8 MORE Fun and Educational Activities for Homeschool Kids to Take a Break from Schoolwork

 

Here are some MORE amazing ideas for you:

1. Do a science experiment or build a model. This can be a fun and educational way for kids to learn about the world around them.

   
   

2. Learn a new skill, such as playing an instrument or learning a new language. This can be a great way for kids to challenge themselves and learn something new.

   
   

3. Go on a virtual field trip or visit a local museum or attraction. This can be a fun way for kids to learn about different cultures and historical events.

   
   

4. Write a play or create a video. This can be a great way for kids to use their creativity and learn about storytelling and performance.

   
   

5. Participate in a virtual class or workshop. There are many online resources that offer classes and workshops on a variety of topics, such as art, music, and coding.

   
   

6. Create a garden or take care of a pet. This can be a great way for kids to learn about responsibility and the importance of taking care of living things.

   
   

7. Do a puzzle or play a brain teaser game. This can be a fun way for kids to exercise their problem-solving skills and keep their minds sharp.

   
   

8. Plan and execute a small community service project. This can be a great way for kids to learn about the importance of giving back and helping others in need.

   
   

   Have you found any effective strategies for taking breaks from homeschooling? We'd love to hear about your experiences and any tips you have for taking time off during the school year.

   
   

Real Play, Real Learning ~ Guest Post by Willemien Kruger

Photo added by me from: Pixabay

Real Play, Real Learning

By Willemien Kruger

Here in South Africa we cannot imagine a lifestyle where children are not outdoors most of the time.  Some of my friends who come from other countries have told me how it took them a long time to get into the mindset that the “place for children to play is outside—not inside.” The great advantage of the outside is that one needs far less toys for entertainment. It never ceases to amaze me how children really play with almost nothing when they are outdoors. As long as there is a three-dimensional space where they can move forwards and backwards, run, hop, jump, and climb to move up and down (as in trees)—if you then add a bit of soil, sand, and water together with a few sticks and stones and leaves and stuff—children will never be bored!

Our children here in South Africa grow up outside . . . with bare feet on grass, mud play, tree climbing and sunshine all year ’round! It is a privilege we mostly appreciate when our children get fidgety by the hour in those rare times of continuous rain for three days. Charlotte Mason encourages being in nature, doing what she calls “nature study,” which is quite natural for children to do if they are out in nature a lot. If you do not have your own backyard, then do put in some extra effort to get into nature as much as possible by going to a park or forest or beach or even a neighbor’s yard. For now I am going to assume that most of the readers have access to their own nature area, and I’ll give some practical ideas to set up an outdoor environment for keeping children of all ages productively busy (from baby phase to teenager phase).

First, ensure that the basics are available: open grass, water, soil, sand, trees, and rocks. Trees will be even more enjoyable if they are of the sort one can climb. Water does not have to be a swimming pool, and when children are small, even just a bucket filled with some water is sufficient; water features, such as fountains, are also very entertaining and relaxing. If you have these basics, living things such as insects, birds, lizards, spiders, etc. will quickly inhabit your backyard, making it an outdoor observatory for nature study.

Add interesting play, provoking things such as a climbing frame, swings (homemade ones can be made, e.g., knotted ropes or a tire fastened with ropes), a tree house, tires, bamboo, a hose pipe, and pets.

Provide an area where they can roller skate or ride bikes or practice throwing a ball through a loop. Set up a net for kicking a ball into.

Involve your children from a young age in helping you when you have your own vegetable or herb garden, flowers, bonsais, orchids, or whatever your green thumbs like to grow. If you are an animal lover, all sorts of pets and other small animals can provide lots of learning opportunities for caring and can even develop into a business later, e.g., raising birds, chickens, etc.

There are so many opportunities for productive (paid) work in a garden; you can decide if you want to add them as basic chores or regard them as “extra,” paid chores. Mowing and maintaining the lawn; varnishing wooden structures, chairs, tables, or other furniture; painting permanent structures; annual tree planting or trimming; adding fertilizer on regular basis to grass or beddings; cleaning the fish pond; raking up autumn leaves; and weeding flowerbeds are examples of outside chores that children can carry out successfully—and they’re fun too! Projects for older children could include building a tree house, swings, ladders, and structures for imaginary play, e.g., boats, tents, prisons.

Do things outside regularly: have picnics lunch or dinner outside, do art outside, read on a blanket or a swing or on the grass, have tea under a tree, play badminton, play ball games, pitch a tent and camp in your backyard with a real fire to cook a meal on, watch the stars and seek out constellations, or study the moon’s cycle for a month.

Teach your children observational skills as you do this yourself. For example, highlight changes in seasons and nature every time you are outside; watch the leaves fall; experience the warmth, the cold, changes in light, length of day, and how much the wind is blowing; and observe how much or little rain falls and then talk about God’s design for seasons of growth and rest. Learn to observe weather in all its forms. Matthew 6:28 (AMP) says, “Consider the lilies of the field and learn thoroughly how they grow.”

Intentionally let nature study be part of “school”—apart from conducting science experiments outside, have your child prepare a speech/report about your own bird gardens as part of your science studies, or do a work project when trying to attract birds to the garden, e.g., building a feeder, or teach your children how to prepare the garden soil for the new planting season—as you do it together.

Being outdoors is healthy and good and provides many informal learning opportunities with little effort! Both children and adults will benefit from being outdoors more. I truly believe God is revealing to us His character, wisdom, and wonder in nature, so getting out in nature often will have an impact on our souls and spirits. You will not be untouched when you “look out for God” in nature. Let us help our children also to have this experience as we allow them outdoor fun!

“The meadows are clothed with flocks, the valleys also are covered with grain; they shout for joy and sing together” (Psalm 65:13, AMP).

Five Rules for Moms When Children Are Outside

1.    Let them get dirty! This is very important, and it will prevent grief (yours, not theirs) if you dress them appropriately beforehand.

2.    Allow them some time to get into the play, even if it takes a while. Sometimes they need to warm up a bit before they really start to build “that dam” you suggested.

3.    Allow them to do what they want to do. Sometimes they just want to sit a while on the swing. That is okay. Offer them that quiet time.

4.    Encourage them to collect things. This is a hard one, and I agree that one should have limits and rules, e.g., snakes are not allowed in the house and spiders cannot roam free.

5.    Permit them to explore and experiment with nature. This does not include allowing them to torture or destroy any animal or plant, but do allow them the odd breaking of a rock to see what is inside or carefully taking apart a flower or seed to analyse the intricate design for themselves.

I love the season of life I now live, as a South African homeschool mother of three precious children and happily married. I love to research and read wholesome, intelligent, and value-adding information, and I enjoy sharing what I learn. Find support to continuously improve your homeschool on my website, www.homeschooling-curriculum-guide.com, pointing YOU in the right direction, whether you are just starting out or have been doing this for a while.

Copyright 2012, used with permission.  All rights reserved by author.  Originally appeared in the June 2012 issue of The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, the family education magazine.  Read the magazine free at www.TOSMagazine.com or read it on the go and download the free apps at www.TOSApps.com to read the magazine on your mobile devices.

What are you creating in your "home educating" lifestyle?

How many homeschoolers do you know?  Do you know their children very well or do you mostly just associate with the parents?  Do you know your children very well?

I ask these questions just to get you thinking... and myself as well.  I don't know a lot of homeschool families.  At least not as many as most do.  I've only been part of a co-op or group a couple of times and I've homeschooled our boys for their whole lives (17 years).  They say it's not healthy to go it alone but that's basically what I've done.  Live and learn...

Anyway!  I do know enough homeschool families to observe their "style" and the attitudes of their children.  It has been my observation that the kids whose parents have chosen to do a strict "school at home" or sit the child down to a teaching video.... learn this... learn that... type of style, are resentful.  The children I know, from about 3rd grade up to now graduated, don't want to be homeschooled or wish they weren't.

Many of those families have created resentment, bitterness, rebellion... That's the sad news, but there is hope!

If our children aren't learning "the way THEY should go" and are only learning what has been pre-

programmed and put in front of them, how could they be happy?

There are so many learning styles and topics that interest us all as individuals, that if we all have to learn the same stuff, the same way, MANY will feel unfulfilled and not happy with their education.

 Unfortunately, I wasn't taught that learning is a lifestyle nor was I encouraged to pursue to learn about things that I am interested in.  As an adult who graduated from a less that great public school, I have supernaturally acquired the desire to continue to learn!  I am so excited about learning now that I can learn (for the rest of my life) on my own terms!

I can, and do, learn everyday in the way that God made me!  Say I want to learn a new jewelry

making technique (I do own my own business: www.janetpowers1.etsy.com) and someone tells me that I have to learn "this particular" technique.  Not only that, but I have to sit down to a text book and read how to make this new design using only this book.  Well, chances are, I won't be learning that technique!  That's not how I was wired!

How can we expect our children to learn this and learn that and do it only this particular way when God has wired us all so differently?

I understand that people NEED to be educated but why does it have to be so stringent?  Why can't

we loosen up a bit and let our children learn... REALLY learn?

I want to challenge you with this:

Pick one day a week... say Friday's... and let your child learn whatever they want and however they want.

If they learn best by doing, let them pick a topic and make a lapbook!
If they learn best by seeing, let them pick a topic and watch videos.
If they learn best by reading, let them pick a topic, go to the library and get a bunch of books!

Then, after a few weeks of LETTING your child learn, ask them questions and let them give you an oral report.  Don't bug them every week.  Don't let them know it's an oral report.  Just let them tell you what they have learned about the topic that they chose.

I believe you will be amazed.  Your child will blossom.  You will spark a love for learning when your child gets to learn about what interests them in the way that "he should go."

If you try this, I'd like to hear about it.  Leave a comment ok?!

High School Writing - Homeschool Writing - College Bound

I was searching for some good writing programs / eBooks / workbooks / instructions for our boys and came across these great resources.

High School Writing :  CAHSEE Writing Program - PDF

Script Writing Workbook High School : for aspiring film makers / writers / plays - PDF

ACT Essay Workbooks for Christian Students - PDF

Writing for the SAT : for high school students desiring to take the SAT - PDF

Novel writing for high school  : A guide / workbook for high school students desiring to write a novel - PDF

How to write for the SAT : A guide / workbook for high school students - PDF

How to analyze words in writings : Workbook for high school writing program - PDF

Literary response : Workbook for literature high school - PDF





Extra Stuff:

You can go to college - (Workbook & Questions) Guide for high school students thinking about college - PDF

Guide for the college bound high school student



photo credit: athena. via photopin cc

Google Earth in the Homeschool Part 2 ~ Guest Post

Google Earth in the Homeschool

Part II

by Andy Harris

Last month I introduced Google Earth—a truly fascinating tool for exploring the planet. This month we go deeper to learn all kinds of fascinating new uses for this incredible free tool. If you need a refresher, look into last month’s article. Fire up your own copy of Google Earth—you’ll want to play along!

The Layered Look

One of the most powerful features of Google Earth is the Layers feature, which allows you to display various other features on top of the existing map data. There are a number of fascinating possibilities. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Borders and Labels: Select this layer to see state and national boundaries and city names. This can really help you figure out exactly where you are.

• Roads: Prominent roads are featured on the map, along with labels.

• 3D Buildings: This is one of the coolest features in Google Earth, but it does require a higher-powered computer to appreciate. Turn on this option and when you get close to the ground, you’ll be able to see three-dimensional buildings.

Thousands of famous (and not-so-famous) buildings are already included, and you can even add your own house! (See the section below on Google SketchUp for details.) You can turn on full textures for the maximum realism or go for a flat single color for better performance.

• Ocean: Traditional atlases treat oceans as empty space, but Google Earth gives you many options for exploring the oceans. Turn on the Shipwrecks button to see the locations and stories behind many shipwrecks. Ocean Expeditions takes you on a tour of several interesting expeditions. For example, one expedition that starts in Guam takes you on a tour of undersea volcanoes, some with videos! Animal tracking lets you select an animal such as a shark or a whale and see in first-person view where that animal has been swimming!

• Weather: The Weather tab is equally fascinating. Turn on Clouds to see major cloud formations in close to real time. You can also view radar data and view current temperature and conditions anywhere in the world.

• Gallery: This menu features some exceptional content. Especially noteworthy is the Ancient Rome 3D Gallery, which allows you to see what Rome looked like. National Geographic has provided several interesting options, but our favorite is the live WildCams. This feature allows you to view live webcams of animal habitats all over the world. Once we watched elephants come to a watering hole in Botswana while we ate our breakfast. NASA has some very nice imagery, and Wikiloc shows interesting trails. Note that some content comes from the outside Internet, so as always, you should monitor your kids as they use this content.

• More: If you’re not overwhelmed yet, there are even more layers available in the (cleverly named) More section. Among the most interesting options here are Places/Categories, which allows you to place a marker on coffee shops and ATMs, and the Transportation section, which allows you to mark airports and rail lines.

Changing Space and Time

A program as comprehensive as Google Earth isn’t limited by silly things like space and time. There are many ways to modify when and where you’re looking. For example, you can choose Historical Imagery from the View menu to get a slider to pick a time span. For some parts of the earth, you’ll see aerial photos for the last fifteen years or so. In a few places (like Rome) you can go back thousands of years.

You can also use the View Sun menu command to see the current day/night boundaries. This also pops up a slider so you can change the time.

Space is a big part of Google Earth too. If you zoom way out, you can see the stars. You can also turn off atmosphere from the View menu to see the stars from any particular part of the globe. (Note that star positions change constantly, so they may not be exactly accurate.) For more celestial adventures, go to the Explore menu under the View menu. You can explore the sky, the moon, and Mars! Sky View gives you a view of the constellations. You can zoom in on a particular area of space for much more detail. The images are absolutely astounding.

Sky has its own set of layers, which allows you to turn on constellations within the solar system. The Welcome to Sky tour is worth doing if you have any interest in astronomy.

You can also visit Mars. As you’d expect, there’s quite a bit of detail in the Layers menu. You can see place names, satellite images, and paths of the rovers and satellites that are currently exploring Mars. The moon is just as interesting, as it features photos, images, and models of various explorations. You can zoom in to the Apollo 11 landing site and see a model of the lunar lander.

I Believe I Can Fly

One of my favorite features of Google Earth is a built-in flight simulator! Navigate to any location on the planet and choose Enter Flight Simulator from the Tools menu. You’ll be given a choice between two aircraft: a jet fighter and a more manageable prop plane.  If you’re a beginner, you’ll have better luck with the slower plane.

Before you get started, click on the Help button that comes with the flight simulator pop-up window. This describes the keyboard commands you’ll use to control the plane. When the flight simulation begins, you’ll see a heads-up display that indicates the aircraft’s speed and direction. You can use a joystick or keyboard to fly the plane, but I think the mouse control is probably the easiest. Click the mouse button while the flight simulator is running; the mouse cursor will change to a cross, and your mouse will act like a flight yoke. Push forward to push the aircraft’s nose down, pull back to raise the nose, and use side-to-side motion to roll the plane and control its direction.

The aircraft is easiest to manage when you’ve turned on Roads (especially if you’re flying in a place you know) and Airports (from the Layers/More/Transportation) layer. It can be challenging to land the aircraft, but it is possible. You can even fly on Mars and the moon. (I know; there’s no atmosphere on the moon, but still, it’s pretty cool.) The flight simulator adds an entirely new dimension to Google Earth as you try to buzz the St. Louis arch and fly through the Grand Canyon.

Building Your Own 3D Models

You can take Google Earth even further. Google has released a free 3D modeling tool called Google SketchUp. While 3D modeling is never easy, this tool makes it relatively painless. You can download a copy of SketchUp here: sketchup.google.com/download.

You can build a model of your house, models of prominent buildings in your area, or whatever else you want. You can then submit your model to be included in Google Earth. Part of the reason Google Earth has models of buildings all over the world is because they have been contributed by the community. SketchUp is a great tool for talking about 3D geometry, modeling, and architecture.

The Google Building Maker is an online tool that’s a little easier to use than SketchUp. It makes it easy to make buildings, but they are available for only a limited area. You can find this tool at sketchup.google.com/3dwh/buildingmaker.html.

Google Earth Plug-in Fun

One of the other amazing aspects of Google Earth is how it has been extended. The folks at Google created a version of Google Earth called the GEPlug-in, which exposes the Google Earth engine to web browsers. Clever developers have added all sorts of interesting games and add-ons based on this technology:

• G. E. Flight Simulator (www.ge-flightsimulator.com)—This is as close to a real flight simulator as you’ll see in a web browser. It adds a few features not in the standard G. E. simulator, including a moving map, multiple aircraft, and multiplayer with chat.

• Ships (planetinaction.com/ships15)—If airplanes are too high-speed for you, maybe a boating simulation is a better match. Pilot river barges, a cruise ship, a catamaran, or even a Zeppelin.

• Helicopters (planetinaction.com/helicopters)—This comes closer to a full-fledged game, where you control a helicopter and take part in various missions.

• Monster Milktruck (earth-api-samples.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/demos/milktruck/index.html)—This simple application allows you to drive a milk truck with monster wheels anywhere in the world. Pretty fun, huh?

• Stadiums Sample (earth-api-samples.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/demos/stadiums/stadiums.html)—Take a tour of well-known sports facilities.

For any of these examples to work, you’ll need to download and install the Google Earth Plug-in, available at www.google.com/earth/explore/products/Plug-in.html.

So how does this fit my school? Clearly Google Earth is an impressive program, but it’s not designed as a curriculum. It certainly won’t replace traditional media for geography, science, or history, but it can provide added benefits in all these areas. Google Earth is especially suited to help technically minded students interact with various subjects. Here are just a few project ideas to get you started:

Science

• Look over weather patterns and make your own predictions based on cloud and radar images to the west of your town.

• Investigate a wilderness web cam for several days and log the animals you see.

• Look into the volcano, earthquake, and tsunami layers for information about these geologic events.

Geography

• Use Google Earth to more closely investigate areas you study, read about, or visit on mission trips. Look for photos, panoramic images, and videos of your favorite places.

• Build a tour of a country or region you’re studying. Use the Audio tool to describe each area as you zoom into it.

• Investigate mountain ranges, islands, and ocean trenches.

History

• Use Google Earth to discover shipwrecks. Do more Internet and library research to discover the story behind the wrecks.

• See how far back image data goes for your town. Create a poster or paper describing how your area has changed. (You can print out the results of G. E. searches.)

• Create a tour that describes a historical trek: the Israelites in the desert, Sherman’s march to the sea, or Napoleon’s misadventure in Russia.

Art/Architecture

• Model your house or some other building, and submit it to Google Earth.

• Locate famous sculptures and statues throughout the world.

• Use SketchUp to build a 3D model of anything you can imagine.

Let me know if you come up with anything else. If you have trouble finding any of the links in this document, please visit my website: www.aharrisbooks.net.

There is so much fun to be had with this app. Don’t tell your kids they’re learning stuff.

Andy Harris is a homeschool dad, father of four great kids, and husband to the greatest homeschool teacher ever. He has taught all ages of students, from kindergarten to university level. Andy is the author of a number of well-known books, including HTML/XHTML/CSS: All in One for Dummies, Game Programming—The L Line, PHP6/ MySQL Programming for the Absolute Beginner, and Beginning Flash Game Programming for Dummies. For more information about his books, to see where he is speaking next, or to just say hi, please stop by his website: www .aharrisbooks.net.

Copyright 2012, used with permission. All rights reserved by author. Originally appeared in the March 2012 issue of The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, the trade magazine for homeschool families. Read the magazine free at www.TOSMagazine.com or read it on the go and download the free apps at www.TOSApps.com to read the magazine on your mobile devices.

Have You Ever?

(Photo Copyright 2012 Janet Powers)

Have you ever asked your kids what would they like to learn about?

Of course, they have to learn to read.
Of course, they have to learn arithmetic.
Of course, they have to learn the basics of education.

But, is there a particular subject or topic that they crave?  A topic that they'd absolutely LOVE to learn about?

Why not let them?

It's quite possible that the thing they want to learn about the most, very well may be the thing that drives them later in life.  It may even be the thing that God has called them to... the very way He has specially wired them.

So, what do your kids want to learn?

My Boys
Double Espresso (13) has been really into art, cooking, baking, and science experiments.

Espresso (16) has been into physics, motion graphics, and visual effects.

(Photo Copyright 2012 Janet Powers)

Home Sweet Homeschool

Double Espresso decided that he was going to bake a pie today!  Last night he and his dad went to a Chicago Cubs game and got rained out... poohhh...  so instead, they went to a pie shop and had pie!  Sounds good to me!

He liked the pie so much that he decided to try to make one of his own.  And guess what?  It was delish!  Nothing like a warm piece of somewhat homemade pie in the middle of the school day.

Do you give your children the freedom to do things like that during their school day?  What kind of projects have they done?

Photos: Copyright Janet Powers 2012