Mar. 30, 2020

11 Heroes of History Who Inspire a Growth Mindset

By Sonlight
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11 Heroes of History Who Inspire a Growth Mindset

Inspire your kids to change the world, strive for personal growth, and persist through trials with this eclectic mix of biographies (and one autobiography) from world history, US history, church history, and more. Use Christian biographies for young readers to inspire perseverance and character!

Walk with these great personalities as they overcome odds to achieve world-altering accomplishments: Archimedes, Peter the Great, Helen Keller, Martin Luther, Harriet Tubman, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Booker T. Washington, William Wilberforce, George Washington Carver, and Wilbur and Orville Wright.

1. Peter the Great

by Diane Stanley

from Sonlight's History / Bible / Literature C

This picture book biography is a perfect introduction to the tsar who brought Russia into the modern world—Peter the Great. Gorgeous illustrations bring the story to life and offer a feel for Russian art of the 17th and 18th centuries.

2. Michelangelo

by Diane Stanley

from Sonlight's History / Bible / Literature C

This multiple award-winning account of Michelangelo's life and achievements includes large, full-color illustrations of Michelangelo's paintings and sculptures.

It's part art, part history.

3. The Monk Who Shook the World

by Cyril Davey

from Sonlight's History / Bible / Literature G

Get to know the Protestant reformer Martin Luther through this biography.

Through the pages of this concise book, you follow Luther from his childhood to his most famous accomplishment—sparking and leading the Reformation.

4. One Voice: The Story of William Wilberforce

by Amy Lykosh

from Sonlight's History / Bible / Literature E

This unique slant on a biography presents the story of Wliburforce through verse instead of prose.

Despite all obstacles, he fought to end the slave trade in Great Britain. This is a powerful story of tenacity and courage. It's perfect for your young social justice warriors.

5. Archimedes and the Door of Science

by Jeanne Bendick

from Sonlight's History of Science

This biography of Archimedes is delightful! This Greek mathematician made a number of wonderful discoveries or proved their practical application.

Once he solved a challenging problem while in the bath and was so excited by the discovery, he ran naked through the streets yelling "Eureka! Eureka! (I've found it! I've found it!)"

You get science and history, rolled up into one with this book.

6. Freedom Train: The Story of Harriet Tubman

by Dorothy Sterling

from Sonlight's History / Bible / Literature E

A must-read, this fascinating biography features Harriet Tubman. Called the Moses of her people, she risked her life, helping other slaves reach freedom on the Underground Railroad.

It's a tale of extraordinary courage and righteous civil disobedience that your kids will remember years after reading.

7. Helen Keller

by Margaret Davidson

from Sonlight's History / Bible / Literature E

This biography of Helen Keller will amaze your children. Through her own courage and the firm love of a caring teacher, this blind and deaf girl overcame incredible limitations.

This is the kind of story that blows our own personal excuses for failure out of the water. It's a must-read both for cultural literacy and for a healthy growth mindset.

8. George Washington Carver: From Slave to Scientist

by Janet & Geoff Benge

from Sonlight's History / Bible / Literature E

George Washington Carver, once a kidnapped enslaved child, overcame significant obstacles to become an outstanding scientist.

Never one to give up, Carver shows your kids that persistence is the key to achievement.

9. The Wright Brothers: Pioneers of American Aviation

by Quentin Reynolds

from Sonlight's History / Bible / Literature E

This book is a delightful account of the exploits, the family life, and the character of the two bike builders who are generally credited with having been the first to engage in powered flight.

Through their repeated failures and eventual success, your kids will glean the power of persistence and a growth mindset.

10. Booker T. Washington's Up from Slavery

by Booker T. Washington

from Sonlight's American Literature

Booker T. Washington was a devoutly Christian man who, as a former slave, navigated a dangerous middle ground in a time of racial backlash and disfranchisement.

As he publicly acquiesced to whites on issues of social equality, he fiercely exhorted blacks to unite and improve their lot. Up From Slavery is his autobiography, recounting life from childhood as a slave, through his struggle for education, his founding and presidency of Tuskegee Institute, and his rise to national prominence.

This simply written, anecdotal life story bears the mark of a man of genuine courage, talent, and dedication.

11. Teresa of Calcutta: Serving the Poorest of the Poor

by D. Jeanene Watson

from Sonlight's History / Bible / Literature F

Mother Teresa is an unlikely hero who went against the grain of our me-first culture. Her story will inspire and challenge you to do more for God by serving others! For more than 40 years, she sought to be the arms of Christ to the poorest of the poor in the slums of Calcutta, India.

LITERATURE-BASED LEARNING

Love great books? Try a homeschool curriculum centered on them. Choose Sonlight.

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Mar. 23, 2020

6 Ways Kids Can Keep Reading When the Library is Closed

By Deana Wood
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6 Ways Kids Can Keep Reading When the Library is Closed

Does your child inhale books? Do you get them a big stack of books just to turn around to them telling you that they’ve just finished….all of them? I understand this completely! If you are anything like me, it’s both exciting and frustrating.

I love that my children love to read, but fueling a voracious reader with enough books is a challenge, even after we’ve read through all of our Sonlight curriculum material! 

While libraries are shuttered due to the pandemic, it's even more of a challenge to keep your family supplied with good books. Here's how to keep reading even when the library is closed.

1. Use Libraries

Wait... the library is closed. How can I use the library?

Most libraries offer ebooks, audiobooks, and video content as well as physical books. Now is the time to figure out how that system works and start taking advantage of it. Yes, you'll probably have to jump through a few hoops with new log ins and installing an app. But it will be worth it!

Many libraries are offering storyhour via live streaming avenues and recorded video. Having an event to look forward to is good for kids. Put the schedule on your refrigerator and let the kids tune in live.

For live broadcasts, think outside of your own local area. Head straight to the teen or children parts of each website for the most relevant content. Here are a few of the nation's best libraries to get you started:

  1. New York Public Library
  2. Richmond Public Library
  3. Indianapolis Public Library
  4. Omaha Public Library
  5. Boston Public Library
  6. Salt Lake City Public Library System
  7. Sacramento Public Library
  8. Houston Public Library

Not sure about what to read next? Your library's website probably has booklists of What to Read Next and More by This Author. Dig in to the website and find out what treasures await you there.

2. Subscribe to Magazines

Signing up for subscriptions has been a lifesaver for us! For a fairly low cost, you can order a whole year’s worth of periodically new reading material for your child. It’s also so fun to get something in the mail!

In the past, we have subscribed to these loved magazines:

  • Ranger Rick
  • Sports Illustrated Kids
  • Jack & Jill
  • ZooBooks

All of these were great investments, and it seemed to bridge the gap to our next library or bookstore trip when our kids had finished all their books.

Some of these sites will also sell back issues so you can stock up and binge read without waiting for a new issue.

3. Shop the Sonlight Catalog

I have always loved how I can trust Sonlight to choose amazing books. If you already use the curriculum, you will want to look for books from Science and History / Bible / Literature programs you missed or will skip.

If you don't use Sonlight homeschool curriculum, you can buy book sets without the schooling extras like Activity Sheets and Instructor's Guides.

JUST GREAT BOOKS

These sets are a safe bet. You know the books will be age-appropriate, wholesome, and high-quality. It saves you hours of hunting books and reading reviews.

There are also Summer Reader sets of recreational reading to fuel your voracious reader while libraries are closed.

4. Instead of Toys, Buy Books

Our kids know that one way that we show our love for them is to buy them books. We give a lot of thought to what our kids would enjoy reading, and we will sometimes order them a new book and leave it on their bed for them to find. It’s a small way to say, “I was thinking about you.”

The novelty of a new toy typically lasts for a day, and then the kids forget it. My husband and I learned a while back that books are a much better investment than toys for holidays and birthdays. So instead of buying a small, cheap toy, we allow our kids to choose a book or surprise them with one we select.

5. Reread a Favorite

If you're running low on new books, revisit an old favorite. Your kids may be new to rereading a book, but this may be a good season to try it.

When you reread a book, you already know how it turns out, so you are reading for different objectives that merely seeing how the plot unfolds. On a second reading, you can immerse yourself in the way the author writes the dialogue, the way the characters are portrayed, the use of figurative language, and more.

High quality living books will provide new insights every time you read them.

6. Slow Down with Family Read-Alouds

Reading aloud takes longer than reading silently. So slow down the pace with family reading sessions.

You can read aloud to the kids.

Kids and teens can read aloud to each other and to you.

This method means you can slow the consumption of books and intersperse the reading with leisurely discussions:

  • Why did the character do that?
  • What would you do?
  • What do you think will happen next?

Having a voracious reader is a good problem. It just requires a little creativity. We’ve been able to build a pretty extensive home library without spending a fortune, and you can too. What are your favorite ways to keep your child reading?

SHOP GREAT BOOKS
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Mar. 19, 2020

Introducing Sonlight's New Kindergarten Science Program: Ecosystems, Meteorology, Physics and Engineering Design

By Sonlight
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New Kindergarten Science program from Sonlight

NEW FOR 2020
Sonlight's Kindergarten Science Program:
Ecosystems, Meteorology, Physics and Engineering Design
AVAILABLE APRIL 1, 2020

SEE THE PROGRAM


We're excited to introduce Sonlight's NEW Kindergarten Science: Ecosystems, Meteorology, Physics and Engineering Design. With this new STEM-based science program, your children will actually use the scientific method to explore their world.

Your students will ask questions, think of possible answers (hypotheses), and test them with you. They won't just receive information, but will actively explore subjects like cause and effect, patterns, structure and function, systems, stability and change, cycles, and more.

Want to learn more about Sonlight's new Kindergarten Science program? Keep reading!

Why Create a New Science Program?

The idea to create a new science program started with a desire to update the Sonlight's science video resources (Discover & Do). While developing a plan to update video content, we started taking a closer look at all of the content included in our curriculum.

Instead of just replacing out-of-date books and updating information, there was an opportunity to completely rethink Sonlight's approach to the science curriculum. This new approach teaches children to think like scientists, and builds STEM skills that are valuable in an increasingly technological world.

Sonlight's New Approach to Science

A hands-on approach to science is exciting and lets kids see science in action. We didn't want to lose any of that with our new science approach!

But, we also didn't want to stop with demonstrating concepts through science experiments. Science can be used as an opportunity to teach great problem-solving skills and new ways of thinking. Your kids can get actively involved in the scientific process, and learn to think like scientists with a solution-oriented mindset.

1. Teaching Kids to Think Like Scientists

The new Science K experiments book and accompanying videos follow the Scientific Method. Each hands-on activity starts with an observation or a specific question. Why do rain forests grow the way that they do? Or how do boats float? From the observation, students are encouraged to make a prediction, and then carry out an experiment to test their hypothesis.

The learning doesn't stop after just one activity. You'll push forward to see how the concept you've learned applies to other ideas. Science is all connected and always growing. We want to inspire kids to ask big questions and explore God's world.

2. Tying Activities to Engaging Books

One of the most exciting things about Science K is that the experiments tie back to the content in the science books. When you're reading about ants, you're going to do several experiments about ants and where they live, how they move, and what they eat.

We've worked hard to find excellent, engaging, age-appropriate titles that still keep the program affordable and on-topic. The books are filled with great illustrations and photographs. You'll even read a biography about a normal person who started a movement that has dramatically improved the ecology of northern Africa. Kids will see how the study of science can inspire and create positive change in the world.

3. Adding STEM Content

By adding STEM and Engineering Design content to the new kindergarten Science program, we hope to inspire students who have an aptitude for science and engineering fields. STEM is all about learning about a problem and finding creative ways to solve it. Kids get to explore these problems in a structured, scientific way.

With Sonlight's new approach to our science progams, kids are encouraged to step into innovating and experimenting on their own. We're excited to build scientists who follow God's calling and change the world for the better!

https://www.facebook.com/sonlight/videos/1600789423412040/

Check out Sonlight's complete kindergarten program!

Get the new American History Kindergarten program in one simple order. Includes the NEW Kindergarten History / Bible / Literature Program Readers, Handwriting, Language Arts, the NEW Kindergarten Science program and Math. Everything you need to teach one child, for one year... in one easy order.

Sonlight's NEW Kindergarten All-Subjects Package

NEW FOR 2020
Sonlight's Kindergarten All-Subjects Package
AVAILABLE APRIL 1, 2020

SEE EVERYTHING IN THIS PROGRAM
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Mar. 18, 2020

11 Poetry Anthologies for Kids That Every Home Library Needs

By Sonlight
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If your home library is sorely lacking in the poetry genre, this list solves the problem with 11 poetry anthologies for kids. Although these are specifically for students, each book will appeal to all ages from young children to adults.

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Mar. 16, 2020

Why Homeschooling Abroad is Tough (And How to Handle It)

By Rachel Guerrero
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When you move far away from your homeland and homeschool abroad, you face unique challenges in terms of getting supplies and finding support. Here's help.

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Mar. 13, 2020

Coronavirus has your kids at home? Here are ideas for school at home.

By Meredith Kyle
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Ideas for School at Home

With the grocery stockpiling and the enthusiastic handwashing comes another unexpected symptom of COVID-19– the need for an emergency lesson plan.

Schools across the country are closing to slow the spread of the virus, and many families are finding themselves with an unexpected amount of family bonding time. Sonlight has some experience (30 years in fact) with school at home, so we’ve compiled a list of emergency educational resources for those temporarily bringing school to their living rooms and kitchen tables.

While a schedule disruption may cause stress, look for moments of enjoyment in the extra time with your children. A tricky situation can also be a unique opportunity. Use these tools to keep up with academics—and chase away the cabin fever. You might build some surprising family memories along the way.

1. School at Home with Book Lists

With limited opportunities to explore outside of the home, take advantage of the chance to travel around the world through books. The books that you choose to read with your children matter. Stay away from fluff, and opt for titles that are rich, engaging, and spark thoughtful conversations.

We’ve compiled book lists of some of our favorites over the years, so that you don’t have to waste time sifting through library shelves for books that your children will love to read. Check out our book packages, carefully curated by age range, or reference some of the book lists below; you just might find a new family favorite that makes them beg for one more chapter …and helps the hours fly by.

  • 16-11 Best Fiction Books for Animal Lovers

2. School at Home Lesson Plans

If your school-at-home situation is temporary and you don’t want to spend money on curriculum, Sonlight offers 3-weeks of free lesson plans to get you started.

Sonlight Instructor’s Guides are packed with notes and discussion questions, along with assignments for each day. If you’re looking for a no-prep way to facilitate History, Literature, Language Arts, Science, or Bible in your home, a Sonlight Instructor’s Guide sample is a good start.

GET FREE SAMPLES

3. School at Home with Hands-On Activities

Your kids can learn and keep their hands busy at the same time with hands-on learning projects.

If you don’t want to worry about gathering craft supplies, Sonlight offers hands-on learning kits with all of the supplies included.

Hands-on history kits

Or, try some outside-of-the-box learning activities that take little to no supplies. Got a toddler in the house? We have ideas for that, too.

4. School at Home with Art Enrichment

Add some art enrichment to your day, and you might find yourself wanting to keep the habit going as an afterschooling activity even when your kids are back in school. Experiment with different ways to get your creativity flowing…like recreating art from a favorite artist, following an online doodling tutorial, or drawing things you see in the backyard. You can also set up a student-led art station for your kids to explore on their own…while mom takes a break.

Art is an area that your children may not get to explore everyday in their typical school schedule, so enjoy the opportunity to add a new kind of creative outlet to your day. If you’re looking for a more formal art program, Sonlight has art appreciation books and curriculum available.

5. School at Home with Physical Activity

Staying in the house can make everyone antsy. It’s important to stay active to keep grumpiness at bay, and there are ways to do that even if the weather outside is chilly.

Use these 10 Tips for Self-Care Through Exercise and Movement as a starting point. Finding an exercise video online or doing stretches in the living room might be just what you need to shake away feelings of anxiety.

6. School at Home with Games

Games are a fun way to pass the time while learning. See our top picks here.

You probably already have some of our favorites sitting around in your house, and this is a perfect time to dig them out of the closet. Reference our list of Top 10 Educational Games for Families that will get your brains working and some lighthearted competition flowing.

7. School at Home with Current Events

With the 2020 U.S. election season coming up, what better time for a crash course in government and civics? Check out these 6 Ways to Teach Civics at Home, or better yet, enjoy Sonlight's free Guide to Elections unit study. This interactive unit study activities cover a range of grades and ages, and will help you dive into the history and current events surrounding elections in America.

Looking for even more ideas? The Sonlight blog is packed with free tips, encouragement, and resources that are useful for families dealing with an unexpected change. Use these afterschooling ideas to add to the at-home curriculum provided by your school. We wish your family health and safety during this season – and little moments of surprising joy!

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Mar. 11, 2020

How to Choose Among Sonlight Preschool, Pre-K, K, and A

By Sonlight
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How to Choose Among Sonlight Preschool, Pre-K, and A

When you are starting out as a homeschooler or adding enrichment to a daycare or preschool program, which Sonlight early learning program will be the best fit for your family? All four of Sonlight’s programs for young students—Preschool, Pre-K, K, and A—use dozens of beautiful books that you and your child will love. But because children ages 3 to 7 develop different skills at different rates, which of these programs is the best fit for your child today?

Here's help choosing.

The recommended age and grade ranges for all Sonlight programs are changing beginning April 1, 2020. The NEW Sonlight scope & sequence outlines these four levels as such:

Let’s unpack this simple summary to find the best fit for your child.

Preschool is excellent for young children. 2-year-olds might enjoy some of the books, but most families enjoy this collection for children aged 3 or 4. That said, even children far past preschool age enjoy and revisit these books regularly. Many Sonlighters have come across their 6, 7, and even 8-year-olds looking at these books.

This is one of the best values of all the Sonlight programs, simply because of how much use these books offer a family.

The Pre-K program is an excellent program for either Pre-K or for Kindergarten.

The Sonlight K program works equally well for Kindergarten or 1st grade.

And Sonlight A was, for many years, Sonlight's kindergarten program. As of 2020, the easier Read-Alouds moved down to K, and Sonlight A kept the more challenging chapter books and added some new ones. Thus, the 2020 Sonlight A is more suited to a first and second grade audience. Ideally, you can start this program with a child aged 6 or 7.

If you’re trying to pick between the four earliest Sonlight programs, here’s a quick guide, based on the types of Read-Alouds included in each program.

  • Preschool includes mostly picture books with few words per page.
  • Pre-K is a mix of picture books with more words per page and early chapter books with a single illustration per page.
  • Sonlight K is mostly early chapter books, with many illustrations and engaging plots.
  • Sonlight A is mostly chapter books with a few illustrations per chapter.

Choosing Sonlight Preschool

If your children love picture books, then celebrate that love of beauty and rich stories told in few words with Sonlight Preschool, a program composed almost entirely picture books with very few words.

Preschool Package
Sonlight Preschool Package

Choosing Sonlight Pre-K

Sonlight Pre-K starts to include chapter books with a single illustration per chapter, and picture books with more words per page. This program includes a series of workbooks that helps you gauge your children’s academic readiness, and reading readiness exercises. Much of this would be considered traditional Kindergarten material, and some of our customers claim that Sonlight Pre-K is more robust than other company's Kindergarten programs.

Sonlight Pre-Kindergarten
Sonlight Pre-Kindergarten

Choosing History / Bible / Literature K

Sonlight K, new in 2020, introduces American history to a young audience. This program will be available on April 1, 2020.

https://www.facebook.com/sonlight/videos/2794080783962720

The Sonlight exclusive history spine, Heroes and Happenings, includes 60 biographies of famous people and events from history. These are mostly less than 1000 words (about the length of this blog post), with multiple full-color illustrations per chapter. This program includes engaging and delightful Read-Alouds, mostly short chapter books, heavily illustrated. 

Sonlight History / Bible / Literature K
History / Bible / Literature K

Choosing History / Bible / Literature A

If when you read aloud a chapter book, your children wiggle like crazy, or you find yourself saying, “Pay attention!” then maybe wait a little longer before using Sonlight A. Choose Pre-K or K instead. Most of the books in A are chapter books. Enjoyable, entertaining, exciting . . . but chapter books. Not all 5 and 6-year-olds are ready for chapter books.

Sonlight History / Bible / Literature A
History / Bible / Literature A

If You Still Aren’t Sure

Still not sure if Sonlight Preschool, Pre-K, K, or A is best? Or are you trying to combine more than one child with one of these programs? Contact a Sonlight Homeschool Advisor to talk through the options. And if even if you need to exchange a program for a better fit, our guarantee allows for that.

TALK TO AN ADVISOR

Click here to connect with a homeschool consultant who can provide personalized help with choosing the right curriculum.

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