Spring has arrived, and what better time to shift the learning outdoors and take advantage of the living lab that is your own backyard. There’s a lot to explore, but this post’s focus is on birds, and how to turn kids’ observations into exercises in critical thinking. The activities below are designed to help kids […]
Backyard Bird Study To Build Critical Thinking Read More »
From the minerals that give color to gemstones and art supplies to the elements hidden inside our smartphones, the study of rocks and minerals offers a variety of real-world connections. Rocks and minerals show up in surprising places. Earth’s materials are everywhere, shaping our homes, products, and tools. Mineral Scavenger Hunt Chart Minerals In Your
Rocks and Minerals: Essential Everyday Uses Read More »
If there’s one thing homeschool parents desire and appreciate in a homeschool curriculum, it’s adaptability and versatility to meet the diverse needs of learners. Hyperdocs can do just that, offering flexibility, ease of use, and customization options for homeschoolers. These free digital tools can be used with a variety of age groups, can complement existing curricula,
Homeschool Lessons Using Hyperdocs: Ideas and Examples Read More »
If there’s one day of the year worthy of loud applause and raising a glass, it’s Mother’s Day, an annual celebration paying homage to the world’s greatest nurturers, multi-taskers, and wisdom-distributors. Sure, mom may have driven you a bit nutty with her maxims, mandates, and strong opinions on just about everything. But her heart was
A Tribute to Moms: With Fun Facts and Free Resources Read More »
During our family’s time homeschooling, regular trips to the library were among our favorite activities. The kiddos would each return home with an armful of books spanning topics from A to Z. While some were purely for entertainment, others helped to build knowledge about the world. They learned content in all the major subjects without
Read Stories For Learning & Avoid Dull Textbooks Read More »
Spark interest in learning basic science concepts by organizing experiments around a central theme. Here are some creative ways to structure and present related sets of science experiments. These are all free to access and are designed with everyday materials so you can do them at home. (NOTE: The shaded boxes in this post contain
Exploring Science Concepts With Fun, Related Experiments Read More »
Click on the links below to download a variety of free animal readers for grades 1 – 6. The science books are from 10 – 18 pages, with questions at the end. Grade K DK Baby Animals All About Animals Grade 1 Amazing Birds Animals Grow and Change Animals at Night Birds Butterflies City Birds
Free Elementary Animal Science Readers Read More »
For budding entomologists and nature detectives, these free insect lesson plans and investigations help take the learning outside: Field Guides Essential for comparing illustrations with actual crawlies and flying beasties discovered, and for learning fast facts. Here are a couple you can download for free: Orkin Guide: Has color photos and basic information on common
These free resources for learning about electricity and magnetism combine visual lessons with hands-on activities: Energy Kids: Provides information on how electricity is generated and measured, and how it relates to magnetism. Includes experiments and games. Free Online Videos and Interactives: Electric Circuits: Learn about how electricity flows to power everyday objects. Electrical to Thermal
Electricity and Magnetism Read More »
Free textbooks, virtual labs, interactives, and activities for building units on ecology or environmental science: Here’s a downloadof free Earth Day activities. Ecology in your Own Backyard: Check out the free resources at EcologyOnline, with free videos and activities for exploring the ABCs of Ecology; and Watersheds. There’s also CK-12’s Intro to Ecology, with 35
Ecology and Environmental Science Read More »
