My 4th grader asked to learn about birds this year, so I started searching around for a good curriculum kit. I didn't find anything that looked like it would work for us, so I set out to put together my own bird study. I wrote a series of blog posts sharing about what we covered and the activities and resources we ended up using for each sub topic. Below are links to each of those posts. If you would like a printable version of a bird unit study, I have one available here:  All About Birds Printable Unit Study .  What Makes a Bird a Bird? Birds are a fascinating group of animals that have adapted to live in a wide variety of habitats. They can be found on every continent on Earth, from the hot dry savannas of Africa to the frozen tundra of Antarctica. They are a highly varied group, but t here are several characteristics that all birds share, regardless of habitat or diet: -All birds are vertabrates, which means they have a backbone. Birds also have a lightweight bu...

Science says spending time outdoors is beneficial for our health in so many ways, but when you live in an apartment without a yard, getting your family enough outdoor time can be tricky. While it may be a small space, apartment balconies can be set up to be amazing little outdoor areas for your family to enjoy. Here are a few ideas for making your apartment balcony an enjoyable space for your family: Container Gardening Who says you need a yard to have a garden? Use your outdoor space to grow an herb garden, or flowers, or even container friendly veggies. Some plants that do well in containers are: Herbs- basil, oregano, mint (any variety), rosemary, lemon balm, thyme, and parsley. Flowers- begonias, marigolds, zinnia, and petunias Fruits and Veggies- strawberries, tomatoes, peas, beans, potatoes, lettuce, bell peppers, radishes, garlic, and cucumbers. Succulents like aloe vera and jade plant also do well in pots, just bring them indoors for the winter. You can maxi...

As a homeschooling mom whose family lives on a fairly tight budget, I am always looking for more free or low cost educational resources. YouTube is one of my favorites. There are videos on just about every topic under the sun, and there are tons of educational channels specifically made for kids. Here are all the educational channels I could find, organized by subject. And please let me know if I'm missing any great channels, I would love to keep adding to this list! *Disclaimer: I cannot personally vouch for all the content on all these channels (especially considering that values and needs vary from family to family). As a parent, it's important to preview videos before showing them to your kids. General Education - Free School - Homeschool Pop - Kahn Academy - Kahn Academy Kids - Smithsonian - The Brain Scoop - It's Okay To Be Smart - NPR's Skunk Bear - Varitasium - Crash Course Science  - SciShow - SciShow Kids - Nat Geo WILD - National Geograp...

Ducks are a favorite in our household. My kids love visiting the ducks at the pond near our house, and our old neighbors had pet ducks that my kids adored, so naturally we had to include them in our bird study. Information About Waterfowl: Waterfowl include ducks, geese, and swans. They require an aquatic habitat like wetlands, lakes, rivers, or coastlines to survive. They have webbed feet for swimming and flat beaks for filtering food from water. Some waterfowl, like geese, are primarily herbivores, feeding mainly on aquatic vegetation. Other waterfowl, like ducks, are omnivores, and eat a combination of vegetation, fish, and insects. Many waterfowl are migratory. They breed and spend their summers up north in places like Canada, Alaska, and Siberia, and then migrate south to warmer climates for the winter. My family is lucky to live near some of the wetlands that are the winter home to many waterfowl including snow geese and tundra swans. We love watching ...