Homeschooling 101

Lesson 3: Instant Learning Environment: In Your Home!

Encouraging Independent Reading

One of the best things we have done to encourage reading was to build a time machine. To build a time machine, simply cover two refrigerator boxes you have taped together, with aluminum foil.

We added all sorts of knobs (from an old stereo, and even an old computer!) We also found some very "time machine looking" things at a thrift store (a great little "satellite dish" type antenna, that looks perfect sitting on top, and even a flashing light for the top) to make it look even more realistic. Inside, we hung a light from an old "curly" type phone cord so that it moves up and down, and put a beanbag chair and small bookshelf. We are set to travel in time!

Another thing my kids have loved was the "book worms" we made. We used a can as a template, and cut circles from different colored construction paper. Each time they finished a book (or a chapter if it was a chapter book) we wrote the name and author of the book, as well as the date they finished it on a circle of colored paper. We started the worms over their beds, but soon they were taking over the house! We had worms down the hallway and back again! They were in the bathroom, the laundry room and the living room. There wasn’t a safe room in the house! They especially loved showing off their bookworms to anyone "unlucky" enough to ask what they were!

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