Here is how to act like homeschoolers with an example of an upside down day with evening homeschool, a field trip, movies for history, plenty of outside time and more!
There really isn’t a magic formula for acting like homeschoolers. I just really wanted to share how you have the freedom to tailor your homeschool days to your schedule. You are making memories together every day!
How to Act Like Homeschoolers
This was a good week. Mainly because we acted like homeschoolers. We took advantage of the freedoms in our schedule. But before I share the goodness I have to let you know that it was not without its fair share of issues. Those that come with balancing the needs of the age range. Those that focus on character development (including mine!). I don’t ever want to give a false picture that things around here are always peachy keen. But it really was a good week…
Act Like Homeschoolers: Have Evening School
We had an upside down day. When one morning was full of drama practice, dance and sign language routines, we did afternoon and evening school and it was fun!
Homeschoolers Have Plenty of Outdoor Time
We stayed outside a whole bunch. We finished up school work, had only brief afternoon quiet times then went outside to soak up the golden-ness.
We went on field trips! To outdoor places. We made a family leaf trip over to Alabama to Cheaha State Park.
Another day this week we went on a local field trip with our homeschool group to Boat Rock.
My friend, Pamela, called this special spot “a God-made playground.” Indeed it is. I’ll have to write up a whole ‘nother post on our fall leaf times.
Homeschoolers Write Blog Posts for Writing Assignments
The children wrote blog posts for writing assignments, sharing about our science projects and results of our homeschool science fair:
- with lots of help from Littlest Girl (K) – How are Sharks and Humans Alike? Different?
- by 4th grader – What is a Sea Turtle’s Life Cycle?
- by 7th grader – How Do You Make an iPad App?
- by 8th grader – How are the Human Eye and a Camera Lens Different?
Homeschoolers Watch Movies to Supplement History Studies
We watched movies for history! (Listed in our Tapestry of Grace resources) Robin Hood starring Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland and, this weekend, Ivanhoe starring Elizabeth Taylor. If you are also studying this part of history, you might be interested in Nana’s Medieval Castle: A Pastels Tutorial, posted earlier this week.
In other Tapestry of Grace news, we talked through the remainder of our unit during our weekly Tapestry meeting – the unit we’ll be finishing up around Thanksgiving. I ordered our lapbook for the unit for all to work on over the next weeks. Each child picks several favorite topics, researches and contributes to the family lapbook. It’s a great review of the unit. We are working up to our Unit Celebration. I shared about this in a Thanksgiving Homeschool Celebration this week. The children are totally in charge of this time when they share their projects, writing, play piano pieces, sing choir songs, put on a Thanksgiving play and one even plays the role of videographer.
Example of a Homeschool Week With Multiple Ages
1. Making pictures for the rehab unit of the hospital | 2. Nature journal ideas! | 3. Lil’ buddy vacuuming | 4. Watching chipmunks chase each other in the backyard was a perfect end to our Squirrel & Chipmunk Nature Study | 5. Squirrel & Chipmunk lapbook | 6. AiG Science Fun Fact about Teeth | 7. Baked Sweet Potato Fries for lunch | 8. How It’s Made Shows on Netflix
We finished a composer and artist study! Seventh grader started Homeschool Fine Arts Medieval/Renaissance studies back in September. I shared then how much he enjoys the accompanying Draw Squad art lessons. (Full Review of Draw Squad here) Well, his enthusiasm caught on. Now the whole family is joining in the composer and artist studies. Last month we studied Vivaldi and Giotto. We’ve slowly built in a routine of listening to the composers while we are in the car or together while doing an art project. This month we’ve enjoyed Bach.
Mozart said of Bach: “He is the father of all music. We are his children.”
And, one day this week, we colored in a Fra Angelico coloring page (provided in the HFA plans) while listening to Bach via Classics for Kids.
Another morning we listened to The Story of Bach in Words and Music from the Music of the Masters series – while we enjoyed our up-close leaf study.
I have a full review of the Homeschool Fine Arts Music and Art Appreciation Plans at our sister site, The Curriculum Choice. You can also browse the full line of art and music studies curriculum.
How ’bout you? Did you act like homeschoolers and take advantage of the freedoms in your schedule?
P.S. For you, friends: Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Pumpkin muffins (just 2 or 3 ingredients) for your weekend!
-published October 2011 and updated January 2023
Whew! Busy, busy week at Hodgepodge!! Loved the updates and precious pictures!
Forever,
Nana
Getting outside is good for the soul, isn’t it? Both places look magical.
So much fun this week…leaves and lapbooks and nature study and composer study (we did that one last year and enjoyed it very much, too). Those sweet potato fries look wonderful. Thanks for sharing all your cheery goodness.
Phyllis – both places are magical…And, we’ve been meaning to add composer and artist study for a long while. We’d been sorta hit or miss. The HFA plans make it easy. I took a classical music course in college and fell even more in love with all that wonderful music. Happy to have it more a regular part of our lives.
I love reading your blog and seeing all the things you and your precious family are up to =) So inspiring!
Looks like a delightful week (well, except for the “work on Mom’s character part! ha!). We took some freedom today and I took my high schoolers along to the preschool/Kindergartner PE class with my little ones, then we went shoe shopping, out for lunch, and back home to do school. I love that freedom and the way it just makes the day more interesting!
I love to be outside in the fall, it’s just makes everything seem better! Thanks for sharing your week :).
As always I am in all of all you get done in your home school!! Sounds like a wonderful week!! It was great to get to see you at Boat Rock!!
Beautiful week! I just love seeing all that y’all do:)
We just finished reading Robin Hood about a month ago…now we’ll have to check out that movie. Thanks!
You must, must, must watch the old Robin Hood with Errol Flynn. The best!
Tricia — what an inspired idea: act like homeschoolers! I have to admit, I often miss out on those adventures because I’m TOO caught up in our “book learning.” How wise of you to recognize that and choose differently once in a while.
It is good to mix it up and take advantage of homeschool freedoms. Refreshing! Thanks ladies!!
Curtis & I discovered Cheaha State Park last year during the summer and fell head over heels with that place! It’s so peaceful and beautiful there, but the natural swimming hole was really neat! We plan to take the boys there when J can make the hike. And it warms my heart when I hear children learning about classical music! So many of those composers had such a love for God and were certainly gifted. When you mention Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Debussy, etc. to most children, they have no idea who they are. It’s so sad b/c these musicians have had such an impact on our world. It’s wonderful that you’re sharing this education with your children!!!!
I agree Kimberly! Love, love, love Cheaha. We’ve been making a fall trek over there for about a decade now. Not too far away. Beautiful! And, thank you so much for the classical music encouragement and cheerleading. I know you have a special (and big) place in your heart for it. I agree – so much history and part of HIS story we can learn from those gifted and Godly. Thank you again.