BookShark

I absolutely don't miss the struggles and stresses I faced when I had to get my kids to school each day. That's why I think one of the greatest benefits of home education has to be peaceful mornings.

The morning often dictates how the rest of your day is going to pan out. So a positive start to the day can mean success, harmony, and, of course, learning. If you can ease into the day with gentle activities, rather than frantically rushing around, you can create a soothing learning environment for your kids and a less stressful day for you.

Everyone knows that reading aloud is one of the most important things parents can do for their children. As parents, we have the best of intentions, but sometimes our reading aloud routine can get thrown off course.

Maybe your children have been under the weather.
Maybe your homeschool routine is in a rut.
Maybe the kids are cranky.
Maybe you are all lacking motivation.

Homeschooling is one of the most rewarding decisions I've ever made as a mom. I cherish the moments I have at home with my daughter. And as a mom of two grown sons, I try to keep in mind that I have only eighteen years with her. It helps me to keep myself in check when the days feel a little long.

I mean, let’s be honest. Homeschooling is amazing, but there are definitely times when it wears on me. There are days when we’re just not feeling it. There are moments, even during the awesome days, when we feel frustrated or just plain tired. It’s easy to get caught up in all of it and let the frustration and fatigue reign if we don’t focus on supporting all four of our energies.

If you’re looking for an inexpensive way to liven up your school day, grab a bucket of sidewalk chalk and head outside. While it's easy enough to let kids go wild and create whatever they want, consider adding some structure and hands-on education to your outdoor chalk time. Below you’ll find activities focusing on a variety of subjects —math, science, language arts— that have one element in common; they can all be done outside with sidewalk chalk. All of these activities are adaptable, so feel free to use these directions as a springboard for your own fun! Modify the ideas below depending on your child’s age and ability.Read More

What if your kids could learn to write from real-life, published authors? Sounds pretty amazing…and maybe even a little expensive, right?

The good news is they can do just that when they learn language arts naturally using copywork and dictation to develop their writing skills. BookShark Language Arts uses this approach.

When we incorporate copywork and dictation into language arts, our kids learn to write from those who do it best. Copywork and dictation are similar in many ways. In copywork, students write from the written word, while in dictation, students write from the spoken word. 

Do you remember what it was like when your sweet little babies began to utter their first sounds? Did you run to get a textbook so you could teach them how to speak? Of course not! You certainly didn’t freak out thinking there was no way you would be able to teach them how to talk.

Instead you began to say simple words to them like mama and dada. And each time they attempted to make the same sound, you excitedly cheered them on.

But for some reason, the thought of teaching language arts seems to strike fear into the hearts of many homeschool parents. There's no need for fear.

I’m currently homeschooling a middle schooler, an upper elementary student, an emergent reader, and a preschooler. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my seven years of homeschooling, it’s that they all love hands-on activities, especially experiments.

While I appreciate their zeal, it can be daunting to juggle their enthusiasm and mixed abilities. Figuring out how to keep everyone on track and participating has taken some practice. Here are five ways we’ve managed to keep the peace and learning flowing when doing BookShark science activities.

How much technology should be part of a child’s elementary homeschool curriculum? New homeschoolers wrestle with this question quite a bit. Even experienced homeschoolers weigh the pros and cons year by year as they choose new curriculum. Should you opt for online classes and digital learning programs? Or should you stick with physical books? Should you turn the teaching over to a sophisticated software, or should you sit with your kids and direct their learning yourself? Sometimes an online approach seems more modern, more measurable, and far more convenient since the parent doesn’t have to invest as much time. Kids love playing with smartphones and tablets, so it seems natural to make the most of that fascination when it comes to homeschool, right? Apps and games claim to teach preschoolers a wide variety of necessary skills: the alphabet, phonics, colors, numeracy, etc.Read More

Sometimes the news is scary. There are things happening in our world right now that are near to impossible to discuss with children without leaving them fearful. As parents, we want to protect our kids from hatred and hurt. We want them to remain children and enjoy every drop of childhood magic for as long as possible. And yet, we want our children to grow into adults who will make a difference in this world. We want to raise compassionate, thoughtful men and women who will put an end to the hatred and hurt. So, how can we start the process? How can we talk about difficult topics without making it too scary? How can we protect our children and yet show them how to be upstanders?Read More

Fieldtrips are great way for homeschooling families to add excitement and some real life learning to their days. Do you get out of the house with your kids?

It’s easy to take the time to get out during the spring and fall but a bit harder to get motivated during the colder winter months. It’s important, though.

It can become tedious to stay at home most of the day – for both you and the kids. Fieldtrips give you all a chance to get out of the house, get some fresh air, learn new things, and interact with new people. Here are some ideas for fieldtrips that are educational and fun.