Reading/Writing Resources

Happy Phonics
Explode the Code
Institute for Excellence in Writing

Phonics Learning Games Kids Can’t Resist by Michelle Ramsey

Word Smart Junior by C.L. Brantley
Magic Tree House Series by Mary Pope Osborne (these also work for history/science)
http://www.magictreehouse.com/

www.janbrett.com/games/jan_brett_dolch_word_list_main.htm

History Resources

The Story of the World  by Susan Wise Bauer
A History of US by Joy Hakim

Computer Skills

• create & maintain a reading chart in Excel

Math Money

• each child gets a pair of dice
• pile pennies in middle, keep all silver coins and dollars
• roll dice, grab correct number of pennies
• if doubles are rolled, the child may bring correct change to 'the bank' (you) for silver coins
• the winner is the first to get a dollar
• (to make harder--they must go in order: pennies to nickels, nickels to dimes, dimes to quarters, etc.)

From The First Year of Homeschooling Your Child by Linda Dobson

Contemporary Discussion

Purchase a magazine such as TIME or Newsweek. Read articles that will interest your child and discuss with them.  This is a good way to analyze content and to discuss real-world issues.

Picture Geography

• cut out interesting pictures from Smithsonian, National Geographic, etc.
• glue pictures in notebook (one notebook per continent)
• write state/country above picture
• ask questions below picture

From The First Year of Homeschooling Your Child by Linda Dobson

50 State Visit

• get a huge map, color each state as you 'visit': learn about it
• write to someone in each state, get a postcard back

From The First Year of Homeschooling Your Child by Linda Dobson

Reading Activity

Read aloud while the child colors.  Once they are older, have them illustrate something from what you're reading.

Magnetic Poetry

• cut out a bunch of random words
• paste onto magnets/tickets/cardstock
• use to write poetry

Bug Hunting

• grab some bug-catching equipment and head outside
• research whatever you catch--find out where it lives, what it eats, etc.

From The First Year of Homeschooling Your Child by Linda Dobson

Textbook Critiques

• find whatever history/science/social studies book the local school is using
• analyze it for errors, omissions, etc.
• can also be done with magazines, newspapers, etc.

From The First Year of Homeschooling Your Child by Linda Dobson

Spelling Activity

• say the spelling word, then bounce ball to child
• child spells the word, bouncing ball for each letter
• when he/she's done, bounce it back to you

From The First Year of Homeschooling Your Child by Linda Dobson

Spy Words

Explain that writing is code for a spoken language.

• write one word of a sentence on each piece of paper
• number, then hide around house.  Only say how many to look for
• math=how many to find, how many are left
• reading=reads sentence

From The First Year of Homeschooling Your Child by Linda Dobson

Chocolate!

• find recipes online--learn to copy, paste, & save
• make recipes (math skills)
• rate dishes, keep chart
• turn into a recipe book
• where chocolate is grown, natural habitat, processing, etc.

From The First Year of Homeschooling Your Child by Linda Dobson

Pick a Sport

Everyone picks a team from the same sport

• find hometowns on map & places they'll play--calculate distances between cities
• write letters to teams/players
• read biographies
• keep charts/graphs
• do 'sportsmath'
• write news reports
• end by attending a game together

From The First Year of Homeschooling Your Child by Linda Dobson