Charles Darwin was an English naturalist and geologist that lived in the 1800s. He is best-known for his contribution to the theory of evolution. He published his theory in his 1859 book On the Origin of Species.
Regardless of your beliefs about creation and evolution, Charles Darwin’s theory was a game-changer in the world, and is well worth understanding today.
Our Darwin resource is part of our Great Scientists collection. Originally I created this collection when one of my sons was in Classical Conversations’ Challenge B program. He had a lot of research to do and papers to write, so I put together resource collections for each scientist they were studying that year, to make it simpler to have quality information available quickly and easily. Now it’s available for you, too! Charles is in good company with other scientists, such as Marie Curie, Albert Einstein, Sir Isaac Newton, and others.
Like this quote? Click to download a printable version of it.
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One of the ways we sometimes run into trouble in a school day is if we don’t get off to a good start. You know what I’m talking about—nobody fed the dog, people are squirreled away in their bedroom playing minecraft and hoping you won’t notice, and for goodness sakes: they don’t know what to eat!
I even have a child who tells me this, while I look at him and say things like, “You know what is available! Toast! Bagels! Oatmeal! Cereal! Fruit! Yogurt! Waffles! Pick one!” (Because after 22+ years of serving breakfasts, I feel like now everybody should be able to help themselves. Shouldn’t they?!)
And still we sometimes struggle. Oy.
Well, I just love this creative solution: DIY Breakfast Stations! This clever compilation gives you everything you need to fully stock a bunch of healthy breakfast options at your house AND help the kids be more independent.
You’ll get a complete shopping list, recipes, printable labels, and instructions to put together a TON of breakfasts! Also, there is a great DIY Lunch Stations product available too! Perfect for getting organized and streamlined for back-to-school.
*Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Thomas Edison was one of America’s most famous and impressive inventors! He was so curious as a child that his teachers actually thought he was none-too-bright, so his wise mother decided to teach him at home instead! 🙂 (How many of you can identify with that one, eh?)
Edison had a lifetime full of curiosity and invention, amassing over a thousand patents by the time he died! He is an inspirational man to learn about, and is included in our exciting Famous Inventors collection. Many moms tell me that their sons, in particular, really love our Famous Inventors and Great Scientists collections. You should check it out!
For today I’ve got an Edison quote for you, and there is a *Free Printable* version of this that you can help yourself to! Click here to download.
I think I first heard about the benefits of letting your kids teach you stuff from one of my most favorite resources of all time, BraveWriter.com. Kids love it if we enter in to their activities and interests, and we get to have the experience of being the student for a change! What’s more, when your kids articulate the instructions required to play a game or create something, they are using those organizational skills that are so important in public speaking, writing, and more!
I have let them teach me things before, but today we decided to make it official with Teach Me Tuesdays! We are going to try out having a special opportunity for the kids to teach me something they would like me to know. So first off I was invited to learn to play their new favorite video game, Destiny.
Now, I’m not a gamer, failed miserably when they tried to teach me Mario Cart last year (it’s true! LOL), but I’m crazy about my boys, and you should have seen their faces light up when I agreed to learn their game. As my 16 year old son said, “Mom, if you can learn to play Destiny, you will be, like 10 times cooler than you already are!!
And honestly, who doesn’t want to be *ten times cooler* in the eyes of their teenagers?!
COUNT ME IN, YO!
All day they looked forward to it. I was peppered with questions like, “Mom, do you want to be a warlock, a titan, or a hunter?” “Do you want to be a human, or a blue person, or a robot-looking person?” They were each trying to give me tips and warnings and encouragement so I could be the best 43-year old lady Destiny warrior in town. 😉
I picked a human female titan for my character. The boys were so sweet, teaching me how to use the controls, making sure I had a comfy chair, and listening to my explanation of difficulties in maneuvers. When they caught on that I was instinctively feeling like the right knob should be moving me, instead of the left, they had a fix: They switched me to “southpaw” mode and then things felt much more intuitive for me. They encouraged me with instructions and assistance when I needed it. “Take aim!” “Take cover!” “Shoot! Shoot! Shoot!” “Melee him! Melee that guy!” (that means to punch him! I was good at that.) They hooted and cheered when I finally got the hang of it and started shooting and running and meleeing with some semblance of skill. When I leveled up to Level 2 they all clapped and cheered for me, and I admit I was pretty excited about it too. 🙂
It was fun! And I was amazed once again at the amount of skill, detail, and dexterity that goes into playing a game like this. I will definitely play Destiny with them again, and I know they will love it that now they can talk to me about their game and I will know something about what they are excited about.
What will you let your kiddos teach you this week?
I’ve got a thing for the cello, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. 🙂 My father played the cello and so did I. (briefly, in elementary school) I’ve never stopped loving the deep, soothing sounds of this gorgeous instrument, so don’t be surprised if you end up seeing a lot of cello videos here. It’s just the way it is. 🙂
This performance is a beautifully-done version of Bach’s Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 1: Prelude. It’s a pretty famous piece, so you and your kids will probably be somewhat familiar with it. I think you’ll all enjoy it.
Welcome to the Enrichment Lifestyle Blog! I'm so glad you're here. :) I'm Erica Johns, and I love to encourage homeschool moms and help them enjoy more of the beauty of the arts in everyday life.
About me: I started my homeschooling journey in 1997 and graduated the last of my six children in 2021. Amidst all the hard work, crazy days, uncertainty, and lost pencils, what I think we really gained was the gift of a lifetime: TIME TOGETHER. So awesome! Click my pic to learn more.
