Notebooking Pages (& More!)





Welcome to my little spot in Homeschoolblogger!
Come visit with me as I share "more than notebooking" including my thoughts
on family, homeschooling, the Christian walk, and more!


Saturday, February 2
Habit Training: Sowing Seeds of Character Cards

Category: Home and Schooling

Habit Training Cards
I've just posted a page at our site with details about a habit training system I've created for our family.  We've been using it successfully now for a little over a month with great results.  Details are here if you'd like to check it out.

I would like to use this blog entry to record comments/questions from anyone that would like to try using the system.  So if you have a question or comment, please post it here for everyone to read and for everyone to benefit!  I will be hosting a new blog soon and will put an updated link here when it's ready.

Thanks!
Wednesday, January 9
Seventeen Dollars and Thirty Cents!!

Category: Home and Schooling

For those of you who are on top of your library books and have gloriously avoided fines, you may already know about the Library Elf.  For those of you like me, who are really neglectful about renewing your heaps of library books and get denied access (like I did) to future holds until their fines (which were $17.30 today!) are paid IN PERSON (ugh! an hour drive!), you may want to check this out.

paws tracks http://www.libraryelf.com/
Your Personal Email Library Reminder Service

Why have I never heard of this before??  I'll tell you why - because I never got denied access to place holds for books before and wouldn't have thought I needed it!  The rejection was horrid!   

After giving the Library Elf permission to nag me about my overdue books, I received an email from The Homeschool Mom informing me of their "Site of the Week":  http://www.gurulib.com . GuruLib is an online home library catalog system.  So I took a peek over there given my lack of library organization skills.  It looks pretty cool!  I'll have to give you an update at a much later time when I've actually had enough free time to do this with our current library of books, CDs, DVDs, etc.


Tuesday, July 24
Our Little Cowpokes

Category: Home and Schooling

This photo is from VBS back in early June.  We had an AWESOME time at Avalanche Ranch!

VBS Photo
God is Real! ...wah-hoo!

God is with Us! ...wah-hoo!

God is Strong! ...wah-hoo!

God is Awesome! ...wah-hoo!

God is In Charge! ...wah-hoo!

Dad had a big part this year playing "Rowdy", a novice cowboy!  Check out this city slicker!

Dad at VBS

 


Tuesday, July 24
Dad & Daughter Date

Category: Home and Schooling

For each of the kids' birthdays, they get a special treat...a day out with Dad!  Jessie picked to go out to breakfast & horseback riding at a friends' house (thanks Judy!).  What a special time they had!

Jessie & Dad


Thursday, April 26
How we study with TOG (Tapestry of Grace)

Category: Home and Schooling

I'm posting a response to this question

"So, you use TOG mixed with Charlotte Mason? :o) What parts of Tapestry do you use?"

here because it's a frequently asked question and I can more easily reference it through the blog. 

FYI:  TOG stands for Tapestry of Grace, a wonderful history curriculum! (http://www.tapestryofgrace.com)

________________________________________________

Simple Answer:  most, but very lightly.

My Longer answer:

We are still fairly new to Charlotte Mason.  I just began implementing some of her ideas last spring.  I’ve also been researching Thomas Jefferson Education principles this year.  You can read more about “where I’m at” in my homeschooling methods here:  http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/NotebookingPages/302205/ .

What has changed most since implementing CM is my overall home & schooling schedule.  When reading CM, I knew that I craved the shorter school day and the shorter lessons.  By the end of most days, I was so completely burned out.  My kids, who tried so hard to please me and be diligent students, were burned out too.  I felt guilty at the end of the day for putting them through such a long day.  They would be too wiped out to play, plus who had time?  (Primarily here, I’m talking about my younger kids ages 12 & under.  The oldest is more independent and his days would not go so long unless he dawdled.)  All of the great planning and preparations I made to “do it all”, took everything out of us.  I got caught up in all of the wonderful aspects and fullness of TOG, but paid no attention to the recommendations to pick and choose.  It can be tough to choose with so many wonderful books and laid-out ideas right there in front of us!  I didn’t want to waste any part of it LOL!  So anyway, after learning my lesson about doing too much & after much praying about what God would have me to do for THIS season in our family, I sat down to rethink my schooling schedule.  We were spending long hours each day (to 4:00 or better each day) trying to fit everything in.  Instead of having a great learning experience, we began to just do things for the sake of “getting them done”.  So I sat down with each subject, incl. TOG, to see what was most essential and determined a max time limit we would spend on each subject. 

Here's a schedule I put together at the beginning of the year.  We still pretty much follow this layout with a few minor differences.  It gives you an idea of how I've tried to incorporate shorter lesson times and still get most subjects in: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/NotebookingPages/210938/  This year has had some interesting twists as I've had to learn how to handle an online business.  So there have been some adjustments here and there LOL! 

Here’s kind of a hodge-podge outline/guideline of what I try to follow with TOG (I don’t know that I would call this TOG-CM style, but more what God has led me to do with our family for this season):

*limit our time to about 1 hour on history studies each day:  incl readings, narrations (oral &/or written), discussions & TOG mapwork (usu pick books from the overview & worldview, occasionally in-depth books).  We tend to do mostly reading for the first few days (some mapwork as we come across places in our reading) and discussions/oral & written narrations as they fit.  Then for the latter part of the week, we finish up with more discussion, maps and notebooking.  To keep this to an hour, you have to teach your children to be diligent and you have to be willing to really pick & choose from all of the available options.  You’ll revisit this time period/subject again most likely, so keep that in mind.  Also, I’m in no hurry to finish all four year plans in four years.  That’s taken A LOT of pressure off me.  My younger kids have at least another time to go through these time periods.  So the next time through, we’ll probably pick up the pace.  For now, we’re really enjoying our leisurely stroll! ;)  When we find a topic that really draws us in, we camp there until we’re ready to move on.

*30 minutes a day set aside for any additional notebooking time that’s needed.  We rotate this time through our subjects.  It’s not just for history studies, but also for Bible & science.  I do not usually cover science and history on the same days.  We’ll take a few days to work on science every other week or so (and not do history on these days) and also do some nature study about once a week usu in the afternoons.  With my girls getting older, they’ll probably do more formal science in the next couple of years, but they’ll be able to do this independently I think like their oldest brother does now.  My younger boys spend plenty of extra time exploring science studies on their own... it's amazing ...I had my doubts when freeing up those afternoons, but they really do dig into what interests them!

*30-60 minutes a day for literature & discussion (we do most of this reading in the evenings or split the reading between AM/PM).  I skim over the SAPs for ideas for literature discussion, but the younger kids rarely do any specific SAP work. I'm trying to learn how to better utilize socratic methods in our literature studies using Teaching the Classics by Adam Andrews.

*formal writing – up to 30 minutes a day.  It depends on how much other writing they’ve done for the day.  We’re still using IEW right now.  If the rest of our writing is light for the day, then we may spend up to 30 minutes working on formal writing skills.  At this age, with my younger kids, I feel like our time is better spent in our oral and written narrations.  We love IEW though and implement its ideas & principles in our writing whether it’s a formal assignment or a written narration.  I think I may plan for more structure with this next year though and block out some solid weeks throughout the year for specific writing instruction.  Our kids enjoy writing and I think that’s because they are so accustomed to giving narrations that it’s become natural for them to put what they’ve learned into words.  Formal instruction just helps them to “dress it up” and make it more, well, formal!

*hands-on TOG activities – I leave this totally up to the kids.  Most days we are through with school around the lunch hour, sometimes a little later.  The kids have the afternoons to explore their interests and boy do they!  I was so skeptical of having free afternoons at first.  After completely shutting down the TV, the video & computer games though and limiting our “busyness” with outside activities, the kids have flourished.  It’s been simply amazing.  I’ve tried to put everything they need at their fingertips … art supplies, musical instruments, electronic “toys” like Snap Circuits, wood-working tools, sewing, knitting & crocheting supplies…they have taught themselves some amazing things.  I’ve bought how-to books, art videos, scouts manuals, etc. and have learned to say “yes” to a lot of their requests to try new and different activities.  I cannot tell you what a joy this has brought to our home!  The confidence that has been given to the kids by being able to read and learn new skills (ones they’ve chosen) is wonderful.  ;)  When it seems like they need some motivation, I’ll sit down with them for a focused lesson on some topic and that usu keeps them going for a week or more.  We also use at least one afternoon (or morning sometimes) a week for nature study.

*fine arts – we do composer & artist studies following what I’ve learned from AmblesideOnline.org mostly.  We read short bio’s on the composer/artist for the specific term and then listen to the music or study the art print and do a notebooking page for our notebooks.  Real simple.

I guess that about sums it up!  I think the key for me has been to figure out what the Lord wants our schooling to look like.  We each have such unique families full of unique children and unique circumstances.  There's no way for there to be one right way to do anything LOL!  So whether it's TOG or any other curriculum, take time to pray!  Ask God to help you wisely plan your days and to make decisions about what methods and tools will work for you and your children.  Be prepared to think outside of the box!  

Just recently, we've started adding AmblesideOnline's reading list to our history studies and we're loving it!  Now I know we definitely cannot handle doing both TOG & AO reading.  I went to AO to find some optional spines for a few of our TOG weeks and wanted to see what AO suggested.  Well after some reading and research, I found that I really liked AO's overall year plans.  So what am I going to do now LOL?!  Well, I LOVE my TOG and all that it offers, so I'll continue to use it as we have been - mostly as a great resource for me!  TOG prepares me to teach and gives me SO MANY options.  It helps me to fill in all of the gaps and helps me to know how to lead our discussions.  So I guess I'll find some way to use them both! ;)  It's quite a journey isn't it?!

 

 

 

 


Saturday, February 3
Time to Hibernate!

Category: Home and Schooling

Wow!  Except for the 2 ice storms that hit our area, this winter had really been mild.  Not anymore!  I think I'll start my hibernation now! LOL! 


Friday, January 5
Personalized Ornaments - Cute!

Category: Home and Schooling

My husband was out of town for the two weeks prior to Christmas & then had to work all day Christmas Eve & most of Christmas Day (he had to go in at 10am).  Well, each year the kids get to pick out a new ornament for themselves to put on the tree.  We've got quite the collection!  This year though, to make it a little more special since he was gone, he went out and found special ornaments for each of them to open on Christmas Eve.  They are so cute!!  He had each of them personalized with their names/dates and picked out ornaments that fit their personalities.  They're so precious that I have them hanging from a shelf now & I think they'll stay there until next year when they can go back on the tree.  Here's a photo:

Kids Ornaments

Way to go Dad!


Monday, November 27
Sample-Assignment Book

Category: Home and Schooling

Here's a sample page from this year's assignment book.  This is a page that actually folds along the dotted line and the opposite side of the page contains the same assignment grid but also a place to record my 2 Kindergartners' activities instead of the calendar.  That part of the page is a flap that folds in & out depending on if it's needed or being used.  The pages are printed double-sided and in landscape format, then zipped with our Proclick punching tool and put together with the Proclick spines.  It makes a very nice-sized assignment book that I can easily add pages to.  Size is 8.5" x 6.5".  Check my other post for a similar idea for my kids' Quiet Time Journals. 


Monday, November 27
Sample-Quiet Time Journals

Category: Home and Schooling

This is a winter-themed page from the quiet time journal I put together for my kiddos a couple of weeks ago.  I designed myself an assignment book that works the same way earlier this year & decided to just copy that idea for them as a quiet time journal.  We used our Proclick binding tool & spines to put them together.  Each page is printed landscape and then you fold/unfold the flap on the dotted line depending on what side of the page you're using in order to write on it.  (Every page is printed double-sided.)  This "flap" contains their actual journal entry for the day and the rest of the page is documentation of their prayer requests, what verses they read that day, and what AWANA verses they studied.  Each page or piece of paper has enough space for 4 days.   The whole thing ends up being about 8.5" x 6.5".  They love it.  I'll post a picture of our assignment book as well if the picture file of this one loads well. 


Sunday, November 26
Let's Catch Up!

Category: Home and Schooling

WOW!  It's been over a month since my last entry!  Well, we've been a *little* busy this last month. 

 

First, we put out our first notebooking CD "History Pages - Ancient Times" and finished our free Bible pages!  You can check both of these out using our Notebooking links in the right sidebar.  We're very excited about both of these because they make notebooking history and the Bible a cinch to do - no excuses!  We've used a ton of great historical clipart to make each page specific to its topic.  The plan is to have all time periods finished by the end of summer.  Right now I'm working on the Middle Ages as we work through this time period ourselves.  Hopefully, it will be ready late spring.  Then the remaining set(s) (depending on how I divide it), we'll work on over the summer.  I keep saying "we" because my dh & kids are pitching in to help with these efforts.  From finding the clipart, to downloading & organizing the clips, editing & proofreading (at least "prooflooking" for any lines/frames that don't match up), creating CDs & packaging them for shipping, and also learning bookkeeping - they all have their own jobs with paid commission.  It's been lots of fun for all!   

 

Besides our notebooking project, we've taken every child, all seven of them, to their pediatricians for checkups, to their dentists for cleanings/checkups & back again for fillings (bummer!), & to their eye doctors.  I also went to the eye doctor and found out that the prism they put in my left lens for my double vision was put in upside down last year!  Instead of correcting the problem, it was making it worse causing my left eye to work twice as hard to not see doubles (which was now more like quadruples)!  Anyway, that is now fixed, praise the Lord!  Oh yes, another one had to get glasses which brings the total to 3 of the kids now & he's not very happy about that.  Then, finally, our 10yod has had several trips to the orthodontist and she is now sporting her new braces!  She looks so cute!  I guess that's just about it.  Next year, we'll try to be a little smarter about this and get all of these checkups before school starts.  Normally we do, but the summer got away from us and so here we are.

 

Let's see....we had a Fall Festival at church (complete with pony rides & a hayride!), we hosted a bonfire party for my parents' anniversary & birthdays in late October which was a hit for all of us, trunk-or-treating at church & Old Testament night at AWANAs, a birthday party for Elizabeth who is now 6, and we just finished up Thanksgiving at my brother's house this weekend...

 

Schooling?  Well, we went into "basic mode" for a couple of weeks, keeping pace with our math, lang arts, and reading.  You know, I make our schooling schedule so that doctor visits do not interfere and so that there's room to move things around, but it's just crazy to think that 25-30 doctor appointments is not going to interfere, right?  The original appointments were fine I guess, it was all the re-visits for fillings, fittings, prescriptions, and "new hardware".  So anyway, I've put off the Christmas decorations for now so that we can focus on getting at least 3 more solid weeks in before our Christmas break.  Dh is out of town for the two weeks prior to Christmas and also works day shift Christmas Eve & Christmas Day so things are a little out of whack as far as our holiday planning anyway.  I think I may shift the calendar a bit and have our own family celebration the two days following Christmas Day, not sure though.

 

Okay, now that brings us up to date!

 

Today, we're working on switching out our closets and seasonal clothes...making granola bars for our morning snacks this week...blowing leaves off the pond & bog so we can catch some fish to bring inside for the winter (goldfish & shbunkins)...preparing for this week's lessons...doing some last minute practicing for AWANAs tonight...updating this blog...& oh, yes, blowing the dust off the treadmill because mom's going to start walking again tomorrow!  I don't know that this is going to as much of a weight-loss effort as it is a try-not-to-gain-any-weight effort during this holiday season.  Either way, I'm ready to shed a few pounds (or 40)!  Anyone need an accountability partner for this?


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Habit Training: Sowing Seeds of Character Cards
TAG: Indulging Angi!
Taylor's Art: Cow
Seventeen Dollars and Thirty Cents!!
Our New Home is Almost Ready!...Update - We're Home!
Kindness - What an Awesome Gift!
Our Little Cowpokes
Nature Study - Eastern Hog-nosed Snake (Dead or Alive?)
Dad & Daughter Date
Nature Study - Swallowtail Emerges!


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