Tag

homeschool resources

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Best Gun Violence Awareness Book For Teens

Long-Way-Down-Study-Guide

Today is National Gun Violence Awareness Day. It also kicks off Wear Orange weekend, a movement to honor the millions of lives taken or forever changed by gun violence. In recognition of this day, I’m sharing a book recommendation for teens that brings this issue to light in one incredible read: Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds. Long Way Down tackles teenage gun violence in short, staccato verse. The entire plot takes place in 60 seconds—the time it takes for Will to decide if he is going to kill his brother's murderer—and it’s told through poetry.[...]

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Two Historical Fiction Books For Teaching US History

Historical-Fiction-US-History

Our homeschool writing class recently finished two important historical novels: How I Became a Ghost by Tim Tingle and 40 Acres and Maybe a Mule by Harriette Gillem Robinet. Both are middle grade (ages 10 and up), and are short, easy reads, but substantial in content, shining a spotlight on particular moments in U.S. history: Indian Removals in 1830, and the early months of Reconstruction (1865). 1. How I Became A Ghost by Tim Tingle Written by a Choctaw storyteller, Tim Tingle, How I Became a Ghost tells the story of a young boy and his family forced to le[...]

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Fostering Historical Empathy Through the Seeds Of America Trilogy

Homeschool-Resources-Seeds-of-America-Trilogy

“Indeed, how well we do—whether in the classroom or the boardroom—depends more than ever on how well we forge and navigate relationships. In this way, empathy is the new literacy: essential for us to communicate, collaborate and lead.”  (From the Start Empathy website) So much depends on our ability to consider the perspective of another—from our ability to foster healthy relationships to our success as a nation and equitable world. Empathy is commonly referred to as an essential leadership quality, and Brené Brown has talked extensively on[...]

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Teaching a multi-perspective United States History: A Homeschoolers resource

Homeschool-US-History

I’ve been preparing for our 8th grade homeschool, a large portion of which will be US History and modern day revolutions. I’m looking forward to diving deep into our country’s history.  As for my own education, I remember receiving only trivial bits and pieces of America’s roots: a worksheet on Martin Luther King Jr., a paragraph here on the Pilgrims and Indians, a Weekly Reader there on The Gold Rush. I recall a junior high school history class, but not much from the oversized textbook; never a critical look at Manifest Destiny, never a meaningfu[...]

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A Seventh Grade World/Homeschool

Homeschool-Resources-Middle-School-History-Language Arts

My daughter’s educational journey (outside of the home) began at a PreSchool/Kindergarten inspired by Waldorf. She spent her elementary school years at a small Montessori school.  I began dreaming about homeschool when Elle was around nine years old. I’d read Home Grown by Ben Hewitt and started envisioning a life of learning alongside Elle . . . a life of connection: to our world, to people and place. I had a strong desire to unschool myself. I wanted to feel the interconnectedness of everything, which I hadn’t experienced in my[...]

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more for the suddenly at-home-schoolers

Homeschool-Resources

You’re working from home. You’re managing meals and your kids’ education. You are socially isolated and figuring out how to live in this uncertain time. Of course you are overwhelmed!  Here are the tips I covered on the previous blog for new homeschoolers: Create a rhythm or schedule (without trying to turn your home into school)Add warmth to your home Today’s tip: Set up space Creating individual work space is nourishing and will help everyone function better. Your kids may have fun finding an area where they can easily stor[...]

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to the suddenly at-home-schoolers

Homeschool-Resources

Are you homebound with your kids and wondering what in the world to do? My number one advice is this: Don’t try to turn your home into school. Seasoned homeschoolers know this, and I learned it right away when we started our home-education. It’s especially true right now . . . take a deep breath, don’t stress about academics at the moment . . . we are mentally and emotionally strained as it is. We are uneasy and uncertain as we navigate this time of confinement due to COVID-19.  What we can do is give our home the attention it may need. We[...]