Use the table of contents at the beginning of each book to see what is taught. Everything that starts with “How to” is a Skills chapter. Take a brief look at those chapters so you’ll know what’s ahead.

Read the book together (starting with a story chapter). As you’re reading, the kiddos can have a notebook in hand ready to jot down anything the characters do or say that sparks their interest that they might want to research later. They could also doodle or draw what is happening in the story.

After reading the story chapter, it’s time to ask questions! Not “test” style questions, but conversational questions like….

- What was your favorite part about that chapter?

- Was there anything the characters did or say that you thought was interesting?

- Were there any objects or animals that you thought were cool?

- How did they solve the problem they were dealing with in this chapter?

Read the non-fiction/skills portion that corresponds, and voice connections + schedule the activity (opt.)

Example: in Chapter 3 of The Swiss Family Robinson the characters build a raft to get to shore after being shipwrecked. In chapter 4 is instructions from 1931 on different survival rafts and how to build them. Your little one can draw a design of a raft they would build as you discuss the different types, guess which ones would be most useful to the Robinson family etc. Together you can discuss and decide if this is the kind of project they’d like to try in real life (whether as a miniature or as a full sized project) and if they would, schedule it for the/a weekend.

This gives you a chance to plan, and prepare supplies over the week. It also gives an opportunity to teach kiddos project planning skills as you involve them in the planning process. Sometimes other skills may be added in to that same weekend project as you read. Like having a campfire (Chapter 9) after you’re done building the raft. Or they can research & follow other interests that might have been sparked by the book.

Doing the activity can be exchanged for, or supplemented by, watching a video about it on youtube!

We have some pre-vetted youtube videos that we've watched for you in our Farmhouse Library Membership!