It’s Thanksgiving tomorrow! I thought I’d post a few living book ideas for you as you celebrate this great holiday with your family. Since you probably won’t have time to order these books in time for this year’s Thanksgiving, I’ve also included Youtube videos of these books being read aloud. Enjoy! An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving by Louisa May Alcott Video (this video cannot be embedded onto a website) Cranberry Thanksgiving by Wende Delvin Sharing the Bread by Pat Zietlow Miller Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving by Eric Metaxas The Thanksgiving Story by Alice Dagliesh The Pilgrims of Plimouth by Marcia… Read more: Living Books About Thanksgiving (with Youtube videos)
I did it! I created a homeschool planner! This is the first of two. This one is a beautiful vintage-style weekly planner. You can scroll below to purchase a downloadable PDF or a hard copy. (The second planner I am designing will be released in 2025). The print version is 8.5 x 11″ and has hard laminated front and back covers, smooth off-white pages, and gold metal spirals. Let me show you what it’s like! The Cover: The schedule: There is a sample schedule in the planner, as well as a blank schedule to create your own. If you use… Read more: Weekly Homeschool Planner
We have a dream of opening a homeschool resource center in the Knoxville area. Why the Knoxville area? There has been a huge migration to Tennessee over the last several years. You can see a small glimpse of this trend in this article and this article. If you read online forums on Facebook, Reddit, etc., you will find that a lot of families have either moved to Tennessee (many to East TN) or they are considering moving there. Also, we have many family members who live in Tennessee. Between 2019 and 2020, about sixty-five family members left Oregon and moved… Read more: Homeschool Resource Center
This Bible reading plan will take you through the whole Bible in four years; reading just one chapter per day. This is a doable plan for a family! Start reading in any Cycle, and go through all four cycles. During Cycle 4, you will read the following Bible books and passages: School Days Weekends Breaks During breaks from school, follow this plan in order to get through the entire Bible in four years: For Bible, you will need the following resources: And some optional resources you might consider are: You can download the Cycle 4 Bible Reading Plan A pdf… Read more: Cycle 4 Bible Reading Reading Plan A
I named my business The Gentle Learning Company with this picture in mind: Mothers snuggling with their children and reading beautiful literature and poetry, studying carefully crafted art pieces, reading God’s Word, and listening to classical music together. Can you see it? It’s a wonderful thing! I create reading lists for moms, to point them to such beautiful moments with a kind of order and structure. A reading list, alone, cannot create this kind of scene, though. It begins with gentleness. What does gentleness begin with? A right heart. A love of others, including our children, recognizing them as unique… Read more: Gentle Homeschooling
Enrichment consists of the following subjects: The Cycle 4 Composers are: The Cycle 4 Artists are: The Cycle 4 Poets are: The Cycle 4 Handicrafts are: You can download the pdf here: You can download the Form 1 Poetry schedule here:
Sunday evening, we had guests over for a taco night. I made iced tea, taco meat, and rice, and our guests brought toppings and taco shells. The rice I make is a Chipotle-style Cilantro Lime Rice, and it’s so good. Since I was cooking for a crowd and I didn’t want to make two pots of rice, I tried to squeeze as much rice as I could into one pot (I dumped a whole 32 ounce bag of Aldi’s organic white rice into one pot). It worked okay, except—this particular recipe calls for extra water and then draining the rice through a fine… Read more: Homeschool Curriculum is like a Recipe & I’m a Rebellious Cook
I mentioned this week that I have been homeschooling since our oldest son was two–which means I’ve been homeschooling for TWENTY years. That’s a long time, and a good chunk of my life so far. Homeschooling has changed drastically over the years, and I want to share what I’ve witnessed here. When I entered the homeschool scene in the early 2000’s, many women were still wearing long denim jumper dresses. The curriculum choices were limited, though I’ve heard it was even more difficult to find adequate materials in the years before that. Many people were using Abeka and Bob Jones… Read more: How Homeschooling Has Changed
I mentioned yesterday that I only planned to homeschool through preschool and kindergarten at first, because I thought those years would be easy enough. And yet, here I am, the mom of three sons who have graduated and two high school aged daughters, whom I am still homeschooling. What happened, and why am I still at it? Why am I such an advocate for homeschooling? These are my top ten reasons. I’ve got more, but I wanted to share these top ten with you today. Do you homeschool? If so, why do you homeschool?
Homeschooling wasn’t on the radar when I was in college, planning to teach middle school English. I grew up in the public school system, and so did my husband. We planned to enroll our children in that exact same system. Fast forward to 2001, when our first son, Isaac, was born at twenty-six weeks gestation. I sat by our tiny baby’s incubator every single day for the three months he was in the hospital. When he came home, I had no desire to work, or to be anywhere else but with my baby boy. We had lost two babies before… Read more: Why I Started Homeschooling
Our second-born, Kaleb, flew over the ocean to England, last week.. He’ll be gone for ten weeks, on a mission trip, serving people in Romania. Last year, he spent ten weeks serving at a parish in York, England. You’d think the parting would get easier, but I can honestly tell you: I’ve shed some tears! Last year it may have been a little easier because he lived in the dorm all year & only came home on Sundays after church, so it was common that he him being out of the house most of the time. This school year, he… Read more: When God Calls Your Child to be a Missionary
Family Read Aloud Books or Independent Reading: Nature, Forms 4 & 5 Field, Forest and Farm by Jean-Henri Fabre This book is scheduled at a pace of one to three chapters per week from Week 1 through Week 28. You can download the pdf here: Note, links on this page are affiliate links, in which I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the work I do! If you have book suggestions or comments about these books, please share! 🙂
Family Read Aloud Books or Independent Reading: Nature, Form 3+ The Story Book of Science by Jean Henri Fabre whole year This book is scheduled at a pace of one or two chapters per week for all twenty-eight weeks. You can download the pdf here: Christian Liberty Nature Reader Book 4 second edition This is scheduled at a pace of two to four lessons per week for twenty-eight weeks. You can download the pdf here: Christian Liberty Nature Reader Book 5, 2nd Edition This book is scheduled at a pace of one to two lessons per week for twenty-eight weeks. You can… Read more: Cycle 4 Science & Nature: Nature Form 3+
Make sure to read the post How to Teach Science and Nature. Christian Liberty Nature Reader Book 2 second edition This book is scheduled at a pace of one or two lessons per week for twenty-eight weeks. You can download the pdf here: Christian Liberty Nature Reader Book 3 second edition This book is scheduled at a pace of one or two lessons per week for twenty-eight weeks. You can download the pdf here: Note, links on this page are affiliate links, in which I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the… Read more: Cycle 4 Science & Nature: Nature Form 2+
Form 2+ (or, whole family read aloud books) Tommy Smith’s Animals by Edmund Selous This book is scheduled at a pace of one chapter every-other-week from Week 1 through Week 23. You can download the pdf here: Tommy Smith at the Zoo by Edmund Selous This book is scheduled at a pace of one chapter every-other-week from Week 2 through Week 16. You can download the pdf here: Note, links on this page are affiliate links, in which I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the work I do! If you have book… Read more: Cycle 4 Science & Nature: Animals Form 2+
Picture Books, Form 1+ (or, whole family read aloud) The following books are not included on any of the PDF schedules here. You may want to look for these books at a public or church library or purchase used or new copies. If you like to keep careful schedules, you could schedule one picture book per week or read a page or two in a book per day. Alternatively, put these books in a basket in your family room and allow your children to read them when they have free time, or when you have set aside time for independent reading. Additional Resources … Read more: Cycle 4 Science & Nature: Forests and Trees Picture Books Form 1+
I’ve been dreaming of setting up a booth at TTD for a year now. Last year, Karry and I got the chance to go to the conference by ourselves. Here are some photos: With my favorite person at the whole conference. ❤️ I met Linda Lacour Hobar, the author of Mystery of History. These are fabulous history books, written from a Christian perspective. I heard Sonya Shafer speak and got my photo with her. She is so kind and I just love the way she teaches people to homeschool like. Charlotte Mason. I saw Heidi St. John and chatted with her. Heidi is… Read more: My Experience at Teach Them Diligently 2024
We sing hymns at STAR Homeschool Community every week. You can also sing hymns at home! In our home, we sing two hymns per day. If we sing all of these hymns over the four cycles of the GLC curriculum, our family will learn more than one hundred hymns. Little by little, it adds up! Hymns to Sing at Home This is the list of hymns to be sung at home during this cycle, and a schedule of which hymns to sing each week is below (the PDF). Download the syllabus and sing hymns with your children as many days of the… Read more: Cycle 4 Hymns to Sing and Study
Picture Books, Form 1+ The following books are not included on any of the PDF schedules here. You may want to look for these books at a public or church library or purchase used or new copies. If you like to keep careful schedules, you could schedule one picture book per week or read a page or two in a book per day. Alternatively, put these books in a basket in your family room and allow your children to read them when they have free time, or when you have set aside time for independent reading. Note, links on this page are affiliate… Read more: Cycle 4 Science & Nature Picture Books: Animals, Form 1+
Form 3+ (or, whole family read aloud) The Handbook of Nature Study: Mammals by Anna Botsford Comstock You may choose to purchase the full Handbook of Nature Study book. If you purchase the full book, you will use it over the four cycles for Forms 3, 4 and 5, but you will only make use of the “Mammals” section in Cycle 4. This is a wonderful resource to own and it’s useful to use as a reference when you come across almost any kind of wildlife. The “Mammals” section is scheduled at a pace of five chapters per term in Cycle 4. You… Read more: Cycle 4 Science & Nature: Animals Form 3+
Family Read Aloud Books or Independent Reading: Animals, Form 1+ The Burgess Animal Book for Children by Thornton Burgess The Burgess books are wonderful! There are multiple scheduled in each cycle. This book is scheduled at a pace of one to two chapters per week for all twenty-eight weeks. You can download the pdf here: The Adventures of Buster Bear by Thornton W. Burgess This book is scheduled at a pace of one chapter per week from Week 1 through Week 23. You can download the pdf here: The Anthology of Intriguing Animals by Ben Hoare This book is scheduled at a pace… Read more: Cycle 4 Science & Nature: Animals Form 1+
The Good and the Beautiful Drawing 100 Fun & Easy Trees This book is scheduled at a pace of three to four trees per week. Alternatively, draw one tree per week and use this over multiple years. You can download the pdf here: Grow a Little Fruit Tree: Simple Pruning Techniques for Small-Space, Easy-Harvest Fruit Trees by Ann Ralph 168 pages There is no pdf schedule for this book. Simply use it as you see fit and plant whatever trees you like and make sense for your area. Note, links on this page are affiliate links, in which I will make a small commission… Read more: Cycle 4 Science & Nature: Forests and Trees, Projects
How to Read a Tree: Clues and Patterns from Bark to Leaves by Tristan Gooley This book is scheduled at a pace of one chapter per week for weeks 1 through 14. You can download the pdf here: Note, links on this page are affiliate links, in which I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the work I do! If you have book suggestions or comments about these books, please share! 🙂
Form 3+ or Whole-Family Read Aloud Books Forest Neighbors by Edith M. Patch and Carroll Lane Fenton This book is scheduled at a pace of four or five chapters per term. You can download the pdf here: The Handbook of Nature Study: Trees by Anna B. Comstock This book is scheduled at a pace of one to two chapters per week from Week 1 through Week 22. You can download the pdf here: Note, links on this page are affiliate links, in which I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the work I… Read more: Cycle 4 Science & Nature: Forests and Trees Form 3+
Family Read Aloud Books or Independent Reading: Forests & Trees Form 1+ Among the Forest People by Clara Dillingham Pierson This book is scheduled at a pace of five chapters per term. You can download the pdf here: One Small Square: Woods by Donald Silver and Patricia Wynne This book is scheduled at a pace of four to eight pages per week during Term 1. You can download the pdf here: Note, links on this page are affiliate links, in which I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the work I do! If you… Read more: Cycle 4 Science & Nature: Forests and Trees Form 1+
Family Read Aloud Books or Independent Reading Sabbath Mood High School Weather This book is scheduled at a pace of one to two lessons per week. An additional book is needed for this curriculum: The Secret World of Weather by Tristan Gooley. You can download the pdf here: Note, links on this page are affiliate links, in which I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the work I do! If you have book suggestions or comments about these books, please share! 🙂
Family Read Aloud Books or Independent Reading Sabbath Mood Form 3-4 Weather This book is scheduled at a pace of one to two chapters per week for all four terms. This curriculum requires two additional books: Look at the Sky and Tell the Weather by Eric Sloane and Climate Maps by Ian F. Mahaney. You can download the pdf here: Note, links on this page are affiliate links, in which I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the work I do! If you have book suggestions or comments about these books, please share! 🙂
Family Read Aloud Books or Independent Reading Sabbath Mood F2 Weather This book is scheduled at a pace of three lessons per week for the first eleven weeks. There is second book assigned in this book: Rain, Hail, Sleet & Snow by Nancy Larrick. You can download the pdf here: Through Four Seasons by Edith M. Patch This book is scheduled at a pace of one chapter per week for all twenty-eight weeks. You can download the pdf here: Note, links on this page are affiliate links, in which I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for… Read more: Cycle 4 Science & Nature: Weather Form 3+
Family Read Aloud Books or Independent Reading DK Eyewitness Weather This book is scheduled at a pace of one to two two-page spreads per week. You can download the pdf here: DK Eyewitness Hurricane & Tornado This book is scheduled at a pace of one to two two-page spreads per week. Note the picture of the cover of this book. There is a newer version, and it is slightly different. Either copy would be a good resource, but this particular version (published in 2000) is the one I have scheduled. You can download the pdf here: The Good and the… Read more: Cycle 4 Science & Nature: Weather Form 2+
You can download the pdf here: Note, links on this page are affiliate links, in which I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the work I do! If you have book suggestions or comments about these books, please share! 🙂
Family Read Aloud Books or Independent Reading Picture Books Form 1+ Picture Books Form 2+ Also Read Biographies Books about: Note, links on this page are affiliate links, in which I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the work I do! If you have book suggestions or comments about these books, please share! 🙂
Claritas publishing memory work covers physics in Cycle 4, so I’ve scheduled several options for families to cover this subject. Family Read Aloud Books or Independent Reading: Physics Form 4 & 5 These books are all included on a single pdf, below. Sabbath Mood F3-4 Electronics This book is scheduled at a pace of one to two lessons per week for all twenty-eight weeks. An additional book is needed for this curriculum: Electronics for Kids by Øyvind Nydal Dahl. You can download a pdf of the Electronics book alone here: Liquids and Gases by Paul Fleisher Objects in Motion by Paul Fleisher Waves by Paul Fleisher Sabbath Mood… Read more: Cycle 4 Science & Nature: Physics Form 4+
Claritas publishing memory work covers physics in Cycle 4, so I’ve scheduled several options for families to cover this subject. Form 3+ (or whole family read aloud) God’s Design for the Physical World by Debbie and Richard Lawrence This book is scheduled at a pace of one to two lessons per week for all twenty-eight weeks. You can download the pdf here: Sabbath Mood F2 Physics: Energy This book is scheduled at a pace of three 20-30 minute lessons per week for the first eleven weeks. An additional book is needed for this curriculum: First Book of Electricity by Sam and Beryl Epstein.… Read more: Cycle 4 Science & Nature: Physical Science Form 3+
Claritas publishing memory work covers physics in Cycle 4, so I’ve scheduled several options for families to cover this subject. Form 2+ (or whole family read aloud) DK: Force & Motion This book is scheduled at a pace of two to four pages per week. You can download the pdf here: Exploring Creation with Chemistry & Physics by Jeannie Fulbright The chemistry lessons in this book are scheduled in Cycle 3, and the physics lessons are scheduled in Cycle 4, at a pace of five or six pages per week from Week 1 through Week 24. You can download the pdf here:… Read more: Cycle 4 Science & Nature: Physical Science Form 2+
Family Read Aloud Books or Independent Reading: Claritas publishing memory work covers physics in Cycle 4, so I’ve scheduled several options for families to cover this subject. Also, make sure to read the post How to Teach Science and Nature. Form 1+ (or whole family read aloud) Adventures in the Physical World Level 2 by Carrie Lindquist The first fourteen chapters are scheduled in Cycle 4, at a pace of one chapter, every other week. The rest of this book is more appropriate for Cycle 2, as it covers Astronomy and Geology. You can download the pdf here: Claritas Publishing Cycle 4 Physics This… Read more: Cycle 4 Science & Nature: Physical Science Form 1+
Family Read Aloud Books or Independent Reading: Creation Science, Form 3+ The New Answers Book 4 by Ken Ham This book is number four in a series of four books, and all of these books are scheduled over the four GLC cycles. This book is scheduled at a pace of one or two chapters per week for all twenty eight weeks. You can download the pdf here:
Geography may be studied once per week, or every day, as you explore other subjects. Teaching Geography Choose one or more books from this page to read aloud to your children throughout the school year. Please do not attempt to read every book listed on this page. Remember that there are four cycles, and that, eventually, you will come back around to this cycle, and at that time you can choose other books (or, you may choose to re-read some favorites!). If you have a child who is able to read independently, choose a book from this page and print the… Read more: Cycle 4 Geography Form 2+
The geography assignments listed here are lined up with the memory work. You may also want to use these resources to look up any locations that were mentioned in your history or literature reading. Geography may be studied once per week, or every day, as you explore other subjects. Teaching Geography Choose one or more books from this page to read aloud to your children throughout the school year. Please do not attempt to read every book listed on this page. Remember that there are four cycles, and that, eventually, you will come back around to this cycle, and at that… Read more: Cycle 4 Geography Form 3+
Choose one or more books from this page to read aloud to your children throughout the school year. Please do not attempt to read every book listed on this page. Remember that there are four cycles, and that, eventually, you will come back around to this cycle, and at that time you can choose other books (or, you may choose to re-read some favorites!). If you have a child who is able to read independently, choose a book from this page and print the reading schedule for your child’s binder of independent work. Form 1+ 50 Maps of the World by… Read more: Cycle 4 Geography Form 1+
This is the independent reading schedule for students in Forms IV, V and VI. Forms IV, V and VI are students in grades 9 through 12. In a smaller community, all Form IV, V & VI students meet together and use the following schedule. Reading is only part of the learning process. Make sure your Form IV, V or VI student is practicing the following: And last, students should be discussing these topics with others. This can be with other teens and a tutor in a community, or it can be with mom and/or dad at home. Do not be… Read more: Cycle 4 History Form 4+
Form III includes students who are ages 12 to 14. The following books can be read aloud to the whole family or read independently by a student who is able. Abraham Lincoln’s World by Genevieve Foster This book is scheduled at a pace of eleve to fourteen pages per week for all twenty-eight weeks. This book covers world history from 1809 to 1865. Freedom Walkers by Russell Freedman This book is scheduled at a pace of one to two chapters per week during Term 4.
Form II includes students who are ages 9 to 12. The following books can be read aloud to the whole family or read independently by a student who is able. America’s Story 2 and 3 by Angela O’Dell Christian Worldview These books are published by Master Books and contain a Christian worldview. The stories are interesting and there are large, colorful pictures throughout the book. The chapters are typically ten pages long. These would be a great choice for independent readers for a student in Form 3. There is an optional Teacher Guide for each volume, but if you are teaching Charlotte Mason-style, I… Read more: Cycle 4 History Form 2+
Form I includes students who are ages 6 to 9. It is sometimes broken down into Form IB (6 to 7 year olds) and Form IA (7 to 9 year olds). The following books can be read aloud to the whole family or read independently by a student who is able. There is no history scheduled for students who are 4 to 5 years old, because Charlotte Mason did not include these children in her schools. That said, there is no harm in reading some historic literature to younger children, or having them play nearby while older siblings hear a… Read more: Cycle 4 History Picture Books Form 1
Form 4 and 5 students at STAR read all of the following books and also do independent study about survival. You can download the pdf schedule below. The Walls Around Us by David Owen This book is scheduled at a pace of one chapter per week from Week 1 through Week 9. Ten Acres Enough by Edmund Morris This book is scheduled at a pace of one to two chapters per week from Week 10 through Week 26. Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon This book is scheduled at a pace of about twenty to twenty-five pages per week through all twenty-eight weeks. You can… Read more: Cycle 4 Survival Reading Form 4+
Life & Worldview Reading, Forms 4 & 5 Combined Form 4 and 5 students at STAR will be reading all of the following books in the 2024-2025 school year. You can download the pdf schedule below. Peacemaker by Ken Sande This book is scheduled at a pace of two chapters per week for weeks 1 through 6. How Should We Then Live?: The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture by Francis A. Schaffer This book is scheduled at a pace of one to two chapter per week from Week 7 through Week 13. The Ever-Loving Truth: Can Faith Survive in… Read more: Cycle 4 Life & Worldview Reading Form 5+
Form 4 students at STAR Homeschool Community read all of the following books. You can find the pdf schedule below. Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper This book is scheduled at a pace of one or two chapters per week, for the first six weeks of the term. How to Be Your Own Selfish Pig: And Other Ways You’ve Been Brainwashed by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay This book is scheduled at a pace of one to two chapters per week from week 6 through week 14. Seven Men and the Secret of Their Greatness by Eric Metaxas This book is scheduled at a pace… Read more: Cycle 4 Life Reading Form 4
You can download the pdf here: Note, links on this page are affiliate links, in which I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the work I do! If you have book suggestions or comments about these books, please share! 🙂
Habit training involves life skills and character training. Some of the books and concepts will overlap, because these subjects, like so much of life, are interconnected. See the About Habit Training page to learn how to teach these subjects. Cycle 4 Character Term 1 Put Off: Bitterness Put On: Forgiveness, Respect for Others Term 2 Put Off: Insensitivity, Lack of Compassion Put On: Fairness, Kindness Term 3 Put Off: Discouragement, Giving Up Put On: Initiative, Personal Initiative Term 4 Put Off: Selfishness, Greed Put On: Generosity Character Training Books The following books are all scheduled on one pdf. Feel free to choose a… Read more: Cycle 4 Habit Training
This is really a basic checklist for going through the Claritas Publishing Cycle 4 memory work. You’ll need to purchase their guide to see the contents of the memory work. You can download the chart here:
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen* This book is scheduled at a pace of four chapters per week for the first twelve weeks, and two chapters in Week 13. Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton* This book is scheduled at a pace of two or three chapters per week from Week 3 through Week 18. The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde* This book is scheduled at a pace of one act per week from Week 1 through Week 3. At STAR, this book will be read aloud in class. Born Again by Charles W. Colson* This book is scheduled at a… Read more: Cycle 4 Literature & Language Arts Form 4+
Reading aloud is one of the very best things about homeschooling! So often, people underestimate the educational value of gathering the children together to hear a story. This is not “extra,” in addition to the “important” subjects. This, besides Bible, is one of the most important things that a family can spend their school day doing. At STAR, our families with students in Forms 2 and 3 are all reading through the same chapter book at a time. The children discuss the week’s reading with their tutor, over tea, during class time on Wednesdays. At the end of the book,… Read more: Cycle 4 Read Aloud Form 2+
At STAR, our Form 1 students hear a picture book read aloud each week. You can read these books at home, as well! See the list of books below and download the pdf reading schedule. This is the list of picture books for Form 1 students: The Tale of Mr. Tod by Beatrix Potter Free Link (Project Gutenberg) Amazon The Tale of Ginger and Pickles by Beatrix Potter Free Link (Project Gutenberg) Amazon The Tailor of Gloucester by Beatrix Potter Free Link (Project Gutenberg) Amazon One Morning in Maine by Robert McCloskey Free Link (Internet Archive) Amazon Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton Free Link (Internet Archive) Amazon Little Bear’s Friend by Else Homelund… Read more: Cycle 4 Read Aloud Books Form 1+
Students in our Form 5 classes at STAR read all of the following books, and so they receive a reading plan with each resource below listed on it. You may choose to have your student read all of the following books, or you may choose individual books from this list. Scroll down to see the list of books and download the attached reading schedule in PDF format. Fearless Apologetics by Chap Bettis This is a great resource for the whole family and is a required resource for Form 4 and 5 students at STAR and will be used each year for these Forms. … Read more: Cycle 4 Apologetics Form 5+
There are currently only two reading plans for Form 4 Apologetics, so the reading plans for Cycles 1 and 3 are the same, and so are the plans for Cycles 2 and 4, with one exception: the topics in Fearless Apologetics. The apologetics reading schedules really take every Form through the same apologetics question at the same time, but using books at their own level. Fearless Apologetics is the core text that Form 4 and 5 students will use every year to get through these topics. Students will come across a topic more than once over their education, but they will use different resources, and… Read more: Cycle 4 Apologetics Form 4
Besides Bible, Apologetics is the most important subject we study. Form 1+ (or whole family read aloud) Wonder full Ancient Psalms Ever New by Marty Machowski This is the first book that we read aloud during Cycle 3 to Form 1, 2 and 3 students at STAR Homeschool Community throughout the school year. This book is read beginning in Week 1 and ending in Week 22. Note that the “At Home” readings do not include the entire book, because some of the lessons are read in community. If you would like to read through the whole book, read one extra lesson per week. God’s Names by Sally… Read more: Cycle 4 Apologetics Forms 1, 2 & 3
Saviour of the World Volume V by Charlotte Mason Saviour of the World Volume VI by Charlotte Mason Saviour of the World Volume VII by Charlotte Mason These books are such a fabulous resource! Charlotte Mason herself wrote seven volumes of poetry about God’s Holy Word! I recommend that students read these poetry and then also find and read the Scripture passage that the poem references. These books are scheduled at a pace of one or two chapters per week for all twenty eight weeks. This series is read over the course of the six years students will spend in Forms 4 and… Read more: Cycle 4 Form 5+ Bible
In addition to reading the Bible, Form 4 and 5 students may read books to further their knowledge of the Bible. Here are some suggestions: Track 1 The Saviour of the World Volume II, His Dominion by Charlotte Mason What a fabulous resource! Charlotte Mason herself wrote seven volumes of poetry about God’s Holy Word! I recommend that students read these poetry and then also find and read the Scripture passage that the poem references. This book is scheduled at a pace of one to three chapters per week for all twenty eight weeks. This series is read over the course of… Read more: Cycle 4 Form 4+ Bible
For Bible, you will need the following resources: And some optional resources you might consider are: Bible You can go through the Bible in one, two, four, or eight years with this reading plan. There are four seven-week terms in a year, and each term’s reading can be seen below. You may also download a pdf of all four terms. Bible is scheduled by the week and can be divided into as many days of the week as you’d like to spend on it. Feel free to catch up, read ahead, or read something different on the remaining days of… Read more: Cycle 4 Bible Reading Plan B
Nature Projects Form 1+ Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots by Sharon Lovejoy This book is scheduled for Terms 3 and 4 and is spread over all four cycles. I chose Terms 3 and 4 because, if you begin school in late Summer or early Fall (with Term 1), the gardening activities in this book will make most sense in Terms 3 and 4. You can download the pdf here: Nature Projects Form 2+ 1000 Hours Outside by Ginny Yurich This book is scheduled over all four cycles and by season. I have made an assumption that families will begin with Term 1… Read more: Cycle 3 Science & Nature: Nature Projects
Family Read Aloud Books or Independent Reading: Nature, Form 1+ The Berenstain Bears’ Big Book of Science and Nature by Stan & Jan Berenstain This book is scheduled at a pace of five to eight pages per week. You can download the pdf here: Slow Down: 50 Mindful Moments in Nature by Rachel Williams and Freya Hartas whole year This book is scheduled at a pace of five to seven pages per term for all four terms. This book is first scheduled in Cycle 3 and then continued in Cycle 4. You can download the pdf here: Christian Liberty Nature Reader: Book K… Read more: Cycle 4 Science & Nature: Nature Form 1+
Form 1+ Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots by Sharon Lovejoy This book is scheduled for Terms 3 and 4 and is spread over all four cycles. I chose Terms 3 and 4 because, if you begin school in late Summer or early Fall (with Term 1), the gardening activities in this book will make most sense in Terms 3 and 4. You can download the pdf here: Form 2+ 1000 Hours Outside by Ginny Yurich This book is scheduled over all four cycles and by season. I have made an assumption that families will begin with Term 1 in late summer and… Read more: Cycle 4 Science & Nature: Nature Projects
This Bible reading plan will take you through the whole Bible in four years; reading just one chapter per day. This is a doable plan for a family! Start reading in any Cycle, and go through all four cycles. Cycle 3 Bible Reading During Cycle 3, you will read the following Bible books and passages: School Days Weekends Breaks During breaks from school, follow this plan in order to get through the entire Bible in four years: For Bible, you will need the following resources: And some optional resources you might consider are: You can download the Cycle 3 Bible… Read more: Cycle 3 Bible Reading Plan A
Students in our Form 5 classes at STAR read all of the following books, and so they receive a reading plan with each resource below listed on it. You may choose to have your student read all of the following books, or you may choose individual books from this list. Scroll down to see the list of books and download the attached individual reading schedules in PDF format as well as a reading schedule that includes all of the books. Schedule 1: Fearless Apologetics by Chap Bettis This is a great resource for the whole family and is a required resource for Form 4… Read more: Cycle 3 Apologetics & Worldview Form 5
Students in our Form 4 classes at STAR read all of the following books, and so they receive a reading plan with each resource below listed on it. You may choose to have your student read all of the following books, or you may choose individual books from this list. There are currently only two reading plans for Form 4 Apologetics, so the reading plans for Cycles 1 and 3 are the same, and so are the plans for Cycles 2 and 4, with one exception: the topics in Fearless Apologetics. The apologetics reading schedules really take every Form through the same apologetics question… Read more: Cycle 3 Apologetics and Worldview Form 4+
Besides Bible, Apologetics is the most important subject we study. Forms 1, 2, and 3 Read Aloud: The Ology by Marty Machowski This is the book that we read aloud during Cycle 3 to Form 1, 2 and 3 students at STAR Homeschool Community throughout the school year. This is a lovely devotional book that can really be read aloud to the whole family and discussed with each child at their own level. “At Home” Readings for families who participate in a community Note that the “At Home” readings on this pdf do not include the entire book, because some of the lessons… Read more: Cycle 3 Apologetics and Worldview, Forms 1, 2 and 3, or, Whole Family
Habit training involves life skills and character training. Some of the books and concepts will overlap, because these subjects, like so much of life, are interconnected. Character Training Books A Child’s Book of Character Building: Growing Up in God’s World – At Home, at School, at Play, Book 2 by Ron Coriell and Rebekah Coriell This book is used in Cycles 3 and 4, and book 1 is used in Cycles 1 and 2. These are simple and short lessons, and particularly good for students in Forms 1 and 2. There are four lessons to read aloud per character trait, and… Read more: Cycle 3 Habit Training: Character
**This post is dedicated to all of the STAR mamas who have little ones to motivate into the car, early, every Wednesday morning, and to every other mama out there who has children to get out the door, any day of the week.** We enjoyed Week Four of STAR Homeschool Community last week. I try to get to the church around 8:20 or 8:30 to set up a few things, and then I run upstairs by 8:45 or so in order to greet families coming in for our 9 am start time. This last Wednesday, things were a bit quieter… Read more: Tips for Getting Out the Door in the Morning
Language Arts Books If you are teaching your children using Charlotte Mason’s methods and including narration, dictation and copy work, there is really no reason to use an additional spelling or handwriting program. With this in mind, I have not scheduled a full syllabus of language arts materials. Instead, I have listed some phonics/reading programs here, as well as some formal grammar programs. You may add any of these books to your weekly plan. I recommend waiting to introduce formal grammar until at least Form 3, possibly Form 4. Before then, have your child copy beautiful sentences and paragraphs and read… Read more: All Cycles: Language Arts and Literature
For Bible, you will need the following resources: And some optional resources you might consider are: Bible You can go through the Bible in one, two, four, or eight years with this reading plan. There are four seven-week terms in a year, and each term’s reading can be seen below. You may also download a pdf of all four terms. If you would like daily reading plans, please see the store for the current cycle’s subscription. Bible is scheduled by the week and can be divided into as many days of the week as you’d like to spend on it. Feel free… Read more: Cycle 3 Bible Reading Plan B
Form II includes students who are ages 9 to 12. The following books can be read aloud to the whole family or read independently by a student who is able. American History Stories Volume I by Mara L. Pratt and American History Stories Volume II by Mara L. Pratt and American History Stories Volume III by Mara L. Pratt Lined Up with Memory Work These three volumes are scheduled over twenty eight weeks at a rate of four or five chapters per week. Chapters range from two to ten pages each. Samples can be seen on the Yesterdays’ Classics website. Volume I Volume II… Read more: Cycle 3 History Form 2+
Hymns to Sing We sing hymns at STAR Homeschool Community every week. You can also sing hymns at home! In our home, we sing two hymns per day. If we sing all of these hymns over the four cycles of the STAR curriculum, our family will learn more than one hundred hymns. Little by little, it adds up! Hymns to Sing at Home This is the list of hymns to be sung at home during this cycle, and a schedule of which hymns to sing each week is below (the PDF). Download the syllabus and sing hymns with your children as many… Read more: Cycle 3 Hymns to Sing and Study
You can really use any math curriculum you choose. This schedule is just to give you an example of a few programs to choose from. Feel free to print the schedule and highlight the curriculum you plan to use, or write the assignments in your planner. Make sure to do a little math everyday, in order to get through the math levels at a reasonable pace. The curriculum that has been scheduled is: Math U See You can download the pdf here: Life of Fred You can download the pdf here: Right Start Math You can download the pdf here:… Read more: All Cycles Math
Enrichment consists of the following subjects: The Cycle 3 Composers are: The Cycle 3 Poets are: The Cycle 3 Artists are: The Cycle 3 Handicrafts are: You can download the pdf here:
When we were leaving Oregon and researching states, we didn’t have the advantage of knowing how crazy or sane each state’s governor truly was. You guys, who are considering a move now, get to see which governors have handled the last year the best. I’m really glad we left Oregon, seeing how Kate Brown has treated Oregon residents and business owners. Let’s be clear–I was not a fan of lockdowns or face covering mandates, at all. I think people need to breathe and should be able to make their own choices about whether they want to wear a mask or… Read more: Best States to Move to if You Hate Mask Mandates, Lockdowns and Vaccine Passports
Since we moved across the country, from Oregon to Virginia, in January 2020, I’ve received almost weekly messages from friends who are considering a similar move. The reasons so many of my friends want to flee Oregon vary, but, since 2020, the majority want to move because of draconian restrictions, loss of employment and/or income due to the restrictions, violence that was allowed to continue, drug laws that were passed (legalizing the possession of all previously illegal drugs), a surge in homelessness (the result of the state’s major drug problem), high taxes, expensive real estate, and a fear of what… Read more: Considering a big move? Here’s why we left Oregon…
This past week, we were in a real estate contract to purchase a home on some acreage, with a barn. As my husband, “The Farmer,” who hasn’t officially been a farmer in seven years, walked the land with me, I saw his face light up. He was giddy. So was I. Ever since we sold our farm, farm land has been out of reach for us, financially. We have been on neighborhood lots, where we haven’t even been able to raise chickens. While our life has been easier, for sure, we have missed raising animals for food. You may have… Read more: When a “Farm” is Not a Farm: Zoning Regulations that Violate our Human Right to Grow Our Own Food
With empty shelves at the grocery store, I noticed that many of the convenient cuts of chicken were missing, while whole chickens were still available. It may feel, to some people like there is “No food” left when their only option is a whole bird. Or maybe, that cooking a whole chicken is far too inconvenient. Maybe they would rather purchase breaded chicken varieties, which are still available at our stores, than a whole bird. When my family started raising chickens, I became alarmingly aware of how spoiled we are to think that we should be able to eat various… Read more: A Case for Cooking Whole Chickens
The subject of adopting older kids tugs at my heart and I desperately want to share it with all of you. Did you know that many of the older kids simply age out of the system and never find an adoptive family? This is terrible! I pray that we, friends, can change this. My prayer is that many people will step up and adopt these older, waiting kids. And, that they will walk into this ministry prepared and ready to do the hard work. It is hard work, this adopting business–but especially, adopting kiddos who lived through years of trauma. Please read… Read more: Adopting Older Kids
You don’t need a big home in order to adopt. Many people have false beliefs about why they can’t adopt. I want to dispel these myths that they believe and shed some light on these subjects. Today’s subject is housing. If you’d like to read more information about this, Chapter 12 in my book is all about the requirements for adoption. Fact 1: You Don’t Need a Bedroom in Your Home For Every Child While it is best for newly adopted children to have their own bedroom, this is not a requirement. They may share a room with other kids in the… Read more: Myth: You Need a Big Home to Adopt
1. Microgreens Microgreens are really just greens that are harvested early. There are microgreen mixes available, like the following two: Microgreens are the best bet for getting quick food that packs a punch when it comes to nutrition. Don’t pull them all the way up, just snip off some of the greens and let them re-grow. Microgreens are tender and can be eaten raw. Create a fancy restaurant environment in your home by serving microgreens next to a steak! These microgreen mixes are easy, but you don’t need a mix like this. They may contain seeds of arugula, beets, cabbage,… Read more: 35 Vegetables that Grow in 60 Days or Less
I love that I live in a time when food can just arrive on my doorstep. What a gift! It’s making that lazy life I spoke of yesterday so much more attainable. But really, as a mom of five kids (ten and up!), we go through a lot of food. Grocery shopping usually feels like a giant task to me. By the end of the trip, the cart feels heavy, and then I have to put it all in the car? And bring it in the house? Then put it all away? And cook it? It’s tiring, for sure! I first heard of and signed up… Read more: Why I’m “Breaking Up” with Imperfect Foods
If you have considered adopting a child, you may wonder what age you need to be. Is there an ideal age for adoptive parents? Let’s take a look. A Quote From My Book In chapter 12 in my book, adoption: your questions answered, I wrote the following: Most states require that adoptive parents are at least twenty-one years old, with some exceptions. In Illinois, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Tennessee, applicants may be eighteen or older. Some states have rules about adoptive parents being at least ten years older than the child, or in Idaho, at least fifteen years.… Read more: How Old (or Young) Do You Have to Be to Adopt?
Adoption is an Important Subject to Talk About, Because There Are So Many Waiting Kids Who Need a Family! Did you know that there are literally millions of children waiting for a family? They need people like you who are brave enough to adopt. This was originally a Facebook post I wrote. It made me realize that I needed to write a book about adoption! I did it! You can find my book on Amazon! Let’s talk about adoption. Y’all see the cute photos of our adopted kids, but besides that, I am not vocal enough and don’t advocate enough for waiting children. This is… Read more: Let’s Talk About Adoption: Waiting Children Need Families
Dear Google Photos, I love and hate you. Tomorrow is our son’s surprise 16th Birthday party. I have spent hours this evening, pouring over photos in my Google Drive just to find the perfect (ahem, 700 and counting) photos for a slideshow. I spent hours, Google. You threw me off guard. How? For some reason, no matter what year I looked at, you kept showing me pictures of M. We only had M for 14 months between 2010 and 2011, and yet, he kept showing up in various months & years. Then. Then. I thought I was doing ok. I was ok. But…I… Read more: Photographs and Memories and Tears
July 27, 2018, Post 1 Staying up too late! Too few days until we leave! I noticed many museums across the country have cheaper admission rates for students “with ID cards,” so I just made up some homeschool ID card with my kids’ pics and info. Here’s a png file if anyone wants to copy this idea. I used PicMonkey to make it. Tomorrow I will laminate! I hope this works–we will see! I asked for the “teacher” discount at Michaels the other day (I get it at Learning Palace, Apple, etc.) and the lady went on and on about… Read more: Preparing for our Road Trip
This recipe came from my old website: The Well Fed Homestead. On that site, I wrote about our adventures in homesteading, and I published all of the GAPS Diet-friendly recipes that I had created for our family. I’ve been moving the recipes from The Well Fed Homestead over to this site, because I hope that they will be a blessing for families. The STAR Homeschool site is all about supporting, encouraging and equipping families as they raise and disciple their children through home education. And, in my estimation, discipling happens best when food is involved. I hope you enjoy this… Read more: Carrot Raisin Salad (GAPS)
This recipe came from my old website: The Well Fed Homestead. On that site, I wrote about our adventures in homesteading, and I published all of the GAPS Diet-friendly recipes that I had created for our family. I’ve been moving the recipes from The Well Fed Homestead over to this site, because I hope that they will be a blessing for families. The STAR Homeschool site is all about supporting, encouraging and equipping families as they raise and disciple their children through home education. And, in my estimation, discipling happens best when food is involved. I hope you enjoy this… Read more: Curry Chicken Salad (Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Paleo)
We tend to use prayer as a last resort, but God wants it to be our first line of defense. We pray when there’s nothing else we can do, but God wants us to pray before we do anything at all. Most of us would prefer, however, to spend our time doing something that will get immediate results. We don’t want to wait for God to resolve matters in His good time because His idea of ‘good time’ is seldom in sync with ours.― Oswald Chambers I’m not very good at resting. I DO things all day long. When my… Read more: On Resting
Having some rough days with your kids? Here is some encouragement I found! “In you, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness.” Psalm 31:1 “Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me.” Psalm 31:3 “How great is your goodness which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you.” Psalm 31:19 “Love the Lord, all his saints! The Lord preserves the faithful.” Psalm 31:23a… Read more: Encouragement for Rough Days
I wanted to write last night, but I couldn’t. I wanted to write two posts–one about food, and one about kids with big behaviors. I was spent. My brain was fried. I couldn’t give anything else. One of my kids has been spiraling all week, and last night and this morning, it got even worse. Last night my husband gave me a break (and like I said, I was going to write–I just couldn’t). He managed the behaviors beautifully. All week, we’ve used all of the therapeutic parenting methods we could muster up. We’ve tried everything we’ve been taught. Still,… Read more: When You Have Nothing Left to Give
This recipe came from my old website: The Well Fed Homestead. On that site, I wrote about our adventures in homesteading, and I published all of the GAPS Diet-friendly recipes that I had created for our family. I’ve been moving the recipes from The Well Fed Homestead over to this site, because I hope that they will be a blessing for families. The STAR Homeschool site is all about supporting, encouraging and equipping families as they raise and disciple their children through home education. And, in my estimation, discipling happens best when food is involved. I hope you enjoy this… Read more: Coconut Flour Carrot Zucchini Muffins (GAPS)
Last night I spent time outside planting zucchini, cucumbers, carrots and dill. Then, I spent an equal amount of time at my kitchen table, journaling what I had planted. This may seem awfully tedious to you, and you might wonder why in the world would I JOURNAL about my gardening? Let me explain. Why You Should Create a Garden Journal Keeping Track of What You Plant I use little plastic plant tags like these with a sharpie, but increasingly, my writing is fading or disappearing. Maybe there are better solutions, but aside from engraved (expensive) plant labels, I think there is always the risk… Read more: Why Start a Garden Journal?
It’s Thanksgiving tomorrow! I thought I’d post a few living book ideas for you as you celebrate this great holiday with your family. Since you probably won’t have time to order these books in time for this year’s Thanksgiving, I’ve also included Youtube videos of these books being read aloud. Enjoy! An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving by Louisa May Alcott Video (this video cannot be embedded onto a website) Cranberry Thanksgiving by Wende Delvin Sharing the Bread by Pat Zietlow Miller Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving by Eric Metaxas The Thanksgiving Story by Alice Dagliesh The Pilgrims of Plimouth by Marcia… Read more: Living Books About Thanksgiving (with Youtube videos)
I did it! I created a homeschool planner! This is the first of two. This one is a beautiful vintage-style weekly planner. You can scroll below to purchase a downloadable PDF or a hard copy. (The second planner I am designing will be released in 2025). The print version is 8.5 x 11″ and has hard laminated front and back covers, smooth off-white pages, and gold metal spirals. Let me show you what it’s like! The Cover: The schedule: There is a sample schedule in the planner, as well as a blank schedule to create your own. If you use… Read more: Weekly Homeschool Planner
We have a dream of opening a homeschool resource center in the Knoxville area. Why the Knoxville area? There has been a huge migration to Tennessee over the last several years. You can see a small glimpse of this trend in this article and this article. If you read online forums on Facebook, Reddit, etc., you will find that a lot of families have either moved to Tennessee (many to East TN) or they are considering moving there. Also, we have many family members who live in Tennessee. Between 2019 and 2020, about sixty-five family members left Oregon and moved… Read more: Homeschool Resource Center
This Bible reading plan will take you through the whole Bible in four years; reading just one chapter per day. This is a doable plan for a family! Start reading in any Cycle, and go through all four cycles. During Cycle 4, you will read the following Bible books and passages: School Days Weekends Breaks During breaks from school, follow this plan in order to get through the entire Bible in four years: For Bible, you will need the following resources: And some optional resources you might consider are: You can download the Cycle 4 Bible Reading Plan A pdf… Read more: Cycle 4 Bible Reading Reading Plan A
I named my business The Gentle Learning Company with this picture in mind: Mothers snuggling with their children and reading beautiful literature and poetry, studying carefully crafted art pieces, reading God’s Word, and listening to classical music together. Can you see it? It’s a wonderful thing! I create reading lists for moms, to point them to such beautiful moments with a kind of order and structure. A reading list, alone, cannot create this kind of scene, though. It begins with gentleness. What does gentleness begin with? A right heart. A love of others, including our children, recognizing them as unique… Read more: Gentle Homeschooling
Enrichment consists of the following subjects: The Cycle 4 Composers are: The Cycle 4 Artists are: The Cycle 4 Poets are: The Cycle 4 Handicrafts are: You can download the pdf here: You can download the Form 1 Poetry schedule here:
Sunday evening, we had guests over for a taco night. I made iced tea, taco meat, and rice, and our guests brought toppings and taco shells. The rice I make is a Chipotle-style Cilantro Lime Rice, and it’s so good. Since I was cooking for a crowd and I didn’t want to make two pots of rice, I tried to squeeze as much rice as I could into one pot (I dumped a whole 32 ounce bag of Aldi’s organic white rice into one pot). It worked okay, except—this particular recipe calls for extra water and then draining the rice through a fine… Read more: Homeschool Curriculum is like a Recipe & I’m a Rebellious Cook
I mentioned this week that I have been homeschooling since our oldest son was two–which means I’ve been homeschooling for TWENTY years. That’s a long time, and a good chunk of my life so far. Homeschooling has changed drastically over the years, and I want to share what I’ve witnessed here. When I entered the homeschool scene in the early 2000’s, many women were still wearing long denim jumper dresses. The curriculum choices were limited, though I’ve heard it was even more difficult to find adequate materials in the years before that. Many people were using Abeka and Bob Jones… Read more: How Homeschooling Has Changed
I mentioned yesterday that I only planned to homeschool through preschool and kindergarten at first, because I thought those years would be easy enough. And yet, here I am, the mom of three sons who have graduated and two high school aged daughters, whom I am still homeschooling. What happened, and why am I still at it? Why am I such an advocate for homeschooling? These are my top ten reasons. I’ve got more, but I wanted to share these top ten with you today. Do you homeschool? If so, why do you homeschool?
Homeschooling wasn’t on the radar when I was in college, planning to teach middle school English. I grew up in the public school system, and so did my husband. We planned to enroll our children in that exact same system. Fast forward to 2001, when our first son, Isaac, was born at twenty-six weeks gestation. I sat by our tiny baby’s incubator every single day for the three months he was in the hospital. When he came home, I had no desire to work, or to be anywhere else but with my baby boy. We had lost two babies before… Read more: Why I Started Homeschooling
Our second-born, Kaleb, flew over the ocean to England, last week.. He’ll be gone for ten weeks, on a mission trip, serving people in Romania. Last year, he spent ten weeks serving at a parish in York, England. You’d think the parting would get easier, but I can honestly tell you: I’ve shed some tears! Last year it may have been a little easier because he lived in the dorm all year & only came home on Sundays after church, so it was common that he him being out of the house most of the time. This school year, he… Read more: When God Calls Your Child to be a Missionary
Family Read Aloud Books or Independent Reading: Nature, Forms 4 & 5 Field, Forest and Farm by Jean-Henri Fabre This book is scheduled at a pace of one to three chapters per week from Week 1 through Week 28. You can download the pdf here: Note, links on this page are affiliate links, in which I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the work I do! If you have book suggestions or comments about these books, please share! 🙂
I’ve been dreaming of setting up a booth at TTD for a year now. Last year, Karry and I got the chance to go to the conference by ourselves. Here are some photos: With my favorite person at the whole conference. ❤️ I met Linda Lacour Hobar, the author of Mystery of History. These are fabulous history books, written from a Christian perspective. I heard Sonya Shafer speak and got my photo with her. She is so kind and I just love the way she teaches people to homeschool like. Charlotte Mason. I saw Heidi St. John and chatted with her. Heidi is… Read more: My Experience at Teach Them Diligently 2024
We sing hymns at STAR Homeschool Community every week. You can also sing hymns at home! In our home, we sing two hymns per day. If we sing all of these hymns over the four cycles of the GLC curriculum, our family will learn more than one hundred hymns. Little by little, it adds up! Hymns to Sing at Home This is the list of hymns to be sung at home during this cycle, and a schedule of which hymns to sing each week is below (the PDF). Download the syllabus and sing hymns with your children as many days of the… Read more: Cycle 4 Hymns to Sing and Study
Geography may be studied once per week, or every day, as you explore other subjects. Teaching Geography Choose one or more books from this page to read aloud to your children throughout the school year. Please do not attempt to read every book listed on this page. Remember that there are four cycles, and that, eventually, you will come back around to this cycle, and at that time you can choose other books (or, you may choose to re-read some favorites!). If you have a child who is able to read independently, choose a book from this page and print the… Read more: Cycle 4 Geography Form 2+
This is the independent reading schedule for students in Forms IV, V and VI. Forms IV, V and VI are students in grades 9 through 12. In a smaller community, all Form IV, V & VI students meet together and use the following schedule. Reading is only part of the learning process. Make sure your Form IV, V or VI student is practicing the following: And last, students should be discussing these topics with others. This can be with other teens and a tutor in a community, or it can be with mom and/or dad at home. Do not be… Read more: Cycle 4 History Form 4+
Form 4 and 5 students at STAR read all of the following books and also do independent study about survival. You can download the pdf schedule below. The Walls Around Us by David Owen This book is scheduled at a pace of one chapter per week from Week 1 through Week 9. Ten Acres Enough by Edmund Morris This book is scheduled at a pace of one to two chapters per week from Week 10 through Week 26. Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon This book is scheduled at a pace of about twenty to twenty-five pages per week through all twenty-eight weeks. You can… Read more: Cycle 4 Survival Reading Form 4+
This is really a basic checklist for going through the Claritas Publishing Cycle 4 memory work. You’ll need to purchase their guide to see the contents of the memory work. You can download the chart here:
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen* This book is scheduled at a pace of four chapters per week for the first twelve weeks, and two chapters in Week 13. Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton* This book is scheduled at a pace of two or three chapters per week from Week 3 through Week 18. The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde* This book is scheduled at a pace of one act per week from Week 1 through Week 3. At STAR, this book will be read aloud in class. Born Again by Charles W. Colson* This book is scheduled at a… Read more: Cycle 4 Literature & Language Arts Form 4+
Students in our Form 5 classes at STAR read all of the following books, and so they receive a reading plan with each resource below listed on it. You may choose to have your student read all of the following books, or you may choose individual books from this list. Scroll down to see the list of books and download the attached reading schedule in PDF format. Fearless Apologetics by Chap Bettis This is a great resource for the whole family and is a required resource for Form 4 and 5 students at STAR and will be used each year for these Forms. … Read more: Cycle 4 Apologetics Form 5+
Besides Bible, Apologetics is the most important subject we study. Form 1+ (or whole family read aloud) Wonder full Ancient Psalms Ever New by Marty Machowski This is the first book that we read aloud during Cycle 3 to Form 1, 2 and 3 students at STAR Homeschool Community throughout the school year. This book is read beginning in Week 1 and ending in Week 22. Note that the “At Home” readings do not include the entire book, because some of the lessons are read in community. If you would like to read through the whole book, read one extra lesson per week. God’s Names by Sally… Read more: Cycle 4 Apologetics Forms 1, 2 & 3
Nature Projects Form 1+ Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots by Sharon Lovejoy This book is scheduled for Terms 3 and 4 and is spread over all four cycles. I chose Terms 3 and 4 because, if you begin school in late Summer or early Fall (with Term 1), the gardening activities in this book will make most sense in Terms 3 and 4. You can download the pdf here: Nature Projects Form 2+ 1000 Hours Outside by Ginny Yurich This book is scheduled over all four cycles and by season. I have made an assumption that families will begin with Term 1… Read more: Cycle 3 Science & Nature: Nature Projects
This Bible reading plan will take you through the whole Bible in four years; reading just one chapter per day. This is a doable plan for a family! Start reading in any Cycle, and go through all four cycles. Cycle 3 Bible Reading During Cycle 3, you will read the following Bible books and passages: School Days Weekends Breaks During breaks from school, follow this plan in order to get through the entire Bible in four years: For Bible, you will need the following resources: And some optional resources you might consider are: You can download the Cycle 3 Bible… Read more: Cycle 3 Bible Reading Plan A
Students in our Form 5 classes at STAR read all of the following books, and so they receive a reading plan with each resource below listed on it. You may choose to have your student read all of the following books, or you may choose individual books from this list. Scroll down to see the list of books and download the attached individual reading schedules in PDF format as well as a reading schedule that includes all of the books. Schedule 1: Fearless Apologetics by Chap Bettis This is a great resource for the whole family and is a required resource for Form 4… Read more: Cycle 3 Apologetics & Worldview Form 5
Habit training involves life skills and character training. Some of the books and concepts will overlap, because these subjects, like so much of life, are interconnected. Character Training Books A Child’s Book of Character Building: Growing Up in God’s World – At Home, at School, at Play, Book 2 by Ron Coriell and Rebekah Coriell This book is used in Cycles 3 and 4, and book 1 is used in Cycles 1 and 2. These are simple and short lessons, and particularly good for students in Forms 1 and 2. There are four lessons to read aloud per character trait, and… Read more: Cycle 3 Habit Training: Character
**This post is dedicated to all of the STAR mamas who have little ones to motivate into the car, early, every Wednesday morning, and to every other mama out there who has children to get out the door, any day of the week.** We enjoyed Week Four of STAR Homeschool Community last week. I try to get to the church around 8:20 or 8:30 to set up a few things, and then I run upstairs by 8:45 or so in order to greet families coming in for our 9 am start time. This last Wednesday, things were a bit quieter… Read more: Tips for Getting Out the Door in the Morning
You can download the pdf here: Let me know if you have any suggestions for topics to add to this list!
Language Arts Books If you are teaching your children using Charlotte Mason’s methods and including narration, dictation and copy work, there is really no reason to use an additional spelling or handwriting program. With this in mind, I have not scheduled a full syllabus of language arts materials. Instead, I have listed some phonics/reading programs here, as well as some formal grammar programs. You may add any of these books to your weekly plan. I recommend waiting to introduce formal grammar until at least Form 3, possibly Form 4. Before then, have your child copy beautiful sentences and paragraphs and read… Read more: All Cycles: Language Arts and Literature
Form II includes students who are ages 9 to 12. The following books can be read aloud to the whole family or read independently by a student who is able. American History Stories Volume I by Mara L. Pratt and American History Stories Volume II by Mara L. Pratt and American History Stories Volume III by Mara L. Pratt Lined Up with Memory Work These three volumes are scheduled over twenty eight weeks at a rate of four or five chapters per week. Chapters range from two to ten pages each. Samples can be seen on the Yesterdays’ Classics website. Volume I Volume II… Read more: Cycle 3 History Form 2+
Hymns to Sing We sing hymns at STAR Homeschool Community every week. You can also sing hymns at home! In our home, we sing two hymns per day. If we sing all of these hymns over the four cycles of the STAR curriculum, our family will learn more than one hundred hymns. Little by little, it adds up! Hymns to Sing at Home This is the list of hymns to be sung at home during this cycle, and a schedule of which hymns to sing each week is below (the PDF). Download the syllabus and sing hymns with your children as many… Read more: Cycle 3 Hymns to Sing and Study
You can really use any math curriculum you choose. This schedule is just to give you an example of a few programs to choose from. Feel free to print the schedule and highlight the curriculum you plan to use, or write the assignments in your planner. Make sure to do a little math everyday, in order to get through the math levels at a reasonable pace. The curriculum that has been scheduled is: Math U See You can download the pdf here: Life of Fred You can download the pdf here: Right Start Math You can download the pdf here:… Read more: All Cycles Math
Enrichment consists of the following subjects: The Cycle 3 Composers are: The Cycle 3 Poets are: The Cycle 3 Artists are: The Cycle 3 Handicrafts are: You can download the pdf here:
When we were leaving Oregon and researching states, we didn’t have the advantage of knowing how crazy or sane each state’s governor truly was. You guys, who are considering a move now, get to see which governors have handled the last year the best. I’m really glad we left Oregon, seeing how Kate Brown has treated Oregon residents and business owners. Let’s be clear–I was not a fan of lockdowns or face covering mandates, at all. I think people need to breathe and should be able to make their own choices about whether they want to wear a mask or… Read more: Best States to Move to if You Hate Mask Mandates, Lockdowns and Vaccine Passports
Since we moved across the country, from Oregon to Virginia, in January 2020, I’ve received almost weekly messages from friends who are considering a similar move. The reasons so many of my friends want to flee Oregon vary, but, since 2020, the majority want to move because of draconian restrictions, loss of employment and/or income due to the restrictions, violence that was allowed to continue, drug laws that were passed (legalizing the possession of all previously illegal drugs), a surge in homelessness (the result of the state’s major drug problem), high taxes, expensive real estate, and a fear of what… Read more: Considering a big move? Here’s why we left Oregon…
This past week, we were in a real estate contract to purchase a home on some acreage, with a barn. As my husband, “The Farmer,” who hasn’t officially been a farmer in seven years, walked the land with me, I saw his face light up. He was giddy. So was I. Ever since we sold our farm, farm land has been out of reach for us, financially. We have been on neighborhood lots, where we haven’t even been able to raise chickens. While our life has been easier, for sure, we have missed raising animals for food. You may have… Read more: When a “Farm” is Not a Farm: Zoning Regulations that Violate our Human Right to Grow Our Own Food
With empty shelves at the grocery store, I noticed that many of the convenient cuts of chicken were missing, while whole chickens were still available. It may feel, to some people like there is “No food” left when their only option is a whole bird. Or maybe, that cooking a whole chicken is far too inconvenient. Maybe they would rather purchase breaded chicken varieties, which are still available at our stores, than a whole bird. When my family started raising chickens, I became alarmingly aware of how spoiled we are to think that we should be able to eat various… Read more: A Case for Cooking Whole Chickens
The subject of adopting older kids tugs at my heart and I desperately want to share it with all of you. Did you know that many of the older kids simply age out of the system and never find an adoptive family? This is terrible! I pray that we, friends, can change this. My prayer is that many people will step up and adopt these older, waiting kids. And, that they will walk into this ministry prepared and ready to do the hard work. It is hard work, this adopting business–but especially, adopting kiddos who lived through years of trauma. Please read… Read more: Adopting Older Kids
You don’t need a big home in order to adopt. Many people have false beliefs about why they can’t adopt. I want to dispel these myths that they believe and shed some light on these subjects. Today’s subject is housing. If you’d like to read more information about this, Chapter 12 in my book is all about the requirements for adoption. Fact 1: You Don’t Need a Bedroom in Your Home For Every Child While it is best for newly adopted children to have their own bedroom, this is not a requirement. They may share a room with other kids in the… Read more: Myth: You Need a Big Home to Adopt
1. Microgreens Microgreens are really just greens that are harvested early. There are microgreen mixes available, like the following two: Microgreens are the best bet for getting quick food that packs a punch when it comes to nutrition. Don’t pull them all the way up, just snip off some of the greens and let them re-grow. Microgreens are tender and can be eaten raw. Create a fancy restaurant environment in your home by serving microgreens next to a steak! These microgreen mixes are easy, but you don’t need a mix like this. They may contain seeds of arugula, beets, cabbage,… Read more: 35 Vegetables that Grow in 60 Days or Less
I love that I live in a time when food can just arrive on my doorstep. What a gift! It’s making that lazy life I spoke of yesterday so much more attainable. But really, as a mom of five kids (ten and up!), we go through a lot of food. Grocery shopping usually feels like a giant task to me. By the end of the trip, the cart feels heavy, and then I have to put it all in the car? And bring it in the house? Then put it all away? And cook it? It’s tiring, for sure! I first heard of and signed up… Read more: Why I’m “Breaking Up” with Imperfect Foods
If you have considered adopting a child, you may wonder what age you need to be. Is there an ideal age for adoptive parents? Let’s take a look. A Quote From My Book In chapter 12 in my book, adoption: your questions answered, I wrote the following: Most states require that adoptive parents are at least twenty-one years old, with some exceptions. In Illinois, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Tennessee, applicants may be eighteen or older. Some states have rules about adoptive parents being at least ten years older than the child, or in Idaho, at least fifteen years.… Read more: How Old (or Young) Do You Have to Be to Adopt?
Adoption is an Important Subject to Talk About, Because There Are So Many Waiting Kids Who Need a Family! Did you know that there are literally millions of children waiting for a family? They need people like you who are brave enough to adopt. This was originally a Facebook post I wrote. It made me realize that I needed to write a book about adoption! I did it! You can find my book on Amazon! Let’s talk about adoption. Y’all see the cute photos of our adopted kids, but besides that, I am not vocal enough and don’t advocate enough for waiting children. This is… Read more: Let’s Talk About Adoption: Waiting Children Need Families
Dear Google Photos, I love and hate you. Tomorrow is our son’s surprise 16th Birthday party. I have spent hours this evening, pouring over photos in my Google Drive just to find the perfect (ahem, 700 and counting) photos for a slideshow. I spent hours, Google. You threw me off guard. How? For some reason, no matter what year I looked at, you kept showing me pictures of M. We only had M for 14 months between 2010 and 2011, and yet, he kept showing up in various months & years. Then. Then. I thought I was doing ok. I was ok. But…I… Read more: Photographs and Memories and Tears
July 27, 2018, Post 1 Staying up too late! Too few days until we leave! I noticed many museums across the country have cheaper admission rates for students “with ID cards,” so I just made up some homeschool ID card with my kids’ pics and info. Here’s a png file if anyone wants to copy this idea. I used PicMonkey to make it. Tomorrow I will laminate! I hope this works–we will see! I asked for the “teacher” discount at Michaels the other day (I get it at Learning Palace, Apple, etc.) and the lady went on and on about… Read more: Preparing for our Road Trip
This recipe came from my old website: The Well Fed Homestead. On that site, I wrote about our adventures in homesteading, and I published all of the GAPS Diet-friendly recipes that I had created for our family. I’ve been moving the recipes from The Well Fed Homestead over to this site, because I hope that they will be a blessing for families. The STAR Homeschool site is all about supporting, encouraging and equipping families as they raise and disciple their children through home education. And, in my estimation, discipling happens best when food is involved. I hope you enjoy this… Read more: Carrot Raisin Salad (GAPS)
This recipe came from my old website: The Well Fed Homestead. On that site, I wrote about our adventures in homesteading, and I published all of the GAPS Diet-friendly recipes that I had created for our family. I’ve been moving the recipes from The Well Fed Homestead over to this site, because I hope that they will be a blessing for families. The STAR Homeschool site is all about supporting, encouraging and equipping families as they raise and disciple their children through home education. And, in my estimation, discipling happens best when food is involved. I hope you enjoy this… Read more: Curry Chicken Salad (Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Paleo)
We tend to use prayer as a last resort, but God wants it to be our first line of defense. We pray when there’s nothing else we can do, but God wants us to pray before we do anything at all. Most of us would prefer, however, to spend our time doing something that will get immediate results. We don’t want to wait for God to resolve matters in His good time because His idea of ‘good time’ is seldom in sync with ours.― Oswald Chambers I’m not very good at resting. I DO things all day long. When my… Read more: On Resting
Having some rough days with your kids? Here is some encouragement I found! “In you, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness.” Psalm 31:1 “Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me.” Psalm 31:3 “How great is your goodness which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you.” Psalm 31:19 “Love the Lord, all his saints! The Lord preserves the faithful.” Psalm 31:23a… Read more: Encouragement for Rough Days
I wanted to write last night, but I couldn’t. I wanted to write two posts–one about food, and one about kids with big behaviors. I was spent. My brain was fried. I couldn’t give anything else. One of my kids has been spiraling all week, and last night and this morning, it got even worse. Last night my husband gave me a break (and like I said, I was going to write–I just couldn’t). He managed the behaviors beautifully. All week, we’ve used all of the therapeutic parenting methods we could muster up. We’ve tried everything we’ve been taught. Still,… Read more: When You Have Nothing Left to Give
This recipe came from my old website: The Well Fed Homestead. On that site, I wrote about our adventures in homesteading, and I published all of the GAPS Diet-friendly recipes that I had created for our family. I’ve been moving the recipes from The Well Fed Homestead over to this site, because I hope that they will be a blessing for families. The STAR Homeschool site is all about supporting, encouraging and equipping families as they raise and disciple their children through home education. And, in my estimation, discipling happens best when food is involved. I hope you enjoy this… Read more: Coconut Flour Carrot Zucchini Muffins (GAPS)
Last night I spent time outside planting zucchini, cucumbers, carrots and dill. Then, I spent an equal amount of time at my kitchen table, journaling what I had planted. This may seem awfully tedious to you, and you might wonder why in the world would I JOURNAL about my gardening? Let me explain. Why You Should Create a Garden Journal Keeping Track of What You Plant I use little plastic plant tags like these with a sharpie, but increasingly, my writing is fading or disappearing. Maybe there are better solutions, but aside from engraved (expensive) plant labels, I think there is always the risk… Read more: Why Start a Garden Journal?