As a homeschool family, we recognize the value in keeping learning fresh and interesting. With the girls entering middle school and high school respectively, it would be easy to continue with the same schedule and curriculum that has been working all along. But, we don’t want to merely go through the paces in their educational journey, we want them to be inspired, excited and challenged by what they are learning. When it comes to writing, we know the importance of having strong spelling and grammatical skills, but also the power of being a creative writer. It can be tempting to push spelling lists and grammar rules, but truly the focus should be on fueling a passion for storytelling. One way we’ve been nurturing this skill is through the online platform “WriteStories by Scriptive“.

This space allows teachers to assign book-based writing assignments to their students. The students in turn have full creative control of writing dialogue and descriptive text to accompany a variety of wholesome picture books. Often, writing a story can be overwhelming, inspiration can be lacking and this can lead to frustration. “WriteStories by Scriptive” takes away the pressure and children are led naturally to tell a story that the illustrations they see inspire. The girls love that the books are displayed on-screen just as a physical book would be, complete with the ability to flip through the pages. How wonderful for children to be able to see their book come to life!

The book list available offers many beautiful and wholesome books to choose from, there is something for everyone, truly! We want to ensure our children have access to the highest quality of reading material and “WriteStories by Scriptive” has put in the time and research to ensure that’s what their students are exposed to. We are so thankful for this safe space to explore and grow.

We also appreciate that the girls can work at their own pace and level, which keeps learning fun, as it should be. Parents and teachers can review the child’s work and decide whether to correct grammar and spelling or simply let the creative juices flow during this time. We tend to do a combination of both, providing gentle suggestions if we see a spelling or grammatical error becoming a habit.

We have also noted that there is an option for speech-to-text for those who may not be physically able to type in their text prompts. What a wonderful inclusive feature for our young learners to enjoy!

One thing we have enjoyed doing is choosing a book to work on as a family, what fun this has brought to us all! The stories, of course, always take a silly and playful turn, but seeing the girls light up with every turning page has made these moments so special. Seeing them make the connection between being a proficient story teller and the emotion that can be passed along to the reader has really been a gift this season.

This platform has really shown our daughters the practical application of writing in the real world. They are both inspired to one day write their own books! It has been so rewarding to see their confidence and creativity soar. You can sign up for your free 7-day trial here, use code SUE33 to save 33% on your subscription. Be sure to drop any questions in the comments below!

Please note that we were compensated for our fair review of this platform, all feelings and thoughts are our own.

The post WriteStories by Scriptive Writing Program Review first appeared on Reaching Happy.

The Playful Pioneers curriculum covers most subjects yet allows you to add in your own Language Arts and Mathematics program.  You can keep things basic while following their lessons or delve much deeper in any given subject for more mature students.  We tend to do interest-led learning and this program is a perfect fit as it introduces a variety of themes each week and we can go with whatever interests the girls the most.  

“Little House Series” by Laura Ingalls Wilder

“The Julia Rothman Collection” by Julia Rothman

Miss 6 uses the Explode the Code series as she has used these workbooks from the start and they have proven to be a huge success for her.  She knows exactly what to do each day as the exercises go in the same pattern for each lesson. 

Explode the Code by Nancy Hall

As the school year reached its end, we finished up our workbooks early.  We were planning to switch over to “The Good and the Beautiful” Language Arts next year…so we started a little this year.  I can’t say ENOUGH about how good this program is!  It is beautiful, it is gentle and it is loaded with amazing lessons. 

We use Handwriting Without Tears as well, she enjoys the extra practice with their handwriting and the illustrations are adorable.  Next year we will formally introduce cursive handwriting but are beginning a slow introduction this year. 

“Cursive Magnatab” by Kid-O
“Printing Power” by Handwriting Without Tears

 For Mathematics we are using Singapore Math which we have also used since Kindergarten.  To be honest, we don’t have the same enthusiasm for this series as we once did.  If you have a recommendation for Grade 2 Math…please leave me a comment!  We also use many Mathematics based games…these have been a huge hit in our studies.

“Pop for Addition and Subtraction” by Learning Resources

“Math Dice” by Think Fun

The rest of our studies are far less formal and can vary depending on the week.  We try to stick with the themes that The Playful Pioneers curriculum has laid out for us but of course we go off track as interests are awakened or as the seasons change. 

Please see the blog post “Books (and things)” for our main reference books.  These books are the heart of our children’s education.  Our other blog posts will give you a taste of what “a-day-in-the-life” looks like for us…again this is what works for us, and in no way reflects what might work for you.  We love that you are sharing in our journey and hope you will share your feedback in the comments below.

Finally, here are a few of our suggested tools-of-the-trade:

“Geo Boards” by Learning Resources

“Write and Wipe Number Facts” by Learning Resources

“Illuminated World Globe” by Little Experimenter

Let me know what works for your family!

Sue

The post Our Second Grade resources first appeared on Reaching Happy.

Bake – Try a simple bread recipe, delicious cinnamon rolls or pretzels!

Draw

Paint

Sculpt

Blanket Fort

Exercise

Picnic

Read

Dress Up

Cook – Have you ever tried making your own pasta?  Or pizza dough?

The post Easy Boredom Busters first appeared on Reaching Happy.

“Nature Anatomy” by Julia Rothman

“Curiositree: Natural World” by AJ Wood and Mike Jolley

“Crafting with Nature” by Amy Renea

“Curious Kids Nature Guide” by Fiona Cohen

“Nature’s Art Box” by Laura C. Martin

“Drawn from Nature” by Helen Ahpornsiri

“Pond Life: A Golden Guide” by George Reid

“Outside Your Window” by Nicola Davies

“Caterpillars, Bugs and Butterflies” by Mel Boring

For Parents:

“How to Raise a Wild Child” by Scott D. Sampson

“Vitamin N” by Richard Louv

“How to Be a Wildflower” by Katie Daisy

The post Our Favorite Nature Reference Books first appeared on Reaching Happy.

We have used the following curricula for at least the past two years and will use it this upcoming school year as well.   If you follow us on Instagram and you feel like your children have a similar learning style as our daughters, there is a good chance they will enjoy these choices as well.  

Rhythm

To give you an idea of how we fit all these subjects into our 4-day school week, I want to share our schedule or rhythm.  I prefer the concept of a rhythm as I do not like having an hour by hour, completely planned out day.  Be sure to do what works best for you and your family! In the mornings we wake when our bodies tell us to, eat breakfast and let our brains fire up.  The girls play or create and I do housework and then lay out our lessons (and a snack). They tend to gather when they see me reach that stage.   

We start our day with Bible Stories and our current Read Aloud, the girls complete their Handwriting assignments while I read (or play with loose parts/play dough).  We then move on to Language Arts and Math, our oldest does most of her work independently while I work with her younger sister. There is still a lot of jumping back and forth depending on who needs me the most, I will admit!

We then take a break and after lunch, all together, we tackle French and ONE or TWO other subjects (History, Geography, Science).  We like having a big block of time to cover these subjects as they can spark ideas and conversation which can’t be rushed.  Since the girls are in different stages of learning, I adapt my expectations accordingly. These subjects are very laid back, lots of reading, discussions, hands on crafts or experiments.  Okay, here we go:

Spine

I often choose a curriculum such as “The Playful Pioneers” or “A Year of Tales” as a “spine” for our year.  We have completed both in the past and now use them as a guide when we need to add a little enchantment to our week.  For example, this year we will use just the teatime and recipe suggestions from “A Year of Tales” to have a fun themed break once a week.  Last year we used “The Playful Pioneers” just for the weekly handicraft and experiment suggestions.  (non-secular but can be easily adapted to your beliefs)

Handwriting

I can’t speak highly enough about “The Good and The Beautiful” Handwriting curriculum.  It has been a painless way for the girls to practice their printing and cursive.  It is very gentle and most lessons share an encouraging quote or scripture. The method they use to teach cursive is very helpful and easy for a child to understand.  We start cursive in Grade 3.  We download and print at home to save on cost. (nonsecular)

Language Arts

“The Good and The Beautiful” wins again on this front, we adore their Language Arts curriculum.  The beautiful illustrations, book recommendations, poetry and gentle progression of lessons have been a hit with us all.  Spelling and grammar are covered extensively and yet there isn’t an overwhelming amount of writing, which our daughters prefer.  The topics are very wholesome and build character as well. Level 1 – 5 are a free download, we print at home! (non-secular, but can easily be adapted for your beliefs)

We also have enjoyed the early readers and books from “Dash into Learning”. The new series offers social-emotional learning through classic tales with the original “Dash” characters. These books have the sweetest illustrations and have captivated both girls from a very young age. (Be sure to have a peek at the full blog post on how we taught our daughters to read.)

Typing

Our oldest will begin learning how to type this year and we have heard rave reviews of “The Good and The Beautiful” Typing guidebook.  I love that it isn’t an app, it gives it a more formal feel and less like a video game to be played.  We will keep you posted on our thoughts!

Math

Our oldest has been using “Teaching Textbooks” for the past two years and this year our youngest will join her.  Up until this point, we have used “The Good and The Beautiful” Math curriculum and although we have enjoyed it, our youngest would like to try what “big sister” is using.  If it doesn’t work out, we will go back to TGTB, most definitely (full review HERE).  “Teaching Textbooks” in an online program where an “instructor” takes the child through new concepts in lecture style videos, then the child completes problems and the results are recorded for review.  We have loved having this “new voice” in our classroom.  It gives the child a break from workbooks and allows them to build some independence and accountability. 

History

We have been thoroughly enjoying reading our way through “The Story of Our World” series.  This curriculum covers world history through four books and corresponding workbooks.  Starting in Grade 3 we read a small portion a day together. Once we complete all four books (we cover one a year) we will work our way through them again, this time using the workbook to dig much deeper with experiments, documentaries and further book suggestions.  We love that this series covers the history of the whole world. It includes: The Ancient Times, The Middle Ages, Early Modern Times and The Modern Age and it is presented chronologically. (nonsecular)

We are also big fans of the “Who was?” series and include titles that correspond with the point in time we are studying. Be sure to follow your child, some topics can be too much for sensitive ones and that’s okay.   We don’t need to gloss things over but adding layers each year to their knowledge of history is a beautiful way to learn. 

Geography

As a literature rich homeschool, we can’t say enough about “Around the World with Picture Books 1 and 2“.  This beautiful fully-illustrated guide takes us to a new country every few weeks through picture books, artist studies, recipes and documentaries.  The guide covers history, geography, art, animal studies, local customs and foods and so much more.  We all love these studies and feel like we really get a chance to step into each country for a nice visit. The artist’s study included in this curriculum is so thorough we do not have to prepare separate Art studies, everything is covered here….what a bonus!  We purchased the teacher’s guide and simply source our books from our local library or from friends. 

For a more tailored study of Canadian Geography, we use “The Great Canadian Adventure”. It covers each province with an illustrated guide to the province’s characteristics, animals, people and landscape. I love that each guide ends with a fun local recipe to try!  If you are looking for our favorite reference books on Canada, we sure to visit THIS blog post. 

Science

Our main guide for our Science study is “Exploring Nature with Children”.  This simple yet effective guide takes us through a full year of exploring animals, seasons, plant life and lunar cycles with a different theme presented each week.  We tend to dip in and out of this study throughout the year as interests peak and valley. We love that it encourages us to take regular nature walks, try experiments, create nature journals, read picture books and study poems.  When we need a longer more direct study, we grab a unit study from “The Good and The Beautiful” such as their Marine Biology, Human Body or Space themes.  For impromptu studies, our favorite Science and S.T.E.M experiment book can be found HERE, great for all ages!

Second Language

We are approaching learning French as second language in a very casual way.  We use the app or website Duolingo together, we all practice and take turns answering questions.  It has been fun to work together as a family and test each other throughout the day.  

Physical Education

We believe children naturally love to move!  Let them climb, swing, jump and explore as much as possible!  We also want to ensure our daughters know the ins-and-outs of a variety of sports.  We are taking the time to show them the different equipment involved and what the basic rules are to each one.  Basketball and soccer are current favorites! 

I’ve shared so much that I don’t dare go on!  Any questions, please let me know below or reach out on Instagram!

Thanks! – Sue 

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The post Our Favorite Homeschool Curriculum first appeared on Reaching Happy.

My Nana’s Garden by Dawn Casey (Theme: Loss)

The Good Garden by Katie Smith Milway (Theme: Poverty)

Tokyo Digs a Garden by Jon-Erik Lappano

Harlem Grown by Tony Hillery

Mr. Hiroshi’s Garden by Maxine Trottier (Theme: War)

The Curious Garden by Peter Brown

Florette by Anna Walker

How Does my Garden Grow? by Gerda Muller

We are the Gardeners? by Joanna Gaines

The Marvelous Mustard Seed by Amy-Jill Levine

Butterfly Park by Elly McKay

Flowers are Calling by Rita Gray

The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver by Gene Barretta

A Year in our New Garden by Gerda Muller

Badger’s Perfect Garden by Marsha Diane Arnold

Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner

How Does my Fruit Grow? by Gerda Muller

Do you have a favorite garden themed picture book?

Be sure to have a look at our favorite Spring Themed Picture Books and Nature Themed Picture Books as well!

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Materials 

Needle Felting Kit 

Which includes: 

Needle

Pad or Cushion

Wool

Finger guards

AND

Small Cookie Cutters 

Using cookie cutters as a guide helped us in so many ways. 

Little fingers were kept safe and it was easy to create a beautiful shape with little effort. 

This minimized frustration in our youngest needle felting artist.

After choosing your cookie cutter and wool colors, place your items on your pad or cushion. 

(Use the finger guards as instructed, especially for younger ones)

Take a small amount of wool and place it in the cookie cutter.  Fill every nook and cranny with a thin layer. 

Hold your needle relatively straight up and down and then begin gently jabbing the wool with your needle repeatedly.

Short, quick jabs are what you are looking for!

If you place the needle at an angle while felting, it will weaken and eventually break. 

Your needle should just touch the pad below, it should barely pierce it. 

Slowly add more and more wool and continue felting until the desired thickness is achieved.

Flip your project over and repeat on the other side. 

Remove your project from the cookie cutter and clean up the stray edges along the sides with the same gentle jabbing motion.  

To create a center for your flower, simply freehand a little ball shape and felt it together.

When you have achieved the desired shape, simply place it on the flower and repeat the same needle movements to join the two pieces together. 

Voila!  Simple needle felted flowers for loose parts play, math manipulatives or to create hair clips or magnets with.

The possibilities are endless!

To see a video tutorial, have a look at the Reels we created HERE on Instagram.

Have you tried needle felting before?

Let me know!

Sue

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an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to

earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.”

The post Easy Needle Felting with Children first appeared on Reaching Happy.

 I want to share with you a tool that just may help your little bird watchers along in their journey: A FREE bird journaling page. 

I’ll add the link at the bottom of this page.

I have included ample space for documentation through sketching and note taking. 

Also, a few prompts are in place to encourage taking note of the location and time of day. 

If your children need a gentle guide on how to draw common birds, we adore the pictured book.

It gives useful tips on drawing their bodies, different bill shapes and how to achieve a feathery look.

I made sure to design a page that fits well when used with a clipboard and/or with a three ringed binder.

This enables you to leave some pages within reach at home: near a window facing a bird feeder, or on the go: tucking them into a clip board for a forest hike. 

If you don’t currently have a feeder in your yard, have a look at our easy DIY birdfeeder.

Experiment using different seeds and see what varieties of birds you can attract. 

Be sure to invest in a local bird guide book so you can quickly reference what you spot.  I just know your children will love watching their journals grow through the seasons and sightings! 

To access your free printable, simply subscribe to our page HERE

and you will receive a link in your welcome email.

Happy Bird Watching!

-Sue 

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an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to

earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.”

The post Free Bird Journaling Page first appeared on Reaching Happy.

Supplies:

Pine Cones

Natural Peanut Butter

Bird Seed 

Twine 

Birds that stay through the cooler months appreciate having natural peanut butter to help in their fat production.  Be sure to choose organic peanut butter tho, without any additives or sweeteners.

We began by cutting a short length of twine and attaching it to the top of our cones.

Then came the girls’ very favorite part, slathering on the peanut butter. 

At first they approached it quite artistically, trying to carefully apply the butter without dribbling a single drop.  When I explained that it had to be thick in order to act as “glue” for the seeds…they approached it with a newfound vigor. 

It wouldn’t be creating without at least a bit of a mess to clean up afterwards!

Up next, a quick and thorough roll in the bird seed of your choice.  We chose black oil sunflower seeds as they are a favorite with chickadees and those are our most frequent visitors. 

I wasn’t sure our thin natural peanut butter would hold the seeds well but it worked beautifully. 

Such a cute little feeder, don’t you think?

Since no two pinecones are alike, each creation was completely unique!

Now out we go to hang them on branches and pine boughs for the birds to discover!

Do you enjoy feeding your backyard birds?

-Sue 

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The post Easy Pine Cone Bird Feeder first appeared on Reaching Happy.

Supplies:

Twine or String

Scissors

Wooden Beads (Assorted Sizes)

Watercolors and Paint Brushes

Sealant

Solar System Book (or reference website)

After studying each planet and it’s characteristics, begin painting a wooden bead to represent each one in the solar system. 

Remember, creating and connecting is more important that being exact and precise.  Let the child take the lead!

We found that in using watercolors we were able to achieve a beautiful, soft, blended look and the beads also dried very quickly.

We slipped the beads on to a length of twine, but any string or ribbon would do. 

After the paint dried overnight, we sealed them to preserve the colors.  The finish really turned out beautifully. 

This craft could easily be adapted for younger or older children by including more detail on the planets, using bigger beads, adding in dwarf planets or moons.  I know we will revisit it as the girls grow.   Let me know what you think!

Enjoy!

Sue

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The post Easy Solar System Necklaces first appeared on Reaching Happy.