I struggle with perfectionism. I keep things tidy, and I craft meals and sentences with care. I like correct answers, excellent grades, and jobs done all the way. So, as you can imagine, my sinful heart needed teaching about which things are important and which are not. So, God gifted me a husband who is … Continue reading Done is Good Enough
Since homeschooling happens in the real world while our real lives are going on around us, we often face disruptive events which throw us off stride and threaten to derail our entire educational process for a time. Younger siblings, home-based businesses, and household emergencies all can disrupt our planned school day. However, we know that … Continue reading Dealing with Disruptions
Nature study can be as simple as a short walk in the neighborhood or as elaborate as a week in a National Park. Don’t make it hard. Just go outside. This month, spend some time outside every day that is reasonable and observe what beetles s you can find in your own yard and around … Continue reading Nature Study: Beetles
Fables are short stories that have a moral. Aesop who lived in Greece from 640-564 BC, gathered many ancient fables into a collection to share with his community. We’ve chosen a few for you this month, and they are linked at www.hsok.org/beauty. Read some or all of them with your students and talk about the … Continue reading Aesop for October
Let’s explore the ancient world. We’ve chosen folk tales, myths, biographies, and documentaries from different continents, and we have maps for you to download and trace or fill in also. This month we have all sorts of information about ancient Egypt for you! Map Study: Map Study is very simple. Print off a map. Label … Continue reading Life and Times of Ancient Greece
Hymns are beautiful truths poetically told, hung on a rhythm, and held in a melody. This makes them memorable. Hymn study is extremely simple. Sing the hymn once a day. We’ve provided you links to different versions to enjoy as well as a link to download the sheet music for the hymn. Some of this … Continue reading Be Thou My Vision
Composer Study is simple. Pick a composer to listen to over a period of time. Every once in a while, play a composition by him or her. Listen to it. Think and talk about it. This month, we are listening to compositions by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, who composed for church choirs and orchestras. Biography: … Continue reading Giovanni Pierluigi de Palestrina 1525-1594
Picture Study is simple. Look at the picture with your children for a few minutes, and then talk about what you saw. Try to remember as much about the piece as you can. Enjoy the beauty of it. Art is not a chore; it’s a pleasure. Beginning our Ancient Beauty theme, we’ve chosen some pieces … Continue reading Jan Van Eyck (1395-1441)
Here are the links to our suggestions for beautiful things for October, with a focus on beautiful words, sounds, and places that are old and beautiful and on early art and music as well as Ancient Greece and the Fables of Aesop. Back to Simple Beauty Page
While we want our teens to move toward self-regulation and independence, it’s important to remember that executive function is not always consistent in the maturing human. Teens are in a constant state of growth and development, and sometimes, certain areas will fall back while others surge ahead. The child who efficiently managed advanced classes and … Continue reading Goal Setting For Teens
