Copywork . . . Some children cringe at the sound of that phrase. For them, copywork is about as exciting as washing the dishes. But as you know, like washing dishes, copywork has to be done. Hands can’t magically learn to write by themselves. Their owner has to apply himself […]
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What Should Middle School Students Know About History?
Life is more complicated in the 21st century than it was fifty years ago, at least when it comes to teaching history. When our grandparents went to school, they studied American history and world history chronologically. They opened a book, read the stories, and learned the data. An example of […]
Read MoreHistory in the Elementary Years
The elementary years are a perfect time to begin your study of history by introducing your children to the significant events and famous men and women of the past. Step back in time and look closely at how these men and women lived and what they accomplished. Children often find […]
Read MoreMy Problem with Timelines
I love timelines. I have a bookshelf dedicated to books of timelines. I have a timeline on my website with hundreds of printables tied to specific dates and events. I just have one problem with them. Has a scenario like this ever played out in your homeschool? You complete your […]
Read MoreThe Call of the Wild
“Dress warmly and wear something you don’t mind getting wet,” my dad said, one morning. He was taking us hunting for the wild asparagus. I had read a bit about asparagus and I had eaten asparagus, but hunting for asparagus was a new experience. The memory of hunting is one […]
Read MoreA Look Inside our Nature Studies
Nature studies are an important part of our homeschool and our life. On the ranch, life fits well with the Charlotte Mason philosophy for nature studies. We are outside every day; so we can easily incorporate our science lessons into what we see and do. When we are outside, I […]
Read MoreNature Journaling: Finding Your Own Way
Earlier this year, while attending a homeschool conference, I had a conversation with a mother about nature studies and nature journaling. She had decided that her students would do nature journals and had started off with a vengeance to see that goal accomplished. She admitted that she had taken her […]
Read MoreThe Shocking Truth About Electricity
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” (Benjamin Franklin) These wise words are as true today as they were more than two hundred years ago when Benjamin Franklin first made this statement. That Franklin was one of the foremost minds of his […]
Read MoreDiet Coke and Mentos: What’s Really Going On?
By now I expect you have seen a video of someone putting Mentos candies into an open bottle of Diet Coke. Almost immediately, a plume of foam shoots out of the bottle and into the air. While watching a “Mentos fountain” is interesting, it is significantly more interesting to investigate […]
Read MoreStudying Nature, The Charlotte Mason Way
As an eclectic Charlotte Mason homeschooler, nature study is near and dear to my heart—and the hearts of my children. We have learned so much about our Creator and the sciences through our weekly nature walks, all while touching on bits and pieces of almost every other subject under the […]
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