With late summer days and soon to be fall days, we have lots of chances to enjoy the outdoors. So, why not find school-related activities to incorporate into your studies? You can go to a local park, backyard, or neighborhood where you can:
collect leaves (science)
inspect insects (science)
go on hikes (physical education, health)
pack nutritious snacks (health)
sing songs (fine arts)
use a map (social studies)
do a GeoCache (social studies, math)
make a map of the area (social studies, art)
collect nature items, identify and classify them, count them, draw them, make a collage (science, math, art)
write about the experience (language arts)
I hope this gets your creative juices flowing and thinking that school can be more than just worksheets and sitting inside.
It may seem like a no-brainer since you live in Ohio, but what exactly do you teach when it comes to Ohio history? No specific guidelines are given, so you can choose to cover it however you wish. Here are some things to get the ideas flowing for you to teach about our great state.
Early History- What native groups of people were here? Choose one or more tribes to learn more about them.
Pioneers- When was Ohio opened for pioneers? Who were some of the first people to settle here?
Statehood- When did it become a state? Where was the first state capital? Where is it now? Why was it relocated?
Presidents- There are seven that were born in Ohio, how about learning about them?
Inventions/ Inventors- Did you know that the Wright brothers were born in Ohio? Carillon Park in Dayton has a great display of inventions and their history for you to see.
Underground Railroad- There are many places throughout Ohio that slaves traveled to get to free states and Canada. What about doing some research to learn more about it?
Make it Hands-On History is all around us. Visit statues, museums, historical markers, your library, an older neighbor or a relative. Any or all of these are great places to begin to learn about the history near you. Find out if there are any programs that talk about the history of your town or the area. Summer is a great time to explore and visit various parts of Ohio. Are you familiar with our Ohio Historical Society? It has places to visit, archives to search, and even homeschool programs. https://www.ohiohistory.org/
Geography- Have you ever looked at a map of Ohio with your student? Can they locate the major cities or rivers of our great state? You can use google maps to have a more interactive experience if you like. Personally, I enjoy a paper map and getting a better idea of how far a place is from our home.
Explore the great outdoors- Ohio has such a diverse landscape that includes lakes, rivers, farmland, caves, gorges, and forests, bike trails, etc. Instead of planning a long road trip, how about exploring a different part of the state? You’ll not only have fun, but will be able to count it for school. (yay!)
Read books about Ohio– The photo collage that is seen above is one I created (using Pic-Collage) with some books that might be interesting to your student(s).
Videos- You can find all sorts of documentaries about the history of Ohio if you do an internet search. You could have your older student take notes, make a slide show or PowerPoint presentation about what they have learned.
Create a Lapbook- These are a great way of getting your student to write snippets of information without taxing them too much. You can take as much time as you wish making the lapbook.
Is there anything you have done with Ohio history that you think others would enjoy? Please leave a comment.
Now that you know home school assessments are required, you might be thinking, “Eeek! I want to do one (aka portfolio review), but I am just not sure what to include.” Think of the assessment as a showcase for your child’s academic progress. You can also show the assessor (me or someone else qualified to do so) any areas of concern you may have. Here are some ways to show what your student has done for the year.
Workbook pages, writing samples
Photos- This can include experiments, field trips, art, hands-on projects, screenshots of online classes, etc.
Videos- These are great ways to show hands-on activities to your assessor. I have watched children reading, playing sports, participating in drama productions, music recitals, planting a garden, selling lemonade, shooting off rockets, and more! You can also include a brief list of educational videos.
A private Facebook page- Some parents have chosen to create a page for family and friends to see the school year as well as provide documentation for me, their assessor.
Lists of books read by your child or to your child You do not need to include every title, but several titles to show the reading level from the beginning of the year until the end of the year.
Did you do a lot of hands-on learning and not a lot of book work? No problem! A brief summary of what your child learned in those subject areas is helpful. I meet with each family (online or in person) so it is easy for us to discuss and you to describe the studies and what your child learned.
These are just some ideas that I have seen in my years as an assessor. I am always excited to see the children’s work and the way that parents choose to show me what they have accomplished.
Did you know that you can always do a portfolio review for your student? Yes, all the way through their high school career too! If you are in need of a certified/licensed teacher to do a review for you, I would love to help! You can schedule an appointment through the scheduling app: www.calendly.com/schoolmarmohio You can also read about my pricing by going to the Assessment page here on my blog
Teaching your teen can seem a bit daunting, but I actually found that I enjoyed high school with my sons and seeing them mature. here are some ideas when considering homeschooling your teen.
Make a plan for the year, better still, make a four year high school plan if you are going to homeschool them until graduation. “If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail.” Planning makes all the difference because you and your child can see what classes need to be taken. It provides structure and also gives opportunity to do other things.
Get your child involved in the selection of classes. High school is the time to explore career possibilities. Yes, they still need to take the required English, Math, Science, Social Studies classes, but there is latitude in which that can be taught. Do you have a child who likes to write and is interested in pursuing that as a career? You can find curriculum that is writing a novel in a year! One of my sons was a voracious reader and read the Iliad, the Odyssey, and all of the Greek comedies and tragedies in one year, as well as writing analysis on these works. Would I have chosen this without his input? Uh, no! lol
Plan classes according to interest. What do they like? Can you create or find a class that would be make them look forward to their classes. There are so many online options now for students to take a variety of classes.
Find help to teach the tough subjects. I am not a Renaissance woman, nor can I teach ALL subjects. By the time my sons were in high school, I only taught a few of their class and had others teach them subjects that they were either passionate about or were qualified to teach. You may not have the money to hire teachers, but co-ops are great for this or swapping with another homeschool mom something you like to teach with them can are options.
Find opportunities to talk or shadow professionals. Let’s say your daughter loves animals and decides to be a veterinarian. That is great, but has she ever see what a vet’s typical day looks like? What kind of schooling they need? Hours they work? Now is the time to find out before going to university. the vast majority of professionals love to discuss the career they have chosen. Reach out and contact someone.
You’ve got this! I know you can do this and I am here to help, offer suggestions, etc. Email me if I can be of assistance. My rates are reasonable if you wish to set up a consultations and I love to help. However, I cannot offer legal advice. Contact Home School Legal Defense if you need to pursue this area.
Today is the beginning of spring and it is my favorite time of the year. Trees are blooming, birds are singing, and school is wrapping up. I hope you and your child(ren) get a great number of opportunities to be outdoors experiencing the wonder of all that is taking place. Here are some ideas for teaching:
Go on a nature walk. Look for signs of spring; sketch plants; identify wildflowers, birds.
Go to the zoo or a farm. Going to where there are animals, and especially where your child can see baby animals. It is a great hands-on biology experience for everyone. What better way to discuss the life cycle than seeing it in person?
Enjoy the rain. The expression, “April showers bring May flowers” is especially true here in Ohio. So, if it is just a shower, with no lightning, why not let your child don on a raincoat, boots, and an umbrella? They can enjoy hearing the sounds of the water hitting the umbrella, can jump in water puddles, make mud pies, add food coloring to water puddles, blow bubbles on the sidewalk, grass, car, etc.
Plant a garden. It’s so rewarding to watch the seeds sprout and plants begin to grow. Your student can draw pictures of the various stages of plant development as well as take on some responsibility. They can water and weed the garden, and help with harvesting throughout the growing season.
Schoolmarm Ohio 