November 4, 2012
When most people think of J.R.R. Tolkien, they think of the Lord of the Rings, especially since the release of Peter Jackson’s movie version several years ago. However, Tolkien wrote The Hobbit first, and it is a reading experience that is not to be missed. Enter the world of Middle-Earth, home to hobbits, dwarves, wizards … Continue reading "Unit Study: The Hobbit"
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October 28, 2012
With frankenstorm Sandy on the way to hit the east coast, I thought to myself – why not make this a teachable moment! Here are some of our favorite books on storms: Storms (Reading Rainbow Book) Hurricanes Hurricanes! The Magic School Bus Inside A Hurricane Thunder Cake Home Science Tools has an article and some … Continue reading "Storms!"
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September 29, 2012
Evolution is a tough subject to find materials on in the homeschool world. So many science texts overlook it, for fear of offending someone or they are actively trying to disprove it. The theory of evolution is often misunderstood, or completely ignored. Yet it is an important element of science, and our children should know … Continue reading "Unit Study: Darwin and Evolution"
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September 17, 2012
In my many trips through the Ancients with my children, I’ve compiled a vast list of websites which we have explored. Sometimes you want to delve a bit more into a subject or you just want to see some photographs or maybe you want to add a splash of fun to your studies. Here are … Continue reading "Websites to Explore when studying The Ancient World"
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September 9, 2012
Spelling – one of the most important subjects, yet it also can be one of the most boring. I like to keep things fun and different, so in the spirit of my Narration cards used in every Build Your Library program, I created spelling task cards. Each card has a different activity to do with … Continue reading "Freebie – Spelling Task Cards"
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September 3, 2012
Living books are the soul of Build Your Library curriculum. But what is a living book? To me, a living book is a book that comes alive when you read it. It leaves a mark when you’ve finished reading and lives in your heart forever after. That might seem like a lot to ask of … Continue reading "Thoughts on Living Books"
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August 27, 2012
It’s back to school week for many homeschoolers and I thought it would be fun to share an activity that we have done in the past. I created a Book Scavenger Hunt for my kids and it was so much fun! We have a massive home library with books in every room of our house, … Continue reading "Freebie – Go on a Book Scavenger Hunt!"
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August 23, 2012
Narration is the backbone of Charlotte Mason’s philosophy and a major tenet of the Build Your Library curriculum. At its core, narration is simply telling back what you read or heard. It is a way to sharpen listening skills. Narration takes the place of reading comprehension and tests, you no longer need a list of … Continue reading "What is Narration?"
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August 19, 2012
If Narration is the backbone of Charlotte Mason’s philosophy, Dictation is the foundation of her language arts studies. It is a tried and true method and has been used successfully for centuries. If done correctly, dictation covers so many skills that it really can be the basis of any language arts program. It adequately covers … Continue reading "How Does Dictation Work?"
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August 15, 2012
I am passionate about history. It’s my favorite subject to teach and even in my free time I’m often reading historical fiction and history books or watching historical documentaries. But it took me several years to figure out how to set up a timeline. I couldn’t figure out a way to make one work … Continue reading "Timelines and Book of Centuries"
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