Have you ever thought about how to teach your kids about taking care of God's earth from a Christian worldview? I know I have! So much media attention is given to "saving the animals" (from the same people who support abortion) and "saving the earth" but most of the messages that come from these movements are liberal in nature. Animals and the earth are elevated above humans and given more Continue Reading >>
George’s Canyon Hike with Children
I read a bunch on-line about the George's Canyon Hike before we headed out and I was almost too discouraged to go. People were talking about galloping horses, horse manure, poison oak, and a "too-easy trail." I saw enough to encourage me however, so away we went. It was a Monday and Mondays appear to be a very good day to hike this trail if our experience was typical. We only passed two other Continue Reading >>
Hands-On Homeschool Projects for Happily Homeschooled Kids
What exactly is a Hands-On Homeschool? What makes a curricula hands-on? Why does it even matter if my curricula is hands-on or not? If you have a struggling learner, a sad, angry learner, or a dull, boring classroom-style homeschool you might need to introduce more hands-on into your homeschool. It's pretty easy to come up with a definition. Hands-On Homeschool = Touching + Doing = Learning. But I Continue Reading >>
Homeschooling In Crisis
Real life happens. It is inevitable! And real life comes with a certain dose of reality. Trouble. Pain. Suffering. Crisis. What happens to your homeschool when the crisis hits? I have blogged often about the crisis we face regularly with my trachea but it occurs to me that I have never blogged about how we deal with that in our homeschool. I have Continue Reading >>
Field Trips: My Ticket to Delight-Directed Teaching
I have a thing for field trips. In fact, when I grow up I want to be Ms. Frizzle. You know, the crazy lady from The Magic School Bus™? She is always taking her students on the most amazing fieldtrips. I don't think they ever stay in the classroom! Even the most hesitant students end up learning every bit of information on a given subject. It's like the perfect learning environment. "The Frizz" Continue Reading >>
Preschool Pirate Birthday Party Ideas (Jake and the Neverland Pirates)
My handsome birthday twins decided they wanted a Jake and the Neverland Pirates cake. A sword cake they said. They had no idea I was going to go a little further this year with our theme. In what was a complete departure from the norm, I invited our wonderful friends over to share in the day. I threw a little pirate birthday party. I didn't even call it a party, but we had a piñata and we had Continue Reading >>