Category: Out and About

Making Maximum Use of the Library

Ann1 Comment

The local public library can be a homeschooling family’s best resource. Here are some ideas for taking maximum advantage of libraries in your area:

  1. Don’t just try the nearest library, make an effort to visit all of the libraries available to you in your area. Different amenities may be available at each location. Get cards from multiple libraries if necessary. Don’t forget to see if the colleges and universities in your area will allow you to check out materials. Colleges with teacher education programs often have excellent educational materials.
  2. Be sure to pick up fliers listing the resources and activities available at each library. What classes, story times, lecture series and tutoring programs are available?
  3. Take time to meet the children’s librarian as well as the reference librarian. These librarians are excellent resources for unit study ideas and research projects. They can alert you to resources that you may not know about. Share what you are planning to study for the year. Many times children’s and reference librarians are looking for ideas on new books to order, and your curriculum plans may help.
  4. Check to see if your library offers inter-library loans for books and videos.
  5. What online resources does your library offer? Online catalogs are very helpful for searching from the comfort of home. Can you renew your library books online? Does your library give out passwords for special online collections and sites?
  6. If your library does not give receipts for books checked out, make it a habit to have your children complete a library book log to keep track of how many books to return. Assign a child to mark the due date on a calendar as soon as you return home.
  7. Are there conference or meeting rooms available for you to reserve to work on a project? A conference room may be a more comfortable space to work in if you are also bringing younger children along.
  8. Does the library have display space available for larger homeschool projects? Perhaps your library may allow your child to display his science project for a week or two.
  9. Are there special library privileges for teachers that you can also use, such as longer check-out dates, or sets of themed materials. It never hurts to ask!
  10. Are there library-related service projects available for your child to participate in? Sorting books for a book sale, organizing display cases, etc.

October Brings

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Fresh October brings the pheasant,

Then to gather nuts is pleasant.*

This month brings Fall weather to the Northern Hemisphere and Spring weather to the Southern. On October 1st, there are only 91 days left in 2010!

October is Health Literacy Month- Here are two unit studies using the Adventurer and Pathfinder club curriculum: Adventurer -Health Specialist ; Pathfinder- Nutrition

Is your student learning about the seasons? A fall lapbook is a fun way to teach the seasons. Here’s a Squiddo page full of ideas to fill several lapbooks!

October is National Go-On-A-Field Trip Month. Do a web search on “field trips in *your state* ” to discover lots of ideas for fun educational day trips.

Fall-themed crafts are always fun. Enchanted Learning offers lots of activities. Fall leaf templates are fun to work with too!

*The Garden Year, by Sara Coleridge

Motivation Monday

Editor2 Comments

Happy the father and mother who can teach their children God’s written Word with illustrations from the open pages of the book of nature; who can gather under the green trees, in the fresh, pure air, to study the Word and to sing the praise of the Father above.

By such associations parents may bind their children to their hearts, and thus to God, by ties that can never be broken.

Education, 251.

Motivation Monday

~MelissaLeave a comment

Happy the father and mother who can teach their children God’s written Word with illustrations from the open pages of the book of nature; who can gather under the green trees, in the fresh, pure air, to study the Word and to sing the praise of the Father above.

By such associations parents may bind their children to their hearts, and thus to God, by ties that can never be broken.

Education, 251.

Motivation Monday

~MelissaLeave a comment

Happy the father and mother who can teach their children God’s written Word with illustrations from the open pages of the book of nature; who can gather under the green trees, in the fresh, pure air, to study the Word and to sing the praise of the Father above.

By such associations parents may bind their children to their hearts, and thus to God, by ties that can never be broken.

Education, 251.

August Brings

AnnLeave a comment

 

August brings the sheaves of corn,

Then the harvest home is borne.*

August! This month is a back-to-the­ books transition time for many homeschool households, so let’s  enjoy the dog days of summer and get our school plans organized!

In many parts of the US right now, it is very hot. Enjoying a museum is a cool treat. How about enjoying a trip to the Library of Congress from the comfort of your living room? Enjoy multimedia digital collections with the click of a mouse and no travel expenses!

Combine nature study with creative play by making your own natural dyes for playdough. Your children will enjoy finding out what colors the environment around them can provide. * Hat tip to LaDonna for this great link!

Does adding nature study to your homeschool curriculum feel daunting because you don’t feel knowledgeable or creative enough? Try visiting the Handbook of Nature Study blog. You’ll find free downloads, printables and enough nature challenges to last all school year. A great site to bookmark.

If you haven’t visited Donna Young’s site before, you are in for a treat. Her site features a wonderful array of free printable homeschool calendars, organizers, lesson plan templates and more.

*The Garden Year, by Sara Coleridge

Oakie, the Nature Study Tree

Ann2 Comments

Following a particular tree for a year is a fun nature study activity.  The tree does not need to be at your home, it could be in a park , library or anywhere you can have access to the tree year-round.  Our family chose a tree on our property to follow for a year, but have found that, three years later, we are still keeping track of the life of our favorite tree.  Let me introduce you to Oakie, our nature study tree.

As a supplement to our nature studies, three years ago,  my children and I decided to choose one tree on our property to focus on for nature study. I thought it would be an easy choice, but with nearly 30 trees on our 2 acres, there was a  bit of debate. Finally, we made a choice.

This tree is not the largest or loveliest tree in our yard by any means, but it gets lots of attention and action in and around it. Oakie is right next to the children’s play set, and it is where we hang three bird feeders. We have watched this tree every day for nearly 3 years.

We started out by naming the tree Oakie and then collected some leaves for our nature notebooks. We drew  pictures of the tree for each season and discussed theories on why the tree leans to one side. (hard to tell in the photo) We compared the leaves and acorns of this oak to the other oak trees in the yard and discovered we have at least 3 different types of oak trees on our property!  We made bark rubbings, measured the circumference of the tree several times during the school year and studied the wildlife that visit the tree. The Handbook of Nature Study gave me some good discussion points to share, and we had a great time getting to know our tree.

Three years later, we still check the upper branches to see what bird is waiting on a refill at the feeders.  We know which branches the squirrels like to use most, and where the woodpecker likes to hunt for insects. We still press its petite red leaves in books every fall.   Oakie survived a straight-line windstorm that threw the children’s play set against it.  The play set sustained serious damage, but Oakie came through unscathed.   Compared to the larger, more stately oaks and hickories on our property, Oakie is not much to look at, but  we love our scraggly little nature-study tree.   We encourage you to find a tree to study and love as well.