Shownotes
Are you a homeschool parent who thinks you need expensive curriculum to give your kids an excellent education?
In this episode, Crystal and Anthony Obey flip that assumption completely. Discover how to transform basic textbooks, budget workbooks, or even free online programs into rich, memorable, multisensory learning experiences — without breaking the bank.
Learn five powerful strategies that bring any curriculum to life, from the moment your child sits down at the kitchen table to weeks of immersive exploration. Stop searching for the "perfect" curriculum and start making any curriculum extraordinary.
👉 Take the full FREE Class: FREE INTRO CLASS:  Get $30,000+/Yr to Fund Your Homeschool Without a 9-5 Job
🎧 Listen to discover how creativity matters more than cost when it comes to homeschool curriculum on a budget.
In This Episode, You'll Discover:
- Five budget-friendly strategies to transform basic curriculum into unforgettable learning experiences
- How to use free or low-cost field trips that connect directly to your lessons
- Creative ways to teach history, geography, science, and math through cooking
- The underutilized resource that brings textbook concepts to life (hint: it's people in your community)
- Hands-on project ideas that deepen understanding without expensive supplies
- How dramatic reenactments cement learning using nothing but imagination
- Why the curriculum itself isn't the magic — you are
Perfect for you if:
- You're working with a tight homeschool budget but want excellent results
- You already have curriculum but feel like something's missing
- You want your kids engaged and excited, not just completing worksheets
- You're ready to think beyond the textbook and create memorable learning moments
Stop spending money on the next curriculum package. Start leveling up what you already have. Tune in now!
👉 Take the full FREE Class: FREE INTRO CLASS:  Get $30,000+/Yr to Fund Your Homeschool Without a 9-5 Job
Transcripts
Picture this.
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:Your kid is sitting at the kitchen
table staring blankly at page
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:47 of their history textbook.
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:They're reading the words,
but nothing is sinking in.
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:You can see it in their eyes.
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:They're bored, disconnected,
just trying to get through it.
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:Now imagine this instead, that same kid.
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:Is standing in a museum filled with
Samurai weapons and war gear, talking
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:your head off about famous warriors, what
weapons they used, what conquest they
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:achieved and lands that they conquered
hundreds and thousands of years ago.
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:Their eyes are bright.
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:They're sharing plenty of insights
that they've learned from all the
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:books they've absorbed on the topic.
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:They're engaged.
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:Same history lesson, totally
different experience.
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:And here's the best part.
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:You don't need an expensive curriculum
to create that second scenario.
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:We know this from firsthand experience
because our 14-year-old son teaches
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:us not only about Samurai, but many
other armies and cultures and heroes,
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:science, astronomy, and other topics.
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:While I spread peanut
butter and jelly on bread.
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:At lunchtime, we're gonna talk
about how to level up your
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:homeschool curriculum on a budget.
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:Intro: A fast growing number
of parents are starting their
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:homeschooling journey while others
have been homeschooling for years.
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:All of these parents are asking one big
question, how can I afford to homeschool?
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:We are here to answer that
important question once and for all.
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:Hi, I'm Crystal Obby.
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:And I'm Anthony Obby.
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:We've been homeschooling our five
kids for 13 years and we funded it.
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:Through our online consulting business
that we've been running for over 17
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:years now, we're combining Crystal's
financial coaching expertise with my
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:digital marketing background where I help
entrepreneurs launch and sell online.
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:We're here to help fellow homeschooling
parents self-fund their homeschool
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:journey and create lifestyle businesses.
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:For financial freedom without a nine to
five job, are you ready to start living
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:life on your own terms and make your
homeschooling experience a lot more fun?
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:Well then sit back, crank up
the volume, and enjoy this
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:episode of Homeschool Money.
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:Hey guys, welcome to the
Homeschool Money podcast.
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:I'm your host, Anthony Obby.
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:I'm Crystal Obby.
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:Today we're talking about something
that's going to change the way
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:you think about curriculum.
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:You know, how most advice about
homeschooling on a budget focuses on
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:finding cheap curriculum or cutting costs?
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:Well, today we're flipping
that script entirely.
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:We're talking about how to take whatever
curriculum you already have, whether
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:it's a basic textbook, a budget workbook,
or even a free online program, and
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:transform it into a rich, memorable,
multisensory learning experience
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:without spending much money at all.
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:Because here's the truth, the
curriculum isn't the magic.
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:You are the magic.
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:And with some creativity, you can turn
even the most basic lesson into something
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:your kids will remember for years.
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:So let's dive into some practical,
actionable ways to level up
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:what you're already using.
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:So the first thing is that you can
bring learning to life with field trips.
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:The first way to enhance any curriculum
is to take it off the pages and into
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:the world, real world with field trips.
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:Now, I'm not talking about expensive
theme parks or museum memberships.
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:Those, some of those are great too.
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:I'm talking about free or low
cost field trips that connect
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:directly to what you're studying.
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:Let's say you're studying the water cycle.
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:Instead of just reading about
evaporation and condensation, take
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:your kids to a local pond or creek.
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:Bring a notebook and sketch what you see.
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:Talk about where the water
comes from and where it goes.
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:If it's a hot day, watch puddles
evaporate from the parking lot.
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:Suddenly the water cycle isn't abstract.
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:It's right there are you
studying local history?
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:Visit historical markers, old cemeteries,
or preserved buildings in your town.
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:Most are completely free and have
incredible stories attached to them.
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:That's super fun when you're
like studying genealogy.
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:Yeah.
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:Yeah.
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:Especially family history.
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:Right.
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:Are you learning about government?
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:Attend a city council meeting, they're
open to the public, they're free, and
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:your kids will see democracy in action.
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:We had a really great time
visiting the state capitol.
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:All of our kids, we got a
chance to be involved and it
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:was a really great experience.
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:Yeah, it was exciting because we
actually sat in on a sitting hearing
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:and got a chance to see them slam the
gavel and talk back and forth about
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:the, things that they were working on.
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:So that was really interesting.
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:The key is to match the field
trip to your curriculum.
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:Before you go review what you're learning
during the trip, ask questions after.
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:Have your kids draw or write
about what they discovered.
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:1 Comm: Hey, real quick, if you're liking
the show, hit follow so you don't miss
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:a single episode and drop a five star
rating and a review to let us know that
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:you're loving the content and tell us
what topics you'd like us to cover.
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:This will help more people find
the show, and please share this
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:episode with a friend, your
co-op, or anyone who needs it.
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:They'll be glad you did.
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:Now, back to the show.
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:This turns a single lesson into
a multi-day immersive experience.
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:Another thing you could do is
cook your way through curriculum.
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:One of our favorite ways to
enhance learning is by cooking.
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:I love standing in the kitchen at the
end of a day and cooking with the kids.
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:Food is an incredible teaching tool
because it engages all the senses
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:and it works for almost any subject.
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:Let's break down some examples.
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:If you're studying ancient
Rome, make Roman bread or a
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:simple porridge like they ate.
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:Eating what people ate makes
history, tangible and memorable.
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:I remember whenever I was in the second
grade, we had a a foreign exchange teacher
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:and we made baklava and I still talk
about baklava and the whole experience
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:of talking about it, making it and
having it at one of our school fairs,
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:and that's like one of the only things I
remember from my educational experience.
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:That's really interesting.
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:So let's take geography.
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:Are your kids learning about a country?
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:You can cook a traditional
dish from that culture.
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:Make tacos when studying Mexico, or
stir fry for China or curry for India.
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:Talk about the ingredients, where
they came from, how they grow and
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:their significance to that region.
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:A fun and easy one is always when
you're studying science because
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:chemistry happens in the kitchen.
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:Baking bread teaches about
yeast and fermentation.
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:Making ice cream demonstrates
freezing points in states of matter.
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:Even scrambling an egg
shows protein denaturation.
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:What about math?
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:Cooking is full of fractions,
measurements and conversions.
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:Double a recipe for multiplication
practice or have it for division.
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:Let younger kids measure ingredients to
learn about cups, teaspoons, and volume.
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:You don't need fancy ingredients
or complicated recipes.
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:Often the simplest foods are the
most educational like biscuits.
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:And as a bonus, you get to eat
your lesson when you're all done.
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:A third idea is to interview real people.
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:This is one of my favorites.
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:Here's something that most homeschool
families underutilized, the incredible
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:resource of real human beings who
have stories and expertise to share.
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:Every community is full of people and even
your families with fascinating experiences
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:that can bring your curriculum to life.
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:And most people are honored and excited to
share when a kid shows genuine interest.
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:Here's how to connect
curriculum with people.
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:Studying World War ii.
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:Find a veteran or someone whose
parents served, and ask if
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:your child can interview them.
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:Prepare thoughtful
questions ahead of time.
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:Are you learning about
careers in your science unit?
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:Email a local veterinarian, engineer
or nurse and ask if you can do
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:a 15 minute phone or video call.
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:Many professionals love
talking to curious kids.
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:Are you studying immigration?
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:Talk to someone in your community
who immigrated to your country.
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:Ask them about their journey,
their homeland, what surprised
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:them and what they miss.
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:What about entrepreneurship?
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:Interview a local, small business owner
about how they started their business.
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:The key is to prepare your
child to be a good interviewer.
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:Help them write five to
10 thoughtful questions.
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:Teach them to listen, ask, follow
ups, and say thank you afterwards.
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:Have them write a summary
or a thank you note.
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:These conversations can create
connections that textbooks can never do.
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:Your kids will remember these stories
far longer than they will remember any
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:worksheet, and they will be well on
their way to developing skills that
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:will serve them in their adulthood work.
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:The fourth idea is to do
hands-on crafts and projects.
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:I'm not talking about random busy work.
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:We're talking about crafts that deepen
understanding and create tangible
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:connections to what you're studying.
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:If you're studying history, you can build
a model of something you're studying.
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:Popsicle stick bridges when learning
about architecture, clay pottery.
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:When studying ancient civilizations,
create a timeline on a long strip of paper
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:using drawings, dates, and connections.
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:Let's take literature, for example.
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:Make a shoebox or diorama
of a scene from the book.
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:Create wanted posters for characters.
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:Design a book cover or a movie poster.
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:Write and perform a different ending.
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:Yeah.
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:For science, you can build a
volcano for geology, create
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:a model of the solar system.
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:Make a butterfly lifecycle wheel,
build a simple circuit with a battery
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:and LED light, and make sure to be
careful because yeah, we almost had a
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:house fire from doing that ourselves.
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:Ha, yes.
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:Geography create salt dough maps
with raised mountains and valleys.
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:Make a paper mache globe design a travel
brochure for a country you're studying.
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:The beauty of these projects is
that they're multi-day activities.
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:They require planning, problem
solving, and creativity.
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:And you probably already have most of
the supplies, paper, cardboard, tape.
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:Markers, things from nature recyclables.
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:Don't stress about perfection.
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:The process is what matters.
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:The thinking, the creating, the doing.
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:2 Comm: Hey, friend, quick break.
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:If you're ready to fund your homeschool
without relying on a nine to five
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:job, you have to check this out.
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:We're giving you instant access to.
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:Our free class is called Get 30,000
a year to Fund Your Homeschool
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:Without a nine to five job.
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:In just 90 minutes, you'll learn
how to create consistent income.
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:Afford a world-class education for
your kids and get the lifestyle freedom
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:you deserve, that's gonna give you
more time to invest into the people
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:that matter the most, your children.
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:This is the system that changed everything
for us, and it's changed everything
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:for hundreds of other families too.
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:Go to homeschool money.com
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:to register and watch the free
class on demand and get our
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:newsletter full of tips and support.
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:Don't wait.
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:Your freedom starts right now.
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:The fifth idea is to do
dramatic reenactments.
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:Reenacting scenarios from your curriculum
is one of the most powerful ways to cement
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:learning, and it costs absolutely nothing.
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:So from history, you can
act out historical events.
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:You can reenact the Boston Tea
Party in your living room, put
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:on a mock trial stage, a debate
between historical figures.
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:Let your kids write simple
scripts or improvise.
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:For literature, you can perform scenes
from the books that you're reading.
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:You can assign parts.
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:Use simple costumes from the
dress up box or closet and let
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:kids interpret the characters.
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:You can even film it and
watch it back together.
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:Another thing you can do is have the
kids make their own costumes for it.
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:If you don't already have costumes,
that's right for science, you
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:can act out the processes you're
learning, be atoms bonding together.
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:Demonstrate how the digestive system
works by having each kid represent a
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:different organ model predator prey
relationships with a game of tag.
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:For math, you can create a pretend
store and practice making change.
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:Run a restaurant and calculate
bills stage, a mock auction to
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:practice estimating and bidding.
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:The physical act of embodying
concepts, moving, speaking, deciding.
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:It activates learning in a
completely different way than
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:reading or writing alone.
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:Plus, it's fun, and when
learning is fun, it sticks.
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:Don't worry about production value.
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:This isn't about being theater ready.
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:It's about engagement and
understanding with the things
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:that your children are learning.
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:So to recap, these five powerful
budget friendly ways to level
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:up your homeschool curriculum.
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:The first one was field trips that
connect lessons to real places.
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:Number two is cooking to engage the
senses and teach across subjects.
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:Number three, interviewing real people
to add human stories and expertise.
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:Number four, crafts and projects
that make learning tangible.
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:Number five, dramatic reenactments
to embody and experience concepts.
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:Here's the beautiful thing.
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:You can combine these approaches when
you're studying westward expansion.
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:Interview, someone who's done genealogy
research on pioneer ancestors.
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:Build a covered wagon model reenact
as a scene from the Oregon Trail,
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:and visit a local historical site.
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:You're taking one curriculum unit and
turning it into a week or two of immersive
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:multi-sensory learning, and it costs you
almost nothing except time and creativity.
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:So we hope that you're getting
the point and the takeaway from
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:what we've talked about today, the
curriculum is just a starting point.
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:It's a framework, it's
a guide, a springboard.
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:What transforms education from adequate
to extraordinary is what you add to it.
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:The experiences, the connections,
the moments of wonder.
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:You don't need to spend more money.
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:You need to think beyond the book.
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:So pick one lesson coming up this
week and ask yourself, how can I
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:help this come alive for my kids?
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:Then choose one of the strategies that
we talked about today and give it a try.
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:Thanks so much for listening.
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:Go level up that curriculum and
we'll catch you in the next episode.
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:Outro: If you like today's episode,
make sure you tap the follow button
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:so you never miss a thing, and if it
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:homeschool group sharing is caring.
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:go to homeschool money.com
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:to enroll in the full Homeschool
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:find your first $1,000 fast.
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:And create 30,000 or much more every year.
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:Each module of this program is designed
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:experience financial abundance, so you
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