
Making Heart Maps and Cards
This image is from Awakening the Heart by Georgia Heard, poetry teacher who invented the Heart Mapping activity in this post. Write a shape poem about what is hidden in your heart! The image above includes a place for anger in your heart, and also a secret room to hold the secrets kept hidden in your heart. Every heart poem is uniquely beautiful!

Make a Polygon Alphabet
The Polygon Alphabet is the perfect math activity for ages 8-12 — you will always know the definition of a polygon after making 26 of them! And it’s fun!

Three Self-Directed Family Learning Activities
My children were my greatest teachers.
Being aware that we are learning together all the time made it easier for me to create family activities that we could all share. The activities led to extended learning experiences – not just for the kids, but for everyone.
Conversations endured for weeks. Trips to the market resulted in new recipes. Nature walks inspired poetry and science. Museum visits sparked forgotten memories and made us yearn for travel.
Here are three activities that made a lasting difference for us on our homeschooling journey:.
Games That Teach Parts of Speech
Here are five ways to play your way to teaching and learning parts of speech. These are also excellent warm-up games for writing. Games can inspire!
Learn how to rhyme with Silent Crambo, how to make Mad Libs, how to write stories from a Fantastic Binomial, and more! As a bonus, each game teaches parts of speech: verbs, nouns, adjectives, and more. Possibilities are limitless!

What to Say to the Naysayers
What do you say when people question you, judge you, and don’t believe you? What do you say to the naysayers? As a homeschooler and alternative educator, I have encountered many false judgments and one-sided questions. Here are some of my responses.

