Road Resources

Someone once said “If you think sunshine brings you happiness, then you haven’t danced in the rain.” That’s just another great example of the ways the Roadschool Mom‘s team encourages you to change your perspective! This week, while so much of the country is being showered with record-breaking amounts of rain, we are sharing our top five tips for rainy days with roadschoolers! The key to successful rainy days in your rig is to be prepared! By stashing away a few secret treats or getting reacquainted with forgotten treasures, your gang will start looking forward to rainy days.

Hold a Movie Marathon. Take this opportunity to stay in your pajamas and watch back-to-back movies and sequels. Some of our family favorites are:

• Back to the Future
• Shrek
• Harry Potter
• Star Wars
• Lord of the Rings
• Ghostbusters
• Home Alone
• Toy Story

Organize a Board Game Battle. Get out the board games and challenge everyone in the rig to stay unplugged for the day.  A rotation of favorite card games can also provide lots of fun. If games aren’t your thing, gather around the table with a jig saw puzzle. Invite all to work together to complete it in one day.  Local Good Will stores always have a great selection of board games and puzzles so pick up a few and stash them away for your next rainy day.

Break out coloring and craft projects. Rainy days are perfect for making progress on those long forgotten craft projects. If coloring is more your speed, gather all the crayons, markers, and colored pencils together with your roadschoolers and let the fun begin. Did you know there are even coloring books for adults? Make a point to pick up a few at the local bookstore and put them away for the next indoor retreat from the rain. Hit play on your favorite classical music and let the inner artists out in your roadschool crew.

Utilize downtime for reorganizing and indoor weeding. Living small requires the perpetual process of purging. Use the next rainy day to get your roadschoolers involved in the reorganization and indoor weeding of your rig. Pick a cabinet. Empty it and resolve to put only one-half of it back.  Nothing occupies kids like the stuff they have not seen for awhile! Take this uninterrupted time to go through books, old family photographs, office supplies, or even past roadschool projects. Let them explore, re-create and help you pare down the space around them.

Play in the rain. Rainy days do not have to be spent indoors. Break out the rain gear and go out for a soggy, silly play date.  Splash in puddles, go on a nature walk, play a slippery game of catch or engage in a water gun fight.  Your kids will love burning off that extra energy and declare you the coolest mom on the road!

By using just a little imagination and some tools already in your home, the next rainy day can be turned into a memorable day of family fun!

To hear more about spending rainy days with roadschoolers, tune into the August 2nd episode of Roadschool Moms over at iTunes!

Roadschool Moms is a live, one-hour weekly broadcast dedicated to the needs and challenges facing today’s roadschool moms. Kimberly Travaglino, of Fulltime Families, and Mary Beth Goff, the Road Trip Teacher, team up every week to offer listeners a fresh take on homeschooling while traveling full time, working in current events and featuring a mix of expert guests.

Anyone that has ever aspired to be anything less than traditional has been faced with discouragement in one form or another. If you live in an RV fulltime and homeschool your kids, chances are you have already traveled on Negativity Highway with friends and family members. In a world where many look to others for the measurement of success, it is easy to follow the dreams of another. Commonly, achievements of the modern American family are based on the size of a house, the level of participation in extracurricular activities, and estimated annual income as evidenced by beautiful pictures on social media accounts.

As a fulltime traveling roadschool mom, I have faced my fair share of naysayers. In the beginning, I was respectful and complacent. I listened to the many forms of less than encouraging words and looked away from the faces of disapproval. To be honest, sometimes I wondered why in the world I wasn’t satisfied with the rat race that everyone else seemed to be enjoying. For many months, I tried to paint the picture of my life so that others would see it in the same light. When I came across this quote from author, John Eliot, I was immediately inspired:

“History shows us that the people who end up changing the world – the great political, social, scientific, technological, artistic, even sports revolutionaries – are always nuts, until they are right, and then they are geniuses.”

From that day, I found these five ways to intentionally CRUSH the naysayers from my everyday life:

• Consider the source. I take a close look at cynical conversation and quickly analyze if I want to be where that person is in his or her life. If the person I am talking to is not an expert or has experience in the subject, I discount the advice being given. I do not let someone steer me down the path of their own dreams or more importantly, away from their own fears. A short evaluation of the naysayer’s background will undoubtedly lead you in the opposite direction.
• Remember your vision. Think about your dreams. Tackle your fears. The best way to do all of these things is to surround yourself with enablers. Instead of facing negativity, invest your time with positivity. How can you expect to do amazing things unless you have amazing dreams? Reflect on your past, concentrate on the present, and look to the future while always keeping the prize in focus.
• Understand your position. You are the person who holds the key to your destiny. Decide who you want to be, not what you want to be. Lewis Carroll once said, “If you don’t know where you are going, then any road will get you there.” By developing a strong sense of who you are and the goals you have for yourself, following a clear path to success will come naturally.
• Safeguard your aspirations by keeping your goals from the killjoy that is waiting to tear apart your ambitions.  Naysayers are skeptical in nature and will do nothing more than inject negative energy into your otherwise positive existence.  They will point out all the horror stories that may possibly occur while weighing you down with emotional baggage. Your dreams are precious, keep them safe and free from the suffocation of a wet blanket.
• Have faith.When I intentionally activate my faith, I am reminded that I will persevere. I am aware of my fears but do not let them serve as a guide to where I go or will not go.  Fear is only faith that something will not work out. Do not let the naysayers voice of gloom snuff out the spark that ignites the fire of your dreams. Energize yourself with faith and carry on!

There will be trials and tribulations in everyday life. Routinely, road blocks will require detours in the journey ahead. Being intentional in achieving your goals and crushing naysayers from your immediate future will put keep you moving in the right direction of your dreams.

To hear more about tuning out the naysayers in your life, tune into the July 26th episode of Roadschool Moms over at iTunes!

Roadschool Moms is a live, one-hour weekly broadcast dedicated to the needs and challenges facing today’s roadschool moms. Kimberly Travaglino, of Fulltime Families, and Mary Beth Goff, the Road Trip Teacher, team up every week to offer listeners a fresh take on homeschooling while traveling full time, working in current events and featuring a mix of expert guests.

No matter what your U.S. location, summer is in full swing with long days and starry nights. The Roadschool Moms team hit the pause button on their summer travel to reflect on their top ten favorite destinations in the country visited in their RV. The July 5th epsiode of Roadschool Moms, now in it’s fourth season, breaks down the highlights of each destination, where they stayed with their families in each location, and the educational opportunities that were found along the way. Here’s a short summary of the Roadschool Moms Top 10 Summer Destinations (in no particular order):

1. Bar Harbor, ME  This coastal town is located at the base of Cadillac Mountain and neighboring Acadia National Park. As one of the premiere North American destinations dating back to the 19th century, this area once included a Millionaire’s Row of summer estates belonging to some of the most powerful families in the history of this country. The resources that grew from that network of the rich and famous, are still apparent today in the way of museums, shoppes, and historical points of interest. The nature scene is overflowing with sport opportunities while the discovery of the beautiful surroundings is an event in itself. For more information about Bar Harbor, go to visitmaine.com.
2. Cody, WY  The natural beauty of Cody, WY, is like no other place on earth. This old west town has all the charm of yesteryear while entertaining all ages of today’s traveler.  Home to Buffalo Bill, this area has a multitude of things to see including rodeos, museums, out-west activities, scenic byways, wildlife galore, and all the adventure of the great outdoors. All the details for what to see in Cody, WY can be found at yellowstonecountry.org.
3. Lancaster, PA  Pennsylvania’s Dutch Country offers a wide variety of fun things to see and do in Lancaster County for all ages. Theater productions, tours, museums, amusement parks, covered bridges, and Amish activities are all on the list of favorites from previous visitors. Much of this area moves at a slower pace and centers around traditions from a different time period. Amidst the peaceful scenery in Lancaster, a unique blend of attractions, history, and opportunity to explore exists. Visit lancasterpa.com to begin the journey to a change of pace.
4. Assateague Island, VA  The seashore of Assateague Island reaches 37 miles of pristine, white sandy beach and is considered one of the best beach destinations on the East Coast. Bird watching, kayaking, crabbing, fishing, and the many other outdoor activities are the daily routine of visitors to this area.  The wild ponies of Assateague Island travel the beach near Chincoteague, Virginia & Ocean City, Maryland offering a grand history lesson in itself. More facts about beautiful Assateague Island, VA can be found at assateagueisland.com.
5. Seaside, OR  If the Oregon coast is on your radar for the summer, make plans to stay in Seaside for bonfires on the beach, beautiful summer sunsets, and more things to do than will fit on your travel calendar. While the beach if the place to play, there are so many other sights to take in such as feeding the seals and wildlife watching. Making a day of it can include exploring the galleries, festivals, coastal lighthouses, historical landmarks, and the many sports made available by Mother Nature. Stop by visittheoregoncoast.com for the scoop on Seaside, OR.
6. Montrose, CO  Exploring the Black Canyon and the natural wonder of the Gunnison River is the center of this charming Colorado attraction. Local art and culture are also a treat while the thrill of nature is abundant with fishing, rafting, rock climbing and the breathtaking beauty of the area.  Adventure for all ages can be found easily at coloradoinfo.com.
7. Michigan Upper Peninsula  There are four beautiful seasons to enjoy the breathtaking scenery in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula; however, summer can’t be beat in this area packed full of fun. If outdoor sports on the list of important area amenities, then look no further. Biking, boating, birding, hiking, golfing, and fishing can be enjoyed from sun up until sun down. The UP offers famous lighthouses, museums, historic sights, and even America’s first national seashore. If a trip to Upper Michigan in is sight, keep the calendar open because there is much to enjoy. Check out uptravel.com for more details.
8. Horse Thief Lake, SD  In the shadows of Mount Rushmore, the rustic mountain scenery of Horse Thief Lake exists in an area  where there is so much to explore, it’s hard to know where to begin! The abundance of family fun available here starts with open roads, preserved nature, world-famous roadside attractions, historic landmarks and so much more. The Black Hills of South Dakota provides the back drop for family memories that will be monumental in the memory books. The best place to begin this top summer destination is at travelsouthdakota.com.
9. Knoxville, TN  On the banks of the Tennessee River and in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains is one of the country’s perfect summer destinations. As a neighbor to America’s most visited national park, the area offers much to see and do for all ages for as many days or weeks as are available. Here lies a quirky combination of art, music, science, nature, sports, and history that comes together for entertainment opportunity like no other. Museums, historical treasures, and attractions of all kinds make up a list that is hard to pare down when looking at the things to do list of the area. Water sports include everything from serene to extreme on the river that is so much a part of the region. To experience Knoxville, go to tnvacation.com and start making plans.
10. Tybee Island, GA  Less than 20 miles from historic Savannah, GA, lies Tybee Island known as Savannah Beach. An area rich in history and natural beauty, Tybee Island really does have something to offer for everyone of all ages. Exploring the island’s beach, salty marsh, and beautiful southeastern coastline is an amazing combination of nature that provides a backdrop that is best known for birdwatching. The usual opportunities for watersports exist as well as historical points of interest but all come together with a twist of Southern charm not available anywhere else in the country. To put Tybee Island on your summer travel schedule, start out at tybeeisland.com.

Kimberly Travaglino, Fulltime Families founder, and Mary Beth Goff, creator of Road Trip Teacher, come together as the Roadschool Moms© team with one of the top educational podcasts available on iTunes. Roadschool Moms airs LIVE every Sunday night at 9 pm EST on the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network. For more details on Roadschool Moms Top 10 Summer Destinations, check out the July 5th episode.

One day, the Roadschool 101 crew will get to achieve one of their leap list goals by spending the weeks between Flag Day and July 4th on the east coast in the midst of historical adventures – Colonial Williamsburg to Washington DC. Until then, we just keep the yearning for learning going with quick pit-stops in learning such as the Flag Day quick-top guide released earlier this week. This simple explanation for the American holiday to observe the nation’s flag includes print copywork for The Star-Spangled Banner as well as a few prompts for roadschoolers who might want to follow a rabbit trail to learning more about the flag and how this holiday came to be. For a more in-depth study of America’s birthday, check out The Patriot’s Guide to July 4th. Happy 238th Birthday to the American Flag!

Taking your kiddos out of the public or private school system and entering the homeschool arena is a big transition. More times than not, extra-curricular sports are not affected. As a matter of fact, homeschoolers can actually make more time for added activities, if desired, because of a more flexible schedule. But what happens when you take your family on the road? Worried about all the things you’ll miss by embarking on this full-time adventure in America’s backyard? Well here’s the take on the subject from the Roadschool 101 crew.

Participating in team sports or being involved in club activities that require being in one location is often a sacrifice for a family that travels full-time. While making friends and learning commitment values are a major advantage to this scenario, such activities usually also come with a rigorous practice and performance schedule. Being on the road, delivers a brand new abundance of family time that can be divided up as little or as much as desired. And, making friends and learning commitment values can still be achieved along with a multitude of other character-building ideals.

If your roadschooler already has a passion for a certain sport, you can usually achieve making it part of your life but it will require a bit more effort for all parties. We’ve found that if we are stationary for any length of time, even for several weeks, this time period can lead to participation in activities offered through city parks and recreation departments. There are many chapters of the YMCA across the country that offer classes and even camps or workshops for different areas of interest. Many times, contacting homeschool groups in an area can lead to resources geared towards a homeschooling schedule will can provide the flexibility a traveling schedule also calls for.

Being in different areas during seasonal times of the year can also create unique opportunities for the roadschool experience. For instance, my boys received the benefits from a pitching workshop and a batting camp not far from a baseball spring training facility in SouthWest Florida. Other season training camps exist all over the country at different times of the year depending on the sport. Many sports can be enjoyed from a solo role and pursued from the road such as gymnastics, dance, dirt bike or ATV racing, or skateboarding.

Being on the road and away from the norm can provide unique other exclusive learning connections such as

• Fencing  – a timeless activity that develops problem solving skills
• Cooking – a great way to mold a child culinarian that often leads to a zest for healthy food
• Golf – a  game that instills patience, good manners, and the knowledge that practice makes progress
• Lego League – an organization that teaches the basics of robotics along with teamwork and good sportmanship
• Music – a whole new area of interest where the sky is the limit once the basics of reading music is learned

Although being on the road may produce a list of sacrifices, our crew believes that the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. While we miss participating in previous team sports with old friends, we are grateful for so many experiences with a circle of new friends that has grown with each and every mile of this new journey. Our lifestyle has expanded the horizons and the passion for different interests of all ages aboard our rig and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

This post was written as a springboard for the Roadschool Moms podcast produced on March 8th “What You’ll Miss If You Take Your Family On The Road” available on iTunes and broadcast by the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network.

ACCEPT the fact that you cannot create the perfect curriculum plan. What works for one student will not work for another. What works one year may not work the next. Sometimes, you have to take the lesser of two evils and make the best of a situation. Roadschooling is a constant evolution of different styles of learning in different locations. And THAT is what makes it uniquely amazing!

BLEND independent and teacher-led curriculum. This will create time in your roadschool day for one-on-one with one student while another works on his own.

CONSIDER your child’s learning style. If she hates to read on an electronic device then chances are her curriculum shouldn’t be solely computer based. Workbooks or textbooks might be the way to go for part of the day-to-day studies.

The best piece of advice from the Roadschool Moms team is to relax and enjoy your roadschool. Many times, both of us have found that when we let one of our kiddos take the lead in the learning adventure on the road, the roadschool magic happens on its own. Sometimes, it’s a rabbit trail to learning something new. Other times, it’s a whole new way of learning. And many times, it’s an education built on the foundation of the basics that is already learned.

Recognize the subjects that might be taught across all age groups in your household (if you have more than one roadschooler.) For example, Apologia has different levels of workbook journals for the same subject science notebook. Some reading projects can be enjoyed by all ages in your rig. Finding at least one area of your roadschool lesson plan that can be enjoyed by all will not only be time-effective but will create family unity while allowing older siblings to mentor younger ones in the group.

To hear more about the roadschool curriculum choices that the Roadschool Moms have in place in their rigs, tune in this Sunday night at 9 pm EST at www.RoadschoolMoms.com hosted by the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network or listen to the podcast available on iTunes.

Kimberly Travaglino (Fulltime Families) and Mary Beth Goff (Road Trip Teacher) make up the Roadschool Moms team that bring a live, one-hour weekly broadcast to the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network that is dedicated to the needs and challenges facing today’s roadschool moms. The show offers listeners a fresh take on homeschooling while traveling full time. The duo showcase current events and feature a mix of expert guests. The Roadschool Moms invite listeners to participate in what the show calls “rolling conversation” both on-air and online.

It may be a bit old-school but the Road Trip Teacher is a fan of memorizing math facts, specifically multiplication (times) tables. In our rig, we have tackled this task over the past few weeks and are excited to say that practice makes progress! Check out the detailed process for memorizing 0-12 times tables from Diary of a Road Mom.  Although we have used all brands and kinds of flash cards, we absolutely love Edupress’ Math in a Flash multiplication flash cards.

The free printable to track your learner’s success is now available in our Learning Shop. This printable turned the memorization process into a bit of a competition for the Roadschool 101 crew. As the times tables facts are memorized, a sticker or other visual symbol of success is placed in the appropriate section. Once the grid of the printable is complete, the student is considered a Multiplication Master. 

This week, Road Trip Teacher released the newest addition to the copywork guide series: Multiplication Facts 0-12 Copywork. This all-inclusive guide is designed to help your roadschooler memorize the 0-12 times tables by using three (3) styles of copy work pages, a rainbow multiplication chart, and two (2) different printables for encouragement during the process of learning this important math operation. The 60-page copywork guide is recommended for grades 3-5 but will work for any age. For a limited time, join the Road Trip Teacher mailing list and receive this Multiplication Facts 0-12 Copywork product for just $2! E-mail info@roadtripteacher.com with “Add Me” as the subject line and you’ll receive a special coupon to take advantage of this special offer.

Reluctant readers come in all shapes and sizes. Many reluctant readers are very intelligent children who are simply not interested in reading. Sometimes, those children have just not come across the right reading material suited for them.  The road to finding motivation for a reluctant reader is usually a long, bumpy one; however, finding the best inspiration along the journey is also one of the most satisfying.  The Road Trip Teacher uses these 7 ways to help the reluctant reader aboard the Roadschool 101 Crew find his way to reading success:

Audio Books. Encourage your children to enjoy listening to stories through audio books. Downloading MP3 files to play while on the road is a great way for them to steer away from the boredom of travel days. Audio books can be listened to while doing outside or other activities so that reluctant readers learn to appreciate a good book while not having to focus on reading the words at hand. As the interest in this type of reading grows, encouraging a reluctant reader to hear the audio book while reading the text of the book will naturally improve reading fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary skills. Over time, audio books can turn kiddos into avid page-turners.

Read Aloud. Make a family reading session a regular part of your daily or bedtime routine. Before beginning the book, talk about the title, the author and the illustrator. It’s important for children to become familiar with what these three things mean. Let each member of the family read as little or as much as desired and record the success on a Family Reading Log. Between readers, encourage everyone to make predictions as to what they think might happen next in the story. Take advantage of any pictures in the book by sharing them for all to see. Move your finger underneath the words as you read for the younger readers that may be sitting beside you or or your lap. Be sure to ask questions as you progress through the story and give everyone a chance to weigh in on any words that are not understood.

Read Everywhere. It is no secret that a high percentage of reluctant readers are boys. Finding the way to your reluctant readers happy ending is with lots of patience, creativity, and positive reinforcement. Reading billboards, perusing fascinating facts at the zoo or museum, or reading the ingredients on the side of grocery items when shopping are all ways to invite learners into the reality of reading every day. Some kids just aren’t cut out to sit and read page after page of information. Such reading skills can be developed over time at a child’s own pace. In the meantime, keeping other forms of reading in a student’s daily diet is important to developing proficiency.

Themed Books. Whether it’s a basket in your rig or a bag beside the bed, collect reading materials that go with the season or holiday that is occurring. Many times, the excitement of the time of year can spill over and grow readers out of reading favorite books over and over again. Because these books are only available for a short time, children look forward to reading fresh stories from an old book tradition.

Reading Rewards. Learning to read and increasing reading levels is a journey. What better way to encourage the progress of this journey by rewarding the pit stops along the way. Reading rewards can be found in many forms such as

• Time for other activities (screen time, video game time, etc.)
• Physical items (a compass because reading takes your places or a fun bouncy ball since reading is a ball!)
• Reading logs (sometimes competition is good and the accomplishment of being the first to read so many minutes/books is all it takes)

Reading Games. There is no shortage of reading apps available out there and finding favorites is easy too. However, many games require reading as part of the process so take advantage of providing a fun activity with educational results. A simple solution to reading games is as easy as giving your learners a few old magazines and a sight word scavenger hunt printable so that he or she can cut the words out and paste them to the sheet. Perhaps the first one done gets a hand full of gummy worms that serve as prized bookworms!

Cozy Reading Areas. No matter what your location, cozy reading areas can be cultivated. A comfy bean bag chair under a good lamp in the corner of your rig can suffice. However, a crook in a shade tree or a towel under an umbrella on the beach can also provide the perfect spot for a comfy afternoon of reading in the great outdoors. Keeping a reluctant reader interested is a big part of the challenge. Letting him or her create their own reading nook in nature might just be the ticket to finding the inspiration to read more pages.

Whatever the way to your reluctant readers heart, keep it light without putting so much pressure on the student or yourself. Sometimes, it takes weeks or even months for something to click. Until then, try different methods and try them often until a different day down the road when reading isn’t on the chore list.

Mary Beth Goff, author/creator of Road Trip Teacher, LLC, is a homeschooling, traveling roadmom of four kids whose love of learning is taking them places they never knew existed while along the journey of a lifetime! Learn more from Diary of a Road Mom or Road Trip Teacher. The Road Trip Teacher is also part of the Roadschool Moms radio team that airs every Sunday night LIVE on the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network.

July 4th is a favorite holiday among our crew. Traditionally, we’ve always centered the holiday around a cook-out of some sort, family festivities, and fireworks. Since we’ve been on the road, where we watch July 4th fireworks has became part of the leap list of places we hope to visit some day. I’ve found that it doesn’t take a lot of money or energy to go from zero to hero on the Mom-o-meter for this Independence Celebration with these 7 quick and easy ways to make July 4th a blast!

First of all, I purchase a small inventory of themed items in the week or so before the holiday. Red or blue plastic cups and plates can be found at anytime during the year so those are easy finds. I picked up the patriotic centerpiece at a Meijer store for $1.99. Not only did it jazz up the table but I snipped off some of the wire strands to use in the fruit rockets below. Sugars, sprinkles, marshmallows, special napkins, and glitter ribbon helped to round out the Roadschool 101 crew’s celebration of the Red, White, & Blue. The few things I picked up were about $12.

A family favorite in our rig are these festive chocolate chip cookies sandwiches. Whether made by scratch or purchased already baked, it’s a snap to put these cookies together. Chocolate chip cookies (mini-sized are the best), a can of your favorite-brand icing, and holiday sprinkles are all you need. Be sure to put a heavier layer of icing towards the outside of the cookie before putting them together and pressing down so that just a bit of icing creeps outside the edges as this what makes the sprinkles stick to the sides of the cookie sandwiches.

No patriot’s breakfast would be complete without flag-themed toast. A piece of toast, strawberry jam, a few slices of banana, and a handful of blueberries is all that’s required. This is a great time to talk a bit about Betsy Ross and the creation of the American flag for a little roadschool in the morning.

Blueberries and watermelon are a favorite in our rig. The watermelon stars are a cinch to make with a star-shaped cookie cutter. I have no problem getting a pint-sized volunteer to make them so they can be added to a bowl of fresh blueberries. It’s a fun and festive addition to any meal of the day.

Another breakfast favorite for our family is yogurt parfaits. Keeping with the red, white, and blue theme is no problem with a handfull of blueberries and strawberries. Aside from the fruit, plain granola, vanilla yogurt, and a clear glass of some sort is all that’s needed. Layer the granola, yogurt, strawberries, more granola, yogurt, and blueberries and voila’, this super special treat is complete. My gang gobbles this up in no time.

Making these chocolate-dipped strawberries is as fun as eating them. Ripe whole strawberries, white chocolate candy coating, and blue sugar are used to make these in less than 15 minutes. Melt the candy coating in the microwave or over the stove. Dip the whole berries into the coating and allow to set up on wax paper. After 1-2 minutes, dip just the bottom of the berries in sugar. A plateful of these delectable delights can serve as a centerpiece to any July 4th table.

Before sending the kiddos out to play, send up the fruit rockets and sit back to watch the fun. Boys and girls alike will enjoy this spin on a fruit kabob loaded with strawberries, blueberries, and star marshmallows. Of course, any kind of fruit can be used. Tying a ribbon or other decoration to the end of the wooden skewer is a cinch and tops off the authentic rocket model.

Plans for this year’s July 4th holiday are well underway. We’ll enjoy many of these fun foods in the days leading up to America’s birthday. The Roadschool 101 just completed their July 4th Copywork and Study Guide so each is armed with all the facts of this All-American holiday. For your free-copy of the Road Trip Teacher exclusive (a $5 value), e-mail info@roadtripteacher.com and tell us why you’re proud to be an American. Happy 4th of July from Road Trip Teacher and the Roadschool 101 Crew!