Raising A to Z Homeschool Podcast

As I’m busy planning what our next year will look like for homeschooling and curriculum, I’ve been busy deciding what unit studies topics we will be doing. Unit studies are the primary way we do science and social studies in our home. And, I love letting my kids have a say in what we learn about. So, after many chats and discussions, we’ve finally narrowed down our list and what curriculum we’ll be using! -Picking unit study topics -Space -Forensic Science -Simple Machines and Motions -Kingdoms and classifications -Human Bodies -Vikings -1st Colonizers in Canada -Poetry -Wrap-up Curriculum choices: Space - https://www.goodandbeautiful.com/products/space-science/ Forensic Science - https://www.harborandsprout.com/collections/forensic-science/products/forensic-science-elementary-unit-study Simple Machines and Motions - https://www.goodandbeautiful.com/products/motion-and-simple-machines/ Kingdoms and classifications - https://www.goodandbeautiful.com/products/kingdoms-and-classification/ Human Bodies - https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Human-Body-Systems-Unit-Skeletal-Muscular-Nervous-Digestive-Circulatory-579820 + some I’m adding myself Vikings - https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Vikings-Viking-Life-Activity-Pages-Unit-Study-Worksheets-3850685 1st Colonizers in Canada (building myself) Poetry - https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Poetry-Unit-21-Patterns-that-are-perfect-for-writing-poems-Digital-or-Print-137308

I’m planning what next year’s homeschooling will look like and what we are using in terms of curriculum. My youngest, Zoé, will be starting grade 2 in the fall. With second grade right around the corner, I’ve started pulling curriculum for next year and making some decisions. Here’s what we will be using to homeschool grade 2.

I’m planning what next year’s homeschooling will look like and what we will use in terms of curriculum. With my oldest Alexie turning 9 this summer, she would be in fourth grade come September. But she’s been blowing through her curriculum and already finished all her grade 3 stuff back in March. We’ve technically already started grade 4. So, here’s what we’re using and will continue to use next year.

As a homeschooling parent, it’s easy to run on empty. Between keeping a house, fixing meals, teaching lessons, chauffeuring to classes and groups, and taking care of kids, it’s easy to forget to take care of yourself. It’s also easy to wait until you are exhausted and overwhelmed to do something about it. I recently heard that a lot of self-care we see is actually called after-care. This is what we do after we’re already tired and burnt out. Self-care is about doing things that can help you take care of yourself before you burn out. But, you can’t pour from an empty cup. I’m sharing some of the self-care things I do regularly to help my mental and emotional health as a homeschooling parent.

In this economy, everyone is on a budget. When you’re homeschooling, that budget might be even tighter. Between curriculum, supplies, and classes, the costs can add up. For some, this can feel like a barrier to homeschooling. But, it doesn’t have to cost a lot to homeschool your children. There are lots of great and simple ways to save money and costs on homeschooling. It just requires a little planning and some creativity. Here are 10 tips to help you stretch that budget.

Today’s video is all about unit studies. Unit studies can be a great approach for homeschoolers and it can be a great tool to have in your back pocket, even if you are using other curriculum or approaches. Unit studies are a great way to spice things up and follow your child’s interests. This video will cover everything you need to know about how unit studies work, where to find them, why we love them and everything in between! Download and print my free unit study planner ➡️ https://raisingatoz.com/how-to-build-a-unit-study/ Homeschool Q&A ➡️ https://youtu.be/GRQfEZtpLxo?si=RsW849pXFZFUFTep How to Build a Unit Study ➡️ https://youtu.be/nbFpusAbjKs?si=-IPf8mXn8JS8GGaj Gather 'Round Review ➡️ https://youtu.be/i0020ZgIp0c?si=if_pIr1Y9j6Bm54i Join my channel with a membership! ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/raisingatoz/join

I love answering your questions and lately, I’ve got a bunch. So, I thought I would do a little Q&A video! Today I’ll be answering some of the questions that you sent in. This is part 2. If you are looking for part 1, you can find it here ➡️ https://youtu.be/GRQfEZtpLxo If you’ve got questions, leave them in the comments below and I’ll answer them! Tips for Homeschooling Preschoolers ➡️ https://youtu.be/Y_jYh8zU1N8 Homeschool Co-op Groups 101 ➡️ https://youtu.be/_Ku-h8G7dbA List of Canadian Homeschool Conferences ➡️ https://www.canadianhomeeducation.com/canadian-home-school-conferences

I love answering your questions and lately, I’ve got a bunch. So, I thought I would do a little Q&A video! Today I’ll be answering some of the questions that you sent in. This is part 1. Part 2 will be out next week!

We recently decided to try out the Brave Writer program as a literacy curriculum, and so far, I am impressed! This literature-based program focuses on great novels, and copywork from the text, and uses that copywork to teach all integrated parts of literacy including spelling, grammar, writing, and reading comprehension. I’ll walk you through how this program works, what it contains and why we’re loving it.

About a year ago, we decided to add some more French to our homeschooling curriculum. We gave Duolingo a try. Our oldest, Alexie, did one lesson and the rest has been history. Today, she’ll help me give an honest review of the free program that has improved her French dramatically over the last year. From the interactive games, lessons and the competitive league, she’s hooked on learning a new language! Headphones: https://amzn.to/3VjIPwE

I’ve been using the All About Reading program to teach reading to my youngest daughter, Zoé. I also used it with Alexie, and I find it’s an excellent program. With many people wanting to see what it’s all about, I thought I would give you a detailed review and walkthrough of the program. This systematic and phonetic approach to teaching reading can be a great resource. Available at Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Ijz0XQ Or the Learning House: https://amzn.to/3Ijz0XQhttps://www.learninghouse.ca/products/1237/TLH/math-lessons-for-a-living-education.html

I’ve used Masterbooks Math Lessons for a Living Education for several years. Today I’ll give you an honest review of the program, what I like and don’t like about it. I’ll also give you a detailed walkthrough of what it looks like inside, from the expectations of a week to their gentle, spiralled approach. I’ll also show you the inside of the new companion book, Practice Makes Perfect. Available at Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Ijz0XQ or The Learning House: https://amzn.to/3Ijz0XQhttps://www.learninghouse.ca/products/1237/TLH/math-lessons-for-a-living-education.html

Many parents are curious to know if hybrid homeschooling is an option. Can they send their kids to school part-time while also homeschooling them the rest of the time? In some areas, this might be an option but it really depends if the school system there is set up for part-time homeschooling. I live in Ontario and our system is not really set up for hybrid homeschooling and for most, it’s not an option. I’ll explain why it’s rarely an option in Ontario, from a teacher’s point of view and how it makes schooling very complicated based on our current educational system. **P.S. Some areas have schools that are set up to accommodate part-time homeschooling. But they are few and far between. This video discusses hybrid homeschooling with a standard, traditional public school.**