Now that the trees have their leaves and the weather’s getting warmer, it’s time to get outside! One of our favorite outdoor learning activities is identifying trees around our house. For my kids, it can be quite a job, as we have woods as part of our back yard.

Identifying Trees as an Homeschool Activity

There are a number of resources you can use to help you identify the trees. You can get books from your library or online. Some to look for include:

Identifying Trees: An All-Season Guide to Eastern North America by Michael D. Williams

National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Pacific Northwest by Peter Alden and Dennis Paulson

The Tree Book for Kids and Their Grown Ups by Gina Ingoglia

Trees, Leaves & Bark by Diane Burns

Trees of North America: A Guide to Field Identification (Golden Field Guide Series) by C. Frank Brockman and Rebecca Marrilees

What Tree Is That?: A Guide to the More Common Trees Found in North America by the Arbor Day Foundation

One of my favorites, however, is the Fandex Family Field Guides: Trees by Steven Aronson. Each fandex card features an illustration of the tree’s leaf on the top with more information about the tree on the card. Published in 1998, the tree guide has been around for a while, and we first used it when my oldest child was small. Because of the detail in the leaf illustrations, he was able to determine what many of the trees were by himself.

Once you’ve finished with the trees around your home, visit a nearby park and see what kinds of trees are growing there. We live near a university that has a lot of trees we don’t have, including a weeping willow and a ginkgo tree. Keep a journal or a notebook of everything you find, and have fun!

Photo by cafemama

This week, my youngest had a terrific idea: he was going to create a family newsletter. The best part of this project was that I didn’t tell him to do it; he was completely inspired on his own! And it’s become a great project for the whole family!

How to Start a Family Newsletter?

The first issue went out on Wednesday. It included articles about events that had occurred that day, a day when we didn’t have many places to go. So there was an article about the cat getting chased by the neighbor’s dog, and another about our little dog getting into the trash outside. The articles also included an announcement about my daughter’s A+ on her science test. There was a weather report, as well as contact information and pictures of the editors (my son and his sister). It was a great newsletter!

We printed out enough copies, and he ran one next door to his grandmother’s house as soon as they were ready. The next morning, he delivered the other copies to his siblings’ bedroom doors. He was so excited and can’t wait to write up the next one. Future issues will also include guest articles written by family members.

And I’m so excited, too!  Not only does this give him practice writing (and my daughter practice with her grammar as she edits the articles), but it’s a great way to record family memories that we might otherwise forget. He plans to go through the summer with it; I’m thinking we’ll go even longer.

Photo by World Agroforesty Centre

I was at the auto mechanic’s shop today waiting for my car to be looked at. It was taking a while, so I began talking with a gentleman who was waiting for his car as well. In the course of the conversation, I mentioned that we homeschooled, and he wondered if my children were socialized. I assured him they were well-socialized – they are some of the most social people I know!

Many times, those who don’t homeschool don’t realize all the opportunities that are open to homeschooled children, so many sometimes that we have to put a limit on it and say “no more!” Often it depends on the area where you live as to what’s available; some communities have more activities to take part in than others. But even if there’s not a lot to do in your area, you can create your own “social” days!

Socializing when Homeschooling

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Roller Skating or Ice Skating – Sometimes area rinks will sponsor “homeschool days” during the regular school day so kids can come skate. It’s a win-win for both the students and the rink which might otherwise be closed.

Bowling – In a similar way, your local bowling alley might offer a special time for homeschoolers. If not, get a group together and go bowl!

Cub Scouts, Brownies, and American Heritage Girls – These scouting organizations provide a great way to get outdoors and meet new friends.

Art Classes – I’ve taught art classes just for homeschoolers because they can come during the day when other kids are unable to. Check with your local arts and crafts store to see if they have any classes available there.

Drama – We have three children’s drama organizations within 30 minutes of our home. It’s a great way to have your youngster not only get involved in the arts but build confidence as well.

Music Organizations – You could go the more traditional route with a youth symphony, or your area might also have a homeschool band or strings ensemble.

Community Service Projects – Get your friends together and do a project! You might come up with a program for a nursing home, a neighborhood clean-up, or a canned food drive. Whatever you do, it’s more fun to do with friends!

Field Trips – Set up field trips for your family and invite other families you know to come along. You might go to the zoo or a science center. You could also call to see if a company or shop would welcome a tour group. We’ve toured printing companies, bakeries, pizzerias, donut shops, pet stores, radio stations, and television stations, all for free.

Group Fun Day – Set up a day once a week to meet with friends. If there’s no field trip scheduled, you could just go to a park to play or even visit at someone’s house. It’s not only good for the kids, it’s great for the moms!

Photo by USAG-Humphreys

“What can I do?” he asks.

“Go get your chores done,” I reply. Sometimes that works, but mostly not. I then suggest building something out of Legos or playing outside, which works for just a while before he’s back again.

“Now what can I do?”

With the help of his older sister, we came up with a plan. Now he has the “I’m Not Bored!” Bowl. The kids took some paper, cut it into small squares, and wrote down activities he could do, such as ride his bike, run around the house three times, teach the dog a trick, or put a puzzle together. There’s even a mystery paper with the word “Mom” on it; with that one, I get to choose what he will do.

My son then found an empty bowl and piled in his papers. Since then, he’s been excited about coming up with something to do. He simply goes to the bowl, closes his eyes, and draws out a paper. He’s been drawing out several each day for the past week, and he’s been staying busy – and really enjoying it!

And one of the best parts? I don’t have to think up things for him to do while I’m trying to help one of his siblings with their assignments, although he still interrupts the lessons to show us the activity he picked.

Photo by sean dreilinger

If you’re looking for a history curriculum for your elementary student, The Story of the World by Susan Wise Bauer might be just what you need. Written as a narrative, this series covers the history of the world from ancient times to present day in four books. Each book is crafted to be used for an entire year. The four books, then, can each be used twice as part of a four-year cycle, first in grades 1 – 4 and then again in grades 5 – 8 if desired.

The Story of the World Books

The author works hard to present history objectively; you’ll find a variety of cultures, races, and religions represented. Overall, here’s what the books cover:

Volume 1– Ancient Times: From the Earliest Nomads to the Last Roman Emperor

Volume 2 – The Middle Ages: From the Fall of Rome to the Rise of the Renaissance

Volume 3 – Early Modern Times (1600 to 1850)

Volume 4 – From Victoria’s Empire to the End of the USSR

Each book also has an accompanying activity book with reproducible pages, and you can purchase tests and answer keys for each volume too. And, if you’re like me and spend a lot of time in the car, you can also get the series on audio CDs.

I’m currently using the Story of the World books with my 3rd and 6^th graders, and my 8^th grader is using one of the books as a review this year. You can supplement them with other books, such as historical picture books or biographies, or use them by themselves. Either way, this series presents history just as it is – a story – our story.

Photo by mitikusa.net

As soon as my children are able to write, I start giving them journaling assignments. Of course, the assignments vary in difficulty depending on the age of the child, but writing in a journal on a daily or weekly basis benefits them all in so many ways.

How to Get Started Journaling

Of course, where you start with journaling depends on your child. You know your child best and what he or she is capable of doing; you can determine what a good journal entry would consist of. With some of my children, writing one or two sentences was an accomplishment. Often I would have them draw a picture to go along with it, as they felt more comfortable with drawing than writing. I didn’t correct the spelling of those early journal entries; the exercise was one just to get them thinking, putting those thoughts on paper, and becoming more confident with the process of writing.

Then, as they progressed, I began to require more sentences. I also began correcting the spelling; they would write the entry on a scrap piece of paper, I would correct it, and then they re-wrote it in their journals. Now, my older children write a complete page for a journal entry; my youngest is still working on getting one paragraph on the paper.

Benefits of Journaling in Homeschooling

Journaling is an invaluable exercise and so easy to do. Not only do students learn spelling and grammar, but they also learn how to organize their thoughts and find the best words to express those thoughts. And the best part – they (and you!) have a written record of things they did, felt, and saw as they were growing up. Journal entries are memories – preserved in your child’s own words. How wonderful is that?

Photo by Rita H Cobbs

If you’re like me, you spend a lot of time dealing with “life” – those day to day things that come up that you have to take care of but that often interfere with the school day you had planned. When that happens at our house, I find improvisation the key – both to getting the errands done and staying on track with the school lessons.

Homeschool Lessons on the Go

If you’re in a season where life’s demands are keeping you on the go, here are some ideas you can try:

Bring the schoolwork with you: We live about fifteen minutes from the nearest town, so when we go somewhere, it usually takes us from 20 – 30 minutes just to get there. My kids have learned to pack up their backpacks and bring the work with them – there’s plenty of time to get things done in the car.

Purchase educational CDs to play in the car: There are lots of CDs out there with songs, rhymes, and stories kids can learn by. There are CDs about the alphabet, states and capitals, multiplication tables, U.S. presidents, even common bird songs. Some curriculums also offer CDs along with the textbooks, such as the Story of the World series by Susan Wise Bauer. They can listen to their lessons instead of reading them.

Listen to books on CD: We get our books on CD from our local library, and there are many to pick from. Choose books you might read aloud at home and listen to them together in the car instead.

Turn your errands into field trips: Picking up something from the post office? Don’t just bring your children inside with you, show them around! Show them where the mail is sorted, where the post office boxes are, and how they can buy stamps from the machine. Getting a prescription filled? Explain to your children what a pharmacist is and how he does his job.

Even when life gets busy, your children will still be learning!

Photo by Celiemme

This month is my mother’s 80^th birthday, and I am so excited about the gift I have for her. Several years ago, I interviewed her regarding her childhood: what she did, where she went, what family life was like. What I got was a piece of history unlike any other – I not only learned a lot about the time period we talked about (the home front during World War II), but I found out so much about my grandparents, my uncle,  my aunts, and of course, my mom. And now for this birthday, I have the story ready to give not only to her, but also to my brothers and sisters.

The story I wrote is an oral history – a history told by one person and written down by another. These kinds of stories are invaluable, and kids can write them too.

Where to Start?

To begin, have your child find a person to interview. Look for someone at least two generations beyond his own, such as an elderly neighbor, a grandparent or great-grandparent, a pastor, etc. Have him ask that person if they would do an interview. You child might even ask if he could use a tape recorder during the interview so he doesn’t miss anything.

What Questions to Ask

Next, work with your child on coming up with some good questions. You’ll need basic questions such as:

• What is your full name?
• Where were you born?
• Where did you grow up?
• How many brothers and sisters did you have? Who was the oldest/youngest?
• What were your mom and dad’s names?
• Where were they from?

Then go from there. Your child can also include questions relating to the historical events the interviewee has lived through. Have the list ready, but don’t worry about following it exactly. When the interviewee begins talking, your child will find the conversation probably covers a lot of different topics he never considered. Be sure to have him take lots of notes as he does the interview.

Writing the Oral History

Come home, and begin writing! The notes he took probably don’t follow a particular sequence; it’s your child’s job as the writer to put everything in a logical order. Your child might just write about a certain time period, like a special holiday or a family vacation. Or he might write about his interviewee’s involvement in a war effort, a peace rally, or a civil rights movement.

Most likely, your child will have more information than he needs, but that’s okay. He’ll be able to write another story!

Photo by sean dreilinger

One way to supplement your child’s reading lessons is to play games with words. A fun game for children at all different reading levels is an alphabet scavenger hunt. To play, you’ll need:

• 4” x 6” notecards
• A pen or pencil
• A camera (optional)

Here’s what you do:

Start by writing the letter “A” on one of the notecards. Now, have your child search for something in the room that starts with the letter “A”.  Depending on where you are, they might find an apple, an ant (or aunt!), an animal, etc. If the child can’t find one, don’t let her give up – keep hunting!  Go to a different room or head outside.

After your child finds the object, have her draw a picture of it on the other side of the card. Or, if your child likes taking photos, have her take a photo of it. When you’re finished the hunt, you can print the photo and glue it to the back of the card.

Now it’s time to move on to the next letter. Have your child look for a “B” word this time – a book, a baby, a bird, a bug, or a brother. Draw the picture or take the photo and add it to the card.

What if your child only gets to letter “F”, and you run out of time? Remember, this activity is about the process, not the product. It’s okay if you can’t finish it all in one day. Just save your cards until another time and pick up where you left off.

You can also take this activity to new locations: the mall, the grocery store, or a park. Your child will have a great collection of alphabet cards and a lot of fun learning!

By Samantha Bell

Photo by ScienceWorldCA

We first started about 11 years ago, when my older three children were 1, 3, and 5 years old. Both of their granddads had passed away, and I wanted them to get to know an older man, sort of an “adopted grandpa.” We started visiting a gentleman there once a week, and we continued until he passed away about a year later. It was so good to watch the children interact with him, and I know he looked forward to our visits.

The nursing home then arranged for us to visit a grandma who rarely saw her family. We went once a week to talk with her for the next two years until she passed away. Through our conversations, we learned how she and her siblings made their own toys, put their milk in the creek to keep it cold, and ate cornbread for supper.

We are still visiting that same nursing home. These days we go once a month with friends to perform for the residents. Two of my children play piano and two play the violin. Others who come play the guitar, sing, recite, or even dance. After they’re finished, we go around and talk to each resident.

These visits have become invaluable for my family. What began as just something good to do has shaped my children into understanding and compassionate kids. They’re not worried or afraid when they see someone with extreme disabilities; they are able to go right up and talk to that person, even if that person is unable to answer them. They know the impact a touch on the hand or shoulder has on someone who can’t reach back. And they know the value of a hug for someone who is so lonely.

They’ve also gained confidence in standing up in front of people. The audience couldn’t be more gracious – they appreciate anything the kids do. Both beginning musicians and the more experienced ones are able to do well; even if they make mistakes, no one minds.

So if you’re looking for a community service opportunity for our kids, set up a visit. Just call your local nursing home, and they’ll get you in touch with the right person. It will be such a blessing for the residents – and a blessing for your family!

Homeschool Activities by SmartTutor.com

Article by Samantha Bell

Photo By Kara Newhouse