BookShark Homeschool Curriculum

The kitchen is the part of the house where people gather. It's where we create the food that gives us feelings of nostalgia for grandma's cookies or Dad's Spicy Shrimp with noodles. Food is a universal need and one that allows us with a taste or smell to travel in time and location. Rowena S. took the idea of creating memorable food with an educating twist to create eat2explore. Join Rowena as she and Janna chat about the creation of Eat2Explore and how you can travel the world with cooking, and creating meaningful family time all within the comfort of your kitchen.

We don't pay attention to the little things until we suddenly need some quick or not-so-quick life skill that we realize we were never taught, like how to tie a tie, change a tire, or cook eggs. The list can go on and is different for each individual but all is not lost there are people out there who help people like Rob Kenney, the creator, and host of 'Dad, How Do I?' From 'how to' videos to chin up talks Rob imparts practical advice with a few dad jokes for levity to people of all ages. Join Rob as he speaks with Janna about his experience of creating 'Dad, How Do I?' and more.

Twice exceptional (2e) students have a foot on both ends of the bell curve. They are highly gifted in some areas and have huge challenges (are neurodivergent) in others. They are often described as "smart but lazy" or "bright but scattered." Join guest Sam Young, an expert on special needs education who is himself neurodivergent, as he provides a wealth of insights for homeschooling your 2e/neurodivergent child.

In this continued conversation from ep. 114, special guest Andrea Thorpe and host Janna Koch pick up on part two of their discussion about homeschooling middle schoolers. These years don't have to be a season of gritting your teeth and white knuckling through. You can actually thrive when you shift your mindset from controlling your teens to preparing them for the next phase of life. Learn how to handle mistakes (theirs and yours), how to react to their bids for autonomy and alone time, and how to guide them into better decision making without using the phrase "I told you so."

Join special guest Andrea Thorpe to learn how homeschooling the middle school years can be one of your best seasons yet! During middle school, your children transition from the cute years of elementary school to the independent learning years of high school. Because they are transforming, your parenting and teaching both need to flex as well.

Learn what makes guitar (or any musical instrument) the perfect homeschool hobby and extracurricular activity in this episode with John Futch. John has been teaching music for over twenty years, currently via First Frets, an online guitar and ukulele program that takes students from beginner to advanced, one step at a time. If you have a musically inclined child, this episode will inspire you to imagine the possibilities playing guitar can open for your family.

Have you ever felt totally stressed out by the holidays? Or oddly disappointed when they were over? Janna Koch and her guest Kelly Scimeca chat all things holiday blues: the symptoms, the causes, and how to keep them from ruining your cheery vibe.

Why add Black, Asian, and Native American voices to your homeschool? Our podcast guest for this episode is a specialist in this area. Belinda Bullard has successfully graduated three children through homeschooling with a literature-based approach.

Music is a mental superfood—truly enjoyable and beneficial for both brain and soul! Music awakens imagination and even boosts math skills. Join host Janna and her guest Dana Dominiak as they talk about Piano Prodigy—a video game that teaches kids both music theory and how to play the piano.

Anyone can be imaginative. Our job as homeschool parents is to give our children a toolbox with enough variety of options to foster their creativity. Both reading and writing are key vehicles for imagination!