While many homeschoolers around us are wrapping up their school year, we’re still going strong. We school the year around mostly because it just works for us. I’m surprised by the number of people who really enjoy the traditional schedule. Maybe it’s one of those things people don’t think of changing because that’s just the way it’s always been?
Anyhoo, we are extremely busy during the fall and winter seasons. Lots of travel to visit family, holidays and our family vacation too. This means we take a lot of breaks which reeks havoc on our ability to stay consistent. Therefore, summer is the perfect time for us to be at home schooling. We “don’t do jack” in the spring and summer.
By now you’re probably wondering what this has to do with my favorites, eh? = )
Well, here I am, having already purchased our materials for the next school year and I absolutely can NOT wait to dig into them. I thought maybe I would show you a few of the things I’m horribly excited about to tide me over until we actually get to them.
#1 How to Study your Bible for kids by Kay Arthur and Janna Arndt
I purchased a series of books by Kay and Janna for my 3rd and 4th graders, starting with this one. While I know there are plenty of ‘reformers’ who will find flaw with the inductive study method, I have gained much from it, personally. I am very excited about teaching my children how to search the scripture and discover its truths all on their own. I also believe that one of the most important things we can do as parents is teach our children doctrine. “Ah, but they can’t understand any of that”, you might say. “Pish posh, Tavis!”, as my husband would say right back. One of the greatest problems facing America is that we have forgotten our doctrine. It may serve you well to pick up Kay’s adult version (How to Study Your Bible: The Lasting Rewards of the Inductive Method) for yourself! (Yes, I own that one too!)
#2 History Study Time Travelers by Home School in the Woods
Okay, agreed. This looks like a ton of stuff when you consider that it’s on top of Sonlight’s core 3. But we’re planning on taking a year and a half to cover all of it so I think we’ll be alright.
American History is our focus for next year, starting with the New World explorers. The Time Traveler Series CDs contain 25 lessons each that include things such as science experiments, recipes, notebook timelines, factfile cards, penmanship pages, file folder games, notebooking activities and other bits of creative writing. The kids will get to make dioramas, Incan artifacts, punch tin candle holders, pomanders, apple head dolls, haversacks and “floorcloth” table mats. They will be painting miniature soldiers, dipping candles, weaving, mapping ship voyages – the list goes on and on.
This is what I love about homeschooling and resources like the Time Traveler Series! We get to combine great history-rich living books from companies like Sonlight with the best hands-on, fun, educational activities available. I have been eyeing this series for a couple years and am so excited to embark on the journey.
#3 Hands and Hearts History Kits
UPDATE*** – Hands and Hearts History Kits are available again! You can get yours here.
If you were fortunate enough to get any of these kits before they were discontinued, you know why they are on my favorites list! We ordered three kits – one for the youngers and two for the olders. For American History, we purchased the Early American History and Westward Expansion kits. These will supply us with many of the necessary items for our hands-on Time Traveler activities plus a few extras, such as panning for gold. Included was a vial of real gold!
For the youngers, who are still studying world history, we have the Ancient Far East kit that includes such activities as paper dragons, origami, calligraphy, and painting with fish prints – real fish included! My son is so excited about this. lol
#4 Cut & Assemble the “Mayflower” by A. G. Smith (Dover Publications)
I just love Dover books. They have some of the neatest activity and coloring books out there. I wish more parents knew about Dover – homeschoolers and public schoolers! These are great resources that every child should have access to. My husband is a model worker so I designated him in charge of this project. I don’t think I have the patience to get this one done ‘right’. But the kids are very excited about it.
#5 Made for Trade boardgame
This game has great potential for family entertainment! The players must travel around the early American town collecting items they need from the different shops. To get these items, players may pay with shillings or trade what they own. I love games that combine two subjects. Here they get a good dose of math while learning about colonial life.
#6 Hands of a Child lapbooks – lots of them!
Lapbooks have become a staple in our home. When all else fails to grab a child’s interest, lapbook it! Next year, the whole of our science studies will revolve around lapbooks from HoaC.
We have planned:
- Plants
- Foundations for Chemistry
- Rocks & Minerals
- Animal Classification
- Exploring Sound
- Ecosystems*
- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
- Heat & Temperature*
- Healthy Bodies
We’re also using the Mayans, Aztecs and Incas* and State by State lapbooks for history. I’m hoping to work in the Peter Rabbit* lapbook for the youngers and the Beatrix Potter* one just because I love her.
*note – some of these are not linked because they are not available for sale yet. I have a Super Membership at HoaC and one of the benefits is receiving the ebook versions before they are available for sale. This is one of the best investments I’ve made in all my homeschooling years.
I’m sure there are more I could list but I think that’s enough to keep you busy for a little while. Most of the resources above are for my olders who are technically 3rd and 4th graders. I think I’ll do a similar list for my youngers next time. They are kindergarten and pre-k.
If you know of a great early American History or science resource, please share it in the comments section!
I always think of schooling year round but then when this time of year gets here, I really need a break.
I don’t know that it is necessarily “just the way it has always been” or that people don’t think of changing. Every family has to do what is best for their schedule. We have so many church activities, family trips, fishing, swimming, etc. going on in the summer that trying to do anything that requires consistency is a lost cause. We still read aloud and do bible study in the summer, and this year we are going to do art, which tends to get lost in the shuffle during the year.
I think we must be cold climate ppl. We should move north! hehe We are always very busy in the cold months and really don’t do anything in the summer.
And we also tend to lose art along the way. Not because it’s too much trouble really. I just forget about it. But we do a lot of lapbooking so that has to count for something, right? 🙂
I just bought my boys the same book! 🙂 #1 How to Study your Bible for kids by Kay Arthur and Janna Arndt!
I think it's great too.
I absolutely love the Precept studies. I'm really excited about the conversations we may have through this series of books!
I love your ideas for the next year. We also are going to be studying early American History. I am going to use the sonlight book list but don't know about getting the IG? Money is an issue this year so we'll see. I see you are using 3 different time travelers. Is this a lot? Thanks.
If you can't get SL's IG, may I suggest this resource instead? http://www.thehomeschoollibrary.com/susanwithagoodbook/index_004.htm Particularly the 3rd and I believe 4th grade schedules loosely follow Sonlight's schedule + other resources. It's not a day by day schedule but it will atleast help you sort out times, places and people according to the book titles. This is what I would use if I weren't going to get the IG.
Three Time Travelers probably is a lot, but we are taking a year and a half to cover core 3. We'll just do as much as we can and not worry about the rest. Eventually, we'll get there. As long as they're learning…