“Sure on this shining night / I weep for wonder wand’ring far alone / Of shadows on the stars.” (On this day in the year 2063, in a remote area near Bozeman, Montana, a Vulcan survey ship will make first contact with the human race. Perhaps some of today’s homeschoolers will be there to see it.)
🦅 FRIDAY BIRD FAMILIES: Chickadees, Titmice, & Allies
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 friendly and familiar Chickadees, Titmice, and their allies.
📸 PHOTO CHALLENGE for April: “Vertical Lines” and “Flame”
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 “Vertical Lines” and “Flame.” Take a look!
🌏 🇲🇲 WEEKLY WORLD HERITAGE: The Ancient Pyu Cities of Myanmar
Pay a visit to a World Heritage Site from one of our homeschool countries-of-the-week and learn some great history and geography along the way. This week: the Ancient Pyu City-States of Myanmar.
📚 LEARNING THE LIBRARY: The Technological 600s
Explore your local library and the whole universe of knowledge with our annual homeschool tour of the Dewey Decimal System. This month: the Technological 600s.
🍝 HOMESCHOOL HOLIDAYS: The Annual Spaghetti Harvest in Switzerland
The annual spaghetti harvest in Ticino, Switzerland, is one of Europe’s great cultural traditions. Every well-educated homeschooler should know about it!
🖋 ☔️ WONDERFUL WORDS: “Whan that Aprill…”
“And smale foweles maken melodye / That slepen al the nyght with open ye / (So priketh hem Nature in hir corages).” (Our ancient homeschool poem-of-the-week, from Geoffrey Chaucer, for April showers.)
🗓 ☔️ 🌸 HAPPY HOMESCHOOL APRIL from the River Houses!
Happy homeschool April! Here are some little lessons, teaching traditions, and wonderful educational opportunities you and your students can watch for this month.
🏡 WELCOME! (Pinned Post)
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 add your name to our free mailing list! (Just one message a week and 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! 😊
🗓 QUICK FRESHES for Homeschool Families – Week of 31 March 2024
Great homeschool teaching tips and wonderful little lessons for the week ahead, including: Spaghetti harvests, April poems, alien visitors, famous writers, cute birds, Dewey decimals, Namibian rivers, a toast to long life and prosperity, and more!
🌎 🇺🇸 SUNDAY STATES: California, Myanmar, Nepal, and More
Take a homeschool tour of the U.S. states and the countries of the world with the River Houses. This week: California, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, and Nepal. Open up your atlas and almanac and follow along with us!
🖋 🕊 WONDERFUL WORDS: George Herbert’s “Easter Wings”
“O let me rise / As larks, harmoniously, / And sing this day thy victories: / Then shall the fall further the flight in me.” (A bonus homeschool poem-of-the-week, from George Herbert, for Easter.)
🦅 FRIDAY BIRD FAMILIES: Larks and Swallows
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 terrestrial Larks and the aerial Swallows.
🌍 🇲🇿 WEEKLY WORLD HERITAGE: The Island of Mozambique
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 Island of Mozambique.
🌸 HOMESCHOOL HOLIDAYS: Visit the Cherry Blossoms in Washington, D.C.
On March 27th in 1912, the city of Tokyo presented a gift of 3000 cherry trees to the United States to line the banks of the Potomac River and other sites in Washington, D.C., where they and their successors may still be seen today.
🌕 HOMESCHOOL “CITIZEN SCIENCE” PROJECTS for March
Our March 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!
🎨 HOMESCHOOL ARTS: Introducing William Morris (1834–1896)
Take a few homeschool minutes this week to learn about William Morris, one of the great artistic polymaths of the nineteenth century, on the anniversary of his birth.
🗓 QUICK FRESHES for Homeschool Families – Week of 26 March 2023
Great homeschool teaching tips and little lessons for the week ahead, including: Cherry blossoms, famous farmers, picture books, land deals, student projects, great writers, Moroccan rivers, a toast to honesty, and more!
🌎 🇺🇸 SUNDAY STATES: Wisconsin, Mongolia, Mozambique, and More
Take a homeschool tour of the U.S. states and the countries of the world with the River Houses. This week: Wisconsin, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, and Mozambique. Open up your atlas and almanac and follow along with us!
🖋 🌱 WONDERFUL WORDS: Nothing Gold Can Stay
“Nature’s first green is gold, / Her hardest hue to hold.” (Our homeschool poem-of-the-week, from Robert Frost, for his birthday and for the first signs of spring.)
🦅 FRIDAY BIRD FAMILIES: Crows and Jays (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 garrulous and gregarious Crows and Jays (Part II).
🎵 HOMESCHOOL MUSIC: Happy Birthday Bach!
Take a few homeschool minutes to introduce your students to a tiny musical masterpiece by one of the world’s great composers, Johann Sebastian Bach, born on this day in 1685.
🌎 🇲🇽 WEEKLY WORLD HERITAGE: The Rock Art of Baja California in Mexico
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 ancient Rock Paintings of the Sierra de San Francisco in Mexico.
🗓 🌷 SPRING IS HERE! (Astronomically Speaking)
Spring is here! If you’re in the northern hemisphere, that is. If you’re in the southern hemisphere, fall is here! Happy March equinox to homeschoolers everywhere!
🔎 HOMESCHOOL RESEARCH & NEWS – March 2024
Our March 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 two items this month, on homeschooling in China, and on science, politics, and religion in homeschooling.
🐦 HOMESCHOOL NATURE NOTES: The Great Backyard Bird Count in Review
Last month’s Great Backyard Bird Count has entered the history books. More than 600,000 people from over 200 countries participated! Were you and your homeschoolers among them?
🗓 QUICK FRESHES for Homeschool Families – Week of 17 March 2024
Great homeschool teaching tips and wonderful little lessons for the week ahead, including: Vernal equinoxes, evacuation days, stirring speeches, magnificent musicians, literary birthdays, spring poems, Mexican rivers, a toast to unity, and more!