Classical Conversations Cycle 1 Literature Selections until the Christmas Break

During the summer break I posted a list of books that have some connection to what we would be studying in Classical Conversations the previous week.  At the time, I was not even sure we would use it.  But, now 10 weeks or so into school I can safely say that we are going this route.  I had grand plans of something different before the school year started.  However, it just makes so much more sense to do as many subjects combined as possible AND to try and match things up to integrate well with the CC memory work.  I was trying to follow Memoria Press' 1st grade literature and also MFW K literature focus.  But, what I was noticing was that the books that really 'stuck' were the ones that had a great tie-in activity or a 'seek and find' memory work element to it.  Norman the Doorman by Don Freeman was the first one back in week 3 for Greek/Roman gods.  The kids got to play detective and figure out which Greek god statue was in the museum in the book.

All that to say---here is my book list from now until the Christmas Break.

week 7

Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McClosky- Connection: reproduction: eggs (Science)

week 8

Daisy Comes Home by Jan Brett - Connection: China (Geography)

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen - Connection: owl pellet dissection (Science lab) and conifers (Science)

week 9  

Story About Ping by Marjorie Flack - Connection: China (History/Geography)

Down, Down the Mountain by Ellis Credle - Connection: parts of plants (Science)

week 10 

 A Pair of Red Clogs by Masako Matsuno - Connection: Japan (History/Geography)

 Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney - Connection: Parts of a flower (Science Lab)

week 11

The Crusades: Knights and Castles - Connection: History and Timeline 

activities and books  http://www.homeschoolshare.com/knights_lapbook.php 

Knights in Shining Armor by Gail Gibbons

Brave Young Knight by Karen Kingsbury

The Squire and the Scroll by Jennie Bishop

week 12

The Mystery Bottle by Kristen Balouche– Connection – Middle East (History)

Ali: Child of the Dessert by Jonathan London - Connection - Islam (History/ Geography)

Our Toddler Nursery Rhyme activities matched up with MFW K

Toddler Nursery Rhyme Extensions for MFW K

Sun:

Rhyme: Itsy, Bitsy Spider (out came the SUN)

Read, Recite and Find the Letter:

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/rhymes/Spider.shtml

Coloring Page:

http://www.reading-with-kids.com/nursery-rhymes.html

Arts and Crafts:

·        Make play dough (black) spiders with pipe cleaners and google-y eyes…need black playdough

Actions/Activities: hand motions and puppets http://www.makinglearningfun.com/themepages/ItsyBitsySpiderPaintStickFlipandRhyme.htm

·        construction paper/cardstock, glue and popsicle stick or straw/ paint stick

Moon:

Rhyme: Hey Diddle Diddle (cow jumped over the MOON)

Read, Recite and Find the Letter:

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/Catandfiddle.html

Coloring page:

http://www.reading-with-kids.com/nursery-rhymes.html

Arts and Crafts:

http://www.spelloutloud.com/2012/02/hey-diddle-diddle-nursery-rhyme-craft

·        2 paper plates, staples, big and small googly eyes, glue, colors, printables

Actions/Activities: hand motions and puppets

http://images.scholastic.co.uk/assets/a/9b/87/ne0210a2iback3-inp-501621.pdf

·        Tape, straws/popsicle sticks, colors

Leaf:

Rhymes: Mary had a little lamb (lamb-L)

Read, Recite and Find the Letter:

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/rhymes/Mary.shtml?p

Coloring Page:

http://homeschooling.about.com/od/langearlyread/ss/Mary-Had-A-Little-Lamb-Craft-And-Coloring-Pages_all.htm

Arts and Crafts:

http://homeschooling.about.com/od/langearlyread/ss/Mary-Had-A-Little-Lamb-Craft-And-Coloring-Pages_all.htm

·        Cotton balls, colors or markers, construction paper or glue

Actions/Activities: hand motions and puppets

http://www.childrenspublishing.com/1012%20Mary%20Had%20Lamb_G.pdf

·        Tape, straws/popsicle sticks, colors

 

Apples:

Rhymes: A tisket A tasket

Read, Recite and Find the Letter:

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/rhymes/Tisket.shtml

Coloring Page:

http://www.kidzone.ws/imageschanged/kindergarten/ib-book-tisket.gif

Arts and Crafts:

·        http://kellishouse.blogspot.com/2008/06/fathers-day-pocket-coupon-card.html

·        construction paper, pocket template, envelope, paper to make letter

Actions/Activities: hand motions and puppets

http://www.dltk-teach.com/rhymes/tisket-tasket/index.htm

Nests:

Rhymes: Jack Be Nimble (N-nimble)

Read, Recite and Find the Letter:

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/rhymes/Jackbenimble.shtml

Coloring Page:

http://www.niteowl.org/kids/nimble.html

Arts and Crafts:

http://www.thevirtualvine.com/jack.html

·        coffee filters, markers: orange, red, yellow, water bottle, tp roll, paper plate tape

Actions/Activities: hand motions and puppets

http://prekinders.com/nurseryrhymes/JackBeNimble.pdf

·        put together craft and practice jumping over candlestick like Jack

Turtle:

Rhymes: I’m a little teapaot (T-teapot)

Read, Recite and Find the Letter:

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/rhymes/Imalittleteapot.shtml

Coloring Page:

http://twistynoodle.com/im-a-little-teapot-2-coloring-page

Arts and Crafts:

http://www.storytimesongs.com/songcards/teapot.html

Actions/Activities: hand motions and puppets

·        Learn song and do motions, take pic and put in binder

 

Us:

Rhymes: Little Jack Horner (senses: tasting, touching, feeling)

Read, Recite and Find the Letter:

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/Jackhorner.html

Coloring Page:

http://www.niteowl.org/kids/horner.html

Arts and Crafts:

Make a playdough pie and take picture to put in folder

·        Purple playdough, yellow playdough

·        Make circles and learn to roll a ball for ‘plums’

·        Learn to roll yellow playdough flat as a sheet

·        Crimp like a pie

Actions/Activities: hand motions and puppets

http://www.dltk-teach.com/rhymes/jackhorner/mfeltboard.htm

Dinosaur:

Rhymes: Hickory Dickory Dock (Dickory Dock –D)

Read, Recite and Find the Letter:

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/Hickorydickory.html

Coloring Page:

http://prekinders.com/nurseryrhymes/HickoryDickoryDock.pdf

Arts and Crafts:

http://www.dltk-teach.com/rhymes/hickory/morbit-clock.htm

Actions/Activities: hand motions and puppets

http://www.dltk-teach.com/rhymes/jackhorner/mfeltboard.htm

Octopus:

Rhymes: One Two Buckle My Shoe (one –O)

Read, Recite and Find the Letter:

http://brainytods.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/one-two1.jpg

Coloring Page:

http://www.speakaboos.com/downloads/assets/worksheets/coloring-pages/one-two-buckle-my-shoe-coloring-pages.pdf

Arts and Crafts:

http://www.makinglearningfun.com/themepages/Chicken12BuckleMyShoeGlovePuppet.htm

·        Garden gloves

·        Felt pieces (red, white or yellow or brown, black or brown)

·        Hot glue

Actions/Activities: hand motions and puppets

Learn and do hand motions or use glove puppet

Water:

Rhymes: Jack and Jill (to fetch a pail of water)

Read, Recite and Find the Letter:

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/Jackandjill.html

Coloring Page:

http://prekinders.com/nurseryrhymes/JackandJill.pdf

Arts and Crafts:

http://www.toddlerapproved.com/2011/08/snip-and-punch-jack-and-jill-pail.html

·        Dixie cup, hole punch, pipe cleaner, paint

·        Water tub items

Actions/Activities: hand motions and puppets

http://www.dltk-teach.com/rhymes/jack-jill/index.htm

 

Insects:

Rhymes: The Ants Go Marching (ants- insect)

Read, Recite and Find the Letter:

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/rhymes/Ants.shtml

Coloring Page:

http://www.allcoloring.com/ant-coloring-pages-10.html

Arts and Crafts:

http://home.comcast.net/~Shoreway77/Thumb1.html

·        For thumbprint ants: stamp pad, pen

Actions/Activities: hand motions and puppets

http://www.thelittlenook.net/2011/05/ants-go-marching-ant-craft.html

·        Sing song and march and make ant carton ‘puppets’

Goat:

Rhymes: Here we go ‘round the mulberry (go - G)

Read, Recite and Find the Letter:

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/rhymes/Mulberry.shtml

Coloring Page:

http://www.niteowl.org/kids/mulberry1.html

Arts and Crafts:

·        http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/05/free-cothesline-busy-bag-instructions-and-pattern-download.html

·        Wash tub outside with mini felt clothes and then line dry them

Actions/Activities: hand motions and puppets

Sing song and do motions

 

Cow

Rhymes: Little Boy Blue (cow in the corn)

Read, Recite and Find the Letter:

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/Littleboyblue.html

Coloring Page:

http://printablecolouringpages.co.uk/?s=little%20boy%20blue

Arts and Crafts:

http://www.first-school.ws/t/eslboyblue.htm

Actions/Activities: hand motions and puppets

http://www.dltk-teach.com/t_template.asp?t=http://www.dltk-teach.com/rhymes/boyblue/bfeltboard.gif

Horses

Rhymes: Humpty Dumpty (all the King’s HORSES)

Read, Recite and Find the Letter:

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/Humptyrhyme.html

Coloring Page:

http://www.reading-with-kids.com/nursery-rhymes.html

Arts and Crafts:

http://www.thebestkidsbooksite.com/craftdetails3.cfm?CraftID=305

·         

Actions/Activities: hand motions and puppets

http://learningenglish-esl.blogspot.com/2010/07/humpty-dumpty-printables.html

 * The following will be updated after Christmas break*

Elephants:

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/mammals/elephant/Elephantcoloring.shtml

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/themes/elephants.shtml

Rhymes: Elsie Marley (Elsie – E)

Penguins:

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/birds/printouts/Penguincoloring.shtml

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/themes/penguins.shtml

Rhymes: Pease Porridge Hot (Pease – P)

Kangaroo:

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/mammals/marsupial/Kangaroocoloring.shtml

Rhymes: Jack Be Nimble (jumping)

Zebra:

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/mammal/zebra/Zebracoloring.shtml

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/books/alphabetical/z.shtml

Rhymes: Baa Baa Black Sheep (black)

Rock:

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/geology/rocks/glossary/indexr.shtml

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/themes/rocks.shtml

Rhyme: Ride a cockhorse to banbury cross (Ride – R)

Jewel:

Rhyme: Hush Little Baby (diamond ring – jewel)

Butterfly:

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/butterfly/

Rhymes: Little Bo Peep (Bo- B)

Frog:

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/amphibians/Frogprintout.shtml

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/themes/frog.shtml

Rhymes: Make new friends (friends –F)

Fox:

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/mammals/fox/Foxprintout.shtml

Rhyme: X,Y and Tumbledown Z

Vegetables:

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/Visfor.shtml

http://dictionary.kids.net.au/word/vegetable

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/themes/fruit.shtml

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/themes/food/pyramid.shtml

Rhymes: Vickery, Mintery Cutery Corn

Quail:

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/birds/printouts/Quailprintout.shtml

Rhyme: Queen of Hearts (Queen – Q)

Yellow:

http://dictionary.kids.net.au/word/color

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/colors

Rhyme: Yankee Doodle

Thirty Days hath September

Mary had a little lamb

Curriculum Plans 2012 - 2013

Our new school year starts on Monday. (Hip hip hooray!)  The following lists our carefully thought out, over researched, and much discussed curriculum plans for the new year:

Together

Circle Time
Family Time Fitness (Dad)
Classical Conversations

 

Toddler

Together:

• CircleTime activities with resources from: Recitations: MFW K WTR, Nursery Rhyme, Calendar from 1+1=1 (toddler and other calendar pages)
• Family Time Fitness

With Mom:

• Abeka Preschool 3: Letters and Numbers
•  NurseryRhymes Activities that match-up with MFW K letters
•  Book Basket: Learning books and fun to read books

With Pre-K’er: (He won’t HAVE to do these activities, but he will be included according to his attention span.)

• SaxonMath K
•  My Father's WorldK
• OrdinaryParents Guide to Teaching Reading  

o 

Pre-Kindergarten

o   

•  CircleTime activities
•  Math: Saxon K
•  Phonics: OPGTR and MFW K
•  My Father's World Kindergarten (Bible, Science, Literature)
•  Classical Conversations Cycle 1

          Other:

•  MPact girls: Daisies
• Hands On Learning Co-op class
• Draw Write Now Class
• Family Time Fitness 

First Grade

• CircleTime activities
• Math: Christian Light EducationMath 1 (finish), begin Saxon2 after completion of CLE Math 1
•   Language Arts:

-        Reading: Memoria Press Storytime Treasures and More Storytime Treasures

-        Spelling: All About Spelling

o   Complete level 1 and begin on level 2

-        Handwriting: Memoria Press New American Cursive

-        Grammar, Poetry, Narration: First Language Lessons

-        Literature: Memoria Press

-        Book Basket: Our Classical Conversations Cycle 1 inspired list

-        Copywork: Memoria Press

• ClassicalConverations: Weekly Presentations, Science Experiments, Fine Arts, Memory Work: Timeline, History, English Grammar, Latin, Math, Scienc, Geography

-        CC online for review

-        Wisdomand Righteousness lapbooks

o   History: using History Highlights from c3, hands on history group with friends, and book basket list

• Science: Christian Kids Explore Biology (non Anatomy portions) and Earth/Space (non Space portions) to match-up with CC Cycle 1
•    FamilyTime Fitness

Other:

-         Ranger Kids

-        Co-op activities

-        Draw Write Now class

-        T-Ball (Fall)

-        Hands on History class

-        Junior Bible Quiz

-        Piano 

Linking up to: Preschool Corner and 

Circle Time Plans 2012

We have tried to start our school day with a 'Circle Time'.  For us, that means gathering together after breakfast, Bible time with Dad, and our morning 'chores' routine.  (Make bed, get dressed, etc.)  This year, I wanted to add a few more activities that we could all do together.  I'm looking forward to this time four days a week.

**2012-13 Curriculum Plans**

1.      Bible

      - Bible Reading with Activities: Rod and Staff Bible Reader and Coloring

-                     - Prayer: prayer with list

-                    - Devotional: Day by Day Devotions and Big Thoughts for Little People

-                    - Memory Verses: our own selections

-                    - Character: From Church virtues of the month and MFW K

2.      The Pledge

3.      Calendar: a compilation of online resources

4.      Recitations:

-                    - Memoria Press 1^st Grade

-                     -  MFW K Words to Remember Pre-K

-                     - MFW K Words to Remember Preschool

5.      Safety Tip: Personal Saftey Fun to Know Cards (discuss, show, display, review)

6.      Life Skills/ Manners: Hands on Homeschooling list and Manners e-book http://www.currclick.com/product/36891/Manners?it=1

7.      Handwriting Drill:

-                    - Name

-                    -  Letter of the Week (Use formation rhyme)

-                    - Number of the Week (Use formation rhyme)

-                    - Then refer to ABC Jesus Loves Me info chart

8.      Handicraft Skill: Drawing of the Day

-                    - Various resources: Drawing with Children, Usborne, Ed Emberley,

-                    -  Practice Sheets: 1+1=1 calendar sheets 

9    9.  ASL Alphabet: cards from Homeschool Creations

Top Ten Tuesday - New School Year Excitement

Linking up to: Top Ten Tuesdays

 
 

1. Anticipation: We start a new school year the second week in August.  The kids have been seeing all of the new changes around here and that is building excitement.   I keep hearing, “Can I start my copywork now?” or “Can I learn the new timeline?”  Aaahhh---music to my ears. 
2. Getting back into a routine: This summer has been a good mix of ‘go with the flow days’ and planned play dates, outings and trips.  It will be nice to get back to a normal day to day routine.  At this stage, having a predictable routine really helps the flow of our days.  It prevents burn out and boredom. 
3. New Room: No, we didn’t add on or convert the garage.  Although that is a dream.  We switched rooms.  We have a pretty small house and we decided to make the family room the school room and the formal dining room the family/tv room.  I’ll post pics of our new space in the Not Back to School Blog Hop soon.  (Here’s a link to pics of our set up last year and the year before) This change grew out of frustration with a lack of space for books and such.  So we made a late in the year switch.  We’ve added some new pieces of furniture during the summer…all relatively cheap (under $30) and rearranged furniture.
4. Organization: The beginning of the school year, typically means that I’ve spent the majority of the summer organizing.  I’ve organized books, rooms, files and materials, learning toys, etc.  I’m not quite done…but, I’m beginning to see the light at the end of the unorganized tunnel.
5. MFW K: Sis will be starting My Father’s World Kindergarten!  Yay!  This is a repeat for us—a first.  Bud used this for his pre-k 4 year.  We really enjoyed it and he still refers back to the ‘words to remember’.  However, I did not like the layout of the teacher’s manual.  But, MFW came out with an updated edition of the TM and it is wonderful!  Because I had the old TM, I was able to trade it in for the new one for a lower fee.  I can’t wait to get started!!  Lil Bear will also join in with Sis!! It’s going to be a great year!  
6. Memoria Press:  Bud is going to be using Memoria Press 1^st Grade!  I’ve looked over the site and got a chance to read it at our local Mardel store.  I also took DH to see it and he really liked it, too.  I love that it focuses on the core: Language Arts, Math and recitation/memory work.  Everything else Is gravy.   I’ll add our ‘everything else’ in another post.  But, we’ll be following this pretty close to the TM. 
7. Classical Conversations:  This will be our 2^nd year of CC and Sis will be joining in this year, too!  Woo Hoo!  Classical Conversations was a great framework for us last year.  It gave the much needed overall structure to our days and year.  We made great friendships last year and we can’t wait to get back to CC in September.  
8. Tutoring: Speaking of CC, I have agreed to tutor this year.  Aaahh!  Because I tend to hyper plan I am putting off printing and planning for this until all of our core homeschool materials are organized, printed, filed and ready to go.   I’ll be posting some things that have helped me get started planning as a tutor even though I don’t know what students or classroom I’ll have. 
9. New curriculum and new levels of favorites: In addition to Memoria Press, we will also be trying the following materials for the first time: Ordinary Parent’s Guide to Teaching Reading, Saxon K, Christian Kids Explore Earth and Space (We are only going to use the Earth portion.), Christian Kids Explore Biology (We are not using the Anatomy portion this year.), and First Language Lessons.  It will also be great to continue with CLE Math and All About Spelling with Bud this year.  I always find it exciting getting
10. Extra Hands on history with friends: Why in the world do I have so many CC Cycle 1 Pinterest pins anyway?  Well, the answer to that question is to find some great hands on activities that correlate with our history, science or geography sentences for the week.  Some of our friends, which also go to our CC campus, are planning to get together for some of those projects that are more fun to do with a group.  So for instance, we may be learning about the Egyptians at CC and later that week, some of us get together for a History ‘play/learn-date’ and build a lego pyramid or try our hand at decoding hieroglyphics.  Sounds fun, huh?  We’ll see how this turns out—but we’re really looking forward to it.