Fall Seed Walk

Even though it's been on my calendar every week, last week was the first one when we actually made it to the arboretum on a non-class visit. I revamped the school schedule to fit it in better, though we still didn't get there until almost 11:30 and got home around 2. Amazing how long it takes to get us out the door! The assignment was to find signs of fall, especially seeds. We also picked our "spot" that we drew in our journals and will visit and draw each season throughout the next year. Here is our visit:

Amazingly stunning ginko leaves - they're as bright and beautiful as many of the maples I have seen around and are such fun shapes!

D. did a great job of finding the first two seed examples!

An elven tree....

Our "spot" that we will chronicle throughout the year....

Cuneiform Seals

We attempted to make cuneiform seals with salt dough, since that is what I had on hand last week. The girls formed flat tablets and then let them dry. This afternoon, we attempted to use the seals in a print-making method. We painted them and then placed paper on top to see if it would make the image on the paper. They worked OK, not great, since it is hard to make the dough completely flat and then it also dries a bit warped. Still, how could it not be fun when paint is involved?!

What to Do With a Three-Year Old

My son just turned 3 years old, and one present he received was a subscription to Wild Animal Baby magazine, which is perfect for his age! We were reading it last week and he seemed to enjoy the porcupine finger play in it, so I thought we would just go with what we were reading and build some activities for him to do. We made salt dough and formed it into porcupine shapes and then he stuck toothpicks into them (we did something similar with the girls several years ago). Today, we finally got around to painting it,so here are his porcupines.

The Story of the World

We are using Susan Wise Bauer's The Story of the World vol. 1 for our history this year, and so far it has been really fun! We will travel from ancient times through the fall of Rome, reading stories, mapping events, coloring pictures, creating a personal book of time and even making lots of fun crafts! So far, the girls seem to be enjoying it. Last night one of them told a friend of ours that Abraham was from Ur in the Fertile Crescent in Mesopotamia, which means "between two rivers." I was pretty impressed!
The format we follow is to read aloud to them the story/lesson for the day and then ask them some questions and have them narrate back to me in a few sentences what we read. They may or may not draw a picture to go with their narration. Then, every couple of days, we map the events we have been reading about. I just began our Book of Time, so my plan is to have us add a picture from what we read as we are reading along to "map" the events in time, too.
Susan Wise Bauer suggests lots of great additional reading sources, and we have been having great fun coming home from the library with 20-30 books at a time!She also suggests various hands-on activities to make it real to the kids as we are learning. We went on an "archaeological dig" in our garden a few weeks ago to try our hand at figuring out who lived there. We made ancient Sumerian cuneiform tablets using clay and writing our names in cuneiform on them. I must recommend that you read the clay package first and make sure it is not the kind that "never dries out!" Especially if you play to put it in the oven to dry faster! :)
One of our recent fun activities was to make mummies. Our activity book includes directions on how to make real chicken mummies, but I thought that sounded too involved and perhaps rather stinky, so I found another post here on how to make mummies from Barbie dolls (sounded a lot less messy!). After heading to the dollar store and goodwill to find two barbies and a ken doll, we got to work last week.
Here are the pics:
(I think the girls' favorite part was cutting off the dolls' hair beforehand, though I didn't get pictures of it. They looked at me twice when I told them to do it and then had big smiles on their faces as they got out their scissors.)

The vinegar wash was quite the hit with the kids. :)

They weren't too keen on the messiness of the cinnamon/oil mixture, either. I reminded them to be glad they were not the priests who would have been doing this on real people!

The salt was a bit more fun, though we had to do some pretty extensive sweeping afterwards!

Our "finished" products, waiting to dry.

And here they are, nice and hardened and cinnamon-y smelling. :) It did look a bit weird to have three mummies lying out on our porch, though, I think. :)

Curricula for 2010-2011 (updated March 2011)

I thought I'd post a little about what I will be using with my girls this year for 1st and 2nd grades, mainly so I can remember when my little ones old are older.

Language Arts

• Our main program is Spell to Write and Read, which we are in our 4th year of using. It is a phonics-based spelling program, with an emphasis on thinking through sounds as you are learning to spell and to thus read. Along with this program, we are doing cursive writing; my 7 year old already knows it, and my 6 year old will be focusing more on it this year (she was less ready motor-wise last year). We have taken a break from SWR after about 24 or so weeks because my younger child is having trouble with handwriting and some reading and is just getting frustrated with it.  I decided to end our phonics for the year and transition to another program that is similar in approach but more visual for next year to see if it help her.  Both girls did well with our weekly spelling bees, and in fact my younger one spells better orally than in writing (another reason I am switching approaches a bit for next year).  In the meantime, we are trying more of a hands-on writing approach for the remainder of the year.  They are writing a story each week, which helps us to cover spelling, grammar, reading, writing, typing, drawing, composition,....  They seem to be enjoying the change.
• My 2nd grader will begin more formal grammar and reading comprehension instruction this year as we broaden our usage of our phonics program, using the suggestions in the Wise Guide (our spelling book) and several other resources their site provides. I actually found some great language arts and writing skills workbooks at Barnes and Noble that we have been using and the girls seem to be enjoying.  I am pondering using them again next year. 
• We have also just begun copywork and narration exercises using Susan Wise Bauer's Writing With Ease workbook. We fell behind in using this resource, mostly because I bought the workbook and had to copy and print each worksheet we needed.  I am going to try again next year with the second level workbook and just make sure to buy a digital copy so I can print as I need them and not have to scan or copy them. 
• I have both girls journal at least once weekly, sometimes requiring them to write, other times letting them dictate to me what to write,sometimes having them draw a picture first and then describe it, other times giving them an intro sentence and having them finish it ("I dreamt that I was a princess..."). They almost always journal after a field trip or outside class (like at our local arboretum) so that they can remember what they learned or saw.
• Both girls will be reading from our Christian Liberty nature readers (levels K and 1). We like these books because the selections are relatively short but interesting as we learn about nature.
  

Math

• We are in our second year of using Singapore math, and so far we are enjoying using it. The girls really look forward to their math times each day. We will be continuing with this program next year.  The second grade work is a lot more writing and time intensive, so we have only just started the second book a few weeks ago.  I am not sure we will finish it before the end of the year, but I have decided that mastery is more important than just finishing it.  If we still have some left, we will begin 3rd grade with the remainder of 2nd grade before moving on.  We are doing a lot of mental math in the 2nd grade book, and it has been really neat to see the light go on in her head as she "gets" it!  I have also added lots of different memorization techniques for the addition and multiplication tables.  Currently, we are doing a lot of jumping around as we recite them.  It seems to be working so far.  :)  My younger child has especially benefited from the use of lots of manipulatives as we work on concepts so that she can visualize them.  I have to say that I like this program because it seems to teach them to think the way I have realized that I think about math.  So, it makes sense to me and seems to be making sense to them so far. 

Science

• I am looking at a new formal "science" curriculum this year and hope to be able to try it. It is called Noeo science and seems very interesting. It uses a sort-of Charlotte Mason approach, using living books rather than textbooks and encouraging much observation and journaling. I'll post more if we get it. We did not purchase this curriculum, just because it seemed so expensive.  However, a few weeks ago, we began Apologia's Exploring Creation with Botany, and I am a big fan of this so far!  I bought the girls their own workbooks, too, and am convinced that it was worth the money spent.  Apologia uses a Charlotte Mason approach, with reading and narration and lots of nature study.  When we finish this study in the fall, we will probably move on to their Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day study on birds.  
• Most of what we do for science is nature-oriented. We read lots of Thornton Burgess books about animals and then I have the girls narrate back to me what they learned, either through drawings or dictation that I write down for them. We also have nature journals and try to go on nature walks either in our neighborhood or at our local arboretum several times a month. As we discover things that interest them, we try to learn more about them.
  

History/Geography/Social Studies & Health

• I am excited about our history curriculum for this year! We are beginning The Story of the World by Susan Wise Bauer. It should take us through a four-year cycle from ancient times to the modern day. The workbook that accompanies the text has lots of interesting map studies and enrichment activities, as well as excellent additional reading lists!  We are loving this resource!  The girls often comment that they love history (which I never did in school, so that makes me happy!)!  Each chapter has 1-3 sections that narrate the history of the time.  The girls answer some questions and then narrate back to me, either orally or with drawings or typed accounts, what we read.  At the end of the chapter, we map whatever we studied, and it has been neat to see their geography skills grow over the year!  The workbook also includes book lists for additional reading and activities to further the study, and we have enjoyed making use of these resources, too.  We also have created our own "Books of Time", which are basically just timelines where we record what we have read about to see how it fits into the big picture of history.  It was neat last week to see them notice that something they just recorded went where we had already included other events - they made the connection that these were all happening at the same time in different areas of the world!  We're definitely looking forward to using book 2 next year! 
• For geography, we began learning the countries of Africa last year and will continue until we are finished. This summer, we began learning the states of the US as well. All of these are done using a geography songs CD and our atlas and globe. We have used several different Dover coloring books in our study of the US states as well. Again, we are really enjoying using our CD and maps.  We have learned the countries of the Middle East, Africa and Southern Europe, the states of the US and provinces and territories of Canada, and the continents and oceans so far, and we just began the countries in Asia.  We will usually sing the song and point to the countries for a few days. Then I print a blank map and we sing and color the countries as we go.  Then, we use this map for a few more days when we sing.  Then I test them on another blank map by calling out the countries randomly.   I think we will continue this next year and add in state capitals for my 3rd grader. 
• For general social studies and health, we will have lessons on fire safety, PA history, the 4th of July, the Pilgrims (a favorite November unit study!) and whatever else sounds interesting. We just finished a book on Thomas Alva Edison and are currently reading one on Betsy Ross. We ended up doing a lot of Revolutionary War-time studies, reading several great chapter books about different events during these times.  We'll continue in this vein next year, too. 
  

Music/art

• Our 2nd grader will be beginning piano lessons this fall and our 1st grader in the spring.We decided that our 1st grader was not quite ready yet, and our 2nd grader is ready, but we really want to find a teacher instead of teaching her ourselves.  In the meantime, she is having a few lessons and is doing well. 
• For general music appreciation and history, every other month or so we take a composer and listen to lots of his or her music and read books about him or her. We have greatly enjoyed the Classical Kids series on several well-known composers.  Music has fallen by the wayside a bit, though they have enjoyed the Classical Kids CDs and other units we have done as asides to our other studies.  
  
• We will use a similar approach to art by taking an artist and looking at his or her artwork and reading books about him or her and even trying to imitate some of his or her work. The girls have been excited to be able to identify pieces of artwork when we are out and about sometimes! Art, too, seems to get the short end of the stick, time-wise, in our school.  The girls are constantly drawing and coloring, but we have not done much formally this year.  My plan is to do a more concentrated time this summer when we are not doing other subjects. 
  

PE

• Besides just playing outside, riding bikes and scooters, the girls will be taking dance this year. They will also begin soccer this fall and hope to play basketball again this winter. We have tried to do lots of outdoor time and have been more successful at times than at others.  They are loving dance, though I am not sure about continuing it for next year.  They did play basketball ,though we waited on soccer so we would not overcommit ourselves.  I think we will do soccer this fall and definitely basketball again.  We will also be going back to our local co-op,so they will have gym on a weekly basis. 
  

Other Fun Stuff

• One of our favorite school times is reading a Magic Treehouse book each week and learning more about whatever subject the book focuses on that week. We have learned about dinosaurs, pirates and ships, rain forests, medieval castles and knights, dolphins,... Several of the books even have accompanying research guides that the girls and I have enjoyed.

This list seems long and a bit intimidating, but somehow it seems to work together for us. My main goal is that the girls cultivate a love of learning in general and a greater appreciation for the Lord and His wonders. Sometimes I have to stop myself and ask whether I am just trying to check things off of a list as we accomplish them or whether my real focus is on the bigger picture. May the Lord bless our efforts, though, and may they grow most in love for Him as they learn more about His world!

Summer Ideas

Now that I have posted my summer ideas, here is a post from one of the pastors at Covenant Fellowship near us with some great thoughts on how to be purposeful with your kids this summer.

School is coming to an end and the summer awaits.  Without school, much of their daily schedule has become open.  How ought we fill that during a summer?  The answers to that question are endless and varied according to each family.  Here are just a few ideas on constructive and fun uses of time this summer:

He lists the following areas:

• Relational education
• Elective education
• Home Projects
• Bible study
• Fun

Read here for the entire article and some great suggestions.

Spelling Fun

Following the advice of Pioneer Woman, we held our first weekly spelling bee today. The girls and Liam loved it, though I suspect it may have been more because of the skittles and dum dums I hurled at them than for the sheer fun of spelling words correctly. Liam even correctly spelled his name (he already knew how to do that) and is beginning to learn the sounds for "a" and "e". They begged for more, which I always figure is a good sign. :)

Summer Break

We are on "summer break" now, so what does that mean this year? Here is what we are doing:

• review math 2 days per week
• review phonograms and spelling rules 1 day per week
• spelling bee once a week
• learn to type
• read library books together
• have the girls read to me!
• continue reading chapter books together (we are currently in Little Women)
• plant and learn about sunflowers (and the bees that visit them)!
• learn about managing our money with Dave Ramsey and Larry Burkett
• read a Magic Treehouse book each week and learn about whatever topic the book covers
• read and pray through Window on the World, mapping as we go
• read and learn about different animals using Thornton Burgess's Animal Book for Children
• make and enjoy art with The Great Big Art Activity Book
• learn to sew, giving the girls sewing kits and scraps of cloth, like my grandmother did for me, as well as possibly a few machine lessons
• hone some cooking skills by learning to prepare some of their favorite dishes
• lots of nature walks outside!
• movies on Mondays!
• library summer clubs! (even for Liam)
• classes at our local arboretum (even for Liam!)
• summer music camp!
• crafty afternoons!
• play with our neighbors outside in the afternoons!
  

Busy and fun!! Yay for summer!!

Magic Treehouse #4: Pirates Past Noon

Here are our book reports from the fourth Magic Treehouse book:






Books used:
Pirates Past Noon, Mary Pope Osborne
Pirates, Will & Mary Pope Osborne

Field Trip!

Today, we visited the Chattahoochee Nature Center. It was a great day for nature walking and exploring. We saw bald eagles and hawks who had been rescued and then rehabilitated. We also got to see a beaver up close and personal! The space inside included a "trading post" area that was (I think) pretty awesome! The kids can bring in anything they find outside and earn points for bringing it in and also for whatever they know about the item. Then, they can "shop" in the bins and "buy" other cool items (animal, plant, mineral) with the points they have earned. They also have microscopes hooked up to computer screens that the kids can use to examine anything in any of the bins. The girls had a blast examining shells, pine cones, rocks and their fingers (and Darsie even figured out how to examine her tongue - go figure!).

Cool flowers (we take pictures so we can leave the cool stuff where we find it)

Cool sticks

Raccoon?

Inside of a turtle shell

Magic Treehouse #2: The Knight at Dawn

Here are the girls' book reports on the second Magic Treehouse book, which we read this week.





Here are the books we used:
The Knight at Dawn, Mary Pope Osborne
Knights and Castles, Will Osborne and Mary Pope Osborne

Magic Treehouse #2: The Knight at Dawn

We have been reading the research guide that accompanies the Magic Treehouse Knight at Dawn book, and after reading about castles, the girls each drew their own castles, making sure to include the barbican, portcullis, drawbridge, moat and watchtower.

Here is Katy's castle:


Here is Darsie's castle:

Magic Treehouse #2: The Knight at Dawn

Today, we read about coats of arms, so the girls each created their own coats of arms to tell other knights on the battle field who they are and what they are like.

Here is Darsie's:


The crosses tell them that I believe in God.
The giraffe tells you that I won't run away, because giraffes are big and don't run away.
The lion with spikes tells you that I will kill them with just one blow!
The arrow with the cross tells them that I believe in God and that He will help me to beat them.
The bullet shows that they can't look at me because I am so scary!

Here are Katy's:




The elephant tells them that I am strong and will beat them.
The sun tells them that I am too bright to look at.
The red cross is like the shield of the Red Cross Knight in St. George and the Dragon!
The weapons on the string are supposed to scare you!

Magic Treehouse #1: Dinosaurs Before Dark

This week, we read the first Magic Treehouse book, Dinosaurs Before Dark. The girls colored pictures of a pteranadon, triceratops, tyrannosaurus rex and apatasaurus and discussed what each dinosaur eats. We also completed a vocabulary page with the terms carnivore, herbivore and omnivore on it and defined each term with a brief description and picture of the foods eaten.

Not To Be Outdone

The horn of Africa is a peninsula that juts out south of the Red Sea. It has Somalia and Ethiopia, Eritrea and Djibuti. The biggest city is Addis Ababa in the country of Ethiopia. Most of the people live in seaports on the Indian Ocean.



And the continents and oceans:

Magic Treehouse #1: Dinosaurs Before Dark

Here is the book we used this week:
Dinosaurs Before Dark by Mary Pope Osborne

Spring Exploring

We had a great time today with our playgroup at the John Heinz Wildlife Refuge. Bird watching (bald eagles, cormorants, tree and barn swallows, red-winged blackbirds, to name a few), flowering trees, frogs and turtles,....