The River Houses Homeschool Network

🏡 WELCOME! (Pinned Post)

15 June 2025 by Bob O'Hara

First time visitor? We post a wide range of easy-to-use educational ideas and “little lessons” that will enrich your homeschooling schedule all through the year. Please subscribe to our free homeschool newsletter! (It’s just one message a week with no spam.)

There’s a wealth of wonderful material here on our website — everything from homeschool astronomy to books and libraries to language and literature to geography, natural history, homeschool calendars, and more. The materials we’re developing are going to become the foundation for a new type of homeschool network made up of friendly local groups called “Houses” (just like in Harry Potter). Make yourself at home! 😊

🦅 FRIDAY BIRD FAMILIES: Emberizid Sparrows (Part I)

11 July 2025 by Horace the Otter 🦦

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).

🌕 HOMESCHOOL SCIENCE: Lunar Samples for Your Local Library

10 July 2025 by Bob O'Hara

With help from your local librarians you might be able to bring some real moon rocks to your town, courtesy of NASA. It’s a homeschool project worth exploring!

🇺🇸 WEEKLY AMERICAN HERITAGE: Golden Spike National Historical Park

9 July 2025 by Bob O'Hara

For America’s 250th anniversary, discover the history and landscape of the United States with your homeschool students. This week: Golden Spike National Historical Park in Utah.

🖋 🕊 WONDERFUL WORDS: Liberty and Peace

8 July 2025 by Bob O'Hara

“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.)

🗓 QUICK FRESHES for Homeschool Families – Week of 6 July 2025

6 July 2025 by Bob O'Hara

Great homeschool teaching tips and wonderful little lessons for the week ahead, including: Peaceful poems, bright stars, American philosophers, moon phases, sliced bread, lost civilizations, hot days, Trinidadian rivers, a wish for wisdom, and more!

🌎 🇺🇸 SUNDAY STATES: Utah, Tonga, Turkey, and More

6 July 2025 by Bob O'Hara

Take a homeschool tour of the U.S. states and the countries of the world with the River Houses. This week: Utah, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, and Turkey. Open up your atlas and almanac and follow along with us!

🔭 WATCHERS OF THE SKIES: Homeschool Astronomy for July

5 July 2025 by Bob O'Hara

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 INDEPENDENCE DAY!

4 July 2025 by Bob O'Hara

Happy Independence Day! Why not celebrate the occasion with a reading of the Declaration of Independence — it’s been a homeschooling tradition since 1776.

🦅 FRIDAY BIRD FAMILIES: Tropical Tanagers and the Western Spindalis

4 July 2025 by Horace the Otter 🦦

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.

📸 PHOTO CHALLENGE for July: “Vending Machines” and “Waterside Structures”

3 July 2025 by Bob O'Hara

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 “Vending Machines” and “Waterside Structures.” Take a look!

📜 🇺🇸 HOMESCHOOL HISTORY: Independence Day and the Declaration

2 July 2025 by Bob O'Hara

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!

🌝 KNOW YOUR MOONS 🌑🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘🌑

2 July 2025 by Bob O'Hara

Celebrate the anniversary of the first moon landing in 1969 by teaching your homeschool students the phases of the moon this month. You can even use emojis to do it!

🇺🇸 WEEKLY AMERICAN HERITAGE: Fort Laramie National Historic Site

2 July 2025 by Bob O'Hara

For America’s 250th anniversary, discover the history and landscape of the United States with your homeschool students. This week: Fort Laramie National Historic Site in Wyoming.

🖋 🇺🇸 WONDERFUL WORDS: William Emerson on “A Nation’s Strength”

1 July 2025 by Bob O'Hara

“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.)

📚 LEARNING THE LIBRARY: The Historical & Geographical 900s

1 July 2025 by Bob O'Hara

Explore your local library and the whole universe of knowledge with our homeschool tour of the Dewey Decimal System. This month: the Historical & Geographical 900s.

🗓 🎆 🇺🇸 HAPPY HOMESCHOOL JULY from the River Houses!

1 July 2025 by Bob O'Hara

Happy homeschool July! Here are some little lessons, teaching traditions, and wonderful educational opportunities you and your students can watch for this month.

🇺🇸 🥂 HOMESCHOOL TOASTING TRADITIONS the Whole Year Round

30 June 2025 by Bob O'Hara

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.

🗓 QUICK FRESHES for Homeschool Families – Week of 29 June 2025

29 June 2025 by Bob O'Hara

Great homeschool teaching tips and wonderful little lessons for the week ahead, including: Independence Days, moon months, Continental armies, scientific masterpieces, undeciphered disks, Dewey decimals, Timorese rivers, a toast to a goose, and more!

🌎 🇺🇸 SUNDAY STATES: Wyoming, Tanzania, Togo, and More

29 June 2025 by Bob O'Hara

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.

🌠 JOIN A HOMESCHOOL SCIENCE PROJECT for International Asteroid Day!

28 June 2025 by Bob O'Hara

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: Wood-Warblers (Part II)

27 June 2025 by Horace the Otter 🦦

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).

🔭 ☄️ HOMESCHOOL ASTRONOMY: The Most Beautiful Objects in the Universe

26 June 2025 by Bob O'Hara

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.

🇺🇸 WEEKLY AMERICAN HERITAGE: Craters of the Moon National Monument

25 June 2025 by Bob O'Hara

For America’s 250th anniversary, discover the history and landscape of the United States with your homeschool students. This week: Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve in Idaho.

🖋 🚂 WONDERFUL WORDS: “It was late June”

22 June 2025 by Bob O'Hara

“And for that minute a blackbird sang / Close by, and round him, mistier, / Farther and farther, all the birds / Of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire.” (Our timely homeschool poem-of-the-week, from Edward Thomas, for late June and the birds of summer.)

🗓 QUICK FRESHES for Homeschool Families – Week of 22 June 2025

22 June 2025 by Bob O'Hara

Great homeschool teaching tips and wonderful little lessons for the week ahead, including: Cosmic catalogues, censored scientists, children’s authors, extraordinary explorers, momentous struggles, Syrian rivers, a toast to your local birds, and more!

🌎 🇺🇸 SUNDAY STATES: Idaho, Switzerland, Tajikistan, and More

22 June 2025 by Bob O'Hara

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. Open up your atlas and almanac and follow along with us!

🌳 🗺️ LOCAL & FAMILY HISTORY PROJECTS for Homeschoolers

21 June 2025 by Bob O'Hara

Local history and geography, and family history (genealogy), are ideal educational subjects to explore in every homeschool, especially during the summer months.