We stumbled upon The Beatryce Prophecy (Amazon afilliate link) while in the midst of a medieval history unit (see this post for background). This lyrical, enchanting story captivated all of us. The prophetic goat. The mysterious girl. The brave boy with the heavy sword.
So many fun, engaging activities were born out of reading this book. We made maple candy, painted stained glass pictures, and wrote prophecies.
The novel study I created for The Beatryce Prophecy includes extension activities, vocabulary, story maps, character analysis, and comprehension questions. You can click the link below to access this free .pdf study guide.
We especially love the CC audiobook, which is great at explaining history in ways kids can understand—but it can still be pretty abstract. It’s hard to imagine what life was like in another time and place. The food, education, clothing, wars, plagues, and societal restrictions feels so far removed from their everyday life.
We use non-fiction books, art, and documentaries to solidify their learning, however, adding a literature component gives another layer of context. Characters the kids relate to who are going through something they definitely can’t relate to, increases understanding as well as empathy.
Dash once said to me, “I like History because it’s like entering a new world. And it makes me happy that I’m not living in that world!”
Here are our favorite fiction books to pair with a Unit on Medieval History: (Amazon Associates program disclosure below)
Let us know in the comments below if you have any medieval history fiction book recommendations!
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Creating traditions in your homeschool journey is a fun way to show kids that we value both their education, and the privilege we have of spending these days together as a family.
Back-to-school is an exciting time. There is so much newness, but also accomplishments, achievements, goals, things to look forward to.
As homeschoolers we capture a bit of that back-to-school magic in different ways. We don’t buy a lot of new supplies or clothes, the kids don’t get a new classroom, they don’t need backpacks. Over the last several years we have found other ways to make the first day back memorable. A special breakfast, new pajamas, art supplies, books, board games, and a park meetup with friends are just a few ways we’ve celebrated the first day back.
We’ve also done lunch out with Dad, scavenger hunts, family art projects, and day trips. One of their favorite things was the year I filled a miniature pinata with fun school supplies.
The days leading up to the first day the kids are kept out of the classroom while I clean, reorganize, and make everything look new and fresh. They come into the classroom on the first day with new supplies, pajamas, clothes, curriculum, and equipment piled up on their desks and the main table.
This year they each got a handheld microscope, lots of books, and two new board games. We spent the day going over our plans for the year, coming up with a word of the year to focus on, and setting goals for ourselves.
We started a family painting that we will work on all week. We also played one of our new games and wrote autobiographies.
I make a big deal out of the first day because I want my kids to understand that what we do matters. School is important, and learning can be exciting and fun. They are entering a new grade which is an accomplishment they should feel proud about. When kids see how much we value education it becomes more valuable to them.
Other fun ideas you might consider for the first day of homeschooling:
Make a special breakfast or lunch.
Meet up with friends for a joint activity or playtime.
Have a pajama day.
Explosive science experiments.
Messy Art Projects.
Go to the movies or bowling.
Have a board games and movie day.
Have a tea party.
Take photos.
Have a picnic.
Do schoolwork somewhere different like a local creek or State Park
Make fudge or bake a back-to-school cake. Cinnamon Rolls are the favorite here.
Learn a new craft together: Last year my kids learned to weave on both a regular and circular loom.
Paint rocks with cheerful messages and hide them around your town.
Use up any leftover sparklers.I love seeing the back-to-school traditions families come up with. What does your family do on the first day back to school? Tell us in the comments below.
This is a comprehensive list of children’s fiction books organized alphabetically by theme. This list keeps growing and growing. There is a wide variety of themes, including units like bears and the ocean, academic themes like rhyming, vowels and becoming writers, and character building/behavioral issues such as lying, making friends and wearing glasses.
When possible I’ve linked the book that comes with a CD. If you can get a book with a CD, do it.
CDs are great for teachers when they lose their voice. They’re an awesome way for children to increase their fluency because they’re hearing a variety of voices. They also help children practice word-to-word correspondence.
See my list of books to buy for Early Emergent Readers
–that are similar to the readers they get at school here.
*Scroll to the bottom for a list of fiction books boys love* To see a list of books Dads Love to Read to little ones click here.
Chapter Books To Read Aloud *For classics I try to find abridged or updated versions, the originals can be wordy, have outdated language and are difficult for the little ones to understand.
A Picture Book of Rosa Parks by David A. Adler (I clipped together the KKK pages so the little ones wouldn’t see those illustrations and ask questions they are too young to ask.)
I’m Going to Build a Supermarket One of These Days by Bill Martin (out of print, but if you can find it, it’s such a fun book–great for teaching kids to think outside of the box and awesome for GT lessons)
Did you know that many of your 2nd language think they’re the only ones in the class that don’t understand you? Getting them to realize they’re not the only one, goes a long way in helping them feel comfortable and safe in your classroom.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney (A bit hard for K and 1st, but any book boys love, carry around, and obsess over–I’m going to let them have) (a series)
