Category Archives: Early Elementary Years

Book Club Fun: Flower Arranging

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Julie @ Creekside Learning

We had a lovely book club today, arranging flowers and making our table pretty for snacks. First, I gave the girls each a tray with some glass jars to upcycle into pretty vases.  We used craft tape (Washi tape) to … Continue reading →

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Posted in American History, books, creative play, Early Elementary Years, hands-on history, homeschooling, literature-based learning, Spring crafts | 1 Comment

7 Ways to an Easy and Fun Poetry Tea Time

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Julie @ Creekside Learning

One of our favorite parts of the week is Tea Time Poetry Tuesday. This weekly tradition includes a real fancy tea set, a table cloth, special scrumptious treats and a stack of poetry books. We sip our drinks, eat our … Continue reading →

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Posted in Early Elementary Years, homeschooling, literature-based learning, preschool | 12 Comments

Every Day is Earth Day

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Julie @ Creekside Learning

Earth Day doesn’t have to be just one day every April. It can be any day of the year. Here are some activities you can do anytime, anywhere to take care of the earth and show your gratitude for  all … Continue reading →

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Posted in Early Elementary Years, healthy living, homeschooling, Learning Spaces, Museums and Field Trips, nature, preschool, science | Leave a comment

Colonial History with Liberty’s Kids

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Julie @ Creekside Learning

We cannot get enough of this series! I thought it was a little pricey for our homeschool budget but it has been totally worth it! It has really helped Colonial history come alive in our house. Highly recommend it. (Affiliate … Continue reading →

Posted in American History, Early Elementary Years, hands-on history, homeschooling | Leave a comment

Fancy Handwriting Tip: Make a Feather Pen Like Fancy Nancy

Posted on April 5, 2013 by Julie @ Creekside Learning

My daughter loves all things Fancy Nancy. And I love this series that has encouraged her to expand her vocabulary (Nancy likes to use fancy words). Nancy also loves to write with a fancy pen, one that has a feather … Continue reading →

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Posted in Early Elementary Years, literature-based learning | 3 Comments

Foam Flower Words

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Julie @ Creekside Learning

Here’s a fun way to practice reading and spelling, and they are so easy to make. All you need is some colorful craft foam and a permanent marker. Spritz on a little water, and they stick to glass. Tips for … Continue reading →

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Posted in creative play, Early Elementary Years, kindergarten, learning to read, Spring crafts | 7 Comments

Books for Learning About Jamestown, John Smith and Pocohontas

Posted on March 19, 2013 by Julie @ Creekside Learning

Our early American History studies had us lingering in Jamestown for a while. We’ve discovered so many wonderful books, that we really enjoyed hanging out there with John Smith, Pocohontas, Christopher Newport, the Powhatan Indians and the British settlers.   … Continue reading →

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Posted in American History, books, Early Elementary Years, hands-on history, homeschooling, literature-based learning | Leave a comment

Learning About Polar Animals and Safari Ltd Giveaway!

Posted on March 8, 2013 by Julie @ Creekside Learning

We’ve spent a week with the polar bears, penguins and seals, with the help of our friends at Safari Ltd. We set up fun and easy habitats to go along with some great learning resources. And, Safari Ltd has generously … Continue reading →

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Posted in creative play, Early Elementary Years, geography, homeschooling, kindergarten, nature, preschool, winter | 32 Comments

Australian Unit Study

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Julie @ Creekside Learning

We’ve been Down Under for two weeks, learning about the wonderful animals and geography of Australia. We could’ve gone on for several weeks more, there’s so much to learn about this wonderful continent. Here’s a peek at some of the … Continue reading →

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Posted in Early Elementary Years, F.I.A.R., geography, homeschooling, kindergarten, preschool, Unit Studies | 4 Comments

Strong, Brave, Courageous Girls: Picture Book Characters for Our Daughters

Posted on February 13, 2013 by Julie @ Creekside Learning

You know what we love? Books with strong, brave, courageous, funny, characters.  What is even better is when they have a whole series of their own.  Remember when you were a child, first discovering a love of books? Remember when … Continue reading →

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Posted in Early Elementary Years, homeschooling, kindergarten, learning to read, literature-based learning, preschool | 4 Comments

Anime Momotaro: A Japanese Folktale, at Imagination Stage

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Julie @ Creekside Learning

A baby inside a peach.  ”Invisible” ninjas that manipulate the props. Sound effects galore. An action packed adventure and a humorous adaptation of a ancient Japanese folktale paired with the modern culture of Japanese animation. That is what Anime Momotaro … Continue reading →

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Posted in books, Early Elementary Years, F.I.A.R., geography, homeschooling, literature-based learning, Museums and Field Trips | Leave a comment

Hands-On Geography: Animals and Their Habitats

Posted on January 31, 2013 by Julie @ Creekside Learning

An invitation to learn and play… This was fun to set up and even more fun to watch my kids explore, hear their questions and find the answers together. Currently, we are learning about Australia, so we set up a … Continue reading →

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Posted in creative play, Early Elementary Years, geography, homeschooling, kindergarten, nature, preschool | 2 Comments

Hands-On Geography: Cookie Maps

Posted on January 25, 2013 by Julie @ Creekside Learning

My kids love to eat, so what better way to get them interested in geography than to tell them they can eat a map and it will taste like a cookie because, well, it is a cookie. Sure, you could do … Continue reading →

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Posted in Early Elementary Years, geography, homeschooling, kindergarten | 10 Comments

Early Native American History Unit with American Girl Kaya

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Julie @ Creekside Learning

Last fall, I shared with you our plans for learning American History with my 6 year old American Girl Doll fan and her friend. You can click over to that post to see our list of resources. We began with the … Continue reading →

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Posted in American History, Early Elementary Years, hands-on history, homeschooling, kindergarten, literature-based learning | 3 Comments

Writing With Spaghetti!

Posted on November 6, 2012 by Julie @ Creekside Learning

You can thank my six year old daughter for this idea. Bored in a restaurant, she began to write her name on the table using spaghetti noodles. Before leaving, I scooped all the uneaten spaghetti noodles into a take out … Continue reading →

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Posted in Early Elementary Years, homeschooling, kindergarten, learning to read, preschool | 2 Comments