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middleschool

Fall Homeschool Learning Resources For Middle School

July 19, 2022 | 20 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

These fun fall homeschool learning resources for middle school make for a fun free fall unit. Too, you’ll love my free fall season Fall Unit 1 {Pumpkins, Leaves, Corn, & More} unit study. Also, look at my page homeschool middle school for more fun tips.

Today I will be sharing fall homeschool learning resources for middle school students. 

And of course, I have some fun fall activities for their younger siblings too.

Adding to my growing list each year of things that I love, and free is one of them, I have listed some resources that keep learning fun for our middle school students.

In my experience, middle school kids have a great sense of humor and still want to do out of the box activities when the temperatures fall and the leaves stir.

For us the fall season is not only about studying some things that bring the scent of fall to our day, it is about adding an out of the box twist to our subjects too. 

Last fall season, I shared a few of my resources for embracing the cooler weather.

Free Artist-in-Art-Cards-with-Pocket @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus
So be sure you grab the Artist in Fall with pocket memorization cards. 

Just cut, fold in half, store in the pocket for memorization of autumn landscapes.  Autumn-Art.pdf

vivaldi

Too, I have rounded up some really useful and free teacher resource kits for learning about Vivaldi and The Four Seasons (Grade 4 – 8) and Let’s Go Mozart (Grade 4-8). 

Look what else is free on the page –  Complete Composers’ Life and Times: Guide to Beethoven, Guide to Gershwin, Guide to Handel, Guide to Haydn, Guide to Ravel, Guide to Stravinsky and Guide to Tchaikovsky.

Free Fall Lesson Plans

I love  free and especially when the guides are packed full of tidbits and great ideas.

Timeline composers

Each guide is color and has great background information on each composer and has a nifty helpful timeline like the one above I snipped from the guide.

Be sure you check out the whole page. Focus on all of the music and composers or just on the ones that bring in the crisp fall season.

Next, the subject about pollution and acid rain can be a controversial subject, but certainly one that middle school students can appreciate. 

Whatever the culprit is of the death of the trees, it can be a good time to introduce the devastating effects of acid rain to the trees.

Here is another great free resource for teaching our middle school kids about acid rain along with tons of hands-on experiments like learning about how to measure ph and soil buffering. 

Acid Rain A Teacher's Guide for Grades 6 - 8
Fall Homeschool Learning Resources for Middle School | Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

A lot of the activities can be done easily at home because they use supplies most of us have around the house or have added to our science list as our kids have grown older.

Here is the guide: Learning About Acid Rain Teachers Guide. Grades 6–8, and here is the description of it from the site. “This guide is designed to help students better understand the science, cause and effect, and regulatory and citizen action that are part of understanding and addressing acid rain.”

This next resource, Project Wild, is about bringing the classroom outdoors and fall is the perfect time to do that.

pay to play 

Free Fall Unit

Check out the free educators guide Project WILD K-12, which has free printables like learning about tracks.

trackshabitat rummy

Have to love free prepared curriculum.

journey of wayne dropjourney of wayne drop 2

This next site is The Journey of Wayne Drop to the Everglades (Elementary/Middle School Level).

From the site: “Find lesson plans and resources for teachers at all levels to help you teach about the Science Behind the Restoration” including information on the endangered Florida panther, Florida black bear, white-tailed deer and Wild Turkey”.

It is a study about the everglades and the endangered animals like the panther, black bear and wild turkey. 

In addition to the prepared lessons, there are fun printables and great background information on the Florida everglades.

Learning about the Florida Everglades

Florida Habitat Mobile

Check out the free printables for the younger kids and the mobile idea when you are over there. 

This is a fun way to to include the younger kids too in your study. (Note: I’m still working on finding the broken link to this mobile. it’s just too cute.)

And yes, middle school kids love crafts too. 

Don’t give up crafts for them because you think they don’t have time for them now as you are trying to get them to write those longer composition papers. 

A little bit of fall in their day will push them a bit to do some of the other everyday things they have to learn.

Crafts for Middle School Kids

baked-apples-make-a-silhouette-portrait-lamp-shade-

{Pic. Attribution}

Check out this easy, yummy baked apple.  Mix, measure and eat.  

Then look at this cool create a cameo portrait lamp shade.

paint-monochromatic-secondary-colorshow-to-make-an-ethernet-cable-

{Pic. Attribution}

Teach about secondary colors doing monochromatic painting for the budding painter in them and then your middle school kids can get their geek on by assembling an ethernet cable. 

How cool is that?  I know I joke about it a lot, but I have a slight geeky side and this is a way cool project for adding a twist to the day.

Free Fall Printables | Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Then here are a few of my other printables for some easy fun writing. 

Look at my unit Apple Lapbook and Apple Unit Study.

Free Apple Lapbook @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

 And then because there are TONS of resources for the younger kids, but not an apple lapbook for the middle school kids, I created one last year for them.

Fall Homeschool Learning Resources For Middle School

Go here to Fall Unit Study {Pumpkins, Leaves, Corn, & More}.

 Free Fall-Pumpkin-Lapbook @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus
And I didn’t forget the younger sweeties. 

Rounding up these fun resources early, your crew will have a fun head start on the changing weather.

20 CommentsFiled Under: 1. My FREE Learning Printables {Any Topic}, Middle School Homeschool, Science Based Tagged With: fall, middleschool

How to Make a Fun Paper Mache American Robin Bird Craft

July 17, 2022 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today, I’m sharing how to make a fun paper mache American Robin bird craft. Whether you’re doing a summer or spring unit study, you’ll love this craft to go with my North American Robin Unit Study.

And because you can study about birds anytime of the years, this paper mache bird craft can be done anytime. Too, hand crafts stimulate the creativity and imagination of your children.

For younger children, having something to hold like this fun American Robin craft helps them to focus on what you’re teaching

Besides, this is a fun art project that your children will love and want to keep.

Further, once you learn this technique you can do this for any spring or summer birds you find in your yard.

Also, this fun bird craft would make a great gift idea.

So if you’re like us, one of our favorite spring and summer pastimes is sitting in the backyard watching the birds stop by our feeder.

Too, we are always sure to keep it stocked with seed and keep the bird bath clean and full to encourage their visits.

In addition, we have such a variety of beautiful birds that come to eat.

For example, we see cardinals, black capped chickadees, blue jays, Mockingbirds, Mourning Doves, American Robin’s, and many more.

Moreover, American Robins can be seen throughout the US year round and in a wide range of habitats besides your backyard.

Facts About the American Robin

They are spotted in city parks, forests, mountains, tundra, and fields.

How to Make a Fun Paper Mache American Robin Bird Craft

If you look close you will notice that the males coloring is more intense while the females are a bit duller.

Robins like to build their nests among the dense leaves of trees but might also build their nest in a basket or light fixture on your front porch as well.

They love a wide variety of fruit as well as worms, insects, and sometimes even small snakes.

Next, these are two of my favorite nature reference books.

,And they have great bite sized tidbits of information, beautiful illustrations.

Too, while the Big Book of Birds especially is geared toward younger children middle schoolers really enjoy using it too!

The second one is Nature Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of the Natural World.

North American Robin Unit Study

Next, you’ll love these other tips and resources for a spring or summer unit study.

  • American Robin Free Printables, Resources and Crafts
  • Free Bird Journal – Hands-on Nature (Coloring & Identification Pages)
  • North American Robin Unit Study and Lapbook.
  • How to Make a Kid’s Fun and Easy Bird Nest Activity
  • How to Make an Easy Jumbo Stick Bird Feeder with Kids
  • Hands-On Nature Study: Bird Color Bar Graphing Activity
  • Colorful Winter Bird: Northern Cardinal Lapbook & Unit Study
  • American Robin Documentary on YouTube
  • American Robin Song and Call on YouTube
  • American Robin Coloring Sheet

Use the links for this unit study or any bird unit study.

How to Make a Fun Paper Mache American Robin Bird Craft

Finally, look at this list of easy supplies.

Robin Crafts

  • Cardboard
  • Straight edge knife
  • newspaper
  • scissors
  • Glue
  • water
  • Sturdy craft wire
  • Masking tape
  • Craft paint- rust orange, gray, brown, black,and white
  • Paintbrushes

Directions:

Use a pencil to draw a general bird shape onto a piece of scrap cardboard. You want to use a thick corrugated box rather than something like a cereal box for strength. 

Make it as big or as little as you like.

This first step helps form the base shape and support the paper mache. Cut it out using scissors or a straight edge.

How to Make a Fun Paper Mache American Robin Bird Craft

Move on next to bend craft wire to form the legs and feet.

Fold the wire over several times on each section to be sure it’s sturdy enough.

How to Make a Fun Paper Mache American Robin Bird Craft

Too, I tried taping these to the form but they did not stay on well. But I found that hot glueing them was quicker and sturdier.

How to Make a Fun Paper Mache American Robin Bird Craft

Combine 2 parts glue to one part water and mix well.

We used watered down glue which works as well as old fashioned paper mache but dries a bit faster and is less likely to mold like the wet flour might.

Tear newspaper into 1” or less strips, and make them just a little longer than the widest part of your bird form.

Ball up smaller pieces of newspaper and attach it to the sides of your form with masking tape to create a little more body and define the basic shape.

How to Make a Fun Paper Mache American Robin Bird Craft

Dip your paper strips into the glue mixture, dragging it across the edge of your bowl to remove some of the excess.

Begin covering your structure with strips, alternating directions, and thickness to complete the shape of your bird.

Be sure to smooth each layer to avoid getting too much bumpy texture on your finished product.

How to Make a Fun Paper Mache American Robin Bird Craft

Allow to dry completely. This will likely take a couple days to be sure it is dry through all the layers.

Once dry, you are ready to begin painting and adding personality to your little bird.

Mix a bit of gray and black paint to get the color of the back. You may find the perfect chest color in your paints already, but we mixed a bit of terra cotta and brick red to get ours.

We found the easiest order to paint our American Robin in was by first painting the gray brown back of the bird, then the black capped head and finally the rust brown underbelly and beak,. letting each section dry about 15 minutes between each.

When the paint is completely dry add some details with white like the eyes and some feather details.

How to Make a Fun Paper Mache American Robin Bird Craft

You can use this tutorial to make any type of bird you like!

Just change up the shape slightly and choose whatever paint colors you need to customize your creation. 

How to Make a Fun Paper Mache American Robin Bird Craft

Spend some time before or after this craft looking up pictures of American Robin babies in the nest, listening to their calls, sketching the pictures in your notepad, and reading through some fun books to turn this craft into a mini unit study!

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities, Nature Based Activities, Teach Homeschool Science Tagged With: American Robin, birds, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool, homeschoolscience, life science, middle school, middleschool, spring crafts, summer crafts

Fun Making Ocean Layers Soap | Summer Activities for Middle Schoolers

July 13, 2022 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

If you’re diving into a study on the ocean layers, doing summer activities for middle schoolers, or want to do an Ocean Unit Study and Ocean Lapbook, our kids will love this ocean layers soap. Also, look at my page Homeschool Middle School for more fun tips.

Besides, there is no better way to learn than with a fun hands-on activity that demonstrates an idea you are trying to get across.

And yes, you could even make this fun soap activity for Shark Week.

Fun Making Ocean Layers Soap | Summer Activities for Middle Schoolers

The ocean is a huge and mostly unexplored part of our earth. As a matter of fact only about 20% of it has been explored and mapped by humans.

It is made up of 5 layers and each is different not just in depth but in temperature.

Too, the life that lives in each layer is very different.

It is fascinating, mysterious, scary, beautiful, and changing.

Today, we are going to create a beautiful bar of soap to demonstrate the 5 layers of the ocean and we can learn quite a bit while completing this activity.

Also, you’ll want to grab a couple of books to reference throughout.

And one of our favorites is Ocean Anatomy because of its beautiful illustrations and concise bites of information, even a high schooler enjoys it!

Another great one, especially for littles is The Big Book of Blue, another one with great illustrations.

Also, Basher has a great line that cover a lot of science as well as other topics.

We used Oceans as a reference during our soap making as well.

In addition, I’ll be sharing some research questions for each layer to challenge your child.

Fun Making Ocean Layers Soap | Summer Activities for Middle Schoolers

This will encourage them to use a reference book or internet, whichever you prefer to find out the answer.

We are going to make just enough today to make a couple of bars but you could easily double or triple the recipe for a larger batch.

Too, if you have access to a microwave this project would make a great activity for your co-op as well.

Layers of the Ocean

1. The Trenches (Hadalpelagic Zone)

First, The Trenches (Hadalpelagic Zone) is the deepest and darkest layer of the ocean.

It ranges from about 20,000 feet down to an estimate of 36,000 feet. It is freezing and the pressure is enormous there. 

Hadal is named after Hades, Greek God of the underworld. While not a lot, there are some creatures that make their home there.

And a question: What is the deepest trench in the ocean? ( The Mariana Trench)

2. The Abyss(Abyssopelagic Zone)

Second, The Abyss(Abyssopelagic Zone) has crushing pressure and extremely cold temps.

And this part of the ocean ranges from about 13,700 feet down to 19,700 feet.

Ocean life is still scarce here but not nonexistent. This layer makes up about 83% of the total ocean.

And a question for your children: Name 3 creatures that live in this zone.
Chemosynthetic bacteria, tubeworms, and small fish, sharks, invertebrates and some crustaceans.

3. The Midnight Zone (Bathypelagic Zone)

Third is The Midnight Zone (Bathypelagic Zone).

The only light you will find in this mid layer of the ocean is from bioluminescent fish.

The Midnight zone ranges from 3,280 feet to 13,135 feet down into the depths.

And a question for your children: What is bioluminescence? 
It is the production and emission of light from living organisms.

4. The Twilight Zone (Mesopelagic Zone)

Fourth is The Twilight Zone (Mesopelagic Zone).

Below 660 all the way down to 3,280 feet deep this layer is where some whales travel to eat.

Some of the animals here are darker and thinner for camouflage.

Too, squid and octopus are lurking at these depths.

Question: How many species of animals live in the Twilight Zone?
There are over 700.

5. The Sunlight Zone.

Fifth is The Sunlight Zone.

This top layer of the ocean only extends down to 660 feet.

There is plenty of sunlight here, hence the name, and there is a wider range of temperatures within this zone.

Fun question: In this zone where divers explore, what does SCUBA stand for?
Self-contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus.

Fun Making Ocean Layers Soap | Summer Activities for Middle Schoolers

Layers of the Ocean Soap Craft

Next, have fun making this layers of ocean soap craft.

Here is your list.

  • Clear melt and pour soap base
  • Blue Mica Powder or Soap Colorant
  • Soap Mold
  • Your favorite essential oil scents or soap fragrance. (Grab the Caribbean Set with scents like Pina Colada and Ocean Breeze)
  • glass bowl or measuring cup
  • 5 Small glass bowls for dividing up colors
  • rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle

First, cut your soap into 1” chunks and place in the glass bowl.

Fun Making Ocean Layers Soap | Summer Activities for Middle Schoolers

Heat in the microwave for 1 minute and then in 30 second intervals until completely melted.

Mix in your scents to the desired scent strength.

We are going with coconut and lime today for our ocean scented soap, but you can put in any scent or combination you like.

Fun Making Ocean Layers Soap | Summer Activities for Middle Schoolers

Next, divide soap evenly between your bowls.

We love these little glass dishes from Dollar Tree because they work well for everything from sauces to experiments and at only 4/$1.25 they are a great kitchen or science addition!

Fun Making Ocean Layers Soap | Summer Activities for Middle Schoolers

Work quickly and add some color to each bowl.

Add only a small amount to the first bowl and adding more as go. We added a tiny bit of green and some black to the last to help make it even darker.

Pour your lightest layer in the mold and spritz it with rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle. This helps remove bubbles and will also help each layer stick together.

Fun Making Ocean Layers Soap | Summer Activities for Middle Schoolers

Let it set for 15-20 minutes to harden. 

You will need to melt each layer in the microwave again for about a minute as it will harden while waiting.

However, no fret because it’s very easy to bring it back to a liquid state.

While we waited for each layer to melt we talked about that particular part of the ocean, looking up facts, watching videos, and reading our books.

Continue adding layers, lightest to darkest, spraying with alcohol between each.

Fun Making Ocean Layers Soap | Summer Activities for Middle Schoolers

Let your soap sit overnight then remove it from the mold.

More Ocean Activities for Summer

  • Ocean Unit Study and Lapbook
  • Beware of Ocean Pollution: Fun Science Activity for Kids
  • Ocean Unit Study – Ocean Layers Edible
  • Ocean Unit Study Language Arts: Message in a Bottle
  • Humboldt Who? Hands On to Understand Ocean Currents & Their Effect On The Galapagos Islands
  • How to Dissolve a Seashell – Beach Hands-on Fun Activity

With just one activity we have covered science, geography, life skills, and art. Jot all those down in your Ultimate and Beautiful DIY Homeschool Unit Study Planner.

  • 2. Ultimate DIY Homeschool Unit Study Planner

    2. Ultimate DIY Homeschool Unit Study Planner

    $5.99
    Add to cart

Your child has used research skills, fine motor skills, following directions, reading, coordination, writing, and so much more!

The added bonus is that you are making memories while you learn about the ocean and its layers.

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities, Middle School Homeschool Tagged With: earthscience, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, middle school, middleschool, ocean, oceanlayers, science

Fun Pioneer Peg Dolls For Kids Westward Expansion Hands On Activities

July 7, 2022 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Making these pioneer peg dolls for kids westward expansion hands on activities for your BEST Westward Ho Unit Study and Lapbook are just too fun.

What better way to learn about pioneers and heading west.

Create an entire family or many families to travel on your wagon train.

They are a great size to go with popsicle stick wagons.

And log cabins make a great edition to a pioneer themed diorama.

Fun Pioneer Peg Dolls For Kids Westward Expansion Hands On Activities

Too, preschoolers to highschoolers can create their own versions at whatever level they are at; and have fun doing it.

In addition, this project is a great hands-on activity to do while reading aloud or watching a movie.

If you have a documentary on the subject this project will keep hands busy while they take in and process all the information.

First, learn about the history of peg dolls and learn why they are called peg dolls.

At the Wales Museum of History, it says “The tradition of making peg dolls out of wooden clothes pegs comes from a time when people had little money to spend on toys.”

Westward Expansion for Kids

This makes for great conversation discussing how kids made their own toys from what they had.

Your kids will love making their own from what they have. Use my idea here or let them create their own peg dolls.

Next learn about the Oregon Trail. The Oregon trail was the path of a great migration of people from the east to the west.

The pioneers were a hearty bunch who traveled across the country to find more freedoms, land, opportunity, better hunting, and adventure!

Would you enjoy setting off on this challenging adventure with your family?

When families packed up to head west, they had to pack carefully.

But remember they couldn’t really just walk down the street to a store to get what they needed once on the trail.

So, they needed to take all their supplies with them like food, tools, seeds, for planting, clothing, and animals.

 Do you think you could pack enough to survive off of it for months and still fit your family into your car today?

Another awesome point is that this craft is inexpensive to make.

For example, if you have paint and fabric scraps on hand you can get a bag of 8 unfinished peg dolls at hobby lobby for less than $3.

It makes this a very affordable project for even big families.

Best Books About Westward Expansion

10 Westward Expansion Resources

Add in a few books and resources to bring the study of the Oregon Trail to life during the United States expansion of the west.

Your Life as a Pioneer on the Oregon Trail (The Way It Was)

Your Life as a Pioneer on The Oregon Trail, has some funny illustrations and great information for this unit study.

Little House on the Prairie Series 7 Books Collection

Of course ALL the Little House Books are some of the best about pioneer life.

The Ingalls are the most famous pioneers and westward moving families.

Westward Expansion (A True Book: Westward Expansion)

A True Book: Westward Expansion takes readers on an amazing journey to a fascinating time in U.S. history when the country was experiencing dynamic change and expanding westward.

The Oregon Trail 4-Book Paperback Box Set Plus Poster Map

In this boxed set, choose your own trail and complete the journey to Oregon City with all four paperbacks in this exciting series! It's 1850 and your first goal is to get your family, covered wagon full of supplies, and oxen to Chimney Rock on time. 

The Oregon Trail: Journey to Willamette Valley Boardgame

  • It's a race to Willamette Valley as you join the wagon train and seek your fortune in the West!

Apples to Oregon:

Apples, ho! When Papa decides to pull up roots and move from Iowa to Oregon, he can’t bear to leave his precious apple trees behind. Or his peaches, plums, grapes, cherries, and pears. Oh, and he takes his family along too.

Locomotive

It is the summer of 1869, and trains, crews, and family are traveling together, riding America’s brand-new transcontinental railroad. These pages come alive with the details of the trip and the sounds, speed, and strength of the mighty locomotives; the work that keeps them moving; and the thrill of travel from plains to mountain to
ocean

The California Gold Rush and the '49ers

Try your luck, and search for your fortune in California! Follow the joy and heartbreak of the '49ers during the California Gold Rush.

Daily Life in a Covered Wagon

In 1853, the Larkin family loaded up their wagons and headed west in search of a new life. But how did they do it? What did they eat? How did they survive sickness, and attacks from cattle thieves? Drawing on diaries and letters, and illustrated with photographs of actual object from the past, Daily Life in a Covered Wagon explored what life was really like on the wagon trail.

Covered Wagons, Bumpy Trails

Illustrations and simple rhyming text follow Mother, Father, and Baby John as they make the difficult journey by wagon to a new home across the Rocky Mountains in the fertile Sacramento Valley of California. By the creators of Gold Fever.

Western Expansion Project Ideas

I order online too when I need to, and it still costs less. Look at the easy list below:

Fun Pioneer Peg Dolls For Kids Westward Expansion Hands On Activities
  • Unfinished Wood Peg Dolls
  • Craft Paint/ Paint Pen
  • Small Paint Brushes
  • Fabric Scraps
  • Craft Glue

Next, dive into making these fun pioneer dolls:

Begin by painting the head of your peg doll any skin shade you choose.

We usually just leave ours unfinished wood color so we can get on to the next step in painting.

Start by painting the largest part of the clothing.

Fun Pioneer Peg Dolls For Kids Westward Expansion Hands On Activities

You can paint the entire body a solid color for the dresses or half and half to create the boys tops and pants. 

Allow paint to dry to the touch. Then move on to the next section.

We like to do the hair next.

You can paint the hair on smooth and leave it as is. Or make a layer of thick blobs of paint to create a texture and dimension.

Fun Pioneer Peg Dolls For Kids Westward Expansion Hands On Activities

While the hair is drying, take your tiniest brush and add some details to the face. Add eyes and a mouth.

To the clothes, add a pretty gingham or calico pattern, some suspenders, buttons, and whatever else you like.

Then, let the paint dry completely.

We find that paint pens are also good for adding details and can give you a bit more control over your design.

Fun Pioneer Peg Dolls For Kids Westward Expansion Hands On Activities

Finally, to add a little more fun and make them look like true pioneers use some scrap fabric to create a sun bonnet and a “straw hat”.

You can do this for all your dolls or mix it up.

Fun Pioneer Peg Dolls For Kids Westward Expansion Hands On Activities

For a bonnet you want to trace a circle on your fabric using something like the bottom of a small paint bottle 1 ½” to 2” in diameter then cut the circle in half.

Try it on your doll’s head and trim it down as needed to make it a good fit.  

Fun Pioneer Peg Dolls For Kids Westward Expansion Hands On Activities

Once you are happy with the size “paint” your fabric with craft glue and press into place on the head.

Doing this not only adheres it to the doll but also makes it stiffer and a little more durable which is especially helpful if your child will actually be playing with their dolls.

To create the straw hat, you will follow the same step of tracing a small circle onto scrap fabric and “painting” the fabric with glue.

Westward Ho Activities

Press the fabric all around the head to create the crown of the hat, smoothing it as much as you can.

Fun Pioneer Peg Dolls For Kids Westward Expansion Hands On Activities

To make the brim just keep shaping it into place so that it stays up, the glue gives it some body so you are able to mold it as you work with it.

When you are happy with the shape let it dry and trim off the excess brim with scissors.

Your pioneer family is finally ready to set off on their adventure together, who knows what they will find as they explore the west!

Fun Pioneer Peg Dolls For Kids Westward Expansion Hands On Activities

Finally, here are a few more ideas to make your unit study come alive!

  • Make a diorama together to show a still life section of the trail.
  • Create a wagon from popsicle sticks and fabric.
  • Play classic Oregon Trail on the computer.
  • Add Little House on The Prairie Art Lessons
  • Make an edible Louisiana Purchase Map , yum!
  • Sew your own Prairie Bonnet

You’ll love these other westward expansion hands on activities for your study:

  • 10 Westward Expansion Hands-on History Activities
Fun Pioneer Peg Dolls For Kids Westward Expansion Hands On Activities

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities, History Based, History Resources Tagged With: american history, hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, history, history resources, homeschoolhistory, middleschool, westward expansion, westwardho

11 Fun Summer Activities for Middle Schoolers

July 3, 2022 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Tweens and teens shouldn’t get left out of summertime fun. Today I have 11 summer activities for middle schoolers.  Also, look at my page homeschool middle school for more fun tips.

Even if you school year-round, I know you’re wanting something off the beaten path to keep your middle school kids busy.

11 Fun Summer Activities for Middle Schoolers

Too, middle school kids have one foot in childhood and one foot in young adulthood. It’s not as easy at times to find meaningful activities to fill up their day.

So, you’ll love the mix of summer activities for middle schoolers which I’ve rounded up below

1. Plan and cook a themed dinner.

The first one is to plan a themed dinner. It can be science based or history based. One year, my middle school son (with my help) made a Moroccan themed dinner. It was his object of interest at the time.

Your child will never even realize he is learning as he investigates customs and cultures of different lands.

11 Fun Summer Activities for Middle Schoolers

2. Take a Fun Art History Course.

Next, I hate it when music and art seems to get a back seat to our other regular topics. So, we always love doing any type of art program through the summer.

Check out this one by Art History Kids.

Did someone mention cooking?

11 Fun Summer Activities for Middle Schoolers

More Summer Homeschool Learning Activities

In addition, I have a few more ideas if you’re homeschooling multiple ages.

  • 20 Fun Summer Learning Activities And Make A Rock Sundial
  • A to Z List: 100 Fun Summer Homeschool Unit Study Ideas
  • 25 Summer Homeschool Ideas To Keep The Learning Spark Alive
  • 30+ Summer Activities for Middle School Kids
  • 11 Fun Summer Activities for Middle Schooler

Fun Summer Activities for Middle Schoolers

3. Life skills to the front. Learn to cook.

There are many easy meals a kid can cook, but teach them some fast cooking tips too. Grab this Download: Instant Pot Guidebook.

Or, if you have a beginner cook, check out these fun cooking classes.

4. Learn Music (online).

Let’s face it, there has been a wonderful explosion of online classes and we’re loving it.

And the best classes are those created by other talented homeschool moms who understand our needs. I love all the classes by Music In Our Homeschool. They have such a variety of classes.

World Music For Elementary

Then a few others we like: American Music For Elementary and 20th Century Music Appreciation for High School.

5. Build a Lava Lamp.

Lava lamps are always cool and in style. Your kids will love building a lava lamp. I have my post here Homeschool Geography – DIY Lava Lamp.

Plus, building lava lamps are a great hands-on way to even learn about geography and not just science

6. Do an FBI Unit Study and lapbook and create an AM Radio.

Then, learning how to take fingerprints make for a great twist on science. And tweens and teens are always up for learning about mayhem and secret codes.

You can grab my FBI unit study here, learn about fingerprints here and make a crystal am radio here.

7. Take a course. Intro to Filmmaking.

We’ve been eyeballing these online courses Film Courses 4 Teen. Kids of all ages love to learn about how to make movies and films. This looks like a great beginner’s course to do at home.

Summer Ideas for Middle School

8. Do an Online Book Club.

Then if you have a student who loves reading and you’re looking for more ways to engage him, you’ll love all the literature offered with these online self-paced courses.

Besides your tween and teen loving to read, you can start counting high school credit in middle school.

Why not get a jump on language arts and do it in a fun way? Check out the Middle School Bundle.

9. Learn to Dance (online).

Previously I mentioned the explosion of online classes and YouDance looks like another fun. It looks like the have ballet, hip hop, jazz and even clogging. I can’t wait to try this one.

10. Nurture the budding entrepreneur.

Additionally, we homeschool to nurture the natural strengths of our children. And in the homeschool world we have many budding entrepreneurs. However, they need to learn first healthy habits of how to be a real self-motivator.

It comes naturally when your middle school student loves a subject, but they need to learn how to know what they don’t know.

You’ll love my post Successful Entrepreneur-3 Best Homeschooled Teen Resources. This will help your teen learn some of the great habits of successful entrepreneurs.

11. STEM: Build a Da Vinci Parachute Activity.

And then if you have a STEM student, this is a fun activity for middle school students. You’ll find STEM: Build a Da Vinci Parachute Activity here.

What do you think? Can you find a few more activities here to keep summertime for your middle schooler?

Check out these other summer fun activities:

  • 30+ Summer Activities for Middle School Kids
  • How to Use Summertime to Put a Foot in Homeschooling
  • 7 Advantages to Starting Your Homeschool Year in the Summer
  • Homeschooling Through the Summer with My Highschooler

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Middle School Homeschool Tagged With: hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, middleschool, summerideas, summerschool, teens

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