On Friday, we'll get out our "Jesse Tree" and begin our focus for the Advent season. Basically, a Jesse Tree is a way to teach how Jesus is the branch from the stump of Jesse (King David's father). Isaiah 11:1 says "Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, And a branch from his roots will bear fruit." Each day we study a different person or event from Biblical history which led to the birth of Christ. At this website and this website I printed out pictures which represent what we're studying. I laminated them and they are the "ornaments" which we put on our Jesse Tree each day. On the back I wrote which Scripture to read about each day. I bought a 3-foot artificial Christmas tree from Walgreens to put the "ornaments" on. I researched several different websites and came up with my own version of what we would study each day. Here it is:
Jesse Tree—My version
1.TreeIntro to Jesse TreeIsaiah 11:1-10, Jer. 23:5-6, I Samuel 16:1-13
Here is another great lapbooking company! There are lapbooks on a variety of subjects such as science, history, math, holiday, preschool, etc. They also offer notebooking pages, unit studies, copywork books, and lapbooking classes.
If you sign up for their newsletter, you can get a free one called an Overview of the 17th Century. We'll be using this next! (Right now we're studying the Renaissance, 1500s.) Check out their website at ajourneythroughlearning.net
For Better For Worse For Keeps Writing and Publishing School
When: Monday, November 30, For Better For Worse For Keeps Writing and Publishing School, Arlington Heights, IL 9:30 - 4:00 Pm (registration begins at 9:15 Am)
Who: You are all cordially invited to the Second For Better For Worse For Keeps Writing and Publishing School, Small enough to know your name, taught by Published Writing Professionals, Bob and Cheryl Moeller. Space is limited to first 90 participants.
Homeschool students, high school sophomore level and above are welcome to attend, with or without a parent.
What: For Better For Worse For Keeps Writing and Publishing School, with topics such as How to get Started, How to Get Published, How to Get an Agent, with lots of question and answer sessions
Where: Arlington Heights Memorial Library, 500 N Dunton Ave, Arlington Heights, Illinois 60004-5966 (Please do not contact the library) Contact for information or R.S.V.P. office@bobandcherylmoeller.com
Cost: Free (A freewill offering will be taken for the For Better For Worse For Keeps Ministries)
Lunch and etc.: On your own at area restaurants in downtown Arlington Heights or bring a sack lunch. Snacks and conference notes are provided. No childcare.
Each participant can submit 1500 words before the conference, to be reviewed by Bob and Cheryl. This can be 1500 words for one article or book, 750 words for two different projects OR 500 words each for three different projects. You can sign up for 60 minute time slot for a personal phone conference, same week as conference with Cheryl.
Teachers are Bob and Cheryl Moeller, married for 30 years, Orchard homeschool parents of six children (one son-in-law), and three lively dogs:
Bob Moeller, D.Min.: Co-founder of For Better For Worse For Keeps Ministries, TV host, radio personality, For Better For Worse For Keeps National Conference Speaker, The Road to “I Do” Single’s Conference Speaker, published author of 8 books, ghost writer for 6 books, wrote over 100 articles for magazines and newspapers such as Focus on the Family, Leadership Journal, Moody Magazine, Christianity Today, Christian Reader, Light and Life, Evangelical Beacon, Standard, Wesleyan Advocate, Marriage Partnership, Christian Courier, David C. Cook Publishing, Wesleyan Publishing House, Standard Publishing, Lifeway Publishing, and many more.
Nationally Published books: For Better For Worse For Keeps (Multnomah 1992), To Have and To Hold (Multnomah), The Stirring (a novel with Thomas Nelson 1995), Love in Action: Healing Conflict in Your Church (Multnomah 1995), AWANA: God’s Miracle (AWANA Press 1998), Marriage Minutes (Moody 1998), For Better For Worse For Keeps (Marriagevine 2006), Marriage Miracle (Harvest 2010)
Cheryl Moeller, M.A.R.: Co-founder of For Better For Worse For Keeps Ministries, literary agent for 11 years,.published author of 3 books with national publishers, self-published five books sold through websites and at conferences, author of articles for various publications including Marriage Partnership and MOPS.org, syndicated humor columnist for 7 online parent websites and magazines, stand up comic, speaker for retreats and conferences, and mom blogger at www.momlaughs.blogspot.com.
Nationally Published books: Marriage Minutes (Moody 1998), For Better For Worse For Keeps (Marriagevine 2006), and Marriage Miracle: (Harvest 2010). Self-Published books: 2 Novels with Curriculum - Baby Saves Christmas and Lexi’s Homeschool Diary, 2 Gift Books - Keep Courting: 100 Ways to Keep Courting After Marriage and Aunt Sarah’s Alaskan Cookbook, Preschool Curriculum – Homeschool Your Preschooler on $1 a Day
I love traditions! It's fun to see how they are formed sometimes when you weren't even thinking about it! Here are a couple we have now:
Listening to "Stories of the Pilgrims" by Pumphrey (read by Jim Hodges)
Listening to "A Thanksgiving to Remember" by Rainey (on CD from Family Life)
Reading "An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving" by Alcott
Reading "Cranberry Thanksgiving" by Devlin and making Grandmother's cranberry bread!
Today we cut out pictures from magazines to make collages of things we're thankful for. Maybe that will become a new tradition!
Here is an updated version of a previous post. I saw a friend at the library today who asked how I decide what books to get at the library. Below are some ways to find good books and some of my favorites!
I had a friend ask about homeschooling preschool and thought I'd share a few ideas. Basically, all I do is read a lot of books (mostly picture books for the ages of 4 and under) starting when they turn 1 year old. (When I stop nursing, I replace it with reading books before each nap and bedtime.) I find that it's very natural for me to find things in books to use to teach areas rather than just reading. For example, in the book "Goodnight Moon", we look for the mouse on each page. Maybe I'll ask them to count how many stars are in the sky or what shape or color something is. We use books like Dr. Seuss's ABC and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom to learn the alphabet. I try to steer clear of "twaddle" books, and there are a lot of them! For example, many of the "character" books such as Disney, Sesame Street, Dora the Explorer, Barbie, etc. and just not even worth my time. They are so poorly written. I love to read books above their level as soon as they can handle it. My oldest son listened all the Chronicles of Narnia when he was 4 and loved them! I just finished reading the full 9-book series of Little House by Laura Ingalls Wilder to my preschool girls (started when they were 3 and 5, now they are 4 and 6).
The other thing I do for preschool is make sure we have quality toys to develop their imaginations: puzzles, dress-up clothes, dolls and accessories, play kitchen, trains, Tinker Toys, dollhouses, etc.
The two previous things are basic. I know there are some people who have the desire, the time and the energy to do more with their preschoolers. It's fine to do so, but not necessary. I've never bought any curriculum or special guides for teaching my preschoolers. Below are some great ideas of "curriculae" which have been helpful to some people.
To get a good list of books to read to preschoolers, check out the following websites and their booklists: Five in a Row Sonlight Ambleside Letter of the Week
The book Honey for a Child's Heart by Gladys Hunt
I, of course, do other things, too, which I feel are valuable such as reading the Bible, memorizing Scripture (age 3), narration (age 4), music and movement, field trips, art, chores, nature exploration/ outdoor play. I start "handwriting" with the Handwriting Without Tears preschool books. There are also some fun lapbooks to do with preschoolers which may be found at Hands of a Child, Knowledge Box Central and Live N Learn Press. (You can try a free lapbook called "All About Me" here.) You'll find only free lapbooks at HomeschoolShare and HomeschoolHelperOnline. I also love the free Tot Books found here. Homeschooling preschool is fun and easy--and you won't get the negative peer pressure and bad attitudes (and loss of money) that come when sending them to a preschool!
Here are some children's picture books that I have enjoyed:
A is For Adam and D is For Dinosaur by Ken and Mally Ham (great for creation science).
The Creation Bible by Ken Ham
Where Does God Sleep, Momma by Nancy Bestmann
The Quiltmaker's Gift by Jeff Brumbeau (one of my favorites!)
M is For Melody by Kathy-jo Wargin
Quilting Now and Then by Karen Bates Willing and Julie Bates Dock
Robert McCloskey books (like Make Way for Ducklings, Blueberries for Sal and Lentil)
The Lord Builds the House: the 127th Psalm illustrated by Johannah Bluedorn
Baby's First Book of Blessings and Baby's First Book of Psalms by Stephen Elkins
Sheep in a Jeep (and others) by Nancy Shaw
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
Sandra Boynton books (like Blue Hat, Green Hat; Moo, Baa, Lalala; Birthday Monsters; Oh Me, Oh My, Oh Dinosaurs; Hippos Go Berserk).
Eric Carle Books (like Very Hungry Caterpillar, Very Quiet Cricket, Click Beetle The Very Busy Spider, Mixed-up Chameleon, and Animals, Animals,a collection of poems).
Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert.
Curious George by H.A. Rey.
Kathleen Long Bostrom books (like What is God Like?, Who is Jesus?, What About Heaven?, Are Angels Real?).
Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault.
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? and Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie (and others) by Jaura Joffe Numeroff
The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza (Philemon Sturges)
Welcome to the Ice House by Jane Yolen
Best Mother Goose Ever by Richard Scarry
The Vert First Christmas and The Very First Easter by Paul L. Maier
Put Me in the Zoo by Robert Lopshire
The Princess and the Kiss by Jennie Bishop
The Remarkable Farkle McBride by John Lithgow.
Dr. Suess books (like ABC book; One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish).
Jan Brett books (like Berlioz the Bear, The Mitten, and The Owl and the Pussycat. She has beautiful illustrations.).
Sebastian: A Book About Bach by Jeanette Winter
Good Night Sweet Butterflies by Dawn Bentley.
The Veggiecational Book by Phil Vischer.
Stan and Jan Berenstain books (like Bears on Wheels and The Berenstains' B Book).
Good Night Moon and Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel and Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Burton
The Rag Coat by Lauren Mills
Bedtime for Frances and Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban
Love You Forever by Robert Munsch
Petunia by Roger Duvoisin
Laura Ingalls Wilder picture books.
Beatrix Potter books.
Winnie the Pooh stories by A.A. Milne.
Raggedy Ann stories.
Mercer Mayer books
And here are a few suggestions by REInvestor:
I love children's picture books too. Many of those you have listed are ones we love too. We also like Inside Mouse, Outside Mouse by Lindsey Barrett George, books by Patricia Polacco, and my kids all loved The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere by Longfellow. Also my son loved St. George and The Dragon adapted by Margaret Hodges.
Below is a review of the Hands of a Child project pack "Katy's Big Snow Day." It is a literature lapbook unit based on the book "Katy and the Big Snow" by Virginia Lee Burton. It can be purchased at Hands of a Child or Currclick.
I did the Katy’s Big Snow Day lapbook with 3 of my kids, ages 3, 4, and 6.We had a lot of fun with it.I definitely recommend it for the preschool set. The book is old and sweet.It had some interesting words in it, so my kids learned some new things.The lapbook activities were enjoyable for them, too.The project pack says it was written for up to 3rd grade; I’m sure there are some kids older than 6 years who would like it, but not my older boys (2nd and 3rd grade).The book was too childish for them.
Included in the project guide were lots of questions to ask the kids while we were reading.There were 20 lapbook activities.It took me about an hour to cut it all out, but my 6 year-old daughter was able to help a little.We were able to adapt many activities for my younger set by cutting and pasting the answers, drawing them, or dictating while I wrote, instead of having the kids write so much.Much of this was included by the authors.My 4 year-old was able to trace the answers for some of the minit-books; it was nice that they were included in the project pack, too.
I loved how the book was a jumping off point for studying directions (north, south, east, west) and compasses.We also studied about blizzards.Both compasses and blizzards had quite a few lapbook activities included.I found a few more things to explore which weren’t included in the project guide:measurement (they talk about how deep the snow fell), big construction trucks (by 3 year-old boy loved this), street signs, and counting by 5 (the first page counts by 5s up to 55 to show that Katy is 55 horsepower).We also added in another activity of drawing a map of our own town, and compared it to the map of Geoppolis.A verse I thought fitted in well was Proverbs 31:17 which says “She sets about her work vigorously;her arms are strong for her tasks.”That was a good description of Katy!
Now, here is the cutest thing.These 3 kids were running about chasing each other yesterday and kept saying, “I’ll be Katy now.You’re Katy.It’s my turn to be Katy.Etc.”Finally, I asked them what they were doing.I could tell that “Katy” was the leader , so I said, “Why don’t you just say you’ll be the leader?”Then, I realized they were acting out the book!When someone asks for help, Katy always says, “Follow me.” And then she plows out the street while they all follow her!It just confirms for me again how kids learn so much on their own if you gently guide them and then give them the freedom (and time) to explore!
So, try out this lapbook with your preschooler(s).It’s great for the winter-time!
Here are some pictures. I still can't figure out how to turn these. Sorry!
In August we found out that 2 replicas of Christopher Columbus' first voyage to the New World were nearby in Lake Michigan. So, off for a field trip! It was neat that we went as a family and also met our church family there. We had a pretty good tour guide, a man who actually sails with the ships around the U.S. I learned quite a bit about ships. It was great timing, too, since we are starting our study of Columbus and the other explorers this month.
Here are some pictures of the Nina and the Pinta:
Pulling the anchor up.
Old-fashioned navigational techniques.
The rudder
Here is the website. See if they'll be sailing near you!
My son has begged to study pirates for years, so we finally did. There are some fun kids' pirates books, plus we listened on CD to the classic "Treasure Island." We downloaded the audio book for free (see here) and listened to it in the car on the way to some field trips. There are several readers; some are great, and some are pretty bad. But it's free, and I could never seem to get it at the library when we wanted it. When the book was done, my oldest son said, "Aww. I wish that book had a million chapters. There are only 34!" Now, that's the sign of a good book!
One really neat thing we did was to go see the "Real Pirates" exhibit at the Field Museum (link here) in Chicago. There was a real pirate ship named the "Whydah" which sank off of Cape Cod. In the exhibit they displayed many artifacts which were brought up, including lots of "sunken treasure!" (This link has pictures and video, and here's another.) They had a whole glass case of silver coins which were found. We decided to make some coins ourselves. We cut out irregular circles (the ones we saw in the exhibit were not perfectly round) and covered them with foil. Then the boys drew designs on them. I made a couple of money bags for them to hold their treasure. For art, they decorated some coloring pages of parrots with glitter.
Here are the books we read (and liked):
Treasure Island (free download from freeclassicaudiobooks.com)
How I Became a Pirate (Long)
Pirate Things to Make and Do (Gilpin)
Mice of Westing Wind, bks. 1 and 2 (Davis)
Pirates in the Park (Roberts)
The World of the Pirate (Garwood)
Do Pirates Take Baths? (Tucker)
On the Go With Pirate Pete and Pirate Joe (Cannon)
Sunken Treasure (Gibbons)
Pirates: Robbers of the High Seas (Gibbons)
Roger, the Jolly Pirate (Helquist)
Captain Scarfield (from Pyle's Book of Pirates, read by Robert Green of You Need a Story)
Movies watched:
The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything (Veggie Tales)
Muppet Treasure Island
I was also thinking about reading Peter Pan and watching the Pirates of Penzance (Gilbert and Sullivan operetta), so we might do that sometime, too.
Last month we did a fun study on cowboys.
Here are the books we read:
A biography of Will Rogers
Armadillo Rodeo (Brett),
C is for Cowboy: A Wyoming Alphabet (Gagliano),
Cowboys (Penner),
Cowboys and Cowgirls: Yippee Yay! (Gibbons),
I Want to be a Cowboy (Liebman),
Why Cowboys Sleep With Their Boots On (Knowlton),
Riding the Range: Western Activities for Kids (Drinkard),
Little Sure-Shot: The story of Annie Oakley (Spinner),
Justin Morgan Had a Horse (Henry, on CD),
B is for Buckaroo:A Cowboy Alphabet (Gleaves),
Bronco Busters (Herzig),
Rodeo (Bellville)
Kickin' up some cowboy fun : 130 activities for cowboys and cowgirls (Cook)
And movies we watched:
Annie Get Your Gun (movie),
All About the Circus & All About Rodeos (movie),
All About Dinosaurs & All About Horses (movie)
Music CD:
All about cowboys for kids(CD)
As usual, the kids spent a lot of time acting like cowboys (and cowgirls) and pretending to be in rodeo events. We had a couple of ropes which they had made at a farm festival last year. I know they are really understanding what we're learning in books when they actually act it out!
Here are the lapbook pictures. Most of this was from Hands of a Child "Cowboys."
Today my goal is to actually follow the schedule I've set out for our homeschool year! Some new things start today. My 5 yo daughter starts violin lessons. She is so excited! I'm am so blessed to have found a teacher who comes to our house. The older boys will be continuing their lessons, too.
Also, this evening BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) begins for the older boys. This will be the first year in about 10 years that my husband won't be in leadership! The break will be nice, but I'm glad that the 3 of them will still be going. They will be studying the book of John.
As for our studies, we'll be finishing up our Pirates study this week. I decided to fit it in before the more important history studies begin (Explorers, Reformation, Renaissance, etc.) My oldest son has been begging to study pirates for about 3 years!
Here is a copy of the schedule. We'll see if I can actually do it!
Schedule 2009-2010
TimeWhat to do
6-7:30 Wake up, personal Bible reading/prayer, Mom shower, all breakfast
7:30-9Morning Chores/Schoolwork (Mom-exercise for 15 min.)
(vitamins, brush teeth and hair, dishwasher, handwriting, practice violin)
9-9:30 Bible Time (pray, doctrine/read-aloud, Bible reading, memory practice, and sing), baby down for morning nap first
9:30-10 MWF-Math, T/TH-Science
10-11:00M-Violin lessons (B Latin lesson)
T-Spanish (listen to CD, notebook)
W-art/lapbook
Th-library or read aloud library books
F-art/lapbook
11-11:30 M: boys typing lesson on computer (M’s violin lesson)
T: Musikgarten for preschoolers (3 younger kids)
W: piano lesson for 3 older kids
Th: choral music/ singing lesson
F: chore training/ clean house (vacuum, dust, bathroom, mop)
11:30-12Lunch and clean up (listen to Spanish CD during lunch)
12:00-1:00 P.E./ play outside, computer for Mom
1:00-1:15 L,T, & R down for naps/quiet time in room (read to them first)
1:15-2:30 J read to Mom; M phonics; read-aloud of poetry, history, current events, and novel/ biography
2:30-3:30 Quiet/ rest time (play games, silent reading, or book on CD)
3:30-4:00 Snack, practice piano (15 minutes each child)
4:00-4:30 15 more minutes piano practice; MWF-fold clothes, T-clean up basement, Th-clean up downstairs and get ready for swim lesson
4:30-5:00 Clean up downstairs, dinner prep (one helper each month)
5:00-5:30 Video (only educ. videos during the week)
5:30-6:30 Dinner and clean up
6:30-7:00 Family worship time (M- BSF, T-singing, W-game or read aloud, Th-swim lessons, F-singing)
Today I decided we should do some nature study. My goal is to get outside to look at nature and do some drawing for their journals once a week. But we don't do it that often!
So, this morning we made sure the kids' backpacks were filled with a clipboard and white paper, sharpened pencil attached with a string, and a pencil sharpener. (They're supposed to have a magnifying glass, too, but who knows where those all went!)
We went to a forest preserve called Middlefork Savannah (see here). It was really a prairie preserve! As we were hiking through, I kept thinking of all the descriptions that Laura Ingalls gives in her books about being out in the prairie. We saw a number of insects, such as grasshoppers, dragonflies, and even a praying mantis. We also heard lots of frogs. There is a wildlife center there, too, so we saw a turtle pond, 2 hawks, and a wallaby. I loved seeing the kids sit with their clipboards and draw the flowers and animals.
Lastly, there was a playground, which was a fun way to end before we headed home for lunch.
A few years ago I came up with an idea that has really worked for record-keeping for our homeschool. I live in a state which does not require us to keep records or show them to anyone, but I do it so that I will remember what we've accomplished. (Also, HSLDA does want us to keep records.)
Here's what I do. Each week I put up on a wall in my kitchen near the pens a pre-printed chart. It has just about everything that we could possibly do for "school" listed on it. All I have to do is put a check-mark in the box if we did that activity that day. Sometimes I'll write a little something in the box to be more specific. There is also room at the bottom of the page to write what we are memorizing, what we're reading aloud, what the boys are reading to themselves, the unit study we're doing, and any field trips we went on. I simply keep the sheets in a folder all year. Then, I'll type out a final "report" or list of all we did to put in each child's yearly binder (where we keep a sampling of their work in each subject).
Here is a copy of the chart:
Activity
Bible Time
Practice Violin
Handwriting-B
Handwriting-J
Handwriting-M
Math
Science/ Nature Study
Music (violin, piano, sing)
Spanish
Latin
Art
Lapbook/ Notebooking
Library
Read library books
Typing
Chore training
P.E.
Play outside
J read to Mom
M phonics
M read to Mom
Poetry
Biography
History
Current Events
Game
Card Ministry (to whom)
Book on CD
Geography
Sign Language
B-Narration
J-Narration
M-Narration
Cooking
Family Worship
Sorry about this funny looking thing. I can't get it to delete!:
We've been doing lapbooks at our house for a couple of years now. It's really a fun way to organize the unit study and have a culminating project that doesn't take up too much space. I keep them in a magazine file on the end table next to the couch and often see the kids take one out to look through it (reviewing what they've learned!)
I've made up my own and purchased complete kits. But I really love finding free ones online. More and more are being posted all the time.
Below you'll find some links that will help you find one on almost any subject you can think of. By the way, if you don't know what a lapbook is, look at the squidoo site or Jamin's blog for a full tutorial!
Are you looking for an early childhood music and movement class for your preschooler/kindergartener? I have one for you!
Our new session of Musikgarten will begin on September 8, 2009.
Classes are Tuesdays 11-11:40 a.m. at my home in northwest Mundelein.
Special discounted rate: $100 for 12 classes and materials (2 CDs, parent book, and animal picture cards in a cloth bag). Additional registered siblings only $60! Special rate available until August 18.
(Older and younger siblings may tag along for free.)
See more information at my website www.GenasMusikgarten.com .
Or call 847-970-7760, email genamayo@comcast.net
To see a neat video about Musikgarten, click here.
Leading Little Ones to God (Schoolland) with accompanying Scripture readings, memory work and copywork of verses and questions from Category 1 of Bible Bee (and 2 older boys do the Bee on Sept. 12), sing hymns and praise songs and learn some choral music in parts, personal devotional time each morning (minimum 10 minutes Bible reading, 5 minutes praying and memorizing Scripture), BSF for 2 older boys (studying the book of John), Mom and Dad read aloud from Bible in evenings.
Math:
Play games, use manipulatives (buy from Math-U-See); focus on money, clock, calendar, measuring; make and read graphs, math lapbooks, read living books, watch Math-U-See DVDs and maybe use book.
Exploring Creation with Astronomy with notebooking materials and experiments; nature study and journaling.
History:
Overall history text:Story of the World, volume 3 (listen on CD)
Each unit will take 1-2 months
1.Cowboys
2.Explorers
3.Reformation/ John Calvin
4.Renaissance (especially artists)
5.Christmas Carols
6.Colonial Times
7.American Revolution
8.Pirates
9.Lewis and Clark
10.Pioneers—use Prairie Primer with Little House books (for summer 2010)
Read-Alouds (most correlate to History):
Poetry:Christina Rossetti Complete Poems and others
*I have not read most of the following books yet and am not endorsing them until I do!
1.Cowboys:
Armadillo Rodeo (Brett), C is for Cowboy: A Wyoming Alphabet (Gagliano), Cowboys (Penner),Cowboys and Cowgirls: Yippee Yay! (Gibbons), I Want to be a Cowboy (Liebman), Why Cowboys Sleep With Their Boots On (Knowlton), Riding the Range: Western Activities for Kids (Drinkard), Annie Get Your Gun (movie), Little Sure-Shot: The story of Annie Oakley (Spinner), Justin Morgan Had a Horse (Henry, on CD), B is for Buckaroo:A Cowboy Alphabet (Gleaves), Hats off to John Stetson (Christian), Bronco Busters (Herzig), Rodeo (Bellville), All About Astronauts & All About Cowboys (movie), All About the Circus & All About Rodeos (movie), All About Dinosaurs & All About Horses (movie), All about cowboys for kids(CD), Kickin' up some cowboy fun : 130 activities for cowboys and cowgirls (Cook)
2.Explorers
The Light and the Glory for Children (Marshall),Christopher Columbus: Adventures of Faith and Courage (Rhodes), The World ofChristopher Columbus and Sons (Foster), Amos de los Mares (Allison Lassieur),
Atlas of Discovery (Gail Roberts), Captain Cook Explores the Pacific in World History by Ann Graham Gaines, Captain James Cook by Richard Bowen, Captain James Cook: Three Times Around the World by Milton Meltzer, The Children’s Atlas of Exploration: Follow in the Footsteps of the Great, Explorers by Antony Mason and Keith Lye, Christopher Columbus by Mary Dodson Wade, Exploring the New World: An Interactive History Adventure by Melody Herr, James Cook by Enid Brodenek, John Cabot by Laurence Anthony, John Cabot by Neil Champion, The Lewis and Clark Expedition by Jessica Gunderson, Life of Ferdinand Magellan and the first Circumnavigation of the Globe by Francis H. Guillemard, Magellan and the Exploration of South America by Colin Hynson, Magellan: Voyager with a Dream by William Jay Jacobs, The National Geographic Society: 100 Years of Adventure and Discovery by
C.D.B. Bryan, Sacagawea by Jessica Gunderson, Stowaway by Karen Hesse, To America and Around the World: The Logs of Christopher Columbus and ofFerdinand Magellan by Christopher Columbus and Antonio Pigafetta, The Travels of John and Sebastian Cabot by Joanne Mattern, Doak, Robin S. John Cabot and the Journey to North America. Minnesota: Compass Point Books, 2003.
Fisher, Leonard Everett. Prince Henry the Navigator. New York: Macmillan
Publishing Company, 1990.
Fritz, Jean. Around the World in a Hundred Years: From Henry the Navigator to
Magellan. New York: Putnam & Grosset Group, 1994.
Gallagher, Jim. Ferdinand Magellan and the First Voyage Around the World.
Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 2000.
Langley, Andrew. You Wouldn’t Want to be a Viking Explorer! Voyages You’d
Rather Not Make. New York: Franklin Watts.
Margeson, Susan M. Viking. New York: Dorling Kindersley, 1994.
St. George, Judith. So You Want to Be an Explorer? New York: Philomel Books,
2005.
Williams, Jean Kinney. Captain James Cook Charts the Pacific Ocean.
Minnesota: Compass Point Books, 2003.
3.Reformation/ John Calvin (Have Reformation Party on Oct. 31)
John Calvin (Vollmer)
4.Renaissance
Galileo and the Stargazers (Weiss, 1564-1642), Shakespeare for Children (Weiss), Leonardo da Vinci (3 different books Stanley, Hahn, Clark), Leonardo’s Horse (Fritz), Lives of the Artists (Krull), The Second Mrs. Giaconda (Konigsburg), Michelangelo: Renaissance Artist (Cook), The Queen’s Smuggler (about Tyndale, by Jackson, 1535), The Prince and the Pauper (Twain, 1530)
5.Christmas Carols
Christmas Carols for a Kid’s Heart (Wolgemuth and Tada)
6.Colonial Days
Witch of Blackbird Pond (Speare, 1687), Traitor in the Tower (about John Bunyan, by Jackson, 1660), The Sign of the Beaver (Speare, 1768), Madeleine Takes Command (Brill, 1690s), If You Lived in Colonial Times (McGovern), Pocahontas (d’Aulaire, 1607), Stories of the Pilgrims (Pumphrey, 1608-1620), The World of Capt. John Smith (Foster, 1580-1631), Calico Captive (Speare, 1754), The Courage of Sarah Noble (Dalgliesh, 1707), The Matchlock Gun (Edmonds, 1756), Hostage on the Nighthawk (about William Penn, by Jackson, 1699-1700)
7.American Revolution/ Birth of America
Johnny Tremain (Forbes), George Washington’s World (Foster), Thomas Jefferson: A Picture Book Biography (Giblin), George Washington (d’Aulaire), A Picture Book of Patrick Henry (Adler), Ben and Me (Lawson), And Then What Happened, Paul Revere (Fritz, 1735-1776), Can’t You Make Them Behave, King George? (Fritz), Susanna Wesley: Mother of John and Charles (Ludwig), The Chimney Sweep’s Ransom (about John Wesley, by Jackson, 1742), Liberty or Death: The American Revolution (Maestro, 1763-1783)
8.Pirates
8.Pirates
Treasure Island (Stevenson), The Book of Pirates (Pyle), The Dark Frigate (Hawes),
Homeschoolshare lapbook
Library List Little Badger, Terror of the Seven Seas by Eve Bunting
Pirates Robbers of the High Seas by Gail Gibbons
Do Pirates Take Baths? by Kathy Tucker Classic Starts: Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson Pirate Pete's Giant Adventure by Kim Kennedy The Everything Kids' Pirates Puzzle And Activity Book: Set Sail into a Treasure-trove of Fun! by Beth L. Blair Pirate Things to Make And Do (Usborne) by Rebecca Gilpin How I Became A Pirate by Melinda Long The World of the Pirate by Val Garwood
I have just completed watching the demo about Math-U-See (you can get a free dvd or watch it on their website). I am so excited to do math with my kids now! I don't have time to go into the philosophy and methods of this program. Just watch the demo and see if you're amazed, too!
We'll start with Alpha for my 7 and 8 year-olds. I still want to do "informal" math, so I don't expect to do much with the workbooks or tests. I'll know if they understand by just "playing" with the blocks (math manipulatives) and applying what we learn to everyday life. We'll watch the short lesson on video every Monday and do practice with it on Wednesday and Friday. (We'll start the heavy-duty math on paper when they turn 10 years old.)
The Homeschool Expo is a "don't miss" whole family two day event with hundreds of workshops, exhibitors and thousands of products where parents can review and purchase the latest curriculum, hear great speakers who give practical encouragement, and receive personalized help and answers to any question. Workshops especially emphasize the practical aspects of teaching children. There are hundreds of exhibits in the exhibit hall, including two featuring Bob and Cheryl's marriage ministry and Cheryl's children's books and curriculum. Bob and Cheryl will be doing four workshops, that you don't want to miss.
1. Homeschool Your Preschooler on $1 a Day (Cheryl Moeller/Author, Homeschool Mom of 6) - Are you planning on homeschooling your preschooler, but can't afford all the curriculum you picked out? Or perhaps, you already have your homeschool curriculum, but still need additional ideas and supplemental materials? Who doesn't need help these days with the rising costs that impact a family's budget? This is your key to a "Do-it-Yourself" preschool homeschool workshop, where you'll be given you the tools to frugally homeschool your preschooler on $1 a day. All ideas are tried and tested in the trenches with homeschool mom of 6, conference speaker and author Cheryl Moeller, M.A.R.
2. Six Steps to Connecting with the Heart of Your Child (Bob and Cheryl Moeller) All children desire to have a deep and life-long heart connection with their parents. Parents share this same desire to be connected to the hearts of the their children. Yet, for this heart connection to take place it requires a deliberate effort, focus and caring on the part of parents. Bob and Cheryl Moeller, homeschool parents of six children, will share with you six practical steps to use with your homeschool children to stay connected to their hearts on a day to day basis. They will help you understand the dynamics of the heart as God created it to work; what locks and unlocks a child's heart; and how to speak into the heart of our kids giving them the love, security and sense of belonging they so desperately desire.
3. Teach Your Children 12 Crucial Life Lessons to Avoid Making Huge Mistakes (Bob Moeller) Nothing is learned by quitting, more people are counting are on than you realize, never burn bridges behind you, are some of the 12 Valuable Life Lessons that you'll want to know to teach your children. These practical, transferable concepts can guide your children to make wise, and life-giving choices each day. From truths learned from personal experience, as a husband of 30 years, homeschool dad of 6, pastor, author and TV host, Dr. Bob Moeller will challenge you to instill in your children 12 disaster busters.
4. 10 Reasons Why Loving Your Spouse is the Ultimate Homeschool Curriculum (Bob and Cheryl Moeller) Discover 10 Reasons why making your marriage and spouse the priority before your children and homeschool, is so vital. By learning and living this valuable home-life curriculcum, children will be set on a course to make them more productive, successful and well adjusted in their future lives and homes. Loving your spouse is an important life lesson children need to learn and see modeled, to ensure a healthy future. Dr. Bob Moeller and Cheryl Moeller, B.S., M.A.R., For Better For Worse For Keeps Ministries, will show and tell you why and how.
Also check out workshops from our friends - Gale Wightman, Amy Burnham, and Randi St. Denis - at the Chicago Homeschool Expo.
I'm still going to get some pictures posted from our trip (and from the rest of the summer)! But, in the meantime, here is the journal that my 8 yo son wrote on our trip.
I tried to copy it down exactly as he wrote it (misspellings and other errors included). One thing I didn't do (because I couldn't figure out how to) was to add in the little circles with "R"s in them that he put after all Registered Trademark names, such as Crayola and Subway. So cute!
B’s Pennsylvania Trip Journal
6/12/09
Today we travled from Ill. To PA.Delphos Ohio has very pretty houses.And we went to the A and W restaurant.And we went thru five states they are Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virgina, and Pennsylvania.
6/13/09
Today we went to the National Aviary.There I saw the FliteZone show.We drove thru mountains.I saw huge deep valleys, and stayed on a farm in Lanchaster County.
6/14/09
Today we went to Hershey’s Chocolate World.There I became a Hershey’s Official chocolate factory worker.I got a ID and a hat.
6/15/09
Today I milked a cow, I also ate at Subway, and went to Gettysburgh.
6/16/09
Today we went to the Crayola factory.There I got a packet of crayons, a marker, and a bag of Model Magic.I also stayed in a hotel in New Jersey.
6/17/09
Today we went to Independence Hall, a Ben Franklin Museum, a archeology museum, the Liberty Bell, Christ Church, and Elfreth’s Alley.
6/18/09
Today we rode the Cape May Ferrie from N.J. to DE.It was fun, and we went to the beach twice.
6/19/09
Today it was realy hot.So hot that we just had to go to the beach again.So we did.At the beach we saw about five army soldiers full in military uniform.We also saw some Amish too.And a military helecopter flew over our heads.The waves were awesomeI went into the water.I also saw a dolphin.And ate at Sonics.I had a grilled cheese and a Ice cream.It was vanilla ice cream with M and M’s, whipped cream, and a cherry on top.
6/20/09
Today Dad, J and me went to the International Spy Museum.It was so awesome.There were gadgets and gizmoes of the F.B.I. and the C.I.A.While Mom, M, B, T, and L went to the zoo.
This is pretty neat, especially if you have an iPhone or Blackberry. (I just put mine on my computer.) Barnes and Noble (here) has free software for e-book reading. It also includes 6 books (5 classics!): Little Women, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Dracula, The Last of the Mohicans, and a dictionary.
We just finished reading (again) a wonderful book called "Missionary Stories With the Millers" by Mildred A. Martin. I heartily recommend it! It's a collection of stories of some of the most amazing God-fearing missionaries around the world. The stories are exciting even for boys! (My 8 yo would say, "Could you please read the next one, too, Mom?" We read a chapter of this book every morning during our morning Bible Time. And I have to tell you--I cried at almost every story! I love how each story begins with a map so we could locate where the event took place. Here are some of the missionaries featured: Jim Elliot, David Livingstone, Hudson Taylor, and Amy Carmichael. There are 29 stories in all.
I haven't started doing "formal" science work with my kids yet. (Instead, we do nature study/journaling and unit studies on topics that we're interested in.) But, when we do switch to a textbook, Apologia will be the company!
I am also excited about the elementary textbooks that Jeannie Fulbright has written. We'll probably start these when my oldest is 10. She has also written some notebooking/lapbooking materials to go along with the textbooks. And she's giving away 8 copies! See info about it below.
Apologia is now producing notebooking journals that accompany each of the elementary science books. Both Botany and Astronomy are now available. You can see samples on the Apologia website here: www.apologia.com
These journals are beautiful spiral bound notebooks that will save you time and money. You won't have to print and keep up with your child's notebook pages, buy and maintain page protectors, or purchase and compile binders...everything that makes notebooking time-consuming and labor intensive for mom. Also, your child will adore having their own notebooking journal.
Each of the notebooking journals include:
A daily schedule for those who like to have a plan or would like their children to complete the book on their own
Templates for written narrations, the notebooking activities and experiments
Review Questions
Scripture Copywork, with both print and cursive practice
Reading lists and additional activities, projects, experiments for each lesson
An appendix with beautiful, full-color, lapbook-style Miniature Books
Field Trip Sheets to keep a record field trips
A Final Review with fifty questions the students can answer either orally or in writing to show off all they remember and know at the end of the course.
Jeannie is giving away four Astronomy Notebooking Journals and four Botany Notebooking Journals to bloggers who post about this on their site. Visit her blog to learn more about this contest: www.jeanniesjournal.com
We finally started using ChorePacks this week--and so far, so good! (See Titus2.com). I have had and have been using the book "Managers of Their Chores" for several years, but never got to the point where I actually made the ChorePacks. I felt like I had to do it perfectly--printed on the computer, laminated, etc. That put a block in it. So, this weekend I just cut out some cardstock the right size and wrote out their chores in marker! Here is what each child is assigned for their morning chores (after breakfast):
8 yo boy: Take vitamin, Put away dishes in cabinets, Handwriting, Brush teeth, Practice violin
7 yo boy: Put dishes on counter (from dishwasher), Take vitamin, Practice violin, Brush Teeth, Handwriting
5 yo girl: Take vitamin, Brush teeth, Clear off table, Handwriting
4 yo girl: Take vitamin, Brush teeth, Put away silverware
I love this system. It is so organized. The kids wear their ChorePacks (so they'll see what they are supposed to do next and won't start playing) and move the card to the back when finished. If they are unable to do a certain chore (because someone else is brushing their teeth, for example), they move it behind the next card and will see it again to know to do it. I don't have to keep on them anymore making sure that they have done everything. Here's my part, though. I have to thoroughly train them so they know exactly how to do the chore. And I have to inspect. ("Don't expect what you don't inspect.") To remind me to do this, I have them clip their ChorePacks onto me after they are finished. That way I will remember to inspect the chores and know what I'm supposed to inspect!
It will also make adding more chores easier later on. We'll probably get some more ChorePacks for their "after lunch chores" and for "afternoon" chores. The system also makes it very easy to add things that only have to be done once a week or once a month. So, eventually we will be quite organized and clean around here! (I hope!)
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