Thursday, January 27, 2011

N is for Nest

I have not been matching up Before Five in a Row lately for Sissy.  Instead I've been using this routine with Sissy and Little Bear.  I really enjoy having all three at the table or listening in to the story or doing a craft or science experiment together.

Last week was N is for Nest week (animal homes).

The words to remember were: God takes good care of us.

Most of the suggested books were ones that we have read before.  But, it was good to revisit them.  We also kept our eyes open to animals and their homes.

Here are some of the books we enjoyed reading:

In Which Pooh Goes Visiting and Gets Stuck Into a Tight Place from Winnie the Pooh, Milne (Rabbit's burrow)

Two of the stories were from one of Bud's favorite books, The Best Nest and Are You My Mother, Eastman

But, the favorite of the week was Tanglebird by B. Lodge.  The kids loved this sweet book and thought it was so funny how his nest was so tangled at the beginning and how he learned to make a neat nest.  When it was time to turn in other library books for nest week, Bud wanted to keep this book a little longer.



In addition to the MFW  activities, here are some other links to things we enjoyed this week:

Great animals and their home match up from this great site: http://www.kizclub.com/animals.htm
http://www.kizclub.com/Topics/animals/animalhomes.pdf

 Mama Jenn's wonderful MFW K words to remember copywork  sheets: http://mama-jenn.blogspot.com/2010/08/words-to-remember-mfw-kindergarten.html

And nest, bird, egg craft: http://www.first-school.ws/activities/alpha/n/nest.htm

Oh and before I forget we watched Donut Man's video At the Zoo and it went along great with this unit.  There is a time in the show where the Donut Man even says the words to remember.  A perfect song on that video for this unit is 'Home sweet home' ---it talks about three  different animals and their homes.

**Not too many pictures this week for some reason;(**

Animal and their home cards and match ups

Sis working on her match ups

Little Bear got new jumbo crayons---he was a happy camper.


Links:

Preschool Link-up @ Homeschool Creations

Weekly Wrap Up @ Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

A is for Apples

Last week we started school again! We're back to school after a long Christmas break and before that two back to back unit studies on Thanksgiving and then on Christmas.

It was great and no pressure type of holiday, but boy was I ready to get back to our routine.

The first lesson back with MFW (My Father's World) K was A is for Apple.

The words to remember were: If I stay in Jesus I will have much fruit.

Bud enjoyed this unit because it touched on the fruit of the Spirit. He really liked learning those and rattling those off. It made for great teachable moments, too.

Our routine has been to open up with a 'circle time' of sorts at the kitchen table. We review house rules and then go over:

• Calendar
• A in Big Thoughts for Little People by Kenneth Taylor
Rainbows Verse (Elephant Badge)
• Helping Goal: Keeping Desk Neat (before 5pm)
• Phonics

I then introduce the Lesson for the day, Bud works on the worksheets that are included for the day, any activity or craft.

I get asked a lot how I do this with the other two littles.  Well, the easiest way to explain, is that Sissy usually sits in with us for the circle/table time.  She usually runs off to play with Little Bear when Bud starts on something on his own.  Then the younger two join us back at the table for any type of craft.  I usually just give them extra paper or print out something along the same theme for Sissy.  See apple stamps craft below.

When Bud is finished and starts writing or playing or working on an activity on his own.  I then shift my focus on reading time for the little ones.  I read at least three books to each one---many times more---basically whatever they can handle.  For Little Bear, it's great for helping him to pronouce words and identify pictures/objects.  Sissy loves books and will hear me read a story and then will want to run and retell the story to her dolls.

Here is some pics from A/Apple Week:


Bud working on a diagram of an Apple

We sampled different varieties of Apples--  Pink Lady apples were the family favorite

his labeled diagram


Handwriting practice

bead sorting and counting fun---Bud and Sissy spent a lot of time with this.







We made mini pizzas even though it is not an A/Apple activity--it was fun though!

The finished product!

Bud couldn't wait

You can barely see the stairs and little rooms Bud drew on his Apple in this photo---it was his picture of the worms new home from Grasshopper on the Road by Arnold Lobel.



writing out the fruit of the Spirit

All three at the table for a craft: Bud working on artwork after hearing a story, the other littles working on an apple craft

making the apple stampers
Little Bear having fun!
Sissy's apple stamps



Fruit of the Spirit cards by Bud







The school/play room---another configuration


I brought a slide in from the outside--it was too cold to go out and they need to burn energy.  You got to do what you got to do;)

Little Buckaroo

He loves having his own desk/table


Little Bear on saxophone, Sissy on oboe and Bud on bassoon...they love to pretend they are in an orchestra.






Some other Apple Resources we used:

http://mama-jenn.blogspot.com/2010/08/words-to-remember-mfw-kindergarten.html

http://www.daniellesplace.com/html/rrpreschoolsamplefruit.html

-          Apples facts
-          Apple seasons

Apple diagram sheet


Tasting Sheet