Every item in these pictures is from Timberdoodle, with the exception of the stack of literature books on the left, our Latin and English programs.  Timberdoodle has GREAT options for Latin and English but we already had those in place. The wonderful part about the custom kits is that you can use things you already have in your home from older children, and it is super simple to customize your order through their website.  I (and Timberdoodle) would highly suggest adding in plenty of your own literature reading to compliment your homeschool kit.  You can easily pick up some great books at your local library as well.

 SCIENCE!! We are going to have so much fun this year discovering so many parts of science with all the fun products offered.  We are starting off our studies with the Human Body.  My Boo has recently discovered a passion for all things dance, so it is a prime time to teach her exactly how her body is able to do all that it does.   One of the great perks of homeschooling is to be able to really customize the learning to their particular interest as they grow. 

 Putting together this 3-D puzzle of the human skeleton is an excellent way to learn how we were put together!  We had lots of good conversations about how difficult it was for us to put the puzzle together, yet God was able to simply breathe life into us – simple yet profound.  Making humans can’t be very easy!  The puzzle was fun and challenging, just enough challenge for a fifth grader.  She named him Gabriel.  Gabriel would like to say hello! 🙂

 These Dr. Bonyfide books are fun and silly but take learning about the human skeleton to a whole new level! 

One of Boo’s very favorite learning items is the SPRK Sphero.  It is a programmable robot remote control learning toy. It has amazing precision and can be reprogrammed via a smartphone or tablet. It teaches visual programming through different apps available, and can then move to text based programming. There are SPRK lessons to teach programming, robotics and math.  This thing is basically indestructible – it is waterproof, has a (sold separately) rugged cover to take it through any kind of outdoor terrain, it can even be incorporated as a pet toy – our little Shihtzu goes CRAZY over it and chases it all through the house.   It can even be used as a game controller – it’s basically a go-anywhere do-anything all in one learning device.  A little pricey – but AMAZING!! We will be using this for many years to come – I’m not sure we will ever even be able to learn everything that is is capable of doing.

  Boo was programming it to launch into a sink of water here.  She has also made obstacle courses and tracks to maneuver the sphero through. I’m sure you will be seeing so much more on the blog about all the fun with have with this device.  We even just ordered a “chariot” that can be attached to it that has a phone holder so that Boo can create videos of the places her Sphero goes.

 A little addition to our Bible time is this book called The Ology, Ancient Truths Ever New.  Theology is certainly, without a doubt, one of the most weighty topics we will ever learn about.  This book gives a very simple overview of the basic truths of the christian doctrine.   I was a bit disappointed that it didn’t go a little deeper, but sometimes reviewing the very basics of our faith, especially for a ten-year-old can’t be overlooked. It is a beautiful book and it feels so wonderful – haha! It’s very soft with wonderful illustrations with thick quality pages. We have other books that we use to round out our Bible curriculum as well.

 We are diving in deep to geography this year as we begin year one of two years of studying American History (through a separate curriculum). Timberdoodle offers so many great enrichment tools for studying American history.  One of them is this book Drawing Around the World USA  – a great way to learn all the facts of each state, as well as being able to DRAW them!  She traces and draws one state at a time each one building on the next until by the end of the year she should be able to draw the entire US from memory. What a fun way to learn geography.

Bentley, the worlds cutest dog, is a huge fan of Timberdoodle.  He gives two paws up to this fun Doodle America book.  Each day Boo has something new to doodle that has to do with American History. Here she doodled her own design for an American flag.  This book along with Doodle Your Day are daily activities that Boo does while she listens to our current read-aloud. 

 Here is a fun way to review and memorize the capitals of each state – Wrap-Ups States and Capitals. This is a perfect tool for read-aloud time, car rides, waiting at appointments, or just about anywhere!  We have used wrap-ups for learning our math facts for many years but we thought this would be just as fun for states and capitals.  It’s also a great way to learn the two letter abbreviation for each state.

 If you aren’t familiar with wrap-ups, they are self-correcting joined at the top boards with a string attached.  Your child will match the state listed on one side to the capital listed on the other side and then turns it over to see if the string lines up with the printed lines.  A great tool for visual and kinesthetic learners.

 Another great geography tool is the Scrunch Map.  We have our large paper maps on the wall where we love to mark each place in our studies that we come across, but this map offers so much more versatility!  It is seriously indestructible and is stored in it’s own little drawstring pouch.   Another great tool to throw in a bag for homeschooling on the go – or even just to explore with on the floor….

 As crinkly and scrunchy as it is, I thought surely the ink would come off in places, but it doesn’t! It’s incredible and durable and must be made of indestructible materials – very impressive.

 Extreme Dot to Dot US History is a fun challenge and actually very relaxing too – even mom loves to do these pages!  The one below ended up being Betsy Ross sewing the flag – we have a friend by the last name Rossi and they named their cat Betsy.  I can NEVER get the name right when we are talking about who sewed our US flag.  I’m pretty sure my Boo thinks all kudos for our flag belong to a cat. 

 In addition to our own literature choices for the year, this Step by Step pathway reader is an excellent bonus to our reading time.  It has the absolute dearest stories in it that teach character, virtue and so much more. They were actually designed to be used in an Amish classroom, so there is nothing but wonderfulness in them! They have great questions at the end of the short stories that always spark great conversations.  It is full of stories – perfect for narration – as well as beautiful poetry, quotes and sayings, it is lovely and simple.  We have used these books for many years and they will always be a part of our home library.

 You’ve heard me talk on here before about how much we love Thinking Putty for fidgets. Read alouds, quiet reading, thinking through math – the possibilities are endless.  Add in a magnet and you have Super Magnetic Reactive Razz Thinking Putty! 

 Back to our unit on The Human Body – is this fun 4D Human Torso puzzle.  This puzzle was a bit trickier than the skeleton one, and doesn’t hold up as well to stay on the desk.  But it certainly taught my Boo so much about the organs and where they were in her body.  It’s funny what they think of when they have never really been taught what different organs do and where they are located. 

 “Here Mom, have a heart.” 

 I got this Jump In Writing course because I wanted something that focused a bit more on the creative writing side.  We are using a pretty intense writing program so I was hoping this could bring a different flavor to our writing.  I’ve decided to put it on the back burner right now.  I think it’s just a bit too much to use as a supplement and would be better off possibly as a stand alone curriculum.  We already have so much writing incorporated into our everyday that I knew adding this would tip the scales.  Don’t be afraid to know when to say NO to something, even if it’s awesome, but not the right fit for your homeschool right now. I think in a year or two this may come in very handy.

 When it comes to strategic thinking and logic – Lazer Maze is the winner! It uses mirrors, targets and a (safe) laser to solve the challenges.  It has won tons of awards and endorsements and is another one of the products that kids just have FUN with, without realizing they are learning so much.

 By using challenge cards, which increase in difficulty, Boo has to figure out how to position each piece so that the laser bends and beams off the mirrors in the appropriate direction to finally land on the end target – which lights up if done correctly.

 Bentley is always fascinated by the beam of light on the floor – I’m pretty sure he is part cat. Because he also holds to the motto – 

“If it fits, I sits”. 

 In every Timberdoodle Curriculum Kit you get a super handy Handbook.  It gives you great tips on scheduling along with info on each piece of curriculum.  For custom kits like I did, there is even an option on line to create a custom weekly schedule as well.  Timberdoodle just makes it all SOOO easy! 

The Extraordinaires Design Studio 
Tenzi Dice and Card Game

Bloxels

Doodle Your Day
Word Roots & Building Thinking Skills