Posted in Scheduling

I was just looking at our calendar for the next 6 months and thinking how it filled up SO fast!  We literally have something going every night of the week except Thursday and Friday.  WHOA.  I was determined at the beginning of the summer that we were going to keep it simple this year, and in fact . . . we were able to do that all summer, as we rested and spent quality time with friends. Now I know why the Lord allowed us to rest, because He knew we would have to be busy in this next season.

So here are some of the things we've got going:

(completed)"Take Heed" Class (1x a week for 8 weeks) 
taught by our friends Harold and Shelley, which exposes the New Age and Emergent beliefs and practices that have invaded the local church and christianity. Very Eye-Opening and important for all believer's to understand how to protect their families from this end time apostasy.

Junior Bible Quiz
(1x a week until competition begins, with daily studying) Click HERE
This is For dd, and is a competetive Bible program which travels to other churches a few times a year. From JBQ website description: "Children work together on teams to learn and understand the questions and answers from the Bible.  Then using cooperative competition the children meet with other teams for a fun quizzing match. There are twenty questions in a match, with two teams of quizzers trying to beat each other to the buzzers to get the first shot at the answers. It has been said that JBQ is the fastest growing discipleship program in children’s ministry."

Adult Choir & Children's Worship Team (2 times a week) with special presentation dates
This is for Mom & Pure One.

(completed) Church Membership Classes (1x a week) for 6 weeks
For Mom and Dad

LIFE GROUP (2 times a month at our friends' Jeff and Mel's house - leaders.  Click HERE to go to their blog)
We are getting together for a time of intimate fellowship and accountability with our dear friends, and whoever the Lord brings into the group.  This is an extension of our local church.

Homeschool Moms Night Out (1 x a month)
Started in August, A bunch of us (and growing) get together one time a month (with little field trips on the side forming), and hang out for just one evening with no distractions.  We try to organize creative and fun nights together just for Mom, where we can build authentic and "real" relationships with one another!  This month we are "Knitting and Felting " at Mel's Log cabin, and then having a campfire together.  It will be a beautiful time of getting to know one another better and sharing our stories. Last month we went out to a nice restaurant and relaxed by the fire (ahhh, just what the homeschool Dr. ordered).

CHURCH (2 times each week), but this is also under Choir and Jr. Bible Quiz.

Extra Ministry (1 to 2 times amonth)
Along with being committed to a local Body of Believer's, we are also committed to going into all the world and preaching the gospel, as Christ commanded. We are currently being trained and mentored for deep prophetic ministry, under the guidance of seasoned long-time veteran ministers, who have taken us under their wing, are accountable to a spiritual advisory board, and are loyally committed to walking with us in our destiny here on earth and within the Kingdom of God.  We meet with them in their home, and also minister with them once a month at conferences. Out of the deepest respect for their position in our lives, and to keep from name-dropping, we are witholding their identity at this time. Thanks for understanding.

Yep, we sure are busy for wanting to keep a quiet schedule this year - LOL.  I can only imagine how much busier it would have been if we had added the regular sports and co-op schedules in there, however . . . we have decided to take a break from those avenues for now.  We are thanking the Lord that even though our schedule is full, we feel a peace and know we are in the right places at the right time, with the right people. GOD IS GOOD!

Posted in Scheduling

This year we decided to use The Narrow Way, by Pearables for our Bible/Character Building Program.  My friend Sharon C. introduced me to this last Spring, and I am so very thankful she did!  WOW, what a great program!  Very deep, yet so practical, applicable and easy to understand for the whole family.  I really wish this program was available when I was young, because I didn't learn most of this until late in my 20's.  DD gets to learn about it at 11 yrs..  That just amazes me!  Our children are going to learn so much more than we ever did about the Lord, and their time on this earth is going to be so much more fruitful, because of the maximizing of God's word through character building programs such as this.  I am in awe, and highly recommend it to every family, whether homeschooled or not.  It takes about 30-45 minutes a day to learn key principles for life, based on God's word. 

Okay so here is (some of) what we will be learning this year for our family and friends to peruse (crossed out ones have been completed thus far):

I.  UNIT 1 - FAITH
(1.) Faith (2.) Faith In God . . . Who Is God? (3.) God Is King! (4) Our Lord's Kingdom (5) How To Enter The Kingdom Of Heaven (5) How To Enter The Kingdom Of Heaven (6) Loyalty (7) Loyalty . . . Loving God (8) Loyalty . . . Being Steadfast (9) Loyalty . . . Faithfulness vs. Faithlessness (10) Loyalty . . . Being Faithful (11) Trust  . . . Are We To Put Our Trust In Men? (12) Trust . . . In God (13) Trust . . . Confidence (14) Trust . . . Reliance (15) Trust . . . Hope (16) Allegiance (17) Allegiance . . . We Are Servants (18) Allegiance . . . Being An Obedient Servant (19) Allegiance . . . Obeying (20) Allegiance . . . Being In Subjection To God (21) Allegiance . . . Being Humble Servants (22) Loyal Subjects . . . Listening! (23) Allegiance . . . Doing The will Of The Father (24) Conviction (25) Being Fully Persuaded . . . Not Doubting (26) Review, Pearables Kingdom Story . . . FAITH

II. UNIT 2 - VIRTUE
(1) Virtue (2) The Virtuous Woman (3) Ruth . . . Known For Her Virtue (4) Righteousness . . . God's (5) Righteousness . . . God's Righteous Ones (6) Righteousness . . . What The Righteous Do (7) Righteousness . . . More Of What The Righteous Do (8) Righteousness . . . Purity (9) Righteousness . . . What The Righteous Should Follow After (10) Righteousness . . . Righteous Lot (11) Moral Excellence (12) Moral Excellence . . . Discernment (13) Moral Excellence . . . Judging vs. Condemnation (14) Moral Excellence . . . Judging Between Good and Evil (15) Moral Excellence . . . Being Upright (16) Valor (17) Valor . . . Fearing God (18) Valor . . . We Are Not To Fear Man (19) Valor . . . The Courage Of David Pt. 1 (20) Valor . . .The Courage Of David Pt. 2 (21) Boldness (22) Boldness . . . Waxing Bold (23) Boldness In Word (24) Boldness Even In Bonds (25) Goodness (26) Goodness, Being Competent Or Serviceable (27) Goodness, Being Sound And whole (28) Goodness, Being Kind (29) Review, Pearables Kingdom Story on VIRTUE

III. UNIT 3 - KNOWLEDGE
(1) Knowledge (2) Knowing God's Word (3) Enlightenment (4) Being illuminated (5) Understanding (6) Understanding . . . We Are To Get It! (7) Understanding . . . Those Who Are Void Of Understanding (8) Understanding . . . Qualities Of Those with Understanding (9) Wisdom (10) Wisdom, Cry For It! (11) Wisdom . . . God's Not Man's! (12) Wisdom . . . Vain Philosophies (13) Being Void Of Understanding (14) Foolishness (15) A Fool and His Folly (16) More Folly Of A Fool (17) Discretion (18) Prudence (19) Review, Pearables Kingdom Story . . . NOWLEDGE

IV. UNIT 4 - TEMPERANCE
(1) Temperance (2) Controlling The Lusts Of The Flesh (3) Lasciviousness (4) Concupiscence and Gluttony (5) Pleasures (6) Covetousness (7) Saying "NO" (8) Dying To Ourselves (9) Review, Pearables Kingdom Story . . . TEMPERANCE

V. UNIT 5 - PATIENCE
(1) Patience (2) Being Patient (3) Forbearance (4) Forbearing (5) Endurance (6) Enduring Afflictions (7) Being Afflicted (8) Enduring Tribulations (9) Through Tribulations (10) God Is Longsuffering (11) Longsuffering (12) Suffering Long (13) Sufferings For Righteousness (14) Suffering With Patience (15) Persecutions (16) Enduring Persecutions (17) Bearing Trials (18) Being Tried (19) Review, Pearables Kingdom Story . . . PATIENCE

VI. UNIT 6 - GODLINESS
(1) Godliness (2) Following Godliness (3) Being Godly (4) God Has Set Us Apart (5) Guarding Our Hearts (6) Company We Keep (7) Who We Associate with (8) Living For God (9) Training Children To Be Godly (10) Instructing Children To Godliness (11) Teaching Our Children To Train Their Children (12) Piety (13) Being Devoted To God (14) Holiness (15) Being Holy (16) Being Holy As He Is Holy (17) We Are Told To Walk Pleasing To God (18) Being Blameless (19) True Religion (20) Review, Pearables Kingdom Story . . . GODLINESS

VII. UNIT 7 - BROTHERLY KINDNESS
(1) Brotherly Kindness (2) God, Our Father (3) The Family Of God (4) Who Arte Our Brothers? (5) Considering Needs (6) Preferring Others Above Ourselves (7) Submitting To One Another (8) Kindness (9) God's Kindness (10) Being Gentle (11) Being Hospitable (12) Being Gracious (13) Forbearing (14) Review, Pearables Kingdom Story . . . BROTHERLY KINDNESS

VIII. UNIT 8 - CHARITY
(1) Charity (2) Following Charity (3) Charity Above All (4) We Are Commanded To Have Love (5) God's Love (6) God's Love For Us As A Parent Loves (7) Loving Our Enemies (8) Loving God (9) Loving Each Other (10) Review, Pearables Kingdom Story . . . CHARITY

Can you share what Character Building or Bible Program you are using this year.  We love to hear what works for different families. :-)

Posted in Scheduling

This is our second day back to our regular homeschool schedule, and already we have our challenges: Microsoft Word keeps freezing up on us, so we can't edit or print any work from our pc; dd is up late trying to complete work for the day, due to our having to run last minute errands for school supplies, and a few other little hiccups, however we are excited about everything we'll be learning this year. I say "we" because I love re-learning everything right along with dd. Geography, World and American Civilization studies has already been mapped out and we are ready to start.  Here is what it will look like for this year (completed items crossed out):

GEOGRAPHY, WORLD CIVILIZATION, AND AMERICAN CIVILIZATION

I. Round Earth, Flat Map
 a) Cartographers and Projections
  1. The Mercator Projection
  2. Conic and Plane Projections
 b) Deserts Of The World
  1. What Is A Desert?
  2. Where Are The Deserts?
  3. Weather Patterns and The Formation of Deserts
  4. More Reasons Deserts Are So Dry.
  5. People Can Make Deserts

II. Introduction To World Civilization
 a) South & Central America 
  1. The Struggle For Independence In The Americas
  2. Colonial Mexico
  3. Miguel Hidalgo
  4. Mexico Achieves Independence
  5. Santa Anna
  6. War With The united States
  7. Benito Juarez
  8. Dictatorship and Revolution
  9. The Revoltion In South and Central America
  10.The Prince Brings Independence To Brazil
  11.Latin America and The United States
 b) Europe
  1. Europe After Napolean
  2. The Industrial Revolution
  3. The English Textile Industry
  4. The Steam Engine
  5. The Railroad
  6. The Plight of The Factory Workers
  7. Child Labor
  8. The Idea Of Laissez-Faire
  9. Capitalism and Socialism
 c) The Bristish Empire
  1. Queen Victoria
  2. Bristish Imperialism
  3. British Rule In India
  4. Ghandi
  5. The British in Australia
  6. Britain and China: The Opium Wars
  7. The Boxer Rebellion
 d) Africa
  1. The Slave Trade Ends But Europeans Remain
  2. Missionaries and Explorers
  3. Dr. Livingston
  4. Europeans In N. Africa
  5. Industrialism and Nationalism
  6. The Scramble For Africa
  7. The Belgians In The Congo
  8. African Resistance To European Rule
  9. Europeans In South Africa
  10.The Boers and The Zulu
  11.Cecil Rhodes
  12.The Boer War
  13.Aparteid in S. Africa
 e) Japan
  1. The OPening of Japan
  2. The Meiji Restoration & The Modernizing Of Japan
  3. Japan Becomes a World Power
 f) Europe, Nationhood and War
  1. Nationalism and the Unification of Italy
  2. Bismark and The Unification of Germany
  3. Europe Moves Toward War
  4. World War I Begins  

III. American Civilization
 a) World War I
  1. The Deadliest War Ever
  2. American Neutrality
  3. The Sinking of The Lusitania
  4. America Enters The War
  5. Revolution Comes To Russia
  6. The End Of The War
 b) America After World War I
  1. America Turns Inward
  2. Prosperity and Progress
  3. New Forms Of Entertainment
  4. The Roaring Twenties
  5. African Americans Move North
  6. Marcus Garvey
  7. The Harlem Renaissance
  8. The Great Depression
  9. Herbert Hoover
  10.The New Deal
  11.Social Security
  12.The "Indian New Deal"
  13.The Dust Bowl and the Okies
  14. Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt
 c) The Road To Another War
  1. Hitler's Rise To Power In Germany
  2. World War II Begins
  3. Should America Fight?
  4. Pearl Harbor Pushes America To War
  5. The Axes Versus The Allies
  6. The Division Of Poland
  7. The Axis At high Tide
  8. The Holocaust
  9. The War In Europe and Africa
  10. The War In The Pacific
  11. The Home Front
  12. The Internment of Japanese-Americans
  13. D-Day
  14. Meeting At Yalta
  15. FDR Dies; Truman Becomes President
  16. Victory In Europe
  17. The Atomic Bomb
  18. Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and the Surrender of Japan
 d) Allies Become Enemies
  1. The "Superpowers" Square Off
  2. The Truman Doctrine and The Marshall Plan
  3. The United Nations
  4. The Cold War
  5. The "Military-Industrial Complex" and The Nuclear Arms Race
  6. McCarthyism
  7. The Korean War Begins
  8. Korea: Heroism and Frustration
 e) American Life In The 1950's
  1. A Decade of Prosperity
  2. In The Suburbs and On The Road
  3. The TV Age Begins
 f) Segregation And Civil Rights
  1. The "jim Crow" Laws
  2. Philip Randolph: Pioneer For Civil Rights
  3. African Americans In The Armed Forces
  4. Brown vs. Board Of Education
  5. Rosa Parks and The Montgomery Bus Boycott
  6. Martin Luther King Jr.
  7. King in Birmingham
  8. The March On Washington
 g) The Turbulent Sixties And After
  1. John F. Kennedy
  2. The Berlin Wall
  3. The Cuban Missile Crisis
  4. The Space Race Begins
  5. The Assasination of Kennedy
  6. Lyndon Johnson and The Great Society
  7. Johnson and Civil Rights
  8. Malcolm X
  9. The Civil Rights Leader Loses A Leader
  10. Cesar Chavez Organizes Migrant Workers
  11. Native Americans: From Termination To Self-Determination
  12. The War In Vietnam
  13. The War At Home: Hawks and Doves
  14. The youth Rebellion
  15. The Moon Landing
  16. The Vietnam War Ends
  17. Watergate and the Fall of Richard Nixon
  18. The Women's Liberation Movement
  19. The Fight of The ERA
  20. A Birthday Party for The USA

I'll add our other subjects another time so I don't take up the whole blog in one post (LOL).  We decided to go with the Core Knowledge Series This year, based upon E.D. Hirsh's books.  They have all the worksheets, calendars and lesson plans set for you to print or download when ready.  The Day By Day Planner is extra cost, but highly valuable.  This is a big step away from our regular way of doing homeschool, but we'll see how well she does this year with it.  I usually have all of my curriculum bought and ready to go before summer begins, but this year I felt a real need to wait.  Now I think I know why, because we were supposed to use this approach instead.  I am still going to incorporate notebooking and hands on activities, but we'll keep to this core  plan for the main subjects. I am also using an incredible character curriculum for dd called The Narrow Way, by Pearbles. Talk about DEEP calling unto DEEP.  We are on our fourth day of this Bible study and let me tell you . . .  it is so refreshing to see dd hungry for more. In Math we are sticking with RightStart, and continuing to work our way through the levels, with the abacus. For Science we are sticking with Alpha Omega LifePac.  I know there are far better Science programs out there, but this is working for us right now.  My hope is to eventually bring in Apologia for Science.

All in all we are well set for this year.  I thought I would share what we are doing in a nutshell, for family and friends that are inquisitive.  Isn't it nice to know we don't sit in our jammies all day long and watch TV.  Hah, you just thought homeschoolers did that didn't ya???  Come on you know you were thinkin that!  ROFL.

Have a great week Everyone :-)

Posted in Scheduling

I finally sat down and planned out the next three months on the calendar; looking at all the local attractions to add to our weekly outings and budget.  I pulled up our county library schedule and chose the events we would like to participate in. Things like "Reading Club," "Amazing Acrobats," and "Science Mayhem." 

Then I went to our city's website and chose the events for our calendar.  Events like "4th of July Parade," "Kids Fair," and "Symphony In The Park."  These are all free .  Then I perused the favorite homeschool field trip spots and added some specials in there, along with a visit to a favorite park each week.  It is nice to know that atleast I have a general calendar for each month, and we can use it as a guideline for our summer activities. 

On the days we are not away from home, I planned a "general guideline" schedule (broken down by hour).  I am going to try my best to stick to it, but knowing my personality I will probably stray away multiple times each day (LOL). Structure is something I have had to work on as a Homeschool Mom, because I absolutely abhor it at times.  I guess it is my creative side or something, but I always feel confined when I have to stick to a set schedule, yet somehow, someway I manage to constrain myself to a set schedule each month.  GO FIGURE!  I guess it gives me some sense of normalcy, in a crazy kind of way . . . oh but I fight it!

Here is what I came up with so far:  

Daily Schedule (Summer 2006)
6:00 to 7:00 a.m. 
Shower and Get Ready For The Day
7:00 to 8:00 a.m.
Bible Study/Prayer Time
and Family Breakfast.
8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. 
Kiddos Outdoor Play
9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Morning Devotions For Kids/Character Development

9:30 a.m. to 10 :00 a.m. 
 Snack/Art

10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Summer Bridge Academics

11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. 
Rest/Read-Alouds

12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
  LUNCH

1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. 
Swimming and Outdoor Play/Field Trip

3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. 
Afternoon Snack and clean-up; Thomas goes home

3:30 to 6:00 p.m.
Dinner Preparations/ Chores
6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
DINNER
7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Family Bike Ride or Walk
8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Individual Hobby Time
9:30 p.m.
Kaitlin's Bedtime 

9:30 to 11:30 p.m.
Daddy & Mommy Time/Prayer
and Reading

Somewhere in all of this is daily housecleaning.  Probably while the kiddos are resting, or playing. Does a Mom's work ever end?

Do you have a summer schedule or do you play it by ear? 

Posted in Scheduling

We have had a wonderful restful weekend so far.  I am looking ahead to the coming week and am thankful we rested when we could.  I have a feeling it is all about to change as we start our deeper studies schedule.  We are a year-round home-education family so deep studies happen between Sept-May, and lighter studies between June -August.  Of course  learning happens all the time, and is a natural part of life, but for the sake of protocol I'll just say "lighter" and "deeper" studies .

Kaitlin's Deeper Study Schedule will be as follows (general guideline):

8:00-9:00  ~ wake up, breakfast, and get ready for the day

9:00-10:00 ~ Bible Study/Devotions/Prayer/Journaling

10:00-11:00 ~ Math
11-11:30 ~ BREAK

11:30-12:30 ~ History (alternating Science)
12:30-1:00 ~ LUNCH

1:00-2:00 ~ Handwriting, Spelling & English (alternating Reading)

2:00-3:00 ~ Extra's (Alternating Health, Spanish, Art, Computer)

Group/Out-Of-Home Activities:  Monday (Dance class); Tuesday (Piano); Thursday's (Drama, Gym & Earth Science at co-op); Friday's (Field Trips)

Busy busy, schedule this year, but we always want to leave room for the Holy Spirit to lead, guide and direct.  That is one of the reasons I call this a "general" outline.

We are using several curriculums this year: Bob Jones (Science, Reading, Handwriting, and History); ACSI (Spelling); Horizons & Calculadder2 (Math); Notebooking, Journaling; Shurley English (Writing & Composition); Institute In Basic Youth Conflicts ( Character Study series); YWAM Missionary stories (Devotions & Reading), Lots of library books.

There ya have it . . our year in review. ;-)  How is your planning coming along? 

Any wisdom you would like to share with us about planning a school year?