Julie Naturally
healthy, natural living for Christians
As an unschoolish mom, I like to take advantage of online learning platforms that offer interest-based courses for kids and teens. In fact, some of these platforms offer alternatives to college education you may not have considered. And, for younger kids, you may have heard of Outschool. We tried that platform for a few classes, …
When my older children were teens, I spent a LOT of money on dissection specimens and chemistry lab equipment. I still have some of that equipment, but not the chemicals. I remember the time and mess involved in doing homeschool science labs myself. Sometimes, I felt like I didn’t know what I was doing, even …
One of my favorite ways to teach math is with games, especially free math games for kindergartners. In the old days, we used file folder games or a book like Games for Math by Peggy Kaye to create homemade games for practicing math facts. Now, there’s Beast Academy Playground from Beast Academy. A friend of …
I learned early on how to teach math for K-6th grade in one year. My oldest son refused to do math curriculum. I made up for this by using Math Facts to the Max, Times Alive:Times Tables the Fun Way, Family Math, and a few other tools you can find in this math resources post. …
Because Christian unschoolers do math differently, I compiled a list of my favorite homeschool math resources from over the years. Two of my children have graduated and the others are out of elementary school. So, now is the time! First, I’d just like to challenge you to think of math as a tool, not a …
Imagine if an online chemistry course allowed you to visualize atomic orbits and bonds and connected the science to everyday things. Would that transform your view of chemistry? It has for me. You see, when I was in college, I really wanted to major in Biology, not Psychology. I settled for a minor in Biology …
Right now, I have one child in high school and I have graduated two children. My youngest is finishing up middle school. Since I have all this experience, you’d think I’d have all the high school science stuff figured out by now. The truth is that each child did high school a bit differently. And …
This school year has been a bit crazy. I usually do a lot of hands-on stuff with my kids, but my remaining two students are teens now. It’s bittersweet. My youngest still builds things, especially mechanical things. But, our homeschool journey has morphed into more independent work. Sometimes, we use science games, but he and …
I’m always looking for new ways to engage my kids in learning. This is even more true now that they are older. They aren’t interested in crafts anymore, but I still want relevant, fun ways to practice and learn. One way that I engage my teenage son is through STEM subscription boxes. Yes, they do …
When my kids were small, we didn’t do any computer-based lessons. I occasionally incorporated some educational videos and when I needed a break, I offered educational video games. For children under age 10, I truly felt that hands-on, project-based, and “analog” activities were best. However, as my kids grew older, I allowed more online learning. …
As I discuss in my guide to Christian unschooling, one of the necessary ingredients to successful unschooling or natural learning is resources. While I have done the urban homesteader thing, my kids weren’t always active participants. They also had interests of their own that didn’t involve vegetables, herbal remedies, or fermenting. And that’s where monthly …
Trying to unschool upper level math requires a lot of thought and sometimes, work, on the parent’s part. And, if you live in a highly regulated state, the challenges become even greater. It’s often time to look at homeschool math curriculum, especially if you don’t have the time or inclination to try to piece together …
My favorite unschooling science resources encourage four traits. These are: curiosity, observation, discovery, experimentation, and critical thinking. As much as possible, I feel a child should be encouraged to learn scientific principles through their own experiences. So, I did this by providing my children with scientific tools. They used a magnifying glass, portable microscope, plant …
