LEGO® Education StoryStarter In Your Homeschool

Do you have a LEGO lover living in your house?

If so, you really should become familiar with LEGO® Education and their curriculum for homeschool.

A particular favorite in our home is StoryStarter, a curriculum that gives our children enrichment in reading, writing, creativity, technology, and so much more.

Designed as a SUPPLEMENT to your current language arts curriculum, StoryStarter offers children the chance to create, retell, and document stories. We have used it in a myriad of ways in our homeschool, and I can't speak highly enough of this resource. 

---

About LEGO® Education StoryStarter

I've written about StoryStarter before - you might want to check out that review. 

StoryStarter is designed for children in 2nd-5th grades.  We have used this set as young as Kindergarten, and I can anticipate my son using it well into middle school.

(After all, we don't really put grade level labels on our homeschooled children, do we?)

StoryStarter can be used in your individual homeschool, and it is also PERFECT for a co-op or LEGO club!

In a nutshell, StoryStarter includes:

• StoryStarter Core Set -- 1100+ LEGO elements that can accommodate up to three children

• StoryStarter Curriculum Pack -- 24 scripted lessons that include writing, listening, reading, and presentation skills

• StoryVisualizer Software -- software that is (Mac and Windows friendly) for children to create their own stories, PLUS access to the StoryStarter App (also IOS and Android friendly)

The complete StoryStarter set is $139.95. If you consider how much one normal LEGO set costs, this is an EXCELLENT value (plus you receive a full curriculum AND software!).

I would much rather have this education set instead of 4 or 5 licensed character LEGO sets, wouldn't you?  It is an excellent resource for your homeschool that will last for many years. 

---

How To Use StoryStarter in Your Homeschool

StoryStarter can supplement SO MANY areas of your homeschool:

• Reading

• Writing

• Fine Motor Skills

• Technology

• Narration

• Presentation Skills

As I recently shared with a group of parents and children at the Florida Parent Educators Association Conference, StoryStarter can be used in its most pure form (using the 24 scripted lessons), or can be used creatively.

Below is an example of a lesson from the curriculum I did with my son. This has been one of his favorites because it asked him to design a sports stadium and then add the commentary on a sports game of his choice. He created a basketball arena (in many scenes), uploaded the pictures to the StoryVisualizer software, and typed in the dialogue.  I love it!

Click here to see the full creation

If you want to get creative consider the following options: 

• Narrate read alouds with StoryStarter bricks -- if children struggle with verbal narrations, sometimes building a narration can be much easier; then, have your child tell you about their creation. Narration = CHECK!

• Create a LEGO scene of your choice and use the StoryVisualizer software to write a story about the creation. The StoryStarter app allows children to take their own pictures and immediately put them into story form - add text, backgrounds, and much more for a fun creation. Print these creations and save in a notebook.

• When learning about poetry have your children build the poem with StoryStarter bricks - then use the StoryVisualizer software to combine the text of the poem with your original LEGO creation.

Please take a moment to view the slides from the recent presentation I made on behalf of LEGO® Education - they will give you a good overview of the curriculum and how we have used the 24 scripted lessons, the software, and also how we have branched out and gotten creative with StoryStarter!

I know you will LOVE the StoryStarter resource for your homeschool!   Please also visit my LEGO Learning page to see more LEGO resources I have reviewed, along with free printables, too!  

---

Homeschooling Your Teen: Are You Missing the Most Important Thing?

I know we hear and read everywhere that one of the biggest benefits of homeschooling is reaching our child's HEART, but during the teen years are we REALLY taking that into account? 

Or, are academics, transcripts, and outside pressures driving our decisions? 

It would seem that the world's goal is to have a child graduate from high school and attend college.

 Traditional schools cram all of the "required" coursework into them, help them achieve a good score on the SAT,  and send them on their way to college - where they will most likely flounder a bit, incur large amounts of debt, and still never really know WHO they are or what God has designed them to do. 

And guess what? It is not just traditional schooled students who fall victim to this path, it can be homeschoolers, too. 

Yes, academics are important. Yes, being equipped for the workforce and/or college is important. Yes, even performance on the SAT can be important. 

If we, however, neglect our child's precious heart - their loves and desires - we are doing them a grave disservice.  If we aren't helping them tap into and use their God-given gifts, what good are our efforts?  

---

After reading a post from my friend Jimmie and what her daughter had taught her, I felt convicted to write about my own journey (albeit short)  homeschooling a teen, in hopes that you can possibly avoid the trap I fell into, and the mistakes I have made. 

Moms, please know that your teen's heart is the MOST IMPORTANT thing.  We can do all of the curriculum research and give our child the BEST academic education, but if we have MISSED THE MARK if we have neglected their heart. 

*This post contains affiliate links

Missing the Most Important Thing

My Anna has been in the Classical Conversations Challenge Program for the past two years. She will be a Challenge I student in the fall (9th grade equivalent). 

I got so caught up in the "academics" of the program that I forgot to nurture her spirit. 

(Please understand:  I believe in this program, but I think I took things a bit too far as you will see. CC allows us to be our child's teacher, and I need to take more FULL advantage of that! )

It was so important for us to complete the daily assignments, that I forgot to let her do what she LOVED.  This is a child who LOVES music, loves working with small children, and loves helping others. She adores lots of time to be crafty and creative, time to play music on the piano she enjoys, and lots of time to get lost in a good book.

For a little more than a year we focused only on academics. I thought, mistakenly, that we needed to "buckle down" now that she was getting older. Even when something just wasn't working I held the course because it was what we were "supposed" to do.

I tried to squeeze my daughter into a Classical "mold" - one that I thought she should just fit in if we were to be Classical homeschoolers.

BIG MISTAKE.

By doing this, I created the following problems:

• poor attitude
• a dislike for learning
• unhappiness
• strained mother/daughter relationship

I put the blame FULLY on myself, because my daughter was just doing as she was told - but she didn't like it, and I thought I could force her into an education that I deemed best. 

I often tell her this is my first time being the mom of a 13 year old, and we laugh about how we are doing this together and how her younger brother will benefit from MY mistakes!  I was HONEST with her and told her my feelings, and we talked about ways to make her high school experience more about HER and less about meeting graduation requirements.  (I can make whatever she does fit graduation requirements - that's the beauty of homeschool!)

My daughter is a BEAUTIFUL soul and I am just so thankful we have the time to learn and grow together, and that we are on a good path now.

---

Tending To Your Teen's Heart - 3 Steps

1. Encourage and Cultivate Their Passions

I'm trying to provide AMPLE opportunities for Anna to pursue her passions, while still upholding a Classical education framework. What does that look like? (For your child it make look different - but the point is to tailor your child's education to THEIR personality and passions.)

• Easing up in an area or two so she can spend more time with her music, more time volunteering at a local preschool, and more time SERVING others. I see that one day Anna may be in a helping profession and I want to cultivate that NOW. 
• Giving her fun projects that fuel her creative side (The  Doodle Crate subscription is great for this!)
• Providing art supplies galore and TIME for art. 

I think it's so interesting that, when given a full day to just choose what she wanted to do, she created a series of CS Lewis quote pictures on vintage book paper. This one in particular really struck me... that's my Anna. 

2. Listen!

I am quite a talker, and this is the WORST thing to be with a teenager. 

I was too busy telling her how I thought it should be, rather than listening to how she wanted it to be. 

When I've really stopped to LISTEN to her I've learned so many COOL things. 

Listen, and resist the urge to criticize and nitpick. Just listen. 

(Might I recommend  How to Talk So Teens Will Listen & Listen So Teens Will Talk ?)

3. Accept Them for WHO THEY ARE!

Emphasize your child's strengths and help them to improve upon their weaknesses. 

My daughter isn't the Latin scholar or math whiz. She will readily admit to you that she works HARD for the academic success she has. 

She doesn't particularly ENJOY many subjects in school, but she will readily admit there is value in having a well rounded education.  

She can, however, walk into a room of special needs adults and get to know each and every one of them. She will care so deeply for them and show such compassion. It warms my heart. 

She forms special relationships with so many of the younger children she encounters, and takes special pride in her Mother's Helper job she has started this summer.

She is conscientious, hard working, and caring.  She has the most musical touch when she plays the piano. 

God is showing me in BIG ways recently how I need to be focusing on these strengths and gently guiding her through the weaknesses. 

And - surprise, surprise! When our children feel accepted, they are happier and more compliant and willing with the necessary schoolwork! 

---

What is your ultimate goal of homeschooling?

I've been giving that a lot of thought lately.

My goal is to raise confident, passionate, capable young people who have the courage and desire to follow God's call on their lives. 

I can equip them with the academics necessary for "success", but if I have neglected their hearts all of my efforts have been in vain. 

Do you agree? 

Are you homeschooling a teen? What are your thoughts about this? 

Feel free to Pin the image below and leave me a comment below to get the discussion started!