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middle school

The Best Seventh Grade Homeschool Curriculum | Tips and Recommendations

July 8, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have the best seventh grade homeschool curriculum recommendations. Also, you’ll love my pages Homeschool Curriculum for more ideas and grade level curriculum. And my other page How to Successfully Homeschool Middle School.

Whether this is your 8th year of homeschooling your child or you are brand new this year – congratulations! 

You have made it to the second year of middle school with your child.

I want to help you find your groove for this year to continue going strong no matter what kind of homeschooler you are.

The Best Seventh Grade Homeschool Curriculum | Tips and Recommendations

There are many different approaches.

For example, there are classical, unit study families, out of the box curriculum users, and unschoolers.

So, I have curriculum recommendations and tips.

There is still time before high school.

But we want to make sure that we are on the right track with learning, focusing on interests as well as subject requirements.

If you have been more lax you might consider tightening up the requirements a bit.

Your student will probably be spending a lot more time online in these years going forward, not only with video games and chat but research, classes, and online learning.

We are living in a society that is going more and more that way every day.

Make the most of their time with solid online programs from math classes to electives by choosing ones that fit into their learning style.

Homeschool 7th Grade Tips and Recommendations

  • Increase learning time as needed to allow about 3 to 4 hours of schooling, which is typically plenty of time to complete a full day of homeschool subjects at this age.
  • So much of your child’s reading comes through all their subjects-history, science, and language arts, be sure to keep a good thorough record of their independent reading. I like to let them choose much of their own reading by this age with a few required reading selections I add in.
  • I think it’s important in these transitioning middle school years to keep a flexible but consistent schedule for wake up, schooling, chores, etc.
  • Consider giving your child a standardized test to see where they are and what they need extra support or more challenge in. Tests like Iowa or Stanford can help you identify this and better help your child.
  • Encourage your child to use a planner independently to schedule their own assignments for the upcoming week(s). High school is not too far off and it’s a good time to implement more good habits like this.
  • Change the plan as you need to. Remember that just because you have been using a curriculum for years you don’t have to stick to it. You can choose and change your mind with your method or homeschooling style even based on what works best for you and your child at this point in life.
  • Encourage those interests that may become future careers be it in trade school or college track.
The Best Seventh Grade Homeschool Curriculum | Tips and Recommendations

More Middle School Homeschool Curriculum Tips

  • Home Learning Year by Year, Revised and Updated: How to Design a Creative and Comprehensive Homeschool Curriculum 
  • 10 Best Science Movies for Middle School
  • How to Build Middle School Curriculum Directly From Amazon
  • Texas Native American History Quick Unit Study (Middle School)
  • Medieval History for Homeschool Middle School
  • Plains Indians Free Writing Prompts. For Elementary, Middle and High School Homeschooled Kids
  • 15 Hands-on History Ideas for Kids Studying the French and Indian War

Best Homeschool Curriculum For All Grades

  • Homeschool Preschool Curriculum | Tips And Recommendations
  • Kindergarten Curriculum
  • First Grade Curriculum | 7 Tips And Recommendations
  • Second Grade Curriculum | Tips and Recommendations
  • Third Grade Curriculum | Tips and Recommendations
  • Fourth Grade Curriculum | Tips and Recommendations
  • Fifth Grade Curriculum | Tips and Recommendations
  • Sixth Grade Curriculum | Tips and Recommendations
  • Seventh Grade Curriculum | Tips and Recommendations
  • Eighth Grade Curriculum | Tips and Recommendations
  • Ninth Grade Curriculum | Tips And Recommendations
  • Tenth Grade Curriculum | Tips and Recommendations
  • 11th Grade Curriculum | Tips and Recommendations
  • 12th Grade Curriculum | Tips and Recommendations

Middle School Homeschool Curriculum

7th Grade Homeschool Curriculum

Seventh Grade Homeschool Curriculum

Mark Twain Basic Economics Workbook, Grades 5-8 Financial Literacy Books, Money, Taxes, and Economic Principals With Math Practice

Make economics easy for students to understand (and enjoy!) with the activity-packed Mark Twain Basic Economics Workbook.

Financial 5th grade books and up are a great way for fifth―eighth grade students to learn basic economic and math concepts while introducing students to the consumer world through focused lessons and practice.

7th Grade Financial Education

 Personal Finance Workbook For Teens. Introduce your 7th grader or 6th grader to the fundamentals of financial literacy life skills with our engaging middle school and homeschool workbook. Packed with age-appropriate lessons, interactive exercises, and real-world scenarios, this workbook is designed to empower your child with essential money management skills

EP Language Arts 7 Workbook: Part of the Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschool

This is an offline workbook for Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschool's Language Arts 7 course. We've modified and expanded upon the online activities and printable worksheets available at the Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschool website so that your child can work offline if desired. Whether you use the online or offline versions or a combination of both, your child will enjoy these supplements to the Easy Peasy Language Arts course. This workbook is designed to be used in conjunction with Easy Peasy's Language Arts 7 Lesson Guide. It follows the EP Language Arts course in sequential order, providing activity worksheets which can replace online activities and printable worksheets. As you proceed through the EP curriculum, use this workbook to exercise your child's Language Arts skills.

Learning Language Arts Through Literature: Green Student Activity Book, 7th Grade Skills

The Green Student Activity Book is the perfect companion for the Green Teacher Book! Everything in one student instruction, a place for writing, and a tool for easy record keeping. Allows for more independent work, a BONUS for teachers. The Green SAB provides Enrichment Activities such as word puzzles, analogies, logic/reasoning activities and more found ONLY in the SAB.

The Kingfisher Science Encyclopedia: With 80 Interactive Augmented Reality Models! (Kingfisher Encyclopedias)

Science is vital for every inhabitant of today’s world, and being scientifically informed and literate is a crucial part of any child’s education. Science can seem daunting –- especially as scientific knowledge advances so quickly –- and this volume is the perfect purchase for any family. It will bear repeated use by all the family from 10+ through the teenage years.

Cytosis: A Cell Biology Board Game | A Science Accurate Strategy Board Game About Building Proteins, Carbohydrates, Enzymes, Organelles, & Membranes

Games like Cytosis can teach cell biology in a more interesting and fun way than a textbook alone. 

Photo Credit: www.masterbooks.com

World's Story 1 Set

Masterbooks The Worlds Story is a solid series for a full history program and covers ancients to the modern age and takes just about an hour to complete. 

LIFEPAC 7th Grade History & Geography Box Set

The LIFEPAC 7th Grade History & Geography Set presents a comprehensive overview of history and the social sciences. In this biblically integrated homeschool course, your child will study lessons which focus on the fundamentals of geography, U.S. history, anthropology, economics, political science, along with state economics and politics. A teacher's guide is included in this Alpha Omega
curriculum.

Photo Credit: www.bfbooks.com

Medieval History Intermediate Curriculum

Medieval History 5-8 Pack. This teacher guide has been completely redesigned, expanded, and improved with in-depth study notes, new sections covering Medieval Africa, China, and the Renaissance. Guide features rabbit trails, historical recipes, website and video links, and background information.

Everything You Need to Ace English Language Arts in One Big Fat Notebook

It s the revolutionary English language arts study guide just for middle school students from the brains behind Brain Quest. Everything You Need to Ace English Language Arts . . . takes students from grammar to reading comprehension to writing with ease, including parts of speech, active and passive verbs, Greek and Latin roots and affixes; nuances in word meanings; textual analysis, authorship, structure, and other skills for reading fiction and nonfiction; and writing arguments,
informative texts, and narratives.

Photo Credit: academy.cs.cmu.edu

Carnegie Mellon Computer Science

Computer science curriculum: free for all, designed for you.
Photo Credit: www.arthistorykids.com

Art History Kids

Introduce your kids to a new artist each month & ignite their creativity as they make art from their own imagination!

Cooking Curriculum for the Whole Family

Your Homeschool Curriculum Needs Life Skills……And Your Life Needs Kids Who Help Out.

Connect with your kids in the kitchen, build life skills, and put PEACE into your homeschool day.

Music In Our Homeschool

Online and self-paced music courses. All from the comfort of your home by another homeschool mom who is also a music teacher.

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Choose Curriculum Tagged With: 7th grade, curriculum, homeschool, homeschool curriculum, middle school, middleschool, seventh grade

The Best Sixth Grade Homeschool Curriculum | Tips and Recommendations

July 7, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have the best sixth grade homeschool curriculum recommendations. Also, you’ll love my pages Homeschool Curriculum for more ideas and grade level curriculum. And my other pages How to Successfully Homeschool Middle School and How To Homeschool Elementary Students Like A Pro.

And I have a list for you breaking down each subject so that you can put together.

In public school, sixth grade is a major time of transition.

Your child is moving from elementary school to middle school.

The Best Sixth Grade Homeschool Curriculum | Tips and Recommendations

The workload is harder.

Too, the social pressures are more difficult, and sports and other activities may be amped up.

The beauty of homeschool is that you can make this a much smoother transition for your child.

For example, one way to do this is through choosing a curriculum that is just right for their needs.

What I have learned in my many years of homeschooling is that there is not a one-size-fits-all-all curriculum.

Sometimes the whole thing is a great fit but other times they need a different method of math, science, history, and etc.

What I want to do is give you the tools to help your child succeed with the sixth-grade level of homeschool.

And giving you options that are the right fit for your learner, not mine or Holly homeschooler down the street.

I don’t need to remind you that there are plenty of opportunities for socializing your tweens and teens.

But I do want to remind you that just going out and living life provides your child with plenty of opportunities to learn to interact and that you can bring their curriculum subjects right into

My Favorite Tips for Sixth Grade Homeschool Curriculum

  • If you are new to homeschooling find your child’s learning style, use their learning style to build their curriculum in a way that they enjoy.
  •  Don’t stop going on fun adventures (field trips) just because the kids are older, they still need it and can get a lot out of it, but maybe ask for their input a bit more.
  • Work on research skills like using reference sites, books, and internet search skills.
  • Continue to do lots of fun hands-on things to keep them interested and engaged.
  • Begin to give them more input and control over their schedule, learning choices, and topics of study.
  • This is a great time to introduce a fresh teacher, whether it be through co-op classes, online via outschool, or trading off subjects with another mom.
  • Also, look at my book Homeschooling 31 Day Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers: When You Don’t Know Where to Begin.
The Best Sixth Grade Homeschool Curriculum | Tips and Recommendations

Best Homeschool Curriculum For All Grades

  • Homeschool Preschool Curriculum | Tips And Recommendations
  • Kindergarten Curriculum
  • First Grade Curriculum | 7 Tips And Recommendations
  • Second Grade Curriculum | Tips and Recommendations
  • Third Grade Curriculum | Tips and Recommendations
  • Fourth Grade Curriculum | Tips and Recommendations
  • Fifth Grade Curriculum | Tips and Recommendations
  • Sixth Grade Curriculum | Tips and Recommendations
  • Seventh Grade Curriculum | Tips and Recommendations
  • Eighth Grade Curriculum | Tips and Recommendations
  • Ninth Grade Curriculum | Tips And Recommendations
  • Tenth Grade Curriculum | Tips and Recommendations
  • 11th Grade Curriculum | Tips and Recommendations
  • 12th Grade Curriculum | Tips and Recommendations

Homeschool Curriculum – 6th Grade

6th Grade Homeschool Curriculum

You'll love these tips and recommendations for sixth grade curriculum for your homeschool.

Photo Credit: www.goodandbeautiful.com

Math 6: Course Set

If your child does well with a spiral approach and wants something a little more interesting than black and white books they might enjoy the Good & The Beautiful beautifully illustrated math.

Life of Fred: Fractions

This book takes a slightly different approach. It tells a story -- a story of one day in the life of a five-and-a-half-year-old boy. All of the math arises out of Fred's life. All of it is motivated -- right down to when Fred is working at the PieOne pizza place, and he's trying to decide whether to put the tomatoes on the pizza before of after it's cooked and we get the commutative law. -- book (p. 8).

The Big Fat Middle School Math Workbook: 600 Math Practice Exercises

This hands-on Big Fat Math Workbook equals being tutored by the best teacher in the school, through a recap of every key concept using definitions, examples, and special services
like THINK, showing just how to get into the concept, and REMEMBER, summing up critical facts. Plus: Sample problems worked out step by step. 600 exercises and word problems. A solution process instead of an answer key to guide students through each problem they missed or to reinforce how they succeeded.

History Year by Year: The History of the World, from the Stone Age to the Digital Age (DK Children's Year by Year)

Introducing an updated volume of History Year by Year - a timeline of world history that joins the dots of history by putting key historic events across the world on one timeline for children,
including everything from prehistoric people, to world wars, humans on the moon, and so much more! Every page is jam-packed pictures and original artefacts, to give children an accurate insight into each era. Including features that explain major events, such as the rise of the Roman Empire of the fall of Communism, in an accessible and easy-to-read manner that doesn’t talk down to them. 

Photo Credit: athomemiddleschool.com

6th Grade Language Arts

Photo Credit: bravewriter.com

Middle School Writers - Brave Writer

These writers (11-12) are building confidence in their writing skills. They're looking for kind, effective support from a person they trust.

Structure and Style for Students: Year 1 Level B [Binder & Student Packet]

A complete set of student materials for extra students who are watching the video course in a group or classroom, including a 3-ring student binder with eight tabs for organizing student work and a packet of handouts with source texts, checklists, and more!

Photo Credit: allinonehomeschool.com

History — Early American

Students will study early American history from the early explorers through the Civil War. Students will engage with readings and videos as they learn about the events and leaders of the time period. Students will demonstrate their knowledge in a variety of ways, including through lapbooks, journal writing, and worksheets, as well as by writing newspaper articles on events and people in history. Topics include explorers, the Iroquois, Jamestown, the Mayflower, early settlers,
forts, Daniel Boone, the French and Indian War, the American Revolution, the Constitution, American government, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Plains Indians, Lewis and Clark, the War of 1812, Harriet Tubman, slavery, Abraham Lincoln, the Civil War, and more. Students will also read current event news throughout the year. (Older students also study the Salem Witch Trials.)

Spelling You See Level F: Ancient Achievements Student Pack

In Ancient Achievements, students will read about fascinating topics from long ago, such as cave paintings, Viking ships, and Marco Polo. This is the last level in the skill development stage of spelling. It provides continued word practice using the three core activities of chunking, copywork, and dictation while gradually increasing the reading level. At the same time, a new Spotlight feature introduces students to interesting facts about words. The Student Pack includes two student workbooks and a pack of erasable colored pencils.

Photo Credit: www.bfbooks.com

Medieval History Intermediate Curriculum Pack

The term Middle Ages probably conjures up images of brave knights and fair ladies, feasts and tournaments, castles and cathedrals. These are the elements of this time period that capture our imagination. In this course students will learn about King Richard, King Arthur, Saladin, Queen Eleanor, Joan of Arc, Shahrazad and other. They will learn about Martin Luther who revealed a new way to approach God and about John Wycliffe who organized the Bible. Students will learn of Columbus, whose discovery of North America changed the world forever. 

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Choose Curriculum Tagged With: curriculum, homeschool, homeschool curriculum, middle school, middleschool, sixth grade

12 Fun And Creative Teenager Gift Ideas For Girls

November 28, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

If you need a little help with teenager gift ideas, I have the girls covered for you with this list of eclectic but popular ideas. Also, look at my pages How to Successfully Homeschool Middle School and How to Homeschool High School.

Whether you are struggling with an idea for your own teenage daughter, niece, granddaughter, or any other 12–18-year-old girl you will find something for girls of all personalities here.

12 Fun And Creative Teenager Gift Ideas For Girls

Check over my list and hopefully it helps you cross some items off your list to get your shopping done quickly.

I have researched, polled the teenage girls I know, and compared them to bring you some choices that I think you (and they of course) will really like.

Most options come in a variety of colors and are appropriate for girly girls to more neutral girlies.

12 Fun And Creative Teenager Gift Ideas For Girls

Too, you’ll find many of them budget friendly.

Next, look at some more gift guides.

Gift Guides for Families

  • How To Gift A True Crime Fan : 8 Best Gifts For True Crime Fans
  • 13 Amazing and Fun Gifts for Kids Who Love History
  • Ten Best Tech Gifts for Teen Boys
  • Gifts For Kids Who Are Wild About History

12 Teenager Gift Ideas For Girls

Teenager Gift Ideas For Girls

Add one or two of these to your gift list for teen girls.

Instant Print Camera -(Pink) Print Memories Instantly

What better way for them to document friendships, co-op, field trips, and family events than with an adorable and instant printing camera?

Stanley Quencher Vacuum Insulated Tumbler with Lid and Straw

I have been assured that this is one of the big gift ideas for teens right now, they come in a wide variety of colors and are great for getting their water in around the house, on field trips, or at co-op classes.

Wearable Blanket Hoodie

Most of the teens I know love to be bundled up with a hoodie even when it's far too warm, this big snuggly option is great for around the house on the chilliest of days.

Bluetooth Speaker with Lights, Wireless Charging Speaker

This is wireless, bluetooth and works with Androids or iPhone so even if you are not sure which type they have you are covered.

Polymer Clay Earring Making Kit

If you want to gift your teen with something that helps build skills and flex their creative muscles a nice quality jewelry kit gives them the framework but plenty of freedom to be unique and show off their own personal style.

Cute Pastel Highlighters Set: 12 Assorted Colors No Bleed Pens

For school, notes, letters, and more these aesthetic highlighters are pretty paired with a cute notepad and post it notes.

Life Skills for Teenage Girls: How to Be Healthy, Avoid Drama, Manage Money, Be Confident, Fix Your Car, Unclog Your Sink, and Other Important Skills Teen Girls Should Know!

I think this is a great practical gift that might be paired with something more whimsical to give your teenage girl some simple life skills goals to aspire to.

iPhone Charger Cord 6FT 4Packs 4Colors Lightning Cable iPhone Charger

If you have a teen, you know that there are never enough phone cords or blocks in the house. This is always a wonderful and welcomed gift. Look for unique colors and designs as well as different sizes

The Summer I Turned Pretty

This one you will have to do a little investigating on, especially if it is not your child to be sure it's appropriate and a topic they enjoy. Twilight, Hunger Games, and Divergent series are still popular YA options. The Summer I Turned Pretty is one of the books on my teen shopping list this year.

Led Strip Lights Led Strip Lights Waterproof

Strip lights can be run around computers, tv/s, bulletin boards, and around the room to add a little fun.

Neon Signs,Pink Led Neon Light for Wall Decor,Neon

These shaped ones to show off a little of the teen's personality are also really fun.

Monopoly: Barbie Edition Board Game

Barbie has been really big this year from the big screen to makeup palettes, clothes, and in everyone's favorite all night game, monopoly too. This one is perfect for the girly girl who loves all things pink and glamor girl barbie.

Kanoodle Extreme Puzzle Game, Brain Teaser

This is a great brain teaser puzzle pocket game for a single player  that has been trending lately.

LEGO Icons Flower Bouquet Botanical Collection and Table Art for Adults

Even if they are not typically into LEGO these beautiful flower sets are not only a great permanent bouquet but also a good and crafty tech distraction. They make a wonderful room decoration when completed.

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Gift Guides Tagged With: gift, gift list, homeschoolgiftideas, middle school, middleschool, teens

8 Cool Winter Crafts for Middle School | Craft a Snowman Bead Necklace

November 16, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

If you have a middle school student that you are trying to get off their tech for a bit these winter crafts for middle school are a perfect distraction from texting and video games. Also, look at my page How to Successfully Homeschool Middle School and ideas for winter fun on my page Winter Season Unit Study with free lapbook.

Snowmen, snowflakes, and cocoa candles, oh my!

8 Cool Winter Crafts for Middle School | Craft a Snowman Bead Necklace

I have rolled up 8 adorable craft ideas to cover a lot of our favorite winter topics and will keep your teen screen-free for at least a little while.

Too, I have an easy tutorial for how to craft a snowman bead necklace as well and it is a great intermediate project for one child, a group of friends, co-op, or even the whole family to create.

You don’t have to stop with just one craft though.

Challenge your middle school child to choose another craft and learn some of these fantastic snowman facts, get outside and build their own snowman, or make a snowman-themed snack.

4 Winter Snowman Facts for Middle School

  1. In February of 2020 residents in Donnersbachwald, Austria, built a giant snowman named Riesi that towered above at 124.8 feet.
  2. According to scientists the best snow for building snowmen is moist or wet snow, which forms when the air temperature is hovering just above freezing- 0°C and 2°C.  When this happens some of the snow melts and makes water between ice crystals that acts as a glue to hold it all together.
  3.  Everyone’s an expert! There are more than 90,000 YouTube videos that teach you how to build a snowman, there is even a patent out there for the process.
  4. The classic song ‘Frosty The Snowman’ “Frosty the Snowman” was written by Walter “Jack” Rollins and Steve Nelson. It was first recorded by Gene Autry and the Cass County Boys and later recorded by Jimmy Durante in the same year, Jimmy’s version being used in the animated movie.
8 Cool Winter Crafts for Middle School | Craft a Snowman Bead Necklace

Then add some books for fun winter reading for your student.

I lean toward living books then like to add in some reference books too.

7 Books for Middle School Students to Read in the Winter

These books also make for a great read aloud, even older kids would enjoy piling up on the couch in the morning for a good story together.

Julie of the Wolves (HarperClassics)

Julie of the Wolves is a staple in the canon of children’s literature and the first in the Julie trilogy. The survival theme makes it a good pick for readers of wilderness adventures such as My Side of the Mountain, Hatchet, or Island of the Blue Dolphins.

This edition, perfect for classroom or home use, includes John Schoenherr’s original scratchboard illustrations throughout, as well as bonus materials such as an introduction written by Jean Craighead George’s children, the author’s Newbery acceptance speech, selections from her field notebooks, a discussion guide, and a further reading guide.

To her small village, she is known as Miyax; to her friend in San Francisco, she is Julie. When her life in the village becomes dangerous, Miyax runs away, only to find herself lost in the Alaskan wilderness.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

Four adventurous siblings—Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie—step through a wardrobe door and into the land of Narnia, a land frozen in eternal winter and enslaved by the power of the White Witch. But when almost all hope is lost, the return of the Great Lion, Aslan, signals a great change . . . and a great sacrifice.

The Call of the Wild (Reader's Library Classics)

The domesticated life of a powerful St. Bernard-Shepherd mix named Buck is quickly turned on end when he is stolen away from his master and put to work as a sled dog in Alaska. His once life of luxury turns into a life of survival and adaptation as he learns the ways of the wilderness.

Sweet Home Alaska

    It's 1934, and times are tough for Trip's family after the mill in their small Wisconsin town closes, leaving her father unemployed. Determined to provide for his family, he moves them all to Alaska to become pioneers as part of President Roosevelt's Palmer Colony project. Trip and her family are settling in, except her mom, who balks at the lack of civilization. But Trip feels like she's following in Laura Ingalls Wilder's footsteps, and she hatches a plan to raise enough money for a piano to convince her musical mother that Alaska is a wonderful and cultured home. Her sights set on the cash prize at the upcoming Palmer Colony Fair, but can Trip grow the largest pumpkin possible--using all the love, energy, and Farmer Boy expertise she can muster?

The Winter King

Ever since Cora's father disappeared through the ice, whispers about her family's "curse" have grown increasingly louder. Desperate to help her mother and siblings survive another bleak season in the Winter King's frozen grasp, Cora begins to bend (and even break) the rules she has kept since she was a little girl. But when she discovers a secret that's much bigger than herself, she realizes too late that she has put herself--and those she loves--in even greater peril.

Winterhouse (Winterhouse, 1)

Orphan Elizabeth Somers’s malevolent aunt and uncle ship her off to the ominous Winterhouse Hotel, owned by the peculiar Norbridge Falls. Upon arrival, Elizabeth quickly discovers that Winterhouse has many charms―most notably its massive library. It’s not long before she locates a magical book of puzzles that will unlock a mystery involving Norbridge and his sinister family. But the deeper she delves into the hotel’s secrets, the more Elizabeth starts to realize that she is somehow connected to Winterhouse. As fate would have it, Elizabeth is the only person who can break the hotel’s curse and solve the mystery. But will it be at the cost of losing the people she has come to care for, and even Winterhouse itself?

Northwind

When a deadly plague reaches the small fish camp where he lives, an orphan named Leif is forced to take to the water in a cedar canoe. He flees northward, following a wild, fjord-riven shore, navigating from one danger to the next, unsure of his destination. Yet the deeper into his journey he paddles, the closer he comes to his truest self as he connects to “the heartbeat of the ocean . . . the pulse of the sea.” With hints of Nordic mythology and an irresistible narrative pull, Northwind is Gary Paulsen at his captivating, adventuresome best.

Then, add in these other fun winter crafts for middle school.

8 Cool Winter Crafts for Middle School

  1. Fun Styrofoam Snowman Art Activity & 5 Facts About The Wonders of Winter.
  2. With just paper, glue, and scissors you can create a winter wonderland of Curled Paper Snowflakes to decorate the whole house.
  3. Not only is it beautiful but this Snowflake Soap serves a purpose and makes a great craft to keep or gift to friends and family.
  4. Check out these 10 Middle School Winter Crafts and Make a Sweet Smelling Hot Cocoa Candle.
  5. Think of the personality that can be infused into this cute DIY Wood Block Snowman tutorial. I think this is the perfect craft for everyone in the family to make together to represent themselves.
  6. I just love this Popsicle Stick Winter Bucket List idea. I have found that kids don’t need you less as they turn into teens, just in a different way. Create a list of things you would enjoy doing together throughout the winter season and let your middle schooler turn it into this fun tin pail bucket list.
  7. Sometimes a winter craft can be longing for spring, like with these Winter Craft Ideas How to Make Fun Pinecone Flowers that can bring a bright touch to a dreary winter.
  8. Easy DIY Fun Salt Winter Watercolor Art Project for Kids.
8 Cool Winter Crafts for Middle School | Craft a Snowman Bead Necklace

Okay so maybe this is less craft and more of a snack but it definitely looks like a work of art.

So maybe these Hot Chocolate Stir Sticks can do double-duty as your middle schoolers’ project.

Craft a Snowman Bead Necklace

You will need:

  • Elastic string
  • Unfinished wood beads
  • Unfinished wood spool
  • Plastic beads
  • Glitter
  • Craft paint
  • Paint pens
  • Hot glue gun/sticks
8 Cool Winter Crafts for Middle School | Craft a Snowman Bead Necklace

The first thing you want to do is string your unfinished wood beads for the snowman on a skewer, this is the easiest method for painting.

8 Cool Winter Crafts for Middle School | Craft a Snowman Bead Necklace

Next paint the beads with a light coat all over, leaving room between each to dry.

8 Cool Winter Crafts for Middle School | Craft a Snowman Bead Necklace

Also, paint a little unfinished wood spool black to make a hat.

If you would rather you can also use a scrap of fabric to make a cloth hat instead.

8 Cool Winter Crafts for Middle School | Craft a Snowman Bead Necklace

Once your first layer is dry, paint a second thick coat on them and then sprinkle with fine glitter if desired to give the snow a dimensional and glistening effect.

8 Cool Winter Crafts for Middle School | Craft a Snowman Bead Necklace

Allow the paint to dry then hot glue the 3 pieces together, leaving the hole on the beads vertical for the bottom two and going horizontally for the head so that it can be strung on the necklace.

Add your top hat as well.

8 Cool Winter Crafts for Middle School | Craft a Snowman Bead Necklace

Use paint markers to add details like eyes, a carrot nose, buttons, etc.

8 Cool Winter Crafts for Middle School | Craft a Snowman Bead Necklace

While the details are drying begin adding beads in whatever pattern you like to one side of the necklace.

8 Cool Winter Crafts for Middle School | Craft a Snowman Bead Necklace

Slip your snowman onto the string and repeat the bead pattern on the other side, going as far up the string as you like.

8 Cool Winter Crafts for Middle School | Craft a Snowman Bead Necklace

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: handicraft, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschoolinginwinter, middle school, middleschool, winter crafts, winter season

10 Middle School Winter Crafts and Make a Sweet Smelling Hot Cocoa Candle

October 31, 2023 | Leave a Comment
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It seems like preschool crafts are in abundance but finding middle school winter crafts is a little more difficult. So, I have gathered 10 winter crafts for you. Be sure you grab more ideas for winter fun on my page Winter Season Unit Study.

Also, I’m showing you how to make a sweet-smelling hot cocoa candle that your middle schooler will love to make and keep or give away.

10 Middle School Winter Crafts and Make a Sweet Smelling Hot Cocoa Candle

Winter is a great time to dive into all things cozy-snow, snowflakes, winter hats, snowmen, winter creatures, and of course cocoa.

First, look at some of these fun facts about winter to share with your middle school student.

Winter Facts for Kids

  • December 21st or 22nd marks the winter solstice for the northern half of Earth (the Northern Hemisphere).
  • There are 5 types of snow-Dry snow, moist snow, wet snow, very wet snow, and slush or snow.
  • Snow forms when the atmospheric temperature is at or below freezing (0°C or 32°F) and moisture must be present.
  • A snowflake is made of frozen water, so it has two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom (H2O) in its make up.
  • A blizzard is classified as a severe snowstorm that has high winds of at least 35 mph and the visibility is reduced to less than a quarter mile for more than 2 hours.
10 Middle School Winter Crafts and Make a Sweet Smelling Hot Cocoa Candle

Next, here are some great books for your child to read when the weather changes.

7 Middle School Winter Books to Snuggle Up With

If your middle schooler loves to curl up with a good book, a soft blanket, and their sweet-smelling hot cocoa candle here are a few that are set in winter to enjoy.

7 Books for Middle School Students to Read in the Winter

These books also make for a great read aloud, even older kids would enjoy piling up on the couch in the morning for a good story together.

Julie of the Wolves (HarperClassics)

Julie of the Wolves is a staple in the canon of children’s literature and the first in the Julie trilogy. The survival theme makes it a good pick for readers of wilderness adventures such as My Side of the Mountain, Hatchet, or Island of the Blue Dolphins.

This edition, perfect for classroom or home use, includes John Schoenherr’s original scratchboard illustrations throughout, as well as bonus materials such as an introduction written by Jean Craighead George’s children, the author’s Newbery acceptance speech, selections from her field notebooks, a discussion guide, and a further reading guide.

To her small village, she is known as Miyax; to her friend in San Francisco, she is Julie. When her life in the village becomes dangerous, Miyax runs away, only to find herself lost in the Alaskan wilderness.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

Four adventurous siblings—Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie—step through a wardrobe door and into the land of Narnia, a land frozen in eternal winter and enslaved by the power of the White Witch. But when almost all hope is lost, the return of the Great Lion, Aslan, signals a great change . . . and a great sacrifice.

The Call of the Wild (Reader's Library Classics)

The domesticated life of a powerful St. Bernard-Shepherd mix named Buck is quickly turned on end when he is stolen away from his master and put to work as a sled dog in Alaska. His once life of luxury turns into a life of survival and adaptation as he learns the ways of the wilderness.

Sweet Home Alaska

    It's 1934, and times are tough for Trip's family after the mill in their small Wisconsin town closes, leaving her father unemployed. Determined to provide for his family, he moves them all to Alaska to become pioneers as part of President Roosevelt's Palmer Colony project. Trip and her family are settling in, except her mom, who balks at the lack of civilization. But Trip feels like she's following in Laura Ingalls Wilder's footsteps, and she hatches a plan to raise enough money for a piano to convince her musical mother that Alaska is a wonderful and cultured home. Her sights set on the cash prize at the upcoming Palmer Colony Fair, but can Trip grow the largest pumpkin possible--using all the love, energy, and Farmer Boy expertise she can muster?

The Winter King

Ever since Cora's father disappeared through the ice, whispers about her family's "curse" have grown increasingly louder. Desperate to help her mother and siblings survive another bleak season in the Winter King's frozen grasp, Cora begins to bend (and even break) the rules she has kept since she was a little girl. But when she discovers a secret that's much bigger than herself, she realizes too late that she has put herself--and those she loves--in even greater peril.

Winterhouse (Winterhouse, 1)

Orphan Elizabeth Somers’s malevolent aunt and uncle ship her off to the ominous Winterhouse Hotel, owned by the peculiar Norbridge Falls. Upon arrival, Elizabeth quickly discovers that Winterhouse has many charms―most notably its massive library. It’s not long before she locates a magical book of puzzles that will unlock a mystery involving Norbridge and his sinister family. But the deeper she delves into the hotel’s secrets, the more Elizabeth starts to realize that she is somehow connected to Winterhouse. As fate would have it, Elizabeth is the only person who can break the hotel’s curse and solve the mystery. But will it be at the cost of losing the people she has come to care for, and even Winterhouse itself?

Northwind

When a deadly plague reaches the small fish camp where he lives, an orphan named Leif is forced to take to the water in a cedar canoe. He flees northward, following a wild, fjord-riven shore, navigating from one danger to the next, unsure of his destination. Yet the deeper into his journey he paddles, the closer he comes to his truest self as he connects to “the heartbeat of the ocean . . . the pulse of the sea.” With hints of Nordic mythology and an irresistible narrative pull, Northwind is Gary Paulsen at his captivating, adventuresome best.

Also, choose one of these chilly and beautiful crafts to keep your tween or teens hands busy, and keep on the winter theme.

10 Middle School Winter Crafts

  1. Free Easy Arctic and Inuit Science Lapbook & Unit Study
  2. Winter Craft Ideas How to Make Fun Pinecone Flowers
  3. How cute is this No Sew Sock Snowman? He is a great way to welcome in winter.
  4. Cardinal Birds in Winter and Birch Trees Easy Watercolor Kids Activity.
  5. Make a real cup of hot cocoa with these DIY Hot Cocoa Bombs.
  6. Julie of the Wolves Free Hands-on Arctic Unit Study
  7. Hot Glue Snowflake Charms
  8. Two Fun Candy Cane Hands-on Science Winter Experiments.
  9. DIY Snowy Mason Jar Luminaries are great for lining the walkway or to brighten up the kitchen table.
  10. Easy DIY Fun Salt Winter Watercolor Art Project for Kids
10 Middle School Winter Crafts and Make a Sweet Smelling Hot Cocoa Candle

Make a Sweet-Smelling Hot Cocoa Candle

The directions below will make one-12-ounce candles but can be easily doubled to make more.

Additionally, you could also add a little vanilla, marshmallow, or peppermint fragrance oil to give it a more complex hot cocoa scent.

You will need:

  • 12 oz. Coffee mug (Dollar Tree)
  • 2 cups of  Beeswax pellets
  • 1 brown crayon
  • 2 teaspoons coconut oil
  • 1 Tablespoon of chocolate fragrance oil
  • Candle wick
  • Sprinkles
  • Paint or permanent marker
10 Middle School Winter Crafts and Make a Sweet Smelling Hot Cocoa Candle

You can leave the mug plain or use a paint marker or permanent marker to decorate the outside of the mug.

Create snowflakes or any other winter design you like, let dry completely.

10 Middle School Winter Crafts and Make a Sweet Smelling Hot Cocoa Candle

Secure the wick to the bottom of the mug with a bit of hot glue or double-sided sticker dots, leave the wick 2” taller than the top of the cup.

10 Middle School Winter Crafts and Make a Sweet Smelling Hot Cocoa Candle

Use the centering device (as pictured) or a clothespin to hold the wick centered in place.

10 Middle School Winter Crafts and Make a Sweet Smelling Hot Cocoa Candle

Place beeswax pellets and broken peeled crayon into a microwave safe container, a glass measuring cup with a pour spout is perfect for filing cups.

10 Middle School Winter Crafts and Make a Sweet Smelling Hot Cocoa Candle

Heat for one minute, stir, and then heat in 30 second increments until completely melted.

Stir in fragrance oil well.

10 Middle School Winter Crafts and Make a Sweet Smelling Hot Cocoa Candle

Carefully pour melted wax in a cup ¼” from the top.

10 Middle School Winter Crafts and Make a Sweet Smelling Hot Cocoa Candle

Allow the candle to harden completely.

Soften a Tablespoon more of beeswax pellets, not quite melted, whip with a craft stick.

10 Middle School Winter Crafts and Make a Sweet Smelling Hot Cocoa Candle

Scoop the whipped wax on top and around the wick.

10 Middle School Winter Crafts and Make a Sweet Smelling Hot Cocoa Candle

Top with sprinkles and lightly tap into the wax, let the wax harden.

Trim the wick to ¼” over the “whipped cream”.

10 Middle School Winter Crafts and Make a Sweet Smelling Hot Cocoa Candle

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: crafts, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschoolinginwinter, middle school, middleschool, winter crafts, winter season

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