Tag: You ARE An Artist Clubhouse Membership

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Homeschool Lessons For Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Are you looking for Martin Luther King Jr. lessons and activities for your children? Here are some excellent resources to get you started! Plus, Nana has a wonderful chalk pastel lesson of Dr. King giving his “I have a dream” speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial! All you’ll need is a set of chalk pastels, and white copy paper to get started!

Homeschool Lessons For Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Are you looking for Martin Luther King Jr. lessons and activities for your children? Here are some wonderful resources to get you started! #martinlutherkingjr #MLK #civilrightsmovement #unitstudies #martinlutherkingactivities

The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.


Martin Luther King Jr. Day is an American national holiday, and it is celebrated on the third Monday of January each year. Also known as MLK, Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15th, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia, to Michael King and Alberta King. Michael King Sr. was a Baptist Minister at Ebeneezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. Though they faced ugly prejudices, he and his wife endured MLK received a good education. 

At age fifteen, MLK attended Moorehouse College intending to become a doctor, but during the summers of World War II, he went off to Connecticut and picked tobacco. There he changed his mind about becoming a doctor and instead felt called to become a minister.

Did you know that MLK and Anne Frank were born the same year?

Martin Luther King Jr. went on to Crozer Seminary and became valedictorian of his class. At Crozer, MLK learned about Gandhi and that Henry David Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience had inspired Gandhi. MLK became fascinated by the ideas of nonviolent peaceful protesting.

After Crozer Seminary, King attended Boston University for his Ph.D. This made him Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Homeschool Lessons For Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Civil Rights Movement

MLK spent most of his life working to achieve justice and equality for all Americans, especially Americans of color. He helped lead marches, made speeches, and was one of the leading figures in the Civil Rights Movement.

Racial segregation was the worst in the South. Black people had to go to separate schools, drink from separate water fountains, live in separate neighborhoods, etc. King was one of many trying to bring about the change this country so desperately needed.

“..I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character…”

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Homeschool Lessons For Martin Luther King Jr. Day


A Martin Luther King Jr. Homeschool Study


Unfortunately, Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968.

Children need to learn who the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was and what he stood for. He leaves a crucial legacy, and there is still much work to be done in racial equality and justice.

Books are one of my favorite ways to help my children learn about any subject. So, I gathered a collection of picture books and middle-grade books for my children and me to enjoy.

Homeschool Lessons For Martin Luther King Jr. Day


Additional Resources For Learning About Martin Luther King Jr.


Here is a list of books we used to start our unit study:

I like to start with just a few books, and then as my children’s interests expand, I’ll grab more resources on that subject.


For example, my daughter and I also watched this short clip: The Story of Martin Luther King Jr. by Kid President.

Homeschool Lessons For Martin Luther King Jr. Day

If you are looking for additional resources, you may be interested in the following:

Nana’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Homeschool Art Lesson

Enjoy this free, sample lesson from Nana’s Modern History Homeschool Lessons in the You ARE an ARTiST Complete Clubhouse. All you need is construction paper and a set of chalk pastels.

The Companion I Drew It Then I Knew It History workbooks are perfect jumping-off points for a quick history study! We learned 5 fast facts about MLK as well as a short biography. This workbook is available to all You ARE An Artist Complete Clubhouse members!

Homeschool Lessons For Martin Luther King Jr. Day


More Online Homeschool Art Lessons


With the You ARE An Artist Complete Clubhouse Membership, you’ll also have access to 700+ art lessons, including all of Nana’s history art courses:

I love adding the hands-on artistic aspect of chalk pastels to our history studies! It helps to solidify knowledge and add a bit of colorful fun to any subject.

Homeschool Lessons For Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a significant person in American history. His contributions resulted in the end of segregation at lunch counters, buses, and many other public places. He helped bring hope and change to a marginalized group of people. I look forward to discovering more about his life, his work, and the Civil Rights Movement as a whole with my children.

Erin is a writer, blogger, and homeschooler to two intense kids. Her blog is filled with information to help you explore a child led education while making meaningful connections with your children. Discover favorite read alouds, seasonal books, games, art projects, hands-on activities, and learn to just breathe through the ups and downs of life. She loves nature, farm life, good books, knitting, new pens, and hot coffee. Erin is a contributing writer for Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers. Her work has also been featured on Simple Homeschool and Book Shark.

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Homeschool Art Lessons for Your Modern History Buff

These modern history art lessons are perfect for adding a bit of art to your homeschool history studies! These lessons are also excellent for history buffs, young and old.

Homeschool Art Lessons for Your Modern History Buff: These modern history art lessons are perfect for adding a bit of art to your homeschool history studies! These lessons are also excellent for history buffs, young and old. #modernhistory #modernhistoryresources #modernhistoryartlessons #pearlharbor #homeschoolartlessons #YouAREAnArtist #chalkpastels

My son has a passion for history. More specifically, he loves learning about World War II and onward. This love affair started a few years ago when he watched a documentary about D-Day. Suddenly, he couldn’t get enough. My son read all the World War II books he could find and watched all the documentaries available to him. We’ve gone to several reenactments, made our own World War II newspaper, and even made period-themed recipes! He has woven in and out of the European theater with an obsession with Great Britain. This year he is studying the Pacific theater more in-depth with various books, Wondrium lectures, and now Nana’s Pearl Harbor Remembrance art lesson.

Homeschool Art Lessons for Your Modern History Buff

Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

December 7th is National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, and in 2021 we will remember the 80th anniversary of this historic event. In 1941, a surprise attack by Japan on Pearl Harbor resulted in 188 U.S. aircraft destroyed, 2,403 Americans killed, and 1,178 others wounded.

Japan declared war on the United States and the British Empire later that day. The day after the attack, Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered his famous Day in Infamy speech. He also called for a formal declaration of war on Japan. On December 11, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States. Congress then issued a declaration of war against Germany and Italy later that same day. Thus, the United States officially entered World War II.

Homeschool Art Lessons for Your Modern History Buff

Homeschool Art Lessons for Your Modern History Buff

One of my son’s interests regarding Pearl Harbor is the USS Arizona. 1,177 officers and crew members were lost when the USS Arizona exploded and sank during the Pearl Harbor attack.

In November 2019, my son discovered that one of the survivors of the USS Arizona was still alive AND had written a memoir about his experience.

Homeschool Art Lessons for Your Modern History Buff

My son immediately ordered the book, and when it came in, he proceeded to mail it to Mr. Donald Stratton, asking for his autograph and providing postage to send the book back. Mr. Donald Stratton obliged and signed my son’s copy of his book.

Shortly afterward, Mr. Stratton passed away. This book is now a most treasured possession of my son.

Homeschool Art Lessons for Your Modern History Buff

Modern History with the You ARE An Artist Clubhouse Membership

Did you know your modern history buff will have access to 700+ chalk pastel lessons including Nana’s modern history course with the You ARE An Artist Complete Clubhouse Membership!

  • Queen Victoria’s Empire
  • Theodore Roosevelt
  • War Helmets
  • Broadcasting
  • Martin Luther King, Jr.
  • Space Exploration
  • Women’s Suffrage
  • Medical Advancements
  • Modern Literature

You’ll also have exclusive access to these art lessons:

  • Queen Elizabeth II
  • Winston Churchill
  • Big Ben and other World  + American Landmarks
  • Presidents series
  • Famous Artists and Composers continuing series
  • Literature continuing series
  • Maps continuing series
  • Plus so much more!
Homeschool Art Lessons for Your Modern History Buff

Hands-on Modern History Lessons for Kids

Along with your favorite history books and documentaries you can now add in the hands-on resources of Nana’s art courses. While studying World War II we have enjoyed these corresponding history art lessons:

  • Winston Churchill (Modern History)
  • British Isles (Map)
  • WWII helmet (Modern History)
  • Franklin D. Roosevelt (Presidents)
  • Japan (Map)
  • Pearl Harbor Remembrance (Modern History)

These lessons have made my history buff extremely happy. Isn’t it wonderful how we were able to pull from Nana’s different courses to create art lessons to fit my son’s interests? That’s just one of the reasons I adore our You ARE An Artist Complete Clubhouse membership. I can cater to my children’s interests in colorful and fun ways that won’t soon be forgotten.

Homeschool Art Lessons for Your Modern History Buff

Erin is a writer, blogger, and homeschooler to two intense kids. Her blog is filled with information to help you explore a child led education while making meaningful connections with your children. Discover favorite read alouds, seasonal books, games, art projects, hands-on activities, and learn to just breathe through the ups and downs of life. She loves nature, farm life, good books, knitting, new pens, and hot coffee. Erin is a contributing writer for Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers. Her work has also been featured on Simple Homeschool and Book Shark.

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A Cranberry Thanksgiving Book Study For Your Homeschool

Here are just a few ways you can enjoy a Cranberry Thanksgiving book study in your fall homeschool plans – with art, activities, baking and more! Don’t miss Nana’s Mr. Whiskers homeschool art lesson at the end.

With the arrival of fall, our family dives into “baking” season. Maybe it’s the harvest time of year when fresh fruits are abundant. Or maybe it’s the crisp fall air that brings on those “comfort food” cravings. Either way, I find myself bringing out the old 1961 Betty Crocker cookbook and working through several well-loved recipes. 

As a New England family, the humble cranberry prevails during the fall season. Besides apple pie, what’s better than the tart flavor of cranberries to say “Thanksgiving is here!”?

Here are just a few ways you can enjoy a Cranberry Thanksgiving book study in your fall homeschool plans – with art, activities, baking and more!

A Cranberry Thanksgiving Book Study For Your Homeschool

And besides food, what captures the holiday mood better than reading a beloved story? We have quite a few on our list, but Cranberry Thanksgiving is a gem! We can thank Nana for helping us discover this fabulous read-aloud several years ago when I searched Thanksgiving lessons in my ChalkPastel.com membership. 

I went directly to our local library for a copy and was charmed by the delightful storytelling. Now we read this picture book every year!

Why Cranberry Thanksgiving Is a Wonderful Resource For Holiday Homeschooling

More books for your Cranberry Thanksgiving book study for your homeschool.

The scene opens on Thanksgiving Day with young Maggie collecting firewood with a friend, Mr. Whiskers, at the edge of a cold and lonely cranberry bog. The setting is a unique place, as probably most kids have never been to a cranberry bog before. (Years ago, the boys and I got to wade through a replica cranberry bog in New York City, and learning about cranberries was so interesting!). 

The illustrations convey the brisk, chilly winds of November in Maggie’s red cheeks coming in from the cold. You can almost smell the warm aromas of Thanksgiving dinner as she carries the turkey to the table. 

Grandmother, who closely guards her cranberry bread recipe, is unhappy to offer hospitality to the scruffy Mr. Whiskers, Maggie’s guest. Suspicious, she hides her recipe in the fireplace. 

As the story unfolds, you’ll have a wonderful opportunity to help your children compare and contrast both Maggie and Grandmother and their guests, Mr. Whiskers and Mr. Horace. 

The plot has some laughs and an important message. The moral of “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” lingers and the characters show mercy and forgiveness. This story opens the door to discussions of friendship and hospitality, which is the perfect theme for a Thanksgiving unit study. 

If you love Cranberry Thanksgiving as much as our family, you’ll want to get these companion book suggestions as well: Cranberry Autumn and Cranberry Christmas!

Cranberry Thanksgiving Art and Baking Homeschool Activities

Reading Cranberry Thanksgiving is a great jumping-off point for a homeschool unit study. As I mentioned, the story is rich with opportunity for discussion of plot, character, setting, and moral. The book also includes a recipe for Grandmother’s Famous Cranberry Bread! 

Cranberries are amazing fruits, and well-worth a deep dive for your Cranberry Thanksgiving book study, because they are not just rich with flavor for baking, they have an interesting history and provide vibrant color for fall art projects!

Baking with cranberries for Cranberry Thanksgiving homeschool study

Naturally, we took to the kitchen for a baking activity to go with our Cranberry Thanksgiving book study. We compared Grandmother’s recipe to the one we use and were delighted to see they are similar. So we blended the recipes to accommodate for the ingredients we had on hand. The boys decided to make muffins instead of a bread loaf, because they are more fun to eat, they said. 

Baking offers an opportunity to use math concepts like measuring, multiplication (if you’re doubling), as well as reinforce reading skills like following directions. Plus, baking as part of learning comes with a built-in reward system: warm cranberry muffins to eat!

While we waited for our muffins to bake, we created our own Cranberry Thanksgiving artwork. We chose art lessons that helped my boys explore both the characters and setting of our reading. 

Painting Mr. Whiskers from Cranberry Thanksgiving at You ARE an ARTiST. Here are just a few ways you can enjoy a Cranberry Thanksgiving book study in your fall homeschool plans – with art, activities, baking and more!
Mr. Whiskers Art Tutorial for your Cranberry Thanksgiving Book Study for homeschool.

Kids often have a difficult time drawing faces and people. The Cranberry Thanksgiving Chalk Art Tutorial with Nana feels so satisfying, because the features of Mr. Whiskers are large and simple. And it’s nearly impossible to make a mistake when you’re drawing overgrown whiskers! 

Painting Mr. Whiskers with Nana is extra fun, because the boys love the character so much, and delighted in giving their drawings extra-bristly whiskers, rosier cheeks, and the hairiest eyebrows possible.

Here are just a few ways you can enjoy a Cranberry Thanksgiving book study in your fall homeschool plans – with art, activities, baking and more!
Here are just a few ways you can enjoy a Cranberry Thanksgiving book study in your fall homeschool plans – with art, activities, baking and more!

Mr. Whiskers Homeschool Art Lesson

Suggested supplies: Construction paper, chalk pastels. Baby wipes or damp paper towel for easy clean up.

If you enjoy this art lesson, please be sure to share on social media and tag us. Nana would love to see your paintings and to comment!

To go along with the Mr. Whiskers character, the boys also painted the setting of the cranberry bog. This lesson gives beginners a chance to practice perspective and blending. 

Learn to paint a cranberry bog for your Cranberry Thanksgiving homeschool unit study.

If you have an artist ready for more (like my 11-year-old who adores all things art), have them try the Cranberry Thanksgiving chalk art tutorial of sketched silhouettes from Chalk Pastel’s sister site HodgePodge. It’s the cozy fireplace scene from the book! 

Younger artists can create a similar scene of the simple fireplace. I love that a You ARE an ARTiST Complete Clubhouse membership gives parents a range of levels so the whole family can create art at just the right level for each learner. I also enjoy the shorter, simpler art lessons for days when we don’t have a lot of time, but I still want to make room for art.

Once we were done drawing, we settled in for muffins, books, and enjoying our creativity!

cranberry muffins, Mr. Whiskers art, cranberry bog art, chalk pastels and Cranberry Thanksgiving books study for your homeschool.

More Thanksgiving Themed Learning Resources

Cranberry Thanksgiving homeschool book study.

Take a day or two and add in some art lessons and a couple books about cranberries and you have all the makings of a cozy homeschool unit study! 

If your kids want to learn more about cranberries, visit the Ocean Spray Cranberries in the Classroom website. There are dozens of printable resources and ideas about cranberry history, growing, harvesting, and traditions. 

Did you know cranberries only grow in five states in the country? Maybe you live in one of these cranberry-growing states!

Another fun fact: Cranberries are grown in bogs near wetlands. Most kids probably don’t live near a cranberry bog, but they may be familiar with similar wetland areas that can help them imagine this type of ecosystem.

Make a cranberry bog in a cup craft!

Join my kids in creating a “Cranberry Bog in a Cup” craft, where we learn about the various elements that make up a cranberry bog, providing important nutrients and protections for the cranberry vines. 

We also had fun “flooding” a mini bog of cranberries on our kitchen counter to observe how cranberries float because of the four air pockets inside the berry!

If the tart, red cranberry isn’t to your taste (or not available in your area just yet), try swapping out some of these activities for apple activities: 

  • Field Trip: Enjoy the tastes and colors of fall by going apple picking at a local orchard! 
  • Read-Aloud: Gather your favorite books about apples at the library.
  • Home Ec: Bake Nana’s Apple Pie Recipe. (Get the FREE recipe download! It’s a good one and great for framing as decor for the holidays!)
  • Art: Paint an Apple Pie with Nana. 
  • Celebrate: Enjoy that pie (or your cranberry bread/muffins!) together – the fruits of your labor!
Eat cranberry bread, paint a Mr. Whiskers painting, make a cranberry bog craft and read Cranberry Thanksgiving with your book study in your homeschool.

Year Round Holiday Lessons For Your Homeschool

Learn to paint a cranberry bog!

I’ve been so grateful that every season and every holiday, the lessons from Nana and Tricia at ChalkPastel.com are a perfect fit for any theme or lesson we’re doing in our homeschool. 

We’ll continue to extend our Cranberry Thanksgiving book study theme with even more of Nana’s Thanksgiving lessons as we move into the Thanksgiving season. 

Here are just a few more ideas for how you can use the Thanksgiving art tutorials that come included with your Thanksgiving Clubhouse Edition membership: 

Leading up to Thanksgiving:  

Quote: "Drawing with Nana is so satisfying... and it's nearly impossible to make a mistake when drawing overgrown whiskers!" - Julie Kieras at YouAREanARTiST.com

On Thanksgiving Day while kids wait for dinner: 

  • Paint the Thanksgiving Parade and then be sure to watch it live on Thanksgiving Day
  • Paint Thanksgiving Turkeys – cover with clear contact paper and use as Thanksgiving placemats for the kids!

Teaching my kids through art, reading, and hands-on study has been one of the biggest blessings of my homeschool mom life. Hands-on studies like this Cranberry Thanksgiving themed unit helps my kids engage willingly with the learning. (Because there’s food!). 

Plus, as a mom, I get to be actively involved, not just doling out assignments. Baking and doing art with my boys allows me to teach and learn right alongside them, and for that I am so grateful!

Teaching my kids through art, reading, and hands-on study has been one of the biggest blessings of my homeschool mom life. Hands-on studies like this Cranberry Thanksgiving themed unit helps my kids engage willingly with the learning. (Because there’s food!)

I hope you find some of these ideas help you come alongside your children in their learning, and discover the simple joys of reading, painting, and baking together—any time of year!

Be Sure to Grab a You ARE an ARTiST Complete Clubhouse Membership Today!

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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Ox-Cart Man Activities For Your Homeschool

These Ox-Cart Man activities are sure to bring this great book to life! Take a trip back to the 1800s with a New England farmer in the Ox-Cart Man. In a time when you wove your own clothes, whittled your own broom, and split your own shingles, this lyrical story takes you on a journey through the changing seasons.

Ox-Cart Man by Donald Hall is in picture book format. The story is beautifully illustrated by Barabara Cooney, winner of the Caldecott Medal.

Ox-Cart Man Activities For Your Homeschool: Take a trip back to the 1800s with a New England farmer in the Ox-Cart Man. In a time when you wove your own clothes, whittled your own broom, and split your own shingles, this lyrical story takes you on a journey through the changing seasons. These activities are sure to bring the Ox-Cart Man to life! #chalkpastels #YouAREAnArtist #OxCartMan #OxCartManActivities #videoartlessons #homeschool #changingseasons #chalkpastelteatime

Ox-Cart Man Is A Wonderful Read Aloud

After a year of harvesting cabbages, turnips, honey, maple sugar, wool, and various other goods a farmer’s family has grown, gathered, or made, the ox-cart man loads up his cart to go and sell it for his family. He walks for ten days through the countryside before he reaches Portsmouth Market.

Ten days!

My children and I couldn’t imagine going to town once per year to buy all the things we needed. Let alone walk ten days to get there and then ten days back!

And yet, the only things the farmer bought and returned home with were:

  • A Barlow knife for his son.
  • An embroidery needle for his daughter.
  • An iron kettle for his wife.
  • Two pounds of peppermint candies for the whole family to enjoy.
Ox-Cart Man Activities For Your Homeschool

Ox-Cart Man Activities For Your Homeschool

What better way to celebrate autumn than with a chalk pastel teatime with Nana’s new lesson and Ox-Cart Man activities? In her lesson, Nana took us step by step in creating our own carts loaded with homegrown and homemade commodities.

We added in a few of Nana’s other lessons to round out our Ox-Cart Man teatime, including:

  • Garden Honey Bees – to represent the honey the family collected
  • Baby Lamb – to represent the wool that was sheered in the spring and spun into yarn for weaving and knitting
  • Goose – to represent the goose feathers collected in the barnyard
  • Forest Path – to represent the ten days the man walked each way through forests and farmland
Ox-Cart Man Activities For Your Homeschool

With Nana’s seasonal tree art, you could also use this book as a springboard for chalk pastels all about changing seasons!

Ox-Cart Man Activities For Your Homeschool

We are not a self-sufficient family like the one in the book, except for honey. We do keep honey bees, and they provide us with enough honey to last all year as well as a little to spare. Harvesting honey is a family affair and pretty tasty too.

So, I brought up a jar of honey from the basement to add to our teatime treats.

Ox-Cart Man Activities For Your Homeschool

More Homeschool Lessons For Our Favorite Books

We also enjoyed the I Drew It Then I Knew It Companion Workbook exclusive to the You ARE An Artist Clubhouse Literature Video Art Lessons. It contained facts about author Donald Hall as well as writing prompts and prompts for additional research!

Did you know the Ox-Cart Man was initially written as a poem?

More Homeschool Lessons For Our Favorite Books

With the You ARE An Artist Clubhouse Membership, you’ll have exclusive access to the You ARE An Artist Clubhouse Literature Video Art Lessons and IDITIKI Companion Workbook. These literature chalk pastel lessons include:

Ox-Cart Man Activities For Your Homeschool

Chalk Pastels and Literature

The Ox-Cart Man is rich with imagery of days gone by, and Nana has a beautiful way of bringing all the vibrance and color straight into your home with her chalk pastel lessons. Her lessons pair perfectly with some of our favorite literature! How grand to enjoy the richness and depth of the written word AND the vibrant color of art.

Ox-Cart Man Activities For Your Homeschool

Erin is a writer, blogger, and homeschooler to two intense kids. Her blog is filled with information to help you explore a child led education while making meaningful connections with your children. Discover favorite read alouds, seasonal books, games, art projects, hands-on activities, and learn to just breathe through the ups and downs of life. She loves nature, farm life, good books, knitting, new pens, and hot coffee. Erin is a contributing writer for Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers. Her work has also been featured on Simple Homeschool and Book Shark.

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The Gift of Homeschool Art Lessons and DIY Homeschool Gifts

Homeschool Gifts

Choosing meaningful gifts for your children doesn’t have to be complicated. Many of you, like myself, are on a quest to find homeschool gifts that have a purpose. Long gone are the days of loading up on toys that will break soon after gifting them. But what types of gifts can you give and make that our children will remember and use well? 

We have a few ideas for gifts to give homeschoolers and gifts your homeschoolers can make. Anytime! So, if you need ideas for birthdays, holidays, or Christmas, keep reading. We have some ideas that will help you get the most bang for your buck while blessing your homeschool.

Check out these awesome ideas for homeschool gifts! Gift ideas to give and make any time of year for all ages. #homeschoolgifts #homeschoolart #onlineartlessons #artforkids #artcurriculum

The Best Gifts to Give Homeschoolers

Gift An Annual Homeschool Art Membership 

I have been homeschooling for almost thirteen years as I write this, and I am often asked about gift ideas for homeschoolers. There is one gift that I always recommend. Hands-down, an annual membership to YOU ARE AN ARTiST. It is a gift that keeps on giving all year long. 

Whether you gift it for a birthday or a Christmas gift, your family can use it every day for the entire year with an annual membership. That, my friends, is valuable! 

Another tremendous benefit of gifting a membership at YOU ARE AN ARTiST is that you can purchase one annual membership, and the entire family can use it. No matter how many kids or grandkids you may have at home. How cool is that? 

Homeschool Gifts

It is also a gift that you can feel good about. Your gift recipient receives the gift of art, and experiencing art is priceless. And, you can add art into just about any homeschool lesson! Gifts like an art membership keep giving long beyond most store bought toys. 

A membership is a huge benefit to your homeschool. We are eclectic homeschoolers and use ours every week. I am also a huge fan of how easy it is to plan art and incorporate it into our homeschool days. 

Need to mail your gift or send it via e-mail to someone? No problem! You can also choose a printable gift certificate that is lovely enough to present in a card or gift box so that there is something to open. Even if your gift recipient is miles away, you can gift them an art membership from YOU ARE AN ARTiST. Remember when family members ask what they can give your children, an art membership might be perfect for your homeschool family.

Gift Certificate

Give YOU ARE AN ARTiST Merch

Yes, YOU ARE AN ARTiST has merch! So if you already have an art membership, you can surprise your favorite homeschoolers with Nana’s signature merch. 

When my kids received their YOU ARE AN ARTiST t-shirts, they were thrilled! Like so many of you, my kids adore Nana. She comes into our home each week, and it is like she is a part of our family. I know many of you feel the same way too. So imagine your children’s delight as they receive a t-shirt or mug with “I AM AN ARTiST” on it!

With plenty of merch items to choose from, you can grab one for yourself too! I especially love drinking from my chalkpastel.com mug during all of our special art sessions and tea times together. 

DIY Gifts That Homeschoolers Can Make

Now let’s chat about gifts that homeschoolers can make. There are all kinds of opportunities to gift someone—Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, birthdays, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and more. Well, Nana has some ideas to help homeschoolers make their gifts unique! 

Nana’s course, The Gift of Art, is perfect for allowing your kids to make gifts for others on a dime. Nana shares easy ideas for kids of all ages to make a gift to give that they will be proud of. Letting your children handmake a gift for someone is affordable and allows them to express their creativity. Not only that, your kids can gift items that showcase their artistic progress. 

The Gift of Art: Gifts to Make and Give Video Art Lessons is a wonderful stand alone art curriculum or a perfect complement to your holiday gift-giving fun.

Included in The Gift of Art:

I am especially a fan of gifting chalk pastel art to family members, and Nana will show you some fantastic tips for preserving your drawings in frames to give others here. 

NEW Ultimate Membership! You ARE an ARTiST Plus Homeschool Nature Study

TWO homeschool memberships at a discount price! Add the beauty of art lessons AND nature study to your homeschool with this family-style bundle!

Find the Ultimate Membership HERE!

We hope this gives you some inspiration for homeschool gifts to give and make during any season of life!

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.

Courtney
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Celebrate the Summer Games with Chalk Pastel Art Ideas

The Games are back! The Games are a great opportunity to celebrate culture, history, sports, and healthy competition with your kids. Every family has their favorite sport to watch during these events, whether summer or winter. Gather the kids and celebrate the Summer Games with Chalk Pastel Art. Enjoy Ancient Greece lessons for the history of the Games. Then illustrate important aspects and moments of the modern Games! It’s a fun I Drew It Then I Knew It experience.

Ideas to Celebrate Summer Games with Chalk Pastel Art:

The boys and I went through a “mock Games” celebration to create activity and art ideas to go along with this summer’s games. We had so much fun learning, painting, and acting out various Games’ moments! Here’s how we enjoyed our home-grown sporting event.

How to Paint The Games Torch with chalk pastels.

Pass the Torch Relay!

Historically, the torch relay connects the initial Games of Ancient Greece with today’s version of the Games. The torch is lit and the flame passed from Olympia, Greece, to the current host location.

Symbolically, the passing of the Flame represents handing down knowledge and life through generations.

Pass the torch relay idea! The boys ran around the house, passing the torch, symbolizing the Torch Relay that begins the Games.

With Nana’s Ancient Greece lessons, my son drew the Torch on larger 12×18″ construction paper on a diagonal. He positioned the bottom of the handle about two-thirds across the bottom of the paper, then drew the torch across the paper so the flame would end up in the upper left corner. Then, we rolled the paper into a conical shape, so the bottom narrowed, and the torch was visible on one side of the cone. A little tape will keep this torch nicely rolled!

The boys ran around the house, passing the torch, symbolizing the Torch Relay that begins the Games. (During the actual Torch Relay, you can watch LIVE and recorded clips on the official Games site!).

The Games Torch Video Art Lesson

You can enjoy this sample lesson, The Torch. This is one of the many lessons for both summer and winter games included in The Games Clubhouse Edition in the You ARE an ARTiST Complete Clubhouse.

Opening Ceremonies

This might be my favorite part of the Games. I love the parades and choreography, the anthems, and colorful flags and uniforms! The purpose of the Ceremonies is to learn about the culture of the host country.

We drew a map of Japan and looked at various geography books about Japan. You might even want to trace the path of the torch using Nana’s map of Japan!

Ancient Greece Lessons

After painting the Opening Ceremonies lesson (use Nana’s Coliseum lesson to hark back to Ancient Greece as another option!), we hung the boys artwork up and marched around to classic fanfare music from past games.  Leo Arnaud’s Bugler’s Dream and John Williams’s “Olympic Fanfare and Theme” combined is a classic and well-recognized opening song. Nana also has a John Williams composer art lesson!

Let the Games Begin!

Now the real fun starts! There are so many sports represented at the Games, it’s hard to pick a favorite.

Archery, swimming, volleyball, diving, sailing, gymnastics, running, surfing. Nana has any number of sports-themed lessons for kids to enjoy. Pick a favorite, or draw them all!

I had the boys pick a few to draw, then set up mini Games competitions.

Archery – We made a bow and arrow out of a plastic hangar and chopstick, then tried to hit a paper plate target.

Sailing – The boys launched paper boats (which they made beforehand) in a kiddie pool and raced to blow them to the other side.

Tennis – The boys competed to see who could bounce a tennis ball off their rackets the most times.

Get together with the kids and invent more “Games” ideas based on their favorite sports, Nana’s art lessons, or just whatever you have around the house. Make silly versions of popular games to keep it short and light.

Medals Ceremony

The top three winners at the Games receive gold, silver, or bronze medals. In ancient times, winners received a Laurel Wreath to symbolize victory. Kids will enjoy hearing about the history of these awards during Nana’s lessons. If you have any old medals or trophies, let your kids receive them like the athletes do; we dug around and found old running medals to wear!

The Games Medals Ceremony - Kids will enjoy hearing about the history of these awards during Nana's lessons. If you have any old medals or trophies, let your kids receive them like the athletes do; we dug around and found old running medals to wear!

When my boys do chalk pastel lessons, I feel we’re all winners! Nana includes so many little details and facts as she demonstrates, that kids walk away with knowledge as well as a beautiful piece of artwork.

Every piece of art is a victory for our little artists, isn’t it? Nana champions every artist as they paint along with her. And the best prize is kids are learning while they’re painting with chalk pastels!

After the boys completed their victory pictures, we hung all our Games drawings up to enjoy. They are excited for the real Games to start this summer!

Drawing with Nana embodies the same ideals as the Games themselves: excellence, friendship and respect. With Nana as your art teacher, your children will be encouraged in all three of these areas to create with excellence, enjoy the friendship of a delightful art teacher, and to respect their work, because they ARE artists!

Drawing with Nana embodies the same ideals as the Games themselves: excellence, friendship, and respect. With Nana as your art teacher, your children will be encouraged in all three of these areas to create with excellence, enjoy the friendship of a delightful art teacher, and to respect their work, because they ARE artists!

Enjoy the upcoming Games by using these art lessons to connect kids to the historic and symbolic nature of the world’s greatest competition!

Nana is adding many new lessons to The Games Clubhouse Edition for your celebration!

Grab Your Complete Clubhouse Membership and Celebrate The Games!
Gather the kids and celebrate the Summer Games with Chalk Pastel Art to illustrate important aspects and moments of the Games!

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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Travel the World with Chalk Pastels

Did you know that you can travel the world with chalk pastels? That’s right! Let Nana take you on a trip around the world with her World Landmarks series! This is the perfect addition to your homeschool geography lessons, world history lessons, or just because!

Travel the World with Chalk Pastels: Did you know that you can travel the world with chalk pastels? That's right! Let Nana take you on a trip around the world with her World Landmarks series! This is the prefect addition to your homeschool geography lessons, world history lessons, or just because! #YouAREAnArtist #chalkpastels #homeschool #homeschooling #homeschoolgeography #handsongeography #worldlandmarks #traveltheworldwithchalkpastels

This year there has been a big focus on geography for my older homeschool student. We’ve explored different countries using books, maps, cooking, documentaries, chalk pastel maps, and now chalk pastel world landmarks! There’s something wonderful about adding hands-on creative resources to an otherwise boring subject. Art can help brings those other subjects to life!

Travel the World with Chalk Pastels

Travel the World with Chalk Pastels

We have created a delicious culture around our chalk pastels.

Teatime.

That means that we incorporate lovely snacks, beverages, flowers, and sometimes candles around our chalk pastels. We’ve been doing it this way for years and it’s been an exquisite addition to our homeschool.

Sometimes we make our own treats, and other times we open a pack of snack cakes. No pressure here.

I picked the peonies fresh from our flower garden and added them to the table. Their beauty almost rivaled that of our art and they smelled heavenly!

Travel the World with Chalk Pastels

Travel the World and See the Sights

Once the table was set we were ready to dive into our trip around the world!

You may know that Nana already has Maps video art lessons that are available with the You ARE An Artist Clubhouse Complete Membership. The maps paired really well with our geography lessons throughout the year. The World Landmarks also paired well with our map lessons.

How so you may wonder.

Try pairing the Great Wall of China with the Map of China.

You could pair the Big Ben, the Cliffs of Moher, the Scottish Highlands, or Stonehenge with the Great Britain Map! Or you could make them a part of your Great Britain unit study. Aren’t those Scottish Highlands dreamy?

What about adding the Sydney Opera House to your next Australian study?

There are so many possibilities and the hands-on activity of chalk pastels helps solidify the geography knowledge we have acquired throughout the year. It was really awesome to hear my son tell me facts related to these different landmarks and the countries where they are found.

Thank you Nana!

Travel the World with Chalk Pastels You ARE An Artist Clubhouse Complete Membership

With the You ARE An Artist Clubhouse Complete Membership you’ll have access to 700+ chalk pastel lessons including all of Nana’s Maps lessons AND these World Landmarks:

  • Eiffel Tower
  • Taj Mahal
  • Scottish Highlands
  • Roman Coliseum
  • Sydney Opera House
  • Great Wall of China
  • Cliffs of Moher
  • Stonehenge
  • Big Ben
  • Volcano
  • Plus, more to come!

You’ll also have access to all of the American Landmark lessons including:

  • Golden Gate Bridge
  • Statue of Liberty
  • Mt. Rushmore
  • Liberty Bell
  • Washington Monument
  • Yellowstone Falls
  • Old Faithful
  • Civil War Cannon
  • Niagara Falls
  • Lincoln Memorial
  • Grand Tetons

Plus More to come as well – including I Drew It Then I Knew It companion workbooks for Maps, World Landmarks and American Landmarks.

Travel the World with Chalk Pastels
Stonehenge depicted by an 7 year old, 40 year old, and 13 year old!

Hands-On Geography with World Landmarks

 The World Landmarks Video Art Lessons are designed with upper elementary to high school students in mind, but as you can see from the Stonehenge image above, they can be accomplished by anyone regardless of age. No prior skill level is necessary.

There are oodles of reasons to love chalk pastels. Making geography and landmarks more fun is just the icing on an already delicious cake!

Now tell me, what World Landmarks would your children enjoy creating?

Travel the World with Chalk Pastels

Erin is a writer, blogger, and homeschooler to two intense kids. Her blog is filled with information to help you explore a child led education while making meaningful connections with your children. Discover favorite read alouds, seasonal books, games, art projects, hands-on activities, and learn to just breathe through the ups and downs of life. She loves nature, farm life, good books, knitting, new pens, and hot coffee. Erin is a contributing writer for Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers. Her work has also been featured on Simple Homeschool and Book Shark.

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A Homeschool Bird Study with Chalk Pastels

A chalk pastels bird study with Nana is a wonderful way to introduce bird art lessons in your homeschool. Chalk pastels are perfect for preschoolers to adults. They are super easy to use with no long art supply list needed. You’ll love adding these vibrant birds to your next homeschool nature study or in preparation for the Great Backyard Bird Count!

Chalk Pastels Bird Study with Nana: A chalk pastels bird study with Nana is a wonderful way to introduce bird art lessons to your kids. Chalk pastels are perfect for preschoolers to adults. They are super easy to use with no long art supply list needed. You'll love adding these vibrant birds to your next nature study or in preparation for the Great Backyard Bird Count! #chalkpastels #YouAREAnArtist #birdartlessons #birdartlessonsforkids #birdnaturestudy #backyardbirds #birdlessons #ChalkPastelsBirdStudywithNana

Each year we do a homeschool nature study of birds in anticipation of the Great Backyard Bird Count! We incorporate all sorts of Backyard Biology resources including books, games, bird feeders, binoculars, and even owl pellets! This year we’ve also added a chalk pastels bird study with Nana to the mix!

Chalk Pastels Bird Study with Nana

Chalk Pastel Birds for Your Homeschool Nature Study

We always set the table for our chalk pastel “teatime” with Nana. It’s our tradition to serve a hot beverage and a sweet treat anytime Nana enters our home. Which is often. Actually, we have to differentiate between “chalk pastels” Nana and my mom who is also called Nana! It’s a delightful problem to have. But it goes to show just how important and how often chalk pastels “Nana” visits us…which is every week!

Chalk Pastels Bird Study with Nana

*keep paper towels and wet wipes handy in case of spills*

Trust me, they do happen, as do chalk hands and chalk dust!

Chalk Pastels Bird Study with Nana

Also, it’s OK if your kiddos don’t make their birds look exactly like Nana’s. She’s always very encouraging about making our paintings our own. And boy, do we! Especially my daughter. She loves pink and purple…AND she decided that some of our backyard birds are actually flying mounts for her fairy garden friends.

Yep. Check out that flowing purple hair!

Embrace the creativity and silliness, folks!

Chalk Pastels Bird Study with Nana

You ARE AN Artist Clubhouse Membership for Your Homeschool Lessons

Because we have the clubhouse membership, I’ve decided we’ll do several bird lessons per week leading up to the Great Backyard Bird Count! We are doing a little mini-study on each bird as we go. With the chalk pastel You ARE An Artist Clubhouse Membership you’ll have access to 700+ art lessons including these:

  • owl
  • cardinal
  • goldfinch
  • hummingbird
  • hummingbirds at the feeder
  • chickadee
  • robin
  • sandpiper
  • bluebird
  • cardinals in snow (try for FREE)
  • fall blue jay (try for FREE)
  • goose
  • eagle’s nest with eagle family
  • John James Audubon 
  • bird nest
Chalk Pastels Bird Study with Nana

Homeschool Bird Lessons In Acrylic By Nana

You’ll also have access to Nana’s acrylic bird lessons if you’re interested in acrylics!

  • wren on teacup
  • bluebird
  • titmouse
  • nuthatch
  • bird’s nest
  • baby bluebird in a birdhouse
  • blue jay
  • cardinal
Chalk Pastels Bird Study with Nana

Additional Homeschool Nature Study Resources

Remember to add in Nana’s lesson on Audubon to your homeschool mix! John James Audubon was the famous ornithologist, naturalist, and painter that documented all sorts of American birds in their natural habitats. He also identified 25 new species!

In fact, there are so many ways to combine a homeschool bird study with art. Maybe a seasonal study, the Great Backyard Bird Count, Apologia’s Flying Creatures, nature study and more. You can have an I Drew It Then I Knew It homeschool bird study.

Enjoy a Fall Bird Study with the Outdoor Hour Challenges at our sister site, Homeschool Nature Study.

Famous Artist Audubon

Chalk Pastels Homeschool Bird Study with Nana

Identifying and counting the birds in your backyard is a great way to get to know the wildlife that you share your neighborhood with. Drawing those birds adds a multi-sensory approach to learning which is proven to help children not only learn more effectively but retain what they’ve learned long term. Chalk pastels are perfect for adding to your next homeschool nature study or bird study. The clubhouse membership made it super easy to search for the art lessons we wanted, and Nana is always fantastic at reminding us that, “We ARE Artists!”… birds, fairies, and all!

Join Nana in the You ARE an ARTiST Clubhouse today!
Chalk Pastels Bird Study with Nana: A chalk pastels bird study with Nana is a wonderful way to introduce bird art lessons to your kids. Chalk pastels are perfect for preschoolers to adults. They are super easy to use with no long art supply list needed. You'll love adding these vibrant birds to your next nature study or in preparation for the Great Backyard Bird Count! #chalkpastels #YouAREAnArtist #birdartlessons #birdartlessonsforkids #birdnaturestudy #backyardbirds #birdlessons #ChalkPastelsBirdStudywithNana

Erin is a writer, blogger, and homeschooler to two intense kids. Her blog is filled with information to help you explore a child led education while making meaningful connections with your children. Discover favorite read alouds, seasonal books, games, art projects, hands-on activities, and learn to just breathe through the ups and downs of life. She loves nature, farm life, good books, knitting, new pens, and hot coffee. Erin is a contributing writer for Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers. Her work has also been featured on Simple Homeschool and Book Shark.