Raising Brain

09/08/2026

It's that time of year again! Pumpkin Jack returns!

If your learners love getting a little gross with science, this is such a fun fall experiment! Pair the book Pumpkin Jack with a hands-on decomposition experiment and let your kids watch the science unfold right before their eyes. Start with a small *carved* pumpkin, some soil, and a container or terrarium. Then make a prediction:

What do you think will happen to Pumpkin Jack over the next few weeks?

Each week, observe Jack and have your learners:

- Draw what they see
- Look for changes in color, texture, mold, and size
- Record their observations
- Compare what actually happened to their original hypothesis

As Jack decomposes, kids can learn about bacteria, fungi, insects, microorganisms, decomposition, nutrient cycling, and how nature recycles organic matter back into the soil.

And the best part? There’s no need to rush the experiment. Letting kids observe the changes over time turns a simple pumpkin into a weeks-long science investigation.

It's messy. It's fascinating. And yes… its GROSS!

We put together the full Pumpkin Jack decomposition experiment, including setup ideas, questions to explore, and observation activities, in this blog: https://www.raisingbrain.org/single-post/fred-the-decomposing-jack-o-lantern-a-fun-fall-class-project

08/31/2026

Fall is SO close, check out our leaf activity book!

Make nature study fun with this Northern Virginia Leaves Coloring Book! Kids can learn about local trees while practicing handwriting, spelling, and coloring. This printable includes 11 pages, each featuring a different Northern Virginia native leaf with handwriting and spelling practice.

Perfect for PreK–2nd grade, this low-prep resource is great for homeschool, classrooms, nature study, fall activities, or a quiet learning activity.

Learners can:

- Color each leaf
- Practice writing the tree name
- Practice spelling
- Learn about local Northern Virginia trees
- Use their book for an outdoor scavenger hunt!

Includes the following commonly seen trees in the Northern Virginia Region: Oak, Maple, Hickory, Tulip Poplar, Holly, Sassafras, Red Oak, Beech, Pine, Birch & Sycamore!

Make nature study fun with this Northern Virginia Leaves Coloring Book! Kids can learn about local trees while practicing handwriting, spelling, and coloring. This printable includes 11 pages, each featuring a different Northern Virginia native leaf with handwriting and spelling practice. Perfect fo...

08/24/2026

This was fun seeing how long it took everyone to notice “Tim” 😂

08/24/2026

Halloween can be fun and overwhelming!

Our new 64-slide Halloween Social Story helps kids prepare for costumes, decorations, trick-or-treating, loud sounds, candy, sensory needs, and taking breaks.

- Neurodiversity-affirming
- Kid-friendly
- Great for home, homeschool, and classrooms

Help kids feel prepared, informed, and empowered this Halloween!

Get it here:

Help children prepare for Halloween with a supportive, flexible social story designed to help them understand what they might experience, from costumes and decorations to trick-or-treating, loud sounds, candy, and taking breaks. This 64-slide social story uses simple, child-friendly language while r...

08/17/2026

What if struggling in school doesn't mean you won't be successful?

Some of the world's most famous and accomplished people didn't always thrive in traditional school settings. Their stories can help children understand that grades, struggles, and school experiences don't define their potential.

Famous People Who Didn't Love School is a ready-to-use, no-prep biography lesson for elementary learners.

Students will:

-Learn about famous people who experienced challenges in school

- Research a person and their accomplishments

- Create a biography

- Reflect on their own strengths and interests

The lesson can be differentiated across grade levels and works beautifully for classrooms, homeschool, independent work, or asynchronous learning.

No hours of planning. No complicated prep. Just print, assign, and let students explore!

Grab yours here:

Help students see that struggling in school doesn't define their future! This engaging elementary lesson explores famous people who had challenges with traditional schooling and went on to accomplish amazing things. Includes:- Complete lesson plan- Teacher guide with discussion questions and teachin...

08/16/2026

Not every child learns the same way, and that's not a problem to fix.

Some children learn best by reading. Others need to move, build, draw, talk, explore, or experience something hands-on before it clicks.

One child may need quiet to focus, while another thinks best with movement and background noise. Some children need extra time to process information, while others are ready to jump ahead.

When we understand that learning doesn't have to look one way, we can stop asking, "Why can't this child learn like everyone else?" and start asking:

"What helps this child learn best?"

That small shift can change everything.

www.raisingbrain.org

04/11/2026

Check out the beautiful gallery wall at Art Studio 81 Warrenton has on display for their upcoming event, The Great Mother Walk, they are hosting this Saturday! Stop by and check it out!

More info:

https://www.warrentonartistcollective.com/blog/post/2351629/old-town-warrenton-welcomes-the-great-mothers-march

Our Wall of Art supporting The Great Mothers March is still growing. Ashley from Raising Brain (A microschool supporting Minds and Celebrating Diversity) brought her students artwork to be displayed. Come check out our community of artists.

01/27/2026

With full hearts, we’re sharing that our Microschool will be closing as our family prepares to move. Our property will go on the market on April 6th, and we are deeply grateful for every learner and family who made this space so special.

While our in-person chapter is ending, we’re excited to continue our work through online courses. Our first course begins February 3rd: “Behind the Scene,” a short film study course, and there are a few spots still available.

Our courses are neuro-affirming and offer a safe space for learners to practice asynchronous learning and live Zoom classrooms, with opportunities for social connection. Self-advocacy is foundational, learners build the skills to understand and advocate for their educational needs, preparing them for a successful future. We will be adding more courses, stay tuned!

Visit our site for full details and enrollment information:
https://www.raisingbrain.org/

01/20/2026

We’re thrilled to announce that our 2026 Future City Competition team of six took home the trophy for Most Safe and Sustainable Highway System with their innovative underground pneumatic T.R.A.S.H. (The Really Awesome Sucking Hose) system, inspired by ENVAC. By moving trash underground, they eliminated emissions from trucks and made our highways safer for everyone. Set in Kvhamstangi, Iceland, their city, Eco Paradise, incorporated lava tubes for food storage, hydroponic watering system for a vertical farm, geothermal energy, and even biopropane-fueled hot air balloons for tourism revenue.

Here are just SOME of the things they learned:

- Understanding clean energy and green technology and their environmental impacts

- Applying regenerative agriculture and circular economy principles to reduce waste

- Studying sustainability and environmental systems, including composting & biogas production

- Investigating resource management and pollution reduction through urban design

- Using the engineering design process: brainstorming, modeling, testing, iterating, and problem-solving

- Building a functional model of the T.R.A.S.H. System, including mechanical and pneumatic systems

- Integrating innovative technology into solutions, like underground vacuum transport, mushroom-based packaging, and hydroponics

- Learning project planning and collaborative engineering using tools like Google Classroom, Google Calendar, and team role project management

- Applying measurement, scale, and modeling skills when creating city layouts and designing

- Considering the economic impact of sustainable practices, such as job creation and resource efficiency

- Exploring cultural and community engagement through arts, festivals, and public spaces

- Practicing team decision-making and conflict resolution, including voting, compromise, and collaborative planning

- Engaging in peer-to-peer feedback and respectful debate

- Communicating technical ideas to experts, such as the ENVAC team, and applying real-world feedback

We are so thankful to be part of this competition each year and proud of our students’ creativity, engineering, and teamwork.

A BIG thank you to Baltimore Marriott Waterfront for sponsoring our team!

https://www.raisingbrain.org/futurecity

12/21/2025

When we go to new cities we always take the Bus Tours . It’s a hop on and off bus that takes you all through the city, giving you a tour and information on what you can see at each stop. You can get off, explore and then go back to the stop and they’ll pick you back up! It runs 9-5, and it’s such a safe way to see all of the things, making sure you don’t miss anything! Highly recommend! Most big cities have them!