmly down over a generous amount of hot glue and hold in place until the glue sets.

How to Make a Martin Luther King Jr. Bottle Buddy

Paint the head with brown paint. Once it dries, you will probably need a second coat. While you are waiting for it to dry, begin working on the clothes.

How to Make a Martin Luther King Jr. Bottle Buddy

Make a 1” cut in the center of a sheet of white 8×12” felt.

How to Make a Martin Luther King Jr. Bottle Buddy

Cut a tie shape 3”-4” long from black felt.

How to Make a Martin Luther King Jr. Bottle Buddy

Fold down the corners of the cut on the white shirt and glue them into place with the tie to create a colored dress shirt.

How to Make a Martin Luther King Jr. Bottle Buddy

Glue into place on the bottle, add the glue to the felt, not the plastic, or it will melt.

How to Make a Martin Luther King Jr. Bottle Buddy

You can either trim down two dark blue 8×12 felt pieces or cut down one larger piece into a roughly 8×15 rectangle for his jacket.

How to Make a Martin Luther King Jr. Bottle Buddy

Fold down a lapel on either side and secure with hot glue, wrap over the shirt, and glue down.

How to Make a Martin Luther King Jr. Bottle Buddy

Paint on black hair.

How to Make a Martin Luther King Jr. Bottle Buddy

Add googly eyes, eyebrows, and a mustache to finish him off.

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

Unique Curiosity Chains Short Questions And Answers Freebie

January 2, 2026 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have a short questions and answers freebie for young learners. It is a curiosity chain.

Curiosity chains are a series of questions that follow one another. They guide you from one idea to the next so your child can explore, wonder and discover new things.

As homeschool families we want to nurture the natural curiosity kids have. A series of short questions and answers is a fun way to guide their curiosity.

Unique Curiosity Chains Short Questions And Answers Freebie

One of the things I like is that young learners don’t learn in isolation. One question leads to another.

For example, a guided curiosity chain lets learning flow across science, reading, art, and even math subjects.

Too, this encourages children to understand why not just what.

BOOKS FOR A UNIT STUDY SPINE

Next, look at these fun books to use as a unit study spine.

If your child finds a subject he is curious about, then you can use one of these books listed.

17 Favorite Unit Study Science Spines

I love to pair a living book about a topic with a reference book to use as spines. Sometimes, it’s easier to use a reference book as a spine and add living books as we go along. These are some of my favorite science spines.

DK Eyewitness Collection 15 Books Set (Human Body,Ocean,Volcano & Earthquake,Animal,Planets,Periodic Table,Dinosaurs,Mythology,Ancient Egypt,Tudor,Victorians,Ancient Rome,Ancient Greece and More)

(Human Body, Ocean,Volcano & Earthquake, Animal, Planets, Periodic Table, Dinosaurs, Mythology, Ancient Egypt, Tudor, Victorians, Ancient Rome, Ancient Greece and More)

The Water Cycle!: With 25 Science Projects for Kids

Drip―Drop―Splash! Water is essential to all forms of life. So let’s learn all about it! The Water Cycle! With 25 Science Projects for Kids captures kids’ imaginations with a deep look at the world of water. Combining hands-on activities with history and science, The Water Cycle! invites kids to have fun learning about the water cycle, water resources, drinking water and sanitation, water pollution and conservation, water use, water folklore and festivals, and the latest in water technology.

Skulls and Skeletons!: With 25 Science Projects for Kids

What would happen if you had no bones? You might fall over flat on the floor!

Bones are those hard parts of our bodies that make up our skeletons and skulls, and we need them in lots of different ways. In Skulls and Skeletons! With 25 Science Projects for Kids, readers learn about the bones in their bodies and why we can’t live without them. And bones aren’t just good for humans―many animals can’t live without them! But do all animals have bones? No, they don’t! And why do fish look so much different from birds, even though both have bones? Organisms use their bodies in different ways to successfully live in different habitats. For example, a bird’s light bones are great for flying, but would not support them deep in the ocean.

Weather and Climate!: With 25 Science Projects for Kids

What’s it like outside? Is it a day for building a snowman, constructing a sandcastle, or planting a garden? Weather and Climate! With 25 Science Projects for Kids introduces kids ages 7 to 10 to the fascinating world of meteorology and all of the ways what’s going on in the atmosphere above our heads can affect us here on the earth! Plus, discover how weather and climate change are linked but not the same, and figure out ways to be part of the solution to the problem of global warming.

The activity in our atmosphere plays a critical role in our lives and in the health of our planet. Today’s weather determines what clothes you wear and what you are going to do after school, while the local climate influences what kind of car your parents drive, what kind of house you live in, and―believe it or not―what foods you eat!

Rivers and Streams!: With 25 Science Projects for Kids

Did you know that without rivers, human life might not have developed as it did? We might be a very difference species if it wasn’t for rivers, as would the other plants and animals who depends on rivers and streams for food, transportation, water, and power!

In Rivers and Streams! With 25 Science Projects for Kids, readers ages 7 to 10 dive in and discover how rivers change the shape of the land while plants, animals, and humans change the shape of
rivers. Through fun facts, engaging content, and essential questions, kids learn about the vital role that rivers and streams have played in human history and explore the ways rivers and streams might affect our future. Science experiments that promote critical thinking and creative problem solving encourage kids to make their own discoveries about the waterways they might pass every day.

Kitchen Chemistry: Cool Crystals, Rockin’ Reactions, and Magical Mixtures with Hands-On Science Activities

Bring chemistry to your kitchen with a book that offers hands-on science activities that can be done with ingredients from your pantry and the refrigerator!

What’s going on when you cook in the kitchen? Science!

In Kitchen Chemistry: Cool Crystals, Rockin’ Reactions, and Magical Mixtures with Hands-On Science Activities, readers ages 9 to 12 discover that the cooking, mixing, and measuring you do in the kitchen all has its roots deep in science―chemistry to be exact!

Explore Rivers and Ponds!: With 25 Great Projects

Explore Rivers and Ponds! with 25 Great Projects, introduces kids to the fascinating world of freshwater habitats and the creatures they contain. Combining hands-on activities with ecology and
science, kids will have fun learning about the freshwater biome, including lakes and ponds, streams and rivers, and wetlands. Entertaining illustrations and fascinating sidebars illuminate the topic and bring it to life, while Words to Know highlighted and defined within the text reinforce new vocabulary. Projects include assembling an ecologist’s field kit, creating a fishless aquarium, pouring casts of animal tracks, and building a watershed replica. Additional materials include a glossary, and a list of current reference works, websites, museums, and science centers.

Robotics!: With 25 Science Projects for Kids

Where was the last time you saw a robot? Did you read about one in a book or see one in a movie? Maybe you saw one in a video game!

Some people think robots exist only in our imagination, but actually, robots are all around us right now. Robotics! With 25 Science Projects for Kids offers readers ages 7 to 10 an introduction to the history, mechanics, and future use of robots! Readers explore the history of robotics and discover how the first types looked and moved and what people expected they could do. Compare these early robots to those we have today, some of which don’t even have bodies! Kids discover how robots have changed as decades have passed and see how they now look, think, sense, move, and do things.

Gutsy Girls Go For Science: Astronauts: With Stem Projects for Kids

Hands-on space science projects help launch kids ages 8 to 11 into learning about fearless female astronauts who broke barriers across space and gender in this full-color book full of real-world connections!

Do you dream of going into space? Do you wonder what it’s like on the moon? In Gutsy Girls Go for Science: Astronauts with STEM Projects for Kids, readers ages 8 through 11 explore the lives of some of the world’s most amazing female astronauts, including Bonnie Dunbar, Sally Ride, Mae Jemison, Sunita Williams, and Serena Auñón-Chancellor―all pioneers in the field of space exploration. Their hard work and dedication to science and experimentation gave the world much new knowledge about space, biology, and more. These brave women took risks and pushed the limits of what we know about life in space.

Energy: 25 Projects Investigate Why We Need Power & How We Get It

Energy is a vital part of our lives. It powers our computer, lights our home, and moves our car. It also costs a lot of money and pollutes our environment. In Energy: 25 Projects Investigate Why We Need Power and How We Get It, kids ages 9–12 learn about the history and science of the world’s energy sources, from nonrenewable fossil fuels such as oil and natural gas to renewable sources such as solar and wind power.

Zoology: Inside the Secret World of Animals (DK Secret World Encyclopedias)

This visual reference book starts with the question "what is an animal?" and takes you through the animal kingdom - mammals, reptiles, birds, and sea creatures. It uses a unique head-to-toe approach that showcases in spectacular detail special features like the flight feathers of a parrot, the antenna of a moth, or the tentacles of coral.This visual encyclopedia is filled with clear and fascinating information on everything about the social lives of animals. Read exciting stories like how animals communicate, defend their territories, and attract mates.

The Animal Book: A Visual Encyclopedia of Life on Earth (DK Our World in Pictures)

This inspiring children’s reference guide welcomes you to the animal kingdom where you can meet more than 1,500 species, ranging from ants to zebras and everything in between. Stunning pictures bring you face to face with giant predators you know and love, including polar bears and tigers, as well as mysterious microscopic life, including amoebas and bacteria.

Space A Visual Encyclopedia (DK Children's Visual Encyclopedias)

From the Moon, Sun, and planets of our Solar System to space exploration, black holes, and dark matter, this completely revised and updated children’s encyclopedia covers all you need to know about the cosmos. The most up-to-date images from space agencies such as NASA and ESA combine with info panels, timelines, interviews, diagrams, and activities you can do at home to help you understand the majesty and wonder of space. 

Backyard Biology: Investigate Habitats Outside Your Door with 25 Projects

BIOLOGY IS THE STUDY OF LIFE. Life is everywhere, thriving in the city and in the country, teeming in ecosystems around the planet—in deserts, oceans, and even the Arctic. And life is right outside your door! Backyard Biology invites children ages 9 and up to investigate living things —especially in yards, parks, nature areas, and playgrounds. Trivia and fun facts bring animals, plants, and microorganisms to life, in all their wonder.

Inventions: A Visual Encyclopedia (DK Children's Visual Encyclopedias)

This stunning visual guide explores and explains the greatest inventions, ideas, and discoveries throughout the ages, and introduces their inventors. From fire, stone tools, and the wheel to ploughs and paper, discover the first inventions that shaped societies and grew mighty civilizations and empires such as those in ancient Greece, ancient Rome, and ancient China.

The Arts: A Visual Encyclopedia (DK Children's Visual Encyclopedias)

From the first strokes of paint on prehistoric caves to contemporary street art in the 21st century, every artistic style and movement is explored and explained in stunning detail. Special features celebrate the lives of groundbreaking painters, sculptors, and photographers, from Dutch master Johannes Vermeer to photography pioneer Julia Margaret Cameron. Many best-loved pieces of art are showcased in iconic images. Marvel at Leonardo da Vinci's mysterious Mona Lisa, the most famous painted lady. March alongside China’s statues of the Terracotta Army, and gaze in awe at Barbara Hepworth's stunning Pelagos sculpture.

Ocean: A Visual Encyclopedia (DK Children's Visual Encyclopedias)

From the shimmering surface to the darkest depths, this breathtaking visual encyclopedia presents our blue planet as never before. Stunning photography, accessible information, and fascinating facts are spilling over in this essential guide to the oceans. Take a dip in all the world’s waters to experience their incredible diversity. Make a splash in the icy Arctic waters before warming up in the tropical Indian Ocean. Experience the super size of mighty whales compared to swarms of tiny krill. Cast your eyes to the skies to see circling sea birds before diving down to meet mysterious creatures of the deep. 

Next, look at some fun unit studies to nurture curiosity.

UNIT STUDIES

  • How Do Sharks Float STEM Activity Free Shark Unit Study & Notebooking Pages
  • Volcano Unit Study and Fun Apple Volcano
  • Homeschool Unit Study Egg to Sea Turtle Lesson Plans & Lapbook
  • Deer Unit Study & Notebooking Pages
  • Geology Unit Study And Easy DIY Eggshell Geode
  • Coral Reef Printable Lapbook and Fun Hands-on Unit Study Ideas
  • 5 Fun Candy Science Experiments and Unit Study & Homemade Lollipops
  • How to Incorporate Subjects into a Fun Homeschool Cooking Unit Study
  • Mushroom Unit Study and Kids Learning Activities
  • North American Robin Bird Lapbook and Fun Homeschool Unit Study Ideas
  • Ocean Lapbook and Homeschool Unit Study
  • Kids Dandelion Flower Unit Study and Easy Tea Recipe & Notebooking Pages
  • Chicken Unit Study and Anatomy of an Egg Felt Activity & Worksheet
  • Fun Dragon Unit Study Ideas and Salt Dough Dragon Craft
Unique Curiosity Chains Short Questions And Answers Freebie

This is a subscriber freebie.

HOW TO GET THE FREE CURIOSITY CHAINS PRINTABLE

That means when you sign up to follow me, you get my emails in your inbox and you get this freebie.

1) CLICK HERE ON THIS LINK TO SIGN UP ON MY EMAIL LIST & TO GET THIS FREEBIE

2) Grab the freebie instantly.

3) Last, look for all my emails in your inbox. Glad to have you following me

Leave a CommentFiled Under: 1. My FREE Learning Printables {Any Topic} Tagged With: hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool

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