- 3-5 Year Old, History/Social Science, Interest Led Homeschool, Preschool, Social Activities, Teaching, the Give Way, Tot School
Tot School: Airplane Dramatic Play Party
This was such a fun activity! In preparation for a flight we were planning on taking in a few weeks, I thought it might be good to show my daughter what it meant to go to the airport and fly on a plane beforehand. So we did an airplane unit (coming soon), that culminated in a fun party with some friends. The activity the kids were to do first when everyone was arriving was squeezing lemons. Great motor skill work and great fun for them. I knew it would’ve required a lot of time on my part to get all the water and sugar portions right for a large amount, but…
- 3-5 Year Old, Curricula, English, History/Social Science, Interest Led Homeschool, Math, Parenting, the Give Way, Preschool, Science, Teaching, the Give Way, Tot School
Learning: Ages 3-4
Cutting basil she picked for pasta I’m still dipping my feet into this whole “homeschooling” thing. I really don’t like the term “homeschooling,” since I don’t like what comes to mind when I think of “school.” As a ten year veteran elementary and middle school teacher, I have seen lots of flaws and learned a lot about how we all naturally learn. I like the idea of “unschooling,” “delight-driven learning”, and “child-led learning.” All fancy ways of just explaining how everyone from a baby to a senior citizen learns. So, for the last couple years, I’ve been studying and trying to implement what I’ve learned. Finding what my daughter is…
- 3-5 Year Old, 6-8 Year Old, English, History/Social Science, Interest Led Homeschool, Preschool, Science, Social Activities, Teaching, the Give Way, Tot School
Tot School: Community Worker Dramatic Play Party
At the end of our community worker theme, we had a little get together. It was a great party. It would have been a lot better if I’d had a few more older kids to show the little ones how to do things, but they did a great job on their own. There was one area that they didn’t even attempt. We moms could’ve helped more, but these are as much for us to enjoy talking with other adults as it is for the kids. 🙂 The kids had fun. We had fun. And this is part of my journey of letting go of my controlling tendencies…I will not force…
- 3-5 Year Old, 6-8 Year Old, English, Interest Led Homeschool, Preschool, Social Activities, Teaching, the Give Way, Tot School
Tot School: Nursery Rhyme Party
My daughter loves nursery rhymes. Once she learned them, she would say them non-stop. So, of course, since I’m working on interest led/child directed activities, we had to do a theme for nursery rhymes. In searching for activities, I came across a ton of really fun activities that she and her friends would enjoy, so we had to a have a party. 🙂 I typed up nursery rhymes for each station — the goal being to say them as we did them. I left that up to the parents, since none of the kids can read. I also put directions for the stations, so the parents could do whatever the…
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Tot School: Fall Party
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- Curricula, English, History/Social Science, Interest Led Homeschool, Math, Parenting, the Give Way, Preschool, Science, Teaching, the Give Way, Tot School
Plans and Goals for My Two Year Old
I like to plan. But, I also like to lay in bed. I figured if I tried to have at least a simple list of things I need to keep in mind each day, then I would not spend all day finding ways to keep my 2 year old busy at home, just so I don’t have to go anywhere or do anything. 🙂 I started doing this when she was an early toddler with the hopes that each year I’d reevaluate, but always have something to focus on. Each Day Go somewhere (unless we’ve been doing too much, then stay home and relax 🙂 ) Read for 30 minutes…
- 12-14 Year Old, 3-5 Year Old, 6-8 Year Old, 9-11 Year Old, History/Social Science, Interest Led Homeschool, Science, Social Activities, Teaching, the Give Way, Theme, Unit Study
California History Field Trip: Native Americans and Exploring
My sister-in-law is homeschooling her 4th and 2nd grader. She is not a fan of California history (crazy!), so I offered to try and put together some field trips for the kids. We live in the general LA/San Gabriel Valley area, so you won’t be finding us taking any Sacramento trips. I love my niece and nephew, but I’m definitely not taking them that far. 🙂 For our first trip, we focused on the Native American group in the area (Tongva) and exploration by the Spanish, by means of the LA River and Arroyo Seco. This lesson plan can also be used for any area, you’d just have to find…
- 12-14 Year Old, 15-18 Year Old, 3-5 Year Old, 6-8 Year Old, 9-11 Year Old, Book Focus, English, Historical Fiction Book Lists, History/Social Science, Interest Led Homeschool, Teaching, the Give Way
Historical Fiction: The Civil War
[Part of an ongoing series of historical fiction book lists for students and teachers. For the full list and to see more info, click here.] Civil War Causes and Events Lower Grades (K-3) Abraham Lincoln-D’Aulaire (5.2/1) A. Lincoln and Me-Borden (3.5/0.5) Abe Lincoln’s Dream-Smith (3.0/0.5) Alec’s Primer-Walter (3.4/0.5) Billy and the Rebel-Hopkinson (3.2/0.5) The Blue and the Gray-Bunting (3.3/0.5) Cabin in the Snow-Hopkinson (3.5/1) Cassie’s Sweet Berry Pie: A Civil War Story-Winnick (2.9/0.5) The Cemetery Keepers of Gettysburg-High (4.6/0.5) Civil War Artist-Morrison (6.0/0.5) Civil War Days-Weiss (3.7/1) Civil War on Sunday-Osborne (3.4/1) Dadblamed Union Army Cow-Fletcher (4.0/0.5) Drummer Boy: Marching to the Civil War–Turner (3.8/0.5) Freedom Ship-Rappaport (2.8/0.5) From Slave to Soldier:…
- 3-5 Year Old, 6-8 Year Old, Interest Led Homeschool, Kids' Book Club, Preschool, Science, Social Activities, Teaching, the Give Way, Tot School
Tot School: Fall Party
At the end of our Fall Theme, we had a fall party! We invited a few friends and had a great time. This one cost a little more than the Bear Hunt Party, mainly because I bought pumpkins, apples, squashes, cider and some sensory bin items. But, using a lot of supplies I already had, I was still able to come in under $40. And I have pumpkins and scarecrows as decorations, left over sensory bin items for next year and some apples, squash and pumpkins to eat (which we still have…almost four weeks later 😉 ) This was also going to be a 2 1/2 hour party, so I…
- 3-5 Year Old, History/Social Science, Interest Led Homeschool, Preschool, Teaching, the Give Way, Tot School, Unit Study
Tot School: Family Unit
This was a simple unit that I spread out over the month, but probably would have taken a week or so if I’d done an activity each day. Goals: Start to know she has a past Know her middle names and where they came from Know that aunts are girls and uncles are boys Know the term “cousin” and who it applies to Introduce her to pictures and names of family members we don’t see often or who are deceased Activities 1. Looked through family picture albums together. When I pointed out her great-grandfather whom she never got the chance to meet, I told her his name was “Fa” (a…
- 3-5 Year Old, 6-8 Year Old, Book Focus, English, Interest Led Homeschool, Preschool, Science, Social Activities, Teaching, the Give Way, Theme, Tot School
Tot School: Book Focus – We’re Going on a Bear Hunt
As I looked for good books and activities for the cave theme I was planning, I came across a lot of fun things to do with the book, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen. So, I decided that the last week and a half of the cave theme we’d focus on this book. So we read the book each day (a few days she watched a video of it instead of me reading it to/with her). Sometimes I had her read it to me. One time I acted it out very dramatically. My dramatic “What a beeeeeeaaaauuuutifuuuuuul daaaaaay!” stuck with her, so that’s how she said it from then on.…
- 3-5 Year Old, Interest Led Homeschool, Preschool, Science, Teaching, the Give Way, Theme, Tot School, Unit Study
Tot School: Cave Theme
I’m not sure exactly when my daughter became interested in “caves”, but it happened. All she wants to do after her bath, was for her dad (or me) to join her in the towel cave. In the morning, it’s the sheet cave. “Come on, dad. Come on, mom. Get in the sheet cave!” I’m trying to think of themes that are interest led, so of course, we had to do caves. What I found astounding, since I know lots of kids love pretending to be in caves, is there are not a ton of cave activities online. Even on Pinterest! Lots of bear activities, hibernation activities, but no cave ones.…
- 12-14 Year Old, 15-18 Year Old, 3-5 Year Old, 6-8 Year Old, 9-11 Year Old, Book Focus, English, Historical Fiction Book Lists, History/Social Science, Interest Led Homeschool, Teaching, the Give Way
Historical Fiction: African Folktales
[This is a subtopic of Africa and also part of an ongoing series of historical fiction book lists for students and teachers. For the full list and to see more info, click here.] Lower Grades (K-3) The Adventures of Spider: West African Folk Tales-Arkhurst (4.4/1) The Amazing Tree-Kilaka (3.7/0.5) Anansi and the Box of Stories-Krensky (3.2/0.5) Anansi and the Magic Stick-Kimmel (2.4/0.5) Anansi and the Pot of Beans-Norflolk (2.9/0.5) Anansi and the Tug o’ War-Norfolk (2.7/0.5) Anansi and Turtle Go to Dinner-Norfolk (2.7/0.5) Anansi Does the Impossible! An Ashanti Tale-Aardema (3.2/0.5) Anansi Goes Fishing-Kimmel (2.3/0.5) Anansi’s Party Time-Kimmel (2.0/0.5) Beautiful Blackbird-Bryan (3.7/0.5) Brother to the Wind-Walter (3.4/0.5) Calabash Cat: And His Amazing Journey-Rumford…
