While I discovered that public schooling was not for us, it might be the better option for others. If you’re considering sending your kids to public school, I’ve shared a few things that might help you make your decision.

Today is also another edition of the Laugh and Learn linky! Tina, Haley, Lindsey, Sarah, and I have chosen our features from the last party, so check them out below!

Deciding to Send Your Homeschooled Kids to Public School

Deciding to send your homeschooled kids to public school is a gut-wrenching process. At least it was for me. I remember waffling back and forth about it for months.

Throughout the process, I learned a lot about the public school system, my children, and myself. I don’t regret doing it, but I do wish that I’d had someone to tell me about what I could expect in advance.

So I decided to share a post about this very topic over at Learning 2 Walk! If you’re considering putting your kids in public school, stop by and see what you should take into account before you do.

Deciding to Send Your Homeschooled Kids to Public School – Learning 2 Walk

For more about what it’s like to send your homeschooled kids to public school, check out our series “The Great Homeschool Public School Experiment”!

The Great Homeschool Public School Experiment – Look! We’re Learning!

On to this week’s linky!

Welcome to our 60th week of Laugh and Learn – Homeschool and Parenting Linkup!
Laugh and Learn – Homeschool and Parenting Linkup will be open by 6 am every Tuesday morning.

Each and every week, all of the hosts will pick one favorite post to be featured on the next week’s linkup. All of your links will be shared on five blogs.

We are also sharing the top five posts on Pinterest: #LaughLearnLinkup {Featured Favorites}. It’s added exposure for your awesome content!
Reminder: Please share this linkup! You can help us build a great homeschool and parenting group.
[bctt tweet=”Share your favorite #parenting or #homeschooling post with #LaughLearnLinkup. #ihsnet #ibabloggers”]

Your Fabulous Hosts

Tina

Tina lives abroad in Latin America with her husband and four children. Currently in Mexico, Tina is active in homeschool, travel, and her Bible ministry. She blogs about all of their adventures, and more at Los Gringos Locos.
Find Tina at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Google +
Linkedin


Selena

Selena is a writer and a homeschooling mom to four kids, including three with ADHD/SPD. Selena and her husband, Jay, are committed to teaching their children at home and loving every minute of it! You can read about the family’s homeschooling experiences at Look! We’re Learning, written by Selena!
Find Selena at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter
Google +
Instagram
Sarah

Sarah lives in Kentucky, USA, where she and her husband homeschool three children. Sarah writes for and about, families with special needs. She hopes to provide support and encouragement to all special needs parents in the homeschool community. Visit Sarah at Dedicated Homeschooler.
Find Sarah at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
Twitter
Haley

Haley hopes to encourage stay at home moms. She wants to help them learn how to make an extra income, to stretch a budget, to make crafts, and other useful information. Haley always has updates on the kids, and their funny antics. Visit Haley at Haley’s Vintage Finds & Deals.
Find Haley at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Pinterest
Instagram
Twitter
Google+
YouTube
Stumble Upon
Lindsey


Lindsey Marie is a passionate writer eager to touch the hearts and minds of her readers. As a devoted mother to two, happy homeschooler, and scatterbrained housewife, she’s on a mission to find love and joy in “the simple life” and invites you to join her! She shares this journey with you at The Nitty Gritty Mom .
Find Lindsey Marie at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Pinterest
Periscope
Twitter
YouTube

Grab a Button / Badge:

If you were featured this week, we would love for you to use this badge below. We really appreciate all your hard work, and sharing with us each and every week!

<a href="http://haleysvintage.com/category/laugh-and-learn-linkup/" title="Laugh Learn Linkup"><img src="http://haleysvintage.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/I-was-featured-Link-up-Badge.png" alt="Laugh Learn Linkup" /></a>

We would also love if you could use this badge on any post you shared with us. Or a text link would also be greatly appreciated. More shares and links helps us build a better and bigger linkup for all us to benefit from.

<a href="http://haleysvintage.com/category/laugh-and-learn-linkup/" title="Laugh Learn Linkup"><img src="http://haleysvintage.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/New-Link-up-Badge.png" alt="Laugh Learn Linkup" /></a>

Tina’s pick for this week…

Note from Tina:
I love Erin’s pics of her kids learning through everyday kid life. It’s great!
[bctt tweet=” See how #Fun a week in Life of Unschoolers can be with @Erin_Vincent35 #LaughLearnLinkup”]

Selena’s pick for this week…

Note from Selena:
Some of the games on this list are our favorites too!
[bctt tweet=”Take the groans out of #Math with great games recommended by @kidsmonlessons #LaughLearnLinkup”]

Sarah’s pick for this week…

Note from Sarah:
My family loves lava cakes. These recipes look delicious!
[bctt tweet=”3 Amazing #Recipes for One-Minute Lava Mug Cakes @StudyAtHomeMama #LaughLearnLinkup “]

Haley’s pick for this week…

Note from Haley:
I love this idea! A great way to save and get every last drop out of those markers.
[bctt tweet=”Get every last drop out of your old markers! DIY Watercolors by @TotsAdventures #LaughLearnLinkup”]

Lindsey’s pick for this week…

Note from Lindsey:
This unit is packed with pages and would be fun to use with the littles.
[bctt tweet=”Help your little one learn all about social studies @HHomeschooling! #LaughLearnLinkup”]

 
Thanks to everyone who submitted a post. Please check out the post above by clicking on the image. If you enjoyed these picks as much as we did, please share them also!
 

Have you joined our Pinterest Board yet?

Follow Tina Ernspiker’s board #LaughLearnLinkup {Featured Favorites} on Pinterest.

Now give us your best posts!

The post Deciding to Send Your Homeschooled Kids to Public School appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

It’s Tuesday, so it’s also time for the Laugh and Learn linky! Check out our favorite posts from last week and read even more great homeschooling and parenting posts today!

5 Fun Ways to Learn at the Zoo

We love the zoo in our family. In fact, we were just there last week for a homeschool class. My boys learned about black and white animals (lemurs, pandas, etc.) and my oldest daughter learned about the strongest animals on Earth. Trivia: Did you know that, when you measure according to the ability to pull its own weight, the Rhinoceros Beetle is stronger than a lion? Neat!

Homeschooling classes are just one way to learn at the zoo. Today I’m sharing five more over at Thinking Outside the Sandbox!

5 Fun Ways to Learn at the Zoo – Thinking Outside the Sandbox

Welcome to our 55th week of Laugh and Learn – Homeschool and Parenting Linkup!

Laugh and Learn – Homeschool and Parenting Linkup will be open by 6 am every Tuesday morning.

Each and every week, all of the hosts pick one favorite post to be featured on the next week’s linkup. All of your links will be shared on five blogs.

We are also sharing the top posts on Pinterest: #LaughLearnLinkup {Featured Favorites}. It’s added exposure for your awesome content!
Reminder: Please share this linkup! You can help us build a great homeschool and parenting group.
[bctt tweet=”Share your favorite #parenting or #homeschooling post with #LaughLearnLinkup. #ihsnet #ibabloggers”]

Your Fabulous Hosts

Tina

Tina lives abroad in Latin America with her husband and four children. Currently in Mexico, Tina is active in homeschool, travel, and her Bible ministry. She blogs about all of their adventures, and more at Los Gringos Locos.
Find Tina at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Google +
Linkedin


Selena

Selena is a writer and a homeschooling mom to four kids, including three with ADHD/SPD. Selena and her husband, Jay, are committed to teaching their children at home and loving every minute of it! You can read about the family’s homeschooling experiences at Look! We’re Learning, written by Selena!
Find Selena at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter
Google +
Instagram
Sarah

Sarah lives in Kentucky, USA, where she and her husband homeschool three children. Sarah writes for and about, families with special needs. She hopes to provide support and encouragement to all special needs parents in the homeschool community. Visit Sarah at Dedicated Homeschooler.
Find Sarah at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
Twitter
Haley

Haley hopes to encourage stay at home moms. She wants to help them learn how to make an extra income, to stretch a budget, to make crafts, and other useful information. Haley always has updates on the kids, and their funny antics. Visit Haley at Haley’s Vintage Finds & Deals.
Find Haley at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Pinterest
Instagram
Twitter
Google+
YouTube
Lindsey

Lindsey is a passionate writer eager to touch the hearts and minds of homeschoolers and parents abroad. As a devoted mother to two, happy homeschooler, and scatterbrained housewife, she’s on a mission to find love and joy in “the simple life” and invites you to join her! Visit Lindsey at Nitty Gritty Homeschooling. Find Lindsey at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
Facebook
Google+
Instagram
Pinterest
Twitter
YouTube

Grab a Button / Badge:

If you were featured this week, we would love for you to use this badge below. We really appreciate all your hard work, and sharing with us each and every week!

<a href=”http://haleysvintage.com/category/laugh-and-learn-linkup/” title=”Laugh Learn Linkup”><img src=”http://haleysvintage.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/I-was-featured-Link-up-Badge.png” alt=”Laugh Learn Linkup” /></a>

We would also love if you could use this badge on any post you shared with us. Or a text link would also be greatly appreciated. More shares and links helps us build a better and bigger linkup for all us to benefit from.

<a href=”http://haleysvintage.com/category/laugh-and-learn-linkup/” title=”Laugh Learn Linkup”><img src=”http://haleysvintage.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/New-Link-up-Badge.png” alt=”Laugh Learn Linkup” /></a>

The Winners for the Week of October 20th:

Tina’s pick for this week…

Note from Tina:
I am going to save this for our boys. Outer space is always cool!
[bctt tweet=”Outer space is always a cool homeschool study unit! By @momteaches2 #LaughLearnLinkup”]

Selena’s pick for this week…

[bctt tweet=”Finding balance while homeschooling by @classichomesch #LaughLearnLinkup”]

Sarah’s pick for this week…

Note from Sarah:
I’m really not crazy about math, and two of my kids hate it. But when you add Legos…even I want to do math.. Thanks for this great little game.
[bctt tweet=”Have fun with Lego Math Race by @alldayeverydaym #LaughLearnLinkup”]

Haley’s pick for this week…

Note from Haley:
My kids would love these!
[bctt tweet=”Teddy Bear Kindergarten Worksheets by @learning_2walk #LaughLearnLinkup”]

Lindsey’s pick for this week…

Note from Lindsey:
These works of art are amazing!
[bctt tweet=”Fall Into Art by @AmyOes #LaughLearnLinkup”]

Thanks to everyone who submitted a post. Please check out the post above by clicking on the image. If you enjoyed these picks as much as we did, please share them also!

Have you joined our Pinterest Board yet?

Follow Tina Ernspiker’s board #LaughLearnLinkup {Featured Favorites} on Pinterest.

Now give us your best posts!

The post 5 Fun Ways to Learn at the Zoo appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

Today is also my last time co-hosting the Family Fun Friday linky, so if you want to keep linking up your posts, be sure to visit Monica Pruett at Happy and Blessed Home or Herchel Scruggs at Gym Craft Laundry if you want to join the party going forward.

I’ve enjoyed hosting for the past year and I’ve gotten to feature so many awesome homeschooling bloggers! I hope you’ll keep linking up!

Monica created Family Fun Friday and blogs at HappyandBlessedHome.com where she shares free preschool tools and printables, encouraging words for moms, and ideas for having fun together as a family. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter /Google + / Bloglovin’/ Instagram. Monica will feature Family Fun Posts.
Selena is a homeschooling graduate and a veteran homeschooling mom to four super special kids. She blogs at Look! We’re Learning! about unit studies, foreign language, and homeschooling with ADHD. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Instagram / Twitter. Selena will be featuring homeschooling and kids’ crafts.
Herchel enjoys blogging about parenting, organizing, crafting, and having good old-fashioned kid fun her blog Scrggbug Corner. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter /Google +. Herchel will feature organizing and family fun.

Here are my favorite posts for this week!

1. Head to A Little Pinch of Perfect to learn how to make a Toilet Paper Roll Car Craft!

2. Teach preschoolers how to build CVCE words with the adorable printable Apple Baskets at Life Over C’s!

3. Are your preschoolers learning the alphabet this year? Midwest Modern Momma shares 7 ways to help preschoolers learn the alphabet!

4. Grab the super cute Back to School Counting Cards and Puzzles from Living Life and Learning to refresh preschool math skills!

5. Work on literacy by having preschoolers learn the alphabet with the letters in their names! Jodie from Growing Book by Book explains how!

6. Want to make preschool less “school-y”? Tiny Tots Adventures shares a fun and relaxed way to help little ones learn their ABCs!

Were you featured? Grab the Family Fun Friday button below!

Stop by to see what my co-hosts are spotlighting this week!

Bloggers are invited to share their best family-friendly and mom-inspiring posts in the link-up below.

Link guidelines:

• Link your post.
• Link back to the link party.
• Follow your host(s).
• Spread the word. Share and pin your favorites.
• Mingle! Bloggers love comments.
• Grab a button.
• If you link up, you permit the hosts of Family Fun Friday to use your pictures/ideas as part of future posts and/or social media.

Family Fun Friday is a growing link-up with over 200 bloggers sharing their posts each week. Each host shares her favorites from the week before, increasing your chances of being featured. Co-hosts will also be pinning their favorites to a community Family Fun Pinterest Board. This link party opens up at around 4 pm EST on Thursdays.

Please be aware that by linking in Family Fun Friday you give our hosts permission to use your images to create a collage for our features. We may also use the collage to promote Family Fun Friday through our individual social media accounts.

The post Back to Preschool with Family Fun Friday! appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

Read on to see what we’re giving away, how you can enter to win, and what our fellow bloggers are giving away this year!

This year, we decided to go with an art and drawing theme. Coloring books for adults are all the rage right now, so we’re offering quite a few coloring books with designs intricate enough to keep Mom and Dad entertained!

There are also a couple of drawing books by Ed Emberley and some advanced coloring books for kids!

This gift basket includes the following:

• The Big Purple Drawing Book by Ed Emberley
• GeoDesigns
• Aboriginal Mosaics Coloring Book
• Ed Emberley’s Complete FunPrint Drawing Book
• Linear Modern Patterns Coloring Book
• PrismDesigns
• DesignScapes
• Animals Color Counts Color by Number

Note: All of the books will be shipped in a USPS box (minus the basket) to the winning entrant.

To enter to win all these awesome art and drawing books, use the Giveaway Tools widget below!

The post Back to Homeschool Art and Drawing Gift Basket Giveaway appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

Naturally, the homeschooling tips shared during last week’s Family Fun Friday were right on time for me! Take a look at the features and then get even more homeschooling inspiration from this week’s posts!

Monica created Family Fun Friday and blogs at HappyandBlessedHome.com where she shares free preschool tools and printables, encouraging words for moms, and ideas for having fun together as a family. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter /Google + / Bloglovin’/ Instagram. Monica will feature Family Fun Posts.
Selena is a homeschooling graduate and a veteran homeschooling mom to four super special kids. She blogs at Look! We’re Learning! about unit studies, foreign language, and homeschooling with ADHD. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Instagram / Twitter. Selena will be featuring homeschooling and kids’ crafts.
Herchel enjoys blogging about parenting, organizing, crafting, and having good old-fashioned kid fun her blog Scrggbug Corner. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter /Google +. Herchel will feature organizing and family fun.

Here are my favorite posts for this week!

1. If you’re trying to use more online resources in your homeschool, you’ll love the 25 Free Educational Websites for Kids from Tidbits of Experience!

2. Get some inspiration for your preschool homeschool room with Growing Hands On Kids’ Montessori Inspired Tot School Space!

3. Embark On the Journey shares an adorable printable pack based on the classic children’s book The Little Red Lighthouse!

4. We’re planning to school year round this time, so I loved the ideas at Year Round Homeschooling on how to Make Year Round Homeschooling Fun!

5. Need help getting your homeschool supplies organized? Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool Plus shares tips to help you Get Organized for the New Homeschool Year!

6. Help your kids build literacy the Lego way with Growing Book by Book’s Lego Activities That Build Reading and Writing Skills!

Were you featured? Grab the Family Fun Friday button below!

Stop by to see what my co-hosts are spotlighting this week!

Bloggers are invited to share their best family-friendly and mom-inspiring posts in the link-up below.

Link guidelines:

• Link your post.
• Link back to the link party.
• Follow your host(s).
• Spread the word. Share and pin your favorites.
• Mingle! Bloggers love comments.
• Grab a button.
• If you link up, you permit the hosts of Family Fun Friday to use your pictures/ideas as part of future posts and/or social media.

Family Fun Friday is a growing link-up with over 200 bloggers sharing their posts each week. Each host shares her favorites from the week before, increasing your chances of being featured. Co-hosts will also be pinning their favorites to a community Family Fun Pinterest Board. This link party opens up at around 4 pm EST on Thursdays.

Please be aware that by linking in Family Fun Friday you give our hosts permission to use your images to create a collage for our features. We may also use the collage to promote Family Fun Friday through our individual social media accounts.

The post Back to Homeschool with Family Fun Friday! appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

Last week’s edition of Family Fun Friday featured some great outdoor activities that are perfect for winding down summer break as a family. Be sure to read on to see even more great posts this week!

Monica created Family Fun Friday and blogs at HappyandBlessedHome.com where she shares free preschool tools and printables, encouraging words for moms, and ideas for having fun together as a family. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter /Google + / Bloglovin’/ Instagram. Monica will feature Family Fun Posts.
Selena is a homeschooling graduate and a veteran homeschooling mom to four super special kids. She blogs at Look! We’re Learning! about unit studies, foreign language, and homeschooling with ADHD. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Instagram / Twitter. Selena will be featuring homeschooling and kids’ crafts.
Herchel enjoys blogging about parenting, organizing, crafting, and having good old-fashioned kid fun her blog Scrggbug Corner. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter /Google +. Herchel will feature organizing and family fun.

Here are my favorite posts for this week!

1. Did you and your kids make some great memories this summer? Letters in the Sand shares how you can make a beautiful Summer Memory Book!

2. Get outside and have some watery summer fun with the Water Play Activities from Seasonal Family Fun!

3. Help your kids practice STEM and have a sensory experience with the DIY Water Wall at There’s Just One Mommy!

4. Who doesn’t love bubbles! Superheroes and Teacups shares Tons of Fun Bubble Activities!

5. Are you continuing to homeschool through the summer? Take a look at the way Mom’s Morning Coffee does Summer: Homeschool Style!

6. Do your kids love ocean animals? Make a cute Sea Creatures Craft with I Dig Pinterest!

Were you featured? Grab the Family Fun Friday button below!

Bloggers are invited to share their best family-friendly and mom-inspiring posts in the link-up below.

Link guidelines:

• Link your post.
• Link back to the link party.
• Follow your host(s).
• Spread the word. Share and pin your favorites.
• Mingle! Bloggers love comments.
• Grab a button.
• If you link up, you permit the hosts of Family Fun Friday to use your pictures/ideas as part of future posts and/or social media.

Family Fun Friday is a growing link-up with over 200 bloggers sharing their posts each week. Each host shares her favorites from the week before, increasing your chances of being featured. Co-hosts will also be pinning their favorites to a community Family Fun Pinterest Board. This link party opens up at around 4 pm EST on Thursdays.

Please be aware that by linking in Family Fun Friday you give our hosts permission to use your images to create a collage for our features. We may also use the collage to promote Family Fun Friday through our individual social media accounts.

The post End of Summer Activities with Family Fun Friday! appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

These cards are great for young ones who are just beginning to recognize differences and similarities in objects.

Free Printable Sorting Flashcards

These cards feature four simple objects in four basic colors: blue, red, orange, and green. Kids can then sort them out according to color.

The set includes blank flashcard pages with hints as to which colors belong on which page.

You could cut the object cards out and then let the kids describe what they are, what they look like, what color they are, and which ones belong together according to color.

If your little ones are still working on color recognition, don’t forget to pick up our free color flashcards as well!

To get your set of our Free Printable Sorting Flashcards, click the image or the link below to visit our have them sent directly to your inbox!

You’ll also get our weekly newsletter this Sunday!

>>> Sorting by Color Flashcards <<<

The post Free Printable Flashcards: Sorting Flashcards appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

This year, I’m really trying to break out of my comfort zone and find new ways to teach classic subjects. I’m very much a traditional learner and teacher, but my kids are not. Since they have ADHD, they love to move and they need a lot of novelty in order to keep their attention on the lesson.

So I was glad to see some fabulous homeschooling posts during last week’s Family Fun Friday that highlighted some novel ways to make traditional school subjects fun! Check out my favorites from last week below! Be sure to scroll on down and read this week’s newest posts as well!

Monica created Family Fun Friday and blogs at HappyandBlessedHome.com where she shares free preschool tools and printables, encouraging words for moms, and ideas for having fun together as a family. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter /Google + / Bloglovin’/ Instagram. Monica will feature Family Fun Posts.
Selena is a homeschooling graduate and a veteran homeschooling mom to four super special kids. She blogs at Look! We’re Learning! about unit studies, foreign language, and homeschooling with ADHD. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Instagram / Twitter. Selena will be featuring homeschooling and kids’ crafts.
Herchel enjoys blogging about parenting, organizing, crafting, and having good old-fashioned kid fun her blog Scrggbug Corner. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter /Google +. Herchel will feature organizing and family fun.

Here are my favorite posts for this week!

1. If your kids have caught the Minions craze, check out the ideas at Brain Power Boy for Learning Math, Science and More with Minions!

2. Teaching middle school? Homeschooling 4 Free shares a handy dandy Middle School at Home Supply List!

3. Make math fun for your preschooler with the 3 Fun Ways to Teach Preschool Math at Learning 2 Walk!

4. If you’re shopping for your homeschool science curriculum, visit Year Round Homeschooling and check out the Homeschool Science Curriculum Roundup!

5. Visit Planet Smarty to find out how you can teach Geography by Playing Games with a Globe!

6. Make daily reading time into your child’s favorite part of the day with the Reading Nooks for Kids featured at Growing Book by Book!

Were you featured? Grab the Family Fun Friday button below!

Bloggers are invited to share their best family-friendly and mom-inspiring posts in the link-up below.

Link guidelines:

• Link your post.
• Link back to the link party.
• Follow your host(s).
• Spread the word. Share and pin your favorites.
• Mingle! Bloggers love comments.
• Grab a button.
• If you link up, you permit the hosts of Family Fun Friday to use your pictures/ideas as part of future posts and/or social media.

Family Fun Friday is a growing link-up with over 200 bloggers sharing their posts each week. Each host shares her favorites from the week before, increasing your chances of being featured. Co-hosts will also be pinning their favorites to a community Family Fun Pinterest Board. This link party opens up at around 4 pm EST on Thursdays.

Please be aware that by linking in Family Fun Friday you give our hosts permission to use your images to create a collage for our features. We may also use the collage to promote Family Fun Friday through our individual social media accounts.

The post New Ways to Teach Classic Subjects with Family Fun Friday! appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

After briefly experimenting with public school last year, I’m thrilled to be resuming our homeschool life this fall and I’ve had a great time choosing our curriculum for the 2015-16 school year!

Today I’m sharing our homeschool curriculum for 5th grade, 2nd grade, 1st grade, and Totschool!

Image: Africa Studio / Dollar Photo Club

Our Homeschool Curriculum for 5th Grade

I honestly cannot believe that Tigger is entering fifth grade. It seems like it was only yesterday that I planned her preschool curriculum. Amazing how fast time flies.

The book What Your Fifth Grader Needs to Know will serve as our curriculum spine for this year. I always appreciate the Core Knowledge books, because they give me a framework to use for designing my lesson plans.

I’m not a classical homeschooler, but I love the classical approach to history. So we follow the history method outlined in The Well-Trained Mind – a chronological approach with a four-year rotation of the same time periods.

This year, the bulk of our history lessons will come from The Usborne Internet-Linked Encyclopedia of World History.

One thing I actually liked about public school was that it introduced Tigger to the rigors of Common Core Math. I am actually a fan of the Common Core curriculum, though not necessarily the instructional method. (I’ll share more about why I use Common Core Math in our homeschool in an upcoming post.)

This year, we’ll be using enVision Math Common Core Grade 5 by Scott-Foresman Addison-Wesley.

To supplement our math lessons and to accommodate Tigger’s ADHD, we’ll be using a few other math resources, including the Math Mini Office Lapbook from A Journey Through Learning. (See our review here.)

Our science curriculum will be based on Harcourt School Science for Grade 5. I’ve been able to find this book (and other school books like it) for just a couple of dollars on Amazon. Win!

We’ve been using the Homeschool Fitness Package from Family Time Fitness for years and we’re sticking with it this year too! It’s an easy and fun way to get everyone moving, which is absolutely critical for kids with ADHD.

Both Tigger and Pooh will be using the program Keyboard Classroom to practice their typing skills. I think Pooh, in particular, will love it because he hates to write things by hand.

Our art program this year will be the Art for All Ages from Southern Hodgepodge. We got to use the Shark Chalk Pastel ebook last year and my kids loved it so much that we’ll be sticking with chalk pastels this year as well.

Our Homeschool Curriculum for 2nd Grade

For second grade, we’ll be using the book What Your Second Grader Needs to Know as our curriculum spine.

Our math curriculum for second grade will consist of Khan Academy, which Pooh loves, and a continuing study using the Life of Fred: Apples and Life of Fred: Butterflies.

This year, we’ll be using several resources from the EHM Members Only Website for Pooh. Some of our picks include:

• The 2nd Grade Daily Math Activities Book
• It Just Makes Cents Money Book
• Geoboard Activity Pack
• Foam Dart Physics
• Landforms Around the World
• and the US State Study Packs

Our Homeschool Curriculum for 1st Grade

Roo and Pooh have a lot of their lessons together, but I still like to make sure that he masters his concepts. His first grade curriculum will be centered on the book What Your First Grader Needs to Know.

Like Pooh, he’ll also be using Khan Academy and Life of Fred for math. And he’ll be using some of the resources from the EHM Members Only site as well, such as:

• All About My Community Pack
• Days of the Week Activity Pack
• My Plant Journal
• and the Children of the World Pack

Since he also has ADHD, we’ll have to break out the Ultimate Guide to Brain Breaks to help him burn off a little activity in between lessons.

Our Homeschool Curriculum for Totschool

For Totschool, I’m keeping things simple with little Piglet this year. We’re going to be using the oldie-but-goodie Teach Me Mommy by Jill Dunford.

I’ve had this book since Tigger was a toddler and I love it so much. It’s a wonderful introduction to preschool themes but it has all of the book suggestions, activities, and crafts laid out for you each week.

Since Piglet will be three in December, we’ll begin using this then and probably continue with it until she reaches PreK. And I guess this is the last child I’ll use it with! *sniff*

We use a lot of unit studies with our kids, so I’ll also be including some of the themed Tot Packs from 3 Dinosaurs and 1+1+1=1. That way, Piglet can get in on learning about the same things as her older siblings!

Before we begin officially Totschooling this winter, we’ll be using the book Learn with Play from the Kid Blogger Network to help her get involved in making things and having sensory fun while learning. I suspect the older kids will want to get in on the fun too.

Those are our choices for homeschool curriculum for 5th grade, 2nd grade, 1st grade, and Totschool! I’d love to hear what you’re using this year, so tell us your choices in the comments!

This post is part of the 2015 Not Back to School Curriculum Week Hop from iHomeschool Network! Click over to read even more great posts from our fellow bloggers!

The post Our Homeschool Curriculum for 5th Grade, 2nd Grade, 1st Grade, and Tot appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

Don’t forget to scroll on down and read this week’s newest parenting, homeschooling, and cooking posts!

Monica created Family Fun Friday and blogs at HappyandBlessedHome.com where she shares free preschool tools and printables, encouraging words for moms, and ideas for having fun together as a family. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter /Google + / Bloglovin’/ Instagram. Monica will feature Family Fun Posts.
Selena is a homeschooling graduate and a veteran homeschooling mom to four super special kids. She blogs at Look! We’re Learning! about unit studies, foreign language, and homeschooling with ADHD. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Instagram / Twitter. Selena will be featuring homeschooling and kids’ crafts.
Herchel enjoys blogging about parenting, organizing, crafting, and having good old-fashioned kid fun her blog Scrggbug Corner. Follow: Blog / Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter /Google +. Herchel will feature organizing and family fun.

Here are my favorite posts for this week!

1. If your kids like simple science experiments, they’ll love this one from Planet Smarty: A 5-minute Molecule Attraction Experiment!

2. Research Parent shares a free printable you can use to explore the Relative Sizes of Planets in our solar system!

3. Kim from Life Over C’s shares how you can Use Beads as Math Manipulatives – perfect for little hands!

4. Shark Week is coming up! Brain Power Boy shares a roundup of fun Shark Activities to do with your kids!

5. Grab a set of free Animal Number Puzzles for Kids from Totschooling!

6. And for another early math printable, stop by Life Over C’s to get your Printable Bird Counting Play Dough Mats!

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