Category: Product Reviews

Little House In The Big Woods Adventure: Week by Week Geography and History Lessons

Published on by Susie @ Pollywog's Place Blog3 Comments

**This post may contain affiliate links to some of the products and resources that we have used. These are provided at no extra charge to you and help to support our blog and family if a purchase is made through these links. -Thank you!

Here are our Lesson Plans For Geography and History

On weeks where there are several activities listed just choose a couple that interest you the most to work on.

Tip: If you want to go to a certain week/chapter simply push the ‘ctrl’ and the ‘F’ button down together and a small bar will pop up. Type in the week number or chapter number you want and it will take you to it.

We also like to use this song during our ‘Morning Time’ to help the kids learn the 50 States. 

 

Week 1: Chapters 1 & 2

1. State Study

  • Print out this map HERE or this one HERE. You can color in the states as you learn them and track Laura’s journeys.
  • This week we will study Wisconsin.
  • Complete your notebooking pages.
  • Older kids can write a report about the state.

 

2. Research Pioneer Life.

 

  • Discuss what you learned.
  • What would you take with you? (Remember it can only fit in a shoe box!)
  • Could you like like a pioneer?
  • What would be the hardest thing for you to give up? Why?
  • What would be the most fun? Why?

Week 2: Chapters 3 & 4

1. State Study

  • This week we will study Arkansas.
  • Complete your notebooking pages.
  • Older kids can write a report about the state.

 

2. Research the history of firearms.

  • Watch this video:

 

  • And this one:
  • Discuss what you learned.
  • Write out the steps to cleaning a gun as told in the story. Use this Sequencing Worksheet.

3. Start researching Louis Pasteur for a Speech.

  • Take notes about what you learned.

Week 3: Chapters 5, 6, & 7

1. State Study

  • This week we will study New Hampshire .
  • Complete your notebooking pages.
  • Older kids can write a report about the state.

2. Research School in Pioneer Days.

  • Discuss what you learned.
  • How do the schools differ from our schools now?
  • Make a Venn Diagram to compare the differences and similarities.

3. Continue researching Louis Pasteur for a Speech.

  • Watch this video:
  • Take notes about what you learned.

Week 4: Chapters 8 & 9

1. State Study

  • This week we will study Indiana.
  • Complete your notebooking pages.
  • Older kids can write a report about the state.

2. Research the history of Square Dancing

  • Discuss what you learned.
  • Is this something you would be interested in? Write about why or why not you would be interested.

3. Continue researching Louis Pasteur for a Speech.

  • Watch this video:
  • Take notes about what you learned.

Week 5: Chapters 10 & 11

1. State Study

  • This week we will study Texas.
  • Complete your notebooking pages.
  • Older kids can write a report about the state.

2. Research Pioneer Life

  • Discuss what you learned.
  • Would you like to travel by covered wagon?

3. Continue researching Louis Pasteur for a Speech.

  • Watch this video:
  • Take notes about what you learned.
  • Finish Your Report!

Week 6: Chapters 12 & 13

1. State Study

  • This week we will study California.
  • Complete your notebooking pages.
  • Older kids can write a report about the state.

 

2. Start Researching the California Gold Rush – Speech due next week!

  • Take notes about what you learned for your speech next week.
  • Draw pictures and diagrams to go along with your speech.

Week 7: Finishing Up

1. State Study **

  • Review the states we learned about and choose a state to research more.
  • Write a report about the state and include at least 3 interesting facts about the state.

2. Continue to Research the Gold Rush. **

  • Finish your speech!
  • Give your speech!

Bonus: **

Research the main ways of pioneer transportation.

  • How do our methods of transportation differ?
  • What ways, if any, do we still use today?

Here is an interesting video about transportation methods you can watch.

Fun things to do:

The Scrambled States of America Puzzle and Book Set

**BE SURE TO SAVE A FEW SAMPLES OF YOUR WORK FOR YOUR  PORTFOLIO!  TAKE PICTURES OF BIG PROJECTS!

 

 

 

Little House In The Big Woods Adventure: Week by Week PE, Health, and Safety Lessons

Published on by Susie @ Pollywog's Place Blog2 Comments

**This post may contain affiliate links to some of the products and resources that we have used. These are provided at no extra charge to you and help to support our blog and family if a purchase is made through these links. -Thank you!

Here are our Lesson Plans For PE, Health & Safety

On weeks where there are several activities listed just choose a couple that interest you the most to work on.

Tip: If you want to go to a certain week/chapter or subject simply push the ‘ctrl’ and the ‘F’ button down together and a small bar will pop up. Type in the week number or chapter number you want and it will take you to it.

Week 1: Chapters 1 & 2

1. Stranger Danger

  • Practice what to do/say in different scenarios like:
    • Saying ‘Not my Mommy/Not my Daddy‘ if a stranger tries to grab you.
    • Kick, Fight, Bite, Make Noise if a stranger tries to grab you.
    • Have a secret family password for emergencies when you may need a ‘stranger’ to pick up your kids.
  • Discuss different ways a stranger may try to trick your child:
    • try to lure you into a vehicle saying that your  parent is sick and they were sent to pick you up
    • they may say they have something to show you and ask you to come with them
    • try to find out if you are home alone
    • may ask to come inside your home to use the phone
    • may ask for help to find a lost pet
  • Discuss ways to stay safe:
    • NEVER wander off without telling an adult where you are going
    • NEVER talk to strangers
    • NEVER accept items from a stranger
    • NEVER go with a stranger
    • NEVER tell a stranger you are home alone (or post about it on social media)
    • NEVER open a door to a stranger
    • DO find a safe place and tell someone what is happening
    • DO walk away from a stranger
    • DO call your parents or 911 if you do not feel safe

Be Smart Stay Safe: A Video Teaching Kids to Be Safe DVD Plus 3 Music CDs

Be Smart Stay Safe: A Video Teaching Kids to Be Safe DVD Plus 3 Music CDs

2. Games/Outdoor Play

Week 2: Chapters 3 & 4

1. Gun Safety

  • Discuss the importance of gun safety.
  • Make a list of gun safety rules.**
  • This would be a good time to have someone you know show your kids how to properly handle a firearm.
  • Discuss what you learned.

2. What is Rabies?

  • Watch the Old Yeller rabies scene (may not be good for younger kids).
  • Discuss the importance of not playing with wild animals or animals you don’t know.

Old Yeller 2-Movie Collection (Old Yeller/Savage Sam)

Old Yeller 2-Movie Collection Old Yeller/Savage Sam

3. Whole Foods vs Processed Foods

  • Discuss the differences of whole foods and processed foods.
  • Make a list of whole/processed foods in your kitchen.

Fun song for younger kids:

4. How to Read Nutrition Labels

5. Games/Outdoor Play

Week 3: Chapters 5, 6, & 7

1. What Happens When You Don’t Bathe?

  • Discuss what happens when you don’t shower.
  • Discuss how it could impact your relationships.

How to Take a Shower- a pilot video in a relationship series

  • Write out the steps to taking a shower **

2. Happy, Healthy Kids: Fresh Air

  • Discuss how Laura must have felt when she couldn’t go outside.
  • Discuss the benefits of fresh air.
  • Go outside and do something fun for 30 minutes!

3. Games/Outdoor Play

Week 4: Chapters 8 & 9

1. Benefits of Square Dancing

  • Sign Up For Square Dance Lessons. Check wheresthedance.com for a location near you.
  • Or check out these lessons here.

2. Benefits of Natural Light

  1. Laura describes how the sun felt on the trip to town, how does the sun feel where you are today?
  2. Discuss the benefits of sunlight.

Cool Outdoor Activities: Great Things to Do in the Great Outdoors

3. Games/Outdoor Play

Bonus: Check out Jigging

  • Watch this video:
  • Give it a try:

Week 5: Chapters 10 & 11

1. Honey vs. Sugar

  • Discuss the differences between honey and sugar.
  • Have a taste comparison and make a graph of who prefers which.

2. Nutritional Value of Cheese

  1. Discuss the nutritional information of cheese.
  2. Taste several types of cheeses, compare nutritional information.

3. What is Cholesterol?

  1. Discuss what cholesterol is and how it affects your body.
  2. Name 5 foods high in cholesterol and 5 foods low in cholesterol.

4. Wasp Stings

  1. Discuss the body’s reaction to a sting.

How To Treat Bee & Wasp Stings

  1. Discuss how stings were treated in the book.
  2. Write out a step by step sting treatment plan.**

5. How to treat a Fever with Herbs

You can also watch this video about using natural medicines:

  • Discuss how fevers are treated today compared to how they were treated in Laura’s time.
  • Look up pictures of the herbs you learned about. Bonus points if you can draw them in your notebook.**

 Herbs Coloring Book

Kid’s Herb Book, A: For Children of All Ages

6. Games/Outdoor Play

  • Play ‘Steal the Cheese’. Divide into two groups and each group needs an equal amount of cheese (sticks, bean bags, balls, etc). Line up the ‘cheese’ on each side behind the players. The goal is to run and steal the other team’s cheese without getting caught. The first team to steal all the cheese or catch all of the other team’s players is the winner.
  • Square Dance Lesson

Week 6: Chapters 12 & 13

1. Food Pyramid

**Check out this site for more ideas.

  • Discuss what you learned.
  • **Complete one or two activities below:
    • Use construction paper to make a ‘My Plate’ or ‘Food Pyramid’ guide. Cut out pictures of foods from magazines to make a collage.
    • Plan a healthy meal and grocery list using the ‘My Plate’ model.
    • Go shopping and help make healthy food choices.
    • Pretend to be Popcorn and jump up and down to music.

2. Importance of Protein

  • Name 3 nutrients we get from meat and where else we can find them.
  • Discuss the importance of protein in our diets and what happens when you don’t get enough protein in your diet.

3. Calories In 6 Of The Most Popular Fast-Food Kids Meals

  • Discuss what would happen if you only ate fast food.

4. Games/Outdoor Play

Week 7: Finishing Up

  1. Practice making healthy food choices
  2. Research Cabin Fever and ways to prevent/cure it.
  3. Make a Giant Tic-Tac-Toe Game

Bonus: Research Tobacco.

(mentioned in Chapter 9)

  • Discuss what you learned.
  • List 3 different side effects of tobacco use.

Games/Outdoor Play

  • Play any of the games listed above or choose your favorite game to play.
  • Continue your Square Dance lessons.

**BE SURE TO SAVE A FEW SAMPLES OF YOUR WORK FOR YOUR  PORTFOLIO!  TAKE PICTURES OF BIG PROJECTS!

Little House In The Big Woods Adventure: Week by Week Science Lessons

Published on by Susie @ Pollywog's Place Blog2 Comments

**This post may contain affiliate links to some of the products and resources that we have used. These are provided at no extra charge to you and help to support our blog and family if a purchase is made through these links. -Thank you!

Here are our Lesson Plans For Science

On weeks where there are several activities listed just choose a couple that interest you the most to work on.

Tip: If you want to go to a certain week/chapter simply push the ‘ctrl’ and the ‘F’ button down together and a small bar will pop up. Type in the week number or chapter number you want and it will take you to it.

Week 1: Chapters 1 & 2

1. Read about bears or watch a video about bears.

 

For the Little Ones:

 

2. Read about panthers or watch a video about panthers.

 

 

3. Research Microbes and Bacteria.

 

  • Discuss what you learned.
  • How do they affect us?

4. What is Density?

 

Bonus Lesson: Why did the fire burn different colors? (Parental supervision needed for some activities!)

  • Discuss what you learned.
  • Ask your parents if you can have a campfire and use these Cosmic Magical Flame packets to watch the flames change colors.

Week 2: Chapters 3 & 4

1. Read about owls or watch a video about owls.

2. What is Rust?

  • Discuss what you learned.

3. Study the respiratory system.

Watch a video and older kids can do some independent research.

Week 3: Chapters 5, 6, & 7

1. Study the Digestion system.

2. Research Maple Trees

  • Describe how to identify a Maple Tree.

3. Research about collecting maple syrup.

  • Discuss what you have learned.
  • Write out the process for making Maple Syrup. Use this Sequencing Worksheet.
  • Bonus: Draw a picture to go with your project.

Week 4: Chapters 8 & 9

  1. Research and Study animal tracks.

2.  Study the skin.

3. Study the sun.

Week 5: Chapters 10 & 11

1. Study the moon.

2. Research Yellow Jackets vs. Bees.

 

  • Discuss what you learned. Why are Bees so important?
  • Make a Venn Diagram to show the similarities and differences of these two species.
  • Example:

Image result for venn diagram example

 

Week 6: Chapters 12 & 13

1.Research Deer.

  • Watch a video and older kids can do some independent research.

2.Research Thresher and Discuss what horsepower means today.

  • Watch a video and older kids can do some independent research.

 

  • Discuss what you learned.
  • What does a thresher do?
  • How has the meaning of horsepower changed?
  • We used some gears to show how a thresher worked.

3. Research germs.

Week 7: Finishing Up

1. Pick out a previous topic to research more and write a report about it.

2. Check out some other forest animals. Which ones have you seen before?

3. Check out these other videos for more information for you Gold Rush Speech.

  • How is Gold Mined?
  • How is Gold processed?
  • How is Gold used?

 

Fun Projects:

  • My kids also enjoyed reading:

 Bears on the Brain (Science Solves It!)

**BE SURE TO SAVE A FEW SAMPLES OF YOUR WORK FOR YOUR  PORTFOLIO!  TAKE PICTURES OF BIG PROJECTS!

 

 

 

New School Year, New ABCmouse: ABC Mouse Upgrades!

Published on by Susie @ Pollywog's Place Blog1 Comment

**This post does contain affiliate links at no extra cost to you.

A few days ago I posted about why I (temporarily) quit homeschooling my kiddos. Things have been more than a little crazy here and we are still working on getting the house, and our lives, back in order. Progress has been slow but steady and I look forward to getting back into the whole ‘school routine’ shortly.

2025-2026 Homeschool Curriculum: Montessori Integration

One of the many programs that we use in our school routine, and almost every day in between, is ABC Mouse. I’m sure that you’ve seen numerous commercials on TV about the program and while I once thought that this was only something that ‘rich’ people could afford I was wrong.

The price is actually quite affordable and often times you can find special deals like the one you can get when you click this referral link below. They also send out deals via email for previous/current customers.

CLICK HERE FOR A SPECIAL DEAL ON ABC MOUSE!

ABC1.jpg

Benefits Are Priceless

I couldn’t see the benefits that the program had to offer because I was looking for something FREE. Yes, there are plenty of FREE programs but nothing quite compares to ABC Mouse and my kids love it. My special needs children need a lot of extra attention and sometimes they just ‘don’t get it’ when I try to explain things. When they use ABC Mouse it helps to fill in those gaps of misunderstandings and often they bring me their tablets to show me something that they’ve mastered and the look on their face is PRICELESS.

Homeschool Resources

Continue reading “New School Year, New ABCmouse: ABC Mouse Upgrades!” →

Need Science Lesson Help? Grab Your Free Mystery Science Trial Today!

Published on by Susie @ Pollywog's Place Blog2 Comments

**This post does contain affiliate links at no extra cost to you!

Free science resource, sign up quickly!

Last year I found this new science resource for homeschoolers, Mystery Science, and we’ve been hooked! They’re offering a free limited trial to 1,580 people this week.

My kids and I have loved using this program and with fun lessons like ‘Could A Volcano Pop Up In Your Backyard?’ and ‘Why Do Frogs Say Ribbit?’ they are always excited for Science Lessons. The lessons are so easy to use and they have so many printables and assessments for you to use as well. These come in so handy when Mommy Brain kicks in and I just can’t get my thoughts together enough to decide what’s for dinner much less plan a science lesson!

You should sign up quickly, they have less than 1,400 free spots remaining (the full membership costs $69 per year).

Click here for your FREE TRIAL!

If you have already used a FREE TRIAL and would like to enroll with a homeschool membership they have a special sale going on through August 31st!

Back-to-School Sale happening NOW!

I am excited to announce that Mystery Science 2018-19 Homeschool Memberships will go on sale from August 15th through August 31st, 2018.

Save $20 on your Homeschool Membership!

What does a Homeschool Membership include?

  • Unlock all Mysteries in every unit through June 30th, 2019.
  • Access new Mysteries released throughout the year.
  • Access to the ‘Mystery Doug’ mini-lessons archive.

Give it a try and let me know what you think!

 

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