All kids love family movie night! Want to get your kids excited about their assigned reading? Try setting up a “book made into a movie” night with your family. It’s a great way to take the book beyond the pages.
Family Movie Night for Homeschoolers Read Post »
If you are looking for a fun, easy, and low-key way to make learning enjoyable in your homeschool for you and your child, then look no further than book based learning!
Easy Ways To Incorporate Book-Based Learning Read Post »
Running a book club for boys is very different than girls. You need to incorporate things that boys like and boys do to be successful. Find out how.
Running a Homeschool Book Club for Boys Read Post »
Summer is a great time to inspire a love for reading. You’ll discover 10 ways to bring summer reading into your home, family, and homeschooling lifestyle in this post that will both delight and surprise you.
Where to Find Books for Summer Homeschool Reading Read Post »
In this me-first society, it’s no wonder that 3.2 million kids are bullied each year. American narcism has helped to create a generation of cynical tweens and teens who lack empathy and compassion and who find it all too easy to tear others down instead of building them up. One way to widen an older child’s world, minimize a me-first mindset, and help him realize that there is something bigger than himself is by providing him with compassion-themed middle-grade fiction books. Great books, especially middle-grade titles that contain complex characters and themes, can enlarge a child’s vision and give him a glimpse into the life of a someone who is different from him—their culture and life circumstances. Fear is removed from that culture or circumstances because knowledge is gained. A well-read child can impact the word because he has a frame of reference for the world and all the people in it. In a story, truth sneaks up on a child and teaches him about character and life. The plot doesn’t have to preachy or naggy. It affects a reader indirectly rather than being overly explained. The best books are ones that touch on some heavy themes in an age-appropriate way, allowing a tween to feel the weight of hardships without being crushed by them. I’ve gathered a list of ten books that do just that—books that show the compassion and empathy of humanity through well-developed characters and plots. Although most of these can be read aloud to younger children, the complex themes make them most suitable as read alones for ages 8-12. 10 Books to Inspire Compassion and Empathy A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park Based on a true story, this book details the lives of two Sudanese children living at different times in history but experiencing the same ravages of civil war and impoverished communities. In a surprising twist, the lives of the two children collide in an act of mercy and compassion that ends up having a ripple effect on an entire nation. Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan The lives of three children scattered in various corners of the world are woven together by the common theme of social injustice and racial prejudice. Set against the backdrop of World War I, this story shows the resilience of children and their ability to forgive and rise strong. While the book is great, the orchestral additions and fantastic narrations of the audiobook version make it even better. Follow My Leader by James B. Garfield After a freak firecracker accident that causes him to go blind, a young bully must learn how to function without sight. His pride begins to hinder him as he’s faced with the same kind of harsh treatment from others that he used to dole out to them. Then one day, he’s introduced to a seeing-eye dog and his attitude about life, friendship, and blindness begins to change. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry When German troops march in to Denmark determined to “relocate” all the Jews, 10-year-old Annemarie and her family bravely risk their own personal freedom to help a rag-tag band of Jews find safety across the sea into Sweden. Based on the true story of the Danish resistance of WWII, this is a book of survival that reveals the true-life heroism of an entire country in the midst of unimaginable hardships. Star of Light by Patricia M. St. John In a desperate attempt to protect his little blind sister Kinza from being sold to a beggar, Hamid takes her and flees to a mountain village in North Africa. While there, he meets a missionary who gladly opens her heart and home to helpless street children. Hamid must swallow his pride and learn to accept the love she freely offers. The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare Hate seeks to consume a young Daniel bar Jamin. He wants nothing more than to avenge his father’s death by punishing every Roman he meets. But after one life-changing encounter with a carpenter named Jesus, Daniel’s emotional scars of bitterness begin to heal. He learns that hate never overcomes hate—only love can do that. The Cay by Theodore Taylor Despite his mother’s long-time warnings that people of color are “different,” young Phillip must put his generational prejudice aside and humbly accept the help and companionship of an old West Indian man after they are both tragically shipwrecked on an island. Phillip who sustained a severe head injury that took his sight, learns to see past race and social standing. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo This is the story of love lost and love regained. When a China rabbit grows arrogant and takes love for granted, he finds himself on the receiving end of a spell that will change his life forever. He’s cast out of the only home he’s ever known. Lost and alone, he sets out on a journey to rediscover gratitude and contentment. The Ostrich and Other Lost Things by Beth Hautala 11-year-old Olivia Grant has reached an age when her older brother’s autism diagnosis begins to mean new things for her and her family. She struggles to find her place in this delicate sibling relationship. In her misguided effort to help him find “normal,” she learns a powerful lesson about unconditional love. Twenty and Ten by Claire Huchet Bishop When a group of French school children and their head mistress, Sister Gabriel, are asked to hide ten Jewish refugees from the invading German troops during WWII, they volunteer with bravery. In the day-to-day struggles of keeping their secret hidden, the French children discover that they have more in common with their charges than they ever imagined. They all learn that joy, fear, friendship, and love are universal emotions. The titles I’ve curated here all show the truth of humanity but also provide some kind of redemption. Tweens don’t need to read books that leave them with no resolve, no answers, no take-aways. Messy endings are too
10 Books to Inspire Compassion and Empathy in Homeschooled Tweens Read Post »
A living math book presents mathematical concepts in real life context, through the power of story. A living math book is not a text book but a book with a storyline, which happens to have math skills integrated into the plot.
Using Books to Teach Homeschool Math Skills Read Post »
photo credit Sharyn Morrow, flickr Dr. Seuss has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My mom spent countless hours reading the same Seuss books to me over and over again. I did the same for my kids. In fact, The Cat in the Hat was the first book I purchased when I knew we were starting our family. I have incorporated Dr. Seuss in our homeschooling from the very beginning. It’s very easy and fun to homeschool with Dr. Seuss. Homeschooling with Dr. Seuss: Subjects Let’s start at the beginning. ABC: An Amazing Alphabet Book was one of our first books when we started “official school”. It was the perfect transition from the various Suess books that we read each night to naturally use Dr. Seuss in our home learning. The alphabet was just the beginning. We learned about the human body, the solar system, and even the weather. Who knew there were so many? He even did editorial cartoons during World War II. Want some more specific ways to learn with Dr. Seuss? Introduction to Rhymes It was fairly easy for my children to understand the phonic families when you add different consonants to an ending like “-at”. Bat. Cat. Hat. You get the idea. But when it came time for them to find a word on their own to finish “-at” without the lesson actually giving the consonant, they were stumped. I actually pulled out my trusted Seuss books again and while reading them, I would point out the words that had the same endings. It helped to show how phonic families exist in the real world. Writing Poetry Very soon after we learned phonic families, it was time to start teaching them about poetry. To say they were less than thrilled was an understatement. While I loved to share Robert Frost and Shel Silverstein, my kids had no desire to write poetry. Again, Seuss to the rescue. I knew they loved One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish. They just didn’t realize that it was poetry. There were rhyming words, a repeating rhythm, and a story was told. My children just needed permission to be silly. Dr. Seuss gave them that permission. Speaking of poetry, I have to mention tongue twisters. Yes, many of the books include tongue twisters but did you know there is a book dedicated just to tongue twisters!! Give that challenge to a beginning reader. Expanding Vocabulary If it weren’t for Dr. Seuss’ Sleep Book, we might not even know what a Hinkle-Horn Honker is or that they honk themselves to sleep. Thanks to Dr. Seuss, we all have expanded our vocabulary a little. While many of the words might not be “real” words, they have given us all encouragement to learn new words. Isn’t it fun to sometimes use words that you know no one else knows what you are talking about? It’s like your very own secret language. More Resources from Homeschool Moms As Dr. Seuss is a favorite author of so many, I just have to share some favorite ways to incorporate Dr. Seuss in your homeschool: Are You My Mother? Unit Study by Susan Evans (She even shares how to make Crazy Dr Seuss Hats!) Ashley Fox shares her You Tube playlist of Dr. Seuss books Amy Milcic has an awesome list of printables and activities for specific books. Want to learn how to draw like the illustrations we all love? Tricia Hodges has you covered. What are your favorite Dr. Seuss books and how do you incorporate them into your homeschool?
Homeschooling With Dr. Seuss Read Post »
How to make read alouds work for your family. We all know that reading aloud is important for children. Here’s how to make read-alouds work for your family.
How to Make Read Alouds Work for Your Homeschool Family Read Post »
A large part of our homeschool day includes learning through Literature-based unit studies. So how do I teach kids who can’t read very well using stories? While I could (and sometimes do) feel like a failure as a reading teacher, I have found ways to incorporate my love of books into our homeschool day with even the most reluctant of readers.
Helping Reluctant Readers Enjoy Literature-based Unit Studies Read Post »
Drop Everything and Read Day is celebrated yearly on April 12th to honor the birthday of beloved children’s author Beverly Cleary. D.E.A.R. Day is a day for families to get together, enjoy each other’s company, and read. While this sounds like a typically day in the life of a homeschool family, it’s always fun to mix things up a bit and create memories your children will cherish for a lifetime.
How to Celebrate D.E.A.R. Day in Your Homeschool Read Post »