We’re super excited about this new school year, but I must admit, my kids make it easy. While My Little Man is not a fan of writing, he loves to read and to build things, and so I need only to bring books home. He’ll find them, devour them, and remember much of the text word for word.
My Little Man and My Big Helper are so close in age and ability, most of our schoolwork happens together. They do most of the same assignments, study the same topics, and do most of the same projects. When their work differs, it’s usually only in scope or the difficulty I expect from them – and math. They do separate math assignments.
With that in mind, this is what we’re planning for this coming school year. We’ll be starting next week – although the kids have already started reading their books and making up their own assignments. (I don’t think they understand the meaning of ‘vacation.’) For this to make sense, though, you need to know how we do school. We incorporate as many subjects as we can into one thing – an interdisciplinary or project approach, also called unit studies – but we’re pretty eclectic about the way that we do things, too. I choose history and/or science topics for us to focus on and then we read biographies, historical fiction, non-fiction, videos, documentaries, build things, take field trips, and write, so …
History: Mostly we’ll be reading the types of books listed above. We fill in gaps between major time periods with Drive Through History: Columbus, the Pilgrims, and Early Boston
Science: We’re going to be matching up scientists and discoveries with the time periods that we’re studying. We’ll learn about the science of navigation during our exploration unit, about the changes in weapons and warfare throughout our war studies, and other important ones in between. The kids’ book clubs will be reading a fun trade paperback that makes use of physics and circuits, too – more on that to come. When we want more information, in addition to biographies, the ‘Net, and documentaries, we’ll be reading
After losing everything she held dear, Abby never wants to love again. But 
1. Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein This story features middle-school characters but is I’ve tested out many more books than I’ve chosen, too, because I’m a picky reader, and I have high expectations for what my kids read. The following list includes my most favorite adventure stories for upper elementary readers, though, and if you haven’t read clean and fun. The characters are involved in a Survivor-like contest in a high-tech new library and must figure out an escape from a series of well-formulated clues to win an enormous price. 
2. Capture the Flag by Kate Messner This is the first book in a trilogy about a secret society of people descended from the world’s greatest artists and whose mission it is to protect their ancestors’ work from those who seek to steal or destroy it. The main characters are three unlikely kids, all with different skills and talents, who work together to bring down some serious art thieves. 
3. The Secret Island by Enid Blyton This is another first-in-a-series, this time about kids who are living in poor foster situations and decide to run away together to live on an island in the middle of a nearby lake. They build shelters, cook for themselves, store food for the winter, and otherwise survive on their own for months. It’s a great story of survival skills and working together. 
4. The Island of Dr. Libris by Chris Grabenstein This Grabenstein book also features older characters and touts great literature. How real are the things we imagine? Can our imaginations fuel real change to our world? These themes are explored when the main character writes himself into many classic stories and barely escapes with his life over and over again. 
5. The Sixty-Eight Rooms by Marianne Malone This first book, and the three that follow it, follow two kids through adventures through time, righting wrongs and learning about history. Their time travels are centered around the Sixty-Eight Rooms, a real exhibit in a Chicago museum. 
6. George Washington’s Socks by Elvira Woodruff I’ve always had a thing for time travel, as evidenced by several of these choices, but that’s because it’s a great vehicle for bringing the excitement of history alive. Woodruff does that in this story by sending a group of friends back in time to the night that Washington crossed the Delaware. In the melee, they are helped by Native Americans, run into Redcoats, are captured by Hessians, and rescued by Patriots. How much more excitement could you handle in one night?? 
7. Honus and Me by Dan Gutman While time travel is my thing, sports are not – and yet I love this series. The main character, a tween boy, has the ability to travel through time with old baseball cards, and in each book of the series he travels to a different time and place, meeting the old greats and trying to correct wrongs – all while learning about the history of baseball. Of course, things never go as planned, and he’s captured by mobsters, lost without money, chased by angry managers, and much more. Find out how to turn this story into a real-life learning adventure here. 
8. Edison’s Gold by Geoff Watson This is one of my son’s favorite books. When Thomas Edison’s a-bunch-of-greats-grandson learns of his ancestor’s secret discovery, he and his friends race to find and save it – before the competition destroys his family. With explosions, chase scenes, and neat science tricks, it’s a super fun story – and you’ll learn something, too. 
9. Missing on Superstition Mountain by Elise Broach This story, and the rest of the trilogy, explore the mysterious past of a real mountain range in Arizona. With legends abounding, as well as a race to find a lost gold mine, you won’t be able to put this series down.
10. Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett This story will make you think, as the author combines history, art, and philosophy – but she does so amidst the biggest art heist in history, and when some kids discover the trail to the thief, adventures fly. 
