homeschoolgeography

Ultimate Guide to Learning Activities in a Jar or Bottle

April 24, 2016 | Leave a Comment
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Whether it’s a tiny ecosystem or a shooting rocket, anything learned in a jar or bottle is just so much more fun. When kids get to use their hands to make something, they learn the principle behind it so much better!

Plus, there’s just something about creating something inside a jar that makes a lesson more visual and relatable for children. After all, they get to make their own little worlds or crafts that they can observe anytime.

In the ultimate guide to learning activities in a jar or bottle, I rounded up hands-on activities that can be added to any homeschool unit study. There are activities for studying science, geography, math, music, and more – all in a jar or bottle!

The Ultimate Guide to Learning Activities in a Jar or Bottle

Creative & Easy Hands-on Jar Activities

Learning Activity Jar
Easy Fall Snow Globe in a Jar
Tornado in a Jar
Charcoal Water Purifying Jar Experiment
Cloud in a Jar Experiment
Make It Rain Inside a Jar
Seed Jar Science Experiment
Egg in a Jar Experiment
Global Warming Experiment in a Jar
Create a Beach Terrarium in a Jar
Make a Fall Sensory Jar
Craft Baby Animals from Jars
Hopping Corn Science Jar Experiment
Grow Fungus in Jars
Grow a Butterfly in a Jar
Make a Galaxy in a Jar
Make Earth’s Layers in a Jar
Robot Jar
Recycled Glass Jar Terrarium

Make Rain Clouds in a Jar
Fireworks in a Jar Experiment
Make a Mason Jar Biosphere
Make a Closed Aquatic Ecosystem in a Jar
Create Colored Sand Art in a Jar
Learn Numbers with a Ball Jar
Learn the 50 States in a Jar
Make Musical Instruments Out of Jars
Make a Let’s Move Jar
Grow Seeds in a Jar
Learn to make whipped cream in a jar
Collect Words in a Jar
Make a Storytelling Prompt Jar
Make Glass Jar Bird Feeders
Grow Sprouts in a Jar
Make Butter in a Jar
Make a Narration Jar
Beach Inspired Mason Jar
Mason Jar Aquarium

Creative & Easy Hands-on Bottle Activities

Message in a Bottle Language Arts Activity
Compost in a Bottle Experiment
I Spy ABC Bottle
What’s the Weather on Jupiter Bottle Experiment
Terra Aqua Column Bottle
Burping Bottle Science Experiment
Empty Bottle Science Experiment
DIY Lava Lamp Bottle
Floating Rice Friction Experiment in a Bottle
Blobs in a Bottle Experiment
Water Bottle Fountain Experiment
Light Refraction in a Bottle Experiment
Make a Jellyfish in a Bottle
Balloon in a Bottle Experiment
Make Planets in a Bottle
Make Mentos Bottle Rockets
Tsunami in a Bottle
Soda Bottle Greenhouse Activity
DIY Heart Valve
Hanging Planter
Plastic Bottle Guitar

Soil Erosion Experiment in a Bottle
Separate an Egg in a Bottle
Learn How to Make an Ocean in a Bottle
Create Blobs in a Bottle
Watch a Diver Move through a Bottle
Make a Wave in a Bottle
Make Blood in a Bottle
Learn How to Fit an Egg into a Bottle
Make the Galaxy in a Bottle
Collapsing Bottle Experiment
Sort and Count Math with Bottles
Make a Landfill in a Bottle
Teach Sense of Smell with Smelling Bottles
Grow a Cucumber in a Bottle
Make Quill and Berry Ink
Make a Bottle Rocket
Make Fog in a Bottle
Make Compost in a Soda Bottle
Make Bubble Snakes
Plastic Water Bottle Flowers
DIY Plastic Bottle Sandals

All you need is a jar or a bottle, a few extra pieces of material and some imagination and you can have an easy learning craft.

Hugs and love ya,

Check out my other free Ultimate Guides!

Ultimate Guide for New Homeschoolers
The Unrivaled Guide to Civil War Activities for Kids
and grab 365 Days of Hands On Homeschool Activities here.

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10 Homeschool Co-op Subjects That Are Better Learned With a Group

March 27, 2016 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Homeschool co-ops may not be a good fit for some homeschoolers. And though I feel co-ops can be an ill fit when they are ran more like private schools than a homeschool meet up, there are 10 homeschool co-ops subjects that are better learned with a group.

Look at these 10 things, which are more fun to learn with other homeschoolers.

One| History Projects.

When we did our history lapbooks in our co-op, the kids couldn’t wait to get together and work on their lapbooks.

Some of the work they did at home, but a lot of it they did together. This helped my boys who were interested in the history topic, may not particularly like putting a lapbook together.

Two| Learning to Dance.

One of our co-ops to learn about Texas we kicked off the school year by hiring a professional square dance caller. Not only did the kids enjoy it, but grandparents and parents could get involved.

It was a fun activity for all ages, from K to gray, and it set the tone for learning about Texas.

Three| Art project.

Art is another activity which is fun by doing it with a group. Whether it was drawing or making a collage, my boys were inspired when they got together with other homeschoolers.

Four| Book Challenge.

A book challenge is one where I wished we would have done. It was on our list to do but we had so many ideas that it was hard to fit it all in.

But presenting the characters of a book, the plot and telling about the author would make for a great group project.

Not only would reluctant readers benefit, but advanced readers would be challenged to find a new genre to get hooked on.

Five| Around the World Geography Project.

Whether you decide to do a dish from around the world geography project or have each family take a country and present facts about it like we did, this was so much more fun when we did it as a group.

Six| Learning a Foreign Language.

When the kids were little I wasn’t sure if a group sitting was the best way to get an introduction to Spanish. I was proved wrong.

Not only was the homeschool teacher exceptional that taught the class, but she made learning come alive as the kids worked together on presenting a simple play as they learned new words and phrases.

Learning a foreign language was not only natural, but exciting to learn in a group setting.

Seven| Host a Critter Show and Tell.

Just like anything in homeschooling, some of the best things I learned were stumbled upon.

For example, we started off one co-op learning about reptiles and amphibians and realized that having a bring your critter to show and tell about it was the perfect ending to the co-op.

Exciting or Exhausting When Meeting with a Homeschool Co-op?

Looking back now and because the kids were young, it would have been the perfect topic for the whole co-op. Make learning relevant by tying it to a child’s pet. Learning about critters is the perfect activity in a group.

Too, the other kids got to experience a variety of pets from different families.

Eight| Writing Classes.

If your child loathes writing, then a class with other students can sometimes be the best way to inspire him. This is especially advantageous for a kid that is in high school and struggles with writing.

A group setting can be the perfect prod a child needs to bring his writing up to par.

Nine| Photography Classes.

When the boys were little we would go to another homeschool mom’s house to learn basic photography. I can’t imagine my boys learning this by sitting in a class.

Showing up at different hours each time we went, the boys learned about lighting tips during the day and evening and techniques for taking pictures. Of course taking pictures of each other was a big hit.

Ten| Learning to Cook.

Many homeschoolers in one of the groups we were in got together frequently to teach their kids how to cook. My boys were real young then.

At the time I remember being impressed because one of the high school boys was the one that was leading the co-op.

He had a natural talent for cooking and many years later, I learned he went on to be a professional chef.

From humble homeschool co-ops, kids can find a life time profession or just be propelled outside of their comfort zone for learning.

What co-op topics do you find learned best in a homeschool co-op setting?

If you are looking on tips for starting a co-op, then check out my series on Homeschool Co-ops.

Hugs and love ya,

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11 AWESOME Ways to Learn Geography (Other Than Labeling a Map)

January 13, 2016 | 17 Comments
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Slapping down a map to label states and countries has never been an engaging way to teach my kids homeschool geography. Too, look at my page Homeschool Geography for hands-on and simple ideas and tips.

Drill and kill of boring facts to remember only worked for a short time too.

So today, I am sharing 11 awesome ways to learn geography that don’t include labeling a map because geography is so much more than writing out the names of states and countries.

11 Awesome Ways to Learn Geography (Other Than Labeling a Map)

Can you say snore? zzzzzzzz. (okay, okay)

Including ways to teach geography to a variety of ages, I hope some of these help you to get out of your geography rut.

ONE| Sing geography songs.

You can listen to a sample of these Geography Songs here.

Music helped my boys to remember important key geography terms and countries.

TWO| Learn landmarks.

Learning about the Grand Canyon or the Amazon Rain Forest brings life to geography.

Even when teaching about ancient civilizations, it’s easier to remember them when they are associated with landmarks.

Look here at my information and free minibook about the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World.

THREE| Cover geography with science.

History and geography are not the only subjects that go hand in hand.

Science can also easily be added to geography.

Whether you have a child that eats up geography and could leave science alone or you have a child that runs from geography to study science, combining the two subjects is a win-win.

For example, we made a fun lava lamp when studying about how convection currents rise and fall.

FOUR| Eat up and learn about geography.

Talking about eating, geography is especially fun if you can learn about the different foods of a country.

Isolating this idea more, focus on one food like the breads of the world or the spices of a country.

Have you seen the How Did That Get Here series?

And then you can never, never go wrong with making a food from a country or region.

Looked at a few things we have made when studying about certain areas.

Make pan au chocolat when studying about France.
Make celtic cakes when studying ancient civilizations.
Make baklava when studying about Ancient Greece.
Make victory soup when studying about the countries of World War II.
Make Cherokee pan bread when studying the states in the Southeastern United States.
Make soups from South America.
Make chili when doing a state study on Texas.
Make negrinho when doing a study about Brazil.

FIVE| Make a DIY atlas.

My boys loved making a diy atlas when we studied geography using North Star geography for middle and high school kids.

Instead of labeling for the sake of busy work or so it seems like it to your kids, a diy atlas gives them a purpose for map making.

Make the project large if you are doing a world geography tour or make it only for a certain area if you don’t want to get too overwhelmed.

I like easy projects that focus on specific areas.

We tend to get more out of our projects when we can sharpen our focus on smaller chunks of information.

SIX| Unleash your inner artist.

Another way to draw in a reluctant learner or to mix up your geography is to draw it.

Take a look at Geography Through Art or Mapping the World with Art.

Geography Through Art is a multi-age resource and has some terrific resources for hands-on activities.

SEVEN| Use technology.

I love the free world geography games from Sheppard Software.

Shepphard Softward has been around for years and is another great way to change up geography. Another one we love is the stack the states app. The free version is fun.

EIGHT| Do a lapbook or two.

You know our love for lapbooks and in most all of my lapbooks, I add in minibooks for geography.

Also, you can do a lapbook just on geography.

Check out the free geography lapbooks at Homeschool Helper Online.

NINE| Living books and literature.

Another fun combination of subjects is to mix language arts with geography. A living book brings geography alive through a story.

Tell a child a story, adding in hands-on activities and they’ll see a purpose for learning about the world around them.

Though the series of books by Holling C. Holling say they are for upper elementary kids, they are such a precious and meaty resource that I feel you can use them for middle school kids too.

Also, grab this free 166 .pdf supplement to enhance your study of Paddle-to-the-Sea.

Then, I love these free vintage books that are recommend to study geography Charlotte Mason style. They are Charlotte Mason’s Elementary Geography and Long’s Home Geography for Primary Grades.

Scoot by and grab them if you are looking for free geography.

TEN| Geography games.

Of course, who can deny the benefits of learning through games?

Have you seen GeoDice: Educational Geography Board Game and GeoPuzzle World – Educational Geography Jigsaw Puzzle?

ELEVEN| Virtual travel.

And lastly, I love this unique and creative idea of virtual travel without leaving the comfort of your living room. Search for each day on her website. (day 1, day 2, etc. up to day 7)

Don’t settle for boring worksheets to teach geography.

Using one of these eleven ways, I hope will bring a little more pep to your step when teaching geography.

Hugs and love ya,

Also, check out the tips for First Grade Homeschool Curriculum for History and Geography and also 3 Reasons Why Hands-On Geography is Important in Middle and High School.

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3 Reasons Hands-on Geography is Important in Middle and High School Homeschool

June 10, 2015 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

It’s easy enough to understand the importance of hands-on geography in the younger years, but it is equally important to understand why hands-on geography is important in middle and high school. Also, look at my page homeschool middle school and how to homeschool high school page for more fun tips. Too, look at my page Homeschool Geography for hands-on and simple ideas and tips.

Having one child who rolls his eyes at the mere mention of hands-on and prefers taking a hands-off approach and another child who fails to comprehend anything unless it’s hands-on, I want to share tips on why it’s important to keep homeschool geography hands-on.

3 Reasons Hands-on Geography is Important in Middle and High School Homeschool @ Tiina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Hands-on geography requires participation or collaboration.

The tendency when teaching this age group is to assign a boring text, drill and kill and then move on.

Geography is a subject that is fascinating because it is not only about describing the earth, but it includes pictures, maps, diagrams and it includes a description of life here on earth.

It is a subject that is overflowing with possibilities because to some extent it also includes man’s interaction with the resources of the earth.

With all of these facets to study about geography, collaboration gives the middle and high school student the teaching reins.

Hands-on geography requires active and not passive participation or studying in isolation.

My sons have taken the teaching reins as we have studied North Star Geography. That is one reason too why we didn’t just crack open the curriculum and study the first page.

When my boys studied together, they skipped around to hone in on a part of geography that interested them first.

Guess what? You can do this when studying geography because geography covers so many topics. You can have several trails in geography and decide which topics interests you.

homeschool high schoolgeography north star geography @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Contrary to what some people may think, hands-on learning shifts the focus of learning to the responsibility of your child.

Middle and high school years are about teaching them more independence and project learning is one of the best ways to do that.

That is one reason we use North Star Geography because it has projects that foster independent learning skills.

I will continue to use North Star Geography, which is for middle and high school kids, with Tiny now that Mr. Awesome 2015 is about ready to graduate.

Our middle and high school students just don’t know geography.

Just because a child is in middle or high school doesn’t mean his learning style has changed. We are in a visual world and visual learners are valued now more than ever.

Too, the conventional method of throwing a map to outline at the student and a textbook to read is not working. More and more students, including homeschoolers are graduating with little to no knowledge of geography.

Visual learners who learn best through hands-on still need projects and activities at the high school level. Rote memorization does not work for all kids. We need to abandon the notion that hands-on geography is not for mature learners.

We want to avoid turning out middle and high school students who are geography illiterate and conventional methods are not working. Returning to what did work in the elementary grades which was hands-on learning without doing babyish projects is key to helping our upper grade kids make meaningful connections.

Hands-on geography instills a greater awareness and fellow feeling for other cultures and historical activities.

When we studied about the American Civil War, geography took on another whole meaning when we tied it to our family roots where our ancestors fought in the battles.

It is one thing to read about history and geography in a dry text book and another to visit the physical area and walk the grounds.

Connecting geography with a physical location helps a middle and high school student to develop higher critical thinking skills.

For example, after studying together and creating maps of the battlefields during the American Civil War it lead to discussions about whether or not man learned anything about history from that bloody war?

At the high school level, my boys have formed strong opinions about the war and I am able to pass on our family values. If they studied this in isolation, they might not have reached some of the same conclusions.

Middle and high school should be a time for activities and projects that are selective and purposeful.

It’s true that many times I didn’t insist that my son who preferred a hands-off approach to join us, however, many times I did insist and not give him a choice.

Our high school kids still need guidance, direction and interaction with us. They are preparing for adulthood, which means they are not ready yet.

I am so grateful that North Star Geography sees the value of hands-on learning in the upper grades and I will continue to use it with Tiny for the next couple of years.

When I asked both of my oldest sons what they remembered about geography, it never was about a book, but it is always about a hands-on project we worked on together.

Also, you may like to read:

Hugs and love ya,

Hands-on History Activities for Learning about Ancient Civilizations

December 26, 2014 | 6 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

You’ll love these hands on history ancient civilizations activities. Also, you’ll love my pages Ancient Civilizations and Ancient Civilization II.

Many things we use today come from the powerful empires of the past, but ancient history can sometimes be a challenge when teaching our kids.

Making a connection to the past through hands-on learning helps a child to not only remember what he has learned but helps him to develop critical thinking skills.

By doing this instead of just memorizing, a child interacts with the past and this cements learning.

HANDS-ON HISTORY CONNECTING TO THE PAST

Do not feel intimidated either if you are not the crafty artsy type of person because hands-on history activities for learning about ancient civilizations do not have to be complicated.

Grab a few of these ideas.