Laid back schooling during the summer.

Even though most are in full summer mode. We are still in school mode. We school year round. We did take a week off for boy scout camp but we will be jumping right back in come monday. I am in the process of writing lesson plans.  We do our school a little more laid back then the regular school year. Okay we are laid back in all of our schooling. (big smile)

When I say laid back I mean in every since of the word. We will lay around reading history, reading chapter books, hang out under a tree or on the beach doing math. Yeah laid back is what I would call our way of doing school during the summer. Oh wait, we are like that year round.

Are you laid back or very structured? I would love to know about your homeschool day in the summer vs school year.

Summer Fun Tip #3

Tip #3

Don't you hate getting stuck inside during the summer. Either it is TOO HOT 

or it is RAINING

Why not start lapbooking at the beginning of summer and add to it when it is either two hot, raining outside or your kids say I am bored!

A lap book can be based on one subject, multiple subjects or a book. Here are some examples of different lap books.

Lapbook on Fish - You can add items about fish in general, maybe get into more detail on your favorite fish. Share the difference in sharks, fish, dolphins etc.. Write a poem about fish. What is the biggest fish or what is the smallest fish.

Lapbook on Farm Life - You could add animals that are on the farm; how do they eat, how do they sleep; how do they grow. Maybe add a section on crops that can be grown on a farm. The different kinds of crops, what area they grow best in etc.. Then there is the farm equipment that is needed for both animals and crops. 

Lapbook on your favorite book - Share about the author, what their life is like, where do they live, what caused them to start writing books, Share about the time period that the book is written. Add a few booklets about each character or set of characters. 

There are so many ways to enjoy lap books. You can stretch them out all summer long. Just pull them out as you need something to do. 

Summer Fun Tip #2

Summer Fun Tip #2.

How do you keep your kids from forgetting all that they learned through out the school year? Choose different fun ways to refresh their memory.  

• Vocabulary Test - don't sound fun at all do they? What about when you are in the car bring along a dry erase board and though out a vocabulary word you had over the past school year and have the kids draw a picture of what the definition is.
• Math Quiz Beach Style - When you are at the beach challenge your kids to answer math problems like 8x8 but write it in the sand and have them write their answer in the sand, too.
• History Review - Choose a topic from your history and dress up and even make food from that time period. 

There are so many ways to review your school year and still have some fun. What are some of your ideas? 

Homeschooling Trends

Did you know that there are between 1.8 and 2.3 million homeschoolers?

The homeschooling trends are growing by leaps and bounds.

Parents are no longer just turning to homeschooling for religious beliefs.  Many today are homeschooling to give their children the one on one learning that they feel their child deserves. Safety has become a major influence in homeschooling. With the increase of school shootings and violent bulling many parents are choosing homeschooling over even private schooling.

Would love to hear why you chose to follow in the homeschool trend. Why did you choose to homeschool?