Who doesn’t love a physical letter in the mail? (As long as it’s not a bill!)

The art of letter writing has been declining dramatically but it isn’t dead by any means. And what if you could combine the thrill of a beautiful letter with the wonder of learning about the world around you.

That’s just what these letters are designed to do and they’re the highlight of our day when they show up in our mailbox!

Whether you homeschool or are just looking for fun appealing ways to supplement your kiddos education, consider getting a subscription to some of these incredible educational letters.

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.

GEOGRAPHY:

1. Letters from Afar

My son was obsessed with globes and the idea of traveling when I discovered “Letters from Afar”. Each month, a stunningly illustrated letter arrives from a fictional girl named Isabel as she shares her latest travel saga. It’s so suspenseful as the boys open the letter and start shouting guesses about where they think she’s writing from this time. We’ve learned so much about different countries and regions and it has started us down many a delightful rabbit trails. There’s also a little puzzle or hidden pictures game at the end of each letter that the boys really look forward to. 

2. American Heritage Adventure

These letters focus on the beauty closer to home by highlighting American national parks and historic landmarks like the Alamo and the Statue of Liberty. Produced by a homeschooling family (including their kids), the American Heritage Adventure series of letters will be sure to give you the travel bug. And it’s always exciting when we get a letter from some place we’ve already been. An extra cool touch is how each letter comes with a hand painted postcard that your kids can send to friends or relatives!

HISTORY:

1. Post from the Past

Imagine each month a famous figure from the past were to write your child a letter and share their life story in a way that sucks your kids in and leaves them wanting to learn more about their new friend? That’s what Posts from the Past is all about! And not only do kids get a visually appealing and engaging letter, but there are also additional downloads and activities related to that person for subscribers to use throughout the month. So. Much. Fun. So. Much. Learning.

2. Heritage Letters

From the creators of the American Heritage Adventures, comes this history themed letter subscription. Each month students will receive a letter “written by” a famous American as well as a photo with important facts on the back. Additionally, an “artifact” is included such as a picture, artwork, map, or quote related to the American legend. Their website also has free printables for extending the learning. Some of their previous features were about Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte the first female Native American doctor, Duke Kahanamoku an Hawaiian Olympic swimmer and surfer, Mercy Otis Warren poet, playwright, and pamphleteer during the American Revolution, and SOOOO many more people worthy of our time. 

SCIENCE:

Writings from the Wild

These letters have been ideal for my youngest animal loving son. Written from the perspective of young animal, kids will learn about what life is like for that particular animal along with fun animal facts and collectible cards with each of the animals they learn about. The illustrations a whimsical and vivid. My son will pretend to be that animal for the rest of the week! Get Writings from the Wild HERE!

LITERATURE: Letters from the Sea Tower by Bryana Joy

If you want your child to LOVE words and literature, not just consume it, consider getting these exquisite letters created by Bryana Joy Beaird, Letters from the Sea Tower (named after a story by J.R.R. Tolkien). Each letter features an author or poet, showcases their work and gets kids and adults alike pumped to read more by these iconic and influential writers. The illustrations are delightful and Bryana has made it her mission to preach the power of “story”. Words have power to give hope and meaning to life while helping us feel the full gamete of emotions. These may be best suited for older elementary into adulthood, but my boys are pretty well read and are thoroughly enjoying learning about the authors they already know and love!

The post Letter Subscriptions for Learning and Fun appeared first on My Mundane and Miraculous Life.

Teaching students about our nation’s Civil War is sobering. Slavery and the battle to finally end it, has left scars.

This important topic can be introduced even to young children via gentle stories and picture books about the lives of brave individuals. There are multiple subtopics in this list of 50 picture books about the Civil War, so be sure to read a couple from each one!

Don’t have time right now to gather books? Click here to save this post to pinterest and come back later!

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE. 

Books about the Underground Railroad and the Enslaved Experience

The Listeners by Gloria Whelan 

Listening in on the masters helped the children know who was in danger of being sold away from their family. Told from the tender point of view of an enslaved child on a plantation, this book gently helps its readers step into the shoes of what life under slavery was like. 

Journey to Freedom by Courtni Crump Wright

Accurate about hardships without being overly violent, this book follows the journey of a family of five who are aided by Harriet Tubman in their escape from Kentucky to Canada. 

Henry’s Freedom Box by Ellen Levine

The incredible true tale of the lengths enslaved people would go to be free, including mailing children in a “large” postage box. Gorgeous illustrations. 

The Escape of Robert Smalls A Daring Voyage Out of Slavery by Jehan Jones-Radgowski 

Daring to impersonate a Confederate boat captain, Robert Smalls pulls off one of the most audacious escapes. Fascinating tale!

The Daring Escape of Ellen Craft by Cathy Moore

An amazing true story of how Ellen Craft posed as a white man traveling with a slave (her husband) in a desperate attempt at freedom. 

Follow the Drinking Gourd by Jeanette Winter

Rhythmic writing chronicles the way slaves would memorize a song about the Big Dipper AKA Drinking Gourd and use it as a signpost to freedom and the North.  

Barefoot: Escape on the Underground Railroad by Pamela Duncan Edwards

Another perilous tale of fleeing slavery, using the instincts of wild animals in the dark. 

Hope’s Gift by Kelly Starling Lyons

When her father enlists in the Union army, Hope has legitimate fears. Follow her journey through the war, the Emancipation Proclamation, and her longing for her father to come home safe and free. 

Picture Books about Abolitionists for Kids

Before She Was Harriet by Lesa Cline-Ransome

Captivating illustrations and lyrical words showcase the many roles (and names) that Harriet Tubman had and they way they shaped her, and subsequently, our world. A MUST read!

Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by Carole Weatherford

One of Harriet’s many names was “Moses” and for good reason. This book highlights the calling of God on Harriet’s life and how He was with her every step of the 19 journeys she made back and forth to freedom.

Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman by Alan Schroeder

This book focuses on the early years of Harriet Tubman’s life. Engaging pictures are illustrated by the iconic Jerry Pinkney. 

When Harriet Met Sojourner by Catherine Clinton

Shifting back and forth between the two strong women, this book shows the similarities and crossing paths of these two giants of the abolitionist movement. 

My Name Is Truth: The Life of Sojourner Truth by Ann Turner

Told from Ms. Truth’s point of view, this extensively research book will introduce you to a woman who lived up to the name she gave herself. So Tall Within: Sojourner Truth’s Long Walk Toward Freedom by Gary D. Schmidt

This picture book is written by the famed novelist Gary D. Schmidt. (Check out his book “Ok for Now”). Powerfully describes an instrumental American figure while the illustrations “paint difficult scenes with gentleness and strength.”

Sojourner Truth’s Step-Stomp Stride by Andrea Pinkney

Another take on Sojourner Truth’s life, highlighting that even when she herself was free, she wasn’t content until all were free. 

Words Set Me Free: The Story of Young Frederick Douglass by Lesa Cline-Ransome

I LOVE when books focus on the early life of famous people. How inspiring to our kids! For Frederick Douglass, this book makes clear that his life and principles were shaped by reading truth. 

Bread for Words: A Frederick Douglass Story by Shana Kelle

Taking a step even further back, this story shows the determination and lengths young Douglass went to to learn how to read. He wanted his questions answered!

Frederick’s Journey: The Life of Frederick Douglass by Doreen Rappaport

This series does a fantastic job of portraying a life by quoting the individual, and specifically, Frederick Douglass. And of course I’m a sucker for the dramatic illustrations!

Two Friends: Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass: Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass by Dean Robbins

Did you know Douglass and Susan B. Anthony were friends? See how these two teamed up to fight for the rights of oppressed Americans in this informative book. 

Friends for Freedom: The Story of Susan B. Anthony & Frederick Douglass by Suzanne Slade

Despite different worlds and sometimes different opinions, Anthony and Douglass joined together to make our country more equitable. Another take on the powerful friendship.

Louisa May’s Battle: How the Civil War Led to Little Women by Kathleen Krull

If you’ve read “Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott or seen any of the movie adaptations, you know that the story was set during the Civil War and includes dramatic war efforts. This is the fantastic story behind the work that lives on in the American imagination.

A Picture Book of Harriet Beecher Stowe by David A. Adler

Stowe’s book “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” sparked an uproar in America over slavery more effectually than any speech or plea before it. Learn about the author’s life and what drove her to write it. 

Picture Books about the Civil War Effort of Soldiers and Helpers

The Last Brother: A Civil War Tale by Trinka Hakes Noble

A gripping story of an 11 year old bugler who must takes his task seriously at the battle of Gettysburg. As if that wasn’t enough, his last living brother is fighting in the battle. Then he meets a southern bugler and a friendship blossoms. 

Seeing the Elephant: A Story of the Civil War by Pat Hughes

This story finds a brother attending to his wounded older brother. While there, he meets the enemy and finds the humanity in him. 

Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco

No one can tell a tear-jerker like Patricia Polacco. And this one, like most of her books, is based on the true story of two union soldiers caught behind enemy lines. Simply beautiful. 

The Yankee at the Seder by Elka Weber

After the war has ended, a southerner boy is struggling to move on. When a Union soldier asks to join their Passover celebration, bonds and understanding blossom. 

Marching to Appomattox: The Footrace That Ended the Civil War by Ken Stark

A child-friendly in-depth look at the how the Civil War finally ended. Very well researched with engaging illustrations. 

Nurse, Soldier, Spy: The Story of Sarah Edmonds by Marissa Moss

An incredible true story of a 19 year old woman who enlists in the Union army, fooling everyone into thinking she’s a man. She excels as a soldier, treats the wounded as a nurse, and eventually becomes a spy!

Sarah Emma Edmonds Was a Great Pretender: The True Story of a Civil War Spy by Carrie Jones

Another take on the life of Sarah Edmonds. She was QUITE the actress! Humorous  illustrations. 

Mary Walker Wears the Pants: The True Story of the Doctor, Reformer, and Civil War Hero by Cheryl Harness

The amazing true story of a female doctor during the Civil War. Mary Walker is the ONLY female recipient of the prestigious Medal of Honor.The Silent Witness: A True Story of the Civil War by Robin Friedman

This book highlights some of the ways the war touched everyday life. From the perspective of a young girl who’s home is overtaken by soldiers. 

The Cemetery Keepers of Gettysburg by Linda Oatman High

The true story of a family whose own land turns into the battle of Gettysburg. The Thorn family tends the cemetery in the quite Pennsylvania town. After their world gets turned upside down, they make every effort to honor those fallen on every side. So poignant. 

The Eternal Soldier The True Story of How A Dog Became A Civil War Hero by Allison Crotzer Kimmel

Loyalty and bravery aren’t reserved just to the human soldiers. Read how Sallie became an instant comrade and faithful companion for a group of Union soldiers. 

Soldier Song a True Story of the Civil War by Debbie Levy

An interesting perspective on the role music played in the war, giving instructions, preventing boredom, and offering hope. Interspersed with soldiers letters and journal entries. 

Picture Books about Political and Military Leaders During the Civil War

Before Ulysses S. Grant Was President by Mark Harasymiw

This biography on Grant focuses on his time before his presidency, mainly as the top general in the Union Army. 

Cincinnati: U.S. Grant’s Famous Warhorse by Margaret Samdahl

Many great General’s rode into victory on the back of equally heroic steeds. Ulysses S. Grant was no exception, using his trusted “Cincinnati” in the heat of battle. 

Ulysses S. Grant: Expanding & Preserving the Union by Wendy Conklin

This isn’t a storybook as much as a well laid out children’s non-fiction book about the whole of Grant’s life. 

Robert E. Lee, Brave Leader by Rae Bains

I wanted to include biographies about confederate soldiers and leaders, not to celebrate their misguided choices, but to see their humanity and learn from their strengths and shortcomings.  A Picture Book of Robert E. Lee by David A. Adler

This is always a great series, so I was excited to see that Adler tackled the life of Robert E. Lee, a complicated man.

Abraham Lincoln, 75th Anniversary Edition by Ingri d’Aulaire and Edgar Parin d’Aulaire

If you haven’t read a d’Aulaire book before, drop everything and read these nostalgic masterpieces. These books deserve the title of “classic”.

Young Abe Lincoln: The Frontier Days: 1809-1837 by Cheryl Harness

Ms. Harness is quickly becoming one of my favorite non-fiction writers! She has teamed up with National Geographic numerous times and each one that we’ve gotten our hands on has been a hit. This book in particular focuses on Lincoln’s early life. Abe Lincoln Goes to Washington: 1837-1865 by Cheryl Harness

The sequel to the book above focus on Lincoln’s presidency. 

Honey, the Dog Who Saved Abe Lincoln by Shari Swanson

When young Abe rescues of pup, little does he know that that dog will one day save his life. Well researched glimpse into Lincoln’s childhood and the providence of God over his life. Lincoln Tells a Joke: How Laughter Saved the President (and the Country) by Kathleen Krull

So many biographers discuss how Lincoln’s humor was a life line to him during the horrors of the war years and tragedies that befell his family. This book brings that topic to the students’ level while lifting up joy in the midst of sorrow.

What Lincoln Said by Sarah L. Thomson

A picture book on the life of our famous president with plenty of quotes from him interspersed. 

Picture Books about Juneteenth for Kids

All Different Now: Juneteenth, the First Day of Freedom by Angela Johnson 

Lovely illustrations showcase the joy of the first Juneteenth for the formerly enslaved of Texas. Helpful notes in the back fill in more history. 

Juneteenth for Mazie by Floyd Cooper

Excellent explanation of Juneteenth as young kids learn alongside Mazie what this day is all about.

The Juneteenth Story: Celebrating the End of Slavery in the United States by Alliah L. Agostini 

An honest look at the delays and injustices prior to Juneteenth. From the perspective of a modern day family. 

Free at Last: A Juneteenth Poem by Sojourner Kincaid Rolle

Moving poetry. Equally moving art. All kids should be exposed to poetry and all kids should know about Juneteenth. Read it and you won’t be disappointed. 

Opal Lee and What It Means to Be Free: The True Story of the Grandmother of Juneteenth by Alice Faye Duncan

Set in modern times, Opal Lee explains what Juneteenth is all about and her role in establishing it as a holiday. 

The post 50 Amazing Picture Books about the Civil War for Kids appeared first on My Mundane and Miraculous Life.

Your kids rocked their math lesson, read some great books, and loved their science experiment.

You’re feeling pretty good about your homeschool day. Then you remember with a stab of guilt, the often overlooked subject of GEOGRAPHY. Groan.

If it sounds dry and monotonous, let me show you some easy ways to make geography come alive for you and your students!

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. Read my full disclosure policy here. A big thanks to Pin It! Maps for giving us some of their products for me to review!

1.Living Books

Remember that history and geography are indelibly linked. If you don’t include geography in your homeschool history, you’re likely to end up with more of a black and white picture of the past, than a vividly colorful one.

So choose fantastic history books (we LOVE Beautiful Feet Books) and you’ll find your students asking geography questions quite naturally!

There are also tons of living, rich fictional books that get kids interested in land and sea formations.

Any book by Holling C Hollings is a slam dunk for living geography books. We loved  Paddle-to-the-Sea (about the great lakes region and St. Lawrence river). Now we’re in the middle of reading Tree in the Trail about the Santa Fe Trail, native Americans and western expansion. There’s also Pagoo (tide pools)  Seabird (world geography) and Minn of the Mississippi (Mississippi river). The illustrations will have you staring for a VERY long time!

Give Your Child the World: Raising Globally Minded Kids One Book at a Time This is a book for you mama! A fantastic book list divided by global regions as well as age groups. I’ve found it very helpful!

We’re slowly reading picture books from around the globe and compiling our favorites for you. So far we’ve traveled to the Middle East and Asia.

2. Puzzles in the Shape of the Countries

After playing with these puzzles, my mom remarked, “I feel like I understand SO much better how everything fits together, literally!” It’s weird, but something about the tactile, kinetic input, makes assembling puzzles one of the best ways to really grasp geography.

The best quality map puzzles out there are the Montessori ones! They have everything, Europe, Africa , USA , Asia North America, Australia, South America, and Canada

But they can be quite expensive (they’re made out of high quality wood!) We found some made out of high quality cardboard, but sadly they’re no longer made. I’ve also had many folks recommend the GeoPuzzles – World Map & Jigsaw Puzzle as a decent middle ground alternative. 

3. Draw It

To really become competent with geography, students need to interact with maps.

One way to do this is with the series of books called Draw the World: An Outline of Continents and Oceans. They also have specific books for different locations, like Draw the USA. With just five minutes of work here and there, students are able to accurately draw the political maps of the world. My boys aren’t quite old enough yet, but a lot of my homeschooling buddies RAVE about this series and we plan to start using it soon.

4. Map Work

I’ve saved my favorite for last. Have you heard of Pin It! Maps? They’re the ultimate in map work!

They have tons of maps that are backed by thick Styrofoam. There are bunches of pin “flags” that students place all over the map, depending on what they’re working on. The are pins for everything you can think of, from state names, state flags, cities and capitols, land formations and national parks, water features and more!

Now, there isn’t just one map for each geographic area, oh no! With the US and US history bundle, there are three LARGE 18″ by 24″ a maps that are marked with things like US History from the 1800s, Early America.

Then there are 11, yes eleven, smaller maps (still substantial at 12″ by 18″) with markings like state flags, native american tribes, battle sites from the Revelation, the War of 1812, and the Civil War. The 13 colonies have their own map and so much more.

As you can see, these maps are loaded with details!

These Pin It! Maps will grow with us all the way through high school I’m sure. Since geography touches so much of every day learning, we’ll be busting these out regularly.

Since we’re getting ready to road trip from Austin, TX to Boston, MA, we’re doing map work specific to the trip. I’ve pulled out states and cities we’ll be passing through, as well as national parks and water features we’ll be seeing (hello Niagara Falls!).

The post Fun and Simple Homeschool Geography Curriculum and Resources appeared first on My Mundane and Miraculous Life.

But that’s exactly what happened to my American history teacher at the end of one semester.

Why?

Mr. DePalma didn’t bombard us with dry facts or burden us with dull timelines. He told us peoples’ stories. He showed us what made them tick. He connected our hearts to theirs.

I now see my story in the light of those who have gone before.

A huge thanks to Beautiful Feet Books for generously giving my family two of their history literature packs when I approached them about writing a review. I am still giddy at the incredible books my boys now have the honor of owning!

History has so much potential to shape the character of its students.

I knew when I set out to educate my kids at home using the Charlotte Mason method, that history would be one of my favorite subjects to learn alongside my children.

Charlotte Mason was an advocate for ditching textbooks in favor of living books that brought each subject to life. I knew that history was a subject itching for a Charlotte Mason makeover.

Imagine my surprise when I struggled to find history books that actual told a narrative, and not just bland facts. I can’t tell you how many books I bought only to find them either far too advanced for my 6 year old, way too boring, or just plain bigoted.

I was getting desperate. History was supposed to be amazing, inspiring, life-changing.

But instead, it was a chore.

Then I found Beautiful Feet Books, and I knew I’d found my kindred spirit. Beautiful Feet Books uses the best literature to inspire students to greater character and further pursuits of wisdom.

They have  gathered the best books out there and packaged them in different history “packs” along with a teacher’s guide that makes planning practically a non-issue.

We’re using the Early American History Primary Jumbo Pack. The time period covered stretches from the Vikings’ discovery of North America all the way through the Civil war. Some books are short “picture” books, others read more like novels.  Many of the books had gone out of print, but were thankfully, republished by Beautiful Feet Books.

The D’Aulaire books are drool-worthy. Seriously, it takes all my self-control to put these down and not read all the way to the end in one sitting.

There’s no need to memorize dates and names. My boys get so wrapped up in the drama of the story that they can’t help but narrate what they’ve learned each day when Dad asks them at the dinner table.

I really appreciate that the packs are not narrowly age-specific, and there’s no rush to get through them in a year. I can quite easily keep history as a group subject which helps my sanity immensely.

Another cool thing is that if you already own some of the titles in the pack, just contact Beautiful Feet Books and they’ll adjust the price accordingly.

Beautiful feet books teaches history by looking through the lens of other subjects. They have entire packs dedicated to geography, music, science, character, and more!

The best part of the Beautiful Feet Books study guide is that the discussion questions are aimed at your child’s heart. Kids are confronted with people’s strengths and weaknesses. They can see themselves in the victories and failings of real people that have lived before them. These living history books are instilling rock solid character and that is time well spent.

The post History Beyond the Textbook: How to Make the Past Come to Life appeared first on My Mundane and Miraculous Life.

I have been dreaming of this day for 20 years.

My oldest is about to start kindergarten and I get to be his teacher!

As a girl that was homeschooled from K-12th herself, I have always planned to homeschool my own kids for a number of reasons. But now that the rubber is about to hit the road, I find myself having to make specific choices in philosophies and curriculum for my son.

After reading these books on homeschooling schools of thought, I settled on our own unique mix between the Charlotte Mason model and the Classical model. While I’ll probably write a more detailed post on this later, suffice it to say that I love Charlotte Mason’s approach to learning. It centers on “living books” and interest lead studies. It’s a low stress way to get students to fall in love with learning and literature. The Classical method is more structured but is also literature heavy. My biggest draw to it is the Logic and Rhetoric stages of middle and high school, that teach kids to think well. Students are taught to communicate, persuade, and debate. Because what good is knowledge without influence? I also love their approach to history. They go through the whole of history every four years in chronological order (which is surprisingly lacking in most curriculums that tend to start with American history first.) Another plus is their study of Latin and a strong focus on the arts.

So with these philosophies in mind and my goals firmly planted, I settled on these books to aid us in our first year of formal education. I hope it will help you make your selections of the best kindergarten homeschooling curriculum. 

Please note: while I’m an experienced participant in homeschooling, this is my first year teaching. I have enough humility to know that things won’t always go as expected and I may need to change my approach drastically. This is my best first attempt based on my research and my understanding of my unique son’s needs.

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. Please read my full disclosure policy here. 

I’m very grateful to Veritas Press, Cornerstone Curriculum, and Berean Builders for providing me with my very top first choices in kindergarten curriculum at my request. The opinions that follow are my honest assessment. 

Language Arts Curriculum 

Let me admit upfront; I may have gone a bit overboard in this category. I love all things language and literature, so we’re coming at this on all fronts.

We are going to learn phonics using the Veritas Press “Phonics Museum Combo Kit” curriculum. It’s an incredibly thorough program with a Classical approach. This curriculum has the premise of a knight named Percival who guides children through an art museum as they collect sounds and phonics rules. It comes with primers that were written with only the sounds that students have already learned up to that point. It does a great job of getting kids ready to read their first book early so they get a taste of how fun it can be and are motivated to keep learning.

The curriculum set comes with all sorts of addition games and tools besides the workbook. There’s a board game, a CD with phonics rules set to music,  flashcards, puzzle pieces with all the different letters and blends so you can piece words together, and much more. There is a copious amount of material with 155 lessons and each one jam packed with activities. I highly doubt we’ll be able to finish each lesson each day, but I’m cool with that. (Check back in a couple months when I give this curriculum a more thorough review after we’ve used it a while.)

Since my mom lives close by, she is stoked to help me homeschool for her second round of teaching. Some quick background first. My brother struggled to read until 5th grade. Back then, not much was known about learning disabilities, but my mom didn’t let that stop her. She heard about the LiPS: The Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing Program for Reading, Spelling, and Speech and knew it would help my brother. It’s a totally different approach to language arts and focuses on sensory and kinetic learning. For example, instead of simply memorizing sounds with their letter symbols, students are taught to look in a mirror to see what their mouth, lips and tongue must do to form each sound. It works totally different areas of the brain and was the turning point for my brother who is now a highly successful engineer. So while my son may not have dyslexia like my brother, I’ve decided with his SPD it certainly won’t hurt to try this approach to reading and language development. My mom is chomping at the bit to do it, and as a very experienced homeschooler, she believes this is the best way to learn to read. I’m undecided, so we’re just going to do both! Ha!

And since I’m a huge Charlotte Mason fan, I’ve set aside an entirely separate subject hour for reading aloud to my boys. I’m currently gathering a list of great works of literature that spark the imagination. We’ll spend our low key afternoons reading and exploring new worlds together. I must say, out of all the subjects, I’ll looking forward to this the most!

Science Curriculum

A lot of the books I read advised me to put off science in kindergarten, but I just can’t do it. My son is enthralled with the idea of experiments, and I just can’t say no to his curiosity!

I really enjoyed science when I was homeschooled, especially in high school. I used textbooks written by Dr. Jay Wile and found them great at explaining concepts. I was pleasantly surprised to see Dr. Wile is still writing science books.

We are going to be using “Science in the Beginning“. It is organized around the seven days of creation, so the first section focuses on the study of light, the second section on water and air, and so on. Nearly every lesson has a very doable experiment. It’s written from a Christian perspective with the goal being to know God better by exploring His creation. I really love that’s it’s meant to be used for various age groups at the same time. Any child, K-5th will get plenty out of it and can do it with their siblings. When my other boys are school aged, this will save me a lot of time and work!

The curriculum kit has review questions at the end of each chapter. There are two basic ones for the young students, as well as more involved follow up assignments for the middle and oldest students. There are tests included in the “Helps and Hints” book, but they are not required. The author recommends this material only for older students that need some practice preparing for the scholastic rigors of exams.

Because there are so many lessons and because this curriculum can be used for all grade schoolers, I’m sure we’ll take more than a year to complete it and probably cycle back through it more than once.

Math Curriculum

Numbers give me the cold sweats. I attribute some of my fear to the curriculum my parents used with me when I was homeschooled. (So yeah, definitely not going the Saxon route!) My brain doesn’t work that way, and I don’t think my son’s does either.

I wanted a curriculum that’s more than just more memorization and more testing and more boring. I think I’ve found it in “Making Math Meaningful Level K“. Also founded on a Biblical worldview, MMM by Cornerstone Curriculum strives to help kids understand and apply mathematical concepts, not parrot back facts without understanding. The main focus of the first year is on understanding the concept of equal/not equal and knowing how to make things equal. Sounds simple, but the concept is often lost on students if they’re not taught it. They’ll be getting the WHY behind math, and that is something I can get excited about!

While the books might not be flashy, there’s a TON of manipulative work with real life objects. The tactile, kinetic learner will love it. There are 36 weeks of lessons and can be easily completed in 15 mins a day. It keeps math from being a mystical idea and makes things concrete through observation, interpretation and application. (Cornerstone Curriculum has other subjects including a Science program that we will use as a supplement. It focuses on using the scientific method to learn about the world around them.)

History/Social Studies Curriculum

After reading up on Classical education, I really wanted to follow the way they layout history by going in chronological order and covering everything from start to finish every four years. But as you might expect, that’s a little too much for a kindergartner to handle.

When I saw Bede’s History of ME from Veritas Press, I knew it was the perfect stepping stone to help my boys be ready to handle a vigorous study of history. Meant to be used once a week, this short book is gorgeous and kid friendly. Students are introduced to the concept of a timeline and over the course of the study make all sorts of them. What kid won’t enjoy making a timeline of toys! Kids will also learn about family trees and understand the basic geography of where they live. There are lots of fun projects without taking up gobs of time. It’s the perfect foundation to lay the more serious study of history upon.

Bible Curriculum

I still don’t see the need to follow a curriculum at this point. We have a bunch of our favorite children’s story Bibles that we read from during breakfast. I want to add more reading of the actual Bible. While it may seem boring to young ears, I want them to learn young how to glean treasure from its pages.

We’re going to try again this year to memorize the New City Catechism. It’s great for learning theology systematically and help kids understand how to view the world. We’ll also spend some of our read aloud time learning about the lives of famous missionaries. I’m also really excited to use The Big Picture Bible Timeline. It will help my boys visualize the full scope of the Biblical narrative, and they get to color the highlighted stories!

The boys are involved in the AWANA program as well so they’ll be memorizing scripture regularly. And of course, I will by God’s grace, bring the gospel into every situation we find ourselves in, both academically and otherwise.

Extra Curriculars

My son will be spending one day a week with other homeschooled students, learning social skills and some extra fun electives. He’ll be taking art, music, speech, gym, even Spanish. I’m excited to watch him excel and make some friends while he’s at it. We’re apart of a support group that gets together for social events and field trips as well.

So that rounds out our plans for the coming school year. Whew! I’m exhausted just thinking about it. 

If you have questions about any curriculum mentioned above, email me at julie@mymundaneandmiraculouslife.com.

If you’ve tried any of curriculum I’ve talked about, leave a comment in the section below. I’d love to know what parts you found helpful or that your kids loved learning about.

The post Our Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum Choices appeared first on My Mundane and Miraculous Life.

Structure is not my strong suit. 

I like to be laid back and flexible. Sometimes it’s the only way I can manage to keep my patience with the chaos surrounding me.

But I also long for a bit of a schedule, a plan, an idea of what to expect.

So as the new school year approaches, I’m re-evaluating what we did in our home preschool last year.

I can’t believe we’ve been doing this homeschooling thing long enough to have different years to compare to!

When we started out, we did a very relaxed “Tot-School” that revolved around books and play and had no structure. (I’d plan an entire MONTH in one hour!) Last year, we tried to follow a bit of a daily schedule that included a lot of sensory input since my son has SPD. Now my oldest son is four and ready and eager for more learning! His two year old brother wants in on the action too. Oh, and we’re adding baby brother number THREE in November. (See why I’m wanting to get things under control?)

Changes to our Four Year Old Preschool Curriculum…

A Year-Round Schedule (Sorta)

We live in Texas. I’m not from Texas. I kind of want SMASH things it’s so dang hot here in the summer.

So I figure, why not have our school breaks during a time of year when outside survival is an option?! I decided we’ll be taking the whole month of December off as well as Thanksgiving and the first week of January. It works out perfectly this year since our third son is due at the end of November. I also plan on taking a large three week break in May (before it’s too hot) and then a week sometime in August.

Here’s the weird thing. The first “semester” (Jan. – Apr.) we’ll do a typical five day school week. But come June through November, we can still get all the required days in by doing a FOUR day week! I’m pretty stoked to have that flexibility for the majority of the year!

A STEM Focus to Pair with the Unit Theme

We’ll still be doing a monthly theme and renting a gazillion books about the topic from the library. We’ll still do fun crafts and activities around that theme. But this year, I want to be more intentional about having a science or math focus each month. I haven’t worked out what each month will hold but I know during our Ocean themed unit, we’ll pair that with lots of water related science experiments. When we research Trains, we’ll especially focus on patterns. (Can’t you picture a cute train pattern activity!)

Charlotte Mason Habit Training

My good friend told me about the book “Laying down the Rails : A Charlotte Mason Habits Handbook“.  Basically the idea is to focus on one particular habit for 6-8 weeks and once it is mastered, move on to another. When things like truthfulness and attentiveness are a habit, every day life should be much less of a hassle. I’m certainly willing to give it a shot! We all could use a little more discipline around here. We’re a bunch of wild banshees, myself included!

Book of Virtues

Along those same lines, I want to supplement our Jesus Storybook Bible time with some additional tales from “The Book of Virtues“. I love that it’s a mixture of classic fictional stories from folks like Aesop as well as stories from the lives of historical heroes like Abraham Lincoln. The boys seem to be relishing each story like I did as a kid when my mom read it to me!

The New City Catechism

A catechism is a series of questions and answers that covers the essential doctrines of Christianity. It’s meant to be memorized. The New City catechism is pretty cool in that it has both an adult and children’s version, videos, prayers and even catchy songs to go with each of the 52 questions (one a week for a year, perfect!) My oldest blows me away with his memorization skills and he’s always asking deep questions about God. I can’t wait to get started!

In Conclusion…

We will continue to read a ton of books, do thematic language and art activities, and do tons of sensory therapy! We’ll be adding a bigger emphasis on math and science while implementing some new character building tools on top of Bible time.

Who wants to laugh at my ambitious goals PRE arrival of baby number three!?! I don’t blame you. We all know I don’t handle the baby phase like a pro. 

The post Our Four Year Old Preschool Curriculum Changes; A Little Deeper and a Little More Fun! appeared first on My Mundane and Miraculous Life.

He had our whole family chanting “Declaration of Independence!” the other day. It was adorable!

I love that he is starting to understand the significance of our traditional celebrations!

I wanted to do a patriotic craft that both my preschooler and toddler could participate in, while practicing some pre-writing skills. Hence this 4th of July flag craft with dot markers!

Supplies:

Dot Markers / Bingo Daubers

Pen

Paper

Directions: 

If you’re child is young, draw a basic American flag outline.

Instruct them to put the blue dot marker in the top left square. Then have them use the red marker to mark along the line, going left to right. My preschooler was able to follow those instructions.

My toddler decided to be a free thinker.

And then I made one so Pinterest wouldn’t think we’re out of our minds!

It’s easy, but as Loopy said, “This is way funner than I thought it would be!”

The post 4th of July Flag Craft with Dot Markers appeared first on My Mundane and Miraculous Life.

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. Read my full disclosure policy here. 

This curriculum has been years in the making and was compiled by former teacher, turned home-educating mama, Leah McDermott. This book is FULL of great content. There are 30 unique themes with over 750 individual activities. (That kinda blows my mind!) If you’re a regular reader, you know how much we love unit themes!

And the coolest thing… this curriculum is nature-based. Getting kids outdoors and exploring the world around them is the perfect classroom! Leah incorporates many renowned education philosophies including those of  Maria Montessori, Waldorf, and Reggio Emilia. She has her masters’ degree in education AND curriculum writing!

I couldn’t be more excited about this homeschool preschool curriculum. I know you’ll love it too!

Interested??? You can get all the details here and order one! You can even get a free sample theme to see if you like it! Pre-order before May 1st to get the introductory price of $79.99. After May 1st, the price goes up to $99.99. Or why not go the free route and try and WIN one!?!?! Yup, we’re giving away one free copy of this unique digital curriculum. And your chances are pretty good! (Oh, and if you want to to lock in at the lower price and then you end up winning the curriculum, you be refunded!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Leah blogs over at Crunchy Farm Baby. You can visit her Facebook page and follow her on Instagram to keep learning alongside her family!

The post A Homeschool Preschool Curriculum where Nature is the Classroom appeared first on My Mundane and Miraculous Life.

The last chapter of the Jesus Storybook Bible cover’s the apostle John’s vision of heaven and the culmination of history. It’s beautiful and… well… a bit hard for a preschooler to grasp.

We used this sensory play and sorting activity to help understand a bit more what heaven will be like.

Supplies:

A tub or bin

Rainbow Rice

Next you’ll need to gather objects that represent things that do or don’t belong in heaven.

For things that do belong:

The word “God” = Being in the very presence of God is what makes heaven heavenly.

Musical Instrument = Worshiping God around the throne for all eternity

A Lion and a Lamb = The Bible says the lion will lay down with the lamb. I explained to my son that there will be peace between everyone. (Yes, my lamb is a lame bunch of cotton balls. You gotta get creative!)

A lego house = Jesus tells us that he is going to prepare a place for us and that there are many mansions.

For things that don’t belong:

The word “Sin” = Sin will be no more in heaven. We’ll be completely rid of the sinful flesh. Hallelujah!

Skull sock = Death will be no more. We’ll be alive with Him.

Bandage = No more pain and hurt.

Tissue = No more sickness and tears.

My boys loved sorting through the objects and discussing what belongs in heaven and what doesn’t. The greatest parts are that God’s there and sin isn’t! (And my boys were pretty thrilled that Legos will be in heaven. Wink. Wink.)

The post Activity for the Jesus Storybook Bible: Heaven… Sensory Play and Sorting Activity appeared first on My Mundane and Miraculous Life.

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. Read my full disclosure policy here. 

Today’s lesson is about the life a Saul/Paul. His life was radically changed. He started out as an adamantly religious man who was all about appearing holy and following rules. But his heart was messed up. He was such an enemy of God, that he was persecuting the early Christians. The story describes him as being blind.

But then Jesus introduces himself.

You probably know the story, but Saul’s encounter with the risen Lord left him changed, and physically blind for a time. But as the author points out, he was actually seeing truth for the first time.

We decided to do a little role play as I explained this story to my boys. It was simple but effective. Here’s what we used.

Supplies:

Swim Goggles

Black Construction Paper

Scissors

Tape

Instructions:

Cut the dark paper and fashion it around the exterior of the goggles with tape. Place the goggles on the child’s head and discuss what it is to be blind in your eyes. Example: It’s dark. You don’t know what’s going on. You can get hurt more easily. Then ask them what it might mean to be blind in your heart like Paul was before Jesus opened the eyes of his heart. My son and I talked a lot about how different Paul was as a person once he could “see”.  Pray together that God will open your eyes to the truth. Spiritual blindness is beyond dangerous.

Want more activities that bring the Bible to life and show your kids what God is really like??? Check out our 40+ other posts!

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