We are taking an extended break from our History of the World unit study. We have worked our way to Noah and will take up the history of Noah and his sons, the Tower of Babel, and Sumer when we resume our studies in January. In the meantime, we will NOT be idle. (Aren't idle hands the devil's workshop?) This week we have been doing a fun unit study around the book Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.
I found a unit study using this book here. We will be using some of these ideas as well as our own. We added a Bible study reading the story of Moses and the children of Israel who were fed manna and quail from the heavens by the Lord. Egermeier's Story Book Bible is a great resource. We have two weather books to use: The Magic School Bus: Kicks up a Storm and How It Works: The World's Weather. We continue to discuss healthy eating. And, of course, we will be eating spaghetti and meatballs.
I never really went away, but I have definitely neglected my blog. I have been a bit frustrated by my lack of direction here. I post school plans, family updates, health news, and miscellaneous thoughts. And I guess this will continue to be a hodge podge of my scattered thoughts.
School Update--Plugging away! We finished The Magician's Nephew within two days and we've also read Archaeologists Dig for Clues. And we're about half way through each of the other books listed in my previous post. We have also added a few other books and movies. Biblically and historically we have reached the time of Noah. One thing different this time around is that I have given myself permission to not finish a particular book or to just read excerpts from it. We will most likely not be reading all of Genesis: Finding our Roots, but we will likely finish Adam and HIs Kin.
We have added: The Magic School Bus: Inside the Earth, The Magic School Bus: In the Time of the Dinosaurs, and Dinosaurs, a nature series by Dalmation Kids. (All completed.) We have read several chapters of a biography of Charles Darwin by David C. King and will continue to read it. We have used an Usborne Flip Flap book for reference and will use it as we study other historical periods (Homes and Houses: Then and Now). I found a book, We're Sailing to the Galapagos: A Week in the Pacific, which we will be reading and reviewing this week. I also have a book that we will be reading called The Case for Creation by Wayne Frair and P. William Davis. This was published in 1967 and I believe belonged to my dad. This is NOT an exhaustive list of what we have read, but it does include most of the books we have used for this particular study.
We have enjoyed AVKO Sequential Spelling and Edward Brook's Mental Arithmetic, although I have had to modify their use to fit our family.
During these last few months we have had to take time off for illness, the death of my grandmother, work and vacation. Currently, we are battling the H1N1 Flu (no complications) so we haven't been doing the basics (spelling and math) but have instead been listening to books on tape and reading aloud. We have also, these last few days, been watching Al Gore's An Incovenient Truth. We have watched about an hour so far, and we are watching only a few minutes at a time then discussing what has been presented and examining the facts and the conclusions he draws compared against facts and science presented on other websites.
The children have also had individual projects that they have worked on. Noah is busy creating stories, comic book heroes, and comic book drawings. Jonah has tried his hand at gardening and has quite a pepper patch. Grace has been sewing clothes for her stuffed animals and a nightgown for herself.
So...that is our semester. I'm glad we started early so that I haven't had to worry about taking our time. We will likely finish what we can this month, then take a break to do a Thanksgiving unit study and then a Christmas unit study. (If we can get to Abraham, then we will begin incorporating the Weaver curriculum into our studies in January.)
One of my goals for our children is that they appreciate/enjoy/celebrate the freedoms they have in the United States. We are free to worship God (or not). We are free to speak our minds and share our faith with anyone. There is no litmus test on religion for employment or school. Granted there are people in our society who would like to limit our freedoms. And there are frequent court cases involving schools, in particular, that have attempted to abridge student rights regarding religious freedom. However, our constitution GUARANTEES my freedom to worship. Not so in many other countries. Tonight we will be discussing this article during our family worship time.
FAITH UNDER FIRE
Taliban executes 2 Christians
Believers were protesting demand they accept Islam
Posted: April 25, 2009
12:30 am Eastern
© 2009 WorldNetDaily
 Pakistani flag |
Taliban Islamic radicals have attacked a community of Christians, executing two of them following a rally that protested Muslim graffiti in their neighborhood that ordered them to accept Islam or die, according to an international Christian organization.
Continue reading...here.
I decided to post our educational plan for Jan and Feb 2009, but then began listing all the work we've done over the last few months. As you will see our careful plans were interrupted by LIFE. I have never been more sure that homeschooling was the right decision for us than during these last few months. Our school did not resemble the typical workbook, textbook, 9-3 study of most schools and even some homeschooling families, but I can see the progress each child made in their educational basics as well as in their knowledge of current events, history, health, etc. There were days that I thought about how much easier it would have been to drop the children off at the local schools and then head out to our doctors' appointments, but I was so thankful to have them home with us playing, helping, talking, reading, just doing family things.
1. July - Aug -- began study of early American history using personal and library resources. (The Light and Glory for Children, History Stories for Children, A is for Abigail, America: A Patriotic Primer, biographies and videos from the library.) We were also going to use Ambleside Online as a resource. Our plans were interrupted by dad's heart attack and subsequent bypass. So...
2. Sept - Oct -- discussed election, candidates, electoral process. Made frequent trips to the library for books to read aloud and silently. Talked a lot about health issues. Studied the heart and circulatory system, using material supplied by the cardiologist, cardiac surgeons, and found online. Increased family physical activity (daily walk) and discussed reasons for regular exercise and healthy eating. Used the computer for math and language arts skills. Many hours processing near death of dad, discussing fears and how to trust in God.
4. Nov -- focused on Thanksgiving, the first Thanksgiving, the history of Thanksgiving...using books and videos from the library.
3. Dec -- focused on Christmas, preparations for Christmas, books, stories, and videos related to Christmas including The Gift of the Magi, The Tale of the Three Trees, selections from Caroline Kennedy's A Family Christmas, My Hanukkah Book, Hanukkah at Valley Forge, A Christmas Story, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, The Toy that Saved Christmas, Adventures in Odyssey's Electric Christmas and Once Upon an Avalanche plus many books and videos from the library. We also made gifts, baked, made candy, made a gingerbread house, and many other crafts. We also celebrated the 12 days of Christmas (see previous blogs).
4. Jan - Feb -- watched the inauguration, discussed President Obama's history and plans, discussed economic recession, began study of Black History, reading biographies of Martin Luther King, George Washington Carver, Harriet Tubman, Bill Cosby, and others. I will post a list of books and videos we use in a separate post in a few days.
5. Basics--
Reading--Jonah is reading aloud to me from the Early Readers Bible, Dr. Seuss books, and anything he is interested in. In September we worked through a Star Wars book he wanted to read. Noah and Grace read library books that interest them. Grace is also reading in the First McGuffy Reader as well as the Early Readers Bible. She was reading aloud to me Sept - Dec, but recently graduated to reading silently. Noah has been reading silently for a couple of years. They all listen to books on tape for several hours a day, including The Sugar Creek Gang, Hank the Cowdog series, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lord of the Rings (mainly Noah and Jonah).
Math--We use Mad Math Minutes for review of basics several times a week plus Saxon Math 6/5 and 5/4 for the boys. We also play board games (Monopoly) and computer games (at pbskids, funbrain, etc.) that require math skills. We have several other math resources that we use. We use the math books as resources to check math skills, for review, and to learn a difficult concept.
Spelling--Sequential Spelling from AVKO.
Writing--Copy work, Bible verses and literary passages. Also they all love to draw and write their own stories and spend hours making their own books.
Bible--Meet the Bible, Philip Yancey and Brenda Quinn
This is just an outline of some of the things we have done over the last six months and the plans we have for the next month. I have not included a list of every book and video we used, every discussion topic. We also had mini-unit studies that I did not include in this list.
On the 12th day of Christmas...
my true love gave to me...
Twelve Drummers Drumming
The 12 drummers represent the 12 points of the Apostles' Creed:
1) I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
2) I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
3) He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.
4) He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell [the grave].
5) On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
6) He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
7) I believe in the Holy Spirit,
8) the holy catholic Church,
9) the communion of saints,
10) the forgiveness of sins,
11) the resurrection of the body,
12) and life everlasting.
from: http://www.cresourcei.org/cy12days.html, written by Dennis Bratcher.
How appropriate that on the last day, the drummers are drumming....Shouting loudly, spreading the good news that Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, has come down in the flesh and that He will come again.
Now like the faithful disciples, let us go forth, beginning at home and as far as the ends of the earth, and teach all we have learned. We will be his witnesses.
On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
eleven pipers piping.
Some people think the eleven pipers refer to the eleven faithful disciples. Unless we read our Bibles closely, though, we miss the personalities of these men. They were the eleven faithful. They carried the Gospel to the ends of the earth, but they were human, and fallible, and sometimes wrong.
Peter claimed he would follow Jesus to death, yet he denied even knowing Him. And denied it with an oath. He cursed. He was a fisherman; he had probably heard those words, maybe even used them before giving his life to Christ. And then in the darkest, most fearful moment, fell back into his old life. He let go of Christ, but Jesus had ahold of him. Peter--Petra--the Rock. "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Matthew 16:18
Wow! The gates of hell shall not prevail against His church, built upon the work that Peter began. Peter. Who denied Christ. Peter. Who chopped off a man's ear. Peter.
James and John. The Sons of Zebedee. Also called the Sons of Thunder. I have two boys. No one has to tell me what the Sons of Thunder refer to.
Paul, not one of the original disciples, but still so important in the spread of the Gospel. Paul held the cloaks of those who stoned Stephen. Paul persecuted the believers. I can imagine they were a little suspicious of his sudden conversion. And yet God used him mightily.
God chose to use not the rich and powerful, not the pious and near-perfect, but the lowly, fallible, imperfect. Like me.
Please, Lord, use me.
Reprinted from 2008....
On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
ten lords a-leaping...
The ten lords a-leaping are the Ten Commandments. In Exodus 20 we read:
- Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
- Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.
- Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain.
- Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
- Honour thy father and thy mother.
- Thou shalt not kill.
- Thou shalt not commit adultery.
- Thou shalt not steal.
- Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
- Thou shalt not covet.
The first four commandments have to do with our relationship with God and the last six with our relationship with man. The rich young ruler came to Jesus believing that he had kept all the law but left sadly when he could not agree to sell all his possessions and give to the poor (Matthew 19:16-26). Jesus makes it clear to us that we cannot possibly keep all the commandments. We cannot be more righteous than the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 5:20). We cannot earn our way to heaven. "But with God all things are possible" (Matthew 5:20).
He paid a debt He did not owe.
I owed a debt I could not pay.
I needed someone to wash my sins away.
And now I sing a brand new song,
Amazing Grace.
Christ Jesus paid a debt that I could never pay.
--song by Gary McSpadden
reprinted from 2008
On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
nine ladies dancing.
The nine ladies dancing refer to the fruit of the Spirit. In Galatians 5:22-23 we read: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."
The first observation is that fruit is singular, at least I think it is since the verb that follows is singular. This makes me wonder if the fruit is all of this (lovejoypeacelongsufferinggentlenessgoodnessfaithmeeknesstemperance) all together. I suppose each Christian would have the attributes in differing amounts, but that each Christian because he/she has the Spirit living within would have the fruit to some degree or other.
Second, to grow fruit you must nurture the plant. Feed it, water it, give it plenty of light, fertilize it. Even prune it. I suppose our fruit mature and grow only if we nurture it: prayer, Bible study, worship, fellowship. And even the pruning and fertilizing--the hard times, the trials we face.
It's hard to be thankful for our trials. It's hard enough to be thankful in the midst of our trials. But to be thankful for them, that is so much harder. But if our goal is to please our Heavenly Father and to spend eternity with Him and if the byproduct is the fruit of the Spirit, I must try harder to give thanks not just in the midst of but for the hardships.
Reprinted from 2008...
Update--I had no idea when I wrote this note of the trials that we would face in 2008. I can honestly say that Mark and I both have been thankful for all we have faced. We are certainly thankful that God chose to spare Mark's life. And we are thankful that He has provided for us in every way. But we are both thankful for the heart attack, for the pain and fear, for the hardships. From Day 1 we have referred to the event as the "Blessed Heart Attack". And his bypass scar is his "Badge of Honor". We are honored that God gave us this unique opportunity to experience His grace and love. I will never feel alone because I have known Him.
On the eighth day of CHRISTmas my true love gave to me...
eight maids a milking.
I'd take one maid, cleaning house, but these eight maids are a-milking. They are to remind us of the eight beatitudes found in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3-12 and Luke 6:20-26)
In Matthew's telling we read: Blessed are the poor in spirit: for their's is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for their's is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
I imagine this sermon turned a few thoughts upside down, and made those present listen, shake their heads, and wonder if they had heard right. I mean, the meek inheriting the earth. We all know the meek are the ones who get stepped on and over; they never get those promotions or drive those big fancy cars. They slog away at whatever job they have, maybe doing it well, but without much recognition. They are certainly not the ones seeking the limelight.
And the pure in heart seeing God? What about all the laws? The Pharisees must have choked on that one. (And maybe a few of us "good" Baptists.)
There doesn't seem to be much room in this sermon for the prosperity gospel.
Reprinted from 2007...
On the seventh day of CHRISTmas my true love gave to me...
seven swans a swimming...
From this site I learned...
"Isaiah told us the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: Is 11:2 “The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.”
They are: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. These seven gifts, part of sanctifying grace, complete and perfect the virtues of those who receive them. They make us docile in obeying divine inspirations without need for reflection but always with full consent.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are greater than the theological and cardinal virtues. The virtues operate to the limits of human power and volition, but the gifts bring divine assistance.
We are to pray to the Holy Spirit and ask for one of these gifts. If He gives us a gift, we may ask for another, and so on.
The practice of virtue, enabled by the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, bring us the twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit."
While some of the ideas, like theological and cardinal virtues, are not familiar to me, the idea that the Holy Spirit can give us gifts like courage and wisdom, is not only a familiar concept but an encouraging thought. What mom does not need wisdom or knowledge. And I believe homeschooling moms, having stepped out in faith, following a unique path, need lots of courage.
Another website reported that these were the seven gifts of: prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, and compassion (Romans 12:6-8).
Whether this refers to the gifts in Isaiah or the gifts in Romans, I know I need all the help I can get.
...my true love gave to me six geese a laying.
The six geese symbolize the six days of creation. Genesis 2:1-2 says, "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made."
I don't know about you, but I believe these words literally. God did create the heavens and the earth. How He did this, what manner He chose to accomplish this, I do not know. But I look out at the sky, I see the amazing pictures captured by the Hubble telescope, I look into the face of a newborn baby, and I know without a doubt that God created it all.
Even in His Word, thousands of years before the theory of evolution was born, God addressed that theory. In Genesis 1:21 we read, "And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind; and God saw that it was good." And in Genesis 1:24-25 we read, "And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after his kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good." (italics and bold added)
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me five golden rings....
Today we celebrated the fifth day of Christmas by discussing the first five books of the Bible. The five golden rings refer to these books that God gave us. Each book, written by Moses, has a different theme. The first book, Genesis, is about the beginning. Exodus, go out, is about the Children of Israel leaving Egypt. Leviticus is concerned with the rules that the Hebrew people had to obey. Numbers, the years they wandered in the wilderness before they entered the Promised Land. And Deuteronomy is a recap of the laws. It is also the book most often quoted by Jesus. (see Missler)
The first five books, the Torah, the Pentateuch.
On the fourth day of CHRISTmas my true love gave to me, 4 calling (or colley) birds...
The four birds symbolize the four Gospels of the New Testament. Gospel--Good News. The Good News of Jesus Christ, who He was, who He is, what He said, and what He did.
Matthew, a Jew, "presents Jesus as the Jewish Messiah of Israel. Mark...presents Him as the suffering servant. Luke, a doctor, presents Him as the Son of Man. And John presents Him as the Son of God. Every detail of each Gospel is tailored to suit its specific perspecitve." (Missler, pg. 171)
What I find truly amazing and indicative of the Holiness and divine nature of the Bible is that while each Gospel is a biography of Jesus and gives different details of His life, there are no contradictions. Just differing emphases and differing points of view.
I can't think of a single person, living or dead, whose biographers do not contradict each other in some way. Yet, there are no contradictions within Scripture.
The four Gospels are a great gift from our True Love.
....reprinted from 2007.
I heard Grace say: "Don't eat Jesus."
I had to look. She was talking to our big, fat cat, Nemo who had climbed into our Christmas tree and was, I guess, sniffing at the cruicifix hanging there. Oh, my!
What a thought, though. Jesus told us to "Eat. This is my body, broken for you." Those words must have startled the disciples just as much as Grace's words startled me.
Today is the third day of Christmas. My true love gave to me three French hens--the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. I can only tell my children of the Trinity, but when asked to explain it.... Well, I fall short. How do you explain the Trinity? How can I possibly wrap my mind around this mystery? I just accept it. I tend to be a questioning person. I want to know how and why. I can remember getting in trouble as a child because I asked to many questions. But this mystery...I accept and I praise God for His wisdom in being the Three-in-One.
Reprinted from 2007
...my true love gave to me two turtle doves (the Old and New Testaments)....If the Old Testament points out our sinful nature and need for salvation, then the New Testament is God's mercy and grace revealed. I am so glad to live under the new covenant.
Today as we celebrated and discussed the meaning of the two turtle doves, Dad asked the children, "Which is Dad?" "Old Testament! Justice!" "And Mom?" "New Testament! Mercy!"
It's so funny that they see us that way, given that I do most of the disciplining. I am at home with the children much more than Mark so I am the one to deal with the misbehavior. When he is home, we both take an active role in discipline, although I am more likely to defer to him, especially with our oldest son. I think a boy, especially one who is nearing manhood, needs his father to guide him. In our home, discipline rarely means punishment. Discipline, especially now that the children have reached the age where they can reason, is more teaching and guiding. Pointing out God's principles and the consequences of misbehavior.
I certainly don't think they see me as a pushover, but we have emphasized that Dad is the head of our family and that he answers to God. If Dad makes a rule, then we follow his rule, even when he is not here, even if he would never know. I know of Moms who encourage their children to keep things from Dad, allowing them to get by with misbehavior or break Dad's rules because he would never know. This is so sad. Mom and Dad are no longer a team. Mom has disrespected Dad and undercut his authority, and the children learn to be sneaky and dishonest.
None of that has anything to do with the second day of CHRISTmas, just a thought.
Reprinted from 2007...
...my true love (God) gave to me a partridge (Jesus) in a pear tree (on the cross). God knew before He created the world that man would not be able to live perfect lives. He knew there would be sin and that we would need a savior. And from the beginning He planned to provide us with one.
In Genesis 5 we read the geneology of Noah. At first glance, it is just a list of men and how long each of them lived. However, if we knew our Hebrew, we would know the meaning of each of their names. And we would see/hear the message of God to us.
Adam (man), Seth (appointed), Enosh (mortal, frail), Kenan (sorrow), Mahalal'el (the Blessed God), Jared (shall come down), Enoch (teaching), Methusaleh (his death shall bring), Lamech (despairing), Noah (comfort or rest).
Or: Man is appointed mortal sorrow; but the blessed God shall come down teaching that His death shall bring the despairing rest.
I love that everything in God's Word is included for a reason. Even a long, boring (not really) list of names.
Today we celebrate the first day of CHRISTmas and that God provided us a Savior. God is good. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
(For more information about the message of Christ in the geneology of Noah, see Dr. Chuck Missler's Learn the Bible in 24 Hours or Ruth Beechick's Genesis: Finding our Roots . We used both Genesis: Finding our Roots and Adam and His Kin when we studied early world history. I read both of these books aloud to my children. Dr. Missler's book I used as a reference, but did not read it aloud.)
reprinted from last year...
Update--In August, Mark, my dear husband of 15 years, miraculously survived a heart attack. And in September my niece gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. We had much to celebrate this year. But most of all we celebrate the miraculous birth of our dear Saviour, whom from the beginning of time was prepared to give His life for us.
If not for our faith in Jesus, all those days in the hospital, all those hours of recuperation, all the bills that needed paying, the groceries that needed buying.... Well, I just can't imagine facing any of it without Him. He truly does give me strength.
In all the tinsel and wrapping paper, if CHRIST gets lost in the Christmas, please remember, you don't have to feel let down, as if we haven't met His expectations. We can and should celebrate Christ every day, in our words and in our actions. Tomorrow is another day. Carpe diem.
Noah and Jonah have worked hard to create an origami display for our local library. I've included several pictures. The first two depict Noah's work. The last picture shows Jonah pointing to a minature Samurai hat that he made. Jonah's work is shown on the right side of the last picture.
A friend asked me for some math ideas. Of course, if it's free, I've looked into it. So here are some of the free resources I've found. I'm sure there are many more. Have fun.
We have added ballet (Grace) and guitar lessons (Noah and Jonah) to our schedule. That makes an outside activity every day of the week. Today we had a few hours this morning for lessons, then our afternoon was spent at the library, grocery store, and music lessons. The teacher was excellent, patient and kind, and the boys enjoyed their first structured lessons away from home. Gracie attended her ballet class last Friday, and again I was very impressed with the teacher. Even though we've filled up our schedule, and a part of me dreads all these away from home obligations, the children are excited, and I believe they are all at an age to benefit from the classes. I don't want to be busy for busy's sake, nor do I want to sign up for lessons or activities that they won't enjoy or that aren't useful or wholesome in some way, but I'm very pleased with our latest schedule additions.
Here is the schedule as it is now:
7-9 a.m. Every one gets up, gets dressed, makes bed (hopefully), and has breakfast. I also clean up the kitchen and start the laundry.
9-11:30 Lessons: M-Th 3r's, F Science, on Tu and Th we start with some preschool time--story and songs
11:30-1 Make lunch, eat, and clean kitchen
1-3:30 Read aloud time (Rest time for child I babysit)
3:30-5 M Guitar lessons for boys, Tu Free, W Free, Th Free, F Ballet for Grace
5-6 Dinner and clean up
6 M Free, Tu Basketball, W RAs and GAs, Th Mom's exercise class, F Free
7-8 Wind down, showers, get ready for bed, pick up living room and bedrooms
8 Family Worship Time
8:30 Lights out, listen to music or book on tape
Honestly, our schedule is a tool to help us accomplish what we need to and to remind us to be where we need to be. It is loose and flexible, but it really helps me to get us going in the a.m. We really don't need 2 1/2 hours for the 3 r's. I have Noah read quietly to himself during this time while Grace and Jonah read aloud to me. Then everyone works on math online. Right now, we are doing Mad Math Minutes. Since they have to take turns, they may work on other things while waiting. Today Noah worked on some stop-action animation with his Star Wars Legos while Jonah worked offline on the other computer with educational software, and Grace did her online time. If the weather is nice, they may also play outside for a little while.
We're reading aloud from The Door in the Wall and Our Island Story, which is our history. We are covering 1066 on, beginning with Edward the Confessor. We are reading about King Stephen at the moment. I have also checked out some books from the library on life in England during Medieval times: Knights and Castles (Usborne) and Days of Knights (Eyewitness). The boys are really enjoying this time period. When they were younger, we read Howard Pyle's books on King Arthur. Our Island Story is available as a free download through the Baldwin Project. There is a link at Ambleside Online. We picked up in the middle. I'm not sure how many chapters there are, but we have covered 22-30 so far. (We move a little slow.)