Knowledge House Newsletter


Homeschool Information... Ideas... and Inspiration

April Holidays & Special Days - Click Here!

~ April 2012 ~

Dear Readers,

Resurrection Sunday is April 8, 2012. Jesus is risen – He is risen indeed! The world's most talked about supernatural event and best-kept promise occurred when Jesus of Nazareth was crucified, died, was buried, and rose from the dead – just as he said He would.

Learn about the history, traditions, and symbols of Easter; read an Easter poem; find Easter recipes and activities; and more at http://www.knowledgehouse.info/njfkeaster.html.

Enjoy these free Easter printables!

Resurrection Word Find
(This will keep the kids quietly occupied for a while. I tried it - couldn't resist! - and found about 25 words myself.)

Resurrection Scripture Strips
(Cut these out and place them inside plastic eggs.)

Easter Scripture Strips
(Cut these out and place them inside plastic eggs.)

Bonus! Print out a Lost Sheep Maze from my Psalm 23 Unit Study. Buy the e-book and get more pages like this! Click here to download my Psalm 23 Unit Study.

Teri's Sig


Featured Article

April is... Poetry Month

Poetry comes in many different styles. No matter what your taste is, there is a poem for you. Poetry can be serious and thoughtful, or humorous and fun. Poems can be in the form of ballads, sonnets, light verse or free verse. Poems often rhyme, but they don't have to. Poetry can be interesting to read, and enjoyable to write. I've always loved reading and writing poems. Here are a couple of my homeschool poems: Ode to a Homeschool Mom | Ode to a Homeschool Dad

Poetry is an art form, just like painting or singing. There are poems in all of us just waiting to be coaxed onto paper. Are you a poet and don't know it? Learn more about reading and writing poetry, read sample poems, study poetry terms, and find additional resources at http://www.knowledgehouse.info/njfkpoetry.html.

If ever there were a “Poet Laureate” for homeschoolers, it surely would be the early 20th century poet Edgar Guest! He wrote about the joys of home and family, motherhood and fatherhood, the virtues of honest labor and plain living. His poems really make you feel the love of family and a true appreciation of poetry. His down-to-earth verse is easy to read with traditional rhyme and rhythm - no "hifalutin" free verse or need to decipher hidden meanings.

I've put together a collection of my favorite poems by Edgar Guest. Download the 50-page e-book here. It's a great resource for reading aloud, memorization, recitation, copywork, or just for fun. Enjoy!

Book of the Month

Gardening For Wildlife

Gardening for Wildlife

April is National Garden Month and Earth Day, and it's a great time for getting outdoors and studying nature. This Spring why not create a wildlife habitat for birds, butterflies, and other creatures in your yard! My “Gardening for Wildlife” e-book will walk you through the process of creating a wildlife-friendly yard and garden. This illustrated step by step guide includes: how to get started, planning checklist, required habitat elements, plant recommendations, maintenance methods, helpful habitat hints, scripture references, educational benefits, how to certify your habitat, additional resources. Makes a great family activity, homeschool project, and year-round unit study! My fully illustrated 28-page Gardening for Wildlife is only $4.95!

Famous Homeschoolers

Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13, 1743. He and his three sisters were taught by the family tutor in a little schoolhouse in the side yard. Thomas also received lessons in Latin, Greek, and French at the home of a minister. Read about America's third President here.

(Each month I will highlight another famous homeschooler or parent.)

Reading Between the Lines

Children’s Book Day: Mexico

International Children’s Book Day is celebrated on or around Hans Christian Andersen’s birthday, April 2, to inspire a love of reading and to call attention to children’s books.

Each year a different National Section of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) has the opportunity to be the sponsor of International Children’s Book Day. It decides upon a theme and invites a prominent author from the host country to write a message to the children of the world and a well-known illustrator to design a poster. The theme for 2012 is Mexico.

Similarly, Children’s Day/Book Day is a celebration of children, families, and reading that culminates annually on April 30, the same date as Mexico’s Day of the Child. A list of some of my favorite children’s books with Mexican themes can be found here: http://www.homeschoollibrary.info/2012/04/02/international-childrens-book-day-mexico/.

Learning Links

Happy Easter (Learn about the history, traditions, and symbols of Easter; read an Easter poem; find Easter recipes and activities; download free Easter printables and more.)

Playing with Poetry (April is National Poetry Month.)

National Parks (April 18-25 is National Park Week.)

Kindergarten Day (Friedrich Froebel, the founder of the first kindergarten, was born on April 21, 1782.)

Freebie of the Month

In keeping with this year's series of freebies, here are a couple more household lists to print out:

Appliances (Keep track of purchase information, serial numbers, etc.)

Wish List (A list of "must-haves" and things that "would be nice" to have.)

Print out the above pages to keep in a binder. Throughout the year, I will supply additional printable pages in each issue of this newsletter. Want to print out a matching cover for that binder? Click here: Household Notebook Cover

(Requires Adobe Reader: click here for free download.)

Quote of the Month

“Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in spring-time.” ~Martin Luther

A Note From Teri...

Check out my newest website: Homeschool Library. This site features an extensive Library of Links to support all of your learning needs! Each link is reviewed and filed according to the Dewey Decimal Classification System.

The Homeschool Library provides easy access to thousands of educational websites and web-based learning activities in a wide variety of subject areas for all ages!

Homeschool for FREE, with the convenience made possible in this age of information. The helpful post categories, and pages organized by subject and grade, will enable you to quickly find just what you’re looking for!

Subscribe to receive a Link of the Day via e-mail: click here!

Happy Homeschooling!

Teri's Sig

P.S. Did you like this month's newsletter?

Copyright © 2012 by Teri Ann Berg Olsen, www.knowledgehouse.info. To subscribe to this free e-newsletter, send a blank e-mail to and follow the instructions in the confirmation e-mail that you will receive, or sign up on the web at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/KnowledgeHouse. To unsubscribe, send a blank e-mail to . Questions? E-mail .