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Mom, What Is A Veteran? Homeschool Study

Mom, What is a Veteran? Homeschool Study is a perfect springboard to learning more about our history and the men and women behind it.

And so begins our search to answer the question of the day for November 11th – “Mom, what is a veteran?”

This generation of children has been unusually protected from much, if any, exposure to war and soldiers and military importance. So, when they see or hear reference to the upcoming Veterans Day holiday, they don’t understand the significance or relevance to their lives. We can use this holiday as the perfect springboard to learning more about our history, our blessings, and the brave men and women who have served to protect us, and all that we hold dear.

Mom, What is a Veteran? Homeschool Study is a perfect springboard to learning more about our history and the men and women behind it.

Learning About Veterans Day In Your Homeschool

Veterans Day – what does it mean to you?

The history of this holiday may be unknown to many of us, and yet it exists because of the strength and convictions of generations past that we should remember our veterans and their sacrifices for our peace and protection. There was a price paid for the freedom that we enjoy, and this freedom still needs our protection. While we enjoy peace, it is with an understanding that this peace has been bought with the efforts of our veterans, and this holiday can help us express our gratitude for their efforts and beliefs and sacrifices. On this holiday, we honor all of our veterans. Those in the military serve in all kinds of jobs – soldiers, doctors, nurses, pilots, engineers, astronauts, and so much more. They all work hard to protect and defend America, and we should be grateful to them all.

I heard recently that there is a shortage of military buglers to play “Taps” at military funerals – because so many of our military veterans are passing away, particularly those from the World Wars. While our children haven’t really been exposed to a “war” as we think of it, they do need an appreciation for those who have bravely served. Use this holiday to become familiar with veterans – their sacrifice and their courage.

Learn more about the American military system – how it protects us today and what is happening with our defense. Use this opportunity to learn more about the various organizations that help support out veterans – the Veterans Administration (VA), the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), and Disabled American Veterans (DAV), and others.

This holiday has special significance to many members of our family as well as our friends. Though often quiet about their service, these people have a wealth of information and experience that they might be willing to share with our students about their service, training, and ideas – if asked. By learning more about the people and their participation, we can carry on the tradition and remembrance with pride.

Applauding Our Veterans

With this holiday, let’s bring out the flag and applaud our veterans. Let us teach these things to our children, so that we never take our freedom and liberty for granted. All of our veterans deserve our appreciation and remembrance. It is now the next generation’s responsibility to protect and defend our country, our God-given rights, and our freedoms.

“The liberties of our country, the freedom of our civil constitution, are worth defending at all hazards; and it is our duty to defend them against all attacks. We have received them as a fair inheritance from our worthy ancestors: they purchased them for us with toil and danger and expense of treasure and blood, and transmitted them to us with care and diligence. It will bring an everlasting mark of infamy on the present generation, enlightened as it is, if we should suffer them to be wrested from us by violence without a struggle, or cheated out of them by the artifices of false and designing men… It is a very serious consideration, which should deeply impress our minds, that millions yet unborn may be the miserable sharers in the event.”Samuel Adams, 1771

“The time is now near at hand which must probably determine whether Americans are to be freemen or slaves; whether they are to have any property they can call their own; whether their houses and farms are to be pillaged and destroyed, and themselves consigned to a state of wretchedness from which no human efforts will deliver them. The fate of unborn millions will now depend, under God, on the courage and conduct of this army… We have, therefore, to resolve to conquer or die…”
George Washington, speech delivered to his army, 1776


“To fight out a war, you must believe something and want something with all your might. So must you do to carry anything else to an end worth reaching. More than that, you must be willing to commit yourself to a course, perhaps a long and hard one, without being able to foresee exactly where you will come out. All that is required of you is that you should go somewhither as hard as ever you can. The rest belongs to fate…:”     Oliver Wendell Holmes, 1884

“There are more instances of the abridgement of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpation.” James Madison, 1788

Veterans Day Unit Study Included in Patriotic Holidays

  • Day One: What Is A Veteran?
  • Day Two: History Of Veterans Day
  • Day Three: Our Armed Forces
  • Day Four: Flanders Fields
  • Day Five: Sacrificing All For Our Freedom

What is the history of these national holidays? Who were the patriots involved? How can we remember the sacrifices of those who have fought for our freedoms? Show your children why these special days are more than just another barbecue or parade.

Happy homeschooling,

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Enjoying the Harvest: Celebrating Progress In Your Homeschool

Harvest….the end of the growing season….clearly signaled by bright orange pumpkins piled high at roadside stands, the spicy tart smell of apple butter cooking at local orchards, and the excitement of local fall harvest festivals. At the festivals, you can see the county’s largest sunflowers, the prettiest canned tomatoes you’ve ever seen, and the artwork so painstakingly created by children of all ages.

It is a season of reflection, gathering in, enjoying the fruits of your labor. I’m writing this today to share some of the lessons I’ve learned over the past few years of homeschooling — the importance of enjoying each moment of harvest in our lives, whether it is the accomplishment of a child finally learning to tie their own shoes, the excitement of reading their first book all by themselves, the time “they” point out how pretty the trees look, and many other times where the end product slowly but surely peeks out in the midst of daily life.

As many of you know, I’ve had a couple of tough years following two car accidents. Through it all, we’ve homeschooled and I’m not sure who has learned more…the parents or the children! Before these accidents, we were driven by a goal of homeschooling them through high school, keeping our eye on the “finished product” goal, instead of the daily accomplishments or “moments of harvest.”

Moments of “Harvest” In Your Homeschool

It is these moments of harvest that I wanted to make you aware of — that they should be recognized, savored, and remembered. Our “harvest” is not seasonal like a farmer’s crop — our harvest is lifelong, as we love, nurture and encourage our family each and every day. And yes, there are days when this is a TALL order, and it is those days that we can recall the good “harvest moments”, days when goals were reached, or thanks was given, or smiles and laughter rippled around the dinner table.

But before we go on, let me take a moment to share the definition of “harvest” with you, taken from Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary: harvestto gather in (a crop). A farmer plans for his crop all through the winter, then prepares (cultivates) the soil in spring, and finally plants the seeds of a new crop as the spring ends. Throughout the summer, he works on maintaining and protecting his crop, from drought, insects, and weeds. And then at the end of the summer, he finally begins his harvest, gathering in this precious crop that the has worked so hard to grow.

Can you see the similarities to our efforts as parents? We plan, plant, grow, nurture, and somewhere along the way, the “harvest” concept kind of gets lost in the search for both shoes, the car keys, the “right” curriculum, and on and on.

Seasons Of Growth In Learning And Family Life

Just like raising a stand of fruit trees (or maple trees, pecan trees, etc.), so goes the way of raising a child, in a way:

  • A season to prune and maintain the plants themselves (the physical needs as well as the emotional needs).
  • A season to fertilize to invigorate the plant’s production of fruit (talking, reading, sharing, putting information and caring into their lives)
  • A season to tend the fruits as they develop (keeping an eye on their interests, activities, etc.)
  • A season of harvest, when the fruit is enjoyed and preserved, keeping an eye towards the future for the next season of growth (protecting them from harm during tough times and planning the next season of growth)

And then, of course, the cycle begins anew, as the cycle of life thankfully continues.

Celebrating Progress In Your Homeschool

Given some time for reflection, you can “see” back through this past year and remember some prime “harvest moments”, both educational as well as emotional and spiritual. There are also some moments or events that strengthened and united your family, as well. I’ve made myself keep a small journal of these kinds of harvest insights, both for encouragement and so that I really realize the progress being made for our efforts. I know it is hard to find time to write down these kinds of things, and I am one of the worst when it comes to finding time for extra efforts like this. BUT, I have MADE myself do this with a journal — for all of us.

Here are some ideas in each harvest moment category that I mentioned above, to help you “see” what I record:

Breakthroughs in their education:

  • First word read all by themselves
  • First book read independently
  • First time they read a book with interest “without” having it assigned
  • Mastery of multiplication tables…FINALLY!
  • Breakthrough on long division
  • Moments of realization when they really “understand” a concept…like gravity!
  • They begin to connect the things that they are learning with the world around us.

Breakthroughs in their emotional development:

  • They slow down to help younger siblings voluntarily
  • Refusal to “follow the crowd” based on principle or belief
  • Doing the “right” thing even when you are not around!
  • Helping others without being asked
  • Appreciating grandparents and other family members
  • Welcoming guests wholeheartedly and caring for their needs
  • Asking if you can “all” go do something together…amazing!

And last, but not least — moments that strengthen and unite your family:

  • When one parent is ill or injured, and they all work together to share the burden
  • A death in the family or extended family, where they learn the real value of love and family, as well as the role of faith in assurance
  • When times are financially strained, everyone comes together to conserve, plan, and help ease the struggle.
  • Projects for the family tend to provide long memories as well — working together to add a room to the house, helping a neighbor, etc.

These kinds of things are all what I call those “harvest moments”. Golden, reflective and rewarding of our efforts. They may be brief, like a shooting star, but they are just as joyous when we take time from our hectic schedules and plans to see them and realize that progress is being made and our efforts are bringing on a “good” harvest.

This season of harvest is bright and fruitful, both in our lives as parents and as we approach the season of Thanksgiving. Not only have I learned to see the harvest moments in our lives, but I’ve also learned to really count our blessings, naming them one by one in my journal. The list is growing, right along with my faith.

And do you know what else? I’m watching the importance of this blessing counting grow in our children. What an amazing offshoot of my own lessons…that they, too, are really “seeing” the important things in life. As I sit and reflect on this now, perhaps that IS the most important lesson from all of this — that they see what really is important, instead of material things and day to day trials.

This “enjoying the harvest” does not just apply to our children’s growth and education, by the way. Try to take time to take a walk — really walking, not just speeding through another task. Notice the color of the sky, and the birds that you see — can you identify them? And when you are making that apple butter in a slow-cooker this year, don’t forget to add some savory spices and then enjoy the taste on hot buttered biscuits!

Put on some classical music and really listen to how lifting Mozart can be with your morning coffee…a much better way to start the day than the morning news, too. In other words, YOU have got to slow down and “smell the roses” too. As they say around my house, “when mama ain’t happy, ain’t NOBODY happy!” And I’m trying to remedy that, working on it on a daily basis.

The Fruit Of Our Labor As Homeschool Parents Is Ongoing

It is my prayer that this article has helped you see that the fruits of our labors are ongoing and lifelong. The harvest is never-ending, and we need to enjoy the harvest moments, right in the midst of the chores and labors of love in teaching and learning and sharing in our family lives. Live, really live, each day that God gives you. I have a saying that I keep on my dresser that reads “Today is a precious gift from God. Say thank you — and tear into it!”, and I try to do just that.

May you have a bountiful and joyous Thanksgiving, and may you find peace in the quiet moments that you can catch in the mayhem and noise of family life! Happy Thanksgiving, and don’t forget to count those blessings!

With much love, Amanda

This article was published in the magazine, The Home Educator’s Family Times, Vol. 6 No. 5. Copyright protected. Copyright 1998.

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Creative Ways to Use Unit Studies in Your Homeschool

If you're looking to bring more excitement, flexibility, and depth into your homeschool, exploring creative ways to use unit studies in your homeschool is a great place to start.

If you’re looking to bring more excitement, flexibility, and depth into your homeschool, exploring creative ways to use unit studies in your homeschool is a great place to start. Whether you’re looking to simplify lesson planning, nurture curiosity, or create hands-on experiences, unit studies can be adapted in countless ways to fit your family’s unique style of homeschooling.

If you're looking to bring more excitement, flexibility, and depth into your homeschool, exploring creative ways to use unit studies in your homeschool is a great place to start.

A Look Inside Our Unit Studies

I found out about Amanda Bennett’s Download N Go® studies last spring from a fellow homeschool mom. I promptly found the USAB website and Facebook page and started to do a little research. I realized that they were going to be a perfect match for my teaching style and my wiggly four-year-old. I decided to purchase the Sunny Seashells unit since we were going to the beach that summer.

If you're looking to bring more excitement, flexibility, and depth into your homeschool, exploring creative ways to use unit studies in your homeschool is a great place to start.

The unit is set up to be a five-day learning adventure. We took a lot longer than five days because my daughter was at the low end of the suggested age range for these. I wanted her to enjoy it and not feel like it was information overload. There are book suggestions for each day and video links built in. I ordered about a dozen books from the library, and we set the laptop on the table each time. Each day also has family fun suggestions and craft ideas included. There is a “shell of the day,” and my daughter liked some more than others. Each day also has a featured country of the day, and my daughter would find them on the world map and color them in. My friend from church brought a shoe box full of shells for us to use, and then when she found out how much my daughter loved them, she gave her the box full. My daughter was totally shocked, exclaiming, “MOM! Did you know that she gave me the whole box? Can you believe that?”

When we finished Sunny Seashells, my daughter said, “Mom, you are really fun to do this with. It’s like a party with you!” And at least ten times that day I heard, “I am so excited for our vacation. I want to find some shells!”

Homeschooling With Unit Studies Year Round

This sparked a love of unit studies in my daughter, and we moved on to Rocking Robots, Autumn Treasures, Goofy Geckos, and Valentine’s Day. We have been doing these for eight months now, and my now-five-year-old is totally involved with picking out which unit we will do next. She also gets excited to head to the library to get the next round of books for our study.

Autumn Treasures study uses fun videos, activities, learning explorations to help your child learn about geography, earth science, and so much more.

Something really cool has happened with every unit we have done. During Autumn Treasures we learned about monarch butterflies, and when leaving church that Sunday, the monarchs were on all the bushes in front of our car! I had our camera in there, and my husband was able to capture some amazing photos. I thought it was God’s gift to us to actually see them on their migration.

My daughter wanted to do the Goofy Gecko unit because she got a green anole for her fifth birthday. We love to watch him and knew that he was known as the American chameleon because he can change colors. During our gecko study we found out through one of the books that our anole is actually the smallest iguana in the world. My daughter loves to tell people that now. Our zoo has an amazing reptile exhibit, so we took a field trip there and my daughter was saying, “Hey, that guy was in our unit study,” or “There’s a giant day gecko.”

I think these units are really fantastic. I learned a lot or perhaps learned again things from when I was little. I love that it’s broken down day by day and you can do as little or as much as you want based on the age of your child. The videos and other links being built into the PDF are a huge convenience. We have also tried to do some kind of cooking project that ties into each unit, and my daughter really enjoys that part. I also think that these are not just for homeschoolers—a lot of families could use them to supplement an interest that their child has to gain more information in a fun way.

Louanne Mason

Fort Worth, Texas

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Embracing Educational Technology In Your Homeschool

Wondering about AI In Your Homeschool Learning? Here's a quick guide to educational technology options for learning.

When I first began incorporating internet links into my unit studies years ago, I often encountered resistance from parents. It was understandable as the internet was entirely new territory for many families. 

At the time, there was genuine uncertainty about its role in education. As an educator committed to ensuring homeschooled children had access to the same research tools as their traditionally-schooled peers, I knew I needed to thoroughly understand this technology myself before recommending it to others.

Wondering about AI In Your Homeschool Learning? Here's a quick guide to educational technology options for learning.

After extensive research into the educational potential of the internet, I updated my unit studies to include tens of thousands of carefully selected links. These digital gateways opened extraordinary opportunities for students including virtual whale-watching expeditions, behind-the-scenes tours of baseball bat factories, thrilling Ferris wheel rides, and immersive journeys to destinations around the globe. The internet proved to be an invaluable learning resource for children of all ages.

I loved how it create so many wonderful learning options for my children and for yours. Most importantly, what remains at the heart of each unit study is something I consider irreplaceable: curated book lists. Books continue to be my favorite educational resource because the combination of children and quality literature creates something truly magical—lasting knowledge and a genuine love of learning that digital devices alone simply cannot replicate.

Artificial Intelligence: A New Educational Frontier

As we live in an era where artificial intelligence has emerged as a significant force in education, and even grocery shopping and medical care! Commerce. Whether we are aware of it or not,  AI now influences everything from personalized shopping recommendations to decision making in colleges, governments, and corporations. Our children are already likely to encounter AI in various platforms, making it essential that we help them understand and navigate this rapidly evolving technological tool. 

My commitment remains unchanged: to help students build a robust foundation of knowledge while preparing them to thrive in our dynamic, technology-rich culture. AI represents an additional tool in achieving this goal, but like any tool, it must be used wisely and purposefully.

Wondering about AI In Your Homeschool Learning? Here's a quick guide to educational technology options for learning.

Intentional AI In Your Homeschool Learning

Just as we approach internet resources and books with careful consideration, we must use AI to capture children’s attention and nurture their natural curiosity. AI should never serve as a student’s primary educational source, nor should it complete assignments, write papers, or compose essays on their behalf. Instead, AI should function like an engaging book, gradually building curiosity layer by layer while developing solid skills and foundational concepts. 

Our updated unit studies are designed for versatility and work seamlessly across tablets, laptops, phones, and desktops. Each study maintains its curated book lists as a foundation while incorporating age-appropriate “Ask AI” prompts. Every topical study guides students through essential concepts, introducing them to relevant history, geography, science, and key figures associated with the subject. Additionally, hands-on project suggestions help demonstrate and reinforce important ideas through experiential learning.

The “Ask AI” prompts serve as another avenue for engaging students at their individual learning levels. AI responses can illuminate topics in age-appropriate ways, serving as springboards to books and websites that encourage deeper exploration of both the main subject and the fascinating tangents that naturally arise during learning.

Wondering about AI In Your Homeschool Learning? Here's a quick guide to educational technology options for learning.

Fostering Critical Thinking With Educational Technology

There’s a fundamental distinction between using AI as a learning catalyst and allowing it to replace student thinking and creativity. When we use AI to help children explore topics more deeply, enabling them to write original responses based on enhanced understanding, we’re developing analytical skills. This approach requires significantly more cognitive engagement than simply asking AI to generate content on a student’s behalf.

Critical thinking skills are not just important. They are essential and they are at the heart of what we teach in our homeschools. 

The Most Important Part Of Any Homeschool 

I’d like to close with a quote that really encapsulates my approach to educational technology:

“We believe every student is made in the image of God, and that shaping a soul requires more than a circuit board… Let’s use technology, but never be used by it.”
—Dr. Kent Ingle, Southeastern University

It is a reminder that while technology can be a powerful support in education, it is the curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, and character development of our families that remain the most important parts of any meaningful learning.

Happy homeschooling,

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Animal Science Unit Studies: Life, Kids and Our Creator

Our Animal Science Unit Studies weave together life, creation and the joy of childhood. Education can be beautiful and engaging.

I’ve got my favorite mug of coffee on hand, and I’m sitting at the kitchen table, wishing I could share the view. This is the time of year that the kids were always very aware of what was going on outside, watching the changes in all of the living things that happened to share the mountain with us. As much as we could talk about God and His creativity and sense of order, the observations of living things in a close and personal way left them knowing Him better, and wanting to know more.

Our Animal Science Unit Studies weave together life, creation and the joy of childhood. Education can be beautiful and engaging.

Learning About The World Around Us

All it would take was a question to get them wondering and trying to find answers – “Why do you think it does that?” or “What do you think that it eats?” That’s one of the best things that can come from the time spent outdoors – conversation that captures their attention and lights up their curiosity.

Our Animal Science Unit Studies weave together life, creation and the joy of childhood. Education can be beautiful and engaging.

Observation and Animal Studies

If you can get a child to see the wonder in a few of the things that are there for the viewing, you’ll have their attention. From the amazing lines and patterns in a spider’s web to the patterns of leaves from different trees, show them the uniqueness of each of these. Go outside with them for a short time each day, to walk, draw, read in the shade of a tree, or simply lie on the picnic table and figure out what kinds of clouds are in the sky at the moment.

Celebrating Life and Creation

Teach them to celebrate and explore life and all of Creation. The lessons last a lifetime, and the wonder of God’s creativity never loses its sparkle as it is handed from one generation to the next.


Love of animals – an easy way to capture a child’s curiosity. This Animal Science set of studies is interactive and ready to use for your K-4th grade students!

The love of animals is often an easy way to capture a child’s curiosity, and the Animal Science set of Download N Go® studies is interactive and ready to use right now for your K-4th grade students! It includes:

More Encouragement for Learning In Your Homeschool

Happy homeschooling,

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Keeping Homeschool Science Simple

Science – that word can send fear through parents in an instant. I’ve seen it at conventions, time and time again, and I spend plenty of time taking away the dread and opening the door to wonder. Being a former geeky engineer, I had to learn the truth about science the hard way – by homeschooling a herd of kids. 😉 Here’s how I’ve learned to keep homeschool science simple.

Keeping homeschool science simple is not something that came naturally to me. But it was the secret to success in our homeschool.

How To Keep Homeschool Science Simple

Who knew that the concepts of orbit, light, and tides could be taught with a study of the moon and a plate of cookies?

I used to think of science as an area of academics that had to be learned and endured; a realm of formulas and theories that had to be memorized, categorized, and applied when necessary. I was WRONG, and began to understand my mistake when we started our second unit study – the Space unit study.

As I wrote about space for my children, I began to see the universe as one big canvas – not divided up into bits and pieces of science.

Keeping homeschool science simple is not something that came naturally to me. But it was the secret to success in our homeschool.

Integrated, Cross-Curricular Learning

Concepts like gravity and orbit, trajectory and light – they showed up as understandable parts of the picture, full of wonder and “let’s try this!” kinds of moments. From Copernicus to Isaac Newton, Galileo to Edwin Hubble, the explorers and wonderers have left a trail that isn’t just science – it’s history, geography, art, and much more.

Keeping homeschool science simple is not something that came naturally to me. But it was the secret to success in our homeschool.


We keep science simple and filled with wonder – it’s just one of the elements that they will discover as they explore, if you give them the chance. Curiosity, imagination, and tons of wonder await. Take a step out of the “standard” box and try it for yourself.  What have you got to lose?

More Encouragement for Learning In Your Homeschool

Happy homeschooling,

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Autumn Learning In Your Homeschool (with a Crockpot Applesauce Recipe)

Connecting the joys of autumn to learning in your homeschool is an excellent way to cultivate an interest-led education.

Many of you are now at least a week or two into the new school year, and your days are transitioning from summer social calendars to autumn events and scheduling school hours. I know how that feels, with plenty of changes in the works, and the responsibility of teaching your children weighing heavily as you begin this new year.

In the midst of it all, if you’re like me, you are beginning to pull out the autumn-scented candles, decorations, and a sweatshirt or two. It’s molasses cookie and apple pie season, along with time for Crockpot cooking of applesauce and banana bread baking. Busy times, and so many memories to be made! Let’s not forgot the autumn learning opportunities, too!

Connecting the joys of autumn to learning in your homeschool is an excellent way to cultivate an interest-led education.

Autumn Learning In Your Homeschool

One of the first things that I learned as a homeschool mom was the importance of connecting learning to the seasons that were going on just outside the window. While I could immerse them in all kinds of learning that was strictly focused on books, memorization, and test-taking, that wasn’t what grabbed their attention and left them wanting to know more. Their interest was focused on the outdoors with each change of the season, and that is natural and a great springboard for learning. Captivate them, encourage their curiosity, build up creativity, and connect it all to things that are happening in this season of their lives.

Fall Interest-Led Learning


Remember this, please. Work with what is right in front of you, and you’ll capture their interest. With topics like autumn, trees, baseball, football, soccer, and digital photography, you won’t have to look far to find one topic that they are interested in. Build on that interest. Simple learning simply lasts. Enjoy these days, and go on Autumn Treasures’ nature walks each day with your child. So much to see out there, and to see it through the eyes of your child is such a gift!

Connecting the joys of autumn to learning in your homeschool is an excellent way to cultivate an interest-led education.


Crockpot Applesauce Recipe Perfect For Autumn Learning

Wish you could be here in the kitchen with me to smell this delicious applesauce that is simmering in my slow cooker!

Here’s the recipe I’m using, if you want to try it out at your house:  Crock Pot Applesauce (I add a pinch of ground cloves to give it a bit more sparkle!).


Looking for more ideas to excite learning during the Autumn season?

We’ve got a beautiful set of unit studies that can help. Perfect for the months of September through December, the Autumn Download N Go® titles include:

Connecting the joys of autumn to learning in your homeschool is an excellent way to cultivate an interest-led education.

With more newly updated titles coming soon!

  • Soccer
  • Bountiful Bread
  • Crunchy Cookies
  • Thanksgiving

Never stop dreaming,

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Helping Your Homeschooled Children Pursue Their Dreams

It is those people that kept helping me define and pursue my dreams that made all the difference in my life.

True confession: I was one of those kids that was always in trouble for daydreaming. There were a few people in my family and our circle of friends that wouldn’t tease me about it –they would actually take the time to ask me what I was thinking about. It is those people that kept helping me define and pursue my dreams that made all the difference in my life.

I kept dreaming and building and designing, received a degree in engineering, and worked, and then came home to be with our children – an amazing turn in my life.

It is those people that kept helping me define and pursue my dreams that made all the difference in my life.

Encouraging Our Children’s Dreams


I determined that I would encourage their dreams, keep them talking, pursuing, and having fun along the way. Homeschooling opened that door in a big way for our kids. I tell you this to suggest that you take time when the opportunity arises, to do the same thing with your children.

It is those people that kept helping me define and pursue my dreams that made all the difference in my life.

Helping Our Children Pursue Their Dreams: A Part Of Homeschooling

We get so busy educating them that we sometimes lose sight of the goal. The goal is not to fill them up with random bits of information to complete checkoff. The goal is to discover what God has placed in them, and to find ways to encourage them and help them pursue these special gifts and talents. 

It is those people that kept helping me define and pursue my dreams that made all the difference in my life.

We raised a gifted veterinarian, a visionary tree farmer/entrepreneur, and a computer scientist extraordinaire. God knew what He was doing when He knit them together, and we discovered that focusing primarily on His creation was the path to success.

Free Getting to Know Their Interests Homeschool Download


Take time to ask them about their dreams – dream Lego creation, dream art project, dream computer they’d like to build, dream tree fort, dream invention, dream cake, and on and on. Their answers may be very simple at first, and that’s always the best place to begin.

You might also be interests in our Unit Study Homeschool Planner!

Never stop dreaming,

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Autumn Traditions In Your Homeschool

The arrival of fall brings with it a host of opportunities to celebrate with autumn traditions in your homeschool.

What are your favorite childhood traditions? Most of us would answer with the simplest traditions, not the more elaborate ones. Your children are no different – they will remember the simple family traditions that you create for them, whether old or new traditions.

The arrival of fall brings with it a host of opportunities to celebrate with autumn traditions in your homeschool.

Simple Family Traditions For Your Fall Homeschool

Finally, with the arrival of the cooler weather of autumn, we begin observing an interesting collection of traditions here on the farm. We make quite a production of the first fire in the fireplace, enjoying the beauty of the fire and using the occasion to thank everyone for their labors of cutting and splitting the firewood for the coming winter. We also begin our autumn weekend sky-watching parties around large campfires. We watch for stars and planets and satellites, and enjoy the Milky Way as it spreads out across the dark country sky. Family and friends come from all around the country to join this endeavor, and while we don’t work out ALL of the problems of the world, everyone seems to benefit from the time spent together.

Family Bucket Lists For The Season

Autumn, the list-making begins for the projects that we enjoy—making gifts, preparing special treats that will keep in the freezer, and coming up with ideas to bless others and meet their needs. From making blankets for the abused children’s shelter to helping stock the local food bank, there have been so many great service projects that started on autumn evenings around the fire.

The arrival of fall brings with it a host of opportunities to celebrate with autumn traditions in your homeschool.


As we approach this new season, I know that there are plenty of decorating traditions that are observed in American homes. With the start of autumn, I make sure that we have chrysanthemums on the front steps. After spending their season of blooming on the steps, they are planted in my “Love Garden” that I can see year-round from the kitchen window. Dad collects several bales of hay, some corn stalks, and a few pumpkins and gourds to make a fall decoration by the driveway—”Dad’s masterpiece”, as the kids call it.


Why are Autumn Traditions Important?

  • They help families come together
  • They remind us of times together in the past
  • They give children a sense of security and predictability
  • They help our values and character span generations
  • They remind families that love and continuity go hand in hand
  • Traditions can be old and many are new
  • Traditions give children something to anticipate, a perspective on time passing by


We created our family traditions when our children were very young, building them up as time went on. We lived far from family and grandparents, and we wanted our children to have family traditions to treasure and savor in the years ahead.

Autumn is a great time to kick off a few new traditions in your own family. From autumn star-watching to s’mores over a campfire—the possibilities are there, waiting!

More Homeschool Resources And Support

Learn more about the unit study approach to homeschooling – where standard is not the goal:

Blessings,

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The Most Important Homeschool Lesson I Learned As A Homeschool Mom

The most important lesson I learned as a homeschool mom had nothing to do with academics. Over the years, this is what I've learned matters most in our homeschools.

The most important lesson I learned as a homeschool mom had nothing to do with academics. Over the years, this is what I’ve learned matters most in our homeschools.

This is an important lesson I learned from homeschooling and one that I know will bless you and your homeschool as well! The time to believe in children and their dreams is now—when they are just being formed. I have always loved this quote:


“My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person; he believed in me.”
-Jim Valvano

The most important lesson I learned as a homeschool mom had nothing to do with academics. Over the years, this is what I've learned matters most in our homeschools.

If I have done nothing else for our children, I have worked hard to help them understand our faith, and given them every opportunity to dream big dreams. They knew they could always run ideas by me, test a concept, or simply see if I understood what they were considering, whether with building blocks, a robot concept, or an idea for an art project. I learned to listen first, and then ask questions that encouraged and helped them frame the steps they would need to take. “That will never work” was a phrase I avoided.

“If at first the idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it.”
-Albert Einstein

The most important lesson I learned as a homeschool mom had nothing to do with academics. Over the years, this is what I've learned matters most in our homeschools.

The Most Important Homeschool Lesson Of All

Believing in them and showing it on a daily basis—these are among the many benefits of homeschooling. Relationships are strengthened, trust develops, and their self-confidence grows in knowing that you believe in them. No matter what, they need to know that you are with them as they follow their dreams.

It’s never too late to change your approach, and there’s no time like the present. There are no do-overs in life, and this is not a dress rehearsal. God gives them gifts and talents, and we help them by teaching and nurturing them, getting them ready to have the faith and confidence to follow the path He has in mind.

More Homeschool Helps

We invite you to learn more about the unit study approach to homeschooling:

Blessings,