What fun to study the USA with Crafty Classroom. We were so excited to download   our USA Activity Bundle Pack. The check-out and process of downloading was so easy. The USA  Activity Bundle Pack includes 3 e-books: USA State by State Activity Notebook, USA State Bird Art Cards, and USA 50 State Mazes. 

As soon as we downloaded our USA Activity Bundle Pack, we immediately got to work printing the first pages we wanted to use. We started with our home state and the states closest to us: Florida, Alabama, and Georgia. We downloaded their pages from the USA State by State Activity Notebook. We also printed the mazes from each of those states from USA 50 State Mazes. Finally, we printed mockingbird page from the USA State Bird Art Cards e-book.  

This is how we put it all together in a geography lesson. We started with a large USA map and found all three states. We found the capitals: Tallahassee, Montgomery, and Alabama. We found rivers and lakes, cities we'd heard of and cities we hadn't. We spent a lot time exploring the large map. 

Next, we read a book on Florida from the library and filled our our Florida notebook page and completed the map. We decided to make our mockingbird (Florida state bird) art card next, coloring in our bird with colored pencils. We decided to make a list of all the places we had visited in Florida and another list of all the places we wanted to visit in Florida. Then we made a citrus fruit salad with Florida grapefruit, oranges, and tangelos. We followed the same format for Georgia (peach cobbler) and Alabama (banana pudding). 

I love historical fiction, so I was so excited to read The Heart Changer by Jarm Del Boccio, a middle-grade (ages 7 -12) story set in Bible times, on my Kindle.  Knowing she is a fellow teacher at SchoolhouseTeachers.com made me even more excited! 

I read the book first on my Kindle. I read my Kindle each evening before I fall asleep and found this book easy to use on my tablet. I was so nervous when Miriam was kidnapped and so sad about her being separated from her family. You see, right away I was swept up emotionally in the story set in the Middle East. I loved Miriam who trusted the Lord, yet struggled with doubts sometimes. It was exciting to learn about the workings of an Assyrian household. The household was headed by Naaman, a commander in the Assyrian Army. On a raid through Israel, Miriam is captured and taken home to be a servant girl to the Commander's wife. She leaves behind her loving family in Israel to become part of a wealthy Assyrian household. When the Commander comes down with leprosy, Miriam tells him about the prophet Elisha who is able to heal people with the power of God. Well, you know the story from II Kings, but Jarm brings it alive in a fresh way to her readers. 

The story moved quickly. I loved reading it. Beyond adventure, there was spiritual application. Miriam grew closer to her Creator King, the God of Israel. The book was encouraging and inspiring. 

We also read it together and found it just as exciting. Everyone liked it! 

As a homeschooling mom, I see historical fiction as a treasure that brings other times and places alive for my children. I love finding excellent works that will add to my children's understanding of ancient times, especially biblical history. This book is a perfect addition to our home school library! 

"What a beautiful book!" I gushed as I looked through His Mercy Endures Forever Psalm 136 by Kathleen DeJong from Reformed Free Publishing Association. 

I showed it to my grandson Rusty. 

"Will you read it to me right now?" he asked politely. We sat down and read it together. It was the third time I had read the book, but I was thrilled to read God's beautiful Word and enjoy lovely artwork all the way until the end. Rusty loved it, too. 

His Mercy Endureth Forever Psalm 136 by Kathleen DeJong is a beautifully illustrated picture book. The words on the pages are straight from God's Song Book, or the Psalms of The Holy Bible. 

This psalm is unique in that it has a refrain after every phrase. "O Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!" is the opening line followed by the refrain, "His mercy endureth forever." 

"O give thanks unto the God of Gods" followed by the beautiful refrain, "His love endureth forever!" 

On and on the psalm/song goes speaking of God being worthy of praise, doing wonders, making the heavens, bringing Israel out of Egypt, parting the Red Sea, leading the people through the wilderness, giving the Israelites their land, and feeding all living things. After each exultation of God's amazingness, the refrain resounds: "His Mercy Endureth Forever!" 

All Christians need to read this picture book, to look at the beautiful illustrations as they read the inspiring words that pierce our hearts, reminding us of the power and majesty of a Holy God who chose to show mercy to us because He loves us. How thrilling!

I looked back on all our family vacations since we were married in 1984 and evaluated them with the peaceful quotient. Some have been so peaceful and refreshing. While others--well, let's just not go there. 

Interestingly, it doesn't seem that busyness is a factor. Last year we went on a tour of Italy and every day was jam-packed with activities. We fell into bed each night exhausted. However, we laughed, we enjoyed one another, we were kind to each other, and everyone agreed it was a refreshing time. 

As I pondered what makes a vacation peaceful, I came up with some factors that surprised me. In peaceful family vacations, we all had similar expectations and shared common goals. There might have been surprises (like arriving at a cabin where every single door was locked), but for the most part, we were all on the same page and everyone felt an ownership of the trip. Mike and I weren't just dragging the kids along. 

Over the years, we've stayed with family, cabined in the mountains, condoed on the beach, toured a country where we didn't speak the language, and done the Disney thing. Some of those trips have been spent swimming in the hotel pool, playing games, or walking along the beach. Others have been spent at museums, art galleries, and cathedrals. Yet each different kind of vacation has the potential to be peaceful or not-so-peaceful 

Here's what has helped create a peaceful vacation. 

"It's just because you think Robin Hood can do no wrong!" 

Everyone laughed. We were teasing Victoria who was hotly defending Robin Hood's behavior in The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood. In answer that Robin Hood was a thief, Victoria defending him saying, "He was returned money the government stole from people to the people who were stolen from." 

There was more laughter and we started discussing some of the other characters. We were enjoying our bimonthly book club, as part of our American Literature and Research class. 

Our book clubs had included lots of laughter and some emotional moments where tangents took us to emotional issues of our lives or what was going on in the world around us. We compared characters to people we knew, talked about characters we loved, and how we wanted to the ending to be different. 

As we talk about what we liked and didn't like, plot, tone, mood, setting, worldview, and theme, we found ourselves digging deeper into books than we ever had before. There was just something about talking together that often led to deep analysis. We always had fun together even if we didn't like the book a lot. Book clubs, after all, are friendship builders. 

Best of all, book clubs actually motivated students to hurry and finish the book so we could all discuss it together. I embraced book clubs over book reports because I wanted to build an enjoyable lifetime habit in my children's lives. I wanted them to read because reading is fun, interesting, entertaining, and a privilege.

I just love learning about the different states so I was excited to receive Chronicles of  ... State History Notebook by Gladys Whitted from Hewitt Homeschooling Resources. 

This research notebook is perfect for a third-eighth graders. We wanted to study our home state of Florida so we checked books out from the library and also used the internet to gather information. 

Called "Chronicles of .... State History Notebook," I believe that title is misleading. It covers so much more than state history. I loved it! 

The worksheets are divided up into the following sections: 

• Symbols, Emblems
• Geogeography, Population
• Industries, Jobs
• History, Government
• Misc, Fild Trips, Photographs

My children always enjoy drawing or coloring the flag, state bird, state seal, state tree, and state flower. This time, though, we printed a photograph of the Florida flag from the internet. A big surprise to me was a page of sheet music to write the notes and lyrics of the state song. What a great idea! We also drew the first of many Florida maps to put the state capital on, as well as the city where we live. Other maps included several natural resources maps, climate map, relief map, counties map, and state border map. 

It was nice to look at jobs and industry in Florida. We focused on agriculture, tourism, citrus industry, and space. 

The history section focused on state and local history, Native American tribes, immigration, and religious history. Naturals disasters are many when we study Florida. We looked at famous hurricanes! 

There are field trips which are wonderful. I really like to go on lots of field trips when we study Florida, so I loved all the field trips pages which are divided by historical sites, museums, cities, and misc. There's even a place to list resources used at the end. 

Memoria Press is one of my favorite publishers, so I couldn't wait to explore The Story of the 13 Colonies & The Great Republic Set and 200 Questions about American History they sent me to review. 

I didn't realize how much was in the set for teaching American History to fifth through eighth graders. The Story of the Thirteen Colonies and The Great Republic is the textbook with an accompanying Student Guide and Teacher Guide. There is also another set: 200 Questions about American History Student and the accompanying Teacher Guide. Both student guides are consumable, but you can use the teacher guides over and over again. 

The Story of the Thirteen Colonies and The Great Republic are classic books combined in one volume. Written by H. A. Guerber in 1899 and edited by Meoria Press, this book moves quickly from the landing of vikings in Newfoundland to the Spanish-American War. 

Each chapter is short and full of information. The writing is clear and concise. 

Now, I have been teaching American History to my children and in homeschool co-ops since 1991. Plus I read all kinds of American history resources biographies, living books, and textbooks for fun. I honestly didn't expect to learn anything when I sat down to read the entire book. I was pleasantly shocked to learn little details I never knew before such as: 

• Leif the Lucky went home in 1012 because of Native attacks
• Columbus' wife's father worked for Henry the Navigator and wrote about his voyages, so Columbus had access to that information
• It was in Cuba that Columbus and his men were introduced to tobacco
• The reason that Frances Drake sailed around the world was to avoid the Spanish who were laying in wait for him in the Atlantic, so he turned the other way, crossing the Pacific and returning back to England
• Captain John Smith sent a letter to the company sponsoring them to sent blacksmiths, masons, carpenters, farmers, and wood cutters, instead of gentlemen
• Between 1630 and 1640, over 20 thousand folks traveled from England to New England, creating 50 little villages and towns
• The first person to speak out against invasive search warrants in Boston was James Otis

Now, that may seem boring to you, but I was super-excited to learn these little details. 

​We set up our homeschooling plan to follow the suggestions by Memoria Press. 

I'm all for pedicures and bubble baths. 

However, if you feel overwhelmed, drained, and at the end of your rope, a bubble bath and pedicure just won't cut it. 

You need something more. 

You need life imparted to you from the One who was there at Creation, gladly embraced the horrible crucifixion, and conquered death by rising from the dead. This is the same Lord who has pursued you and if you have surrendered to Him, has filled you with His Spirit. 

Jesus loves us and offers life. So simple, yet so profound. 

If you are feeling overwhelmed, you need life and joy from Jesus. And the Good News is that He longs to love you. He promises that if you are weary and burdened, you can surrender your burdens to Him and He will exchange them for His burdens. I

Isn't that exciting??????

Refreshment comes when we fix our eyes on Jesus and surrender to Him, allowing Him to fill us to overflowing with His grace. What I am going to share with you are some ways to position yourself to receive His grace and fix your eyes on Him. 

Summer is a great time to relax. 

The weather is warm, the skies are blue, and sunshine is smiling on everything. 

Summer is the perfect time to curl up with a book or have an Anne of Green Gables movie marathon.

Nothing relaxes me more than lying on a beach chair listening to the waves crash on the shore. Soon, I am far away in a happy places. Oops! I hope someone is watching my kids!

Summer is a great time to make memories. 

We love to swim in the pool, play games, craft, scrapbook, enjoy museums, and visit amusement parks in the summer. Afternoons at the playground or discovering where a dirt road leads are fun, too! 

Summer is a great time to learn. 

We always take a break from formal schooling in the summer, but learning continues on. After all, we live a lifestyle of learning as homeschooling families. There is always something to discover and investigate!

With all of this in mind, here are some happy ideas to celebrate summer, make memories, learn new things, and have a blast this summer!

Here in Florida, swimming is part of life. There are lakes, pools, springs, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Gulf of Mexico to swim in. 

I remember taking swimming lessons as a little girl at a neighbor's pool. I blew bubbles underwater and learned to float. 

My children grew up in the water, too, but we taught them to swim ourselves, introducing them to the water while they were still in diapers. 

I definitely recommend swim lessons if you can afford them. All children should be safe near water. You never know when you will have to swim to escape danger or help rescue someone. 

The other day, we were swimming with my grandchildren and children in their neighborhood pool. Rusty got out of the pool, took off his floaties, and jumped back in. "He can't swim!" my son-in-law said sharply as I was watching him struggle in a state of shock. That jolted me and I scooped him up. My heart was pounding as I realized how quickly accidents happen. 

It reminded me of my baby sister who did the same thing. Took off her floatie and jumped right back into our next-door neighbor's pool. My neighbor Tommy jumped in and saved her life. She had quickly sunk to the bottom of the deep end. 

All children should be able if they jump or fall in a pool, lake, or other body of water to swim, escaping to safety. 

If you are looking for lessons or teaching children yourself, here are some steps to take babies and toddlers on their first steps to swim proficiency. 

​The beach is a great place to explore. You and your children can have all kinds of learning adventures along the shore, in the tide pools, and climbing the sand dunes.

Here are some great ways to learn at the beach.

Engineer a Castle that withstands the Waves

Here’s a great STEM project. Construct a castle with a moat that will withstand the occasional wave. This might take several tries.

Mark Off the Tides

Place a sturdy stick that will withstand the waves every hour at the average place where the waves stop before rolling back. Then figure out how many feet the tide changes each hour. Estimate where it will be in 2 or 3 hours. 

Explore a Tide Pool

When the tide goes out, a tide pool is often left behind. Explore the tide pool for little creatures.

Sketch Nature

Bring along a sketch pad, or easel with paper and pretend you are a world famous artist working on your next masterpiece. You can sketch the waves and the sky or zero in on a bird. 

Life with Dog is a family movie from Mill Creek Entertainment.

Corbin Bernsen does an amazing job portraying a bitter man who has lost his wife to a hit and run accident.

I was impressed with Corbin Bernsen's acting in the movie and then found out that he wrote, directed, and helped produce the  movie! My family enjoys watching him in old Psych television reruns where he plays Shaun's father.  

Anyway, back to the movie. Joe Bigler, the main character, is struggling with depression after his wife dies unexpectedly. He is determined to find the driver of the truck that hit his wife. His temper gets the best of him in several scenes and he ends up being hauled off to jail twice. Still, you have compassion for this angry man who has lost the love of his life. 

The movie was excellent as far as acting, settings, scenes, and camera angels. It was very professional. 

I watched it with two adult children and two younger children. Let me be honest. It was a sad movie. I kept waiting for it to get bright and sunny, as did the younger children. 

However, Life with Dog is an amazing look at grief and how it turns you inside out. He has conversations with his dead wife and I explained to the children that it's hard to realize your spouse is gone so widows and widowers often continue to talk to their spouse after they die. In fact, it reminded me of a time after my momma died and I was waiting for Daddy to wake up from a nap. He called for Mom! I sobbed like a baby. My sorrow mingled with his. Watching this movie brought back sad memories for me, but I'm glad I saw the movie. ​

It reminded me of the process of grief and was an honest look at the process of grief. 

It was also an honest look at those who have no hope in Jesus. Joe Bigler doesn't believe in Jesus even though his wife was a devoted Christian. His daughter has found faith in Christ, too and tries to share that faith with Joe in the movie. She even sends her pastor to see him. 

I was so excited when my Hey Mama! Homeschool Planner for the 2019/2020 Year by Gene Suerez arrived from The Old Schoolhouse(R)! 

I love planners and this planner has it all. From transcripts to attendance records, from goal sheets to curriculum lists, and from calendars to devotionals from Gena. 

​We can all use help getting organized! However, some planners are so big, they seem overwhelming. My first homeschool planner was a 4" thick notebook with tons of pages and sections. I could barely lift it. When I saw the Hey Mama! 2019-2020 Schoolhouse Planner, I thought, "Oh, no, it's so thin and light--what did they leave out?" 

I'm happy to report that nothing was left out! 

We have planning pages galore!

It opens with directions on writing a transcript followed by a transcript page and skills and courses checklist. 

The next section is calendar section which opens with 3 one page year calendars: 2019, 2020, and 2021. This is followed by a terrific section: a room for monthly notes (e.g. "July 2019 Notes"), a full 2 page calendar (e.g. July 2019 calendar on 2 pages). This section covers July 2019 to July 2020. 

The next section is a series of 2-page weekly calendars with sections for each child. Wow! I love this section! This is the longest section of the planner which will be the most helpful to me. 

The child section follows where there is a section for each child with a page for notes, another page for curriculum planning, an attendance sheet, a books read list, yearly goals page, first semester page, and second semester goals. This is my FAVORITE SECTION because I am a big-picture person and I love to make big-picture goals. 

There is another thing in the planner that is my FAVORITE THING! I love all the blogs from Gena! She writes weekly in the Homeschool with Heart Blog where I find myself challenged, inspired, relieved, and encouraged. To find her practical encouragement sprinkled throughout the planner is such a blessing! Wow! I am so excited! 

Since this planner has everything I need, but isn't too heavy to carry around, I plan on using it all year long. It's just perfect for me. It would be just perfect for you, too.  

Growing up, Daddy always carved a watermelon basket for our  summer parties while Momma whipped up yummy food. 

"It can't be too hard," I thought, deciding to tackle the family tradition. 

Don't look too closely at these photos because they are nothing like Daddy's clean straight lines. Here is my watermelon basket and it wasn't too difficult. 

I will walk you through the process step-by-step. 

You will need: 
1 Large Watermelon
1 Large Watermelon
​1 Large Honeydew
1 Sharp Working Space
1 Melon Ball Maker
1 Large Mixing Bowl
1 Large Working Space

Your first job will be to cut off most of the top half of the watermelon leaving a wide handle in the center. (See the photo below)

Next, make melon balls from the pieces you cut off from the watermelon and add them to the mixing bowl. 

Move on to making melon balls from the rest of the watermelon until it is empty, adding them to  your bowl. Scrape the insides of the watermelon so it is smooth. 

Make melon balls from the cantaloupe and honeydew, adding them to the mixing bowl. Mix all the fruit together so there is a pretty color mix. 

Add the melon balls to the empty watermelon basket and it is ready to serve. 

That's it! It's easier than you thought, isn't it? It makes a great centerpiece for a summer party, BBQ, or outside picnic. 

Happy Summer Hospitality! 

Warmly, 
​Meredith Curtis

Creation Week is such a fun time in history to study with children. They love to learn how God created the stars, the animals, the waters, the sun, and people! It is so exciting that God spoke and it was created! Wow! 

Laura and I decided to create a little lapbook for our grandsons who love to learn about Jesus. 

So we started with timeline figures from our Ancient History Timeline and Scripture passages from Genesis 1. 

Since all of the Old Testament points to Jesus, we decided to include some Scripture memory cards about Jesus, as well as some from Genesis 1. 

We got more and more excited. Soon, we just had to create a lapbook, so we did!

As you can see below, there are booklets to color, fold, and glue to the lapbook each day after reading the Scripture passage, enjoying hands-on learning activities, and working on memory verses. 

The lapbook turned out beautiful and we had such fun digging into the first week of history! 

In fact, we had so much fun, we decided to share our little lapbook with you. You can purchase My Creation Week Lapbook  E-book at PayHip and TeachersPayTeachers. Learn more about the book here. 

If your looking for STEM resources about Creation from a biblical worldview, you will love learning about Creation Week with My Creation Week Lapbook. 

After all, learning science should be fun! 

Until next time, Happy Homeschooling!

Warmly, 
​Meredith Curtis