Wednesday, May 26

Treasure Island & Pirates of the Caribbean Sea

Piracy in the Caribbean existed largely because of major trade and exploration routes, but it flourished due to seaports that the European countries colonized throughout the islands in the 16th through 18th centuries...

Pirates were often former sailors that had naval and warfare experience. Pirate captains recruited seamen to loot merchant ships, and piracy was sometimes given legal status by colonial powers -- making them privateers. This particularly happened by the French, Dutch, and English in the hopes of weakening Spanish and Portuguese trade.

When Columbus came to the New World, so did many European diseases, which reduced the native populations. This loss of population led to an opportunity for countries to set up their colonies on the islands. Cuba, Hispaniola, Tortuga, and Trinidad were settled quickly. The loss of natives also led to the Spanish relying heavily on African slave labor to run the plantations and mines. Gold and silver, while still sought after, were replaced by sugar and tobacco as a path to financial gain.

Because the Spanish empire had begun to decline, many of the pirates and privateers were left unchecked by the royal powers. When England captured Jamaica from the Spanish in 1655, Port Royal became a haven for buccaneers (pirates who specifically worked in the Caribbean). The Golden Age of Piracy - from about 1700 to 1730 - was a time of rapid growth in these island ports. It is estimated that there were nearly 2500 active pirates at this time in the Caribbean region.

Interestingly, buccaneers operated as a democracy. The captain was elected by the crew, and they could vote to replace him. In combat, he was expected to fight alongside his men. Loot was divided evenly into shares. Officers who took greater risks might receive a greater number of shares, as would the captain. Crews were very tight-knit, and the successful ones worked well together. They even had a bit of an insurance system, where if a man was injured, he received extra shares. If he was killed, his family sometimes received those shares.

Our spine read for this unit is Treasure Island

Access the complete unit in Twenty-Three Reads Bundle, the literature-based program for someone who wants a little bit of everything!

It includes twenty-three unit studies covering a wide range of topics. Each unit has introductory text, which will give the student basic background information about the topic at hand. These studies are directed toward upper grades students, but some have resources for younger students so that the whole family can work together.

There are photographs and illustrations, and we have also included primary documents when available.
After this text, there are featured videos, which augment the background information and help make the topic more accessible for more visual students.
You will also find a short list of reading books, including a featured novel that the unit builds upon.
There are vocabulary words, places, and people to identify.
Reading comprehension, critical thinking questions, and writing assignments are included.
We add fun with hands-on activities and extra videos to watch that will bring the era to life.

Includes:

Language Arts

Finding Langston & the Poetry of Langston Hughes

Geography

Anne of Green Gables & Canadian Provinces
Stowaway & Antarctica
Julie of the Wolves & Alaska
Blades of Freedom & the Louisiana Purchase
The Avion My Uncle Flew & France

History

Zlata’s Diary & the Slavic Wars
Freedom Summer & the Summer of 1964
Treasure Island & Pirates of the Caribbean Sea
Farenheit 451 & Types of Government
Red Stars & Russia in World War 2
The Great Gatsby & the Roaring Twenties
The Long List of Impossible Things & Post-War Germany
A Tale of Two Cities & French Revolution
Witch of Blackbird Pond & Salem Witch Trials
The World Made New & Early Explorers
Stitching a Life & Jewish Immigration

Life Skills

Teetoncey & Lifesaving Skills
Freak of the Week & Disabilities Awareness
Island of the Blue Dolphins & Sailing

Science

The Science of Breakable Things & the Scientific Method
Frankenstein & Human Anatomy
Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation & Albert Einstein

Product samples:

Monday, May 24

The Secret Garden & Starting an Herb Garden

Nature studies tend to taper off in high school, but this is a fantastic time for more in-depth learning about specialized topics! Herb studies combine both science and life skills....

Herbs have a variety of culinary and medicinal uses. General usage of the term "herb" differs between culinary herbs and medicinal herbs; in medicinal use, any parts of the plant might be considered as "herbs," including leaves, roots, flowers, seeds, root bark, and inner bark.

Culinary use typically distinguishes herbs from spices. Herbs generally refers to the leafy green or flowering parts of a plant (either fresh or dried), while spices are usually dried and produced from other parts of the plant, including seeds, bark, roots and fruits.

Some Common Herbs & their Uses

	Ashwagandha An adaptogenic super root, ashwagandha is used to increase vitality, relieve stress, enhance sleep, boost brain and cognitive function, and generally help the body to 'adapt' to stressors.
	Astragalus Astragalus comes in pill or tincture form, and has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. Its main use has been to boost the body's immune system. Brew and drink a tea from the roots at onset of a cold for quicker relief.
	Echinacea One of the trendiest herbs for immune boosting, echinacea can be taken regularly over long periods of time. It has been reported to reduce the odds of catching a cold by 58%, as well as to reduce the duration of the common cold.
	Elderberry Used for its antioxidant activity, elderberry also lowers cholesterol and boosts the immune system. It is also used for coughs, colds, flu, bacterial and viral infections and tonsillitis. Learn how to make Elderberry Syrup in this easy tutorial!
	Garlic Best taken raw, garlic contains many sulfur compounds which detoxify the body, boost the immune system, lower blood pressure, and improve circulation. Learn how to make Fire Cider using raw garlic.
	Goldenseal Goldenseal helps to boost the 'power' of other herbs, and is often paired with echinacea. It has antifungal and anti-infective properties, which explain the healing actions of this herb. It should not be taken for long periods of time, but should be used more intermittently.
	Oregano A natural antioxidant source, Oregano Oil contains phytochemicals which support the body’s natural resistance. Gaia Herbs supercritical CO2 extract of Oregano volatile oils contains phenols, including Carvacrol and Thymol. These oils help support a healthy microbial environment in the intestines and a healthy immune response.
	Rosehips A rich source of Vitamin C and antioxidants, rosehips support the heart and cardiovascular system, enhance the integrity of the vascular system, and can be used as a daily tonic. They are also useful in speeding the healing of bruises and wounds.

*This information is not intended to diagnose or treat ailments. I am not a medical professional.*

Read

The Secret Garden

When orphaned Mary Lennox comes to live at her uncle's great house on the Yorkshire Moors, she finds it full of secrets. The mansion has nearly one hundred rooms, and her uncle keeps himself locked up. And at night, she hears the sound of crying down one of the long corridors. The gardens surrounding the large property are Mary's only escape. Then, Mary discovers a secret garden, surrounded by walls and locked with a missing key. With the help of two unexpected companions, Mary discovers a way in—and becomes determined to bring the garden back to life.

Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs -- Thirty-three herbs to know, grow, and use!

Watch

The Secret Garden

Make / Do

Using a flower or seed catalog, create a chart showing at least ten different types of flowers. Tell whether they are annual or perennial and in which conditions they thrive.
Make your own Windowsill Herb Garden.
Use this magnetic herb and spice guide as a quick-reference in the kitchen.
Teaching Kids About Herbs - In this year-long course, you'll learn about many herbs! Each month, your child will learn about a new herb and how to use it. Herbs are placed in seasonal positions throughout the book, but it does not have to be completed in order. Includes basic information about seasonally-appropriate herbs, project ideas, and recipes.

Choose one project from this book to complete as you read The Secret Garden.

Vocabulary

Obsequious
Sallow
Preen
Languid
Perennial
Vain
Distended
Vexes
Reproachfully
Bromide
Austerely
Unscrupulous
Bounteous
Gentry
Hypochondriac
Restive

Think

The children go to great lengths to keep the garden and Colin’s recovery a secret. Tell about a time when you kept something secret from your parents because you wanted to give them a happy surprise.
“Where you tend a rose, my lad, a thistle cannot grow.” Do you think this is true? Why or why not?

Looking to teach the whole system of Permaculture? Visit Permaculture Homesteading Science...

You may also like....

For more on teaching herbal skills, check out the Herbal Education Bundle!

Teaching Kids About Herbs – Each month, your child will learn about a new herb and how to use it. Herbs are placed in seasonal positions throughout the book, but it does not have to be completed in order. Includes basic information about seasonally-appropriate herbs, project ideas, and recipes. (28 pages of lesson plans)
Simple Kitchen Fixes – Learning to use herbs effectively, for both cooking and remedy, is a lost art. This resource was designed to introduce the beginner to basic herbs and their uses. (31 pages)

For more great homesteading fun, check out the Homesteading Course at SchoolhouseTeachers!

This homeschool homesteading course is designed for anyone who has a desire to live more independently and prepare much of what is needed each day using their own hands. In this elective course, the student can learn how to work for what they want by making it themselves, instead of participating in an “on demand” society. Homeschool students of all ages learn patience, along with the skills needed to make their own cleaners for the home, sunscreen, homemade ketchup and dry mixes, as well as how to choose animals and prepare for emergencies, and much more.

Enjoying this unit? You might like Beautiful Book Studies!

Each unit addresses a new topic, including science, history, and geography. Each unit has introductory text, which will give the student basic background information about the topic at hand.

You will also find a short list of reading books, including a featured novel that the unit builds upon.
There are vocabulary words, places, and people to identify.
Reading comprehension, critical thinking questions, and writing assignments are included.
We add fun with hands-on activities and extra videos to watch that will bring the topic to life.

Table of Contents

The King’s Fifth
Red Falcons of Tremoine
Golden Hawks of Genghis Khan
Red Hugh of Ireland
Calico Captive
The Story of Eli Whitney
Island of the Blue Dolphins
The Lost Kingdom
The Secret Garden
Heidi
Girl of the Limberlost
The Winged Watchman
When the Dikes Broke
Using the Good & the Beautiful in High School

Product Sample: Red Hugh of Ireland & the English Civil Wars

The books selected for these unit studies can be found in the upper grades areas of The Good and the Beautiful Book List. However, Homeschool On the Range and Sparks Academy are not employed by or affiliated with, nor do they receive any compensation from, The Good and the Beautiful. It has simply been their curriculum of choice for many years. These unit studies are not endorsed by The Good and the Beautiful or Jenny Phillips.

Friday, May 21

Using The Good & the Beautiful HISTORY for High School ~ FREE Lesson Plans

One question that we're often asked in the Facebook support group for moms using The Good & the Beautiful to teach high school is how to make the history work for a high school credit.  If you're not familiar with TGTB, their history program is designed to be used family-style.  This means that the entire family, regardless of age / grade can sit around the table and learn together.  There are a lot of advantages to this type of learning, as we discussed in How to Do Family-Style Homeschooling, but it might leave you wondering if your teenager is getting enough...

You may also be interested in: The Good & the Beautiful for High School
Lesson PlansTo that end, one of our contributor moms recently created a daily lesson plan that incorporates The Good & the Beautiful, Story of the World audios, Crash Course videos, and a few extra YouTube videos.  I love this because it not only challenges the kids further, but also teaches to all of the modalities - aural, visual, and tactile!

This daily plan covers a complete school year and features Ancient through Early Modern World History.  Lessons are designed to take about an hour, and each day delineates the pieces used from the three spines, plus there is a supplemental section that includes extra work assigned to high schoolers in the Student Explorers from The Good & the Beautiful.  As this set of lesson plans is strictly for high schoolers, elements such as coloring and basic mapwork were removed.  If you are primarily teaching middle and high schoolers, you could use these lessons to still complete history family-style.

Download the World History Lesson Plans

Sparks AcademyIf you're still not sure about teaching high school history, there is also the option to use teacher-led courses at Sparks Academy.  They use TGTB for language arts and Notgrass for American History and World History.  They also offer a year-long Civics course that covers introductory government and economics.  There has been chatter that they may offer history courses using The Good & the Beautiful in the future, but for the '22-'23 school year, they only offer Notgrass.  Some benefits to using a co-op, however, include outside accountability, official grading, writing feedback, flexibility, and peer interaction.

************************************************************************************

This post was provided by Channa Schumacher, a TGTB Mom. You can find a wealth of information provided by other TGTB Moms at the Extensions Page!

Wednesday, May 19

Summer Fun Studies: Teen Boy Edition!

Summer is about having the time to get the experience and venture down bunny trails!

While we take a break from core studies during the summer, each kid usually picks out a couple of 'fun studies' for summer learning. These are elective courses that might be shorter than a full semester, or just things we didn't have time for during the regular year. If you have the flexibility - and the world opens up again - summer is the perfect time to take a roadschool vacation!

Last year, the boys worked together to study World War 2 (see that here), but they're a bit older and wanted to work independently now. Thanks to 'rona, and a second year without summer camps or extracurriculars going on, there's even more time....

This summer the boys chose:

Homesteading

The youngest is our farmer-in-training. He loves being outdoors and making things, and is on a homesteading kick! Follow his farming adventures on his animal blog.

Animal Science

This goes hand in hand with the farming, only extends it to the entire animal kingdom. It's likely he'll breeze through some of the units and spend an inordinate amount of time on others...

Advanced Chemistry: Metals

If you think this is really specific, you'd be right! Our older son is very into welding and metallurgy right now, and wants to learn more about the chemistry of metals and how they work.

Middle Ages History

Because what teen boy shouldn't be interested in sword fighting and chivalry?! He'll also be working on chain maille and crafting a suit of armor.

In addition to these, we'll also have Physical Education (mowing the yard, weeding the garden, and other farm chores), Finances & Life Skills (garage sales & running errands), and Home Economics (teen boys eat too much...they have to do some of the cooking!).

SchoolhouseTeachers has so many fantastic elective options for summer FUN studies that the biggest problem was narrowing down their choices to a reasonable list! (and that's a good problem to have)

******************************************************

Farming & Ranching Summer Study

As our son ventures into this field with a more adult-eye, we will be creating a full-year course on farming and ranching for middle / high school students who are agriculturally-minded. Be on the lookout for this resource in the 21-22 school year. In the meantime, here are some amazing resources....

Books

o Back to Basics

o The Omnivore’s Dilemma: Young Readers Edition

o Duck Dreams

o Cocky Doodle Doo series

o Temple Grandin’s Guide to Working with Farm Animals

o Nature Anatomy

o Farm Anatomy

Movie

o Food Inc

Monday, May 17

Finding Langston + Langston Hughes Unit

May 22, 1967 - Langston Hughes shuffles off this mortal coil. His ashes are interred at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem.

Langston Hughes was a leader of the Harlem Renaissance and one of the earliest innovators of jazz poetry. Born in Joplin, Missouri (1901), he grew up in the Midwest and began writing at a very young age. As a young man, he moved to New York City, studied at Columbia and Lincoln Universities, and began his career as a writer. His writing was heavily influenced by folk and jazz rhythms, and you can hear these in the 'listen' section below.

Hughes wrote plays, short stories, and poetry. From 1942 to 1962, he wrote weekly columns in a black newspaper, The Chicago Defender, regarding the civil rights movement. He was a source of inspiration for black people during this time, stressing racial consciousness and encouraging African-Americans to embrace their black pride.

The Harlem Renaissance was a time of blooming intellectual and artistic developments in African-American culture. Langston tried to honestly portray black lives, avoiding negative stereotypes, but also diverting from the idealization. He wanted to see black people as people who had difficulties and celebrations just like everyone else.