Transcript Matters: More than One Transcript?

A common question…

“My high schooler received some credits at the local public school, some through an online venue, and still others through dual enrollment. Do I need to create more than one transcript?" 

Great question. Home educated students benefit from a variety of possible learning environments. Some of these entities are transcript-generating, meaning the entity is accredited and provides educational oversight for students who take classes through their venue. Others do not produce transcripts (some co-ops and support group opportunities, private instruction and tutoring, church courses and seminars). 

First, it may be helpful to understand what a transcript is. 

A transcript is a permanent academic record which includes all grades conferred to the named student. It represents the student's academic record; a visual summary of the student's high school years. 

As the homeschooling parent overseeing your young adult's learning, you know your learner's academic record in its entirety, both in the home and away from the home. You know when courses were taken as well as which entity provided oversight for each class, whether it was an accredited transcript producing entity or not. You know whether some credits were earned at the local public school, and whether the course included CLEP or AP content, if the corresponding tests were taken, as well as what scores the student achieved. 

Yes, entities may have conferred grades and credits, but you know where and when those grades and credits were earned. The parent-generated transcript you provide not only validates the courses, grades, and credits received directly under your supervision, but also offers employers and universities an overview of course variety and environments from which the student benefited, in and out of the home. Therefore, every course, grade, and credit is documented in one place--on the parent-generated transcript. It is the master transcript and the parent-generated transcript alerts any employer or university that transcripts will be provided by other entities.

---

With six home education grads who entered colleges and universities, we experienced this first hand transcript requirements. In every case, having all courses--no matter where they were taken--documented on the parent-generated transcript was required in the admission process. 

---

How do we note courses taken outside the home?

First, a distinction must be made. We asked

"Was this course taken under the oversight of a legally-recognized, transcript-generating entity?" 

If the course was taken at such an entity, we flagged the course on the transcript, meaning we added some type of notation super-scripted above the grade. An explanations of the flags was added under the grading scale of our transcript. 

For example, all of our high school learners completed foreign language online through an accredited source.  I didn't create the course, its content, or grade the work. This was all provided by the online instructor. As the parent overseeing the education of my student (outlined in our state statute), I knew the course was taken and that the source was accredited by the state, and was a transcript-generating entity. I added the course to my parent-generated transcript to provide universities with the information that the foreign language requirement was met. My superscript alerted the schools that they would be receiving an additional transcript for admission purposes. 

For some students, there may be several superscripts. I worked on a transcript recently for a student who had taken courses at the local public high school, a private school, an online public school, and a state college. The superscript above the corresponding grades provided admission personnel with a quick, concise visual of where the student had received her high school requirements. 

---

The parent-generated transcript not only validates the courses, grades, and credits received directly under the parent's supervision, but also offers employers and universities an overview of course variety and environments from which the student benefited, in and out of the home.

---

This blog post is intended to offer an example of personal experience. It is in no way intended to be legal advice and should not be taken as such. Parents own the sole responsibility for the training and education of their children. 

Celebrating the Senior Year

Senior year.

We’ve celebrated six!

All were bittersweet, yet exhilarating! Emotions and feelings varied day-to-day, even minute-to-minute, for us, as well as our grads-to-be.

These spaces had the potential to bring us together—deepening relationships—through kindness, grace, and room to process the feelings and emotions of the milestone. All were vital to the smooth transitions each would experience on his or her journey.

Each senior year has one’s been different, unique. We’ve had athletes experiencing that “last” game; one athlete continuing to play collegiately. Some seniors pondered out-of-state postsecondary learning versus managing costs and remaining in state. Some have worked in the field while attending school, others launched and then looked for work.

In addition, I've also walked alongside many, many parents of seniors.

Takeaways? Indeed, there are.

There’ve been tears with goodbyes, smiles celebrating weekend visits, and multitudes of reflections accompanied by sweet memories.

The one common thread?

Each parent and each student processes the season in his or her distinct way.

Listen Intently. Listening without an agenda can be difficult, especially if the senior year is ushering in changes, new experiences—moving onto campus, remaining at home and taking on a job, watching as friends enter the next season of life. Being available and listening without chiming in with opinions or throwing a zinger help celebrate the senior year as well as the graduate, with all the uniqueness encompassed.

Give Time. Give them time to process. Changes abound. For some graduates-to-be, the looming change will be moving to a residence hall on college campus. For others, the bittersweet will come as an athletic era comes to a close; not playing the sport enjoyed for a decade or more can be difficult. Learners and parents need space and time to process the pending changes, with grace to reflect on the hard as well as the triumph. Taking time to express affirmation and or offer a hug go along way, too.

Keep an Open Mind. Interests wane. Possibilities arise. A learner who never desired to go to college may decide to apply, last minute, during the second semester of senior year. Likewise, a young adult once considering one college may choose to pursue an employment opportunity. Plans change. And, sometimes plans change more than once! When they do, young adults supported by a loving, supportive community will be more able to consider solutions and possibilities and more likely to navigate change with courage and confidence.

---

---

As challenges surface in the high school years, breathe! Consider options. Make adjustments. Encourage your young adult through the journey—the trials and the triumphs. In doing so, you and your high schooler—together—can adjust plans and head out in a different direction, if needed.

---

Anticipate Beyond the Tassel. As your learner walks through the high school years toward the turning of the tassel, remember that the final walk across the stage is just the beginning. The picture is much bigger than the knowledge stored up in the learner’s mind. It is not even about the universities to which the learner has been accepted. Though there are great accomplishments behind those acceptance letters, they don’t have to define the person. The celebration is about whether the young adult understands his or her strengths and has a willing, open heart eager to make a difference in the community, the nation, and the world.

Congratulations as you turn that tassel!

Transcript Matters: More than One Transcript?

A common question…

“My high schooler received some credits at the local public school, some through an online venue, and still others through dual enrollment. Do I need to create more than one transcript?" 

Great question. Home educated students benefit from a variety of possible learning environments. Some of these entities are transcript-generating, meaning the entity is accredited and provides educational oversight for students who take classes through their venue. Others do not produce transcripts (some co-ops and support group opportunities, private instruction and tutoring, church courses and seminars). 

First, it may be helpful to understand what a transcript is. 

A transcript is a permanent academic record which includes all grades conferred to the named student. It represents the student's academic record; a visual summary of the student's high school years. 

As the homeschooling parent overseeing your young adult's learning, you know your learner's academic record in its entirety, both in the home and away from the home. You know when courses were taken as well as which entity provided oversight for each class, whether it was an accredited transcript producing entity or not. You know whether some credits were earned at the local public school, and whether the course included CLEP or AP content, if the corresponding tests were taken, as well as what scores the student achieved. 

Yes, entities may have conferred grades and credits, but you know where and when those grades and credits were earned. The parent-generated transcript you provide not only validates the courses, grades, and credits received directly under your supervision, but also offers employers and universities an overview of course variety and environments from which the student benefited, in and out of the home. Therefore, every course, grade, and credit is documented in one place--on the parent-generated transcript. It is the master transcript and the parent-generated transcript alerts any employer or university that transcripts will be provided by other entities.

---

With six home education grads who entered colleges and universities, we experienced this first hand transcript requirements. In every case, having all courses--no matter where they were taken--documented on the parent-generated transcript was required in the admission process. 

---

How do we note courses taken outside the home?

First, a distinction must be made. We asked

"Was this course taken under the oversight of a legally-recognized, transcript-generating entity?" 

If the course was taken at such an entity, we flagged the course on the transcript, meaning we added some type of notation super-scripted above the grade. An explanations of the flags was added under the grading scale of our transcript. 

For example, all of our high school learners completed foreign language online through an accredited source.  I didn't create the course, its content, or grade the work. This was all provided by the online instructor. As the parent overseeing the education of my student (outlined in our state statute), I knew the course was taken and that the source was accredited by the state, and was a transcript-generating entity. I added the course to my parent-generated transcript to provide universities with the information that the foreign language requirement was met. My superscript alerted the schools that they would be receiving an additional transcript for admission purposes. 

For some students, there may be several superscripts. I worked on a transcript recently for a student who had taken courses at the local public high school, a private school, an online public school, and a state college. The superscript above the corresponding grades provided admission personnel with a quick, concise visual of where the student had received her high school requirements. 

---

The parent-generated transcript not only validates the courses, grades, and credits received directly under the parent's supervision, but also offers employers and universities an overview of course variety and environments from which the student benefited, in and out of the home.

---

This blog post is intended to offer an example of personal experience. It is in no way intended to be legal advice and should not be taken as such. Parents own the sole responsibility for the training and education of their children. 

Gardens: A Harvest of Learning No Matter the Season

Gardens—spring, summer, or fall—harvest plentiful learning activities. Seems like every time we turn around we are enjoying another experience involving fruits and veggies. Here's a sampling of possibilities, and likely your learners will discover others. Enjoy the harvest no matter what the season.

Math

• Estimate the weight of a watermelon. Weigh on a bathroom scale. Figure out the price per paid per pound.

• Purchase a five pound bag of potatoes. Compare the quantity with a five pound bag of onions. Why the difference in quantity per pound? Younger children can weigh potatoes and arrange from lightest to heaviest.

• Buy a basket full of veggies. Sort according to what part of the plant is eaten: stem, leaf, seed, root, flower. Eat vegetables for snack or create a yummy soup.

Language Arts

• Read Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert. Make veggie soup for dinner.

• Read the Farm Alphabet Book by Jane Miller. Make your own fruits and veggies alphabet book.

• Identify the beginning consonant sounds of each vegetable purchased.

• Read Eating the Alphabet: Fruits and Vegetables from A to Z by Lois Ehlert.

• Read Stone Soup by Marcia Brown (a traditional tale).

• Read Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens (a trickster tale).

• Read The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle.

Spanish

• Learn the Spanish words for common fruits and vegetables

Social Studies

• Tour the produce section of the grocery store.

• Visit a working farm, garden store, orchard, local U-pick or greenhouse.

Science

• Plant a garden.

• Build a grow box and sow the family’s favorite seeds.

• Spout seeds. Discuss vocabulary: seeds, seedlings, cuttings, sprout, germinate.

• Read The Vegetables We Eat by Gail Gibbons

• Read Green Beans, Potatoes, and Even Tomatoes by Brian Cleary

• Read One Bean by Anne Rockwell.

• Sprout an avocado seed.

• Grow or purchase a pie pumpkin. Open. Clean. Bake. Puree pumpkin and make bread.

• Read The Life Cycle of a Bean by Linda Tagliaferro.

• Read Foods from Farms by Nancy Dickmann.

• Read Plants on a Farm by Nancy Dickmann.

• Read Farming by Gail Gibbons. Discuss farming around the world.

• Read From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons.

• Read Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert.

• Read The Victory Garden Vegetable Alphabet Book by Jerry Pallotta.

Arts

• Make prints using tempera paints and fruits and veggies (potato, cabbage, celery, corn, and oranges)

• Read Linnea in Monet's Garden by Christina Bjork.

• Make a seed collage.

• Sing Oats, Peas, Beans and Barley Grow. Act out the song with motions.

• Read How Are You Peeling? by Joost Effers and Saxton Freymann. Discuss the illustrations. Children may also enjoy Fast Food by the same authors.

Movement

• Play Hot Potato (hand-eye coordination)

Read and Discover, Together

Balloons Over Broadway: The Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade. Living in the Northeast, the Macy's Parade was a highlight of our Thanksgiving Day morning; almost as important as putting the turkey in the oven. I picked up the book displayed on the non-fiction shelf, thumbed through, and placed it in our library bag to be checked out. I couldn’t wait to introduce my children to a family tradition.

When we arrived home an eager, curious little learner retrieved the book from the bag. "Mom, let's read this one!" 

We did! Amazing! I learned the back story about the balloons I marveled as I child. In the process of reading one of our newest library finds, I was able to tell my children about one of our favorite holiday traditions—watching the Macy's Day Parade while smells of cinnamon and roasting turkey permeated our home. A slice of family tradition and a delightful piece of American history served up during read-aloud time. It couldn’t be a more perfect combination and it led to amazing conversation and additional studies.

• Learn about parade history, including behind the scenes

• About Tony Sarg, puppeteer

• Make puppets 
  
  Extension activities:

• Learn more about New York City

• Read A Walk in New York by Salvatore Rubbino

• Read The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden

• Perform a puppet show (using sock, finger, hand, or mixed media puppets) to entertain family and friends

• Experiment with shadow puppets

• Visit a local marionette theater

Helping Middle Schoolers Move Toward College and Career

At a recent outing, I fielded a common--and becoming more common--question.

"How can I get my middle schooler college-ready?"

I heard the immediacy in the mom's voice.  I also heard the fear. Fear of failure, of not doing enough. This mom was looking for the one right answer, the right formula. I wanted, with all my heart, to give her a solid, tried and true answer. But, I couldn't.

As a mom of past middlers, a mentor of parents who've trod this path and a wife of a twenty-seven year veteran middle school teacher, I could only offer this mom insight to potential considerations; insights from our experiences and the experience of other parents we knew. And, perhaps those insights could set her on the next right step for HER child. 

College was still five years away.

I reminded her changes would take place. Physical development and brain maturation would continue. I told her to seek insight but be wise, discerning, to ponder possibilities, not taking the first opinions or ideas tossed her way. 

I encouraged her to embrace the current season, less she miss it worrying about tomorrows. 

I affirmed middle school is indeed about content and skills, but it is even more about the relationship between parent and young adult, the middle schooler's interests and what captures the middle schoolers heart.

Walking alongside the ingenious, changing person, being present and willing to process ideas and aspiration, helping her middle schooler discover gifts, strengths and areas of growth would impact who her middle schooler would become. 

• Reflecting upon the young adult's interests. What are the current interests? How does he or she spend free time? What activities does the young adult find fulfilling? In our experience, these interests helped determine course selection and extra-curricular choices as high school approached and then became reality.

• Anticipating interests which might still be hidden, yet to be discovered. What does the middle schooler wish to try or experience in the next few years? Mike and I came to realize early in our middle school parenting experience that the lesser known interests were just as important as the obvious talents and strengths. In fact, several of our then middlers found the lesser known to be more influential in planning their next steps toward high school.

• Considering how the middle schooler learns best. Does learning happen best outdoors? Is there greater retention in independent study or experiential opportunities? Our middle schoolers have ALL learned differently. Every. Single. One. One needed quiet. Another needed hands-on experiences. Yet another needed creative outlets. How middlers learn best matters.

• Learning study preferences. These are different than learning preferences. These are things like note taking, skimming and scanning, and study skills. Would 3 x 5 cards with vocabulary words penned opposite side definition work better than an online auditory drill game? Or would the oral input be more beneficial? Is a word web better than outlining because a visual image is saved by the brain? What about taking notes in color? Study preferences become key components of learning when higher learning becomes focused or must be time efficient.

• Focusing on the development of soft skills. We have found soft skills were more difficult to acquire and internalize than learning Algebra formulas, but were increasingly more important to our young adults in high school and post-secondary education. Is the student working to be more independent, more able to solve problems independently but also proficient in working with other people in collaborative projects? Was the young adult able to self-govern emotions, choices and attitudes? Parents can only control choices, attitudes and time management for a time. We found our young adults, as well as the young adults we work with, must be academically ready for college but even more importantly, be ready emotionally and spiritually.

• Processing tough questions. Middle schoolers face challenges. Hormones. Friends. Disappointment. Middle schoolers need both encouragement and grace to navigate those challenges, as well as plenty of opportunities to make mistakes and regroup. Mike and I have found it essential to be available to field questions and process possible scenarios. This processing was key to moral and social development of our children.

As my time with my friend came to an end, I knew there was much more that could be said on the subject, and likely ideas I hadn't considered or experienced. I reminded the mom there would be as many opinions as there were options.  

I knew she could find the answers she needed today as well as for the questions of the many tomorrows yet to come, however multi-faceted they might be.

And, with a hug, I told her she was the best mom to find the answers for her middle schooler and that she would find answers by wisely seeking and pondering; though the process may not be easy or comfortable. 

She knew college was on the horizon, but the answers were in the questions of her todays.

Celebrating the Senior Year

Senior year.

We’ve celebrated six!

All were bittersweet, yet exhilarating! Emotions and feelings varied day-to-day, even minute-to-minute, for us, as well as our grads-to-be.

These spaces had the potential to bring us together—deepening relationships—through kindness, grace, and room to process the feelings and emotions of the milestone. All were vital to the smooth transitions each would experience on his or her journey.

Each senior year has one’s been different, unique. We’ve had athletes experiencing that “last” game; one athlete continuing to play collegiately. Some seniors pondered out-of-state postsecondary learning versus managing costs and remaining in state. Some have worked in the field while attending school, others launched and then looked for work.

In addition, I've also walked alongside many, many parents of seniors.

Takeaways? Indeed, there are.

There’ve been tears with goodbyes, smiles celebrating weekend visits, and multitudes of reflections accompanied by sweet memories.

The one common thread?

Each parent and each student processes the season in his or her distinct way.

Listen Intently. Listening without an agenda can be difficult, especially if the senior year is ushering in changes, new experiences—moving onto campus, remaining at home and taking on a job, watching as friends enter the next season of life. Being available and listening without chiming in with opinions or throwing a zinger help celebrate the senior year as well as the graduate, with all the uniqueness encompassed.

Give Time. Give them time to process. Changes abound. For some graduates-to-be, the looming change will be moving to a residence hall on college campus. For others, the bittersweet will come as an athletic era comes to a close; not playing the sport enjoyed for a decade or more can be difficult. Learners and parents need space and time to process the pending changes, with grace to reflect on the hard as well as the triumph. Taking time to express affirmation and or offer a hug go along way, too.

Keep an Open Mind. Interests wane. Possibilities arise. A learner who never desired to go to college may decide to apply, last minute, during the second semester of senior year. Likewise, a young adult once considering one college may choose to pursue an employment opportunity. Plans change. And, sometimes plans change more than once! When they do, young adults supported by a loving, supportive community will be more able to consider solutions and possibilities and more likely to navigate change with courage and confidence.

---

---

As challenges surface in the high school years, breathe! Consider options. Make adjustments. Encourage your young adult through the journey—the trials and the triumphs. In doing so, you and your high schooler—together—can adjust plans and head out in a different direction, if needed.

---

Anticipate Beyond the Tassel. As your learner walks through the high school years toward the turning of the tassel, remember that the final walk across the stage is just the beginning. The picture is much bigger than the knowledge stored up in the learner’s mind. It is not even about the universities to which the learner has been accepted. Though there are great accomplishments behind those acceptance letters, they don’t have to define the person. The celebration is about whether the young adult understands his or her strengths and has a willing, open heart eager to make a difference in the community, the nation, and the world.

Congratulations as you turn that tassel!

The Collection-Learning Connection

Collections begin with curiosity, an interest in something. Questions. Wonder. Excitement.

Children, being natural scientists, are inquisitive, intrigued by discovery, inviting more questions. In the process, they often begin collecting objects that excite them, making comparisons and continuing experiments, learning always—counting, sorting, comparing, and drawing conclusions based on the discoveries made with their collections. Providing space for their collections and discovery is essential to their growth and development while also providing them with a sense of responsibility for their “belongings”.

Over the past several weeks, we’ve been collecting leaves and rocks; large and small, different hues, unique characteristics. Providing bins for the collections kept items organized and “ready” for exploring and continued discovery. Along the way, I pulled a few field guides from our library shelves, accessible for identification and deeper learning. Our science discovery area grew as a result, leading to more questions. Curiosity, an interest in something, was the catalyst.

What interests your children? The petal patterns in flowers. Shapes of shells. Maybe which car in the bin moves faster down the plywood ramp. Step back and ponder the learning taking place. It matters and it will be remembered.

Common collection items

Pinecones

Marbles

Toy cars

Legos

Rocks

Acorns

Leaves

Shells

Insects

Pennies

Collections can be used as catalysts to studies in other content area.

Collections to science discovery centers

Our science discovery center (a small table near a window sill where light can shower any growing seeds and plants) expands every time a collection begins. The center is simple, yet offers great space for curiosity to grow. Adding our Magiscope and a magnifying glass foster that growth. Intentional and real.

If you are wondering about the nitty-gritty of setting up a science center, Cheryl discusses several ideas in her book Cultivating Curiosity.

What interests are growing in your children?

A collection of stamps given by a grandparent? A pile of rocks? A selection of leaves from a recent walk?

Oh, the possibilities! They will be engaged and learning.

Fun and Easy Ways to Teach Telling Time

“I want to learn to tell time!”

Interest means “I am all in and listening!”

I went to find our student, geared clock purchased at an educational resource store. It’s pretty, with gears and moving hands. Littles loved it.

For this learner, making our own clock sounded like a better idea; and hence, I fostered the ownership of the idea. I smiled, knowing if we worked together on the project, there would be greater, meaningful buy in.

Relationships matter.

I chose a dinner plate from the kitchen cabinet, turned it upside down on cardstock, and traced.

My little learner couldn’t wait to cut along the pencil line.

Next, we searched our sticker collection for numbers, big ones! It wasn’t long before we found them and my little learner eagerly placed them on the freshly cut out clock while I cut out the hands and found a brass brad in the junk drawer. She colored the hands by the time I made it back to the table.

Since our initial introduction to and exploration with the clock, many fun impromptu lessons have blossomed, first learning to tell time to the hour, then the half- and quarter-hour, and finally, minutes. She loves moving the hands to match a given time. To encourage the connection to symbolic representation, I have her use the hands to show the time and then ask her write the time on paper, modeling one or two examples first. We’ve also used the clock to practice counting by five. Our homemade clock has been a welcomed learning resource, and we’re very proud of our crafty accomplishment.

Materials

A dinner plate

Number stickers

Minute hand, cut out of cardstock

Hour hand, cut out of cardstock

Beyond the Paper Clock

It’s important for children to learn to tell time on both analog and digital clocks and watches. With this in mind, we’d purchased our little learner a fun watch, which she picked out among the masses available. Though she was curious about it and about time, the real “need” to know wasn’t strong enough to foster the learning of the concept…at that time. However, when the interest resurfaced, I encouraged.

Investigate other ways to keep time: water clocks, cuckoo clocks, egg timers, grandfather clocks, pendulum clocks, alarm clocks, and stop watches.

Search for clocks in use in public places. This can be a fun way to pass time while waiting in line.

Use the stop watch on your phone to internalize Elapsed time. Children need to know what a minute (or five and thirty) “feels” like, and elapsed time is a hard concept for children to understand. Stopwatches help master the concept. This new found time tool will add spark to afternoon doldrums. Try timing

• cars going down a ramp,

• family members running around the block,

• the length of time it takes to boil water, and

• relay races.

Use an egg timer to brush teeth.

Read picture and non-fiction books about time (extensive list in my book, Cultivating Curiosity)

Hearing the excitement, “I want to learn to tell time!”?

Dig in and make it intentional, real, and relational!

Do All Colleges and Universities Accept Dual Enrollment Credits?

There are pros and cons to dual enrollment.

One of the most common mistakes parents and students make is not verifying whether the student’s colleges and universities of interest will accept credits taken for dual enrollment—courses taken for high school and college credit, simultaneously.

Why would some colleges or universities not accept credits of college-level courses taken in high school?

First, accreditation is key. Not all accreditation is considered equal. Colleges and universities are aware of this fact.

Second, content is key. Content is not standardized, meaning American Government taken at one university will not be the same as American Government completed at another school. Content is not standardized; therefore, some schools will not accept credits earned at another school. Without a way to verify the rigor or quality of a course, some colleges and universities choose not accept credits from another institution.

Here’s another way to look at the situation.

College courses don't have a set standard by which to measure rigor; therefore, some colleges question whether students completing work at other institutions have truly mastered college-level content—or at the preferred level of the institution accepting the potential transfer credit. The same is true for content. Colleges don’t standardize content. In this scenario, a student who completes a course in aquatic engineering at one school may not have covered the same content as another student taking the same course at another university. With this in mind, it's difficult for college officials to know the quality, content, or rigor level of courses taken at other colleges whereby accepting the credit. This can sometimes result in students receiving no college credit for their previous work. (Side note: Yes, I know there are financial reasons credits are not accepted. That’s another post.)

Keep in mind, though you may intend for dual enrollment courses to count towards high school and college credit, some colleges will choose to see the credit as fulfilling only high school, not dual credit.

Researching this topic for families I work with, I discovered how these universities handle college credit taken in high school. It is recommended that you or your high schooler look into how the colleges of interest will handle dual credit prior to embarking on the dual enrollment path.

Brown University

“Brown will not award transfer credit for correspondence courses, online courses, courses taken during summer programs or for courses taken as part of a dual enrollment curriculum.”

Columbia University

“Entering first-year students are not granted credit for college courses taken before graduation from secondary school. However, a maximum of six credits may be awarded for college courses taken after graduation from high school and prior to matriculation at Columbia.”

Dartmouth College

“Only courses and/or credits that were not used to satisfy any high school graduation requirements are eligible for transfer.”

Davidson College

“At the discretion of the college registrar, credit may be given for joint enrollment courses when the credits received are beyond requirements for admission to Davidson College or for graduation from high school.”

Princeton University

“Princeton does not offer credit toward degree requirements for college or university courses taken before you enroll. “

University of Pennsylvania

“Credit is not awarded for college-level coursework undertaken at other institutions while a student is enrolled in high school or in the summer after high school. “

Fast Parenting? Yes, Please!

There is nothing quick about parenting; growing child to adulthood. Though we often try or prefer to make parenting instantaneous through quick sound bites instead of face-to-face conversation and interaction, what’s instantly gratifying isn’t necessarily the most productive. For me, there were days when I wanted fast answers with practical tips and positive results, right now! They would have been highly convenient, but not necessarily helpful to our long-term vision for our family.

I admit, fast, immediate, no-fail solutions resonate with me, especially on full days with lots of commitments and needs. Hence, there were days when I searched and searched, scrolled Pinterest boards and read blogs. Surely someone had encountered my debacle and WON?

• The day dear daughter cut off all her bangs to the root and tried to tape them back on, only to find it would take months and months to grow out. I had no hair tonic to promote growth, though I wish I had. Life lessons noted.

• The morning 30 pounds of laundry powder poured atop three loads of dirty laundry sapped my energy and made me wonder if the entire day would offer similar treats.

• The day dear child asked questions about how to prepare for marriage and I knew the answer would be more than a pat answer or five-minute conversation. Instead, the conversations were many, over years, and eventually led to a beautiful marriage. Definitely not a one-and-done parenting recipe. Instead, the conversations were unique to the situation, nothing I could have borrowed from anyone else. I’m thankful for the times we sat and listened. It mattered.

• The evening, when after months of waiting and visiting, great-grandma passed away and there were a slew of questions. I didn't have the immediate answers we all would have prefered. Conversations and hugs healed hearts as together we remembered Grammy’s impact on our lives; years of togetherness and with-ness.

• The morning our van started on fire in the driveway and our children were concerned we wouldn't have a big enough vehicle to transport us all. I didn't have an immediate answer or a delivery service to provide another vehicle. The process of waiting grew our faith and provided just what we needed.

Fast forward some years with now grown adult children. It has become apparent that the best solutions had no easy answers. There are no quick, fast shortcuts in parenting. My adult children didn't become adults overnight (though at times I wonder where the years went) and the path, the journey, was a process. Their journey to adulthood and my adventure as a mom wasn't picked up at a drive-thru window.

The journey was an aged, slow-cooked process. 

The Power of Experience: Life Beyond the Credits

“What exactly do you mean by More than Credits”?

The title of my high school book has raised thoughtful questions.

l like questions. Questions keep us—parents and learners—pondering, learning, and engaging in dialogue. Questions also keep us processing through our worldview and our thoughts; what matters and prayerfully seeking how to best foster the giftings and interests of our children and teens (even when that looks different than what we envisioned). We should be teaching and modeling for our children the same: pondering, learning, and engaging.

Questions are good. I am glad people are asking.

How did you come up with the title of your book?

The title blossomed from conversations; the dialogues Mike and I have with parents at conferences, workshops, evals, and consults. Our educational backgrounds, research, and personal and professional experiences also weighed heavily in the decision. Mike’s been teaching middle school history for 33 years. My background (aside from homeschooling 27 years) is early childhood education. Together, we’ve graduated four learners from home—two earned graduate level degrees and two are finishing undergrad course work. In addition, we’ve mentored and coached hundreds of families over the past 26 years. We study education, family, and parenting; research and read. Hence, there’s a deep foundation of experience behind why I titled the book More than Credits: Skills High Schoolers Need for Life.

We’re quite familiar with the lack of equipping today’s young adults face. Many are full of knowledge, yet lack practical life skills, problem solving strategies, time management, and experience.

“In the all-too-familiar pursuit of rigorous courses, grades, and college admissions, young adults often lack the motivation, time, and skills needed to understand who they are, what strengths and gifts they were created with or could develop, and how their uniqueness could influence their future as well as the future of others. ”

— Cheryl Bastian, More than Credits

Courses matter. More than Credits doesn’t mean core courses don’t have value. Quite the opposite. Courses are integral to college admission, trade school, entrepreneurship, and most of all, life. However, some of the very courses learners need for life are not being taught or are taking a backseat to courses which will not propel the learner forward in the career or field of choice—for example, an taking an extra core course in science (above what is required for college admission) instead of Personal Finance if the end goal is entrepreneurship or a career in finance. In other scenarios, the courses high schoolers are taking are not the best or recommended courses for a field. An example, a rising senior interested in the field of zoology may benefit more from a marine science course with a biologist involved in research study than an extra foreign language credit. High school is not a one-size-fits-all journey.

Credits matter. More than Credits isn’t setting credits aside or stating they don’t matter. Again, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Credits do matter; but there’s more to learners than the credits earned. Credits feed performance-based worth mentalities, the opposite message that people are created with valuable gifts for a purpose, to be contributors and influencers, leaders and world changers. Our young adults need the skills necessary to walk in those roles.

Experiences matter. Professionals, educators, and parents tell me “graduates are missing experience”. Remember when we were teaching our children as preschoolers and elementary learners? Everyone talked about the importance of experiences—activities and opportunities to learn by doing, learn from people versed in a field. Those days were all about hands-on, discovery, problem solving—real life. The need for experience and application doesn’t change—ever. Experience is a proven teacher with retention rates of approximately 70% (and higher) when people are involved in doing something. Yet, when the middle and high school years roll around, we lean toward the opposite—sit in front of a screen or at a desk, passing tests with minimal to no retention or application. It wasn’t always this way. What are we doing about that known gap? How will teens and young adults get needed experience? More than Credits puts individualized experience and application back into learning. Furthermore, it encourages high schoolers to get out into their fields of interest, through volunteering, job shadowing, professional mentoring, and interviewing. Amid these opportunities, learners are able to gain experience and make valuable professional connections. Often the connections lead to employment, hence the experience future employers require. The activities in More than Credits are about engaging learners in using or discovering strengths and interests while gaining the experience needed for future employment or making a difference in the lives of others.

High school is more than checking boxes and meeting requirements. It’s about experience, gaining knowledge and skills, learning from professionals in a field, applying what’s learned to real-life scenarios. It’s about teens and young adults knowing how to learn, where to find answers, and how to solve problems—being equipped with the needed skill sets and emotional intelligence desired by employers and necessary for success in a career field.

There’s power in experience, an empowerment which can be built on and remain for a lifetime. That’s more than credits!

Paint a Fall Tree Using Pointillism

Want to beat afternoon boredom, toss up something different in a slow moving week, or calm things down when the schedule has run extra fast?

George Seurat became known as the Father of Pointillism. This style—small dots placed close together to allow the visual blending of color—was popular in the late 1800s after the Impressionist era. Some of the most famous masterpieces created with this style were

Georges Seurat’s Alfalfa

Henri Martin’s Green Valley with a Stream

Paul Signac’s Le Clippe

Introduction to art media and techniques can ignite the natural creativity of young learners and keep ingeniousness alive in olders. This fall painting activity delighted our learners, Kindergarten to late elementary. Each young artist employed her unique thinking to the process to create a different work of art. Your children can, too!

Prepare.

Look at masterpieces using this distinctive style. Offer children an appreciation for how artists used this style to create very distinctive art. Point out similarities and differences in color tones and values, light, and line. Consider what elements differentiate the works.

Gather materials.

• 8 x 12 white construction paper

• brown construction paper (optional)

• tempera paints—particularly red, orange, yellow and brown

• paint palette or plastic lid/tray or egg carton (makes for easier clean up)

• cotton swabs

You’re ready!

• Look at pictures of fall leaves or landscapes of fall trees. This is especially helpful for children who live in places where leaves don’t change colors.

• Talk about fall colors. Place small amounts of said tempera paints in a palette. Place a cotton swab in each puddle of paint.

• Try mixing paints to create new fall colors—like red and yellow to make orange or red and orange to make red-orange.

• Give each child a piece of white paper.

• Make a tree trunk. Some children may choose to paint a trunk, others may want to cut one out of brown construction paper or use small torn pieces of brown paper to make create a torn paper collage look. This is part of what will make each painting unique.

• Add the fall leaves!

Give pointillism a try!

Little learners LOVE this activity'; dabbing dots while strengthening and refining small motor skills. Bigger kiddos will enjoy expressing their unique ideas.

Keep learning alive and moving forward.

Extend this art activity into other content areas.

Science

• If leaves are changing color in your area, take a walk and enjoy the beauty.

• Collect fallen leaves (and a few acorns). Bring them home and observe under a magnifying glass or Magiscope.

• Point out the midrib, margin, and veins.

• Notice the similarities and differences in the leaf shape and type.

• Use a field guide or online resource to identify.

• Make a leaf collection book or leaf nature journal (this is art, too!)

• Discuss how cooler temperatures and shorter days affect the leaves food making process, changing the leaves color. Read Why Leaves Change Color by Betsy Maestro.

• Read (this is language arts, too!)

  Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert

  We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt by Steve Metzger

Math

• Sort leaves by type or color.

• Count leaves.

• Use leaves to make sets of specific numbers—sets of three, sets of five.

• Add sets of leaves.

• Make math statements—three oak and two maple make five leaves in total.

More Art

• Read Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert and make leaf people with the leaves collected.

How to Teach Money Concepts

We don’t need a curriculum for everything. Some skills are learned naturally, organically. In fact, sometimes the learning happens amid our days and we miss it.

Some concepts are best taught and retained from experience with real-life objects.

Money is one of those topics.

The best way to understand money is to use it—take if off the page, get your hands on it, and practice the skills.

For children, preschool through elementary, learning money concepts will look like

Coin recognition - My husband’s spare change hangs out on the counter or in the console of the car. Most of our children have found it, eventually, inquiring, “May I have this?” There’s interest and engagement—a perfect combination for retention. A simple explanation—”This is a penny. This is a dime. This is a nickel. This is a quarter.”— while placing the coin in the child’s hand will effectively teach coin identification. Next time the coins are laying around, review the concept. If the child has a piggy bank or other collection container, empty the contents, sort the coins, and review the coin names. Coin recognition can be that simple, and it will stick.

Coin value - Maybe your child already knows the coin names and is ready to associate values— “A penny is one cent. This is a dime, it’s worth ten pennies. It’s ten cents.” This concept will take some time and practice to master, but again, with real coins and a piggy bank, there’s an undercurrent of interest.

Coin addition - Once the child recognizes the coin and it’s value, there’s almost an automatic need to be able to “find out home much I have”. Here begins the understanding of adding money—combining two groups. To move with the interest, place two or three coins in your learner’s hand. Add one from your hand and add the total of the two coins. Write the corresponding addition equation on a piece of paper so the child can associate the actual coins, their value, and the symbols of the equation. Start with pennies for the youngest learners and move to greater values, hence addition of two digits.

Calculated change - Once the concept of coin addition has been mastered, it’s time to tackle the concept of change—what will be given back after a purchase. The difference. We found this concept was easy to learn while playing store or working with oral problems. For example, “I have three quarters and want to buy this pencil for $0.65. What change will I receive back from the cashier?” Of course, the youngest learners will be best served using pennies and then moving to larger amounts.

Saving and Spending Real-Life Practice

Aside from playing store and counting money in a piggy bank, we give a few coins (maybe two dimes, a quarter, four nickels) every once and awhile, random amounts--could be a quarter or two dimes, whatever. We tell the child the money is his or hers and they can do with it what they choose. They quickly figure out if they save it, it adds up. The process naturally brings questions, everything from savings to buying houses to investing. Real money is a motivator. We do this for an entire school year because the lessons are so valuable. They are real world lessons of being faithful with little and being given much. The process also gives us the ability to see which of your children have a tendency to spend, give and save. It’s a window into their minds and hearts. They’ve all been different.

Playing Games

Games have offered opportunity to learn and practice money skills with larger amounts. Among the favorites are

• Allowance

• Monopoly

• Monopoly Jr.

• Life

This is just a sampling of ways real money aids in cementing important math skills and financial concepts, beginning with the youngest learners.

Those coins on your counter or in your console? Wonder and learning await. In fact, learning is likely happening and it’s waiting to be fostered.

Keep learning intentional and real and it will be remembered.

Foreign Language College and University Admission Requirements

I speak to rooms full of parents--living rooms conversations to packed convention halls--considering and navigating a home education journey for their middle and high school young adults. Most often we talk about specifics and how-tos. At some point in the presentation, usually during a Q&A session, I am asked to address specific admission requirements.

One of the most popular questions relates to foreign language.

Like most aspects of high school, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer to the question.

The answer to the foreign language question—what is required for college or university admission—the inquirer must know that the answer varies per institution and sometimes per major.

For the sake of this blog post, to clarify, home educated in our state means enrolled in the Home Education Program with the county of residence. Those students are defined as home education students (homeschooling) and will apply to colleges as home educated, non-traditional, or non-accredited graduates. The terms used for the admission status varies college to college.

In our state if the student chooses to enroll in a private school (sometimes referred to as an umbrella school) as a place of record, that student is considered a private school student and will apply to colleges as a private school graduate. Some colleges and universities require private school students be enrolled in an accredited entity, by the state or by a regional accrediting agency. This is extremely important to note as not all accreditation is considered equal by some universities.

Some colleges and universities require foreign language for admission as well as for the General Education portion of the undergraduate degree. What parents and students don’t know is that sometimes (as in the case for some universities in our state), the high school foreign language credits which met the admission requirement will be credited to the Bachelor’s degree. Be sure to ask this question of the admission department or advisor.

University of Oklahoma states this on their website

“Foreign Language (2 courses, 6-10 hours). This requirement can be satisfied by successfully completing two semesters of the same foreign language at the college level equivalent to two semesters at OU. It also may be satisfied by successfully completing two years of the same foreign language in high school or by demonstrating an equivalent level of competence on an assessment test.”

— University of Oklahoma, August 2020

Don't assume.

• Read the contents of the university website and do research before connecting with the college. Ask what is needed, but don’t ask obvious questions which are answered on the site. Being knowledgeable shows interest and motivation.

• Some universities are hiring admissions counselors designated to serve home educated students. After reading online admission requirements, have the student make contact with the counselor. Advanced research and knowledge demonstrates interest and initiative.

“Pat Wesoloski has been homeschooling for more than 29 years and works at Bryan College to help homeschool families navigate the admissions process.”

— Bryan College

• A running list of questions may be helpful. Help your learner process what he or she may want to ask.

• Early research allows families to plan well. Gain the knowledge you need but don’t panic if your learner doesn’t quite know what he or she wants to study or where he or she wants to attend. There’s time to figure these things out.

• Not all college and universities accept all languages. Be sure to check if there are any exceptions or out-of-the-box recommendations or requirements.

• Though some colleges require only two years of foreign language, some require three or four. Be sure to investigate the requirements for any university of choice. If you found out late in the high school years that four years is required for admission, don’t panic. Home educated students have the time (and often the motivation to manage that time) to complete more than one year in a year.

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“At least 2 years—preferably 3—of a classical or modern language”

— Tulane University, August 2020

“Two consecutive years of a foreign language (American Sign Language recognized as a foreign language)
”

— Stetson University, August 2020

“Vanderbilt does not prescribe a specific distribution of high school coursework requirements, but most competitive applicants will have completed four full years of coursework in the five core academic areas of English, math, social studies, science (3 lab sciences), and foreign language.”

— Vanderbilt University, August 2020

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Locating specific course requirements for admission can take time. This is why I add or update links to this page as I find them. If your student's college of interest is not listed below, try typing "foreign language" or “high school course requirements” in the search box of the college website.

Direct links to foreign language requirements are offered below.. Be sure to continue research and stay up-to-date based on the unique needs of your high school learner. Check back as I update this post.

Agnes Scott College, Decatur, GA

Amherst College, Amherst, MA

Appalachian State, Boone, NC

Arizona State University, Phoenix Area, AZ

Berry College, Mount Berry, GA

Bellhaven University, Jackson, MS

Bentley University, Waltham, MA

Brandeis University, Waltham, MA

Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA

Central Methodist, Fayette, MO

Charleston Southern University, Charleston, SC

Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO

Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA

Emory-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Tallahassee, FL (click on Academic Core Units and Homeschool/Non-traditional)

Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL

Florida Gulf Coast University, Ft. Myers, FL (click Units tab for specific courses)

Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL

Florida International University, Miami, FL

Florida Polytechnic University, Lakeland, FL

Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL

Franciscan University, Steubenville, OH

Furman University, Greenville, SC

Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA

Greensboro College, Greensboro, NC

Guilford College, Greensboro, NC

Harvard College, Cambridge, MA

Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA

Mercer University, Macon, GA

Messiah College, Grantham, PA

Methodist University, Fayetteville, NC

Montreat College, Montreat, NC

Northeastern University, Portsmith, NH

Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

Ohio University, Athens, OH

Olgethorpe University, Atlanta, GA

Patrick Henry College, Purcellville, VA

Pensacola Christian College, Pensacola, FL

Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA

Princeton University, Princeton, NJ

Reed College, Portland, OR

Rice University, Houston, TX

SMU- Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX

Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, LA

St. Johns College, Annapolis MD and Santa Fe, NM

Stanford University, Stanford, CA

Stetson University, Deland, FL

Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX

Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY

The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA

Tulane University, New Orleans, LA

United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO

United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD

University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL

University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL

University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH

University of Illinois, Urbana, IL

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC

University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL

University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN

University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK

University of RIchmond, Richmond, VA

University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN

University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL

Valdosta State University, Valdosta, GA

Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 

Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY

Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL

Yale University

• thoughts on admissions at Yale

You can Celebrate High School and it can encompass More than Credits!

15 Ways to Make Letter and Numeral Writing Fun

What if a little learner—a preschooler or Kindergartener—doesn’t want to use a paper and pencil to write?

Bring on the unique and intriguing.

• Writing in sand or mud with a stick

• Forming letters and numerals in the sand with a small car (we call them letter tracks—smooth and “write” another track)

• Writing in shaving cream applied to a tile wall or shower door

• Using a bucket of water and paintbrush to paint water letters on a garage door or outdoor wall

• Writing with sidewalk chalk on the driveway or sidewalk

• Forming letters and numerals with objects (acorns, shells, and rocks for the win!)

• Finger painting

• Making letters or numerals with a dauber bottle inker (Bingo blotter bottle)

• Shaping letters or numerals with yarn

• Forming playdough letters with rolled “snakes”

• Painting tempera or watercolor letters with a cotton swab

• Forming letters and numbers with spaghetti noodles

• Writing on a dry erase board

• Making homemade soft pretzel letters or numerals

• Using people to make letters (laying on a floor)

Keep minds curious and they will ingeniously think of other ideas, ideas you and I would never imagine.

When Learning Doesn't Have a Paper Trail

Learning is often measured in paper. Thirty-problem speed drills. Handwriting practice sheets. Chapter tests. Lab reports. Paragraph summaries. In and of themselves, these items aren't terrible or wrong. They have their place. However, valuable learning also takes place when there are no visible, tangible traces, especially when teaching young children.

Last spring, we had one of those weeks where significant educational progress was made but not all our activities could not be measured in paper. Our experiences were stellar and our children talked about them with joy and amazing recall. They were life-impacting and applicable. Learning took place, but we didn't have sheets and sheets of paper to prove our efforts. Here’s a glimpse into some of the learning fun we had during the course of the week.

• reviewed number recognition, numbers 1-75, while playing BINGO with great-grandma

• sorted, counted, and rolled coins (collected in the family change jar for our anticipated family night out)

• played the Pizza Fraction Fun game several times and then the younger children cared the pieces off to play “restaurant”

• weighed potatoes and onions on a kitchen scale and compared the weights

• made figures with tangrams (geometry)

• played Scrabble with older learners for spelling

• wrote letters (olders wrote their spelling words) on the driveway with sidewalk chalk

• retold a story we heard someone else tell and then discussed how point of view and experiences determine potential bias

• read three picture books: Blueberries for Sal, Caps for Sale, and The Raft

• read a recipe, followed directions, and measured ingredients

• listened to Jim Weiss stories on CD

• spelled three- and four-letter short vowel words on a whiteboard

• listened to The Tale of Two Cities and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (audio books enjoyed by older learners)

• reviewed state abbreviations while driving to grandma's house

• watched bees pollinate flowers

• assembled a floor puzzle of the United States

• listened to me read Meet the Pilgrim Fathers by Elizabeth Payne to the youngest learners

• learned body systems and their functions while listening to Lyrical life Science: Human Body

• discussed the nutritional content of three types of cereal by comparing labels; discussion of fats, sugar, and minerals

• cared for the neighbor's dogs and evenly distributed the money earned with the children who participated

Children were engaged. Learning occurred. There was not a traditional paper trail for these activities. Much of the evidence resided in the minds of my children.

How did we document our learning?

We kept a resource list of books we read, recorded the activities on our log, and took pictures of the whiteboard, tangram creations, games, and completed puzzle.

What I loved most about our week was that we learned together. We were relaxed and enjoyed our conversations. As I read, the children asked questions and we added to our vocabulary. When we needed to be outside, we went. There was joy.

Our learning was

Intentional. Real. and Relational.

And, it mattered.

Teaching Math with Picture Books

What a delightful day!

Our day unfolded much differently than I had thought. That’s never happens for you, right? Ha!

A little learner presented a borrowed library book, one of my childhood favorites, No Roses for Harry by Gene Zion. A fun read about curious, adventurous Harry, a black-spotted terrier. Children relate to Harry, his personified adventures, and feelings because they resemble those young children face.

In this read, Harry receives a rose-adorned sweater from grandma. He is not enthused. How often do children receive gifts, perhaps something they don't like or didn't expect? What do they do with those feelings? What discussions come out of those feelings? As this plot unfolds, the narrator tells of Harry's experience. In our home, conversations followed. Thoughts were shared and lessons learned in a non-threatening manner, because, of course, they began with a playful friend with whom my children could relate.

Oh, the discussions we had!

Our little learners wanted to continue learning with Harry.

A counting book! Thinking it would be fun to learn counting while making spots on Harry, I drew an outline sketch of Harry and littles began stamping circles of paint (with the end of a dowel rod, but a carrot dipped in paint would work, too) on this body—first one spot, then two, then three and so on to ten.

With ten Harry prints spread out to dry on the kitchen floor, I cut the end off a celery bunch and we printed "roses" on green paper. This printing project became our cover.

We practiced counting to ten, forward and backward. To extend our learning, we put chocolate sandwich cookies (spots) in sets. For this activity, I called out a number and each learner would count out a set of corresponding cookies. Then I would have the child write the number on paper. This activity reinforced the ability to convert auditory information into a visual and symbolic representation, the ability to count objects to ten, to visually remember a specific set of objects, and to write the symbolic representation (the numeral).

My children loved the learning time. They loved doing and learning. We loved the time together.

When all the pages were dry, we bound our Counting with No Roses for Harry with pieces of scrap fabric.

Our counting book is now "read" as much as No Roses for Harry. It’s a personal favorite. Priceless.

There's a learning moment in every story.

If you are looking for concept picture books that teach math, check out this post.

How to Create Your Own Timeline

I remember one season of our home education journey when everyone—preschool to high school—studied American History. I intentionally planned for the year, knowing our days with five learners our would be full and there would be lots of excitement buzzing about the home. Having everyone study American history on his or her level helped simplify our home learning.

“Timelines help children place people and events in history. They are a concrete visual of often abstract concepts. ”

In one particular part of that year, we were all digging into the American Revolution. Some enjoyed learning about George Washington while others wanted to act out the Boston Tea Party. The resulting conversations became engaging as siblings shared what was being read in biographies, heard on Liberty Kids, or gained from audio materials like Drive Through History. In addition, every learner had a different angle or perspective on the men, women, and events of the time. To tie everyone’s study together, we created a family timeline; an activity that could involve everyone.

“We’ve made several timelines over our 26 years of home education. Every one was unique, every one different based on our study of the time. ”

Our hallway timeline. When I want our timeline to be accessible, in sight and readily available at any given time—like a world map or globe—it extends the length of our hallway at a child’s eye level. To create this timeline, I pulled a stack of sentence strips from my supplies. Had I not had them leftover from a sentence-building exercise, I would have used four-inch strips of card stock or poster board. I taped the strips down one side of the hall and up the other; end-to-end the length of the hallway. Once hung, I used a permanent marker to write dates in fifty year increments, beginning with 1200 (1200, 1250, 1300, 1350 and so on). If you choose to this DIY project, you can easily adjust the dates for the length of your hallway, with the extent of your study in mind.

With several children adding to the timeline, there’s been times when all eyes were on the hall wall, times when siblings were interested in what others were placing on the wall. Our children are curious about the people or events they were studying but also interested in what they siblings were learning. Questions were asked. Siblings answered. Sometimes they enlisted my help. I love watching the process, observing their thinking and problem solving, their summations of what had been learned.

Our file folder timeline. One year I wasn’t quite ready to add tape to the freshly painted hall wall. I had to come up with another option. An abundance of file folders from cleaning out our old metal file cabinets provided us with instant cardstock. I cut the folders in half and glued them together so they would folded, accordian-style. Once folded, the timeline could be stored on a bookshelf. When a learner wanted to add a picture, he or she pulled out the timeline. This version saved my walls, but it didn’t create the same buzz as having the timeline out, front and center, to stop in front of and ponder.

Adding Pictures

The fun part of creating a timeline is adding the pictures. Children love to cut and paste. For the pictures, we use the index of old textbooks (discarded by my history teaching hubby) to locate needed pictures. For example, if a learner is searching for a picture of Alexander Graham Bell, I teach (or review with) him or her to use the index, which requires alphabetization (as study skill). We head to the “B’s” and the move to the “BE” words, and so on. Once we locate the page where Alexander Graham Bell is featured, we cut out any pictures. We follow the same procedure for any person or event studied. Cut out pictures are added to the timeline. If we can’t find a picture, we find a picture on the internet and print it.

Learning is fueled by excitement and engagement. Our timelines add to the engagement, especially the hallway timeline. And, I love that it was accessible. Anytime children walk down the hallway, they’re re-engaged and make observations (“Wow, so many things happened in 1776!”). Timelines offer constant review and consistent reinforcement. And, in those seasons when I have had to repaint the hallway, I smiled as I remembered the discussions which had taken place in that space. We learned history, but we also learned together.

Every. Moment. Matters.

American Revolution Literature-Based Study (Preschool through High School)

“Mom, why are there faces on our money?”

Children are eager to learn about people, the individuals they hear us talk about, people who made a difference— presidents, leaders, scientists. This is especially true when children begin to understand the choices and even the sacrifices and hard work others made for the sake of others.

One of our favorite periods of history to study is the American Revolution. Thankfully, there is an abundance of resources available and there are so many aspects of the era to be investigated. For a family like us with multiple levels of development and learning, we find this era offers a little bit of everything for everyone. Children can easily detour and dig into an area of independent study (which typically ignites interest in a sibling or becomes a topic of conversation at the dinner table). As we’ve studied this time in our nation’s history several times over our twenty-six year learning journey, we definitely discovered we have some favorite resources.

I am sure as you dig into the American Revolution, you will discover you have favorites, too.

George Washington

Adler, David A., A Picture Book of George Washington (K-early elementary)

Barton, David, Bulletproof George Washington (high school)

d'Aulaire, Ingri, George Washington (elementary)

Davidson, Margaret, The Adventures of George Washington (elementary-middle school)

Edwards, Roberta, Who Was George Washington (Who is series) (elementary-middle school)

Graff, Stewart, George Washington: Father of Freedom (Discovery biography) (K- early elementary)

Harness, Cheryl, George Washington (elementary)

Heilbroner, Joan, Meet George Washington (Step-Up Books series reprinted in paperback with similar text as a Landmark book) (K-early elementary)

Stevenson, Augusta, George Washington: Young Leader (Childhood of Famous Americans) (K- elementary)

Martha Washington

Anderson, LaVere, Martha Washington: First Lady of the Land (Discovery biography) (K- early elementary)

Wagoner, Jean Brown, Martha Washington: America’s First Lady (Childhood of Famous Americans) (K-elementary)

Betsy Ross

Buckley, James, Who Was Betsy Ross? (Who Is Series) (elementary-middle school)

Wallner, Alexandra, Betsy Ross (K- elementary)

Weil, Ann, Betsy Ross: Designer of our Flag (Childhood of Famous Americans) (K- elementary)

Thomas Jefferson

Colver, Anne and Polly Anne Graff, Thomas Jefferson: Author of Independence (Discovery biography) (K- elementary)

Monsell, Helen Albee, Thomas Jefferson: Third President of the United States (Childhood of Famous Americans) (K- elementary)

Paul Revere

Adler, David A., A Picture Book of Paul Revere (K- elementary)

Fritz, Jean, And Then What Happened, Paul Revere (elementary)

Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth, Paul Revere's Ride (illustrated by Ted Rand) (elementary-middle school)

Stevenson, Augusta, Paul Revere: Boston Patriot (Childhood of Famous Americans) (K- elementary)

Benjamin Franklin

Davidson, Margaret, The Story of Benjamin Franklin (elementary-middle school)

Franklin, Benjamin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (high school)

Graves, Charles P., Ben Franklin: Man of Ideas (K- elementary)

Hareness, Cheryl, The Remarkable Benjamin Franklin (K- elementary)

Lawson, Robert, Ben and Me (great read aloud) (elementary-middle school)

Scarf, Maggi, Meet Benjamin Franklin Washington (Step-Up Books) (K- early elementary)

Stevenson, Augusta, Benjamin Franklin: Young Printer (Childhood of Famous Americans) (K- elementary)

John Adams

Adler, David A., The Picture Book of John and Abigail Adams (K- elementary)

McCullough, David, John Adams (high school)

Abigail Adams

Peterson, Helen Stone, Abigail Adams: Dear Partner (K- elementary)

Sam Adams

Adler, David A., The Picture Book of Sam Adams (K-elementary)

Fritz, Jean, Why Don't You Get a Horse, Sam Adams? (elementary-middle school)

The American Revolution

Dalgliesh, Alice, The 4th of July (K- elementary)

Edmunds, Walter, The Matchlock Gun (read aloud)

Forbes, Esther, Johnny Tremain (read aloud or middle school)

Gregory, Kristianna, Cannons at Dawn (Dear America series) (upper elementary-middle school)

Harris, Michael, What is the Declaration of Independence (Who Is series) (elementary-middle school)

Latham, Jean Lee, Carry On, Mr. Bowditch (family read-aloud or middle school independent read)

Lossing, Benson John, Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of the Independence (high school biographical compilation)

McCullough, David, 1776 (high school)

McGovern, Ann, If You Lived In Colonial Times (K- elementary)

Maestro, Betsy and Giulio, A More Perfect Union (K-elementary)

Moore, Kay, If You Lived At the Time of the American Revolution (K- early elementary)

Penner, Lucille, Liberty! How the Revolutionary War Began (elementary-middle school)

Rockliff, Mara, Gingerbread for Liberty: How a German Baker Helped Win the American Revolution (K- elementary)

Spier, Peter, The Star-Spangled Banner (K-elementary)

Activities

• We have used various activities from History Pockets: Colonial America and History Pockets: American Revolution by Evan-Moor.

• Dioramas make great culminating projects. Dioramas scenes created in a shoe box or cardboard box, perhaps Washington crossing the Delaware, Valley Forge, the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

• We locate and identify the thirteen colonies on our US map or print a printable map found online and label the thirteen colonies: Virginia, New York, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware, North Carolina, South Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. Say the colonies while writing the names or pointing to the words. Notice the names of states are proper nouns and are capitalized.

• In addition to the thirteen colonies, consider locating significant bodies of water (rivers and lakes) or cities were events took place (Boston, Philadelphia, Trenton, and so on). Printable maps are great for this activity though this can also be done on a United States map orally together as a family.

• My children have loved making colonial crafts like quilting, candle making, weaving, and leather work.

• We read Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem, The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere (Ted Rand’s version listed above). This poem has been recited for generations and is narrative fiction. Though based on a historic event, not all the details penned in the poem occurred as they actually happened. Compare the details in the poem with what was learned while researching. The Paul Revere House offers one account on its website https://www.paulreverehouse.org/the-real-story/. In addition, Old North Church is a National Park. Their website is https://tinyurl.com/y7havl6b.

• In Paul Revere’s Ride, lanterns lit the way for night travelers and warned the citizens of impending danger. Tin lanterns were crafted by tinsmiths. We’ve enjoyed making tin lanterns. To do so, we wash an empty tin can and fill with water and freeze. Once frozen solid, we place the can on a folded towel and lay atop a hard surface. This keeps the can from rolling while hammering. Then, we carefully, with supervision, use a hammer and nail to punch holes in the can, refreezing as needed. When the design is complete,we thaw the can and empty and water. Sometimes, we add a wire handle and a battery-operated votive to light the lantern.

• Field trips are always a favorite. For this period of history, consider history museum, horse stables, blacksmith or quilt shops.

• We’ve enjoyed making quill pens and writing with homemade berry ink.

• Create an American Revolutionary timeline.

• Our children have loved watching episodes of Liberty Kids.

• We read Gingerbread for Liberty: How a German Baker Helped Win the American Revolution by Mara Rockliff, read the back matter at the end, and made gingerbread. For our littles, we made gingerbread playdough. This recipe (minus the pumpkin spice) has been my favorite for over thirty years!

  Gather
  2 cups flour
  1 cup salt
  1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  2 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar (cream of tartar acts as a preservative)
  2 cups cold water
  Food coloring

  1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon

  Wooden cutting board

  Airtight plastic bag or container

  1. In a medium saucepan, mix together the flour, salt, vegetable oil, cream of tartar, and water. Stir well. Add 5 to 6 drops of food coloring and 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon.
  2. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the dough is the consistency of mashed potatoes; about 5 minutes.

  3. Spoon onto a wooden cutting board or wax paper covered counter top.

  4. Knead until smooth.

  5. Store play dough in an airtight plastic zipper bag or container up to 6 months.

  Knead, roll and pat to build fine motor skills. Make a long rope and form into the letter G. Use a gingerbread man cookie cutter to make pretend gingerbread delights.