Skip the books! How to make STEM studies a reality in your homeschool

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Have you ever bought a circuit set with high hopes of you kid using it with joy; only to throw it away piece by piece as you find them strung out on your kids bedroom floor? Have you ever found the half finished model of the ship you were intending to use to teach the kids about sailing? Is it just me, who lives in the land of good intentions.

What happened to our projects? Real life got in the way, that’s what happened.

I’ve done the same thing. That’s why we are taking a leap when it come to our approach to STEM learning this month.

We have always had science kits and side projects. We have done unit studies using electricity and water power. We’ve researched ships and wind. We’ve built models of the solar system and the like. All of these were done alongside our regular school work. Usually ending in a flurry because we had to wrap it up to get to “real”school.

This year we are taking a leap into our STEM projects like never before.

We are taking the month off of our regularly scheduled school to dive deep into our projects. I am giving myself permission to shift what is usually a side project into the main focus of our school for the month of January.

For the first time ever, I am totally psyched to get back to school after Christmas break.

Would it be an amazing refresher for you if your family could do the same thing?

What would that look like if you had school the way you had wanted it?

We have three classes over here and three coordinating projects for them to master over the next month. Read my tech giving review. Have you heard about some of the programs we are incorporating into our school this year.

Our older boys are exploring robotics and programming with Lego Mindstorm. With a Junior and Senior to lead the other two middleschool boys; I am leaving much of the teaching and research up to the older boys. They will learn the program and problem solve to overcome obstacles and challenges on a course they will design.

My older daughter and myself will finally get to explore making movies with stop action animation. We are using Stopmotion Explosion; the HD camera and the software provided in the kit will work on my iPad or on our school computers. I am looking forward to this program more than the kids. The younger girls aren’t left out of the leaning. Our Kano computer provides a robust course in computer programming and code writing. Do you want girls that can thrive in a tech world? I always have. I love that Kano is not pink. It does not have a glitter cover, it has real games and live apps your kids can explore, manipulate and build. If they want glitter they are going to have to learn to code it themselves.

What are the top three things you would you learn with your kids if you could put off some of your obligations. I am giving you permission to take a look at these “side” projects as real, viable, legitimate school. Maybe this year you could take a STEM block as well and really dig into a new tool or skill by giving it the time and attention it really needs.

There are a ton of options out there. What have you been putting off because you don’t have the time? Tell me in the comment section.

Instead of throwing away another little kit, get one you can spend a class’ worth of time on and then schedule it in. Take the time you all really deserve and make it fun. These are your years and you get to shape them how you want to.

[Tweet “Don’t let opportunity pass you by because you were busy with the obligations of life.”]