Tag: Homeschool

Briarwood Hollow Curriculum, Curriculum, Game & Sensory Play, Homeschool Tips, Resources, Special Needs Curriculum

Poetry Picnic

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🍓What is a Poetry Picnic?

A Poetry Picnic is a relaxed, multisensory outdoor learning experience where children (and adults!) gather to enjoy poetry in a picnic-style setting. It’s a Charlotte Mason-inspired activity that combines nature, literature, and gentle connection, making it ideal for all ages and especially supportive for special needs learners.

🌸 What Happens at a Poetry Picnic?

You simply bring poems outside—along with a blanket, snacks, and maybe some drawing materials—and read poetry aloud together. Children can listen while they eat, lie on the grass, draw what they hear, act out poems, or write their own inspired verses. It’s not a formal lesson—it’s an experience.

🍃 Core Elements:

Poetry

  • Beautiful language, rhythm, and imagery introduced in a joyful context

Picnic

  • Relaxed, natural environment for sensory grounding and enjoyment

Nature

  • Inspires poetic thinking and supports attention and calm

Gentle narration

  • Encourages kids to retell or reflect on poems in their own words

Creative response

  • Drawing, dramatizing, or writing inspired by the poetry

💡 Why It Works (Especially for Special Needs):

  • No pressure: No right or wrong answers, just engagement
  • Multisensory: Combines listening, visualizing, tasting, moving, and creating
  • Memory-friendly: Repetition, rhyme, and rhythm support retention
  • Inclusive: Works with mixed ages and ability levels
  • Flexible: Adaptable to any theme, mood, or weather

🧺 Sample Poetry Picnic in Action:

  1. Lay out a blanket in the backyard
  2. Serve lemonade and apple slices
  3. Read a short nature poem (e.g., from A Child’s Garden of Verses)
  4. Let kids draw the scene or act out the lines
  5. Ask what part they liked best
  6. Wrap up with a short nature walk and optional poem-inspired writing

🍓 Poetry Picnic: Step-by-Step Instructions

🌿 Purpose:

To enjoy poetry in a relaxed, nature-filled setting that appeals to all senses and supports gentle narration, language development, memory, and emotional connection.

🧺 Step 1. Plan Your Picnic

Supplies Needed:

  • Blanket or picnic mat
  • Basket with snacks or a light lunch
  • Printed poems or poetry books
  • Clipboard or notebook with paper and pencils/crayons
  • Clipboard or notebook with paper and pencils/crayons
  • Nature journaling kit (optional): magnifying glass, field guide, colored pencils
  • Sensory items (fidgets, chewable necklaces, etc. for neurodivergent learners)

Optional Add-ons:

  • Portable speaker for music or nature sounds
  • Poetry-themed snacks (e.g., “Owl Cookies” for a poem about owls)
  • Tea set for a mini “Poetry Tea Time” variation

🗺️ Step 2. Choose Your Location

Pick a quiet, safe outdoor spot:

  • Backyard
  • Park
  • Garden
  • Nature trail with a rest area

Tip: Try to find a location with a bit of shade and space for children to explore nearby.

📚 Step 3. Select Your Poems

Choose 2–4 short, vivid poems (for younger grades) or 1–2 longer pieces (for older students), ideally themed:

  • Nature Poems for outdoor connection
  • Animal Poems for fun and sound play
  • Seasonal Poems to match the environment
  • Narrative Poems for storytelling and dramatization

Special Needs Tip: Use poems with rhyme, repetition, and rhythm for learners with dyslexia or memory challenges.

☀️ Step 4. Set the Scene

Lay out your blanket, open the basket, and allow a few minutes of settling in. Let kids munch or explore while you read.

Optional Opening:

  • Begin with a calming nature activity like “5 Senses Scavenger Hunt” or deep breathing
  • Play soft instrumental music or nature sounds to ease transition

🎤 Step 5. Read Poetry Aloud

Take turns reading:

  • Adult reads with expression, pausing for reaction
  • Older kids can volunteer to read or echo lines
  • For younger kids, try call-and-response or echo reading

Encourage Response:

  • What did you picture in your mind?
  • What word sounded like music to you?
  • Did it remind you of anything?

✍️ Step 6. Poetry Activities (Pick 1–3)

🌸 Nature Illustration

Draw a scene from the poem or decorate the poem’s title with natural elements around them.

🐦 Nature Walk & Write

Take a 10-minute nature walk and come back to write a short nature poem or observation.

🎭 Dramatic Reading

Perform the poem using props, voices, or simple movement.

🖋️ Copywork or Dictation

Choose a beautiful or vivid line to copy into a notebook. Use lined paper with guides for special needs.

📖 Make a Poem Booklet

Paste the printed poem into a small notebook. Decorate with drawings, pressed flowers, or stickers.

🧠 Step 7. Narration & Reflection

Ask open-ended questions:

  • What was your favorite part?
  • What did this poem remind you of?
  • Would you change the ending?

For non-verbal or young children:

  • Use picture cards for emotions or scenes
  • Let them point to what they liked or draw a reaction

🧼 Step 8. Pack Up + Optional Memory Box

Clean up together. If desired, create a Poetry Picnic Memory Box:

  • Add drawings, copied poems, pressed leaves/flowers, or photos from the day.

🔁 Step 9. Repeat Weekly or Monthly

Vary the theme each time:

  • Ocean Poetry Picnic
  • Bird Songs and Verse
  • Shakespeare in the Shade
  • Silly Poems and Pie
Briarwood Hollow Curriculum, Curriculum, Homeschool, Homeschool Tips, Resources, Special Needs Curriculum

Storybook Forest

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What is a Storybook Forest?

A Storybook Forest is a whimsical, creative wall or room display that brings the world of books—especially nature-themed or animal-centered stories—to life through visuals and cut-outs. Think of it as a literary forest diorama spread across your homeschool wall, where storybook characters “live” among trees, trails, and woodland scenes.

🌲 What a Storybook Forest Includes:

  • Trees, bushes, and natural elements (cut from paper or drawn/painted)
  • Characters and creatures from favorite books (like Peter Rabbit, Little Red Riding Hood, or woodland fairies)
  • Labels, quotes, or signs to make it feel immersive (“Mr. Fox’s Den,” “Trail to Granny’s Cottage”)
  • Story settings like tree houses, gardens, or caves
  • Optional: Interactive elements like movable characters, sensory textures, or flaps that reveal secrets

📚 Purpose of a Storybook Forest:

  • To visualize and explore literature in a hands-on, engaging way
  • To create an interactive reading environment
  • To help young or special needs learners connect more deeply with characters and plot
  • To foster storytelling, narration, and comprehension
  • To give your homeschool a magical, immersive space that evolves with your reading

💡 Think of It As:

A mashup of:

  • A reading nook
  • A visual book report
  • A forest-themed bulletin board
  • A year-round celebration of your favorite stories

🏡 Where Can You Put One?

  • A blank wall in your homeschool room
  • A hallway, closet door, or tri-fold board for portability
  • Even a window or whiteboard, using removable materials

🎨 STEP-BY-STEP: How to Create a “Storybook Forest” Wall

🧰 Materials Needed:

  • Large sheets of colored construction paper, kraft paper, or butcher paper
  • Scissors (safety scissors for younger kids)
  • Glue sticks or tape
  • Thumbtacks or removable wall putty
  • Markers, crayons, colored pencils, paint
  • Old magazines or printouts for animal/nature images
  • Optional: Laminator or clear contact paper for durability
  • Optional: Velcro dots (for interactive elements)
  • Optional: Real twigs, felt, ribbon, or fabric scraps for texture

🌲 Step 1: Choose the Story Themes

  1. Pick the books your forest will be based on. Choose 1–3 living books (fairy tales, nature stories, or folk tales work beautifully).
    • Example: The Tale of Peter Rabbit, The Story of Little Babaji, The Adventures of Reddy Fox.
  2. For each book, list:
    • Setting (forest, meadow, garden, etc.)
    • Main characters (animals, people, fairies, etc.)
    • Key objects (basket, house, tree, etc.)

🔧 Special Needs Tip: Use visuals or a picture schedule to help children choose and understand the plan.

✂️ Step 2: Create the Background

  1. Roll out butcher paper or use construction paper to cover part of a wall.
  2. Create a forest background:
    • Use green paper or paint to create trees and shrubs.
    • Add blue for sky or water.
    • Use brown for tree trunks and paths.
  3. Tape or tack the background onto the wall.

🖐️ Hands-On Option: Let younger kids sponge-paint leaves or clouds!

🐿️ Step 3: Cut Out Forest Elements

Cut out large tree trunks, leafy canopies, grass clumps, rocks, and hills. Add:

  • Holes in trees (for owls, squirrels, or foxes)
  • Mushrooms or logs
  • Flower patches
  • Sun or moon for ambiance

🧠 Adaptation Tip: Use pre-drawn templates or stencils for kids who struggle with fine motor skills.

📚 Step 4: Add Storybook Characters

  1. Draw or print pictures of storybook characters.
  2. Mount them on cardstock or construction paper, then cut them out.
  3. Write each character’s name on a label or tag.
  4. Place them around the forest:
    • Peter Rabbit near the garden
    • Little Red Riding Hood on a forest path
    • Winnie-the-Pooh at a tree hollow

📄 Alternative: Let kids create their own invented forest characters with names and personalities.

💬 Step 5: Add Text & Labels

  1. Label each tree or area with the story title or character names.
  2. Add quote bubbles with memorable lines from the book.
  3. Include signs like “Mr. Fox’s Den” or “The Old Hollow Tree.”

🧩 Reading Help: Use simple words or sentence stems for early readers and struggling learners (e.g., “This is…” or “Look at…”).

🎭 Step 6: Make It Interactive (Optional)

  • Use Velcro dots to allow characters to move around the forest.
  • Create a “storybook trail” with footprints leading to different areas.
  • Hide animal shapes or story items in a scavenger-hunt format.

🖼️ Step 7: Display and Engage

  • Have your child give a “tour” of the forest to a sibling, parent, or even stuffed animal.
  • Revisit the forest as you read different books—add or rotate characters as the year progresses.

🔁 Extend Over Time: Let this grow into a year-long living display, adding a new book “tree” or “path” each month.

🧩 Accommodations for Special Needs

Fine motor delays

  • Use large templates, pre-cut shapes, or stickers

Visual processing

  • Keep colors high-contrast and organized

Sensory sensitivities

  • Use textured elements sparingly or as an option

Attention issues

  • Do the project in small chunks, 10–15 minutes at a time

Memory struggles

  • Use labeled visuals, sequencing cards for characters
Briarwood Hollow Curriculum, Charlotte Mason Method, Curriculum, Game & Sensory Play, Homeschool, Homeschool Tips, Resources, Special Needs Curriculum

Wonder Box

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🎁 What is a Wonder Box?

A Wonder Box is a container where children collect small, interesting items found in nature or daily life—a feather, a shiny rock, an old key, a piece of bark, a curled leaf. These treasures become prompts for wonder, questions, art, writing, science, or storytelling.

✂️ Materials Needed:

  • A box with a lid (shoebox, wooden chest, cookie tin, etc.)
  • Optional: dividers (egg cartons, cardboard, small jars)
  • Labels or tags
  • Pen or pencil
  • Magnifying glass or loupe (optional)
  • Small notebook or index cards
  • Double-sided tape or glue (optional for mounting items temporarily)
  • Art or nature journal (optional)

🧰 Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Choose or Make a Box

  • Use any sturdy container with a lid—decorate it together!
  • Let your child name it (“Curiosity Chest,” “Treasure Trove,” etc.) to give ownership.

Step 2: Create a Labeling System

  • Prepare blank labels or index cards.
  • Use these for your child to write or dictate a name, date, and where they found the item.
  • For non-writers: you can write for them or use drawings or stickers as codes.

Step 3: Introduce the Wonder Box Concept

  • Go for a nature walk, neighborhood stroll, or backyard hunt.
  • Encourage your child to collect small items that spark curiosity.
    • Example: “Choose one thing that makes you wonder about something!”

Step 4: Add Found Items

  • When you return, lay items out and talk about each one.
  • Ask open-ended questions:
    • What do you think this is from?
    • What does it remind you of?
    • What do you wonder about it?
  • Let them put their favorites in the Wonder Box.

Step 5: Record Observations

  • Use a notebook, index cards, or nature journal.
  • For younger children or special needs: use sentence stems or visual cues:
    • “I found a ____.”
    • “It feels ____.”
    • “I think it came from ____.”
  • Add drawings, rubbings, or photos.

Step 6: Explore Further

  • Choose an item each week for a “Wonder Study”:
    • Draw it in detail
    • Write a story about it
    • Look it up in a nature guide
    • Do a science experiment (e.g., float/sink, magnify, measure)
    • Match it to a poem, folk tale, or myth
  • For older or advanced learners: research origin, cultural uses, related animals/plants

Step 7: Rotate and Refresh

  • Every few weeks, review the box together.
  • Choose items to retire (move to a keepsake box or nature shelf).
  • Keep the Wonder Box fresh so curiosity stays alive!

💡 Tips for Special Needs Learners:

  • Use tactile items (fuzzy leaves, bumpy rocks).
  • Include a sensory prompt: “How does it smell/sound/feel?”
  • Offer choices with picture cues or actual objects when selecting what to write/draw.
  • Use a visual schedule for the steps.
  • Let them narrate stories if writing is a struggle.
  • Turn it into a matching game (sort by color, size, texture).

📚 Optional Add-Ons

  • Wonder Box Journal: a special book for all recorded observations.
  • Mini microscope or loupe: for closer looks.
  • Field guides or storybooks: to connect their finds to real-world knowledge or tales.

Charlotte Mason Method, Curriculum, Homeschool, Homeschool Library, Vintage Library Collection

Free & Treadwell’s Readers

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Reading-Literature: The Primer

Reading-Literature: First Reader

Reading-Literature: Second Reader

Primary Reading and Literature: A Manual for Teachers

Reading-Literature: Third Reader

Reading-Literature: Fourth Reader

Reading-Literature: Fifth Reader

Reading-Literature: Sixth Reader

Reading-Literature: Seventh Reader

Reading-Literature: Eighth Reader

Charlotte Mason Method, Curriculum, Homeschool, Homeschool Library, Vintage Library Collection

Baldwin’s Readers

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These are a wonderful little series that works well with the McGuffey’s Eclectic Readers.

The Baldwin Primer: Kindergarten-First Grade

Baldwin School Reading by Grade: First Year

Baldwin School Reading by Grade: Second Year

Baldwin School Reading by Grades: Third Year

Baldwin School Reading by Grades: Fourth Year

Baldwin School Reading by Grade: Fifth Year

Baldwin School Reading by Grade: Sixth Year

Baldwin School Reading by Grades: Seventh Year

Baldwin School Reading by Grades: Eighth Year

Charlotte Mason Method, Curriculum, Homeschool, Homeschool Tips, Notebooking, Special Needs Curriculum

Notebooking

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Notebooking is a powerful tool in any homeschool and works extremely well with a Charlotte Mason-style homeschool, especially for special needs learners, because it blends narration, creativity, and ownership of learning. You can easily differentiate notebooking by ability, age, or developmental level. Here’s how to structure it across different levels:

Pre-Writers (Preschool–K, developmental delays, or fine motor struggles):

Focus: Oral narration, drawing, sticker use, light tracing

  • How-To:
    • Let the child tell you what they learned; you write it down verbatim.
    • Encourage drawing a picture from a reading or nature walk.
    • Use stickers or cut-and-paste options (e.g., animals for nature study).
    • Allow tracing of letters, words, or outlines.
    • Keep it short—one idea, one drawing, and a smile.

Emerging Writers (K–1st grade or delayed learners):

Focus: Short, guided writing with drawing

  • How-To:
    • Provide sentence starters: “Today I saw…” or “I learned that…”
    • Let them copy a sentence you wrote from their narration.
    • Include space for a picture with crayons or watercolor.
    • Use mini word banks or labels they can glue in.
    • Expect 1–2 sentences maximum, with lots of encouragement.

Developing Writers (1st–4th grade and up):

Focus: Independent narration with light structure

  • How-To:
    • Offer prompts like: “What happened first?”, “What was your favorite part?”
    • Have them write 3–5 sentences after oral narration.
    • Encourage personal touches: borders, decorations, small diagrams.
    • Mix formats: nature notebook one day, story narration another, picture study response next.

Fluent Writers (5th grade and up, or advanced learners):

Focus: Thoughtful, reflective writing across subjects

  • How-To:
    • Let them choose format: summary, letter, opinion, poem, sketch + caption.
    • Encourage research extensions or mini reports from readings.
    • Teach them to review and revise their own writing lightly.
    • Use narration journals, nature journals, book of centuries, science logs, etc.

Tips Across All Levels:

  • Keep it short and joyful—quality over quantity.
  • Let personality shine—doodles, questions, funny titles are great.
  • Use notebooking pages with visuals, outlines, or templates for support.
  • Build slowly. One good notebook entry per week is enough at first.
  • Remember: Notebooking is about thinking, not penmanship.

I’ll be working on creating a new set of notebooks for the kiddos. Once I get it done I’ll update in another post.

Homeschool, Homeschool Tips, Learning, Resources

Sensory Time for Homeschooling

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What Is Sensory Time?

A dedicated block of time (5–20 minutes, 1–3x/day) where a child engages in intentional sensory activities:

  • Calming (deep pressure, soft textures)
  • Alerting (spinning, bouncing, bright lights)
  • Organizing (heavy work, rhythmic movement)

It helps children:

  • Regulate emotions and energy levels
  • Improve focus and motor planning
  • Transition more smoothly between activities
  • Increase body awareness and coordination

Types of Sensory Activities (by Need)

1. Calming Activities

For overstimulation, anxiety, or meltdowns:

  • Weighted lap pads or blankets
  • Fidget toys or stress balls
  • Soft music and dim lights
  • Slow rocking or swinging
  • Tactile bins with rice, beans, or kinetic sand
  • Blowing bubbles or pinwheels (deep breathing disguised as play)

2. Alerting Activities

To help with sluggishness or inattentiveness:

  • Jumping on a mini trampoline
  • Chewing crunchy snacks (carrots, pretzels)
  • Brightly colored light table play
  • Messy play: shaving cream, slime, water beads
  • Loud singing or silly movement songs
  • Bouncing on a therapy ball

3. Organizing (Heavy Work)

To help kids “center” and prepare for learning:

  • Pushing/pulling laundry baskets or carts
  • Animal walks (bear crawl, crab walk)
  • Stacking and knocking down soft blocks
  • Kneading play dough or putty
  • Carrying a backpack with books for 5–10 minutes
  • Climbing stairs or an indoor play tower

How to Structure Sensory Time

  • Set a predictable time daily (after transitions or before focused work)
  • Keep a “sensory menu” with choices the child can point to or select
  • Observe and rotate activities depending on your child’s needs that day
  • Always supervise and adapt to sensory-seeking or sensory-avoidant tendencies

Simple Weekly Sensory Time Rotation

Monday

  • Tactile
    • Rice bin with scoops, nature texture board

Tuesday

  • Movement
    • Trampoline or animal walk obstacle course

Wednesday

  • Deep Pressure
    • Pillow sandwich, couch rolls, bear hugs

Thursday

  • Oral
    • Blow bubbles, chew straws, crunchy snacks

Friday

  • Visual/Auditory
    • Light table play, rainbow water bottles
Curriculum, Homeschool, Homeschool Tips, Resources, Special Needs Curriculum

Story Basket for Special Needs

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What is a Story Basket?

A story basket is a small basket or tray that includes:

  • A living book (short and engaging story)
  • Tangible items related to the story (mini animals, felt pieces, nature objects, figures, sensory items)
  • Optional: visual sequence cards, printed illustrations, or objects that help with comprehension or storytelling

Why It Works for Special Needs Learners:

  • Supports visual and tactile learners
  • Helps with focus and engagement
  • Encourages language development (especially non-verbal or minimally verbal kids)
  • Aids comprehension and sequencing
  • Creates a predictable, calming routine

Example: “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” Story Basket

  • Book: The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
  • Basket Items:
    • Small stuffed rabbit
    • Toy vegetables (carrots, lettuce)
    • Mini garden fence
    • Picture of Mr. McGregor
    • Soft blue jacket (or fabric scrap)
    • A small basket of real herbs (smell sensory)

How to Use It:

  1. Let the child explore the items first.
  2. Read the story aloud.
  3. As you read, act out scenes using the props.
  4. Invite the child to retell the story using the basket (with or without words).

Tips for Creating Story Baskets

  • Use simple stories with strong characters or actions.
  • Choose 3–6 meaningful items per basket—don’t overload.
  • Rotate weekly or by interest.
  • Encourage free play or storytelling using the basket after reading.
Homeschool, Planning Next Year, Update, Vintage Library Collection

Here’s the upcoming plan

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I’m going to continue organizing and adding things here over the next few weeks. Going to try and get the Vintage Library Collection at least started beyond what I already have. Then over the next month or two as I put together next year’s curriculum I will be updating as I finalize each kiddos individual lessons, family subjects and our schedule. So stay tuned…

Curriculum, Homeschool

PASS Workbooks

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These workbooks are for children with disabilities. I haven’t used these yet but I plan to this coming homeschool year.

English I Teacher’s Guide and Student Workbook

English II Teacher’s Guide and Student Workbook

English III Teacher’s Guide and Student Workbook

English IV Teacher’s Guide and Student Workbook

Building General Mathematics Skills Teacher’s Guide and Student Workbook

Consumer Mathematics Teacher’s Guide and Student Workbook

Mathematics II Teacher’s Guide and Student Workbook

Economics Teacher’s Guide and Student Workbook

Personal Fitness Teacher’s Guide and Student Workbook

Life Management Skills Teacher’s Guide and Student Workbook

American History 1 Teacher’s Guide and Student Workbook

American History 2 Teacher’s Guide and Student Workbook

American Government Teacher’s Guide and Student Workbook

World History 1 Teacher’s Guide and Student Workbook

World History 2 Teacher’s Guide and Student Workbook

Earth/Space Science Teacher’s Guide and Student Workbook

Physical Science Teacher’s Guide and Student Workbook

Biology Science Teacher’s Guide and Student Workbook

World Geography Teacher’s Guide and Student Workbook