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Ancient Egypt Read Aloud Books – 2nd Time Through
We are pretty relaxed/eclectic homeschoolers, but one subject we’ve continued to approach in a more orderly manner over the years is history. We start at the beginning of time and then work through all of history to the present day. Rinse and repeat!
As I’ve stated many times in past posts our main approach to learning history has been through reading living books. This has been a very rewarding way to learn history and has helped me and my kids have a more full picture of history, rather than just learning and regurgitating important dates.
This year we have also added in The Mystery of History as our spine. It’s been a nice addition for us!
This past fall we started the whole history cycle again beginning with Ancient History. And we just recently finished going through Ancient Egypt for the 2nd time. (Here are the activities we did and books we read the first time we studied Ancient Egypt four years ago.)
History Timeline
For the past four years we’ve put all significant historical events on our history timeline (we did this using butcher paper and having the kids draw the events on the paper.)
Having fun with our giant timeline on butcher paper
Since we started the whole history cycle again this past fall, I decided we’d change it up, so instead of drawing historical events on butcher paper, I bought each of the kids their own timeline book. They are really enjoying the timeline books so far!
Big sister (9th grade!) is actually taking world history (using this curriculum) at a local co-op this year, so she doesn’t typically join in on our read-alouds, but she IS doing the timeline book with her younger brothers.
Three different interpretations of King Tut
List of Ancient Egypt Read Aloud Books (2nd Time Around)
Here are the books we did as read-alouds for Ancient Egypt this year.
The Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt
The Riddle of the Rosetta Stone
Unwrapping the Pharaohs: How Egyptian Archaeology Confirms the Biblical Timeline
This year we have an 8th grader, a 6th grader, and a 2nd grader. Below are our curriculum picks for the 2021-2022 year.
This year I used Plan Your Year: Homeschool Planning for Purpose and Peace by Pam Barnhill while planning and found it to be helpful in organizing and prioritizing our goals for the year. As the kids get older, there are more opportunities for things to get involved in, and the ideas in this book helped me form a framework that has allowed me to see more clearly what activities to say yes and no to.
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I take more of an unschooling approach to writing with this kiddo. She does write often on her own, mainly fan fiction. She also writes for her creative writing class at our new co-op. As a natural writer, she loves to write and does best when she does so in a real-life setting that has a purpose.
We are doing a couple of different book clubs this year. This has been a great fit as she has been challenged to read books she wouldn’t normally read and also has the joy of getting to discuss them with others.
We are continuing to use Writeshop which has been an amazing fit for this kiddo. It’s the perfect combination of fun and structure and we’ve really enjoyed using it. Writeshop includes grammar practice, presented in a colorful way. 🙂
We also do creative journal entries and have introduced some dictation this year (Dictation is when I read a few sentences from a book that he’s reading on his own and he has to copy what he hears into a journal.) Dictation is a gentle and natural way to practice spelling and punctuation/capitalization.
Reading/Language Arts:
Explode the Code – After many years, he just finished this series. 🙂
Book-wise, this kiddo usually has a good idea of what he wants to read. He spends a couple of hours a day reading, and these are some of his favorite series.
Math:
Masterbooks math – This is our main math curriculum for this child.
Math-It – He does this once a week to stay on top of his math facts.
Making friends with numbers – We discovered this fun workbook this past summer and it’s been a great resource for extra practice with multiplication facts.
Music
Piano lessons
Choir and recorder/drums/ukelele class through a local music academy.
The Good and the Beautiful Math – I received this at a discounted price last year and he enjoys it so we’ve continued to use it!
Math-It: We use this for daily math facts practice
STEM:
Kiwi Crates – Every month we get a kiwi crate in the mail and it is always a highlight for this kiddo.
For Everyone:
**The following subjects we do together during our “morning time”. We generally do Bible and History every day, and then loop/rotate the other subjects. This helps me stay sane! 🙂
Bible:
Picture-Smart Bible – We are almost done with the new testament, and will be moving to the old soon.
History:
Living Books exploring U.S. History. We plot the major events on our timeline as we go. Most of our books were purchased through Beautiful Feet Books – New Early American Intermediate Pack. We also got some from the middle and high school packs.
Guest Hollow Anatomy – This has been a lot of fun so far. All three kids are enjoying it (I pick and choose from both the junior and high school curriculums.) We especially love the hands-on projects!
Latin:
Getting Started With Latin by William E. Linney, though rather plain, has been a great fit for us. The pace at which the lessons move has worked really well.
Art:
Living Art Lessons – The boys and I are working through this book. It is pretty much an open-and-go art program and we are really enjoying it. We just finished up learning all about ‘lines’.
If there’s one question that I mull over way too much regarding my kids’ education it’s this: How do I find the balance, or sweet spot between pushing too much and not pushing enough.
Anyone else with me?
In my beginning years of homeschooling, I thought the more challenge and work the better, and that this would result in a more “educated” person. But as the years went on, I’ve seen the value in giving them the breathing room to explore their interests and letting their own motivation drive their learning.
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I know challenging my kiddos is important, but when taken to the extreme it can cause burnout. On the flip side, I know taking a relaxed approach can yield many benefits, but can also sometimes lead to laziness.
So how do you find the balance?
In Sarah Mackenzie’s book “Teaching From Rest” (which I try to read just about every year because of all the wonderful nuggets of practical wisdom), she writes:
“If studiousness is a virtue worth cultivating, I find that I am drawn toward vice on either side of it. On the one hand, I am drawn to steamroll over my kids, to lord over them with checklists and grade levels withouth regard to their nature as unique persons made in the image of God. On the other, I am drawn to negligence or carelessness. I comfort myself with adages about children learning all the time and, hoping that my child will encounter an idea for himself without my interference, fail to form my student’s affections out of fear that such work is coercion or manipulation.”
I can relate to this so much! The pull between pushing too much, and not pushing enough is a real struggle.
Motivation drives learning, and diligence is worth cultivating.
I do think there is tremendous value in a self-driven child. Many days I’m amazed at what my kids get done when it’s done completely of their own volition.
When their work comes from a place of self-motivation, it has more meaning to them and they remember more of what they’re learning about. Letting them take ownership in their learning is empowering for them and increases motivation.
Yet it’s true that in the real world, you sometimes have to do things you’d rather not. Diligence is also a discipline worth cultivating.
Light the fire, but then remember to stoke it.
One of my favorite quotes about education is “Education is not the filling of a bucket, but the lighting of a fire.” Mackenzie takes it a step further and says “…but we must remember that a fire does indeed need to be lit, and then stoked, or else it will burn out.”
Having recently returned from a week of camping (and many hours spent around the campfire), this point is especially vivid to me. I’m reminded that just like a campfire needs to be stoked and tended to – in order to stay robust, our kids sometimes need our prodding and guidance to help them.
Some days I’m going to get it wrong by pushing too much. Other days, I’ll probably let laziness go too far. That’s ok. Hopefully most days, I’m finding myself stoking the fire of learning…
The Middle Ages span the years from (roughly) 500-1400 AD. It’s the millennium that bridges ancient history with modern history.
The Middle Ages were characterized by everything from lack of literacy (only a small percentage of people could read or write) to the building of the most magnificent cathedrals and castles, to the writing of the Magna Carta (which initiated the idea that everyone needed to yield to the law, even the king.)
Here is a list of books we read to learn about the Middle Ages, and a few extra that we hope to read the next time around (we do history in cycles, so we will be circling back to the Middle Ages in a few years!)
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Reference Books
The Magna Charta by James Daugherty- Written in a narrative style, this book is jam-packed with information about the Magna Carta, a historic document that influenced government moving forward. My history lover enjoyed this one! However, t’s a bit of a dry read (for a non-history lover.) Good for ages 10+.
How Should We Then Live? by Francis Schaeffer – This is not specific to the Middle Ages, but includes one chapter devoted to the Middle Ages and I highly recommend reading this book alongside studying history with your kids to give you a better foundation of the history of Western Culture. If you want a broad picture of history from a Christian worldview, this is THE book to read. It starts with Ancient Rome and moves on to the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Reformation, and beyond. Considering the times we are living in, I think this book is more relevant than ever.
Leif the Lucky by Ingri & Edgar D’aulaire – Leif, a Viking who lived in the 900’s , was a Norse explorer (his family was known for settling Greenland.) Exploring was more of a characteristic of the Renaissance but because his life fell during the time of the Middle Ages, I’ve placed this book here. Great illustrations and good for younger kids.
Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli – A short novel about a boy who is sent away to become a knight, but he loses use of his legs and therefore dream is squashed. A story of bravery and character.
Trumpeter of Krakow by Eric P. Kelly – This takes place near the end of the middle ages in Poland. It was a captivating historical fiction story of a famiy who has a great treasure and must keep it hidden for the safety of everyone. It gets into the wrong hands and things take a wild turn. Gives a good depiction of the danger of living during this time.
A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park- My daughter read this on her own but enjoyed it. Takes place in 12th century Korea.
Adam of the Road by Elizabeth Janet Gray- Newberry Honor Book. Set in 13th century England, this book follows the adventures of a young minstrel boy, Adam. This book stays true to 13th century England.
Beowulf by Michael Morpurgo- An easier take on the classic. This was perfect for a first run-through of the story. We highly enjoyed this read.
The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman (not in picture) – An easy read that will captivate your young learner. Highly fictitious, but fun and still gives a feel for what the middle ages were like.
Pendragon Trilogy by Stephen Lawhead- We tried the first book of this trilogy as an audio read-aloud, and while my husband and daughter enjoyed it, it was too intense for my 10-year-old, so I recommend it for older readers.
My youngest, age 6, enjoyed doing medieval chalk pastel art as his primary way of learning about this time period (there may be one or two Renaissance time period pictures in there too!) He is definitely a kiddo who learns through activity and this was a great way for him to learn about the Middle Ages in an age-appropriate way.
We actually started on this school year in the beginning of August (with a two-week break in September as we explored Custer, Yellowstone, and the Grand Tetons)
Like I say every year, none of this is set in stone, but it is our plan for the year for now.
We now have three readers in the house, which is super exciting. And wow, does it make a difference!
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I’m kind of winging it for my daughter’s writing this year. I’ve gone back and forth with the idea of unschooling writing for her, signing her up for a class, or doing a more rigorous curriculum. The fact of the matter is she has high aptitude for writing and some of her best writing has come when she is not prompted. With that being said, if I do feel we need to beef up her writing requirements, I will probably use Bravewriter Writing Projects.
Math:
Life of Fred – She’ll be finishing pre-algebra and moving into algebra this year. Life of Fred continues to be an amazing fit for her.
Becuase Life of Fred Math has been such a great fit, we decided to try their lanugage arts books. They are technically for high schoolers but from the reviews I read, many said they used them successfully with their middle schoolers, so we thought we’d give them a try. So far so good!
Independent reading – 1 book per month from a list I made for her on top of all the other reading she does (she’s a re-reader, so most often I’ll find her in a book she’s already read!)
Writeshop – This writing curriculum is more structured than what we’re used to, but so far it has been a good fit for this particular kiddo. It’s gentle and not too intimidating, and covers many different genres. And as a bonus – it includes a colorful “fold-n-go” grammar practice.
Independent reading on own – we decide books together.
Math:
Masterbooks math – We needed a change for math this year, and heard a lot about Masterbooks, and so far it’s a great fit! This kid needed more structure and review than Life of Fred offers.
S.Q.U.I.L.T. – I love how this curriculum is open and go. And even though I have a music background it’s nice to have something that’s already prepared.
Other:
Kiwi Crates (we switch between Kiwi, Tinker, Atlas, Doodle and love them all!)
Kiwi Crate on the Human Body
These our our curriculum picks for 2020-2021. They are bound to be tweaked at least a bit, but this is the plan for now!
Given the current unprecedented circumstances, otherwise known as COVID-19, many are considering homeschooling this fall. In this post I outline my BEST homeschooling tips. I hope they are helpful!
Homeschooling is a beautiful choice for many families, but during these crazy times, it can feel more like crisis schooling (even for those of us who have been homeschooling for years!) My heart goes out to those of you who feel you have no choice, but to homeschool.
Ideally, one comes into homeschooling with a sense of hope and excitement, and I know for many of you, you simply feel it is your only choice with the given circumstances. I hope you can use this time to make lemonade out of the lemons presented.
Because I’m an “always” homeschooler, rather than an “unexpected” homeschooler, I can’t fully empathize with those finding themselves in this position. However, I tried my darndest to put myself into the shoes of a FIRST-TIME homeschooler (whether it’s temporary, or a permanent decision.)
If I were to sit down over a cup of coffee and chat homeschooling with you this would be my general advice.
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6 Tips for Homeschooling “Newbies”
1.) Simplify Academics – Focus On the Three R’s
In days of old, they focused on the three R’s: Reading, (W)riting, and ‘Rithmetic. These three subjects build on each other, and should have more of a focus. Whether you’re pulling out of brick and mortar school for just a season, or considering homeschooling indefinitely, these are the basic skills needed for learning.
I don’t typically advise buying an all in one boxed curriculum (it was a flop for us!), but I understand the temptation to do so. To see an example of how we pull many different resources together, check out this curriculum picks post.
Rigid schedules can be stifling, while routines give life. Plan a general flow to your day, so your kiddos know what is coming next, and you’re not re-inventing the wheel each day.
While classrooms need to have rigid schedules to manage so many children, a huge benefit of homeschooling is the flexibility it allows to your daily flow. Take advantage of it!
Check out Cindy West’s Master Class for more help in this area:
The subjects above do not build on each other, so you can’t really get behind in them. However, if you have a high schooler who will be going back to brick and mortar school, you’ll want to make sure they cover the class they’ll be missing. (for example, Biology is generally covered in 9th grade)
For history, if it were me and you were here across my kitchen table, I’d say pick a time in history you’d like to learn more about and read some great living books with your kids. If you want a full picture on how we do history, check out my post on How We Do History – Textbook Free! History is my favorite subject because I’ve learned so much alongside my kiddos!
4.) Don’t Try to Recreate School at Home
Homeschooling looks different than a classroom. Homeschooling is not the same as school at home. And that’s one reason so many people do it! This took me a bit of time to understand, but now that I do, it has freed me up to focus more on doing life with my kids and learning together rather than trying to make our home look like a classroom. Some refer to it as lifeschooling.
One of the greatest benefits of homeschooling during such a technological age is the opportunity to outsource classes, from the comfort of your home. You can get dinner ready, or rest those eyes for a bit, while the kiddos continue to learn!
These are some classes I highly recommend:
Chalk Pastel Art – Nana is a delight! Her ‘I Drew It Then I Knew It’ classes that cover many events in history are perfect for those kids who ‘learn by doing’.
No Sweat Science Live – Just turn on the video and the kids can watch and interact with Ms. Cindy. They complete a nature journal page during the lesson. For grades 1-8. Great for a nature-smart kid!
SQUILT Music – Mary has curated all the material. All you need to do is open the lesson, and go! Works for a variety of ages.
Carole Joy Seid’s Homeschool Made Simple – Carole Joy Seid is a homeschool veteran who focuses on keeping homeschooling SIMPLE. This DVD resource is best for those considering homeschooling for the long haul. This is a Christian based resource that revolutionized our homeschool. I consulted with Carole back in 2016 and her advice changed the trajectory for my late reader.
In the UK they have a common phrase that’s heard when people are stepping onto the train platform. “Mind the gap.” The “gap” refers to the space between the platform and the train. And one should be careful to step over it and not into it. Cuz, yikes, that wouldn’t be good!
Gaps are scary.
And not just literal gaps, but figurative gaps, you know like… *ahem* education gaps. Or let’s get more personal. HOMESCHOOLING gaps.
As a new homeschooler, one of my main goals was making sure we would NOT have education gaps. In fact, that was THE motivating factor in me buying an all in one boxed curriculum for our first two years. The idea of gaps made me tremble in my boots.
Nevermind that there was very little joy using the boxed curriculum. It was my safety net. It meant that I was doing things right and we were going to cover all our bases.
I often wish I could go back to my first year of homeschooling, and start a little bit differently, a little bit more gently, listening to the interests of my kiddo more.
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Gaps have continued to haunt me over the years.
And I know I’m not alone! Right?
This past year was really the first year that I’ve begun to accept that gaps are inevitable AND that they are OK, and *GASP* even to be embraced!
“Not every person needs to know the same things, let alone all things.”
Every education includes gaps.
A big “a-ha” moment for me was when I truly considered how all educations have gaps.
Think about this… Did you learn everything you needed to know for life in school, or have you had to learn things “on the fly”?
Guess what? When you taught yourself something new, you were filling in a gap!
Public school. Private school. Charter school. Homeschool.
You name it. There are gaps.
There is beauty in the gaps.
Gaps mean our kiddos are spending a good chunk of time studying their interests, rather than only filling their minds with information the curriculum or standards deem important. Or worse yet, learning something ONLY because it’s going to be on a standardized test.
Gaps mean our kids are growing in skills that they are excited about, and may possibly pursue a career in someday.
Children are more likely to retain information when they’re curious in a subject matter.
And if we’re so busy dotting all of our i’s and crossing our t’s, we’re missing out on those curious moments, and guess what, those are gaps too! And in my opinion, those gaps are much more grievous.
If we spend our days trying to “mind the gap” in our kid’s education, there may not be time or energy left for them to dive into their interests.
So rather than “minding the gap”, maybe we should keep in mind our child’s interests in our homeschool environment.
Education is not the filling of a bucket but the lighting of a fire.
With the 2018-19 school year all done (not that we really ever stop, because the learning is always happening!), I wanted to look back at what we accomplished this last year. Here is our Read Aloud Book Log from 2018-2019.
As you will see, many tied in with our study of ancient history. These are the books I read aloud with my 9 and 11-year-old.
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Read Aloud Book Log for 2018-2019
On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness – The first book in the Wingfeather Saga, this book is Andrew Peterson’s first novel, full of fantasy, humor and adventure. And the character’s have the best names!
Adam & His Kin – Written by Ruth Beechick, Adam & His Kin gives a picture of what life was like from Adam to Abram. Should be read alongside the book of Genesis. This book helped us to see Adam, Noah, Abram, etc. as real people.
A Cry From Egypt – One of my daughter’s now favorites! A Cry From Egypt, which is a Christian Historical Fiction novel, was a crowd pleaser for sure. It helped us to see what it might have been like to be living as a Jew during the time of the ten plagues and the exodus.
Golden Goblet – A book that gives a picture of what it was like to live as a common Egyptian in Ancient Egypt. Gives a great picture of what Ancient Egyptian culture was like with fantastic detail. A little slow to start but then it picks up. This was a favorite of my son’s.
In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson – We read this during the start of baseball season this year. It’s a sweet story about a Chinese immigrant girl moving to New York.
Adara – Another historical fiction novel (set in the period of the Kings from the Bible). This one takes place during the time of General Naaman. This book gave good insight into what life was like during that time. Kind of slow, but still liked by my kids.
Amon’s Adventure: A Family Story for Easter – We read this the weeks leading up to Easter and it was a favorite! This book certainly made the time of lent more meaningful for us, and will be read again many times I’m sure! It helped us reflect on the power and beauty of Jesus’s resurrection.
Jotham’s Journey: A Storybook for Advent – This was our third time reading this one! We always read to coincide with the advent season. A powerful little story that always helps us reflect on the meaning of Christmas.
Theras & His Town – This was one was slow to start and we almost stopped reading it. HOWEVER, this was perhaps one of the most surprising novels, because we ended up enjoying this one immensely. And it was especially good for teaching the differences between Athenian and Spartan culture. A fabulous living book.
Wanderings of Odysseus – Written by Rosemary Sutcliff, this is great retelling of the Odyssey. Still working through (we had to break so we could read Britfield because I’m writing a review for it!)
Britfield – This is the book we are currently reading. Loving it so far. Has a historical fiction “feel” but set in modern times. I’m personally loving the setting of England. A unique story with a great plot. This one comes out in August! www.britfield.com
Mysterious Benedict Society – We listened to this one on audiobook. It’s about 4 smart kids who go on a mysterious mission. It’s full of codes, puzzles, and intrigue.
Tale of Despereaux – An endearing story about a mouse (who talks!), a rat, a servant, and a princess.
Farmer Boy – The story of Almanzo’s (Laura Ingall’s Wilder’s husband) childhood growing up on a farm. Has the same feel as the Little House books. We listened to this one on audiobook. Great for the whole family!
Anne of Green Gables – Anne is one of my favorite characters and though I love the movie I had never read the book until this year. We chose to listen on Audiobook.
Crenshaw – This is a story about a family who is going through a difficult time, and a boy and his imaginary friend. It’s a touching story that my kids really enjoyed.
Wizard of Oz – This was our third time through this classic. Always a favorite! We listened to the audiobook version read by Anne Hathaway.
Escape From Mr. Lemoncello’s Library – With a similar feel to Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, this is a fun quirky book that would make a great summer read! If you’re well acquainted with children’s literature, this book is sure to delight as there are so many references to children’s books.
Shiloh – Ok, I’ll admit, the kids listened to this one on their own! It was a short audiobook we did over just a few car trips. I remember enjoying this as a child so I thought my kids might like it too. It’s a moving story about a boy saving a dog. Phyllis Reynolds Naylor is one of my kids’ favorite authors.
It’s been a week since we were at the Great Homeschool Convention in St. Louis, MO, and I have been thinking about and implementing a lot of what we learned or re-learned. And most of it’s not even related to homeschooling!
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Packing
Okay – a few notes on packing…
We should’ve brought even more food than we did. We spent more on dining out than planned. Next time I’m keeping it simple with PBJs for lunches.
Having a backpack was essential! There were lots of handouts, papers, not to mention the items we bought in the exhibit hall. Some people even had rolling crates. I think I even saw a toddler napping in a wagon! Genius!
Concerts
We enjoyed both concerts – Andrew Peterson and Slugs and Bugs. The kids were ecstatic to get a picture with and signed tickets from Randall Goodgame. We laminated them to use as bookmarks! 🙂
Kids with Randall Goodgame of Slugs and Bugs and his daughter
Speakers
Dr. Kathy Koch
We were blessed to hear Dr. Kathy speak twice. I would have loved to have attended more of her sessions but there were so many sessions we wanted to hear, it just didn’t work out. But I did get a lot of great takeaways from those two sessions.
Meeting Dr. Kathy in the exhibit hall
#1 Takeaway – Talk about the behavior you WANT to see.
For example, instead of “You’re so rude”, use “I look forward to the day you can talk kindly.”.
When you focus on what behavior you’re looking for, it gives hope and tools for change.
#2 Takeaway – Use Consistent comebacks
Consistent comebacks have helped me immensely. It’s very empowering to have tools in your toolbox that are easy to implement and that WORK! These comebacks have aided me in not getting entangled in otherwise fruitless (and draining) conversations this week.
Here are a few examples. There are many more in Dr. Kathy’s new book Start With the Heart.
Kid says:
“I can’t do this.”
Consistent Comebacks:
“What can you do?”, “How can I help?”, “What don’t you understand?”, “You can when you try.”
I attended all three of Colleen’s talks. Her talk on executive functioning was very enlightening. And her talk on perfectionism/anxiety was extremely helpful. Her talk on rabbit trails had lots of practical tips. Here are my main takeaways.
#3 Takeaway – Importance of Fostering Resiliency In Our Kids
Both Dr. Kathy and Colleen spoke on this. And both also recommended the book: Mistakes That Worked – a great little book full of stories of inventions that were created by mistake, including chocolate chip cookies, potato chips, and many more! Some ways we can foster resiliency in our kids are to let them see us make mistakes or talk about our own struggles.
Remind them the process is more important than the product.
From Colleen’s talk on perfectionism:
Takeaway #4: VALIDATE VALIDATE VALIDATE
I think I do a pretty good job with this, but it was just a good reminder… If you have a child who struggles with emotional regulation, or anxiety, or really just any kid (or person!) who’s dealing with big emotions, it’s so important to validate their emotions. To us, it may seem silly or not a big deal that they’re so upset, but to THEM it’s a big deal.
Also, remind them their emotions are valid but their behaviors are a choice.
Sarah Mackenzie
I only went to one of Sarah’s talks, but it was packed full of great homeschooling advice. But one thing she said really stuck with me…
Takeaway #5: The baby is the lesson.
Sarah could definitely speak to this as she had twin newborns and a 1-year-old (as well as three older kids) at one point. Now we don’t have babies here anymore, but I do have a busy and strong willed 4-year-old. And often it seems so hard to get things done because of that, which can be discouraging. Her talk was a good reminder that a lot of what our kids will learn has more to do with life and relationships than academics.
Kids with Sarah Mackenzie
I got to meet her briefly before her session. 🙂
The Loot
We bought more than we planned. But they were a bunch of resources we were excited about!
The Picture Smart Bible really caught our eye. It’s more hands-on and also pretty in-depth. As we get started on it, I’ll make sure to update on how it’s going.
Two books by Colleen Kessler: Electricity and Magnetism and Raising Creative Kids. Colleen actually suggested cutting the binding off “Raising Creative Kids” and then laminating them as activity cards, so I’m going to do that! Our science kiddo specifically picked out the Electricity and Magnetism book and the ideas in Raising Creative Kids looked right up my kiddos’ alley. We’re excited to dive into both!
Like I mentioned, Mistakes That Worked, was recommended by two speakers! The kids are loving it!
Exploring Dinosaurs with Mr. Hibb was sold by Creation Ministries International and is designed for middle school. It appealed to our oldest, so we purchased it.Another vendor we spoke to, but did not purchase from, was The Color-Coded Chef. She had a great product for getting your kids cooking, especially kids who need step-by-step instructions. She created it for her son with special needs, so he would be able to cook independently as an adult. For those who need a product like this, it is fabulous!
Giant Cow
Our kids loved the Giant Cow program. It was affordable and fun! They also took lots of safety precautions which is reassuring for parents!
Have you been to a GHC? Any tips here to add? Please comment below!
Hey hey hey…. did I happen to mention, we’re heading down to the Great Homeschool convention?
We’ve been to two homeschool conventions in the past. When I calculated it, I realized our last homeschool convention was 5 years ago. So we are pretty excited about going, especially since we’ve never done a Great Homeschool Convention.
Since we now live in WI, we do have to travel a bit further to get to a convention. This year we will be heading to the Great Homeschool Convention in St. Charles, MO. This is the first time we will be taking kids with us (just our older two, the youngest gets a weekend at “Gramma Camp”).
Why go to a convention?
You don’t NEED to go to a homeschool convention, but they definitely are an oasis for the weary homeschool mom. A time to re-charge, re-focus and get your hands on tons of different homeschool curriculum.
While I appreciate the internet and all it has to offer with connecting with other homeschoolers and checking out curriculum online, it pales in comparison to “in the flesh”.
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Packing List
As with any trip, going to a homeschool convention requires some preparation.
Here are some of the staples we are bringing:
Audiobooks for car – I’ve been stocking up on a bunch, but we’ll probably start with On the Banks of Plum Creek ( the Little House Audiobooks are just amazing!) If you’re curious where we find audiobooks without breaking the bank, check out this post.
Money – One of the coolest things about homeschool conventions is the exhibit hall where you get to check out all sorts of homeschool resources and curriculum, and often there are discounts. At our last homeschool convention, we discovered one of our favorite devotional books – Long Story Short.
Comfy shoes – For all the walking around from “to and fro”.
Water bottle – Save $$ and bring your own!
Backpack – Leave the purse behind! Put it all in your backpack!
Journal & Colored Pens – I have to take notes in order to remember things I’ve learned. And I love using these journal planner colored pens to do so!
Cooler and snacks – The hotel provides breakfast and an evening “reception” each day, but we have to provide our own food beyond that. We stocked up on cold cuts, cheese, and lots of snacky stuff from Aldi. Our family likes to eat, so we want to be prepared! 🙂
Who I’m Excited to Meet and Hear
Colleen Kessler -I’m probably most excited to hear (and meet!) Colleen Kessler from Raising Lifelong Learners speak. She is an expert on differently-wired kids and her podcast has given me great encouragement. I’ve also been doing her “Crash Course for Homeschooling THAT Kid” which has been very helpful.
Kathy Koch – I first heard Dr. Kathy speak in South Korea in 2003. The next time I heard her was at a Hearts at Home conference in 2015. She is one of the most encouraging and motivating speakers I’ve heard. With a combined passion for children and a degree in educational pyschology, she is a (positive) FORCE to be reckoned with. As many of you know, I was also on her recent Book Launch team for Start With the Heart, which is an invaluable resource about motivating your kids, with loads of practical tips for parents.
Sarah Mackenzie – I’m not sure we’ll make it to one of Sarah’s sessions, though my son specifically asked if we will meet her (I told him it’s likely!) 🙂 Her website – Read Aloud Revival, is an extremely helpful resource for finding great read aloud selections. I hope to at least visit her booth in the exhibit hall.
Slugs and Bugs – We have listened to Slugs and Bugs since the kids were itty bitty, so they do not remember a time without Slugs and Bugs in their lives. This concert is sure to be a treat. We love the way Slugs and Bugs fuses the silly and the serious in a sweet, sweet way. The kids are really hoping to hear some songs from the Under Where? album. We also love his Sing the Bible albums, where he puts scripture to music.
Other Highlights
I mentioned the exhibit/vendor hall which is a big draw to any homeschool convention. With modern technology and the internet, you can research a lot of curriculum online, but seeing it and getting your hands on it is SO much better!
Last but certainly not least, the kids will be going to day camp type event Giant Cow while we attend the sessions, which they are pretty pumped about!
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