Make the acquaintance of the young double star Alpheratz in the constellation Andromeda this month — one of the brightest stars in the northern hemisphere sky — and make it your homeschool friend for life.
🌐 HOMESCHOOL GEOGRAPHY: The Prime Meridian
On this day in 1884, the north-south line running through the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, England, was established as our planet’s Prime Meridian: the line of 0º longitude.
🦅 FRIDAY BIRD FAMILIES: Cuckoos, Roadrunners, Anis, and Goatsuckers
Come along on our homeschool tour of North American birds and pick up some great science and natural history lessons along the way. This week: the Cuckoos, Roadrunners, Anis, and Goatsuckers. (All birds with funny names!)
🎵 🍎 WONDERFUL WORDS (and Music!): My Orchard in Linden Lea
“I be free to go abroad / Or take again my homeward road / To where for me the apple tree / Do lean down low in Linden Lea.” (A bonus homeschool poem-of-the-week, from William Barnes and Ralph Vaughan Williams, for apple season and Vaughan Williams’ birthday.)
🌎 🇧🇴 WEEKLY WORLD HERITAGE: The Historic City of Sucre in Bolivia
Pay a homeschool visit to a World Heritage Site from one of our countries-of-the-week and learn some great history and geography along the way. This week: the Historic City of Sucre in Bolivia.
⛏ HOMESCHOOL BOOKS & NATURAL HISTORY: National Fossil Day!
For National Fossil Day, why not explore a big collection of rare and beautiful books on paleontology made available by the Smithsonian Institution and the Biodiversity Heritage Library.
🖋 🌹 WONDERFUL WORDS: “The Frosts were her condition”
“The Tyrian would not come / Until the North — invoke it.” (Our autumnal homeschool poem-of-the-week, from Emily Dickinson, for all late bloomers.)
🗓 QUICK FRESHES for Homeschool Families – Week of 8 October 2023
Great homeschool teaching tips and wonderful little lessons for the week ahead, including: Solar eclipses, prime meridians, late bloomers, fossil days, famous Italians, new stars, mighty rivers, a toast to the Navy, and more!
🌎 🇺🇸 SUNDAY STATES: Massachusetts, Bolivia, Brazil, and More
Take a homeschool tour of the U.S. states and the countries of the world with the River Houses. This week: Massachusetts, Bolivia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Botswana, and Brazil. Open up your atlas and almanac and follow along with us!
🔭 WATCHERS OF THE SKIES: Homeschool Astronomy for October
Our homeschool review of the educational wonders that you and your students can watch for in the northern hemisphere night sky during the month of October.
🕊️ FRIDAY BIRD FAMILIES: Pigeons and Doves
Come along on our homeschool tour of North American birds and pick up some great science and natural history lessons along the way. This week: the familiar Pigeons and Doves.
🚀 HOMESCHOOL SCIENCE: Remembering Space Pioneer Robert Goddard
Robert Hutchings Goddard, the inventor of the liquid-fueled rocket and the father of modern space flight, was born on this day in 1882 in Worcester, Massachusetts. Invite your young homeschool scientists to learn about him this week.
📸 PHOTO CHALLENGE for October: “Silhouettes” and “Pollution”
Calling all homeschool photographers! The Wikimedia Commons Photo Challenge is a great way for enthusiastic homeschool photography students to develop their skills and gain some recognition for their work. This month’s themes are “Silhouettes” and “Pollution.” Take a look!
🌍 🇧🇪 WEEKLY WORLD HERITAGE: The Neolithic Flint Mines of Belgium
Pay a homeschool visit to a World Heritage Site from one of our countries-of-the-week and learn some great history and geography along the way. This week: the Neolithic Flint Mines at Spiennes in Belgium.
📚 LEARNING THE LIBRARY: The General 000s
Explore your local library and the whole universe of knowledge with our annual homeschool tour of the Dewey Decimal System. This month: the General 000s.
🌰 🌽 🍎 WONDERFUL WORDS: “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness”
“Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find / Thee sitting careless on a granary floor, / Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind.” (Our homeschool poem-of-the-week, from John Keats, for fall.)
🗓 QUICK FRESHES for Homeschool Families – Week of 1 October 2023
Great homeschool teaching tips and wonderful little lessons for the week ahead, including: Calendrical confusion, animal authors, perfect games, ancient mines, momentous battles, Belgian rivers, a toast to Autumn, and more!
🌎 🇺🇸 SUNDAY STATES: Connecticut, Belgium, Bhutan, and More
Take a homeschool tour of the U.S. states and the countries of the world with the River Houses. This week: Connecticut, Belgium, Belize, Benin, and Bhutan. Open up your atlas and almanac and follow along with us!
🗓 🍁 🎃 HAPPY HOMESCHOOL OCTOBER from the River Houses!
Happy homeschool October! Here are some little lessons, teaching traditions, and wonderful educational opportunities you and your students can watch for this month.
🌕 HOMESCHOOL “CITIZEN SCIENCE” PROJECTS for September
Our September full-moon report on the many “citizen science” projects around the world that you and your students can participate in from the comfort of your little home academy. Pick one and get started today — it’s a great way to begin the new homeschool year!
🦩 FRIDAY BIRD FAMILIES: Grebes and Flamingos
Come along on our homeschool tour of North American birds and pick up some great science and natural history lessons along the way. This week: the short-legged Grebes and the long-legged Flamingos.
📚 HOMESCHOOL BOOKS: Dover Thrift Editions for Your Students
The Dover Thrift Editions are a great way to build up an inexpensive library of classic literature for your homeschool students.
🗓 HOMESCHOOL CALENDARS: “Thirty days hath September . . .”
“. . . April, June, and November.” (There’s no better week than this to teach your students the ancient calendrical verse that every young homeschooler should know.)
🌍 🇧🇭 WEEKLY WORLD HERITAGE: The Ancient Capital of Dilmun in Bahrain
Pay a homeschool visit to a World Heritage Site from one of our countries-of-the-week and learn some great history and geography along the way. This week: Qal’at al-Bahrain, the Ancient Harbor and Capital of Dilmun in Bahrain.
📚 LIBRARY LESSONS: Getting to Know the Library of Congress
As the new homeschool year gets going, why not get (re)acquainted with the Library of Congress, the world’s largest library. It’s a rich source of free educational materials for homeschoolers and a place every American should know.
🗓 QUICK FRESHES for Homeschool Families – Week of 24 September 2023
Great homeschool teaching tips and wonderful little lessons for the week ahead, including: Coming eclipses, great geneticists, learnèd linguists, liberty ships, marvelous musicians, Nobel laureates, Barbadian rivers, a toast to life, love, and liberty, and more!
🌎 🇺🇸 SUNDAY STATES: Georgia, Bahrain, Belarus, and More
Take a homeschool tour of the U.S. states and the countries of the world with the River Houses. This week: Georgia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, and Belarus. Open up your atlas and almanac and follow along with us!