Top 5 HS Resources for 2016

For those who have been following our adventure with curriculum, these are the latest and greatest resources we have been using. In general, we continue to use the materials listed in previous posts (Kumon Math, Khan Academy, SciShow Kids, Tapestry of Grace, Usborne Readers and Science Encyclopedia, etc) as well as YouTube and the library for general help with our various topics. However, there are some new resources we have added to our regiment (combined with a more consistent schedule) that have accounted for great improvement.

1. National Geographic Kids

You may have heard of National Geographic. I have used several of their special edition magazines and books to supplement our various science lessons. However, this channel is one worth subscribing to. There is a small subscription cost, but my daughter absolutely loves the "Are We There Yet?" series which features an overview for kids by kids from kids who travel the world. The channel also includes great resources for history and science lessons. In our experience, well worth it. Audrey watches this channel on her own even when I don't choose a unit or topic for her!

2. Kumon Writing

Did anyone else think Kumon was just for math? I gave in and bought the grade 1 Writing book and am so glad I did. I'm not sure why my daughter actually asks to do these worksheets, sometimes even instead of her Teach Your Monster to Read game. Her handwriting has improved as we have had many opportunities to hone her writing skills, talk about simple grammar concepts, read and create. It's a great resource that has exponentially improved Audrey's reading and writing skills, and the grammar seems to come naturally with these sheets. If you already have a program, this is a great supplement and great for practice. Audrey and I have simply been reading on our own and talking about the concepts as we practice them.

3. Whatever is Lovely*

You've seen my various blogs about books that I've received from Blogging for Books, but this is one I wanted to include on this list for it's great ability to connect while learning and much much more. Coloring pages each have a phrase, some Bible verses and some quotes. Audrey and I enjoy coloring together (though I will admit I get this out to color on my own sometimes). I especially appreciate the range of difficulty as there are some that are great for me to get my creative juices moving, and some that won't frustrate Audrey for being overly detailed. Whatever is Lovely teaches the art of wisdom, of beauty inside and out, while allowing for us to interact with the quotations in a creative way. If anyone has read the book "Captivating," this is the perfect example of two girls (Audrey and I) joining together to both admire and create beauty. Using this in our homeschool time has allowed us to combine art with memorization and critical thinking all at once.

4. Your Camera

Did you think that high school or college trip was just for your own learning experience? Are cameras for making memories or making memorable? This year, I've discovered the treasure that is a camera in education. It began on the farm as Audrey and I had a photo scavenger hunt where we took pictures of different leaves and flowers and then used the science encyclopedia to categorize the leaves and Vovo (Grandpa) to tell us what fruits come from the different trees. But that kind of hands-on moment wasn't the only huge moment in homeschool resulting from a good camera. Recently we've been discussing Rome and as I watched a video on YouTube, I mentioned that I'd been to some of the places we talked about. Suddenly history came alive for Audrey as we went through my pictures and asked questions about what I saw. It has also led to constant questions about languages and other places I've visited. Your memories are not just your memories when you have kids. They're adventures and they're meant to be shared.

5. Basher Science

There are several books to come that will be making our bi-monthly book lists, but the Basher Science books are special in that they are an educational series that make science cool. Each book takes scientific concepts (we've used Astronomy, Human Body and Chemistry) and makes them into cute characters. Each character brags thorougly about his or herself while explaining their use or importance. While some of it goes over Audrey's head (it's supposedly for upper elementary), she still really likes the concpets and the books. The pages are short and the graphics attractive. I figure that as time goes by, the concepts will become more familiar, and I don't think reading above level is bad unless it makes things boring and the student zones out. As long as she's engaged, we're usually having a positive experience. Don't expect total understanding and allow for growth. Expecting too much leads to frustration. I like to stress to Audrey that we learn because we don't know everything. The process of learning is not perfection and alredy knowing, but in asking questions and keeping a curious and adventurous mind.

*Disclosure: I received Whatever is Lovely from Blogging for Blooks in return for writing a review. This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a percentage of each sale when you make a purchase using these links or that I received this product in return for the ; however, I fully support and recommend each of these products. You can view my full disclosure policy here.