Posts for category ‘Resources’

For years, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine has been the “go-to” resource for many homeschool families.  We’re proud to present them as part of our partner spotlight series this week!

Are you looking for some great ideas to supplement your homeschool curriculum? The Old Schoolhouse Store is a great place to start!

At The Old Schoolhouse Store , you’ll find a variety of resources – and for every budget – there’s even a Homeschool Dollar Store!

You’ll find something for every aspect of the curriculum – math to science to reading and from preschool all the way through college prep.

Stay up to date with current homeschooling issues and topics by subscribing to The Old Schoolhouse Magazine . It’s wonderfully informative and will provide you with activities, articles, and even tips on meal planning.

The Old Schoolhouse Store has so much to offer – take a look for yourself -you wont’ be disappointed.

Have you shopped the Old Schoolhouse Store before?  What do you recommend?

Crystal P. lives in Illinois with her many children, pets, and her husband.  She is a former (and probably future) middle school language arts teacher.  She is currently working from home as an independent copywriter,editor, and Lesson Pathways team member. You can follow her blog at http://houseofsloth.blogspot.com/.

Did February just sneak up on you?  Yeah, us too!

If you’re looking at the calendar, you may have noticed that tomorrow is Groundhog’s Day.  You might even be considering incorporating something about it into tomorrow’s school plans …. if only there a quick way to put together a mini-unit …..

Well, you’re in luck.  Albeit last minute, we’ve found some fun resources for learning about Groundhog’s Day with your children!

Facts & History: Read this short page to learn about how Groundhog Day came to be, here in the United States.

This History of Groundhog Day: If your child wants to read more, this page goes a little more in depth.

All About Groundhogs Video: Did you know that groundhogs are also known as wood chucks?  Watch this video to learn more!

Printable Worksheets: This website has a collection of 10 different worksheets including a word search, crossword puzzle, vocabulary builder and more!

Pop Up Puppet: Use a foam cup, paper and craft stick to make this puppet.

Groundhog Day Quiz: Use this as a final quiz or a starting point for a research project!

And maybe all of this talking about Groundhog Day has got you thinking about that super-funny movie with Bill Murray?  You can rent it from Amazon right now and watch right on your computer for only $2.99 or buy it as a digital download for only $4.99!

What are your favorite resources for learning about Groundhog Day?

This post was written by Christina S., a LessonPathways.com team member and homeschooling mom of 11 years. When she’s not finding great resources to share with our LessonPathways family, she’s busy working on her site, HomeschoolingInDetroit and chatting away on Twitter.

CurrClick just announced they will be launching a FREE Club for American Girl Doll enthusiasts.

If you’re not familiar with CurrClick already, they offer great downloadable resources and online classes for kids.

We are planning a FREE online American Girl Club for girls ages 5-12. The American Girl dolls each represent a period in American History so this club will be a history enrichment club. Each meeting would consist of a unit study, craft, snack (prepared at home by the parent), and anything else our coordinators can think of!

CurrClick is looking for parent coordinators.  If you are interested, just fill out this quick survey.

Over the centuries, people have celebrated Christmas in many different ways.  As Christmas approaches, this is a wonderful time to share with your family the history, crafts and stories of years gone by.

At my house, we have started counting down the days until Christmas.  We are shamelessly singing Christmas songs at the top of our lungs, and we are enjoying our egg nog and gingerbread coffee creamers immensely.   The tree is lit and the halls are decked.  It is really beginning to look, sound and smell a lot like Christmas around here.  We seem to partake in many traditional Christmas traditions, but why?  Where did these traditions originate? This brief history of Christmas will explain why we celebrate Christmas and the many wonderful traditions associated with the holiday.

Activities for Fun and Learning

Hands-on activities make learning more memorable and more fun. Here are some activities to share with your family this Christmas season.

Make an Orange Pomander Pomanders were a traditional Christmas gift in Tudor times – designed to combat all those nasty smells of daily Tudor life!

Meeting Santa Claus Mr. Edwards met Santa on his way to the Ingall’s home for Christmas dinner. Have your child imagine and describe what he thinks it would be like to meet Santa.

Butter Pound Cake Try your hand at this delicious recipe.

Hand Dipped Candles Read and follow the directions on the page to make the candle(s). Be sure to read the tips at the bottom of the page. How do you think night time activities were affected by only having candles for light?

Make a Marshmallow Snowman Ornament If you like to add homemade ornaments to your Christmas tree each year, this marshmallow snowman Christmas ornament is quick and easy for kids or adults to make

Tools for Learning

Incorporate these online games, printables, and activities to teach your child about Christmas.

The Twelve Days of Christmas Students usually have a lot of fun doing this. The teacher can give clues for students who have trouble recalling parts of the song.

Christmas Card Nouns and Adjectives Use Christmas cards to reinforce the concepts of nouns and adjectives.

Christmas Word Puzzles Keep kids busy (and in the Christmas spirit) while you wrap, organize or decorate with these fun Christmas printables.

Online Christmas Games Dress the elves, make music and so much more!

Online Christmas Quiz Think you know everything there is to know about Christmas?  Test yourself with this fun quiz.

Videos Resources

These videos will enhance your study of Christmas — the history, traditions, and much more.

The History of the Holidays – Christmas Learn about the origins of Christmas traditions with this video from the History Channel.

The Life of a Christmas Tree From a tiny tree in the wilderness to a spectacular display in your living room; this video explains how it happens.

Christmas Light Technology Ever wonder how Christmas lights work?  Watch the video to find out!

Do you have a favorite resource for learning about Christmas?  Tell us in the comments section below!

This post was written by Dana A., a LessonPathways.com Team Member and homeschool mom.  She lives in Florida, with her husband and two children.

This post was written by Christina S., LessonPathways.com team member and veteran homeschool mom.  When not helping out around here at LessonPathways.com or other work-related project, she’s busy homeschooling or tweeting as @MrsStrick on Twitter.

In her quest to find great resources for educating her own children, she has found some she’d like to share with you.  Read on and enjoy!

Hanukkah, also known as “The Festival of Lights” (and sometimes spelled “Chanukah”) is an eight-day Jewish holiday starting on the 25th day of Kislev, which may occur at any time from late November to late December (source: wikipedia).

This year, Hanukkah begins on December 1.

While my family is not Jewish, I wanted my children (and myself!) to learn more about Jewish culture and traditions.  It’s important to me that we learn as much as we can, out of respect for our friends that are Jewish and because Jewish culture is deeply intertwined with our own Christian history.

All of the resources here were found on the internet and are completely free!  They are listed here for you, in the friendly “LessonPathways.com” Pathway format we’ve all grown to know and love.  I hope your family finds them useful in your homeschool (or classroom) studies too!

As I mentioned, I am still learning about Jewish culture and traditions.  If I’ve made an error, please let me know.  If you’ve got a great resource I missed, please share it in the comments section below!

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Links to Online Lessons

The Story of Hanukkah
Read this very short passage as an introduction to the story of Hanukkah.

History of Hanukkah
Read this account of the Birth of Hanukkah and its celebration, including symbolic foods.

Hanukkah Traditions
Learn more about Hanukkah traditions, including the Miracle of the Oil.

History of the Dreidel
Learn about the history of the Dreidel, how to play and the meaning of the Hebrew letters on each one.

Significance of the Menorah
Learn all about the Menorah and why it signifies the Feast of Lights.

The Star of David
Learn about the meaning of the Star of David

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Hands-On Projects and Activities

Make a Dreidel
Follow the directions to make your own dreidel, then try your hand at a game with a friend or family member.

Craft a Hanukkah Menorah
Use wooden spools, paint and yellow eraser pencil toppers to make this craft. (does not actually light up)

Create a Menorah
Want something that really lights up? Use baby food jars and candles to create this Menorah

Hanukkah Wreath
Recommended for ages 6+, create this wreath using a wire coat hanger, TP rolls and paint.

Star of David Window Ornament
Add a little sparkle to your windows by making these pretty ornaments

Cooking for Hanukkah
Try making Hanukkah coins or Latkes. How do you like them?

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Worksheets, Printables & Online Activities

Coloring Pages
Beautiful pictures to print and color.

Online Jigsaw Puzzle
See if you can put this holiday picture back together.

Reading Comprehension Worksheet
Print this worksheet, read the short passage and try to answer the questions.

Word Puzzle
(For the older kids) Print and solve this word puzzle about Hanukkah blessings.

Crossword Puzzle
A high quality printable word puzzle (with answer key!).

Lined Journaling Pages
Print your choice of journaling pages to keep track of what you’ve learned.

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Free Online Videos

Learn about Hanukkah with Elmo!

History Channel’s History of Hanukkah

Watch this video from the History Channel to learn more about the history of Hanukkah.

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Free Online Audio

The Story of Hanukkah
Listen to the story of the Maccabees

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Additional Resources

Chabad.org
A large collection of games and other learning goodies for learning about Hanukkah for kids.

Scholastic Lesson Plans
Lesson plans & printables for teaching about the dreidel.

Literature Hanukkah
A list of literature for children about Hanukkah.

Hanukkah Clip Art
Free clip art to use.

If you enjoyed these resources, be sure to visit our site, LessonPathways.com, for more great unit studies and FREE learning materials!

If you are homeschooling a high schooler, this free teleconference may be of interest to you.

On November 18th, Homefires is hosting special guest, Lee Binz, “The Homes Scholar“, to help you get your homeschooler ready for college.

The event is free, but advanced registration is required.  Visit the Homefires page for more information and registration.

This post is sponsored by:

Have you ever wished there was some way for your budding author to become published?  Do you feel like your kids are missing out by not having a school newspaper or a place to showcase their literary talent?

Look no further!  The Homeschool Literary Quarterly has arrived on the scene!  According to their site:

The Homeschool Literary Quarterly is an online, quarterly literary magazine published and sponsored byWriteGuide.com, a Company Devoted to the Teaching of Writing.

Our purpose is to

(1) Promote the literary arts within the homeschool community.

(2) Provide a place where homeschool writers can showcase their work, and receive intelligent commentary from readers.

(3) Assist homeschoolers who are considering a career in publishing or writing.

We think this is a great idea! They are calling for submissions for their upcoming newsletter.  The deadline is November 15th.  Encourage your child to polish up his or her best piece of fiction, poetry, an essay or even his or her best book review and you might see it in the next issue!