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The Periodic Table: Fun Activities For Kids!

In the elementary years, kids often rate science as one of their favorite subjects. After all, who doesn’t love learning about clouds and rain, rocks and volcanos, how the heart pumps blood, and the life cycle of frogs? 

The transition to sciences like physics and chemistry can seem like a departure from the beauty and wonder of biological and physical sciences. Suddenly, students must do long series of math equations and formulas, study complicated charts and graphs, and apply rules and principles. 

Yet, the same hands-on and wonder-based approach kids enjoyed in other sciences is still possible in advanced sciences. The key is to introduce concepts like chemistry and the Periodic Table of Elements in a way that is practical and relatable. 

There’s a saying that goes, “What in the world ISN’T Chemistry?” because everything we see is made up of elements (not necessarily as pure elements, but in their ionic, compound, and mixture forms!). Showing kids where they are most likely to encounter each element makes learning chemistry memorable and practical.

The Periodic Table: Fun Activities For Kids!

The Value Of Adding Art To Science For Kids

It’s one thing to look at a bunch of colored boxes on the Periodic Table. It’s quite another to create colorful flags celebrating each element and its usefulness in our everyday lives! Using art to explore science adds value to the drier facts in the textbook.

Art engages students in learning because it is tactile and interactive. Sure, I’ve had my kids memorize a few of the elements, their name, symbol, and atomic number, but always with some kind of visual cue. When we add art to the mix, now my kids become active in their learning process.  They can take the information coming into their brains and express it on the page—with color! 

The Value Of Adding Art To Science For Kids

The more of the five senses kids use while they are learning, the more memorable the learning becomes. After all, we want these facts to stick in our children’s minds, so they can access the information later when they need it. Adding art to science lessons gives the learning extra value, because kids are layering in another of their five senses.

The Value Of Adding Art To Science For Kids
Introducing The Periodic Table To Kids

Introducing The Periodic Table To Kids

When it comes to learning chemistry, knowing everything on the Periodic Table isn’t necessarily the primary goal. My husband teaches high school chemistry and in his class, he focuses initially on having students learn categories and groupings of elements. He even includes a wee little bit of art by having them color-code a blank periodic table to reflect the different groupings of the elements. Understanding how elements are related and have similar reactions is more important than simply filling out a blank table by rote.

In Nana’s latest addition to the I Drew It Then I Knew It Science series, you’ll find two lessons featuring the very common elements of Sodium and Carbon. 

Practically speaking, most of us will rarely encounter a pure element, like sodium in our day-to-day lives. Kids might hear grownups talking about “watching their sodium” in their food, but that won’t hold much meaning for them.

However, I have not met a kid yet who doesn’t perk up at the mention of french fries! Wait till your kids find out that the element sodium is a huge factor in what makes their drive-through snack so tasty!

Introducing The Periodic Table To Kids
Introducing The Periodic Table To Kids
Introducing The Periodic Table To Kids

As Nana lead my boys through drawing a carton of vibrant golden French Fries studded with savory salt (sodium chloride), they both agreed the entire lesson made them hungry! Nana shared facts about the element sodium as she demonstrated how to paint these savory spuds. I just love how she asks questions right at my kids in her videos. It always makes them stop and think (or at least, they don’t daydream!). Or sometimes, she’ll do a little storytelling, painting a word picture of a scene in which they might find themselves face to face with: Sodium!

Included in the Sodium chalk pastel art lesson were the important details about sodium’s name, symbol, and atomic number. But instead of plunking this information down in a box that looks like all the other boxes on the periodic table, Nana has the kids paint the information onto a flag at the top of their picture. It makes the lesson feel so celebratory! 

The boys also completed the element Carbon video art lesson. In this lesson they learned about this nonmetallic element, and how it is found everywhere from their own bodies to precious gems like diamonds. 

Nana builds excitement by telling kids that Carbon is called “the glue of life.” Plus, she introduces important chemistry terms like “bonding” and “compounds.” I think it’s great for kids to hear these terms when they are younger, so when they get to high school, they will feel more familiar and excited about learning chemistry.

Again, Nana shared background information on the element Carbon. She’s collected facts and speaks of the science of the elements so naturally, that my boys found learning about Sodium and Carbon a fascinating time. 

Drawing a many-faceted diamond that sparkled off the page will certainly be a memorable experience for my kids. I love that Nana takes something that could be dry and flat on the page, and creates a sense of wonder at how we’re surrounded by elements that make up fantastic and priceless things in our world.

Certainly, painting french fries and diamonds was not on my radar when I thought about introducing the periodic table to my kids. But now, I wonder what else Nana will share with students in future Elements lessons!

Introducing The Periodic Table To Kids: Hands on Science Activities
These periodic table activities for kids include the five senses. This makes learning more memorable and fun!

More Hands-On Science Activities

If you think drawing the elements makes science more interesting, just wait until you see the long list (and growing) of science lessons from Chalk Pastel. 

Kids can explore the intricate details of the human body with visually appealing lessons on the skeletal system, cells, bacterium, and various body parts like the diagram of the eye, ear, and heart

If you’re studying biology, try out the many backyard nature art lessons, backyard birds lessons, and even an art lesson on the frog cycle (perfect for spring!).

Astronaut enthusiasts will adore swiping their chalk across black paper to create the planets in the solar system, the moon missions, and more space exploration topics.

Don’t forget to celebrate with art the various scientists and famous inventors who dedicated their lives to exploring the beauty of this world.

Chalk pastel art lessons merge visual and tactile experiences with the solid facts of science study. So you can feel well supported in leading your children through their lessons, knowing they will be delighted to watch and copy Nana’s model instruction.

I’m sure soon they’ll be wondering what other elements of science can they explore through art!

You ARE an Artist video lessons are constantly being added to, and the I Drew It Then I Knew It series come with curriculum workbooks that offer you facts, planners, and other resources. Homeschool families can even design a plan of study in chalk pastel art that will count as high school credit.

Get access to the exciting world of art for any subject in your homeschool by signing up for a You ARE an Artist Clubhouse membership. Nana has created lessons on a diverse range of subjects from History to Literature, Geography to current events! Each lesson is a real treat because of Nana’s calm and encouraging teaching style that captivates and invites young artists to explore knowledge that is right at their fingertips… literally! 

The Periodic Table: Fun Activities For Kids! Make learning more memorable and fun!

Julie is a teacher, writer and homeschool mom. Her blog Happy Strong Home shares encouragement for cherishing children, enjoying motherhood, and growing strong families. Discover homeschool resources, natural living tips, and family activity ideas. Julie has been featured on Million Praying Moms, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, and the Melissa and Doug blog. She offers writing workshops and a “homeschool neighborhood” community to support parents in their homeschool adventures. Find Julie on Instagram to be the first to know when new workshops and community events are available. 

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Skeletal System Activities For Kids: Everything You Need For Learning and Fun!

This collection of fun skeletal system activities for kids includes online lessons, fun facts, and hands-on projects.

This collection of fun skeletal system activities for kids includes online lessons, fun facts, and hands-on projects.

Them bones, them bones, them dry bones! Kids love to know about “them bones!” Don’t we all want to know more about what holds us up?

But first, a skeleton joke (because starting learning with a laugh always helps!): 

Why are skeletons so calm? 
Because nothing gets under their skin.

If trying to teach science gets under your skin, you are not alone! I can’t tell you how many times my homeschool friends tell me I am so lucky to be married to a science teacher so he can handle all the science classes. Well, the truth is, you don’t need to know everything to inspire your children’s learning. You just need some great resources. When it comes to the intricate skeletal system, Nana has a video art lesson just for drawing “them bones!” 

Hands-On Learning Activities In Your Homeschool

Although there are 206 bones in the adult human skeleton, it is not hard to learn the major bones in our bodies. For one, so many bones come in pairs or multiples!

For another, Nana’s video art lessons make drawing and labeling a human skeleton fun and engaging. We especially loved switching to black paper for this lesson, which made the finished drawing more striking. 

Another skeleton joke: 

Why did the skeleton have to goto church to play music?
They don’t have any organs!

Although a skeleton has no organs, there are chalk pastel lessons on some of the organs in our body! (more on that down below!) But in the human skeleton lesson, there are no organs at all, just good, strong bones.

As with every chalk pastel lesson we use in our homeschool, I adore how the boys never tire of this type of learning. Using art to learn is such an interactive teaching strategy. 

As kids draw the hip bones connected to the thigh bones, and so on, they are involving 

  • their ears (listening to Nana), 
  • their eyes (watching her draw and then copying), 
  • their hands (drawing), 
  • and the part of the brain that creates mirror images, because the skeleton has many mirrored shapes! 

Using all the senses like this increases comprehension. Kids will retain this learning longer, because so many senses were at work in creating a picture they can label and study!

Hands on learning in your homeschool really is the way to make learning about the human body fun, relaxed, and keep all the information in their lovely round skulls (which is a single large bone! Fun Fact: the skull has one moveable part, which is the mandible). 

This collection of fun skeletal system activities for kids includes online lessons, fun facts, and hands-on projects.

Learning About The Skeletal System

But why learn about the human body anyway? Adding human anatomy study into your homeschool is so important for giving kids a deeper understanding of their own bodies.

When kids learn how intricately the skeleton is designed (there is only ONE bone that is not connected to another bone!), they will develop a sense of wonder at their own body! 

Learning to appreciate the design of the human skeleton will help kids want to take care of their bodies. They need to know why it’s important to eat foods that feed their bones, or how exercise can strengthen their bones. Perhaps those teens will even want to practice good posture, so they can keep their bones functioning properly! 

Plus, human anatomy is part of a well-rounded science education. In science, we learn about the far reaches of space, and the creatures of the deep sea, or how the water cycles works. Yet we live and move in these amazing bodies every second of the day, so we should definitely spend a good amount of time learning the science of how our body works!

After all, without our amazing skeleton, we couldn’t draw with chalk pastels, kick a soccer ball, or play musical instruments! 

What’s a skeleton’s favorite musical instrument? 
The trom-bone.

This collection of fun skeletal system activities for kids includes online lessons, fun facts, and hands-on projects.

Skeletal System Activities For Kids

I’ve done a number of skeleton lessons and activities with my kids over the years. We’ve built skeletons out of Q-tips, drawn diagrams of the inside layers of bones, and done experiments to see what chemicals can soften bones (chicken bones, that is!). 

But this was our first time drawing a human skeleton with Nana. This art lesson was perfect for both my fifth grader and seventh grader. I love how students in various grades can adapt this lesson to their level. 

For instance, my fifth grader drew the entire skeleton and then labeled a portion of the skeleton. Younger students might find they need a little extra time to write all those bone names down. That is okay! You can take as much time as you need once the lesson is done to learn the names of each bone. We can either go back and label the rest of the skeleton, or maybe focus on learning just the portion he labeled. 

My seventh grader labeled the entire skeleton right after completing the drawing. This is the beauty of whole family learning with chalk pastel lessons: each student can work to their ability level, and the whole family comes away learning more about the skeleton no matter what! 

I appreciated how Nana’s chalk pastel skeleton lesson covers both the visual aspect of learning about the skeleton (because it’s just FUN to know how to draw a cool skeleton!), as well as the vocabulary element. 

Naming parts of a skeleton is great for building vocabulary. It’s useful know body part names, so you can speak articulately when visiting the doctor. I like how Nana sometimes adds in the “laymen’s term” for some of the bones, discussing the patella as also being called the “kneecap.”

Besides drawing a human skeleton, you can learn so much more about the human body with Nana’s other anatomy lessons. 

Diagram of an Ear 

the ear diagram for homeschool

This colorful lesson teaches kids the three main sections of the human ear. The ear is so intricate and students will learn how beautifully our ear is designed. 

Diagram of a Tooth

tooth diagram for homeschool

Simple to draw, this lesson shows kids all the layers of the tooth. We loved how the tooth is diagrammed in vivid colors to show all the parts of the tooth and gums! Nana’s humor really comes through in this lesson as she discusses each part of the tooth. Maybe it will inspire more dental hygiene as well!

Diagram of the Heart

STEAM learning in homeschool

This intricate lesson doesn’t shy away from detail. Young students will draw a beautiful human heart kids can admire and show off! All the parts are labeled, and this lesson would make a wonderful jumping off point for further study. 

Diagram of an Eye 

Homeschool Science

The eye looks so simple, but has so many parts we cannot see! Nana helps students draw both the outside of the eye and the inner workings of the eye. Plus, students can color their eye to match their own eye color.

Each of these human anatomy lessons involves a good amount of labeling, just like scientists do! These lessons could work at any point in your human anatomy studies:  They are perfect for a starting point for study. Spend your unit studying more about each part you labeled. 

Another way you could include these lessons is by having students complete their drawings in a science journal (because labeling a diagram is key to scientific research!). 

Or, make these lessons a final capstone to a unit on human anatomy. Let students use their drawing to explain what they have learned about human anatomy.

More Resources For Hands-On Science In Your Homeschool

hands on science resources for homeschool

In addition to the human skeleton lesson, the boys also completed the Advances in Medicine lesson. This lesson has kids draw another skeleton, but with extra fun details on the skeleton, and Nana includes some historical references in the lesson.

Hands on Science doesn’t stop with the human body! Nana has already created delightful lessons on cells, bacterium, as well as many other science topics. 

Do you have a space lover? They can draw all the planets in the solar system lessons, the moon missions, and all the exciting aspects of space exploration.

Nature lovers will enjoy any of the backyard nature art lessons, which include many animals. Or, try the many backyard birds lessons. How about a frog cycle lesson for spring?

For STEAM studies, paint pictures of famous inventors, and study their lives and inventions from telephones to electricity, steam engines and airplanes. 

There is science in everything we see and do! And here’s another skeleton joke for you: 

Why didn’t the skeleton go to the scary movie? 
He didn’t have the guts!

Sometimes, designing a program of science study for our kids feels like a scary movie. But learning about science is NOT scary at all with these wonderful chalk pastel art lessons to support your studies, and the delightful and energetic Nana leading your children through learning with art.

Enjoy The Ultimate List of Human Anatomy Art Activities for Hands On Science to browse them all!

Don’t be afraid to blend art and science for a colorful hands-on experience for everyone. The human skeleton and our anatomy is a wonderful place to begin. 

Fill your homeschool with hands-on learning in every subject with a You ARE an Artist Clubhouse membership. This way you’ll have full access to all the video art lessons all the time! No matter what topic you’re studying, be it history, science, music, or literature, you can find a coordinating lesson to engage your learners. Plus, You ARE an Artist is always adding in valuable curriculum workbooks to give you fast facts, lesson planners, and more for your homeschool.

This collection of fun skeletal system activities for kids includes online lessons, fun facts, and hands-on projects.

Julie is a teacher, writer and homeschool mom. Her blog Happy Strong Home shares encouragement for cherishing children, enjoying motherhood, and growing strong families. Discover homeschool resources, natural living tips, and family activity ideas. Julie has been featured on Million Praying Moms, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, and the Melissa and Doug blog. She offers writing workshops and a “homeschool neighborhood” community to support parents in their homeschool adventures. Find Julie on Instagram to be the first to know when new workshops and community events are available. 

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December Art Activities Perfect For Holiday Homeschooling

The holidays are a beautiful time of year, and the perfect time to change up the homeschool schedule or enjoy a lighter seasonal study. Make memories with these December art activities for homeschooling!

These December art activities have everything you need for holiday homeschooling. Includes online lessons and extension activities.

Homeschooling Through The Holidays

In this season, we might turn cookie exchanges into science and math lessons. We spend more time with grandma and grandpa listening for a history lesson one will never find in a textbook. Or maybe we laminate maps for the car ride to Aunt Alice’s house and knock out geography on the way. That’s the beauty of homeschooling! We can enjoy a slower pace, more cookies, and feel reassured our children are always learning. And reminding Jake to say “thank you” after he opens the crochet socks he was certain was an Xbox … well, that falls into a new subject we like to call Etiquette.

These December art activities have everything you need for holiday homeschooling. Includes online lessons and extension activities.

December Art Activities Perfect For Holiday Homeschooling

Kick off December loudly with all the carols and Charles Dickens – A Christmas Carol Homeschool Activities followed by The Nutcracker A Holidays Homeschool Study. Don’t forget to add the Laytons’ absolute favorite Christmas story, The Grinch! Nana and I agree, these lessons are not stink, stank, stunk!

Draw Your Way Through The Story of Christmas

Draw Your Way Through the Story of Christmas – Add these Advent art activities to your Christmas Homeschool plans! You can draw your way through the story of Christmas from the angels announcing Messiah’s birth to the manger scene.

If You Take a Mouse to the Movies: Hands on Homeschooling – When the nights turn chilly and darker, there are fewer places to go outdoors as a family. We usually see the return of “Family Movie Night” on Fridays in the fall and winter as a result. Our family loves watching movies based on books. Add a few hands-on homeschool activities, and everyone is ready for both learning and fun.

These December art activities have everything you need for holiday homeschooling. Includes online lessons and extension activities.

Free Christmas Lessons! Christmas Tree for the Animals

Speaking of December art activities for homeschooling… Sign up to enjoy these Christmas lessons any time during the holiday season. Includes nature study with our sister site Homeschool Nature Study, an art lesson with Nana, a craft plus a hymn and composer study too! SIGN UP HERE!

Celebrate December Word Weavers with Literature Art Lessons

Grab your pens and journals along with chalk supplies as we celebrate these writers, poets, and creative story tellers. We believe in the Power of Adding Art to Literature Studies!

  • December 6, 1886 American poet Alfred Joyce Kilmer was born in New Jersey. He is best known for his poem Trees, published in 1913. Be sure to chalk Seasonal Trees and enjoy Winter Tree Silhouettes from Homeschool Nature Study.
  • December 9, 1608 British poet John Milton was born in London. He is best known for Paradise Lost.
  • December 10, 1830 Poet Emily Dickinson was born in Massachusetts. Over 2,000 poems were discovered after her death in 1886 and gradually published starting in 1890. My favorite is Hope.
  • December 10,1851 American librarian Melvil Dewey was born in Adams Center, New York. He created the Dewey Decimal System.
  • December 12 1821 French author Gustave Flaubert was born in France. He is best known for the novel Madame Bovary.
  • December 16, 1775 British novelist Jane Austen was born in Hampshire, England. High schoolers are loving our Jane Austen Art Lessons.
  • December 19, 1732 – Benjamin Franklin first published Poor Richard’s Almanac  containing weather predictions, humor, proverbs and epigrams.
  • December 30 1865 British writer Rudyard Kipling was born in Bombay, India. He wrote The Jungle Book.
These December art activities have everything you need for holiday homeschooling. Includes online lessons and extension activities.

December Artists and Animators

December 2, 1859 French painter Georges Seurat was born in Paris. He was a leader in the neo-impressionist movement of the late 19th Century.

  • December 3, 1755 American portrait painter Charles Stuart was born in Rhode Island. He is best known for his portraits of George Washington, James Madison, James Monroe, and Thomas Jefferson.
  • December 5, 1901 Walt Disney was born in Chicago, Illinois. 
  • December 23, 1888 – Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh cut off his left ear during a fit of depression.

December Musicians, Composers, and Singers

  • December 5, 1791 – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died a pauper at age 35 in Vienna, Austria. He had created over 600 works.
  • December 8 1980 Former Beatlemusician John Lennon was assassinated in New York City.
  • December 13 1835 American clergyman and composer Phillips Brooks was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He is best known for the Christmas Carol, O Little Town of Bethlehem.
  • December 16, 1770 Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany. 
  • December 22, 1858 Italian composer Giacomo Puccini was born in Lucca, Tuscany. 
  • December 29 1876 Cellist Pablo Casals was born in Venrdell, Spain. 

December Inventors & Engineers

  • December 8 1765 Cotton gin inventor Eli Whitney was born in Westboro, Massachusetts.
  • December 15, 1832 French engineer Alexandre Eiffel was born in Dijon, France. Along with the Eiffel Tower he also helped design the Statue of Liberty.

(If you’re traveling this winter holiday be sure to paint famous landmarks you see along the way!)


December Historical Events & Leaders

  • December 1 1955, the modern American civil rights movement occurred as Rosa Parks was arrested in Montgomery, Alabama, for refusing to give up her seat to a white man and move to the back section of a municipal bus.
  • December 2, 1804 – Napoleon Bonaparte was crowned Emperor of France by Pope Pius VII in Paris. One year later, 1805 – Napoleon defeated Russia and Austria in the Battle of Austerlitz.
  • December 6, 1865 – The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified abolishing slavery.



December 7 1941 The U.S. Naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, was attacked by nearly 200 Japanese aircraft. One day later the United States and Britain declared war on Japan. We have combined many history and art lessons for the Your Modern History Buff.

December 16, 1773 – The Boston Tea Party occurred as colonial activists disguised as Mohawk Indians boarded British ships anchored in Boston Harbor and dumped 342 containers of expensive tea into the water.

  • December 20, 1860 – South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union in a prelude to the American Civil War. 
  • December 21, 1879 Soviet Russia leader Josef Stalin was born in the village of Gori in Georgia, Russia.
  • December 25, 1066 – William the Conqueror was crowned King of England after he had invaded England from France.
  • December 25, 1776 – During the American Revolution, George Washington took 2,400 of his men across the Delaware River. 

December Space Study: It’s Out Of This World!

These December art activities have everything you need for holiday homeschooling. Includes online lessons and extension activities.

December 14, 1502 French physician Nostradamus was born in St. Remy, Provence, France. He made astrological predictions believed by many to tell the future.

Nana predicts you will love learning about astronomy alongside painting the cosmos with chalk pastels!

  • December 14, 1962 – The Mariner II space probe sent back information from the planet Venus, the first information ever received from another planet.
  • December 27, 1571 German astronomer Johannes Kepler was born in Wurttemberg, Germany. He is considered the father of astronomy.

December Science: The Human Body

  • December 21, 1846 – Anesthesia was used for the first time in Britain during an operation at University College Hospital in London performed by Robert Liston who amputated a leg.
  • December 25, 1821 American nurse and philanthropist Clara Barton was born in Oxford, Massachusetts. 
  • December 27, 1822 French chemist-bacteriologist Louis Pasteur was born in Dole, France. He developed the pasteurization process to kill harmful bacteria.

Learn more about the Human Body with Nana’ new Science Art Diagrams and chalk tutorials: Small But Mighty Cell Activities, Microscopic World Study, Human Anatomy Study: Diagram the Ear and Human Heart Activity for Kids: Hands-On Science.

Winter Equinox Art Lessons

How did it get so late so soon? Its night before its afternoon. December is here before its June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon? ~ Dr. Seuss


Have fun painting all things winter on December 21st, the Winter Equinox in North American.

December Holidays

  • December 18th-26th, Hanukkah. Jewish celebration commemorating the rededication during the second century B.C. of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, when Jews had risen up against their Greek-Syrian oppressors in the Maccabean Revolt.
  • December 25th, Christmas. The day Christians celebrate the Birth of Christ.
These December art activities have everything you need for holiday homeschooling. Includes online lessons and extension activities.
  • December 26th Boxing Day. In Great Britain, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand servants, tradespeople, and the poor were presented with gifts. Today it is known as a shopping and sporting events day.
  • December 26th- Jan 1st, Kwanza. African American families celebrate a harvest festival. Kwanzaa means “first fruit” in Swahili.
These December art activities have everything you need for holiday homeschooling. Includes online lessons and extension activities.

December Ultimate Holiday Lists For Homeschoolers

Art Activities for Every Month of the Year

Look ahead to ALL the art activities for homeschooling you can enjoy every month of the year:

Homeschool mama, I encourage you to enjoy this season. It’s your holiday too! Find a family to serve, a cause to donate to, but most importantly a sweet child to cuddle up with before a fireplace. Take it from one who has graduated a homeschooler – the time does fly and boy do I miss reading The Grinch aloud. Enjoy the movie marathon, the Gingerbread House construction, Elmer Fudd’s Blue Christmas on repeat. I promise you’ll get back to filling in the homeschool blanks all too soon because sweet friend – you’re not “falling behind”.

Stef Layton

Stef started homeschooling her boys in 2008. She quickly adopted a hands-on learning homeschool style and graduated her oldest tactile learner in 2021. Stef started the Hands-On Learning column in Homeschooling Today magazine. The Laytons currently reside in the foothills of Colorado where Stef also teaches yoga. The family loves to hike trails, stand-up paddle board, and chase sunsets. Stef shares travel and homeschool tips on IG at @LaytonAdventures.

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A Tooth Diagram Activity For Homeschool Science That Will Make You Smile

Here is a tooth diagram activity for homeschool science that will make you smile! There probably aren’t two people who love smiles more than a dentist… and a teacher! As homeschool parents, we envision ourselves leading our children into learning with bright smiles on all our faces. 

Enjoying learning is as important as reaching your learning objective or picking the perfect read-aloud. We want kids to come to learning with a happy curiosity. We want them to leave with a smile of satisfaction. 

Some learning practices are tailor-made to create enjoyable moments of learning. Using chalk pastels has always worked to perk up my children from the doldrums of copywork or chores. 

Nana’s video art lesson is a tooth diagram activity that highlights the many-colored wonder of these curious cuspids. Great homeschool science!

Hands-On Homeschool Anatomy

Perhaps you’ve heard learning sticks better when multiple senses are involved.

If kids listen to a lecture, they activate their hearing sense only.

If they read a PowerPoint or watch a video while listening, now they’ve involved their sight as well.

If they listen, read, and recite, that’s three senses! And three more chances for the learning to get in!

But don’t forget the most tactile sense of all – using our hands to move, shape, and create as we learn! Adding this fourth layer of sensory exploration to the learning time engages nearly the whole body, as kids get to select colors, sketch lines, and really engage fully with the concepts in front of them. 

Hands-on learning moves children from passively accepting information to active inquiry as they explore with their fingers, eyes, and ears!

When it comes to learning about anatomy, using your hands to create is a fantastic way to show kids how their body is at work for them! Isn’t it great that we actual have a living specimen to study anatomy with: our own bodies! 

Nana’s video art lesson is a tooth diagram activity that highlights the many-colored wonder of these curious cuspids. Great homeschool science!

Online Tooth Diagram Activity For Your Homeschool

Studying the teeth is an important topic to include in an anatomy lesson. For one, they are a prominent body feature. Also, kids have all kinds of experiences with teeth: smiling, eating, talking, brushing, and… visiting the dentist! Or even getting a visit from the Tooth Fairy!

But, have your kids ever explored the inner world of the tooth? Most kids view of teeth is a simple white molar shape. Below the surface, teeth have so much more going on. You will find that out with Nana’s tooth diagram activity!

online video art lessons

Nana’s chalk pastel video art lesson of the Diagram of a Tooth highlights the many-colored wonder of these curious cuspids. 

Kids will love tracing the outline of the tooth first, because it activates prior knowledge. Everyone knows what a tooth looks like on the outside. 

Then Nana goes deeper to show students all the layers: pellicle, enamel, dentin, pulp, cementum. As students draw each layer in different colors, it is interesting to see how Nana adds texture to help them visualize each part. Plus they can start to see the relative thickness and size of each layer as well. 

homeschool science lessons
homeschool art lessons for all ages
Nana’s video art lesson is a tooth diagram activity that highlights the many-colored wonder of these curious cuspids. Great homeschool science!

Soon, kids will have drawn a rainbow diagram of the tooth. Then, like the budding scientists they are becoming, they will label each part. This is a wonderful opportunity to add some vocabulary to their word banks, spelling lists, or handwriting worksheets!

Nana’s video art lesson is a tooth diagram activity that highlights the many-colored wonder of these curious cuspids. Great homeschool science!
Nana’s video art lesson is a tooth diagram activity that highlights the many-colored wonder of these curious cuspids. Great homeschool science!

When we completed this lesson, our young exchange student from Spain was staying with us. He enjoyed learning all kinds of new English vocabulary as well as understanding more about tooth anatomy. It just goes to show you how accessible Nana’s chalk pastel lessons are, when even an English language learner can easily enjoy them!

Finally, like any good artist, they can name, sign, and date their work of art: the human tooth! This is sure to be a stunning addition to any bulletin board or art journal. They will barely realize they have tucked away a lot of science and anatomy knowledge, because the journey of painting with chalk pastels is so enjoyable. 

Nana’s video art lesson is a tooth diagram activity that highlights the many-colored wonder of these curious cuspids. Great homeschool science!

Additional Resources For Homeschool Science

Don’t stop with the tooth! Nana has a host of homeschool science resources to keep the learning going. When you have a You ARE an Artist Clubhouse Membership, all of these lessons and the I Drew It Then I Knew It series are at your fingertips all year!

Nana’s video art lesson is a tooth diagram activity that highlights the many-colored wonder of these curious cuspids. Great homeschool science!

Homeschool Anatomy & Biology

Homeschool Chemistry & Physics

Homeschool Astronomy

Homeschool Botany

Nana’s video art lesson is a tooth diagram activity that highlights the many-colored wonder of these curious cuspids. Great homeschool science!

Whatever your budding scientist wants to discover, there’s sure to be an exciting and colorful chalk pastel lesson to make your homeschool hands-on when it comes to science! Make the learning fun and the learning will stick – and everyone walks away smiling!

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Bible Crafts For Kids: Meaningful and Fun Resources

A really fun way to bring the Bible to life in your homeschool is with these Bible crafts for kids. You can build memories, pass on your faith to your children and create hands on art projects that are meaningful and fun!

A really fun way to bring the Bible to life is with these Bible crafts for kids. You can build memories, pass on your faith and create hands on art projects that are meaningful and fun!

Teaching Children About The Bible Should Be Fun

There are so many benefits to taking an art-based approach to learning about the Bible. Whether you are teaching Bible in your homeschool as a daily or weekly lesson, or perhaps you are creating a church-at-home experience for your family, you will love how effective it is to add art along with your Biblical teachings.

Art can open the door to learning and add depth to an understanding of the Bible. Listening to a Bible story while creating a Bible craft with art is a really fun way to help remember something you are learning.

Teaching children about the Bible should be fun!

Bible Crafts For Kids: Everything You Need To Get Started

Did you know you can craft Bible Art with Nana? Yes! Learning with art is simple because all you need to get started is a starter set of chalk pastels, construction paper and our video art lessons. Having baby wipes or a slightly damp paper towel is recommended for easy clean up.

In addition, our You ARE an ARTiST Clubhouse members enjoy an accompanying I Drew It Then I Knew It companion guide for each of the set of art lessons listed below! Each guide includes an overview of each Bible topic with the Bible reference, a list of books and extension ideas like tea time, unit studies and art shows.

Old Testament Bible Stories crafts for kids
Moses and the Parting of the Red Sea art lesson – Photo by Jamie of Treasuring the Tiny Moments Homeschool


Old Testament Bible Video Art Lessons

“God left us a book filled with incredible stories to share with our children, so why not go all out? I want my children to hear the amazing things God has done, and it leave an impression on them for life, just as it did for me.” Enjoy How to Plan an Awesome Home Bible Study for Kids by Courtney.

  • Creation
  • Garden of Eden
  • Noah’s Ark
  • Joseph’s Coat of Many Colors
  • Parting the Red Sea
  • Ark of the Covenant
  • David and Goliath
  • Esther
  • Daniel in the Lion’s Den
  • Jonah and the Whale – with more, exclusive lessons for members

Free Bible Craft for Kids – Sample Old Testament Bible Story Art Lesson

For a fun way to incorporate Bible crafts for kids, give this sample lesson from Nana’s Bible Stories series a try!

Suggested supplies: yellow or other light colored construction paper. Starter set of chalk pastels. Baby wipes or slightly damp paper towel for easy clean up.

If you enjoy this art lesson, please share a photo and tag us on social media! @chalkpastelart on Instagram

New Testament Bible Art Lessons

“Yes, reading straight from the Bible with our family is fantastic! But it doesn’t hurt to add resources that visually stimulate our children. Visuals are excellent teaching tools for children of all learning styles. It also doesn’t hurt to tie in hands-on experiences that will help them never to forget. We can help bring the Bible to life as they hear the retellings. 

For that reason, I am beyond thrilled to share with you the ultimate Bible story companion. Art. How to Plan an Awesome Home Bible Study for Kids by Courtney. 

  • Jesus Blesses the Children
  • Zacchaeus
  • Jesus Walks on the Water
  • Jesus Feeds the 5,000
  • Garden of Gethsemane
  • Jesus Washes the Disciples Feet
  • The Last Supper
  • Paul and Silas Jail Earthquake
  • I Stand at the Door and Knock and more lessons for Clubhouse members.

A really fun way to bring the Bible to life is with these Bible crafts for kids. You can build memories, pass on your faith and create hands on art projects that are meaningful and fun!

Disciples of Christ Art Lessons with Nana

Homeschooling is such a unique privilege for Christian families, and it is such a sweet blessing to pass along the Word of God to our children. We have, as parents, an incredible opportunity to mold our children into disciples for Jesus, and educating at home is a powerful tool for that. And what better way to experience personal discipleship with our children at home than to study the Disciples of Christ. 

Enjoy a full Disciples of Christ Unit Study for your homeschool with Jesus, history, character, prayer, geography, genealogy, language and math!

We have also included Biographies of the Disciples and 5 Fast Facts for them all in our I Drew It Then I Knew It New Testament Companion Guide for your family to enjoy. Inside the Companion Guide, you can plan your studies with our art planners and use our book recommendation list to get started. 

You can even tie in The Chosen TV series with these lessons!

A Simple Start in Hebrew art lessons Bible learning

A Simple Start in Hebrew Video Art Lessons with Nana and her Grandson

A Simple Start In Hebrew: Learn seven basic Hebrew words with A Simple Start in Hebrew Video Art Lessons. Why would you want to learn Hebrew? Because many Biblical words have roots in the Hebrew culture. With You ARE an ARTiST Clubhouse membership, you will get the Companion Guide to these art lessons packed with Aleph-Bet chart, word studies, traceable letter printables, and much more. 

  • Day
  • Peace (Full Moon)
  • Faith
  • Prayer
  • Hallelujah
  • Commandment
  • Israel
Easter Art Lessons - Bible Crafts for Kids

Easter Art Lessons – Draw Your Way Through the Resurrection Story

You can use these art lessons in your homeschool to draw through the Resurrection story and to teach the Easter story in a colorful and memorable way.

These are all accompanied by a Companion Guide too! So you will get the book list, planners, overviews, fast facts, and more. 

  • Palm Branch 
  • The Lord’s Supper 
  • Crown of Thorns 
  • Calvary’s Crosses 
  • Easter Cross 
  • The Stone Rolled Away
  • Easter Eggs 
  • Easter Lily 
  • Church Stained Glass Window 
  • Jesus and the Sheep

Christmas Bible Crafts for Kids – Draw Your Way to the Birth of Jesus

Add these Advent art activities to your Christmas Homeschool plans! You can draw your way through the story of Christmas from the angels announcing Messiah’s birth to the manger scene. Draw Your Way Through the Story of Christmas by Courtney.


Inspiring Art And Music Activities For Additional Learning

In addition to Nana’s Bible crafts for kids, her online hymn video art lessons are a wonderful way to celebrate these rich songs of the Christian faith.

A really fun way to bring the Bible to life is with these Bible crafts for kids. You can build memories, pass on your faith and create hands on art projects that are meaningful and fun!

Growing a love of art at You ARE an ARTiST is a multi-generational passion! Tricia is Nana’s daughter and a mama of five children. Nana shared the fun of her first chalk pastel art lessons with her grandchildren around Tricia’s kitchen table. Homeschooling since 2000, Tricia has seen the fruits of home education with three homeschool grads so far! She shares the art and heart of homeschooling at Your Best Homeschool and is author of the book, Help! I’m Homeschooling! She and her husband, Steve, are also owners of sister sites Homeschool Nature Study and The Curriculum Choice.

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Small But Mighty Cell Activities For Your Homeschool

These online cell activities for your homeschool are multisensory and appropriate for all ages. In fact, online cellular biology lessons are an excellent addition for your homeschool science. Take a look!

These online cell activities for your homeschool are multisensory and appropriate for all ages. Online cellular biology lessons included.

When it comes to making learning fun, homeschool parents don’t have to look far. Kids are fascinated with what makes them…well, them! They love to see the inner workings of things. What is more intricate and endlessly fascinating than the human body? 

Cells are like mini-worlds unto themselves. They make up our very existence, yet they exist beyond our eyesight. This whole “universe” of cells is a captivating world to explore through hands-on activities like experiments, crafts, and art! Consider these small but mighty cell activities as you plan your homeschool science curriculum. 

Make Learning About Cells Fun

What’s more hands-on than the human body? We all have one, right? Kids will be engaged by what they can learn by simply observing their own body. When our family studied human anatomy, my boys loved that they used their bodies as part of the experiments and activities. 

Yet as much as we can observe so much of the human body’s wonder from the outside, it’s a million times more astounding to consider what goes on at the cellular level! 

These online cell activities for your homeschool are multisensory and appropriate for all ages. Online cellular biology lessons included.

Cell Activities For Your Homeschool

Want to give your kids insight into the microscopic world beyond our sight, but right below our skin (and on and in it too!)?

  • Enlarge the cell
  • Model the cell
  • Watch the cell in action
  • Draw the cell
These online cell activities for your homeschool are multisensory and appropriate for all ages. Online cellular biology lessons included.

Enlarge the cell.

You probably eat single cells for breakfast! Yes, a chicken egg starts out as a single cell. Show your child an egg, and explain to them the simple parts of a cell: the cell wall, membrane, cytoplasm, and nucleus can all be “seen” in a cracked egg!

Model the cell.

Now that kids have a sense of the major parts of a cell, dive deeper into some of the smaller pieces. In our study of cells, we created an edible cell using gelatin and candies. So fun and delicious. You’ll need a package of jello, a bowl, and a variety of small candies to represent the organelles (parts of a cells) like the mitochondria, golgi bodies, ribosomes, and more. 

You can find a detailed edible cell model to follow here

jello model for homeschool cell activities

Watch cells in action.

Show your kids the “cellular highway” of capillaries and veins that your blood cells travel on. One quick (and to my boys, humorous) way to do this is by shining a flashlight under their tongues while they look in a mirror. There, they will spot a “roadmap” of multicolored veins that give a glimpse of how special cells like blood cells travel around the body!

We even made a model of the blood using corn syrup, candy red hots, and candy sprinkles. Have you kids mix this up to see how various cells are different sizes and how they travel through plasma. 

Draw the cell.

In Nana’s newest I Drew It Then I Knew It series, kids get hands on with science by painting and labeling a diagram of some of our smallest parts! 

These online cell activities for your homeschool are multisensory and appropriate for all ages. Online cellular biology lessons included.

Online Cellular Biology Lessons Perfect For Your Homeschool Study

Whether you’re studying human body cells, plant cells, or the chemical makeup of our world, these science art lessons will fit your homeschool science. 

Nana has included a wonderful “opener” lesson in her Lab Coated Scientist class. My oldest created a painting of a scientist researching in a book, with swirling scientific symbols above his head. While this scientist is drawn as a chemistry teacher by Nana, my oldest changed the book to read “Biology” to match our current science studies. He replaced Nana’s chemical notations with a DNA strand and a bacterium! Kids can be so creative with these lessons. 

This scientist painting would be perfect to have as a cover for any note booking or portofolio of your child’s work. 

These online cell activities for your homeschool are multisensory and appropriate for all ages. Online cellular biology lessons included.

Diagram A Cell

After doing some of the hands-on activities above, have your child paint and Diagram a Cell. Nana does a wonderful job of helping students visualize the cell through their chalk pastel “microscope” as they look for the cytoplasm, nucleus, mitochondria, and cell membrane. If your students have learned other parts of the cell, why not have them include this knowledge into their drawing as well. This video art lesson is the perfect choice to add to a science journal or notebooking collection. 

Diagram Bacterium

The colorful Diagram of a Bacterium lesson helps kids learn about another kind of cell that can be lurking in your body. Whether harmful or helpful, bacteria exists everywhere, and yet is a different kind of cell than what makes up your body structure. After this lesson, kids can discuss proper hygiene (here’s a free hand washing printable you can use!), proper nutrition (talk about probiotics in their yogurt!), and discuss which kinds of bacteria are harmful or helpful.

diagram of bacterium
These online cell activities for your homeschool are multisensory and appropriate for all ages. Online cellular biology lessons included.

Diagram of an Eye

Diagram of an Eye helps students learn the various parts of the eye. What is special about this lessons is how students get to label the eye as we see it, and as it looks from inside the body!

Biology and Chemistry

DaVinci’s Vetruvian Man painting makes a great finish to a series on the human body. This makes a wonderful lesson in the proportions of both artwork and the human body. As you sketch out the  dive into the concept held by this Old Master that “everything is connected.” Our cells are microscopic, but work together to create a larger system. In the same way, people are smaller parts of God’s much larger universe. 

The Light Prism with Sir Isaac Newton lesson would be a fantastic intro lesson for studying chemistry and physics. Is it so beautifully colorful and symmetrical, you will want to frame this artwork after your kids create it!

For additional scientific artwork, try the Daffodil lesson where kids will paint a gorgeous yellow daffodil with their chalks and label the parts of a flower. You might revisit your cell painting and discuss how a plant cell is slightly different than an animal/human cell. 

More Homeschool Science Lessons From You Are An Artist

Science doesn’t end with the human body, of course. Our boys have enjoyed so many science lessons from Chalk Pastel. 

For a great Astronomy study, the Hubble Space Telescope Lesson can be a jumping off point for a Space unit. Follow it up with any of the Space Exploration Clubhouse lessons, but my favorites would be the Spiral Galaxy and the Nebula lessons. Students can draw all the planets in the Milky Way with the Solar System Clubhouse lessons. 

If you’re studying Physics, you should check out the Electric Light and Electric Lightning lessons!

For an Earth Science study, you’ll love the volcano, tornado, and northern lights video art lessons. 

Studying habitats? Draw a Marsh or paint the habitat Under the Sea

A study of Zoology might use any of the dozens of animal art lessons from Nana. Frogs are always a great place to start because they are a great animal for discussing life cycles. The John James Audubon lesson plus the Birds Clubhouse lessons are also wonderful for Biology and Zoology studies. 

These online cell activities for your homeschool are multisensory and appropriate for all ages. Online cellular biology lessons included.

Each science-themed art lesson from Nana focuses on a science concept that opens a door for further investigation, study, and discussion. Nana does such a wonderful job of dropping “breadcrumbs” of interesting and relevant facts as she gives her chalk pastel instruction. 

I am always amazed at how much a simple painting session can spark a deeper level conversation with my boys. Even if you only select a single video art lesson to complement your science studies, these lessons are small but mighty cell activities you’ll want to include in your homeschool science!

These online cell activities for your homeschool are multisensory and appropriate for all ages. Online cellular biology lessons included.

Julie is a teacher, writer and homeschool mom. Her blog Happy Strong Home shares encouragement for cherishing children, enjoying motherhood, and growing strong families. Discover homeschool resources, natural living tips, and family activity ideas. Julie has been featured on Million Praying Moms, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, and the Melissa and Doug blog. She offers writing workshops and a “homeschool neighborhood” community to support parents in their homeschool adventures. Find Julie on Instagram to be the first to know when new workshops and community events are available. 

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A Microscopic World Study For Homeschool Science

Homeschool Science

Science, it’s one of those love-it-or-hate-it subjects in homeschooling. Teaching homeschool science and facilitating experiments at home might make you feel a little overwhelmed. There are so many exciting ways to teach and learn about science together at home.  This microscopic world study is a great example!

An excellent way to get your children excited about science can be through exploring the microscopic world. #homeschoolscience #microscopicstudy #sciencecurriculum #sciencestudy

Seeing Our World Through The Microscope

An excellent way to get your children excited about science can be through exploring the microscopic world. Seeing things through a microscope opens a whole new world of scientific knowledge for children. 

Since most children have a visual or kinesthetic (hands-on) learning style, studying with microscopes and diagramming is an excellent way to learn science. Not only that, it’s a lot of fun! 

So if homeschool science experiments aren’t your thing yet, you should try an exploration of the microscopic world. Your kids are sure to love it and learn so much along the way. 

Homeschool Science

The best part is that you don’t even need a microscope at home to enjoy these studies. If you have one handy, that’s awesome! But don’t fret if you don’t. Nowadays, you can effortlessly search for what you want to see through a microscopic lens, and you can likely find images and even videos of it on the internet. 

You may want to set up a microscopic world study and look closely at all of these marvelous things the human eye can not see. There are many options to explore under a microscope, insects, cells, salt, hair, onion, mold, flower parts, leaves, sea sponge, spider webs, pond water, and tons more!

Homeschool Science

Microscopic World Study And Exploration For Your Homeschool

If you are ready to embark on a scientific journey with Nana, she is waiting with some unique new lessons that are sure to please. Nana has created the perfect homeschool science art lessons to add an artistic and hands-on element to your science studies. Who says science is boring? It’s definitely not with Nana in the I Drew It Then I Knew It Clubhouse. 

We love how YOU ARE AN ARTiST keeps adding fun hands-on art lessons to pair with everything we are learning in our homeschools. (If you don’t have a membership yet, I highly recommend adding one to your homeschool. You will get so much value from it for almost every subject in your homeschool, including science.) It’s one of my favorite ways to keep our homeschool fun and exciting for all of my kids. 

Homeschool Science

So whether you have a complete science curriculum or no science curriculum at all, you can use these hands-on homeschool science lessons. You can pair these microscopic homeschool science diagramming lessons with your science curriculum. Or use a resource that allows you to explore your particular interests and pair Nana’s homeschool science lessons with them! Either way, these are easy to do, and your kids will be so glad that you did. 

Nana loves maps, and diagramming is like maps for anatomy and cells. Combining art and science by diagramming is brilliant because you can also expand on vocabulary, handwriting, and spelling for elementary. 

Homeschool Science

Diagram of a Cell 

There are many creative ways to learn about cells for all ages, and this Diagram of a Cell art lesson is perfect as a stand-alone lesson or to accompany that cell cake or cells made of jello. It’s a wonderful way to learn more about cells, and if you don’t like all the messy aspects of cell cakes and the like, you can just stick with paper and chalk pastels.

Homeschool Science

Diagram of a Bacterium

Another easy way to learn more about homeschool science is to add a Diagram of a Bacterium art lesson. Learning about science through text or your curriculum is great but adding a hands-on element like art boosts your kids’ science knowledge. 

Diagram of the Eye & Eyeball 

My kids loved this one! Diagramming the eye is such an exciting way to bring your science lesson to life! We added the DK Smithsonian Human Body Book to our science studies; it has fantastic images to explore as you learn together. It is one of those resources that are great to use in place of an entire science curriculum if you haven’t chosen one yet or to allow the kids to find their own interests to pursue. 

Homeschool Science

Diagram of a Daffodil

The Diagram of a Daffodil was also a favorite in our homeschool this week! We love to explore nature, and combining art makes it even more delightful. It is always a treat to revisit the parts of a flower and we included Julia Rothman’s Nature Anatomy book for this one too!

Homeschool Science

More Online Homeschool Science Lessons

Here are even more homeschool art lessons you can add to your homeschool science studies. Remember, there is no right or wrong way to study anything. Keep it simple and have fun learning together!

  • Vitruvian Man – Leonardo da Vinci
  • Light Prism – Sir Isaac Newton
  • Lab-Coated Scientist
  • Total Solar Eclipse
  • Solar System 
  • Perseids
  • Through the Telescope
  • Moon Missions
  • Comet 
  • Spiral Galaxy
  • and many, many more!
Homeschool Science

Nature Science Art Lessons

  • Red-Eyed Tree Frog
  • Snail 
  • Deer in the Forest
  • Rat Snake
  • Eagle’s Nest
  • Dandelion
  • Ant
  • Cicada
  • Sharks

Courtney is a Jesus-pursuing, native Texan, homeschool mom of three, and she believes homeschooling can be a peaceful and productive rhythm. At Grace, Grow & Edify she helps families create peaceful homeschooling atmospheres through faith, organizational strategies, and cultivating strong roots at home. She is also the founder of Homeschool Mastery Academy.

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The Best Art Lessons for Your Homeschool History Curriculum

Yes, you can use art to teach history! No matter what time period you are studying in your homeschool history curriculum, Nana’s I Drew It then I Knew It video lessons are the easy – and fun – way to learn important parts of history. Enjoy a library of history video art lessons to match all four history cycles no matter what homeschool history curriculum you are using. Nana does the teaching and all you need are very minimal supplies. It is super easy to get started in chalk pastel art.

Art Lessons for your homeschool history curriculum! Nana's I Drew It then I Knew It video lessons are the easy - and fun - way to learn history. Ancient, medieval, early American and modern history.
Boston Tea Party Cup photo by Julie Kieras

The Practical Benefits of Adding Art Lessons to Your Homeschool History Curriculum

Just why would you want to have art lessons to go with your homeschool history curriculum? Nana shares an example: “…let’s take our pastels and paint the Roman Coliseum. We can use all the reds, golds and orange to make a wonderful pastel painting. While we paint, we chat about where the Coliseum was built, when, and what it was used for. Then a while later, a question comes up about the Coliseum. The artist student remembers the painting, and, most importantly, the chat about facts on this classic Roman treasure!”

Here are four practical benefits of adding art lessons to your homeschool history curriculum:

  1. Learn history in an engaging way! In the You ARE an ARTiST Complete Clubhouse, Nana has a series of ancient, medieval, early American and modern art lessons to match your homeschool history curriculum.
  2. You can also enjoy art history, famous artists and art appreciation with her continuing Famous Artists series.
  3. It is simply beautiful to blend subjects and age levels together while learning! That makes things easier on you, the homeschool mom.
  4. Art increases comprehension, retention, attention span by adding a hands on element that brings a lesson to life!

“This is the quietest my kids have been all day! They concentrated on their American history chalk pastel pieces. I love this program! It allows me to intentionally include art with our studies yet frees me up from being the teacher!”

– Maureen Spell
Art Lessons for your homeschool history curriculum! Nana's I Drew It then I Knew It video lessons are the easy way to learn history.

Shawna, in her article, Why Adding Art to Homeschool History Makes All The Difference, shares:

“At first, I thought we needed more structure to our learning. I added quizzes and worksheets. I bought an expensive textbook. I tried all the things that a more formal school setting does to teach history. None of it worked. In fact, not only did my boys retain less than before, they began to dislike history and avoid it.

It was only when I decided to go with what I knew they would enjoy, that our homeschool history study came alive. I added art.”

-Shawna Wingert

It may seem simple, and I guess it is, but adding I Drew It And Then I Knew It to our homeschool history curriculum was the solution I was looking for.” Be sure to read Shawna’s post for three reasons why adding art to history works so well.

Our You ARE an ARTiST Complete Clubhouse members also have access to a valuable teaching tool designed specifically for Nana’s art lessons.

I Drew It Then I Knew It History Companion Workbooks For Your Homeschool

The I Drew It Then I Knew It Companion Workbooks are designed for you to use however they work best in your homeschool. They are flexible and easily complement your homeschool history curriculum.

The I Drew It Then I Knew It Companion Workbooks are designed for you to use however they work best in your homeschool. They are flexible and easily complement your homeschool history curriculum. Best Art Lessons for Your Homeschool History Curriculum

In each I Drew It Then I Knew It workbook, you will find:

  • a Book List with varying reading levels
  • 5 Fast Facts
  • an Overview of the lesson topic
  • Biography or Writing Prompts
  • Planners
  • Ideas for How To Use our Curriculum

Everything you need for a quick lesson can be found inside. Or use all of the planners included to map out a more extensive study. The Companion Workbooks will help you combine your oldest to youngest learners all in one place over a central topic. There is something special about family-style learning and all ages creating together. Read more from Courtney and take a video tour of the I Drew It Then I Knew It companion workbooks in her Art Lessons for the Eclectic Homeschool Family.

Art Lessons for Your Homeschool History Curriculum

Following is a sampling of Nana’s video art lessons for all four history cycles. Take a look and see how these can match up with your homeschool history curriculum.

From creation to Ancient Egypt and the fall of Rome – enjoy these art lessons with your ancient history homeschool curriculum: The Best Art Lessons for Your Homeschool History Curriculum

Art Lessons for Ancient History Studies

From creation to Ancient Egypt and the fall of Rome – enjoy these art lessons with your ancient homeschool history curriculum:

From Robin Hood, castles and knights to the crusades, dragons, vikings, court dress, inventors and more – Nana's medieval history art lessons are a fun match to your middle ages studies:

Medieval History Art Lessons for Your Homeschool

From Robin Hood, castles and knights to the crusades, dragons, vikings, court dress, inventors and more – Nana’s medieval history art lessons are a fun match to your middle ages homeschool history curriculum:

Early American History Homeschool Art Lessons

Whether it is the early colonists and Native Americans, maps of journeys or the American Revolution, or modern American presidents, Nana’s American History lessons will help reinforce all you are learning in American history with your homeschool history curriculum:

American History Art Lessons – Are you looking for fun ways to incorporate American homeschool history lessons? Maybe you already have a homeschool history curriculum, but you’re looking for ways to make it more hands-on and engaging. Chalk pastels may be just what you need to get your kids to fall in love with history!

  • Revolutionary War
  • Lewis and Clarke Art Lessons
  • Civil War and Underground Railroad Art Lessons
  • Johnny Appleseed
Little House On The Prairie Homeschool - Are there any homeschoolers out there that don’t hop on the Little House on the Prairie wagon? I mean, seriously, how can you not love Little House? There is something about Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House series that is easy to obsess over. 
  • Little House on the Prairie Homeschool Lessons – Are there any homeschoolers out there that don’t hop on the Little House on the Prairie wagon? I mean, seriously, how can you not love Little House? There is something about Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House series that is easy to obsess over. 
  • John James Audubon the explorer and artist – Come on! Grab a saddlebag and join us as we explore the forests of early America and see this great country through the eyes of famous artist John James Audubon!
  • The Best Presidents Art Lessons for Your Homeschool – Here at You ARE an ARTiST, we know precisely how fascinating it can be to dive into the U.S. Presidents. We think all of our presidents deserve a celebration anytime! For that reason, we created the ultimate homeschool history curriculum companion to our I Drew It And I Knew It Presidents Series.
Enjoy Nana's Amelia Earhart lesson as part of your Modern History homeschool studies. The Best Art Lessons for Your Homeschool History Curriculum
Enjoy Nana’s Amelia Earhart lesson as part of your Modern History homeschool studies.

Modern History Art Lessons

Studying inventors? Famous historians of the 20th century? Space exploration, Mars rovers, world wars, aviation and world landmarks? You can find these homeschool lessons and more to go with your modern homeschool history curriculum:

  • Winston Churchill – The world treasures Sir Winston Churchill as a soldier, statesman, orator, author and Prime Minister to the King of England and his daughter who now sits on the throne as the longest serving monarch the world has ever known.
  • Great Britain Unit Study – You can now travel to Great Britain with chalk pastels! Explore Big Ben, Queen Elizabeth, Winston Churchill, and much more in this unique and colorful way. Nana will be your guide on this historic trip filled with key icons and landmarks with chalk pastels Great Britain themed art.
  • Adventures in Narnia – Are your kids ready for an epic art journey? Then, take a trip with chalk pastels Narnia with Nana art adventure! Nana has a whole Literature and Tea Time section in the You ARE an ARTiST Clubhouse! Explore more in The Power of Adding Art to Literature Lessons.
  • Famous Artist Norman Rockwell and many more in Nana’s Exploring Famous Artists series.
  • Artist Clubhouse Modern History – Such rich lessons to complement the learning already happening in your home.
Don't forget! Geography goes hand in hand with history! Nana has a full series of I Drew It Then I Knew It Maps to help Make Geography Fun with Chalk Pastels.

Don’t forget! Geography goes hand in hand with homeschool history curriculum! Nana has a full series of I Drew It Then I Knew It Maps to help Make Geography Fun with Chalk Pastels.

Growing a love of art at You ARE an ARTiST is a multi-generational passion! Tricia is Nana’s daughter and a mama of five children. Nana shared her first chalk pastel art lessons with her grandchildren around Tricia’s kitchen table. Homeschooling since 2000, Tricia has seen the fruits of home education with three homeschool grads so far! She shares the art and heart of homeschooling at Hodgepodge and is author of the book, Help! I’m Homeschooling! She and her husband, Steve, are also owners of The Curriculum Choice.

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How Chalk Pastel Art Has Benefited My Son with Learning Differences

Incorporating Chalk Pastel Art into our homeschool adventures this year has secured such a special place in the hearts of my children. Through the encouraging lessons with Nana, my artists have explored Noah’s Ark, splitting the Red Sea with Moses, taken joy in that holy night of our Savior’s birth, and celebrated the risen Lord. We’ve incorporated chalk pastel art with our early America history lessons, setting sail on the Mayflower, painting a visual map of the Pilgrims’ expedition. My honorable queen and brave kings traveled through the Wardrobe to a far-off land called Narnia, painting the frosty lamp post and mighty lion, Aslan. My valiant knights, smitten with imagination, courageously drew swords and shields, pretending to battle evil, all through the combination of lovely art and the substance of rich literature. This type of fruitful learning through Chalk Pastel Art has proven beneficial for all of my children, especially for my son with special needs. I want to share with you just how chalk pastel art has benefited my son with learning differences.

How Chalk Pastel Art Has Benefited My Son with Learning Differences. Fruitful learning through Chalk Pastel Art has proven beneficial for all of my children, especially for my son with special needs.

How Chalk Pastel Art Has Benefited My Son with Learning Differences

As a mom of a child with special needs, I am often searching for courses or activities that best meet his learning style. With the abundance of materials that are offered, this task can become quite overwhelming. Finding programs that work and meet his needs in so many different ways, is like gold. He absorbs information best with a multi-sensory approach, consistency, and repetition.  I have witnessed the benefits of using chalk pastels with Nana, by watching my special needs son grow through the consistency and repetition of art lessons. Below I have included and explained how the use of chalk pastels has helped my son in so many ways.

Chalk Pastels Encourage Fine Motor Skills, Coordination, and Cognition. How Chalk Pastel Art Has Benefited My Son with Learning Differences

Chalk Pastels Encourage Fine Motor Skills, Coordination, and Cognition

Using chalk pastels encourages fine motor skills, coordination, and cognition. While creating works of art with chalk pastels, my son has discovered that the way he holds the chalk pastels creates a certain effect.  For example, painting with the pointed edge of a pastel creates a different outcome than when painting holding the entire pastel sideways.  Also, my son has learned that different strokes and motions produce diverse results. The outcome of painting in a circular motion will lend a different effect than using upward or downward strokes. This is the same for using his fingers to blend colors and create shadows. Painting fine lines and straight lines (when needed) inspires working slowly and paying attention to intricate detail. This all exercises the area of the brain that uses fine motor skills! The process of planning and hand-eye coordination are all bundled together in just one art lesson!

Multi-sensory Approach to Learning. How Chalk Pastel Art Has Benefited My Son with Learning Differences

Multi-sensory Approach to Learning

Art supports a multi-sensory approach to learning. My son learns the best when visual, auditory, and tactile learning are woven together. Many of the lessons offered through Chalk Pastel Art correspond with the topics and books we study in our homeschool. Nana not only teaches art with chalk pastels; she also elaborates on the subjects she paints.  For example, in our homeschool, for our American History lessons, we studied the pilgrims. Chalk Pastel Art offers art lessons pertaining to Early America. My son was able to hear and listen (auditory) to a lesson about the pilgrims through Nana, watch her paint (visual), and draw it using chalk pastels (tactile)! When all done, the painting resulted in a fine picture, which provided a visual (visual again) relevant to the lesson in our own homeschool studies. “You Drew It, Then You Knew It!”

Art Lessons Improve Receptive and Expressive Language

Art lessons have improved receptive and expressive language. At four, my son was diagnosed with Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS), a neurological speech disorder that affects the planning of speech and all the necessary steps needed to produce intelligible speech.  Due to his limited language, at times, I do not know everything he understands receptively, meaning the language he understands when someone is speaking to him or giving directions. Art lessons through Chalk Pastel Art helps assess the instructions he is understanding and the language he doesn’t understand. During a lesson, Nana may give a gentle instruction to “turn the chalk pastel on its side”. If my son doesn’t understand that he needs to turn the pastel “on its side”, I know he receptively doesn’t understand this directive. This presents a fruitful opportunity for development in his receptive language. This is the beauty of art lessons. My son has the ability to learn, it just doesn’t arrive as easily and quickly. A combination of my son watching Nana and a little guidance showing him how to hold the pastel, allows him to be nurtured in this area!  I have witnessed this time and time again.

Expressive language is the language he can verbalize or “express”. This and building vocabulary intertwine with one another. There are art lessons he completes independently, but many of the lessons, he and I complete together. Not only does this pave the way for one-on-one time together, it also grants an opportunity for discussion. My son and I are able to discuss what we are painting and the lesson. I often hear Isaiah repeat many of the words Nana says and he asks a lot of questions.  This is such a wonderful avenue for my son to express himself through the beautiful combination of art and language.

Art Lessons Encourage Multiple Step Instructions

Art lessons encourage following multiple step instructions. For a child with learning disabilities and receptive language challenges, following multiple step instructions can be difficult. Often times, words may need repeating and instructions given in more explicit, smaller chunks. Through virtual art lessons with Nana, both my son and I are able to listen and watch, then push pause if needed. This is so accommodating for me because I am learning chalk pastels right along with my son. Watching Nana benefits me in a way that I can better serve my son as a homeschooling mom. When he doesn’t understand the directions, I learn from Nana first. Then I can show my son how to paint, repeat any directives from Nana, and, if needed, provide more instruction. I have watched my son grow in this area so much. When I look at his first painting of Noah’s Ark almost a year ago, I see progress. With practice and consistency, following multiple step instructions improves over time. And art lessons inspire my son to listen to instructions in such a fun and engaging way!

Art Boosts Confidence

Art boosts my son’s confidence. Academics isn’t easy for my son. He works really hard at it. Most things don’t come easy for him. Something as simple as talking for my other children is a breeze while my son has struggled with it all of his life. This can wear on a mom’s heart. Chalk Pastel Art has offered an effective way for my son to blossom in so many of the areas that present challenges for him. This is done in such a pleasant and enjoyable way. The lessons are gentle, timely, and colorful. When he feels painting something is hard, Nana’s tender voice and encouraging words of “You are an artist”, “This is your painting” spurs him on. As his siblings and dad look at his work of art and give many compliments, he is encouraged. When he works through the areas that challenge him, he sees the fruit of hard work and the stunning works of art he creates. He is brimming with smiles and is joyful of his work! This is beyond what a mom could ask for. I look at his paintings, I look at his smile, and I am in awe of his accomplishments. And I am so proud, and I am so thankful. I thoroughly enjoy the time I am allowed with my son through art lessons.  I truly enjoy the learning experience and the growth. The fond memories I will treasure forever.

Chalk Pastel Art not only brings the beauty of fine painting, it also weaves together a wide array of rich learning, creating such an awe-inspiring masterpiece in my son.

Incorporating Chalk Pastel Art into our homeschool adventures this year has secured such a special place in the hearts of my children. This type of fruitful learning through Chalk Pastel Art has proven beneficial for all of my children, especially for my son with special needs. I want to share with you just how chalk pastel art has benefited my son with learning differences.

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Jamie is the author of A Brown Bear’s Language Arts Study (coming soon!), a literature-inspired homeschool mom of seven, and a former educator. She enjoys a bookshelf bursting with colorful picture books  and children’s stories of all genres. Indulging in a read aloud with all of her children around her is one of Jamie’s favorite moments of her days. Be sure to find Jamie on Instagram so you will be the first to know when her language arts study is available and to be encouraged by all her learning adventures with her wonderful family.

Jamie is the author of A Brown Bear’s Language Arts Study (coming soon!), a literature-inspired homeschool mom of seven, and a former educator. She enjoys a bookshelf bursting with colorful picture books  and children’s stories of all genres. Indulging in a read aloud with all of her children around her is one of Jamie’s favorite moments of her days. Be sure to find Jamie on Instagram so you will be the first to know when her language arts study is available and to be encouraged by all her learning adventures with her wonderful family.

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Why Adding Art To Homeschool History Makes All The Difference

My children have naturally enjoyed our homeschool history studies since they were very young.

They love the stories, the adventure, and the thought of foreign lands.

Yes, history has always been a subject with less resistance and more interest for my children. But the truth is, as they got a bit older, it became clear that in order to truly understand and retain the lesson, my boys needed something more.

adding art to homeschool history

At first, I thought we needed more structure to our learning. I added quizzes and worksheets. I bought an expensive textbook. I tried all the things that a more formal school setting does to teach history.

None of it worked. In fact, not only did my boys retain less than before, they began to dislike history and avoid it.

It was only when I decided to go with what I knew they would enjoy, that our homeschool history study came alive.

I added art.

It may seem simple, and I guess it is, but adding I Drew It And Then I Knew It to our history lessons was the solution I was looking for.

As the years have passed, I’ve had time to think about why adding art to our homeschool history was so effective. This is what I’ve learned.

adding art to homeschool history

Why Adding Art To History Works So Well

1. Adding Art Increases Attention Span

One of the most immediate benefits I discovered when adding art to our homeschool history was my boys’ increased ability to focus and sustain attention for longer periods of time.

For my youngest, who really struggles with attention issues, the multi-sensory experience of creating his own art work as we discussed (or listened to Nana discuss) a particular topic in history, made a significant difference. For the first time, he was able to work through an entire subject without needing a break or leaving the table.

For my oldest, not having the distraction of his younger brother helped him focus as well.

2. Art Supports Comprehension

Studies have repeatedly shown that adding a multi-sensory component to any learning increases overall comprehension.

It seems we have proved this to be true in my own home as well.

When we added art to history, my children seemed to pick up on the main topic of the lesson, and comprehend the more nuanced details, much faster than when we just read about it.

I have since learned that this is true for most children and even adults – adding something hands-on to any new learning increases overall engagement and comprehension.

adding art to homeschool history

3. Adding Art Increases Retention

One of the greatest benefits I’ve found to adding art to our learning is how much it increases my sons’ overall retention of the information.

This makes sense to me, even as I consider my own school experience. When I look back on my learning, the assignments and lessons I remember most are the ones that involved some sort of multisensory experience.

The same is true for my children. Not only do they retain the information more fully, they are more easily able to recall what they’ve learned when we add art to the lesson.

4. Adding Art Makes Learning More Fun!

This is an easy win and one that I think needs to be highlighted.

Adding art to our history study also added in an element of fun. It brought back that love of history that my boys had from the very beginning.

Art decreases any resistance they have towards the lesson, and allows all of us to connect in a way that is not only education, but enjoyable.

It’s a win-win.

Adding Art To Homeschool History Makes All The Difference

Because adding art to our homeschool history has been such a success, I’m grateful for all that You Are An Artist offers. It makes my prep work super easy and allows me to learn right alongside my kiddos as Nana teaches us all.

(You can also read all about how we also incorporate art into our homeschool science HERE.)

Shawna Wingert is a special education teacher turned writer, speaker and consultant. She is also a homeschooling mom of two brilliant boys with differences and special needs.  Shawna has written four books for parents – Everyday Autism, Special Education at Home, Parenting Chaos and her latest, Homeschooling Your Child With Special Needs. She helps parents of children with learning differences, behavioral challenges and special needs every day at DifferentByDesignLearning.com.