![[The River Houses]](https://riverhouses.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/arms-icon-100x100.png "The River Houses"){kind=icon}
![[Prime Meridian Stamp 1984]](https://riverhouses.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/greenwich-prime-meridian-stamp-1984-110x150.jpg)
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, & Goatsuckers
![[Homeschool Science & Nature Study]](https://riverhouses.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/birds-cuckoos-150x111.png)
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.” (An extra pomological 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
![[Flag of Bolivia]](https://riverhouses.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/flag-bolivia-150x102.png)
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 imperial homeschool poem-of-the-week, from Emily Dickinson, for all late bloomers.)
🗓 QUICK FRESHES for Homeschool Families – Week of 8 October 2023
![[Weekly Homeschool Almanac]](https://riverhouses.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/calendar-2-150x85.jpg)
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
![[Massachusetts State Flag]](https://riverhouses.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/flag-massachusetts-1971-150x90.png)
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
![[Homeschool Astronomy]](https://riverhouses.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/emoji-telescope-large-150x150.png)
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
![[Homeschool Science & Nature Study]](https://riverhouses.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/birds-pigeons-150x97.png)
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”
![[Homeschool Photography Icon]](https://riverhouses.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/emoji-camera-flash-2-150x143.png)
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
![[Flag of Belgium]](https://riverhouses.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/flag-belgium-150x130.png)
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
![[Dewey Decimal Classes]](https://riverhouses.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/dewey-decimal-classes-2-150x90.jpg)
Explore your local library and the whole universe of knowledge with our 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 bountiful 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
![[Connecticut State Flag]](https://riverhouses.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/flag-connecticut-1897-150x116.png)
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.
🦩 FRIDAY BIRD FAMILIES: Grebes and Flamingos
![[Homeschool Science & Nature Study]](https://riverhouses.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/birds-grebes-150x113.png)
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
![[Flag of Bahrain]](https://riverhouses.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/flag-bahrain-150x90.png)
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.
🦃 🐓 FRIDAY BIRD FAMILIES: “Gallinaceous” Birds
![[Homeschool Science & Nature Study]](https://riverhouses.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/birds-quail-150x96.png)
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 chicken-like “Gallinaceous” birds, including New World Quail, Curassows, Guans, Partridges, Grouse, Turkeys, and Old World Quail.
🌏 🇦🇺 WEEKLY WORLD HERITAGE: The Sydney Opera House in Australia
![[Flag of Australia]](https://riverhouses.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/flag-australia-150x75.png)
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 Sydney Opera House in Australia.
🌍 🇦🇴 WEEKLY WORLD HERITAGE: Mbanza Kongo in Angola
![[Flag of Angola]](https://riverhouses.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/flag-angola-150x100.png)
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: Mbanza Kongo, the Capital of the Former Kingdom of Kongo in Angola.
🌏 🇦🇫 WEEKLY WORLD HERITAGE: Bamiyan in Afghanistan (To Open the Year)
![[Flag of Afghanistan]](https://riverhouses.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/flag-afghanistan-150x100.png)
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, to begin the new homeschool year: the Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley in Afghanistan.
