Ancient China Adventure Box

We start every unit study as homeschoolers with an adventure box. This post uncovers everything in our Ancient China Adventure Box. We will be doing our Ancient China unit in tandem with a Marco Polo unit, and I will be chatting about the Marco Polo adventure box in my next post. Yes, my children are……

Valentine Restaurant: A Love Shown

I had another post planned for today, but I was so overwhelmed by my children last night that I wanted to share RIGHT AWAY!!  Yesterday morning we were informed that we were required to dress up for a valentine dinner at Valentine Restaurant, which the children were opening just for us that night.  We grinned……

Importance of Picture Books for Learning Great Literature

Studying great literature has to be one of my most favourite times in home school.  I think because I design our own studies, it gives us lots of freedoms that following a curriculum of any type would remove.  I am able to keep it simple, complex or anywhere in between.  We don’t have to ascribe……

Giotto Artist Study for Homeschoolers

Continuing with our Medieval Unit Study, today I am going to share our Giotto homeschool artist study. Giotto was apprenticed to Cimabue, yet he overtook his master in many ways, excelling in portraying a more natural and normal human form.  He was a fore-runner, if you like, away from the Byzantine art which influenced Cimabue. ……

If Jesus Came to my House {B4FIAR}

In this latest book unit, we focused our attentions on Before Five in a Row book If Jesus Came to my House by Joan G Thomas. I chose the topic of hospitality for this weeks theme because this book lends itself well to this. This year I want to be a little less haphazard about……

Thomas’ battle and victory over writing

This week I was so proud of T11 that I almost cried.  He wrote his first completely independent 5 paragraph essay using this tool .  I asked T11 if he would mind me relating some of his story with regards to his difficulty with writing. Oh, and I asked if I could share his essay.  T11 would……

The Snowy Day Book Unit

The Snowy Day book unit is perfect for snowy days, with lots of snowflake related hands on activities which are sure to excite your children! Read on for some great inspiration! The Snowy Day Book Unit Snowy Day Themed Playdough Every morning, for The Snowy Day book unit, I set up a play dough table……

Precious Moments #2

In February of last year I started a blog for my children.  I had just been diagnosed with a cancer which had spread locally but doctors couldn’t tell me if it had spread systemically.  It sounds weird but I wanted a way for the children to be able to look back and remember all the……

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt {Book Unit}

Have lots of fun with this ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’ book unit, with lots of activities and a special bear themed party. Read on to join the fun! We’re Going on a Bear Hunt Resources These were the little one’s bed time read alouds.  They were also available in the morning whilst the……

Precious Moments # 1.5

Here is the magic that happens outside of lessons: Our beautiful C10 This has been a wondrously busy week, filled with trips, family and a little one year old who matured in front of our very eyes.  We are all tired, but very content and looking forward to the new term. B1, who is now talking Anniversary……

Yearly Wrap Up – Cancer Crept In

This is my last weekly wrap up and in fact will be my yearly wrap up for 2012.  I intend to take a blogging break until after Christmas.  As I look back on the year I see probably my hardest year yet.  God is good though. For He turned my weakness into a strength I didn’t know……

Homeschool Living Maths: Probability

On our family holiday this year, the children came face to face with amusement arcades.  Never having seen anything like it before, they were enamoured and very enthusiastic to spend our money in order to win more back.  Needless to say we did not allow them.  Until, that is, the last day.  It was pouring with……

The Muddle of Maths

Maths in our home school has always been about getting it done.  Along with science, it is our only text-book curriculum.  I have A level maths and whilst my degree is in nursing, it also contained a great deal of maths.    I get maths.  The problem is I’m not good at teaching it.  I naturally think pictorially, so……

Our Wonderful World

Tonight I went into my baby before I tucked down, which I do every night with every child. Tonight, however, B1 was very hot and sticky, the room was stuffy and so hot. I opened the blind and the curtains, gave her some water, and sat and cuddled her in the rocking chair by the window.……