Homeschool Curriculum Resources

Supplemental Resources for Educators

Thanks to Oriental Trading for these curriculum resources.

Whether you're a homeschool parent or a classroom teacher, these curriculum resources from Oriental Trading are a great way to supplement learning. From the hundreds of items in the Oriental Trading catalog, we chose these items to supplement our homeschool curriculum. If you're looking for supplemental homeschool curriculum resources, be sure to check them out.

This post contains affiliate links.

Airbrush Marker Set, Money and Time Flashcards, Fraction Spinners, Ruler Tape, and World Map.

Last year, both kids attended Indiana Connections Academy online. We started our homeschool journey with them and after a few years of homeschooling on our own, decided to enroll again. It allowed both kids to take assessment tests. We discovered they both had jumped another grade level. However, Mayhem had some math learning disabilities and special needs.

Homeschool Curriculum Resources 

Connections Academy was great about testing her and getting her the help she needed, but this year we decided it would be better to once again go it on our own. This way, we can better address her mathematics learning gaps.

So, Jake will attend INCA as a 9th grader... Did you get that? He's officially in high school this year. Yikes! Mayhem is officially a 7th grader. By age, they should be in 5th and 7th. Which makes me skeptical about that assessed math disability.

There's certainly an issue, but she works very well at 4th & 5th grade level math. Her language arts assessment was college level and science and social studies were all above grade level, which is why they placed her in the 6th grade last year.

Homeschooling on our own allows us to tailor the curriculum to her specific grade level needs. We are using MobyMax to help with that. MobyMax finds and corrects learning gaps.

Tri-Facta math game for multiplication and division memory.

We ordered this educational math game, Tri-Facta, from OT. It's sort of like Scrabble for numbers. Even though Jake is a math whiz, he enjoyed the game.

It's a nice alternative to flashcards. We also got Time and Money flashcards, cool ruler tape, and fraction spinners. Everything You Need to Ace Math in one Big Fat Notebook is an awesome math book for reluctant mathematicians. It's written in note taking form and explains math concepts in a fun, easy to understand manner. Click here to find the resources at Oriental Trading.

If your kids like to color, this World Chart map (pictured below) is a great supplemental activity for geography and social studies. It comes with a booklet of facts. The idea is to find the fact's map location and then color it. We also got an airbrush set for future art lessons.

Social Studies Lesson: Color Chart the World Map.

Social Studies Resource from MindWare, Color Chart Map.

Just for fun, Teacher a.k.a. Mom, drug the kiddos out of bed for a 'I just woke up' shot to share on social media. Everyone always shares their back to school first day of school pictures and we didn't want to be left out.

For us, the first day of school means getting up a little earlier- okay, a lot earlier, but not as early as a traditional school day. No new haircuts, no new backpacks, no new shoes, no new school clothes. Just old pajamas. Well, really, old comfy clothes for sleeping. No matching necessary. We'll get dressed if we run out of food and need to make a trip to the grocery store. A trip to a fast food restaurant doesn't require getting dressed...

Recommended:

Homeschool Lessons from Kids Creative Chaos

Indiana Field Trip Ideas

Homeschool Curriculum Resources on Amazon

Follow us on Instagram

Best Homeschool Organization Tips

Homeschool Families Get Organized Tips

Homeschooling! Whether you are just starting out, or you've been at it for awhile, you know the importance of getting your homeschool family organized. You've got curriculum to store, ideas to keep track of, assignments, art work, transcripts, oh my! What's a busy homeschool parent to do? Kids, you need to stay organized too! We've scoured the web and our favorite homeschool blogs to find the best homeschool organization tips. Enjoy!

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.

Free Online Young Adult Books: Moon Magic Starts Here

Free Online Books for Teens and Tweens: Moon Magic It Begins Here

Teens and Tweens? I'm sharing my young adult novel online for free. If you like magic and suspense this YA Fiction Novel is for you. Each week, chapter by chapter, you'll live Aurora's story as she uncovers the secrets of her birth father, becomes comfortable in her own skin, and gets into a little mayhem along the way.

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.

Scroll down for the intro and prologue or click here for Chapter One.

Get  the final published paperback edition here, Allegedly Mystic, YA Metaphysical Fiction.

                                                           

Service Projects for Teens: TeeChip Care

Teen Service Project Idea: T-Shirts

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of TeeChip.Com for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

TeeChip Care is a Great Way for Teen's to do a Service Project.

We're always looking for a great service project for teens and families. TeeChip is a great way for anyone to raise money or earn money online. So, if you have a family vacation coming up, you need money for a school band trip, or you want to raise money for a local family in need, TeeChip is a wonderful way to raise the money you need. We like it because of the TeeChip Care program. Through TeeChip Care, excess products or products that don't live up to their high quality of standard are donated to NGO's. If you are looking for a great way to get teen's involved in community service, this makes an ideal service project for teens. Enjoy! Sign up an organization in need for TeeChip Care: Request form. If you know of an NGO that needs hoodies for the cold-weather or just a shirt to cover their backs, get in touch with TeeChip Care.

Fall Back-to-School Party Ideas

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #Healthy4School #CollectiveBias

Fall Party Printable: Fun Ideas to Fight Colds 

Traditionally, back to school time is August or September, but now that many schools have moved to a year around calendar, back to school time can happen in the fall, winter, and spring. After a busy back to school season, we enjoyed a nice fall break. Fall break in October often means heading back to a school full of colds and flu. That's never fun! We wanted to prep for the back to school cold season and say goodbye to summer, so we had a fall theme back-to-school party. Scroll down to find some fun ideas to decorate and host a fall party. Enjoy!

Lora's Law #17: Most People Aren't as Dumb as They Act

Quotes about Success

A lot of smart people seem dumb. A lot of smart people feel dumb. The truth is, most people aren't as dumb as they act. Right? I mean, a lot of people always do their best and their best IS good enough. Other people, fool themselves to think that they are doing their best, but, in reality, they really don't care about the thing they are doing. It doesn't matter to them, it isn't as important to them as it is to someone else, and they just don't care. Then, they convince themselves that their best isn't good enough. Lora's Law #17 is a quote about mindset and success.

Free Printables Calendar Monthly: Wifi Printer HP

Get Ready for Back to School with an HP Wifi Printer and Free Calendar Printables

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CreateWithHP #CollectiveBias

Whether you are a college student, a homeschooler, or busy at a brick mortar high school, you can't escape back to school prep. We've got a free back to school prep to do list and fill-in-the-blank calendar printables to help you get organized. What is the best way to print our free monthly calendar printables? 

With an HP All-in-One Printer with wifi , of course. Wifi printers are the bomb! You can even print from your smart phone. Enjoy!

Open Letter to Future Homeschoolers: Free Homeschool Lesson Plans Curriculum

Free Homeschool Lesson Plans and Curriculum Resources We've Tried

Disclaimer: This is my homeschooling journey story. To avoid my open letter to future homeschoolers and the homeschool haters, just scroll down to the bottom for the free homeschool lesson plans and curriculum resources. This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. Enjoy!

Easy Breakfast Pizza Recipe

Pizza for Breakfast? Heck, yeah!

Do you miss those college day breakfasts of cold pizza? Or was that last week? Either way, this is a fun, easy breakfast pizza recipe for a more traditional breakfast. Just like conventional pizza, you can mix and match toppings as you see fit. We've also included a breakfast pizza sauce recipe. We used turkey ham, mushrooms, and red onions this time because....well, it was what we had. Enjoy!

Easy Breakfast Pizza Recipe with special Breakfast Sauce.

How to Make Breakfast Pizza with Sauce

Ingredients:

Pizza Crust

1T butter or margarine

3/4 t. salt, divided

1/8 t. pepper

1T flour

1 c. milk, divided

1t. Italian seasoning

8 eggs

Choice of Toppings: Such as mushrooms, onions, peppers, sausage, ham, bacon and 1 c. shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Crust:

Use your favorite pre-made crust, bread dough, or recipe of your choosing. Roll the crust into a 14 inch circle and build up the edges slightly. Bake the crust (375 degrees) at least partially before adding toppings. 

While the crust is rising and/or baking, prepare your sauce and toppings as follows:

Sauce:

Melt 1T butter or margarine in a small pan.

Add 1/4t. salt and 1/8t. pepper and 1T flour.

Mix well and cook 1 minute.

Add 1/2 c. milk and stir constantly over medium heat until thickened.

Eggs:

In a large bowl, beat 8 eggs.

Add 1/2 c.milk.

Season with 1/2 t. salt and 1 t. Italian seasoning.

Lightly grease a skillet with cooking spray and allow the egg mixture to set up on the bottom of the skillet.

Using a spatula, lift and fold the cooked eggs, allowing the uncooked mixture to flow to the bottom of the pan.  

Continue until eggs are completely cooked, but still moist.

Toppings:

Thinly slice vegetables- onions, mushrooms, green or red peppers. Thoroughly cook meat toppings- sausage, bacon, or ham.

Assemble pizza.

Once the crust is baked, but not browned, apply a layer of sauce.  Spoon the scrambled eggs on top of the sauce. Add toppings.  Finally, top with about 1 c. shredded Mozzarella Cheese.

Bake the pizza at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the crust is browned.

Breakfast Pizza Sauce Recipe.

Recommended:

Get a Pizza Stone*

Fun Family Recipes

What is your favorite pizza topping? Let us know in the comments!

ADS DISCLOSURE: We've partnered with some wonderful advertisers who may sponsor blog posts or send us samples to test. Some companies pay us to review their products. *We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Tapinfluence, Google Adsense, SoFab, and Izea ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)

Circuit Lessons for Elementary and Middle School

Elementary and Middle School Electric Circuit Science Lesson

What's more fun than making stuff work? These circuit lessons for elementary and middle school students are fun to make. We've included printable PDF worksheets for electricity and lesson plans for teachers from PBS and Duke Energy. There is also a free online circuit lesson from Brainpop. Scroll down to get your own Circuit Building Kit. Enjoy!

This post includes affiliate links for your convenience.*

Circuit Lessons for Elementary and Middle School.

For Students:

Free Video on Electric Circuits from Brainpop.com. Be sure to play the game, take the quiz, and read the FYI. Then, do the Label It exercise.

See the Simple Explanation of an Electrical Circuit:

The video below is great for older students. It explains current from an automotive perspective:

The following video is a cartoon targeting younger elementary students:

Elementary and Middle School Electric Circuit Science Lesson.

Get a Circuit Building Kit*

Series and Parallel Circuits:

Here's the Online Circuit Interactive Activity he talks about in the video above, give it a try! You can download it here: Circuit Kit Activity.

Click to Run

• Electric Circuit Printable PDF Lesson 

• Electric Circuit Lesson Plan Grades 3-8 from PBS.

• Electric Lesson Plan for Grades 1-5 from Duke Energy.

• Free Printable Circuit Worksheets.

Just for Fun watch this Schoolhouse Rock Video on Electricity.

Khan Academy has Electrical Engineering Classes and info at the College Level.

Recommended:

Get a Circuit Building Kit*

Multiplication Lesson

Homeschool Projects and Lessons

Activities for MLK Day

ADS DISCLOSURE: We've partnered with some wonderful advertisers who may sponsor blog posts or send us samples to test. Some companies pay us to review their products. *We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Tapinfluence, Google Adsense, SoFab, and Izea ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)

Click to Run

Homemade Dr Pepper® Recipes

Dr Pepper® Recipes to Make at Home

Fall has arrived, and we are thinking football and what to eat while watching the games at home. You can get ready for game day when you make these one of a kind Dr Pepper® chicken tenders and muffins at home with these simple recipe and ingredients from Kroger. Kroger is the place for Game Day Greats. Even if you don't drink Dr Pepper®, we think you will love this homemade baked, breaded chicken recipe paired with cupcake muffins. Enjoy!

Make Dr Pepper® Recipes at home.

Your guests will be impressed with your one of a kind, unique game day recipes. Best of all, the ingredients needed are at your local Kroger. Dr Pepper® and Kroger are the ultimate football partners for your next homegating or tailgating event. 

Be sure to visit the Kroger in-store sweepstakes display with Miller
Coors®/Kellogg's®/Dr Pepper® for fly away trips to Rivalry Games. See your local store for more details. Also, don't forget to register  for your chance to win the #GDGSWEEPSTAKES.

We filled the cart with lots of goodies for college game day! We provide the entree and dessert, you bring the veggies and dip, okay?

How to Make Homemade Dr Pepper® Chicken Tenders

These delicious chicken tenders are ready in just 30 minutes. Serve them up at your next football party with a side of fried zucchini, waffle fries, and a glass of Dr Pepper® or simply have them out as an appetizer. 

1/2 C. Dr Pepper®
1/4 C.  all-purpose flour
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1 C. Panko bread crumbs
Dash of Paprika
5-6 chicken breast tenders
Salt and Pepper to Taste

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Line a cookie sheet with foil, and spray it with cooking spray. (They will stick.)

2. In shallow dish or bowl, marinade chicken tenders in 1/2 C. Dr Pepper®. Toss to coat.

3. In another shallow dish, mix flour, panko, paprika, and salt and pepper with a fork. 

4. In yet another shallow dish, beat egg and 1/4 C. Dr Pepper®.

5. Now, dip chicken into egg/Dr Pepper® mixture, then coat with flour crumb mixture. Place on cookie sheet.

Homemade Dr Pepper® Chicken Tenders ready to go into oven.

4. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, turning once toward the end, until chicken is no longer pink in center and coating is an orange golden brown. 

Cooking in oven, spoon some more Dr Pepper® over any dry bits of flour.

Homemade Dr Pepper® Chicken Tenders.

This was delicious! Make easy Dr Pepper® chicken tenders at home.

Dr Pepper® Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe is Easy

I mustache you a question. Do you like Dr Pepper®? We love it! No college football party (think homegating) is complete without Dr Pepper®and chocolate. Every party needs some chocolate! So, after your baked, chicken tenders, splurge with some fun, mustache cupcake muffins.

Dr Pepper® Chocolate Chip Cupcake Muffin with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Cart full of Gameday Goodies.

We found this fun post on Quarterbacks with Mustaches.

How to Make Dr Pepper® Chocolate Chip Cupcake Muffins

Ingredients

• Martha White Chocolate Chip Muffin Mix
• 1/2 C. Dr Pepper®
• 1/4 C. Almond Milk

Follow Package Instructions, but replace milk with Dr Pepper® and Milk measurements listed above.

Stir until frothy.

Place Cupcake liners in pan. Fill liners to top. You will need to scoop the chips into the muffin tins. They react with the Dr Pepper® and stay in the bottom of the bowl.

Bake according to package instructions. Remove from heat. Cool pan on wire baking rack.

Once cool, add your favorite Cream Cheese frosting. Then, stick on this paper printable mustache.

Mustache Cupcakes are fun for Game Day!

Mustache Chocolate Chip and Dr Pepper® Cupcakes.

We found some more fun recipes that use Dr Pepper®:

Dr Pepper® Cake and Icing

Dr Pepper® Cheesecakes

Dr Pepper® BBQ Chickens

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Dr Pepper®. Game Day Greats brought to you by Kroger. The opinions and text are all mine.

Recommended:

Edible Art

The Pioneer Woman Cooks*

Easy Weeknight Dinners

Make Superbowl Snack Taco Dip

ADS DISCLOSURE: We've partnered with some wonderful advertisers who may sponsor blog posts or send us samples to test. Some companies pay us to review their products.

*We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Tapinfluence, Google Adsense, SoFab, and Izea ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)

Community Service Ideas for All Ages

Volunteer for Service Projects in the Community

Whether you are planning Community Service Ideas for teens, a church, adults, or a sorority or fraternity, we've got some community service projects that are good for all ages. Volunteering is good for the soul, and it is a resume builder. You never know when that thing you loved doing one summer will turn into a full-time career. Enjoy!

Community Service helped land first job.

Why get kids involved in community service? 

The benefits of getting them involved in community service include:

1. learning to network
2. self-esteem
3. building experience for their resume
4. gaining ways to stand out from the rest

Community service will help them land a job, because it shows that they are helping out in an area where they will be working. 

Community service is also a way that kids can earn scholarships.  It's a great way to help them stand out on college applications. Below are several ideas for getting your kids involved.

Packing Goody Bags for Shelter.

• Park Clean up- great for all ages -when you take them for a play date or to hang out start with a little clean up. 
• Collecting can food-also great for all ages, although they may not want to pull the wagon along. However, this is perfect use for a little red wagon if you have smaller children. The kids can put signs on the side and be a rolling advertisement as they go through the neighborhood. (Recommend that an adult accompany children for this project unless they are older and go in groups, ie:Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Youth Group).
• Face painting booth -age really depends on your child's ability- if you have an artist child that wants to help raise money for a project they can set up a booth at a community event or they can volunteer their talent. 
• Soles 4 Souls- all ages -check out the link to get involved with this organization. Luckily in our area the kids are able to donate at school and the Interact club handles the boxing up etc. 
• K Kids- check out your local Kiwanis chapter, they may already have a K Kids club set up at a school near you.  In the local club here the kids are as young as 1st grade and work with a Kiwanis sponsor on various initiatives. 
• Youth As Resources- this organization allows your family or group to help out the community through various ways. They have a day of caring that you can participate in or they provide grants to youth led programs.  Check out Youth As Resources in your area to see when the grant cycle begins(Note:not all areas offer grants). 
• Volunteer for Halloween- around Halloween time teens can help by being part of the Haunted House crew.  

Volunteer opportunities are everywhere- just ask the Easter Bunny.

• Volunteer for Easter Egg Hunts- yes it is way to early to think about Easter but someone needs to hide the eggs. Teens can help with the event and enjoy watching the kids take off after what they have hidden. Or they can be the mascot for the event.
• Have a Lemonade Stand-how is this community service? The money made can go towards any charity the the community. It also helps the children learn to be entrepreneurs. 
• Arrange for a caroling session at a Retirement Center- for all ages. The kids will love hearing the stories and seniors at the center love seeing the youth. 
• Clipping Coupons- did you know that you can send the military expired coupons and help them out? Not only does this option help the military but if you wanting to build motor skills in younger children this is a great way. To find out more about how to send expired coupons or ones that you are not able to use click on clipping coupons. 
• Sending cards to the military- click on link to learn more about sending words of encouragement to troops. 
• Making cards for retirement centers-all ages -you can do a variety of cards with messages in them or the kids can create plain cards for the seniors to give to each other. 
• Assemble boxes for the local shelter- local shelters always need everyday items. Contact your local shelter to see if they need toiletries or paper goods. Have the kids set up a box at school and then deliver when they have enough to fill.

• Gift Wrapping for the Holidays- Amazon offers shifts for teens and adults to come in and wrap presents and earn money for their charity or project. 

Recommended:

Kids Guide to Service Projects*

Make Cookies

Ideas for Care Package List for College Students

College Care Package Ideas

Are you looking for ideas for College Care Packages? We're sharing ideas for your care package list to make your shopping trip easier. Scroll down for a link to our free printable care package list for college. Enjoy!

College care package complete with Schick Supplies. 

My nephew has already moved into campus, so I wanted to send him a care package to spoil him. I wondered what to send and started looking at Pinterest for ideas. I wanted to think outside of the box and send items besides just food and treats.

Free Printable CARE PACKAGE list

Free Printable College CARE PACKAGE list.  Click link for printable doc.

Here is what he is getting for his first care package surprise box:

• Schick Hydro Power select Razor 
• Schick Hyrdo Sensitive Shave Gel
• Schick Hydro 5 Refills
• Package of noodles
• Box of microwave popcorn
• Flavoring for water
• Protein bars

I decided to include the shaving supplies because a starving college student may forego shaving his beard for food. I want to help him always look his best. Since he is starting out his freshman year at Purdue, he has so many new things to remember! He may not get around to all of the comforts of home. So, when I stocked up for my daughter, I thought it would be a perfect time to grab some for his college care package.

Shopping for care package and Schick Supplies.

These products are great for the whole family. Our family has some unique skin allergies, and the Schick Hydro Shave Gel is great for us. We have no issues with this shave gel. That is such a relief. Below, are the benefits of Schick Hydro Shave Gel. We love that Schick Hydro Shave Gel is hypoallergenic and dermatologist tested.

Shick Selfie Sweepstakes

Anti-irritation formula soothes even sensitive skin

Infused with aloe and made with beard softening emollients

Forms a hydrating layer that helps soften, soothe, and protect your skin from the redness and irritation caused by shaving

Protects and soothes

Hypoallergenic and dermatologist tested

I can't wait to ship this care package of to college. I know he will be excited to get a surprise care package from his favorite Aunt. :)

Recommended:

Essential Dorm Supply Checklist

Free Printable Care Package Tags

Prepackaged Care Package for College*


This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Schick®. The opinions and text are all mine.

N/A