Homeschool Nature Club: nature study resources for all ages

homeschool nature study | homeschool nature club membership | homeschool nature study resources | homeschool nature study courses

I love nature study, and I have loved doing it with my kids over the years. However, I’ll be honest, it’s one of those subjects that I have the most guilt about. I love it, but it doesn’t always fit into our week. I love it, but I don’t always know how to actually get it done. And, as my kids have gotten older, a lot of the nature study resources haven’t “grown with them.” A lot of what is out there for homeschool nature study is geared toward the younger kids. The result is that our love for nature study, particularly my teenagers’ love for nature study, has kind of fizzled out. I wanted to find something that would appeal to my older kids, or at least my fifth grader, and would help me pursue nature study successfully for myself.

So when I was given the opportunity to review the Homeschool Nature Club membership, I was absolutely thrilled. First, because it looked like the perfect solution for providing whole-family nature study courses, with “mature” nature study resources for my older kids. And second, it felt like coming full circle, as this membership website is the new and improved platform for the nature studies (originally written by Barbara McCoy) that were our very first introduction to nature study 10 or more years ago. 

And let me just say at the start here, I have loved this nature study membership as much for myself as for my kids.

Homeschooling Independently Responsible Learners: a book review

homeschooling independently responsible learners | homeschooling high school | homeschool reading list

Transitioning from homeschooling little ones who can’t read and need you for nearly every task to homeschooling older, independent learners is no small task. Trust me. I have two in high school now, and my youngest is in fifth grade this year. Independently responsible learners are not created overnight. There is definitely a process involved, which is why I was excited to get my hands on Dennis DiNoia’s book Teach: Creating Independently Responsible Learners. I’m always on the lookout for books that help me to be a better homeschool teacher, and this book definitely fit the bill. Teach is an easy-to-read resource with lots of practical ideas for “creating independently responsible learners.”

Dennis DiNoia (perhaps better known to many of us as Mr. D from the online courses Mr. D Math) writes a compelling autobiographical sketch of his journey as an educator of high school students. From public school educator, to tutor, to online homeschool course creator, Dennis provides practical tips that he has learned and put into practice in multiple settings.

A Simple Literature Approach to Homeschooling

literature approach | homeschooling | Beautiful Feet Books

I love using a literature-rich approach to homeschooling, filling our home and our days with beautiful books, rich stories, and deep conversations. But I also know that for many moms, the stack of books and the giant binder of lesson plans that come with many literature-rich curriculum options can feel really overwhelming. One of the things that caught my attention with Beautiful Feet Books is the beauty and simplicity it brings to a literature-rich homeschool. Its simple literature approach to homeschooling and beautiful teacher guides make Beautiful Feet Books a great open-and-go homeschool option.

Motivating your Writer with Digital Tools for Writing

bardsy homeschool | homeschool writing tools | digital tools for writing

Motivating my kids to write, even my child who loves writing, can be tricky. Although I have a background in writing and do quite a bit of writing professionally, encouraging my kids through the writing process just isn’t easy! Writing is a process. It’s hard work, even if you are creative. And it can be really discouraging, disillusioning, and confusing. Starting with a great idea is the easy part; seeing that idea through to a final draft of a story is not. If you have little background in writing or are overwhelmed with the process yourself, motivating your child-writer can be even more difficult. What I have appreciated most about Bardsy Homeschool are all of the digital tools for writing that it provides to both encourage and motivate your writer. 

Homeschool Math Curriculum for independent learning

Teaching Textbooks update | homeschool math curriculum | dyslexia and ADHD math

One of the greatest challenges with homeschooling multiple children or homeschooling children with learning struggles is never having enough of you to go around. Everyone needs you, and some of your children simply can’t accomplish the work without you sitting right beside them checking each answer. This is especially true with a subject like math. Finding a homeschool math curriculum that allows your child to be independent, to learn without you, to be instructed and corrected and to receive some basic help with their math lesson, can make a huge difference in your homeschool day. Teaching Textbooks is a homeschool math program that equips your child to learn math independently, even if your child has a learning struggle.

Creating a Customized Homeschool Math for your unique child

CTCMath Customized Homeschool Math

When my child has trouble with language arts, there is a myriad of resources that help me customize my homeschool to fit that child’s various needs. I can get spelling on one level, reading on a different level, and writing on yet another level. But finding math resources that allow for that kind of flexibility is a challenge. What do I do if my child excels in multiplication and division but struggles with fractions and telling time? Do I hold that child back? Do we work at two separate grade levels? The ability to create a customized homeschool math program that fits my child’s unique needs is one of the top reasons I’ve loved CTCMath.

Homeschooling High School Science with Apologia Biology

Apology Biology review| homeschool high school science

For years, I’ve heard homeschoolers rave about Apologia. I’ve seen it show up at the top of many recommended science curriculum lists. And honestly, I probably look at samples online every year and wonder if this will be the year we jump on board with Apologia science. This year, for the first time, I will be homeschooling high school science, and I’m more than a little intimidated. So when I was given the opportunity to review Apologia Biology for high school, I was thrilled to take a closer look at their newest update.