12 Books for a Tween Girl's Summer

Looking for a few good titles to add to the summertime reading list of your tween girl?    

I've asked my book-lovin' daughter to share some of her favorites.  She read dozens and dozens of captivating books during the 2013-2014 school year. But, I've asked her to whittle the list down to 12...her top 12 picks of the year.

Be warned.  This is a twaddle-free list.  You'll not find any "pop culture," dime-store novel reads here.  These are books with substance.  Books with merit.  Books that will either help shape a girl's thoughts or provide worry-free, wholesome leisure. Great books worth sharing with a friend.

All are fiction books unless otherwise listed.

Independent Projects: 2013-2014 Update

Towards the end of the last school year, in addition to her mom-assigned fourth-grade curriculum, my daughter began completing independent projects.  At the time, I hadn't really heard or read much about this form of child-directed, self-teaching, and was not exactly sure what it should look like or be like.  While I am an eclectic homeschooler and delve into the shallow end of "un-schooling" occasionally, I have never jumped head first into ANY ONE style of learning.

Independent project-based learning, while not exactly "unschooling", has been a wonderful addition to her school days.  She has been able to freely explore topics that she is interested in or passionate about while still maintaining the consistency of other forms/methods of learning.

This first few projects and presentations were a bit of a learning curve for the both of us.  Eventually, she and I tweaked the original guidelines just a bit.

FREE Summer Reading Programs for Kids 2014

With less than two weeks away from our annual "Last Day, Hooray!" celebration, my kids and I are already making tentative summertime plans. While we are penciling in many bucket list items, one annual activity always gets written in WITH INK, making it a permanent "TO DO" on our list of fun.

The library's summer reading incentive program

This year, the national collaborative theme is FIZZ, BOOM, READ.  However, our local library has opted to do their own thing by creating a pet theme instead.

I'm sure the pet activities and prizes will more than excite my animal-lovin' crew, but just in case, there are plenty more summertime reading incentive programs I can look into for a PLAN B.

Raising Boys Who Will Be "Strong to Overcome"

It's no secret that to the best of our ability and with the Lord's help, The Hubs and I have firmly resolved to raise boys to be men.  Men who will lead with love.  Men who will know and trust the Lord. Men who will rise to the challenge of a life laid down in service to God and to others.  Men who will learn the value of hard work.

Because, let's face it, the world doesn't need any more men opting for extended adolescence.  We need MEN.  Real men.  Men who embrace their natural, God-given leadership rolls with humility.

Top 5 TIps for Cultivating Passion-Directed Learning

Opening night!

Tonight, I'll be going.

I've gathered together a group of girlfriends and we'll be heading to the local theater for a mom's night out to watch Mom's Night Out!

While the movie, certainly, strikes a rather significant chord of camaraderie with all mommas who desperately need to exhale, it has a special appeal for those of us who homeschool.

As you'll see in this short trailer, the co-writer/director was homeschooled. He credits his mom for pulling him out of a traditional school setting in order to invest in his talents and cultivate his natural bents. He's a movie director today, because of a mom who recognized the need for passion-directed learning.

How to Make a Simple Timeline When Space is Limited {video}

Our space is small. Our space is simple.

And dare I say...our space is free from the "school" look. In our attempt to create a welcoming haven for both family and friends, The Hubs and I have purposed not to let our home look like a classroom.

(This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for full details.)
True...learning takes place in every room and during every part of our days together. BUT, for the most part, we choose to emphasize the HOME of homeschool, not the other way around.

That being said, as I mentioned last week, timelines...and the ability to SEE history stretched out chronologically is a key element of our days.

Here's our simple way of creating a usable timeline when available wall space is limited.

What We're Reading in May {2014}

I don't know if it was fickle weather or the long car rides to and from family holiday gatherings, but we did a L-O-T of reading in April.  While I'm hoping for better weather in the coming month of May, I also hope that the read-a-thon continues.  To kick off the month, we're all embarking into the first few chapters of the following...