Saturday Sketches---Continent blobs??

I have been slowly introducing the Equator and continent 'blobs' with Bud.  Since we are focusing on US geography at CC this year, Bud has been learning the shapes of the States.  He has the capitols memorized pretty solid.....and he dreams of going to Massachusetts, Idaho and Hawaii.  Here is a random sketch that my DH took of him this morning.  He loves maps...so we were delighted to see this freehand sketch of North America.  What do you think of his US outline??

Bud's North America outline

Weekly Wrap-Up - Catch up post --Kindergarten

Well, we are slowly getting in a rhythm here!  I'm learning not to schedule appointments/errands on our 'stay home' days.  And, I'm learning (albeit slowly) that there is a learning curve in juggling teaching children on two different lesson plans/focus.  It makes curriculum that encourages combining grade levels very attractive right about now.

KINDERGARTEN:


Classical Conversations: Memory Work


It was exciting to start our weekly routine in learning the new 'grammar'.  We have been utilizing and loving the C3 Online Tutorials.  (You can find the online tutorials at Classical Conversations homepage, CC Connected, Foundations, Online Tutorials---you do have to have a C3 membership)  It is one of the highlights of my Bud's day.  Sissy likes to tag along and prolong going to nap....but she finds what he is doing fun--so I let her.

History Focus: Columbus, Pilgrims

We read the back of the Veritas Press cards and I had several books in his Discovery Basket about Columbus.  I also had printable activities and crafts (Link to all printables and activities for Discovery Basket) that he could do during his couch time.  For some reason, he was scared of the photos of Columbus and the island Natives.  So, he really didn't read those much.
 
Book of the Week: Henry the Castaway and Goody O'Grumpity

But he did really, really enjoy Henry the Castaway.  This is a Five in a Row selection and we just loved 'rowing' Henry this week.  There are so many activities we could have done.  But, instead I got the FIAR manual, a blank notebook and a pencil and we went through the topics/lessons as we read.   I loved the fact that he 'got' the connection about calling one of the cats Columbus.   The next week we read Goody O'Grumpity.  This was more of a poem with wonderful illustrations.  We didn't have time to make the spice cake recipe from the book...but we may during Thanksgiving.   Below are some pics of his bulletin board of projects, worksheets---creations!

Math: CLE Sunrise Math 1: He finished his first Light Unit for 1st grade math.  This may SEEM fast...but we started this Light Unit last year for pre-k.  We just made our way slowly through it.  Now, we will probably go at a more 'normal' pace.  He loves doing CLE math...and I think it is really easy for a non-Math-y person like me to teach it.

Science: Nature Study and CC

Drawing outside at dusk with Sissy!

Now that the weather is not quite in the 100's everyday...we've been back outside more often.  We haven't ramped up to an hour plus just yet.  But, we plan to.  Bud has created a nature journal and we are simply trying to do three things: observe, discuss and record.  Sometimes we just observe the clouds.  Sometimes it's listening to and watching the birds in our backyard tree.  I don't want my kids to 'pass by' nature....I want them to 'stop and smell the roses'.

Language Arts: A Reason For Handwriting A, All About Spelling 1.  We alternate between these to...one day Handwriting and one day Spelling.  Spelling goes by relatively quick right now.  He's not really 'into' this handwriting book right now since it is all review for awhile.  Hopefully, he will enjoy it as it picks up.


Things we do together:

Daddy led Bible reading and Bible verse memory
Circle Time: Calendar, Health and Safety, and other memory work.
Outside/Nature Study
Play and Read

He wanted to dress up like Dad...here is in one of his shirts:

Learning to peel potatoes

I keep our stash of dress-up clothes stored away.  I bring them out every so often so it doesn't lose appeal.  Here Bud is with his Astronaut outfit inside his space shuttle (couch;).

The Astronaut

 

Having fun with Little Bear, Sissy and a friend--playing SPACESHIP!  Here is the captain astronaut with his co-pilots:

Thanks for stopping by!

Linking up to:

Weekly Wrap-up @ Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers

Classical Conversations Cycle 3 and Five in a Row - Our booklist and activity/ printable links

This week is our first week using Five in a Row as our weekly literature selection.  I began lining up different FIAR titles that would be a great read for the 24 History sentences we will be focusing on at CC.  There were some obvious 'go-along' titles that worked well.  There are also some that are a bit of a 'stretch' connection wise.  But, I love FIAR and wanted to incorporate it into our year even though we are doing CC.

I must say it is working out so far!  I used titles from FIAR volumes 1-3 and one from volume 4.  I also used titles from Homeschool Share which is an incredible resource.

I will update later this week with pics, project links, etc.

But, for now I wanted to upload our FIAR/CC Cycle 3 Booklist for those that may be interested.

Here is the link:
FIAR/ CC Cycle 3 Book and Activity List

Do you use Five in a Row?  CC?  Both?  Drop me a comment--I'd love to hear how you incorporate either or both.  

Homeschool Room Tour 2011

I missed it.  I missed the official week to post our homeschool room for the Not Back to School Blog Hop from Heart of the Matter.  Then, I noticed that I could still upload my blog and thought 'why not?'.  
There are about three areas of the house where we find ourselves 'doing school'.  The school/ play room, the kitchen table, and the living room.  We have a pretty open concept floor play and with that some rooms have no walls or half walls.  So furniture placement is quite interesting.  

Inspiration
I came across some great vintage flashcards (If you consider a year after I was born vintage…hahaha)  this summer and my husband had these wooden toy airplanes from his childhood that I used as the jumping off point.  I was inspired after hearing the scripture on the “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:17.  I had it on my heart when I was re-arranging the school room so I thought I’d type it up as a reminder.
Okay so here’s the tour minus the kitchen---I totally forgot about that  room with my new large dry erase board and shelf.  I guess that will be another post sometime in the future.

 The schoolroom:

The view from the Living Room.  The desks and chairs are from Ikea.  The bookcases are from Target.

Bud and Sissy sit here.  The plastic drawers are for: supplies, "My special Things" (everyone needs a place for their own stuff), and papers.

Memo boards for the work they want to show DH when he gets home.  The Green Box is for the school work he can do on his own and also fun activity sheets.

The flashcard  display

I just used clear thumbtacks to hold them up.

DH hung two rows of laundry string with laundry clips to hold the art work.

The furniture

Here are the airplanes that belonged to my husband when he was young.  The book case I got from Craigslist for a super great deal and the bins I bought 6 years ago fit perfectly.

The quote that was on my heart and mind before school started.  The photo cube is from Oriental Trading. 

We still have a VCR and some of their favorite shows are on VHS but storing them has been a chore because of their bulk.  So I thought why not put them in that bookcase.  If you look real close we have a whole bin of Miss Pattycake and The Donut Man.  Anyone else remember those?

Here is the toy bin that I got from Craigslist as a set with the bookcase.  I love having it...but not so crazy about it in the school room.  So until I can have a dedicated play space...here it is.

This small bookcase was a piece I bought for Bud's nursery.  I use this mainly as learning toys or fun extra books for the kids to read.  I arrange them like this so they can see them better and in turn put them away easier.

Book Nook

These are actually spice racks from Ikea.  Bud put them together with very little help from DH and with some help from Sis.  I use them for 'currently' reading books or the ones next in the rotation. 

below those bookshelves are my two main curriculum boxes.  The one on the right is more like a 'locker' where I store the materials we use daily.  The other one is where I store printables and gather project supplies for the week.

The Kitchen

Our Kitchen Table is where DH does morning Bible time with the kids, where I have one on one school time with Bud and Sis and where most arts and crafts happen.  Tablecloth is on during mealtime and comes off for crafts.

Sis getting ready for her one on one time with Mom. 

DH drawings of the days of Creation and this week's memory verse is show.  The white board is on DH had in college and the shelf below I picked up at a garage sale.  I clip posters on pant hangers and hang them from the pegs on the shelf.

I love clip boards for some reason.  So, I have three up on the kitchen column.  (I have these odd walls/columns here and there.)  These fit great there and one holds behavior chart, daily schedule and the last one is our Family Rules.

Thanks for stopping by!

Linking up to: Not Back to School Blog Hop - School Room Week 2011

* Our Curriculum Post from Not Back to School Blog Hop - Curriculum Week 2011
* Our Curriculum Post from Not Back to School Blog Hop - Curriculum Week 2010

* Our Homeschool Post from Not Back to School Blog Hop - School Room Week 2010
* Our Student Pictures from Not Back to School Blog Hope - Student Photos Week 2010

First Day 2011!

"Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness. - Psalms 115:1"

I'm sitting here at the computer with a pack of hot tamales (my candy of choice), a Diet Coke and with joy in my heart.  We just finished our first official day of school and it went really well.  I was reminded of the scripture above-- I attribute the good day to the Lord's grace and mercy!


 Yup, there are kinks to be worked out---so far nothing major.  I also had a minute of panic because I thought I just forgot to order a science curriculum.  Then, I remembered Bud is going to have a Science class at the Enrichment Co-op we attend.  So with that class, Classical Conversations's science memory work and experiments and read aloud topical books---science is covered.  Whew---I thought I dropped the ball when my son asked 'When is science?'


I also got a chuckle when we were going over our CC timeline cards:


Bud challenged a Veritas Press card wording on the back because on the 4th day of Creation it only listed the Earth, Moon and Stars.  He said 'it should also say the planets' in a matter of fact tone.  Hey don't leave out the planets with my 'all things solar system' boy.

He ran in and hugged me this morning with such excitement and enthusiasm---here's his excited face!

Bud!

Sweet Sissy

Technically--still just toddling around and joining in here or there--but he wanted to hold it;)

Making their Chicka Chicka Boom Boom trees

Little Bear was not too happy that Bud was trying to take over his puzzle.  

Finally---time to figure it out on his own.

A copy of our morning board this week.  We have open spaces for next week when we start Raising Rock Stars Preschool.

Bud wanted to copy the correct spelling of all the months---fine with me!

After finishing one whole craft Sis wanted to do another tree.  But, she wanted to use pink paint.  Unfortunately, the paint pack we bought had no pink.  So color mixing  it was.   She loves that!

A simple sensory tray.  Rice with alphabet foam letters and other things like spoons for scooping and cars for driving in the rice:) 

Right before nap, I caught Sis on camera teaching her baby dolls...so sweet!

She's getting so big!

Couch time---one of the things Bud has been looking forward to for months.  In lieu of naps, he can bring books, papers, supplies, quiet toys on the couch and there he stays for an hour and half--with soft worship music going on in the background, pillows on the other side of the couch to encourage a snooze or two.

It's a light week so I am just trying to establish no TV until 4pm  a routine.  I credit having a 'trial run' of sorts last year to really helping work out the logistics of this year.  It was helpful to have gone through MFW K and learn more about how my children like to learn and where the trouble spots in the day can be.  

Some things I learned today:

My husband is pretty awesome.  He set up both my the Math and All About Spelling tubs/curriculum.  So they were just open and go for me today.  He cleaned the kitchen, made breakfast, made my coffee (he doesn't drink the stuff) and had Bible Time with the kids this morning before work.  I say that is pretty amazing!

Bud still looooves Math---CLE is really working well for us.

Sissy still looooves arts and crafts.  'Oooh goody crafts' is what she said after reading our story of the day.  

Little Bear almost knows all of his ABC's and sounds for them.   I am so impressed with him.   His two 'summer school' teachers (aka Bud and Sissy) have been teaching him alot. 

Circle Time needs to always have action rhymes or some type 'get up and move' part to it. I have little ones here folks.

Bud doesn't like copywork if it doesn't have a point to it or a sentence.  Rows and rows of practicing one letter is like trying to serve him vinegar or something.

The JBQ folder (Junior Bible Quiz) has made it into the Green Box and I find that he pulls out his folder with questions throughout the day.

The Green Box is a a place I fill with pages from different workbooks that I want him to work on, books, trio or lego manuals with instructions to build one thing of his choice, stencils and blank paper pad, and other fun activities.  He gets to work on what's in the Green Box during any down time or time when I am working specifically with Bear and Sis.   It worked really well today.  

Do not have Bear and Sis sit so close to each other during Sensory Tub time unless I want to find rice, pasta and other 'tub' stuff all over the house.

For housekeeping and thus sanity sake, I need to work hard on returning materials back to the proper place when I'm done.  They can quickly overtake the kitchen island, couch, etc. 

All About Spelling is pretty awesome!

I can't wait until next week when we really start up with B4FIAR for the Little and our first week of both Co-op and Classical Conversations.

Thanks for dropping by!!


Linking up to:
Weekly Wrap Up @ Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers 
Preschool Post @ Homeschool Creations

It's the most wonderful time of the year....

well not exactly---but, it IS one of my favorite times of the year: Back to School  time.  Does that sound a little strange??  I don’t know but, when I was going back to school I would have Grease 2’s “Gotta go back, back, back to school again….whoa, whoa, I gotta go back to schoooooool again” I’m a child from the 80’s what can I say?  

I’ve been preparing for, DH and I have been praying for and talking about this new school year since last spring.  Our whole family has such an exciting anticipation for school this year.  It doesn’t hurt that my oldest keeps trying to get a start on all the new books, games and resources in my office.  ‘Can I just read this, play with that, look at this?’  That’s what I keep on hearing. 

For homeschooling Mom’s, it also means it’s time for the great “NOT BACK TO SCHOOL’ BLOG HOP. 

This week is curriculum week.  Next week is school room week.  The third week is student photo week and the last week is ‘day in the life’ week.  The blog hop is full of great ideas, curriculum, school room layouts and more.  Check out Heart of the Matter:   

In case you missed it, our Kindergarten curriculum choices and our preschool/tot activity plans can be found here and here.

Curriculum Choices: Kindergarten 2011-2012

 Well, I have been very busy all summer reading and researching our options for Bud's Kindergarten year.  We have two main choices that are, I guess you can say, our 'core' elements to this year.  Those two are: Classical Conversations and Five in a Row.  I'll be posting more how I'll use FIAR with an American History focus soon.  Check back if you are interested in that.

*If you are looking for what we are doing with our Preschooler and Toddler this year check out this post: 
2011 Preschool and Tot Activity Plans

Blessings,
Kathie

Curriculum Choices

Kindergarten 2011-2012

Bible

·         Bible Reading

Egermeier’s Story Bible

http://www.amazon.com/Egermeiers-Bible-Story-Elsie-Egermeier/dp/0871620065

365 Bible Stories for Young Hearts

http://www.amazon.com/365-Bible-Stories-Young-Hearts/dp/158134807X/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1311745878&sr=1-3

·         Memory Verse/ Character/ Praise and Worship Songs

Raising Rock Stars Pre-school

http://www.1plus1plus1equals1.com/RaisingRockStarsPreschoolSAMPLE.html

·         Bible Memory Work

Classical Conversations Cycle 3:

http://classicalconversations.com

·         Devotional

ABC Bible Verses by Susan Hunt

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1581340052/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0887241379&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=117CP3R55648KGKDS576

·         Faith Facts

Junior Bible Quiz

http://nationaljbq.org

·         Bible Supplements

Five in a Row Bible Supplement

http://fiarhq.com/fiveinarow.info/index.html

Doorposts Charts

http://www.doorposts.com

Hubbard’s Cupboard Character Trait Tune Charts

http://www.hubbardscupboard.org/character_activities.html#CharacterTraitTuneCharts

Math

·         Math

CLE Sunrise Math 1

http://www.clp.org/store/by_subject/4

·         Math Memory Work

Classical Conversations Cycle 3

http://classicalconversations.com

·         Applied Math

Five in a Row

http://fiarhq.com/fiveinarow.info/index.html

·         Early Engineering

Project ideas from Lego's Jr., Lego's manuals, Fisher Price Trio and Tinker-toys

Language Arts

·         Spelling

All About Spelling

http://www.all-about-spelling.com

·         Handwriting

A Reason for Handwriting A

http://www.areasonfor.com/article.php?id=19

·         Literature

Five in a Row – American History Focus (I’ll share more details on an upcoming post.)

http://fiarhq.com/fiveinarow.info/index.html

·         Grammar Memory Work

Classical Conversations Cycle 3

http://classicalconversations.com

·         Language Arts Supplement

Five in a Row

http://fiarhq.com/fiveinarow.info/index.html

History/Geography/Social Studies

·         History Book List, Activities, Focus

I have put together an extensive list of printables and activities based on our Classical Conversations Cycle 3 History Cycle.  These activities would be best for k-3^rd grade.  I’ll post details soon—please check back for that if you’re interested.

·         Timeline

Timeline Memory Work :

Classical Conversations Cycle 3

http://classicalconversations.com

·         Timeline (visual)

I’m not too sure if we’ll use a Book of Centuries or Wall Timeline.  Either way I think we’ll use one of the free resources listed at Half a Hundred Acre Woods.

http://halfahundredacrewood.blogspot.com/2011/05/classical-conversations-cycle-3.html

·         Geography Memory Work

Classical Conversations Cycle 3

http://classicalconversations.com

·          Map Skills

We will use the Kindergarten recommendations from Leigh Bortins, The Core.

http://www.classicalconversationsbooks.com/core.html

·         Social Studies

Five in a Row – American History Focus (I’ll share more details on an upcoming post.)

http://fiarhq.com/fiveinarow.info/index.html

Science

·         Science

We will use various books to go along with Classical Conversations Cycle 3. (too many to list)

·         Science Experiments/ Science Memory Work

http://classicalconversations.com

·         Science Supplement

Five in a Row

http://fiarhq.com/fiveinarow.info/index.html

Life Skills

·         Health

·         Safety

·         Manners/ Social/ Etiquette

·         Life skills

·         Chores

-          I am in the process of putting this together for our morning Circle Time.  I will use a mix of Abeka Health Safety and Manners and other fun supplements and articles.  I will post more details when they it’s finsished.

Foreign Language

·         Foreign Language

-          Right now I am wanting to teach Spanish after our 24 weeks of CC is finished and also during the summer.  I am not 100 % sure what we will use just yet.

·         Latin Memory Work

Classical Conversations Cycle 3

http://classicalconversations.com

Fine Arts

·         Music/Composer Study

·         Artist Study

·         Art

* We will be following the suggestions from CC for all of the above.

http://classicalconversations.com

·         Music Performance: still deciding on this…between piano and violin

Physical Education

·         Family Fitness

-  With Daddy leading before Dinner: Family Time Fitness
-  During outdoor time or playtime during the day: We will be following the schedule for Large Motor Skills/ Games that is outline in our Preschooler and Tot Plans. Here is the link: 
lhttp://greatday2learn.blogspot.com/2011/07/preschool-and-toddler-activity-plans.html

·         Lessons/ Team Sports

- We are in the process of determining between soccer, gymnastics, and swimming.

Extra Activities

·         Homeschool Support Group: field trips, park days, academic/ social events, Mom’s Night Out and more…

·         Field Trip/Activity Group: We will also participate with our friends on monthly field trips and get togethers.

·         Ranger Kids: http://royalrangers.com/aboutus  This will be his first year and he is so excited to start!

·         Junior Bible Quiz: http://nationaljbq.org  This another program we will start this year and are really looking forward to it.
·         Draw, Write, Now Class at our local library

·         Any P.E. or music instruction above

Linking up to:
Weekly Wrap-up @ Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers
Not Back To School Blog Hop @ Heart of the Matter