“As from the East th’ illustrious King of Day, / With rising Radiance drives the Shades away, / So Freedom comes array’d with Charms divine, / And in her Train Commerce and Plenty shine.” (Our hopeful homeschool poem-of-the-week, from Phillis Wheatley, for independent America.)
🌟 STAR BRIGHT: Arcturus and Boötes for July
Introduce your homeschool students to the ancient orange giant Arcturus in the constellation Boötes the Herdsman this month, one of the brightest stars in the northern hemisphere’s night sky, and make it their friend for life.
🦅 FRIDAY BIRD FAMILIES: Emberizid Sparrows (Part I)
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 diverse and ubiquitous Emberizid Sparrows (Part I).
📸 PHOTO CHALLENGE for July: “Halfs” and “Climate Change”
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 “Halfs” and “Climate Change.” Take a look!
🌍 🇹🇿 WEEKLY WORLD HERITAGE: The Historic Ports of Tanzania
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 Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Songo Mnara in Tanzania.
📜 🇺🇸 HOMESCHOOL HISTORY: Independence Day and the Declaration
Be sure to add a visit to the National Archives and the Declaration of Independence itself (in person or online) to your homeschool Fourth of July calendar!
📚 LEARNING THE LIBRARY: The Historical & Geographical 900s
Explore your local library and the whole universe of knowledge with our annual homeschool tour of the Dewey Decimal System. This month: the Historical & Geographical 900s.
🇺🇸 🥂 HOMESCHOOL TOASTING TRADITIONS the Whole Year Round
Why not begin the delightful tradition of offering a toast around your family table each week. This classic Independence Day toast is a perfect way to get started.
🌕 HOMESCHOOL “CITIZEN SCIENCE” PROJECTS for July
Our July full-moon report on the real scientific and scholarly 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!
🗓 QUICK FRESHES for Homeschool Families – Week of 2 July 2023
Great homeschool teaching tips and wonderful little lessons for the week ahead, including: Independence Days, continental armies, peaceful poems, full moons, sliced bread, ancient enigmas, Tanzanian rivers, a toast to a goose, and more!
🌎 🇺🇸 SUNDAY STATES: Wyoming, Tanzania, Togo, and More
Take a homeschool tour of the U.S. states and the countries of the world with the River Houses. This week: Wyoming, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste (East Timor), and Togo.
🖋 🇺🇸 WONDERFUL WORDS: William Emerson on “A Nation’s Strength”
“Not gold but only men can make / A people great and strong.” (Our patriotic homeschool poem-of-the-week, from William Ralph Emerson, for Independence Day.)
🔭 WATCHERS OF THE SKIES: Homeschool Astronomy for July
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 July.
🗓 🎆 🇺🇸 HAPPY HOMESCHOOL JULY from the River Houses!
Happy homeschool July! Here are some little lessons, teaching traditions, and wonderful educational opportunities you and your students can watch for this month.
🌠 JOIN A HOMESCHOOL SCIENCE PROJECT for International Asteroid Day!
You and your students can help astronomers study the shapes and orbits of real asteroids in space, right from the comfort of your little home academy. How cool is that?
🦅 FRIDAY BIRD FAMILIES: Tropical Tanagers and the Western Spindalis
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 tropical Tanagers and the peculiar Western Spindalis.
🌍 🇨🇭 WEEKLY WORLD HERITAGE: The Old City of Berne in Switzerland
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 Old City of Berne in Switzerland.
🔭 ☄️ HOMESCHOOL ASTRONOMY: The Most Beautiful Objects in the Universe
Happy birthday to the great French astronomer Charles Messier (1730–1817), who cataloged some of the most beautiful nebulae, star clusters, and galaxies in the universe — so he could ignore them.
🗓 QUICK FRESHES for Homeschool Families – Week of 25 June 2023
Great homeschool teaching tips and wonderful little lessons for the week ahead, including: Clean hands, cosmic catalogues, children’s authors, asteroid days, momentous struggles, Tajik rivers, a toast to Independence, and more!
🌎 🇺🇸 SUNDAY STATES: Idaho, Switzerland, Tajikistan, and More
Take a homeschool tour of the U.S. states and the countries of the world with the River Houses. This week: Idaho, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, and Tajikistan.
🦅 FRIDAY BIRD FAMILIES: Wood-Warblers (Part II)
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 tiny and colorful Wood-Warblers (Part II).
🖋 🚂 WONDERFUL WORDS: “It was late June”
“And for that minute a blackbird sang / Close by, and round him, mistier, / Farther and farther, all the birds / Of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire.” (Our homeschool poem-of-the-week, from Edward Thomas, for late June and the birds of summer.)
🌍 🇸🇪 WEEKLY WORLD HERITAGE: The Decorated Farmhouses of Sweden
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 Decorated Farmhouses of Hälsingland in Sweden.
🗓 ⛱ SUMMER IS HERE! (Astronomically Speaking)
Summer is here! If you’re in the northern hemisphere, that is. If you’re in the southern hemisphere, winter is here! Happy June solstice to homeschoolers everywhere!
🔎 HOMESCHOOL RESEARCH & NEWS – June 2023
Our June roundup of some recent academic research and news about home education in the United States and around the world, with links to sources. We have three items this month from all around the world: Barbaroș & Bocoș (2023), Fatima, Kaukab, & Sheikh (2023), and Pratiwi et al. (2023).
🌅 HOMESCHOOL SEASONS: Watch the Summer Solstice at Stonehenge
Follow a live broadcast of the summer-solstice sunset and sunrise at Stonehenge, the ancient astronomical landmark in southern England.
🗓 QUICK FRESHES for Homeschool Families – Week of 18 June 2023
Great homeschool teaching tips and wonderful little lessons for the week ahead, including: Father’s Days, summer solstices, June poems, old schools, Swedish farmhouses, South American rivers, a toast to merry hearts, and more!