Centennial Park fountain in Dunnville, Ontario This particular frieze was her favourite. Because it's a girl. Because it's a canoe. Because it reminds her of herself. It reminds me of her too, but also of E. Pauline Johnson, one of my favourite Canadian poets. As we looked at the sculpted panel, I told my daughter … Continue reading The Best Kind of Learning
What do you picture when you think of the Middle Ages? Do you imagine castles and knights and damsels in distress? What about smelly cess pits or teeth-pulling barbers or the bubonic plague? There are so many interesting things to learn about when studying medieval times. I've always found the Middle Ages to be the … Continue reading Living Books and Other Resources for Medieval History Studies
What's so great about a vernal pool? A lot, it turns out. For us, it all started with a picture book. A beautifully illustrated picture book by Kimberly Ridley called The Secret Pool. It's a book that is absolutely packed with information about vernal pools, seasonal ponds that provide a habitat for a variety of … Continue reading Homeschool Nature Study: What’s so Great about a Vernal Pool?
There's something so beautiful about the wide open space of a new calendar year, isn't there? It's a chance to start fresh. The first few months of school have centered around creating routine and a sense of normalcy for my girls in the midst of challenging circumstances. Although we start our school day a little … Continue reading Starting the New Year with A Year of Tales
Charlotte Mason Style Watercolor LessonIf I'm honest, I have to admit that art is the first thing to fall by the wayside when homeschooling gets busy. It's not just because I find drawing stick people a challenge, it's also the mess that bothers me. Paint splatters, pastel dust, spilled watercolours ... and don't get me … Continue reading Bringing Art Into The Homeschool When You’re Not Artistically Inclined
"Are these my books for homeschool?" My five-year old eagerly eyes the stack of books beside me on the table. I'm inputting lesson schedules into a newly-discovered online planning program and she's right at my elbow. We're almost buried in the stacks of books around us. "Some of these are yours." I pull her few books … Continue reading Our 2019-2020 Homeschool Curriculum Choices for Kindergarten
Every morning, we gather in the living room/dining room. These conjoined rooms are the hub of our home, the place where we spend the bulk of our time. We eat here, read here, talk here and homeschool here. Our house is small, so this is also the place where we entertain guests. It's a space … Continue reading Homeschooling in a Multifunctional Space (A Homeschool Room Tour)
When we first started homeschooling, I purchased a math curriculum for my oldest daughter that was far too advanced for her and didn't suit her learning style. At all. Every day, she would cry. And every day, I would force her to do that particular math program anyway. (I still cringe when I think about … Continue reading Our Favorite Homeschool Math Curriculum (A Teaching Textbooks 3.0 Review)
It's officially summer break (with the exception of some leftover math and spelling lessons), and I'll soon be sitting down to schedule and plan curriculum for the fall. I already have most of what we'll need for next year, which is a wonderful feeling. Since I love reading about other people's curriculum choices, I thought … Continue reading Our 2019-2020 Homeschool Curriculum Choices for Grades 3 and 4
SUMMARY A Standard of Grace, by Emily Ley, is a guided journal designed to help busy moms slow down, dream a little and prioritize the things that matter most. With two writing prompts per week and plenty of space to jot down thoughts, this hardcover book also contains a weekly Bible verse and inspirational reading, … Continue reading Book Review: A Standard of Grace (Guided Journal)
