Category: Educational Resources

Homeschooling: Free Educational Activities for When Kids Finish Their Lessons Early

1/27/2015

by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media

Homeschooling can be challenging, but because of the freedom allowed, such as not waiting for everyone in class to finish a subject, the students sometimes find themselves finishing classes early. Many children will still want to do something. Below are some free things to do when kids finish their homeschool lessons early.

- Do crossword puzzles, word searches, or other pencil word games. These stimulate the brain, which is excellent for comprehension skills.

- Take a nature walk. Try to reference something from recent studies. If that isn't possible, teach a lesson about what you do see.

- Play flashcard games. These can help to keep current lessons fresh in the mind. Flashcards can be made for any subject using index cards. Just cut them in half for a more convenient size.

- Make and play a homemade learning game together. Games can be made out of many different things. For a jumpstart on homemade math games, try these free, easy and effective math games for kids.

- Play educational software on the computer or online educational games. Educational games can stimulate the brain and some games can even teach new things.

- Visit a local library and attend storytime. This will not only be fun and educational, but it's a great opportunity for socializing with other children. Library storytime is often very interactive, requiring children to work together.

- Do extra language or math worksheets. This might sound hard to believe, but my children actually enjoy worksheets and sometimes ask to complete more than what were assigned in these areas.

- Practice handwriting skills. Having good handwriting skills can help your child immensely. Daily practice can be very useful. If you already practice this every day, a little extra time will be even more beneficial.

- Write a story. Writing is an essential life skill that should be practiced regularly.

- Keep a calendar of free events, festivals, and activities going on in your area. Check your calendar when the kids finish early to see if there's something you can surprise them with. Many cities also have free educational activities and classes available at universities, libraries, museums, churches, hospitals, parks, and more. Some are even especially for homeschoolers. Always check the paper and surf the internet for free offerings so you can keep many items on your calendar.

- Read a book. Reading stimulates the mind. In fact, there has been recent research showing that reading regularly is one of the very few ways to create new brain cells.

- Draw a descriptive picture of something recently learned. Putting thought into pictures helps improve comprehension, as well as enhance creativity and imagination.

- Watch an educational video.

- Do some of the next day's work. This will build confidence in children because they will learn they can do anything if they put their mind to it.

- Call around and see if any museums or zoos are offering a free day. If they are, take up the opportunity.
- Have a picnic (lunch or snack) and reading circle at the park or in your backyard.

- Go to the YMCA open gym. This will be free if you're a member. If you're not a member, the fee is minimal.

- Ride bikes to a local nature spot. This could be a large park, mountains, bayou, or any other area where wild animals might reside.

- Tour a neighboring city. This will require gas money and possibly money for food, but is relatively close to free.

Remember that learning can come in many forms. Keeping an open mind is essential to running a successful home school. You don't always have to spend money to learn. There are educational opportunities all around us. Also remember that it's okay to finish early and just let the kids play sometimes, too. After all, they did earn it by working so hard to finish early.

*I originally published a version of this via Yahoo Contributor Network

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How to Be More Eco-Friendly with Homeschool Worksheets

1/14/2015

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Reuse, Recycle, and Cut Down on Homeschool Worksheets

by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff

How much paper does your homeschool use up from just worksheets in one school year? Chances are, the amount is going to be high. Paper is one product many Americans waste often. Obviously, paper and worksheets cannot be completely eliminated from the homeschool (or any) classroom. However, there are ways to be more eco-friendly with worksheets. As a homeschooling mom who is also all about anything natural or eco-friendly (ok, and I'm also cheap), I don't like to waste anything. Here are some of my ideas for being more eco-friendly with homeschool worksheets.

Use Recycled Printer Paper, ebooks, and Textbooks

Use recycled printer paper when printing out homeschool worksheets from your computer. There also are textbook rental services. Many homeschool materials can also be obtained through libraries and book swap services. Also check to see if your learning materials are available in ebook format. This way, only the pages that have to be get printed and it can be done on recycled paper.

Recycle Homeschool Worksheets After Use

Recycling homeschool worksheets may seem like a no-brainer, but many people no longer recycle paper. Just as aluminum, copper, and other consumer waste products can be recycled, so can paper. Look in your city's phone book or online directory service to find a recycling center that accepts paper.

Laminate Worksheets for Repeated Use

While the plastic used for lamination is not exactly eco-friendly, less paper will be used by laminating homeschool worksheets. Write and wipe or dry erase markers can be used as a writing medium. This way, once the worksheets have been graded, the ink can be erased and the lessons saved for another child or as review for the same child further in the year. If you only have one child, laminate the homeschool worksheets anyway and pass them on to another family. I like to keep ours in binders sorted by grade and subject levels.

Use Old Homeschool Worksheets as Scrap Pads for Study

Cut homeschool worksheets into four even pieces and staple groups of them together upside-down to create scrap pads for note-taking and study. The scrap pads are also great for grocery lists, score pads in family games, and more. Glue a magnet to the back of the last sheet to create a refrigerator notepad. To increase the eco-friendly act of the scrap pads, also use recycled pencils and soybean crayons.

Make Bookmarks and Other Craft Projects from Old Worksheets

Worksheets can be cut up to create bookmarks and other craft projects. Cut them in ready-made bookmark shapes for quick bookmarks. For more detailed ones, cut the worksheets in thin strips, shapes, or even use a hole puncher to create interesting pieces to glue together and laminate for longer use. The same methods can be followed for other paper crafts. For instance, the strips can be used as a filler for gift baskets. Don't forget to reuse or recycle the bookmarks and crafts once you are finished with them.

*I originally published a version of this via Yahoo Contributor Network

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Homeschool Tips: Handy Hints No One Tells You

1/14/2015

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by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff

As a mom who has experienced both public school and homeschool, I have learned many small things that can make a big difference. Many of these things are not going to be told to you when you decide to homeschool. Once you decide to homeschool, you are left to figure things out on your own. Below are some of the things I have learned along the way.

Vary Your Instructional Methods

By standing in front of your children at a blackboard or just in the middle of the room when you give some of your lessons, you can be sure that your children will be able to learn in this manner if they return to traditional school or if they attend any courses outside of the home, including when they go to college. However, it is also important to provide a variety of teaching methods, so that your children can learn how to pick up information in many different ways. One on one instruction is also a great tool that is very easy to incorporate into a homeschool classroom.

Headings On Papers are Still Important

This is a small, but important task many homeschool families forget about. Even if you only have one child, the child still needs to correctly put headings on the papers, which include the name and date. This teaches something needed in college and also if your child will take outside courses. Aside from that, it helps teach organizational skills.

Group Presentations are Essential, Even for Small Families

It is imperative that your child learn how to present reports, artwork, experiments, and inventions in front of others. Family get-togethers are a great opportunity for this because there will be a good amount of people, not just one or two. This is a vital skill, as it builds confidence and teaches presentation skills that will be needed in college and maybe even in the workforce. This also teaches planning and organizational skills because the child will have to plan out , prepare, and organize their work for presentation. Oral skills will also be exercised here.

School-Like Organization Helps With College Prep

Organize your homeschool similar to that of a traditional school. Of course, you can have your own design and expression, but have a special spot for the teacher and a special spot for the students. There should be a spot for finished assignments to be graded, as well as a spot for graded assignments to be picked up. Each student should have his or her own materials to work with. Certain things, like crayons and glue, can be shared, but notebooks, writing journals, binders, and other more personal items should not be shared. Students should have a certain place for everything used in class.

Keep an "Extra-Work" Bin Handy

Keep a basket or bin with various extra worksheets for those times when a child is ahead in work, but you are not ready to move onto the next subject. Oftentimes one child finishes earlier than another, but the other child needs your help and the next subject needs explanation before the child who is ahead can begin. It is times like these when the extra work bin will come in handy. Other times you will have a child who enjoys schoolwork and just wants to do more, even after school has ended for the day. Either way, the bin is there. The bin should contain fun worksheets (coloring, dot to dot, mazes...) as well as actual work. Let the child decide. You'll be amazed at how often they pick the actual schoolwork over the fun pages.

Folders are Your Friend

This seems so simple, but keeping a folder for each subject just like in traditional school will not only teach organization, but prepare your children for what lies ahead. Should your children ever return to traditional school or attend college or formal courses, your children will need to learn how to organize in a setting outside the home.

Don't Forget About Gym

Sometimes gym can be forgotten in the hustle and bustle of things. Don't forget to take fitness time each day. Gym can consist of running, jogging, biking, skating, playing competitive sports, playing sports with family members, swimming, dancing, walking, exercising, and a variety of other physical activities. Just be sure to provide a mixture of activities throughout each week. Get your children up and moving.

Grocery Store Issues May Happen

Sometimes you'll want to make a grocery run in the middle of the day during a lesson break. Don't forget that people are going to ask you questions. They will mainly ask why the children aren't in school. Be prepared to answer this and don't get upset. Sometimes, they may just be nosy, but still give them the benefit of the doubt. Always answer politely. I like to say "Oh, we homeschool and we're in between classes, so we thought we'd make a quick grocery run." They may be satisfied with that and they may come back asking about socialization. If they do, you may like my usual response: "Oh, we get much more socialization than those in traditional school because of the learning flexibility and variety of classes and activities available." That usually works or it just makes them even more curious. Don't be afraid to answer their questions. You have nothing to hide. You just want what's best for your particular child and there is nothing wrong with that. There are many styles of schooling. Each child’s best style will vary.

Formality Can Vary

Not every lesson has to be on paper. True, you may want to keep a record for future reference, but remember that in homeschool there is greater opportunity for hands-on learning. Use that to your child's advantage. Hands-on learning can be much more effective than learning strictly from a textbook. It is best to pair both together. A child should read something, listen to it, speak it, write it, observe it, and do it (and also taste, touch, and smell it, if applicable). This will allow for the lesson to be understood from more than one angle, thus allowing for a deeper understanding.

Schedule According to Individual Needs

A schedule should be formed for organization, but remember that homeschool allows for flexibility, so if one child is throwing a fit and the older children need you for help or a lesson, they can move on to a self-instructed lesson, like free reading, until you have taken care of the problem with the other child.

Author's Extra:

Remember that in homeschool, you should have some structure to be sure lessons are being taught and learned, but also remember that homeschool allows for some flexibility when needed.

*I originally published a version of this via Yahoo Contributor Network

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How to Create a Homeschool Library

1/14/2015

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by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff

Has your child always had a love for books? Is there a large number of homeschoolers in your area (or do you know a good amount of homeschooling families)? If you can say yes to both of these, then starting a homeschool library would be a good idea for a library lesson, as well as just to create a great sharing resource for homeschoolers.

Getting Prepared to Create Your Library

First, sort through all the books and schooling equipment (microscopes, globes, overhead projectors, digital cameras, video tapes, cassette tapes, cd's, dvd's..) in your house and find the ones that are not special to anyone, meaning it would be alright to lend them out. Shelf, organize, and store those together in an area of your house that you will feel comfortable with people walking through. First floor walk-in closets or unused utility rooms are good for this or you can even just use a designated corner of any room where you feel comfortable placing the bookshelf.

Simple Ways to Collect Items for Your Homeschool Library

Next, you will need to contact everyone you know, asking them if they have any books, materials, or equipment they are not using that they could donate to the library. Then, while you are waiting for everyone to deliver their collections, visit local church sales and garage sales and buy books with low prices. You can usually find books priced at 10 cents to 50 cents at these events. Sometimes local libraries hold sales as well. Some even sell entire bags full of books for only a couple bucks. Be sure to search for educational materials as well as just regular books to read and be sure you have all ages covered.

Completing the Set-Up of Your Library

Once your collection is complete, either make or buy book pockets for checking out books and labels to place on the books that tells people the books belong to your library. Once you have all the books labeled and pocketed, you are ready to start checking out items. Be sure you also have a poster that clearly states your policies, including late fees and times allotted for material usage.

How to Share Your Library, if Desired

Let everyone know when your library is ready. You can even have a "grand-opening" check-out party with snacks outdoors and book checkout indoors. Advertising the library and grand-opening is a great way to meet other homeschooling families, as well as create more customers for your library. This can be done by printing up fliers and placing them in local churches, libraries, homeschooling bulletin boards, and other places people with children frequent. If you post them on a library bulletin board, remember to get permission. Some libraries may consider you to be competition, so be courteous. You can also open up the library to other parents, not just homeschoolers. Have fun with your ideas. The possibilities are endless.

*I originally published a version of this via Yahoo Contributor Network

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Homeschool Information, Resources, and Laws

11/26/2010

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by Lyn Lomasi; Owner of Intent-sive Nature & Brand Shamans Content Community

If you're thinking about or have decided to homeschool, you likely are wondering about homeschool laws. What are the legalities and where can information be found? Each state in the US has a different set of rules. The following information should help guide you toward the most current information.

One place to learn about homeschool laws is through your state's education department. When people think of the Department of Education, they may not necessarily be thinking about homeschool. But this agency should have access to the most current information regarding homeschool.

The Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) also can be extremely helpful when it comes to learning about homeschool laws. They even have a state by state breakdown of the legal options. In addition, they also can be very supportive to homeschool families who have been legally wronged.

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LAST UPDATED 5/15/2021

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Homeschooling: Free Educational Activities for When Kids Finish Their Lessons Early

How to Be More Eco-Friendly with Homeschool Worksheets

Reuse, Recycle, and Cut Down on Homeschool Worksheets

Homeschool Tips: Handy Hints No One Tells You

How to Create a Homeschool Library

Homeschool Information, Resources, and Laws

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