I teach art lessons in my home during the school year, and I have some students who have been coming for a number of years. As I was searching the Internet for new lessons, I came upon IncredibleArt.org — an incredible site for art ideas!

From the homepage, you can click on the “Lessons” link to enter the art lesson section. There you can access the lessons by grade level, beginning with kindergarten and continuing all the way through high school, as well as by medium, subject, art period, and artist. You’ll also find lessons integrating art with drama that include topics such as Italian Renaissance art (Brunelleschi and Da Vinci), Impressionism (Van Gogh and Toulouse-Lautrec), and Post-Impressionism (Matisse), and a page containing links to various art games online.

The lessons on this site have been submitted by art teachers from around the country. Each lesson features a list of materials, the procedures for completing the lesson, and notes of any other resources or books you might use to teach the lesson. Grade level and ages are also indicated.

One of my favorite features of these lessons is the comments section at the end. Here you’ll often find notes from other teachers who have tried the lesson describing what worked, what didn’t work, and what might help the piece come out even better. You’ll find variations of the projects here as well.

Although these lessons are intended for teachers in a traditional classroom with a lot of students, they can easily be used for homeschooled students as well. You can use them as  art lessons by themselves or as part of a unit study. There are so many lessons at IncredibleArt, you’re sure to find several that not only relate to what your children are studying, but that are a lot of fun to do, too!

Homeschooling Reading Curriculum by SmartTutor.com

Story Time – Stories for Kids

Guest Blogger: Samantha Bell

Like many parts of the country, we’re experiencing unusually high temperatures during these summer days. While we love being outdoors, it’s hard to spend time outside when the weather is so hot. If you’re looking for ways for your children to stay cool this summer, why not plan a party?

Plan a Pool Party:  If you have a pool in your backyard, invite your child’s friends over for a get-together. Have them bring floats, goggles, noodles, and a snack to share.

Plan a Splash Party: If you don’t have access to a pool, a splash party is the next best thing, maybe even better for little ones. Set up rotating sprinklers in your yard, and add a slip ‘n slide. Plan a water balloon toss and a squirt gun fight. Bubbles are always a treat; to accommodate several children at once, pour the bubble mixture into a large bowl and use flyswatters to create hundreds of tiny bubbles.

Plan a Craft Party: When it’s just too hot to be outside, move the party indoors with a craft party. Ask each guest plan a craft and bring enough supplies for everyone. For ideas, visit websites such as FamilyFun.com or AllFreeCrafts.com.

Plan a Movie Party: Does your family have a favorite movie? Call up your child’s friends and invite them to a matinee showing at your house. Be sure to have plenty of popcorn and drinks available!

Plan a Cooking Party: You don’t have to prepare the snacks for this party. Invite guests to come help prepare a meal or just a refreshing treat. Kid-friendly recipes can be found online at Kids-Cooking-Activities.com or Easy-Kids-Recipes.com.

As you begin planning the party, be sure to get your children involved with that as well. Have them write out the invitations or make the phone calls. Let them help you plan for the food or supplies you’ll need, and take them shopping with you. Encourage them to come up with decorating ideas. They’ll find that summer parties are a lot of fun — in more ways than one!

Picture By: popofatticus

Exciting Summer Study and Homework Help by Smart Tutor

Often, children who don’t work on any academics during the summer will forget some of what they learned the previous year. Time is spent in the fall, then, reviewing what was covered in the spring instead of moving on. Textbook companies know this, so many math and grammar books only contain review material for the first several chapters.

While you may choose to continue schooling through the summer with regular lessons, another option would be to re-introduce concepts now and then between playdates, traveling, and summer projects. While you could purchase workbooks to keep the lessons fresh, you might find it easier just to print off worksheets from the Internet. For just about any subject, you can find websites with free printables, especially for the younger grades. Here are a few to try:

• TLSBooks.com – I visited this site quite a bit during the school year as well. Featuring free worksheets for students in preschool through the fifth grade, this site is both easy to read and easy to navigate, and new printables are added every month.

• Kidszone.ws – This site is also very easy to go through, as pages are divided into categories featuring both grade levels and subject matter. One of our favorite activities for learning letters and letter sounds was the Itsy Bitsy Letter Books found in the Kindergarten section.

• EnchantedLearning.com – This site has been around for a while, and we’ve enjoyed it for years. Though it requires a yearly subscription to access all of its thousands of worksheets, many of them can be downloaded for free.

For children who have been out of “school” for a while, educational worksheets are not only a good way to sharpen those skills, but they can also be a fun change of pace.

Homeschooling Reading Curriculum by SmartTutor.com

Story Time – Stories for Kids

Guest Blogger: Samantha Bell

Picture By: apdk

This week, I’ve been helping with an art camp for kids in our community, sponsored by the local artists’ association. Because my class was working on writing activities, the art teacher had the kids make their own books. They made two different styles:

1. The accordion-style: The theme of this art camp was “Art Around the World”, so when we talked about Asia, the children wrote their own haiku poem. After writing their rough drafts, they copied their poems on a rectangular piece of paper (about 8″ x 4″). We used vellum, but any paper would do. Then, they decorated two pieces of mat board (about 1.5″ x 6″) for the cover. They then folded the paper like a fan or accordion, glued the one end of each paper to a piece of mat board, and finished the book. To hold it together when it wasn’t being read, they tied it with gold string.

2. Traditional-style: This book also had a cover made of mat board, but you could use thin cardboard or even cardstock. After cutting the cover pieces and the pages to the desired size, the art instructor drilled two holes along the left edge of the books (you could use a hole punch with a thinner cover). We then laced a string through the holes and tied it off to hold the book together. This is an ideal style to use as a journal, nature journal, or storybook.

Though we only had time to make the two types of books, a quick search on the Internet will give you even more bookmaking ideas. A couple of sites to check out include:

BookmakingWithKids.com – This blog is full of resources for making books with children, from book structure, to writing ideas, to ways of incorporating bookmaking into your lessons.

MakingBooksWithChildren.com – Another great resource if you’re looking for bookmaking ideas, this site features instructions for making nine different types of books, as well as instructional ideas and writing prompts.

Summer is an ideal time to try new activities with your children, and bookmaking can be one of them. Give it a try; it may just inspire your family to keep writing the whole year through.

Homeschooling Reading Curriculum by SmartTutor.com

Story Time – Stories for Kids

Guest Blogger: Samantha Bell

Picture By: ejhogbin

Even if you’re schooling through the summer, chances are your student’s schedule isn’t as full as it is during the school year. During the hot and lazy days of summer, it’s sometimes easy to fall into the habit of allowing children to play more video games, watch more television shows, or spend more time on the computer. You can help him use his time more productively, however, by having him work at a hobby instead.

Hobbies are more than just time-fillers. Besides the obvious learning that goes on when working at a hobby, benefits also include helping your child discover his talents and passions, increasing his self-confidence, and learning how to set goals and reach them. There are so many hobbies to consider, and a few more of them are:

Origami – This Japanese art form of paper folding takes practice, and summer is a great time to do just that! You can find instruction books at your library or search for simple directions online. Origami paper is square and can usually be purchased at craft stores.

Sculpting with Polymer Clay – These colorful little blocks of clay can be shaped into figures, earrings and other jewelry, pens, picture frames, and more. Look for a class at a nearby arts and crafts store to help get your child started.

Cross Stitch, Knitting, and Crocheting – If your child is interested in handwork, she might enjoy learning one of these skills. If you can’t teach her yourself, ask around to see if any classes are available. Be sure to check with your friends, too, to see if they could help. You may even want to take a class together!

Sewing – You don’t have to have a sewing machine to get started with this one. There are lots of books at the library with projects for hand sewing, from pillows to headbands to simple toys. If a sewing machine is available, your child can use it to sew clothing, handbags, or even a quilt.

Beading – Fine work for steady hands, some older children enjoy making jewelry with beads. This craft isn’t limited to necklaces; other items include earrings, bracelets, rings, belts, and purses.

Woodworking – With proper adult supervision, woodworking can be a rewarding hobby. If you’re not handy with tools, ask other homeschooling families if they could help. Is there a dad, a grandfather, or perhaps another mom with his or her own woodworking shop? Check to see if your child could act as an apprentice for the summer.

Playing a Musical Instrument - Summer is a great time to try new things, and playing a musical instrument might be one of them. Many music stores rent instruments and offer lessons. That way, you can be sure of your child’s interest before you make a large purchase.

So help your child take advantage of those lazy days by starting a new hobby. Chances are, you’ll find even more teachable moments.

Homeschooling Reading Curriculum by SmartTutor.com

Story Time – Stories for Kids

Guest Blogger: Samantha Bell

Picture By: dullhunk

With more free time during the summer, my rising 6th grader has been looking for a hobby. I’ve mentioned several to her, but none have seemed to interest her yet. This has led us to search for even more ideas, as we hope to find her “niche.”

If you’re child is coming to you saying, “What can I do?” consider getting her started with a new hobby. Some ideas you might want to try are:

Reading: If your child enjoys reading, search your library or bookstore for a new series she might enjoy. Our favorites include Junie B. Jones, The Boxcar Children, the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew series, and Hank the Cowdog.

Keeping a Nature Journal: With just a spiral drawing notebook and a pencil, your child can enjoy learning about nature and the outdoors. Have him carefully observe and sketch the things he finds, such as animals, trees, rocks, or landscapes. He can also include notes about his discoveries, as well as favorite poems or saying.

Cartooning: Many children love to draw cartoons, and they can have a lot of fun creating their own characters. Find some books about drawing cartoons at your library to get them started.

Scrapbooking: If you have extra photos your child can use, consider starting her in scrapbooking. You can find ideas for creative pages online or in books. You might work on scrapbooks together, or, once she has the knack for it, let her complete the scrapbooks for you.

Card and Magic Tricks: When my son was small, we went to see a magician perform at our library, and for the next few years he was hooked. We checked out magic books from the library and bought him magic sets for his birthday and Christmas, and he became quite good. Once your child masters a few tricks, he’ll be able to amaze his friends and younger siblings too.

Cake Decorating: Often craft stores will offer cake decorating classes for kids or adults. If you can’t find a class, find a book or two with simple instructions.

Cooking or Baking: Look for easy recipes online or in cookbooks that your child can follow. Work with him on making the dishes. By the end of the summer, he’ll probably be able to make them on his own, even cooking supper for you!

With so many possibilities, there’s sure to be a hobby that’s just the right “fit” for your child. I know we’ll find one that’s a good fit for my daughter, too.

Homeschooling Reading Curriculum by SmartTutor.com

Story Time – Stories for Kids

Guest Blogger: Samantha Bell

Picture By: shimelle

The weather is hot, the insects are out, the kids are ready to swim — it must be summer! Whether or not you’re formally homeschooling through the summer, it’s still a great time for children to keep learning. If you have younger students, you can create a unit study of the season using books found at your library. Some of the books you might want to use include:

Summer (Four Seasons Series) by Nuria Roca – This picture book is one of a four-volume series featuring the seasons. During the summer, children can play ball, ride their bikes, or go swimming.

It’s Summer! by Linda Glaser – Also one of a four-part series, this book follows a child observing animals, birds, insects, and plants on a summer’s day. It also includes a list of activities for summer.  This book features fun illustrations created with cut paper.

Mama, Is It Summer Yet? – After a long winter, a mother and child watch for signs of spring turning into summer: squirrels building nests, trees blossoming, the earth softening, and birds singing. The illustrations for this book were also beautifully done with cut paper.

One Hot Summer Day by Nina Cruz – What do you do on a very hot summer day? It’s too hot to play on the playground, but not quite hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk. Two grape popsicles and a rain shower finally bring some cooling relief.

Summer Stinks by Marty Kelly – Taking the reader through the alphabet, this rhyming picture book gives twenty-six reasons why summertime can be no fun. Ants eating snacks, the tide washing away sand castles, and ice cream melting are only a few of the woes faced by kids during the warmer months.

So whether it’s a hot day, a stormy day, or just a lazy day, find some good books about summer, and enjoy!

Homeschooling Reading Curriculum by SmartTutor.com

Story Time – Stories for Kids

Guest Blogger: Samantha Bell

Picture By: visual.dichotomy

Compiled by Cooper Edens, The Glorious American Songbook is a wonderful addition to any homeschooling library. Students of all grade levels will benefit from reading this book, especially if they are currently studying American history.

Some of the songs chosen for the book commemorate major events in American history, such as the Revolutionary War (Yankee Doodle) and the Gold Rush (Clementine), while others honor a few of the states (California, Here I Come; Tennessee Waltz; The Yellow Rose of Texas; and Georgia On My Mind.) All of the songs, however, express the rich, diverse, and original heritage that can only be attributed to America. From cowboy songs to gospel hymns, bluegrass to jazz, American music, like the country itself, is a blend of the traditions of many different cultures. The Glorious American Songbook highlights this uniqueness with songs that many children already know. Included among the 53 songs are:

• Oh Susanna!
• Buffalo Gals
• Red River Valley
• Skip to My Lou
• Take Me Out to the Ball Game
• You’re a Grand Old Flag
• Polly Wolly Doodle
• Ol’ Man River
• Turkey in the Straw
• America the Beautiful
• I’ve Been Working on the Railroad
• ‘Tis a Gift to Be Simple
• Amazing Grace
• This Land is Your Land
• Happy Trails
• The Mockingbird Song
• Over the River and Through the Wood
• Row, Row, Row Your Boat
• Summertime
• Camptown Races
• Sweet Betsy From Pike

What makes this book even more enjoyable are the illustrations used with each song. These include treasures from our history such as postcards, lithographs, posters, and fine art, all dated from 1778 to 1945. You’ll find works by John Gadsby Chapman, Edward Potthast, N.C. Wyeth, Edward Hopper, Peter Newell, and many others.

There are many ways you could incorporate The Glorious American Songbook into your curriculum. Each page includes background information about the song or composer, so it’s a good starting point for a unit study on a particular historical event, a songwriter, or an artist. Or you may just use it as a supplement to your current subject of study. However you use it, you’ll find it to be educational for the whole family!

Homeschooling Reading Curriculum by SmartTutor.com

Story Time – Stories for Kids

Guest Blogger: Samantha Bell

Picture by John-Morgan

If you’re like me and you’ve found yourself a little behind in your school calendar, you might choose to have your students continue working through Spring Break. It can be difficult to do, though, if friends or family members have the time off and want to get together. You can make Spring Break both fun and educational, however. Here are a few ideas:

Schedule field trips that you can do with friends or family. Visit your local fire department or police station. Often places of business such as grocery stores or pet stores will give tours. You might also visit the zoo, the science center, or historical sites around your town.

Attend a cultural event, such as a play, concert, or musical. Research the subject or music before going, so your children will be familiar with it before attending.

Spend some time outside in the beautiful weather. Purchase a sketchbook for each child, or have your students make their own by stapling together several sheets of blank paper. Take the books outside on a nature walk and see what you can discover. Encourage them to also write in their nature journals; a favorite poem or saying makes a great addition. Be sure to make a journal for yourself as well.

Plan a picnic, but leave it to the children to prepare the food. Help them find recipes that are kid-friendly to make. Take them to the store and show them how to find the items, and bring a calculator along so they can add up the prices as they go. Teach them how to chop, measure, mix, and serve it to family and friends.

By incorporating just a few hands-on learning activities, you’ll find Spring Break can be one of your favorite teaching times of the year!

Guest Blogger: Samantha Bell

Picture by whgrad

Homeschooling Reading Curriculum by SmartTutor.com

Story Time – Stories for Kids

Here’s an activity you can do with children of any age. It’s fun, educational, and it helps build relationships!

With your child, make a list of all of your relatives and family friends who live in other cities or out-of-state. Write down their addresses on a piece of paper.

Show your child how to write a friendly letter, and instruct him to write a letter to each person on the list. In the letter, have him explain that he’s doing a geography project. Would they please send him a postcard representing their city or state? If they have time, could they also contact some of their long-distance friends (by mail, phone, or email) to do the same.

Next, show your child how to address an envelope. Have him address all the envelopes, stamp them, and place them in the mailbox.

Now for the fun! Find or print out a U.S. Map and post it on the wall. As the postcards come in, find the cities (or nearest city) and mark them on the map.

You might also want to:

• Calculate the distances the postcards have traveled.

• Find out about the cities or states the postcards came from. How big are they? What is the weather like? What interesting things can a visitor see or do?

• Gather information about the subject pictured on the postcard. Is it a Florida alligator? Find some books in the library about alligators. Is it the state flag of Texas? Do some research to discover the meaning of the symbols on the flag.

• Create a display for the postcards, either on the wall or in a scrapbook. You can make a copy of the back of the postcard (the side that contains the message) and glue it down beside the picture. Or, you might choose to use clear page protectors to hold the postcards so you can view both sides.

This is a great project for springtime, summertime, school time, free time — any time!

Guest Blogger: Samantha Bell

Photo by Back Garage

Homeschooling Reading Curriculum by SmartTutor.com

Story Time – Stories for Kids