Today is day 180!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The official end of our school year!!!  I feel like singing....

Hallelujah!  For the Lord our God The Almighty Reigns

Hallelujah!  For the Lord our God The Almighty Reigns

Let us rejoice and be glad

And give all glory unto Him

Hallelujah!  For the Lord our God The Almight Reigns!

I praise God b/c He has brought us thru our first 'official' school year.  It has not been easy all the time but He gave me strength to persevere.

Today is gymnastics class for my 6yo.  Today is 'bring a friend' to gymnastics...my dd wanted to bring her cousin but my sil did not get back to me so I think I'll ask if her brother(who has his own gymnastics class earlier in the week) can go in with her today. 

...and no, I'm not telling them 'yet' that school is over.    I want to keep them in the mode of our learning schedule so I'm not telling them.  We'll just 'graduate' them in 'some way'...maybe take them to Chuckie Cheese on day and tell them they have graduated to the next grade...that will be their celebration, but not just yet..maybe end of June.  But for now our quarter ends today...no more quarterly reports until July!!!

Now I look forward to next year.  We start in July.  Then I'll have a K and 2nd grader.  From May - July we will follow a very light, carefree schedule focusing more on establishing schedule of chores, arithmetic work, and read-aloud, and whatever else they may want to do.  I think I'll start Science since the weather is nice and we can go out and observe what the lessons talk about. 

Prayerfully by July I can just 'fill-in' with the other necessary subjects.

I feel so light and carefree...a feeling I have not had for quite some time.  I love the spring/summer and warm weather....absolutely love it!!!

Anyway, I just wanted to share my joy and heartfelt praise to The One Who Loves Us The Most!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok!  This feeling gets so intense at times I feel like bursting!!!

Even though I have my literacy and arithmetic lesson plans and I've decided to use the 1st grade NP Lessons I still find myself trying to add more.  I guess I feel that I'm not doing everything I feel would make up a 'complete' curriculum. 

Like for instance I really have not thougth about my goals or thoughtfully planned any lessons for comprehension(listening and reading), grammar, parts of words, more American history.

I feel like I'm doing these things kind of 'happenstance'...as we come to it...IF we come to it. 

And I keep feeling like I should have a more direct plan(lesson) of how I'm going to accomplish these things that are in my head.  I think that is my biggest stress: I have not taken the time to write things down.

Another thing..it is coming up time for annual testing.  We don't have to test until 5th grade but I want to test just to give me a benchmark for where we are....and I feel like I have not taught everything(content-wise) that she'll need to pass these standardized test.

I have focused mainly on what biblical principle I want hidden in their hearts...which is not wrong but I keep feeling like my curriculum is not 'complete'.

Another thing is that I jot down little things/topic/leading ideas, etc.  to teach for each subject but I find I have not taken it thru to the year's end...and I feel I need to do that in my planning b/c if I don't we'll get to that part of the year where I don't have anything planned and we'll just be floating....doing nothing..

Ayaya!!!!!!     Maybe I'm stressing for nothing.  Mind u this stress is not depressing me.  For some reason I absolutely love lesson planning.  I think that is one reason I love the BPA so much and even the NP guides b/c the material is so organized in guiding u what to include in your own curriculum.

I think what I'll do is take it ONE subject at a time and plan that ONE out for the whole year until I feel I have purchased all the resources I need for that subject and until I feel it is 'complete' enough to move on to the next subject.  I find I keep jumping around in my mind from one subject to the next getting all these great ideas of what to teach and my mind feels like it is about to explode.

I am being blown away by the info. I'm finding about Benjamin Banneker.  Here is a copy of a letter that I found from Mr. Banneker to Thomas Jefferson....

from Banneker's letter to Jefferson

"I AM fully sensible of the greatness of that freedom, which I take with you on the present occasion ; a liberty which seemed to me scarcely allowable, when I reflected on that distinguished and dignified station in which you stand, and the almost general prejudice and prepossession, which is so prevalent in the world against those of my complexion.

I suppose it is a truth too well attested to you, to need a proof here, that we are a race of beings, who have long labored under the abuse and censure of the world ; that we have long been looked upon with an eye of contempt ; and that we have long been considered rather as brutish than human, and scarcely capable of mental endowments.

Sir, I hope I may safely admit, in consequence of that report which hath reached me, that you are a man far less inflexible in sentiments of this nature, than many others ; that you are measurably friendly, and well disposed towards us ; and that you are willing and ready to lend your aid and assistance to our relief, from those many distresses, and numerous calamities, to which we are reduced. Now Sir, if this is founded in truth, I apprehend you will embrace every opportunity, to eradicate that train of absurd and false ideas and opinions, which so generally prevails with respect to us ; and that your sentiments are concurrent with mine, which are, that one universal Father hath given being to us all ; and that he hath not only made us all of one flesh, but that he hath also, without partiality, afforded us all the same sensations and endowed us all with the same faculties ; and that however variable we may be in society or religion, however diversified in situation or color, we are all of the same family, and stand in the same relation to him.

Sir, if these are sentiments of which you are fully persuaded, I hope you cannot but acknowledge, that it is the indispensable duty of those, who maintain for themselves the rights of human nature, and who possess the obligations of Christianity, to extend their power and influence to the relief of every part of the human race, from whatever burden or oppression they may unjustly labor under ; and this, I apprehend, a full conviction of the truth and obligation of these principles should lead all to. Sir, I have long been convinced, that if your love for yourselves, and for those inestimable laws, which preserved to you the rights of human nature, was founded on sincerity, you could not but be solicitous, that every individual, of whatever rank or distinction, might with you equally enjoy the blessings thereof ; neither could you rest satisfied short of the most active effusion of your exertions, in order to their promotion from any state of degradation, to which the unjustifiable cruelty and barbarism of men may have reduced them.

Sir, I freely and cheerfully acknowledge, that I am of the African race, and in that color which is natural to them of the deepest dye ; and it is under a sense of the most profound gratitude to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, that I now confess to you, that I am not under that state of tyrannical thraldom, and inhuman captivity, to which too many of my brethren are doomed, but that I have abundantly tasted of the fruition of those blessings, which proceed from that free and unequalled liberty with which you are favored ; and which, I hope, you will willingly allow you have mercifully received, from the immediate hand of that Being, from whom proceedeth every good and perfect Gift.

Sir, suffer me to recal to your mind that time, in which the arms and tyranny of the British crown were exerted, with every powerful effort, in order to reduce you to a state of servitude : look back, I entreat you, on the variety of dangers to which you were exposed ; reflect on that time, in which every human aid appeared unavailable, and in which even hope and fortitude wore the aspect of inability to the conflict, and you cannot but be led to a serious and grateful sense of your miraculous and providential preservation ; you cannot but acknowledge, that the present freedom and tranquility which you enjoy you have mercifully received, and that it is the peculiar blessing of Heaven.

This, Sir, was a time when you cleary saw into the injustice of a state of slavery, and in which you had just apprehensions of the horrors of its condition. It was now that your abhorrence thereof was so excited, that you publicly held forth this true and invaluable doctrine, which is worthy to be recorded and remembered in all succeeding ages : ``We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal ; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, and that among these are, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.'' Here was a time, in which your tender feelings for yourselves had engaged you thus to declare, you were then impressed with proper ideas of the great violation of liberty, and the free possession of those blessings, to which you were entitled by nature ; but, Sir, how pitiable is it to reflect, that although you were so fully convinced of the benevolence of the Father of Mankind, and of his equal and impartial distribution of these rights and privileges, which he hath conferred upon them, that you should at the same time counteract his mercies, in detaining by fraud and violence so numerous a part of my brethren, under groaning captivity and cruel oppression, that you should at the same time be found guilty of that most criminal act, which you professedly detested in others, with respect to yourselves.

I suppose that your knowledge of the situation of my brethren, is too extensive to need a recital here ; neither shall I presume to prescribe methods by which they may be relieved, otherwise than by recommending to you and all others, to wean yourselves from those narrow prejudices which you have imbibed with respect to them, and as Job proposed to his friends, ``put your soul in their souls' stead ;'' thus shall your hearts be enlarged with kindness and benevolence towards them ; and thus shall you need neither the direction of myself or others, in what manner to proceed herein. And now, Sir, although my sympathy and affection for my brethren hath caused my enlargement thus far, I ardently hope, that your candor and generosity will plead with you in my behalf, when I make known to you, that it was not originally my design ; but having taken up my pen in order to direct to you, as a present, a copy of an Almanac, which I have calculated for the succeeding year, I was unexpectedly and unavoidably led thereto."

 

 

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And here is Thomas Jefferson's response:

 

Jefferson's response to Banneker

Philadelphia Aug. 30. 1791.

Sir,

I thank you sincerely for your letter of the 19th. instant and for the Almanac it contained. no body wishes more than I do to see such proofs as you exhibit, that nature has given to our black brethren, talents equal to those of the other colours of men, & that the appearance of a want of them is owing merely to the degraded condition of their existence both in Africa & America. I can add with truth that no body wishes more ardently to see a good system commenced for raising the condition both of their body & mind to what it ought to be, as fast as the imbecillity of their present existence, and other circumstance which cannot be neglected, will admit. I have taken the liberty of sending your almanac to Monsieur de Condorcet, Secretary of the Academy of sciences at Paris, and member of the Philanthropic society because I considered it as a document to which your whole colour had a right for their justification against the doubts which have been entertained of them. I am with great esteem, Sir, Your most obedt. humble servt. Th. Jefferson

 

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Now the only thing for me is to make sure this is true.  I'm gonna have to research the letters Benjamin Banneker wrote and use those from sources that I consider reliable...primary source documents. 

 

I began reading the NP History and Geog. guide last night.  It is a wonderful help and tool in planning and guiding you in your own lesson planning!!  I'm so glad I got it.  Now I want all of them

I have been avoiding getting into the history of each subject that I teach.  I guess b/c I have an innate dislike for history and maybe a feeling of inadequacy regarding it.  I've commented before how history was my least favorite subject but I was just online at our library website and I found some interesting books about famous mathemeticians.  One of them listed as a mathemetician was Benjamin Bannekar(spelling?)  Anyway, he was an African American who made tremendous contributions to America and the betterment of people and the liberty of people.  The name of one such book is:

DEAR BENJAMIN BANNEKER by Andrea Davis Pinkney

This is how the summary reads from the library.

Publisher Weekly Review

Banneker, an 18th-century astronomer and mathematician, was a free African American who corresponded with Thomas Jefferson about ending slavery. In a starred review, PW called this illustrated biography "a memorable portrait." Ages 6-10. Copyright 1998 Cahners Business Information, Inc. Copyright 1998 Cahners Business Information, Inc.       So I'll just study this individual and place him on the Chain of Christianity timeline to show how God used individuals to progress and develop the subject of mathematics.   I've also decided that my theme principle for next year(or sooner, whenever I can get my lessons written) is going to be Christian Individuality-how God creates and uses individuals to fulfill a purpose in this life.  So this theme will carry across all subjects, even Bible.      So I think this is perfect to fit into my theme of Christian Individuality(from God's Principle of Individuality) and placing Mathematics on the Chain of Christianity....     ....I'm getting excited about History y'all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is my lesson plan that I completed last week.  This includes Reading, Writing, Spelling, Speech, and beginning Grammar.  I'm teaching K-2

LITERACY lesson plans

(Reading, Writing, Speaking, Grammar, Spelling, Comprehension)

BIBLICAL ORIGIN OF

READING – Exodus 24:7 - Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, "We will do everything the LORD has said; we will obey."

SPEAKING – Genesis 1:1-3 - In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.  And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.

WRITING -  Exodus 24:4 - Moses then wrote down everything the LORD had said.

BIBLICAL PURPOSE OF READING(includes SPEAKING, WRITING)

To understand the will of God(Exodus 24:7)

To obey the Word of God(Exodus 24:7)

To give understanding to others(Exodus 24:7, Hab 2:3)

To communicate the will of God(Exodus 24:7)

To establish God’s will in the earth(Job 22:28, Mark 11:23-24)(speaking)

To impart wisdom(Psalm 37:30)(speaking)

For a memorial(Exodus 17:14)(writing)

To communicate with God(write prayers, etc)

God rules by His written and spoken Word (Prov 8:29, Psalm 33:6-9, Heb 1:3)

We rule or govern by understanding God’s written and spoken Word

** I took much of this 4Ring from what was already done in J. Rose's book and added elements of my own study to it.

THE RUDIMENTS OF READING

1. The articulate, distinct sounds of letters and combinations of letters with their names
2. Expressing and understanding the thoughts and ideas of one person communicated to another thru spoken and written language.
3. To rule or govern oneself and language thru reading and reasoning.

CHRISTIAN HISTORY PRINCIPLES ADDRESSED

¨      God’s Principle of Individuality

¨      Christian Self-Government

¨      Political Union

¨      Conscience-Most Sacred of Property

ds will be K;  dd will be 7(grade 2) 

I will be using the structure of Writing Road to Reading.  I don't have here, yet, my teaching of the 29 rules of spelling.  I don't know if I'll do that this coming year or wait until I'm more comfortable teaching this.

LESSON PLAN/CURRICULUM