Learning a language takes considerable time and effort. Hanbridge Mandarin provides experienced teachers and the tools to streamline this process. Join me as I share a few highlights from our trial.
The Heritage Institute offers continuing education for teachers, revitalizing the enthusiasm for their calling. Through workshops, field courses, global travel studies and distance courses given by more than 100 adjunct faculty members, we do our...
Kicksledding is pure joy and turns nearly all sledders into mountain boys and girls. Gliding along on hard-packed snow or ice seems effortless (though its actually good exercise) and you get to take your sweetheart or young one along too. We were...
Smørbrød is pronounced Smurd-a-bra. The word smørbrød in Norwegian means "buttered bread" othewrise known as the Scandinavian open face sandwich. This is the traditional sandwich type in the Nordic countries, Estonia, the Netherlands,...
Birthday cake in Norway tends to mean Bløtekake. As you may never have had the great fortune of eating the glory that is Norwegian Bløtekake, I thought I'd share some pictures and the recipe with you. It's not difficult at all and the...
Early in our homeschool journey, my daughter expressed the desire to learn to speak Chinese. Shortly after we began to meet with a native speaker for private lessons, I got an iPhone. Much to our delight - we have found many Mandarin Language Apps...
In the summer of 2010, my next door neighbor and I teamed up to create a Geography Co-cop, selecting Africa as our first destination. We spent several weeks inundating ourselves into the culture of the diverse continent - exploring the food, music,...
I have been fascinated by insects and little critters since I was an infant. It is no wonder that one of my favorite unit studies is on insects. We began our homeschool journey with insects and my kiddos have been adding to their collection ever...
Kids love learning about other countries. We recently started a homeschool geography club or cooperative to provide an opportunity for our kiddos to share what they've learned, gain exposure to other countries in the same region, and practice their...
I'm a mother to two delightful young children, ages 7 and 5. Over the years, I've come to discover that the toys that are most enduring and hold their interest the longest are NOT toys based upon movies or cartoons. When my kiddos have received...
My kiddos have been fascinated by bridges for a long time. Every 5-6 weeks we travel to the Oregon Coast, crossing numerous bridges. The most memorable one is the McCullough Memorial Bridge that spans Coos Bay. A recent trip to San Francisco really...
Early in our homeschool journey, my daughter expressed the desire to learn to speak Chinese. I spent a year exploring options and trying a variety of free online tutorials. In the fall of 2008, we were fortunate to stumble upon an immersion style...
I've been fascinated with trolls and mythical creatures since I was a little girl. What a joy it is now to share my passion with my kiddos. Recently, we enjoyed a unit study on Trolls at our annual heritage camp. This lens was created as a part of...
Lefse (LEFF-sah) is a flat bread made from potatoes, and is a Norwegian traditional treat of old. It's still prepared and eaten today, particularly for holidays and special occasions. It is rather labor intensive but the steps are really simple...
As a Norwegian American, the literature and folktales of Norway have always fascinated me. I joined Sons of Norway when I was in college and am now working towards a Cultural Skills Pin in Norwegian Literature. This lens was developed as an elective...
There are many questions that come to mind when considering microscopes. Do I need one? What kind do I need? What's the difference among them? How much do they cost? The answers depend, of course, on your family's science enthusiasm and budget....
When I made the decision to homeschool, I was confidant that I would be successful finding my way. However, I never anticipated how much 'stuff' there was out there marketed to homeschooling families. It was actually a little overwhelming! Though...
Inspired by the classic 1970s movie, The Last Unicorn, my daughter and I created an elaborate storyline for her fifth birthday. Several activity stations were organized in which the kids would battle against the Red Bull's evil minions to save the...
An overview of our curriculum choices for homeschool through the elementary years, kindergarten through fifth grade.
Have you introduced your children to classical music and composer study? If not, I hope this lens will help to inspire you to do so. Antonio Vivaldi is without a doubt one of my favorite composers, both for his music and his dedication to the girls...
The materials presented here are meant to provide teachers (both at home and in the classroom) with a plethora of ideas and resources to pull from. You'll find suggested readings, living books, lapbooking materials, printables and extensive links to...
When teaching our children ancient history, we are sure to include Ancient Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, and Ancient Rome. Unfortunately we sometimes omit another great ancient civilization on the other side of the globe-- Ancient...
The goal of this unit is to encourage lifelong love of reading through familiarity with the artistry of authors and illustrators. This unit can help children at many different ability and age levels to come to understand that there are real people...
Invasive species are non-native species which threaten our native ecosystems They not only crowd out native species, but they starve wildlife, use water and create allergens. Noxious weeds also provide tremendous ladder fuel which during wildfires...